Below is a list of players who have decided on their college destination.




Andre Anderson Hillhouse Univ. of New Haven
Andrew Barton Ridgefield Bryant
Ben Berey Glastonbury Tufts
Brendan Bilcheck Hand Bowdoin
Tim Boyle Xavier UConn
Caleb Camacho New London Sacred Heart
Chris Devaney Newtown Bryant
Jonah Dorsey Xavier Stonehill
Quinn Fleeting Windsor Central Conn. State
James Frusciante Staples Princeton
Pete Gerson Hand Yale
Peter Gesualdi Darien Hobart
Chris Golger Fairfield Prep Tufts
Pieter Hoets Staples Trinity
Darryn Horner Hillhouse Stonehill
Andrew Isaacs Manchester Maryland
Cory Jasudowich Cheshire Academy UConn
Andrew Kalach Watertown Sacred Heart
Kevin Kearney Staples Bowdoin
Nick Kelly Staples Amherst College
Mike Lasala Wilton Washington & Lee
Marcus Little Manchester Boston College
Kris Luster Xavier Wesleyan
Andrew Matos Ansonia Rhode Island
Sean Merrill Sheehan Sacred Heart
Tom Milone Masuk UConn (baseball)
Colin Moore Avon Furman (lacrosse)
Je’Vaughn Moore Hillhouse Monmouth
Ryheime Moore Windsor AIC
Ryan Murtha Montville Sacred Heart
Tommy Myers Coventry/Windham Tech UConn
Liam O’Neil Greenwich Tufts
Darick Orange Windham Tech Central Conn. State
Cole Ormsby Windsor UConn
Lance Ormsby Windsor Central Conn. State
Brandon Robertson Montville Sacred Heart
Hector Rodriguez Berlin Dean
Patsy Romero Wilton Plymouth State
Connor Rowe Ridgefield Bryant
Max Schumann Xavier Univ. of Chicago
George Smith Holy Cross Bryant
Max Tylki Xavier Brown
Kyle Vaughn Staples Fordham
Matt Walsh Hand UConn
Hal Chapman Wingo Avon Georgetown

Junior Arkeel Newsome rushed 23 times for 222 yards and three touchdowns and he added a 25-yard touchdown reception to lead Ansonia, ranked third in the Register Top 10 Poll, to a 56-26 victory over Woodland in the Naugatuck Valley League championship game Thursday at Municipal Stadium in Waterbury.

Newsome, who scored on touchdown runs of 47, 53 and 15 yards, was named the game's MVP.

Sophomore quarterback Jai'Quan McKnight completed 6 of 7 passes for 144 yards and three touchdowns for the Chargers (10-0), who have won 24 straight games.

Senior Andrew Matos caught a touchdown and ran for one, while senior Raeshaun Finney also had a touchdown reception for Ansonia. Hezekiah Duncan returned an interception 35 yards for the Chargers.

Tanner Kingsley completed 14 of 25 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns for the Hawks (6-3).

Senior Andrew Matos caught two touchdown passes, scored on a 10-yard run and made an interception for the unbeaten Chargers in this NVL Brass Division win Friday over the previously unbeaten Eagles.

Matos caught touchdown passes of 31 and 25 yards from sophomore Jai'Quan McKnight. 

Junior Arkeel Newsome rushed 33 times for 250 yards and three touchdowns for No. 3 Ansonia (8-0).

Saiheed Sanders rushed nine times for 106 yards and three touchdowns for the host Chargers in this NVL Brass Division win Thursday.

Sanders scored on touchdown runs of 6, 31 and 9 yards for Ansonia (5-0), which is ranked No. 4 in the Register Top 10 Poll.

Andrew Matos returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown for the Chargers after Seymour was forced to punt  on the game's opening drive that lasted nearly six minutes.

Jai'Quan McKnight tossed touchdown passes to Raeshaun Finney and Ryan O'Connor for Ansonia. 

Senior Andrew Matos rushed seven times for 102 yards and two scores and added a 42-yard touchdown reception from Jai'Quan McKnight in this NVL Brass Division contest, the 90th meeting between these rivals.

No. 4 Ansonia (3-0) leads the series 54-28-8.

McKnight (4-of-6 passing for 116 yards) also threw a 14-yard touchdown to Raeshaun Finney for the Chargers, who led 41-0 at halftime. McKnight also rushed for a 8-yard touchdown run, while Arkeel Newsome scored on a 2-yard run.

Newsome, though, missed much of the game aside from the first quarter due to an ankle injury. He carried six times for 34 yards.

Tyrae Small scored on a 77-yard run for the Red Raiders (2-1).

Ansonia sophomore Jai'Quan McKnight was expected to be the second option in the backfield behind Arkeel Newsome this season.

But when Tyler Lester broke his leg over the summer,  McKnight was thrust into the starting quarterback position. Through two games,  McKnight has responded. McKnight has completed 12-of-17 passes for 356 yards and five touchdowns. He's also rushed for two more scores.

"He's been great," Ansonia coach Tom Brockett said. "He's so coachable, which makes a big difference. He's night and day from where he was from even when we came out here the first day in the fall. We didn't lose Tyler until the summer, so right through the spring Tyler was getting the majority of the reps as the quarterback. He (McKnight) is a lot further ahead from what we thought he would be."

McKnight says there was an adjustment period, but it didn't take very long for him to adapt to his new role.

"It was kind of hard in the beginning just getting to know my receivers and how they run their routes," McKnight said. "But everything is about timing. We go out here before practice and get our timing together. I know my receivers, and they know me, like the back of my hand."

McKnight's top target is senior Andrew Matos, who has caught nine passes, including three touchdowns.

"Jai'Quan, he's doing well," Matos said. "He makes the right reads. I can't ask for a better quarterback right now. He's doing great."

Tight end Raeshaun Finney has also contributed.

"Andrew has speed and Finney has the height," McKnight said. "Both are big men; both are physical. If I put the ball anywhere close to them, I know they're going to go up and get it."

It's a rivalry that dates back to 1902 and was once considered one of the greatest in the state: Ansonia vs. Derby.

The two storied programs will meet for the 90th time on Thursday (6:30 p.m. at Nolan Field, Ansonia). Ansonia holds a 53-28-8 series lead.

The Chargers have won the last five meetings (2002-2003, 2009-2011). The teams did not play from 2004-2008. Derby’s last win was a 14-12 victory in 2001.

Ansonia coach Tom Brockett, a Wallingford native who attended Lyman Hall,  was fully aware of the game's history when he was growing up.

"You always heard about the Ansonia-Derby game," Brockett said. "If you're into Connecticut high school football, and have a heartbeat, you've heard about the Ansonia-Derby game. Thank God we're back playing it. The kids are excited, both towns are excited, it's great. It's what high school football should be every week."

Despite the potential of playing in an NVL or state championship game later this season, Ansonia senior Andrew Matos summed up the rivalry this way:

"To be honest, it's my biggest game of the year. A lot of us are cool with the Derby guys, but when we get on the field it's different. We go at each other at full speed and do whatever we can to win this game."

Derby joined the NVL from the SCC in 2009 and the rivalry was resurrected. In 2010, Derby led 26-13 at halftime before the Chargers rallied for a 33-32 victory.

"That game two years ago really added to it (the rivalry)," Brockett said. "(Derby) coach (George) French is going a great job with Derby and he's really helped build it back up. They (Derby) have a lot of pride. Those kids want to win. It's real important to them, just like it's real important to us."

SERIES HISTORY

1902 — Ansonia 48, Derby 0
1904 — Ansonia 21, Derby 0
1906 — Ansonia 0, Derby 0
1908 — Derby 6, Ansonia 2
1909 — Ansonia 6, Derby 0
1917 — Ansonia 6, Derby 6
1919 — Ansonia 0, Derby 0
1920 — Ansonia 26, Derby 12
1928 — Derby 6, Ansonia 0
1929 — Ansonia 0, Derby 0
1930 — Derby 6, Ansonia 0
1931 — Ansonia 6, Derby 0
1932 — Derby 6, Ansonia 0
1933 — Derby 6, Ansonia 0
1934 — Ansonia 12, Derby 0
1935 — Ansonia 6, Derby 0
1936 — Ansonia 13, Derby 7
1937 — Ansonia 6, Derby 6
1938 — Ansonia 0, Derby 0
1939 — Ansonia 7, Derby 0
1940 — Derby 7, Ansonia 3
1941 — Ansonia 42, Derby 0
1942 — Ansonia 19, Derby 0
1943 — Ansonia 49, Derby 0
1944 — Ansonia 30, Derby 7
1945 — Ansonia 6, Derby 0
1946 — Ansonia 50, Derby 13
1947 — Ansonia 6, Derby 0
1948 — Ansonia 27, Derby 0
1949 — Derby 14, Ansonia 12
1950 — Derby 13, Ansonia 12
1951 — Ansonia 38, Derby 0
1952 — Ansonia 33, Derby 6
1953 — Ansonia 18, Derby 0
1954 — Ansonia 32, Derby 0
1955 — Ansonia 34, Derby 12
1956 — Ansonia 40, Derby 0
1957 — Ansonia 6, Derby 0
1958 — Ansonia 12, Derby 6
1959 — Derby 14, Ansonia 12
1960 — Derby 12, Ansonia 6
1961 — Ansonia 6, Derby 6
1962 — Derby 22, Ansonia 8
1963 — Derby 6, Ansonia 0
1964 — Derby 30, Ansonia 26
1965 — Ansonia 14, Derby 8
1966 — Derby 33, Ansonia 0
1967 — Ansonia 7, Derby 7
1968 — Derby 34, Ansonia 14
1969 — Derby 40, Ansonia 12
1970 — Derby 22, Ansonia 14
1971 — Derby 36, Ansonia 15
1972 — Derby 40, Ansonia 21
1973 — Derby 17, Ansonia 13
1974 — Derby 14, Ansonia 0
1975 — Derby 41, Ansonia 20
1976 — Ansonia 22, Derby 20
*1976 — Ansonia 6, Derby 0
1977 — Ansonia 40, Derby 0
1978 — Ansonia 34, Derby 6
1979 — Ansonia 21, Derby 7
1980 — Ansonia 14, Derby 12
1981 — Ansonia 46, Derby 30
1982 — Ansonia 21, Derby 0
*1982 — Ansonia 14, Derby 0
1983 — Ansonia 19, Derby 13
1984 — Ansonia 35, Derby 0
1985 — Derby 7, Ansonia 6
1986 — Derby 15, Ansonia 8
1987 — Ansonia 21, Derby 13
1988 — Derby 10, Ansonia 7
1989 — Ansonia 28, Derby 7
1990 — Derby 19, Ansonia 15
1991 — Ansonia 33, Derby 7
1992 — Ansonia 8, Derby 0
1993 — Ansonia 41, Derby 8
1994 — Ansonia 50, Derby 6
1995 — Ansonia 33, Derby 0
1996 — Derby 13, Ansonia 7
1997 — Ansonia 50, Derby 7
1998 — Ansonia 17, Derby 7
1999 — Ansonia 49, Derby 12
2000 —Ansonia 13, Derby 0
2001 —Derby 14, Ansonia 12
2002 —Ansonia 34, Derby 7
2003 —Ansonia 48, Derby 0
2009 —Ansonia 44, Derby/O’Brien Tech 14
2010—Ansonia 33, Derby/O’Brien Tech 32
2011—Ansonia 55, Derby 19
*CIAC Class S championship

No. 3 Hand wins 15th straight, beats No. 7 Hillhouse

Amity runs all over Sheehan


No. 1 Xavier pulls away from North Haven


ROUNDUP: Derby edges Naugatuck


Follow our Week 2 Scoreboard


VOTE for Friday's STAR: ND-WH's Cameran Tucker and Ansonia's Andrew Matos are nominated!

I went down to Ken Strong Stadium Friday and checked out the scrimmage between Ansonia and West Haven.

When I left, Ansonia held a 21-0 lead after three quarters. Looked like each teams' B-Unit was about to enter the game.

Final ended up being 28-7.

Some thoughts: 

• Ansonia junior running back Arkeel Newsome, the reigning Register player of the year, scored three times, including one on a long gain. The two other scores came near the goal line, although he did break off another long run to set up the Chargers' first score.

• Senior Andrew Matos caught a few passes from sophomore quarterback Jai'Quan McKnight. McKnight took over the QB duties from expected starter Tyler Lester, who broke his leg in a preseason camp. Lester may return late in the year. McKnight did a decent job directing the offense. McKnight was expected to be the second option after Newsome in the backfield before Lester's injury. McKnight also had an interception on West Haven's first offensive series.

• Ansonia's young and inexperienced offense line is coming along. The Chargers' defense was impressive.

• West Haven's defense was also solid despite surrendering those three scores. The Westies have some big and athletic kids. Senior Bobby Sampson had a solid game at defensive back, making several tackles and swatting away a few pass attempts.

• Offensively, West Haven struggled to get a rhythm. Junior Ervin Philips and senior Eddy Williams had some nice runs, though. Philips was open several times in the flat but quarterback Javon Taylor, a transfer from Wilbur Cross, was unable to make the completion. Taylor, standing around 6-feet-3, has a good arm and should be quite a weapon this season.

Overall, both Ansonia and West Haven looked good, and both should make runs at qualifying for the postseason. Ansonia, the defending Class M champions, move down to Class S. West Haven has a strong shot to qualify in Class LL, although its regular season schedule is again brutal.