Teacher Parent Synergy

This week has been a whirlwind of statewide high school football news and tidbits. Heres the latest as we head into the July 4 weekend.

QB CROCE LEAVING POMPERAUG Pomperaug quarterback Kellen Croce will likely enroll at The Gunnery prep school in Washington, Conn., his father, offensive coordinator Steve Croce said.

Croce was an all-SWC first team quarterback in his first year as a starter for 8-2 Pomperaug. He threw for 1,958 yards and 16 touchdowns. But his future, his father said, might be in baseball. Croce was a left-handed starter for the schools outstanding baseball team.

Gunnery baseball coach Jeffrey Trundy is the manager for the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Code Baseball League.

Meanwhile, Steve Croce said he is staying on as offensive coordinator for Pomperaug, where he said three players 6-1 senior Garrett Delotto, 5-10 junior Eric Beatty and incoming freshman Wade Prager will vie for the starting job under new coach Dave Roach.

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Not only will the Panthers have a new QB, they will have a new defensive coordinator, too.

John Pereira, who consistently molded Pomperaugs defense into one of the regions best, has taken an assistant coaching job at Southington, joining former Pomperaug head coach Chuck Drury and new head coach Mike Drury. Pereira coached Pomperaugs outstanding 2004 state championship defense, which included Connecticut Post Defensive Player of the Year Mike Kielt.

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DANBURYS CALITRO COMMITS Austin Calitro, a hulking 6-foot-1, 215-pound fullback and linebacker, has committed to Villanova for football. He reportedly chose the Divsion I-AA school over Temple.

We learned via a separate source Thursday, but on Friday we realized Calitro had already announced the news on Twitter a day earlier.

Calitro ran for 300 yards and scored 4 touchdowns at fullback. On defense, he made 75 tackles and forced five fumbles. He also served as the teams punter. He was a second-team All-Connecticut Post

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STRATFORDS DESRUISSEAUX  SWITCHES Stratford all-purpose back Marc DesRuisseaux will be heading to Milford Academy instead of Lackawanna Junior College, Stratford coach John Svatik confirmed. I dont know what led to the change, but as far as I know hes real happy with the decision, Svatik said.

DesRuisseaux, who is listed at 6-2, 170, earned all-state Class S and all-SWC as a defensive back in his first full year of playing football. He played primarily quarterback and safety for the 3-7 Red Devils and earned a spot on both the Governors Cup All-Star team and the Fairfield County All-Star team.

Hell join Ansonias Montrell Dobbs (off to UConn), St. Josephs Tyler Matakevich and Montvilles Tyler Girard-Floyd at the New Berlin, NY prep school.

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Similar Posts:

• Former Ansonia captain Darnell Cooks dies at 25
• Report: D.J. Hernandez leaves Southington
• Arkansas pulls out another close one
• Mike Drury’s hiring at Southington will rock Pomperaug
• Chuck Drury makes it official, steps down at Pomperaug

Tags: Croce, Croce Gunnery

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