Here is the schedule for football games to be broadcast on CPTV.

High School Football (subject to change)

Game	Premiere Date	Repeat Date(s)
Staples at Xavier (LIVE)	Wed., Sept. 11 at 6:30 p.m.	Sat., Sept. 14 at 1 p.m. & Tues., Sept. 17 at 9:30 p.m.
Waterford at Platt (LIVE)	Fri., Sept. 13 at 6:30 p.m.	Sat., Sept. 14 at 10 a.m. & Thurs., Sept. 19 at 9:30 p.m.
Southington at Glastonbury (Sept. 12 game)	Wed., Sept. 18 at 8 p.m.	Sun., Sept. 22 at 10 a.m. & Tues., Sept. 24 at 9 p.m.
Wolcott at Naugatuck (LIVE)	Fri., Sept. 20 at 7 p.m.	Sat., Sept. 21 at 10 a.m. & Thurs., Sept. 26 at 9:30 p.m.
Montville at Norwich Free Academy (Sept. 21 game)	Wed., Sept. 25 at 8 p.m.	Sun., Sept. 29 at 10 a.m. & Tues., Oct. 1 at 9 p.m.
Northwest Catholic at Bloomfield (LIVE)	Fri., Sept. 27 at 7 p.m.	Sat., Sept. 28 at 10 a.m. & Thurs., Oct. 3 at 9:30 p.m.
Cromwell at Ellington/Somers (Sept. 28 game)	Wed. Oct. 2 at 8 p.m.	Sun., Oct. 6 at 10 a.m. & Tues., Oct. 8 at 9 p.m.

 

Ledyard at New London (LIVE)	Fri., Oct. 4 at 6:30 p.m.	Sat., Oct. 5 at 10 a.m. & Thurs., Oct. 10 at 9:30 p.m.
Hyde Leadership at Canton (Oct. 5 game)	Wed., Oct. 9 at 8 p.m.	Sun., Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. & Tues., Oct. 15 at 9 p.m.
Fairfield Prep at Shelton (LIVE)	Fri., Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.	Sat., Oct. 12 at 10 a.m. & Thurs., Oct. 17 at 9:30 p.m.
North Branford at Avon (Oct. 12 game)	Wed., Oct. 16 at 8 p.m.	Sun., Oct. 20 at 10 a.m. & Tues., Oct. 22 at 9 p.m.
Xavier at West Haven (LIVE)	Fri., Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.	Sat., Oct. 19 at 10 a.m. & Thurs., Oct. 24 at 9:30 p.m.
Masuk at Ansonia (Oct. 17 game)	Wed., Oct. 23 at 8 p.m.	Sun., Oct. 27 at 10 a.m. & Tues., Oct. 29 at 9 p.m.
Weston at Newtown (LIVE)	Fri., Oct. 25 at 7 p.m.	Sat., Oct. 26 at 10 a.m. & Thurs., Oct. 31 at 9:30 p.m.
Simsbury at South Windsor (Oct. 26 game)	Wed., Oct. 30 at 8 p.m.	Sun., Nov. 3 at 10 a.m. & Tues., Nov. 5 at 9 p.m.
Oxford at Joel Barlow (LIVE)	Fri., Nov. 1 at 7 p.m.	Sat., Nov. 2 at 10 a.m. &  Thurs., Nov. 7 at 9:30 p.m.
Berlin at Rocky Hill (LIVE)	Fri., Nov. 8 at 7 p.m.	Sat., Nov. 9 at 9 a.m. & Thurs., Nov. 14 at 9:30 p.m.
Naugatuck at Holy Cross (Nov. 7 game)	Wed., Nov. 13 at 8 p.m.	Sun., Nov. 17 at 10 a.m. & Tues., Nov. 19 at 9 p.m.
Derby at Woodland (LIVE)	Fri., Nov. 15 at 6:30 p.m.	Sat., Nov. 16 at 9 a.m. & Thurs., Nov. 21 at 9:30 p.m.
Gilbert/NW Regional at Valley Regional/Old Lyme (LIVE)	Fri., Nov. 22 at 6:30 p.m.	Sat., Nov. 23 at 10 a.m. & Tues., Nov. 26 at 9 p.m.
Middletown at Windsor (LIVE)	Wed., Nov. 27 at 6:30 p.m.	Sun., Dec. 1 at 10 a.m. & Wed., Dec. 4 at 9 p.m.
Capital/Classical at Prince Tech (Nov. 23 game)	Fri., Nov. 29 at 7 p.m.	Sat., Nov. 30 at 10 a.m. & Thurs., Dec. 5 at 9:30 p.m.

DERBY

DeFilippo Field, Derby

Coach: George French (4th year, 15-15)
Conference: NVL
2012 Record: 6-4
2013 Kickoff: St. Paul, Sept. 13, 7 p.m.
Top offensive players: Tyrae Small, 5-10, 215, Sr., RB; Michael Kreiger, 6-2, 185, Jr., QB; Jordan LaRue, 5-10, 165, Sr., WR; Sal Frosceno, 5-8, 155, Sr., WR.
Top defensive players: Arben Komani, 6-2, 235, Sr., DL; Brian Eliasson, 5-9, 165, Jr., LB; Mike Mauro, 5-7, 155, Jr., LB.
Key losses: Dillon McMahon, WR/DB; Matt Nicolari, RB/LB; Blair Mitchell, OL/DL; Dave Ahearn, OL/DL.
Outlook: The Red Red Raiders lost their top offensive player (McMahon, 30 catches, 8 TDs) and defensive player (Nicolari, 101 tackles, 3 sacks) to graduation. But Derby returns several offensive players who contributed last season. Small rushed for 1,172 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. He's expected to be one of the top running backs in the NVL. Kreiger (pictured above), meanwhile, completed 76 of 132 passes (57.6 percent) for 1,144 yards and 17 touchdowns. LaRue caught 18 passes last season, while Frosceno caught 17. They combined for six touchdown catches. Derby does have to replace all five offensive lineman from a year ago. French thinks his team has a lot of work ahead of them, but if the offensive line jells, and the defense comes together, it could be an exciting year. Derby notched its first winning season above .500 for the first time since 1996 last season.


Previous entries in the Inside The Huddle series:



Guilford
Morgan
New Canaan
North Branford
Pomperaug
Sheehan  
Xavier 

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.

NOTEBOOK: Notre Dame-West Haven comes of age with win over Fairfield Prep

Notre Dame-West Haven finally earned a signature victory after rallying past Fairfield Prep this past Friday in Fairfield.

The Green Knights led 13-0 at halftime before the Jesuits responded with 14 points in the third quarter.

In the final period, senior Chris Perry caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from junior Blake Rice and then Perry and Rice hooked up for the successful two-point conversion pass to lift Notre Dame to a 21-14 victory.

The loss all but ended Fairfield Prep’s playoff hopes, while the Green Knights celebrated a victory over one of the Southern Connecticut Conference’s more competitive teams.

READ MORE

WEEK 9 HIGHLIGHTS

OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Derby Jr. RB Tyrae Small: Carried 15 times for 182 yards and five touchdowns in a 46-6 win over Crosby on Saturday. Small also made eight tackles and an interception.

Foran So. QB Jake Kasuba: Threw for 357 yards and six touchdown passes in a 46-6 win over Branford on Friday.



DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Cheshire So. LB Andrew Yamin: Made eight tackles, a sack and an interception in a 33-0 win over Hamden on Saturday.

Derby Sr. DL John Piazza: Had six tackles, caused a fumble and recovered another in a 46-6 win over Crosby on Saturday.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Derby Sr. Dillon McMahon: Scored on an 80-yard kickoff return in a 46-6 win over Crosby on Saturday.

Hartford Public Sr. Kwame Kitson: Kicked a 45-yard field goal in a 35-10 loss to Middletown on Saturday.

TEAMS OF THE WEEK

Darien: Nick Lombardo caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Henry Baldwin with 7 seconds remaining in regulation in a 26-20 victory over previously unbeaten Trinity Catholic on Saturday.

Derby: Defeated Crosby 46-6 on Saturday to clinch its first winning season since 1996. The Red Raiders are 6-3.

READ MORE



HAND remains No. 1 in Register Top 10 Poll

 Both Hand and Xaiver have lengthy win streaks heading into their showdown on Friday (7 p.m. at Palmer Field, Middletown).

• Xavier has won 30 straight games. Its last lost came against Staples in the Class LL state semifinals in 2009. The Falcons’ last regular season defeat was to Wilbur Cross in the season opener that year. 

•  Hand has won 17 in a row. This is the team’s first meeting since the Tigers emerged with a 31-16 victory in 2007.

Below is a list of the state's longest winning streaks:

MOST CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITHOUT A LOSS

School Games Years
Cheshire 49 1992-96
Ansonia 36 1975-78
Bloomfield 35 1996-2000
Ansonia 35 2005-08
Stamford (33-0-2) 35 1911-14
Derby (33-0-1) 34 1966-70
New Canaan 34 1967-70
Xavier-Middletown 34 1970-1973
Fitch-Groton 34 1999-2001
Southington (32-0-1) 33 1962-66
St. Joseph-Trumbull 30 1981-84
Xavier 30 2010-2012

On Nov. 10, 1973, West Haven stopped Xavier's 34-game winning streak, emerging with a 25-20 victory.

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).

DERBY VS. NO. 4 ANSONIA 

When: Thursday, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Nolan Field, Ansonia
Team records: Derby 2-0; Ansonia 2-0
Players to watch: Derby — Dillon McMahon, Sr., WR/DB; Tyrae Small, Jr., RB/LB; Duane Jones, Sr., OL/DL; Ansonia — Arkeel Newsome, Jr., RB/DB; Andrew Matos, Sr., WR/LB; Jh’Mel Trammell, Sr., OL/DL.
You should know: This game marks the 90th meeting between these two storied programs. 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. The last time the Red Raiders won the first two games in a season was in 1999. This contest is the first Naugatuck Valley League Brass Division title of the season for each team. Derby earned a hard-fought 21-20 victory over Naugatuck last week. Naugatuck scored late in the fourth quarter but Small blocked the extra point attempt and the Red Raiders survived. Derby’s defense was stingy, allowing just two touchdowns. The Greyhounds scored on a kickoff return on the game’s opening play. The Red Raiders will need to play nearly flawlessly to pull the upset here. Emotions should be high, and in a rivalry game, anything can happen. Ansonia, though, might be too skilled for Derby to contain for four quarters and is favored here.
Register’s pick: Ansonia.

OTHER GAMES

CSC
Prince Tech at O'Brien Tech, 7:00 p.m. Pick: Prince Tech

NVL BRASS
Watertown at Wilby, 6:00 p.m. Pick: Watertown

SCC DIVISION II EAST
East Haven at North Haven, 7:00 p.m. Pick: North Haven

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

has been moved to THURSDAY AT 6:30 P.M.

The teams will meet for the 90th time. Ansonia holds a 53-28-8 series lead.

The change was originally scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m. Likely moved because of the predicted inclement weather for Friday.


ALSO,

Tom Dyer said in an e-mail sent to him by my request that he will not miss any games after he received a two-day suspension for his alleged involvement in the grade and credit tampering at Hillhouse High.

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!

 Linta leads Hamden Hall

T.J. Linta completed 23-of-37 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns to lead host Hamden Hall to a 28-18 victory over Morristown-Beard (N.J.) at Hamden.

Derby 55, St. Paul 26: Dillon McMahon scored four touchdowns, two on offense, one on defense and another on special teams, to lead the Red Raiders to their Naugatuck Valley League interdivision win in Bristol.

Cromwell 51, East Hampton/Vinal Tech 14: Derrick Villard scored three touchdowns on the ground as the host Panthers rolled up 241 rushing yards in the Pequot Conference win.

Oxford 35, Immaculate 0: Brennen Diaz passed for 107 yards, threw two touchdowns and kicked an extra point as the Wolverines shut out the Mustangs in  this SWC contest.

More roundup.

VOTE for Linta and McMahon for Saturday's STAR OF THE DAY!

EAST HAVEN has been nominated for the Register's TEAM OF THE WEEK!

Via press release.

NEW HAVEN, CT (August 31, 2012) –MyTV9’s High School Football Game of the Week, returns on Saturday nights this fall. The fifth season of MyTV9’s High School Football Game of the Week will feature some of the best of this year’s football match-ups from 10 different locations around the state. 

If you can’t make it to the football field, you still have two chances to watch your favorite teams in action. The High School Football Game of the Week will be streamed live each week on wtnh.com. It will then be broadcast on Saturday night, at 7pm on MyTV9. Keep up with the latest news about the High School Football Game of the Week on wtnh.com.

Date/Time                                          Teams                                                     TV Date/Time
Sept. 14, 7 p.m.                              Hamden at West Haven                               Sept. 15, 7 p.m.
Sept. 21, 7 p.m.                              Foran at Shelton                                          Sept. 22, 7 p.m.
Sept. 28, 7 p.m.                              Derby at Ansonia                                        Sept. 29, 7 p.m.
Oct. 5, 7 p.m.                                 Masuk at Bunnell                                         Oct. 6, 7 p.m.
Oct. 12, 7 p.m.                               Hillhouse at North Haven                             Oct. 13, 7 p.m.
Oct. 19, 7 p.m.                               West Haven at Hand                                    Oct. 20, 7 p.m.
Oct. 26, 6 p.m.                               Branford at Guilford                                     Oct. 27, 7 p.m.
Nov. 2, 7 p.m.                                 Fitch at New London                                   Nov. 3, 7 p.m.
Nov. 9, 7 p.m.                                 Wilbur Cross at Amity                                 Nov. 10, 7 p.m.
Nov. 21, 6 p.m.                               Berlin at New Britain                                    Nov. 24, 7 p.m.

DERBY

Coach: George French (3rd year, 9-11)
League: NVL
Last season: 4-6
Top offensive players: Dillon McMahon, 5-8, 150, Sr., WR; Tyrae Small, 5-10, 205, Jr., RB
Top defensive players: Matt Nicolari, 5-10, 195, Sr., LB; Duane Jones, 5-10, 215, Sr., DL
Key losses: Ray Kreiger, QB; Brian Dobek, WR/DB; Tim Adanti, TE; Luis Casco, OL/LB.
Inside the huddle: Six returning letter winners, including three starters on offensive/defensive lines. Experience on the line should be invaluable, especially on defense. McMahon caught 50 passes for 1,089 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior.
Fast fact: Kreiger was a four-year starter at quarterback. His brother, Michael, a sophomore, is expected to start at the position this season.

OUTLOOK

In 2010, Derby played as part of a co-op with O'Brien Tech. Last season, most of the team's more experienced and talented linemen attended O'Brien Tech and played for the Condors as that school fielded a varsity football team for the first time.

French, though, is confident that Derby's line should be improved with the return of several starters who gained valuable experience playing on the varsity level last season.

"The offensive line, they have a year in, and we have most of those kids coming back," French said. "This is probably the first year (since French has been coach) that we have some experience coming back on the line."

French added: "I expect much improvement from a 4-6 season last year."

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

Last season, despite Derby scoring an average of 33 points per game, the defense surrendered 32.

"Defensively, we were hurt big time last year," French said. "In the off-season, these kids have really worked their butts off to get bigger, stronger, faster. We're really taking a hard look at our defense, really work hard on our fundamentals and going back to basics. We have not set our sights low when it comes to defense this year."

UNDER CENTER

With the graduation of Ray Kreiger, there will likely be a quarterback competition as summer camp progresses.

"It's the first day of camp so we're taking a hard look at it," French said. "Michael's had a great off-season. He's been throwing the ball very well."

McMahon can also play the position, as well as sophomore Ben Slowik and junior Sal Frosceno.

BIG AND SMALL

Another area Derby hopes to improve upon this season is its running game. Small will likely be the team's featured running back.

"Tyrae had an excellent off-season," French said. "He's put on about 20 pounds of muscle, he grew another inch or two. He's really learning how to run. A lot of people don't understand how young he is. He's a junior, but he's only played football since his freshman year. He's still learning the game. Each year of him carrying the football he's gotten better and better. He looks very good so far."

Said Small: "I'm expecting a great season. I think I'm going to be able to run the ball well with my line blocking. We have to be more balanced so teams don't think we're just a passing team."

The Derby Football Club will honor members of the Derby football team and its coaching staff at the 53rd annual Albarella Awards Banquet on Sunday, Feb. 12, at 1 p.m. The banquet will take place at John J. Sullivan’s in Ansonia.

Parents are urged to make reservations by calling Bill at (203) 735-2821. Tables of 10 can also be reserved at that time.

The deadline for reservations is Thursday, Feb. 9.

No. 4 Hand stays unbeaten, defeats West Haven

North Branford knocks off Cromwell

No. 1 Xavier rolls past Hillhouse

Torrington runs past Derby

Valley Regional/Old Lyme shuts out Coginchaug

Roundup/Box Scores

No. 8 West Haven survives scare from Hamden.

Fairfield Prep finishes off Wilbur Cross.

Ansonia's Arkeel Newsome rushes for 401 yards in win over Derby.

Platt Tech making strides.

Roundup/Box Scores

Vote for the TEAM of the WEEK

By Mike Pucci, Register staff
mpucci@nhregister.com
@MikePucciNHR

Ansonia football captains (left to right), Jake LaRovera, Hakeem Martin, Tyler Wood and Elliot Chudwick are photographed at Nolan Field in Ansonia on 9/27/2011. Photo by Arnold Gold/New Haven Register AG0425D

On paper, this year’s Ansonia vs. Derby football game could be a carbon copy of last season’s contest.

Last year, Ansonia rallied from a 13-point halftime deficit and emerged with a thrilling 33-32 victory over its rivals in a game dominated by the offenses.

The Chargers return a veteran and imposing offensive line, electric sophomore running back Arkeel Newsome and several other talented skill players.

Derby, meanwhile, counters with senior quarterback Ray Kreiger and receivers Brian Dobek, Tim Adanti and Dillon McMahon (questionable for the contest due to a bruised tailbone).

Both teams, though, learned valuable lessons from last year, mainly in how to defend the other.

While both remain explosive offensively, there’s reason to believe that defense could play a more significant role Friday when the teams kick off at 7 at DeFilippo Field in Derby in a Naugatuck Valley League Brass Division tilt.

Read the full story here.

Week 3 Predictions

Last year, Ansonia trailed by 13 points at halftime before rallying for a 33-32 victory over rival Derby.

The rematch takes place Friday at 7 p.m. at Derby's DeFilippo Field. No. 4 Ansonia (2-0) has looked impressive in victories over expected NVL contenders Torrington and Woodland.

Derby (1-1) earned a Week 1 win over St. Paul before losing a 14-13 heart breaker to Naugatuck last week. That loss, though, hasn't diminished the anticipation nor the expected intensity for Friday's contest.

"Either way, it's going to be Ansonia vs. Derby," Ansonia coach Tom Brockett said. "Those (Derby) kids had their hearts broken last year, being that close to victory. I'm sure they want nothing less than a victory."

Ansonia leads the series with Derby 52-28-8. Ansonia has won the last four meetings, and nine of the last 10. Derby's last victory in the series came in 2001. The teams did not play from 2004-2008. Last year's game resparked interest in the rivalry after some recent lopsided Ansonia victories.

"It (2010) brought back the rivalry real quick," Brockett said. "You look at halftime when we were down 13 points and another 1,500 people showed up. There's no doubt about it that the rivalry is alive and well."

Derby joined the NVL in 2009 moving over from the SCC. In 2009, the Red Raiders went 4-6 and last season, in current Derby coach George French's first season with the Red Raiders, Derby finished at 5-5.

The Red Raiders, though, have not had a "trademark" win in some time. That could change if they're able to knock off Ansonia.

"Last year we made great strides in getting the program in the proper direction," French said. "This year, in Year 2, we have to get that benchmark win. We have to learn how to win against the good teams. Our kids are learning one step at a time. They had another tough loss last week (against Naugatuck). A couple of plays here and there and it goes in our direction. We have to start turning those plays in our direction.

"We have a lot of respect for Ansonia. They're one of the top five teams in the state this year and one of the most storied programs in state history. We have a lot of respect for them, but we know we can compete with them. We have to make our kids believe that we can compete on the same level as Ansonia, and our kids believe they can do it."

Read more about the Ansonia-Derby game in Friday's print editions of the Register and on-line at www.nhregister.com.

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

Sports_Derby Quarterback, Ray Krieger, at practice. Melanie Stengel/Register

DERBY — From the time they were 8-year-olds playing Pop Warner football, Ray Kreiger and Jake Tomczak have formed a lethal pass-catching duo.

Kreiger’s first high school varsity touchdown pass, as a freshman coming into a game in the second half against Wilbur Cross, was caught by Tomczak. About 20 more followed over the ensuing 2½ seasons.

Unfortunately, the two have already combined for their last scoring hook-up. During a preseason camp workout a few weeks ago, Tomczak tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He underwent surgery on Aug. 30, but he will be out for the entirety of this, his senior season.

Read the full story here.