Farmington High football coach Chris Machol will begin his 13th season with the River Hawks Friday night when Farmington hosts RHAM at George Bennett field at FHS.
It’s been more than 15 years since Farmington and Avon battled on the gridiron in high school football. The two schools, who just four miles apart, used to battle in an end-of-the-season clash that frequently providing surprising results.
The rivalry came to end following the 2005 season when Avon joined the Pequot Conference in football. And when the River Hawks joined the Central Connecticut Conference in 2008, there few if any opportunities for out-of-league contests.
Avon joined the CCC in 2015 but the two teams were in different CCC divisions with the Falcons in Division III and the River Hawks in Division II with Plainville as their Thanksgiving Day rival since 2006.
However, with realignment in football within the CCC for this fall, there was an opportunity for the two long-time rivals to meet again and Avon will host Farmington on Friday, Oct. 22, at 6:30 p.m. on the turf field outside of Avon High.
“I’m excited for that,” Farmington High head coach Chris Machol said. “The kids are excited for that, too. But right now, they are excited for football, period. They just want to play a game of football.”
Farmington opens the 2021 season on Friday night when they host RHAM at 6:30 p.m. at George T. Bennett field at the high school – their first game since the Thanksgiving Day contest against Plainville in November 2019.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Connecticut was one of two states not to play football last year. Some states allowed play in the fall while many played in the spring. The opportunities were limited. Some towns fielded teams in independent leagues before the state shut them down in October.
Skipping a year presents a unique challenge to the River Hawks and every other football team around the state.
“It feels like I am a first-year coach, re-establishing the culture, re-establishing routines,” said Machol, who is beginning his 13th season on the sidelines for the River Hawks. “I want to see the kids get better every day and want them to find an identity.”
Like every team in the state, there are players returning with varsity experience and experience playing football with the opportunity to play freshman and junior varsity football also disappearing a year ago due to the pandemic.
“More than 50 percent of the players have never played a Farmington (High) football game at any level,” Machol said.
Friday NIght action returns on Friday when Farmington hosts RHAM in the River Hawks’ season-opening contest.
Still, Machol is upbeat and hopeful about the upcoming season. For the first time since the River Hawks joined the CCC, they won’t play perennial top 10 squad Windsor or Middletown. Windsor went to the playoffs seven times in the last 10 years, winning nine CIAC tournament games.
Along with the game against Avon, the River Hawks will play Rocky Hill for the first time since 2007 and face Bloomfield for just the second time in team history. Farmington lost to the Warhawks in 1993.
“We have a schedule that is more favorable than in the past that will allow us to grow with our kids,” he said.
Junior Kevin Ives is set to take the starting job at quarterback with junior Luke Watson at running back. Senior Ryan Parker (5-foot-9) and juniors Griffin Kiniry and Tommy Keough will give Ives targets at receiver along with tight ends Tommy Gilefert and Bryan Laduke.
The River Hawks have some good size on the offense and defensive lines, led by Dom Cassarino, who got playing time two years ago as a sophomore. But it is an untested group on the line.
Farmington High
Head coach: Chris Machol, 13th season (58-55)
Nickname: River Hawks
Conference: CCC Division III
Last season: 5-5, 2-3 CCC Div. II East in 2019
Last winning season: 6-4 in 2018
Playoff appearances: 3 (1-3)
Last CIAC playoff appearance:2013
League championships: 10. Most recent title: 1999 Nutmeg Conference
Opening day record: 37-50-3. Most recent win: 2013, Farmington 26, Simsbury 14
Social media: Twitter — @Farmington_FB; Instagram: @farmington.football
Team website: https://www.fhsfootball.org/
2021 Farmington schedule
Friday, Sept. 10: RHAM, 6 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 17: @E.O. Smith, 6 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 24: @Newington, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 1: Bristol Central, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 9: Rocky Hill, 2 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 22: @Avon, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 29: Bloomfield, 6 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 5: @South Windsor, 6 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 12: @Bristol Eastern, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 25: Plainville, 10 a.m.
2021 CCC divisions for football
Division I (8 teams): Conard, East Hartford, Glastonbury, Hall, Maloney, New Britain, Simsbury, Southington
Division II (8 teams): Berlin, Enfield, Manchester, Middletown, Newington, Platt High, Wethersfield, Windsor
Division III (8 teams): Bloomfield, Bristol Central, Bristol Eastern, E.O. Smith, Farmington, Plainville, RHAM, South Windsor
Division IV (7 teams): Avon, East Catholic, Hartford Public, Lewis Mills, NW Catholic, Rocky Hill, Tolland
