West Haven giving foes the Dickens, and all the usual Tuesday fun. Sorry about that pun
Howdy,
Are you a Division I football coach in the market for a nose guard to add to your 2017 recruiting class? If so, then West Haven head coach Rich Boshea has just the man for you to meet.
Matter of fact, Boshea wishes you’d make an offer to senior Byron Dickens, the Blue Devils' 6-foot-3, 290-pound devourer of offensive linemen.
“Last year, he squatted 570 (pounds), benched 365 and cleaned 285,” Boshea said. “He can grab the (basketball) rim. And yet Division I coaches tell me he’s a quarter-inch too short to play for them.
“I just think that’s ridiculous. He’s a great player. (Former defensive tackle) John Randle was 6-1 and he did pretty well for the (Minnesota) Vikings in the NFL. So I think Bryan should be able to play at a Division I school.”
Boshea is in no hurry to see Dickens leave the Westies anytime soon. He blocks for the team’s fleet of speedballs on offense, and makes it nearly impossible for opponents to run on the defense.
Dickens was the man in the middle for the Blue Devils in their 27-18 win at Xavier last Friday in the first of many big Southern Connecticut Conference Tier 1 games this season.
West Haven moved up to No. 5 in this week’s Day of New London Top 10 state coaches’ poll. The Falcons were No. 9 prior to the game and dropped out.
A key part of Xavier’s success over the years is lining up big dudes across its offensive line and trampling opponents with the run.
Dickens and the Westies made the Falcons one-dimensional. They held Fordham-bound running back Glenn Cunningham (6-2, 215) to 69 yards on 21 carries.
“That was the toughest offensive line I’ve ever played against in my life,” Dickens said. “Number 77 (Alex Bates), he’s big (6-1, 290) and strong.
“We came here knowing that if we let (Cunningham) run all over, it would be a bad game for us.”
The Falcons made sure it double-teamed Dickens at all times, which freed up his teammates. Defensive backs Anthony Godfrey and Tyrese Cowes each had a sack, and linebackers Bob Hawkins and Mike Charlton seemed to be in on every other tackle.
“Hawkins and Charlton are two really good, solid high school linebackers,” Boshea said. “Bobby Hawkins, he plays hard. He gives you everything. He plays both ways (he’s also a guard). But those two inside linebackers have the best luxury of any linebackers in Connecticut because they have Byron Dickens right in front of them, so (offensive linemen) can’t reach on them.
“Byron is pushing those interior linemen back. (Charlton and Hawkins) are able to scrape, they’re able to make plays as a result of Byron Dickens just pushing things around in the center. He’s a tremendous, tremendous, tremendous high school nose guard.”
Dickens got a sack of his own and helped Chris Chance and Anthony and Kyle Godfrey combine to rush 33 times for 190 yards and a.
Tim McCarthy completed 6 of 13 passes for 121 yards for the Westies. Sheilan Velazquez was his top target (three catches, 63 yards) and scored on a 60-yard punt return late in the first quarter to give the Blue Devils a 7-6 lead they never relinquished.
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A few other games of note in Week 2:
The Academics had last week’s biggest win considering that teammate Derrick Smith was shot twice on Thursday night and hospitalized. They also cleared one of the biggest obstacles on their schedule by beating one of the state’s most successful programs. Matt Brehon ran for 94 yards, including the go-ahead touchdown on a 55-yard run with 3:10 left in the game. He also scored on a 78 yard kickoff return for Hillhouse (2-0). Damian Henderson Jr. was 8 of 14 for 165 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown to C.J. Corbett. Mike Burchell ran 11 times for 116 yards for the Tigers. We urge you to read the story Ray Curren of the GameTimeCT Monolith wrote about the bond between both team's head coaches and how diversity is the SCC's best trait.
New Canaan — and the Tigers’ rotten luck — turned what was supposed to be one of the best games last weekened into a rout. Ryan O’Connell had four catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 18 times for 127 yards for the Rams. Freshman Drew Pyne, who’s already getting offers from Power Five programs, completed 20 of 35 passes for 281 yards and two scores in his first start for New Canaan. Ridgefield started fast as Drew Fowler threw a 67-yard touchdown to Shane Palmer on the game’s fifth play. Fowler was knocked out of the game in the second quarter, and the Tigers trailed at halftime, 14-13.
The Falcons' Tyler Nelli ran for two touchdowns and threw for another in the fourth quarter of last Friday’s win. Nelli ran 16 times for 133 yards and threw for 56 yards. Hollis Scott added 17 carries for 160 yards for Fitch. Dylan Hatajik ran nine times for 88 yards and a touchdown and completed 9 of 20 passes for 163 yards for the Vikings.
Brett Huber ran for two fourth-quarter touchdowns as the Lions outlasted Zach Davis and the Titans. Lance DiNatale completed 15 of 22 passes for 209 yards and ran 13 times for 91 yards and a touchdown for Foran while Zac Cleary ran 13 times for 91 yards and a touchdown and kicked field goals of 23 and 29 yards. Davis 23 times for 332 yards and five touchdowns, the second straight week he rushed for over 300 yards.
Mitchell Smith threw a 5-yard touchdown to Hayden Hulme with 9 seconds left as the Lawmen scored 19 unanswered second-half points for their first win under Erik Larka (formerly of Bacon Academy). Smith completed 15 of 25 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown and ran nine times for 49 yards and a touchdown for Law. Joe Mugford added 122 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. McClay Marshall had 15 carries for 110 yards and a score for the Yellowjackets. Pooch Diggity Dogg from the GameTimeCT Monolith wrote a little something about the Lawmen HERE.
Morgan 33, Haddam-Killingworth 27
Morgan stuffed Haddam-Killingworth on fourth-and-goal from the 3-yard line with a minute left to win last Friday. Madden Ward threw for 146 yards and two touchdowns for Morgan (2-0). Alex Segaline scored on runs of 57 and 10 yards and caught an 11-yard touchdown from John Grasso for the Cougars.
Tyler Sullivan completed 30 of FIFTY EIGHT passes for 410 yards and three touchdowns and two interceptions and ran 18 times for 90 yards and three scores to lead the Green Wave to victory. Max Vaughey had 10 catches for 210 yards and a touchdown for New Milford and Matthew Brevard added eight catches for 113 yards and a score. Tyler Davis ran for two touchdowns and threw two others for Bethel.
Norwalk 48, Fairfield Warde 34
Krishtjan Frrokaj did many, many things to help the Bears win. He threw three touchdowns, ran for a touchdown, and kicked six extra points and field goals of 21 and 32 yards. Dang.
Greenwich 41, Trinity Catholic 20
A real nice win for the Cardinals given that they needed a late touchdown to beat Westhill in Week 1 (22-16), whereas Trinity gave second-ranked New Canaan trouble before second-half mistakes led to a 20-7 loss. Connor Langan completed 9 of 18 passes for 171 yards and four touchdowns and ran for a another. Five players combined to rush 48 times for 230 yards for Greenwich.
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BEHOLD, The Day of New London Top 10 state coaches' poll ... is at the bottom of this here blog.
It’s quite helpful to have a brand name that’s carved into the public’s brains.
One doesn’t make copies, they “Xerox” them. Any Internet search is “Googling,” even if one isn’t using Google. McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and the Nike logo are omnipresent.
A name brand helps when it comes to a team’s reputation in Connecticut high school football, and few have the credibility of the Ansonia Chargers. Love them or hate them, they’ve won a state-record 20 CIAC championships and are on a 56-game winning streak in the Naugatuck Valley League.
The Chargers (2-0) make their season-debut in The Day's Top 10 state coaches’ poll at No. 10 this week after Xavier’s loss to West Haven last Friday knocked the Falcons out of the Top 10.
Ansonia head coach Tom Brockett has been honest about this year’s team. The Chargers graduated almost all of their offensive production and returned just five starters. Brockett has said this is among the most inexperienced teams of his 11-year career. He’s acknowledged that rival Seymour should be the NVL’s favorite based on its returning players and an All-State talent in Jaylen Kelley (QB-DB-P). And it was Bloomfield (2-0) that beat the Chargers in last year’s Class S championship game.
The coaches voting in the poll have immense respect for Ansonia with 12 of 13 voting for it this week, none lower than 12th.
Ansonia will get to prove itself. The NVL has less depth than usual this season, so the Chargers should be unbeaten when they play host to Seymour on Oct. 27.
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The New Haven Register/GameTimeCT.com Monolith Top 10 media poll: 1. Darien (2-0, 23 first-place votes); 2. New Canaan (2-0, three first-place votes); 3. Shelton (2-0, one first-place vote); 4. Southington (2-0); 5. West Haven (2-0); 6. Windsor (2-0); 7. Staples (2-0); 8. Newtown (2-0); 9. Middletown (2-0); and, 10. Bloomfield (2-0).
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Dig the ballot Polecat HQ filed for the New Haven Register/GameTimeCT media poll:
1. Darien
2. New Canaan
3. Southington
4. West Haven: We have to wait until Nov. 11 for Westies vs. Shelton.
5. Shelton: In the interim, the Gaels and West Haven will have to survive the almost weekly SCC Tier 1 blood pit.
6. Staples
7. Windsor: Flipped it and Middletown. Just a hunch.
8. Middletown
9. Newtown
10. Xavier: Assuming the Falcons wanted to crawl into a hole after watching how many passes they dropped on the game film from last Friday's game.
11. Hillhouse: The Academics cleared the first of two large obstacles last Friday to their path to the Class M playoffs. The second obstacle is this Friday's game at Fairfield Prep.
12. Masuk: Scored the fourth-most points (97) through two games.
13. Fairfield Prep: There's one of four places YOU should be this Friday — New London (vs. Killingly), Rocky Hill (vs. Bloomfield), Southington (vs. Glastonbury), or Fairfield University (Prep vs. Acs).
14. Cheshire: Plays host to Sheehan on Friday. After that, the Rams play at West Haven, Xavier, Prep, at Shelton, Notre Dame-West Haven, Hand, and at Southington. HOLE-EEEE SOMETHING-OR-RATHER. To think there are teams with far inferior schedules who mew that theirs is too hard (some of which reside in a league that rhymes with "ECC" wait we did that wrong).
15. Rocky Hill: It was a toss-up between the Terriers and Bloomfield, so we went with the team that uses GOD'S OFFENSE. This ranking could change after Friday night.
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NOTABLES~!
Brian Peters threw three touchdowns and Darien's defense had seven sacks in last Saturday's 51-14 romp over Stamford. ... David Wells was 13 of 24 for 181 yards and two touchdowns and ran nine times for 122 yards and two touchdowns to lead No. 3 Shelton past Notre Dame of West Haven last Friday, 33-21. Christopher Elias completed 23 of 36 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns for the Green Knights. ... Fourth-ranked Southington scored 42 first-quarter points as it ran down Simsbury last Friday, 56-7. Vance Upham ran 12 times for 196 yards and three scores.
Jahkari Grant completed 17 of 21 passes for 236 yards with two touchdowns and ran five times for 60 yards and two scores as No. 6 Windsor blasted Newington last Friday, 42-0. ... Hunter Cobb accounted for all six of Newtown’s touchdowns in last Friday’s 42-19 rout of Stratford. Cobb ran 31 times for 196 yards and five touchdowns and caught three passes for 78 yards and a score for the No. 7 Nighthawks (2-0). Justin Dunn was 9 of 11 for 195 yards and a touchdown.
Harris Levi had 24 carries for 225 yards and three touchdowns as No. 8 Staples clobbered Danbury last Friday, 36-7. … Tyshaun James racked up 342 yards of total offense as No. 9 Middletown rumbled past Wethersfield last Friday, 34-3. James had 13 carries for 160 yards and three touchdowns and was 10 of 17 for 182 yards and a score. ... Markell Dobbs scored on runs of 4, 29, 54 and 82 yards as No. 10 Ansonia hammered Waterbury Career last Friday, 44-0. Bryson Cafaro threw an 18-yard touchdown to Jake Butler and kicked a 44-yard field goal.
Larry St. Pierre ran for 107 yards and three touchdowns as Berlin downed Rockville last Friday, 50-14, and honored the memory of former teammate Nick Zuk, who died of cancer last June. The Redcoats will start every game with 10 players to honor Zuk, who played right tackle and nose guard.
Seymour’s Jaylen Kelley went berserk in last Friday’s 48-12 thumping of Naugatuck. Kelley ran 21 times for 252 yards and four touchdowns and completed 4 of 7 passes for 95 yards, including a 55-yard touchdown to Alex Massie. Bobby Melms added a 94-yard touchdown run for the Wildcats. … Melquann Gomez completed 10 of 20 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns and ran seven times for 48 yards and two scores as New London thrashed Griswold last Friday, 50-0. Efrain Santiago III ran six times for 122 yards and two touchdowns for the Whalers (2-0).
Khyon Gillespie scored on runs of 58, 15 and 35 yards during a FORTY POINT FIRST QUARTER as Capital Prep/Achievement First blitzed Thames River last Friday, 54-14. … Kyle Derosier was an efficient 7 of 13 for 152 yards and four touchdowns in Killingly’s 34-14 win over Stonington last Friday. Spencer Lockwood added 19 carries for 199 yards and a touchdown for Killingly. …. Michael Polzella was 14 of 18 for 229 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two more as Wolcott slammed Kennedy last Friday, 54-0. Ray Iorio added 22 carries for 162 yards and two TDs.
Josh Vega had three 339 all-purpose yards to pace Derby past Crosby last Friday, 38-13. Vega ran 10 times for 238 yards and two touchdowns, had two catches for 82 yards and a touchdown, and a 19-yard punt return for the Red Raiders. … Cody Ouellette ran for 129 yards and four touchdowns and threw an 8-yard touchdown as Tolland blanked RHAM last Friday, 37-0. ... Burke Martindale threw for 185 yards and three touchdowns as Hall ripped Enfield last Friday, 54-12. The Warriors scored 20 in both the second and third quarters.
Dexter Lawson threw for 157 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a 62-yard touchdown as the defending Class S champion WARHAWKS clawed Plainville last Friday, 49-0. Syracuse-bound Russell Thompson-Bishop added four catches for 93 yards and two touchdowns. ... Bunnell's Mike Castelot threw for 258 yards and three second-half touchdowns in last Friday's 20-9 win over Class M finalist New Fairfield, 20-9. Castelot passed for 202 yards in the second half for the Bulldogs. ... Kristian Sapp ran for 194 yards and three touchdowns in Cromwell/Portland's 33-0 beating of SMSA/University/Classical last Friday.
Grant Nieves had 237 all-purpose yards for Rocky Hill in last Friday’s 42-8 beating of Northwest Catholic. Nieves scored on catches of 16, 29 and 64 yards and returned a punt for a 63-yard touchdown. Danny Cavallaro threw for 189 yards and four touchdowns for the Terriers. . ... Trevor Baker threw for 210 yards and four touchdowns in Lewis Mills’ 34-21 win over Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton last Friday. ... Jamill Garcia ran for three touchdowns and threw for another to pace Cheney Tech past Vinal Tech/East Hampton/Goodwin Tech last Friday, 43-16.
BEWARE of Masuk of Monroe. Second-year quarterback Matt Hersch was 15 of 25 for 252 yards and six touchdowns — all in the first half — as the Panthers gored their fellow Panthers last Friday, 48-8. The versatile Nicholas Dellapiano added seven catches for 157 yards and three scores. … Michael Glasper had three sacks as New Britain edged Manchester last Friday, 24-20. Keyon Wellington ran 23 times for 163 yards and a touchdown for the Golden Hurricanes (2-0). Edison Galan was 19 of 37 for 351 yards and two scores for the Manchester.
Our new favorite name of the season — PRESTON STUDLEY of Maloney. He ran for 78 yards and a touchdown in a 26-14 win over Hartford Public last Friday. … Platt blocked two extra points after a touchdown in last Friday’s 16-6 win over E.O. Smith. Julian Badillo swatted the first extra point try, but a roughing the kicker penalty gave E.O. Smith a second chance. Javon James blocked the second attempt. ... Billy Komons had 10 carries for 175 yards and three touchdowns as Gilbert/Northwestern Regional downed Canton last Friday, 55-6.
Blake Newcomer completed 14 of 27 passes for 245 yards and three touchdowns as Westhill trounced Bridgeport Central last Friday, 45-16. Neldylens “NOODLES” Metayer scored the game’s first two touchdowns on a 9-yard fumble return and a 25-yard catch for Westhill, which allowed two yards and no first downs in the first half. ... Nate Lajoie threw for 143 yards and three touchdowns and scored on a 16-yard run to pace Stafford/East Windsor/Somers past Granby last Friday, 27-7. … East Catholic's Marc Zazzaro ran 15 times for 201 yards and four touchdowns in last Saturday’s 30-14 win over Avon.
Corey Babineau completed 17 of 22 passes for 291 yards and six touchdowns as St. Joseph soared past Ledyard last Saturday's, 50-12. Jared Mallozzi had nine catches for 136 yards and four touchdowns for the Cadets. … St. Paul ran 47 times for 432 yards in last Saturday’s 46-13 win over Holy Cross. Damein Rabis ran for 180 yards and four touchdowns and a two-point conversion for the Falcons and Pierce Piana ran for 184 yards and two scores. St. Paul also didn’t attempt a pass (breathless sigh).
How about them South Windsor Bobcats? Connor Kapisak threw three second-half touchdowns to Mike Foley in last Saturday’s 20-14, come-from-behind win over Bristol Central. Kapsiak completed 15 of 24 passes for 196 yards for South Windsor (2-0) and Foley had five catches and 117 yards for the Bobcats. … Bullard-Havens’ Tyrese Wright toyed with Platt Tech in last Saturday’s 48-6 rout. Wright completed 11 of 14 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 106 yards and two touchdowns for the Tigers. Keith Gathers add 11 carries for 236 yards and a touchdown.
Glastonbury’s Ryan Solecki had two first-quarter interceptions, one of which he returned for a 35-yard touchdown in last Saturday’s 42-8 win over Bulkeley/HMTCA/Weaver. Solecki also had a 52-yard touchdown catch. … Ricky Sorensen ran 16 times for 184 yards and four touchdowns for Coginchaug as it whacked Nonnewaug last Saturday, 44-14. Ryan Cross added eight carries for 139 yards and completed 8 of 13 passes for 86 yards.
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Thanks for reading. More soon.
Vaya con dios....
THE DAY OF NEW LONDON TOP 10 STATE COACHES' POLL
First-place votes in parentheses, record, points tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis, and last week’s ranking:
1. Darien (12) 2-0 386 1
INTEL: Cord Fox had three of the Blue Wave’s seven sacks as they rolled Stamford last Saturday, 51-14. NEXT: vs. Greenwich, Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
2. New Canaan 2-0 342 2
INTEL: Ryan O’Connell caught passes for the Rams in last Friday’s 41-21 rout of Ridgefield (four catches, 124 yards, two touchdowns). Ryan O’Connell ran for the Rams last Friday (18 carries, 127 yards). Get used to that this season, folks. NEXT: at Bridgeport Central, Friday, 7 p.m.
3. Shelton 2-0 300 4
INTEL: David Wells completed 13 of 24 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns and ran nine times for 122 yards and two scores as the Gaels battled past Notre Dame of West Haven last Friday, 33-21. NEXT: at Branford, Saturday, 7 p.m.
4. Southington (1) 2-0 292 3
INTEL: The Blue Knights scored 42 points against Simsbury last Friday. In the first quarter. Vance Upham ran 12 times for 196 yards and three touchdowns in a 56-7 smackdown. Those 42 points would tie for fourth for the most in a quarter, according to the Connecticut High School State Record Book. Should you be wondering, New London set the record (51) in the second quarter of its 77-8 stomping of Plainfield on Sept. 17, 2005, then coached by restaurateur Jack Cochran.
NEXT: vs. Glastonbury, Friday, 7 p.m.
5. West Haven 2-0 272 6
INTEL: Anthony Godfrey ran 17 times for 101 yards and a touchdown and scored on a 31-yard catch as the Westies went to Middletown’s Palmer Field last Friday and beat Xavier, 27-18. There’s not many visitors who beat Xavier at Palmer. NEXT: Creed/Career/Whitney Tech, Friday, 7 p.m.
6. Windsor 2-0 248 5
INTEL: Marquis Wilson had four catches for 64 yards and a team-high seven tackles last Friday as the Warriors had another shutout, 42-0 over Newington. NEXT: at Hartford Public, Saturday, 1 p.m.
7. Newtown 2-0 218 8
INTEL: Hunter Cobb accounted for all six of the Nighthawks’ touchdowns in last Friday’s 42-19 beating of Stratford. Cobb ran 31 times for 196 yards and five touchdowns and caught three passes for 78 yards and a score. NEXT: vs. Barlow, Friday, 7 p.m.
8. Staples 2-0 214 7
INTEL: Harris Levin ran 24 times for 225 yards and three touchdowns in last Friday’s 36-7 win over Danbury. NEXT: vs. Wilton, Friday, 7 p.m.
9. Middletown 1-0 178 9
INTEL: Tyshaun James is a well-rounded football player. The senior accounted for 342 yards of total offense, ran for three touchdowns and threw for another in last Friday’s 34-3 win over Wethersfield. NEXT: at South Windsor, Friday, 6:30 p.m.
10. Ansonia 2-0 153 NR
INTEL: Markell Dobbs ran for touchdowns of 4, 29, 54 and 82 yards as Ansonia blanked Waterbury Career last Friday, 44-0, for its 56th consecutive Naugatuck Valley League win. NEXT: at Oxford, Friday, 6 p.m.
Dropped out: Xavier (9).
Also receiving votes: Hillhouse (2-0), 111 points; Fairfield Prep (2-0), 109; Masuk (2-0), 92; Xavier (1-1), 88; Bloomfield (2-0), 78; Cheshire (2-0), 64; Seymour (2-0), 62; Ridgefield (1-1), 45; Killingly (2-0), 24; Rocky Hill (2-0), 15; Tie, Bunnell (2-0), Cromwell/Portland (2-0), and St. Joseph (1-1), 8.
The following coaches voted: Rich Angarano, Brookfield; Tom Brockett, Ansonia; Craig Bruno, Naugatuck; Scott Daniels, Glastonbury; Joe DellaVecchia, St. Joseph; Mike Ellis, Fitch; Steve Filippone, Hand; Rob Fleeting, Windsor; Steve George, Newtown; Tanner Grove, Montville; Tim King, Valley Regional/Old Lyme; Sean Marinan, Xavier; Marce Petroccio, Staples.
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