Archive for January 4th, 2013

NHR: Tracy resigns at Branford

Friday, January 4, 2013 by:Sean Patrick Bowley
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And then there were 15.

The high school football coaching hot stove hasn’t finished flaring up just yet.

Mike Tracy has resigned at Branford after four seasons, according to a report by Mike Pucci of New Haven Register.

Tracy’s decision to resign is a familiar one:

Tracy has been at Branford for 11 seasons. He was the defensive coordinator under former coach Gary Gravina and helped the Hornets to back-to-back state championship appearances in 2004 and 2005. It was largely because of his defense that Branford won the 2005 Class MM title over East Lyme.

This move doesn’t come as much of a shock. I’d heard a rumor or two about Tracy leaving after this season.

As for a likely replacement, look no further than Madison and former coach Gary Gravina, who resigned in 2009 to watch and help coach his son, Cam, at Hand.

Now that Cam’s career at Hand is over, maybe Gravina’s open to coming back to the program he helped rebuild the last decade.

At least, that’s what was floating out there this season.

Anyhoo, now we’re at 15 vacancies. Anyone else?

RELATED: Dan Dunaj resigns at Torrington (and other minor coaching carousel notes).

The 2012 ‘Super 33′ Hearst Connecticut All-Star Football team

Friday, January 4, 2013 by:Sean Patrick Bowley
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The votes have been voted, the tallies tallied, and with some minor shuffling around of the positions to make sure the candidates get a spot, we present to you the 2012 ‘Super 33′ Hearst Connecticut All-Star Football team, which was unveiled January 1.

We broke it down by 16 players per side, with the addition of  all-purpose slots for the players who just did everything for their teams, and the Most Valuable Player.

Masuk’s Thomas Milone is the MVP.

Weston’s Joe Lato is the coach of the year.

Lots of hard choices to make at the end as the Hearst CT sports staff wrestled with trying to get some of their favorites a spot.

Since we decided against making a second team, a lot of good players — some all-staters — were ultimately left off.

In the end, we believe this is a solid representation of the best players in Shangri-La.

Quick programming note, our coverage area has shrunk over the last few years. Players are eligible from the FCIAC and the SWC, Ansonia, Seymour, Derby, Shelton, Amity, Foran, Law, Abbott Tech, Bullard-Havens and Platt Tech. Fringe schools who were once part of our coverage area, but never call in their box scores have been cut off.

Click on the individual photos to zoom in.

Enjoy.

Position Players

All-Purpose

Rep-Am: Dunaj resigns from Torrington (and other, minor coaching carousel news)

Friday, January 4, 2013 by:Sean Patrick Bowley
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Dan Dunaj

Dan Dunaj has resigned as coach of Torrington after five seasons, the Republican-American reported today.

Dunaj, the former Seymour defensive coordinator who brought the Raiders to respectability in the NVL by 30-21, told Mark Jaffee he resigned for family reasons, namely the impending birth of his second child. He already has a 9-year old. He will remain a physical education teacher.

From the Rep-Am:

“This is the second time around. The first time I was living and coaching in Seymour, but now I drive 45 minutes each way. (The commute is) more of a burden, and after 17 years of coaching, taking a break would probably be OK. … “I don’t think I am done altogether, but right now everything is put on hold.”

Also revealed in the story is an ongoing investigation of a hazing incident involving four football players in September. School Superintendent Cheryl F. Kloczko didn’t give Jaff much information on that other than to confirm that two, unnamed outside investigators were looking into the incident.

Elsewhere…

So now we’re at — what? — 14 head coaching vacancies in Connecticut?

There’s been little movement elsewhere. But rumors are rampant about several jobs, including Naugatuck (which Jaffee says will interview four candidates this week).

According to our sources, candidates for this job include Woodland associated head coach Tim Phipps, former Pomperaug and Holy Cross offensive coordinator Steve Croce (who’s now at Post University) and Bunnell coach Craig Bruno.

New Milford apparently has its sights on luring former Masuk coach John Murphy up to Litchfield County.

Masuk‘s vacancy remains a total mystery at the moment, though we understand former defensive coordinator Chris Guelli is one applicant.

Central‘s vacancy hasn’t been officially posted. Assistant Brian Gordon, who would likely be a frontrunner for the job, is running the program’s offseason weight training.

“We’re expecting to post it very shortly and we’ve heard that there is a lot of interest in the job,” citywide athletic director Neil Kavey said.

Trinity Catholic is interviewing candidates for its vacancy next week. Assistant Donny Panapada, a Trinity Graduate who coached former Greenwich standout and Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman John Sullivan, is likely the top candidate for that gig.

Nothing to report on Ludlowe and Stamford, yet.

When we know more, you’ll know…

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