- Former Ansonia running back Montrell Dobbs officially committed to Temple after an outstanding prep season at Milford Academy in which he earned the team's Offensive MVP Award. Dobbs rushed for 1,366 yards and 20 touchdowns in one of the best seasons in program history. Fellow Falcon and former Naugatuck lineman Aaron Echevarria will play at Southern Connecticut.
- The Walter Camp Awards were the final honors to be announced (and were last week). Ansonia running back Arkeel Newsome was named State Player of the Year and was one of two running backs on the Walter Camp All-Connecticut Team. Other NVL selections to the team included Brenden Lytton (DB, Torrington), Hakeem Martin (OL, Ansonia), Dylan Vano (OL, Ansonia), and Tyler Wood (LB, Ansonia). See the full team here.
- Holy Cross defensive coordinator Mike Mannetti was hired Wednesday as Post University's second sprint football head coach, reports the Rep-Am's Mark Jaffee. He succeeds Pete Ewald, who is leaving to start a program at Franklin Pierce University. Mannetti was previously an offensive coordinator at Post.
- Finally, we haven't forgotten about the NVL Blog Awards. We should be finishing them up very soon and have them posted next week. Sorry about the delay, we've been enjoying some time away from constant administration of the blog.
So far this offseason, there has been no earth-shattering news, but if anything does come up, you'll see it here first. Enjoy the winter, folks.
Highlight videos are coming, as well. Busy off-season (outside of football).
ReplyDeleteBREAKING NEWS--WAGS HIRES MARKETING FIRM IN PUSH FOR BOY AWARD.
ReplyDeleteBig congrats to Coach Manetti for his appointment to Head Coach of Post's Sprint team. If you can recall back to last year, Manetti was both Joe Monroe and I's top choice for the vacant Wolcott job. Best of luck to Coach Manetti at Post, and he will most certainly be missed at Holy Cross.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that always comes to mind when I see Coach Manetti prowling the sideline is Mike Tyson's Punchout. Why might you ask? Well, he's the spitting image of "Bald Bull."
Also, good luck to Dobbs at Temple. Love to see the NVL products do well at the next level and I'm glad to see he hasn't let any thing keep him from his goals.
I's?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update Kyle.
ReplyDeleteSad to hear one of the Nation's top recruits was both expelled from school and stripped of his scholarship to Michigan. Yuri Wright of Don Bosco is the 40th ranked player in the country, but as a result of a couple of inappropriate tweets, he's in major hot water.
ReplyDeleteThis should serve as a warning to all high school athletes using social media. Be careful what you say on the internet, because even if the remarks you make aren't aimed at anyone in particular. They can still offend the overly conservative masses.
http://www.chatsports.com/michigan-wolverines/a/Yuri-Wrights-tweets-are-why-Michigan-stopped-recruiting-him-10-2-1807
Let's hope he transfers to Ohio State and makes Michigan pay for pulling his 'ship.
Yes SR, hope he goes to the Buckeyes and burns some Wolverine tail.
ReplyDeleteYo Voice, JB played his own top favorite doo wop selections on the air Sunday night. I'll email them to you, OK?
ReplyDeleteALL STAR GAME Public vs. Private 1/06/2012
ReplyDeleteThis is the you tube highlite video of the game in florida it is the best one out there
Yo Voice, you may be the only blogger whose handle has its own theme song... a DW goodie, 'The Voice' by the Scarlets... could be Freddie Parris on the lead.
ReplyDeleteDW: I'd like to see JB's favorites. I'm in the process of compiling my own list. "The Voice" did have Fred Parris on lead. It was recorded on the Klik label in 1958 by The Scarlets and re-released as by The Five Satins in 1973 on the Nightrain label.I can honestly say that the song had no influence in my selecting "Thevoice" as my blogger monikker.
ReplyDeleteWho is going to win this Sunday?
ReplyDeleteCan Anyone out there confirm the rumor that Croce may go with Mannetti to Post. They were a great pair at Holy Cross hopefully they will have the same success in the collegiate level,if its true.
ReplyDelete@perspective,GREAT point,but they would be in third and fourth place in the weight catagory. Kevin Cretella is about 5'8 375lbs,and Lagenheim(don't know his first name) is only about 6'7 360lbs. May be the biggest coaching staff in the country at any level. Hahaha
ReplyDeletePerspective I doubt it on both counts. Especially as far as his son is concrened. Do you mean Kellen, the QB? He is at The Gunnery and has one more year. And he's def more than Post type material. If you mean his son Mike who just graduated from college that might be possible but again doubt it.
ReplyDeleteManetti should do fine but I don't see Steve Croce coaching sprint football.
Weightlfiting is important but these contests are overated...some schools use seniors, others don't. But I agree schools like Naugy and Derby lagg behind badly. Two of the top three last year in NVl won state titles.
ReplyDeleteA number of local teams usually participate in the Hilltopper weightlifting competition at Bridgeport Central, which should be coming up sometime in February.
ReplyDeleteI've been told that the NVL competition will be Saturday, March 3, at Crosby High. Not sure about the state competition.
Both the NVL and State comps will be held at Wilby. March 3 & 10
ReplyDeleteSounds good to me.
ReplyDeleteCretella is a house no doubt, I remember seeing him at the old powerhouse gym in naugy ‘bout 10 years back and he was putting himself in a class somewhere between Vince wilfork and Charlie Weiss then, cannot imagine he's looking to svelte nowadays. Got to give the man his due though, good d-line coach
ReplyDeleteThe DD rumor mill is alive and well. Could these be true? 1) Oxford will join the NVL and will be the opposition for Derby on Thanksgiving Day... until 2) Ansonia and Derby high schools merge in a few years. It's in the works. Jeez, who they gonna play? Don Bosco, De La Salle, Permian, Xavier of Cincinnati, Manatee FL, Bishop Gorman,Prattville AL?
ReplyDeleteTalk of Ansonia and Derby combining is on the table again. Derby's enrollment is way down and talk of building a new high school doesn't make financial sense. Derby is offering an early retirement package to eliminate staff by 2015. The expected year this would be in effect. There is still question as to whether they would use Ansonia High or the new school in Derby as the high school. It looks likely.
ReplyDeleteGo take a tour of Woodland HS and tell me that regionalising isn't functional, necessary and a great win for the students.
ReplyDeleteI would bet a whole bunch of money this doesn't happen anytime in the next decade.....still.
They made my school too small. :(
ReplyDeleteWhat happened with Dobbs recruitment? Not listed at Marshall or Temple.
ReplyDeleteMrNVL, ESPN has him listed on Temple's class. Here's the link, http://espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/school/_/id/218/temple
ReplyDeleteDobbs is definitely a Temple Owl. He moved on-campus two weeks ago. Both he and Tyler Matakevich (St. Joe's - Trumbull).
ReplyDeleteMontrell is in Philly doing work. He has to qualify before he can receive a scholarship. That's why he's not list with the other recruits.
ReplyDeletepost is considered college football?
ReplyDelete@MrNVL2011, You don't think Croce would join Mannetti at Post? He obviously isn't coaching his son anymore why wouldn't he? I would think he has enough arrogance to think could plus aren't they friends. If I was Mannetti I would bring him with me and put him on the offense and do the defense himself. He did an outstanding job as the DC at HC
ReplyDeleterem and kyle, and everyone else, long time no talk...tough when football ends not too much else to talk about lol hope you guys are hanging in there gearing up for another year of football. Fish is preppin the boat for the first launch out in the sound to wallop some stipers....yeahhhh budddyyy...welp, i'll be back on here in a few more weeks.
ReplyDeleteB6, you know I'll be ready to go come spring time. I'm upgrading my gear and making rigs to reel in the lunkers. You better be training hard so you can reel in the big ones. I know Remmy will be ready to go. This is the dead of winter. It sux when football is over.
ReplyDeleteWe miss you guys. <3
ReplyDeleteI'm actually doing the final write-up of the NVL Blog Awards (finally), and they'll be up soon. Remmy and I have been busy/lazy lately.
ANSONIA LOST A STAUNCH SUPPORTER WITH THE SUDDEN PASSING OF FORMER A.D. LUBA SOLDRA SATURDAY.SHE WAS A GOOD WOMAN AND AS KNOWLEGABLE ATHELETICALLY AS THEY COME.MAY SHE REST IN PEACE.
ReplyDeleteSad news Wags, it's never good to see caring people go. Let's hope she's resting in peace and our prayers go out to her family.
ReplyDeleteBeen hearing a number of good things coming out of the Wolcott camp in terms of the players off-season commitment. Coach Pace has the team lifting of course, but apparently has placed more emphasis on developing speed and agility than in years past. The Eagles return a number of players and should be primed for another solid season. That being said, I'm not sure how they will replace Bonvillian, Acevedo, and Byrne in the passing game. Still a lot of time.
Nice words by Wags on the passing of Luba Soldra. Condolences go out to her husband John, sons John, Craig and Keith and daughters Sharon and Lisa. May she "Rest In Peace."
ReplyDeleteThank you for the kind words. My mother had encounters with so many people in her short life. Many were during her time as Athletic Director at Ansonia. She had such great admiration and respect for her NVL counterparts. She spoke glowingly of all of them. She came to call many of them friends. She loved supporting the student-athletes of the NVL, no matter the sport. You could find her at many games or events throughout the school year. She loved Ansonia Football as much as anyone. I don't recall her missing a game or scrimmage for as long as I can remember. She enjoyed the interacting with the kids both as an educator and a fan. Her loss sudden, shocking, and has been difficult, but she did not suffer. I hope when people talk about Ansonia Football, Luba Soldra's name is right up there with Matthew "Pop" Shortell, where it belongs. Thank you for your kind words, well wishes, and prayers.
ReplyDeleteKeith Soldra
My deepest sympathy to the entire Soldra family. The Ansonia sports community last a good person this week. Hope all is well with her family.
ReplyDeleteI am shocked and saddened by the passing of Luba. What a marvelous person! I will always smile remembering Luba and her once a game visits to me, when I was at Jarvis, requesting a pen or pencil. She always but always made sure made sure I had all that I needed to broadcast a game.
ReplyDeleteI am honored and privileged to have had our association.
Old school classic! Ansonia at Naugatuck 1981 in front of a packed house.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DJAJ0n8kjCwE&source=video&vgc=rss&usg=AFQjCNFNILdy7K4TxsGlG9kfbvsM3qXlLA
Awesome old school vid CO. I wish I had a clicker to rewind the plays and fast forward thru the huddles. Naugy's QB was good.
ReplyDeleteCO, after watching that film, I'm amazed by how far offensive schemes have come in 30 years. Very few teams line up with a TE and 2 backs and pound it anymore. Thirty years ago, it would be unheard of for a high school team to line up in spread shotgun formation. The kids on both of those teams just look tougher than the kids playing today.
ReplyDeleteI looked at that game and tried to compair those two teams to today's teams too. I think this years Ansonia team is better (not by much) because of its speed. That Naugatuck team was able to run right at Ansonia and theres no way they do that against this years team. This years Ansonia team had a much better defense than the "81" team. Naugatuck attacked the middle of Ansonia's Dline. This years Dline was much more athletic and got more penetration. On offense the only real difference between these teams is they don't have Newsome. Naugatuck was the #1team in the state and beat previously unbeaten #1Xavier 26-6 in the class L championship. I think these teams would of been in the top ten, but I don't think they beat this years Xavier, Hand or Ansonia.
ReplyDeleteI think Craig Peters would have liked his chances.
ReplyDeleteCT's biggest signing from the 2011 graduating class Dean Tsopanides is doing very well at Iowa.
ReplyDeleteCO, you make some great points but comparing teams from now to teams from the 80's is tough because the game has changed very much. But this years AHS team had one of the better high school defenses I've seen. Also, good to see that kid doing well in Iowa. He was one of the best high school lineman i have seen.
ReplyDeleteOxford votes NO to blight laws.
ReplyDeleteCould a move to the NVL be very far behind?
Funny ribbsy, boy, crickets on here.
ReplyDeletei for one find ribbs' comment hilarious, good god have a sense of humor about it. i cannot wait for the verbal shellacking for the following comments but he is speaking to the uniformity of the nvl in so far as its conglomeration of schools and communities located almost exclusively in a post-industrial area located along the Naugatuck River. I would venture to say that, and I say this not as a dig simply a fact, and partly why you dye and the wool valley guys express so much angst and wage class warfare toward more "well-to-do" communities at times on this blog. The NVL doesn’t have diversity in socioeconomics such as other leagues. For every Newtown there is a Stratford in the SWC, or Pompy and Bunnell, Weston and New Milford and all in between. The FCIAC runs the gamut from Bassick to Darien, Danbury to Greenwich. IN the SCC you go from West Haven to Hand, Amity to Wilbur Cross. The ECC varies from New London and Stonington to Norwich and East Lyme. The CCC varies widely from Simsbury to Bloomfield etc.
ReplyDeleteSo if you excuse my verbosity, Ribbs is just trying to be humurous when he notes that the lack of a blight law would put Oxford in the same boat as manny other towns where it ain't all wine n cheese and picket fences. And for the record I am an Oxford resident born n raised
Oh no, I sense a socio-political debate coming on. Kyle, please step in and referee when you're done splitting wood and changing your own oil in your '76 rusted out pickup.
ReplyDeleteIt has been really quiet. No coaching changes or big transfer news this off-season. Everyone must be gearing up for the big NVL weightlifting meet in a few weeks.
ReplyDeleteWould it be to crazy to post weightlifting predictions? haha
ReplyDeletenah no socio-political commentary, I would seek pastures anew if wanted to pursue those types of debates, just simply the facts my man: you keep your guns and your religion, I'll just keep pouring kerosene on "le blog" ha ha
ReplyDeleteI am all for weights predictions double r, I know you are familiar with dan dunaj and the meteoric rise of a once dormant program up there in torrington, I was glad to hear the raiders are moving more and more to the big time and will also be reppin the league @ state weights, can you confirm this rumor? I love state weights, you get an idea of what everybody is made of to an extent, gotta say it is a shame Ole Jack Cochran won't have a hand in it this year though, but i am sure Russo and Fisherman's boy Couette will step in and perform their duties admirably!
ReplyDeleteMy prediction for the nvl is 1. ttown, 2. atown, 3. wilby, 4. hc, 5. wolcott, 6.woodland, 7.seymour, 8.st. paul, 9.watertown, 10.derby, 11.naugy,12.sacred heart, 13.kennedy, 14.and a bulldog named crosby!
Anyone think that there will be an nvl representative in the New Canaan "rip it and grip it" passing camp in July. I noticed teams from as far as Windsor, Southington, Cheshire, and Daniel Hand would be there? Although I do understand that the viral disease known as the shotgun spread offense has yet to infect the league, but it might be of some use to the upper echelon nvl squads such as Ansonia and Torrington, should they face a spread team in the playoffs. If anybody wants, I would be happy to go down to Dunning Field and bring back a report of the day's proceedings
ReplyDeleteThank God thomas came in here to liven things up. It was too quiet in here for too long.
ReplyDelete$200 per team not too bad
ReplyDeletethomas, all those teams you mentioned are Tony Franklin "system" teams. I'm not certain, but I think you have to be a Tony Franklin subscriber to be involved in that one. I, for one like the Tony Franklin passing game myself. I'm not crazy about his run schemes tho.
ReplyDeleteThat would be awesome. But I have yet to get word on whether or not any of the local (Ansonia, Derby, Seymour) teams are considering joining that passing league. As soon as I hear something, I will post the details.
ReplyDeletewhere is the love for holy cross on this blog, believe you me, I don't have any for them but it seems since steve "seeing red" fainer left, the team that took their school colors from Charlie Finley's Oakland Athletics seem to be under-represented , just sayin
ReplyDeleteYou're right for the most part Fish, however teams such as Bassick and Central and perhaps a few other FCIAC participants operate under center and use the day to work on their pass defense and their own pass plays within primarily run first offensive philosophies. If you saw the way HC defended Cromwell, you probably know how this would benefit teams who either don't run spread o or are not accustomed to defending it
ReplyDeletevoting no to blight laws seems to have enraged thomas. at last check this is a free country and no one should be able to tell you what YOUR yard should look like. if it were up to guys like you thomas, we would pay taxes for every post we make on here. passing leagues are for passing leagues and the nvl prefers to run the ball. let the rich kids spend mommy and daddy's money to throw the ball around for a few hours.
ReplyDeleteOhhhhhhhhhh. Here we go.
ReplyDeletesorry, but it's guys like thomas' voting right that have had me waiting for november for the last three plus years. i'm an avid reader of this blog and this is the end of my political rant.
ReplyDeleteHey Glennie it's fools like yourself how make my points, last time I checked, Bridgeport, Southington, and Windsor were not wealthy communities. Secondly, what I said with regards to politics was in jest, not an imposition of my political views on you or anyone else, and if you would like to decide who has the right to vote or not in this country please, I am pretty confident that my political acumen outweighs yours. And lastly, there are plenty of staunch republican communities, particularly in wealthy areas, who have made blight laws a political precedent, not liberal democrats my uninformed friend, so turn off the fox news and lets get back to talking about high school football!
ReplyDeleteI like the spread offense, but I think the spread offense is used by teams who aren't that physical up front but have good skill. I also think that most (not all) spread teams are SOFT on defense because the lack of physicality on the line. Passing leagues are good though for honing your passing game ans well as your coverage skills. It's a fun conditioning program for the kids.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSorry if I offended Glenn or anyone else, these are the views and opinions of Thomas and are strictly outside the realm of Remmy and Kyle
ReplyDeleteA little passing league news for you. Ansonia has looked very good so far. This past weekend they won a tournament featuring a Jack Cochran coached CT All-Star squad.
ReplyDeleteAnsonia is going to be very tough on D this year. You insert J. McKnight where M. Mason played last season and the secondary doesn't change. They have a defense that brings 6 three year starters back and it shows.
Thanks capt. o, I enjoy any type of info. @ this time of year be it weightlifting comps. or passing leagues; atown looked good? no way! ha ha, why am I not suprised
ReplyDeleteRemmy and Kyle MIA...this iste has gone crickets. Wut happened to the Blog Awards? just wondering.
ReplyDeleteMrNVL, they're coming. They're practically done.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure Kyle has been busy with school and his personal life, as have I. Between that stuff, traveling, and moving out of Ansonia, I have been pretty busy myself.
Things will get going here before you know it.
Oxford Rem? I thought I saw your name on that tax list that is going around.
ReplyDeleteI want to be a tax collector in Oxford. I hear it pays REALLY well.
ReplyDeleteIn other oxford news, SELECTMAN HANEY IS CHEAPING OUT ON THE MOST RECENT PROPOSAL FOR THE STADIUM AND FIELDS, SAYING IT COULD BE DONME CHEAPER WITH "HIS" CHOICE OF ENGINEER... HMMMMMMMM. They cant get anything done at a reasonable efficiency here. Well, as an oxford resident since 1987 I sure am glad to be moving cross the border to southbury (insert verbal jabs from jaded valleyites) Just cant figure this town of mine out, they cant figure out if they want to keep sniffin newtown and sbury's butt or do they want to go back to their roots and be the bedroom community of the valley
ReplyDeleteJust saw that Derby is going to the passing tournament at NC, wheres Glenn the stooge? Didn't he say it was only for rich teams, and that the nvl runs the ball, well goon there are exceptions to every rule, good initiative shown by Coach French, they will benefit from the experience
ReplyDeleteWhatever you do, don't move to Lakeside.
ReplyDeleteFish hows about new canaan, southbury, darien, greenwich, wilton , simsbury, madison, you want me to keep going? ridgefield, uh cmon man!
ReplyDeleteIt doesnt matter if you are on Mar fish, the rich tend to vote red, thats it for me on this political thing but you asked and as usual I delivered
ReplyDeleteMars I meant
ReplyDeleteThose are nice towns thomas. I would be happy to live in any one of them.
ReplyDeleteCO, I would love to see Ansonia play defense in the passing leagues. I would find it hilarious to see AHS's secondary play press man coverage and jam the opposing WR's on the snap so hard and pick them up off the ground and shake them like a rag doll until the 4 second whistle blows. Make room for another banner AHS fans.
ReplyDelete? Fish, didn't you aks about weatlthy republican towns in the constitution state? there ya go, u asked
ReplyDeleteI did, then I deleted it to avoid having to talk to you about nonsense.
ReplyDeletesorry i got it on my email, so dont act like such a wiseass
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is best to make no allusions to political leanings on here, because it is about kids and hs football but it sure seems to me it is okay as long as no one insinuates anything pro-democrat or liberal in nature, i promise that's it
ReplyDeleteFish, I can't remember a team from Ansonia with so much speed, size and athleticism in it's defensive backfield. You can tell that they are working very hard in the weight room already. It's great see them pushing each other to see who has the biggest offseason gains. People who won't see these kids until their first scrimmage are going to be surprised at how big this team is.
ReplyDeleteThey will be losing a very experienced offensive line, but the kids replacing them are big kids. All of them are between 6'1" and 6'4". Teams bring their centers to passing leagues and Ansonia's replacement for this years center A. Kaszuba will be Ryan Hovan. Remember the name, this kid has sprouted up to 6'3"ish and plays the game with a ton of emotion and attitude. I wouldn't be surprised if he was All League this year and All State the next. This team will have a lot of hype going in and I think it will have it going out too.
What teams do you guys predict to be at the top this year? I think Wolcott goes to the playoffs again, Holy Cross will be right there too, Woodland improves and challenges for the post season and we could have a Thanksgiving NVL championship.
I think AHS, HC and T-town will be better next year than they were this year. The rest of the teams in the league will be about the same as they were last year.
ReplyDeleteAnsonia, HC at the top again...both have lot's comming back. Wilby and Seymour continue to rise. Wolcott about the same or step back. Woodland may suprise.
ReplyDeleteCapt. O, how does wags' kid and simon look? I know that they are 2 of the bigger underclassmen on the lines
ReplyDeleteI would imagine that M. Simon and little Wags would be the left and right tackls going into the spring. At guard you probably have J. Tra'mel (who by the way is the most underrated DLineman in the league and will be recognized this year after living in the shadow of #3 and #56) and A. Mack. I'm interested to see who plays TE. They will look like world beaters with all the speed they have behind them.
ReplyDeleteI would like to hear how some of the other teams are doing in their passing leagues, Im sure you want more than Ansonia updates.
ReplyDeleteThis week AHS came out on top again beating Guilford, Weston, Cheshire, Trumbull, Newtown and Bunnell. The best matchup was the AHS vs Bunnell game. Bunnell's QB (Bryan Castelot) is probably the best QB in the SWC now and AHS shut them down. On offense AHS moved the ball with ease. Matos, Newsome, O'Conner, Finney and McKnight are making it look easy.
Trumbull and Bunnell look like their going to be in pretty good shape. I would put Trumbull ahead of Bunnell just because they have more athletes. Does Bunnell return experience at WR? Maybe they have kids involved in other sports and can't attend the passing league. They're not going to beat you over the top with what they have on Sundays (passing league) right now. I'm sure by the time next season comes around a WR shows up at the school. The QB (Caselot) has command of the offense, he's like a coach out there and can get the ball anywhere he needs to on the field. A college WR prospect could raise his stock being in his huddle.
ReplyDeleteThe QB from Xavier, Boyle I think, plays with J. Cochrans CT all stars (so does Newsome and Matos), he is as good as advertised. He has good size, is poised and has a cannon for an arm so you could expect Xavier will be back in the mix again.
Cheshire and Ridgefield are who they are, well coached and fundamentally sound. I don't think Cheshire has the good to win anything this year and I'll have to see about Ridgefield.
A sleeper team could be New Milford,I don't know what they have on their line, but they have a very good QB and plenty of speed at WR. They could win some games this year.