Get out your coaching scorecards, the high school football season is about to kick off.
If the look of some of this year’s FCIAC teams seems a bit different, there’s a very good reason. Nearly half of the conference’s football teams are being guided by new head coaches for the 2018 campaign.
Of the seven teams to make changes at the top, the Trumbull Eagles picked up the biggest name as Marce Petroccio made the move from Staples to his alma mater in Trumbull. He replaced Bob Maffei, who retired after 19 seasons with the Eagles.
To replace Petroccio at Staples, the Wreckers picked up Phil Treglia, who had been an assistant coach at Archbishop Stepinac.
Joey DeVellis at Westhill, Jeff Queiroga at Brien McMahon, and E.J. DiNunzio at Wilton have stepped up within their programs to become head coaches, while Derrick Lewis takes over at Bridgeport Central, and Augustine Tieri takes over at Danbury.
All seven teams, and all 17 FCIAC squads for that matter, will be in action this weekend as the 2018 season gets underway.
FCIAC takes top four spots in preseason football poll
The conference heads into the campaign with the top four teams in the state, according to the preseason GameTimeCT/New Haven Register Top 10 football poll.
New Canaan, a Class L semifinalist last fall, is ranked No. 1, followed by Class LL runner-up Greenwich at No. 2; Class S champion St. Joseph at No. 3; and three-time defending Class LL champion Darien at No. 4.
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LocalLive to stream No. 1 New Canaan at No. 3 St. Joseph Saturday
The first week of the FCIAC season features a few barn-burners, headlined by Saturday’s New Canaan at St. Joseph game in Trumbull at 1:30 p.m.
The game will be streamed live by LocalLive, which has launched Fairfield.Live in collaboration with the FCIAC. The game can be seen at the link below on Saturday.
• Click here to visit LocalLive’s FCIAC page
New Canaan heads into the game as the No. 1 ranked team, which may not bode well, as the Rams were also No. 1 last year before being upset by St. Joseph 38-35 on opening night at Dunning Field. New Canaan has four players heading to Div. I schools: Drew Pyne (Notre Dame), Jack Stewart (Michigan), Jack Conley (Boston College) and Garrett Braden (Rice), while St. Joe’s quarterback David Summers has committed to Maryland.
The game certainly has a championship feel to it, even if it is only September.
Here’s a look at the full schedule for Week One. Records are from last season.
Friday, Sept. 7
Ridgefield (7-3) at Darien (12-1), 7 p.m.
Wilton (6-4) at Brien McMahon (1-9), 7 p.m.
Warde (5-5) at Stamford (4-6), 7 p.m.
Trinity Catholic (2-8) at Danbury (1-9), 7 p.m.
Westhill (6-4) at Ludlowe (1-9), 7 p.m.
Staples (6-4) at Bridgeport Central (2-8) 7 p.m.
Norwalk (6-4) at East Lyme (7-3), 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 8
New Canaan (9-3) at St. Joseph (12-1), 1:30 p.m.
Trumbull (2-7) at Greenwich (12-1), 4 p.m.