HAMDEN HALL

Sonny Coughlin Field, Hamden

Coach: Joe Linta
Conference: Fairchester
2012 Record: 5-5
2013 Kickoff: vs. Woodstock Academy, Sept. 12, 6:30 p.m.
Top offensive players: Mike Whalen, 5-10, 175, Sr., WR; Mike Breuler, 6-2, 180, Sr., WR; T.J. Linta, 6-4, 225, Sr., QB.
Top defensive players: Jason Criscio, 6-0, 252, Jr., DE; Brandon Ginnetti, 6-2, 230, Jr., DE.
Key losses: Cole Perrone, C/LB; Alex Chiodo, RB/LB; Nick Linta, WR/S.
Outlook: Coach Linta says:  If the Hornets can improve defensively from last year, it should be a solid season. Hamden Hall allowed more than 35 points per game last season, although they averaged the same amount offensively. In 2012, the Hornets averaged 324 passing yards per game. T.J. Linta (pictured above) completed 192 of 340 passes (56.5 percent) for 3,110 yards and 28 touchdowns against just eight interceptions. T.J. Linta has Division I talent, although he's more likely to go the Ivy League route. The Hornets return three of their top four receivers. Whalen and Breuler are both 4.5 sprinters in the 40-yard dash. Breuler caught 63 passes for 1,089 yards and 14 touchdowns, while Whalen caught 44 passes for 792 yards and 11scores last season. Joe Linta thinks the Hornets should challenge Kingswood-Oxford and King for the league title. 

Previous entries in the Inside The Huddle series:


Derby
Guilford
Morgan
New Canaan
North Branford
North Haven
Notre Dame-West Haven
Pomperaug
Sheehan  
Xavier 

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: The pitch count grows for top prospects

Decisions, decisions.

A standout football player, especially an incoming senior, will likely soon decide where to spend the next four years after high school.

Some have already made their choice.

Ansonia running back Arkeel Newsome recently verbally committed to play at UConn. Early this year, St. Paul quarterback Logan Marchi also picked UConn, while Norwich Free Academy running back Marcus Outlow gave his verbal commitment to Boston College.
The recruiting process, though, can often be confusing and overwhelming.

“A little (overwhelming),” West Haven running back Ervin Philips said. “It’s all new. It just takes some time to get used to.”

Philips and Hillhouse running back Harold Cooper are arguably two of the state’s more sought-after players who have yet to commit.

Philips has already taken unofficial visits to Syracuse and Temple, which he lists as his top choices. Both schools have made offers. Philips said he also received interest from Boston College, Maine, Rutgers, UConn, UMass and Villanova.

According to the NCAA rules for football, a student-athlete cannot make an official visit until the start of classes of their senior year, which for West Haven is on Aug. 29.

“As of right now, I want to wait until my senior year actually starts so I can take my official visits to really get the school experience,” Philips said. “From there, that’s when I think I’ll make my decision, so maybe late August into September.”

HAMDEN HALL KNOCKS OFF RIVAL HOPKINS

HAMDEN — T.J. Linta was well aware of the task at hand.

If his Hamden Hall football team was going to beat rival Hopkins for the first time since 2001, the Hornets would need to capitalize on their scoring opportunities and keep the Hilltoppers’ offense off the field.

Linta and his teammates were up to the challenge. The junior quarterback threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns, ran for another score, and the Hamden Hall offense used time-consuming drives to defeat Hopkins 37-20 in a Fairchester League contest at the Beckerman Athletic Complex.

PHOTOS: Hamden Hall beats Hopkins

READ MORE

SATURDAY'S ROUNDUP: Hillhouse, Cheshire earn wins

Andre Anderson rushed 10 times for 145 yards and two touchdowns for the host Hillhouse football team in a 45-7 Southern Connecticut Conference Division II victory over Sheehan Saturday at Bowen Field in New Haven.

Anderson surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the season and 3,000 total yards in his career.

Cheshire 33, Hamden 0: Sam Pascale rushed 16 times for 132 yards and a touchdown to lead the visiting Rams to this SCC Division I win at Hamden.

READ MORE 

  FRIDAY'S ROUNDUP: Notre Dame-West Haven stuns Fairfield Prep 

Chris Perry caught a fourth-quarter 27-yard touchdown pass from Blake Rice and then caught the two-point conversion to help the Notre Dame-West Haven football team upset Fairfield Prep 21-14 in a Southern Connecticut Conference Division I game in Fairfield on Friday.

The Green Knights (3-5) led 13-0 at the half after a Cameron Tucker nine-yard touchdown run and Jaime Raymond recovered a fumble and ran it back 45 yards.

READ MORE 

 NO. 1 HAND rolls past Shelton

 

NOTES: Hand-Xavier lived up to big billing



On a weekend when several streaks were snapped, the most noteworthy was Hand’s 40-20 victory over Xavier on Friday that ended the Falcons’ 30-game winning streak.

The meeting between Xavier and the Tigers at Palmer Field in Middletown, then ranked No. 1 and No. 3, respectively in the Register Top 10 Poll, certainly lived up to the hype.

It’s not always the case. Sometimes a game billed as a future classic can fall short of expectations. Not this one.

From the crowd — estimated at 4,500 and featuring a raucous student section — two top-notch bands and, of course, the action on the field, the atmosphere was electric.



HAND takes over No. 1 spot in Register Top 10 Poll


CIAC Playoff RATINGS

Who will win Friday's HAND-WEST HAVEN game. VOTE!

WEEK 5 HIGHLIGHTS

OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

♦ Cromwell Sr. RB Derrick Villard: Ran for 215 yards and three touchdowns, had a touchdown reception and scored on a kickoff return in a 52-6 win over Nonnewaug on Saturday.

♦ Hamden Hall Jr. QB T.J. Linta: Completed 25 of 38 passes for 408 yards and four touchdowns in a 55-32 loss to Hackley on Saturday.

DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

♦ Branford Jr. DB Charlie Boyd: Returned an interception 60 yards for a touchdown in a 47-13 win over Sheehan on Friday.

♦ Hyde Sr. FS Ezekiel Nixon: Returned an interception 73 yards for a touchdown in a 28-13 win over Valley Regional/Old Lyme on Friday.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

♦ Capital Prep/Classical Magnet/Achievement First Sr. Daquan Clarke: Returned a kickoff 65 yards for a score in a 42-0 win over Whitney Tech on Saturday. Clarke also caught a touchdown reception.

♦ Foran Jr. Zachary White: Scored on a punt return of 70 yards and a kickoff return of 81 yards in a 51-12 victory over Lyman Hall on Friday.

ON THE AIR

♦ West Haven at Hand, Friday, 7 p.m.: 960-WELI, 960WELI.com, iheart radio

GET OUT AND GO

♦ No. 8 West Haven (5-0) at No. 1 Hand (5-0), Friday, 7 p.m.: Westies will try to snap Hand’s 18-game winning streak.

♦ No. 5 Windsor (4-0) at Middletown (5-0), Friday, 7 p.m.: This is a much-anticipated Central Connecticut Conference Division II West showdown.

♦ No. 9 Glastonbury (5-0) at No. 10 Southington (5-0), Saturday, 7 p.m.: Southington has allowed just 28 points, while the Tomahawks have surrendered only 55. This should be a defensive struggle. 

MORE HIGHLIGHTS

 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!

T.J. Linta has big plans at small Hamden Hall 

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

New Haven-- Hamden Hall quarterback T.J. Linta, center, with his receivers, Michael Whalen (7), Michael Breuler (17), Nick Linta (10) and Dylan Millhouse (87) . Peter Casolino/New Haven Register 8/28/12

Joe Linta is a football guy. The Connecticut-based sports agent represents numerous NFL players, including Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, as well as coaches like Romeo Crennel, Chris Palmer and Bill O’Brien.

He played nose guard at Yale and later coached there, both under the legendary Carm Cozza, his mentor. Now he’s beginning his second season at the helm of the Hamden Hall football team.

He’s also a dad, and it just so happens that his two sons — Nick, a senior, and T.J., a junior — are two of the best players on this year’s Hornets squad.

Nick is a sure-handed receiver and excellent route-runner who’s been getting looks from Division III programs — even if his own dad mocks his lack of speed.

Joe has a harder time, however, finding fault in T.J., who has emerged as one of the state’s top quarterbacks despite playing at a small private school with a total enrollment of about 250.

“The kid can play,” Linta said, matter-of-factly. “If you can throw a 15-yard out on a rope, it doesn’t matter where you play.”

Plenty of college coaches seem to agree. Based on a 10-minute highlight film that Linta sent out to about eight Division I schools, as well as his performance at a couple of camps this past summer, T.J. is starting to generate some serious interest. Virginia, Duke, Syracuse, Rutgers and several Ivy League programs (Yale, Cornell, Dartmouth, Princeton), like the 6-foot-4, 238-pound quarterback’s
talents.