Florida Bound

Just to let you all know, I will be away in Florida through Sept. 30. Consider this the "out of office" reply, though I plan on checking in every morning.

The wife wanted to go away in September, and how could I say no? Yes, I'll be missing a week of high school football, but you guys can fill me in. Heck, I consider it a bye week!

I'll tell the Mouse you said hello. Shamoo, too.

Sunday: Joe Lato on Live From the FC

Does Matt Levine have timing or what? Not only will he be filling in for me doing Live From the FC, but he told me Thursday morning he booked Weston head coach Joe Lato as a guest.

Lato picked up his first career win on Thursday and the Trojans snapped a 22-game winless streak in the process.

So Sunday morning, 10 a.m., log onto Live From the FC. Can't listen live? Check back in at the same link for the archive.

Press Clippings

I was about to post a few links for Cyberspace when I went to the Connecticut Post's blog and read about the passing of Robert Szymaszek, the long-time Maloney head football coach who succumbed to brain cancer yesterday. Please click to read Sean Patrick Bowley's thoughts, and the Meridan-Journal's tribute page. May he rest in peace.

I guess there's no great way to segue into last night's games. So here we are:

Stratford 43, Brookfield 13:

• (Connecticut Post) Mack, McKoy Power Stratford

Bunnell 42, Notre Dame-Fairfield 15

• (Connecticut Post) Bunnell rolls over ND-Fairfield

Newtown 21, New Fairfield 14

• (News-Times) Last second heroics

Immaculate 35, Nonnewaug 0

• (News-Times) Immaculate gets off to fast start

Pomperaug 28, Barlow 0

• (News-Times) Pomperaug runs over Barlow

Weston 34, New Milford 7

• (The Hour) Weston breaks through
  

Clip of the Week: Don't Forget to Enter

There's nothing I'd love to do more next week in Florida than set up the Clip of the Week contest. It will mean we have entries. I'd love to give away a free t-shirt to the winner. And so would Digital Sports Video, the sponsor of the contest.

So click here for more details about the contest, or click below for MY video from the New Milford-Weston game, which I think came out pretty cool. Then click HERE for details on how to enter the contest.

Coaches, feel free to enter a clip. If you don't want the shirt for yourself, give it to your human highlight. Parents, enter your kid and earn those bragging rights!

Weston's Day in the Sun

Last season, with the FCIAC Football Blog, I thought I was going to be in the right-place, right-time to witness then end of Bassick's epic state-record losing streak. Alas, Fairfield Ludlowe pulled together in the second half and took home a 14-6 win.

I didn't go to Weston yesterday with any expectations. If anything, it was a 4 p.m. game, and was great for shooting (photos will be up soon). When Nick Figliola returned an interception 68-yards for a touchdown, I started sensing history. When the extra-point snap was bobbled by Figliola, and the team put the ball on the ground twice in the first half, I was thinking it was just another SWC game.

But Dylan Hannum had a career day - one that can turn you from just another player into a legend. Four second-half touchdowns on runs of 37, 70, 77, and 19 yards. And the defense made up for the first half turnovers. Figliola and Bryan Turkel had interceptions, and Josh Bombart, Tom McGee, and Ben O'Brien recovered fumbles.

Congratulations to the Trojans, now listen to what the coach, Joe Lato, had to say after the game. The Hour's Tom Evans and The Weston Forum's Rocco Valluzzo also participate.

Weston: The Streak Is Over

The highlight of my day: I got to witness history. The Weston Trojans won its first game in 22 tries, and did it in a convincing fashion, 34-7 over New Milford.

Video to come, photos to come, just gimme a little more time.

Press Clippings: News From Today's Papers

Yes, the Weston-New Milford game (which I am heading to) starts in less than an hour), but here's some pre-game reading material:

• (News-Times) Biasetti powers Mustangs ground attack
• (Weston Forum) Turnovers plague Weston
• (Redding Pilot) Red Devils ground Falcons
  

Bethel-Notre Dame Photos Are Online

Photos from the Bethel-Notre dame game are (finally!) available online: Click here to enter my photo store.

Once there, roll over "Gallery" and then "High School Football" and scroll down to Bethel at Notre Dame 9-15-07.

Click on the photo you want to see for a sample. If you're interested in buying, click on "pricing and options" (a pop-up window will come up, so please disable that feature). I accept online payments.

Enjoy!

Don't Forget: Clip of the Week Contest

Yes, really, there IS a Clip of the Week contest!

So I'm going into the future (notice to post date) to remind you all to enter!

Dust off those video cameras, grab those camera phones, and click here for the contest details. The weekly winner gets bragging rights, and a complimentary t-shirt!

The Clip of the Week contest is sponsored by Digital Sports Video, SWC Buzz, and the FCIAC Football Blog.

State Poll: Bunnell 7th, Masuk No. 9

I'm just stumbling over a post about the Bunnell-New Fairfield game... still. That's what happens when you're spread too thin here and at work... But for now, here's the latest:



For immediate release

The Day of New London Top 10 state coaches football 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.	Ansonia (10)	1-0	384	1
2.	Greenwich (3)	1-0	362	2
3.	Shelton	1-0	294	5
4.	New Canaan	1-0	272	4
5.	Staples-Westport	1-0	271	3
6.	Southington	1-0	220	6
7.	Bunnell-Stratford	1-0	183	7
8.	New London	1-0	176	9
9.	Masuk-Monroe 1-0	170	10
10.	Bloomfield 1-0	120	NR

Dropped out: West Haven (8).


Also receiving votes: Berlin (1-0), 83; Maloney-Meriden (1-0), 81; Stratford (1-0), 76; Ridgefield (1-0), 74; West Haven (0-1), 60; Fairfield Prep (1-0), 59; Tie, Hand-Madison (1-0) and Holy Cross-Waterbury (1-0), 48; New Britain (1-0), 44; Tie, Newington (1-0) and Woodland-Beacon Falls (1-0), 40; Windham (1-0), 38; Ledyard (0-0), 26; Conard-West Hartford (1-0), 23; Bridgeport Central (0-1), 22; Hillhouse-New Haven (1-0), 17; Cheshire (0-1), 16; Tie, Northwest Catholic-West Hartford (0-1), Seymour (1-0) and Weaver-Hartford (1-0), 14; Rocky Hill (1-0), 12; Norwich Free Academy (1-0), 9; Hamden (1-0), 8.


The following coaches voted: Chris Anderson, Woodland-Beacon Falls; Jim Buonocore, Fitch; Dave Cadelina, Bridgeport Central; John DeCaprio, Notre Dame-West Haven; Chuck Drury, Pomperaug-Southbury; Steve Filippone, Hand-Madison; Tanner Grove, Montville; Jude Kelly, St. Paul-Bristol; Tim King, Valley Regional-Deep River; Bill Mella, Southington; John Murphy, Masuk-Monroe; Marce Petroccio, Staples-Westport; Bob Zito, Maloney-Meriden.

The Buzz on Bethel-Notre Dame

Photos to come. Video not to come.

Simply put, Notre Dame looked very good, Bethel did not. I think there was a lot of hype about the Wildcats based on its 6-game win streak to end the season, but they have been hit by graduations.

Notre Dame is supposed to be on a downswing because it has a small junior class. The Lancers just aren't listening.

I love this sophomore at quarterback, Mike Bartell. The kid is tough and poised, and you couldn't tell he was starting his first game under center.

What had to help was Alex Muniz's return of the opening kickoff for a touchdown to get the early lead.

Said senior captain Sly Accettullo, "We knew we needed a big play, whether it was a kickoff return, a fade pass for a touchdown, a long interception return, to get us going."

Here's the article I submitted for The News-Times (it's not online):

By Tim Parry

FAIRFIELD – The 2007 football season began on a sour note for Bethel, right from the start, with a 22-0 loss at Notre Dame-Fairfield.

Lancers senior receiver Alex Muniz returned the opening kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown, and it was all downhill from there.

“Their line just beat us off the ball,” said Bethel head coach Chris DeCarlo. “We are going to need to play better than that if we want to compete this year.”

Playing with an inexperienced offensive line and with tight end Junior Ducatel out with an injury, Bethel managed just 119 yards of total offense.

Alex Amonte led the Wildcats with 29 yards on 16 carries, but 25 of those came on the final possession of the game, when the Lancers had its second team on the field.

Though the Wildcats forced its share of Notre Dame turnovers – fumble recoveries by Brandon Farrell and Anthony Bonagura and an interception by Farrell, the Wildcats could not capitalize.

Even after Dylan Ochs returned a punt 14 yards to the Notre Dame 19 in the fourth quarter, Bethel was not able to take advantage.

On the play following the return, Muniz picked off a pass in the end zone that was intended for the much taller Doug Vorhees.

“Give Notre Dame all the credit in the world,” DeCarlo said. “They came to play.”

Notre Dame iced the game on that drive, but not after some controversy.

Lancers running back Sly Accettullo picked up 12 yards and fumbled after a hit by Farrell.

Bethel defender Christian Naula fell on the ball at the Bethel 35 yard line, but it was ruled that Accettullo’s knee had touched the ground before the ball came out.

The next play, Bartell took a bootleg 37 yards for a touchdown.

Bartell, a sophomore making his first start for the Lancers, ran for 107 yards and threw for 132. He also had an 85 yards punt return for a touchdown called back for holding.

“He didn’t play like a sophomore, but he did make a few mistakes,” Notre Dame head coach Jason Hart said. “He saw a lot of playing time with the varsity basketball team last winter, and that helped him mature fast.”

Bethel has a short week of preparation ahead before it hosts it home opened Thursday against defending Colonial Division champion Masuk.

Bethel 0 0 0 0 – 0

Notre Dame 8 0 7 7 – 22

FIRST QUARTER

ND – Alex Muniz 85 kickoff return (Colin Dempsey pass from Mike Bartell) 11:46

THIRD QUARTER

ND – Bill D’Onofrio 16 pass from Bartell (Joe Dobbins kick) 4:15

FOURTH QUARTER

ND – Bartell 37 run (Dobbins kick) 3:20

Passing

B – Matt Witkofsky 2-5-1-27

ND – Mike Bartell 7-11-1-132

Rushing

B – Alex Almonte 16-39, Brandon Farrell 14-28, Dylan Oachs 3-13, Ryan Fandel 1-3, Anthony Bonagura 1-3

ND – Bartell 7-107, Alex Muniz 2-64, Tom Poirer 8-35, Sly Accettullo 5-26, Colin Dempsey 1-4, Tommy King 2-2

Receiving

B – Doug Vorhees 1-23, Christian Naula 1-4

ND – Dempsey 2-46, Muniz 1-43, Bill D’Onofrio 3-28, Accettullo 1-15

A Daughter's Love: Heart Walk 2007

My wife puts up with a lot when it comes to my attempts at high school football coverage. The least I can do is help her out with her cause.

Needless to say, I am proud of what Ursula is doing and has done for her father, Bill Gleissner, on his 75th birthday.

In lieu of a gift, she is walking in his honor with her team from Macy's of Trumbull in the Fairfield County Heart Walk, which will take place Oct. 28 at Sherwood Island.

Last Sunday was the big family party up in Brookfield, and Ursula used it to give her father his birthday gift. Or technically, to announce what she is doing for him.

Watch the video below (she's still mad at me for taking it), and if you'd like to contribute to her walk for her father, click here.

Sunday Afternoon Reading Material

Little bit of a review of Saturday's games. Here's what's out there in Cyberspace...

Immaculate 20, Weston 7

• (News-Times) IHS wins opener
• (The Hour) Turnovers haunt Weston

Pomperaug 47, New Milford 25

• (News-Times) Panthers pound Green Wave

Masuk 36, Brookfield 14

• (News-Times) Masuk takes down Brookfield
  

Saturday: Long Day's Journey Into Night

Okay, I have some catching up to do! You guys need to know where to find articles, you need my two cents, and I have some photos and video to post as well.

But yesterday was a long journey. It started with Live From the FC, and a walk down Memory Lane with Lou Marinelli. Then there was a cameo appearance on WSTC1400/WNLK1350 AM and Matt Levine's show, The Final Score. And that took place as I was getting ready to cover Bethel vs. Notre Dame-Fairfield for The News-Times.

Of course, I couldn't resist heading over to the second half of the Ridgefield-Harding game before filing my article, and then took a trip to Stratford to watch Bunnell start its SWC and Class L defense run against New Fairfield...

And now I'm starting to collect votes from FCIAC media for The Big 3, and staring at empty mailboxes for the BlueStreak Sports Training Player of the Week nominations, and the Digital Sports Video Clip of the Week contest...

Happy Sunday!

Video: Bunnell Head Coach Craig Bruno

I've never had a more honest answer come my way during my career. I asked Bunnell head coach Craig Bruno what it's like to defend a state title. I'll let you watch the video for his answer.

And, a little later, I'll give you those answers, along with more commentary from the Bunnell-New Fairfield AND Notre Dame-Bethel games...

Postgame: New Fairfield's C.J. Costabile

Don't let the Mohawk fool you. C.J. Costabile is a good guy. He's understandably upset after New Fairfield lost its opener 44-16 last night at Bunnell. Even though he made two of the best individual plays I've seen in a while - he took down 6-foot-5, 425 lb. Andrew Conroy down after an interception, and he kept Michael Easley from going wire to wire on an interception return (Easley picked the pass off at the Rebels 3 and Costable got him at the Bunnell 2 - that was trivial to him.