'You Will Remember This Forever' [Photos and Video]

Senior members of the Ledyard High School football team attended a Media Day event Tuesday at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, an honor reserved for the eight top teams in Connecticut that will compete for state championships this weekend.

League officials, coaches, even a former member of the New England Patriots spoke to the players about the game they would remember for the rest of their lives.

“Win or lose, you will take this with you forever,” said Fox 61 Sports anchor Rich Copolla, who emceed the event.

The Ledyard seniors were introduced by Head Coach Jim Buonocore Jr. Next to their table sat senior players from Ansonia High School, the team Ledyard will face Saturday at 10:30 a.m. for the state Class M championship.

Buonocore recalled watching the high school finals at Rentschler a year ago, after the Colonels barely missed making the playoffs.

"When I went back on Monday to the weight room, the kids asked, 'how was it?' And said I had a pretty decent time. I sat in the club suite and ate about 10 Subway grinders, 15 bags of chips... And I said I never want to do it again. I said I want to make sure that you guys are there next year and you have the opportunity to experience what I saw other high school players experience."

The coach said his seniors made a commitment to get their team where it is today.

"We've grown each and every week. We've improved from the first week to now, and we have a tremendous opportunity in front of us to compete against what I consider to be one of the most storied high school football programs in the state of Connecticut," he said. 

New Britain native Tebucky Jones, a member of the 2001 New England Patriots Super Bowl Champion team, also spoke to the players. He said not even competing in a Super Bowl was as memorable as playing for a high school championship.

“If you play with confidence, it will be your best play,” said CIAC Executive Director Karissa Nihoff. “Play with heart, play with spirit.”

Quite a ride

The 10 Ledyard seniors traveled to Rentschler by limousine – a ride donated by Joshua Limousine of Ledyard. After the formal program the players had lunch, met with reporters and visited the Connecticut High School Football Hall of Fame.

Then came the best part of the day, walking through the tunnel and out onto the playing field at Rentschler. The boys walked to the center of the field, taking pictures with their cell phones as they went.

"It’s great fun for the kids to be here and experience this today," Buonocore said. "It’s going to be something that they will remember for the rest of their lives. I’m real proud of them. It’s a great group of seniors who have put in the time and effort and energy to become leaders of our football team."

Although Ansonia High School is a well-known opponent in southeastern Connecticut, the meeting with Ledyard Saturday will be the first ever between the two schools.

Buonocore, who played for his father, Jim Sr., at New London High School from 1987-91, met Ansonia twice in state title games as a player. In each of those meetings, Ansonia prevailed.

Needless to say, a victory on Saturday would be as sweet as it gets.

"It’s been a ride," he said. "It’s been a magical ride, and we’re just hoping we can pull it off one more time."