By Hal Levy, Shore Line Newspapers
Special to MaxPreps.com
The ninth annual Governor's Cup football all-star game featuring graduated seniors from Connecticut and Rhode Island will be at the University of Connecticut's Rentschler Field Thursday, June 28 at 7:15 p.m.
This marks the third year the game has been at the 40,000-seat East Hartford facility and the second year of the National Football League's involvement. Connecticut has won both games at Rentschler and leads the series, 5-3.
The NFL will conduct a Youth Day for football programs from around the state. Registration for that begins May 1 at the Connecticut High School Coaches Association's web site (cthssports.com) and youth leagues will be accepted on a first come, first served basis until the clinic is at capacity.
At a press conference recently, NFL National Coordinator of Youth Player Development, Jerry Horowitz noted: "Any time we can support youth football, we want to do so."
He also noted an increase in the NFL's financial commitment, although exact figures were not released.
There will be a cheerleading clinic the same day. Last year, NFL cheerleaders from Dallas and Jacksonville helped make that aspect a success.
"This has become a monstrous thing," said John Fontana, executive director for the CHSCA. "It is a 12-months-a-year project."
"This is going to become the best high school all-star game in the country," said former Maloney-Meriden coach Rob Szymaszek, who serves, along with Hand-Madison coach Steve Filippone as the coordinator of the Connecticut team. "That's the mission John gave us when the CHSCA became really involved with the game."
That mission statement has not gone unnoticed in Rhode Island. Keith Kenyon of North Kingston, who returns to high school football after a year in private business, is back at the helm of his state's efforts.
"The Coaches Association does a great job," Kenyon said. "And Rentschler Field is a beautiful facility. There are some in Rhode Island who want the game back home, but Dick (Fossa, who coordinated the game last year and remains as Kenyon's right-hand man) and I told them that would happen when Rhode Island had as good a facility as Rentschler."
"I don't think that will ever happen," said Fossa. "I am impressed with what the CHSCA has done to take charge of this game."
Some details remain to be worked out, including the benefiting charity and the in-game sky-box party.
Both states have conducted scouting combines and have preliminary rosters established. Rhode Island's head coach will be Dino Campopiano, who guided Shea High to the state's Division II championship last fall. Among his dozen assistants will be last year's head coach, Tom Centore of Cranston East.
Connecticut's head coach will be Rob Fleeting of Hartford-Weaver. Connecticut has a coaching succession order. An individual is selected two years in advance and works as an assistant before taking over the reins. Next year's head coach will be Jim Buonocore, Jr. of Fitch-Groton.
The two states also have decided on which coaches to honor. Each year, three coaches from each are selected and the game offensive and defensive MVPs plus a coaches' award winner are awarded plaques in their honor.
The Rhode Island coaches include Bill Stringfellow (East Providence), Tony Rainone (Central Falls) and Jim Dunn (Smithfield).
Connecticut's are Al Pellegrinelli (Berlin), Bob McKee (Conard-West Hartford) and Frank Robinson (William Hall-West Hartford), Pellegrinelli is retired and Robinson now works as an assistant for his son.
King, DeMayo Entering Hall of Fame
The National High School Athletic Coaches Association will add two men from Connecticut to its Hall of Fame during an induction ceremony in Milwaukee - oddly enough on June 28, the same day as the Governor's Cup game (and opening day for the new Travelers Championship golf tournament at TPC-River Highlands). They are Ralph King of Norwalk and Bob DeMayo of North Haven.
King, a legendary soccer coach, also was the athletic director at both Norwalk and Brien McMahon. He is now the FCIAC's assistant executive director and also serves with distinction as a member of the Michaels Achievement Cup Committee.
In my opinion, DeMayo might be the best high school baseball coach ever in the state of Connecticut. He's near 800 career wins and still going at it with North Haven High School. He's ruffled his share of feathers in 40-plus years at North Haven, but he is honest, honorable, and knows how to win high school baseball games with mediocre talent (and state titles with good talent). Best of all - and this will be a surprise to those of you who don't know him, or only think you do - he, and his wife Betty, are two of the warmest, nicest people I have ever dealt with, not only in sports but in life.
Beeman Cited For Sportsmanship
Congratulations to a couple of long-time friends who recently won coaching honors. Hand-Madison boys' basketball coach Jeff Beeman was honored with the Phil Casman Award by IAABO Board 10.
The basketball officials cited Beeman for his exemplary sportsmanship on the sidelines. Beeman, by the way, will not be coaching at Hand next season. He was expected to resign Tuesday (after press time) to pursue other interests.
Quinnipiac tennis coach Mike Quitko was presented with the Joseph Dietz Bowl, awarded annually to a professional who has made significant contributions to the New England tennis community. Quinnipiac's women have been to three-straight NCAA tournaments and the men to two. He coaches both teams.
New Haven Adding To Hall of Fame
The University of New Haven adds four members to its Hall of Fame April 20 and among them is former Guilford High athlete Jo-Lynn Cimino.
Cimino, a dominating high school softball pitcher, remains the only softball All-America in UNH history and still has career records for appearances and strikeouts and is in the top three with 66 wins.
Other honorees include baseball player Dave Galla of Trumbull, who still has the school record for RBIs with 61; former football quarterback Jesse Showerda of Meriden, who led the team to the NCAA Division II semi-finals as a senior; and David Beckerman, honored as a distinguished alumnus. Beckerman was the head of Starter Sports and now chairs the Acorn Group. A coach at Hamden Hall Country Day, he has guided his team to eight New England prep school championships and is a Trustee for the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Induction is April 20 at Race Brook Country Club at 6:30 p.m. For ticket information, call (203) 932-7016.