CHESHIRE
Coach: Mark Ecke (17th year, 113-59-3)
Last season: 5-5
Top players
Jake Scinto (5-9, 175, Sr., WR)
Sebastian Little (6-1, 215, Sr., WR)
Michael Ecke (6-0, 175, Sr., QB)
Billy Weyrauch (5-10, 215, Sr., LB)
Strengths
A trio of talented skill players in Scinto, Little and Ecke, the head coach's nephew. A defense that's expected to be strong led by Weyrauch.
Weaknesses
Lost some talent defensively with the graduation of linebackers Evan Gaudio, a Register All-Area selection last season, and Greg Trifone.
Outlook
Despite a difficult slate, the Rams are expected to be able to compete with any team on their schedule. If Cheshire can remain healthy, it has the potential to contend for the SCC Division I East title and a Class LL state playoff berth.
Note
Cheshire will play on the road until at least the middle of October while a new turf field is being built at the Maclary Complex.

Sacred Heart junior wide receiver David Coggins broke his ankle in a preseason scrimmage Friday and is likely out for the season.

Coggins caught 78 passes for 1,417 yards last season. He was arguably the top receiver returning in the state.

Read more here from our friends at the NVL blog.

Here is the schedule for games being televised as part of the MyTV9 Game of the Week.
Date of game is listed first followed by participants and time. Date and time when game will be televised is in parentheses.

Sept. 16 Notre Dame-West Haven at Xavier, 7 p.m. (Sept. 17, 7 p.m.)
Sept. 23 New Milford at Bunnell, 7 p.m. (Sept. 24, 7 p.m.)
Sept. 30 Hand at Amity, 7 p.m. (Oct. 1, 7 p.m.)
Oct. 7 Ledyard at New London, 6:30 p.m. (Oct. 8, 7 p.m.)
Oct. 14 Torrington at Naugatuck, 7 p.m. (Oct. 15, 7 p.m.)
Oct. 21 Cheshire at West Haven, 7 p.m. (Oct. 22, 7 p.m.)
Oct. 28 Conard at Manchester, 6 p.m. (Oct. 29, 7 p.m.)
Nov. 4 Pomperaug at Masuk, 7 p.m. (Nov. 5, 7 p.m.)
Nov. 10 Guilford at Foran, 7 p.m. (Nov. 12, 7 p.m.)
Nov. 17 Norwich Free Academy at Wilbur Cross, 6 p.m. (Nov. 19, 7 p.m.)
Nov. 23 Berlin at New Britain, 7 p.m. (Nov. 26, 7 p.m.)

Hillhouse lineman Rennick Bryan gave his oral commitment to play football at UConn Wednesday. The 6-foot-3, 305 pound senior is the third state player in recent weeks to accept an offer from the Huskies.

"Rennick Bryan gave his verbal commitment to UConn," Hillhouse coach Tom Dyer confirmed. "We're very excited."

Bryan is projected to be a guard or center prospect for UConn. He had also received an offer from Temple. The offer to Bryan from the Huskies might be a surprise to some but Dyer said the interest has "been there for awhile".

"We choose not to go around telling everyone that he had these offers and interest," Dyer added, "but UConn's been all over him."

UConn offensive coordinator George DeLeone, a New Haven native, was instrumental in recruiting Bryan. Paul Pasqualoni, another Connecticut product, was named the Huskies' head coach in the off-season.

"They're going after Connecticut kids," Dyer said about DeLeone and Pasqualoni.

Former Ansonia running back Montrell Dobbs is expected to join the UConn team in January after prepping a semester at Milford Academy. Masuk quarterback Casey Cochran recently gave his oral commitment to play for the Huskies next fall.

Hillhouse offensive lineman Rennick Bryan, a 6-foot-3, 305 pound senior, gave his oral commitment to play at UConn, according to Hillhouse coach Tom Dyer.

Dyer was on his way into practice when reached by phone moments ago, but confirmed the news.

Check back later for updated information on this story.

By Alexandra Sanders, Register Staff
asanders@nhregister.com / Twitter: @asanders88

MADISON — Former Daniel Hand High School student Mike Seib said playing on the school’s championship football teams changed his life.

Seib interviewed 60 former Hand football players for his film “Tiger Pride,” and he found that many of the players credit their success to their football experience.

Seib, 23, decided to create “Tiger Pride,” which will be shown at the high school at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 4, after he made a short film about the state championships he played in during his sophomore, junior and senior years of high school.


To read the full story, click here.

STRATFORD
Coach: John Svatik (2nd year)
Last season: 3-7
Top players
Brian Zapata (6-2, 235, Sr., OL/LB)
Jailen Johnson (5-7, 155, Sr., RB/CB)
Donald Graham (6-0, 160, Sr., RB/FS)
Asia Bolling (6-3, 215, Sr., WR/DE)
Strengths
A committed group of seniors looking to improve on last season's record, a large sophomore and junior class, team speed.
Weaknesses
Experience. The Red Devils return just two starters on offense and three on defense.
Outlook
Svatik feels this year's edition will improve on last season's record. That could mean a finish at or above .500.
Note
Stratford opens the season with three straight home games (Weston, Oxford and Masuk). If the Red Devils can win at least two of those games, it could provide momentum for the rest of the season.

Cheshire football’s first home game of the season will be played at Sheehan High on Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. while the new turf field is being built. The Rams will “host” Hamden.

Groundbreaking for the turf field began last week and Oct. 15 is the projected finish date. The turf installment/construction is being done by R.A.D. Sports, based out of Rockland Mass., and Shaw Sportexe based in Kennesaw, Ga.

“I have high confidence in R.A.D. Sports and Shaw Sportexe,” said Bob Behrer, chairman of the Cheshire Turf Committee. “They are wonderful and will do everything they can to get this done on time or earlier.”

The Hamden game at Cheshire was originally scheduled for Sept. 16. Cheshire also has home games Oct. 6 against Hand and Oct. 14 against Wilbur Cross.

Athletic director Steve Trifone is extremely happy the turf project is moving forward but no official decision on a rescheduled site has been made on the Oct. 6 or Oct. 14 games.

One source said school officials will take it one game at a time, depending on the progress of the project.