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Football

FCIAC adopts 7-on-7, strength-challenge football proposal; independent 11-on-11 teams remain possible

By Michael Fornabaio and Tim Murphy | September 23, 2020

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Greenwich quarterback James Rinello drops back to pass during the annual Rip It and Grip It tournament in summer 7-on-7 football scrimmages at New Canaan High School on July 12, 2019.
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Greenwich quarterback James Rinello drops back to pass during the annual Rip It and Grip It tournament in summer 7-on-7 football scrimmages at New Canaan High School on July 12, 2019.

Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut MediaShow MoreShow Less
Greenwich quarterback James Rinello drops back to pass during the annual Rip It and Grip It tournament in summer 7-on-7 football scrimmages at New Canaan High School on July 12, 2019.
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Greenwich quarterback James Rinello drops back to pass during the annual Rip It and Grip It tournament in summer 7-on-7 football scrimmages at New Canaan High School on July 12, 2019.

Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut MediaShow MoreShow Less
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Darien's Peter Graham throws a pass during the annual Grip It and Rip It football tournament in New Canaan on Friday, July 12, 2019.
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Darien’s Peter Graham throws a pass during the annual Grip It and Rip It football tournament in New Canaan on Friday, July 12, 2019.

Dave Stewart / Hearst Connecticut MediaShow MoreShow Less
Norwalk quarterback Tommy Brown passes during the annual Rip It and Grip It tournament in summer 7-on-7 football scrimmages at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Conn. on July 12, 2019.
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Norwalk quarterback Tommy Brown passes during the annual Rip It and Grip It tournament in summer 7-on-7 football scrimmages at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Conn. on July 12, 2019.

Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut MediaShow MoreShow Less
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Norwalk quarterback Tommy Brown passes during the annual Rip It and Grip It tournament in summer 7-on-7 football scrimmages at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Conn. on July 12, 2019.
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Norwalk quarterback Tommy Brown passes during the annual Rip It and Grip It tournament in summer 7-on-7 football scrimmages at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Conn. on July 12, 2019.

Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut MediaShow MoreShow Less
Quarterback Pat Coulter of the Brien McMahon Senators passes during the 11th Annual Grip It and Rip It competition on Saturday July 7, 2018 at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Connecticut.
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Quarterback Pat Coulter of the Brien McMahon Senators passes during the 11th Annual Grip It and Rip It competition on Saturday July 7, 2018 at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Connecticut.

Gregory Vasil / For Hearst Connecticut MediaShow MoreShow Less
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Quarterback Pat Coulter of the Brien McMahon Senators passes during the 11th Annual Grip It and Rip It competition on Saturday July 7, 2018 at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Connecticut.
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Quarterback Pat Coulter of the Brien McMahon Senators passes during the 11th Annual Grip It and Rip It competition on Saturday July 7, 2018 at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Connecticut.

Gregory Vasil / For Hearst Connecticut MediaShow MoreShow Less
Danbury quarterback Anferny Ith passes the ball during the 7th annual Grip It and Rip It 7-on-7 passing tournament at New Canaan High School Saturday, July 12, 2014.
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Danbury quarterback Anferny Ith passes the ball during the 7th annual Grip It and Rip It 7-on-7 passing tournament at New Canaan High School Saturday, July 12, 2014.

Autumn Driscoll / Autumn DriscollShow MoreShow Less
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Trumbull quarterback Riley Simpson passes during the annual Rip It and Grip It tournament in summer 7-on-7 football scrimmages at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Conn. on July 12, 2019.
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Trumbull quarterback Riley Simpson passes during the annual Rip It and Grip It tournament in summer 7-on-7 football scrimmages at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Conn. on July 12, 2019.

Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut MediaShow MoreShow Less
Trumbull's Kyle Atherton makes a reception during the annual Rip It and Grip It tournament in summer 7-on-7 football scrimmages at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Conn. on July 12, 2019.
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Trumbull's Kyle Atherton makes a reception during the annual Rip It and Grip It tournament in summer 7-on-7 football scrimmages at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Conn. on July 12, 2019.

Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut MediaShow MoreShow Less
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Quarterback Davis Summers of the St. Joseph Cadets passes during the 11th Annual Grip It and Rip It competition on Saturday July 7, 2018 at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Connecticut.
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Quarterback Davis Summers of the St. Joseph Cadets passes during the 11th Annual Grip It and Rip It competition on Saturday July 7, 2018 at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Connecticut.

Gregory Vasil / For Hearst Connecticut MediaShow MoreShow Less
Quarterback Colin Wilson of the Fairfield Ludlowe Falcons during the 11th Annual Grip It and Rip It competition on Saturday July 7, 2018 at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Connecticut.
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Quarterback Colin Wilson of the Fairfield Ludlowe Falcons during the 11th Annual Grip It and Rip It competition on Saturday July 7, 2018 at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Connecticut.

Gregory Vasil / For Hearst Connecticut MediaShow MoreShow Less
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Greenwich quarterback James Rinello drops back to pass during the annual Rip It and Grip It tournament in summer 7-on-7 football scrimmages at New Canaan High School on July 12, 2019.
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Greenwich quarterback James Rinello drops back to pass during the annual Rip It and Grip It tournament in summer 7-on-7 football scrimmages at New Canaan High School on July 12, 2019.

Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut MediaShow MoreShow Less
The annual Rip It and Grip It tournament in summer 7-on-7 football scrimmages at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Conn. on July 12, 2019.
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The annual Rip It and Grip It tournament in summer 7-on-7 football scrimmages at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Conn. on July 12, 2019.

Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut MediaShow MoreShow Less
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Darien's Tyler Herget tips away a pass from a St. Luke's receiver during the annual Grip It and Rip It 7-on-7 football tournament at New Canaan High School on July 6, 2018.
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Darien’s Tyler Herget tips away a pass from a St. Luke’s receiver during the annual Grip It and Rip It 7-on-7 football tournament at New Canaan High School on July 6, 2018.

Dave Stewart / Hearst Connecticut MediaShow MoreShow Less
Darien's Tyler Herget tips away a pass from a St. Luke's receiver during the annual Grip It and Rip It 7-on-7 football tournament at New Canaan High School on July 6, 2018.
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Darien’s Tyler Herget tips away a pass from a St. Luke’s receiver during the annual Grip It and Rip It 7-on-7 football tournament at New Canaan High School on July 6, 2018.

Dave Stewart / Hearst Connecticut MediaShow MoreShow Less
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Darien's Sean Gifford with a catch during the Grip It and Rip tournament at Hand high school on Friday, June 28, 2019. (Pete Paguaga, Hearst Connecticut Media)
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Darien’s Sean Gifford with a catch during the Grip It and Rip tournament at Hand high school on Friday, June 28, 2019. (Pete Paguaga, Hearst Connecticut Media)

Pete Paguaga / Hearst Connecticut MediaShow MoreShow Less
Action from the Grip It and Rip It tournament at Hand high school on Friday, June 28, 2019. (Pete Paguaga, Hearst Connecticut Media)
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Action from the Grip It and Rip It tournament at Hand high school on Friday, June 28, 2019. (Pete Paguaga, Hearst Connecticut Media)

Pete Paguaga / Hearst Connecticut MediaShow MoreShow Less
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Football action of the 11th Annual Grip It and Rip It competition on Saturday July 7, 2018 at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Connecticut.
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Football action of the 11th Annual Grip It and Rip It competition on Saturday July 7, 2018 at New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Connecticut.

Gregory Vasil / For Hearst Connecticut MediaShow MoreShow Less
New Canaan's Zach LaPolice runs for some yards after a catch during the annual Grip It and Rip It football tournament in New Canaan on Friday, July 12, 2019.
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New Canaan’s Zach LaPolice runs for some yards after a catch during the annual Grip It and Rip It football tournament in New Canaan on Friday, July 12, 2019.

Dave Stewart / Hearst Connecticut MediaShow MoreShow Less
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The FCIAC on Wednesday became the latest league to adopt a 7-on-7 replacement for full-contact football this fall, even as some of its players continue to pursue an independent chance to play 11-on-11 this fall. The SCC could follow, joining the ECC.

Meanwhile, CIAC associate executive director Gregg Simon said the organization has received proposals to make up an 11-on-11 football season, or in fact a season for any other pandemic-disrupted fall sport, in the second semester.

FCIAC athletic directors on Wednesday approved a plan from Ridgefield AD Dane Street, with teams competing in strength challenges and 7-on-7 games.

The FCIAC plan says its schools are on board except for Bridgeport Central and invites non-members Fairfield Prep, Wright Tech and former members Bassick and Harding to take part as geographic fits. League commissioner Dave Schulz was optimistic that at least a couple of them would. Emails to administrators of those schools were not immediately returned Wednesday.

“I’m kind of excited for it, to give the kids something. It’s not football, but it gives them competition,” Schulz said. “They can still learn stuff. If (a season happens later), then they’ll be more prepared for it.”

Bridgeport was among the first municipalities to shut down the idea of 11-on-11 football, in mid-August, though Bassick and Harding resumed conditioning a little over a week ago.

The CIAC canceled full-contact football for this fall on Sept. 4 after the state’s Department of Public Health said it wouldn’t recommend playing the sport in the COVID-19 pandemic. It reaffirmed that cancellation on Sept. 16 after alterations to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus didn’t win over DPH.

Simon said the CIAC football committee then met to look at low- to moderate-risk activity that would still engage players. They got the ECC’s and Ridgefield’s plans.

“We took them all and put them into one document we sent to (athletic directors),” Simon said. “We gave them all kinds of activities to do, 7-on-7, strongman competition, all different things.

“We’re trying to create an environment for football kids where they can do a lot of football activities and stay together.”

There is nothing firm yet on a possible spring football season — or, as Simon insisted, since the CIAC does not want such a season to disrupt the usual spring sports, a “second-semester season” — but Simon did say the CIAC “has received multiple proposals for the creation of a second-semester season to accommodate any fall sport that was unable to play or didn’t finish a large portion of its season.”

None of these 7-on-7 leagues, Schulz and Simon said, preclude players or coaches from taking part in any independent 11-on-11 football games this fall.

“This league is for whatever kids want to do this 7-on-7,” Schulz said.

The ECC adopted its 7-on-7 plan earlier this week. The SCC may be poised to join them as soon as Thursday night, when its football committee meets. An early SCC proposal included the use of flags for one-hand touch, 20-minute running quarters and linemen challenges at the beginning of each quarter. The proposal also included screening and temperature checks for all participants.

The 7-on-7 game is designed as a passing game, with no interior linemen, no blocking and usually one-hand touch to put down the ball carrier. Strength challenges may include lifts and throws, a sled push and sandbag carries.

Several coaches reached Wednesday said their teams’ plans, or hopes at least, for independent 11-on-11 were still to be determined. One coach whose players are pursuing an independent season said he wouldn’t be involved.

The Record-Journal reported that Meriden’s two high schools, Maloney and Platt, are pursuing independent football using school equipment and coaching staffs, with the city Board of Education’s approval. That would solve a couple of the issues facing most interested teams, but another big one, approval from the city to play there, remains. Meriden shut down its youth program last week after two players tested positive for COVID-19.

Fairfield County teams have tried to partner with a local youth league to play. The Connecticut High School Independent Football League is assembling teams that want to play. Several GoFundMe pages have sprung up seeking support for teams and leagues; the CHSIFL’s raised $680 over its first three days, while team sites for players from Amity, Fairfield Ludlowe, Gilbert/Northwestern and another team from the state’s northwest corner had varying degrees of donations.

There’s also the Yankee Independent Football League, headed up by eight-time state championship coach Jack Cochran.

Cochran has spoken with the New Britain Parks and Recreation Department about securing Veterans Stadium for a potential 8-10-week season. He said he needs six or seven more teams than he has in order to meet expenses, and there are several other logistical obstacles.

“We have time, but it’s almost now or never,” Cochran said.

“I don’t want to undermine coaches and start to recruit kids to play. I’m just saying here’s what I got. The thing is to overcome costs and figure out a way to get teams together.”

Tolland’s first-year coach, Mitchell Egezarian, tweeted Wednesday that his team “will not be participating in any football activities this fall, per a district decision.”

The 2020 Tolland High School Eagles will not be participating in any football activities this fall, per a district decision. Hopefully there is a chance in the spring to show this team’s ability and honor our seniors. This program will come back stronger and smarter. #WeFly

— Coach Egazarian (@CoachEgazarian) September 23, 2020

All indications, Schulz and Simon said, are that other sports have fared well as they moved into full-team practices this week. Teams in other sports had been practicing in cohorts of no more than 10 before Monday.

About By Michael Fornabaio and Tim Murphy

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