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Walter Camp Hosts High School Breakfast of Champions
Six high school state champions, including top-ranked Notre Dame of West Haven, recognized
New Haven, Conn. – As part of the 43rd annual Walter Camp Weekend festivities, the Walter Camp Football Foundation hosted its High School “Breakfast of Champions” on Saturday morning at Anthony’s Ocean View. The event was sponsored by the Dan Orlovsky Foundation.
Notre Dame of West Haven, the Class L champion and state’s top-ranked team, was honored along with the five other state champions – Cheshire (Class LL), New Canaan (Class MM), Berlin (Class M), St. Joseph’s of Trumbull (Class SS) and Hyde Leadership (Class S). In addition, presentations of three awards were made.
The state Coach of the Year award, presented by Stadium System, went to Tom Marcucci (Notre Dame). The other two finalists were Chuck Drury (Pomperaug) and Mark Ecke (Cheshire). Marcucci led the Green Knights (11-1) to the Southern Connecticut Conference Division I East title and the Class L state championship. Notre Dame was also honored with the Kelly Award, presented by the Walter Camp Foundation to the state’s top high school team.
The state Player of the Year was awarded to running back Ben Crick (Pomperaug). The other two finalists were Tyler Murphy (Wethersfield) and Greg Palmer (Cheshire). Crick rushed for 2,105 yards and 30 touchdowns for the Panthers, who were Class L runner-ups.
The Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by NFP Sports, was presented to Jerry McDougall, former long-time coach at Trumbull High School.
2009 Walter Camp All-Connecticut Team
Offense: OL: Sean Berglund (Wolcott), Jamie Daniels (New London), Ernest Wiggins (Bridgeport Central), Conor Hanratty (New Canaan), Chris Valenti (Bethel) WR: Brendan Rankowitz (Staples), Cody Newton (New Canaan) TE: Jake Santora (Staples) QB: Greg Palmer (Cheshire) RB: Julian Hayes (Xavier), Ben Crick (Pomperaug)
Defense: DE: A.J. Wilcox (Ledyard), Cameron Davis (Hamden) DT: Rob Bowman (Notre Dame), Tom Jordan (Ridgefield) LB: Graham Stewart (Xavier), Patrick Atkinson (Stamford), C.J. Elser (Pomperaug), Tyler Matekevich (St. Joseph’s) DB: Conor Keniry (Notre Dame), Matt Kelly (Staples), Andrew Clements (Pomperaug), Christon Gill (Bridgeport Central)
Special Teams: PK: Santiago Cuartas (Staples) P: Ray Pendagast (Shelton) KR: Tyler Murphy (Wethersfield)
The breakfast was broadcast live on http://www.sportingnewsct.com
Walter Camp, "The Father of American football," first selected an All-America team in 1889. Camp — a former Yale University athlete and football coach — is also credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side. The Walter Camp Football Foundation — a New Haven based all volunteer group — was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and to continue the tradition of selecting annually an All America team.
About the Foundation
"Walter Camp was one of the giants of football in the United States. He stands with Stagg, Rockne, Thorpe, Warner, Heffelfinger in the imprint they made upon the game. He stands first among them, for it was he who sired the game as it is played in the United States, the game that evolved from the rugby football of England. He played in the first Yale-Harvard game of rugby in 1876. From then on, his was the fertile, inventive mind and guiding leadership that brought about the evolution of the American style of football."
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