NOTRE DAME-WEST HAVEN

Veteran's Stadium, West Haven

Coach: Tom Marcucci
Conference: SCC
2012 Record: 4-6
2013 Kickoff: at St. Joseph, Sept. 14, 1:30 p.m.
Top offensive players: Cameran Tucker, 5-10, 208, Sr., RB; Blake Rice, 6-1, 165, Sr., RB; Owen Barnell, 6-1, 235, Jr., G; Drew Arciuolo, 6-0, 178, Sr., WR; Kyle Cullen, 6-2, 215, Jr., T; Joe Palmieri, 5-7, 161, Sr., WR; Prince Brooks, 5-8, 165, So., RB.
Top defensive players: Sal Esposito, 6-0, 195, Sr., LB; Matt Abati, 6-0, 228, Jr., DE; Tim Jambor, 5-11, 184, Jr., LB; Andrew Natale, 5-10, 165, Jr., DB; Joe Petrosino, 5-10, 235, Jr., T; Zack Cofrancesco, 5-8, 158, Jr., DB.
Key losses: Chris Perry, WR/DB; Matt Shumaker, LB; Jordan Williams, DE; Zack Averna, C.
Outlook: Marcucci says the key is that the returning players have improved. There are many returners with significant varsity experience. There is also a very strong sophomore and junior class combined with those experienced seniors. Marcucci expects his team to compete in every game. Marcucci noted that team speed and strength have greatly improved.  Tucker, pictured above, will be one of the top running backs in the SCC. He basically carried the load last season as the Green Knights struggled with injuries. Tucker rushed 215 times for 1,697 yards and 19 touchdowns as a junior. Rice returns under center, although he missed some time with injury last season. He completed 54 of 105 passes for 623 yards and five scores. Esposito saw some time in the backfield and as a receiver but he will be called upon to lead the defense. He made 54 tackles last season.

Previous entries in the Inside The Huddle series:


Derby
Guilford
Morgan
New Canaan
North Branford
North Haven
Pomperaug
Sheehan  
Xavier 

NO. 1 HAND SURVIVES AGAINST NO. 8 WEST HAVEN

MADISON — Down by one following an Ervin Philips touchdown run, eighth-ranked West Haven decided to attempt a two-point conversion in the closing minutes of its contest with No. 1 Hand.

The call was gutsy, but fitting for the type of performance the Westies delivered on the road Saturday at the Surf Club.

West Haven executed the play exactly as it was drawn up, with senior quarterback Javon Taylor rolling right and two receivers emerging from the backfield and getting open in the flat.

The ball was thrown, hit Philips’ fingertips and fell incomplete.

Hand took over, proceeded to run out the clock and escaped with a thrilling 21-20 Southern Connecticut Conference Division I East victory.

PHOTOS: Check out the action from Hand's one-point win over West Haven.


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 BRANFORD has been nominated for the TEAM OF THE WEEK! VOTE!

SATURDAY'S FOOTBALL ROUNDUP: Foran tops ND-West Haven

Quarterback Jake Kasuba completed 20 of 28 passes for 298 yards including two touchdown passes to lead the Foran football team to a 50-35 victory over Notre Dame-West Haven Saturday in a Southern Connecticut Conference interdivision game at Milford.

Nick Weissauer had nine catches for 101 yards and a touchdown and added two touchdown runs for the Lions (4-2). Sean Deegan added four catches for 146 yards and two touchdown receptions and Niko DeRosa had 132 yards on 18 carries, including a 1-yard touchdown run for Foran.

Cameran Tucker led the Green Knights (1-5) with two touchdown runs.

 READ MORE 

 CHESHIRE edges WILBUR CROSS

 FRIDAY'S ROUNDUP 

THURSDAY'S ROUNDUP 

No. 9 West Haven thrashes Notre Dame-West Haven

By Mike Madera, Special to the Register

Ervin Philips (left) of West Haven runs for a touchdown in the first quarter against Notre Dame on 9/28/2012. Photo by Arnold Gold/New Haven Register AG0464B

WEST HAVEN — The West Haven football team has had plenty of time to think about its last visit to Veterans Stadium. The contest, which resulted in a West Haven loss, was one of the reasons the Westies failed to qualify for the postseason last year.

Fast forward to Friday night and the Westies have new — and better — memories. Behind a powerful running game which accumulated 330 rushing yards, the Westies defeated Notre Dame-West Haven 34-13 in a Southern Connecticut Conference Division I East game.

“This is a real big win for us,” West Haven’s Ervin Philips said. “We worked hard in practice all week. We wanted to get a win here. We knew we needed a good showing on offense. We are just taking it a week at a time.”

No. 3 Hand cruises past Cheshire

By Dave Phillips, Special to the Register

MADISON — Steve Filippone called it a one-time only deal. But maybe the way Hand played Friday night, he ought to reconsider.

With the Tigers’ usual home at the Surf Club under water from the afternoon heavy rain, third-ranked Hand played for the first time at its high school turf field and was extremely impressive, dominating Cheshire, 35-7.

“I didn’t like it at all,” said a soaked Filippone after Hand upped its record to 3-0. “There’s nothing like the Surf Club, but we got this done tonight. We’re never going to play on this field again. This will be retired undefeated with Hand football.”

Hand, which runs out of the spread offense, rushed for over 280 yards a week ago in a 37-19 victory at Hillhouse. On Friday, the Tigers did most of their damage on the ground again.


ROUNDUP

Harold Cooper ran for four touchdowns and JaVaughn Moore ran for a 63-yard score as Hillhouse downed Branford 32-18 in Branford on Friday.

Cooper had touchdown runs of 78, 27, 27 and 13 in the win for the Academics (2-1).

Alex Borkowski had two rushing touchdowns and 116 rushing yards for the Hornets (1-2).


Hillhouse's Harold Cooper and Notre Dame's Cameran Tucker have been nominated for FRIDAY'S STAR

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


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