SPB's High School Football

OK, so this movie-making business ain’t so easy.

After a solid debut, I took the pod-camera out for another spin Tuesday afternoon (when am I gonna start writing stories? Patience, my pet. Patience.) and I’m sorry to say this vignette looks as if it was shot by Señor Spielbergo, Steven Spielberg‘s, Mexican. non-union equivalent from The Simpsons season six episode, A Star is Burns.

While Ben Talbott of Birdseye Sports didn’t show up with one of his $5,000 hi-def dealies to give me lens envy, Hamden coach Scott Benoit has his own videographer there to do the job. Plus, I ran out of double-A batteries mid-scrimmage and had to pop over to Walgreens for more.

And, with the pod’s limited range I either need plays to come my way or I’ll get nothing and like it. The one time I was in prime position at the back of the end zone, the thing konked out just as Hamden tailback Jordan Teague ran straight at me an scored on a short touchdown.

(sigh)

Flummoxed, I just threw this together and called it an afternoon.

As for the scrimmage (run in a 10-plays on, 10-plays off format) it was hard to tell since I had to skip outta there for batteries. It began rather clumsily, with penalties, fumbles and kids falling out of formation.

Hamden got its act together on offense and seemed to win the touchdown battle. New Hamden QB Jason Lassiter threw two TDs and sophomore back Jordan Teague ran for a score. For Law, junior Corey Vienneau scored on an interception return and Law’s bruising run attack moved the ball well, especially late in the scrimmage.

Hamden — which was 2-7-1 last year and 1-9 the year before that — is starting fresh with Benoit, the former Guilford coach who took over the high-profile but downtrodden program last spring. There’s a lot of work to do, Benoit said, adding that at least the team is not lacking in talent. Only a sophomore, the younger Teague is one to watch.

The Green Dragons won’t have much time to figure it out with a brutal schedule that includes, Cheshire, Hand, West Haven and Amity to start the year.

Over at Law, there’s some rebuilding to do for a team that went 9-1 and was unfairly excluded from the state playoffs (you can thank our state’s unwieldy six-division, one-week playoff format for that, boys).

A large senior class that included Dave Plaskon, Matt Ramos, Bud Schoenster et. al. are gone. Though the Lawmen are starting fresh with new QB Eric Benigni and tailback Brian Donovan, the cupboard isn’t barren. Law returns big fullback/linebacker Ricky Rozier, lineman Damarley Robinson and up-and-comers like WR Corey Vienneau, DB Brian Fernandez, LB Brogan Sullivan and NG Joe Richardson.

Law, which is the defending SCC Division II West champ, has it a little bit easier. It opens with a non-league home game against Stratford, then gets East Haven and Sheehan before it runs what coach Mark Robinson calls “The Gauntlet” — Fairfield Prep (home), at Guilford, Shelton (home) and at Hillhouse.

For more information, visit the team sites here: Hamdenfootball.net and GoLawmen.com.

SPB