Naugatuck pulled off a wild 27-20 comeback win against Holy Cross in their season opener on September 10, and if you watched that game at Municipal Stadium’s Ray Snyder Sr. Field, you know exactly who delivered the knockout punch. Their offensive line, a true wall of absolute units, flat-out took over the game, especially when it counted most. This wasn’t just a victory, it was a declaration.
A Wall of Humanity Paving the Way
This isn’t just a big offensive line, folks; it’s *massive*. Head coach Chris Anderson, who calls the offensive plays, trusts them for a reason, and it’s crystal clear why. Senior left tackle Llir Mamudov is a beast at 6-foot-8, 360 pounds, already racking up 13 Division I offers, including in-state powerhouses UConn and New Haven. Then you’ve got senior left guard Logan Washenko, who isn’t far behind at 6-5, 330 pounds. Senior right guard Isaiah Portalatin stands 6-4, 285 pounds, and he’s got offers from Stony Brook, New Haven, and Morgan State. Can you believe it? These three have been grinding together since their 8U days with the Naugatuck Hounds youth football team. That’s chemistry you can’t buy, and it shows.
Rounding out this intimidating front are junior center Dallas Autore, a solid 5-10, 285 pounds, and senior right tackle Raily Hernandez, who checks in at 6-0, 230 pounds. What’s wild is Hernandez was a 185-pound linebacker last year! When the Greyhounds go into their “hammer” set, or double wing, these guys absolutely get after it. Line coach Chris Moffo put it perfectly, saying they “love to hear it, that these guys get to get after it and work their craft.” He added that it “played into our hands, to our size and we were able to lean on them as the game wore on.” Portalatin echoed that energy, saying it’s “exciting, most definitely. There’s just no feeling like that.” You can practically feel their hunger to dominate!
New Faces, Same Dominance
Even with a couple of new starters, this line is clicking like they’ve been together for years. Mamudov knows the chemistry is “very crucial,” and he gave huge props to Autore and Hernandez for adapting “very quickly” to playing varsity offensive line. That’s a testament to their talent and the unit’s cohesion. Coach Moffo agrees, praising Hernandez for doing a “great job” and coming “right along,” calling his play “fantastic.” He also highlighted Autore, the “young buck,” for having “really stepped into his role and does a great job understanding and communicating with these guys.” That quick adaptation from the new guys is absolutely huge for a unit built on working as one.
The Greyhounds sealed that 27-20 victory against Holy Cross with an unforgettable moment. Faced with a fourth-and-2 from the Crusaders’ 13-yard line, the score tied 20-20, and the fourth-quarter clock winding down, they went for it. They handed the ball to junior running back Brandon Andoh, who stomped for 4 critical yards and a first down. Two plays later, Andoh found the end zone again on a 4-yard run, putting Naugatuck up 27-20 with just 33.4 seconds left on the clock. Mamudov said that fourth-down call “shows a lot of confidence in us,” and he’s not wrong. That’s belief in your big boys up front. With an offensive line like this, Naugatuck is making it clear they’re ready to run right at anybody. Their season has kicked off with a massive statement win, and the league better be watching what this group does next.
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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