The Connecticut High School Coaches Association All-State Teams, 2012:

Xavier QB Tim Boyle was named Player of the Year. 

ALL-CLASS TEAM
OFFENSE
QB-Tim Boyle, Xavier
QB-Brendan Bilcheck, Hand
QB-Quinn Fleeting, Windsor
QB-Brandan Basil, North Branford
RB-Arkeel Newsome, Ansonia
RB-Colin Moore, Avon
RB-Harold Cooper, Hillhouse
RB-Ervin Philips, West Haven
WR-James Frusciante, Staples
WR-Andrew Matos, Ansonia
WR-Thomas Milone, Masuk
WR-Ryhieme Moore, Windsor
TE-Andrew Isaacs, Manchester
OL-Kyle Vaughn, Staples
OL-Max Schuman, Xavier
DEFENSE
DE-Peter Gerson, Hand
DE-Cole Ormsby, Windsor
DL-Hecter Rodriguez, Berlin
DL-Jared Levi, Staples
LB-Matt Walsh, Hand
LB-Cole Harris, New Canaan
DB-Taylor Olmstead, Greenwich
DB-Nick Kelly, Staples
DB-Joey Zelkowitz, Staples
DB-Kris Luster, Xavier
DB-Andre Anderson, Hillhouse
DB-Joey Paperelli, NFA
DB-Nick Gaynor, Northwest Catholic
DB-Grady Lynch, New Canaan
DB-Dan Hebert, Newtown


CLASS LL
OFFENSE
OL-Will Patrick, Staples
OL-Alex Magee, Greenwich
OL-Sam Murphy, Fairfield  Ludlowe
OL-Chris Speer, Staples
OL-Chris Simmons, Manchester
TE-Joe Kelly, Greenwich
WR-Mike Williams, Trumbull
WR-Sam Gravitte, Ridgefield
RB-Marcus Outlow, NFA
RB-Kyle Jordan, McMahon
RB-DeAngelo Berry, Xavier
RB-Eric Ryan, Newington
QB-Stephen Barmore, Southington
P-Justin Devellis, Newtown
DEFENSE
DL-Josh Hill, Glastonbury
DL-Matt Hallpert, Hall
DL-Eddy Williams, West Haven
DL-Tuzar Skipper, NFA
DL-Pieter Hoets, Staples
LB-Audley Fletcher, Hartford Public
LB-Brad Helmkamp, Simsbury
LB-Max Tylki, Xavier
LB-Ryan Kerik, Trumbull
DB-Ben Berey, Glastonbury
DB-Zach Maxwell, Southington
DB-Sam Pascale, Cheshire
DB-Adam Maciro, Ridgefield
K-Jesse Adelberg, Greenwich

CLASS L
OFFENSE
OL-Matt Gillespie, East Lyme
OL-Christian Outlaw, Middletown
OL-Matt Marcarelli, North Haven
OL-Mike Lasala, Wilton
OL-Erlin Colon, Platt
OL-Do Nguyen, Bunnell
WR-Kyle Anderson, Hand
WR-Isiah Swain, Middletown
WR-Caleb Ewald, Hand
WR-Zatrell Lyons, Platt Tech
RB-Justin Potts, Platt
RB-Nick Lombardo, Darien
RB-Jalon White, North Haven
DEFENSE
DL-Connor Buck, New Canaan
DL-Andrew Klarman, Branford
DL-Brandon Marquis, Farmington
DL-Brian Monaco, Masuk
DL-Matt D'Andria, Darien
LB-Mike Root, New Canaan
LB-Jimmy Murphy, Avon
LB-Akeino Chamberlain, Middletown
LB-Quincy Pecora, North Haven
LB-Patrick Kirkwood, Fitch
DB-Devonte Dillion, Windsor
DB-Casey Ouellette, New Canaan
DB-Otto Marcello, Middletown
DB-Alex Tuccero, Hand


CLASS M
OFFENSE
OL-Ben Morales, Ledyard
OL-Sean Merrill, Sheehan
OL-Kyle Wilson, Ledyard
OL-Chris Meucci, Berlin
OL-Jake Basilica, Montville
TE-Tommy Myers, Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton
WR-Nick Weissauer, Foran
WR-Caleb Camacho, New London
WR-Jake Pelletier, St. Joseph
RB-Justin Schafer, Weston
RB-Justin Gombotz, Berlin
QB-Jake Kasuba, Foran
QB-Jordan Vazzano, St. Joseph
ATH-Mike Nicol, Wolcott
DEFENSE
DL-Austin Gomar, Weston
DL-Dave Willox, Waterford
LB-Terrell Fairweather, Hillhouse
LB-Joquin Riley, New London
LB-Isaiah Holloway, Montville
LB-Sean Tynan, Ellington/Somers
LB-Mike Pulaski, St. Joseph
DB-Alex Lockwood, Barlow
DB-Je'Vaughn Moore, Hillhouse
DB-Tyler Hassett, Weston
DB-Nick Clemons, Montville
K-John Ambrozaitis, Gilbert/NW Regional
CLASS S
OFFENSE
OL-Ian Auger, Coginchaug
OL-Mark Wildman, Housatonic
OL-Dane Grauer, Killingly
OL-Isaiah Brooks, Bloomfield
TE-Tom Seaver, Rocky Hill
WR-Joe DeLucia, North Branford
WR-Chris Van Kamerik, Oxford
WR-Anthony Scirpo, Woodland
WR-Norvell Stewart, Bloomfield
RB-Chris Young, Rocky Hill
RB-Derrick Villard, Cromwell
RB-Tyler Stuckey, Killingly
QB-Tanner Kingsley, Woodland
DEFENSE
DL-Jermane Frazier, Griswold
DL-Derrick Hawkins, Bloomfield
DL-Dan Bonney, Seymour
DL-Donnery Evans,  Hyde
DL-Riley Kinehan, Trinity Catholic
LB-Cody Zaro, Trinity Catholic
LB-Mike Jones, Capital/Classical/Achievement
LB-Devon Stewart, Northwest Catholic
LB-Brennen Diaz, Oxford
LB-Gary Falanga, North Branford
DB-Ryan O'Connor, Ansonia
DB-Andrew Jenelunas, Rocky Hill
DB-Dillon McMahon, Derby
DB-Jai'Quan McKnight, Ansonia

The South-West Conference and the Naugatuck Valley League have agreed to play interconference football games for the next two years.

The games will take place during Week 6 of each season. The matchups were determined based on the teams’ records in 2011 and 2012. The host teams will determine the dates and times of the games.

2013

Masuk at Ansonia
Newtown at Wolcott
Holy Cross at Weston
Woodland at Pomperaug
Barlow at Torrington
Bunnell at Naugatuck
Seymour at Oxford

Derby at Bethel
Brookfield at Wilby
New Fairfield at Sacred Heart
Watertown at New Milford
Kennedy at Stratford
Notre Dame at St. Paul
Immaculate at Crosby

2014

Wolcott at Masuk
Ansonia at Newtown 

Pomperaug at Holy Cross
Weston at Woodland
Naugatuck at Barlow
Torrington at Bunnell
Bethel at Seymour
Oxford at Derby
Sacred Heart at Brookfield
Wilby at New Fairfield
Stratford at Watertown
New Milford at Kennedy 

Crosby at Notre Dame
St. Paul at Immaculate

VIA PRESS RELEASE

Hand, the consensus No. 1 team in the state high school football season-ending polls, is the Walter Camp Football Foundation’s choice to receive the Joseph W. Kelly Award, which is awarded annually to Connecticut’s top high school football team.

It is the third time that Hand has earned the Kelly Award (1997 and 2004). It is also the fourth consecutive year a team from the Southern Connecticut Conference has won the honor (Notre Dame of West Haven, 2009, Xavier, 2010 and 2011).

“Navigating through a competitive regular-season schedule in the SCC and then the state playoffs, Daniel Hand distinguished itself as the top high school team in the state of Connecticut,” said Walter Camp Football Foundation President John Marks. “We salute Coach Steve Filippone, his staff and players on another tremendous season.”
 
Hand (13-0) captured the SCC Division I East title on its way to a perfect 10-0 regular-season record. During the regular-season, the Tigers had victories over three state playoff opponents, including wins over eventual state champions (Xavier, Class LL) and Hillhouse (Class M). In the state playoffs, the Tigers combined a potent offense and stellar defense to capture their second straight Class L title. The Tigers outscored its three playoff opponents, 120-49.

In the quarterfinals, Hand defeated Platt, 55-26, and then defeated Masuk, 42-23, in the semifinals. In the Class L championship game on December 9 at Rentschler Field, the Tigers overcame a 6-3 halftime deficit to defeat Windsor, 23-6. Daniel Hand currently holds a 26-game winning streak.

It is the 10th time since the SCC was founded in 1994 that one of its league teams has captured the Kelly Award (Hand, 1997, 2004 and 2012; Xavier 2005, 2010 and 2011; Cheshire 1994 and 1995; West Haven 2002; and Notre Dame 2009).

Coach Filippone and the Hand team, along with members of the 2012 Walter Camp All-America team, will be honored at the organization’s national awards banquet on Saturday, January 12, 2013 at the Yale University Commons in New Haven. In addition, the Foundation will recognize three individuals – former Nebraska coach and athletic director Tom Osborne, former NFL player/coach Herm Edwards and All-Pro Derrick Brooks – with major awards. The Foundation is offering a "Holiday Ticket Promotion" for the National Awards Dinner. Buy two tickets for $400 (you save $150) before December 31. Please call (203) 288-CAMP (288-2267).

Also on January 12, Hand along with the three other state football champions – Xavier (Class LL), Hillhouse (Class M) and Ansonia (Class S) – will be recognized at the Walter Camp Breakfast of Champions, which will be held at Anthony’s Ocean View. That morning, the Walter Camp All-Connecticut Team, High School Player and Coach of the Year will also be announced.

Walter Camp, “The Father of American football,” first selected an All-America team in 1889. Camp – a former Yale University athlete and football coach – is also credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goal and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side. The Walter Camp Football Foundation – a New Haven-based all-volunteer group – was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and to continue the tradition of selecting annually an All-America team.


Walter Camp “Joseph W. Kelly Award”
Connecticut High School Champions

2012 – Daniel Hand (Madison)
2011 – Xavier (Middletown)
2010 – Xavier (Middletown)
2009 – Notre Dame (West Haven)
2008 – New Canaan
2007 – Ansonia
2006 – Ansonia
2005 – Xavier (Middletown)
2004 – Daniel Hand (Madison)
2003 – New Britain
2002 – West Haven
2001 – New Britain
2000 – Fitch (Groton)
1999 – Bloomfield
1998 – Bloomfield
1997 – Daniel Hand (Madison)
1996 – Weaver (Hartford)
1995 – Cheshire
1994 – Cheshire
1993 – Cheshire
1992 – Cheshire
1991 – Notre Dame (West Haven)
1990 – Derby
1989 – Ansonia
1988 – Stratford
1987 – East Catholic (Manchester)
1986 – Trumbull
1985 – Hillhouse (New Haven)
1984 – Middletown
1983 – Ansonia
1982 – St. Joseph’s (Trumbull)
1981 – Naugatuck
1980 – Trumbull
1979 – Newington
1978 – Amity (Woodbridge)
1977 – Trumbull
1976 – Fitch (Groton)

Masuk's John Murphy and Trinity Catholic's Pete Stokes stepped down as head coach from their respective schools on Tuesday.


Murphy was coach for 15 years, winning 159 games, six SWC championships and three state championships.

Read more on Murphy from the CT POST



Stokes led the Crusaders to an 8-3 record and a berth in the Class S quarterfinals this season.


Read more on Stokes from the STAMFORD ADVOCATE

Class L champion Hand finished as the No. 1 team in the final Top 10 Poll.

Hand (13-0), which has won a school-best 26 straight games, is No. 1 for the third time (also in 1997 and 2004).

The Tigers took over in the top spot following a Week 5 victory over then No. 1 Xavier on Oct. 12. Hand emerged with a 40-20 win in that contest.

The Tigers defeated several of the state's top teams to maintain the top spot and finish the season unbeaten. Hand defeated West Haven and North Haven in successive weeks after Xavier, and then rolled past Platt, Masuk and Windsor to capture its second straight Class L title. The Tigers also defeated Class M champion Hillhouse earlier this season. Xavier went on to capture the Class LL title.

"I think there was a lot of pressure on us, as coaches, because we knew teams were going to play their best game against us and we knew one stumble is all it takes and you're done," Hand coach Steve Filippone said. "You might still go on to win a state championship; you might go on to be a Top 10 team, which is tremendous, but you're probably not going to go on and be the No. 1 team."

While the goal was to win another state championship, finishing at No. 1 is rewarding to the Hand players.

"It's pretty meaningful," Hand senior Pete Gerson said. "Our goal was a state championship; we did that. We knew with our schedule and all the teams that we played, if we went all the way, didn't fall down anywhere, won all our games - I'm not going to say guaranteed - but, most likely, we're going to come out on top. It means a lot for us and the team to have that ranking and go out as the top team in Connecticut. We couldn't be anymore happy with it."

Here's my ballot for the final Register Top 10 Poll of 2012. The poll will be released later today on-line and in Tuesday's print editions.

State Champions

Class LL: Xavier (12-1) def. NFA (12-1)
Class L: Hand (13-0) def. Windsor (11-1)
Class M: Hillhouse (11-2) def. Berlin (11-2)
Class S: Ansonia (14-0) def. North Branford (12-1)


It wasn't a difficult decision this year. Hand, which has been No. 1 since defeating then No. 1 Xavier on Oct. 12, earned my vote. The Tigers defeated Class LL champion Xavier, Class M champion Hillhouse, Class LL quarterfinalist West Haven and a tough North Haven (7-3) team during the regular season. Then Hand beat Platt (8-3), Masuk (10-2) and previously unbeaten Windsor in the Class L playoffs to win the title.

While picking a No. 1 was easy, selecting No. 2 and No. 3 was more difficult. Xavier and Ansonia both made a strong case.

Xavier lost only to Hand during the regular season and defeated West Haven, Hillhouse and Class L quarterfinalist Middletown. The Falcons then knocked off FCIAC runner-up Greenwich, Glastonbury and previously unbeaten NFA in the postseason.

Ansonia earned wins over Class M quarterfinalist Wolcott and Class S semifinalist Woodland (twice) during the regular season. Wins over Prince Tech, Hyde and previously unbeaten North Branford followed in the Class S playoffs.


In my final ballot, Xavier edges Ansonia for the No. 2 top. I believe Xavier might have played the best football of any team in the state, including Hand, during the season's second half. But head-to-head competition matters, and Hand did defeat Xavier on the field, so it's Hand No. 1 and Xavier No. 2.



My Ballot
1. Hand
2. Xavier
3. Ansonia
4. Windsor
5. Norwich Free Academy
6. Staples
7. Hillhouse
8. Glastonbury
9. Southington
10. Greenwich
11. North Branford
12. Newtown
13. West Haven
14. North Haven
15. Berlin

Xavier (Class LL), Hand (Class L), Hillhouse (Class M) and Ansonia (Class S) are your 2012 state champions. Below are stories from this weekend's championship games.

FOOTBALL: Hillhouse runs away from Berlin for Class M title

A DAY IN THE LIFE: Hillhouse state champion Andre Anderson

 FOOTBALL: Hand whips Windsor to win back-to-back Class L titles

 FOOTBALL: Ansonia dominates North Branford to win Class S title

 

NOTEBOOK: Ansonia's defense stiffens when it mattered most

 

PHOTO GALLERY

PHOTOS: Check out the scenes from Rentschler Field as No. 1 Hand wins the Class L title.

PHOTOS: Check out some photos from Andre Anderson's day on Saturday.

PHOTOS: Check out the scenes from Rentschler Field as Hillhouse wins the Class M title.

PHOTOS: Check out the scenes from Ansonia's Class S state championship victory.