Ever want to know what it’s like to be wined and dined as a state championship football team by the prestigious Walter Camp Football Foundation?
Well, unless your Hand, this is the next, best thing.
Saturday at 9 a.m. at Anthony’s Ocean View restaurant in New Haven, the four Connecticut state champions will come together for some pancakes, eggs, O.J. (not Simpson [thankfully] or Anderson) and some good ol’ fashioned recognition from the fine folks at the Walter Camp Football Foundation at its annual ‘Breakfast of Champions.’
(No word on wether Wheaties will be served.)
In addition, the WCFF’s state player of the year — either Ansonia’s Arkeel Newsome, Xavier’s Tim Boyle or Hand’s Matt Walsh — will be announced, as will the 2012 All-Walter Camp Connecticut team.
The late, great Jack Hunt will be honored with the lifetime achievement award.
And, finally, one lucky student-athlete will receive the “UCAN Inspire Award.”
Sportingnewsct.com will be on hand to broadcast the proceedings from Anthony’s.
Later this evening, Walter Camp will have its annual gala at Yale Commons to honor the best College football players.
Hand’s football team will get decked out in tuxedos and join the festivities to accept the 2012 Joseph W. Kelley award as the No. 1 team in Connecticut and the rest of the nation’s high school football teams can go green with envy.
The Connecticut High School Coaches Association has unleashed its all-state teams for 2012. We’re publishing these in five installments, overall, and the individual classes.
These teams are voted by the members of the CHSCA.
The following is the All-State Team. The best of the best. Players who make this list are excluded from the individual class teams. Positions are arbitrary.
ALL-STATE OFFENSE
TIM BOYLE, QB, Xavier BRENDAN BILCHECK, QB, Hand QUINN FLEETING, QB, Windsor BRANDAN BASIL, QB, North Branford MAX SCHUMANN, OL, Xavier KYLE VAUGHN, OL, Staples ARKEEL NEWSOME, RB, Ansonia COLIN MOORE, RB, Avon HAROLD COOPER, RB, Hillhouse ERVIN PHILLIPS, RB, West Haven ANDREW ISAAC, TE, Manchester ANDREW MATOS, WR, Ansonia THOMAS MILONE, WR, Masuk JAMES FRUSCIANTE, WR, Staples RYHIEME MOORE, WR, Windsor
ALL-STATE DEFENSE
PETER GERSON, DL, Hand JARED LEVI, DL, Staples COLE ORMSBY, DL, Windsor HECTOR RODRIGUEZ, DL, Berlin MATT WALSH, LB, Hand COLE HARRIS, LB, New Canaan ANDRE ANDERSON, LB, Hillhouse TAYLOR OLMSTEAD, DB, Greenwich NICK KELLY, DB, Staples JOEY PAPARELLI, DB, Norwich Free Academy JOEY ZELKOWITZ, DB, Staples KRIS LUSTER, DB, Xavier NICK GAYNOR, DB, Northwest Catholic GRADY LYNCH, DB, New Canaan DAN HEBERT, DB, Newtown
PLAYER OF THE YEAR –Tim Boyle, Xavier ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR –Dave Mastroianni, Hand
The 2012 Class LL All-State football team, as voted on by the members of the Connecticut High School Coaches Association.
All-state is divided into five: the four playoffs classes plus an overall all-state team. Players who make the overall team do not make the Class teams. Click the links below for the other teams.
OL – WILL PATRICK, Staples OL – ALEX MAGEE, Greenwich OL – SAM MURPHY, Ludlowe OL — CHRIS SPEER, Staples OL — CHRIS SIMMONS, Manchester TE – JOE KELLY, Greenwich WR – MIKE WILLIAMS, Trumbull WR – SAM GRAVITTE, Ridgefield RB — MARCUS OUTLOW, Norwich Free Academy RB – KYLE JORDAN, McMahon RB — DeANGELO BERRY, Xavier RB — ERIC RYAN, Newington RB — DAVELL COTTERELL, Westhill QB – STEVE BARMORE, Southington P/WR – JUSTIN DEVELLIS, Newtown
DEFENSE
DL – JOSH HILL, Glastonbury DL – MATT HOUPERT, Hall DL – EDDY WILLIAMS, West Haven DL – TUZAR SKIPPER, Norwich Free Academy DL – PIETER HOETS, Staples LB – AUDLEY FLETCHER, Hartford Public LB – BRAD HELMKAMP, Simsbury LB – MAX TYLKI, Xavier LB – RYAN KERIC, Trumbull DB — BEN BEREY, Glastonbury DB – ZACH MAXWELL, Southington DB – SAM PASCALE, Cheshire DB – AIDAN MAURO, Ridgefield K – JESSE ADELBERG, Greenwich
Note: Davell Cotterell was added to the team Thursday afternoon.
The 2012 Class L All-State football team, as voted on by the members of the Connecticut High School Coaches Association.
All-state is divided into five: the four playoffs classes plus an overall all-state team. Players who make the overall team do not make the Class teams. Click the links below for the other teams.
OL – MATT GILLESPIE, East Lyme OL – CHRISTIAN OUTLAW, Middletown OL – MATT MARCARELLI, North Haven OL – MIKE LaSALA, Wilton OL – ERLIN COLON, Platt WR – KYLE ANDERSON, Hand WR – ISIAH SWAIN, Middletown WR – CALEB EWALD, Hand RB – JUSTIN POTTS, Platt RB — NICK LOMBARDO, Darien RB/QB – JALON WHITE, North Haven WR – ZATRELL LYONS, Platt Tech
DEFENSE
DL – CONNER BUCK, New Canaan DL — ANDREW KLARMAN, Branford DL – BRANDON MARQUIS, Farmington DL – BRIAN MONACO, Masuk DL — MATT D’ANDREA, Darien LB – MIKE ROOT, New Canaan LB – JIMMY MURPHY, Avon LB – AKEEMO CHAMBERLIN, Middletown LB – QUINCEY PECORA, North Haven LB – PAT KIRKWOOD, Fitch DB – DEVANTE DILLON, Windsor DB – CASEY OULLETTE, New Canaan DB — OTTO MARALLO, Middletown DB — ALEX TUCCERO, Hand
The 2012 Class M All-State football team, as voted on by the members of the Connecticut High School Coaches Association.
All-state is divided into five: the four playoffs classes plus an overall all-state team. Players who make the overall team do not make the Class teams. Click the links below for the other teams.
OL – BEN MORALES, Ledyard OL – SEAN MERRILL, Sheehan OL – KYLE WILSON, Ledyard OL – CHRIS MEUCCI, Berlin OL — JAKE BASILLICA, Montville TE – TOMMY MEYERS, Coventry WR – NICK WEISSAUER, Foran WR – CALEB CAMACHO, New London WR — JUSTIN SCHAFFER, Weston WR – JAKE PELLETIER, St. Joseph RB – JUSTIN GOMBOTZ, Berlin RB — JOE PACHECO, New Fairfield QB – JAKE KASUBA, Foran QB – JORDAN VAZZANO, St. Joseph ATH – MIKE NICOL, Wolcott
DEFENSE
DL — AUSTIN GOMAR, Weston DL — DAVE WILCOX, Waterford DL — DARICK ORANGE, Coventry/Windham Tech LB — TERRELL FAIRWEATHER, Hillhouse LB — JACQUIN RILEY, New London LB — ISAIAH HOLLOWAY, Montville LB — SEAN TYNAN, Ellington/Somers LB — MIKE PULASKI, St. Joseph DB — ALEX LOCKWOOD, Barlow DB — JEVON MOORE, Hillhouse DB — TYLER HASSETT, Weston DB – NICK CLEMENS, Montville PK — JOHN AMBROZAITIS, Gilbert/Northwestern
Note: Joe Pacheco was added to this all-state team.
The 2012 Class S All-State football team, as voted on by the members of the Connecticut High School Coaches Association.
All-state is divided into five: the four playoffs classes plus an overall all-state team. Players who make the overall team do not make the Class teams. Click the links below for the other teams.
OL — IAN AUGUR, Coginchaug OL — MARK WILDMAN, Housatonic/Wamogo OL — DAVE GRAUER, Killingly OL — ISAIAH BROOKS, Bloomfield TE — TOM SEAVER, Rocky Hill WR — JOE DELUCIA, North Branford WR — CHRIS VANKAMERIK, Oxford WR — ANTHONY SCIRPO, Woodland WR — NORVELL STEWART, Bloomfield RB — CHRIS YOUNG, Rocky Hill RB — DERRICK VILLARD, Cromwell RB — TYLER STUCKEY, Killingly WB — TANNER KINGSLEY, Woodland
DEFENSE
DL — JERMAINE FRAIZER, Griswold DL — DERRICK HAWKINS, Bloomfield DL — DAN BONNEY, Seymour DL – DONNERY EVANS, Hyde DE — RILEY KINEHAN, Trinity Catholic LB — CODY ZARO, Trinity Catholic LB — MIKE JONES, Capital Prep/Classical Magnet/Achieve LB — DEVON STEWART, Northwest Catholic LB — BRENNAN DIAZ, Oxford LB — GARY FALANGA, North Branford DB — RYAN O’CONNOR, Ansonia DB – ANDREW JENKELUNAS, Rocky Hill DB – DILLON McMAHON, Derby DB – JAI’QUAN McKNIGHT, Ansonia
The 2011 season is over. Girls basketball is already live. Boys basketball and hockey and wrestling etc, etc get underway this week.
But we’re not done with high school football just yet (are we ever?). While football teams from all over say goodbye to their seniors, welcome their freshmen and dive into the long offseason, there’s still one final bow to make in the 2011 season.
It’s time to recognize the best players in the region.
Who was the best of the best of the best?
There is a more involved system going on behind the scenes at Hearst Connecticut Newsgroup for an all-area team that will be unveiled around Christmas week, but here’s a chance for players and fans to lobby for their top picks.
It’s going to require a lot of thought on your part. Picking these teams are tantamount to moving Chess pieces around a board. Typically, we have a bunch of deserving players and only a few spots. So we usually try to slot players into their secondary positions (OL vs. DL etc.) to truly get the best 22 (or so) players on the team.
Here are the categories:
We would like your TOP 2 in the following positions (TOP 5 on the offensive line). There can be NO repeat selections.
OFFENSE: QUARTERBACK, RECEIVER/END, RUNNING BACK, OFFENSIVE LINE (5), KICKER DEFENSE: DEFENSIVE LINE, LINEBACKER, DEFENSIVE BACK, PUNTER ALL-PURPOSE (This spot is reserved for men who excel in a variety of spots and don’t fit into any of the above categories). PLAYER OF THE YEAR: You can pick anybody from above.
Any comments you’d like to make MUST come after the selections.
The Connecticut Post, Stamford Advocate, Danbury NewsTimes and Greenwich Time coverage area includes:
All of the FCIAC, all of the SWC and the following schools from the SCC, NVL and CCC: Shelton, Law, Foran, Amity, Notre Dame-WH, West Haven, Fairfield Prep, Ansonia, Seymour, Derby/O‘Brien Tech, Bullard-Havens, Platt Tech, Abbott Tech. (A few fringe teams are being discontinued from our coverage area because they never called our offices to report their games this season).
All other teams are ineligible. This is a regional awards list, so as much as many of you would love to chime in on your favorite players from around the state, please don’t.
Ansonia's Montrell Dobbs runs for a touchdown during the Connecticut High School football all-star game against Rhode Island. The recent UConn commit leads New Haven into the 15th Hall of Fame Football Classic. Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg / Connecticut Post
Updated: Paul Criscuolo says the game is on this evening, despite threats of heavy rain. As of 4:40 p.m. West Haven remained dry while northern parts of the state were being pounded.
More rain is on the way, however. Criscuolo said lightning would, of course, delay the game.
It’s your last chance for real, live football for a couple months.
The Hall of Fame Football Classic, part 15 kicks off tonight at West Haven’s Ken Strong Stadium at 7:30. Tickets are $7 at the gate. Come one come all.
Here are your morning links for pregame coverage of the game, which is showdown between West Haven coach Ed McCarthy (New Haven) and one of his former players — St. Joseph coach Joe Della Vecchia (Fairfield County).
Of course, all the focus will be on a certain Ansonia tailback.
Quick note on the rosters, you’ll notice major portions of Fairfield County — mostly lower/eastern schools — are missing from the All-Star roster, which is once again causing consternation and ire among those in the Fairfield County chapter. Several showed up for the pre-practice meetings, but never again.
You won’t find the same problem on New Haven County. Twenty-nine schools are represented as opposed to Fairfield County’s 19.
Sounds like a repeat episode. But we will try not to dwell on who isn’t here, but the players and teams who are — including eight players from the Connecticut Governor’s Cup team from two weeks ago, as opposed to four from New Haven.
But will it be enough for the first Fairfield County victory since the 31-30 overtime thriller of 2008? New Haven leads the all-time series 10-4 and won last year’s game 16-13.
Once again, we’ll be live tweeting the game at@CTHSFootball. You can follow along on Twitter, or in the red window at right.
This week has been a whirlwind of statewide high school football news and tidbits. Here’s the latest as we head into the July 4 weekend.
Pomperaug QB Kellen Croce | Photo by Chris Ware
QB CROCE LEAVING POMPERAUG – Pomperaug quarterback Kellen Croce will likely enroll at The Gunnery prep school in Washington, Conn., his father, offensive coordinator Steve Croce said.
Croce was an all-SWC first team quarterback in his first year as a starter for 8-2 Pomperaug. He threw for 1,958 yards and 16 touchdowns. But his future, his father said, might be in baseball. Croce was a left-handed starter for the school’s outstanding baseball team.
Gunnery baseball coach Jeffrey Trundy is the manager for the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Code Baseball League.
Meanwhile, Steve Croce said he is staying on as offensive coordinator for Pomperaug, where he said three players — 6-1 senior Garrett Delotto, 5-10 junior Eric Beatty and incoming freshman Wade Prager will vie for the starting job under new coach Dave Roach.
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Not only will the Panthers have a new QB, they will have a new defensive coordinator, too.
John Pereira, who consistently molded Pomperaug’s defense into one of the region’s best, has taken an assistant coaching job at Southington, joining former Pomperaug head coach Chuck Drury and new head coach Mike Drury. Pereira coached Pomperaug’s outstanding 2004 state championship defense, which included Connecticut Post Defensive Player of the Year Mike Kielt.
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Danbury's Austin Calitro | Photo: Barry Horn
DANBURY’S CALITRO COMMITS –Austin Calitro, a hulking 6-foot-1, 215-pound fullback and linebacker, has committed to Villanova for football. He reportedly chose the Divsion I-AA school over Temple.
We learned via a separate source Thursday, but on Friday we realized Calitro had already announced the news on Twitter a day earlier.
Calitro ran for 300 yards and scored 4 touchdowns at fullback. On defense, he made 75 tackles and forced five fumbles. He also served as the team’s punter. He was a second-team All-Connecticut Post
STRATFORD’S DESRUISSEAUX SWITCHES –Stratford all-purpose back Marc DesRuisseaux will be heading to Milford Academy instead of Lackawanna Junior College, Stratford coach John Svatik confirmed. “I don’t know what led to the change, but as far as I know he’s real happy with the decision,” Svatik said.
DesRuisseaux, who is listed at 6-2, 170, earned all-state Class S and all-SWC as a defensive back in his first full year of playing football. He played primarily quarterback and safety for the 3-7 Red Devils and earned a spot on both the Governor’s Cup All-Star team and the Fairfield County All-Star team.
He’ll join Ansonia’s Montrell Dobbs (off to UConn), St. Joseph’s Tyler Matakevich and Montville’s Tyler Girard-Floyd at the New Berlin, NY prep school.
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TORRINGTON’S TSOPANIDES TO IOWA — According to the Register-Citizen of Torrington, the All-State OL/DE was supposed to attend Milford Academy, but caught the eye of offensive coordinator Ken O’Keefe during a combine and was offered a scholarship after a visit to the University.
Ansonia's Montrell Dobbs carries the ball during Saturday's Class S State Football Championship game at Rentschler Field. Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg / Connecticut Post
Ansonia running back Montrell Dobbs, the fifth all-time leading rusher in state history, has accepted a scholarship offer to play football at UConn.
Dobbs picked up the offer from UConn coach Paul Pasqualoni during his first (ever) visit to Storrs with Milford Academy coach Bill Chaplick on Wednesday.
After returning home to Ansonia, Dobbs didn’t wait long to give Pasqualoni his final decision.
“It didn’t take much,” said Dobbs, who has made no secret of his desire to play for the Huskies since his breakout, all-state senior year at Ansonia. “I pretty much ate breakfast on it.”
Dobbs called Pasqualoni around noontime on Thursday to say “yes.”
“It means everything to me,” said Dobbs, who ran for 3,445 yards and 40 touchdowns and led the Chargers to the Class S championship game. “I’m a Connecticut guy and to be playing for the best team in your state is an honor.
“It’s a huge weight off my shoulders. I got my first offer and it was from school that I wanted it to be. It took awhile before they came around. But it’s meant a lot. …Coach Pasqualoni said they were expecting big things out of me.”
Dobbs will be a member of UConn’s 2012 recruiting class. He is still required to attend Milford Academy this fall. He will sign a Letter of Intent in February, but will enroll as a UConn in January to participate in spring practice next year.
“This is the beginning of my new life,” Dobbs said. “This is just the tip of the iceberg.”
Dobbs, the second all-time leading rusher in Connecticut history behind former teammate Alex Thomas (now at Yale) and the 2010 Connecticut Post football MVP, said he spoke to Pasqualoni one-on-one during his visit to Storrs.
“Coach Pasqualoni is a straight-up guy, he doesn’t want people who he doesn’t think will contribute or truly loves football. We pretty much saw eye-to-eye on that,” Dobbs said. “Football is my life. I’d like to make a living out of it. I learned, from my senior year, that you have to work to be the best. Now I need to work even harder.”
Pasqualoni impressed Dobbs with his history of recruiting and developing Connecticut’s top football players while head coach at Syracuse in in the 1990s and early 2000s. New Britain’s Tebucky Jones, Bloomfield’s Dwight Freeney, Cheshire’s Kyle and Ian McIntosh, Greenwich OL Scott Kiernan all started for Pasqualoni at Syracuse.
“He was telling me back in the day, Syracuse was the place to go for Connecticut guys,” Dobbs said. “Now he wants to change that. He wants to make sure the best players in Connecticut play for UConn.”
Dobbs said he though his signing would open doors for all other Connecticut high school football players to come after him, especially his younger brothers. He’s the second oldest of seven boys.
“I see this as me setting the example for them,” Dobbs said.
VIDEO: Montrell Dobbs (5) and Ansonia playing in the CIAC Class S state championship game vs. St. Joseph (and future Milford Academy teammate Tyler Matakevich) in December.
VIDEO: Dobbs talks about playing in the Class S title game (with 2010 highlights)
Correction: Dobbs was incorrectly listed as the state’s second all-time leading rusher. He is listed fifth all-time.
The 2011 season is over. Girls basketball is already live. Boys basketball and hockey and wrestling etc, etc get underway this week.
