We've added more capsules on-line today.

We present:

Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference (FCIAC)

Eastern Connecticut Conference (ECC)

You can view the other conference capsules we added previously here.


Note: Only teams in which information was made available were featured.

Here is the ballot I submitted for the New Haven Register Preseason Top 10 football poll. Voters are asked to vote for 15 teams. Points on tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis.

The poll should be up later tonight on the Register's website and will appear in Wednesday's print editions.


1. Xavier
2. Staples
3. Hand
4. Windsor
5. Ansonia
6. Hillhouse
7. Greenwich
8. Newtown
9. Darien
10. West Haven
11. Ledyard
12. Masuk
13. Berlin
14. New Canaan
15. Southington

We've begun to post more Preview Capsules by Conference on-line. We will post more in the upcoming days.

Southern Connecticut Conference

South-West Conference

Preps: Hamden Hall and Hopkins


Central Connecticut Conference


Here are some we posted the other day.




Note: Only teams where information was made available have been included.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Whitney Tech set to embark on first varsity season

By Chris Hunn, Register Staff
chunn@nhregister.com / Twitter: @Chris_Hunn

HAMDEN — The story isn’t so much about tackles or touchdowns. It’s more than that.

Whitney Tech will be taking the field as a varsity program for the first time in school history this season. It’s been an uphill battle to get to this point, but the Owls have managed.

Hard work, perseverance and plenty of help from the community have been critical.

“We needed about $100,000 to start the team,” said head coach Victor Cooper recently at a team fundraiser event in Hamden. “You can get away with $50,000. You can maybe slide by with $25,000. We did it with $12,000.”

The circumstances aren’t ideal, but Whitney Tech is making the best of them.

Right now the team has no weight room and no home field. They try and build strength with workouts using their own body weight and are practicing at the old Hamden Middle School. The program only has two coaches and its borrowing equipment like tackling dummies and sleds from Hamden’s Pop Warner league.

“Problem is, these are made for little kids,” Cooper said. “The sled is this high (pointing at a small distance off the ground). We’re going to be low, which isn’t bad.”

As for jerseys, the Southern Connecticut State football team handed down Whitney Tech some old ones. It works out because they are both the Owls. Southern, along with Black and Decker and the Connecticut NFL Alumni Association, have also helped with generous donations.

Peter Dzialo, a teacher at Whitney Tech, gave a home weight set to the team. The school’s carpentry program made plyometric blocks for training and Adirondack chairs for the team to raffle off. University of New Haven football coach Pete Rossomando has offered free clinics for Whitney Tech, which is made up of mostly underclassmen with little to no playing experience.

We've begun to post Preseason Preview Capsules on-line. We will post more in the upcoming days.



Up first, the Pequot Conference and the NVL.





Note: Only teams where information was made available have been included.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Staples chases another championship season

By Mary Albl, Register Staff
malbl@journalregister.com / Twitter: @MaryAlbl

WESTPORT — More than two weeks before the first game of the season and it was hard for head coach Marce Petroccio and quarterback Jack Massie not to shed a grin when talking Staples football.

The Wreckers enter this season coming off an 11-1 record. The one blemish was a 42-7 defeat in the Class LL state title game against Xavier.


The team returns a veteran core on both sides of the ball and tout an experienced quarterback. The list could go on.

So expectations are high.

“We just try and focus one game at a time and not think about what people are saying about us or anything like that,” Massie said. “Just try to play the best we can.”


 “We just try and focus one game at a time and not think about what people are saying about us or anything like that,” Massie said. “Just try to play the best we can.”

As hard as they may try, there is no denying the excitement and anxiety swirling around the upcoming fall season. The program, which has won six Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference titles, including last season, and three state titles under Petroccio, is synonymous with winning. The team has mastered the art of deferring. The perfunctory answers about what the 2012 could be, and maybe should be, are given.

“We’re always looking to improve and we realize that we need to improve in certain areas and were just trying to get better every day,” Petroccio said.

But the question remains: How good can this Wreckers squad be?

HOPKINS

Coach: Tom Parr (31st year, 200-61)

League: Fairchester

Last season: 4-3

Top offensive players: Jim Martino, Jr., 6-1, 220, FB; Max Pantalena, Sr., 6-0, 200, G

Top defensive players: Spencer Lowlicht, Sr., 6-2, 215, DL; Sam Beck, Sr., 5-11, 175, CB

Key losses: Greg Volpe, QB; Jashon DeSenna, LB; Tikim Coombs, DB

Inside the huddle: Lines are experienced but, besides, Martino, skills players are very inexperienced. Skill players must mature quickly, especially at the quarterback position. The Hilltoppers will operate out of the I-formation. Junior Dan Rivera will be at halfback, while sophomore Kamsi Nwangu will see time at fullback. Parr thinks St. Luke's is the favorite in the Fairchester League. Parr said if his skill players can mature quickly, Hopkins could be a contender.
Stat Facts: Martino rushed 93 times for 638 yards and three touchdowns last season.

The Register-Citizen's Kevin Roberts takes a look at St. Paul junior quarterback Logan Marchi. 

By KEVIN D. ROBERTS
Assistant Sports Editor

kroberts@registercitizen.com

WINSTED — He was making the right reads, firing precision darts, and completing pass after pass at Van Why Memorial Field on the campus of The Gilbert School on Saturday.

He is Logan Marchi, a solid quarterback with good vision and a quick release. Marchi is a Winsted native, so Saturday was a football homecoming for him, but he was wearing the dark blue helmet associated with the St. Paul Catholic Falcons football team. The right-handed junior quarterback has been pretty locked in this summer in St. Paul’s spread offense according to head coach Jude Kelly, and there hasn’t been much that opposing defenses can do about it.

Gilbert/Northwestern and Lewis Mills each had that same problem on Saturday during a scrimmage.

“I think he has great vision and he has great touch,” Yellowjacket head coach Scott Salius said.

I went to Saturday's quad scrimmage between Hillhouse, Cromwell, Oxford and Fairfield Warde at Bowen Field in New Haven.

Below is a video of a series between Hillhouse and Warde.

Hillhouse looked pretty good. They moved the ball well, scoring several times. For as long as I stayed, Hillhouse did not surrender a touchdown.

The Academics seem to certainly be a Class M contender.

NORTH HAVEN

Coach: Anthony Sagnella (19 years, 99-94-2)

League: SCC

Last season: 9-2 (SCC Division II East Champions, Class L quarterfinalists)

Top offensive players: Jalon White, 5-9 ,165, Sr., TB (#21 in above photo); Matt Marcarelli, 6-0, 240, Sr., OL

Top defensive players: Quincy Pecora, 5-10, 175, Sr., LB (also is RB); Mike Halloran, 6-1, 185, Jr., LB

Key losses: Mark Zurlis (#44 in above photo), FB/LB; Jake Mikos, OL/DL; Andrew Savenelli, OL/DL; Joe Schwab, QB/DB; J.P. Deviglia, RB; Matt Manemiet, DB.

Inside the huddle: Need to develop younger players quickly, lacking experience due to large, productive senior class that graduated. Will again operate out of the single-wing formation. Sagnella hopes the Indians can be competitive in every game. He said this is a good group that lacks a lot of varsity experience. Team will be led by a strong junior class. 

Stat Facts: White rushed 140 times for 1,197 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior, and he's expected to be one of the top players in the SCC.  

HAND

Coach: Steve Filippone (23 rd year, 188-66-6)

League: SCC

Last season: 13-0 (Class L champions)

Top offensive players: Kyle Anderson, 6-4, 190, Sr., WR; Ian O'Toole, 5-9, 175, Sr., RB

Top defensive players: Matt Walsh, 6-1, 225, Sr., LB (also a fullback); Peter Gerson, 6-3, 215, Sr., DE

Key losses: Henry Foye, QB; Kevin Frey, RB; Joe DeMichele, OL/DL; Vance Giarratana, DB; Nick Vitale, WR

Inside the huddle: Graduated 16 starters, relative inexperience on offense at key positions, tradition and defense will be a team strength.Walsh made over 60 unassisted tackles last season and was a Register All-Area selection. Gerson made 56 solo tackles, 15 sacks and recovered two fumbles in 2011. Filippone calls Gerson the most explosive player he's ever coached. Senior strong safety Alex Tuccero made three interceptions as a junior. Seniors Cam Gravina and Matt Saganelli will anchor the offensive line. Anderson, who made 49 catches and seven touchdowns in 2011, is one of the SCC's top receivers. O'Toole is expected to take over the running back duties full-time after Frey graduated. Senior Brendan Bilchek is expected to be the team's starting quarterback. Filippone says Bilchek has good arm strength and is a capable decision maker.

Recruiting watch: Walsh has given his oral commitment to play at UConn. Gerson will attend Yale next fall. 

In response to @BigPat31 on Twitter, below are some games around the state that might be worth checking out in 2012.

You can follow me on Twitter @MikePucciNHR.

Dates, sites and times are subject to change.

CCC

New Britain at Glastonbury, Sept. 14, 6:30 p.m.
Southington at New Britain, Sept. 21, 7 p.m.
Rocky Hill at Berlin, Sept. 21, 7 p.m.
Bloomfield at Northwest Catholic, Sept. 29, 10:30 a.m.
Windsor at Hartford Public, Oct. 6, 6:30 p.m.
Berlin at Northwest Catholic, Oct. 13, 7 p.m.
Windsor at Middletown, Oct. 19, 7 p.m.
Rocky Hill at Bloomfield, Oct. 19, 7 p.m.
Glastonbury at Southington, Oct. 19, 7 p.m.
Berlin at Bloomfield, Nov. 9, 7 p.m.
Berlin at New Britain, Nov. 21, 6 p.m.
Northwest Catholic at Rocky Hill, Nov. 22, 10:30 a.m.

ECC

Fitch at Norwich Free Academy, Sept. 29, 1 p.m.
Norwich Free Academy at Ledyard, Oct. 5, 6:30 p.m.
Fitch at New London, Nov. 2, 6:30 p.m.
New London at Ledyard, Nov. 10, 10:30 a.m.
Norwich Free Academy at New London, Nov. 22, 10 a.m.

FCIAC

Greenwich at Ridgefield, Sept. 14, 7 p.m.
St. Joseph at Staples, Sept. 14, 7 p.m.
St. Joseph at Darien, Sept. 29, 1:30 p.m.
New Canaan at St. Joseph, Oct. 20, 2:30 p.m.
Staples at Darien, Oct. 27, 1:30 p.m.
St. Joseph at Trumbull, Nov. 21, 7 p.m.
New Canaan at Darien, Nov. 22, 10:30 a.m.
Staples at Greenwich, Nov. 22, 10 a.m.

NVL

Torrington at Wolcott, Sept. 21, 7 p.m.
Woodland at Ansonia, Sept. 21, 7 p.m.
Derby at Ansonia, Sept. 28, 7 p.m.
Holy Cross at Torrington, Sept. 28, 7 p.m.
Ansonia at Holy Cross, Oct. 5, 7 p.m.
Woodland at Torrington, Oct. 19, 7 p.m.
Wolcott at Ansonia, Nov. 2, 7 p.m.
Holy Cross at Woodland, Nov. 2, 7 p.m.
Woodland at Wolcott, Nov. 9, 7 p.m.
Wolcott at Holy Cross, Nov. 22, 10 a.m.
Naugatuck at Ansonia, Nov. 22, 10:30 a.m.

PEQUOT

Cromwell at Hyde, Oct. 6, 2 p.m.
Gilbert/NW Regional at Avon, Oct. 13, 6:30 p.m.
North Branford at Cromwell, Oct. 27, 1 p.m.
Hyde at North Branford, Nov. 21, 6 p.m.
Haddam-Killingworth at Valley Regional/Old Lyme, Nov. 21, 6:30 p.m.

SCC

Hand at Hillhouse (Bowen), Sept. 21, 4 p.m.
North Haven at Xavier, Sept. 21, 7 p.m.
Sheehan at Amity, Sept. 21, 7 p.m.
West Haven at Notre Dame-West Haven, Sept. 28, 7 p.m.
Fairfield Prep at Xavier, Sept. 28, 7 p.m.
Shelton at Fairfield Prep, Oct. 5, 6 p.m.
Hand at Xavier, Oct. 12, 7 p.m.
Hillhouse at North Haven, Oct. 12, 7 p.m.
West Haven at Hand, Oct. 19, 7 p.m.
North Haven at Sheehan, Oct. 19, 7 p.m.
Xavier at Hillhouse, Oct. 26, 3 p.m.
Xavier at Shelton, Nov. 2, 7 p.m.
Shelton at Hand, Nov. 9, 7 p.m.
West Haven at Xavier, Nov. 9, 7 p.m.
Foran at Guilford, Nov. 14, 7 p.m.
Amity at North Haven, Nov. 22, 10 a.m.
Fairfield Prep at West Haven, Nov. 22, 10:30 a.m.

SWC

Bethel at Bunnell, Sept. 14, 7 p.m.
Pomperaug at Masuk, Sept. 14, 7 p.m.
Bunnell at Brookfield, Sept. 21, 7 p.m.
Pomperaug at Newtown, Sept. 21, 7 p.m.
Brookfield at Newtown, Oct. 5, 7 p.m.
Masuk at Bunnell, Oct. 5, 7 p.m.
Masuk at Brookfield, Oct. 19, 7 p.m.
Brookfield at Pomperaug, Oct. 26, 7 p.m.
Bunnell at Newtown, Nov. 9, 7 p.m.
Masuk at Newtown, Nov. 21, 7 p.m.
Bethel at Brookfield, Nov. 22, 10 a.m.

Non-league

North Haven at New London, Oct. 5, 6:30 p.m.
Stamford at Norwich Free Academy, Oct. 20, 1 p.m.
Middletown at Xavier, Nov. 22, 10 a.m.
Cheshire at Southington, Nov. 22, 10:30 a.m.

AMITY

Coach: Bert Mozealous (3rd year, 8-12)

League: SCC

Last season: 4-6

Top offensive players: James Semmonella, 6-0, 195, Sr., QB; David Attolino, 5-10, 185, Sr., RB

Top defensive players: Greg Purcell, 6-0, 260, Sr., DL; Mike Vitale, 6-4, 275, Sr., DL

Key losses: Tyler Vallie QB, Cody Ellison WR/DB, Subhe Salah, OL

Inside the huddle: Mozealous says this year’s team will go as far the experienced line takes them. The Spartans have decent size up front, led by Purcell, Vitale and Toro. Another key will be the play of Semmonella, who moves from running back to quarterback. Semmonella replaces Tyler Vallie, who graduated. Vallie passed for 1,206 yards and 12 touchdowns last season and rushed for 918 yards and 13 scores. There are six starters returning on each side of the ball. Mozealous believes Amity should be very competitive this season.

Stat Facts: Semmonella rushed 63 times for 434 yards and four touchdowns last season and caught 22 passes and two more touchdowns.

EAST HAVEN

Coach: Greg Volpe (5th year)

League: SCC

Last season: 2-8

Top offensive players: Dom Dellacamera, Jr., RB; Mike DeMarco, Jr., RB

Top defensive players: Mark Spadacenta, Sr., DE; Bryant Maranda, Sr., LB

Key losses: Niko Fiorillo, QB/S; Joe Costanzo, RB/LB; Mike Vessicchio, WR/DB; Shawn Tarnawa, OL/DL

Inside the huddle: Very young team, small numbers, depth will be an issue, so remaining healthy will be key. Volpe says the team has implemented a new offense, which may take time to develop. Easties lost most of their skill players to graduation. Volpe says East Haven is the smallest team in the league, and is at a disadvantage against most teams.

Stat Facts: According to Max Preps, Dellacamera rushed 42 times for 184 yards and one score in six games that stats were entered last season.

OXFORD

Coach: Joe Stochmal (6th year, 13-28)

League: SWC

Last season: 5-5

Top offensive players: Bucky Gumbrewicz, Sr., OL; Dave Lavorgna, Sr., WR

Top defensive players: Brennen Diaz, Sr., LB; Jeff Haney, Jr., LB

Key losses: Alex Miller, QB/DB; Joe Carbonaro, OL/DL; Matt Hanna, OL/DL; Chris Hovan, RB/LB; Jordan Biagioni, WR/DB; Brian Spicer, TE/DE; Anthony Paternoster, FB/LB (playing at Fitchburg St.); Justin Lasto, WR/LB (playing at University of New Haven)

Inside the huddle: Stochmal says: “We will be young and have to show to grow up quickly. We must play with a sense of urgency. Staying healthy will be a key factor in our success, as we are young and inexperienced at the varsity level.” Most of the Wolverines’ skill players graduated, so replacing those starters will be a challenge, as will adjusting to a new offensive set. Stochmal lists Newtown and Bunnell as the top two teams in the South-West Conference.

Stat Facts: Diaz made five sacks and recovered two fumbles last season and will anchor the defense.

XAVIER

Coach: Sean Marinan (10th year)

League: SCC

Last season: 13-0 (SCC Division I champs, Class LL champs)

Top offensive players: Tim Boyle, 6-4, 220, Sr., QB; DeAngelo Berry, 5-9, 170, Sr., RB

Top defensive players: Kris Luster, 5-10, 175, Sr., CB; Max Tylki, 6-0, 210, Sr., LB

Key losses: Mike Mastroianni, RB; Pat D'Amato, QB; Jake Whalen, C/DE; Ryan Murphy, TE/SS; Ryan Jacobucci, WR/CB; Ryan Craig, LB; Sean Marinan, G/DE: Jovan Santos-Knox, TE/LB

Inside the huddle: The Falcons must replace of plethora of starters from last season, when Xavier won its second straight Class LL championship.  Five graduated starters were Register All-State selections. Marinan, the coach, believes that if his team can fill the holes and stay healthy, they should be competitive against any opponent. Berry will likely be the team's featured running back after rushing for 340 yards and five touchdowns last season. Tylki made 69 tackles and three sacks last season.

Recruiting watch: Boyle has already orally committed to play at Boston College. Boyle completed 31-of-48 passes for 716 yards and eight touchdowns last season.

By KEVIN D. ROBERTS
Assistant Sports Editor

The Register Citizen

 

KEVIN D. ROBERTS/Register Citizen Nonnewaug head football coach John Oko talks to his team after Tuesday's practice at Nonnewaug High School.

WOODBURY -- The Nonnewaug football team is moving quickly through the preseason.

With a new offense and new defense to learn before the first game, there's no choice.

Chiefs head coach John Oko ended Tuesday’s practice pleased with the effort that his team had put in.

“We did a good job,” Oko told the team in the post-practice huddle.
Nonnewaug had a few seniors decide not to come out for the team, but there are 37 others who are ready to work.

“I like their enthusiasm, their work ethic has been very good,” Oko said.

For more, click here.

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.”

For more, click here.

By JOHN NESTOR
Register Citizen Correspondent

Hungry for wins, Dunaj, Torrington football open practice

TORRINGTON — Torrington High football coach Dan Dunaj is looking to build a championship-caliber program and got to work on that goal with the current edition of Red Raiders on Monday at Torrington High School.

Entering his fifth season as head coach at Torrington, Dunaj has guided the Red Raiders to 14 wins over the past two seasons but is not content.

The Naugatuck Valley League had three playoff teams last season and two — Ansonia and Holy Cross — won state titles. Torrington has been competitive in the league of late and has gone 7-3 the past two seasons. Dunaj wants more.

“We’ve been moving forward as a program, but I’d like us to move forward faster,” he said. “We want to build a championship program, not just a team that is good for a year here and there. We’ve been 7-3 the last two seasons — that’s a nice record, but we want to get better.”

For more, click here.

LEDYARD

Coach: Jim Buonocore (13 years overall, 92-47-1)

League: ECC

Last season: 11-2 (ECC Medium Division champions, Class M finalists)

Top offensive players: John Rainey, 6-0, 185, Sr., QB; Kyle Wilson, 6-2, 255, Sr., OL

Top defensive players: Cal Karpi, 5-11, 185, Sr., LB; Chevy Perry, 6-0, 215, Sr., DE

Key losses: Dallas Smith, TE/LB; Alex Manwaring, RB; Slade Baxley, WR/DB; Matt Daggett, FB/LB

Inside the huddle: Keys to the season will be strong play on the line, balance on the offensive side of the ball, rush defense and strong special teams play. Rainey returns under center, but Colonels must replace the bulk of their offense with the graduation of their top running back (Manwaring) and receiver (Baxley). Wilson is expected to be one of the top linemen in the ECC, as should senior Bobby Bozym. 

Championship Fact: Ledyard has appeared in 10 state title games and has won four titles, but none since 2007.