CT 2012 HS season thread

[formerlurker]

Anyone know what channel on Comcast?

 

[Dann]

messy game notes(what did u expect?):

-ever since my 2 friends left for d 1 schools prep football which was already on decline has had almost nothing good going on, im glad the program is turning around. its to bad that stud qb left prep for real prep school, if he stayed prep could have been very good this year.

-berry runs back the opening kick. nice speed and broke a tackle doing so.

-prep just looks small compared to xavier on the line.

-chesus berry just took the 1st xavier play to the house. he looks like he has good speed and vision. im not sure if its bcs level game he plays but he should be a d1 player. i'm going to have to look up his ht/w later and see some film. late 1st he had another couple good runs, picking up handfuls on yards. i would at this point already consider him a top 10 rb in the state this year. im impressed.

-#75 on prep tony fox i think is someone to keep a eye on for 2014. early on #77 or 79 i think on xaviers OL was doing a good job on him 1-1. fox doesn't look great on the OL. several times on the next possession on D fox made good plays in the bcakfield shutting down the run.

-boyle's first throw he threw a ball up in 1-1 coverage and was picked. his wr had a bit of a edge on the d and boyle just didn't have enough arm on it. it was like a 50 yard throw and it needed to be 55 yards. after the 1st q i'm not impressed by boyles game so far. he had a few small runs for positive yards but nothing stuck out to me. a couuple throws in the 2nd, 1 was a short pass for a couple and then another which he over threw his wr. prep d is doing well in pass d and boyle looks like he is struggling to get anything going.

-#'s 77, 77 and 79 on the xavier OL all seem like good blockers. 75 is a good center.

-prep has a 2nd dl #66 and a lb #9 that both look above average on this level but not big time it seems.

-prep has just shot itself in the foot several times and xavier is doing great field position wise. xavier is clearly better and its clear they are the best around. again in the 2nd on a good play for prep on a punt return a flag brings it back.

-14-0 after the 1st. 2 explosive plays by berry was all. besides that the game is blah. xavier in the redzone to start the 2nd on like the 5.

-took berry a couple runs to punch it in to start the 2nd. this game is 100% him and no one else. he had trouble with prep loading the box but eventually found a hole. he tried to go outside on 1 of the runs but didn't get much, seems like he has above average speed but not newsome/outlow type speed for example

-of note, xavier kicker had some good kickoffs compared to what u see around here on the hs level.

-prep o looks bad vs xavier, just over matched. #76 on the prep OL looks like a good ath. put some weight on him and he could develope into something. prep qb runs well considering how good the xavier dl is, just a good hs ath but again nothing special. late 2nd the prep o started to click some.

-fox got hurt late 2nd, not a bad injury it looks. overall not impressed by much actually. prob just a off game for boyle on what i saw this half. some good ol/dl players to watch but its pretty questionable if any of them can develop into big time players. i know fox is 2014 so there is def room to grow and get better, not sure about the couple guys on xavier i mentioned. hats off to berry who looked very good.

-another thing i tried to watch was i know there is a db on xavier that is good, i dont know his number or name on hand right now but i was hoping something would stick out to where i would notice his play. not the case.

-prep had 1st and goal on the 9 under a minute to go in the half. they got in on a nice play. 21-7 to end the half. prep gave xavier a bit of a challenge compared to other games. prep may be a top 15 team this year in ct. boyle with a couple stat fillers with secondds left in the half. couple complete throws for maybe 20 yards all together. halftime..

overall i only watched 1 half so what i say means 1% of the kids seasons but it is what it is. lastly i know the backup to boyle is supose to be good. realize i wouldnt see him this game but i think he was actually returning some punts, if that was him he looked a bit shify as a good ath. may be another kid in the future to watch next year.

 

[Dann]

Anyone know what channel on Comcast?

sorry i didn;t see this earlier

cptvs is:
cable-139
com-185/187/744
cox-805
chart-233
metro-418
tval-87

 

[formerlurker]

Thanks, Danny Boy. Xavier looking good. It's my first chance to watch Boyle. He's thrown 2 passes since I turned it on, both completions. One, a 15-20 yd bullet on an out pattern and the other a 40+ yd bomb off a pump fake for 6.

BC got a good one here.

 

[kris1]

New Fairfield defeats Bunnell 41-24. Big night for Joe Pacheco (2013 RB/5'11,205) 23 carries, 336 yards, 4 TDs

As for Xavier/Prep I wasn't overly impressed with either offense in the 1st half. I give Prep credit though, they were able to keep Boyle off the field in 2Q. Xavier's OL would be challenged by an athletic team that brings pressure. I don't see Berry as a D1 RB. He has great speed but he lacks lateral agility. He can't put his foot in the ground and change direction. He can use his speed to outrun people to the corner in HS. He won't be able to at the next level. Xavier deserves to be #1 until someone beats them. But this team is nowhere near as good as last years. I think they're beatable this year. Hand probably is the team most capable, because they are excellent defensively and they have good team speed. I think Prep has a chance to turn things around, they have some good young players. #9 for Prep, Nick Crowley (2014 LB/6'2,241) is a good looking player. They said he's receiving interest from Ivy League schools, very smart kid. Moten #3 and Ganim #22 are sophomores. They have some big, young lineman. The future looks bright for coach Shea. What surprised me was how many Xavier kids play both ways for a LL school. They are not as deep and talented as they were a year ago.

 

[DGunz]

-Fairfield's line looked damn good the second time I watched the game, really have Xavier trouble. Hell of a game for berry. I think he's a Mac level player, he doesn't have the most incredible initial burst but has great top end speed , looked him up and says he runs a 10.9 100m FAT as a junior, which is blazing. Newsome is quicker berry is faster.
-Xavier isn't as deep as last year, but really good all around, Boyle is a pro, Fairfield has some playmakers but came up short against a beast

 

[DGunz]

Also if you want a better look at Boyle watch this highlight from a few games back

See more talent on xavier at wideout, and get a better appreciation of berry's speed, kids have angles on him and close in, then hes gone

 

[formerlurker]

I need to make a visit to this thread part of my daily routine. I usually get my recruiting fix by reading the posts from HFD that obviously don't filter into here.

Lots of quality input here by Kris1 and DGunz.

Thank you both.

 

[coachcap]

High School Polls for 10-2-12

N.H. Register Writers Poll:
1. Xavier 2. Staples 3. Hand 4. Ansonia 5.Windsor 6. Greenwich 7. Masuk 8. West Haven 9. Glastonbury 10. Berlin Dropped out: Ledyard, Darien
Others receiving votes: New London, southington, Newtown, North Branford, Hillhouse, Middletown, St. Joseph, Manchester, Darien, Ledyard & Norwich Free Academy, Cromwell, Farmington, Trinity Catholic & Wolcott, North Haven, Fairfield Prep & New Canaan.
Register Offensive Players of the Week: Hillhouse Jr. RB Harold Cooper, Notre Dame-WH Sr. RB Cameron Tucker, Windsor Sr. QB Quinn Fleeting, Ansonia Sr. RB/WR Andrew Matos.
Register Defensive Players of the Week: Cheney Tech Sr. CB Andre Rose, Glastonbury Sr. LB Nick Karp, Shelton Jr. LB Christian Federici, Valley Regional/Old Lyme So. LB Justin Cheverier.
Register Special Teams Players of the Week: Newtown Sr. Dan Hebert, Shelton Sr. Ed Groth, Torrington So. P.J. Kilmartin, west Haven Sr. Eddy Williams
Register Teams of the Week: Nonnewaug, Sacred Heart, Trumbull, Windham
Register Game of the Week: Masuk at Bunnell Friday at 7 P.M.

Hartford Courant State Top 10:
1. Xavier 2. Hand 3. Staples 4. Ansonia 5. Windsor 6. Greenwich 7. Berlin 8. Glastonbury 9. West Haven 10. Masuk
Courant Area Top 10:
1 Xavier 2. Hand 3. Windsor 4. Berlin 5. Glastonbury 6. Farmington 7. Hartford Public 8. Manchester 9. Middletown 10. Southington

 

[Ftblhound]

Here is some perspective on the Berry kid at Xavier...Ran a 4.38 and 4.39 at two camps this summer... He benches between 275-300 and squats 500 pounds...he is the 2X defending SCC 100 meters champ and is the defending SCC 200 meters champ...He has missed football for almost two years battling injuries, so in a sense he is relearning to play the position. He has grown from 171 to 184 pounds of mostly muscle...I am not sure who the best backs in the state are but I doubt that they would be able to run against North Haven, Fairfield Prep and we will see against Hand...I went to school with Dee Berry, if you judge him on the Fairfield game, you have to consider the field was wet and slippery and he still ran by guys.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I still get a chuckle with all these reported sub 4.4 forty times.

 

[Ftblhound]

I still get a chuckle with all these reported sub 4.4 forty times.

Lol, 4.38 and 4.39 are basically 4.40...I am sure he ran about 50 times this summer and only broke a sub 4.4 twice...

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Lol, 4.38 and 4.39 are basically 4.40...I am sure he ran about 50 times this summer and only broke a sub 4.4 twice...

Yeah, I'm sure he's plenty fast. But these times would've put him in the top 10 at the NFL Combine and would've been by far the fastest RB there. More likely he's probably between a 4.5 and a 4.6, which is still very fast at the HS level.

 

[huskyblooz]

whatever his time is, we are still looking for a RB in this class. Sounds like a hard-working late bloomer.

 

[kris1]

Here is some perspective on the Berry kid at Xavier...Ran a 4.38 and 4.39 at two camps this summer... He benches between 275-300 and squats 500 pounds...he is the 2X defending SCC 100 meters champ and is the defending SCC 200 meters champ...He has missed football for almost two years battling injuries, so in a sense he is relearning to play the position. He has grown from 171 to 184 pounds of mostly muscle...I am not sure who the best backs in the state are but I doubt that they would be able to run against North Haven, Fairfield Prep and we will see against Hand...I went to school with Dee Berry, if you judge him on the Fairfield game, you have to consider the field was wet and slippery and he still ran by guys.

No one is judging him on one game (I've seen him play a number of times). Nor, is anyone questioning his straight line speed. He's fast. He works out. Track champion. That's all great stuff. Unfortunately, straight line speed and how much he lifts, doesn't convert to the football field very often. It helps, but football players very rarely run from point A to B and I've never seen one stop to max out on bench press during a game. He's a very good HS RB, but I've yet to see him put a foot in the ground and change direction. D1 backs can do that. He consistently, and at the HS level successfully, tries to outrun defenders to the edge. That won't happen at the next level. He will either have to change direction to make people miss, or plant his foot in the ground and get up field. He hasn't shown he can do that. It's not a knock on him, he is what he is....a very good player. Is he the fastest RB in CT? I guess. But, is he the best RB in the state, probably not. Is he a D1 RB? In my opinion...no.

Did you just use North Haven and Prep as examples of strong defensive teams? In the same breath as Hand? C'mon man!!

 

[DGunz]

I a

No one is judging him on one game (I've seen him play a number of times). Nor, is anyone questioning his straight line speed. He's fast. He works out. Track champion. That's all great stuff. Unfortunately, straight line speed and how much he lifts, doesn't convert to the football field very often. It helps, but football players very rarely run from point A to B and I've never seen one stop to max out on bench press during a game. He's a very good HS RB, but I've yet to see him put a foot in the ground and change direction. D1 backs can do that. He consistently, and at the HS level successfully, tries to outrun defenders to the edge. That won't happen at the next level. He will either have to change direction to make people miss, or plant his foot in the ground and get up field. He hasn't shown he can do that. It's not a knock on him, he is what he is....a very good player. Is he the fastest RB in CT? I guess. But, is he the best RB in the state, probably not. Is he a D1 RB? In my opinion...no.

Did you just use North Haven and Prep as examples of strong defensive teams? In the same breath as Hand? C'mon man!!

I agree with some of what you said...I don't think hes a uconn-level back but theres a place for people with his speed, maurice jones drew isnt that shifty, but his explosiveness , low center of gravity and speed make him good...kid is not drew, but drew is in the nfl, so berry could play at a non-bcs school imo. keep in mind though that those teams are much better than alot of the teams in the other lesser conferences in the state. Hands defense really isnt that astounding, if hillhouse ran on them that effectively x will have a field day, and the game will not be that close.

Either way I think we should be looking 100 % out of state for a 2013 back, the ones here aren't the direction we should go in even though i like cooper

 

[Dann]

I a


I agree with some of what you said...I don't think hes a uconn-level back but theres a place for people with his speed, maurice jones drew isnt that shifty, but his explosiveness , low center of gravity and speed make him good...kid is not drew, but drew is in the nfl, so berry could play at a non-bcs school imo. keep in mind though that those teams are much better than alot of the teams in the other lesser conferences in the state. Hands defense really isnt that astounding, if hillhouse ran on them that effectively x will have a field day, and the game will not be that close.

Either way I think we should be looking 100 % out of state for a 2013 back, the ones here aren't the direction we should go in even though i like cooper

yea i dont think i see a 2013 rb in the state thats uconn level. i see plenty of 2014 ones tho.

 

[DGunz]

Outlow and Ervin phillips are both backs with good size and speed and change of direction, cooper could be great 3rd down back and is already a bcs prospect (BC offered), newsome could be a nice addition

 

[kris1]

I agree with some of what you said...I don't think hes a uconn-level back but theres a place for people with his speed, maurice jones drew isnt that shifty, but his explosiveness , low center of gravity and speed make him good...kid is not drew, but drew is in the nfl, so berry could play at a non-bcs school imo. keep in mind though that those teams are much better than alot of the teams in the other lesser conferences in the state. Hands defense really isnt that astounding, if hillhouse ran on them that effectively x will have a field day, and the game will not be that close.

Either way I think we should be looking 100 % out of state for a 2013 back, the ones here aren't the direction we should go in even though i like cooper

Totally agree there is a place for Berry somewhere. I understand the Jones-Drew comparison, but he ran between the tackles and welcomed contact. Berry won't lower his shoulder and take on a defender. He will try to outrun them.
<a href="http://www.maxpreps.com/video/watch.aspx#!videoid=b92a539c-aa05-0c23-a40a-7216b3cf4b6c" >View Video from MaxPreps.com</a>

Cooper is 2014.

 

[DGunz]

Honestly you've probably seen more of him than I have haha...well the lowering shoulder thing though, if you could just outrun the defenders like he is always capable of , why lower the shoulder? also most times I've seen him he prefers vertical, instead of horizontal. Most of the time in the nd game he ran up field and off tackle and broke several tackles, It remains to be seen if he would lower his should, I'll say that. Very good insight Kris1 enjoy your posts.


yeah cooper is 2014 , hes also very fast, he has great agility to go along with that...have we offered him yet ?

 

[pj]

Boy, I'd love to see us running pass plays with McCombs leaving the backfield to run down the sidelines like Jones-Drew does in that video. Would need a bit better protection for it to happen.

 

[coachcap]

Tom Yantz of the Hartford Courant today did a feature article on Cromwell Sr. RB Derrick Villard Jr. 6'1" 205 lbs. Question: If he's so well thought of, why is he only getting interest from CAA & Division II schools? Is he big & slow? The article has this direct quote from Villard: "Some people around here said if I had gone to Xavier, I would have gotten a lot more attention & college looks...I've grown up and lived in Cromwell just about my whole life. I'm loyal to the Panthers."

 

[Dann]

Hes the perfect milford type. 1 fall semester of bs class just to rack up yards at rb prep u and then land a good offer.

 

[kris1]

Tom Yantz of the Hartford Courant today did a feature article on Cromwell Sr. RB Derrick Villard Jr. 6'1" 205 lbs. Question: If he's so well thought of, why is he only getting interest from CAA & Division II schools? Is he big & slow? The article has this direct quote from Villard: "Some people around here said if I had gone to Xavier, I would have gotten a lot more attention & college looks...I've grown up and lived in Cromwell just about my whole life. I'm loyal to the Panthers."

Don't know about him academically, but he has the physical tools. I like the kids game. He put up tremendous numbers (2125 yards, 27 TDs) last season in a passing offense. His QB, Anthony Morales, threw for 3688 yards and 43 TDs. His speed could be the issue. He doesn't look fast on film, but I like his size and strength. He also catches the ball very well, he could grow into a big back or and H-back type. Don't know if he's a D1 kid, but he can play.

 

[Dann]

for the record, even with all the news today i still have NC over BM 2night