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12/08/2018 11:00 PMThe Guilford football team had to fight through hurdles of all varieties this year, whether it was its opponents on the field or some unique scheduling. However, by displaying great heart, character, and a resiliency that only increased as the season wore on, the Indians were able to succeed and see the results of their efforts pay off in the form of a historic campaign.
Head Coach Anthony Avallone and the Indians came into the year on the heels of a four-win season in 2017. Guilford started the preseason in mid-August and then had to contend with an unusual bye week for the first week of its regular-season schedule, followed by another off week after its third game of the year. Despite the stop-and-go nature of its early slate, Guilford pulled through by rattling off a three-game winning streak that included a victory versus undefeated East Haven. The Indians went on to pick up three more victories to finish the year with an overall record of 6-4, clinching the program’s first winning season since 2000.
“We had a unique set of circumstances. We had a bye for Week 1, then three games, and then another bye. We didn’t have a spring practice, and we started on August 13. For any kind of program, you have to have a timeline to be ready for that first game, so it created a challenge for us to stay focused and keep the intensity level up,” Coach Avallone said. “We thought this year would be a rebuilding year. A lot of good and growth came from the kids. We also had some new coaches that made huge difference.”
The long wait for the first game paid off when Guilford dispatched Waterford by a 28-14 final in its opener. After that, the Indians dropped contests against a pair of strong SCC programs, Sheehan and Shelton. Despite taking these early defeats, Coach Avallone said that Guilford’s athletes hung tough throughout the year.
“We knew Sheehan and Shelton would be difficult, and we were slightly discouraged, but the kids stayed on point and took things one day at a time,” Avallone said. “Three of our losses were to Sheehan, Shelton, and Hand, which are three of the best teams in the state.”
After losing to Shelton, the Indians put together their first three-game win streak in nearly a decade by defeating Notre Dame-Fairfield (40-19), East Haven (28-20), and Foran (21-7). Following a loss versus Law, Guilford routed Bassick 54-12 and then sealed its winning record with a 24-19 home victory over Lyman Hall on Nov. 14.
Coach Avallone expressed plenty of pride about the determination of his team this season, even in its loss against Law.
“That win streak was one of the highlights of our season, because it was the first one we’ve had in about eight or nine years,” said Coach Avallone. “Beating an undefeated East Haven team was big, and then to also defeat a Foran team that beat us handedly the year before. They played and competitive against Law and showed resiliency. We played well against a very good Lyman Hall team on offense, defense, and special teams.”
The Indians featured a small, but strong senior class that was led by co-captains Tyler Filley, a wide receiver/kicker, and lineman Juan Colberg. Guilford’s other seniors were linemen Will Lawrence, Chris Kehlenbach, Acea Diaz, Dan Leary, and Colin Downer, along with Miles Gabriel, Samu Samu, and Dan McGowan, who all played both wideout and cornerback.
“We had a small senior class of 10, but Juan and Tyler were two exceptional young men. They developed as leaders,” said Avallone. “All the seniors did a phenomenal job of keeping the program together. They did a great job staying together and making an impact.”
Sophomore Mark Chapman earned a spot on the All-SCC Tier 3 team as an offensive lineman for the Indians this year. Juniors Charles Walcott and Ethan Vashel both earned All-SCC Tier 3 honors as defensive backs. Vashel also led Guilford’s offense as its quarterback, while Walcott made a huge impact in the rushing game during his first season on the team.
The Indians saw many underclassmen get their fair share of varsity snaps this season. Heading into 2019, Coach Avallone said that he’d like to see Guilford develop some depth in the trenches. Overall, with a great 2018 campaign in the books, Avallone feels that the outlook is positive for the Indians.
“We played a lot of young guys this year, so we have a bright future. From a skill-position standpoint, we have a lot of depth,” said Avallone. “We have a strong line coming back, but one thing to be mindful of is that we have to create depth there to be competitive like we want to be. We have a lot of good things happening.”
From the Sidelines
This was Anthony Avallone’s second year as head coach of the Guilford football team.
Guilford’s assistant coaches for this season were offensive coordinator Nick D’Angelo, defensive coordinator Mark Chapman, running backs/linebackers coach Frank McDermott, line coaches Bob Swan and Ronnie LaCointe, and secondary coach Bill Hice.
In the regular season, Guilford defeated Waterford (28-14), Notre Dame-Fairfield (40-19), East Haven (28-20), Foran (21-7), Bassick (54-12), and Lyman Hall (24-19). The Indians’ losses came against Sheehan (62-20), Shelton (49-7), Law (40-32), and Hand (57-21).