MIDDLETOWN — When Derby’s Dillon McMahon heads off to UConn in the fall, his athletic career will essentially be over.

McMahon, a three-sport standout who played football, basketball and baseball this season for the Red Raiders, will not play an organized sport on the next level.

But McMahon will compete in one final football game before his high school career officially ends. McMahon will be a member of the National Guard, which faces the Marines in the first Hall of Fame Classic Military Bowl high school all-star game on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Rentschler Field.

“It’s just another chance to show what I can do,” McMahon said. “It’s my last go for it all, I guess.”
Since practice started last week, McMahon has made quite the impression.

“Dillon has actually been a pleasant surprise,” National Guard coach Jim Buonocore said. “We’ve been really impressed with him and his ability to pick up the offense, and just the football savvy that he is showing. He’s competing. He’s competing with the best that Connecticut has to offer.”

McMahon will be part of a seven-man wide receiver corps.

“He’ll be in the rotation,” Buonocore said. “Normally our personnel grouping will consist of four on the field the majority of the time, but he’ll rotate with the six others.”

During his senior season at Derby, McMahon caught 30 passes for 542 yards and eight touchdowns and was named a Register All-Area selection. He also rushed for five touchdowns and scored four times on special teams. McMahon finished as a two-time all-Naugatuck Valley League and Class S coaches all-state pick during his football career.

 By Chris Hunn, Register Staff

With a handful of his players suffering concussions last season, and the growing concern of head injuries in the spotlight, Oxford football coach Joe Stochmal decided to invest in the Guardian.

A fairly new piece of technology with safety in mind, Guardian Caps are waterproof, one-size-fits-all shells that slip over and strap onto the helmet. A cap weighs just 6½ ounces and is designed to absorb the impact of a hit. Guardian says it reduces the impact by up to 33 percent.

“We had a few concussions that hampered kids from getting back on the field,” Stochmal said. “We purchased a few to curtail that a little bit. If it helps, we’ll purchase more. How good are they? Time will tell. I don’t know. But it’s worth the couple hundred dollars to see if it helps.”

The cost is $55 per protective helmet cover. Oxford purchased six and the players who suffered concussions last season used them recently during the Wolverines’ spring practice session. Stochmal said there were no concussions during the spring.

Matt Simonds, national sales coordinator for Guardian, said 12,000 have been sold. Close to 300 teams in different capacities — at the youth level, high school and college — are using them. Most notably, perhaps, is the University of South Carolina. On the state level, Oxford, St. Paul and Staples, which purchased 115 for its program, are giving them a try. The Wallingford Vikings youth program is looking into purchasing them for the entire league for the 2014 season. The league did not have it in its budget for this season, but will likely be used on an individual basis. Yale coach Tony Reno has also expressed interest in the product.

Went up to Xavier High today and talked with Ledyard coach Jim Buonocore, who will be the head coach for the National Guard in the Hall of Fame Classic Military Bowl on Saturday.

He had this to say about the state of high school football in this state:

"It (high school football in CT) has improved tremendously over the last 10, 15 years. When you look at the time commitment and effort from coaches all over the state, which obviously translates down to the student-athletes, kids are getting bigger, faster, stronger."

"The skill level has increased with the onset of winter, spring and summer passing leagues."

"The colleges in our state have supported us well, offering different camps and clinics for the kids to go to to increase their skill set."

"I just think it has improved all around. You're seeing that with the number of kids that are going on and playing college football. That's a tribute to what we have as a state right now, and I think that's only going to continue to get better."

Hall of Fame Classic Military Bowl

2013 CT HIGH SCHOOL ALL-STAR GAME

Who: Team Marines vs. Team National Guard
When: Saturday, June 29
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Where: Rentschler Field, East Hartford
Tickets: $8
MARINES ROSTER
NATIONAL GUARD ROSTER

Photo courtesy of Cara Sagnella




Video clip of Matthew Jacques, a 6-year old boy born with a congenital heart defect, getting a hand off and scoring a touchdown during North Haven's Spring Brawl game on Friday June 21.

Proceeds from the game went to Jacques' family. Jacques needs a heart.

Video courtesy of the North Haven football program.

Hall of Fame Classic Military Bowl

2013 CT HIGH SCHOOL ALL-STAR GAME

Who: Team Marines vs. Team National Guard
When: Saturday, June 29
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Where: Rentschler Field, East Hartford
Tickets: $8

NATIONAL GUARD ROSTER
MARINES ROSTER

Event Schedule

Noon: Military Bowl pre-game luncheon, Luxury Suites, Rentschler Field
12:30 p.m.: Youth Experience Clinic Registration, Gate C, Rentschler Field
1:30 p.m.: Youth Experience Clinic, Rentschler Field


To find out more information regarding the events for youths, please check out our website at cthssports.com, for the Youth Experience Clinic.

Admission to the game is still only $8.00 and ADMISSION TO THE YOUTH DAY FOOTBALL CLINIC IS FREE. Please call John Fontana at 860-628-4122 for information on the clinic or the game.

The CT POST was first to report this weekend that Jack Cochran was hired to be the new football coach at Harding.


From the POST report:

Jack Cochran, both the most successful and controversial high school football coach in recent Connecticut high school history, has been hired as Harding’s football coach, citywide athletic director Neil Kavey confirmed Saturday.

“Jack Cochran will be the head coach at Harding next year,” Kavey said.

Cochran, whose last job as a head coach was at New London in 2008, takes over a foundering program that hasn’t had a winning season since 1996 and is 9-91 over the last 10 years.

“It’s like a rebirth,” Cochran said. “It’s been a long three or four years and I’m excited to getting back to doing what I love: coaching kids.”

Cochran has won eight state championships in 14 title game appearances at Bloomfield, New Britain and New London and is widely regarded as one of the best high school football coach in Connecticut. His career coaching record is 160-24-2.