The Sheehan Titans will venture away from home to square off against the North Branford Thunderbirds at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Sheehan had to skate by with only a one-point margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 42-point drubbing they dealt Lyman Hall on Thursday. The Titans really took it to the Trojans for the full four quarters, racking up a 42-0 win. The Titans pushed the score to 35-0 by the end of the third, a deficit the Trojans had no chance of recovering from.
Josh Durant
| 10/10/25 @ Xavier | 190 |
| 09/11/25 @ Waterford | 162 |
| 11/27/25 @ Lyman Hall | 157 |
| 09/26/25 vs Pomperaug | 157 |
| 10/24/25 vs North Haven | 140 |
| + 5 more games |
Sheehan's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Josh Durant, who rushed for 157 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 9.2 yards per carry. Durant is becoming a predictor of the Titans' success: when he posts at least 80 rushing yards the team is undefeated (and 1-2 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Jake O'Brien, who rushed for 43 yards and a pair of TDs.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Sheehan was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 254 rushing yards. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Lyman Hall only rushed for eight.
Another reason for the win was Sheehan's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for five sacks. Richard Van Dyke was particularly dangerous to the passing game, picking up four himself. Thanks to that big game, he is now up to 10.5 sacks on the season.
Meanwhile, North Branford entered their tilt with Coginchaug Regional/East Hampton/Hale Ray on Wednesday with seven consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with eight. They put the hurt on the Blue Devils with a sharp 28-6 win. Given the Thunderbirds' advantage in MaxPreps' Connecticut football rankings (they are ranked 32nd, while the Blue Devils are ranked 126th) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
North Branford found their leader in freshman Billy Criscuolo, who rushed for 101 yards on only nine carries.
Sheehan's record is now 8-2. As for North Branford, their record now sits at 9-1.
Wednesday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Sheehan has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 188.9 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like North Branford struggles in that department as they've been averaging 239.6 rushing yards. There's a good chance Wednesday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.
