Vitals

• COACH — JACK PETION (2nd year, 4-6)
• CONFERENCE — SWC Division I
• PLAYOFF CLASS — Class M (500 boys enrolled)
• HOME —  Penders Field
• 2017 RECORD —  4-6
• 2018 OPENER —  Sept. 7 at Barlow, 7 p.m.
• TEAM WEBSITE —  Maxpreps

 Top Players

• JOHN BIKE, Sr., WR, (5-7, 165)
• JASEN DOCTEUR, Sr., WR, (5-9, 165)
• JACK RYAN, Sr., QB, (6-3, 190)
• NICK SORRENTINO, Sr., LB, (5-10, 205)

Key Losses

RB/DB Toure Hall, LB/TE Roneil Cole, OL/LB Raymond McIlhoney

Outlook

Jack Petion’s first season as the coach at Stratford was a mix of ups and (mostly) downs. 

The Red Devils doubled their win total from the previous season and notched a marquee win over Class M finalist Joel Barlow. Yet, by season’s end their record was slightly below average. 

A 46-6 loss to town rival Bunnell on Thanksgiving ended the Red Devils’ year at 4-6.

“It was a good season as far as changing the culture and having the kids understand what they’re supposed to do in all three phases: Offense, defense and special teams,” Petion said.

This year, the Red Devils will rely heavily on senior quarterback Jack Ryan to help lift them to the right side of .500.

Ryan showed promise last year while learning a new offense, throwing for 1,782 yards, 12 touchdowns and only seven interceptions across nine starts. He also ran for six scores.

“We were running a spread and he was used to the triple-option,” Petion said. “I’m looking for him to have a breakout year.” 

Petion, a former assistant at Southern Connecticut State, invested a lot of energy last season into getting players to believe what he was preaching. In some ways, he was much a salesman as he was a teacher or coach. 

“A lot of it was getting the kids to buy into the program and the system,” he said.

The Red Devils rebounded from a tough start to get to 3-3 following a 38-35 victory over Barlow in late October. However, they fizzled down the stretch, losing three of their final four games to finish with a losing record for the second straight year.

This year’s squad will feature only four returning starters on offense, including senior wide receiver Jasen Doctuer (38 catches, 587 yards and five touchdowns). Just five starters are back on defense, most notably senior linebacker Nick Sorrentino (89 tackles, three sacks).

Stratford opens its season Sept. 7 at Barlow. 

2018 Schedule

• Sept. 7 — at Barlow,* 7 p.m.
• Sept. 14 — SHEEHAN, 7 p.m.
• Sept. 21 — NEWTOWN,** 7 p.m.
• Sept. 28 — BROOKFIELD,* 7 p.m.
• Oct. 12 — at Law, 7 p.m.
• Oct. 19 — NEW MILFORD,** 7 p.m.
• Oct. 26 — at Pomperaug,** 6:30 p.m.
• Nov. 2 — at Weston,* 7 p.m.
• Nov. 9 — MASUK,** 7 p.m.
• Nov. 21 — at Bunnell,** 7 p.m.

Home games in CAPS
**Division game
*Conference game