Annnnd…. GO! Football practices begin

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Rise and shine campers!

Grab your permission slips and physical forms. Lace up your best running shoes, leave your pads in your locker and start stretching.

Today is the first day of the 2012 high school football season.

We begin in earnest Wednesday with conditioning practices for the teams that elected to forgo traditional spring practice. They’re the first to strap on pads and start hitting on Monday.

Here’s a quick look at the regional teams who will begin practice this week, follow by a list of the other state schools beginning practices Aug. 20.

SO… Whaddawegot? Whaddawe know?

Very little at the moment.

Most of this was culled from looking at last year’s rosters and stats, some of it came from off-hand discussions with coaches and players. So we were vague because we don’t know everything.

Not yet.

But no worries, we have a whole month to cram for our official previews.

For now, here’s what’s what our local teams are looking at heading into first practice.

Regional Teams beginning Aug. 15

Abbott Tech (3-7) – Sr. QB/LB Greg Ramos and Soph. DL Delton Rogers return to help the Wolverines build.

Bethel (7-4) – OL/DE Pete Serencsics headlines a squad hammered by graduation of top stars from last year’s playoff team.

Brookfield (5-5) – Sr. QB Boeing Brown and the Bobcats are looking to atone for last year’s 5-5 season. They have some leaks to plug.

Bullard-Havens (7-3) – Must find a new QB, but return leading rusher in John Shannon.

Derby (4-6) – Have standout WR Dillon McMahon, but QB Ray Kreiger is gone. (How’s kid brother and sophomore Mike Kreiger lookin’?)

Fairfield Prep (5-5) – Backfield tandem Joe McBride (back from midseason injury) and Dillon Ryan headline a program still trying to regain its mojo.

Foran (3-7) — Lost a large senior class, including QB Matt Aspinwall and back Dave Yerxa. This year’s junior class looks deep.

Immaculate (0-10) – If new coach Tom Taylor can’t resurrect the Mustangs, no one can.

Jonathan Law (0-10) — Young team that was 0-10 last year, still looking for standouts. Losing star WR Connor Falaguerra hurts.

Notre Dame-Fairfield (1-9) – The team is in some turmoil due to the recent resignation of coach Rico Brogna. ND alum Dawon Dicks takes over.

Notre Dame-West Haven (8-3) – Lost a massive senior class, but plenty of capable juniors ready to fill the gaps. Junior RB/LB Cameron Tucker is a top returner.

O’Brien Tech (3-7) – New coach Nick Aprea takes the reins from AD Dan Nemergut, who took the reins (briefly) from Ken Roberts. Sr. QB Nick Coppola is among the key returners.

Oxford (3-7) – Lost a few stars and has a small senior class, but versatile QB/HB/LB Brennan Diaz has come of age. The Wolverines are also coping with the tragic death of teammate Eric Giordano last spring.

Platt Tech (4-6) — Lost a few seniors from last year’s 3-7 squad. Still has QB Angelo Genovese and RB Anton Graham.

Pomperaug (8-2) — QB Eric Beatty and RB Dylan McAllister return to lead a large group of returning seniors. OC Steve Croce has left to coach at Post University.

Ridgefield (8-3) – With QB Connor Rowe, RB Sam Gravitte, LBs Andrew Barton and Chris Mirra returning, it’s one of the FCIAC’s most established teams.

Seymour (5-5) — Looking for new leaders after losing a significant number of stars from last season, including Jon Wilson and Luke Grabowski.

St. Joseph (4-6) – Has a good, veteran group returning, including seniors WR/DB Jake Pelletier, FB/LB Nick Pulaski and TE Mark Hirschbeck (etc).

Stratford (2-8) – RB/DB Dana Smith leads a large group of unproven seniors. The Devils be road warriors at Bunnell while Penders Field gets a turf facelift (could be ready for Pomperaug in October).

Trinity Catholic (3-7) – Anxiously hoping RB Shaquan Howsie can successfully rebound from last year’s ACL injury.

Statewide teams beginning Aug. 15

Avon, Bloomfield, Bristol Eastern, Bulkeley, Canton, Capital Prep/Classical, Cheney Tech, Cheshire, Conard, Cromwell, E.O. Smith, East Catholic, East Hampton/Vinal, East Hartford, East Haven, Ellington/Somers, Fitch, Gilbert/Northwestern, Glastonbury, Granby Memorial, Guilford, Haddam-Killingworth, Hall, Hamden, Hartford Public, Housatonic/Wamogo, Killingly, Ledyard, Middletown, Morgan, New London, Newington, Nonnewaug, North Branford, Northwest Catholic, Norwich Free Academy, Old Saybrook/Westbrook Plainfield, Plainville, Prince Tech, Putnam/Tourtellotte/Ellis Tech, RHAM, Sacred Heart, SMSA/University, South Windsor, St. Bernard/Norwich Tech, Stafford, Waterford, Watertown, Weaver, Wilcox Tech, Windsor, Wolcott Tech, Woodstock Academy.

Everyone else, hang tight for 5 days. We’ll see you Aug. 20

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