By JOE PALLADINO

WATERBURY — No one could beat D-Bat. No one had a chance against D-Bat. Except one team.

The Overlook Blacksox pinned the first loss of the Mickey Mantle World Series on the team from Dallas, 9-4, Sunday morning at Municipal Stadium. The victory in the Mantle title game delivered a rarity in the Series, for Waterbury anyway: An ‘IF’ game, a second game on Sunday, a winner-take-all title game.

It was all D-Bat early as Elite ran off to leads of 3-0 and 4-2, highlighted by a two-run triple by Josiah Lewis, a bloop RBI single for a run by Caden Greanead, and an RBI ground out by Lewis.

Then the Blacksox took over. Brian Burlone had an RBI single in a two run first. In a three-run third, Aaron Nieves slammed a two-run single and Zach Strout added a RBI knock. And in a three-run sixth that iced it, Ryan Scilabba had an RBI single.

It all backed up superb pitching by Mike Kozlowski, who allowed three hits and fanned nine in pitching all seven frames.

Game 2, now a legit title game, is at the Stadium for 1 p.m. No admission. You got time.

By JOE PALLADINO

WATERBURY — The Overlook Blacksox did what no other team could do at the Mickey Mantle World Series: Beat D-Bat Elite from Dallas. The problem was, the Blacksox needed to beat D-Bat twice. No one could do that.

D-Bat Elite, on the team’s third trip to the Mantle Series in Waterbury, finally brings a championship back to Big D. On championship Sunday, D-Bat lost the first game but bounced back in the title game of the double elimination tournament to beat Overlook, 9-2, and claim the 2019 Mickey Mantle World Series title.

It was an impressive turnaround. After getting beat, and beat up, in game one, 9-4, D-Bat shook off the lethargy and thumped Overlook.

“We knew what we were capable of and, obviously, we didn’t show that the first game,” said D-Bat’s Josiah Lewis, who batted .414 for the Series and totaled five RBI on Sunday. “We had to come out with a different energy and give it everything we had that game.”

In game two, the Blacksox had a 2-1 until the fifth, when Lewis put D-Bat ahead for good with an two-run single. Then came the explosion, six runs in the sixth on five hits, which included a three-run double by Jordan Viars. Viars was the starting pitcher and winner for D-Bat, he hit .455 for the Series, allowed only three hits in the title game, and was named Mantle MVP.

“It is very special that we even got the chance to come to the great state of Connecticut and play the game we love,” Viars said.

There have been great D-Bat teams in the city before, but this is the first time the team took home a title. Viars was stunned by that.

“I think it is a shock, honestly,” said Viars, about this time being the first time, done by his team. But after he thought about it for a moment, he realized, why wouldn’t it be his team.

“Of course it is.”

WATERBURY – It took only one game, maybe part of another, before it was clear: The team from Dallas, D-Bat Elite, was the team to beat at the 2019 Mickey Mantle World Series. 

By JOE PALLADINO

On Sunday, the local host team from the city, the Overlook Blacksox, did what no other team could do in the Series: Beat D-Bat. Ah, but there was a problem. In a double elimination tournament, Overlook had to beat D-Bat twice. 

That was not happening. 

It was an impressive turnaround after getting beat, and beat up, in game one, D-Bat shook off the morning lethargy and thumped Overlook in the afternoon title game, 9-2, at Municipal Stadium. After three trips to the city, D-Bat brings a title back to Big D for the first time.

• D-Bat Elite top Blacksox to claim Mickey Mantle World Series

“This is a prestigious event for us,” said D-Bat star Josiah Lewis, who batted .414 for the Series and totaled five RBI on Sunday. “We’re very prideful for this, and winning this means a lot to us.”

It was a struggle. In game one, won by Overlook 9-4, Brian Burlone had an RBI single in a two run first for the Sox. In a three-run third, Aaron Nieves slammed a two-run single and Zach Strout added a RBI knock. And in a three-run sixth that iced it, Ryan Scilabba, who was the Series batting star with a .556 average, had an RBI single. It all backed up superb pitching by Mike Kozlowski, who allowed three hits and fanned nine in pitching all seven frames.

In game two, Overlook had a lead and looked comfortable behind the solid start from pitcher Collin McNeil. But when the D-Bat Express got rolling there was no way to stop it. 

“D-Bat is a very good team,” said Overlook coach Mike Brown. “I didn’t expect that their bats were going to stay silent very long. In one inning they exploded for six runs, and that’s baseball.”

Lewis got it rolling for D-Bat with a two-run single in the fifth. That gave D-Bat the lead. Then came the six-run sixth. 

“We had to come out with a different energy and give it everything we had,” Lewis said.

In the six-run explosion, Jordan Viars slugged a three-run double. He was was the starting pitcher and winner for D-Bat. He allowed only three hits, hit .455 for the Series, and was named Mantle MVP.

“It is very special that we even got the chance to come to the great state of Connecticut and play the game we love,” Viars said. 

And when told that this D-Bat team was the first D-Bat team to win a Mantle title here, a surprised Viars thought about it for a moment and said, “Of course it is.”

One thing to remember: Overlook is the first team to play in two straight Mantle title games since the Series came to Waterbury in 2016. And Mike Brown added, “2020 here we come.”

Send comments to jpalladino@rep-am.com.

Stan Musial State Tournament

Tuesday’s games

Terryville Black Sox 6, Blasius Chevrolet 0

Fedells Mechanics 11, Wallingford Diamondzone 1

Danbury Pirates 3, Danbury All-Star Batting 0

Wednesday’s schedule

Blasius at Danbury Pirates, 7:30 p.m., Danbury HS

Terryville at Fedells, 7:30 p.m., Trumbull HS

BY JASON LEVY
Tom Hunt knew the time had come, but it was still a difficult decision.
Hunt stepped down July 2 as the Woodland High boys basketball coach after 12 seasons on the sidelines.
Last year, he also retired as the Wilby High boys soccer coach after helping save the program four years ago.
Hunt’s full-time job with the Department of Corrections was taking up a lot of his time, leaving him little time to focus on being a varsity head coach.
“I actually work in Enfield, so it’s the other end of the state,” Hunt said Wednesday, just over a month after officially stepping down. “Being (at Woodland) for 12 years, it just seemed like right now was a good time to put the head coaching hat to bed. My days of head coaching have come to an end. We’ll see if I end up doing some volunteer work somewhere.”
Woodland has reached the state tournament the last two seasons following a three-year absence. Hunt was always proud that all of his players left it all on the court.
“The fact that we built a foundation at Woodland that I felt no matter what the score or who we played, the kids always played the full 32 minutes,” he said. “That’s one of the things I am most proud of.”
Hunt said he will always remember his first 1,000-point scorer in Tanner Kingsley (2010-14) and one special game on Jan. 25, 2013. That Friday was the first game for Woodland following the passing of Hawks assistant football coach George Pinho, who died on Jan. 19. Pinho’s son, Jack Pinho, was a junior on the basketball team.
“And the first game after the funeral services we actually played Wilby, who was No. 2 in the state at the time,” Hunt said. “And we beat them that night, 79-76. It was a huge moment for us.”
It was definitely one of the better moments of my coaching career in anything.”
Once high school sports gets underway again next month, Hunt may feel a pang to be back on the sidelines. He said he’ll miss the “camaraderie and competition” most of all.
“Becoming a head coach was always a goal for the 25 years I’ve been doing it,” Hunt said. “It’s tough to give that up especially with the relationships that I’ve formed with the kids over the years. I’ve had some great kids come through Woodland in the 12 years I was a coach. I will definitely miss that aspect of it, which has made it tough.”

BY MARK JAFFEE

WATERBURY — For the first time in 12 years, the artificial FieldTurf at Municipal Stadium’s Ray Snyder Sr. Field is on the verge of being replaced.
Mark Lombardo, Waterbury’s acting deputy director of public works, said Tuesday that crews from FieldTurf will be arriving from the Boston area to rip up the turf by midmorning Wednesday and Thursday,
The cost of the project is $650,000. The existing FieldTurf was installed in the summer of 2007.
Lombardo said grating work will begin next week.
“The turf had been ordered and is scheduled to be here by Monday, Aug. 26,” said Lombardo.
City football teams Kennedy, Sacred Heart-Kaynor Tech and Wilby, which normally play at Municipal Stadium, will play their September football games on the road or at Crosby High when the Bulldogs are playing away.
“I’ll be in the process of getting together with the (city high school) athletic directors next week to coordinate the (updated) schedules,” said John Egan, Waterbury acting director of parks and golf courses.
Sacred Heart-Kaynor Tech, which practices at Municipal Stadium, is moving to Hamilton Park, beginning this Monday, for its first official day of conditioning workouts.
Originally scheduled for Sept. 7, the Waterbury Football Jamboree is on hold for now. The Hearts have elected to not play in the Jamboree this year.
“Our coaches felt that with a young team, it was better to have a scrimmage and be hands-on and teach. Being in the Jamboree would not be beneficial,” said Sacred Heart athletic director Mike Madden.
According to an email from Crosby athletic director Dave Ieronimo, there is “no definite decision on the Jamboree, but (we are) leaning toward not having it.”
The Waterbury Soccer Jamboree had already been slated for Crosby’s Jimmy Lee Stadium on Sept. 7.
The Bulldogs have been without a head football coach since last winter, when David Jurewicz stepped down after eight seasons.
Ieronimo said a successor will finally be appointed at Thursday night’s Waterbury Board of Education meeting.
Monday marks the opening day of a week of two-hour conditioning practices for 19 area teams, including Crosby. The first day of contact practice is Aug. 24.
Only five area teams — Ansonia, Naugatuck, Southington, St. Paul and Torrington — conducted spring practices and will begin conditioning workouts Aug. 23.

While not nearly as dramatic as the changes to the soccer Rules of the Game adopted this year by FIFA, the National Federation has tinkered with rules for high school matches for this season.

There is a lot of stuff about dropballs and one rather significant change to the timing of matches.

Here are the new rules (and adjustments):

3-4-3: The clock shall be stopped when a substitute by the team in the lead is beckoned on the field in the final five minutes of the second period only.

Rationale: Rule affected by change in 7-4-3.

4-3: Improperly Equipped Players (18-1-1u)

Cautions will not be issued for improperly equipped player(s).

If not immediately correctable, improperly equipped player(s) shall be instructed to leave the field of play when the ball next ceases to be in play. The player(s) may be replaced. The removed player(s), if not replaced, may re-enter at the next dead ball only after reporting to an official, who shall be satisfied the player’s equipment and uniform are in order. Play shall not be stopped for an infringement of this rule except that the referee may stop play immediately where there is a dangerous situation.

Rationale: The change corrects an injustice.  For the far more serious infringement of illegal equipment, the offending team does not play shorthanded.  For the less serious offense of improper equipment, they are required to play shorthanded.  The change addresses this inequity.

5-3-1d: The officials shall:

(d) call out “play on” and, with an underswing of one or both arms, indicate a foul which was observed but shall go unpenalized because penalizing the offending team would give an advantage to the offending team.  If the referee applies the advantage, which was anticipated but does not develop at that time, the referee shall penalize the original offense.

Rationale: This change permits the use of one arm to signal advantage.

7-4-3: The clock shall be stopped when a substitute by the team in the lead is beckoned onto the field in the final five minutes of the second period only.

Rationale: Coaches in the lead will make multiple substitutions in the later stages of the match.  This tactic is being used as a time-wasting ploy.  Adding this rule will help the game to be decided by the players and not a coach who is wasting time when in the lead.  These substitutes are usually players from the far side of the field that take more time off the clock.  This addition would stop this practice.

9-2-1: The game is restarted with a drop ball:

1. when the ball is caused to go out of bounds by two opponents simultaneously;
2. when the ball becomes deflated;
3. following temporary suspension of play for an injury or unusual situation and a goalkeeper is not in possession of the ball
4. when simultaneous fouls of the same degree occur by opponents.

Rationale: This rule changes the awarding of a free kick to a drop ball thereby possibly creating a scoring opportunity for a team undeserving.

9-2-3: The ball is dropped by an official from waist level to the ground. Any number of players may contest a dropped ball (including the goalkeepers); a referee cannot decide who may contest a dropped ball or its outcome.

Rationale: This addition helps to provide clarity in the application of this rule.

9-2-5: ART. 5 . . . The ball shall be dropped again if it touches a player before it touches the ground or leaves the field of play after it touches the ground without touching a player.

Rationale: This addition helps to avoid confusion and allow the rule to be more equitable under the circumstances.

9-2-6: ART. 6 . . . If a dropped ball enters the goal without touching at least two players, play is restarted with a goal kick if it enters the opponent’s goal or a corner kick if it enters the team’s own goal.

Rationale: This addition helps to avoid confusion and allow the rule to be more equitable under the circumstances.

9-3: In case of a temporary suspension due to injury or any unusual situation the game shall be started by a drop ball at the point where the ball was when the play was suspended (except as noted in 14-1-7), provided the ball was not in the goal area and not in the possession of the goalkeeper.  12-8-2

Rationale: This change will eliminate free kick opportunities that often create scoring opportunities that are not deserved.

High school football in Texas is legendary for many reasons, but one of the most obvious is the nature, size and cost of the stadiums that are used for the sport.

Watch this video and try to remember that this is the same sport (allegedly) as will be played around here in the coming weeks:

The high school sports season is upon us with practice for some teams starting next week.

Here are a few key dates for the season to keep in back of your mind (understanding that it’s still summer, of course):

Cross country

• First practice: Aug. 22
• First meets: Sept. 5
• SWC championship: Oct. 16
• BL championship: Oct. 17
• SCC championship: Oct. 17
• State divisional meets: Oct. 26
• State Open: Nov. 1

Field hockey

• First practice: Aug. 29
• First games: Sept. 12
• SWC tournament: Quaterfinals Oct. 31; final Nov. 7
• State tournament begins: Nov. 11
• State finals: Nov. 23

Volleyball

• First practice: Aug. 29
• First games: Sept. 12
• SWC tournament: Quaterfinals Nov. 4; final Nov. 9
• State tournament begins: Nov. 11
• State finals: Nov. 23

Soccer

• First practice: Aug. 29
• First games: Sept. 12
• SWC tournament: Quaterfinals Nov. 1/2; final Nov. 7
• State tournament begins: Nov. 12
• State finals: Nov. 23

Football

• First practice: Aug. 19 or 24 (depending on spring practice choice)
• First games: Sept. 12
• State tournament begins: Dec. 3
• State finals: Dec. 14

Swimming

• First practice: Aug. 29
• First meets: Sept. 12
• SWC championship: Diving (Nov. 5); Swimming (Nov. 9)
• State divisional meets: Nov. 19/20
• State Open: Nov. 24

BY MARK JAFFEE

WATERBURY — Mike Scott’s roots in Waterbury run deep, so when the Crosby High football coaching vacancy was announced last winter, he jumped at the chance.

Scott, 40, will guide the Bulldogs on the opening day of preseason workouts that begin Monday. He succeeds David Jurewicz, who resigned last winter after eight seasons in charge of the Bulldogs.

“It’s a dream come true to coach at Crosby and in the city of Waterbury,” said Scott, a 1998 Kaynor Tech graduate. “The opportunity to coach in my hometown is a big thing. Getting kids prepared for life and potentially the next level brought me to education. It’s the pathway to success and to life.”

In 2017, Scott was the head coach at Prince Tech in Hartford, guiding the team to a 7-3 mark. He previously was on the staff for two seasons at Vinal Tech in Middetown.

Last season, Scott became a volunteer assistant at Sacred Heart-Kaynor Tech.

Though his hiring still awaits formal approval by the Waterbury Board of Education after Thursday’s meeting was postponed, Crosby athletic director Dave Ieronimo said Friday that he fully expects Scott to be the Bulldogs’ next head coach.

“Mike has incredible passion for coaching and a love for the game,” said Ieronimo. “You can already see it. He absolutely loves what he does. He took things head-on right away. With his Waterbury background, it was a home run.”

The Bulldogs went winless in 2018, but Scott said he’s looking forward, not backward.

“We have a golden opportunity,” said Scott. “I think the kids are hungry and looking to make a name for themselves and to get things going. The past is the past.”

The Bulldogs have 36 players in the program, but Scott expects to add more once school opens the last week of August.

Scott has been head of the plumbing and heating department at Goodwin Tech in New Britain for seven years. He initially attended Crosby as a freshman in 1994 before transferring to Kaynor.

After playing semi-pro football for the Middletown Spartans, Scott coached youth football with the Waterbury Patriots for four years and also was a past president of the group.

Scott becomes the third new head coach in the Naugatuck Valley League for the upcoming season along with Christopher Theriault at Wolcott and Michael Kearns at Seymour.

BY MARK JAFFEE

On the eve of high school football conditioning practices, a lot of questions will be answered over the next three weeks.
There were a slew of key graduation losses throughout the Naugatuck Valley League, allowing for many opportunities for up-and-coming players to share the spotlight this fall.
While there will be a lot of new players, there will also be as many as seven new head coaches across the area, including the first female head coach in Connecticut history.
After seven years as an assistant, Jennifer (Stango) Garzone takes over the program known as MCW United, the co-op of Wolcott Tech, Housatonic and Wamogo.
There will be many other great and uplifting storylines to tell once the season gets underway in mid-September, but here are five questions for 2019:

How will Ansonia regroup after a stunning loss to Bloomfield in the 2018 Class S semifinals?
Extremely well. Last season, the Chargers had only three returning starters entering the season and were hit with several season-ending injuries. Yet they still found a way to record their fourth consecutive undefeated regular season. Running back Shykeem Harmon, quarterback Sheldon Schuler and receiver Jalen Johnson are all back. They’re as good a trio as there is and give the Chargers a legitimate chance to not only return to the postseason, but capture an unprecedented 21st state crown since the CIAC playoff system began in 1976.

After two CIAC quarterfinal appearances, can Naugatuck continue this trend?
Definitely. The Greyhounds play with high intensity and big-play potential. While they did graduate several key players, coach Dave Sollazzo still has enough talent, such as quarterback Jay Mezzo, running back-linebacker Malachi Gatison and receivers Isaiah Williams, Jeff Schebell and Paul Marsh, to have another successful NVL season after back-to-back 9-1 marks and to return to the postseason.
The only regular-season blemishes in 2017 and 2018 were to Ansonia. The playoff losses to South Windsor (35-13 in 2017) and Platt of Meriden (12-6 in 2018) still probably sting a little bit and will be used as motivation.

What does Woodland do for an encore?
In three seasons under coach Chris Moffo, the Hawks have made a quantum leap from a 1-9 record in 2016 to 5-5 in 2017 and to 9-1 last year in the regular season.
Last season, the Hawks lost to Ansonia in the regular season and dropped a Class S quarterfinal decision to Bloomfield, the eventual state champion. While the Hawks graduated many key players, including star running back Edit Krivca and leading tackler Carter Amore, they do have a strong nucleus back. It certainly helps to have an experienced quarterback. Tyler Bulinski enters his third year as a starter.

Can Southington keep its impressive run going?
In Mike Drury’s eight-year coaching tenure, the Blue Knights have achieved five undefeated regular seasons and two state titles while qualifying for the postseason in six of those years.
Drury went 6-4 in his first season in 2011, the fewest wins during his tenure. He has compiled an 80-11 record for a .727 winning percentage.
The program is based on large numbers, depth at every position and a lot of talent. It should be another strong showing in the Central Connecticut Conference and at Fontana Field, home of the Blue Knights.

How will first-year head coaches Michael Kearns of Seymour and Chris Theriault at Wolcott fare?
There were seven head coaching changes in the offseason in Greater Waterbury with Kearns and Theriault being the first of the hires last winter.
Kearns, an assistant coach with the Wildcats in 2018, succeeds interim head coach Steve George, who guided the Wildcats to a 6-4 record last season, and becomes the Wildcats’ third head coach in three seasons. Having been on the staff last season and knowing the returning players should bode well for Kearns.
Meanwhile, Theriault becomes the Eagles’ third head coach in four seasons. He succeeds Matt Hove, who guided the Eagles to a 7-4 overall record and a Class M playoff berth. Hove resigned at season’s end after a two-year tenure. A Bristol native, Theriault had been a defensive coordinator at Cromwell-Portland in recent years.
Reach Mark Jaffee at mjaffee@rep-am.com.

BEACON FALLS – After two seasons and 21 career starts as the signal-caller, Woodland High senior Tyler Bulinski is entering this season as one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the Naugatuck Valley League.

By MARK JAFFEE

That bodes well for the Hawks, who are coming off one of their finest seasons in nearly a decade when they posted a 9-1 regular-season record to earn a CIAC Class S quarterfinal berth.

While the postseason 49-10 loss to Bloomfield, the eventual state champion, was not the outcome that Woodland was hoping for, getting to the playoffs was huge for the program. It marked the first postseason berth since 2013 when the Hawks reached the Class S state final, losing to Ansonia.

As Bulinski and the Hawks open preseason practice today, they’re motivated for another strong run.

[This post contains video, click to play]

“Getting to the playoffs was an eye-opening experience,” said Bulinski. “We learned what we needed to do to compete against such great teams. We have to prepare a lot harder every single day in practice. We all need to have high intensity. I’m really pumped up and excited to get started. We all are.”

Bulinski plans on to taking on a more active role as a leader this season.

“I need to make sure everyone is on the same page,” said Bulinski. “Everyone needs to go 100% every day and makes things perfect. If we do, it will carry over into Week 1 against Torrington (Sept. 13 at home).”

In recent years, Bulinski was asked to manage the game. Statistically, he threw for over 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns last season with only a couple of interceptions. His best game came when he tossed for 153 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-14 win over Wolcott.

“Tyler improved tremendously over the last three seasons and has made great strides,” said Woodland coach Chris Moffo. “He has a great football IQ. He works very hard at his craft and takes care of the ball very well. He doesn’t put too many balls up in the air for grabs.”

Bulinski loves the versatility of his running back/receivers – Nick Rousseau, Jason Palmerie, James Champagne and Nate Bodnar.

“They’re all tremendous receivers who are quick and have great hands,” said Bulinski.

Bulinski also had high praise for the running backs. Despite graduating the Hawks’ leading rusher Edit Krivca, he believes Palmerie, Rousseau, Joe Dedomenico and Zachariah Kabusk will step up and bring a lot of versatility to the team.

He’d be remiss if he didn’t mention the play of left guard Alek Tolboe and left tackle Ryan Knobel, the two returning starters on the offensive line.

“I really believe in the guys up front,” said Bulinski. “They’re are going to help me and the team out a lot.”

Reflecting back to last year, Bulinski liked the way the team finished the regular season following a 36-20 loss to NVL champion Ansonia in Week 8 that snapped a seven-game winning streak. The Hawks narrowly beat Oxford (21-7) and Seymour (14-12) to secure a playoff berth.

“We were able to push through adversity in close games and clicked at the right time,” said Bulinski.

WATERBURY – Waterbury Career Academy football coach Peter Flammia gave the ultimate compliment to senior Jalen Gopie, a two-way starter, as practice got underway this week.

By MARK JAFFEE

“Jalen is the best player I’ve ever coached,” said Flammia. “He’s a complete player on both sides of the ball. He brings a total businesslike attitude every day and does every task you ask.”

Gopie has a simple philosophy when he hits the field.

“I play hard every day,” said Gopie. “You can’t go just 50-50. Putting in a good effort is very important to me and what I value the most. I don’t care about numbers and statistics. I just want to help my team the best way that I can.”

The 6-foot-1, 220-pound outside linebacker certainly did that last season as a junior, recording 29 sacks, among the state’s leaders.

What makes Gopie special?

“Defensively, he’s very instinctive and strong and quick off the ball,” said Flammia. “I think he’s better as a defender because he is so physical. He studies game films well and knows a lot of the opponents’ tendencies through those film sessions.”

That’s precisely what occurred against Torrington last year. Gopie interceted a screen pass and sprinted for a 73-yard touchdown, his third score of the night, in the second quarter to seal an eventual 24-14 win at midseason.

“Personally, that pick-six was my favorite play last season and favorite individual football moment since I started playing this game,” said Gopie. “I watched that game film many times. It was a play that I had prepared for in practice. It was endless preparation in the film room and on the field and that’s what makes it special.”

Offensively, Gopie was equally effective last season, running for 1,313 yards and 22 touchdowns to help the Spartans to finish with a 5-5 record.

“Jalen is very quick off the snap,” said Flammia. “He doesn’t have many moves, but he’s so powerful and fast and is able to get defenders to miss.”

Earlier in the 2018 season, Gopie had a breakout offensive game, finishing with 320 yards and four touchdowns in a 34-22 win over Sacred Heart-Kaynor Tech.

But he bettered that in the season finale, rushing for a career-best 341 yards and accounting for seven touchdowns, all in the first half, in a 62-21 win over Gilbert-Northwestern in Winsted. Flammia noted that Gopie played only one series in the second half.

Gopie downplayed the individual success.

“We had a lot of seniors and they have all been my friends since I started playing football,” said Gopie. “To end the season like that, it felt like sort of a thank you to them for being such great teammates to me. That was a lot of fun, and probably the best overall football experience I’ve ever had.”

Teammate Adrian Maldonado marveled at Gopie’s performance in the 2018 final game.

“Jalen was amazing,” said Maldonado, a senior defensive tackle. “Jalen always knows where to position himself and is so explosive. He’s always making great plays and highlights. But even more importantly, he’s such a good teammate. He’s always communicating with all of us to make us better.”

Maldonado’s praise stunned Gopie.

“Being a good teammate means more to me than being a skilled player,” said Gopie.

Reach Mark Jaffee at mjaffee@rep-am.com.

As the 2019 season slowly approaches, we will look back at some of the best moments in all the fall sports from a year ago.

We start with touchdowns (with many more to come):

[This post contains video, click to play]

WATERBURY – Holy Cross High senior Marcus Payne is approaching this season with a desire to make a difference.

By MARK JAFFEE

He’ll have plenty of opportunities, especially on offense where the Crusaders are without several key starters from last season due to graduation, most notably quarterback Corey Fappiano, running back Alex Ward and receivers Qaron Brown, Vincent Graziano and Connor Goggin.

“I need to be more focused and play with a sense of purpose,” said Payne, who played exclusively as a defensive end last season.

“I want the ball, and hopefully, it will come my way,” said Payne, a 6-foot-4, 210-pounder.

That is a given, says teammate and defensive back Shawn Austin.

“When Marcus gets the ball, he will score,” said Austin. “He’s got the height to go up and get the ball, and he’s got the speed to get down field. He’s also very strong and a very good blocker. Athletically Marcus was as capable of anyone we had on the field last year.”

Payne returned the favor, praising Austin as a leader of the defense.

“Everyone is ready to step up and is willing to do whatever it takes for the betterment of the team,” said Austin. “We’re all adaptable. We just want to win and get better and improve on our record of the past two seasons (back-to-back 6-4 marks). My job is to push everyone to be the best they can be. We have a lot of players who have the potential to make big plays and contribute to a successful season.”

Austin and Payne are the duo are the only returning starters of the five seniors on the roster. The other seniors are two-way linemen Tommy Ayash and Cole Foster, and Matt Doran, an offensive lineman and linebacker.

Crusaders head coach Mike Giampetruzzi, in his 11th season, said there will be plenty of opportunities and playing time this season. Giampetruzzi hasn’t settled on a quarterback yet, but the running backs are locked in with junior Patrick Giancarli, junior Elijah Wright and sophomore Jalon Jones. Giancarli played on the varsity as a freshman and sophomore.

“Patrick has experience and can catch the ball out of the backfield, can run between the tackles and has the speed to get to the outside,” said Giampetruzzi. “He’s a pretty talented kid.”

A key of the team will be the offensive line, which will be anchored by junior guard Sam Gizzie and junior J.J. Giesen, who will play center or left tackle. Giesen played center for the second half of the 2018 season in place of injured starter Jared Longo.

“Sam and J.J. do all of the little things,” said Giampetruzzi. “They know the playbook well and are fundamentally sound. They should have a good year.”

A player to watch on defense is sophomore middle linebacker Mah’Kai Wilson, who started nine games last season.

“In Week 1 last year, we had Mah’Kai at defensive end he was just finding his way,” said Giampetruzzi. “We realized that his natural ability was at linebacker where he could see the field well. Once we put him in that position, he found a home.”