HIGGANUM >> It was a year ago this week when Haddam-Killingworth’s 2012 football season came to a crashing halt. The Cougars were fresh off a Class S playoff appearance the year before, as well as an historic Thanksgiving Day Mud Bowl victory against undefeated Valley Regional/Old Lyme, and had been stamped as playoff contenders again.
Everything changed, however, when Alex DiMauro-D’Amico, a three-year starter at quarterback and safety who was also slated to return kicks, suffered a season-ending broken leg in a scrimmage against Rocky Hill.
“We had to move a lot of kids because of that one injury and it had a significant impact on us,” said H-K coach Dennis O’Rourke.
Their playoff hopes already dashed, the Cougars, who went 5-5, ended the season on a sour note following a 42-12 defeat against a revenge-fueled Valley Regional squad.
When O’Rourke leads the Cougars onto North Branford’s Colafati Field in two weeks, it will mark his 37th season as the head football coach on Little City Road. With only five seniors on the roster, it will also be one of the youngest teams he’s coached.
H-K’s starting quarterback will be junior Matt Genovesio (5-11, 180), who called signals for the junior varsity a year ago.
The Cougars five senior captains, David Parmelee (5-7, 180, LB/RB), Nicko Hoffman (6-0, 205, OL/DL), Zack Camolli (5-11, 210, LB/OL), Jesse Warren (5-11, 200, OL/DE) and Zack Roth (5-11, 195, RB/LB) have been “sparkplugs” according to O’Rourke.
“They are our senior leadership and we’re looking for others to follow their lead,” he said.
H-K’s linebacking unit will be bolstered by junior Conor Champagne (6-0, 185), junior Taylor Kruck (5-11, 185) and sophomore Lance Reinhart (5-11, 190).
The 21-team Pequot Football Conference realigned this season from two to three divisions (North, West and South). H-K will be in the South Division with Shoreline schools North Branford, Hyde, Morgan, Old Saybrook/Westbrook, Coginchaug and Valley Regional/Old Lyme.
After six seasons as a Xavier assistant coach, O’Rourke started the H-K football program in 1977. “A lifetime ago,” he said.
Since 1982, his teams have gone 142-169-2. O’Rourke also guided the Cougars to the Class S state championship game in 1994 (a 20-14 loss against Putnam).