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By the way, though I wasn’t at the game. I heard what was said and done in the aftermath of such an emotional game at Finn Stadium this week.

I’m watching the game on MSG this afternoon and while they continued the theme of pumping up Ryan Nolan’s confident dissertation of the matchup, I everybody acted and spoke like adults after the game.

Was it heated before and during it? Absolutely. But everybody realized that game could have been won by either side if they played tomorrow. Yes, Shelton got to talk a little bit afterward, justifiably.

But the Gaels were great. And so were the Fairfield Prep players and coaches. The kids all congratulated each other, and there were no harsh words said to anybody. In fact, you could see the respect both sides showed each other.

In the end, everybody remembered what this really meant. Whether you won or or lost, it a great night at the stadium in front of friends and family.

This is becoming a great rivalry in the SCC and we’re pleased to have them here. And nights like that will only make it better, no matter what anybody says before the game.

SPB

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Now, THIS was a great football game.

And one I believe has vindicated me somewhat since I was just finishing a my second heaping helping of Crow as far as New Canaan’s 2-0 start was concerned. (Even Ned Griffen of The Day had basically been throwing every New Canaan win in my face via email).

After questioning how a team that lost all but a few key players from a state championship team could be ranked as high as New Canaan, the Rams took down Trumbull and Ridgefield impressively. Finally, I capitulated, and started voting New Canaan higher in my polls and eventually put them in my Elite 8.

Then, the dreaded Bowley curse. New Canaan falls victim to a great game plan and some outstanding play by St. Joseph’s kids, who came in here with boulders on their shoulder after suspect wins over Bassick and Fairfield Ludlowe.

And here’s how the ending looked on the St. Joseph sidelines.

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By the way, I am absolutely disgusted about how many games were not reported into the newspapers last night.

This morning alone, we had two scores arrive that should have been in the night before. We had half boxscores called in and, mostly, no box scores at all

Fairfield Ludlowe and Ridgefield
Derby and East Haven

Their scores didn’t even make the papers because no one on those staffs saw fit to call them in.

Central-Westhill didn’t get us a full box…
Stratford-Bethel didn’t get us a full box…

So if you’re looking for information about your team and are wondering why it wasn’t in the paper, talk to the ones in charge.

There’s really no excuse that somebody isn’t put in charge of getting a full box score (not just their team’s information).

This is sports, it’s not brain surgery.

SPB

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I went to the wrong game.

It doesn’t get much more blunt than that.

I went against my gut feeling all week, when it said this wasn’t 2006 anymore and the two teams playing up at Monroe were nowhere near the caliber of teams playing down the road at Finn Stadium.

That Shelton-Fairfield Prep game, and God bless Emmett Spillane Jr. for getting a real good one, was probably one of the season’s best games year.

Here are the video highlights shot by Jeff Bustraan: Shelton vs. Fairfield Prep

The Bunnell-Masuk game turned out to be a major dud. I wish I kept track of penalties because that’s all this game was: Penalty, after penalty, after penalty. We were told it was a defensive struggle, but the big defensive plays only came because of offensive futility. As ugly as my game story was (and that was just awful), this game stunk it up twice as much.

It.

Was.

Bad.

Meanwhile, the sportswriters dream was going on in Shelton. Packed house–the largest crowd observers had seen at Finn Stadium in years–and an absolute classic.

Prep up 14-0, Shelton comes roaring back. Prep up 21-14, Shelton comes back. But not to tie: Ryan Nolan, who had himself a game to back up his strong words, blocked the extra point try. Then Geoff Schultz, who could barely hold back his contempt for Nolan’s comments when I showed up for practice earlier in the week, scoring the winning touchdown by outracing Nolan to the end zone.

Just incredible and a sense of poetic justice washes over the Gaels.

I missed the game of the year.

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I have to admit, I was a little off my game Thursday night. First, a funeral for a friend. Then about a half-dozen little things to write for Friday’s paper, which I didn’t finish until 5:20.

Oh, and the Ansonia vs. Woodland game was at 6. Though I lived a mere 20 minutes away, rush hour and game traffic made it 40 minutes.

So I got there late and missed just a few plays from scrimmage, which screwed my stats up. Plus, the Ansonia clock operators refused to post the correct down and distance on the scoreboard, further screwing me up as I tried to catch up.

(Figures. I mean this is a town whose new Superintendent directs all inquiries on a relatively simple suspension matter to her office, and then fails to return two simple phone calls seeking facts and comment. But I digress).

Luckily for me, my colleagues from all of the other players were there to help me out.

On this night, it turns out we needed to gather together a consensus because, well, Alex Thomas was on his game.

He just had the greatest night a Connecticut running back has ever had.

518 yards. Seven Touchdowns.

Let that sink in for a second.

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On the eve of Billy’s funeral a few more entries before it’s seriously back to business on this blog.

Jared Max, the WCBS sports director in New York who got his start with Bill, gave this fitting tribute to Bill on the air. Here it is online.

John Holt of WFSB in Hartford, whose station’s great great high school coverage was second only to Billy’s at News 12. (I’d been waiting for them to fix the broken link.)

Joe Morelli at the New Haven Register. My buddy Ray Ray found this one and noted Joe hadn’t posted on this golf blog since the GHO, but was moved to do it for Bill.

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From Connecticut Post sports columnist, Chris Elsberry: Gonillo gone too soon, with some absolutely classic quotes from our Rich Elliott and Fairfield University sports information director Jack Jones and a very sad one from former CT Post and current NY Post writer Mike Puma.

Here’s the link for New Haven Register columnist Dave Solomon’s fine column: Gonillo’s charm prevalent on, off air.
Solomon actually found out early enough Sunday to get a print story in Monday’s papers.

ADD: Matt Levine (WSTC/WNLK): Saying goodbye to a mentor, partner and friend

I know, I know. I’m sorry, but I have to make a fuss, Bill. You woulda done the same.

I promise I’ll get back out there today.

SPB

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I am absolutely crushed to report tonight that a good friend is gone. Popular News-12 sports director Bill Gonillo was found dead at his home in Woodbridge this afternoon. He was 44 years old.

As of Sunday night, there was no word on the cause of death, although it must be noted that Bill was a diabetic.

I heard through email late Sunday night that News12 opened its 10 p.m. broadcast with an emotional announcement of Gonillo’s death. Stunned, I immediately called Mike Quick of the Madison Square Garden Network and News 12′s parent company of Cablevision, who confirmed the terrible news.

“As of 7:30 this afternoon,” Quick said. “Fairfield County sports changed forever. He was the best.”

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I thought Law deserved a little better than 42-0. But, as the game evolved, Fairfield Prep just scored, then scored again. After Law failed to respond on three more opportunities, Prep scored twice more before halftime and then put his game away in the third.

It wasn’t a complete destruction, but Prep’s defense was simply dominant against a team that will likely have a shot at reaching the Class M state playoffs.

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