Howdy,

It was shortly after Darien mashed Ridgefield to win last season’s CIAC Class LL title when head coach Rob Trifone gathered the team together.

“I tell the boys that they’re going to have a week off, and then I’ll see them in the weight room a week from Monday,” Trifone said. “They follow me into the hallway and they say, ‘coach, we don’t want to wait a week. We want to be in the weight room Monday.

“So I said, ‘okay.’ I’m not going to turn a kid away who wants to get in the weight room.”

The Blue Wave’s brute strength was on display Saturday as they bullied St. Joseph, 42-10, turning a highly anticipated game between the top two ranked teams in The Day's coaches’ poll into a mauling.

Remember — St. Joseph opened the season with a 38-35 road win over four-time Class L champion New Canaan, which was getting as much preseason hype from the coaches as it was from the media.

The Cadets were ranked second prior to Saturday and returned enough veteran talent from last season’s Class M runner-up to make a run at the Class S crown (St. Joseph was moved down due to its enrollment).

Top-ranked Darien (3-0) mangled the Cadets like most everyone else it’s beaten during its 28-game winning streak.

“They have bought in so much to our strength program,” Trifone said. “John Carlozzi (the team’s strength and fitness coach) does a wonderful job. That’s the product you saw today. Those are kids who are in the weight room eight months in the offseason.

“The kids train with (Carlozzi) year-round and in-season as well. I leave it all to him.”

Darien’s defensive line of Drew Evanchick and John Lochtefled (ends), Christian Evans and Charlie Zuro (tackles) and Mike Neary (end and tackle) raised hell up front. They stuffed the Cadets’ running game and terrorized quarterback David Summers, sacking him six times and hitting him just as he threw the ball away many more times.

St. Joseph averaged 377.5 yards of offense and 45 points in its first two games.

The Blue Wave defense held the Cadets to 171 yards.

Raw power.

“We get all the offensive and defensive linemen in (the weight room),” said Neary (three sacks), the lone returning defensive linemen from last year’s team.

“Kids like John Lochtefled, kids like Christian Evans, kids like Drew Evanchick are really working their tails off.”

Evanchick had seven tackles and a sack for Darien (3-0) and Connor Fay added seven tackles and a half sack.

Darien’s commitment to the weight room was just as evident on offense, whether it was the line pushing St. Joseph backwards, or running back Mitch Pryor (22 carries, 126 yards, three TDs) breaking arm tackles and gaining yards after contact.

The Blue Wave won their fourth straight Connecticut Lineman Challenge in Berlin this offseason, holding off Southington for a second year in a row (oddly enough, Darien has routed the Blue Knights in back-to-back LL semifinals).

“It’s definitely a pride thing amongst the older guys,” said Neary, who starts at offensive tackle.

Offseason 7-on-7 passing leagues may be pretty and showy, but football is won in the trenches.

“(It’s) better than the 7-on-7,” Neary smiled. “They (quarterbacks, running backs and receivers) have 7-on-7. We have our Lineman Challenge where we get to show brute strength and carry heavy things.”

• • • •

Quarterback Jack Joyce, safety Brian Minicus and outside linebacker Nick Green all had impressive outings for Darien.

Green and Minicus were responsible for shadowing Jared Mallozzi, one of the state’s top receivers. Mallozzi had 100 catches last season, the third-most in a season, according to the Connecticut High School Football Record Book. He also had 1,514 yards (sixth-best in state history) and 20 touchdowns (tied for eighth).

Mallozzi had 22 catches for 283 yards and six touchdowns in St. Joseph’s first two games. He had just one catch for 2 yards against Darien.

“We wanted to come in with a five box,” Trifone said. “If you’re a spread offense, and (Cadets head coach Joe) DellaVecchia is a great coach, he knows you’ve got to run the ball because we’ve got six in coverage.”

St. Joseph had 31 yards on 32 carries.

“(They) came out running the ball (well), and we made a little adjustment and stayed with our five box, and the defensive line picked it up after that first quarter. Our defense has been playing lights out.”

Joyce, in his first season as a starting varsity QB, completed 19 of 29 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown and ran four times for 78 yards. He's one of Darien's fastest players and gives it a running threat, something the Blue Wave have not had of late that puts further stress on opposing defenses.

"That kid is special," Trifone said. "He's never taken a varsity snap. He didn't take a JV snap last year because he got hurt early in the season, so he missed the entire year. He comes into the preseason untested. And people were questioning (me). 'Well, shouldn't you go with one of the younger guys?' And I said, 'No. You watch what kind of athlete he is.'

"He makes me look smart."

• • • •

Last Friday's 28-6 win over Stonington had extra significance for East Lyme — it has a winning record (2-1) for the first time in almost four seasons.

“This is a great feeling,” said senior Dylan Hatajik.

The Vikings beat Waterford, 34-13, on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 28), 2013. They went 4-7 and 3-7 the next two years.

East Lyme went 1-9 last season. It didn’t win until its ninth game against Law (28-14) on Nov. 17, a week before Thanksgiving.

“That’s what it’s all about — the kids,” coach Rudy Bagos said of the team’s early success. “I couldn’t be happier for them. Starting to see a little difference in the school. These kids are starting to believe in themselves.

“In years past. … (if) we give up that long touchdown (a 55-yard run to Stonington), who knows what happens. But we were able to come back again and do some nice things. We’ve done it so far this year, which is great. I hope that’s a trend that continues.”

• • • •

East Lyme went for it five times on fourth down against Stonington and converted four, leading to two touchdowns. It was a bit out of character for Bagos.

“You know what it was,” Bagos asked, “(playing in) this wind, I didn’t think a punt would do us any good, so I said, ‘why don’t we just go for it?’”

Tomblin ran 4 yards on fourth-and-1 from the Vikings’ 21 late in the first quarter. He had another 4-yard run during that drive to convert on fourth-and-3 from the Stonington 36.

Tyler Valdez ran outside for a 10-yard gain on fourth-and-8 at the Bears’ 46 midway through the third quarter.

Tomblin just got the 1-yard needed to convert on fourth down at the Stonington 47 to start the fourth quarter. Three plays later, Chris Salemme threw a 49-yard touchdown to Hatajik to give East Lyme a 21-6 lead.

“It’s pretty impressive,” Bagos said of his team’s success on fourth down. “It’s a credit to the line. I’ll do it more often.”

Stonington went for it six times on fourth down and converted twice. Riley Burnside ran 5 yards on fourth-and-4 from the Bears’ 41 early in the third quarter.

Jared Rudzinsky caught a 4-yard pass from Marco Tedeschi on fourth-and-3 from the Stonington 38 later that quarter.

• • • •

Oh, Southern Connecticut Conference, no one shakes up the status quo as regularly as you do. Or brings more wacky.

The craziness started on Friday afternoon as Jasiah Barnes ran for 129 yards, including a game-winning 1-yard run with 2:37 left, to lift Wilbur Cross past perennial LL powerhouse Xavier, 14-7. The touchdown was sweet redemption for Barnes because he had fumbled the ball away on Wilbur Cross' previous drive at its 44, leading to a Falcons' touchdown to tie the game. D'yante Howard caught a 74-yard touchdown pass from Sal Barnabei for the Governors (2-1). Tyrone Abrahams scored on a 3-yard run with five minutes left in the game for the Falcons (1-2). Penn State-bound Will Levis completed 12 of 38 passes for 134 yards with an interception.

North Haven provided the weekend’s biggest surprise as it knocked off then unbeaten and No. 4 Cheshire, 17-14. North Haven also refused to play it safe, too, as it went for it on fourth-and-5 with a little over a minute left in the game.

It worked as Mark Montano completed a 23-yards pass to Steven Erbe. It was just the second pass the Indians attempted all game as they are proud masters of the Manly Discipline of the Running Arts (and the state’s finest purveyors of GOD’S FATHER’S OFFENSE).

Montano ran 13 times for 87 yards and completed the only two passes he threw for 69 yards and a score for North Haven (2-1).

The Indians allowed just 75 yards in the second half. Jack Raba completed 9 of 16 passes for 84 yards with three interceptions for the Rams.

As all that fun was going on in Cheshire, Shelton was trailing unbeaten Fairfield Prep at home and starting a drive from its own 41-yard line with less than two minutes left in the game.

Jake Roberts (no, not that Jake Roberts) threw a 31-yard pass to David Yakowicz to move the Gaels’ down to the Prep 2. Roberts ran it in from there with 54 seconds left to give Shelton a 19-15 win.

Roberts completed 13 of 23 passes for 143 yards and a TD and ran for two more scores.

The Jesuits had taken the lead with 1:53 remaining on Will Lucas' 30-yard touchdown to Phillip DeJesus. Lucas ran 17 times for 116 yards for Prep, which lost offensive catalyst Doug Harrison (RB) to a season-ending injury in Week 2.

Finally, Hillhouse. Neal Eley scored on an 83-yard kickoff return with over a minute left to lift Hillhouse past Amity, 22-17. Eley had 13 carries for 115 yards, most of which came on an 82-yard touchdown run, for the defending Class M champion Academics (2-1). The Spartans had taken the lead with 1:32 remaining on a 41-yard touchdown pass from James Laubstein to Luke Smith.

• • • •

Here’s a daffy turn of events from Friday’s Notre Dame of Fairfield vs. New Fairfield game:

ND had a one-point lead late in the third quarter and tried to punt. The snap went over the punter’s head, and New Fairfield recovered the ball at the Lancers’ 19-yard line.

ND was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct on the next play, moving the Rebels up to the 8. The Lancers’ Zaire Williams came to the rescue two plays later as he recovered a fumble at the 12-yard line. ND then went on a 16-play scoring drive and won, 19-12.

Notre Dame’s drive drained 8:35 off the clock. Micah Brantley ran for an 8-yard touchdown with 4:46 left in the game. He finished with 15 carries for 85 yards and two scores and completed 11 of 27 passes for 184 yards and a touchdown.

• • • •

BEHOLD, The Day Top 10 state coaches' poll: 1. Darien (3-0, 13 first-place votes); 2. Southington (3-0); 3. Ansonia (3-0); 4. Windsor (3-0); Tie, 5. New Canaan (2-1) and West Haven (3-0); 7. Masuk (3-0); 8. St. Joseph (2-1); 9. Greenwich (2-0); and, 10. Ridgefield (2-1).

So a voter in The Day’s Top 10 state coaches’ poll asked hours after submitting their ballot if he could make a change, feeling that he didn’t get it right the first time.

“This is harder than I thought,” the coach said.

It can be.

Ranking the state’s top high school football teams isn’t as hard as, say, converting your water heater into a cold fusion reactor. The 13 voters in The Day’s weekly poll nonetheless had some challenging decisions to make after a noteworthy Week 3.

Cheshire and St. Joseph have been ranked in the Top 10 since the start of this season. They're both 2-1 and have had significance wins this year. The Rams beat Shelton (28-10) and Norwich Free Academy (35-39), both of which had been receiving votes. The Cadets opened the season with a win at New Canaan.

Should one vote St. Joseph ahead of New Canaan (or Cheshire over Shelton, North Haven, and/or NFA)? Or should one go with the hot hand approach and vote New Canaan ahead of St. Joseph (and Shelton, North Haven and/or NFA ahead of Cheshire)? Note that North Haven (2-1) hadn’t received any votes through two weeks after a season-opening loss to West Haven (33-27).

Seven coaches ranked St. Joseph ahead of New Canaan (2-1) on their ballots. The other six, however, took the “back of the line” approach and voted New Canaan anywhere from three to six places ahead of the Cadets. That did enough to drop St. Joseph to eighth while the Rams moved into a fifth-place tie with West Haven (3-0).

Ridgefield (2-1) narrowly edged Cheshire for 10th place with the latter dropping to 11th. Shelton (2-1) is 13th, North Haven is 14th, and NFA (2-1) is 17th.

New Canaan was sixth and St. Joseph eighth in the GameTimeCT/New Haven Register media poll. Cheshire (11th) was also ranked ahead of North Haven (13th).

• • • •

The GameTimeCT.com/New Haven Register/Hearst Inc. Top 10 media poll: 1. Darien (received all 25 first-place votes); 2. Southington; 3. Ansonia; 4. Windsor; 5. West Haven; 6. New Canaan; 7. Masuk; 8. St. Joseph; 9. Middletown (3-0), and, 10. Greenwich.

• • • •

Ned Freeman’s cold, calculating computer rankings for CalPreps: 1. Darien; 2. West Haven; 3. New Canaan; 4. Ansonia; 5. Southington; 6. Greenwich; 7. Cheshire; 8. St. Joseph; 9. Masuk, and 10. Ridgefield.

• • • •

Dig the ballot Polecat HQ filed for the New Haven Register/GameTimeCT media poll:

1. Darien

2. St. Joseph: We don't care if it lost to Darien by elebenty hundred points — it won on the road over four-time CIAC Class L defending champion New Canaan (38-35, Sept. 8), one of the state's better teams. How many other teams have that on

3. New Canaan

4. Ansonia

5. Ridgefield

6. Southington

7. Greenwich: Yes, four FCIAC teams in our top seven. No, we're not getting paid by the league. Yes, we'll add more of its teams for a bribe (like two chicken burritos and a large Cold Brew — we work cheap).

8. West Haven

9. Masuk

10. Windsor

11. North Haven

12. Cheshire

13. NFA

14. South Windsor

15. Shelton

• • • •

Second-ranked Southington intercepted Manchester twice and held it to NEGATIVE-TWO YARDS in its 37-0 win. Will Barmore completed 20 of 33 passes for 187 yards and three touchdowns. .... Markell Dobbs ran for touchdowns of 28 and 39 yards and scored on a 44-yard punt return for No. 3 Ansonia. And that was just in the first quarter. The Chargers scored all their points in the first half of its 43-0 rout of Oxford. Dobbs finished with seven carries for 146 yards. ... No. 4 Windsor forced five turnovers in 17 minutes of its 41-0 mauling of Farmington. Shaun Hunter (2, 6) and Tomasz Johnson (15, 8) both ran for touchdowns and Julian Jackson threw touchdowns to Jerry Woodard (22) and Ljay Wolcott (57).

Chris Chance ran 13 times for 141 yards and two touchdowns as No. 5 West Haven seized town bragging rights by rolling Notre Dame, 34-14. Kyle Godfrey added 17 carries for 123 yards and a touchdown and scored on an 82-yard kickoff return. ... Drew Pyne completed 16 of 22 passes for 237 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 93 yards and a score as No. 5 New Canaan tore down Trumbull, 61-14. Pyne, a sophomore, made a point to thank linemen Jack Conley, Max Holmberg, Kyle McDonald, Seamus O’Hora and Jack Stewart while talking to tell Anthony E. Parelli of the Hearst Empire. Wise man, Pyne. Trumbull, meanwhile, in three weeks was leveled by Greenwich (70-16), blanked Fairfield Ludlowe (33-0), and now this. Moderation is for chumps.

Peter Cosmedy returned a Barlow fumble for an 80-yard touchdown and Jack Roberge scored on runs of 1 and 11 yards in Masuk’s 36-13 win. ... Greg Gatto completed 15 of 19 passes for 205 yards and four touchdowns in No. 10 Ridgefield’s 46-8 rout of Bridgeport Central. Noah Isaacson added 14 tackles and 1.5 sacks. ... Shea McManaway completed 10 of 24 passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 99 yards and three scores as Norwich Free Academy blitzed Ledyard, 35-6. The Wildcats scored on their first four drives.

Dylan Hatajik had four catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns and had five carries for 29 yards and a TD as East Lyme beat Stonington, 28-6. Isaac Tomblin ran 26 times for 105 yards and a touchdown for East Lyme (2-1). And we'll never forget the Vikings' mas macho 24-play, 99-yard touchdown drive that lasted 11 minutes and 43 seconds. It was the Rosario Dawson of touchdown drives (i.e. staggeringly beautiful). ... Hollis Scott ran for 181 yards and two touchdowns and scored on a 24-yard fumble return as Fitch downed Montville, 28-6. Justice Farris added two interceptions for the Falcons (3-0).

Michael Cullina completed 13 of 25 passes for 215 yards with two touchdowns and ran for a 35-yard score as Valley Regional/Old Lyme thumped Coginchaug/Hale-Ray, 41-13. Patrick Ladas had 19 carries for 164 yards and two touchdowns, Jason O’Brien caught two touchdowns, and Nick Braga ran for two scores for the WARRIORCATS (3-0). … Daniel Thompson completed 13 of 16 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a 27-yard touchdown as Staples wrecked McMahon, 44-7. Ben van der Merwe also kicked a 48-yard field goal.

Keegan Marcoux threw 68-yard touchdown to Connor Davis on a halfback option with 1:50 left in the game to give Plainfield a 12-8 come-from-behind win over Windham. ... Wilton had eight different players combine on 51 sensuous rushing attempts for 249 yards and three touchdowns to top Fairfield Warde, 31-21. FULLBACK Harvey Alexander ran for 125 yards and two touchdowns and Brian Calabrese rushed for 74 yards and completed 5 of 7 passes for 106 yards and a score for Wilton. Robert Hermann also had four interceptions (?!) for the Warriors.

Xzavier Reyes had 21 carries for 190 yards and three touchdowns to pace Middletown past Hartford Public, 38-16. STONE Belzo completed 9 of 17 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown for the Blue Dragons (3-0), who ran for 281 yards and four touchdowns. … Joe Ferreira ran six times for 218 yards and three touchdown as Rocky Hill trucked Plainville, 42-6. Joe Catania ran 10 times for 112 yards and two touchdowns for the Terriers (3-0) and Dan Cavallaro added nine carries for 88 yards and a score. GOD’S OFFENSE.

Michael Polzella completed 12 of 20 passes for 250 yards and five touchdowns, threw for a 2-point conversion, and ran 10 times for 100 yards and two scores as Wolcott thrashed Crosby, 50-14. Go-go Polzella. ... Julian Ibes ran 25 times for 208 yards and two touchdowns as South Windsor downed New Britain, 34-21. The Bobcats (3-0) outrushed New Britain, 370-50. … Spencer Lockwood ran 30 times for 255 yards and four touchdowns as Killingly smashed Griswold, 49-0. ... Terry Forester threw touchdowns of 49, 27 and 70 yards and scored on a 1-yard run as Stamford scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s 32-10 win over Trinity Catholic.

Connor Bogdanski ran 21 times for 120 yards and three touchdowns as running (St. Paul) beat passing (Watertown), 46-32. Damien Rabis had 14 carries for 197 yards and two touchdowns and scored on four 2-point conversions for St. Paul (3-0). YAY TRIPLE OPTION. Sadly, the Falcons attempted their first pass of the season — a 24-yard touchdown from Kevin Ashworth to Max Peruta. Please don’t make that a habit, guys. Nick D’Elia completed 13 of 22 passes for 305 yards and four touchdowns for the Indians (2-1). Daniel Graziano added 14 catches and two TDs.

Tyrese Wright completed 11 of 18 passes for 143 yards and four touchdowns, ran three times for 55 yards, had 15 tackles and two interceptions as Bullard-Havens thumped Cheney Tech, 58-0. Edward Holmes ran 10 times for 211 yards and two scores and Malik Lominy (five catches, 94 yards) caught all of Wright’s touchdowns. ... Kevin Dougherty ran 13 times for 202 yards and two touchdowns as Haddam-Killingworth beat Morgan, 21-7. Nice yards per carry. … O’Brien Tech used its fleet of Rocs to beat MCW United, 39-12. Jonte Roc ran for two 2-yard touchdowns, scored on a 65-yard punt return, and threw a 17-yard touchdown to Bobby Hudak. Jommar Roc ran five times for 89 yards and two scores.

Jared Hubler continues to do a lot of everything for Foran. He was an efficient 13 of 19 for 205 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-22 win over Harding. Hubler also ran 28 times for 113 yards and a TD. Teammate Zach Cleary multitasked as he had nine catches for 121 yards and two scores, kicked four extra points and played linebacker and on special teams.

A long time ago (i.e. the last millenium), Hand football was all about the I-formation and a power running game. Then the Tigers switched to a devilish spread offense and began chucking as much as they were running. So everyone at Polecat Worldwide shed a tear learning that Delavantae Hutton ran 20 times for 170 yards and three touchdowns in Hand’s 28-7 win over Hamden. The Tigers (2-1) also allowed just 100 yards.

Dianta Highsmith caught touchdown passes of 37 and 15 yards as well as a 2-point conversion and scored on a 77-yard kickoff return as Cromwell/Portland topped Lewis Mills, 44-20. Bryce Karstetter threw three touchdowns and two 2-point conversions for C/P. Mills’ Chris Romano scored on a 75-punt return moments before Highsmith returned the kickoff for a score. Romano also had had scored on a 50-yard interception return and a 40-yard run.

Jack Moore threw four touchdowns passes (9, 22, 29, and 3 yards) and two 2-point conversions and ran in two more conversions as Conard beat Enfield, 60-46, in a game that would make Dick LeBeau throw a chair through a wall. Max Main (which would've been a great name for an 80s pro rassler) scored on runs of 39 and 1 yards and caught a 9-yard touchdown for Conard (2-1). Mason Dumas threw touchdowns of 29, 80, 15 and 10 yards and a 2-point conversion and ran for a 2-yard TD for Enfield (0-3).

Raquan Thompkins completed 13 of 20 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns and ran 14 times for 188 yards and a score as East Hartford edged Simsbury, 30-28. … Colton Engel completed 9 of 18 passes for 172 yarsd and two touchdowns and ran eight times for 105 yards and two more scores as Stafford/East Windsor/Somers beat Gilbert/Northwestern Regional, 27-6. …

Lastly, and not leastly, HATS OFF to Bulkeley/HMTCA/Weaver and Platt junior E.J. Dudley.

The BulldogPhoenixBeavers beat East Catholic, 28-22, snapping their 30-game losing streak. Their last win was over Fermi, 46-38, on Sept. 27, 2014.

Dudley was a DUDE for Platt in its 36-14 win over Newington. He ran FORTY FIVE TIMES for 311 yards and three touchdowns. Give that dude a black belt for mastering the Manly Discipline of the Running Arts.

• • • •

That's all for now. More soon.

Thanks for reading.

Adios....