East Lyme — Sean Ladyga called it the "plug and shuffle" Saturday afternoon, noting the difference between last season's roster of experienced players — plug them in and play — and what he has right now. Injuries on top of inexperience, thus creating plenty of angst on the sideline of the Thames River Crusaders.

OK. We'll stop there. Perhaps you don't know of "TRC," or knew it by another name. This is the tri-operative football program among St. Bernard, Norwich Tech and Grasso Tech, now in its second season in the Constitution State Conference, composed mostly of the state's technical high schools.

It wasn't a great day Saturday for the Crusaders. They allowed 28 unanswered points in a 42-18 loss to Cheney Tech. And yet they led 18-14 at one point, had the best player on the field (indomitable quarterback Jared Neal, who could play for absolutely anybody in the ECC) and were more competitive than the final score suggests. Even with injuries, youth, plugging and shuffling.

It was maybe the best evidence yet that the move to the CSC fit the program well. This was once hopeless in the ECC, radiating all the energy of a tea light. Now there's belief every day and every week, making "go, fight, win" a very real possibility.

"It gives us a chance to coach our kids to win games, instead of playing for safety," Ladyga said. "That's a blessing."

The program has 55 players. And get this: one from St. Bernard. One. Somewhere, Dave Pesapane and Bob Demars just winced. But with 35 from Norwich Tech and a little shy of 20 from Grasso, there is new life.

"As a technical high school, it kind of validates us as a program," Norwich Tech athletic director Tim DeLucia said. "Football is a status. Our school makes up the majority of the team. Football creates that camaraderie. There's something about a school that has a football program. Having it puts us in a different level with the enthusiasm it brings. When you say you have a football program, everybody's ears pick up a little bit."

The Crusaders had a winning season in 2015. Neal is a dynamic player. They even have snazzy new uniforms, a blue and silver that's either Georgetown Hoyas or the Dallas Cowboys (when they wear their navy tops). Just a totally different feel.

And have we mentioned they can win every week now?

"When we were in the ECC, numbers were down," DeLucia said. "Twentysomething guys on the team. The success we've had, the games are much more evenly matched and with winning, everybody wants to be part of it. There's less risk of injury. Guys are getting bigger and stronger. People want to be part of the winning program."

It's not so bad, either, to play on the turfed lawn of East Lyme High, where the Crusaders play their home games, although DeLucia said among the goals this season is to play the Thanksgiving Day game against Woodstock Academy at Norwich Tech. They still need goalposts and to paint the field. But it might happen.

"That would boost school spirit even more," DeLucia said. "This place (East Lyme High) is great. We get it for a steal. But it's still an away game. If people drive by and see a football game at Norwich Tech, they're going to stop."

Interesting, too, that Norwich Tech and Grasso Tech have another selling point. Public high schools throughout the region are feeling the squeeze to keep their kids home. Now you can learn a trade and still get to play competitive football.

"We're getting a different kind of athlete to the school and football is bringing additional athletes into the school," DeLucia said. "If we didn't have football, kids might not choose us. Now, a kid who might not be able to play at NFA or another school might choose us. They don't have to give up football."

There's no way of knowing whether Thames River would be competitive in the ECC at the moment. It's also irrelevant. Their home is the CSC. More travel? Sure. But competitive balance. A chance to compete.

"It's knowing you have a shot," DeLucia said. "It's a different atmosphere now."

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.