BRIDGEPORT – The Bethel football team struggled last season with a lineup dominated by sophomores. This fall, it is a junior-heavy squad that is battle-tested in the SWC.
The Wildcats won their season opener 34-14 over Bassick on Friday in what coach Nick Tarantino hopes is the start of a turnaround after a 2-8 record last year.
“By the end of the season, we were starting seven or eight sophomores or freshmen, and when I took over three years ago, these juniors were freshmen. You can see the game is slowing down for them,” Tarantino said. “We will take the win tonight and the kids should be happy, but this group is far from satisfied and they will look at film and continue to work hard and push them.”
Bassick made its debut in the SWC and, despite the final score, feels like it has found a home.
For a program that has bounced between conferences for three decades, the first game against Bethel felt less like a regular-season opener and more like an arrival in a league Bassick hopes will finally stick.
“I am excited about joining the SWC. It’s a great conference,” Bassick coach Desmond Lymon said. “I have a ton of respect for (Tarantino) and I have a ton of respect for the SWC, and we are ready to play against all these teams.”
Previously, Bassick was a member of the MBIAC, the FCIAC from 1993-2014 and the CSC (Constitution State Conference) from 2014 until the league was rebranded as the CTC in 2017. The Lions had been independent since then but were associate members of the SCC, playing only football as part of the conference.
Bethel went up 34-0 at halftime and played its backups most of the second half.
Bethel junior quarterback Thomas Bornn ran for one touchdown and threw for a score, while freshman Khalil Hunt scored on a 17-yard pass from Bornn and also found the end zone on a 20-yard pick-six.
“It comes down to everyone doing their job,” Bornn said. “Playing as sophomores really helped because you get the experience on varsity so by the time you are a junior, you are used to the competition and used to everything.”
Torin Gill also had a 40-yard pick-six for the Wildcats.
Bethel will host East Haven in an Alliance game next Friday at 7 p.m., while Bassick will be at Stamford on Saturday at noon.
Player of the Game
Khalil Hunt, Bethel:The freshman made it 14-0 in the second quarter with a toe-tapping catch in the corner of the end zone, and put the game out of reach with his pick-six later in the quarter.
Quotable
“We tried to keep (Hunt) under the radar, but somehow SWC coaches all said, ‘Hey, I heard you got this freshman.’ I think the state will find out who he is. He’s a hell of a football player and hell of a kid.” – Bethel coach Nick Tarantino.
Bethel 34, Bassick 14
BETHEL 7 27 0 0-34
BASSICK 0 0 8 6-14
BE-Thomas Bornn 15 run (Bornn kick)
BE-Khalil Hunt 17 pass Bornn (Bornn kick)
BE-Torin Gill 40 interception return (kick failed)
BE-Hunt 20 interception return (Bornn kick)
BE-Mirsad Cekovic 7 run (Bornn kick)
BA-Bryce Thomas 22 run (Jeremiah Evans pass from Thomas)
BA-Jerry Blanks 12 pass from Thomas (conversion failed)
This article originally published at Bethel football opens season with 34-14 win over Bassick in Bridgeport program’s SWC debut.
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