Zach Allen, a former New Canaan High School football star, wrapped up an excellent career as a senior defensive end at Boston College and former Trinity Catholic standout Thomas Costigan concluded an excellent career as a senior linebacker at Bryant University to highlight many of the strong seasons that former FCIAC football players had while playing for their respective college football teams this past fall.
Allen, who likely will be chosen in the first round of the NFL Draft, and Costigan were both selected to the New England Football Writers University Division All-New England First Team on defense. That team is comprised of student-athletes from New England’s FBS and FCS schools.
Lucas Niang, another former New Canaan star, was a starting offensive tackle for TCU and one of the best offensive linemen in the Big 12.
The statistics and highlights of Allen, Niang, Costigan and the many other former FCIAC football players now playing in college are under the high schools which they graduated from.
Bridgeport Central
Navaughn Austin was a 5-foot-10, 180-pound freshman cornerback for Southern Connecticut State University.
Lucas DeSouza was a 5-foot-11, 190-pound junior linebacker for Central Connecticut State University.
Danbury
Eric Henry was a 5-foot-10, 215-pound junior linebacker for Central Connecticut State university who played in nine games and totaled 19 tackles.
Darien
Tim Graham was a 6-foot-4, 185-pound redshirt sophomore quarterback for Bryant University who played in two games. He completed 14-of-29 passes, including a pair of touchdown passes, for 186 yards in both games.
Jack Tyrrell and Jack Griffiths were both senior offensive linemen for Amherst College. Tyrrell was a 6-foot-5, 265-pounder who played in 27 games during his four year, including eight games in both his junior and senior seasons. Griffiths was a 6-foot-3, 270-pounder who played in eight games this past senior season and 15 during his career.
Quinn Fay played in two games as a 6-foot-3, 225-pound sophomore defensive lineman for Tufts University.
Nicholas Green, Connor Tienken and Maxwell Grant were all freshman backup players for Trinity College. Green was a 6-foot-1, 195-pound linebacker. Tienken was a 6-foot, 185-pound cornerback. Grant was a 6-foot-1, 210-pound wide receiver.
Charlie Zuro saw action in three games as a 5-foot-11, 270-pound freshman offensive lineman for Gettysburg College.
Griffin Ross was a 5-foot-9, 173-pound wide receiver at Bowdoin College.
Alex Dehmel was a 5-foot-10, 165-pound freshman cornerback for Williams College.
Brian Keating played in all 12 games as a 6-foot, 220-pound sophomore long snapper for the University of Connecticut.
Fairfield Ludlowe
Colby Imbrogno was a 5-foot-11, 255-pound freshman offensive lineman for Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Fairfield Warde
Brandon Bisack played in two games as a 6-foot-5, 215-pound redshirt junior quarterback for the University of Connecticut.
Bryan Azarian was a 5-foot-11, 190-pound sophomore running back who played in two games for St. Lawrence University.
Mike Whiting was a 5-foot-9, 170-pound sophomore wide receiver for Colby College.
Greenwich
Scooter Harrington played major college football in the Pac 12 at Stanford. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound junior tight end started in two of the 13 games he played in and caught two passes for 12 yards.
Austin Longi and Paul Williams both played for Fordham University. Longi completed a very good career as a 5-foot-8, 150-pound senior wide receiver. Longi had 61 receptions, including four touchdown receptions, for 716 yards in 11 games as a senior and for his 41 career games he caught 192 passes for 2,431 yards with 19 TD receptions. Williams was a 6-foot-2, 200-pound sophomore who was the team’s long snapper for the second straight year.
Anthony Ferraro had a stellar season at a 5-foot-10, 170-pound sophomore wide receiver for St. Lawrence University. Ferraro set school records for most receptions in a season (77) and in a single game (18). He caught 18 passes for 174 yards on Oct. 6 at Rochester in a 38-24 victory to set the single-game record and that earned him the Liberty League Co-Offensive Player of the Week award. Ferraro set the season record on Nov. 3 during a 27-20 loss at RPI when he had 16 receptions for 182 yards, including a touchdown reception. He finished the season with 77 receptions, including five TD catches, and 802 yards.
Zhaire House and Nick McIntosh both played defense for Western New England University. House had a solid sophomore season as a 5-foot-11, 165-pound defensive back who had 42 total tackles and an interception. McIntosh played in a pair of games as a 5-foot-11, 235-pound defensive lineman.
Kevin Woodring and Zachary Moore both played for Middlebury. Woodring played in eight games this as a 6-foot-3, 280-pound junior offensive lineman. Moore was a 5-foot-9, 180-pound freshman kicker/punter.
Kyle Woodring was a 6-foot-1, 280-pound freshman offensive lineman for Trinity College.
Sammy Colandro was a 6-foot, 235-pound sophomore defensive end for Western Connecticut State University.
James Day was a 5-foot-10, 195-pound defensive back for Pace University. Day played in all 10 games and had 26 total tackles (15 solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery and five pass breakups.
Blake Guerrieri played in 10 games as a 5-foot-8, 275-pound sophomore offensive lineman for Salve Regina University.
Chase Piro 5-foot-10, 230-pound sophomore lineman Gettysburg College.
Kevin Iobbi was a 5-foot-9, 184-pound sophomore running back for Hamilton College.
Matt Circelli and Elias Gianopoulos were both freshmen at Dickinson College. Circelli was a 5-foot-11, 180-pound quarterback. Gianopoulos was a 6-foot, 165-pound wide receiver.
Jael Negron was a 6-foot-1, 182-pound freshman at Lackawanna College.
Brien McMahon
Andrew Starr wrapped up an excellent career at Sacred Heart University. The 6-foot-4, 300-pound senior offensive lineman at Sacred Heart University anchored an offensive lineman which led to the Pioneers having the top rushing offense in the Northeast Conference and was the team’s only offensive player selected to the Division I All-New England Team by the New England Football Writers. Starr played in 11 games this year and 33 total games during the last three years.
Kenneth Keen completed a very good career as a 6-foot-1, 235-pound senior outside linebacker for Central Connecticut State University. Keen had 59 total tackles, including three sacks, in 10 games this year. He played in 44 games and had 250 total tackles during his career, including his career high of 85 tackles during his 2017 junior season when he was selected to the All-Northeast Conference Second Team Defense.
Cameron Kelly was a 6-foot-1, 255-pound freshman defensive end for Southern Connecticut State University who had 13 total tackles in eight games.
Chris Druin was a 6-foot-2, 195-pound freshman quarterback for Utica College.
New Canaan
Zach Allen was solid throughout his career as a Boston College defensive end and so stellar as a 6-foot-5, 285-pound senior that most of the current NFL mock drafts have him projected to being drafted anywhere from the middle to latter part of the first round in the 2019 NFL Draft.
He led BC with 15 tackles for loss, was second with 6.5 sacks, had 26 solo tackles among his 61 total tackles, 11 quarterback hurries, a pair of fumble recoveries and one interception.
Allen was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in an Oct. 13 victory over Louisville when he had seven total tackles, including a sack among his three tackles for losses.
Allen’s latest postseason award was being named the Walter Camp 2018 Connecticut Player of the Year which is awarded to the top college football player who is a resident and/or played scholastically in the state of Connecticut.
Allen was previously selected to the All-ACC First Team and the New England Football Writers All-New England First Team. He accepted an invitation to play in the Senior Bowl on Jan. 26 in Mobile, Ala.
Lucas Niang and Michael Collins both played for TCU.
Since Niang entered TCU’s starting lineup midway through the 2017 season the 6-foot-7, 328-pound junior has been a strength on the offensive line for the Horned Frogs. He started the last eight games of that 2017 season at right tackles and he was so solid in 13 games this past season that he was selected to the Pro Football Focus First-Team All-Big 12 and Second-Team All-Big 12.
Collins was a 6-foot-5, 214-pound sophomore quarterback who played in nine games, threw six touchdown passes and completed 79-of-140 passes for 1,059 yards and was intercepted twice. Collins, who played in four games for Penn in 2016 and sat out the 2017 season as a redshirt freshman because of the NCAA transfer rules, made the Second-Team Academic All-Big 12 this past fall.
Sterling O’Hara had a very good year for Ohio Wesleyan. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound junior cornerback was selected to the All-North Coast Athletic Conference First team. O’Hara recorded 34 total tackles, two interceptions, nine pass break-ups, a fumble recovery and he caught a 56-yard touchdown pass out of punt formation.
Cole Harris was a 6-foot-2, 220-pound linebacker for Wesleyan University who ended his career with a strong senior season in which he totaled 61 tackles for an average of 6.8 tackles per game in nine games. He had two sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss. Harris accumulated 160 total tackles in 33 career games.
Alex LaPolice was a 6-foot, 185-pound senior wide receiver for Harvard University.
Malaki Holan was a 5-foot-9, 277-pound senior lineman for Nichols College.
Matt Cognetta and Mike Cognetta were both juniors at St. Lawrence University. Matt Cognetta, a 5-foot-7, 178-pound running back, rushed 36 times for 105 yards with one touchdown. Mike Cognetta was a 5-foot-7, 169-pound defensive back who picked off a pass and returned it 40 yards and he finished with 32 total tackles.
Ryan Becker was a 6-foot-6, 310-pound junior offensive lineman for Sacred Heart University who played in 10 games.
Andrew DeFranco was a 6-foot, 200-pound junior wide receiver who led the team with two touchdown receptions and was second on the team in receptions (19) and yards (167).
Will Conley was a 6-foot-7, 275-pound sophomore offensive lineman for Fordham University
Tom Root and Sean Knight both played in 10 games as defensive backs for Carnegie Mellon University. Root was a 5-foot-11, 180-pound sophomore cornerback who had 24 tackles. Knight was a 6-foot-1, 175-pound safety who had 30 tackles, three interceptions and a fumble recovery.
Jack Kircher saw action in eight games as a 6-foot-5, 255-pound defensive lineman for Lehigh University before he suffered a season-ending injury. He started the first four games at defensive end and finished with eight tackles, including three for loss.
Grant Morse played in five games as a 6-foot, 195-pound freshman linebacker for Middlebury College and had 10 total tackles.
Ryan Rigione was a 5-foot-11, 226-pound junior offensive lineman for Bates College who was a NESCAC Fall All-Academic selection for the second consecutive year.
Norwalk
Deandre Russell and Jalen Elliott were both on the Western New England University roster. Russell was a backup 5-foot-6, 169-pound sophomore running back and Elliott backed up as a 6-foot-2, 195-pound freshman wide receiver.
Ridgefield
Andrew Chuma was a 6-foot-3, 240-pound senior defensive lineman for Lafayette College who totaled 30 tackles with three sacks in 10 games this past year.
James Turner and Chris Longo both played for Dickinson College. Turner is having a very good career as the 6-foot, 225-pound junior linebacker was selected to the All-Centennial Conference First Team after having made the All-Centennial Conference Second Team in 2017. This past fall Turner racked up 100 total tackles (55 solo), including 12.6 tackles for loss and three sacks, and had three interceptions in 10 games. He has 298 total tackles in 29 career games. Longo was a 6-foot-2, 205-pound sophomore wide receiver who caught 37 passes for 395 yards, including six touchdown receptions in nine games. Longo has 76 receptions, 13 TD receptions, and 844 receiving yards in the first two years of his career.
Mike Turner was a 6-foot-3, 265-pound offensive lineman for Trinity College.
Patrick Lang 6-foot, 215-pound sophomore linebacker Williams College
Thomas Formus was a 6-foot, 185-pound freshman defensive back for Bates College who played in seven games and had eight tackles.
Mike Tarantino was a 6-foot-3, 285-pound sophomore offensive lineman Ithaca College
St. Joseph
Nick DiCairano had a great year and earned many postseason awards as a 5-foot-11, 155-pound junior kicker for Endicott College. DiCairano made 12-of-13 field goals and 44-of-46 extra-point kicks to total 80 points. A few of his prominent awards included selection to the 2018 AP Division III All-America Second Team, 2018 New England Football Writers College Division All-New England Team and 2018 All-Commonwealth Coast Conference First Team.
Jordan Vazzano was a 6-foot-3, 225-pound junior quarterback for Trinity College. He completed 64-of-146 passes for 1,326 yards (265.2 yards per game) and had 12 TD passes in the five games he played. It was his first season at Trinity after having transferred from the University of Rhode Island.
Pete Mestre was a 6-foot-6, 295-pound redshirt senior offensive lineman for Bryant University. He played in nine games, had five starting assignments and missed two games due to injury. During his junior year in 2017 he started in all 11 games at left tackle.
Cam Ryan had eight total tackles in seven games as a 6-foot-4, 230-pound sophomore linebacker.
Jared Mallozzi was a 6-foot-1, 185-pound freshman wide receiver for Central Connecticut State University.
Charles Wade and Pete Lovan played for Nichols College. Wade played in all 10 games as a 6-foot-3, 220-pound senior defensive lineman and collected 38 tackles (11 solo), 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and a fumble recovery. Lovan played in five games as a 5-foot-10, 235-pound freshman offensive lineman.
Chris Taylor played in two games as a 6-foot-2, 255-pound senior offensive lineman for Middlebury College. The Shelton resident played in 14 games during his career.
Stamford
Jalen Brown had a superb year as a 6-foot-1 redshirt sophomore quarterback for Monroe College to earn selection as the Northeast Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Brown, who will transfer to Morehouse College, set a Monroe College record of 1,336 total yards in a season. He completed 80 passes for 890 yards, including seven touchdown passes, and rushed for 446 yards and eight touchdowns. Brown also owns the career rushing touchdown record with 12 in two seasons, and has more points scored (72) than anyone else in the football program’s seven-year history.
Troy Duncan played in two games as a 6-foot-2, 190-pound sophomore wide receiver for Duke.
Matt Doyle was a six-foot, 190-pound freshman linebacker for Southern Connecticut State University.
Staples
Daniel Thompson was listed on the Middlebury College roster as a 6-foot, 170-pound freshman wide receiver.
Moe Hayward was a 6-foot-2, 275-pound sophomore offensive lineman for Western Connecticut State University.
Griffin Lundquist played in seven games and had a pair of tackles as a 6-foot-3, 230-pound freshman defensive end for Dickinson College.
Trinity Catholic
Thomas Costigan and Sam Ruzzi both played for Bryant University. Costigan solidified his status as one of the best players ever for the program. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound senior linebacker set school records for most career tackles (285) and single-season tackles as he had 109 total this past 2018 season, including 5.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss. He forced three fumbles, had two fumble recoveries and finished second in program history with 26 career sacks and 46.5 tackles for loss. Costigan also picked off a pass this year and finished with three career interceptions. He made the New England Football Writers University Division All New England First Team for the second straight year, was also selected to the All-Northeast Conference First Team and was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award.
Ruzzi was a 5-foot-11, 175-pound sophomore kicker.
Timmy Smith-Val played in eight games and had seven tackles as a 6-foot-2, 290-pound redshirt freshman defensive lineman for American International College.
Sean Eilertsen was a 6-foot-4, 295-pound freshman offensive lineman for Temple.
Frank Alfano saw action in five games as a 5-foot-11, 180-pound sophomore wide receiver at Sacred Heart University.
Izaiah Sanders and Jonmichael Bivona were both on the Southern Connecticut State University roster. Sanders played in 10 games as a 6-foot-3, 210-pound redshirt freshman wide receiver and caught 15 passes for 221 yards, including a touchdown reception. Bivona was a 5-foot-8, 170-pound freshman running back.
Will Dorvilier was a 5-foot-10, 231-pound junior linebacker for Western Connecticut State University.
Justin Przypek gained 75 rushing yards on 20 carries with a touchdown while playing in four games as a 5-foot-10, 185-pound senior fullback for Springfield College.
Jasyn Andrews was a 6-foot-3, 275-pound freshman defensive lineman for Western New England University. He had four tackles in three games.
Pat Maloney was a 5-foot-11, 225-pound senior defensive lineman for Castleton University who had five total tackles in seven games.
John Petrizzi was a 6-foot, 165-pound freshman wide receiver for Bentley.
Trumbull
Cory Haslam was a 6-foot-2, 247-pound sophomore defensive lineman for Cornell University.
Jack Kelly and Ryan Kelly were both linebackers at Stonehill College. Jack was a 6-foot-2, 240-pound senior who had 16 total tackles, including a sack and 2.5 tackles for loss, in nine games. He had 65 total tackles in 33 career games. Ryan was a 6-foot-1, 225-pound sophomore who totaled 18 tackles in 10 games.
Danny Hoffman was a 5-foot-6, 160-pound sophomore wide receiver for Salve Regina University. He caught 40 passes, including four touchdown receptions, for 423 yards.
Justin Appleby was a 6-foot-3, 276-pound sophomore offensive lineman for Western Connecticut State University.
Alex Moran was a 5-foot-9, 170-pound freshman defensive back for Western New England University.
Westhill
Mekhi Barnett was a 5-foot-11, 215-pound redshirt freshman inside linebacker for Southern Connecticut State University who had 11 total tackles in 10 games.
Western Connecticut State University in Danbury had five former Westhill Vikings on its roster in Haywood Alexander, Malik Dawkins, Chiante Holtzclaw, Jemeson Charleston and Aaron Young. Alexander was a 6-foot, 235-pound senior defensive tackle who ranked seventh on the team with 34 total tackles, including a pair of sacks. Dawkins had 19 tackles as a 6-foot-2, 287-pound junior defensive lineman. Holtzclaw was a 6-foot-2, 195-pound senior defensive end. Charleston was a 6-foot, 257-pound freshman defensive tackle. Young was a 6-foot-1, 321-pound junior defensive lineman.
Matthew Alswanger was a 5-foot-10, 170-pound sophomore kicker for Tufts University. He scored 46 points by connecting on 5-of-7 field goals and 31-of-36 extra-point kicks.
Matthew Vilas played in three games as a 6-foot, 278-pound senior offensive lineman for Catholic University.
Brendan Holtzclaw was a 6-foot-2, 200-pound sophomore linebacker for Louisberg College.
Wilton
Tyler Mirabile and TJ Savvaides both played for St. Lawrence University. Mirabile concluded his successful year with a strong season as a 6-foot-1, 230-pound defensive lineman. The senior co-captain had 8.5 sacks among his 43 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, a fumble recovery and he was the Team Defensive Player of the Week twice. Mirable played in 38 games during his four-year career and finished with 143 total tackles, including 39 tackles for loss, and 21.5 sacks. Savvaides was a 6-foot, 235-pound senior linebacker who totaled 29 tackles, forced two fumbles and recovered a fumble.
Joey McFadden was a 5-foot-11, 235-pound sophomore defensive lineman for Ithaca College.