Printer Friendly Version - National Football Foundation Honors Local Players

Recent East Haven graduate Larry Mingione was presented with an award from the Casey-O’Brien New Haven County Chapter of the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame. Pictured are Mingione’s mother Jenn with Mingione, NFF scholar-athlete chairman Kevin O’Brien, and Mingione’s father Lawrence. Photo courtesy of Bill O’Brien

For the 61st-consecutive year, the Casey-O’Brien New Haven County Chapter of the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame has recognized a group of young men who excelled in the classroom while playing high school football. The foundation recently presented awards to 26 area football players in honor of their academic excellence, leadership, and citizenship.

Since 1962, the local chapter of the NFF has honored 1,283 scholar-athletes. Chapter President Bill O'Brien was proud to present the awards to this year's honorees.

“We were pleased to honor another group of outstanding young men for their accomplishments in the classroom, their school, and the community,” said O'Brien.

The 2020 high school football season was canceled by the CIAC as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic last fall. However, when O’Brien polled the coaches and athletic directors of the 33 member schools of the local chapter, they overwhelming consensus was that they wanted to carry on this tradition, despite the fact that there wouldn’t be a recognition dinner for the second-consecutive year.

“We couldn’t deny worthy candidates of this prestigious honor just because they didn’t play football this past fall,” O’Brien said.

The 2021 award recipients from the local NFF chapter include Dan Schwartz from Branford High School; Madison resident Jacob Daignault, who played football for Daniel Hand High School; Larry Mingione of East Haven High School; and Niko Tartagni of Guilford High School.

Other award winners include Jamison O’Brien of North Branford High School; Anthony Vigliotto from North Haven High School; North Branford resident Aiden Stankiewicz, who played for Notre Dame High School in West Haven; and North Haven resident Hayden Tomlin, who played for the football team at Xavier High School in Middletown.

In lieu of the traditional recognition dinner, a short reception was held for the award presentations and photos for this year’s honorees in April.

Recent North Haven graduate Anthony Vigliotto was presented with an award from the Casey-O’Brien New Haven County Chapter of the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame. Pictured are Vigliotto’s father Angelo and mother Cheryl with Vigliotto, NFF scholar-athlete chairman Kevin O’Brien, and North Haven football Head Coach Anthony Sagnella. Photo courtesy of Bill O’Brien

North Haven resident and Xavier graduate Hayden Tomlin was recently honored by the Casey-O’Brien New Haven County Chapter of the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame. Pictured are Tomlin’s mother Amy with Tomlin, NFF scholar-athlete chairman Kevin O’Brien, and Xavier football Head Coach Andy Guyon. Photo courtesy of Bill O’Brien

Recent Branford graduate Dan Schwartz was presented with an award from the Casey-O’Brien New Haven County Chapter of the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame. Pictured are Schwartz’s father Andy and mother Elizabeth with Schwartz, NFF scholar-athlete chairman Kevin O’Brien, and Branford football Head Coach John Limone. Photo courtesy of Bill O’Brien

North Branford resident and Notre Dame graduate Aiden Stankiewicz was recently honored by the Casey-O’Brien New Haven County Chapter of the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame. Pictured are Stankiewicz’s parents, Christopher and Deborah, with Stankiewicz, NFF scholar-athlete chairman Kevin O’Brien, and Notre Dame football Head Coach Joe DeCaprio. Photo courtesy of Bill O’Brien

North Branford graduate Jamison O’Brien recently received an award from the Casey-O’Brien New Haven County Chapter of the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame. Pictured are O’Brien’s sister Mikella, his mother Amy, O’Brien, NFF scholar-athlete chairman Kevin O’Brien, his father Gregory, and North Branford football Assistant Coach Mike Katz. Photo courtesy of Bill O’Brien

Recent Guilford graduate Niko Tartagni was presented with an award from the Casey-O’Brien New Haven County Chapter of the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame. Pictured are Tartagni’s sister Nicole and his parents Daniel and Barbara with Tartagni, NFF scholar-athlete chairman Kevin O’Brien, and Guilford football Head Coach Anthony Salvati. Photo courtesy of Bill O’Brien

Daniel Hand graduate Jacob Daignault was presented with an award from the Casey-O’Brien New Haven County Chapter of the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame. Pictured are Daignault’s parents Marc and Sandra with Daignault, NFF scholar-athlete chairman Kevin O’Brien, and Hand football Assistant Coach Mike DeVito. Photo courtesy of Bill O’Brien