Greatest HS players in Connecticut state history

[Waquoit]

Wrong Young. Bell played with brother Mike. BTW, Steve averaged less than 4-passes a game for his HS career.

And one of them was picked off by my buddy. Highlight of his sporting life. The way he tells it, he was 3rd string and Greenwich was running up the score. They put him in at free safety (he never played it before) and just stood in the middle of the field. Steve overthrew and hit him right between the numbers.

 

[Northbound]

Wrong Young. Bell played with brother Mike. BTW, Steve averaged less than 4-passes a game for his HS career.

Also Greenwich's Sullivan, I believe, made all-state all three yrs. Greenwich's Jon Myers was a two-yr all-stater
4-star with 52 media-verified BCS (at the time) offers. Chose Princeton.

I believe that both played with Ken Bell I think Steve graduated in 1980 Bell and mike in 82

 

[kris1]

It's unfortunate for newsome that he just happened to be playing in one of the NVLs darkest periods. He would have been dominant in any league. Maybe he wouldn't quite have all the records that he does, but he also would have played more snaps. How many games was he in during the 4th quarter?

Two games that I can remember, 2012 State Final against North Branford @ The Rent and 2013 vs Seymour @ Seymour (Week 9). Seymour controlled the clock and held Newsome to 110 yds on 25 carries, 3 TDs. Seymour lead 14-13 midway through the 4Q. Newsome ripped off a 19-yd TD run with 6:39 remaining. Ansonia completed a pass for the 2-pt conversation. Ansonia led 21-14. Seymour drove right down the field and scored with 4:30 left in the game to make it 21-20 Ansonia. Seymour went for the win, but 2-pt conversation failed. Ansonia recovered the onside kick, kept the ball on the ground and was able to grind out the final 4:30. Ansonia held on 21-20.

 

[Yup!]

Another one that no one mentioned is Kory Sheets. He was unstoppable his senior year.

My best friends brother... I was begging him to play for UConn and laughed at me every time.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

To me, Connecticut high school is underrated. Florida's public schools (which academically sucks) plays Texas and other states... Connecticut (except one time Greenwich played Naples) doesn't play out of state (except Enfield and Fermi played Longmeadow and Stonington plays Westerly). Florida's high schools are on TV..I don't see East Hartford Manchester on ESPN...

 

[JMick]

To me, Connecticut high school is underrated. Florida's public schools (which academically sucks) plays Texas and other states... Connecticut (except one time Greenwich played Naples) doesn't play out of state (except Enfield and Fermi played Longmeadow and Stonington plays Westerly). Florida's high schools are on TV..I don't see East Hartford Manchester on ESPN...

New Canaan played a team from Jersey the last couple years. There are good teams in CT and good coaches in CT. We don't have the same number of athletes but our top kids can play in any state

 

[BlueandOG]

Lesser known speedsters, one of whom played for UCONN in the 1990s: Dave Allen and Scott Scherban.

 

[FlakeyFoont]

Bobby Valentine got offered over 200 college scholarships to play football, including one from USC, whose coach John McKay, was seeking to replace O. J. Simpson. Said McKay, per an article in Sports Illustrated, "If anyone has a chance to be the next O.J. Simpson, it's Valentine."

No other CT high school player is even a close second.

 

[Woof 101]

Nick Vitale on the roster taking fair catches for Wacky Bob....Good kid.
Could use a few on the roster right now like his father Rich. Held the state record in tackles for a couple of decades....Maloney of Meriden.

-Rich Vitale:A 1983 grad, Vitale was one of the premier football players and wrestlers in school history, competing in both for four years.

In football, Vitale was All-Colonial Conference for three consecutive years.He holds individual records for 185 assisted tackles and 89 solo tackles. His state record of 515 career tackles was broken in 2002, but he remains second in that category.

Vitale was Stoddard Bowl Defensive MVP in his junior year and also the recipient of the Fred Biestek Award as the most outstanding football player. As a senior, he was an All-State linebacker, the New Haven Register’s Player of the Year, and named in Who’s Who in American High School Football.

Vitale’s wrestling accomplishments were equally noteworthy. He was on coach Ray Mainville’s 1980 state championship team and completed his four-year career with a record of 105-3-2. He was All-Conference and a Class M champion for three consecutive years and won State Open titles in 1982 and 1983. He also holds New England and National titles in folk and freestyle wrestling.

 

[kris1]

Bobby Valentine got offered over 200 college scholarships to play football, including one from USC, whose coach John McKay, was seeking to replace O. J. Simpson. Said McKay, per an article in Sports Illustrated, "If anyone has a chance to be the next O.J. Simpson, it's Valentine."

No other CT high school player is even a close second.

Well.....Bobby Valentine did decide to go to USC, but shortly thereafter the Dodgers selected him with the fifth overall pick in the 1968 draft. ----Their $70,000 bonus was enough to lure him to baseball and many years later Aaron Hernandez became the next OJ Simpson.

 

[BNich]

Amari spievey

The best pure athlete I have seen in my time.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

New Canaan played a team from Jersey the last couple years. There are good teams in CT and good coaches in CT. We don't have the same number of athletes but our top kids can play in any state

Pascack Valley got drilled by New Canaan this year in CT 42-7. PV is historically an above-average public high school football team in NJ; but, the last 2 seasons have been down years for them (3-6 in 2018).

The Big North had 41 football members of all sizes before it merged with other North Jersey conferences to form a +100 member football conference. Thus, there are few 'free' weekends to schedule an out-of-state game. The big Catholic schools (St. Joe's Montvale, Don Bosco, Bergen Catholic, St. Peter's, DePaul) do try out-of-state frequently; but, its primarily against other power Catholic schools in PA, DE, MD, and DC with a trip to FL and other states sprinkled in here and there and those games do get televised. They do it for marketing reasons and practice reasons as a lot of the public high school refuse to play them anymore due to both competitive imbalance and injuries (a few years back, I think Paterson Eastside suffered over a dozen injuries, several season ending, while losing to Don Bosco by +50).

Now, cross state games between NJ, NY and CT in lacrosse is a lot more common...

 

[JMick]

Pascack Valley got drilled by New Canaan this year in CT 42-7. PV is historically an above-average public high school football team in NJ; but, the last 2 seasons have been down years for them (3-6 in 2018). I have also seen RIdgewood play CT and Mass schools; but, its tough schedule-wise. The Big North had 41 football members of all sizes befor eit mereged with other North Jersey conferneces to form a +100 member football confernece. Thus, there are few 'free' weekends to schedule an out-of-state game. The big Catholic schools (St. Joe's Montvale, Don Bosco, Bergen Catholic, St. Peter's, DePaul) do try out-of-state frequently; but, its primarily against other power Catholic schools in PA, DE, MD, and DC with a trip to FL and other states sprinkled in here and there and those games do get televised. They do it for marketing reasons and practilce reasons as a lot of the public high school refuse to play them anymore due to both competetive imbalance and injuries (a few years back, I think Petterson Eastside suddered 14 injuries, several season ending, while losing to Don Bosco by +50).

Don Bosco brought their JV to Brookfield this year. Thought that was really odd. Brookfield beat them too lol

 

[SECONN]

Bobby Valentine got offered over 200 college scholarships to play football, including one from USC, whose coach John McKay, was seeking to replace O. J. Simpson. Said McKay, per an article in Sports Illustrated, "If anyone has a chance to be the next O.J. Simpson, it's Valentine."

No other CT high school player is even a close second.

Garry Cobb went to USC and I believe was offered contracts to play in MLB......Bobby Valentine got hurt so we never saw what he could do but Cobb was no slouch.....Steve Young played baseball basketball and football in high school and was the star of the super bowl champs........hard to say Bobby V was better

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Dillon Harris held tons of big P5 offers in high school...

I really hope he makes it here.

 

[JMick]

Garry Cobb went to USC and I believe was offered contracts to play in MLB.Bobby Valentine got hurt so we never saw what he could do but Cobb was no slouch.....Steve Young played baseball basketball and football in high school and was the star of the super bowl champs...hard to say Bobby V was better

we're talking about High School careers. Steve Young was nothing special in high school. Most people were surprised that his playing career took off the way it did

 

[Northbound]

Terry Wooden from Farmington was pretty darn good. Went to Syracuse and did like 10 years in the NFL. Was pick #1 in the second round to the Seahawks.

Terry was primarily know for running the ball in HS, but his NFL career was as a linebacker.

 

[kris1]

Dwight Freeney wasn’t too shabby.

 

[SECONN]

we're talking about High School careers. Steve Young was nothing special in high school. Most people were surprised that his playing career took off the way it did

1220 passing and 1928 rushing senior year is nothing special?

 

[MTHusky]

Although he didn't play for Ansonia, Nick Pietrosante was one of the best to come out of Ansonia and the state. He was a two-time all pro running back for the Detroit Lions.
Do any of you remember Pietrosante's grocery store in Ansonia?

Yes, I used to hang out daily at the store or across the street. Didn't know Nick except in passing but was friendly with his brother, Brother Joe Pietrosante. I lived around the corner on Locke St.

 

[huskyrob1]

we're talking about High School careers. Steve Young was nothing special in high school. Most people were surprised that his playing career took off the way it did

As a 10 year old, I saw Bobby V almost single handedly destroy a really good Roger Ludlowe team many many years ago. He scored six touchdowns IIRC, 2 on interceptions, one on a pass, two rushing, and one off a fumble he caused. I played for Prep but my dad starred at Ludlowe in the 1940's, so got dragged to all the Ludlowe games. I will never forget it.

I would put Pete Demmerle right behind Bobby V though, or maybe Andrew Pinnock or Freeney.

 

[History Geek]

Edwin Esson from Seymour was a beast 1979-1980.

 

[60'sfan]

Yes, I used to hang out daily at the store or across the street. Didn't know Nick except in passing but was friendly with his brother, Brother Joe Pietrosante. I lived around the corner on Locke St.

Did you know Fran Cook?

 

[MTHusky]

Yes although he was older. Was very good friends with his younger brother, Ron.

 

[60'sfan]

Yes although he was older. Was very good friends with his younger brother, Ron.

Small world. Went to the Ansonia Naugy game with Fran.