The following voted: Marc Allard, Norwich Bulletin; Bob Barton, New Haven Register; Sean Patrick Bowley, Connecticut Post; Don Boyle, SportingNewsCT.com; Bryant Carpenter, Meriden-Record Journal; Henry Chisholm, Connecticut Post; Garrett Dale, Register Citizen; George DeMaio, WELI; Mike DiMauro, The Day of New London; Matt Doran, Norwalk Hour; Noah Finz, WTNH-8; Ned Griffen, The Day of New London; John Holt, WFSB-3; Mark Jaffee, Waterbury Republican-American; Ken Lipshez, The Herald of New Britain; Mike Madera, Elm City Newspapers; Joe Morelli, New Haven Register; Mike Pucci, New Haven Register; Dave Ruden, Stamford Advocate; Tom Yantz, Hartford Courant; Jimmy Zanor, Shore Line Newspapers.
The following coaches voted: Scott Benoit, Hamden; Tom Brockett, Ansonia; Jim Buonocore, Ledyard; Dave Cadelina, Bridgeport Central; Chuck Drury, Pomperaug-Southbury; Steve Filippone, Hand-Madison; Tanner Grove, Montville; Jude Kelly, St. Paul-Bristol; Tim King, Valley Regional-Deep River; Bill Mella, Southington; John Murphy, Masuk-Monroe; Marce Petroccio, Staples-Westport; Bob Zito, Maloney-Meriden.
Voters: Marc Allard (Norwich Bulletin), Bob Barton (CT H.S. Football Record Book), Jim Bransfield (Middletown Press), Johnny Burnham (Bristol Press), Bryant Carpenter (Meriden Record-Journal), Henry Chisholm (Connecticut Post), Ray Curren (Elm City Newspapers), Garrett Dale (Torrington Register Citizen), Anthony Della Calce (Central CT weeklies), George DeMaio (WELI Radio), Gerry deSimas (Collinsville Publishing Co.), Bill Donovan (WXLM 104.7 FM), John Goralski (Southington Observer), Mike Guerrera (Southington Citizen), John Holt (WFSB Channel 3), Mark Jaffee (Waterbury Republican), Larry Kelley (Times Community Newspapers), Greg Lederer (Cheshire Herald), Ken Lipshez (New Britain Herald), Andrew Lovell (New Britain Herald), Robert Mayer (Berlin/Plainville/Southington Citizen), Matt Norlander (Darien/New Canaan News-Review), Tim Parry (FCIAC Football Blog), Sean Patrick Bowley (Connecticut Post), Pat Pickens (Fairfield Citizen-News), Ryan Pipke (New Britain Herald), Mike Pucci (New Haven Register), Jesse Quinlan (Greenwich Time), Paul Rosano (Meriden Record-Journal), Steve Sellers (Shore Publishing Newspapers), Mike Suppe (Hersam Acorn Newspapers), Peter Vander Veer (Elm City Newspapers), Tom Yantz (Hartford Courant), Rich Zalusky (Willimantic Chronicle), Jimmy Zanor (Shore Line Newspapers)
November 2, 2009 at 2:57 pm by Sean Patrick Bowley
I can’t remember a night like the one we had Friday night of Week 6. It was, perhaps, one of the top 5 regular season evenings of high school football since Week 9 of the 2007 season when Greenwich played at Naples, Fla., Staples topped New Canaan in an overtime thriller, Alex Thomas and Ansonia taking down game Seymour, and Bassick winning its first football game in six seasons… all on the same weekend. (Thanksgiving Day, a big-time rivalry week which produces high drama in its own right, doesn’t count in this discussion).
So, compared to the chaos of Week 6, Week 7 was — for all intents — a dud.
Yeah, Week 6 was going to be a tough act to follow, but Week 7… it was almost the exact opposite.
We had several brushes with the 50-point policy — Hamden 49-0 over Prep, Greenwich 45-7 and taking knees in the third quarter against Westhill. Heck, even 2-5 Trinity Catholic contemplated all kinds of crazy ways to keep scoring down vs. East Haven.
A couple of good ones in the SWC (I’m so sorry I missed that Stratford-Barlow game Saturday) but nothing that impacted playoff races.
Perhaps the only real games with both excitement and intrigue were in the SCC where Notre Dame-WH scored 28 unanswered points in the second half to beat Hand and Cheshire (out of our coverage area) needed to rally to beat North Haven.
Overall, everyone held serve and naturally there was little to no movement in the weekly Elite 8, which you see before you. New Canaan leads the pack, with Pomperaug, Staples and a host of 6-1 teams (and 7-0 Masuk) clamoring for position.
Frankly, now that the heavyweights of theSCC have all faced each other, there’s little to no intrigue left in that league, especially since it has no league championship game to worry about. Yeah, there’s state consideration, but the remaining schedule is devoid of really big match-ups (West Haven at home Cheshire and Xavier in the coming weeks is all we have left, really, until Thanksgiving. Even then, it’s just the Green Bowl (Hamden-Notre Dame) and the Apple Valley Classic (Cheshire-Southington) that will be worth watching. Given the SCC’s crossover arrangement, we are deprived of Hamden-Cheshire, Notre Dame-Shelton or
The SWC has a league championship, but little-to-no intrigue, either. Pomperaug is a heavy favorite to win its final two games. Masuk, though it has 6-1 Bethel and rival Bunnell remaining, isn’t expected to lose. And while rest of the league games this year have been competitive and exciting (see most New Fairfield games, Barlow games and Stratford games), the games, ultimately, mean little in any playoff races.
As for the NVLSay what you want about the league’s talent level this year, but at least it has a bonafide playoff race going. It’s been almost impossible to figure out who’s going to win in that league every week. Upsets and close calls are rampant. Really, it’s been quite an exciting season up and down Route 8.
Even the frontrunners, Wolcott and Holy Cross, aren’t exactly slaying their competition. Holy Cross’ 21-20 win over St. Paul last week virtually assured itself the Copper Division title. The Brass is a quite muddled, with Wolcott, Watertown and Ansonia in a three-way 1-loss deadlock destined to come down to a tiebreaker… that is, unless “New” Seymour decides to show up. QB Connor Shgrue is back. Wildcats have Wolcott and Ansonia remaining. They’re going to have their say.
After a couple of dud first weeks, the FCIAC has been almost as exciting as the NVL. Central upset Greenwich to break that league’s playoff race wide-open. Staples losing Brandon Pacilio has suddenly thrust some uncertainty into the 7-0 Wreckers. And it’s only going to get better, we hope.
New Canaan is flying high on a 22-game win streak, now gets ticked off Greenwich at Cardinal Stadium this week. Elsewhere, Ridgefield, which has been chasing its Staples loss all season, finally gets a big game when it travels to play a cornered animal in 5-2 Trumbull.
In Week 9, New Canaan goes to Kennedy Stadium to play Central. St. Joseph goes to Greenwich. Staples goes to Trumbull.
Woah.
(By the way, looking at all the remaining games, I’m pretty sure Ridgefield is cooked as far as the FCIAC championship goes. The Tigers’ best hope is for NC to win out and qualify, thereby knocking Greenwich and Central out of the mix, for Greenwich to beat St. Joseph and, finally, for Staples to lose to Trumbull in Week 9 and Wilton this week. …The whole scenario looks good up until Staples losing to Wilton. Not completely out of the realm, but not bloody likely, either.)
So, yeah, dud Week 7, but potential for some big ‘uns in Week 8 and 9.
Polls…Polls…Polls are coming up tonight. Plus much more as we head down the stretch.
November 1, 2009 at 2:39 pm by Sean Patrick Bowley
Here’s the latest from the FCIAC on its football playoff picture. New Canaan and Staples holding firm at the top of the list. Central, Greenwich, Ridgefield and St. Joseph bringing up the rear.
Everything’s far from decided. New Canaan is at Greenwich, Ridgefield is at Trumbull, Central is at McMahon, St. Joseph is home vs. Norwalk.
By the way, no truth to the rumor that some of these FCIAC games are counted as non-league games, the way they were a year ago. That was because of an 11-game season last year.
Every FCIAC game counts.
FCIAC Football Playoff Standings As of Monday, Nov. 2
October 31, 2009 at 12:28 pm by Sean Patrick Bowley
Welcome back to our weekly live high school football scoring updates feature. If you can’t get to the game, but want to follow everything that’s happening across the Connecticut High School Football world live, just click the window below.
We will be covering as many games as possible with our staff. Some of the games we will have include Bethel at Notre Dame-Fairfield, Bassick vs. Darien and Harding at Norwalk.
But we need your help to get more. If you’re going to a game, and want to join in our live scoring updates, use a Twitter account and send your updates through your mobile phone. Remember, you must put #ctfb at the end of your tweets for it to show up.
With everybody using #ctfb, you can get updates from your phone, as well by searching #ctfb on Twitter.
So the noose is tightening in that playoff race with just three regular season games to go. Glastonbury was the only Class LL team that didn’t play Friday night. The Tomahawks are home vs. Newington Saturday.
Hey! And.. by the way CIAC football committee:
Did you get this news?
Greenwich had to kneel… four times! …In the third quarter! …to avoid going over 50 points in their game against Westhill. And this after Westhill went for it on fourth down in their own territory. So Greenwich has to kneel and give them the ball back. Are you kidding me with this stuff?
Get rid of the 50-point abomination. Get rid of it. Get rid of it. Get rid of it.
Get rid of it.
OK, onward…
In Class L, Masuk and Pomperaug (yawn) both won again, making the SWC playoff race and half of the Class L playoff race almost moot.
I’m going to see Bethel against ND-Fairfield Saturday to check up on the Wildcats, see if they have any shot against Masuk next week.
Notre Dame-West Haven beat Hand 28-14, but needed to rally from two TDs down at halftime (must have been a lot of gnawed-off fingernails in Green Knight land — they’re currently sitting in fifth place in that division already).
Simsbury further legitimized itself with a win over Southington. Conard plays Bristol Central Saturday.
Class MM is going to be the New Canaan Invitational, unless the Rams completely collapse — they have Greenwich, Central and Darien yet to play. Darien, which plays Bassick today, is chugging along. Playoffs will certainly be on the line in this year’s Turkey Bowl.
Class M is mildly interesting for us with Bethel still in the mix (alas, Masuk looms)
Bullard-Havens, which has Cheney Tech at home today, is making a move in the division as well — and making lots of people nervous, especially in Trumbull. Longshot Foran is seventh after a surprisingly easy win over Sheehan.
And in S, Ansonia is in dire need of help at No. 7 behind (in ascending order) Cromwell, Prince Tech, Hyde, Northwest Catholic, East Catholic and Bloomfield. That deficit should spook any Ansonia fan right now.
October 31, 2009 at 4:09 am by Sean Patrick Bowley
After a tense first-half, it appears nothing has changed since Ansonia and Derby last clashed on a football field.
Ansonia and, more to the point, Montrell Dobbs and his offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage, erased an early deficit and won the first meeting of these border rivals since 2003 convincingly — pretty much the way most Ansonia teams dominated the last few years of the rivalry.
A couple thousand showed up to Lou DeFilippo Field and watched Dobbs run for 193 yards on 32 carries and score four touchdowns. Derby led early on D’Ron Conyers‘ 11-yard touchdown run and, later, tied the game with an electric return by Jake Tomczack.
But Ansonia took a 21-14 lead a few minutes later and, just when it seemed as if the Red Raiders would get the equalizer just before halftime, Ansonia’s defense stiffened and then Dobbs went untouched to block Luis Casco‘s late field goal attempt to keep the Chargers in front by seven at the break.
From there, it was all Ansonia. The Chargers tacked on a field goal to begin the third quarter and then pulled away with two more scores from Dobbs and a late 53-yard run by Bobby Kinnebrew.
Afterward, the players, who beat the stuffing out of each other for four quarters tonight, suddenly became friends again as they went through their postgame handshakes, which is what this rivalry is all about. Friendly neighbors off the field, fierce rivals on it while their parents and townspeople screamed at each other in the stands. These two programs aren’t at their height right now, but still, this was a great night for Valley Football.
But now everybody will go their separate ways until next year’s big game (hopefully one that’s at least a bit closer). Ansonia wins big and keeps its slim playoff hopes alive, Derby/O’Brien Tech, which is right at home here in the NVL by the way, drops to 3-4 with its third-straight loss.
Watch all of the big plays from the game here as we wind down what has so far been relatively tame Week 7:
October 30, 2009 at 2:55 pm by Sean Patrick Bowley
Welcome back to our weekly live high school football scoring updates feature. If you can’t get to the game, but want to follow everything that’s happening across the Connecticut High School Football world live, just click the window below.
We will be covering as many games as possible with our staff. Here are some of them: Ansonia at Derby; Westhill at Greenwich; Staples at Ludlowe. Since it’s playoff time in soccer, we won’t have staff at as many games as usual. This is where we need your help.
If you’re going to a game, and want to join in our live scoring updates, use a Twitter account and send your updates through your mobile phone. Remember, you must put #ctfb at the end of your tweets for it to show up.
With everybody using #ctfb, you can get updates from your phone, as well by searching #ctfb on Twitter.
Here’s the Friday night radio schedule, if you want, you can listen along (especially ESPNRadio1300, which attempts to get as many scores as possible), and help us by posting the scores they give there:
After a tense first-half, it appears nothing has changed since Ansonia and Derby last clashed on a football field.
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