The High Impact Times: The Walter Camp Football Foundation Breakfast of Champions Edition & Much More!
Walter Camp Update, ECC Athlete of the Week, CHSCA Ice Hockey Players of the Week.
Walter Camp Football Foundation Press Release
As we get closer to the Walter Camp Football Foundation event in March, we’re happy to share the press release from the foundation!
PRESS RELEASE FROM THE Walter CAMP FOOTBALL FOUNDATION WRITTEN BY MIKE MADERA:
The Walter Camp Football Foundation will host its 16th Connecticut High School “Breakfast of Champions,” on Saturday, March 16 at The Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale. Tickets are $60 and can be purchased online (https://waltercamp.eventchamp.com/).
The members of the 2023 All-Connecticut First and Second Teams will be recognized as will the six Connecticut high school 2023 state champions – Staples (Class LL), New Canaan (Class L), North Haven (Class MM), Daniel Hand (Class M), Joel Barlow (Class SS) and Bloomfield (Class S).
Staples of Westport, which finished as the number-one team in the state’s final polls, will be recognized as the Joseph W. Kelly Award winner. The Wreckers, under the direction of head coach Adam Behrends, won the Class LL state title after defeating eighth-seeded Fairfield Prep (13-12), fourth-seeded Southington (41-0) and third-seeded West Haven (21-10) to finish 12-1. It is the first time Staples has earned the Kelly Award.
Coach of the Year finalists, presented by Stadium System
Adam Behrends (Staples), EJ DiNunzio (Wilton), Tony Sagnella (North Haven)
Player of the Year finalists
Jett Hall (Naugatuck), Donte Kelly (Maloney), Caleb Smith (Staples)
Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by NFP Sports
George “Coach” DeMaio, WELI 960 AM
Inspiration Award, presented by NFP Sports – TBD
2023 Walter Camp All-Connecticut Teams
The Walter Camp All-Connecticut Team is voted on by a Selection Committee, which is comprised of 10 high school head coaches that represent nine conferences around the state.
First Team Offense
Quarterback: Caleb Smith (Staples) #
Running Back: Jett Hall (Naugatuck), Rowan Johnston (Trumbull) #
Wide Receiver: Davien Kerr (Bloomfield)*, Armani Reid (West Haven)
Tight End: Preston Dziubina (Ansonia)
Offensive Line: Tanner Chlupsa (Staples), Eli Fangiullo (Windsor), Ben Reagan (New Canaan), Brendan Ryan (North Haven), Peter Vomvolakis (Greenwich)
Placekicker: Tucker Stevens (New Canaan)
First Team Defense
Linebacker: John Insinga (Greenwich)*, Zakkai Moore (Maloney), Sebastian Parra (Greenwich)
Defensive Back: Alex Benevento (New Canaan), Davion Kerr (Bloomfield), Jon Morris (Fairfield Prep)*, Adam Pandolfi (North Haven)*
Defensive Line: Miles Chisholm (New Canaan), Evan Russo (Cheshire), Owen Theoharides (Wilton), Jayden Vega (Platt)
Punter: Ben Perry (Fitch)
Kick Returner: Donte Kelly (Maloney)
Second Team Offense
Quarterback: Drayvn Roberts (East Hartford)
Running Back: Aidan Dolan (Daniel Hand), Soren Rief (Killingly) #
Wide Receiver: Evan Anderson (Southington), Kyle Colsey (Ridgefield)
Tight End: Charlie Thom (Darien)
Offensive Line: Panas Charitopoulos (Bunnell), Gianni Drab (Fitch), Bryce Malary (Daniel Hand), Michael Paine (Notre Dame-West Haven), Justin Reid (Notre Dame-Fairfield)
Placekicker: Jackson Zylick (Masuk)
Second Team Defense
Linebacker: Antwan Davis (Notre Dame-Fairfield), Amir Knighton (Rockville), Todd Woodring (Wilton)
Defensive Back: Jose DeJesus (Notre Dame-Fairfield), Jesus Martell (Maloney), Max Maurillo (Staples), Samuel Petrosino (Staples)
Defensive Line: Ricci Fernandez (New Milford), Austin McGoey (Ridgefield), Ifeoluwa Oluborode (SMSA co-op), Chris Taylor (Shelton)
Punter: Zach Bonini (Enfield)
Kick Returner: Jason Champagne (Masuk)
* – 2022 Walter Camp First Team All-Connecticut honoree
# – 2022 Walter Camp Second Team All-Connecticut honoree
Walter Camp, “The Father of American football,” first selected an All-America team in 1889. Camp – a former Yale University athlete and football coach – is also credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side. The Walter Camp Football Foundation – a New Haven-based all-volunteer group – was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and to continue the tradition of selecting annually an All-America team.
CHSCA Football All State Banquet
Tomorrow night, January 17th, is the CHSCA Football All State Banquet. This is a great event to honor the best football players from across the state that gave it their all on the gridiron in the 2023 season. Doors for the event open at 5:30PM and the event begins at 6:30PM at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington, Connecticut.
Contrary to our past blog, some tickets are still available, but you’ll have to act quick. You can purchase tickets at THIS LINK to be in attendance for one of the many great CHSCA run events!
CHSCA Ice Hockey Player of the Week Winners
This week we have two more extremely talented student athletes who took home the award for CHSCA Ice Hockey Player of the Week.
Masuk hockey player Nick Kondub takes home this weeks CHSCA Boys’ Ice Hockey player of the week award following a great stretch of games for Masuk High School. Congratulations to Nick!
This weeks CHSCA Girls’ Ice Hockey Player of the Week hails from Hamden Co-op. Giada Broccoli takes home the award after an impressive few games for Hamden Co-op. Congratulations Giada!
ECC Athlete of the Week Winners
The ECCs running tradition of the Athlete of the Week program is churning on for the winter season. This week, we have two talented student athletes taking home the award for ECC Athlete of the Week sponsored by Buffalo Wild Wings.
The winner of Boys’ Athlete of the Week is East Lyme indoor track and field athlete Tom Matlock. Congratulations Tom!
In the Girls’ Athlete of the Week category, St. Bernard basketball player Angelica Tompkins is this weeks winner. Congratulations Angelica!
Pizzetta of Mystic Closes: Thanks For The Support Of Local Sports Programs Over The Years
It’s unfortunate to write this, but Pizzetta of Mystic, Connecticut is sadly closing their doors for good. The pizza restaurant was always a great supporter of local sports programs and high schools in the area year after year after year. Their closure on Sunday was very sudden, but we do appreciate their years of constant support.
This article from CT Insider shines more light on the closing of Pizzetta.
Thank You To Our Sponsors!
Connecticut High School Coaches Association
Aqua Turf Club
Buffalo Wild Wings
Glazier Clinics
Stadium Systems
Town Fair Tire
Cheshire Sport & Hamden Sports Shop
Eastern Connecticut Conference
Brian Dagle Foundation
Buffalo Wild Wings
Dodd Stadium
Domino's of Southeastern Connecticut
Game On
JayPro Sports
Kelley's Pace
Metro Team Sports
University Orthopedics
Valenti Auto Group
Vocatura's Bakery
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