By JOHN NESTOR
Register Citizen Correspondent

JOHN NESTOR/Register Citizen Correspondent Lewis Mills players work during a drill at Tuesday’s conditioning session at the school.

BURLINGTON — The numbers and enthusiasm are both up for the Lewis Mills football team as the Spartans look to move into the program’s next phase.

Coach Greg Todd is in his second season with the Spartans and the team is in its third year as a full-fledged varsity program. Lewis Mills has won the first and last games on its schedule in each of the last two seasons while building the foundation for a lasting program.

That work appears to have paid off at least in participation as the Spartans opened preseason camp this week with 65 players out for the team. The increased numbers are a good sign as is the fact that the Spartans are coming off a productive offseason.

“We’re really happy with the number of kids we have out for the team.” Todd said. “We had a good offseason in the weight room and with the spring passing league. With football, if you want to have a quality program it’s a year-round commitment. When I first got here the kids were a little hesitant with that. Things have changed and they have put in the work. We’re ready to go.”

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Lewis Mills athletic director Dan Tanner just told me that Lewis Mills will be forced to forfeit this week's game against Haddam-Killingworth.

As part of the ruling handed down by the CIAC Tuesday following a brawl during the third quarter of last Saturday's Lewis Mills vs. North Branford game, every player on both Lewis Mills and North Branford was suspended for one game.

Lewis Mills, a first-year varsity program, will be unable to field a team for this week.

“I don’t really have a comment other than to say we think the ruling is a correct one,” Tanner said. “They applied the rules in a manner that they should be.”

Just in from the CIAC.

Saturday's North Branford-Lewis Mills football game, which was stopped following a bench-clearing fight with 11:24 left in the third period, is a double-forfeit with a loss being charged to each team. This has been confirmed following consultation with the game officials at the contest, the state football rules interpreter, and staff/football committee members from the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS). The CIAC follows NFHS rules in the sport of football.

In addition all players ejected from Saturday's game will be required to miss their school's next game at that level before they are eligible to return to action. That penalty is required for any game ejection from any contest in any sport under rule 4.7.A (2) in the CIAC Bylaws.

Hyde 26, Lewis Mills 0: Gary Ormond rushed 11 times for 76 times and two touchdowns to lead the host Howling Wolves to this Pequot Conference win at New Haven.

Isaac Bradley carried 12 times for 178 yards and Patrick Davidson gained 109 yards on 16 carries, including a 3-yard touchdown run in a winning effort.

Shaquille Eddy caught a touchdown pass and also had an interception, Robert Fairweather had seven tackles, including two sacks, and Marquis Leigh had eight tackles and an interception for Hyde (5-0).