The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Losing Modehn a big blow for HK
Coaches almost always launch into “next man up” mode whenever an impact player goes down with an injury.
If only it were that simple at HaddamKillingworth.
Senior running back Dalton Modehn, one of the best at his position in the Pequot Conference, broke his collarbone in Saturday’s game against North Branford and will be out for an indefinite period.
It is possible that Modehn’s senior season will end at a little more than five quarters of football. It would be a cruel blow to a newlook team that had aspirations of contending in the Pequot this year.
Modehn was tackled at the end of a 64yard gallop deep into North Branford territory in the opening minutes of the second quarter. He left the game immediately and was taken to a local hospital. From there, HK’s drive fizzled at the TBirds’ 18yard line when the Cougars failed to convert on fourthand15 and turned it over on downs.
Modehn rushed for 127 yards on only 10 carries in the 196 loss to the Thunderbirds. The week before, in a seasonopening 30 loss to Cromwell/Portland, he ran for 114 yards.
Athletes like Modehn, a tough, experienced, savvy thirdyear varsity back, don’t grow on trees at small schools like HK, a program that ebbs and flows based on roster size. Coach Mike Baklik’s numbers were up for this year, but the Cougars will be hardpressed to replace Modehn’s experience — he also is a very good cornerback — let alone his production.
Last season, HK won a schoolrecord 11 times and made it to the Class S championship game. That
squad had size and experience on both lines and multiple options on offense with Modehn and thensenior Tobey Callender. For a Pequot running back, Callender was a giant at 6foot2 and 215 pounds. He led the team with 1,542 yards rushing.
Modehn, who is a compact 510, 165 pounds, was every bit his equal — 1,384 yards on 209 carries and a teambest 21 rushing touchdowns. He ran for 100 or more yards in eight of 13 games, averaging 106.5 yards per game and 6.6 yards per carry.
He looked on his way to at least challenging last year’s rushing total. Before the season began, Baklik believed Modehn was close to surpassing the Cougars’ alltime rushing record.
It would not be fair to say all is lost without Modehn, because the Cougars have capable players on offense.
Quarterback Alex Riccitelli, in just his second varsity start at the position, was 15 of 33 for 225 yards and a touchdown against North Branford. His number of pass attempts was four short of the total HK threw all of last season.
Matteo Piacenti caught seven passes from Riccitelli for 147 yards and HK’s only score, while Peter Bosco finished with a teamhigh 11 carries for 58 yards.
HK turned it over five times, two coming inside the TBirds’ 10yard line. Riccitelli threw three picks, but two came on tipped balls. At the end of the day, Baklik was pleased with his QB’s overall performance.
“I’m happy with his arm, I’m happy with the decisions he’s been making,” he told middlesexcountysports.com after the game. “Like a lot of guys on this team, he’s now got two games under his belt. He’s learning and getting better as he gains experience.”
HK is going to get better as the season goes along. There’s no doubt there. If only the Cougars had Modehn along to plot their way.
CHECK OF THE SCHOOLS
** Xavier does not start facing SCC opponents until its home opener Oct. 4 against Hamden, but who knew the preSCC phase of the Falcons’ schedule would be this difficult?
One week after NFA ripped off three straight TDs to beat Xavier 3727 in the season opener, along came Fitch. Running five different players out of the option offense, the five amassed 377 yards on 42 carries and scored all seven touchdowns in a 4920 win.
Xavier wraps up its threegame road tour of eastern Connecticut with a noon game Saturday against New London. By the way, NFA quarterback Austin Richards, who led the Wildcats on their winning rally over Xavier, threw for a schoolrecord 482 yards in Saturday’s 4130 win over Glastonbury.
** Middletown High’s defense must be licking its chops in anticipation of Saturday’s game at RHAM. The Sachems managed just 15 net yards of offense in a 170 loss to East Lyme. The Sachems have not scored in their 02 start.
** The Blue Dragons play their first home game since the season opener on Oct. 4 against CCC rival Maloney. James Tarver, who rushed for 1,100 yards as a sophomore, is one of the top running backs in the state. Maloney eliminated Middletown in the 2018 Class L playoffs.
** HK’s first win could come at the expense of Old Saybrook/Westbrook (Saturday, 10:30 a.m. kickoff ). OSW has struggled mightily in losses to Coginchaug/ HaleRay/East Hampton and, last week, against Rockville. Cooper Pavlovich’s 25yard field goal gave the Rams their only points in the 343 loss.
** Middletown hits the road for a second straight week. Saturday’s kickoff against RHAM is set for 1 p.m. The Sachems have yet to score in their 02 start.
** There was no shame for Coginchaug in losing 477 at home to SMSA/ University/Classical. SMSA might just be the best team in the Pequot this fall. The Tigerhawks have a diverse offensive attack, change up their quarterbacks depending on the play call, and their defense hits hard and with purpose. Valley Regional/Old Lyme and Cromwell/Portland are among SMSA’s November opponents.
** WCNX Radio John Clark said the broadcast of the Cromwell/Valley game pulled in an audience of 300. The station will air Friday’s Rocky Hill vs. East Haven game (7 p.m. kickoff
at Rocky Hill).
** The Middletown boys soccer team hosts Maloney on Tuesday at 3:45, while Xavier (21) plays Sheehan in Wallingford. MHS has won two straight, with Zach Lombardo scoring in overtime Friday for a 32 win over Platt.
THIS AND THAT
** Middletown Post 75 won for the first time in American Legion fall league play, beating Rocky HillCromwellPortland 21 at Pat Kidney’s Buzzy Levin Field. The loss Saturday was the first for Post 105 in five games.
Logan Wenzel of Middletown High got the W in six innings of work, striking out six, and Chris Onofrio of Coginchaug pitched the seventh for the save. The 75ers had six hits, one each by Tiernan Powers, Ryan Michaud, Owen Clancy, Mike Garofalo, Nick Salemi and Giancarlo Genovese.
Middletown plays two games against CT Rivals on Saturday (11 and 1 p.m.) at Levin Field. RCP has home games on Saturday (Newington, 1 p.m.) and Sunday (Berlin, 3 p.m.) at Fran Monnes Field.
** If you think about it, some of these ballplayers have been at it for nearly a year. High school preseason in March, then high school season, summer Legion ball and now the fall season. That’s eight consecutive months of baseball, not counting winter training or indoor practice.
** Will Eli Manning get elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame? Most likely. But is Manning a Hall of Famecaliber quarterback? It’s debatable. Manning (was?) a durable, reliable, if hardly spectacular pro. He made 210 consecutive starts at one point. He’s won two rings with the Giants and was MVP of both of their Super Bowl wins over the Patriots. He has 56,537 career passing yards, seventh alltime at this moment. His career record: 116116.
Some have written that electing Manning would lower the Hall’s standard for quarterbacks up for election. Philip Rivers likely will pass Manning on the career yards list this season. He’s not a Hall of Famer by any stretch, right? Jim Plunkett won two Super Bowls with the Raiders and he’s not in the Hall of Fame. Is Tony Romo a Hall of Famer?
Manning has made his case for Hall election, but he’s not in the same class as Brees, Brady or even his brother, Peyton. His Hall of Fame credential are fodder for great debate.
** Speaking of the Giants, rookie Daniel Jones has given us fans a reason to be excited about this season, even if the team doesn’t win another game. With Saquon Barkley due to miss at least a month due to a high ankle sprain, we should see Jones throw the ball a ton. The bottom line, though, comes down to defense, which set the team up to lose Sunday. This year’s unit might not be able to stop a runaway shopping cart.
** In a tweet Sunday, Antonio Brown said he will not be playing in the NFL anymore. This passes as good news for the league these days.
** After the Patriots beat the Dolphins, CBS’ Dana Jacobson was just doing her job when she asked Bill Belichick about Brown and the “final straw” that led to the team releasing him Friday. Belichick stared right through her before walking away. Gave me the chills. What was Bill to say anyway? Besides, these are the Patriots. They answer to no one — except Roger Goodell and league investigators, of course.
**Kaitlyn D’Amico was a twotime AllCCC soccer player at Middletown High. She’s now a sophomore midfielder at Southern Connecticut, and on Saturday she scored the first goal in the Owls’ 20 win over Bentley. She told the school’s website that her goal is to score at least once every game. D’Amico has two goals and one assist this season for a teamhigh five points.
** Middletown’s Tyshaun James was up to his playmaking ways for the Central Connecticut Blue Devils once again. The junior receiver had a 68yard touchdown catch in CCSU’s 3429 road loss to Eastern Michigan. James had two catches for a teamhigh 118 yards and ran the ball five times for 33 yards. Eastern Michigan returned a blocked punt in the final seconds to win the game.
** Finally, when the Mets’ Pete Alonso hit his 50th home run last week, I was reminded that Barry Bonds passed that threshold just once in his 22 seasons, when he hit 73 in 2001. Kids, ask a parent about that alltime record.