Printer Friendly Version - Branford Football is One Hungry Bunch Entering 2017

Dalton Carden and the Branford football team are hungry to improve upon last year’s 4-6 record as they get ready to hit the gridiron for the 2017 campaign. Pictured in the background is fellow senior Louis Norman. Photo by Kelley Fryer/The Sound

Head Coach John Limone didn’t mince words when asked about the goals for the Branford football team in the 2017 season. Limone wants the Hornets to win their first game versus rival Guilford, win their last game archrival East Haven, and do whatever it takes in between to secure the program’s first winning record since 2009.

Last fall, the Hornets edged Guilford 15-14 early on and stood at 4-2 heading into the home stretch, but dropped their final four games, including a 14-0 loss to East Haven on Thanksgiving, for a record of 4-6. Following last year’s disappointing finish, Coach Limone said the 2017 edition Hornets comes into the campaign with an insatiable appetite for success, led by a group of seniors who are motivated to make their mark. Branford kicks off this season by playing at fellow SCC Tier 3 foe Guilford at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 8.

“These guys are hungry. They march to the beat of a different drum,” said Limone. “My senior group feels like they have a lot to prove. I feel like they have a chip on their shoulder, which is good to see, and I think they really want to make a lot of noise. We’re going to see what they’re made of.”

Branford features a large class of seniors this season, including captains Danny Thomas, a wide receiver/safety who caught 52 passes last year; and Jake McPartland, who plays on the offensive and defensive lines. Coach Limone said that each of his captains brings some specific to the table in terms of the way they lead the team.

“Jake is very much a lunch-pail kid. He comes to work and is vocal when he needs to be, but he just works really hard. Danny is more of the emotional leader. He’s outspoken, very talented—not that Jake isn’t—but Danny is probably our most talented athlete and also has more experience than anybody right now,” Limone said. “So they’re different in the way they approach the team. Jake is the lunch-pail guy, and Danny really gets guys into it and hyped up and having a lot of fun out there.”

With the graduation of senior captain Griffin Lynch, the Hornets have two athletes battling it out for the starting quarterback position this season. Senior Billy Ryder, who backed up Lynch last year, is competing against freshman Sean Kelly, who was the starting QB for the Hornets’ freshman team. Limone said there are no plans to go with a platoon between the two; he will pick one field general to lead the team into battle this season.

“Both of them pose much more of a run threat than we’ve had. They are not like true quarterback types. They balance the offense very well, which is something we’re looking to do,” said Limone. “Billy has more experience and has been through the fire. He’s a good leader, makes good decisions in the passing game, has a really good feel for the team, and is a really nice, outgoing kid. Sean is a naturally gifted kid and has an absolute hammer for an arm. He’s not overly fast and won’t light up the stopwatch, but he can run the ball. Both bring different things to the table, and we have a tough decision. It’s been neck and neck, day by day. One of them takes the lead, and then the other kid comes out firing the next day.”

Branford features several running backs who are expected to get carries this season. The Hornets’ stable of backs includes seniors Dalton Carden and Chico Greene, junior fullback Jackson Seward and first-year junior Rob Lionetti, plus sophomroe fullback Matt Davis and fellow sophomore Spencer Landsbach. Carden was the Hornets’ leading rusher by totaling 624 yards last year. Limone said that he’s looking for bigger plays in the run game this year.

“We’re really focusing in finishing our runs. One issue last year was that we struggled at times on offense, and a lot of it was because everything had to be an 80-yard drive capped off by a five-yard touchdown or a long throw. We didn’t get a lot of big runs out of our backs—25-plus runs—and so that is what we’re looking for more of this year,” he said. “We’re looking to finish our runs, get in the end zone more, and not be in a situation where we have to drive, drive, and score. If we are going to be better and improve, we need to start hitting more home runs.”

In terms of the Hornets’ receiving core, Thomas will be joined by sophomore Cameron Mills, while Lionetti will also be called upon to reel in some receptions. Senior Parker Landsbach is the starting tight end and is backed up by sophomore Aiden MacNeil. Senior Zach Cash is also a tight end for Branford. Unfortunately, senior wide receiver/defensive back Jaden Whittingham is out for the season with an injury. Limone knows that the Hornets will miss Whittingham, who he calls a “dynamic athlete who worked his butt off to become an integral member of our team.”

Moving to the offensive line, graduated three starters from last season in center Kordele Brown, guard Nasir Watkins, and tackle Neil Clyne. Senior Louis Norman will play guard after starting every game at tackle in 2016. Fellow senior Cody St. Pierre, who started a few games, will hold down the other guard position. McPartland started every game last year and will play tackle with sophomore Ian McDonald. Sophomore Rocco Lopez is the starting center.

On defense, Branford graduated three senior captains who all made All-SCC last season in linebacker Noah Lordan, plus defensive backs Spencer Berty and Jay Dering. All of the Hornets’ offensive lineman will see time on the D-line this year, joined by juniors Bobby Olejarczyk and Lucas Blondell. Seward, Ryder, Davis, Carden, and Spencer Landsbach are Branford’s primary linebackers. MacNeil, Lionetti, and Parker Landsbach are starting at safety, with Thomas and Cash also slated to be in the mix. Junior Chris Bouton, sophomores Cristian Torres and Enrique Hachac, and Mills will all play the cornerback position.

Senior Teddy Gionteris is handling all of the kicking duties for the Hornets, whose other seniors are two-way linemen Richard Salg and Will Davis, along with wide receiver/defensive back Mike Fisher.

Limone, who is entering his fifth season as Branford’s head coach, also coaches the Hornets’ running backs and safeties. Limone will be assisted by Gary Gravina (offensive coordinator/run game coordinator), Billy Ryan (passing game coordinator/defensive backs), Mike Tracy (linebackers coach), EJ Sattelberger (special teams coordinator/tight ends/defensive line), and Kyle Lynch (wide receivers/defensive line), along with volunteer practice schedule coordinator Ryan Ferguson, volunteer Mike Fowler, and statistician James Coyle. Branford’s freshman head coach is Padriac Keefe, who’s assisted by volunteers Alex Altermatt, Jason Joseph, and Mark Sattelberger, who is also the team’s tutor.

In addition to Branford, Guilford, and East Haven, the other teams in SCC Tier 3 this season are Bassick, Creed-Career-Whitney, Harding, Law, Lyman Hall, and Sheehan.

Senior captain Daniel Thomas and the Hornets’ football squad will start the fall season with showdown against SCC Tier 3 rival Guilford on the road at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8. Photo by Kelley Fryer/The Sound