'B' as in 'Bacon' and 'Believe', officials are masochists, notables, Top 10 polls, STORYTIME, and 4K other words
Bacon Academy’s players have finally started to believe in themselves.
Bobcats head coach Erik Larka has become a believer, too, after his team beat Ledyard for the first time Saturday, 25-22.
Larka was very vocal after a 54-14 loss at Ledyard last season about the inequity of what was then the Eastern Connecticut Conference Medium Division.
“Being honest, I feel there is a big discrepancy between the powerhouses — the haves and the have-nots,” Larka told the Norwich Bulletin. “The haves feast off the have-nots a lot. As the Bacon Academy football team, we look at our schedule and the best we can possibly do is 5-5. Teams like Montville and Ledyard, before the season starts they have six or seven wins already, because they’re feeding on us have-nots.
“I don’t know what has to be different, but I know as a coach it’s tough to prepare your team when you look at a team like this that is loaded, and we’re just your regular high school football team trying to piece things together.”
That certainly wasn’t the case on Saturday. The Bobcats led by as much as 17 points thanks to their passing game and defense. Sean Kelly completed 17 of 23 passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns for Bacon (3-0). One of those touchdowns came when receiver Dan Narlock got way behind his defender and took a long pass for a 60-yard touchdown. Teammate Tyler Bolden also took a screen pass for a 70-yard touchdown after slipping the grasp of two defenders.
The ECC restructed its divisions this season after the St. Bernard/Norwich Tech co-op left to form a co-op with Grasso Tech in the Constitution State Conference, placing Bacon in the Large Division with the likes of New London and Norwich Free Academy.
Larka was asked about his comments after last year’s Ledyard game, and what improved his team's confidence.
“The turning point was the New London game last week (a 34-18 win on Sept. 19),” Larka said. “We have some confident players. Peter (Kazibwe) is very confident. Sean is very confident. We had linemen coming back. We knew we’d be alright, but that win made them see, hey, if we do what coach says, things can work out.
“It doesn’t always translate, but two years ago, our froshmore team played the Ledyard froshmore team and they were successful on the field as well, so that gave those kids coming up confidence that they can actually beat Ledyard. So they had a little confidence as they matured. They weren’t as scared, I guess, or as intimidated.”
Colonels coach Jim Buonocore was well aware of Bacon’s talent as he said it was a legitimate threat prior to this season.
“They’ve got a nice team,” Buonocore said after Saturday’s game. “I’ve been saying that for the last year-and-a-half that they have a nice team. I think they’re starting to finally realize that they have some players, and I think that’s half the battle for them. They’ve had players the last couple of years. I think now you’re seeing them realize it and take advantage of it.”
Bacon’s defense held on late, too. The Colonels scored twice in final minutes and made the Bobcats sweat out their win.
“You always game-plan to win,” Larka said. “As coaches, we always want to win, but when history starts repeating itself, when (Ledyard) starts coming back and things like that, doubt still creeps in, even as an adult.
“The players, they won me over today as well. I’m definitely a believer in everything that we’re doing now.”
• • • •
Some notable results from Week 3:
Shelby Grant ran for 174 yards and SIX touchdowns last Saturday in a game that wasn't even that close. Mark Evanchick added 11 tackles and four sacks for the Blue Wave, which led 51-14 in the fourth quarter.
Ethan Carpenter had four catches for 194 yards and two scores as the Nighthawks thumped then-No. 7 Brookfield last Friday in a battle of unbeaten SWC teams. Hunter Cobb ran for three touchdowns and Ben Mason had eight tackles and two sacks for Newtown. It was also its 35th consecutive conference win dating back to 2011. Andrew Collins and Bobby Drysdale, the Bobcats' two leading rushers and two of its top tacklers, both missed the game to injury. Fullback-linebacker Austin Reich was also hurt and only played defense.
North Haven 42, Notre Dame-West Haven 21
We knew North Haven was good, but 21-points-better-than-Notre-Dame-good? Yowzah. The Indians the game's first 21 points as well as the final 21 points as it thumped the then-No. 4 Green Knights. Mike Montano ran 25 times for 128 yards and two scores for the Indians Robert Ralston added 13 tackles. As for ND, jeez. It was one of the most hyped teams this preseason because it returned 12 starters (seven on offense) from a team that played for a state title last season. Quarterback Christian Lupoli didn’t play the second half of Friday’s loss and head coach Tom Marcucci wouldn’t say why. The Green Knights cannot afford to lose Lupoli for any period of time given that they play No. 4 Shelton this week and Xavier next week to conclude DEATH SCHEDULE 2015 (ND's schedule was insanely frontloaded). Running back Kobe Wiggins was also knocked out of the game with a right hand injury.
Tajik Bagley ran 18 times for 108 yards and three scores as the Chargers defeated their neighbors for the ninth straight time last Friday. It was also a night of tributes for Ansonia. It was the Chargers first home game this season since the death of John “Bucky” Glenn, their affable statistician for over four decades. Glenn passed away last April and, man, the Ansonia sidelines won’t be the same without his jokes and booming voice. Jayme Tuttle also scored a 1-yard touchdown as the Chargers paid homage to former Fairfield Prep head coach Rich Magdon, Tuttle’s grandfather and surrogate father. The gregarious Magdon suffered a heart attack last week and was still hospitalized on game day. Tuttle’s touchdown was set up by teammate Markell Dobbs, who ran 10 yards and dropped to his knees at the Derby 1-yard line.
Berlin's defense held East Catholic to 101 yards on 38 carries last Friday between unbeaten CCC Division III teams. Owen Taylor ran 14 times for 86 yards and a score and had 15 tackles for Berlin (3-0) while Daniel Labbadia added 15 tackles. The Redcoats forced three fumbles.
The Yellowjackets improved to 3-0 after last Friday's win. “Why is that significant?,” you ask. SHUT UP. We were about to tell you why. Sheesh. East Haven hasn’t started 3-0 since 1978 (special thanks to sage Bob Barton for finding that data in his records). That it's taken 37 years for another 3-0 start should give you an idea about the previous state of the program. Austin Thornberg ran 17 times for 76 yards and a touchdown and scored on a 61-yard interception for the Easties.
Naugatuck led, 18-7, in the third quarter. Honest. No fooling. The Red Raiders went on to drop FIFTY on the Greyhounds in the second half. Connor Finn completed 17 of 22 passes for 333 yards and three touchdowns for Torrington (3-0) and Zack Mancini had nine catches for 151 yards and three scores.
Ellington 34, Cromwell/Portland 20
Mark Hickman had four catches for 70 yards and a touchdown and ran for two scores to become Ellington’s all-time leading scorer as it knocked off fellow unbeaten Cromwell/Portland on Saturday. Zach Luginbhul was credited with TWENTY SIX tackles. WHAT.
• • • •
One has to be a bit of a masochist to be an official, especially in high school sports where the pay is nowhere close to being commensurate with the hell they get from coaches, players, fans and us media goofs.
This past weekend was particularly hellish for officials with last Friday’s Trinity Catholic-Norwalk game generating the most rancor.
Trinity’s Johnny Somers caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Anthony Lombardi with 1 minute, 31 seconds left and juggled the ball. The official closest to the play immediately ruled it a catch, then ruled it no catch.
The officials proceeded to huddle together and, after a long, long discussion, ruled it a catch to give Trinity the go-ahead score and a 22-20 win.
Norwalk coach Sean Ireland was apoplectic over the call, ran onto the field to argue and was tossed shortly thereafter. He won’t be allowed to coach this week because of the ejection.
“It’s unbelievable,” Ireland told Dave Ruden of the Ruden Report. “The kid dropped the ball, the ball’s rolling around the damn track. They said it was an incomplete pass. It’s unbelievable.”
Some goofs at Testa Field decided that a disputed call at a sporting event was enough justification to release their inner-parasite, so they opted to stalk the officials after the game and throw items at them, according to Scott Ericson of Hearst Inc. Thankfully, the Norwalk police were on hand to escort the officials.
Norwalk athletic director Doug Marchetti told the Norwalk Hour, "What happened was an embarassment."
Was it a catch? You decide. Sean Patrick Starfish of the GameTimeCT.com/New Haven Register/21st Century Monolith posted video of the play HERE (approximately 69 people had sent him video of the play by late Saturday morning).
Trinity went nuts earlier in the game when a defender intercepted a pass, fell to the ground, got up and was allowed to run with the ball.
It didn’t help, either, that the officials called 25 penalties for 248 yards. Ruden reported that the game had no flow because the officials spent so much time conferencing after many of the penalties.
That same night, Notre Dame of West Haven’s Christian Lupoli threw a short incomplete pass to Nico Ragaini in the backfield. The officials didn’t whistle the play dead, so North Haven’s Mike Masnato scooped up the ball and returned it for a 40-yard touchdown to give his team a 7-0 lead on the game’s third play.
The Green Knights didn’t agree with the call.
“It’s not designed to be a backwards pass,” Notre Dame coach Tom Marcucci told Pooch Diggity Dogg of GameTimeCT.com/New Haven Register/21st Century Monolith.
Here’s video of the play, again via Starfish.
Saturday night, O’Brien Tech tried a bubble screen play. The pass was dropped with most of the players thinking it was an incomplete pass. Wilcox Tech’s Javon Johnson scooped up the ball and returned it for a 54-yard touchdown, his team’s only touchdown in a 9-8 win.
O’Brien Tech disputed the call and posted a clip at its Hudl page.
• • • •
How are we already to Week 4? The season just started last week to sate our football needs.
This week looked like THE WEEK of the year prior to the regular season. Then some unexpected happened and took off some of the sheen.
Week 4 features Southington-Glastonbury, so it’s still a dang good week.
Here’s what we’ve got:
No. 8 Ansonia (2-0, 1-0 NVL Copper) at Seymour (3-0, 2-0), Thursday: 6 p.m.
It’s a rivalry game. That and we love Thursday football. And Wednesday football. And Tuesday MAC-tion.
No. 1 Southington (3-0) at No. 9 Glastonbury (3-0), Friday, 6:30 p.m.
Buddha help us if this game gets rained out Friday because we will punch someone in the face. Someone much smaller than us. And slower. And older.
Ledyard (2-1, 0-1 ECC Large) at New London (1-2, 1-2), Friday, 6:30 p.m.
It’s Ledyard-New London. What more do you need? It will also put the loser’s Class M playoff hopes on tilt. That division generally has more two-or-three loss qualifiers than in the other three divisions, but no one wants to pick up their second (or third) with six games remaining. The Colonels and Whalers still have to play Norwich Free Academy, too.
New Fairfield (2-1) at Masuk (3-0), Friday, 7 p.m.
New Fairfield’s loss was to Brookfield in Week 1. It’s a good team. The Panthers have beaten three losing programs. They and Newtown are also the SWC’s only unbeaten teams.
North Haven (3-0, 1-0 SCC D-II East) at East Haven (3-0, 0-0), Friday, 7 p.m.
NO ONE thought this game would be an important division game before the start of the season, but here we are.
No. 4 Shelton (3-0) at No. 10 Notre Dame-W.H. (2-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
Two of the SCC's best teams not named "North Haven." And again, ND's DEATH SCHEDULE 2015 is ridiculous no matter how many times we look at it.
Wethersfield (3-0, 1-0 CCC D-II West) at Bristol Central (2-1, 1-0), Friday, 7 p.m.
Wethersfield beat winless Bristol Eastern last Friday, 14-6. Central gave Windsor hell in Week 1.
Wolcott (3-0, 2-0 NVL Iron) at Naugatuck (2-1, 0-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
Wolcott is unbeaten against teams that start with “W” — Wilby (42-6), Watertown (41-20), and Woodland (55-15). Naugatuck is the Eagles' first big test, and it should be mighty grouchy after last Friday's game against Torrington went south on it.
Xavier (2-1) vs. St. Johns-Shrewsbury, Mass. (2-1) at Assumption College, Saturday, 7 p.m.
The Falcons take a road trip to Taxachusetts to face their Xavierian Brothers. St. John's is a Mass power — it's won five Division I/IAA Super Bowl championships in the last 11 years.
• • • •
Gaze lovingly upon The Day of New London Top 10 state coaches' poll: 1. Southington (3-0, 11 first-place votes); 2. New Canaan (2-0, one first-place vote); 3. Darien (2-0, one first-place vote); 4. Shelton (3-0); 5. Windsor (3-0); 6. North Haven (3-0); 7. Newtown (3-0); 8. Ansonia (2-0); 9. Glastonbury (3-0); and, 10. Notre Dame-W.H. (2-1).
• • • •
The GameTimeCT.com/New Haven Register/21st Century Monolith Top 10 media poll. It features the same 10 teams, albeit in different order: 1. Southington (28 first-place votes); 2. New Canaan; 3. Darien (one first-place vote); 4. Windsor (one first-place vote); 5. Shelton; 6. Newtown; 7. North Haven; 8. Ansonia; 9. Glastonbury, and, 10. Notre Dame-W.H.
• • • •
Ned Freeman's cold, calculating computer rankings for CalPreps and MaxPreps: 1. Darien; 2. Southington; 3. St. Joseph (1-0); 4. New Canaan; 5. Newtown; 6. North Haven; 7. Notre Dame-W.H.; 8. Shelton; 9. West Haven (2-1), and, 10. Hand (3-0). Windsor is 14th, Glastonbury 20th, and Ansonia 24th.
Note that it takes a few weeks for the computer to develop a better understanding of things. Most of its knowledge at the moment comes from past performance of teams and leagues, but once it gets more data, it's as accurate a gauge of the state scene as pollsters' opinions (if not moreso).
• • • •
Dig the ballot Polecat HQ filed for the media poll:
1. Southington
2. New Canaan
3. Darien: Reckon we’re going to have to consider moving the Blue Wave up if last Saturday's sacking of Greenwich is a portent of things to come.
4. North Haven: Truth time — we're way too ecstatic that a team running GOD'S FATHER'S OFFENSE is kicking butt. We won't even pretend to be objective about it. Just knock off that spread stuff, Indians, okay?
5. Shelton: The Gaels’ offense should be hell bent for leather now that the electric Chris Kanios is back.
6. Windsor: Reckon the Warriors won't get challenged until the end of Week 8 when it plays at Wethersfield (Oct. 30).
7. Newtown: Nighthawks have been to the SWC the past three seasons what Ansonia has been to the NVL forever and ever.
8. Notre Dame-West Haven: Considered dropping it lower solely based on QB Christian Lupoli’s undisclosed injury. The Green Knights are a Class L contender with him, they're in dire straits without him. Hard to drop them too far after the way they bashed West Haven in Week 2, though.
9. West Haven
10. Xavier
11. Glastonbury
12. Ansonia: Hard to gauge. On one hand, it has 18 new starters. On the other hand, it returned all-staters Tyler Bailey (WR-OLB) and Tajik Bagley (RB-CB). On the other hand, insiders say the NVL is down this season. On the other hand, what other teams seem like a mortal lock to make a run at the Class S crown? All that gibberish is a long-winded way of saying that Ansonia will likely be around the 10-to-12 range for a bit.
13. Conard: Wonder if its struggle with East Hartford was the result of a post-Glastonbury hangover.
14. Brookfield: Cutting it slack for losing with two of its best players injured.
15. Bacon Academy: Oh, why not. Let’s vote someone new. Considered Torrington, too.
• • • •
STORYTIME~!
Kurmudgeonly Kountry Kyle Brennan, Waterbury Anarchist-American: Stoeckert in middle of Wolcott's versatility.
Raconteur Bryant Carpenter, Meriden Record-Journal: Tuesday's Morning QB.
Brad Carroll, New Britain Herald: Area notebook.
Jon Chik, Hearst Inc.: 10 takeaways from Week 3.
Ray Curran, GameTimeCT.com/New Haven Register/21st Century Monolith: Inside the SCC.
Mark Jaffee, Waterbury Anarchist-American: At Oxford, successful change of scheme.
Ken Lipshez, Meriden Record-Journal: Maloney mustered a program win over Newington.
John Nash, Norwalk Hour: Area notebook.
Norwich Bulletin: Area notebook, and, Tuesday Morning Quarterback.
Pooch Diggity Dogg: Unbeaten Hillhouse "blossoming at right time", and, Xavier hits road to face another Xavierian Brother: St. John’s of Shrewsbury, Mass.
• • • •
NOTABLES~!
Southington had two 100-yard backs in last Friday’s 55-13 torching of Simsbury, and each played did it on six carries. Vance Upham ran for 110 yards and two scores for the top-ranked Blue Knights and Alessio Diana added 122 yards and a touchdown. Also, Jasen Rose completed 9 of 14 passes for 208 yards and three scores. ... Michael Collins completed 10 of 11 passes for 179 yards and five touchdowns for No. 2 New Canaan in its 53-8 rout of Bridgeport Central last Saturday. All three of Peter Swindell’s catches were for touchdowns.
Zach Tuskowski completed 14-of-15 passes for 269 yards and five touchdowns as No. 4 Shelton crushed Guilford last Friday, 56-7. … Jakhari Grant completed 7 of 13 passes for 260 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a 20-yard touchdown as No. 5 Windsor thumped RHAM last Friday, 47-6. Bennie Fulse also ran seven times for 85 yards and two scores.
Keyion Dixon had five carries for 85 yards and two touchdowns and completed 3 of 4 passes for 58 yards as No. 9 Glastonbury bounced Bulkeley/Hartford Magnet/Weaver last Friday, 49-8. Jake Madnick ran seven times for 82 yards and two scores and caught a 31-yard touchdown from Dixon.
Jon Lindgren dominated the stat sheet in Friday’s 33-6 win over Rockville. Lindgren ran for 176 yards and two touchdowns, threw two touchdowns, scored on a fumble return, had 15 tackles, a sack, AND blocked an extra point.
Maloney senior Justin McEwen, the Spartans' FOURTH-STRING quarterback, was forced to take over that position in the second quarter of last Friday's 27-21 win over Newington. Starter Chris Dingwell was knocked out with a collarbone injury, and the second-and-third stringers were injured, too. McEwen completed 5 of 11 passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns and added seven tackles and an interception.
Hillhouse’s Terron Mallory (65 yards), Kyle Williams (0) and Terrence Mallory (47) on interception returns in the first half of last Thursday’s 45-6 rout of Lyman Hall. ... Dajion Hill threw a 31-yard touchdown to Ronnie Watson with two minutes left in the game as New Britain rallied from a 14-point deficit to beat Manchester on Friday. ... Seymour's Jaylen Kelly ran 21 times for 127 yards and three scores and completed 8 of 12 passes for 145 yards in last Friday's 36-20 win over St. Paul.
Quarterback Noah Cruz ran 21 times for 149 yards and four touchdowns as Bristol Central thumped Platt last Friday, 32-14. Luis Medina added 14 carries for 146 yards and a score. Cruz, by the way, is the official quarterback of the Polecat this season. He’s generously listed at 6-foot and looks every bit of 225 pounds he's listed at on the team roster. He’s built like a fullback, runs like one, and looks like an undersized heavyweight wrestler who whips up on the larger, fatter and lumbering dudes at that weight class.
Ian McDonald scored on runs of 21, 7, 73 and 9 yards as Avon won on Homecoming (and under portable lights) last Friday, 47-7. The Falcons scored 26 in the first quarter. … Jake Roper scored on runs of 6, 38, 9 and 39 yards as Bethel beat Pomperaug last Friday, 33-14. ... Zach Tuskowski was an uber-efficient 14 of 15 passing for 269 yards and five touchdowns as No. 4 Shelton trounced Guilford last Friday, 56-7.
Tyler Hansen had a hand in all of New Milford's touchdowns in last Friday's 35-21 win over Bunnell. Hansen completed 17 of 28 passes for 272 yards and three scores and ran 21 times for 114 yards and two scores. It was the Green Wave's first win over Bunnell since 2001. ... Staples held Wilton to 90 yards offense in its 37-0 win last Friday. Andrew Speed completed 12 of 16 passes for 132 yards and ran for 134 yards and two scores. … Haddam-Killingworth stopped the Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby on fourth-and-5 from H-K's 15-yard line with less than four minutes left to win last Friday, 7-0. Alex Segaline threw a 20-yard touchdown to Trevor Mann in the first quarter for the Cougars.
Dom Pagano ran for 150 yards and four touchdowns. .... on six carries as Granby trounced Hartford Sports Medical/University last Friday, 42-6. Connor Field ran eight times for 102 yards and a TD for Granby (3-0) and Pagano completed the two passes he threw for 55 yards, including a touchdown. ... Brandon Reed had two fourth-quarter interceptions as Cheney Tech beat Quinebaug Valley last Friday, 16-9. ... Finn Cahill kicked a 22-yard field goal in overtime to give Conard a 23-20 win over East Hartford last Friday.
Rayshawn Phillips threw for 171 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 51 yards and a score as Bloomfield beat Rocky Hill last Friday, 26-19. Grant Nieves ran for 187 yards and a touchdown and caught a 77-yard touchdown from Danny Cavallaro for Rocky Hill. … Killingly's Austin Caffrey ran 21 times for 259 yards and three touchdowns as his team trounced Waterford last Friday, 54-22.
Nick van Dell completed 19 of 24 passes for 305 yards and five touchdowns as Hand beat Wilbur Cross last Friday, 42-16. Mark Hill had eight catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns for the Tigers (3-0) and Ryan Kaufmann added seven catches for 140 yards and two scores. ... West Haven's Kyle Godfrey ran for five touchdowns in a 46-14 rout of Cheshire last Friday. ... Lance DiNatale completed 19 of 24 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns as Foran downed Sheehan last Friday, 50-13. R.J. Balado added 23 carries for 135 yards and two touchdowns for Foran (2-0) and Brett Huber had 10 catches for 163 yards and three scores.
Taisun Phommachanh completed 16-for-20 passes for 243 yards and four touchdowns as unbeaten Harding downed Thames River on Saturday, 55-6. ... Jordan Davis threw two touchdowns and scored on a 1-yard run as Prince Tech blanked Vinal Tech/East Hampton/Goodwin Tech last Saturday, 34-0. … Kyle Zajack completed 10 of 18 passes for 171 yards and three touchdowns to pace Capital Prep/Achievement First past Platt Tech last Saturday, 44-14. Jakob Vera added a 3-yard touchdown catch and scored on an 85-yard kickoff return for Prep/First.
Jack Manzi threw an 18-yard touchdown to Mike Adebimpe on fourth down in overtime as Northwest Catholic edged Fermi on Saturday, 12-6. Fermi was stopped at the 2-yard line on its overtime drive … Tyler Strickling ran 19 times for 164 yards and three touchdowns as Hall beat Hartford Public last Saturday, 34-20. ... Zach Mauro ran for 297 yards and five touchdowns as Nonnewaug downed Canton last Saturday, 35-0.
• • • •
That's all for now. Thanks for reading.
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