By Hal Levy, Shore Line Newspapers
Special to MaxPreps.com
It’s hard to believe it was just 10 years ago that the Governor’s Cup football game began as a little backyard brawl between teams from Connecticut and Rhode Island. Played at Southington High School, the first game was won by Connecticut, 28-14, as Platt-Meriden receiver Jamel Riddle caught five passes – two for touchdowns – and current Denver Broncos’ starting middle linebacker Niko Koutouvides of Plainville was the Connecticut defensive MVP.
The game then spent a season at Memorial Stadium at the University of Connecticut and the next two at Pierce Stadium in East Providence and Rhode Island won all three.
Connecticut got a win in a game played at Veteran’s Stadium in New Britain and then things got big time. In 2004, the contest was moved to the brand new Rentschler Field and has been there since, with Connecticut winning every single game.
This year’s contest will be next Saturday night (June 28) at Rentschler as Connecticut looks to extend what has become a five-year win streak.
Rentschler appears to be a permanent home for the game.
“The people in Connecticut do a fantastic job behind the scenes,” said Keith Kenyon, the game coordinator and head coach this year for Rhode Island. “Because of that at Rentschler, the game will probably never go back to Rhode Island.”
“If you check the progress of this game, it goes along with the new era at UConn and of other teams in Connecticut,” said Hand-Madison head coach Steve Filippone, the game coordinator for Connecticut. “With the building of Rentschler, there has been an up-surge in general in Connecticut high school football. Playing at Rentschler … giving the kids the opportunity to be at that level is extraordinary. This is something that’s really good that’s on the table.”
That Connecticut win streak pretty much coincides with when Connecticut coaches really started taking an interest in the game. They put together a combine to evaluate and pick players, upgraded practices and began the custom of having the head coach – this year it is Jim Buonocore Jr., late of Fitch-Groton and now at Ledyard – move up through the ranks. By the time he is head coach, he’s been around at least three years to learn the ins and outs of the game and selecting a team.
Of course, there are those who will tell you Connecticut has won by some lop-sided scores recently in part because coaches have ignored the mandate that everyone gets equal playing time. A story has made the rounds that last year several reserves got onto the field for only a handful of plays. Connecticut High School Coaches Association executive director John Fontana pledges that won’t happen again this year. Add to that the fact several state players won’t participate because their college coaches frowned on it (coaches can’t tell players not to participate but they can make their wishes quite clear) and the game should be much closer this time around.
“This is my third opportunity to be the head coach and it is something I am really looking forward to,” said Kenyon. “We really need to put a better product on the field and give a better performance.”
Kenyon’s staff has a touch of Connecticut with assistant coach Ray Ciarleglio of Branford, now an assistant at North Kingstown, where Kenyon is the head coach. Others include Steve Stoehr and Tom Milewski of Cranston West, Dick Downey of Cranston East, Kris McCall of Classical, Bill Samiagio of Westerly, Mike Kelly of Chariho, Terry Lynch of South Kingstown and Frank Newsome of Rogers.
Rhode Island’s pool of players started with 194 nominees from 40 schools. That number was culled to 100 for a combine and 50 were selected for the team. Among the higher-profile players are running backs Emmanuel Tutu of Classical, MVP of the Division IV Super Bowl last year and Brandford Sowah of Bishop Hendricken, a two-time all-stater; defensive lineman Neil Rooney of LaSalle Academy, who will play at Brown; defensive tackle Matt Greenhaigh, a University of Rhode Island recruit and slotback Stanley Dunbar of St. Raphael, a first team all-state selection.
Buonocore’s staff is headed by coordinators Sean Marinan (defense, Xavier-Middletown) and Bill Mella (offense, Southington) and also includes Harry Bellucci, Hartford Public; Tom Brockett, Ansonia; Mark Condon, Xavier-Middletown; Pete Cox, Bridgeport Central; John Ferazzi, Sheehan-Wallingford; Chris Fulton, Capital Prep-Hartford; Andy Guyon, Southington; Roy Roberts-Bloomfield; Marc Romano, St. Bernard-Uncasville and Mike Tyler, Northwest Catholic-West Hartford.
Among those who won’t participate are Eric Kuraczea of Ansonia, who is headed to UConn and Mike Golic of Northwest Catholic, who is going to Notre Dame. Both are standout defensive linemen.
There is plenty of offensive firepower with running backs Torrey Mack and Octavias McCoy of Stratford, Louis Aponte of New Britain and Alex Thomas of Ansonia and quarterbacks Ryan Katon (Xavier), Matt Coyne (Bristol Central) and Rob Moir (Seymour). Lorenzo Baker of Middletown is listed as a defensive back but also is a scintillating kick returner.
As usual each team will have three post-game award winners: offensive player of the game, defensive player of the game and the coaches’ award winner. They are traditionally named for state coaching legends. Rhode Island’s coaches to be honored are Bruce Mastracchio of the Rhode Island High School Football Coaches Association, Ted Stebbins of Cranston East and Gary Zeoli of Moses Brown, Connecticut coaches include Jim Buonocore, Sr. of New London, Bob Mastroni of Bunnell-Stratford and Mike Ellis of Montville and Fitch-Groton.
There will be a full day of activities surrounding the contest, which has a 7:05 p.m. kickoff. There will be an NFL youth clinic, run by Frank Stamilio of Southington. Included are some skills contests and the winners will be presented on the field at halftime of the game. Last year’s contests were for speed, agility and passing. The clinic is open to players aged 8-13 and pre-registration is required. The clinic will run from 1:30 to 4 p.m. There also will be a cheerleading clinic at 3 p.m. and a luncheon for players, coaches, parents and invited guests at 3 p.m.
The list of major sponsors for the event is headed by the U.S. Marine Corps, which will provide a color guard for opening ceremonies, among other things. Corporate sponsors include Coca-Cola, Stadium Systems, Gilman Gear, Schutt Helmet, Spalding, New Balance, Tony Siragusa’s Baby Back Ribs, NFL Youth Football, Chet O’Neill Associates and Dick Downey, Cox Sports (which is scheduled to televise the game on a tape-delayed basis), MaxPreps, the Connecticut Student Loan Foundation, Varsity Gold and the Rhode Island Football Foundation.
Gates at Rentschler will open to the public at 5 p.m. and there will be a $5 per vehicle charge ($15 for buses). Tickets for the game are $8 in advance and can be purchased through John Fontana at (860) 628-4122. Tickets purchased at the gate will cost $10.
