FCIAC Football Blog

Staples Class L Reign Ends

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 20:40:00 +0000

I wish I could say I didn't see this one coming. But I did.

Yes, I picked Staples to win this one. But I also know how dangerous Steve Smith can be.

I saw him pick apart the Staples defense in the preseason (though the Wreckers were missing some key players), and saw him appear as a giant among men against Trinity Catholic.

And last night, he helped Bunnell pull the upset.

Here's the Staples-Bunnell media clips:

Bulldogs Wreck Staples' Title Hopes (WFSB-TV)
All Hail Bunnell (Connecticut Post high school blog)
Smith, Bunnell's one-man wrecking crew (Connecticut Post)
Bunnell's Smith shines on the biggest stage (Connecticut Post)
Staples falls in title game (The Hour)
Staples can't get handle on Bunnell QB (The Advocate)
Bunnell pulls off Class L upset (The Register)
Bunnell holds off Staples (The Courant)

tags: FCIAC football

Rams Take Fifth State Championship

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 17:02:00 +0000

Fifth in Modern Time, that is (since the class playoff systen began in 1976). This is Number 16, according to ramfootball.com. I asked my father about pre-1976, and he tells me that a champion was awarded by class based on overall record back in the day.

Either way, the pizza oven at Uncle Joe's may need a night off.

The first words out of Lou Marinelli's mouth when he saw me: "Did you pick us?" Thanks for reading the blog, coach! One of his best one-liners since he took over the New Canaan wrestling team on an interim basis in 1985, walked into the first practice, and asked, "Where are the ropes?"

Anyway, I'm not sure who was on with "The Coach" George DiMaio postgame, but according to an e-mail I received last night, that reporter "did not think too kindly of the New Canaan coach's decision to (1) fake an extra point and go for 2 points with the score 33-6, and (2) tossing a 22 yard pass completion while leading about 47-14 late in the game. Both signs of pretty poor sportsmanship."

Yes, the starters played most of the game for New Canaan. Yes, at a point, they were up 53-6. But (1) Marinelli and Maloney head coach Bob Zito did share an embrace after that game and (2) Marinelli is all in favor of the 50-point rule, or was back in this June post (a lot of coaches have changed their minds about it since then).

Anyway, enough of me, here's what the rest of the media had to say:

New Canaan Rams Way To State Title (WFSB-TV)
New Canaan Routs Maloney (The Advocate)
‘Win or lose, we’re so proud’ (Meriden Journal-Record)
New Canaan runs over Maloney (Connecticut Post)
Rams Don't Mess Around (The Courant)

tags: FCIAC football

How the Greenwich Stole The Class LL Championship

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 16:18:00 +0000

Read the press clippings from outside the FCIAC region and you'd think the Cardinals pulled off the biggest upset in Greenwich since Ned Lamont won the Democratic senat nomination (Hey, I voted for him, not to get all political on you).

Somehow, after Greenwich lost to Staples on Thanksgiving, the Cardinals were written off. Even after a convincing 34-0 win over Fairfield Prep on Tuesday, most media members were handing the Class LL championship trophy to Southington.

But as they say, that's why they play the games.

Congratulations to the Cardinals, who become the first school since 1994 (Brien McMahon) to win the FCIAC and CIAC championships in the same season.

The clips:

Knights Blue Over Cardinals' Title Win (WFSB-TV)
Greenwich Beats Southington (Greenwich Time)
Turning Off The Air (The Courant)
Greenwich wins sixth Championship (Connecticut Post)
Knights end on Blue note (The Herald)
Southington falls short (Republican-American)

And hey, where are those Greenwich fans who harassed me at the FCIAC Championship Game now? Wait for it... "Yeah, In your face! I was right!"... and, react ;)

Seriously though, I think this is going to be a closer game than those upstate think it will be. If Greenwich could keep the New Canaan spread offense from scoring five times in the red zone in the FCIAC Championship Game, there's no reason it can't do it against Southington. Greenwich comes out on top, 28-14.

By the way... Sean Patrick Bowley? He was right, too.

tags: FCIAC football

Lazy Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 15:35:00 +0000

It's a Lazy Sunday here in the Parry household (It's all about the Hamiltons, baby!), and I apologize for the lack of posts (Yeah, I know, who cares!).

But now that I got my wife off to work, the pork shoulder in the smoker, and the dog to stop howling for no darn reason, I'll get a little posting done. And maybe a podcast postgame interview with New Canaan's David Reed.

Meanwhile, entertain me! Leave your thoughts about the 2006 season in the comments section.

tags: FCIAC football

Connecticut Post: Smith, One Man Wrecking Crew

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 04:51:00 +0000

I don't have an Easy Button. I have an SPB Button. As soon as a Sean Patrick Bowley story is posted, I'm on it like white on rice.

And here it is...

Like I said all week, the key to stopping Bunnell is to stop Steve Smith. But it was Smith who stopped Staples by intercepting a two-point conversion that would have tied the game for the Wreckers.

Final score from Ken Strong Stadium: Bunnell 28, Staples 26.

tags: FCIAC football

Greenwich: Number One?

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 04:29:00 +0000

"The Coach" George DiMaio signed off of his WELI AM 960 game broadcast by proclaiming Ansonia Number One.

The dilusional crazies in The Bird's Nest are talking Ansonia and Holy Cross as Numbers 1 and 2.

OK, let me get the argument started.

I may be the only person East of Cos Cob who believes Greenwich, by virtue of its 28-7 win over Southington, the team the majority of the media was crowning the Class LL champ before either team arrived at Jess Dow.

Yes, Ansonia is undefeated. But to be honest, I don't think they - or any NVL team - could defeat an FCIAC team. I'd say "or an SWC team," but Holy Cross had its way with Stratford. Bottom line, the FCIAC gets little respect across the state.

Yes, Ansonia defeated Bloomfield. But this isn't the same Bloomfield team that was a world-beater back in the Jack Cochran days.

I'm sure the writers and the coaches that vote in their respective polls will take Greenwich's loss to Staples on Thanksgiving into consideration - and they will look at the scoreboard as they should, and not who didn't suit up or what the field conditions were.

But hopefully, they'll consider Greenwich when they cast their votes.

tags: FCIAC football

Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 02:41:00 +0000

New Canaan and Greenwich have won state championships, and Staples fell short of making it an FCIAC trifecta.

Gotta run...

tags: FCIAC football

Seven Seconds Left...

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 02:14:00 +0000

Touchdown, Maloney!

And the Spartans trail New Canaan 53-21.

tags: FCIAC football

Staples Closing In

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 02:08:00 +0000

Staples trails 28-26 in intercepted a Bunnell Pass with 4:09 left in that game.

Greenwich is also up 28-7, 7:35 left in the game.

2 minutes left up here, New Canaan 53-14. Time to head back to the field. Dan Neeleman is the MVP for New Canaan, and gained 202 on the ground on 30 carries.

tags: FCIAC football

50 Point Rule Alert... 50 Point Rule Alert...

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 01:52:00 +0000

It's 53-6 New Canaan with 9:53 left in the game after a Dan Neeleman 9-yard run.

Something happened with a roughing into the kicker penalty on Maloney that got Lou Marinelli awfully mad. We'll have to wait until post-game for that. New Canaan is now slowly starting to put its reserves in on defense.

Wait a minute... Jehrone Bunch with a 30-yard touchdown and a two-point conversion run. New Canaan 53, Maloney 14.

tags: FCIAC football

Greenwich Pulling Away

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 01:47:00 +0000

Ned Griffen of The Day has audio, and he reports Jimmy Dunster has caught a 63-yard pass from Joe Poletsky. Greenwich takes a 21-7 lead late in the third.

Also, Staples is climbing back, but Bunnell still leads 28-20 late in the third.

tags: FCIAC football

And As I Hit "Publish"

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 01:37:00 +0000

New Canaan scores again... David Reed with a 51-yard touchdown run. The Rams lead 40-6.

First play on the ensuing drive, Evan Rosenstein forces a William Stewart fumble, and Brendan Rafalski recovers. It's his second of the game.

Also, this just reported to the press box: Greenwich up 14-7, 7:35 left in the third.

Okay, Dan Neeleman just fell at the goal line after a 26-yard run... And now he's in. Kurt Ondash kicks the extra point to go up 47-6.

Neeleman has 231 total yards, including 183 on the ground, Reed has 118 rushing, according to Dave Ruden of The Advocate.

tags: FCIAC football

New Canaan 33, Maloney 6

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 01:30:00 +0000

...and I've lost my audio... forever! I'm sure if I re-start my laptop I'll get it back, but that could take ages.

Two plays after Curt Casali hoohed up with Dan Neeleman on a 48-yard screen pass, Neeleman goes three yards for a touchdown. But Rashamell Vereen returned Kurt Ondash's kickoff 81 yards.

With 5:05 left in the third, New Canaan leads 33-6.

So I'm making my live updates to WGCH-AM, and I'm sure they sound bad. WELI-AM's Phil Soto-Ortiz agrees...

tags: FCIAC football

Halftime: New Canaan 27-0

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 01:00:00 +0000

About the only thing the Rams have done wrong so far is put Dan Neeleman in a pair of mismatched pants (the striping is like NC used to wear back in the 90s), and allow a blocked extra point.

Casali hit David Reed, then Alex Drexler for long completiong before calling his own number on a 10-yard run.

Special thanks to Dave Ruden of The Advocate for these halftime stats:

Curt Casali - 3-7-63-1
Dan Neeleman - 13 carries for 105 yards
New Canaan has outgained the Maloney offense 227-62, and has 9 first downs to the Spartans' 2.

Meanwhile, Southington stopped Greenwich twice at the goal line to end the half in a 7-7 game. And Staples is down 21-12 at the half to Bunnell (Thanks to Dan Gelman for the updates from Southern).

tags: FCIAC football

New Canaan up 21-0

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 00:39:00 +0000

So far, no contest in New Britain.

The Rams have taken a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter on a 1-yard plunge by Curt Casali, a Casali pass to Zach Renner (left) and a 1 yard run by David Reed.

Also, it's a 7-7- tie for Greenwich, and Staples is down 15-6.

tags: FCIAC football

Off to Central Connecticut...

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 22:05:00 +0000

Yes, I will be doing the New Canaan game. It was a toss-up between New Canaan and the Staples-Bunnell game, since I did the Greenwich game Tuesday.

If all pans out, I will try to do some live blogging, but I can't ptomise anything. What kind of Internet access is there at Arute Field? Don't know. The sports information department is too cool to call or e-mail high school football writers to answer that question.

They'll probably answer that question when I go to get my credential for WGCH-AM and promptly send me to the back of the ticket line. Hooray, CCSU!

tags: FCIAC football

Let The Games Begin... Championship Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 16:34:00 +0000

Six Games, six state championships to be crowned. Mock the CIAC's system or not, three FCIAC teams - Greenwich, Staples, and New Canaan - are a part of Super Saturday. Take a bow, coaches, players, managers, and staffs.

So, here's what's out there in the media today, and my own commentary:

General: Friday Night Football Blog - John Holt's blog for WFSB-TV, Channel 3, Hartford

Class LL - Greenwich vs. Southington:
First of all, it seems to me the world has already crowned Southington the champ, and the best team of all time since the 1986 New York Giants. Then again, it should be interesting to see how Greenwich reacts as an underdog for the first time this season.

Southington Seeks To Avenge Championship Loss (WFSB-TV)
Spartans, Knights set for final tests (Meriden Record-Journal)
Southington faces Greenwich tonight (Waterbury Republican-American)
Together Again (The Advocate/Greenwich Time)
Southington's defense can win a championship tonight (New Britain Herald)
Southington's defense can win a championship tonight (New Britain Herald)
Mella Quick To Win Over Knights (The Courant)
Clements Name Is Passed to a QB (The Courant)
Class LL Preview (The Courant)

You know, I could use some additional publicity for the blog. So I'm going to pick Southington to win big tonight. This way, when I'm wrong, Greenwich running back John Kavanaugh can tell the press "The FCIAC Football Blog said we were going to lose, and it was wrong!"

Seriously though, I think this is going to be a closer game than those upstate think it will be. If Greenwich could keep the New Canaan spread offense from scoring five times in the red zone in the FCIAC Championship Game, there's no reason it can't do it against Southington. Greenwich comes out on top, 28-14.

Class L - Bunnell vs. Staples:
Great matchup of two teams that had a very spirited scrimmage to open the season. The stakes ar a little higher now... just a little bit.

Staples Seeks Another State Title (WFSB-TV)
Staples aims for third straight title: Here's page 1 of The Hour article, and page 2
Trinity's coach knows full well about Bunnell (The Advocate)
Football notes (Connecticut Post)
Class L preview (The Courant)

Steve Smith will not be an easy player to stop. Combine New Canaan's Curt Casali and Dan Neeleman, and that's what you're trying to stop. It would have been like if in the Staples-Rams game, Casali waited for a five-Mississippi count and took off running. But I think a fully healthy Staples defense will get the job done. Staples wins this 21-14.

Class M - Maloney vs. New Canaan:
Maloney is the X-factor, and I'll admit I still don't know a lot about them. But the Rams did a good job shutting down the Wing-T when it had to. No reason it shouldn't happen tonight.

Maloney To Meet Top Seed In Class MM (WFSB-TV)
Spartans, Knights set for final tests (Meriden Record-Journal)
Class MM preview (The Courant)

Okay, finally, I'll have to stop myself from cheering in the press box for the first time in my journalism career (and that included a season covering my beloved Giants, and a week of spring training with my Cleveland Indians). But I'm proud to see the Rams back in the championship game 20 years after I last wore the Red and Black. New Canaan is on a roll, and Randy the Ram will go nuts on the sidelines (they still have that costume?). New Canaan 35, Maloney 14.

tags: FCIAC football

The Future: Norwalk, Ridgefield Heading to Florida

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 15:32:00 +0000

I received an e-mail about a month back asking which level of youth football is the best for developing future high school football players.

I guess it is what it is when it comes to the leagues. Pop Warner has its tradition up here, but you're limited by weight classes. So bigger kids are going to high school with no prior experience. It also seems to be a dying thing up here, with teams as far away as Brooklyn in the same league as Bridgeport.

I like the Fairfield County Football League concept of the teams running the same plays as the high schools. It brings back the old days of junior high football, IMO.

And I know very little as well about American Youth Football, other that it's grown like crazy since it's 1996 founding. But I do know that Norwalks and Ridgefield have teams playing for national titles in that organization next week.

Click here to read about the Ridgefield Raiders fifth grade team in today's News-Times. And here's a piece on the Norwalk Panters and Buccaneers teams, which are also travelling to Florida. Here's page 1 of The Hour article, and page 2.

tags: FCIAC football

Radio Waves: FCIAC Games All Over The Airwaves And Internet

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 18:02:00 +0000

Championship Saturday.

If you can't be there, you have many listening options. So many that I'm sure I'm leaving some out.

If you CAN make a game, you can still listen to the others.

Here's what I have rounded up for your listening pleasure:

Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
The Final Score With Matt Levine, WSTC 1400/WNLK 1350 am: Staples head coach Marce Petroccio will be a guest of Matt's, talking about his 7 p.m. battle with Bunnell.

Game coverage:

Greenwich vs. Southington

WGCH AM 1490 will call the action live from Southern Connecticut State University. Rob Adams and Ricky Fritsch, along with Nick Angotto, Zach Fisher, and studio host Sean Kilkelly will bring you the action. Some guy named Tim Parry and WWPT FM 90.3's Jason Intrieri will be phoning in live updates (or at least the scores) of the New Canaan and Staples matchups respectively. (Airwaves and Internet)
WELI AM 960 "The Coach" George DiMaio and Nick Aprea will alo be there (as well as the earlier Ansonia-Bloomfield game). Live call-ins as well from our man Phil Soto-Ortiz (New Canaan) and Steve Kirck (Staples). (Airwaves and Internet)
SportingNewsCT.com (Internet Radio) will handle every State Championship game. Don Boyle and Phil Brodsky will call the action.

Staples vs. Bunnell

SportingNewsCT.com (Internet Radio) will be there, with Ray Curran and Mike Madera handling.

New Canaan vs. Maloney

SportingNewsCT.com (Internet Radio) will be there, John Sullivan and Ed McCaver call the action.

tags: FCIAC football

The Courant: More From Maloney

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 16:37:00 +0000

Reid Walmark of The Courant today writes about the successful turnaround of Maloney, which faces New Canaan tomorrow for the Class MM title.

Maloney's head coach Bob Zito is no stranger to New Canaan and the FCIAC. He coached for several years in the SWC, with Newtown, Stratford, and Weston.

And Zito will be bringing in something New Canaan is familliar with - the Wing-T offense. But it adds another element - and a big thanks to Ned Griffen of The Day for this alert - a fullback bigger than most linemen. Jonathan Jenkins, only a junior, stands 6-foot-3, 295 lbs. He's almost twice the size of New Canaan nose tackle John Worthley (5-8, 150), though he's proven to hold his own this season (which is why he was an All-FCIAC selection).

tags: FCIAC football

The Hour: Marsilio vs. Smith

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 15:56:00 +0000

The Hour's Matt Doran features the two quarterbacks facing each other in tomorrow's Class L championship game: Staples' R.J. Marsilio and Bunnell's Steve Smith. Cluck here for the first page of the two articles, and here for the jump page.

It's good to see Marsilio get the credit he deserves as a quarterback. I think he was a classic All-FCIAC first-team snub, getting in as a cornerback but not for his offensive leadership. And, as this post reminds us, he has just been trying to be himself all season, not the second coming of D.J. Stefkovich.

Smith is a tough guy to stop. He has some Rick Diculous numbers this season, according to MaxPreps, and he showed against Trinity Catholic earlier this season that containing him is not the answer. Give him no time to throw and he'll rip off a big run. Give him time to throw, and he'll find a receiver, no matter how many DBs you drop into coverage.

Best way to beat him - control the ball on offense. Don't try to get into an air show with him.

tags: FCIAC football

So you won't buy a t-shirt... Buy a sticker instead!

The Advocate: Crossing Routes (New Canaan and Staples)

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 13:01:00 +0000

Here's a piece that you should take some time to read, by Dave Ruden of The Advocate. And don't be afraid when you see there are three jump pages - its Web team did a good job breaking it down to keep readers from thinking it was a long, long piece. In fact, pages three and four are glances at tomorrow's News Canaan-Maloney and Staples-Bunnell games.

Great points here. One is that the Staples-New Canaan game a few weeks back sealed the Rams' fate, and kind of helped heal the wounds of the Nico Gutierrez injury. Another is that the Wreckers seemed to be left for dead, and climbed back heroicly.

I haven't done a pull quote from an article for a while, but here's a reminder for all the FCIAC bashers on the Birdseye boards:

In a year most considered a down one for the FCIAC, the two schools, along with Greenwich, which meets Southington in the Class LL final, could give the league three state champions.

So much for "Gold Coast" football being soft, FCIAC bashers...

tags: FCIAC football

Connecticut Post: Bowley's Picks

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 02:56:00 +0000

This just in: Sean Patrick Bowley is picking each of the three FCIAC teams in the finals - Greenwich, Staples, and New Canaan - to win Saturday.

Now that I ruined the suspense for everybody, click to read Sean's state championship football game capsules.

tags: FCIAC football

So you won't buy a t-shirt... Buy a sticker instead!

Turkey Bowls - The Last Hurrah's

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 22:35:00 +0000

My bad.

I've been so caught up in CIAC Playoffs logistics and articles that I ignored my bread and butter - the FCIAC.

Anyway, here's what's out there from the weeklies about the Thanksgiving Week games:

New Canaan 14, Darien 0:

Gobble, Bobble (Darien News-Review)
Blue Wave Football: Rams rain on Wave parade in Turkey Bowl 2006 (Darien Times)

Staples 20, Greenwich 0:

GHS football stuffed on Turkey Day (Greenwich Post)
Staples Plays Role of Holiday Home-Wreckers (Greenwich Citizen)
Wreckers Blank Top-Ranked Cards, Make States (Westport News)
Staples gridders beat Greenwich; now play for state title (Westport Minuteman)

Greenwich Bonus Coverage:

Things Starting to Feel Familiar for Cards (Greenwich Citizen)
Back in business (Greenwich Post)

Trumbull 14, St. Joseph 6:

Eagles edge Cadets with fourth-quarter defense (Trumbull Times)

tags: FCIAC football

So you won't buy a t-shirt... Buy a sticker instead!

Greenwich, Meet Southington

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Parry) — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 21:45:00 +0000

Need to know what Greenwich will be facing on Saturday? Here's some need to know info about Southington from the New Britain Herald and Waterbury Republican-American...

Blue Knights race into 'LL' state finals

Southington coach has team rolling into final

Knights' defense

SOUTHINGTON - For years, the perception has been that it is the Southington High offense carrying the Blue Knights to championships. Certainly, the Knights have been a prolific scoring machine over the past 10 years.

Air Raid was in attack mode

The familiar Air Raid siren was missing, but the Southington offense was back in legendary form.

tags: FCIAC football

So you won't buy a t-shirt... Buy a sticker instead!