The Devils suffered a tough loss to Haddam-Killingworth High School on Saturday Sept. 16; the Coginchaug/East Hampton/Hale Ray football team looks to finish the season strong.
The team started the season with a 16-8 win against the Canton Indians and more recently competed in a 30-6 loss to the H-K Cougars, sitting at a 1-1 record. The team has had some very impressive flashes where they have looked like they can compete with the top teams in the Pequot Division.
Both of the Devils’ first two games were on the road, which did not allow for the big hometown crowd the team is looking for. Senior Captain David Skelps says, “Knowing that the crowd is behind you does something to you as a player. It fuels us players to really push ourselves harder.”
Watching the team play, even with the new players from East Hampton, you can see the chemistry is strong within the team. It can be hard to form relationships with players and teammates that you are just starting to know for a new season, but the Devils took this opportunity to really thrive and add new talented players that will cause the team to be more successful.
The team will have to wait to add two key players due to a CIAC state rule. Mike Slade and Gabe Slade, two players that will add a spark to the team, will have to wait until week five because of their transfer from Capital Prep High School to East Hampton. The rule allows players to transfer from public to private and not miss any games, but a player cannot go from private to public school without missing games. This rule has caused some stir throughout public schools.
Senior Captain Terry Lockwood has high hopes for the team and believes strongly in the team’s potential. Lockwood stated, “The amount of effort that the team puts into every practice translates to the game.”
Lockwood went on to mention that he believes the team is led by strong captains: Terry Lockwood, David Skelps, Eli Rivera and Jordan Camp (East Hampton), and a great coaching staff led by Head Coach Erik Becker.
Despite some big plays, Lockwood explained that the team needs to work on minor details in games. Both Skelps and Lockwood emphasize, “We need to work on executing our offensive plays better, the way we do in practice.” Lockwood says he knows that the team has plenty of talent and that they are better than they’ve shown this season.
With a desire to redeem himself and the team for the Week 2 loss to H-K, Lockwood says the team is planning on winning the last eight regular season games and continuing into the playoffs. If they make it there, he expects the team to “play one game at a time” and finish the season with Coginchaug/East Hampton/Hale Ray on top.
