Howdy,

East Catholic has the word “PRIDE” across the back of its jerseys above the numbers.

There’s been a lot of pride around the Eagles lately after some tough seasons. They hung on to beat Avon on Saturday, 22-20, one of their best wins of the past few years.

“It’s huge,” East Catholic senior Marc Zazzaro said. “It gives us so many playoff points against a phenomenal team like Avon. We’re Class S (team), beating a Class L, so it’s a great sign for us, and it should help us big-time in the long-run with confidence.”

Eagles head coach Steve Calande said, “There’s definitely a winning culture going on. It’s a good group of kids. We’re missing a couple of guys due to injuries, but other guys have stepped right in and played. That’s great.”

It was the 11th win in 14 games for East Catholic (2-0).

The Eagles finished 2-8 in 2011 when Calande took over. They went 2-8 and 3-7 in their first two seasons with him.

East Catholic was 8-3 last season, its first winning season in five years.

Asked how the Eagles had built a winning culture, Calande said, “Discipline, and you have to have a work ethic and an environment where it’s kid-driven to work. The coaches kind of set the tone with expectations, but eventually you get kids talking and also walking the walk; doing all those little things right. Once you get kids performing the way you want them to perform and their doing it with discipline, then winning takes care of itself.”

A big part of East Catholic’s success and identity has come from its offense, namely GOD’S OFFENSE. Calande has been one of the biggest double wing proponents on the Internet and sold his version of it for over 10 years (EDITOR’S NOTE —in the interests of transparency, Polecat staffers once purchased Calande’s materials to study). The offense is run-based and gets as many blockers to the point of attack as possible. It’s also conducive to misdirection and long drives that chew up a few yards at a time (East Catholic had a 15 play, 84-yard scoring drive that took nine minutes, 15 seconds in the third quarter of the Avon game).

The Eagles were second in rushing in the state last season (3,995 yards) among teams that inputted their stats into MaxPreps.com’s database. They ran 523 times (7.6 yard average) to just 51 pass attempts.

"We run the ball," Zazzaro said. "That's what we do. … I like (GOD’S OFFENSE) because we’re winning games, and I like it because I’m getting the ball. It makes us successful. It’s what works for us, so I think it’s phenomenal.”

Andre Brackett Jr. said, “Our offense is very powerful. We worked all year in the summer in the weight room. It allows us to move the ball at tough times; get down in the trenches to move the ball.”

Brackett ran 14 times for a game-high 100 yards and two touchdowns in the Avon win. That included a 43-yard run that gave East Catholic a 22-6 lead with over eight minutes left in the game.

“We kept pounding the ball the whole game, and we were due to break one,” Zazzaro said. “I knew it was bound to happen, whether it was (Brackett) or I.”

Calande said, “We’re a team offense. We can go through periods where our fifth and sixth backs carry the load for us. We spread it around. Some people say they run the spread. Well, we kind of run a spread in that we get a bunch of different people (the ball). We throw it to different receivers. We hand it off and pitch it to different guys. It’s a team thing, so everyone knows that they’re going to get their touches. And the linemen are really the stars because they make it go and they know it.”

The offensive line is comprised of center Michael Jensen, guards John Desautels and Nathan Procaccini, tackles Jack Bishop and Tyler Capen, and tight ends Connor Heslin and Scott Regan.

“We kind of condition a response from the defense,” Calande said. “We kind of condition them that we’re coming again (with the run), then suddenly, it’s play action and somebody is wide-open. I like that element. I like the fact that we can double-team angle block, trap block, use misdirection. I just think it’s great for the kids that we have at East.”

The Eagles' defense had to win the Avon game as the Falcons scored with 1:19 left. Avon went for two to tie the game, but Andrew Blackmore was ruled down at the 1-yard line.

“I was nervous, but I had faith in everybody on our team,” Zaccaro said. “They scored, yeah, but I knew we’d get them back in the end.”

East Catholic plays at Berlin this Friday in one of several marquee games in a stacked Week 3.

• • • •

Naugatuck threw the ball just 13 times in last Thursday’s 36-6 win over Holy Cross.

Should that number not mean anything to you, then you don’t know Greyhounds head coach Craig Bruno very well. The two-time state championship coach loves to throw almost as much as he loves to breath. He’s unconventional and runs one of the state’s most aggressive and wide-open offenses — name a play and he’s run it.

Naugatuck’s personnel has dictated a change in the offense thus far. Three-year starting quarterback Jason Bradley (last year’s Naugatuck Valley League Male Athlete of the Year) graduated, as did leading receiver Bryan Coney.

The Greyhounds' offense has revolved around running back Antoine Sistrunk in their first two games. He ran 24 times for 165 yards and three touchdowns in the Holy Cross win.

“He’s a great player,” Bruno said. “Yeah, we’re definitely leaning on him.

“We’ve changed a few things. We have a little bit of a different team. We don’t have Jason, so we’re trying to do a few differetnt things. It’s not something we’ve normally done, but this is the team we’ve got and they’re trying really hard. I like these guys a lot.”

Naugatuck (2-0) ran it 47 times against the Crusaders. One of its most successful plays was a wide toss to the running back, a play Bruno learned from his mentor, former Bunnell head coach Bob Mastroni.

“I told you I’d change (the offensive style),” Bruno told Kyle Brennan of the Waterbury Republican-American after the game. “You didn’t think I knew how to do that. I’ve been studying all offseason.”

The Greyhounds received contributions from a few underclassmen against Holy Cross. Junior Tyler Deitelbaum ran seven times for 55 yards. Sophomore Devon Biancarelli was all over the place at linebacker and ran for a touchdown, too.

Sophomore Mike Plasky completed 5 of 13 passes for 83 yards with a touchdown to senior Etty Illunga.

“Sometimes, when you have a younger team, it’s more fun for you as a coach to work with everybody because they’re all new at doing things,” Bruno said. “But, as we say every day, ‘we’re not young.’ … They don’t check the age limit when you go on the field.”

Naugatuck gets its first test this Friday when it plays at unbeaten Torrington, which was touted by NVL coaches and observers as one of the league's best teams prior to the season.

• • • •

Yes, today's blog has spent a lot of time espousing the virtues of the manly disclipline of the running arts. It's purely a coincidence.

• • • •

The two most berserk games of the young season happened with hours of one another last Friday.

Greenwich outlasted Trinity Catholic in the afternoon, 42-38, giving new head coach John Marinelli his first win.

Check this wackiness out via Dave Ruden of The Ruden Report — Greenwich and Trinity combined to score 42 on a mere 17 players in the span of 3:33.

Frank Alfano completed 20 of 31 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns for Greenwich (1-0) and Luke Bienstock added 13 carries for 102 yards and two scores.

Anthony Lombardi was 10 of 26 for 307 yards and three touchdowns and ran eight times for 106 yards and two scores for the Crusaders (0-1). Johnny Somers also had four catches for 168 yards and two TDs.

Glastonbury and Conard topped that game in the evening. UConn-bound Keyion Dixon ran for a 7-yard touchdown on an untimed down to end the game and give Glastonbury a 50-49 win.

Jeez, where to start. Glastonbury led 46-27 with 4:57 remaining in said athletic endeavor.

Conard’s Jordan Dorfman ran for a 17-yard touchdown and a 2-point conversion.

The Chieftains recovered the onside kick. Nate Richam-Odoi ran for a 4-yard touchdown. Finn Cahill’s extra point cut the Tomahawks’ lead to 46-42.

Conard recovered ANOTHER onside kick. Dorfman scored on a 52-yard run to put the Chieftains ahead, 49-44, with 47 seconds left.

Glastonbury started its last drive at its own 19 and advanced to its 48 with 5.3 seconds left.

The Chieftains were called for a personal foul as time ran out, resulting in both an untimed down and the ball being moved up to the Conard 7-yard line. Dixon scored on the next play.

Did we mention that the score at halftime was Glastonbury 15-14? Yerp, the teams combined for 10 second-half touchdowns

Dixon ran for 279 yards and four touchdowns and Jake Madnick scored on runs of 8 and 84 yards and an 89-yard kickoff return.

Jack Moore threw touchdowns of 18 and 23 yards to Jack Ryan for Conard. Joshua Agosto (1-yard) and Samuel Lefante (33 yards) also scored on fumble returns.

Derek Turner of GameTimeCT.com/New Haven Register/21st Century Monolith posted a neat-o review of all the silliness complete with videos. Check it out.

• • • •

We're certain that YOU, the loyal reader of this here blog, are aware of how awesome Week 3 is shaping up to be and that rhymed and you know it.

To wit:

Naugatuck (2-0, NVL Iron) at Torrington (2-0, 1-0), Friday, 6:30 p.m.: Already told you about this game.

Berlin (2-0) at East Catholic (2-0), Friday, 7 p.m.: Berlin has ruled the CCC Division III.

Derby (2-0, 1-0 NVL Copper) at No. 7 Ansonia (1-0, 0-0), Friday, 7 p.m.: Two old friends meet in one of the state's oldest and storied rivalries.

North Haven (2-0) at No. 4 Notre Dame-W.H. (2-0), Friday,7 p.m.: Both qualified for the Class L playoffs last season and are safe bets to return this December.

No. 9 Newtown (2-0) at No. 8 Brookfield (2-0), Friday, 7 p.m.: This week's must-see game will go a long way towards determing SWC superiority.

Ledyard (2-0, 0-0 ECC Large) at Bacon Academy (2-0, 2-0 ECC Large), Saturday, 10:30 a.m.: Admit it — you didn't think that the first big ECC game would involve Bacon. Well it does. So there.

Cromwell/Portland (2-0, 2-0 Pequot East) at Ellington (2-0, 2-0), Saturday, 1 p.m.: The winner may run away with the division.

No. 3 Darien (1-0) at Greenwich (1-0), Saturday, 4 p.m.: Try this road trip — Colchester in the morning for Ledyard-Bacon, and then head west to watch this one. Worth it.

• • • •

Evan Damian kicked a game-winning 27-yard field goal in the FOURTH OVERTIME to give East Haven a 34-31 win over Hamden last Friday. It may have been the first four-overtime game in state history. Some leagues didn’t allow overtime several years, and the CIAC didn’t make it a state-wide rule until 2013. Bob Barton, the state's foremost high school football historian and editor of the Connecticut High School Football Record Book, has no record of any game going four overtimes.

Tyrese Wright threw for 70 yards and two touchdowns and ran 11 times for 151 yards and three scores as Bullard-Havens beat O’Brien Tech last Thursday, 58-12. Keith Gathers added eight carries for three touchdowns for the Tigers. ... Andrew Collins had 13 carries for 157 yards and five touchdowns for Brookfield in its 45-34 win over New Milford last Friday. The Bobcats ran 47 times for 378 yards and six scores. GOD’S OFFENSE.

Noah Cruz ran 10 times for 129 yards and three touchdowns and completed 7 of 11 passes for 124 yards to pace Bristol Central past South Windsor last Friday, 33-8. The game featured a ludicrous number of penalties. South Windsor was called for 12 for 96 yards. The Rams were penalized TWENTY ONE TIMES for 180 yards. Sheesh. .... Bernard Figueroa ran for an 8-yard TD to give Platt a 27-21 overtime win over E.O. Smith last Friday. E.O. had the ball first, but fumbled it away. Joe Mwamba completed 10 of 25 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns for Platt and ran 16 times for 107 yards and a score.

Connor Suraci ran for 168 yards and three touchdowns and Mike Montano added 156 yards rushing and two scores as North Haven blanked Sheehan last Friday, 48-0. It was the 100th win for head coach Tony Sagnella. ... Torrington’s Tyler Marens ran nine times for 194 yards and three touchdowns in last Friday’s 44-13 win over Woodland. Newton Frias added 14 carries for 111 yards and a 13-yard touchdown catch for Torrington. ... Michael Ciccarelli had 15 carries for 146 yards, including three second-half touchdowns, as Lewis Mills rallied to beat Hartford Medical/University last Saturday, 26-20. The Spartans rallied from a 20-6 halftime deficit

Trumbull’s Harrison Klas blocked two punts, the second for a touchdown, in last Friday’s 35-6 win over Fairfield Ludlowe. ... Norwalk had a 26-point lead with over 11 minutes left in last Friday's game against Fairfield Warde. It hung on for a 33-26 win. ... Ethan Burger ran for 204 yards as Staples beat Danbury last Friday, 21-14. Staples Andrew Speed completed 9 of 14 passes for 113 yards and three touchdowns in his first start.

Deshawn Givens returned a punt 85 yards to the New Britain 4-yard line, and Taliq Adams scored on a 2-yard run on fourth down with 3:53 left to give East Hartford a 7-6 win last Friday. ... Chucky Kostek completed 18 of 27 passes for 290 yards and four touchdowns as Morgan downed Valley Regional/Old Lyme last Friday, 40-0. ... Granby's Connor Field ran nine times for 228 yards and three scores in last Friday’s 41-0 rout of Enfield. Field’s first carry was for a 99-yard touchdown on the game’s first offensive play.

Bloomfield scored 62 of the game’s final 70 points as it downed Plainville last Friday, 62-21. Plainville actually led said game, 13-0. ... NFA’s Jawaun Johnson had 27 carries for 211 yards and three touchdowns and recovered a Waterford fumble at his team’s goal line to lead them to a 20-13 win last Friday. ... Jared Fields ran for 239 yards and three TDs in his first varsity game as McMahon beat Wilton last Friday, 28-3. ... Fitch snapped its 14-game losing streak by topping East Lyme last Friday, 27-7. Check out Peter Huoppi's swank video review of the game at WiredZone.

Seymour’s Jaylen Kelly threw for 300 yards and three TDs in last Friday’s 35-7 win over Oxford. ... Wilbur Cross had 282 yards offense and five touchdowns in the second quarter of last Friday's 56-21 win over Lyman Hall. Zion Setal completed 11 of 18 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns and didn’t attempt a second-half pass. ... Xavier allowed Amity just 20 yards as it rolled to a 41-6 win last Friday.

Jordan Davis ran 10 times for 152 yards and four touchdowns as Prince Tech beat Thames River last Saturday, 66-38. Vincent Ruff added nine carries for 170 yards and two scores for Prince. Jared Neal completed 16 of 34 passes for 292 yards and five scores for the Crusaders. ... Kyle Zajack completed 9 of 10 passes …. for 220 yards and five touchdowns for Capital Prep/Achievement First in its 44-0 win over Vinal Tech/East Hampton/Goodwin Tech last Saturday. Jahkai Gill had four catches for 125 yards and three TDs for the Trailblazers. ... Chris Rivera threw for 161 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 85 yards and a TD as Hartford’s CREC co-op rallied to beat Canton last Saturday, 38-28, for its first-ever varsity win. CREC scored the game’s final 24 points in the fourth quarter.

• • • •

Gaze upon The Day of New London Top 10 state coaches' poll: 1. Southington (2-0, 11 first-place votes); 2. New Canaan (1-0, one first-place vote); 3. Darien (1-0, one first-place vote); 4. Notre Dame-W.H. (2-0); 5. Windsor (2-0); 6. Shelton (2-0); 7. Ansonia (1-0); 8. Brookfield (2-0); 9. Newtown (2-0); and, 10. Glastonbury (2-0). You can find the whole thing at the end of the blog.

• • • •

The GameTimeCT.com/New Haven Register/21st Century Monolith Top 10 media poll: 1. Southington (29 first-place votes); 2. New Canaan (one first-place vote); 3. Darien; 4. Windsor (one first-place vote); 5. Notre Dame-West Haven; 6. Shelton; 7. Newtown; 8. Brookfield; 9. Ansonia; and, 10. Glastonbury.

• • • •

CalPreps.com cold, emotionless computer rankings. 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, its provides as accurate a guage of the state as pollsters (if not moreso): 1. Southington; 2. Darien; 3. New Canaan; 4. Notre Dame-W.H.; 5. St. Joseph (0-0 — yes, it started the season with two bye weeks, much to the team's displeasure); 6. Brookfield; 7. Shelton; 8. Hand (2-0); 9. Newtown; and, 10. West Haven (1-1). Windsor was 14th, Glastonbury was 21st, and Ansonia 27th.

• • • •

Here's the ballot Polecat HQ filed for the media poll:

1. Southington

2. New Canaan

3. Darien

4. Notre Dame-W.H.: Lawdy Miss Clawdy, the Green Knights did a number on West Haven.

5. Windsor

6. Shelton: Stunned that the Gaels "only" beat Fairfield Prep by as score of 35-27 last Friday. Prep started a new quarterback after Patrick Conte was injured in a Week 1 loss to Notre Dame-W.H. (a 34-0 loss).

7. Brookfield: We really, really want to be at Brookfield on Friday for the Newtown bonanza. ....

8. North Haven: ....or in West Haven for ND vs. North Haven.

9. Newtown

10. West Haven

11. Xavier

12. Glastonbury

13. Conard: Fell a play short against Glastonbury.

14. Ansonia: Need a few weeks to develop a profile on the nearly all-new Chargers.

15. Greenwich….

• • • •

STORYTIME

Bryant Carpenter, Meriden Record-Journal: Tuesday Morning QB.

Scott Ericson, Hearst Inc.: 10 takeaways from Week 2.

John Nash, Norwalk Hour: Area notebook.

Pooch Diggity Dogg, GameTimeCT.com/New Haven Register/21st Century Monolith: Area notebook, and, Tuesday Morning Quarterback.

• • • •

Thanks for reading. More soon.

Vaya con dios....

• • • •

THE DAY'S 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. Southington (11) 1-0 382 1

KNOW THIS: Last Thursday, senior Jasen Rose announced he was headed to UConn. Last Friday, he completed 9 of 12 passes for 254 yards and six touchdowns in a 48-17 rout of Hartford Public.

NEXT: vs. Simsbury, Friday, 7 p.m.

2. New Canaan (1) 1-0 344 2

KNOW THIS: The Rams attacked both a new season and Ridgefield last Friday. Michael Collins completed 18 of 30 passes for FOUR HUNDRED AND SIXTY YARDS with six touchdowns in a 45-17 mauling of their Gold Coast foe.

NEXT: vs. Bridgeport Central, Saturday, 1:30 p.m.

3. Darien (1) 1-0 338 3

KNOW THIS: Mark Evanchick had three sacks as the Blue Wave scored all their points in the first half of last Friday’s 47-14 thumping of Stamford.

NEXT: at Greenwich, Saturday, 4 p.m.

4. Notre Dame-West Haven 2-0 300 4

KNOW THIS: The Green Knights led then No. 7 West Haven by as much as 27 points in last Friday’s 40-18 win. That’s real impressive. The next opponent on Death Schedule 2015 — unbeaten North Haven.

NEXT: vs. North Haven, Friday, 7 p.m.

5. Windsor 2-0 260 5

KNOW THIS: Isaiah Huff returned the opening kickoff for a TD as the Warriors scored 26 in the first quarter of last Friday’s 52-6 thrashing of Newington.

NEXT: vs. RHAM, Friday, 7 p.m.

6. Shelton 2-0 243 6

KNOW THIS: Quite surprised that the Gaels didn’t name the score against Fairfield Prep last Friday. Notre Dame knocked out Jesuits quarterback Patrick Conte the previous week in its 34-0 win. Prep adapted and “only” lost to Shelton, 35-27.

NEXT: vs. Guilford, Friday, 7 p.m.

7. Ansonia 1-0 193 9

KNOW THIS: Began its year with a 42-0 smashing of Wilby. Same as it ever was. And now it’s Ansonia-Derby Week.

NEXT: vs. Derby, Friday, 7 p.m.

8. Brookfield 2-0 192 8

KNOW THIS: The Bobcats are a defending state champion. Ansonia is not. The Bobcats returned the majority of their starters. Ansonia returned just four. The Bobcats opened the season with a 27-13 win over a potential Class M playoff team (New Fairfield, Sept. 11). Ansonia opened its season with a win over perpertually struggling Wilby. Ansonia leapfrogged the Bobcats this week. Moral of this story — Ansonia has as much cachet as any team in the state.

NEXT: vs. Newtown, Friday, 7 p.m.

9. Newtown 2-0 176 10

KNOW THIS: The three-time, three-time, three-time South-West Conference champions journey to Brookfield this Friday in the biggest game of a loaded Week 3.

NEXT: at Brookfield, Friday, 7 p.m.

10. Glastonbury 2-0 113 NR

KNOW THIS: Keyion Dixon ran for a game-winning 7-yard touchdown on an untimed down to give the Tomahawks a crazy 50-49 win over Conard. Glastonbury led, 44-27, with 4:57 left in the game. The Chieftains rallied to take a 49-44 lead with 47 seconds left. That was more than enough time for Glastonbury.

NEXT: vs. Bulkeley/Hartford Magnet/Weaver, Friday, 7 p.m.

Dropped out: West Haven (7).

Also receiving votes: North Haven (2-0), 111 points; West Haven (1-1), 83; Ledyard (2-0), 74; Wethersfield (2-0), 72; Xavier (1-1), 61; St. Joseph (0-0), 49; Berlin (2-0), 47; Hand (2-0), 46; Staples (1-0), 44; Norwich Free Academy (1-0), 38; Greenwich (1-0), 36; Torrington (2-0), 19; Bacon Academy (2-0), 18; Capital Prep/Achievement First (1-0), 16; Wolcott (2-0), 10; Tie, Harding (2-0), Hillhouse (2-0) and McMahon (1-0), 9; Tie, Masuk (2-0) and New Fairfield (1-1), 8; Middletown (1-1), 7.

The following coaches votes: Rich Anganaro, Brookfield; Tom Brockett, Ansonia, Jim Buonocore, Ledyard; Craig Bruno, Naugatuck; Scott Daniels, Glastonbury; Joe DellaVecchia, St. Joseph; Steve Filippone, Hand; Rob Fleeting, Windsor; Steve George, Newtown; Tanner Grove, Montville; Tim King, Valley Regional/Old Lyme; Sean Marinan, Xavier; Marce Petroccio, Staples.