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

Only two games on tap for Thursday.

Here are my picks:

CSC

O'Brien Tech at Wilcox Tech, 7:00 p.m.: Good shot for OB Tech to pick up a victory. Win would boost Condors' confidence. Pick: O'Brien Tech.

ECC INTER

Ledyard at Killingly, 6:30 p.m.: Killingly hasn't defeated the Colonels since 1998. Pick: Ledyard.

Condors developing O'Brien Tech pride in program's second year

By Mike Pucci, Register Staff
mpucci@nhregister.com / Twitter: @MikePucciNHR

Emmet O'Brien Tech football players (left to right) Joe Fernandes, Steven Sabanski, Nick Coppola, Paul Makinano and Matt Gomulinski are photographed at the school in Ansonia on 8/31/2012. Photo by Arnold Gold/New Haven Register AG0461B

ANSONIA — The O’Brien Tech players are confident, enthusiastic and, most importantly, proud as the Condors begin Year 2 as a varsity football program.

O’Brien Tech went 3-7 last season, the school’s first as a solo program after a co-op with Derby was disbanded after three seasons.

There will again be several challenges for the Condors: lack of suitable facilities and resources, an inexperienced roster and a new head coach, Nick Aprea, who takes over for Ken Roberts, who stepped down after one season.

But there’s several encouraging signs. Aprea says there’s about 40 players at summer camp and most are underclassmen.

Nick Aprea has been named the next football coach at O'Brien Tech. Aprea served as an assistant last season under Ken Roberts when the Condors fielded the first varsity team in school history.

Roberts stepped down in the off-season. O'Brien Tech athletic director Dan Nemergut temporarily took over the head coaching duties after Roberts' departure.

Aprea, a physical education teacher at Seymour, met with about 35 players on Friday. The Condors went 3-7 last season.

"The kids that were there were excited and enthusiastic," Aprea said. "It's nice to have the continuity from last season."

But there will be several challenges. O'Brien Tech doesn't have a weight room, there's no press box at the field and goal posts have yet to be installed. Aprea currently has just one assistant, Todd Pagano. With the head coach position in flux, the Condors decided not to have spring practice, instead opting for additional days in the summer.

Aprea said he hopes there's a commitment from both athletes and parents to make this transition a smooth one. With players living in surrounding towns, transportation to practice could become an issue.

"It's going to be a challenge," Aprea said.

The Condors open their season on Sept. 15 at home against Capital Prep/Classical Magnet.

O'Brien Tech athletic director Dan Nemergut will take over the head coaching duties for the Condors, he confirmed Tuesday. Ken Roberts recently resigned after leading the Condors to a 3-7 record in their inaugural season last fall.

Despite little football coaching experience, Nemergut decided to accept the job. Nemergut explained how the hiring process works:

The job must be posted for seven days for O'Brien Tech employees, who will be considered first for the position. Applicants who are employees of other state vocational technical schools will be considered next before the job gets posted to the public. Just one applicant applied from another tech school.

With Nemergut accepting the position, it allows for assistant coaches Nick Aprea and Joe DeVellis to remain with the program.

"I wanted to keep the continuity in the program," Nemergut said. "The two assistants are going to stay and we will move forward.

"The assistants we have working with us are very good. There's a good atmosphere with the kids and the assistants coming back. We're hoping to add staff, and we hope to inch the program forward."

Ken Roberts has resigned as the football coach at O'Brien Tech after one season, athletic director Dan Nemergut confirmed Friday.

The Condors went 3-7 in their inaugural season this past fall.

"Ken is not coming back," Nemergut said. "He resigned last Wednesday. It was his decision. He thought the only way he could do the job correctly is if he had a position in the building, which he does not."

Nemergut added that he was happy with Roberts' efforts. Nemergut said the job opening has been posted.

Check out The Scout Team, the Register's weekly football show.

The Scout Team, Mike Wollschlager and Mike Pucci, are back with a Thanksgiving special. They preview the big Thanksgiving rivalry games and look ahead to the upcoming playoffs. The latest installment includes interviews with players and coaches from Xavier, Hand, Notre Dame-West Haven, North Haven and North Branford. Check it out, and Happy Thanksgiving.

Follow the game action on our Football Scoreboard.

Platt Tech runs over rival O'Brien Tech

Matt Paola leads Pomperaug past Oxford

Harrison Hudson rushed 18 times for 137 yards and four touchdowns for the visiting Panthers in this CSC win over the Condors at Shelton's Finn Stadium.

Anton Graham rushed 14 times for 166 yards and a score for Platt Tech (4-6).

Tom Buckles scored on a 21-yard run for O'Brien Tech (3-7).

By Mike Pucci, Register Staff
mpucci@nhregister.com / Twitter: @MikePucciNHR

Jevon St. Valliere of Seymour H.S. breaks up a pass intended Shaquan Jackson of O'Brien Tech during second quarter football action Wednesday 9/14/11 at DeFilippo Football Field at Derby High School.Photo by Peter Hvizdak / New Haven Register September 14, 2011 ph2363 Connecticut

DERBY — One team sought to end a losing streak that dated back to 2009.

The other was in search of its first varsity victory in school history.

That’s what was at stake when Seymour visited O’Brien Tech Wednesday at DeFilippo Field in the first game of the Connecticut high school football season.

On an emotional night that began with a pregame ceremony honoring the past and present of O’Brien Tech sports, Seymour tailback Jon Wilson and the rest of the Wildcats spoiled the Condors’ debut in front of an estimated 2,000.

Read the full story here.

Senior tailback Jon Wilson scored five touchdowns for Seymour in a 42-14 non-conference victory over O'Brien Tech Wednesday at DeFilippo Field in Derby.

It marked the first win for the Wildcats (1-0) since defeating Crosby on Oct. 30, 2009.

O'Brien Tech was playing its first varsity game in school history. The Condors had been members of a co-op with Derby the past four seasons.

Wilson scored on touchdown runs of 60, 3 and 14 yards, caught a 22-yard TD pass from senior quarterback Luke Grabowski, and ran back a punt return 60 yards for another score.

Wilson finished with 106 yards on eight carries. Jack Briggs added a 34-yard TD run for Seymour.

Frank Corso rushed 19 times for 137 yards and a score for O'Brien Tech (0-1).

Josh Gordan caught a 14-yard TD pass from Nick Coppola for the Condors.

There will be a pregame ceremony prior to O'Brien Tech's game with Seymour (Sept. 14, 6 p.m., DeFilippo Field, Derby).

The game is the first varsity contest in O'Brien Tech's history, and the only game on the schedule that night.

Beginning at 5:45 p.m., O'Brien Tech will present a plaque to the Derby football program as a "goodbye gift", according to O'Brien Tech athletic director Dan Nemergut.

O'Brien Tech and Derby played as part of a co-op last year. Nemergut said current Derby coach George French, former coach Carmen DiCenso and Derby athletic director Joe Orazietti are expected to attend.

The second part of the short ceremony will include acknowledgments to the "difference makers" to the O'Brien Tech sports programs. Patricia A. Ciccone, the superintendent of the state's technical school systems, is expected to attend. Nemergut said he invited Governor Dannel Malloy and is awaiting a response.

Ken Roberts was hired this week as the first head football coach at O'Brien Tech, which will field its first varsity squad this fall. O'Brien Tech played as part of a co-op with Derby last season. Roberts formerly coached at Newtown.

Here is a press release on the hiring from O'Brien Tech athletic director Dan Nemergut.

The newly-formed Emmett O’Brien Technical High School football team has its first varsity head coach.

Former Newtown High School head coach, Ken Roberts, has been hired as coach by O’Brien Tech, according to a press release from Dan Nemergut, the school’s Athletic Director.

Roberts, who was selected from a strong pool of candidates, is a National Football Foundation High School Coach of the Year for the year of 2006.

“Coach Roberts had a terrific interview,” said Nemergut. “He was the unanimous choice of the hiring committee and brings many years of scholastic football coaching experience to our new program. Plus, being from the area, he understands how important the addition of football is to our school and how significant it is to the Valley.”

Roberts, who left Newtown High in 2007, has been very active recently in all areas of coaching many different sports for the town of Shelton at the recreational level.
“Honestly, I’ve missed coaching high school football and to have an opportunity like this, a start-up program in an area that lives for football, it seemed like the right move,” said Roberts.

The team will compete at the varsity level in the Constitution State Conference next year and will open its existence with a home game versus Seymour High School the first week of the season.

Another highlight will be its Thanksgiving opponent, Platt Tech, a natural rival for O’Brien, being the geographically closest league opponent on the Condors’ schedule.

“It’s going to be a challenge,” said Roberts, “but the enthusiasm I’ve felt from the prospective candidates makes it exciting.”