There were seven players from the FCIAC on the Top 26 first team when the Connecticut High School Coaches Association announced its 2021 CHSCA All-State Football Teams in December.
The CHSCA’s all-state teams included the Top 26 first team and there were a combined 104 more players who made either the Class LL, Class L, Class M or Class S all-state teams.
The players who were named to the Top 26 were moved up to that first team from their respective class teams.
Darien High School, which won the CIAC Class LL state championship, had three Top 26 selections in seniors Tighe Cummiskey, David Evanchick and Matt Minicus.
The four other players from the FCIAC on the Top 26, all of whom were seniors, included New Canaan’s Ned Brady, Norwalk’s Camryn Edwards, Trumbull’s Corbin Smith, and St. Joseph’s Maxwell Warren.
Darien, which had a most impressive 42-7 victory over Fairfield Prep in the Class LL championship game to finish 12-1, had the most selections on the Top 26 first team with its three picks. Fairfield Prep, Daniel Hand, and Class S state champion Cromwell/Portland each had a pair of Top 26 selections.
Cummiskey, Minicus and Evanchick all racked up impressive statistical numbers from their respective positions for the Darien Blue Wave.
Evanchick was a 5-foot-10, 220-pound defensive end who led a solid defense. He registered his 15th sack of the year in the state championship game and finished with 74 total tackles, 45 solo tackles, and 25 tackles for loss. Evanchick had a dominant game Nov. 5 when he had 5½ sacks among his 10 tackles, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble in a 49-21 victory over Norwalk.
Cummiskey, a 6-foot fullback, rushed for 1,877 yards on 233 rushes for averages of 7.9 yards per carry and 144.4 yards per game. He also had 22 receptions for 288 yards. Cummiskey scored 23 touchdowns – 19 touchdowns rushing and four TD receptions.
Minicus, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound wide receiver, caught 16 touchdown passes and had 49 receptions for 820 yards.
Norwalk’s Edwards was a great two-way player as a 6-foot, 190-pound running back and defensive back who racked up some incredible numbers on offense. Edwards averaged 8.7 yards per carry and 166.6 rushing yards per game with his 1,666 total yards on 192 carries. He rushed for 23 touchdowns and had 28 total touchdowns on offense as he also had five TD receptions and caught 11 passes for 314 yards, an average of 28.5 yards per reception.
New Canaan’s Brady excelled as a 6-foot-5, 240-pound two-way lineman who has already announced that he will play at Army.
Warren was a 6-foot, 165-pound wide receiver and defensive back for St. Joseph. He hauled in 14 TD receptions and rushed for another four touchdowns. Warren had 57 receptions for 964 yards for an averaged of 16.9 yards per reception and he averaged 8.1 yards per carry with 258 rushing yards on 32 carries.
Trumbull’s Smith was a 5-foot-9, 170-pound wide receiver and defensive back who had some incredible numbers on offense and defense. Smith rushed for 13 touchdowns and had a dozen TD receptions. He had 58 receptions for 981 yards for an average of 16.9 yards per catch, he averaged seven yards per carry with his 568 yards on 81 carries, and on defense he had five interceptions.
Most of the players on the Top 26 first team excelled as two-way players and were selected as the CHSCA’s best 26 players in the state.
The four all-state teams via class designation each had 26 total players, 13 on offense and 13 on defense.
There were five FCIAC players selected to the CHSCA Class LL All-State Football Team.
Darien’s Beau Hancock and Greenwich’s Jake Kiernan were both selected as offensive linemen. The three players from the conference selected on defense were linebacker Chad Russo of New Canaan, and defensive backs Christian Alliegro of Darien and Norwalk’s Mysonne Pollard.
Parker Woodring of Wilton was selected to the Class L team on defensive back.