Vinny Mazza
Coach Elliot excited for the team to be playing at home.
Two scheduled home games had come and gone this season for the Torrington High School football team. With the ongoing campus construction project taking longer than anticipated, they simply became part of a four-game odyssey on the road.
Through it all, the excess travel did not become a distraction for the Raiders. They remained focused on the task at hand, preparing for the opponent in front of them. Tonight, their perseverance will be rewarded as they host rival GNH at the Robert H. Frost Complex in the home opener at 6.
“These past four games on the road have been nothing but part of the process,’’ senior captain Gio Heacox said. “We’ve learned and adapted to going into other teams’ fields and playing the absolute best we could.’’
The major hurdle that needed to be cleared in order for the Raiders (2-2) to play at home was the installation of an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant handicap ramp. It was finally completed on Tuesday afternoon.
The inclined ramp must provide easy access for those individuals utilizing wheelchairs or walkers and for those who have difficulty navigating stairs due to age or disability.
“It has been challenging to always be on a bus for a long time to play against a team with the crowd against us,’’ senior captain Chase Elliott said. “However, I think we have risen to the occasion and played well to start the year.’’
Tonight’s game was announced formally via email by Torrington High Principal Brian Scott on Wednesday morning. This will be the first game at home for the Raiders since a 49-6 victory over Wilby Nov. 15, 2024.
Torrington had not played four consecutive road games since also opening the 2014 season with the identical stretch.
“It’s very special,’’ senior captain Anthony Cangiano said. “The atmosphere when playing at home versus away is very different in the way that I personally feel even more motivated to play my best when playing on our field in front of our fans.’’
The Raiders ended a two-game losing streak against GNH with a 28-25 victory at Van Why Field last season.
The series has taken on a heightened intensity level since GNH (1-3) joined the Naugatuck Valley League in 2022. The schools are just over 10 miles apart. The teams regularly compete in a Passing League during the summer. Numerous players know each other, with some being former teammates at the youth level.
“It’s more than personal,’’ Heacox said. “It’s about heart and the love for the team you play for.’’
The Raiders are coming off a 39-0 loss at Ansonia in a game that saw them thoroughly outplayed on both sides of the ball. The loss was humbling, especially after they had earned back-to-back wins over Kennedy and Crosby.
The match-up against GNH represents the midway point of the regular season. The Raiders will head into the bye week following the game.
There is an urgency on behalf of the players to play well tonight in an effort to prove they are not the same team that completed their four-game road stretch with a lopsided defeat last week.
“This is an extremely important game for us to bounce back and get on the right track to make the (Class MM) playoffs,’’ Elliott said. “I feel like, despite the loss, we grew as a team and we will be able to show we are much better than we played last week.’’