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Reader Mail Time: A What-If in Stratford

It's reader mail time (lol)! I got an interesting e-mail last Sunday while I was away on business, and only got a chance to just write the guy back the other day saying "thanks for the e-mail." But with some teams' beginning their spring practices, it's an interesting concept: What if there was just ONE public high school in Stratford? How well would a combined Stratford-Bunnell football program fare with the rest of the state?

The author told me is that it would sure get the Staples fans riled up (even though they will meet in a scrimmage this August and probably not again until the following year, based on their new CIAC class designations). And that's a shame, though it's great fodder for another post some day and some time.

Here's the letter:

Tim,

I was looking on the SWC blog and tried to post
something on the FCIAC blog to stir up a hornets nest and was hoping
you could help me out.

When talking with a prominent senior running
back from Stratford High and a prominent wide receiver from Bunnell, we
all asked each other, "why the hell is Stratford 2 schools?!"

We
talked about the recent teams, and what it would be like. I won't get
to detailed about it and I'll keep it short, but even the FCIAC
heavyweights can't deny this.

Sean Murray, Steve Smith, and Chris
Sloat were the best quarterbacks in recent years in the SWC - and all
from Bunnell. Murray had EJ Yearwood and Daryl Staley, Smith had Marcus
Easley, Franklin, Mike Easley and Jackson. Sloat had Jackson Easley Harrison and Rosario. Obviously, Bunnell turned these players into championships. Stratford took great players, most notably from the past 2 years, and were on the brink of greatness.

Honostly
Tim, do you think that Ansonia or Greenwich would even stand a chance
of a team with Smith/Sloat in a spread with Torrey or Ox in the
backfield, with Easley, Harrison, Jackson, Ox/Torrey, Stenson, or
Vasquez to throw to? I could go on making a super team but am too tired.

Do you really think anyone in the state could hang with that?

Some even went as far as thinking that team would be nationally ranked!

Just wondering what an unbiased person thought about this.

E-mail me back or put it up on the blog, I'm sure that would be interesting for Staples fans haha.

-(Name withheld, unless the author let's me post it)

For such a small town, Stratford has a TON of talent. So in a way, the students are I guess fortunate enough to have two high schools. I would have loved to see some of these kids play Pop Warner since, if I recall, the town has just one team.

Yes, on paper, a 2007 version of this dream-team could very well be placed ahead of Ansonia in the state polls. Unless, of course, Masuk shines in the second half of the state championship game as it did and Ansonia steamrolled New London as it did.

But here's a bunch of other things to consider:

• If there was one high school in Stratford, how many of these athletes would have gone to St. Joseph, Fairfield Prep, or Notre Dame-Fairfield instead? Would all three if those programs had improved and made states?
• Would Craig Bruno be the coach, or Duane Shirden? In an alternate world, maybe Bruno would be the head coach at Bassick (where he is a teacher) or Harding (where he was once an assistant) and had one of those schools winning back-to-back titles?
  
• Would Torrey Mack or Octavias McKoy become slot receivers at Bunnell, or would Mario Guerrero become an every-down back at Stratford, alongside Oliver Aurelia? Or would you play a two-back spread offense instead (like New Canaan). What would be the best offense?
• Two platoon football could be alive in Stratford, and maybe Torrey and Ox become defensive specialists?
• Would Justin Shumyhora, who hasn't had to throw the ball much in his career, have been this year's Chris Sloat, and thrown for close to 3,000 yards?

Unless Stratford is REALLY facing a budget crisis, I don't see the town going back to one high school (unless Stratford High's building is past it's prime and they look to add on to Bunnell instead - Fairfield tried that in 1987, and it didn't work). But until then, the what-if aspect of football in Stratford could be pretty fun.

Courant Announces All-State Team

Oh yeah, The Courant has an All-State team, too...

And it's an interesting one. It's set up more like a 50-man roster than a first-team and whatnot. And there's a slew of honorable mentions.

There are a lot of FCIAC players on the team though, so it's worth checking out.

Click here for the offense.

Click here for the defense. (Honorable mention defense is not shown... bummer)

FCIAC and Bunnell Dominates Register's All-State Team

Looking online for the New Haven Register's All-State team? Yeah, you an everyone else. At least last year you could find the previous All-State teams. This year - nada. So I schlepped out to the store and picked up the paper so I could tell you who from the area is on the team, which I always consider to be the "real" All-State team.

The FCIAC is well represented, and so is the SWC. Alex Thomas, of course, is the Player of the Year (that one made it online, so someone there is slacking, or a dopey marketer thinks newsstand sales will skyrocket if they keep the team offline).

Anyway, here it is, with the SWC players bolded:

OFFENSE:

QB - Charlie Westfal, New Canaan
RB - Nathan Pagan, Newington
RB - Geoff Schultz, Shelton
RB - Alex Thomas, Ansolia
WR - Marcus Cooper, Bloomfield
WR - Michael Easley, Bunnell
OL - Chris Bisanzo, Greenwich
OL - Jeff Farrell, Bunnell
OL - Mike Golic, Northwest Catholic
OL - Erik Kuraczea, Ansonia
OL - Keatrick Redding-Hall, Weaver
UT - Rob Moir, Seymour
K - Alfredo Frausto, Cromwell

DEFENSE:

LB - Scott Christy, Masuk
LB - Jack Cooper, Berlin
LB - Mike Flynn, Ansolia
LB - Josh Kozel, Staples
LB - Andre Lawrence, Hartford Public
LB - Jonathan Meyers, Greenwich
DB - Jonathan Jackson, Bunnell
DB - Torrey Mack, Stratford
DB - Rich Vitale, New London
DL - Masengo Kabongo, Fairfield Prep
DL - Trevardo Williams, Bridgeport Central
ST - Will Volage, Woodland
P - Christian Garcia, Norwalk

SWC Second-teamers:
QB - Chris Sloat, Bunnell
DB - Octavious McKoy, Stratford

SWC Third-teamers:
RB - Mike Leonetti, Pomperaug
WR - Mark Harrison, Bunnell
OL - Bobby Major, Pomperaug
OL - Bill Romanello, Masuk
DL - Hopeton Quarrie, Bunnell

SWC Honorable Mentions:
QB - Ray Palmer, Masuk; RB - Rob Fiore, Barlow; and Sean Macey, New Fairfield; OL - Greg McLain, New Fairfield; WR - Pat Cassidy, New Fairfield; DL - Matt Walker, Pomperaug, and Cody Wallace, New Milford; LB - Sly Accettullo, Notre Dame-Fairfield, and Mike Valenti, Bethel;P - Matt Charney, New Fairfield; K - Dan DeGeorge, Pomperaug.

Got photos? Here's the Long-awaited Newtown-Bunnell Gallery

Okay, I think the Newtown-Bunnell game was played when, early October? Well, I've FINALLY got around to doing the gallery of that game.

You can go to my photo store, to view the gallery. Once in, go to "Gallery," scroll down to "High School Football 2007," and select "Newtown at Bunnell."

And the photos are available for sale, too, and can be purchased direct from that site. $5 for a 4X6, $6 for a 5X7, $12 for an 8X10. Remember... the holidays are here (and so is the Weston-New Milford gallery).

Chris Elsberry: Play the CIAC Finals At the Rent

Matt Levine's been saying it on the air for a while, and now Chris Elsberry has it in print. But will the CIAC ignore common sense?

The CIAC Championship games DESERVE to be played at Rentschler Field.

Look, we all know the CIAC is frugal. But for one day a year, can't they go all out and play the greatest games of the season on the state's finest stage? Elsberry's column  points out all the states that have Super Saturdays, with championship games in major venues.

One thing missing (though it may be there - the RIF bus never dropped by my school). Alabama has its games at Legion Field in Birmingham.

I know the CIAC was going to hold two there a few years ago at The Rent, but a blizzard meant the postponement of all games, and the need for new venues.

But it can happen. Have a Super Saturday at The Rent. Ask some companies for sponsorship dollars and I'm sure the costs will be covered.

And it'll give the kids involved even more to remember...

Down at the bottom of Elsberry's column is a plug for Bill Gonillo night at The Arena at Harbor Yard on Sunday, when the Sound Tigers take on the Albany River Rats. Here's some more info on how you can get your discounted tickets to the event, and the pre-game reception, from BillGonillo.com.

And another great clip today from Elsberry. It's about former Bunnell wide receiver Marcus Easley, who is making a name for himself as a walk on receiver at UConn. The junior walk-on decided to concentrate on academics as a freshman, then walked on last season. This year he's seen action in six games.

Catch Craig Bruno on Live From the FC

Can't come down from the state championship football high? Neither can I. So tune in at 10 a.m. to Live From the FC and listen to interviews with the three Fairfield County coaches who won state championships this season. Have any questions for them? Send them via AIM to livefromthefc.

First up, New Canaan head coach Lou Marinelli, who had one for the ages Saturday with the Rams' come-from-behind 34-30 win over Daniel Hand to take the Class MM crown.

Next up: Rich Albonizio, whose Greenwich team completed back-to-back FCIAC and Class LL championship runs with a 28-14 victory over Shelton.

And last but not least, Bunnell head coach Craig Bruno, whose Bulldogs also completed back-to-back campaigns in the SWC and Class L with a 22-14 win over league rival Masuk.

Click the link above, or the logo, to listen live. Or check later Saturday for the archive.

State Coaches Poll: Bunnell Finishes 3rd, Masuk 9th

Ansonia has been named the No. 1 team in the state, according to The Day of New London's State Coaches Poll. Greenwich finished second, while Bunnell finished third.

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 (9) 13-0 380 1
2. Greenwich (2) 11-1 364 2
3. Bunnell-Stratford (2) 13-0 346 4
4. Seymour 11-1 276 10
5. New Canaan 10-2 272 NR
6. Hand-Madison 11-1 236 3
7. Shelton 10-2 224 7
8. Ledyard 10-1 213 NR
9. Masuk-Monroe 10-3 170 NR
10. New London 11-1 140 5

Dropped off: Bristol Eastern (6), Staples-Westport (8) and Southington (9).

Also receiving votes: Bridgeport Central (8-2), 138; Southington (9-2), 125; Bristol Eastern (10-1), 106; Staples-Westport (8-2), 96; Berlin (10-2), 68; Conard-West Hartford (9-2), 45; Cromwell (10-1), 42; Tolland (9-3), 28; Woodland-Beacon Falls (8-4), 24; Weaver-Hartford (9-2), 14; Northwest Catholic-West Hartford (8-3), 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.