East Lyme High football coach produced a classic oxymoron after Fitch beat his Vikings Nov. 7.
“Fitch was a very good 0-8 football team,” the Day quoted Tenaglia.
A good win-less team, Mr. Lou Holtz? Like a rich pauper or an ugly beauty or a well-conceived error.
Without becoming too sarcastic, Tenaglia had the right idea. Fitch was not your typically helpless win-less team. The Falcons, in many eyes, had Montville beat in Week 2, only to lose by a point when a sideline official ruled their runner short of the goal line on a potential game-winning two-point attempt in overtime. A good NFA team beat Fitch on a last-second field goal. So, Fitch knocking off East Lyme was far from an upset, especially since the Vikings have struggled to score points all season and are without their starting quarterback.
The Vikings appear headed to a second straight losing record. The following should be their groundwork for future rebuilding.
Keep East Lyme players in East Lyme. It’s got to be frustrating to see talent escape to St. Bernard and Ledyard, through its vo-ag program.
Huge ECC Game
The Ledyard High football team sat in fourth place in the CIAC Class M playoff point ratings with the hopes of returning to the post-season to defend its state championship.
The Colonels (7-2) will probably need to close out with two victories to land a spot. This much is certain: their next game at 6:30 on Nov. 20 against New London at Mignault Field will feature a playoff atmosphere. It’s the only game on Thursday and the place to be for ECC fans.
Already a rivalry with two of the best Eastern Connecticut Conference teams butting heads, Ledyard-New London’s intensity skyrockets this year. This marks the first meeting of Ledyard coach Jim Buonocore and New London’s Jack Cochran since their infamous 2006 incident at East Lyme that resulted in Cochran’s arrest and subsequent one-year hiatus from coaching the Whalers.
The game on the field rates enough of a story. New London is undefeated, ranked No. 2 in the state, and ticketed toward the Class SS playoffs. Ledyard could be the most physical team the Whalers face all season.
“New London is an extremely talented football team which I consider to be the best team in the state,” Buonocore said. “They are very impressive on film. Their size and speed and ability to get to the football is second to none. We are looking forward to the opportunity to compete against a great high school football team. The atmosphere should be exciting for the players on both teams, as it should be one of the best games in our league this year.”
New London All-State quarterback Jordan Reed could return for this game after missing three with an injured foot.
“Obviously Jordan Reed changes the complextion of the game and how you attack them.” Buonocore said. “He is a tremendous talent and a very nice young man. So, like everyone else, we wait and see if he will be healthy and make sure we plan accordingly for him to be on the field and maybe not. With that being said, Casey Cochran has done a nice job stepping in and making plays for New London. He is very impressive on film for a freshman. He runs their offense well and can get the ball down-field to their play-makers. He is going to be a very good quarterback.”
This game is so big, Ledyard quarterback J.J. Jablonski called it “the biggest game in our careers.” Funny, didn’t Ledyard win a state title last year with Jablonski playing a large role in the outcome?
“The game has big implications for us,” Buonocore said. “That is exciting. You want to be playing in big games in November. That means you’re doing something right as a team and program.”
Waterford’s Bickford Overlooked
The ECC is so stacked with football standouts this season, some monster seasons are being overlooked.
Waterford running back Donnie Bickford surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in the Lancers’ eighth game. One thousand yards is a big deal, but you rarely read about Bickford. Now you have.
Speaking of Waterford, the Lancers are quietly producing a winning season. We get so spoiled by teams striving for state titles, sometimes we forget a winning season is a measure of success.
By Larry Kelley
Special to the Times