Overtime with Kyle Brennan

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Kyle Brennan

Round of Applause

Local football players’ awards started coming out this week and I’m thrilled to see some players with whom I have personal connections get their well-deserved recognition. At Woodland, Tanner Kingsley and Anthony Scirpo earned Class S All-State honors while Jeremy Clark and Levi Fancher earned All-NVL nods. In addition, Nick Brown, Brian Zaccagnini, Eric Collodel and Rahmi Rountree were selected to the All-Copper team. From Naugatuck, Mick Pernell and Brandon Kuczenski earned All-NVL recognition while Devon Watkins, Jerome Love, Nate Franklin and Matt Carda all were picked to the All-Copper team. I had the pleasure of coaching Tanner, Anthony, Nick, Brian, Jeremy, Levi, Kevin and Mick on baseball teams throughout the years, and I’ve been especially happy to see their fantastic seasons and the appropriate recognition at the end of the year. Well done to all of you.

The end of the world next Friday is going to be fantastic. I don’t think anything naturally will happen that is going to throw us out of orbit or melt all the icecaps at once or anything, but I’m thoroughly excited to see people freak out and do ridiculous things next week. I don’t even know what sort of stuff they’ll end up doing, but I can pretty much guarantee many dumb things will happen and I can even more surely guarantee I will absolutely relish every dumb, Darwin Award-deserving action that happens next Friday.

Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey is ranked ninth in the country right now and is on an eight-game undefeated streak, the second-longest in the country (Quinnipiac is Division I, to answer the question people always like to ask me). My Bobcats are leading the ECAC by a mile and are drawing about 3,000 fans a night to the TD Bank Sports Center in Hamden (I encourage you all to check out the very unique place for hockey or basketball when you get a chance). They’re on regional (and soon, national) TV fairly often. EMBRACE HOCKEY, people.

My 1992 Mercury Sable station wagon hit the 140,000-mile mark on Sunday night. It’s been a long while since I updated my car’s fans on its status, so consider this the old girl’s Christmas card to all of you. She had a few hiccups over the last few months but she’s emerged better and badder than ever. All it took was a little bit of new transmission fluid added to get the rebuilt tranny shifting better than Barry Sanders through a small gap in his offensive line. Since my dad and I (mostly my dad, I’m there as the human tool belt who provides moral support and the occasionally poorly pointed flashlight) replaced a few oxygen sensors, the wagon’s getting about 20 or 21 miles per gallon (EFFICIENCY). She rides like a boat in a lagoon. I installed a chalkboard on the dash so I can write down notes. I’m also considering sticking on some wood-panel decals to give it a more retro look so she can go out a sexy champion. Look out on the roads near you, because I’ll be heading out often over the next few weeks to examine our area’s Christmas lights.

Chorus of Boos

The New York Jets have found a way to win six professional football contests this season. How? I don’t know, but how bad is the rest of the National Football League that a team without a quarterback has won six games? Beats me, but they’re ruining their shot at a top-10 draft pick.

Naugy Notes

Boys Basketball

Naugy open its season Wednesday night with a 71-60 win over Wolcott in Naugatuck. Naugatuck’s Gabe Pulliam led all scorers with 22 points. Brandon Kuczenski scored 18 points for the Greyhounds while Husani Foote added 14. The Greyhounds open up Copper Division play Friday at Holy Cross before returning home to face Sacred Heart on Monday. Naugy has a nonconference test at Northwest Catholic on Tuesday before their final pre-Christmas game Dec. 21 at Kennedy.

Boys Swimming

The Greyhounds will compete in their only meet before the calendar turns to January on Friday when Naugy hosts state power Glastonbury at 5 p.m. Naugatuck then takes three weeks off before starting NVL competition Jan. 4 against Seymour.

Word from the Woods

Boys Basketball

The Hawks opened the season Wednesday night with a 72-53 win over St. Paul in Beacon Falls. Woodland’s Tanner Kingsley poured in a game-high 24 points with seven assists. Kirk Chamenko had 22 points and eight rebounds for the Hawks, while Rahmi Rountree pulled down 14 rebounds and dished six assists. Woodland point guard David Uhl played the role of thief with five steals. The Hawks visit defending Naugatuck Valley League champion Watertown on Friday before hosting rival Seymour on Tuesday. Their final pre-Christmas game will be Dec. 20 at Derby.

Girls Basketball

The Woodland girls fell in the first game of the season, losing 52-43 in Wolcott last Wednesday night. Seniors Nicole Fowler and Alma Rizvani combined to score 36 of the Hawks’ 43 points. Fowler knocked down three 3-pointers in the contest while Andrea Piccolo netted four points down low. Woodland fell to St. Paul Wednesday night 53-42. Piccolo had 12 points for the Hawks while Alma Rizvani added nine. The Hawks face Watertown Friday at home. They will then visit Seymour on Tuesday before their final pre-Christmas game against Derby at home Dec. 20.