HILLHOUSE
Coach: Tom Dyer (5th year)
Last season: 10-3 (Class M champions)
Top players
Mike Washington (6-1, 175, Sr., WR/LB)
Harold Cooper (5-7, 180, So., RB/LB)
Rennick Bryan (6-3, 315, Sr., OL/DL)
Je'Vaughn Moore (5-9, 170, Jr., QB/DB
Strengths
Experienced and athletic skill players, physical line.
Weaknesses
After winning the Class M state title last season, the proverbial target is on the Academics' back.
Outlook
As mentioned above, Hillhouse won the Class M state title in 2010 as the No. 8 seed. The Academics have the talent and experience to repeat. Although to do so, Hillhouse will likely have to defeat Brookfield or Ansonia (which moved up from Class S), who lurk as potential opponents in the final.
Note
Hillhouse opens at home against North Haven, a Class L quarterfinalist last season, and are home again the next week against SCC Division I power Cheshire.

Below is a video clip from that scrimmage.

Masuk (No. 8) and New Canaan (No. 22) are ranked in MSG's preseason tri-state Top 25 Poll.

Click here to see the complete poll.

Here's a video clip from Wednesday's scrimmage between Masuk and Shelton in Monroe. Both teams moved the ball well.

Masuk RB Colin Markus proved why he's expected to be one of the top running backs in the state this year.

Shelton's option offense also drove the ball down the field well.

Ansonia won by the score of 5 TDs to 2. Ansonia scored twice on interception returns, including one by Raeshaun Finney, which is the first clip in the video below.

Ansonia sophomore Arkeel Newsome scored on a 70-yard run (second clip in video).

The Chargers scored twice more offensively and then added another score during a red-zone series.

Notre Dame scored once on a passing play (fourth clip in the video), and then once on a running play during the red-zone series.

Both teams looked like it was a first scrimmage (It was). Ansonia is extremely quick and athletic with a slew of playmakers. I expected the highly touted Chargers' offensive line to be a bit more aggressive and physical, though. But, again, first scrimmage. Ansonia appears to be a team ready to make a run at the NVL title and a Class M playoff berth.

ND had some trouble passing the ball early, but adjusted. ND has some size and should be fine once its young players gain more experience. New QB, new receivers, some new guys on the line. Pretty certain at mid-season that ND is going to be tough.

From the CIAC:

CIAC has received numerous calls from member schools and the media questioning if the requirement to complete 14 days of mandatory practices prior to first day of competition will be waived or altered.

The mandatory practice day requirement has been in existence for over 30 years and CIAC believes these days of practice are necessary to prepare teams for competition. Consequently, the only adjustment that will be making to the regulation is to allow schools to count practices held on Sundays toward the required 14 days. Schools may count both both Sunday practices held previously and those to be held from this point forward toward reaching the 14-day requirement. Sunday practices have always been allowed, but could not be counted towards the requirement. As always, the holding of Sunday practices will be at the discretion of the local school district.

Any team that has not conducted 14 days of practice prior to its first scheduled game must postpone and reschedule all games until it has satisfied the requirement. Schools are reminded that rescheduling of postponed games are not subject to weekly limitation rules.

School districts are encouraged to allow teams to continue to practice when it is safe to do so, even if school is not in session. We will continue to monitor the situation and assist member schools in their effort to meet the requirement.

By Mike Pucci and Joe Morelli, Register Staff
mpucci@nhregister.com; jmorelli@nhregister.com / Twitter: @nhrfootball; Twitter: @jmorelli44

With the regular season less three weeks away, there’s a real possibility that some area high school teams will lose this entire week of practice due to the destruction caused by Tropical Storm Irene.

The shoreline towns were hit particularly hard. Hand football coach Steve Filippone says there’s uncertainty as to when his team can take the field again.

“We’re prohibited from practicing, arguably, until next Tuesday,” said Filippone Monday.

Filippone said he was directed by school officials not to practice because of poor road conditions due to fallen trees and down power lines. The electrical power in Madison has yet to be restored.

“It’s still pretty bad down here,” Filippone said.

Read the full story here.

I e-mailed Matt Fischer, the director of information services at the CIAC, earlier today and asked him a few questions regarding the postponement of practices. His answers, which were delivered with a prompt response (as always with him), are below.

Q: Does the cancellation or postponement of practices come from the CIAC or from the school/towns?

A: The CIAC has not directed any school to cancel/postpone practices. Determinations as to if facilities are available, and/or policies such as if schools can practice (or play games) on days when school is cancelled, would be local board decisions.

Q: Will the CIAC allow for any extra practice sessions, say three-a-days? And is the football season going to begin as scheduled?

A: No decision has been made to alter either the number of practices allowed or the start of the season. We will continue to monitor the situation in all sports. No changes are expected at the present time, however if any changes were considered the first concern would be ensuring the health and safety of the participating student-athletes.

There’s a real possibility that some high school football teams will lose this entire week of practice due to the destruction caused by Tropical Storm Irene.

Although Masuk High had electrical power Monday, 90 percent of the town did not. But that wasn't the biggest concern.

"It's a safety issue," Masuk coach John Murphy said. "They (school officials) don't want the kids driving around Monroe with the trees and wires down."

Masuk did not practice Monday and will not be allowed to again on Tuesday. The Panthers are scheduled to face host Shelton in a 6 p.m. scrimmage on Wednesday. The fate of that scrimmage has yet to be determined.

"We usually take the day before to prepare for a scrimmage," Murphy said. "That (not having practice) is certainly going to impact us. But it's impacting everybody. Most people are in the same boat."

Look for updates on this blog and in print editions of the Register about weather-related issues affecting schools.

By Mike Pucci, Register Staff
mpucci@nhregister.com / Twitter: @nhrfootball

The impending threat from Hurricane Irene has forced high school football teams to adjust their preseason practice schedules.

Branford cut short a double session Saturday and cancelled a double scheduled for Sunday.

Hornets’ coach Mike Tracy hopes to resume practice Monday at 3 p.m.

“We’re losing (Sunday),” Tracy said, “and then we’ll play it by ear after that. We had a mini-double (Saturday), so we didn’t have to lose that.”

Read the full story here.