Wilton kicked off their season with a hard-fought 35-21 victory over Norwalk at Fujitani Field last night, but it was far from a comfortable ride, even with senior running back Dennis Dustin delivering three crucial touchdowns. This win was big, real big, especially considering the gauntlet ahead.
Dustin’s Clutch Plays Seal a Wild Finish
The Warriors exploded out of the gate, jumping to a dominant 21-0 halftime lead. Quarterback Colton Smith was absolutely slinging it, hitting Sawyer Smith and Connor Lane each for a massive 69-yard bomb. He even found Dennis Dustin for a 15-yard touchdown early in the third quarter, pushing the lead to a seemingly insurmountable 28-0. But Norwalk wasn’t going to roll over. Junior quarterback Easton Pace ignited a furious comeback, throwing a 9-yard touchdown to Luis Brito and a 51-yard strike to Eric Rivera. Then Pace took off for a ridiculous 51-yard rushing touchdown himself, cutting Wilton’s lead to a terrifying 28-21 with just 4:36 left on the clock. Talk about a heart attack moment! But Dustin, the absolute gamer, came up huge. He returned the ensuing kickoff deep into Norwalk territory, setting himself up for a clutch 1-yard run with 2:50 left, finally sealing the deal. Norwalk coach Mike Forget admitted, “It could have been 42-0 but we were resilient and tried to come back.” He knows “the little things tonight that cost us the game.”
A Must-Win Sets Up a Beastly Schedule
Coach EJ DiNunzio wasn’t shy about the stakes for this opener, calling it a “must-win” for a reason. He flat out said, “If I was ever to say the first game of the year is a must-win, this was one.” And man, you can see why. DiNunzio feels this is the toughest schedule he’s seen in his time at Wilton, and that’s saying something after they went 10-2 last season and reached the Class MM semifinals. The Warriors have *seven* playoff teams from last season on their schedule, including 2025 state champions Berlin, Greenwich, and New Canaan. Get this: their final five games are all against playoff contenders! Dustin totally got it too, saying, “This was very important and we knew tonight was a must win and we got it done.” The team had to gut it out, with some players suffering from cramps and dings at halftime, according to DiNunzio. They played great, taking advantage of Norwalk’s early turnovers, but the coach’s quote about the schedule being “a beast with Southington and all the other ones” tells you everything you need to know about the road ahead.
So, Wilton got their critical first win, but the real test is just starting. Next up, they host Berlin, a 2025 Class M state champion, next Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Can they keep this momentum going against a truly brutal lineup? We’ll definitely be watching!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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