Here's what happened in Week 1 on Friday:

 

 No. 1 Xavier blanks Notre Dame-West Haven

Fairfield Prep shuts out Wilbur Cross

 

 

North Branford rolls past Valley Regional/Old Lyme

 

Philips, Williams lead West Haven past Hamden in season opener

 

ROUNDUP: Cheshire slips past Shelton

 

Follow the action on our Week 1 Scoreboard

Below are my Week 1 pics for games being played on Thursday and Friday.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

Woodland (6-4 in 2011) at Sacred Heart (4-5), 6 p.m.: Woodland has the talent to ascend back into the upper echelon in the Naugatuck Valley League. Register’s pick: Woodland.

No. 7 Hillhouse (7-3) at Foran (3-7), 7 p.m.: Hillhouse, led by junior running back Harold Cooper, is a legitimate Class M contender. Register’s pick: Hillhouse.

FRIDAY’S GAMES

Fairfield Prep (5-5) at Wilbur Cross (1-9), 4 p.m.: Fairfield Prep is expected to be one of the most improved teams in the Southern Connecticut Conference. Register’s pick: Fairfield Prep.

Platt Tech (4-6) at Cheney Tech (9-2), 6 p.m.: Platt Tech should be improved, but Cheney Tech appears poised to contend for the Constitution State Conference title. Register’s pick: Cheney Tech.

Hyde (4-6) at Haddam-Killingworth (8-3), 6:30 p.m.: H-K suffered a huge blow when senior quarterback Alex DiMauro-D’Amico suffered a season-ending leg injury. Register’s pick: Hyde.

Lewis Mills (2-8) at Morgan (1-9), 6:30 p.m.: Can Lewis Mills make it two straight season-opening wins over the Huskies? Register’s pick: Morgan.

Valley Regional/Old Lyme (10-2) at North Branford (9-2), 6:30 p.m.: Last year Valley Regional/Old Lyme won 48-47. It could be just as high scoring this season. Register’s pick: North Branford.

Amity (4-6) at No. 3 Hand (13-0), 7 p.m.: Hand has the talent to repeat in Class L. Register’s pick: Hand

No. 4 Ansonia (14-0) at Torrington (7-3), 7 p.m.: Ansonia won last season’s meeting convincingly in a game billed as one of the marquee match ups in the NVL. This year’s contest may truly be worthy of the hype. Register’s pick: Ansonia.

Bethel (7-4) at Bunnell (8-2), 7 p.m.: Bunnell and senior quarterback Bryan Castelot might have the most explosive offense in the South-West Conference. Register’s pick: Bunnell.

Guilford (4-6) at North Haven (9-2), 7 p.m.: North Haven senior running back Jalon White is one of the top backs in the SCC. Register’s pick: North Haven.

Hamden (1-9) at West Haven (7-3), 7 p.m.: Speaking of good running backs in the SCC, the Westies have a special one in junior Ervin Philips. Register’s pick: West Haven.

Law (0-10) at Sheehan (5-5), 7 p.m.: If there’s a sleeper team in the SCC, it could very well be Sheehan. The Titans’ offense could be as potent as any team in the league. Register’s pick: Sheehan.

Lyman Hall (4-6) at East Haven (2-8), 7 p.m.: New Lyman Hall coach Rob Marone will seek his first victory against a school where his father, Mike, is the athletic director. Register’s pick: Lyman Hall.

Shelton (8-2) at Cheshire (5-5), 7 p.m.: Shelton just missed qualifying for the state playoffs last season. With many starters back, expect the Gaels to make another push for the postseason. Register’s pick: Shelton.

Trumbull (2-7) at Branford (4-6), 7 p.m.: Tough to peg what kind of year either team will have. Trumbull, though, has been stronger overall in recent years so they get the edge here. Register’s pick: Trumbull.

Whitney Tech (first year as varsity team) at Seymour (5-5), 7 p.m.: Welcome to the big leagues, Whitney Tech. Register’s pick: Seymour.

We've added more capsules on-line today.

We present:

Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference (FCIAC)

Eastern Connecticut Conference (ECC)

You can view the other conference capsules we added previously here.


Note: Only teams in which information was made available were featured.

The 2012 High School Football Record book has not yet been released (you can view the 2011 edition here), but here are the records that were broken in 2011 (courtesy of stat guru Bob Barton and Gerry deSimas, Jr.)

RUSHING

Most yards rushing, season – 3,763, by Arkeel Newsome, Ansonia (old record 3,596, by Alex Thomas, Ansonia, 2007).

           

Highest average gain per rush, season – 12.0 by Arkeel Newsome, Ansonia (old record 10.6, by Alex Thomas, Ansonia, 2007).

Highest average gain per rush, career -- 11.9*,  by Arkeel Newsome, Ansonia, 2010-11 (old record 10.2, by Alex Thomas, Ansonia, 2004-07).

 * Player remains active.

Most consecutive 300-yard games (record tied): 3, by Brenden Lytton, Torrington, 2011, and by Arkeel Newsome, Ansonia (twice), 2011 (original record 3, by Montrell Dobbs, Ansonia, 2010).

Most touchdowns by rushing, season – 59, by Arkeel Newsome, Ansonia, 2011 (old record 47, by Alex Thomas, Ansonia, 2007).

           

FORWARD PASSING

Most passes completed, game (record tied) --  38 by Matthew Milano, New Canaan, vs Hand, Dec. 10, 2011 (original record 38, by Jake White, Foran, vs. North Haven, Nov. 2, 2007).

Most passes completed, season --  257, by Matthew Milano, New Canaan, 2011 (old record 236 by Eian Bain, Stafford, 2003).

Most passes completed, career -- 635, by Casey Cochran, New London-Masuk, 2008-11 (old record 477 by Joe DellaVecchia, St. Joseph, 2007-10).

Most yards by passing, season -- 3,688, by Anthony Morales, Cromwell, 2011 (old record  3,558, by Matt Kelleher, Southington, 2005).

Most yards by passing, career -- 10,767, by Casey Cochran, New London-Masuk, 2008-11 (old record 7,710, by Joe Della Vecchia, St. Joseph, 2007-10).

Most touchdown passes, season -- 43, by Anthony Morales, Cromwell, 2011 (old record 42, by Matthew Milano, New Canaan, 2010).

Most touchdown passes, career -- 112 by Casey Cochran, New London-Masuk, 2008-11 (old record 85 by Joe DellaVecchia, St. Joseph, 2007-10).

PUNTING

Highest average distance, season: (minimum 25 punts) – 48.0, by Ardian Sahinovic, New Fairfield, 2011 (old record 47.5, by Jason Mawicke, Staples, 2010).

           

SCORING

Most points scored, season -- 388, by Arkeel Newsome, Ansonia, 2011 (old record  294, by Tim Washington, Bristol Central, 2000).

 Most touchdowns scored, season -- 62, by Arkeel Newsome, Ansonia, 2011 (old record 47, by Alex Thomas, Ansonia, 2007).

Most points for which responsible, all methods (rushing, passing, receiving, kicking), season -- 394, by Arkeel Newsome, Ansonia, 2011 (old record  350, by Tim Washington, Bristol Central, 2000).

Here is the ballot I submitted for the New Haven Register Preseason Top 10 football poll. Voters are asked to vote for 15 teams. Points on tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis.

The poll should be up later tonight on the Register's website and will appear in Wednesday's print editions.


1. Xavier
2. Staples
3. Hand
4. Windsor
5. Ansonia
6. Hillhouse
7. Greenwich
8. Newtown
9. Darien
10. West Haven
11. Ledyard
12. Masuk
13. Berlin
14. New Canaan
15. Southington

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Whitney Tech set to embark on first varsity season

By Chris Hunn, Register Staff
chunn@nhregister.com / Twitter: @Chris_Hunn

HAMDEN — The story isn’t so much about tackles or touchdowns. It’s more than that.

Whitney Tech will be taking the field as a varsity program for the first time in school history this season. It’s been an uphill battle to get to this point, but the Owls have managed.

Hard work, perseverance and plenty of help from the community have been critical.

“We needed about $100,000 to start the team,” said head coach Victor Cooper recently at a team fundraiser event in Hamden. “You can get away with $50,000. You can maybe slide by with $25,000. We did it with $12,000.”

The circumstances aren’t ideal, but Whitney Tech is making the best of them.

Right now the team has no weight room and no home field. They try and build strength with workouts using their own body weight and are practicing at the old Hamden Middle School. The program only has two coaches and its borrowing equipment like tackling dummies and sleds from Hamden’s Pop Warner league.

“Problem is, these are made for little kids,” Cooper said. “The sled is this high (pointing at a small distance off the ground). We’re going to be low, which isn’t bad.”

As for jerseys, the Southern Connecticut State football team handed down Whitney Tech some old ones. It works out because they are both the Owls. Southern, along with Black and Decker and the Connecticut NFL Alumni Association, have also helped with generous donations.

Peter Dzialo, a teacher at Whitney Tech, gave a home weight set to the team. The school’s carpentry program made plyometric blocks for training and Adirondack chairs for the team to raffle off. University of New Haven football coach Pete Rossomando has offered free clinics for Whitney Tech, which is made up of mostly underclassmen with little to no playing experience.

FOOTBALL: Hand's Pete Gerson, Matt Walsh lead tenacious Tigers 'D'

By Chris Hunn, Register Staff
chunn@nhregister.com / Twitter: @Chris_Hunn

MADISON — Hand defensive end Pete Gerson is strong, explosive and boasts a tremendous motor.

“Pete,” Tigers coach Steve Fillippone said. ”In my opinion, and I’ll probably get him and I in trouble for this at some point during the season, I don’t think there is an offensive lineman in the state who can block him one on one.”

And just in case Gerson isn’t a big enough problem for opposing offenses to deal with, teams have to worry about inside linebacker Matt Walsh, too.

“He always finds his way to the ball, no matter what,” said Gerson of his teammate. “He reads the play so fast, and he’s so quick and agile he will get there. He’s the heart of our defense.”

Together, Gerson and Walsh are arguably the top 1-2 defensive punch in the state and are a huge reason why the Tigers are contenders to repeat as Class L champions.

Fillippone says he’s never had a defensive duo this good, pointing out that Walsh (headed to UConn to play fullback) is the first Football Bowl Subdivision player and Gerson (committed to Yale) is the third Football Championship Subdivision player in his 23 years as head coach.

Bob Barton's annual football column calls for nickname reform.


By Bob Barton, Special to the Register
Twitter: @nhrsports

What does high school football in Connecticut need?

Better attendance? Sure.

Corporate sponsors, especially if playoff finals are to stay at Rentschler Field? You bet.

A “mercy rule” that won’t require coaches to shave points in lopsided games? Absolutely. (Shortening the third and fourth quarters would be a start.).

But there’s another need, long overdue for a solution, that ought to be addressed: Nickname reform.

Why? Too many Indians, for one thing. Also too many Panthers, too many Eagles, too many Red Raiders. And that’s just for starters.

Think of it: The Central Connecticut Conference, with 32 members, has four teams that call themselves Indians: Manchester, Farmington, Newington and Northwest Catholic. The Naugatuck Valley League, with 14 members, has two sets of Red Raiders (Torrington and Derby), two sets of Wildcats (Seymour and Wilby), two sets of Eagles (Kennedy and Wolcott) and another team of Indians (Watertown).

It’s tough on sports writers. When Guilford plays North Haven, the headline can’t read “Indians win,” because the Indians also lost. Nobody seems to have thought of that when they both joined the Southern Connecticut Conference.

FOOTBALL: North Branford favored to win Pequot Conference

By Jimmy Zanor, Register Staff
jzanor@ctcentral.com / Twitter: @ShoreLineSports

The North Branford football team experienced a season full of defining moments a year ago.

There was a stinging, shootout loss against Valley Regional/Old Lyme on opening night that fueled the Thunderbirds’ motivation for the entire year. And there was a thrilling contest against unbeaten Cromwell where the Thunderbirds overcame tons of adversity and won it with some big defensive stops late in the game.

The Thunderbirds, however, earned their true football stripes with their version of The Drive.

Trailing Coginchaug 16-12 and backed up at their own 10-yard line midway through the fourth quarter, North Branford’s hopes of making the Class S playoffs were in jeopardy.

“I just wanted to complete some passes,” quarterback Brandan Basil recalled. “I wasn’t really thinking about how much time was against us. I just wanted to do my best to get the ball rolling and get down there and score.”

Basil marched the Thunderbirds down the field with Elway-like cool and precision. On a fourth down play inside the Blue Devils’ 10-yard line, Basil found Joe DeLucia, who shook off a Blue Devils’ defender and scored the game-winning touchdown with just 2 minutes remaining.

We've begun to post Preseason Preview Capsules on-line. We will post more in the upcoming days.



Up first, the Pequot Conference and the NVL.





Note: Only teams where information was made available have been included.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Xavier takes aim at a hat trick

By Jim Bransfield, Special to the Register

(Catherine Avalone/The Middletown Press) Xavier seniors Kevin Dean, Jonah Dorsey, quarterback Tim Boyle, Ben Lisle, Zac Creeron, and center Max Schumann (kneeling) at practice Tuesday.

MIDDLETOWN — So what will the Xavier Falcons do for an encore?

It’s going to be tough to match the past two seasons, campaigns which saw Xavier go 26-0, win two Class LL championships and twice find itself named the state’s No. 1 team.

“We’ll be competitive,” said 11-year coach Sean Marinan Sr. “We can play with anybody. But I don’t know if we have the hunger, the mindset, necessary for the fourth quarter. We’re capable of going back to the playoffs and we expect to, but we need to find out where the kids are mentally.”

Xavier, which wasn’t challenged last season, lost 20 seniors to graduation.

“We’re not just replacing kids who graduated,” said Marinan. “We’re replacing some very talented kids. We have an awful lot of inexperience, even though we will be playing a lot of seniors. Right now we’re a work in progress. We’re trying to put kids in positions where they can be successful.

 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Fairfield Prep focused on taking another step forward

By Mary Albl, Register Staff
malbl@journalregister.com / Twitter: @MaryAlbl

FAIRFIELD — Fairfield Prep started the 2012 football year without spring ball. Instead, the team took advantage of a week of double days in August with the focus on cohesion, momentum and keeping the team focused on fall ball.

It was a rare opportunity head coach Tom Shea seized.

“This definitely helped, (it) was good for us,” running back Dillon Ryan said. “(We’re) pretty far ahead of other schools, I’d think.”

The extra time together early in the season is all part of Shea’s blueprint that was started when he took over the program in 2010. It’s been a steady climb back to having consistent, winning seasons after going through a rough 0-10 campaign in 2009.

“We started a couple years ago when we hadn’t won anything,” Shea said. “We talked about playing well on a play, everyone doing that. Then playing well for a quarter, then playing well for a game. Then winning a game and then winning on the road.”

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Staples chases another championship season

By Mary Albl, Register Staff
malbl@journalregister.com / Twitter: @MaryAlbl

WESTPORT — More than two weeks before the first game of the season and it was hard for head coach Marce Petroccio and quarterback Jack Massie not to shed a grin when talking Staples football.

The Wreckers enter this season coming off an 11-1 record. The one blemish was a 42-7 defeat in the Class LL state title game against Xavier.


The team returns a veteran core on both sides of the ball and tout an experienced quarterback. The list could go on.

So expectations are high.

“We just try and focus one game at a time and not think about what people are saying about us or anything like that,” Massie said. “Just try to play the best we can.”


 “We just try and focus one game at a time and not think about what people are saying about us or anything like that,” Massie said. “Just try to play the best we can.”

As hard as they may try, there is no denying the excitement and anxiety swirling around the upcoming fall season. The program, which has won six Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference titles, including last season, and three state titles under Petroccio, is synonymous with winning. The team has mastered the art of deferring. The perfunctory answers about what the 2012 could be, and maybe should be, are given.

“We’re always looking to improve and we realize that we need to improve in certain areas and were just trying to get better every day,” Petroccio said.

But the question remains: How good can this Wreckers squad be?

LYMAN HALL

Coach: Rob Marone (1st year)

League: SCC

Last season: 4-6

Top offensive players: Pete Barney, 5-10, 175, Sr., FB; Devin Cruz, 5-9, 170, Sr., HB

Top defensive players: Jared Bias, 6-0, 260, Sr., DL; Ryan Bohne, 5-9, 165, Sr., LB

Key losses: Kyle Upton, QB; Joe DeSandre, RB/LB; Connor Riordan, OL/DL

Inside the huddle: Lost its two top skill players in Upton (2,071 yards passing, 15 TDs in 2011) and DeSandre (1,086 rushing yards, 16 TDs). Replacing them may be difficult. Trojans have just seven seniors and will be young and inexperienced. The development of sophomore Kyle Smith at quarterback will be key. Smith completed 4-of-16 passes for 34 yards and an INT last season. The running backs (Barney and Cruz) saw limited time last season and they need to adjust to life on the varsity level quickly in order for Lyman Hall to be effective offensively.
See you there:Marone is in his first season as head coach. Lyman Hall opens the season on the road at East Haven on Sept. 14, 7 p.m. Marone's father, Mike, is the athletic director at East Haven.

FOOTBALL: After last year's final, Cromwell hoping to be one game better

By JOE PELLETIER
Middletown Press Sports Editor

Catherine Avalone | The Middletown Press | @CAvaloneMP 9.4.12 The Cromwell Panthers run plays at practice last week.

CROMWELL — Chris Eckert made a special demand of his Cromwell football team before classes started.

He told each football player that, on the first day of school, they needed to take seats in the front of their classes.

It was no suggestion, either — the second-year coach did some reconnaissance work that first day to make sure his Panthers were following orders.

“I want to make sure the emphasis is on academics as well as athletics,” Eckert said. “We’ve got 17 seniors, and they need to be going to college. Senior slide can’t happen.”

The off-the-field rule is a refreshing one for a team that played so well on the field last year — battling to the Class S championship game at Rentschler Field before a fingertips-close loss to Holy Cross.

The memory of that loss remains — particularly with the senior captains — as the Panthers embark on a new journey that could end at Rentschler Field once again. Cromwell opens their season at Pierson Park on Sept. 15 against East Hampton/Vinal Tech.

“We have to forget about last year — it’s in the past now,” captain Jake Suzio said. “It’s a whole new year, and we have to step up even more to reach our goal.”

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Bryan Castelot, Bunnell hope to have foes on the run

By Henry Chisholm, Register Staff
hchisholm@nhregister.com / Twitter: @NHRHenryC

Bunnell High School quarterback Bryan Castelot, left, and football coach Craig Bruno at a recent practice. Peter Hvizdak / Register

STRATFORD — Prior to the 2009 regular-season finale against rival Stratford High, Bunnell coach Craig Bruno said he asked then freshman quarterback Bryan Castelot if he was ready to go.

“He didn’t say anything,’ Bruno said. “He just smiled at me.”

Castelot went out and threw his first two passes for touchdowns in that game.

Now a senior, the hefty quarterback has been ready to go since day one.

Well, really since day seven.

“It took me about a week (to learn the playbook),” Castelot said about his freshman year.

And it didn’t take Castelot long to master the Bulldogs’ fast break, run-and-gun, no-huddle offense, either.


 

HOPKINS

Coach: Tom Parr (31st year, 200-61)

League: Fairchester

Last season: 4-3

Top offensive players: Jim Martino, Jr., 6-1, 220, FB; Max Pantalena, Sr., 6-0, 200, G

Top defensive players: Spencer Lowlicht, Sr., 6-2, 215, DL; Sam Beck, Sr., 5-11, 175, CB

Key losses: Greg Volpe, QB; Jashon DeSenna, LB; Tikim Coombs, DB

Inside the huddle: Lines are experienced but, besides, Martino, skills players are very inexperienced. Skill players must mature quickly, especially at the quarterback position. The Hilltoppers will operate out of the I-formation. Junior Dan Rivera will be at halfback, while sophomore Kamsi Nwangu will see time at fullback. Parr thinks St. Luke's is the favorite in the Fairchester League. Parr said if his skill players can mature quickly, Hopkins could be a contender.
Stat Facts: Martino rushed 93 times for 638 yards and three touchdowns last season.

T.J. Linta has big plans at small Hamden Hall 

By David Borges, Register Staff
dborges@nhregister.com / Twitter: @DaveBorges

New Haven-- Hamden Hall quarterback T.J. Linta, center, with his receivers, Michael Whalen (7), Michael Breuler (17), Nick Linta (10) and Dylan Millhouse (87) . Peter Casolino/New Haven Register 8/28/12

Joe Linta is a football guy. The Connecticut-based sports agent represents numerous NFL players, including Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, as well as coaches like Romeo Crennel, Chris Palmer and Bill O’Brien.

He played nose guard at Yale and later coached there, both under the legendary Carm Cozza, his mentor. Now he’s beginning his second season at the helm of the Hamden Hall football team.

He’s also a dad, and it just so happens that his two sons — Nick, a senior, and T.J., a junior — are two of the best players on this year’s Hornets squad.

Nick is a sure-handed receiver and excellent route-runner who’s been getting looks from Division III programs — even if his own dad mocks his lack of speed.

Joe has a harder time, however, finding fault in T.J., who has emerged as one of the state’s top quarterbacks despite playing at a small private school with a total enrollment of about 250.

“The kid can play,” Linta said, matter-of-factly. “If you can throw a 15-yard out on a rope, it doesn’t matter where you play.”

Plenty of college coaches seem to agree. Based on a 10-minute highlight film that Linta sent out to about eight Division I schools, as well as his performance at a couple of camps this past summer, T.J. is starting to generate some serious interest. Virginia, Duke, Syracuse, Rutgers and several Ivy League programs (Yale, Cornell, Dartmouth, Princeton), like the 6-foot-4, 238-pound quarterback’s
talents.

Condors developing O'Brien Tech pride in program's second year

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

Emmet O'Brien Tech football players (left to right) Joe Fernandes, Steven Sabanski, Nick Coppola, Paul Makinano and Matt Gomulinski are photographed at the school in Ansonia on 8/31/2012. Photo by Arnold Gold/New Haven Register AG0461B

ANSONIA — The O’Brien Tech players are confident, enthusiastic and, most importantly, proud as the Condors begin Year 2 as a varsity football program.

O’Brien Tech went 3-7 last season, the school’s first as a solo program after a co-op with Derby was disbanded after three seasons.

There will again be several challenges for the Condors: lack of suitable facilities and resources, an inexperienced roster and a new head coach, Nick Aprea, who takes over for Ken Roberts, who stepped down after one season.

But there’s several encouraging signs. Aprea says there’s about 40 players at summer camp and most are underclassmen.

The Register-Citizen's Kevin Roberts takes a look at St. Paul junior quarterback Logan Marchi. 

By KEVIN D. ROBERTS
Assistant Sports Editor

kroberts@registercitizen.com

WINSTED — He was making the right reads, firing precision darts, and completing pass after pass at Van Why Memorial Field on the campus of The Gilbert School on Saturday.

He is Logan Marchi, a solid quarterback with good vision and a quick release. Marchi is a Winsted native, so Saturday was a football homecoming for him, but he was wearing the dark blue helmet associated with the St. Paul Catholic Falcons football team. The right-handed junior quarterback has been pretty locked in this summer in St. Paul’s spread offense according to head coach Jude Kelly, and there hasn’t been much that opposing defenses can do about it.

Gilbert/Northwestern and Lewis Mills each had that same problem on Saturday during a scrimmage.

“I think he has great vision and he has great touch,” Yellowjacket head coach Scott Salius said.