“Time to put the hay in the barn,” was a favorite quote from former Hand assistant coach Jay Pasqualoni to describe the final practice before game day. His farming metaphor compared having a good final practice to the farmer’s pressing need to get the last bit of work finished to get the hay out of the elements, so that all the hard work that went before will not go to waste.
That time has now come for the 2011 Daniel Hand football team.
In the 41 weeks that have passed since the 2010 season ended in West Haven in December, there have been thousands of hours of weight lifting, conditioning, passing leagues, practices and scrimmages all to get ready for Friday night when the Jesuits of Fairfield Prep come to the Surf Club to open the 2011 season.
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Big shoes to fill
The 2011 squad will have big shoes to fill replacing graduates that include Quarterback Zach Miller, Receiver Alec Pacelli and Linebacker A.J. Hill. (A trio that moved on together and are now at Gettysburg College.) Returning impact players include senior captains Joe Demichele (It’s “D-Michael” not “D-Michelle”) Victor Buchetto and Mitch Pasqualoni on the line, and senior receiver Nick Vitale.
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Senior quarterback Henry Foye will take the reins of the offense this year. Foye has good size (6’2”-175) and an accurate arm. He has looked very good in the pre-season. He is not the mobile threat that Miller was, but he will ground pound it for a few yards when necessary. Backing him up will be junior Brendan Bilcheck. The receiving corps will be led by Vitale along with senior Tyler Riccio and juniors; Caleb Ewald, Kyle Anderson, Jason Raleigh and Tommy Schultz. At running back will be senior Kevin Frey and junior Ian O’Toole.
Offensive line is strong
One of the strengths of this year’s team will its offensive line, with Captains Pasqualoni LT, Demichele LG and Buchetto at center, and juniors Dan Padelli RG and Cam Gravina RT. As a group they’re not large with the exception of Demichele (6’1” 275) but they are mobile and skilled. Demichele, a rare four year starter for the Tigers, finished his junior wrestling season undefeated and is the reigning Class L, State Open and New England Champion at 275. Before this year is over he will most likely have Division I scholarship offers in two sports to choose from.
Leading the defense will be senior captain Danny Ives at inside linebacker, with Demichele, the only two-way starter at nose guard. At inside linebacker with Ives will be junior Matt Walsh and they will be backed up by junior Weston Staples. The defensive ends are senior Austin Caretta and junior Peter Gerson. Outside linebackers will be seniors Eddy O’Neill, Andrew Federico and Jason Cianfaglione. In the defensive backfield will be safeties senior Vance Giarratana and junior Hunter Mayhew they will be backed up by senior Matt Bruciati. The corners will be senior Brian Wilson and junior Alex Tuccero with juniors Bilcheck and Ben Bednarczyk backing them up.
An improved Fairfield Prep team will be here Friday
Placekicking duties will fall into the capable hands (or foot) of junior Ryan Bell. Jason Cianfaglione will be the punter.
Coach Filippone expects that an improved Fairfield Prep team will arrive on Friday. Second year coach Tom Shea has turned the program around from it’s winless years. Last year’s game was no picnic for the Tigers as the Jesuits kept it close right to the end. Coach Filippone is anxious to see how some of his newly promoted players will perform at the varsity level. He stated that, “This game will be a big test for us. I’m interested to see which players will move themselves up from the ranks of the unproven.”
Brutal four-week stretch starts soon
Another tough year in the SCC awaits. In weeks two and three Hand travels to Lyman Hall and Amity and then starts a brutal four-week stretch of Cheshire away, Notre Dame home, Wilbur Cross away and West Haven at home. Coach Filippone states that this year has the potential to be very difficult for Class L teams to earn one of the eight playoff spots. In his estimation there are at least 5 teams with a very good shot at going 10-0; Masuk, New Canaan, New London, North Haven and Bunnell. He also said that, “There is an outside chance that a 10-0 team might not get in.” The margin for error is that slim.
There will be some oddities to the schedule this year. The Cheshire game (10/6) will be played at Falcon Field in Meriden because Cheshire’s new turf will not be ready. Also the Wilbur Cross game originally scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Friday (10/21) has been pushed back to Saturday (10/22) at 1 p.m. because of the lack of lighting at Wilbur Cross.
Schedule:
Fri., 9/16
Fairfield Prep
Fri., 9/30
Amity
Away - Amity High School
7:00 p.m.
Sat., 10/22
Wilbur Cross
Fri., 11/4
East Haven
Home - Surf Club
7:00 p.m.
