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    Monday, December 02, 2024

    H.S. football notes: McCoys continue to torment New London

    Fitch’s Calvin McCoy III celebrates a Ledyard turnover in Thanksgiving Day high school football action last season at Dorr Field in Groton. McCoy, like his father, Calvin McCoy Jr., has developed a rivalry with New London during his career, catching two touchdown passes in last week’s victory over the Whalers. (Day File Photo)

    New London — It turns out that some local McCoys have their own set of Hatfields, otherwise known as the New London Whalers.

    To explain: Fitch’s Calvin McCoy III is the son of Calvin McCoy Jr., an assistant coach with the Falcons. McCoy Jr. played on Fitch’s 1993 team (former coach Mike Emery’s second season), the team that snapped a six-game losing streak on Thanksgiving against New London. It also started a long streak of Fitch victories in the rivalry.

    McCoy III has added to the torment, catching two touchdown passes (21 and 40 yards) in Fitch’s 34-21 win last week at Cannamela Field.

    “Playing New London is always huge,” McCoy III said. “Big rivalry. Most of us have been playing New London since we were about seven. Tough games. But I’m very happy we were just able to beat them for the third year in a row.”

    McCoy III is hardly the only member of his team with deep roots in the program. Lineman Gianni Drab is the son of former Falcon Greg Drab, also a member of the 1993 team. (Greg Drab and Calvin McCoy Jr. are also business partners now, running the Advantage Personal Training locations in Niantic and Mystic.) Porter Carter is the son of former Falcon Rashad Carter, who has his own spot in Fitch lore and legend with a punt return for a touchdown in the 1999 state title game.

    Notables

    Two outstanding plays from last week (which can be viewed on GameDay’s “Great 8”) came from Stonington’s Patrick McGugan and Killingly’s Soren Rief.

    McGugan caught a touchdown pass falling backward as the Bears went to 2-0 for the first time since 2014 and Rief, normally known for his rushing acumen, threw a touchdown pass, despite his team’s loss to Notre Dame of West Haven. Rief also ran for nearly 200 yards.

    Other notables: First-year starter Jackson Heyward ran for 88 yards as the Colonels won their first game 28-6 over Weaver. … Brady Sutman, the last in the line of talented Sutmans to play at Waterford, ran for 213 yards as the Lancers defeated Montville 47-14. Waterford has scored 89 points in its first two games. … NFA sophomore quarterback Aaron Driscoll played a few series late in the Wildcats’ loss to Hamden last week. Driscoll’s dad, Jay, is a long time NFA teacher and assistant football coach at Coast Guard Academy.

    ... Our region knows plenty about long win streaks (Fitch won 34 straight between 1999 and 2001) but the state’s current longest win streak belongs to Northwest United at 14. The team is coached by Jen Garzone, the state’s only female head coach and is a five-school assemblage composed of Wolcott Tech, Nonnewaug, Shepaug Valley, Litchfield and Wamogo in the Connecticut Technical Conference.

    This week

    Stonington bids for its first 3-0 record since 2002 Thursday night at Waterford. ... GameDay will stream Ledyard at Montville live beginning at 6 p.m. Friday. … Killingly plays at the newly turfed Ferrigno Field at Windham High, trying to avoid an 0-3 start. Killingly has played among the state’s hardest schedules to date against Masuk and Notre Dame of West Haven. … NFA continues its scheduling gauntlet, playing New Britain, after opening with Stamford and Hamden.

    m.dimauro@theday.com

    Week 3 Schedule

    Today’s Game

    Stonington at Waterford, 6 p.m.

    Friday’s Games

    VGW Techs at Thames River, 6 p.m.

    Bacon Academy at Weaver, 6 p.m.

    Ledyard at Montville, 6 p.m.

    Valley/Old Lyme at Cromwell/Portland, 6 p.m.

    E.O. Smith at New London, 6 p.m.

    North Haven at Fitch, 6 p.m.

    Woodstock at Griswold/Wheeler, 6:30 p.m.

    New Britain at NFA, 6:30 p.m.

    Saturday’s Game

    Avon at East Lyme, 6:30 p.m.

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