The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
⏩ 25 players to watch this season,
LLLA.J. BARBER, SR., GREENWICH
The Class LL champs were hit hard by graduation, but Barber’s back after catching 10 touchdown passes last year and throwing one in the state final.
PHOENIX BILLINGS, SR., HAND
Standout athlete, committed to UConn to play baseball, threw for 1,740 yards and 23 touchdowns last year and ran for another 578 yards, earning first-team New Haven Register All-State honors.
TERRENCE BOGAN, SR., SHEEHAN
New England-champion sprinter ran for 2,481 yards and 34 touchdowns last season as the Titans reached the Class M semifinals.
DARON BRYDEN, JR., BLOOMFIELD
Just a junior, but he has two years, nearly 4,000 passing yards, 56 touchdown passes and a state championship on his resume already. Took a step forward last year to 2,306 passing yards.
BEN CORNIELLO, SR., HAND
Columbia-bound, the first-team New Haven Register AllState defensive lineman had 11.5 sacks among 29.5 tackles for a loss last season for the undefeated Class L champions.
WILL DIAMANTIS, SR., ST. JOSEPH
A 6-foot-2 receiver, he steps into the marquee role after a couple of graduations. Caught two of his 15 touchdown passes in the Class M state championship game.
ISAIAH DELOATCH, SR., SHELTON
As the Gaels replace lots of their skill, this 6-foot-6, 315pound offensive tackle will help give them time to make plays.
JOE DIGELLO, SR., AMITY
Big defensive lineman (among other roles) helped the Spartans to their first .500 season in a decade last year.
JAMES GOETZ, SR., WESTON
Three-sport standout (he’s an all-state lacrosse midfielder) threw for 1,825 yards and ran for nearly 600 more last year. Returned an interception for a touchdown, while he was at it.
JALEN GOPIE, SR., WATERBURY CAREER ACAD.
An all-state linebacker, but he did a bit of everything for the Spartans, with 16.5 sacks, 1,168 rushing yards (and 19 touchdowns) and an interception return for a score, among others.
MATT GULBIN, JR., WILTON
A 6-foot-4, 290-pound offensive and defensive tackle, he was a first-team All-FCIAC pick last year as a sophomore. Drawing college interest.
SHYKEEM HARMON, SR., ANSONIA
The latest in a long line of Ansonia running backs burst onto the scene with 2,100 rushing yards, including 19 touchdowns among 202 carries as a junior.
NICK HENDERSON, SR., BROOKFIELD
A big piece of a playoff team a year ago, when he ran for 1,300 yards and 15 touchdowns. He had four sacks and recovered three fumbles on defense.
ZACH HRUBIEC, SR., BERLIN
An all-state player a year ago, he made 25 tackles for loss from defensive end. He’ll take on a bigger role in the offense, too; he ran 62 times and caught 23 passes a year ago.
JAH JOYNER, SR., DANBURY
Defensive end (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) flew under the radar; wasn’t an all-state player despite 11 sacks, but he committed to Boston College earlier this year.
SEAN KELLY, SR., BRANFORD
Three-year starter (14 touchdown passes last year) is one of nine offensive starters returning for the Hornets, one reason some see them as a team that can make noise in Class M.
ISIAH LOVELL, SR., E.O. SMITH
A shoulder injury limited him to six games last year. He still had 15 sacks for 101 yards. A key piece on an experienced line.
JAYVON MASSEY, SOPH., BLOOMFIELD
Part of a big group of returning receivers for the Warhawks, Massey broke out for 30 catches, including 14 touchdowns, as a freshman.
COLIN MCCABE, SR., HAND
Teammates get more attention, but he ran for over 1,300 yards and 33 touchdowns last year, and he had 16.5 tackles for a loss at linebacker.
MIKE MORRISSEY, SR., ST. JOSEPH
One of several returning linemen for the Cadets. Morrissey was all over the defensive statistics last year, nine sacks, 15 hurries, three forced fumbles, two blocked punts.
DREW PYNE, SR., NEW CANAAN
Led the Rams to the Class L championship as a freshman and has progressed from there. Notre Dame commit threw for 2,602 yards last year and 30 touchdowns.
ANDRE RENTAS, SR., WEST HAVEN
After stints in New Jersey at Bergen Catholic and in Georgia at Eagle’s Landing, the 6-foot-3 Rentas has come home to West Haven to quarterback the Blue Devils.
SHELDON SCHULER, JR., ANSONIA
Stepped in at quarterback as a sophomore and threw for 900 yards and 17 touchdowns for the Chargers, Class S semifinalists. Can run and throw.
JADEN SHIRDEN, SR., ST. JOSEPH
Beginning his fourth year as the Cadets’ feature back, Shirden has run for almost 3,500 yards and scored 60 times on the ground.
JERMAINE WILLIAMS, SR., ST. JOSEPH
Modest numbers belie the monster disruptor that Williams, a New Haven Register All-State first-team defensive lineman, was for the Cadets as a junior.