By Tim Parry

Not a lot of people outside the Staples locker room heard of Jeff Frusciante before the beginning of the 2007 season. Heck, playing in an offense that ran a lot more than it passed, not a lot of people heard of Frusciante after catching six touchdown passes for the Wreckers.

But Catholic University head coach Dave Dunn knew enough about Frusciante to make him a part of his 2008 recruiting class. And Frusciante knew enough about Catholic that he wanted to spend his next four years there.

“The system fits me perfect down there. I’ll be playing wide receiver, and they throw a lot,” Frusciante said before a practice session on Monday for tonight’s Hall of Fame Classic in West Haven. “The coach, I thought he was great, and everything just clicked there.”

Frusciante hopes to represent Staples well, too, as its lone representative tonight on the Fairfield County team, which is hoping to snap its five game losing streak against New Haven. Though he was more known as a wide receiver, he will be in the defensive backfield tonight.

“It feels real good to play in it, even to just get picked,” Frusciante said. “And even if I didn’t get to play, it’s nice to be a part of it.”

Frusciante and the Wreckers went a perfect 8-0 int he regular season before before stumbling in the FCIAC championship game against Greenwich and in the first round of the CIAC playoffs against Bunnell.

But it’s that final regular season win that sticks in Frusciante’s mind. That was an overtime win over New Canaan in the same stadium he was standing in on media day.

“We thought we tied. We were kind of annoyed, and then we found out about the Kansas City shootout,” Frusciante said. “Watching that in college football and getting to play in a game like that was awesome to play in. It was something you dream about being a part of. I’m just glad it worked out in our favor.”

Video bonus footage of Frusciante:

By Tim Parry

Former Wilton lineman Joe Smith was told to dislike people only because of the color of their football uniform. But he’s become good friends with someone who wears the red and black on New Canaan, former Ram Kyle Duncan.

And that has nothing to do with the Hall of Fame Classic, which has Smith (left) and Duncan as teammates on the Fairfield County team which will play New Haven County at West Haven High School tomorrow at 7:30 p.m.

Smith and Duncan will take their games - and their personal belongings - to Bowdoin in a just a few weeks.

“I feel pretty fortunate to be able to go up to Maine with someone I already know, and that he’s a nice kid, and we have some similarities,” Smith said.

That includes postseason accolades. Both were CHSCA All-State offensive linemen in their respective divisions. Both started on the defensive line, too.

“I kind of get a preview of what the next four years are going to be like, even though I’m going to be on the defensive side of the ball and he’ll be on offense,” said Duncan (left). “I really think [Bowdoin] should be getting two quality football players.”

Smith chose Bowdoin over several NESCAC and Ivy League schools, and says he was very close to heading to Cornell. But he knew Bowdoin was the school for him when he set foot on campus for the first time.

“I know I’m not going to play in the NFL,” Smith said. “I wanted to balance the academics and the athletics.”

But right now, Smith is taking a crash course in New Canaan’s spread offense. After four years of starting in the three-point stance, Smith is adjusting to a two-point stance.

But Duncan, who went through the adjustment two seasons ago, has helped mentor his new friend - and his Fairfield County teammates.

“Going to the two point stance, it’s kind of weird and you are back on your heels a little bit, but the kids here have really started to pick it up well,” Duncan said. “He’s a great offensive lineman. If he was in this spread system for even a year of so, he would have just been great.”

Another plus for Duncan and the Fairfield County team - three of the five offensive linemen from the Class MM state champion Rams will be protecting former Rams quarterback Charlie Westfal.

“It’s absolutely awesome. I never thought I’d get a chance to play again with Mike Glass and Charley Donnelly ever again,” Duncan said. “Especially when we’ll be protecting Charlie Westfal. It’s like old times, it’s great.”

Smith plans to major in psychology, while Duncan is looking at a major in government and legal studies.