Elite area high school football players choose their colleges

Some of last season’s elite football players in the Naugatuck Valley League and other standouts from the region are moving to the next level.
Naugatuck high running backlinebacker Michael Deitelbaum, the NVL’s all-time standout senior of 2022, is headed to Northeast Conference and Division I Sacred Heart University in Fairfield.
The Pioneers have won the NEC title in two of the last three seasons.
Gilbert Northwestern Housatonic star Freddie Camp of New Hartford goes to the University of Rhode Island and the FCS Colonial Athletic Association.
Ansonia’s outstanding running back David Cassetti (33 total touchdowns and 2,204 multipurpose yards) is moving to Division II New Haven, while teammate Christopher Kaminski, a quarterback, and two-way lineman Alex Romanowski are destined for Division III UMass Dartmouth.
The trio led the Chargers to a 13-0 mark, an NVL crown and the Class S state title in December, the school’s 21st crown, the highest in state history.
Other players from the region who have already signed and signed with schools include derby offensive lineman Giovanni Vicens (University of New Haven); Seymour quarterback Caden Drezek (University of Maine); Cheshire Academy wide receiver Jason Palmieri, former Woodland (Sacred Heart) star; Taft offensive lineman Charlie Symonds (Stanford); St Thomas More linebacker Mahkai Wilson, former standout at Holy Cross (Stonehill College) and Teddy Wililams (UConn), wide receiver defensive back at Salisbury School. Williams was a standout player for Cromwell-Portland Co-op in 2021.
Deitelbaum helped lead the Greyhounds to back-to-back CIAC playoff appearances.
“Michael was a great role model and a great player for us,” said Naugatuck coach Chris Anderson. “It’s a huge opportunity.”
The same goes for Camp, who has been one of the most versatile and multifaceted players in the state over the past two years.
“URI was always at the top,” said GNH coach Scott Salius. “I think he’s very excited. URI had a great Recruitment and Transfer class. They had eight wins last year but want to fight for the CAA title. When I spoke to the coaches, they wanted to see where he would fit best as a wide receiver or defensive back.
Cassetti swaps Ansonia Charger Blue for another shade of New Haven Charger Blue.
His entire family — father Mayor David Cassetti, mother Ina, sisters Lilly and Jennifer, and Lilly’s two-year-old daughter Giuliana — wore T-shirts at a ceremony at the school’s New Haven media center on Wednesday.
“During the recruitment process, I knew it would be cool to continue being a Charger,” said Cassetti, who will be majoring in business management. “It’s a different (lighter) shade of blue, but still blue…Thank you to the New Haven coaches for believing in me. I think I’ve found a home. They have a tradition of success, similar to that here.”
Romanowski, a physical education teacher major, is likely to play defensive tackle at UMass-Dartmouth, but “if the coaches need me to play offense, I will.” Romanowski said it was an honor to play with his this season to play Brother Jacob, a freshman.
“It was an exciting season,” said Romanowski. “We had a great bond”
Kaminski, who will be studying civil engineering, is a big selling point in the recruiting process and is hoping to get some playing time as a freshman.
“The UMass Dartmouth coaches told me they’ve watched every single game of our games for the last two seasons and I’ve shown I’m a leader,” Kaminski noted. “That was a good feeling.”
Of Romanowski’s joining the Corsairs, Kaminski said, “It’s great. Alex has been my bodyguard for eight years.”
Reach Mark Jaffee at [email protected] or follow him on [email protected]