Here’s a look back at Wolcott football’s huge 33-30 NVL road win at Seymour last Friday through the thoughts of head coach Jason Pace. I sent Jason some questions about the game. The questions and his responses are below:
When did your team believe they could beat Seymour?
We approach each week with a winning attitude. So all week in practice we had discussions on what it would take to be successful in the game. And it started with believing that we could win.
What did your team do to prepare for Seymour?
We take the same approach in all of our contests. We treat that opponent as if it were our final game of the season. That did not change with Seymour.
What can you say about the performance of your offensive line?
After graduating 4 of 5 starters from last year’s team, this unit was a concern going into this season. However, they continue to grow together and have found a way to help our offense be successful. I have to credit my offensive line coach and his players for devoting themselves to improvement and putting in the extra time that demands.
Controlling the clock was a big key. What does it say about your offense to be able to do what it did against undefeated Seymour, on the road no less?
Entering the game we knew it was important to keep their explosive offense off the field as much as possible. The ability to sustain and finish several long drives throughout the game helped seal the victory for us.
What has changed for Wolcott football since Week 1?
Being experienced, the key for this season was to improve and learn from our mistakes each week. We made too many mistakes in Week 1, but we have progressed and fixed many of the issues we experienced.
What kind of potential do you think this team has?
It is difficult to say, but if we become more consistent and play with the same intensity that we did against Seymour, then we will have a successful season.
Were you surprised at the lead your team built last night (Friday)?
Not surprised but what impressed me was our defense’s ability to slow down their offense and playmakers.
About Ray getting the big fourth down — what does that say about him as a back and a leader?
He’s our go-to player in those situations. There isn’t anyone we trust more than Ray to make a play when we need it. It was an easy call for me.
SOME STATS FROM THAT GAME…
Mike Polzella was 14-of-21 for 205 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. Steve Urbanski made 13 tackles on defense, and he caught four passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. Two of Mike Ciarlo’s four catches went for scores, as did one from Justin Fernandes. Ray Iorio ran for 155 yards while Polzella added 76 and a touchdown.
In addition on defense, Bobby Stoeckert had six tackles while Dylan Prescott and Fernandes added five each. Urbanski and Stoeckert each had two tackles for losses.
All of those stats are from Wolcott’s MaxPreps.com page.
