Laviano helps Holy Trinity roll over Chaminade
Holy Trinity High School running back #20 Michael Williams rushes for yardage in the fourth quarter of a NYCHSFL varsity football game vs. Chaminade at Holy Trinity High School. He ran for Holy Trinity's first touchdown of the game with 3:09 remaining in the first quarter en route to their 27-0 win. Credit: James Escher
There are lines that you just don't cross.
That was the case Sunday, when Holy Trinity's offensive line took control in a dominant 27-0 CHSFL victory over Chaminade in the Titans' first home game of the season.
"In my three years on the varsity, I've never seen holes like that," said senior running back Lou Cotrone, who carried 10 times for 57 yards, including a 4-yard burst with 55 seconds left in the first half that made it 20-0 and effectively put the game away.
In trying to cite all the Titans who played a part in improving their record to 4-1, the line forms here: "Our offensive line stepped up major today. They deserve the credit," Cotrone said.
The group includes guards James Collins and Christian Neptune, tackles Justin Thompson and Wray Fucci, center Mike Sinto and tight end Chris Olsen. "We've been struggling in the first half of games, but not today," Holy Trinity coach Tony Mascia said. "Our O-line was a big part of it."
Once they built a substantial first-half lead, the Titans were able to control the ball and the clock. Mostly, they put the football in the hands of junior Mike Williams, who had 12 of his 20 carries and 93 of his 126 yards in the second half. "I'm not really dominant, I'm just lucky," Williams said with genuine humility. "My line did a great job. Chaminade stacked one side and we called counters. There were some huge holes."
There's nothing fancy about the Titans' running game. Williams, Cotrone, Mike Russo (five carries, 46 yards) and Robert Zecher (six carries, 30 yards) are bruisers, not blazers. Their favorite direction is straight ahead. They know that the shortest distance between two points is behind a straight line of Holy Trinity blockers.
"It's the first game where it all came together," Sinto said. Sinto, a senior center and middle linebacker, is part of a defense that held the Flyers to 120 yards of total offense. "All the plays gained positive yardage. Our job is to push the other team's defensive line back as far as we can. We all knew we needed to work harder to improve without Anthony."
Sinto, who had an interception, was a starter in 2009 when Thorp Award winner Anthony Brunetti, now playing at C.W. Post, rushed for a Nassau County single-season record of 2,451 yards and could manage big yardage without big holes.
This season, the Titans line up and spread the wealth. When sophomore quarterback Chris Laviano wasn't handing the ball to one of his running backs and watching the pile move, he had no trouble mixing in some passes. Laviano was an efficient 10-for-14 for 125 yards, including touchdowns of 35 yards to Nick Ferreiro and 33 to Nick Olson.
"Our line has such good chemistry that even if one lineman makes a mistake, someone covers it up," Laviano said. "And our backs always find the holes."
Just check out the bottom line.
