Archive for May, 2011

Rico Brogna hired as next coach of Notre Dame-Fairfield

Tuesday, May 31, 2011 by:Sean Patrick Bowley
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Rico Brogna, during his stint in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization on February 27, 2010 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Former Major Leaguer and Connecticut football/baseball star Rico Brogna has been named the next football coach at Notre Dame-Fairfield, athletic director Rob Bleggi announced in a statement today.

Brogna, 41, starred in football and basketball at Watertown in the 1980s and went on to have a nine-year career in Major League Baseball with the Detroit Tigers, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, and Atlanta Braves.

A press conference introducing Brogna is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.

“I am thrilled to be a part of the Notre Dame family,” Brogna said in a statement. “There is a very strong tradition and history here at Notre Dame and I am excited to help return Notre Dame football to the level of success the school expects it to be.

“I am humbled an honored to have this job at one of the finest schools in the state of Connecticut.”

Brogna has been a coaching journeyman since retiring as baseball player in 2001. In high school, he has coached Kennedy football, Nonnewaug football and Watertown basketball. In college, he was the head coach of Post baseball and a volunteer wide receivers coach at Wesleyan.

Last summer, Brogna managed the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Double-A Mobile BayBears to a 75-62 record and was promoted to director of player development on Oct. 15. He resigned his new post three weeks later.

Via email, Brogna said he’s officially retired from pro baseball, which will allow him to coach Notre Dame “year-round.” He added that he would also help baseball coach Paul Fabbri.

Brogna thanked Notre Dame president Fr. Bill Sangiovanni, Principal Chris Cipriano and Bleggi for the opportunity.

“I am absolutely thrilled at the prospect of welcoming Rico Brogna to the Notre Dame athletic staff,” Sangiovanni said in the statement.

Cipriano said: “Rico understands the importance of success of our student-athletes both in the classroom and on the football field. He recognizes the importance of hard work, goal-setting and academic excellence. Not only will his background as a professional athlete serve to better our team, but more importantly, he will serve as an outstanding role model for our students.”

Bleggi said: “…I am very excited that Rico Brogna will be the news head football coach at Notre Dame. His character, coaching skills and leadership is exactly what we are looking for as we build Notre Dame football for the future. Not only will he be an asset to our football program but to the school as a whole.”

Brogna played football, basketball and baseball at Watertown and graduated in 1987. Recruited to be a quarterback at Clemson, he instead chose a career in pro baseball after being drafted by the Detroit Tigers with the 26th overall pick.

He made his MLB debut with the Tigers in 1992 and batted .269 with 106 home runs and 458 RBIs over eight seasons.

In his career at Watertown, Brogna threw for 6,083 yards (then a state record), 59 touchdown passes and also kicked 11 field goals. His 54-yarder in 1987 is the longest in state history and his 70 consecutive extra points is second all-time.

Chuck Drury makes it official, steps down at Pomperaug

Thursday, May 26, 2011 by:Sean Patrick Bowley
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Chuck Drury

UPDATED, Friday, 1 a.m.

Chuck Drury has ended his outstanding, championship career at Pomperaug. Athletic director Joe Velardi first confirmed the to the News-Times of Danbury Thursday afternoon, then Drury himself later in the day.

Drury, 62, said he is indeed stepping down to join his son Mike’s football staff at Southington High School.

He has been at Pomperaug since 1974, mostly as the head coach. His teams reached the state playoffs six times, the finals twice and won the Class MM state championship in 2004. Pomperaug also won three SWC championships in three appearances under Drury’s watch. Drury, a Bristol resident, retired as a full-time teacher last year.

From my perspective, Chuck Drury is one of the most respected coaches in Connecticut high school sports — not just football. A class act, through and through. His 2004 Class MM state championship team, led by Mike Kielt, went 13-0 and crushed heavy favorite Branford 30- 7 to help validate his program and the rest of SWC beyond Masuk.

We’ll miss him down here in Southwestern Connecticut.

Meanwhile, Mike Drury, 28, was named head coach at Southington on Wednesday. He was introduced in a press conference Thursday afternoon.

Here’s the introductory video of Mike Drury from Southington Citizen reporter Michael Guerrera on his Knight Time Southington sports blog.

Mike Drury’s hiring at Southington will rock Pomperaug

Wednesday, May 25, 2011 by:Sean Patrick Bowley
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Pomperaug football coach Chuck Drury

Michael Drury has been named the next football coach at Southington High School, the Southington Citizen reported Wednesday. Drury will replace D.J. Hernandez, who coached one season before resigning for a position at Brown.

But that’s not all. A source close to the family says the 28-year old coach, who was previously serving as defensive coordinator for the Blue Knights, will bring his father, longtime Pomperaug coach Chuck Drury, with him.

Chuck Drury has coached at Pomperaug in two long stints beginning in 1974. His teams won three SWC championships since the league’s inception in 1996 and the Class MM state championship in 2004. Pomperaug also was the Class L runner-up in 2009. He retired as a teacher last year.

Reached Wednesday afternoon, Chuck Drury had no comment.

Mike Drury (in 2004)

Michael Drury was an all-state linebacker and wrestler at Bristol Central, where he graduated in 2001. He went on to become a four-year star and Division I-AA All-American at Marist University and graduated in 2005. He had been an assistant at Cromwell, Pomperaug and Oxford before taking the job as defensive coordinator under Hernandez. Drury coached the Knights to a 52-13 victory over East Hartford while Hernandez served a one-game suspension on Nov. 12.

Michael Drury is also an assistant wrestling coach and track coach at Bristol Eastern. He will accept a teaching job in special education.

From the press release out of Southington today:

“The search committee gave very careful consideration concerning the type of individual we want as head of the program,” said Athletic Director Eric Swallow. “We believe Coach Drury will provide consistency, stability and leadership to the Southington program as we build off the success of the 2010 season.”

“Mike has demonstrated that he is a skilled coach and an excellent teacher who not only cares about the development of young men as athletes but also concerned about their development as students and young adults,” said Southington High principal Dr. Martin Semmel.

Update (9:30 p.m.): Southington’s Eric Swallow told the Record-Journal of Meriden that Chuck Drury’s potential played no part in the hiring of young Michael. He also wouldn’t say for sure if Chuck Drury would be joining the staff.

From the article by Bryant Carpenter:

Drury – Mike Drury, that is – will be introduced at a press conference this afternoon at Southington High School. Whether Chuck Drury, whose Pomperaug teams have won three-time Southwest Conference championships and one state title on his watch, winds up in Southington blue and white will be determined as his son selects his staff.

“I know there’s been some conversation, but that hasn’t been finalized,” Southington athletic director Eric Swallow said Wednesday. “Like anything else, the names pop up; but that’s something that Mike, when he starts to put his staff together, that could be an option.

“The guy has tremendous background and has had great success,” Swallow added. “If he came over to Southington, he would be a tremendous quality on our staff.”

All the same, Swallow said a Drury package deal played no factor in the hiring decision. Mike Drury was the unanimous choice of a search committee that included high school administrators, community members, a current student-athlete and a few former Southington football players.

St. Joseph football alum Shaft Hunter killed in crash

Monday, May 23, 2011 by:Sean Patrick Bowley
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Maryland State Trooper and St. Joseph alum Shaft Hunter

From today’s Connecticut Post, sad news of former St. Joseph starter and 1990 alum Shaft Hunter, a Maryland state trooper who was killed in a car crash on I-95 while on duty in the state.

Police say Hunter, a father of six who played corner and running back for the 1988 and 1989 state championship teams under Christy Hayes, was apparently chasing a speeding motorcyclist when his vehicle crashed into a parked tractor trailer. He was 39.

From the article:

“A great kid who always wanted to help people,” said Hayes,  now the athletic director at Wilton. “He came from a great family. He was a great teammate and had a great sense of humor.”

“Just a great kid,” said St. Joseph principal Ken Mayo, a religion teacher and the football team’s defensive coordinator at St. Joseph’s when Hunter attended the school. “That group was very tight. It was an extraordinary class, not just academically or athletically. It was one of the best we ever had. Shaft was selfless. He was always looking out for his teammates.”

Read the story by staffers Ben Doody and Tom Cleary.

Here’s Hunter’s Facebook memorial page.

Here’s the local news report:

Spring Football 2011: Who is and who isn’t?

Thursday, May 19, 2011 by:Sean Patrick Bowley
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The 2011 Connecticut spring football season is drawing closer and, since we plan on checking in with a few of our local teams, here’s a list of who will and who won’t be participating this year.

The teams on the left are conducting spring practice this season, meaning between the Friday before Memorial Day and the end of the school year, teams can hold 10 days of spring practices (three must be conducted without pads).

The teams on the right are not holding spring practice, meaning they will be allowed to start fall practice four days before the traditional start (which is typically the third Monday in August.)

Schools may choose one or the other.

Anyway, here’s the list, which can be found on the CIAC football page.

Traditional Spring Football

  • Amity
  • Ansonia
  • Bassick
  • Berlin
  • Bethel
  • Branford
  • Bridgeport Central
  • Brien McMahon
  • Bristol Central
  • Bristol Eastern
  • Brookfield
  • Bunnell
  • Cheshire
  • Coginchaug
  • Coventry/Windham Tech
  • Cromwell
  • Crosby
  • Danbury
  • Daniel Hand
  • Darien
  • East Lyme
  • Enfield
  • Fairfield Ludlowe
  • Fairfield Prep
  • Fairfield Warde
  • Farmington
  • Greenwich
  • Guilford
  • Hamden
  • Harding
  • Hillhouse
  • Holy Cross
  • Hyde Leadership
  • Kennedy
  • Ledyard
  • Lewis Mills
  • Lyman Hall
  • Manchester
  • Masuk
  • Montville
  • Naugatuck
  • New Britain
  • New Canaan
  • New Milford
  • Newington
  • Newtown
  • North Haven
  • Norwalk
  • O’Brien Tech
  • Old Saybrook/Westbrook
  • Oxford
  • Platt
  • Platt Tech
  • Pomperaug
  • Prince Tech
  • Rocky Hill
  • Sheehan
  • Shelton
  • St. Joseph
  • St. Paul Catholic
  • Stafford/East Windsor
  • Staples
  • Tolland
  • Torrington
  • Trinity Catholic
  • Trumbull
  • Valley Regional/Old Lyme
  • Weaver
  • West Haven
  • Westhill
  • Weston
  • Wethersfield
  • Wilbur Cross
  • Wilton
  • Windham
  • Wolcott
  • Woodland
  • Xavier

 Additional Days in Fall

  • Abbott Tech
  • Avon
  • Bacon Academy
  • Bloomfield
  • Bulkeley
  • Bullard Havens Tech
  • Canton
  • Capital Prep/Classical Magnet
  • Cheney Tech
  • Conard
  • Derby
  • E.O. Smith
  • East Catholic
  • East Hampton/Vinal Tech
  • East Hartford
  • East Haven
  • Ellington/Somers
  • Fermi
  • Fitch
  • Foran
  • Gilbert/NW Regional
  • Glastonbury
  • Granby Memorial
  • Griswold
  • Haddam-Killingworth
  • Hall
  • Hartford Public
  • Housatonic/Wamogo
  • Immaculate
  • Joel Barlow
  • Jonathan Law
  • Killingly
  • Maloney
  • Middletown
  • Morgan
  • New Fairfield
  • New London
  • Nonnewaug
  • North Branford
  • Northwest Catholic
  • Norwich Free Academy
  • Notre Dame-Fairfield
  • Notre Dame-West Haven
  • Plainfield
  • Plainville
  • Putnam/Tourtellotte/Ellis Tech
  • RHAM
  • Ridgefield
  • Rockville
  • Sacred Heart
  • Seymour
  • Simsbury
  • SMSA/University
  • South Windsor
  • Southington
  • St. Bernard/Norwich Tech
  • Stamford
  • Stamford Academy
  • Stonington
  • Stratford
  • Waterford
  • Watertown
  • Wilby
  • Wilcox Tech
  • Windsor
  • Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby
  • Wolcott Tech
  • Woodstock Academy

Updated: Brookfield’s Brown also get Team USA tryout

Wednesday, May 18, 2011 by:Sean Patrick Bowley
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Brookfield's Boeing Brown, sets up for a pass during the football game against Masuk at Masuk Oct. 8, 2010. Photo: Chris Ware / The News-Times

Note: Due to confusion between Team USA and the US Army All-American Bowl teams, this post has been corrected to include just Boeing Brown. Masuk’s Casey Cochran had been erroneously added. He will be attending the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

A few days ago we reported Bassick lineman Brandon Williams‘ invitation to the U-19 Team USA football tryouts in Atlanta.

He wasn’t the only regional player to earn a trip. Brookfield quarterback Boeing Brown has also received invitations to tryout for the national team.

The 6-foot-3, 197-pound Brown, who is perhaps the second-best returning quarterback in the SWC after Cochran, is one of three sophomore/junior quarterbacks to earn an invitation to the tryouts held in Atlanta on Memorial Day weekend.

He threw for 1,511 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions for the Bobcats, who went 9-3 and reached the Class M semifinals last year.


Bassick’s DT Brandon Williams gets national team tryout

Monday, May 16, 2011 by:Sean Patrick Bowley
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Bassick DL/OL Brandon Williams

Brandon Williams, a 6-3, 232-pound All-State defensive tackle from Bassick, has been invited to try out for the U-19 national football team in Atlanta, Ga. on Memorial Day weekend.

USA football is the official youth football development partner of the NFL and NFLPA and describers itself as a non-profit organization devoted to developing the game through educational programs and innovative resources and managing U.S. national teams for international competition.

This isn’t an all-star game and doesn’t count toward the NCAA’s two all-star game limit. Instead, the national team plays international competition and plays to win (so there’s no mandate on getting the participants equal playing time).

Team USA will face Team World in early February 2012 and then play in the International Federation of American Football Junior World Championship in the summer of 2012.

Approximately 200 players are invited and 50 players are selected for the team.

Often overlooked due to Bassick’s struggles as a football program, Williams has attracted some attention due to his size and ability. His 2010 highlight reel (he’s No. 54).

Joe Beler resigns as Notre Dame-Fairfield football coach

Thursday, May 12, 2011 by:Sean Patrick Bowley
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Notre Dame coach Joe Beler conducts practice on Friday, September 10, 2010. He resigned as head coach May 12, 2011 after two seasons. Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg / Connecticut Post

Desiring a break from the daily grind of managing and coaching a high school football program, Joe Beler has resigned at Notre Dame-Fairfield today.

Beler, a Milford resident and business teacher at Law, coached the Lancers for two seasons compiling a 5-15 record. Injuries and low numbers helped contribute to Notre Dame’s 2-8 record in 2010.

The decision wasn’t easy, Beler said. But it was necessary, mostly for “my own piece of mind.”

He’s working toward his sixth-year teaching degree, taking graduate courses at Southern Connecticut State. The absence of his father, Joe Beler Jr., who died suddenly almost a year ago, still weighs heavily.

“It was a combination of things,” Beler said. “The classes take a great deal of time and when I took this job it was a chance to coach with my old man. So between the classes and the family thing, I just needed to get away.

“It wasn’t an easy decision. I delayed it a bit. But I decided if I couldn’t be there 110 percent for my kids, I couldn’t do it, especially trying to build the program from the bottom-up.”

Previously, Beler had been the head coach at Foran (where he won the 2001 SWC championship) and an assistant coach at Law and Milford Academy.

He said he wouldn’t be coaching anywhere else this season.

“If I’m not coaching my Notre Dame kids, I’m not coaching anybody,” he said. “Notre Dame was nothing but great to me. (Principal Christopher) Cipriano, and (athletic director Rob) Bleggi, have been very supportive. My kids played hard for me. I just need a year away.”

Beler is the third coach in five years to leave the school. Notre Dame has gone 18-33 since going 9-2 and reaching the SWC championship in former coach Jeff Bevino’s final season in 2005.

Bleggi said the search for a new head coach has already begun.

Potential candidates can send letter of interest and resume to Rob Bleggi-Athletic Director, at bleggi@notredame.org.

Masuk’s Cochran nominated for U.S. Army All-American Bowl

Tuesday, May 10, 2011 by:Sean Patrick Bowley
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Masuk quarterback Casey Cochran is one of 400 high school football players nominated to participate in the 2012 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Cochran, perhaps the state’s most sought-after senior high school football player, is the only Connecticut player to receive a nomination. The U.S. Army All-American Bowl chooses nominees through the three main recruiting services — Scout.com, Rivals.com and Tom Lemming — and through various camps, combines and clinics. Players must also have good standing in school and in their communities.

None of that has been a problem for the 6-foot-1 Cochran. He has thrown for approximately 7,000 yards and more than 70 touchdowns since his freshman year at New London. He’s been a two-time Connecticut Post All-Star and all-state selection. He’s a member of the National Honor Society and has maintained a 4.0 grade point average.

The final rosters will be determined in the fall. The game is played the week after the college bowl season.

See the full list of nominees here.

According to a variety of reports, the 6-foot-1 Cochran has received an offer from Boston College, and interest from a host of other schools, including UConn, Duke, Notre Dame, Princeton, Rutgers, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Yale, Alabama, Harvard, LSU, Northwestern, Oregon, Penn State, Rutgers, Stanford, Texas A&M, Michigan State, North Carolina State.

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