East Catholic Hires Former Maine High School Football Coach to Lead the Eagles

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Steve Calande is the new head football coach at East Catholic High School.

Calande spent the last two years as head coach of Old Town High School in Maine.  In his first year at Old Town, he led the school to a 5-3 record, which was the school's first winning season since 1997.  Last year Old Town went 2-6.

Calande replaces Bill Baccaro, who resigned in April.

East Catholic was 2-8 last season.

Walter Camp Foundation Hands-out 2011 Awards

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Connecticut's Super Soph Arkeel Newsome of Ansonia is the Walter Camp Foundation's 2011 Player of the Year.

Newsome set single-season state records with 3,763 yards and 58 touchdowns.  Newsome rushed for 364 yards in the Class M championship when Ansonia won a record 17th state championship.

Masuk quarterback Casey Cochran and Hand receiver Nick Vitale were the other finalists for the award.

Hand head coach Steve Filippone was named Coach of the Year.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was given to former Xavier High School head coach Larry McHugh.  In 21 years at Xavier, McHugh was 152-36-6.

2011 WALTER CAMP ALL-CONNECTICUT TEAM

OFFENSE
QB: Casey Cochran (Masuk)
RB: Arkeel Newsome (Ansonia), Alex Manwaring (Ledyard)
WR: Aaron Berardino (Windsor), Nick Vitale (Daniel Hand)
TE: Ryan Murphy (Xavier)
OL: Rennick Bryan (Hillhouse) Hakeem Martin (Ansonia), Michael Money (Fairfield Warde), Dylan Vano (Ansonia). Austin Wezenski (Xavier)

DEFENSE
DL: Joe Demichele (Daniel Hand), Sean Marinan (Xavier), Cole Ormsby (Windsor), Ludovic Richardson (Notre Dame)
LB: Shane Nastahowski (Greenwich), Matt Walsh (Daniel Hand), Tyler Wood (Ansonia), Mark Zurlis (North Haven)
DB: Jawad Chisholm (Bunnell), Jimmy Fairfield-Sonn (Valley Regional), Brenden Lytton (Torrington). Ryan Jacobucci (Xavier)

SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker: Matt Paola (Pomperaug)
Punter: Jon Heil (Staples)
Returner: Kyle McKinnon (New London), Thomas Milone (Masuk)

Connecticut High School Football Scores - Playoffs/Semfinals

by Jeff Fisher
Connecticut High School Football Huddle

Ansonia sophomore running back Arkeel Newsome is in position to become the state's single-season rushing leader.

Newsome rushed for 321 yards and six touchdowns in Saturday's 48-14 win over Berlin to move into next week's Class M state championship game.  Newsome has now rushed for 3,400 yards, which puts him within 196 yards of former Ansonia running back Alex Thomas who holds the current record with 3,596 yards.  Thomas set the record in 2007.

Ansonia will play Ledyard for the state title next weekend.

Here's the state's Top 5 single-season performances:

Connecticut Single-Season Rushing Leaders
1. Alex Thomas, Ansonia (2007) - 3,596
2. Arkeel Newsome, Ansonia (2011) - 3,400*
3. Tim Washington, Bristol Central (2000) - 3,005
4. John Weaver, Weaver (1999) - 2,953
5. Tim Washington, Bristol Central (2001) - 2,711
*one game to play next weekend


With 59 touchdowns this season, Newsome is now tied for 10th on the national list for touchdowns in a single-season.  The record is 71 that is held by T.A. McLendon of Albemarle High School (North Carolina) in 2001.

Connecticut High School Football Scores
Saturday, December 3, 2011

Playoffs
Semifinals

Class LL
Xavier 55, Norwalk 14
Staples 44, Newtown 20

Class L
New Canaan 27, Windsor 24

Class M
Ansonia 48, Berlin 14
Ledyard 35, Wolcott 0

Class S
Cromwell 35, Northwest Catholic 19
Holy Cross 23, Valley Regional/Old Lyme 14

Masuk QB Casey Cochran Wins Back-to-Back Player of the Year Awards

by Jeff Fisher
Connecticut High School Football Huddle

UConn-bound quarterback Casey Cochran isn't finished with his football career at Masuk, but the one thing is for sure, the 6-2, 205-pounder will end his career as the state's best statistics-wise.

Cochran, who is the state's all-time leader in yards (10,501) and touchdowns (108), has again been saluted for his outstanding play with the Gatorade Connecticut Player of the Year Award.  Cochran, who won a state title as a sophomore at New London, is hoping to make it back-to-back titles as Masuk.

Masuk will play Hand on Saturday in the state's Class L semifinals.