WOODBURY — Juniors PJ Galullo and TJ Rubsamen gave a very young Nonnewaug co-op football team the experience it needed during its first season in the Naugatuck Valley League.
The duo helped the Chiefs defeat Oxford 12-6 Friday night at Nonnewaug High School in the team’s inaugural NVL game and season opener.
“It was a good move for us to put our program in there,” Chiefs coach Scott Lynch said.
The contest was far from polished, but Nonnewaug found a way to secure its first win in the league.
“It was ugly, but we got the job done tonight,” Rubsamen said.
“It feels great to be in the NVL. We worked hard to get here, and we deserve to be in the NVL,” Galullo said. “We’re a young team, but we’re pushing through, and we’re getting there.”
Nonnewaug returns only a small group of veterans after losing 19 of 22 starters from last year’s 11-1 Class SS semifinalist team. Galullo and Rubsamen, two of the few players with experience from that squad, were central to Friday’s victory.
Rubsamen threw an interception that Oxford’s Harrison Dorosh returned 40 yards for a touchdown with 2:46 remaining in the first half. He answered with a 24-yard scoring pass to Galullo with 27.5 seconds left, tying the game at 6-6 as the teams headed to halftime.
The score remained 6-6 until Chance Salisbury’s 4-yard touchdown run gave Nonnewaug a 12-6 lead at 3:12 of the third quarter. Galullo intercepted two passes in the fourth quarter to protect the advantage.
“Having a guy like PJ, who is one of the returners and one of last year’s starters on defense, step up and grab two picks to seal the deal while we’re pinned deep in our territory—that’s huge for us,” Lynch said.
Galullo’s first interception came on a fourth-and-10 with 8:34 left in the fourth quarter, as he made a sliding catch at the Chiefs’ 4-yard line.
“I thought it was an incompletion, that’s why I was arguing where the ball spot was,” Lynch said with a smile. “He comes up huge.”
His second interception also came in the red zone, with 1:42 remaining. Nonnewaug then ran out the clock to complete a historic victory.
“Game-winners. Turnovers win games,” Rubsamen said. “I had a pick I’m not so proud of; they got up. We got picks, we got up. Turnovers win games. Defense wins games.”
“Whenever they would pass, they would go to the outside, and I took advantage of that,” Galullo said. “I just have a whole view of the field at safety, and I just capitalized on that.”
Rubsamen described the defense’s swarm mentality, which was especially evident during a goal-line stand late in the first quarter.
Oxford had first-and-goal at the Nonnewaug 4. The Wolverines gained just two yards over three plays, leaving fourth-and-goal at the 2. Jax Opotzner took the snap and ran to his left, but Salisbury brought him down before the end zone.
AJ NeJaime and Beau Thomas helped finish the play at the 1-yard line.
Player of the Game
PJ Galullo, Nonnewaug:
The junior safety intercepted two passes in the fourth quarter to secure Nonnewaug’s first NVL victory.
Rubsamen on the Goal-Line Stand
“We’ve got to get off the field. Execute, and anything can happen. Just because they’re down there doesn’t mean it’s an automatic touchdown. Just because we’re down there, it doesn’t mean we have an automatic touchdown. You’ve still got to execute, still do your job. Do your 1/11th, and good things happen.” — TJ Rubsamen
Final Score
OXFORD 0 6 0 0 — 6
NONNEWAUG 0 6 6 0 — 12
O—Harrison Dorosh 40-yard interception return (kick failed)
N—PJ Galullo 24-yard pass from TJ Rubsamen (kick failed)
N—Chance Salisbury 4-yard run (kick failed)
Records: Nonnewaug 1-0; Oxford 0-1.
