The regional Elite 8 heading into Week 7:
TRENDING UP
Where to begin, where to begin:
STAPLES (6-0) From 3 back to No. 2 again. Wiped out Harding, as expected. Has winless Ludlowe and then Wilton left before hosting Trumbull for a trip to the FCIAC title game.
WEST HAVEN (6-0) Up one to No. 3. Got down early vs. Cheshire but came roaring back for the 34-29 victory. Somebody sign freshman Earvin Phillips (13 carries, 105 yards, 2 TD) to a long-term deal.
DARIEN (6-0) Up-up-up all the way from missed to No. 4. Red Lion Christian may not have been all it was cracked up to be, but the Wave make impressive comeback, earn an impressive victory vs. a team supposedly loaded with future D1 talent. The Wave just find ways to win.
ANSONIA (6-0) Up from No. 8 to No. 5. Can’t see anybody else in the NVL who can stop Montrell Dobbs and Arkeel Newsome. The Chargers are starting to look a lot like 2006 Ansonia, aren’t they?
RIDGEFIELD (5-1) Up from Missed to No. 6. Scored 17 quick points vs. Norwalk and hung on from there. Interesting game vs. McMahon this week, then Trumbull.
STAMFORD (4-2) Up from nowhere into the Missed. They have our attention. If they beat Central this week…
BROOKFIELD (4-2) Up from nowhere into the Missed. The Bobcats have beaten who they’ve had to beat. The Pomperaug game in Week 8 looms large.
ST. JOSEPH (4-2) Up from nowhere into the Missed. …Is this the team we’ve been expecting this year? We’ll find out with Warde, Norwalk and Greenwich up next.
TRENDING DOWN
NEW CANAAN (5-1) From No. 2 to No. 7, the Rams were down 21-7 to St. Joseph in the fourth quarter and rallied to tie with a minute left. Then they were down 28-21 with 47 seconds left and rallied again. Lou Marinelli rolls the dice, loses and New Canaan still gets another shot. Crazy game. They were just as good as St. Joe, just didn’t have the luck in the end. They don’t fall far, but now the road to the Class L playoffs got a bit steeper.
TRUMBULL (5-1) Drops from No. 5 into the Missed. The Eagles were utterly outplayed by the upstart Black Knights. They’re beat up physically (few concussions, an ankle and a shoulder or two) and maybe emotionally as well. Has Danbury next, then road games vs. Ridgefield and Staples. Safe to say the season is at a pivotal point.
CENTRAL (4-2) Drops from 7 to the Missed. This year’s Hillhoppers can beat up the less fortunate, but they just don’t seem to have it against the better teams on the big boys this year.
WILBUR CROSS (4-2) Drops out of the Missed. Coach John Acquavita is suspended for a game for last week’s brouhaha with a Cheshire parent. Govs get hammered by Hand. Now they get ticked off NDWH on the road before a crucial game at home vs. West Haven. As good as James Ward is, he can’t keep carrying the team on his back.
NOTRE DAME-WH (3-3), SHELTON (3-3) Both drop out of the Missed. The SCC is tough, but three losses in Week 6 is where we draw the line.
STAYING PUT
MASUK (6-0) Still the best team I’ve seen from the region, despite giving up a it’s first legit TD to Weston (btw, nicely done Weston). …GREENWICH (4-2) They’re not quite back yet. Beating Central was a start… NEWTOWN (5-1) Gutsy win vs. Bunnell. If the Hawks can survive vs. New Fairfield, Barlow and Stratford, they might be playing in the SWC title game. …POMPERAUG (5-1) Same goes for the Panthers, except sub Stratford out with Brookfield. … BUNNELL (4-2) Newtown loss was similar to New Canaan’s. Got down by couple of TDs, rallied but just didn’t have enough at the end. Still some hope for the young Dawgs, but not much.
best elite 8 this year good job SPB
Darien finds a way to win by being graced with the easiest schedule in the state. “Just sayin.” I hate that phrase., but I feel cool when I say it.
BTW Trumbull still stinks but they are better than those teams in the just missed
mmmmm
Whoa whoa SPD “trumbull has no swagger” Ima tell you now trumbull is a bout to go SWAG SURFIN these next few weeks beatin on every opponent they see….and a next week Danbury is a bout to get SCRAPEDD!!!
@yan!qua – LOL … I hear ya. But that’s what Trumbull said last week.
wow, theyre gonna beat danbury!
Good win by Greenwich. I think Central is in serious trouble. All they have left to play for is pride. Darien will cake walk into the playoffs(FCIAC and state), Trumbull’s Ridgefield game will say a lot about both teams…win by Ridgefield there and they will be in states. Staples I think will be in if they beat Trumbull(states) because Greenwich game is always a war. Stamford I think loses 1 more game. St. Joe’s has a tough road with greenwich and Trumbull…they need at least a split in those games as I think a 7-3 team will definitely make it in class S. New Canaan I think rebounds this week then they have huge games with Greenwich, Central, and Darien(I think New Canaan beats Darien by 2 scores on Thanksgiving). Should be very interesting these last 4 weeks in the FCIAC in terms of state playoff berths.
I don’t know if they’re the 2006 Ansonia team who was massive upfront with Lawlor Kuraczea and Bass, but hey let dobbs run behind that line and who knows the numbers he would put up. Not quite 2006 but they are still a great bunch of kids
@Ansonia Fan – Well of course they’re not Ansonia ’06. Not even close.
New Canaan will not beat Darien by two scores. In the past four years the RAMS have had dominant teams and barely beat Darien.
Good win for ST. Joes-now someone will at least give Ansonia a game in the Class S tourney if they win out.
Ansonia will welcome the challenge.
I can’t believe how badly Bunnell played against Newtown. They couldn’t tackle the ball carrier all night. I feel they were a bit down after the Masuk loss.
Notre Dame West Haven is the best three loss team in the state.
It just occured to me!!!! New Canaan will play three teams that won’t win a single game this year. Bassick-Ludlowe-Seymour. Who made this schedule.
jeb…Don’t sleep on Montville. They have more than enough to beat Ansonia in states
@ jeb
One of these days look over all Connecticut teams with 1 or fewer losses after week #6 and you will notice not many have one or more quality wins.I think you know which conference has the top teams with a few quality wins each already.Next time bring an extra chair for me to sit on when on the hill at St Josephs.
@ MasukRules- I guess you guys dodged a bullet with ND out.
@ Masuk Rules
Notre Dame West Haven is the best three loss team in the state.
One of the first things you posted that I agree with you 100%.
Although only scrimmages they almost “maxed out” the #7 and #10 teams currently in the Registers top 10 poll.
@HSFF. You know I am on the same page as you, but there is no reward for peaking in the preseason (which is what ND-WH did).
@ What !!!
Good call on Montville.I think they have only 1 slightly tough game left{Ledyard}which they should win and qualify for the “S” playoffs.That loss to Fitch was definitely a big upset.Not sure what happened on that stormy Friday night.I would suppose a little overconfident and bad field conditions probably did not help.The weather sometimes is a great equalizer.
@ roto
Its just sometime coaches have a tough time utilizing a teams ability with the system they run.Here is a bold statement.I would venture to say Notre Dame would be 6-0 and averaging over 30 points a game if a coach like Cochran was at Notre Dame’s helm in 2010.No knock on the Notre Dame coaching staff but there is too many offensive weapons on Notre Dame to be 3-3.
HSFF, not only NDWH, with their talent and numbers, would benefit with a Coach Cochran, but any school with numbers and some talent. Look at what he has done in the past. And look at what he is currently doing at Masuk. No way they are what they are this year without his coaching help and influence. Don’t any of you even try to deny it.
@Ansonia Fan
I would like to see Dobbs run against a team that actually has a defense against the run. Aka Masuk ,Xavier Cheshire, Trumbull, Staples
@SCCFAN Cochran is a great coach, that is a fact but please get you facts straight. Masuk is a top notch program year in year out with Murphy as coach regardless of the names on the back of the jerseys or coach Cochran in the stands.
This years success is due to their leadership and dedication to their off season work out. I have never seen another team work as hard as Masuk has, this year especially. Many programs season starts in August, Masuk’s starts the day after the season ends…lifting, running, swimming, passing leagues, etc. That is the recipe of champions, not coach Cochran. Give these kids some credit.
BTW the demise of the SCC was greatly overrated!!!! NDWH beat Ansonia 35-0 (and it wasn’t that close) in the preseason . Ansonia is 6-0. NDHW scored 56 on NFA and they are 6-0. NDHW is 3-3 in the SCC. Xavier, West Haven, Hand and North Haven and all possible playoff teams. Come playoff time all these other candy cane conferences will be exposed by the SCC teams.
FACT Check, Ok, yes they worked hard, good program, but don’t be naive, Coach Cochran been there every step of the way, since last season ended, and most of the last season, and this one. He deserves some un official credit, ask the people in Monroe. Murphy is a good coach, but Cochran at another level. He should be coaching somewhere, if he was at an SCC school, add another championship to his resume. I would love to have him at NDWH, would win states this year, at Masuk’s expense.
How are Ansonia and NFA both 6-0 if Notre Dame beat them?
SCCFAN…was Cochran there in ’98? NO! Was he there in ’08? NO! Its all Murphy and his program. Get a clue
oh boy people on here are talking about preseason football, now the excuses are piling out. NDWH handled Ansonia in a scrimmage and I’ll admit that but htis team is filled with Soph. and Juniors. It was the early beginging things arent even jelling yet and no one even cares.
@DaveK, Put Kuraczea Bass and Lawlor up front with that 2006 Ansonia team and Dobbs will run it down your big mouth. The kid is so elusive. None of you pretty momma’s boys dont see that every week
Oh boy here we go with how great teasm do in scrimmage’s. Who cares. They are to give coaches a look at what they got, if you dont put it together during the regular season what does it matter and to my man Dave K, you can sit here and talk all you want about Dobbs, give me that 2006 offensive line he’d run down that big mouth of yours. All your pretty boy momma boy towns thing you’re so good. This kid is strong and elusive. Man I wish my team could have played an FCIAC team in 2006 so we can just dismantle all you guys.
To AnsoniaFan, don’t use phrases like “pretty boy momma boy towns” when describing the FCIAC teams. That is exactly the kind of language they expect you to use. So don’t do it. You don’t like it when they pull the “poor, dumb Valley” card so don’t reverse it on them. Both are exaggerated stereotypes.
This is about football.
And yes, you are correct, the 06 and 07 Ansonia teams would have beaten any team in the state, SCC and FCIAC teams included.
Sean have you ever played football? If so where??
@jean – Me? I got as far as freshman football at Amity way back when. Cornerback. Loved football. Would have loved to continue, too but I got roped into running full-time my sophomore year.
@Rob
2006 and 2007 Ansonia teams were very good .Don’t forget Greenwich had to travel to Florida for their only loss.Greenwich/Ansonia was a “pick um”in my view.
@SBP All that running in High School has paid off on those sideline sprints on Fridays and Saturdays in the Fall.
@Rob I’ve got pistons, baby!
If only Amity had a coach half as good as Bob Orgovan to run its football program…
SCCFAN, I am a person from Monroe, with a son currently in the program, have had a son go through the program and I am far from naïve when it comes to Masuk Football. You on the other hand are misinformed. Once again, we are here discussing Cochran, who is just like I am. He is a person from Monroe with a player in the program. Yes, he has been there every step of the way, but it has been for his son. NOT, for the entire team. Yes, he has a lot of experience, but Masuk doesn’t need his experience to succeed. Murphy and his coaching staff have always run an A+ program. They have done this prior to Cochran showing up in Monroe and they will continue to run a great program when Cochran leaves Monroe. NDWH would do us a favor if they hired him. Unfortunately, I don’t think anyone wants Cochran, so we might be stuck with him for another year. We like our “good coach”; he plays honest, works the kids hard and knows how to win. Murphy and his entire coaching staff deserve all the credit. Not some big mouth, that has gotten kicked out of high school football in CT and can’t find a job coaching, so thinks if he screams loud enough people will listen.
Dariren will not loose by 2TDs this year! Where you even at last year’s game? Darien dominated a supposedly superior NC team with five seniors. And they would have won had the QB not dropped the ball on the NC 4 yard line with 2 minutes left in the game as he was walking into the end zone. (That and the only long snapper broke his hand before the game and Darien could not kick a FG or PAT). One thing football teaches you is if you play tough opponents you cannot get up for the tough games. NC’s easy schedule before this past weekend probably contributed to some ‘fog’ at St Joes. Darien returns 24 seniors and plays almost all (only 3 non-Seniors play a starting role on either side of e ball). I suspect Darien will ‘upset’ NC on Turkey Day.
ROB,
Those Ansonia teams were great teams no doubt, but they would have lost to the Bloomfield teams in the 90′s by 40 points or more. CASE CLOSED
Once in a while Ansonia can play with the big dogs, but not on a year in and year out basis. Sorry guys!!!
Ever been to a Masuk game? All Cochrane does is yell at his son from about 200 yards away. If he is ‘coaching’ somehow, Murphy must have excellent hearing. (especially because Masuk gets around 2000 at some of there games)
I disagree. The year Greenwich went to Florida and lost to Naples, No one was beating them in CT, Ansonia included. Ansonia was a great team but Greenwich that year was tough and physical and pounded people into submission. Alex Thomas was not going to carry it 40 times for 400 yards against them.
St. Joseph’s was pre-season ranked as a Top 5 contender in the state prior to a few key injuries. The Cadets managed to keep their heads above water at 3-2 before last Saturday’s showdown against the New Canaan Rams. What an incredible game I might add. Now with their All-State running back & linebacker Tyler Matakevich back in the lineup, you watch what this team does. I predict they will win every game and arguably be considered the best team in the state at 8-2. I wouldn’t want to face this team in the post season. These Hogs are back and Matakevich will not be denied a second consecutive State Championship. Mark my words!
CC Hollywood
Wow, it is really amazing to review and see all the harsh words and hate for Coach Cochran. Masuk is a power house, but this year especially they are better then any other in the State and it is because of many co-factors, one very much being the Cochran family and his support for the coaching. MHSPARENT is either a parent of a linemen or has a player/son that was not there most of the Spring and Summer, but Coach Cochran DID indeed run practices, call plays, and coached the Masuk players through 7 vs 7, Sunday and weekly summer practices all with Coach Murphy watching from the fence because the CIAC rules limit coaching that way. So you can try to fool all of us NON-Masuk people into thinking he is some bad person, but last year, this year especially and probably next year will all be direct results of Coach Cochran helping. I am not even sure if Murphy and Cochran like each other, but Murphy is no fool…he has arguably one of the most winning coaches in CT history standing on his sidelines, able to break down film, give coaching points, schemes, has his own son doing amazing things and has since being a Freshmen at New London and making it to the State Championship. And for you to say “No one wants him as a coach” you are wrong, the tree huggers of CT need to get real and understand that Football is Football, it is hard hitting, and if they keep score, have officials, then it is about winning…CT is near the bottom of 50 States when it comes to recruiting for NCAA football, we should thank God for Coaches like Coach Cochran who have NCAA D1-D2 schools coming for years to see his kids and now his own…the focus on the SWC helps all the players working hard to get recruited. As a State we need more, we need Coaches, Teams and Sports Writers to help market all the kids from CIAC/SCC, SWC…from the MA/RI borders right to NY and get our kids where they deserve to be! Champions playing D1 football just like any kids from Florida, Ohio, Texas…Enjoy the last two years of Coach Cochran and his son being there, after that you will be eating your words! Amazing.
For the record, I am not a Masuk Fan, in fact I cannot stand them and wish they were not in the SWC, but when a team is good, which they are, you have to respect and appreciate what they did to get there and who helped and how much work they did! I hope the other SWC teams see it, mirror it and take note…to be the best you have to work 24/7, year round and although you play other sports, they have to keep working on Football year round to get this good. (lifting, running, passing leagues, practice timing, and work as a team…).
I think Stratford should merge with Bunnell, become one team and go to a bigger league nearer their own town, then they would be unbeatable…and Masuk being another big town/school should play matching sizes…how boring is it to beat the hell out of a small Immaculate, New Fairfield, Joel Barlow, etc, and have your starters sitting for a whole half? Newtown and Pomperaug are on the edge, but almost that big too. Populations of 35,000 vs 10,000-13,000…ouch. Don’t get me wrong, the SWC is very, very good football and competitive, but roster sizes do make a difference for a season…75 kids depth vs 30-40 depth is a big difference.
What role does “Coach” Cochran play during the week with the team? Is he actively coaching practices? Yelling instructions from the stands? Running film sessions? Holding extra sessions afterward or on weekends? Or just a (loud) spectator on Friday nights?
Enough, everyone, enough. We’ve already covered this in previous weeks. And there’s too much conjecture and rumor carelessly being thrown about so here it is: Coach Cochran was indeed involved last year. This year not at all aside from personally coaching his son. …He ran a pretty successful passing league team during the summer with all-stars from all over our region.
SPB…what are your picks for this week? What game(s) are you going to? Is it a foregone conclusion that Newtown will play Masuk for SWC title game now? Will they play then again a few days later for Thanksgiving? Can Brookfield, Bethel, Bunnell, or Pomperaug make it to the SWC, do they want to? and if yes, how or what has to happen to make that happen? Who is still in possible hunt for State Playoffs…i.e. Pomperaug, Masuk, Bunnell?, Newtown, Bethel, Brookfield..any others in SWC?
@SWCFan – a) The Guide will be out Thursday night (which are pseudo-picks). b) No clue yet. Maybe Derby-Ansonia. c) No. Pomperaug’s still in the hunt. d) They will play twice if Newtown qualifies. e) Pomperaug and Newtown are frontrunners, Brookfield, Bethel and Bunnell need those teams to lose to force a many-way tie. f) If Masuk’s on the other side, no. g) see previous post on the League Championship races which I should have directed you to in the first place. h) All of these teams are. Long way to go.
All the talk about Cochran should be coach at ND is crazy. Their coaching staff is top of the line and Coach Marcucci was coach of the year last year. Best coaching staff in the state
ITS GREAT WHEN A SCC FAN JUMPS ON A BANDWAGON BLOOMFIELD TEAM THAT HAD DWIGHT FREENEY,JAMAAL LEWIS AND ANDREW PINNOCK ON IT.WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO THINK NDWH OR CHESHIRE WOULD HAVE BEATEN THEM?LOL-BY THE WAY ANSONIA HAS A WINNING RECORD VS. BLOOMFIELD IN PLAYOFF GAMES.AGAINST THE SCC TOO.THE SWC TOO.YAWN!
Who cares about Cochran. HE had his chance at 3 different schools and violated all 3. The man can coach but can’t do it within the rules so what good is he? Once Casey graduates u won’t even know Jack is a alive in CT.
I’m curious whay the other bloggers here think. If we all had the same equal talent at every position and played a ten game season who would u want as your coach for that season? SPB feel free to add your pick as well.
Dear Ray, In all honesty. The back to back Bloomfield State Championship teams beat Ansonia 58-0 and New Canaan 56-6 in back to back years.
@Brian
Marinelli, Murphy, McCarthy
HATS OFF TO “SWC FAN”!HE/SHE COULDN’T HAVE PUT IT ANY BETTER!PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THESE KIDS (FROM MASUK) WENT THROUGH LAST WINTER, SPRING,SUMMER WITH COACHES COCHRAN AND MURPHY!AND PART OF THEIR REWARD IS HAVING TO SIT BY HALFTIME OR THIRD QTR. ?.IN THE WORDS OF JOHN WOODEN , “THOSE WHO FAIL TO PREPARE, PREPARE TO FAIL”, ALSO COACH COCHRAN HAS HAD AT LEAST 3 PLAYERS(CT KIDS) IN THE NFL(COLTS, CHARGERS, AND RAVENS) !
All the pundits are hard at work today. John Murhpy’s record and two state championships speaks for itself. Jack Cochran’s record and bevy of state championships (think it might be 5) again, speaks for itself. John Murhpy is the head coach of Masuk, Jack is not. Jack’s son is one of the stars of the team and one of the premier qb’s in the state. The last time I checked, Jack has every right in the world to work with his son. He also has every right to say whatever he wants in the stands as long as the remarks aren’t disparaging. The guy is a coach at heart, you can’t blame him for that.
Bottom line: if you had a vacancy at your high school and didn’t bring Jack in for an interview, then your program deserves to toil in mediocrity. You might not agree with everything he does but you cannot deny that he is one of the brighest football minds in the state of CT.
The so called “Cochran rule” is idiotic. Change conferences or drop your football program if you don’t like being on the wrong side of the beating. This is high school football, not 2nd grade flag football.
@ Ansonia fan
I don’t get the “big Mouth” comment since I’m typing here, I might hit the mouse a little hard but I don’t talk while I’M blogging.
All kidding aside my point about Dobbs is that when a kid scores 4-5 td’s a game and the box score shown runs of 82yds, 68 yds,52yds, etc. there is no DEFENSE.I have seen Dobbs play and he has all the tools (speed, power, elusivness) I would like to see him (and Ansonia)against a good defensive team. He can’t run behind the 2006 line unless you have a “way back” machine up there in Ansonia.