NORTH BRANFORD

Colafati Field, North Branford

Coach: Mark Basil
Conference: Pequot
2012 Record: 12-1 (Class S finalists)
2013 Kickoff: vs. Haddam-Killingworth, Sept. 12, 6:30 p.m.
Top players: Josh Melaccio, 5-11, 210, Sr., RB/LB; Eddie Miller, 5-9, 170, Jr., QB; John Burke, 6-2, 237, Sr., OL/DE.
Key losses: Brandan Basil, QB; Joe DeLucia, WR/DB; Alex McGuigan, WR/CB; Dale Hausman, RB/LB; Chris Caron, RB/WR/SS; Gary Falanga, RB/LB.
Outlook: The Thunderbirds lost 17 starters from a team that compiled an unbeaten regular season before losing to Ansonia in the Class S state championship game. Five starters return, including Burke on both sides of the ball. Melaccio is expected the be the team's featured playmaker. He rushed for 382 yards and three touchdowns last season. Miller takes over for Brandan Basil, who threw for 3,191 yards and 44 touchdowns in 2012. Miller completed both passes he attempted last season, good for 16 yards. The program's numbers are on the rise, according to Mark Basil, but depth at the varsity level is limited. There are only five seniors on the roster but 19 juniors, so the future appears promising. North Branford has some very good young skills players, and Mark Basil hopes they will improve as the season progresses.

Previous entries in the Inside The Huddle series:



Guilford
Morgan
Pomperaug
Sheehan  
Xavier 

The Register has begun to run state championship previews both in print and on-line. The previews will continue through Saturday.

North Branford's Mark and Brandan Basil
have one game to go for a dream come true

EAST HARTFORD — Mark Basil did more than cheer and offer words of encouragement while watching his son compete at the youth football level.

He also mentally penciled in who he hoped would become his future starters at North Branford High, where he was the head coach.

Brandan and several of his buddies were among the players Mark envisioned as Thunderbirds.

Both Basils dreamed wildly in those days — sometimes Mark imagined Brandan’s senior season ending with a state championship.

The Basils are now one victory away from that dream becoming a reality. Third-seeded North Branford (12-0) faces No. 1 Ansonia (13-0) for the Class S title on Saturday morning at 10:35 a.m. at Rentschler Field.

“(Winning a title with Brandan) was a hope of mine,” Basil said. “Brandan and all these kids go back to the third grade, and I would watch them in youth football every year and I could see certain players fitting in my style of offense.”

Mark didn’t have to look any further than his kitchen table to find his quarterback. Brandan took over as the starter for the Thunderbirds last season.

READ MORE

FOOTBALL: Offensive line key to Xavier's success
FOOTBALL: Ansonia defense vs. North Branford offense — something's got to give
FOOTBALL: Who will win this weekend's championship games? VOTE NOW!

 

 

October win over Hillhouse a turning point for Xavier

EAST HARTFORD — When the Xavier football team gathers to collect the uniforms at the end of the season, it’s likely that the events that transpired on Oct. 26 will be discussed.

It was then that the Falcons rallied from a 28-point deficit and emerged with a one-point victory against host Hillhouse.

If not for that comeback, the helmets and shoulder pads might have already been packed away for the winter.

Instead, the Falcons (11-1) will vie for their third straight Class LL title.

Xavier was among the honorees at Monday’s media luncheon at Rentschler Field, the site of the four state championship games this weekend.

The third-seeded Falcons will face No. 5 Norwich Free Academy (12-0) on Friday night at 7:05.

Earlier in the season Xavier lost to Hand, making the Falcons’ remaining games all the more meaningful. Another loss could have ended Xavier’s postseason dreams.

Since losing to the Tigers, the Falcons have won seven straight and have scored 40 or more points in six of those contests.

 READ MORE

 

 

Senior Joe DeLucia scored four touchdowns to lead third-seeded North Branford to a 49-28 victory over No. 6 Trinity Catholic in the Class S state quarterfinals on Wednesday in a game played at Guilford High.

DeLucia caught five passes for 72 yards and three touchdowns from senior Brandan Basil, and DeLucia also scored on an 18-yard run.

Trinity Catholic (8-3) led 21-20 at halftime, paced by Sean Brown, who finished with 235 yards on 22 carries and four touchdowns, including three in the first half.

Basil completed 14 of 19 passes for 164 yards.

Dale Hausman scored on a 7-yard run for North Branford (11-0), while Gary Falanga had an 8-yard touchdown run and a 37-yard interception return for a touchdown.

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.

NORTH BRANFORD

Coach: Mark Basil (10 years, 70-37)

League: Pequot Conference

Last season: 9-2 (Class S quarterfinalists)

Top offensive players: Brandan Basil, 6-2, 190, Sr., QB; Joe DeLucia, 5-9, 170, Sr., RB/WR

Top defensive players: Gary Falanga, 6-0, 185, Sr., LB; Rocco Morgan, 5-11, 220, Sr., DL

Key losses: Damoy Hunter, OL/DL; Anthony Franco, OL/LB; Cory Onofrio, SE/DB; Christian Perrotti, OL/LB.

Inside the huddle: Returns several talented skill players. Rebuilding offensive line. Strong group of seniors. Good balance of experience, strength and speed. 

Stat Facts: Brandan Basil threw for 2,113 yards and 31 touchdowns last season, DeLucia had 1,571 all-purpose yards and 22 touchdowns, senior running back Dale Hausman had 1,051 all-purpose yards, senior split end Chris Caron had 34 receptions and 438 yards, Falanga made 63 tackles and scored five defensive touchdowns. 

OUTLOOK

The Thunderbirds have a plethora of skill players, but must rebuild their offensive line. Still, North Branford has enough returning to be, perhaps, the most talented team in the Pequot Conference.

"We have some very good parts coming back this year,"  Basil said. "I think we're going to be able to fill those voids pretty well."

AIR IT OUT

Brandan Basil, who saw spot action as a sophomore and took over full-time last season, will operate the offense out of a spread formation. Expect plenty of offensive fireworks from the Thunderbirds, who averaged 37.7 points per game last season.

"Last year, I think teams came in expecting us — we've always been a run team — to run the ball, but we started to air the ball out," Mark Basil said. "I think teams are going to play us through the air.

"We have so many good athletes. They're good athletes, but they're football players. They know the game. They're not just kids that we took from another sport and put them in a position. They know the game. We have a lot of options to get the ball to."

 Caron and senior Alex McGuigan will be part of the team's receiving corps. McGuigan (6-3, 180) is a tall target, while Basil calls Caron a "Wes Walker like player".

"Both of these kids are very good," Mark Basil said. "I think both of them will be able to make a lot of plays."

Mark Basil says Brandan, his son, has learned to understand coverages much better. Brandan attended several passing camps this summer and Mark says Brandan learned how to spot the ball, rather than throw the ball to an area. 

"In those areas, he picked up a lot of things," Mark Basil said. "He also learned a lot in the play-action aspect. He got schooled pretty good this summer."

Mark Basil said Brandan was invited to several camps: Penn, Princeton, Columbia and Dartmouth. Brandan is also looking at Marist, Sacred Heart, Stonehill and Bryant.

JOCK OF ALL TRADES

DeLucia, meanwhile, gives North Branford an option at several positions. 

"Joey can do a number of things," Mark Basil said. "He's a punt returner, kick returner threat, he's a running back and he's a receiver."

DeLucia is hoping the Thunderbirds can make a lengthier postseason run this year. 

"We'll try to do a little bit better than last season, even though we had a really good year last year," DeLucia said. "We have a lot of upcoming linemen that can fill in the positions of the linemen that we graduated."

DeLucia may add the role of kicker to his resume this season.

"I'm just trying to have as good or even better season than I did last year," DeLucia said. "I know my teammates will help me out, but I'm just trying to do what I can for the team."