Howdy,

George King was a man. The Old Lyme native had been at the University of North Carolina for three months in 1943 when he was drafted into the Army. He served at Normandy as part of D-Day Plus-7.

George King was also a dude. He drove himself from his home in Dade City, Fla. to Old Lyme last fall to be honored before a Valley Regional/Old Lyme football game. He was 91. He sang to his nurse during the final days of his life at Hartford Hospital.

George King died on Sept. 29 due to a perforated gallbladder. Tim, his son and the head coach of the Valley/Old Lyme football team, coached two days later.

“It was tough, but it was also a relief because he loved the game,” King said. “He would want me out there. He would’ve probably been upset if I missed two or three practices doing funeral arrangements and all that kind of stuff.”

George King had been bothered by a burning sensation on his left side since January. It was thought to be a pinched nerve. No big deal. He could handle it.

King was actually having minor heart attacks.

“They estimated he had 50 to 60 of them,” Tim King said. “He had (to have) a quadruple bypass,” Tim King said. “He had one (while visiting us), and that’s when (doctors) hooked him up (to an EKG) and they said he needed a quadruple bypass.

“They went in and did it, and the doctor said he was strong. He almost broke his saw going through his chest cavity. He was as healthy as a horse. The doctor said he came through it wonderfully.”

What no one knew was that George King’s gallbladder had perforated and bile was spilling out into his body. He began feeling pain and his stomach enlarged when doctors figured out what was going on.

King was prepped for surgery to connect his small and large intestines. Tim and Ginny, his wife, waited for him. They started getting excited when they noticed staff busting about, figuring they were getting ready to take him out and to his room.

“The next thing I know, the doctor and a woman in charge come over and said he’s not going to make it,” King said. “(The gall bladder) poisoned his stomach and deteriorated his intestines. His body, at 92, couldn’t recuperate from it.”

Tim King had to sign off on taking George off life support. He died at 6:35 p.m. Tim King got home sometime after midnight. He took Wednesday off from work to make funeral arrangements while his staff took care of preparation for that Friday’s game against North Branford.

The threat of rain prompted North Branford to push the game to Thursday (Oct. 1).

“I’ve got a great staff,” King said. “My staff took over for me when I was at the hospital and all of the things that go along with the death and stuff like that. They’ve been wonderful, and the kids have been great. We had great practices. I was really proud of them. When I did get to practice, it’s such a relief because I know my dad would want me there. I kind of belong out here. I’m not a suit-and-tie guy.”

The Warriors upset North Branford, 27-21, in double overtime. Senior lineman-large human Jack Anthony Giaconia hoisted King in the air. King was handed the football and told the game ball was going to George.

Ginny King said that everyone lost it.

“The kids did a great job,” Tim King said. “They played for my dad. If you noticed, there’s a sticker, ‘GK”, on our helmets. I didn’t realize it until I came back to practice.”

George was buried with the game ball and a baseball cap of his beloved New York Yankees. A friend of the Valley/Old Lyme program contacted their friend, Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman, who shipped a game-day Yankees cap to be put in George’s casket.

• • • •

In general, Fitch had trouble moving the ball against Norwich Free Academy in Friday night’s 21-9 victory over the defending ECC Large Division champion Wildcats.

Even though NFA was playing without its playmaker in quarterback Jawaun Johnson, Fitch still needed to move the ball to make things work. It did so, mainly when it counted, getting three interceptions in the fourth quarter and converting three third downs on what was the Falcons’ go-ahead drive.

In that series, the Falcons converted a third down on a pass interference call, on a play where running back Johnathon Johnston took a pitch from quarterback Robby Duncan and dropped back to throw. The next third down play was a 20-yard completion from Duncan to Luke Letellier and the third was an 18-yard fade that Letellier barely stayed in bounds to catch at the 2.

“When we go back and look it, we had several different guys that made plays out there,” Fitch coach Mike Ellis said. “No question. … They’re playing with confidence. They’re making plays when the game is on the line.”

• • • •

Montville junior running back Austin Glidden carried the ball 25 times for 71 yards and a touchdown in Friday night's 21-7 victory over New London, most of them difficult yards, and Glidden “kept asking for more,” coach Tanner Grove said.

That toughness seems like a family trait.

Glidden is the younger brother of former Montville all-state running back Jeremiah Crowley, who ran for 2,139 yards and 36 touchdowns in 2013, including setting the state record with 526 yards rushing in one game.

“He's had to deal with some of that over the years,” Grove said of the comparison between the brothers.

Glidden didn't have any carries longer than nine yards, but gained three first downs for the Indians (3-1), one on second down, one on third and one on fourth-and-two on Montville's go-ahead scoring drive to end the first half.

• • • •

New London coach Duane Maranda praised quarterback Melquan Gomez for his game management.

Gomez was limping for much of the game, but threw 28 times for 130 yards, rolling out on many of his pass attempts, under pressure from Montville's defensive line.

"Our inability to run the football really hurt us," Maranda said. "We took a couple of big sacks. But (Gomez) is never going to pull himself off the field."

• • • •

Both NFA and Fitch teams were penalized nine times in Friday's game, Fitch for 76 yards and NFA for 73. ... Montville's Andrew Petherick had an interception in Saturday's games. … The kickers/punters for Montville and New London teams got a workout in the game. The kickers were perfect, with Montville's Tamara Veillette going 3-for-3 and New London's Jacob Commander hitting his only attempt. Commander also punted six times. Cody Calash, also the Montville quarterback, punted eight times, pinning New London at its own 7-yard-line. That punt eventually led to the Indians' first touchdown, as they took over at the New London 28. … Two players were ejected following a scuffle on a New London kick return in the second half, one for each team.

(Thanks to Vickie Fulkerson for supplying the notes on Fitch, Montville, New London, and NFA.)

• • • •

Five ECC teams have been in discussions with the Southern Connecticut Conference to join that league for football only. Four of those ECC teams cross over into the SCC this week — East Lyme (at Law), Fitch (at Guilford), New London (at Foran), and Norwich Free Academy (vs. Xavier). The first three games are at 7 p.m. NFA plays host to Xavier on Saturday (1 p.m.). Ledyard is the other team that has talked with the SCC.

• • • •

Programming note — The Day of New London Top 10 state coaches' poll will be released on Tuesday, a day later than usual, due to this weekend's postponements involving top-ranked teams. Please make a note of it.

• • • •

Thanks for reading. More online on Tuesday.

Vaya con dios.

Twitter: @MetalNED