Who will be this year's Bethel?
Same drill as last time. I’m short on details but here’s what we’re looking at so far on August 25th.
1. Masuk’s the favorite, right?
At this point, we should think so. The SWC runners-up were 10-1 9-2 last year, clearly one of the state’s best teams. But they were also one of three that never got a chance to prove it in the playoffs. Masuk brings back a star in all-CTPost junior QB Casey Cochran, a top back in junior Colin Markus, Senior WR/DB/K Jon Testani and lots of other kids back from what was technically a pretty young team last season.
2. What’s Pomperaug got left? And will it be enough? (this counts as one question)
Well, the big 3 — Andrew Clements, C.J. Elser and Ben Crick — are gone. So’s linemen Dean Samuelson and DE Dan Reel and Wade McNamara and (whew) …quite a few others. What’s left are fine players in RB/LB Kevin Maxen and your usual ready-for-primetime linemen led by Zack Polk and Willie Maxen. The new QB is junior Kellen Croce, son of offensive coordinator Steve Croce and younger brother of former Holy Cross all-state QB Mike Croce.
Short answers: Plenty and Probably.
3. Can Newtown build off last year’s finale?
Newtown is a team to keep an eye on. It’s always good and, aside from finding a replacement at QB, the Nighthawks should at least be a contender. They bring back some firepower, particularly at receiver with Sean Devaney, Rory Noonan and Ryan Korth. Lou Fenaroli returns at fullback So whoever becomes QB will have plenty of options. Defensively, Newtown will miss Connor McNamara, Tory Deakin and Jamie Bowers. But they have a nice core with LB Max Nacewicz, S Colby Summerlin and DE Eric McCabe. They open with Brookfield and then take to the road for four straight games.
4. Hey! Whatabout the Stratford schools?!?!
Yeah. We haven’t heard much about football out of Stratford lately, unless you’re talking about former Bunnell and UConn standout Marcus Easley‘s foray into Bills camp (and it wasn’t good. The Bills put him on IR. He’s done for the year.) Anyway, I’m sure both coaches will be happy to know their teams are complete mysteries at the moment. Stratford lost quite a few seniors, particularly Jeff Miller. They’ll be learning from a new coach, but a familiar one in Stratford resident, Bunnell teacher and former ND-Fairfield coach John Svatik. Bunnell lost their QB and top offensive threat. But there were a lot of underclassmen. I’m told we could be in for a surprise … from both teams.
5. Who will be this year’s Bethel?
Erm, well … The Wildcats, who rode their massive line and Peter Gallagher all the way to the Class M state title game, lost many of their horses. Huge lineman Chris Valenti, who’s one of the best in the state, returns. So do playmakers Randy Lowenadler and Brandon Schmidt. But there are lots of questions. Right now, it would be a stretch to say they can do it all over again. But I’ve been wrong before.
As for the others: Brookfield’s still reloading. As is New Fairfield, which lost a good class including QB Bobby Wood. The Rebels have a new coach from New York State in Anthony Fata. It’ll be intriguing to see where Oxford goes from here. The players who built the foundation are gone, particularly catalyst Deven Diaz, Mike Giordano and Matt Hovan. …Immaculate’s starting over with offensive-coordinator-turned coach Gary Bellagamba. …I’m lost on New Milford. …Don’t know much about Weston. …Notre Dame-Fairfield bears some watching. It lost hulking LB/FB Brody Brandstatter. But there were a lot of juniors on last year’s club. OL/DL Kevin Harrigan is back and, as an added bonus, the Lancers picked up transfer QB Nick Chacho from Masuk, who was the QB-in-waiting in Monroe until Cochran came to town last season. (In case you were wondering: No, Masuk and Notre Dame are not scheduled to play each other this year).
ADD (8/27): Whoops. We forgot to throw Barlow in there. The Falcons lost their man Tyler Colby and Sam Niedenbach moved out of the country. Might be trouble…
Hmm… I kinda answered the questions there, didn’t I? …and in a lot more detail than I would have liked. Half of these kids could be out for the year for all I know.
Again. The phone lines are open.
stratford has a pretty good chance to make some noise in the swc…they have a decent line that just appeared out of no where…and that kid Marc Desruisseaux he’s all over the place..
Hey SPB how does the SWC go about doing their league championship game? Hopefully not by division I just checked them out and a Masuk vs. Oxford or Masuk vs. Notre Dame Fairfield league title game would do nothing for me at all.
They do it by overall league record. Tiebreaks determined by head-to-head, then a point system a la the CIAC.
Also: The SWC recognizes two divisions. But I’m here to say (again) that there are no divisions in the SWC. You can’t have divisions if you don’t play everyone in your division.
That makes a lot of sense (sarcasm) What’s the point?
I believe masuk went 9-2 last season (pomperauag swc title – and newtown last game..) still pretty good for a young team.
My SWC predictions
1. Masuk 10-0
2. Newtown 9-1
3. pomperaug 9-1
4. Bunnell 8-2
5. Bethel 7-3
top 5 all make the new playoff format……
Ahem, thanks. They were 9-2. I’ve corrected it.
IMO the only reason for having league divisions is to alow for more post-season accolades. Other than that its totally meaningless.
HSFoot has it pretty straight, although Stratford may surprise people with 6-7 wins. Wild cards here are Bunnell and Bethel and they may make things very interesting.
Pomperaug returns a talented group of Juniors that will make an impact this year. That group includes a top QB, a Kicker as good as anyone in the State and a group of talented Receivers that can also run with the ball. Many of them play on D as well. Pomperaug will be good this year and nasty next year.
Bethel seems to have the toughest draw with Masuk, Newtown and Pomperaug on their schedule.
HSFOOT – who do you like in the week one Bethel/Bunnell game?
If your top three teams hold to form, either Bunnell will be 7-3 or Bethel will be 6-4. I don’t know enough about either team to make an educated guess.
too bad valenti from bethel doesnt run the ball
I agree that Bethel has a tough draw, particularly early on when they face Bunnell, Newtown, and Pomperaug in the first three games of the season. To compound matters, Bethel will play at least their first 3 scheduled home games at Danbury High’s field, while a new track is installed around Bethel’s football field. Neutral field games on turf against typically faster Pomperaug and Newtown teams will not help Bethel’s chances in these games. On the bright side, Bethel’s offensive and defensive front’s appear to be even stronger than last year’s units and the Schmidt kid at Qb should add a whole new dimension for the offense. I think 7-3 or maybe 8-2 sound about right, unless the team loses its opener to Bunnell, then all bets are off.
von – your right , i think if bethel wins week one they will go 7-3 and so will bunnell, but if bunnell wins then bethel will fall to 6-4 and bunnell will be 8-2. prediction bunnell 34 bethel 27 but even at 6-4 with this new format bethel can still get in…..
prediction of newtown this year anyone?
I think Masuk is going to be really really good this year.
Who is taking over the QB spot @ Bunnell.Didn’t they have a freshman last year who I saw play couple of downs on Thanksgiving against Stratford???
He was a big boy with a good arm from what I saw.Just wondering if Bruno is going with him this year or not????
After watching a couple of practices already,Pomperaugs’ QB,WR’s,and RB look very good.The skinny QB has a serious arm,and the RB is a load with speed. The issue is going to be,that I counted only like 50 kids on the entire team? whats going on there? From the looks of things they will have about 5-6 kids playing both ways.No way they could keep up with a Masuk who has a 2 platoon system and will be throwing the ball every play-thats a recipe for disaster.
I say Pomp will be either 8-2 or 9-1,I dont give them a chance vs Masuk.
Has anyone looked into the roster sizes of teams around the State? I went to a Staples Camp session and it appeared that each of the teams in attendance, Staples, Barlow, Weston, and Bethel, had smaller than usual rosters. I’m just wondering if this is a trend or a fluke.
hey spb any news on stratford high and that new coaching staff…i keep hearing that their going to be a well balanced team …do you know anything
I’m not sure how much stock you guys put into scrimmages but Sacred Heart-Waterbury pretty much ran Pomperaug out of the building today.
Overall? Very little.
Dude,are you serious? Pomperaug didnt have half of their OL,The QB only played like 6 plays,the RB only played the first 10 offensive plays,their center was out,and their best WR was also out. Don’t put ANY stock in it!! SHHS did look fast but come on they scored on Pomps second and third stringers with their ones and twos. I do predict SHHS to be 6-4 or better in the weak NVL though
The Pomperaug Sacred Heart CONTROLLED scrimmage was a joke. Pomperaug played Varsity backups, JV and JV backups in that game as much or more that their starters. They also had a 3 hour practice that morning and hit for the first time all year. Most of the damaged was done against backup’s. Pomperaug ran the ball down their throats in the first series and would have all game if it mattered. Remember, Pomperaug scrimmaged St. Joes last year and whopped up on them and St. Joes won a State Championship so CONTROLLED Scrimmages mean nothing.
Hooboy! Let the great scrimmage debate begin!
PompFan, you obviously know a lot more about Pomperaug then I do so I will take you at your word. The only guys that I recognized from pomperaug out there from last year was Croce and the two Maxens. And the Maxen who was the running back ran the ball very well and looks like he will be a load for the swc to handle.
With that being said I still think Sacred Heart looked very good. Coggins was am all-stater as a freshman and is on the national top 100 lists for sophomores. They are fast,athletic and have a lot of big play ability. At the very least they won’t be a pushover anymore but I really do think they can do some damage in what I think is a down NVL this year.
West Haven beat up on Hyde
Scrimmages mean next to nothing especially the jamboree type with 3 or more teams. There’s no way for a team to get into any type of rhythm when they only have 10 or so plays and then sit out.
Bunnell looked great today against fairfield ludlowe bunnell scored about seven times to ludlowes one score on jv.
Masuk will not be touched by any team in the state, let alone any team in the SWC. This team should dominate similar to the 2008 team.
hey tomorrow at Trumbull high stratford vs Trumbull gotta see what both teams have ….4 o’clock
The 2008 Masuk team didnt even win the SWC they ended up getting hammerd by Brookfield in the regular season, and dont say they didnt because i was at the game. You might be right about this years team but thats why you play the games because anything can happen……….
il be at the bethel/danbury(last year immaculate and brewster ny took part in this)scrimmage,il have a recap 2morr,valenti time!!!
did anyone see stratford-trumbull scrimmage how did stratford do?
i seen it and it was a disaster stratford had no movement it could be stratford that bad or trumbull a good contender the (qb) that everyone is asking about (marc d) is a good player but he can do lomesome but its only preseason
caught some of bethel/danbury/abbott tech/brewster ny=bethels o ran the ball down danburys throat,but danburys speed blew by bethel when they had the ball,in a nutshell
passing games werent good for either team,valenti from bethel had a bunch of pancake blocks,hes going to be a handfull,danbury wins more than 2 games this year,as for abbott tech they are learning the game still,but moved the ball some
Attended the Danbury scrimmage.Danbury was very athletic at the skill positions, but very weak up front. Bethel was the opposite: real strong up front, but looked slow in the backfield and the secondary. Bethel may be somewhat excused because it didn’t play its starting QB and best halfback, both members of the secondary as well, but it was still painful watching the team attempt to pass and cover.
If Bethel’s starting QB is out for any reason – Bethel is done it has NO back-up QB. But on the other hand if he is in, Bethel is going places also Bethel had 3-starters that did not play at all due to some minor pre-season injuries. It’s going be hard for any team to get thru Bethel’s line both O & D. Bethel needs to work on it’s pass “D” or else the season will be over before it starts.
bunnell looked like the best team today in the staples ,new london scrimmage O and D looked good vs both teams should doo somethin this year
Was at that scrimmage as well, thought all three teams looked good. Staples D looked especially good today, their first team D didn’t let up a TD in 2 15 minute team sessions and scored 2 TDs off of turnovers. I thought New London looked the worst of the 3 though, they got pushed around a bit.
I was there too. Staples looked very good on D. They had a lot of different guys handling the ball like they weren’t sure who was going to have the job yet. The Staples QB looked solid, although nothing spectacular.
I didn’t see Bunnell at all last year and really didn’t know any of the kids. Castelot looks like he can be a star in a year or two. The Bunnell D got torched the first time New London was on the field and I think Staples got a score off them as well. But they did get what would have been a INT for a TD
New London carried themselves with a lot of swagger, even for a scrimmage they were talking a lot. I didn’t stay the whole time, but they look like they have a lot of athletes on offense, with that kid number 32, listed on Maxpreps as Kyle McKinnon who looked like a home run hitter. However their D looked a little shaky out there.
New London 2 touchdowns vs. Bunnell, including a long run on the first play.. Staples int. return vs. Bunnell, but no offensive TD’s. Bunnell drove consistently vs. Staples but was picked off twice. Bunnell 3 TD’s vs. New London, ran right through them. McKinnon, big-time, 4 real.
Interesting scrimmage yesterday – Bunnell was clearly the most skilled team on the field. Looks like Bruno has himself another winner.
I dont know if you guys were there for Staples D vs New London O, but New London was struggling for any positive yardage. Staples had a fumble return for a TD, and INT for a TD, and I’m not sure New London got a first down on the Staples first team D.
when is the review of the Shelton Masuk game being posted? Masuk D looked very impressive.
Were we watching the same scrimmage? New London ran all over Bunnell….Staples first team didnt let up a touchdown….confused how you could conclude “Bunnell was clearly the most skilled team on the field.”
new london did get two tds vs bunnell the first time they were on offence but after that bearly got any yard passing or running on bunnell or staples
update stratford vs norte dame fld was a uneven match stratford did what they wanted …solid running game and passing was ok very impressive from the last scrimmage aganist … im going to jump out there and say red devils are contenders
Bethel’s Brandon Schmidt is going to be an absolute horse this year… All-State where you at!!!!
I think Masuk is far and away the best team in the SWC. I don’t expect there being that many close games this year.
is anyone going to the stratford and ridgefield scrimmage