Wilbur Cross football leans on defense and Barnett-McClease to grind out win over Westhill

NEW HAVEN – The Wilbur Cross/Career football co-op grinded out a 19-14 victory over Westhill on Friday night at the Wilbur Cross Athletic Complex.

In a game that featured ground-and-pound football from both teams, Wilbur Cross sophomore running back Chase Barnett-McClease was the main event, scoring two touchdowns to help the Governors improve to 1-1.

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Wilbur Cross coach Alberto Cordero praised Barnett-McClease as one of the team’s most hardworking players and said he expects him to be an All-State candidate again this season.

After a scoreless first quarter, Barnett-McClease got the Governors on the board with a 20-yard touchdown run.

“I saw a man coming over from the middle – I juked him out and I got in the end zone,” Barnett-McClease said.

Zachary Kornfeld got Westhill on the board shortly afterward as he returned the ensuing kickoff for a 72-yard touchdown, making it 7-7.

Wilbur Cross responded with a long drive, capped off by a 5-yard touchdown run by Barnett-McClease for a 13-7 advantage.

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The Governors and Vikings exchanged touchdowns in the third quarter, with quarterbacks Joel Oliveras and Kornfeld scoring on 3-yard runs.

With Wilbur Cross leading 19-14 with two minutes left in the fourth quarter, Westhill recovered a Barnett-McClease fumble.

Cordero was not worried.

“He had a little blip at the end, but he’s a hard runner and we’re going to keep trusting in him, and we’re going to keep giving him the ball the rest of the season,” Cordero said.

Governors freshman defensive back Bryce Jones made sure the fumble didn’t prove costly by intercepting a deep pass from Kornfeld intended for Jervanee Mason Edouard, sealing the win.

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The Governors’ defense also forced a turnover on Westhill’s final drive of the first half on a fumble.

Cordero said that this team is more disciplined than the teams he coached in previous years.

“That’s something my staff and I work on day in and day out with these kids,” Cordero said. “Just try to form some sort of structure and organization on and off the field.”

Wilbur Cross plays at East Haven next Friday at 6 p.m., while Westhill hosts Wilton next Saturday at 4 p.m.

Player of the game

Barnett-McClease ran for two touchdowns in the win.

Quotable

“I love my teammates. I love them to death. Every time we practice, it’s always a good mood. We’re always uplifting each other. Whenever somebody’s down, we’re picking ourselves up, and we finish the game.” – Wilbur Cross running back Chase Barnett-McClease.

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Wilbur Cross 19, Westhill 14

WESTHILL 0 7 7 0-14
WILBUR CROSS 0 13 6 0-19

WC- Chase Barnett-McClease 20 run (Zion Thomas kick)
W- Zachary Kornfeld 72 kickoff return (Adrian Lojqi kick)
WC- Barnett-McClease 5 run (kick failed)
WC- Joel Oliveras 3 run (kick blocked)
W- Kornfeld 3 run (Lojqi kick)

Wilbur Cross 1-1; Westhill 0-2.

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This article originally published at Wilbur Cross football leans on defense and Barnett-McClease to grind out win over Westhill.

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