National Football Foundation Scholar Athletes Recognized ... And Potpourri

Seven Naugatuck Valley League football players were recently named scholar athletes by the local chapters of the National Football Foundation. The following players earned the distinguished honors:

Nikko Cari, Naugatuck
Nicholas Chiravolo, Torrington
Tim Jalbert, St. Paul
Ray Kreiger, Derby
Jake LaRovera, Ansonia
Jordan Morrissey, Holy Cross
Dylan Sadick, Seymour

Congratulations to all seven players on being recognized. The five players from New Haven County chapter were honored on March 30 in North Haven, while the two players from the Northern Connecticut chapter will be congratulated on May 20 in Southington.

Longtime Ansonia assistant coach John Sponheimer (center)
earned the New Haven Football Foundation's
Chapter Award of Merit last month. Credit: NHFF

Also recognized at the New Haven Football Foundation dinner was longtime Ansonia assistant varsity and head freshman coach John Sponheimer, who earned the organization's Chapter Award of Merit.

Sponheimer joined the Ansonia coaching staff in 1972 and has, along with defensive coordinator Robert Lisi, been on the staff for each of the Chargers' 17 state championships.

Congratulations to Sponheimer and everyone honored by the National Football Foundation.

A brief few other odds and ends, and we'll set you on your way for now:

• Still, the only nonconference games that have been confirmed to us are Naugatuck-Wilby and Watertown-Montville. An Ansonia-Torrington rematch appears to be unlikely, but the door isn't officially closed on it. If you're a coach out there (and we know you're there) and you've got your nonconference game secured, drop us a line. (EDIT: Wolcott and Kennedy will meet Week 1 at Municipal Stadium to fill each team's nonconference opening.)
• The nine-game schedules are still not posted to the CIAC website, nor are the spring/fall football practice elections. Hopefully both go up soon, and we'll post them as soon as they do.
• Wolcott football has a new website. Check it out.
• This happened a month and a half ago, but since we never mentioned it: The 50-point rule will still be in effect with the same guidelines as were used last season. Probably. The Stamford Advocate's Dave Ruden reported in February that discussion of changes to the rule, such as a running clock, were tabled until at least April thanks in large part due to the pleas of New Canaan coach Lou Marinelli. We'll see if anything changes here.
• Tryouts for the Connecticut Governor's Cup team were last month. We'll post when Team Connecticut's roster is released, as well as for the New Haven County All-Stars in the annual Hall of Fame Classic.
• Nobody's comments are being deleted. Once a thread gets past 200 comments, though, you'll have to click through to the second page of comments to view the latest ones. We're working on some blog upgrades, which will hopefully be done during the summer.

As you were. Enjoy some baseball this spring.