The 23rd edition of the Connecticut High School Football Record Book is now available. It is a compilation of records and historical information from newspapers, websites, team statisticians, coaching records and individual research.
The record book celebrates the performances and achievements of athletes and coaches across the state in football and provides perspective regarding single game, single season and career achievements.
This record book began more than two decades ago in 1997 as a labor of love by the late Bohdan “Bo” Kolinsky of the Hartford Courant and Tim Sullivan, who was the offensive coordinator for the Weaver High football team in Hartford.
After Bo’s untimely death in 2003, the responsibility of compiling and updating the record book was taken over by the late Bob Barton, the long-time writer and editor with the New Haven Register sports department and myself – Gerry deSimas, Jr.
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While it was great to get back on the field after missing the entire 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were no new state records set in 2021.
Two records were tied.
New Canaan’s Ty Groff tied the state record for most field goals in a game (4) against Fairfield Ludlowe. Groff kicked field goals of 32, 25, 32 and 44 yards to join four other players to achieve that feat.
There were a pair of 28-point comeback wins that tied the state record. Morgan rallied from a 28-point deficit to beat the SMSA co-op, 44-42, while Masuk erased a 28-point lead to beat New Fairfield, 29-28.
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The oldest individual record belongs to Stamford’s Earl Gillespie and Stamford’s Gaynor Brennan who each kicked 12 extra points in a single game. Gillespie did it 109 years ago in 1913 against Paterson, N.J., while Brennan did it against St. Francis Prep from Brooklyn in 1920. As recently as 2003, New Britain’s Chris Roberts was 11-of-13 on PATs in a win over Maloney.
It’s been more than 100 years since Torrington’s Raymond “Ducky” Pond set a new state record that still stands with two kickoff returns for a touchdown in a win over Simsbury on Nov. 16, 1917.
Ansonia head coach Tom Brockett still has the top winning percentage in state history with a .923 winning percentage (180-15) since he began leading the Chargers in 2006.
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If you have some additional information for the record book, please email editor Gerry deSimas, Jr., at [email protected]. The PDF of the record book is updated once a year and is released each September.
If you see something that should be included, send it along today. We make real-time edits in the record book to get it ready for the yearly update during the summer.
Click on the following link for the 2022 Connecticut High School Football Record Book.
