First in a Decade
By Matthew Cannata | Sports Correspondent at December 4, 2023 | 6:30 pm | Print
In 2004, the seniors on this year’s New Britain High School Golden Hurricanes football team were running around on playgrounds in elementary school while the sophomores and juniors on the team were just starting their schooling career. Head Coach Tebucky Jones was playing for the New Orleans Saints in the National Football League, where he racked up 78 tackles and one interception that season.
2004, of course, was the last time the Golden Hurricanes made the post-season tournament, which saw them win a state championship under the direction of Jack Cochran, one of the most successful yet controversial coaches in the state of Connecticut.
Ten years later, the Hurricanes are back in the playoffs but it didn’t come easy for these players, coaches and their families. It was a long road filled with many ups and downs throughout the past several months. In fact, after the team lost to Glastonbury on Nov. 7, many thought that the Hurricanes no longer had a chance to make the playoffs. That feeling of despair turned into a feeling of hope after they beat Newington the week after and after they saw some other teams fall in the rankings. However, they would first have to defeat the Berlin Redcoats, who they were set to face on the day before Thanksgiving.
Due to the incoming snowstorm that night, the game was moved to the day before on Monday. In a game that saw many twists and turns, the Hurricanes came out on top 7-0 and went to bed with excitement of the possibility of making the playoffs. However, they knew that they would need a lot of help from other match-ups around the state and it wasn’t long before coaches and fans began trying to figure out all the scenarios in which the team would clinch a playoff berth.
After it was all said and done, it was realized that at least two to four specific teams would have to lose over the course of the week for the team to advance past the regular season. This included West Haven defeating Fairfield Prep, New London defeating Norwich Free Academy, Southington defeating Cheshire, Staples defeating Greenwich and Bristol Eastern defeating Bristol Central.
After all the games had been played, the Hurricanes got what they needed with the exception of the New London vs. Norwich Free Academy game. However, they would not need that after they learned that West Haven had defeated Fairfield Prep on Wednesday and that Staples had defeated Greenwich on Thanksgiving.
With a playoff berth now officially clinched, it became a waiting game for several days to see where they would be playing this weekend. Since Bristol Eastern defeated Bristol Central in an upset this past Saturday, the Hurricanes clinched the third seed in the Class LL Large bracket. If Bristol Central had won, the team would have traveled to Newtown for their first playoff game.
Instead, they’ll be squaring off against Norwich Free Academy, which will take place on Saturday at 2:30 PM in Norwich. For Coach Jones, it’s the culmination of hard work and dedication that began back in the summer months.
“This is great. We hand out a goal sheet to each player at the beginning of camp where we ask them to list their goals for the season. About 90 percent of them said that they wanted to make the playoffs and the championship game. That’s when I knew that their mind was set in the right place.”
On any team that is filled with talent across the board, the concept of playing together as a team can sometimes get lost. For these Hurricanes, that concept has always been in the forefront ever since they were handed that goal sheet.
“There were really no individual goals like being recognized as an All-State or All-Conference player,” Jones said. “That’s when I knew that these kids were really beginning to come together as one unit.”
Jones said that the game against Norwich Free Academy will be a challenge since they boast a powerful rushing attack. The Hurricanes have struggled with that this season - losing to Northwest Catholic, Glastonbury and Southington - games where they failed to stop the run on a consistent basis.
Nonetheless, Jones noted that the Hurricanes have been playing with much more passion and aggressiveness on defense over the past four games, giving up an average of 12.5 points. He said that they need to worry about themselves and play their type of football, which is establishing the run early so they can open the passing attack and then playing smart and disciplined defense.
The players and coaches will surely be filled with adrenaline and excitement before they take the field on Saturday at 2:30 PM. However, Jones admits he hasn’t sat down to really think about what he’s going to say in the locker room before the game. He made one promise though in regards to his speech.
“I’ll come up with something crazy to say, like I’ve done this entire season. I’ll tell them that we need to play our kind of football the way we know how and everything will take care of itself.”
The team can use your support and Jones hopes that as many fans as possible take the trip to Norwich to cheer on the Hurricanes. His message to the city of New Britain heading into the game?
“Believe in the kids the same way their coaches and parents do.”
If the Hurricanes defeat Norwich Free Academy, they will be in the Class LL Large Championship game against the winner of Glastonbury vs. Southington, which will take place either on Friday, Dec. 12 or Saturday, Dec. 13. The host sites for those games are West Haven, New Britain and Central Connecticut State University. Game locations will not be set by the CIAC until all semi-final games have been completed.
