The Meat Grinder

It's the 2021 Midseason Report! Pete and Sean take their first real look at the state playoff picture in the four classes and give their favorites to win state champions. Also, Jeff Jacobs returns to weigh in on the Tech program mess in the Class L playoffs.

St. Joseph coach Joe Della Vecchia joins the show to talk about his No. 2-ranked and unbeaten Hogs following their thrilling 24-20 victory over Greenwich.

So join us, won't you?

0:00 -- Introduction and Pete recaps the glitz and glamour of St. Joseph's 24-20 victor over Greenwich.

9:01 -- No. 1 Darien survives Wilton.

11:31 -- Breaking down the Top 10. Shelton's back but... Where's Trumbull?

17:33 -- Breaking down the way too early Class LL playoff picture.

21:17 -- Briefly touching on Class L playoff picture (Xavier's back in the mix)

22:55 -- Breaking down the way-too-early Class M playoff picture: Can Notre Dame-West Haven or Branford ruin the Sharpe/Killingly party?

26:37 -- Breaking down the way-too-early Class S playoff picture: Who the heck is winning this? Ansonia? Seymour? Cromwell/Portland? New Fairfield??

28:25 -- Morgan Interlude: Breaking down the Huskies' record-tying comeback victory over SMSA.

30:26 -- Back to the Class S Breakdown.

32:57 -- Jeff Jacobs on shorthanded Norwalk's impressive fight vs. New Canaan and breaking down the Class L Tech mess.

55:17 -- Interview with No. 2-ranked St. Joseph coach Joe Della Vecchia.

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Welcome back to the sixth episode of the GameTimeCT Football Pick'Em Podcast.

GameTimeCT producer Pete Paguaga is joined by GameTimeCT producer Sean Patrick Bowley.

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Welcome to the sixth episode of The Meat Grinder, GameTimeCT’s high school football podcast.

This week, with a majority of the GameTimeCT Top 10 taking the week off, it was time to check in on some of the state's biggest stars still playing.

On Friday, Sean went to check out Newington's Austyn Howe, who had been tearing it up through four games, only to see Glastonbury ride Jack Petrone and Matt Daniels to their first win of the year while knocking the Nor'Easters off their unbeaten perch.

Pete got up early Saturday to check in on Trumbull's dynamic Corbin Smith rip it up against Westhill, while Sean was witness to the showdown in Hartford between good friends Victor Rosa of Bristol Central and Christian Garcia of Hartford Public. The two traded haymakers in a wild, 52-48 BC victory which ended with defense.

Before welcoming this week's special guest star -- Trumbull's MARCE PETROCCIO, who talks about Smith, his team's good 3-1 start, and what it takes to coach in 2021 -- Sean and Pete dig into the big problem developing in what is already an ultra-competitive Class L playoff race.

Sure, almost everybody of consequence was on a bye, but don't miss this action packed edition of The Meat Grinder!

So join us, won’t you?

There are plenty of watching/listening options available:

Watch the full, LIVE ACTION show, complete with highlights and other goodies on the YouTube player atop the post, or listen to it on the embedded Soundcloud player below it.

You can also subscribe and listen on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts and on Spotify to stream anywhere you wish.

THE RUNDOWN

00:00 -- The Opening Salvo: Showdown in Hartford; Plenty of action on the bye week.

4:35 -- Pete digs into Maloney's 28-13 victory over Berlin

6:54 -- Sean recaps winless Glastonbury's 'upset' 28-20 victory over unbeaten Newington.

11:37 -- Pete and Sean discuss the trend of 'Go-To' players emerging statewide

16:49 -- Sean recaps the Bristol Central-Hartford Public shootout

19:34 -- Wrapping up the Weekend with Pequot mania, including big wins from Cromwell/Portland, Granby/Canton and Coginchaug Co-Op.

23:44 -- Checking in on the NVL: Ligi, Holy Cross top Woodland; Ansonia wins its 100th-consecutive game vs. league opposition.

27:22 -- The State of the state playoffs: Pete and Sean tee-off on the CIAC's mess in Class L.

39:47 -- The Latest GameTimeCT Top 10 Poll.

42:58 -- Interview with Trumbull coach MARCE PETROCCIO

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Welcome back to the fifth episode of the GameTimeCT Football Pick'Em Podcast.

GameTimeCT producer Pete Paguaga is joined by GameTimeCT producer Sean Patrick Bowley and GameTimeCT columnist Jeff Jacobs.

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Sean and Pete wipe virtual omelettes off their faces and sift through the rubble of what was the top 10 after a topsy-turvy Week 4 for everybody except the FCIAC, which now boasts six of the state's top 7 teams.

Trumbull, Ridgefield, Greenwich, New Canaan, and St. Joseph, and of course, Norwalk won big games heading into the bye, while Jeff Jacobs has a moral crisis.

Joining us this week is new coach Pat Miller and Norwalk, who took a unbeaten record into their bye week after 25-15 comeback win over Cheshire.

RUNDOWN

00:00 -- Opener: How did the Top 10 Fare? Not good.

7:52 -- The Latest Top 10 Poll: FCIAC emerges supreme

13:13 -- Recapping Carinage: Smith, Trumbull rout No. 7 Shelton

15:41 -- Ridgefield wins defensive struggle vs. No. 5 Newtown

20:47 -- O'Brien, Hand rout Masuk, avoids 0-3 start

23:21 -- No. 9 Greenwich wins an ugly one vs. No. 6 Fairfield Prep

26:08 -- GameTimeCT Game of The Week: Norwalk rallies past No. 8 Cheshire

29:26 -- Wrapping Up: Alliance Scoreboard; St. Joseph; New Canaan; Torrington; Coginchaug; Cromwell/Portland; Newington.

37:00 -- Jeff Jacobs' moral dilemma.

51:54 -- Interview with Norwalk coach PAT MILLER

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Welcome back to the fourth episode of the GameTimeCT Football Pick'Em Podcast.

GameTimeCT producer Pete Paguaga is joined by GameTimeCT producer Sean Patrick Bowley and GameTimeCT columnist Jeff Jacobs.

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Welcome to the fourth episode of The Meat Grinder, GameTimeCT’s high school football podcast.

It was the first big week of the CT HS Football Alliance so hosts Pete Paguaga and Sean Patrick Bowley break down some of the biggest games and surprising results from around the state.

Our special guest star this week is first season and second-year Shelton coach Mike DeFelice, whose Gaels turned in — perhaps — the most stunning result of the night: A 35-14 crushing of then-No. 4 Greenwich.

We also break down the latest Top 10 poll heading into Week 4.

Columnist Jeff Jacobs joins us to give his his take on No. 1 Darien’s 27-14 payback victory over No. 3 Newtown, on what he saw from the players and Darien’s early claim to No. 1.

Jake also touches on a number of underlying issues as we head to Week 4, including COVID’s creeping impact on the 2021 schedule and some allegations of bad fan behavior at a few games.

So join us, won’t you?

00:00 — Opener David Evanchick and No. 1 Darien get their payback vs. No. 3 Newtown

01:13 — Introduction and the CTHS Football Alliance Scoreboard

03:45 — Shelton bulldozes No. 4 Greenwich 35-14

04:59 — Keller, Ridgefield stun No. 8 Xavier, 28-7

08:25 — No. 2 St. Joseph rips Windsor

10:26 — Russo, Cheshire steamrolls Staples

11:19 — Nick Saccu, Masuk crush Hillhouse (with Stratford snapping 14-game losing streak interlude)

13:12 — Hillhouse honors Floyd Little

13:47 — No. 5 New Canaan survives No. 9 Hand

18:01 — Congrats to New Canaan’s Drew Pyne leading Irish to victory

19:11 — Wrapping up the Alliance first week; But is this what we need in scheduling?

22:35 — Non Alliance madness: Branford beats NDWH for first time

24:34 — Smith, Trumbull rally past Ludlowe

25:38 — NFA survives, New London doesn’t, Bristol Central’s Rosa, Ledyard’s Outlow run wild.

27:19 — The GameTimeCT Top 10 Poll

32:05 — Jeff Jacobs on No. 1 Darien’s 27-14 victory over No. 3 Newtown

45:57 — Interview with Shelton coach Mike DeFelice

1:10:37 — Wrapping up Week 3

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Welcome back to the third episode of the GameTimeCT Football Pick'Em Podcast.

GameTimeCT producer Pete Paguaga is joined by GameTimeCT producer Sean Patrick Bowley and GameTimeCT columnist Jeff Jacobs.

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Second year and first-season Ledyard coach Mike Serricchio joins the show. He talks about his team's 2-0 start and his journey from the King School in Stamford, to the cradle of coaches at Springfield College and to following legends at Ledyard.

Columnist Jeff Jacobs also joins after being embedded with the Quinebaug Valley Football team during its cross-state trek from Killingly to Danbury -- the state's longest road trip in 2021.

Also: Sean Patrick Bowley and Pete Paguaga talk about: St. Joseph's rout of Staples; Ridgefield's near comeback vs. Greenwich; forgetting Amity's Jack Coughlin on the 25 Players to Watch List, Shelton's big win over the Spartans on Amity's new field and so much more.

RUNDOWN:

00:00 -- Half-Baked Jake's Wild Ride Montage

0:36 -- Game of the Week: St. Joseph routs Staples

5:36 -- Greenwich hangs on vs. Ridgefield

8:51 -- Mea Culpa Jack Coughlin, but Shelton beats Amity

14:15 -- Perreira, Hall march past Simsbury as Hall's PA throws shade

18:51 -- Anthony Toth and Coginchaug let Valley Regional, GameTimeCT have it.

21:16 -- Wrapping Up Week 2

28:18 -- The Latest GameTimeCT Top 10 Poll

31:30 -- Newtown at Darien III

35:00 -- Jeff Jacobs rides the Quinebaug Bus to play ATI

45:13 -- Interview with Ledyard coach Mike Serricchio

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It's a jam-packed show with special guest star longtime and retiring Hartford coach Harry Bellucci, whose Owls had a big 43-7 opening-week victory, joining the show to talk about his career and this year's team.

Fairfield Prep made the biggest splash of the anticipated return to football with a statement, 29-16 victory over No. 3 Hand, and made sure to let the GameTimeCT crew know all about it.

Sean and Pete also recap the biggest performances of the week, review the top 10 and then talk with columnist Jeff Jacobs about post-pandemic football and especially the scene in Westport for Staples' 27-20 victory over former coach Marce Petroccio and Trumbull.

RUNDOWN:

0:00 -- 1:21: Opening Montage from Fairfield Prep's 29-16 victory over No. 3 Hand (Ryan O'Connell, Tymaine Smith and coach Keith Hellstern)

1:21 -- 15:31: Fairfield Prep goes on safari vs. No. 3 Hand; Southington-Maloney

15:31 -- 23:15: The Latest GameTimeCT Top 10

23:15 -- 26:32: Wrapping up Week 1's Top Moments.

26:32 -- 42:27: Jeff Jacobs on Staples and the rest of Week 1.

42:27 -- End: Interview with retiring Hartford Public coach Harry Bellucci

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