Howdy,

Tuesday didn't offer much in the way of stunners.

Perhaps the closest thing to a surprise was the play of Constitution State Conference representatives Capital Prep/Classical Magnet of Hartford and Manchester's Cheney Tech.

Yeah, both of them lost, but we've come to praise the Constitution State Conference, not to bury it.

Fair or not, the CSC hasn't earned itself a winning reputation when it comes to tournament time. The league has had football for a mere five years. Many of its programs are just as young.

The CSC hasn't won a playoff game yet, either, unless one goes back to when Putnam was its own team and not part of a co-op with Tourtellotte and Elllis Tech (and that was way, way before the CSC's formation.)

The CSC took a few steps forward Tuesday, though.

Capital/Classical led Cromwell by eight points after one quarter. It had a safety and six sacks in that period, too.

Cromwell roared back for a 28-14 win.

Fifth-seeded Cheney Tech scored early in the fourth quarter to pull to within six points of No. 4 Berlin in its Class M quarterfinal.

Berlin responded with the game's final touchdown and won, 28-14.

Moral victories don't often add up to much, but Capital/Classical and Cheney both represented their league better than anyone else had to date. It's a positive step.

Wolcott had the night's other eye opener. Not that it won, but how it won.

The Eagles trailed Ellington/Somers by 14 points with nine minutes left in their Class M quarterfinal.

Wolcott scored twice to force overtime and won, 32-26.

Ledyard will play Wolcott in Saturday's semifinals. And if the Colonels get a double-digit lead, then they better not let up. The Eagles are used to this rallying thing.

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Wolcott helped the Naugatuck Valley League take an early lead in the playoff conference standings. League-mates Ansonia and Holy Cross of Waterbury also won to give the league an early 3-0 record.

Here's a quick look at the tote board:

NVL: 3-0

FCIAC: 3-1 (includes Staples over Ridgefield.)

SWC: 2-1

SCC: 2-2

CCC: 3-4

ECC: 1-2 (includes Ledyard over Waterford.)

Pequot: 2-4

CSC: 0-2

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Knowledge is POWER, so we here at Polecat HQ have assembled reading material so that you can get hip to what happened around the state Tuesday night.

Enjoy.

CLASS LL

■ Newtown 36, Hall-West Hartford 22

■ Norwalk 21, Conard-West Hartford 15

■ Staples 48, Ridgefield 21

■ Xavier 34, Glastonbury 6

CLASS L

■ Hand 35, Coventry/Windham Tech 14

■ Masuk 28, North Haven 14

■ New Canaan 27, New London 26

■ Windsor 14, Notre Dame-West Haven 7

CLASS M

■ Ansonia 35, Bethel 6

■ Berlin 28, Cheney Tech 14

■ Ledyard 26, Waterford 0

■ Wolcott 32, Ellington/Somers 26 (OT)

CLASS S

■ Cromwell 23, Capital Prep/Classical Magnet 14

■ Holy Cross-Waterbury 42, Haddam-Killingworth 14

■ Northwest Catholic-West Hartford 22, North Branford 19

■ Valley Regional/Old Lyme 14, Rocky Hill 12

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Anyone going to West Haven Saturday night to see Masuk v. Hand?

WHEE-EEEE.

Vaya con dios.