December 4, 2011 at 8:26 pm by Sean Patrick Bowley
After some wrangling Sunday over who got to play when and why, the CIAC announced the sites and times for the four state championship games at Rentschler Field this weekend.
Football committee chairman LeRoy Williams reportedly told several coaches an media members who asked during last night’s semifinal game that the Class L final would be Friday night.
Committee members Lou Marinelli and Marce Petroccio, whose teams are playing in two of the games, argued traffic would prevent large numbers of Fairfield County residents from getting to a 6:30 game on-time.
“For people from Fairfield County, it’s real tough for everyone to get up there,” Marinelli said. “Marce and I each called and asked if you put us at 2 and the LL game at 5:30, more people from Fairfield County would be able to attend and stay for both games.”
Ansonia coach Tom Brockett said he was “surprised,” that his Class M championship game with Ledyard would be played at 10:30 a.m. “But I’m not complaining,” he said.
Ticket Information
All games are at Rentschler Field in East Hartford. Admission is $10.
Advance tickets will be available through individual schools. Or they can be purchased through the Bushnell Theatre Box Office at (860) 987-5900.
Indoor seating and executive suites are available, as well. For more information click here.
December 4, 2011 at 4:25 am by Sean Patrick Bowley
Masuk's Nate Coleman reacts as he walks off the field following the Class L semifinal at Ken Strong Stadium. Hand ended Masuk's 24-game win streak and its reign at Class L champions with a 35-14 victory Saturday night.
Masuk quarterback Casey Cochran is chased by several Hand defenders in Saturday
The mega-Class L semifinal matchup between Hand and Masuk was, for a while, everything we thought it would be: heavyweight fight.
The two programs traded blows throughout the first quarter. A Masuk score. A Hand score. A Hand interception. A Masuk interception. A Hand score. A Masuk score.
It was 14-14 after the first half.
But hidden beneath the surface of this battle were cracks in Masuk’s armor.
The difference was Masuk had labored to get its points. Hand… not as much. Every pass quarterback Casey Cochran threw was met with fierce resistance, accompanied by a loud crack of helmets and pads. In particular, was a second-down pass to Ryan Norado at the goal line as Masuk was driving to tie the score. He got his hands on the ball and was met with a cringe-inducing smack by at least three Hand defensive backs.
Ouch.
The outcome was still in doubt, but the tone had been set. And as the second half dawned, after a long opening drive Hand used to take a 21-14 lead, every time Masuk’s offense got the ball back, you could see the punishment was taking its toll.
“They’re a big team,” standout receiver Thomas Milone said. “They hit real hard… and they kept on hitting.”
As we all know now, Masuk could never get into a groove. The defending state champions and their two-time Gatorade Player of the Year quarterback were no match for this onslaught. Final score: a thorough 35-14 beating that answered a lot of questions about the 2011 high school football season.
Hand coach Steve Filippone likened the matchup to the 1987 Fiesta Bowl, where Penn State’s defense laid the wood the the brash Miami Hurricanes. “By the third quarter, those receivers didn’t want to catch anything,” he said. “We knew from 20 to 20 they were going to move the football, and they did. But when they got into the red zone, it was going to be a lot tougher. We just made so many great hits that either caused them to put the ball on the ground or to think about it next time around … you know, `Am I going to go in there and catch another ball and get drilled?”
It reminds of another great championship game, Super Bowl XXV. The Buffalo Bills came in as the NFL’s highest-scoring offense, with Andre Reed and James Lofton. The Giants’ defense — coached by Bill Belichick — dropped seven or eight backs and linebackers into coverage. The Bills got their yards, but were punished to the point of ineffectiveness. The Giants won, 20-19.
Thomas Milone looks to dodge Hand's Hunter Mayhew in Saturday's Class L semifinal.
That’s what happened here, except Masuk never got stellar back Colin Markus involved. Hand had enough of a physical advantage up front to hold off the few run attempts Masuk made while dropping eight guys into coverage. Cochran threw, and threw and threw. 62 times in all. And when the a Masuk receiver came Hand’s way… crack.
“They hadn’t seen a defense like we play defense. No way. They hadn’t seen it,” Filippone said. “…That was the difference.”
The truth hurts. Masuk, which usually does all the swarming and hitting, really hadn’t seen anything like it all year.
Add in a strong offensive performance (including a pretty good run game) that produced scores from five different Hand players, Masuk’s ride comes to a disappointing end. While year’s team was a fabulous edition, it wasn’t as good as the team celebrating on the other sideline (to say nothing about the once-heated-now-dead No. 1 debate with Xavier).
“They won 24 games in a row. They’re a great team,” Hand receiver Nick Vitale said. “I feel like I’m on Cloud 9.”
While many of the names were the same, this wasn’t the 2010 Masuk team which basically crushed everyone in its path to an undefeated 13-0 season and the Class L championship. This is 2011. And in 2011, Masuk had an excellent team, just not an elite. Not this year, just like Hand and New Canaan weren’t good enough last year.
This year, we learned Masuk was mortal. Hand goes for immortality when it faces New Canaan in the Class L championship at Rentschler Field next Saturday.
None of this takes away this outgoing senior class’ accomplishments. From sophomore year, they won 33 of 35 games, won two league titles and a dominant 13-0 state championship. It’ll have a dramatic new look next season — especially without Cochran, who will now head off to UConn next month, or Markus in the offensive backfield and Shawn Flynn on the defensive side.
“It was a great season, playing with my brothers,” Markus said. “We ride together and we die together.”
It is these disappointments that lead to the next generation’s championships.
As Hand and New Canaan’s players will demonstrate next Saturday.
Staples' Jon Heil evades the Newtown defense during the class LL semifinal game at Bunnell. Staples won 44-20.
THE CIAC SEMIFINALS boiled down to this: [Updated]
The NVL, the FCIAC and (especially) the SCC ruled the day’s proceedings.
All three leagues sent two contestants each to the state championship games at Rentschler Field in East Hartford next Friday or Saturday. Dates and times will scheduled announced on Tuesday at the championship press conference at Rentschler Field.
Add: Of course, it makes no sense to release it then. And several participating coaches on the CIAC football committee are pushing the CIAC to figure out the dates and times now.
FCIAC will take on SCC for state championship trophies in Class LL and Class L, not to mention bragging rights as the “Best Conference in the State.” Staples plays Xavier. New Canaan takes on Hand.
The NVL submits league champion Ansonia vs. the ECC’s Ledyard and the runner-up Holy Cross vs. the Pequot Conference’s Cromwell in the Class M and S finals.
If it wasn’t before (and, after the last month, it shouldn’t have been), the No. 1 argument is now firmly in the hands of Xavier (12-0).
They are one of FOUR unbeaten teams remaining along with fellow SCC combatant Hand (12-0) and Ansonia (13-0) and Staples (11-0). We doubt there will be anyone who will argue against Xavier reclaiming the No. 1 trophy if it wins its second-consecutive Class LL trophy next weekend. (Anyone? Anyone? Ansonia, Hand arguments?)
Add: Of course if Staples wins. I’m assuming they’d be it. Like The Quckening in Highlander.
Ansonia is not only looking for its 17th state championship and first in four year. It also has a shot at becoming the state’s first 14-win team.
New Canaan is back in the state finals for the sixth consecutive season. They’re going for their fifth championship since 2006 and ninth overall. Hand is playing for its 10th state title. This is the third time Hand and New Canaan have faced off in a title game. New Canaan has won both, 35-14 in 1993 and 34-30 in 2007.
Staples is playing for its fourth state championship. It is 0-2 its last two trips and hasn’t won since 2005. Xavier is playing for its second consecutive title and fourth overall.
Here’s how we got here on Saturday:
New Canaan players celebrate Colin Shapiro's winning 33-yard field goal in a 27-24 decision over Windsor
“We’re going to play my buddy Louie (Marinelli) again,” Filippone said. “He’s got a great team. We’ve done this so many times with them it’s going to be like old home week.”
CLASS LL
No. 1 Xavier crushed Norwalk, 55-14 to end the Bears’ stellar, unforeseen season. Xavier has now won 25 straight dating all the way back to Dec. 1, 2009 in the Class LL semifinals.
Poetically, Xavier will face FCIAC Champion Staples, the very team it lost to that evening at Wilton.Staples answered an early 14-0 deficit with 30 straight points to defeat Newtown 44-20.
“Xavier is a great team. But we will be ready to go,” Staples coach Marce Petroccio said. “Don’t forget, we’re the last team to beat Xavier.” We’re sure they don’t: “That had a lot to do with this. Absolutely,” Xavier coach Sean Marinan said, referring to his team’s unbeaten run since the loss. “We still remember that game.”
CLASS M
Arkeel Newsome runs upfield during a 68 yard run during during second half action against Berlin in the Class M semifinals in Wallingford.
It was (of course), the Arkeel Newsome show: 326 yards, six touchdowns as Ansonia hammered Berlin to pull within one victory of title No. 17.
Ansonia, one of two NVL teams playing for state championships, takes on Alex Manwearing and Ledyard of the ECC. Manwearing ran for 189 yards and two scores as the Colonels smacked Wolcott 35-0.
Ansonia has been driven by the memory of last year’s state championship loss to St. Joseph. “It consumes almost all your thoughts,” coach Tom Brockett said about the championship. “It’s the prize at the end.”
CLASS S
Offense met defense and offense won the day as Cromwell and QB Anthony Morales overcame a 13-0 deficit to bounce Northwest Catholic from the tournament, 35-19.On the other side, Valley Regional/Old Lyme was more than a match for Holy Cross. The game was tied at 14-all with under a minute remaining until sophomore Kyle Broderick kicked the go-ahead, 20-yard field goal and Cody Schmeer took an interception 42 yards for the clincher in the Crusaders’ 23-14 victory. The Class S final will be an NVL-Pequot affair.
December 3, 2011 at 2:15 am by Sean Patrick Bowley
The stars will be out when the CIAC state football semifinals, featuring six regional teams, commence today at select football stadiums near you. From left to right, Norwalk's Delshawn Wilson; Staples' Nick Kelly; Ansonia's Arkeel Newsome; Newtown's Lou Fenaroli; New Canaan's Matt Milano; Masuk's Casey Cochran.
Welcome.
Welcome to the War Room.
Welcome to our own personal NORAD for the Connecticut high school football world, the place where you can track everything happening in today’s state football semifinal round.
Today the hard-working staff of Connecticut Post, Stamford Advocate and Danbury News-Times will be covering six state semifinal games involving our regional teams, complete with stories, photos and videos as the day goes on and complete recaps at the end of the evening.
If you’re stuck at home, can’t get to some of the games, just stick with us. We’ll get you all the information you’ll need, plus any links necessary to either listen to or view the games.
Masuk-Hand, Ansonia-Berlin and Wolcott-Ledyard will be available as live video streams on Sportingnewsct.com
And, of course, you can follow updates from all eight semifinal games on the ever-popular live blog.
Newtown is having one of its best seasons in 19 years. Now Lou Fenaroli, Dan Hebert and the Hawks faces one of their greatest challenges of the season: Taking down FCIAC champion Staples to reach their first state championship game since 1992. Staples is looking for reach its eighth state championship game in 14 years.
Upstart Norwalk is having a dream season under new coach Sean Ireland. Norwalk won the school’s first playoff game 21-15 over Conard in the quarterfinals. Now, Delshawn Wilson and the Bears get a shot at taking down unbeaten, top-ranked, defending champion Xavier.
CLASS L
NEW CANAAN vs. WINDSOR
TV: MSGVarsity (Cablevision only)
QB Matt Milano and the Rams are hoping to reach the school’s sixth consecutive state championship game. They’ll have to hurdle stellar WR/DB Aaron Berardino and unbeaten Windsor, which is vying for the second state final in school history.
Armed with the state’s leading rusher, sophomore back Arkeel Newsome, the Chargers are the favorites to win their 17th state championship. Tommy Undercuffler and underdog Berlin want to derail this train well short of the station.
In the other side of the Class M draw, Alex Manwearing and Ledyard take on Mike Nichol, Devante Bonvillian and Wolcott at Middletown. Wolcott is looking to play in its first state title game.
UConn-bound quarterback Casey Cochran and the defending Class L champion Masuk face Hand-Madison in a huge clash of unbeaten teams at West Haven’s Ken Strong Stadium.
December 2, 2011 at 11:40 pm by Sean Patrick Bowley
The game of the night. The game of the week. The game of the month. The game of the year.
Masuk takes on Hand in the Class L football semifinals Saturday night, 7 p.m. at Ken Strong Stadium.
All week fans from both New Haven and Fairfield Counties have been jawing back and forth about this clash of 2011 titans. It’s the only game in town Saturday. And, sweetening the pot even more, it’s the only matchup of the day between unbeaten teams.
On one side, you have third-seeded, No. 2-ranked defending Class L champion Masuk Panthers of Monroe, riding a state-best 24-game win streak, led by Gatorade State Player of the Year and UConn commit Casey Cochran and RB Colin Markus and DB Shawn Flynn. It’s the top scoring team in the state.
On the other hand (no pun), you have the unbeaten, second-seeded, No. 3-ranked Daniel Hand Tigers of Madison. It has won 10 straight and 20 of its last 22 games. It’s led by electric back Nick Vitale, ferocious linemen Joe DeMichele and Peter Gerson.
Since the final horns sounded in last Tuesday’s state quarterfinal victories in Trumbull and Madison, we’ve seen discussion (sometimes vitriolic) blow up here over just who’s going to win this game and play for the state title Rentschler Field.
So, just who’s the underdog here?
A cursory glance says Hand. After all, they’re going up against the defending state champion, a team that’s on a 24-game win streak, a team that has two-time Gatorade State Player of the Year on its side and a team been vying for the No. 1 spot all season. Masuk is where the Tigers want to be.
Then again, there’s been enough chatter that says Masuk actually is the underdog.
The argument goes something like this: Yeah, they’re the defending state champs, No. 2 yada, yada, yada. But, who the heck have they played this year? Immaculate? Notre Dame-Fairfield? Masuk plays in the SWC, which is filled with a bunch of Class M and S schools. Masuk missed Bunnell, one of the best teams in their conference.
They haven’t faced the kind of beastly brawn of the Southern Connecticut Conference. They haven’t run the gauntlet. They haven’t proven themselves against the toughest teams in the state, Cheshire, Notre Dame-West Haven, West Haven.
C’mon. Hand’s battle tested. Masuk had a walk in the park to get here. And they had trouble beating SCC Division II’s North Haven for crying out loud, an SCC Division II team Hand historically eats for breakfast.
Hand has more tradition, nine state championships. Masuk has three.
Hand has five unbeaten seasons. Masuk, just one.
Masuk hasn’t played anybody, they’re the dark horse. They have everything to prove here.
So, who’s the underdog?
Masuk’s John Murphy says it’s his club.
“If you listen to the claims out there, we’re clearly the underdog,” he said. “They’re in playing the SCC, the mighty Division I. We play in the SWC. We play in our crappy little conference. We don’t play anybody good. So, by their standards, yeah, I’d say we’re a huge underdog. Three to four touchdowns, at least.”
“We beat Newington in the state final a few years ago. Then people were like, ‘Well, play somebody.’ So we said, OK, and we played the New Canaan from the mighty FCIAC, and we beat them. The first thing we heard was, ‘Well, that wasn’t a very good New Canaan team. Not as good as all of their other state champions.’ We’ve heard it all before. Wait until you get Pomperaug, wait until you get Newtown. We beat those teams. Now it’s wait ’til we get Hand. They might beat the hell out of us. But I am tired of people running around with that flag in their hand saying we could never compete.
“Hey, we’ll go play Hand’s schedule. Lyman Hall, East Haven, Hamden, Amity… you’re telling me those teams are better than, you know, New Fairfield? ..We do everything we’re supposed to do, but it’s never enough unless we go play Xavier at Xavier, I guess.”
Rebuttle, Hand coach Steve Filippone?
“I’m very proud of my league, but all of that league stuff is bunch hogwash. These are two excellent teams. I went to see Newtown play Bunnell and those are two excellent teams. And I remember telling my assistant coaches, if Masuk blows out Newtown (on Thanksgiving) they deserve every respect that they’re getting. Sure enough, they blew out Newtown. So Masuk is a legitimate football team. So is North Haven. We would have had our hands full with them.
“That said, we’ve gotta be the underdogs. They’ve won 24-in-a-row. They have the two-time Gatorade Player of the Year. They have virtually the same team back from last year that demolished the team (New Canaan) that demolished us. You take that all into account, we’ve got to be the underdogs. We have no thoughts in our mind whatsoever that we’re the superior team.
“I wouldn’t make us too big an underdog though. We think that we’re good enough and we hope the ball bounces our way the way it didn’t last year.”
Compelling arguments from both sides for the aisle.
Unlike the never-ending Masuk vs. Xavier Who’s No. 1? debate, this one will be decided on Saturday night in front of an expected crowd of thousands at Ken Strong Stadium.
Potentially, that first question might come a big closer to an answer after tonight.
“Both teams are playing here,” Filippone said. “This is why I think this is so cool. You have Xavier right before us. They’re going to come and watch Xavier and decide how good Xavier really is. Then they’ll watch us play Masuk and say, ‘Well, let’s see what Masuk does with (Hand). If they handle us, they’ll have a big argument.”
If not, Filippone suggested, “I think (the debate) might end.”
Of course, that’s secondary compared to the goal of getting to the state championship game.
December 2, 2011 at 12:00 am by Sean Patrick Bowley
Masuk's Jason Piontkowski sidesteps North Haven's Mark Zurlis (44) on his way to a 55-yard punt return touchdown in Masuk's 28-14 victory over North Haven on Super Tuesday. Masuk faces Hand in the biggest of eight state semifinal games Saturday.
SIXTEEN DOWN.
Sixteen remaining.
All with a shot to reach the glorious state championship games at Rentschler Field on Dec. 10 and 11.
We are nearing the end of The Gauntlet — the nine day, two game stretch of state playoff games that produce your eight state championship contestants. If you thought Tuesday’s state quarterfinals were exciting, get ready for another course.
Welcome to the CIAC State Semifinals, a who’s who in Connecticut High School Football 2011.
There are six regional teams competing, two are pitted against each other. All but one of them are vying for spots in the Class LL and Class L state championship games.
In CLASS LL, FCIAC Central Division champion Norwalk, is all fired up from the school’s first state playoff victory, a 21-15 thriller vs. Conard. Now it’s off to West Haven’s Ken Strong Stadium to face Xavier, the unbeaten, top-ranked, defending state champions.
On the other side of the bracket, FCIAC champion Staples, fresh off its stunning 48-21 performance vs. Ridgefield in the state quarterfinals, takes on SWC runner-up Newtown, which won its first playoff game since many of its players were born (1992).
In CLASS L, New Canaan survived New London and is on the cusp of playing in its sixth-straight state championship game. The Rams take on dangerous Aaron Berardino and top-seed Windsor, which knocked out Notre Dame and is gunning for its first state championship game in eight years.
The other half of the Class L draw needs no introduction. It’s the 7 p.m. night game at West Haven’s Ken Strong Stadium. The only game in town. Be there or be square, Daddy-O.
In CLASS M, top-seeded, unbeaten NVL champion Ansonia knocked Bethel into next year and has been preparing to face Tommy Undercuffler and fourth-seeded Berlin at Sheehan’s Riccitelli Field in Wallingford. The Chargers, led by sterling tailback Arkeel Newsome, who is speeding past records as fast as he is linebackers, are everybody’s favorite to win title No. 17. Berlin, which was the favorite a year ago, is looking to win the title that evaded their grasp when it was upset by eventual champ Hillhouse in the first round. Alex Manwearing and Ledyard faces Mike Nichol and upstart Wolcott in the other semifinal.
And, finally, in CLASS S we have two catholic schools from the NVL and CCC taking on two Pequot Sassacus schools. Northwest Catholic faces Cromwell. Holy Cross takes on Valley Regional/Old Lyme.
Your League Scoreboard (because we know you care): NVL 3-0 | FCIAC 3-1| SWC 2-1 | SCC 2-2 | CCC 3-4 | Pequot 2-4 | ECC 1-2 | CSC 0-2.
Here are our humble breakdowns of all eight state semifinal games. As usual, pick your winners and give us your thoughts below.
Class LL
No. 6 Newtown vs. No. 2 Staples
WHERE/WHEN — Bulldog Field, Bunnell HS, Stratford ON THE AIR –WWPT 90.3-FM (Wreckers radio) RECORDS – Newtown 9-2 (SWC runners-up); Staples 10-0 (FCIAC champions) ALL-TIME PLAYOFF RECORD (SEMIFINALS) — Newtown 4-7 (0-4); Staples 10-7 (6-2) HOW THEY GOT HERE –Newtown: def. No. 3 Hall 36-22; Staples: def. No. 7 Ridgefield 48-12 PLAYERS TO WATCH –Newtown: Sr. RB/LB Lou Fenaroli (1,758 yards, 24 TDs rushing); Sr. OL/DE Hunter Bassett (10.5 sacks); Sr. OL/DL Mac Morlock (6-3, 265); Jr. WR/DB Dan Hebert (10 TD, 6 INT); Jr. WR Justin Devellis; Sr. WR/DL Mike Lord; Staples*: Jr. RB/DB Nick Kelly (14 TD); Jr. WR/DB James Frusciante (3 INT); Sr. OL/DL Bo Gibson (6-0, 245); Jr. RB Joey Zelkowitz (800 yards, 10 TD rushing); Jr. LB Pieter Hoets (10 sacks); Sr. RB/DB Jon Heil; Soph. QB Jack Massie (1,252 yards, 10 TD passing). OUTLOOK — Behind a bruiser in Fenaroli, a speedster in Dan Hebert and blossoming talent elsewhere, Newtown is having one of its best season since winning the Class L championship in 1992. Sophomore QB Drew Tarantino is a star in the making, as is freshman TE Julian Dunn. The Hawks have size and speed. They’ve rebounded nicely from losses to Pomperaug early and Masuk in the SWC title game. Staples is also chock full of young talent, yet still captured its sixth FCIAC title. Both teams can run, throw and play defense. Staples, however, might have the best overall size and speed between the two. It has leaped every hurdle while Newtown has had trouble in some of its biggest games. Newtown will hang, but the Wreckers are on a big-time roll. OUR PICK –Staples 37, Newtown 21
No. 5 Norwalk vs. No. 1 Xavier
WHERE/WHEN — Ken Strong Stadium, West Haven, 2 p.m. ON THE AIR –WELI 960-AM (960weli.com) |Sportingnewsct.com RECORDS – Norwalk 9-1, Xavier 11-0 (SCC Division I West champions) ALL-TIME PLAYOFF RECORD (SEMIFINALS) – Norwalk 1-1 (0-1); Xavier 6-3 (2-2) HOW THEY GOT HERE –Norwalk: def. No. 4 Conard 21-15; Xavier: def. No. 8 Glastonbury 34-6 PLAYERS TO WATCH — Norwalk: Sr. QB/DB Delshawn Wilson (1,887 yards, 19 TD total offense; 6 INT); Sr. TE/DE Gil Arujo (6-0, 204; 6.5 sacks); Sr. WR/DB Derek Edwards (608 yards, 8 TD receiving); Sr. DB/RB Johnny Anzalone (525 yards, 6 TD rushing); Sr. DE Kwazee Rice (6-3, 264; 9 sacks); Soph. Cory Barrett (6-1, 228); Sr. LB Patrick Whalen (6-0, 204); Xavier*: Sr. RB Mike Mastroianni (1,136 yards, 8 TD rushing); Sr. QB/DB Pat D’Amato (1,052 yards, 12 TD passing); Sr. OL/DL Sean Marinan (6-0, 252); Sr. OL/DL Austin Wezenski (6-3, 266); Sr. WR/DB Ryan Jacobucci (814 yards, 9 TDs receiving; 5 INT); Sr. TE/LB Ryan Murphy (6-2, 216); Sr. LB Jovan Santos (6-2, 235; 5 sacks). OUTLOOK – Norwalk is, perhaps, the region’s best story. Under new coach Sean Ireland, the Bears are in the midst of the best season in school history. A big part was when Ireland converted Delshawn Wilson from WR to QB, put him behind a big offensive line, and told him to make plays. Wilson has with the help of a nice cadre of offensive stars. Norwalk’s big and aggressive defense was one of the FCIAC’s best. The program used all of these ingredients to win its first playoff game. Up next is the No. 1 team in the state, defending Class LL champion Xavier, which has steamrolled all in its path this season like a small college team would in a pee wee football league. Luckily, Norwalk can at least match Xavier’s size up front. But it’s going to take more than genetics to derail this freight train. OUR PICK – Xavier 35, Norwalk 6
Class L
No. 5 New Canaan vs. No. 1 Windsor
WHERE/WHEN — Crisafi Field, East Haven, 2 p.m. ALL-TIME PLAYOFF RECORD (SEMIFINALS) — New Canaan 19-5 (9-2); Windsor 2-3 (1-2) RECORDS – New Canaan 10-1 (FCIAC East champions); Windsor 11-0 (CCC Division II West champions) HOW THEY GOT HERE –New Canaan: def. No. 4 New London 28-27; Windsor: def. Notre Dame-WH 14-7 PLAYERS TO WATCH –New Canaan: Sr. QB Matt Milano (2,444 yards, 31 TD passing); Sr. TE/DE Dylan Leeming; Sr. RB/LB Kevin McDonough; Sr. WR/DB Patrick Newton (696 yards, 9 TD receiving); Sr. OL/DL Thomas Rochlin (6-2, 265); Sr. WR/LB Connor Kilbane; Sr. LB Bobby Distler; Sr. OL/DL Kalin Killinger (6-3, 285); Windsor: Sr. WR/S Aaron Berardino (1,239 yards, 17 TD receiving); Jr. LB Kamahl Valentine (9.5 tackles/gm); Sr. LB Mike Joseph (8 tackles/gm); Sr. RB Kymm Jordan; Jr. QB Quinn Fleeting (2,652 yards, 29 TD passing); OUTLOOK – Windsor has one of the state’s most explosive offenses, led by a serious state MVP in Aaron Berardino, who is just as lethal on the defensive side, and coach Rob Fleeting’s son, Quinn, who’s one of the state’s best passers. The Warriors have some size up front and love the big play. Of course, New Canaan can sling it too with QB Matt Milano and his array of weapons. NC also discovered it could run well, with standout LB McDonough grinding out 200 yards on the ground vs. New London. The Rams’ defense has been susceptible to giving up ground throughout the season. This battle should be no exception. Expect a ping-pong game on the fast track at Crisafi Field. Windsor is on the cusp of becoming a good program. A victory over New Canaan, which has only been done in the playoffs twice in six years, and reaching its first state title game since 2003 will speed the process. But New Canaan has been in this kind of fight too many times before. OUR PICK – New Canaan 35, Windsor 30
No. 3 Masuk vs. No. 2 Hand
WHERE/WHEN — Ken Strong stadium, West Haven, 7 p.m. ON THE AIR –WELI 960-AM | Sportingnewsct.com (video) RECORDS — Masuk 11-0 (SWC Champions); Hand 11-0 (SCC Division I East champions) ALL-TIME PLAYOFF RECORD (SEMIFINALS) – Masuk 12-10 (6-3); Hand 16-7 (5-1) HOW THEY GOT HERE — Masuk: def. No. 6 North Haven 28-14; Hand: def. No. 7 Coventry/Windham Tech 35-12 PLAYERS TO WATCH –Masuk: Sr. QB Casey Cochran (2,764 yards, 36 TD, 3 INT passing); Sr. RB Colin Markus (1,485 yards, 20 TD rushing); Sr. LB Shawn Flynn; Sr. LB Matt Duignan; Sr. LB Pat Tripodi; Jr. WR Thomas Milone (1,019, 16 TD); Sr. WR Jason Piontowski; Sr. DB Nick Lauricella (4 INT); Sr. DE Andrew Sebben. Hand*: Sr. WR/DB Nick Vitale; Sr. QB/S Henry Foye (1,803 yards, 20 TD); Sr. OL/D. Joe DeMichele (6-2, 285); Jr. FB/LB Matt Walsh (6-1, 220); Jr. OL/DE Peter Gerson (6-3, 215; 12 sacks); Sr. HB/CB Kevin Frey. OUTLOOK – The game of the night and the game of the year. As good as Masuk has been, it’s been tough to gauge just how good. The Panthers didn’t play a winning team until Week 8. Though Masuk dominated Pomperaug, Weston and Newtown to win the SWC title, North Haven might have opened some eyes with its physical performance in the quarterfinals. Now here comes Hand, a team with both power and finesse from the tough SCC Division I. DeMichele is one of the state’s most ferocious linemen, Vitale is electric and they have the pieces for a championship run. With Foye at the controls, Hand should find ways to crack Masuk’s aggressive defense. But the Tigers’ defense, which has allowed just 96 points this year, holds the key. The longer they keep Cochran, Markus and Co. from working their magic, or if Cochran’s off his game, the better Hand’s chances at ending Masuk’s reign as state champs. Should be a classic. OUR PICK – Masuk 34-31
Class M
No. 4 Berlin vs. No. 1 Ansonia
WHERE/WHEN — Riccitelli Field, Sheehan High School, Wallingford, 2 p.m. ON THE AIR –sportingnewsct.com RECORDS – Berlin 10-1 (CCC Division III East champions); Ansonia 12-0 (NVL champions) ALL-TIME PLAYOFF RECORD (SEMIFINALS) – Berlin 4-13 (2-11); Ansonia (9-6) HOW THEY GOT HERE –Berlin: def. No. 5 Cheney Tech 28-12; Ansonia: def. No. 8 Bethel 35-6 PLAYERS TO WATCH –Berlin: Sr. WR Tommy Undercuffler (720 yards, 8 TDs rushing; 530 yards, 3 TDs receiving); Soph. QB Mitch Williams (1,510 yards, 14 TDs passing); Jr. RB/LB Wojtus Zak; Jr. OL/DL Chris Meucci (4 sacks).Ansonia: Soph. RB/DB Arkeel Newsome (3,079 yards, 49 TDs rushing); Sr. TE/DE Jake LaRovera; Sr. LB Tyler Wood; Sr. OL/DL Dylan Vano; Sr. OL/DL Tyler Williams; Sr. OL/DL Hakeem Martin; Sr. WR/DB Andrew Matos; Sr. QB Elliot Chudwick; Jr. RB/DB Tyler Lester. OUTLOOK – Ansonia has been thundering past opponents all season, not just with lightning strikes by Arkeel Newsome, but with a brutish defense that knocks people silly. Berlin is a strong opponent, led by the versatile, Yale-bound receiver Tommy Undercuffler. But Ansonia has seen its share of great football players and knows how to shut them down. Besides, no one has found the antidote for Newsome and his offensive line. It’ll take something special for the Redcoats to pull this off. OUR PICK – Ansonia 35-7
No. 7 Wolcott vs. No. 3 Ledyard
WHERE/WHEN — Middletown High School, 2 p.m. ON THE AIR — sportingnewsct.com RECORDS – Wolcott 8-3; Ledyard 10-1 (ECC Medium champions) ALL-TIME PLAYOFF RECORD (SEMIFINALS) – Wolcott 1-0 (0-0), Ledyard 9-7 (4-2) HOW THEY GOT HERE –Wolcott: def. No. 2 Ellington/Somers 32-26 in OT; Ledyard: def. No. 6 Waterford 26-0 PLAYERS TO WATCH — Wolcott: Jr. QB Mike Nichol (1,652 yards, 17 TD passing; 911 yards, 14 TD rushing); Sr. RB Devante Bonvillian (739 yards, 10 TD rushing; 569 yards, 4 TD receiving); Sr. RB/LB Joe Russo; Soph. LB Mike Coulliard (8 INT); Soph. WR/DB Adam Santopietro. Ledyard: Sr. RB/DB Alex Manwearing (2,068 yards, 16 TDs rushing); Jr. QB John Rainey (5 TDs passing); Sr. RB/LB Matt Daggett (12 tackles/gm; 6 sacks); Sr. TE/LB Dallas Smith (4 sacks). Sr. WR Slade Backsley. OUTLOOK – Wolcott was dead and almost buried by Ellington/Somers in the quarterfinals, but scored the final three touchdowns to advance. The Eagles have weapons and, despite being new to the playoff field, are playing loose. Wolcott did have trouble trying to contain Ellington/Somers’ run game. They should have even more against Ledyard’s Manwearing, who’s makes things happen and has a defense to back him up. Ledyard is a proud football program with plenty of tradition. It typically doesn’t lose this close to the state finals. OUR PICK – Ledyard 28, Wolcott 14
Class S
No. 8 Cromwell vs. No. 5 Northwest Catholic
WHERE/WHEN — The Maclary Complex, Cheshire RECORDS – Cromwell 9-2, Northwest Catholic 9-2 ALL-TIME PLAYOFF RECORD (SEMIFINALS) – Cromwell 5-5 (3-2); Northwest Catholic 2-4 (1-3) HOW THEY GOT HERE –Cromwell: def. No. 1 Capital Prep/Classical 23-14; Northwest Catholic: def. No. 4 North Branford 22-19 PLAYERS TO WATCH – Cromwell: Anthony Morales (3,050 yards, 39 TDs); Derrick Villard (1,781 yards, 22 TDs rushing); Sr. OL/DL Mike Sullivan; Sr. WR/DB/K Brett Director (874 yards, 9 TDs receiving); Northwest Catholic: Sr. QB/DB Tyler Calitri; Sr. RB Anthony Carter; Sr. WR David Blackwell; Jr. WR/RB/S Nicholas Gaynor; Sr. C/DT Malik Reilly; Sr. OG/DT Wesley Hopkins; Sr. DB Christian Farrell. OUTLOOK – Averaging 283 yards and 40 points per game, Cromwell is statistically the most explosive offense in the state and clearly the best in Class S. Allowing just under 7 points a game, Northwest Catholic’s defense is statistically the state’s stingiest and clearly the best in Class S. Something’s gotta give. NWC might be defensively oriented, but it’s offense can move behind Calitri and Carter. Morales, Cromwell’s outstanding QB, is tough to handle when he Director and Villard are clicking. He did get banged around by Capital Prep’s front seven and suffered bruised ribs, yet still managed to rally the team to victory. With the short week, however, he might still be ailing. Cromwell will Villard and Director to shoulder more of the load. This semifinal is just too close to call. OUR PICK – Cromwell 23-21
No. 3 Valley Regional/Old Lyme vs. No. 2 Holy Cross
WHERE/WHEN — Falcon Field, Meriden RECORDS – Valley Regional/Old Lyme 10-1 (Pequot Sassaucus co-champions); Holy Cross 10-2 (NVL runners-up) ALL-TIME PLAYOFF RECORD (SEMIFINALS) – Valley Regional 2-1 (0-1); Holy Cross 4-5 (2-2) HOW THEY GOT HERE –Valley Regional: def. No. 6 Rocky Hill 14-12; Holy Cross: def. No. 7 Haddam-Killingworth 42-14 PLAYERS TO WATCH –Valley Regional/Old Lyme*: Sr. QB/FS Jimmy Fairfield-Sonn (936 yards, 13 TDs passing; 1,305 yards, 22 TDs rushing; 11.8 tackles, 6 INT); Sr. DB/RB Jordan Santil; Sr. DT/G Justus Doane (6-0, 248); Holy Cross: Sr. RB/LB Dave DiGiorgi; Sr. QB Zach Brown; Sr. LB/OL Anthony Jemele (6-0, 215); Jr. RB/LB Adrian Brown; Sr. WR/DB Paul Cotter; Sr. LB Joe Parent; Fresh. WR/DB Isaiah Wright. OUTLOOK – Free from the imposing shadow of Ansonia in the NVL, Holy Cross gave the rest of the state a look at how talented it really is with its crushing victory over Haddam-Killingworth in the quarterfinals. The Crusaders are big up front and talented at the skill positions, particularly DiGiorgi, Wright and Brown. Valley Regional, on the other hand, has been banged up and hanging on by the electric Fairfield-Sonn’s fingernails the last couple weeks. The Warriors struggled offensively and lost to H-K, 6-0 on Thanksgiving and then held off Rocky Hill, 14-13. They’ll need to score a lot more in this one. OUR PICK – Holy Cross 34-14
December 1, 2011 at 9:04 am by Sean Patrick Bowley
Casey Cochran
Masuk senior quarterback Casey Cochran has been named the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year for the second consecutive year.
He is the first repeat winner in the 27-year history of the Gatorade Connecticut football awards.
Cochran (6-foot-1, 205) has thrown for 2,801 yards, 36 touchdowns against four interceptions for Masuk, the state’s highest-scoring offense. He will graduate from Masuk this month and is committed to play football at UConn.
The Gatorade Player of the Year award is given to players who display excellence on the field and in the classroom and show exemplary character.
Cochran has maintained a 3.92 grade point average and is a winner of the Masuk High School Book Award for Introduction to Engineering and Algebra I and Geometry. Cochran has volunteered locally at regional food banks, as a youth football coach and peer tutor.
He is a candidate for Gatorade’s national player of the year.
“It’s a great honor to win the award again,” Cochran said in a statement. “I have to give the credit to my teammates for this award, though.
“My line has been great this year, and they have gave me a lot of time to do what I can. Colin has been running so well that teams have had to load the box and roll the dice which has opened up a lot of our passing game.
“My receivers have worked harder this off-season than I’ve ever seen. We have been working on our timing nonstop since last January. They have been tremendous. And I have to give a lot of credit to our defense, which has gotten teams off the field, put points on the board, and picked us up when we were struggling.”
This year, Cochran became state’s all-time leader in passing yards (10,501), and touchdowns (111). He is the only Connecticut player to surpass 10,000 passing yards or 100 touchdown passes in a career.
Masuk is 11-0 and is playing Hand in the CIAC Class L semifinals on Saturday, 7 p.m. at West Haven’s Ken Strong Stadium.
As a junior, Cochran threw for 3,345 yards, 40 touchdowns and 7 interceptions to lead Masuk to the school’s first undefeated season (13-0) and the Class L state championship.
As a sophomore at Masuk, Cochran threw for 2,968 yards and 26 touchdowns. He also previously helped New London, coached by his father, Jack, to a Class SS state championship as a freshman.
November 30, 2011 at 7:47 pm by Sean Patrick Bowley
Update:
Mystery solved. The ball wasn’t in the arm Kyle McKinnon extended toward the pylon. It was in his left arm, as described by New Canaan coach Lou Marinelli to Dave Ruden in this blogpost. plus the Day of New London’s photo (at right).
I should have read Dave’s post more closely.
Still, very close. But clearly not good.
Still worth a watch below.
Original Post:
The Day’s of New London’s Peter Huoppi had a great video report on the New Canaan-New London game, including a clip of the thrilling conclusion, Dylan Leeming’s stop of Kyle McKinnon’s 2-point conversion run at the end of the game.
I think rewound and froze the clip a 100 times this past hour and… I don’t know. That looked awful close.
The clip is shot from across the field, in pouring rain. Plus the frame rate, while good, isn’t nearly as high to exactly pinpoint when McKinnon stretched his arm toward the pylon.
The saving grace — for high school, at least — is that the side judge is looking at it the whole way. He’s right on top of the play. He made the call and stuck with it.
But… man, oh man, oh man, that was close. That was so close, and this is high school, you almost have to give it to them there, no?
Gutwrenching play.
I feel for New London and its 18 seniors. It was decided by nanometers. It was that kind of game.
The two programs traded blows throughout the first quarter. A Masuk score. A Hand score. A Hand interception. A Masuk interception. A Hand score. A Masuk score.
NEWTOWN vs. STAPLES
NEW CANAAN vs. WINDSOR
The game of the night. The game of the week. The game of the month. The game of the year.
WHERE/WHEN — The Maclary Complex, Cheshire
WHERE/WHEN — Falcon Field, Meriden
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