YOUR Week 10 preview, comets, parallel parking, STORYTIME, and 1,756 other words
The European Space Agency landed the Philae probe onto a comet on Wednesday. Roll that one around your noggin for a moment. There’s a giant, icy dirt ball THREE HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN MILLION MILES from earth and ESA managed to park an object the size of a fridge on that sucker.
Remember that the next time you try to parallel park and end up driving up onto the curb and hitting the car behind you.
(To put the distance between earth and the comet in perspective, imagine driving from Connecticut to Seattle. It’s roughly a 2,418 mile trip. Now imagine driving 131,065 times further. Zounds).
We’ve reached Week 10 of our sexy and steamy football season, and it’s a bittersweet weekend as it’s the last to feature a full compliment of Friday night games. It’s also going to be bone-snappingly cold, but, hey, you’ve lived in New England long enough, so suck it up.
The lone upside to Week 10 is that it’ll provide more clarity about the four CIAC playoff races. Ledyard (Class M), Newtown (LL), New Canaan (L), and Southington (LL) have (unofficially) qualified. More berths will be (unofficially) clinched this weekend.
Before we proceed with the game previews, you are encouraged to follow all of this weekend’s action at the Twitter at #cthsfb.
A Polecat flunky will be twitting tonight from Hyde vs. Valley Regional/Old Lyme tonight @MetalNED and, if they don’t oversleep, McMahon at St. Joseph on Saturday.
Finally, if you care anything at all about the high school football, then you should bookmark THIS link to CIAC engineer Matt Fischer’s ROBOABACUS. It provides Real Time updates to the playoff races.
And it goes a little something like this:
KICKOFF: 6 p.m.
RECORDS: Prince Tech (6-2, 6-1 CSC); Cheney Tech (7-2, 7-2).
WORDS: Prince is trying to fight its way back into the Class S race as it’s rated 12th. Its offense has been led by V2 — junior Vernon Mcalmont (1,267 yards, 10 touchdowns) and sophomore Vincent Ruff (1,299 yards, 12 touchdowns). Cheney Tech moved up to seventh in the Class M ratings by chance after Abbott Tech/Immaculate was ransacked by Bullard-Havens last weekend, 34-7 (AT/I crushed Cheney the previous week, 41-15, and Cheney beat B-H in Week 1, 22-20). Ever hear of Shawn Grant? No? He’s the Beavers’ 6-foot-3, 221 pound defensive end-outside linebacker who has 86 tackles and 14½ sacks.
NO. 7 WINDSOR AT GLASTONBURY
KICKOFF: 6 p.m.
RECORDS: Windsor (8-0); Glastonbury (7-2).
WORDS: The week’s top game. Windsor’s first eight foes were a combined 30-41 (just three have winning records). It closes the season with Glastonbury and Middletown (8-1). The Warriors have allowed a state-low 24 points and have shut out their last five opponents. Linebacker Malik Ellis (71) and Germain Everett-Welcome (62) have been the leading tacklers. The Tomahawks have won seven in a row after opening with losses to top-ranked Southington (41-38) and Class LL contender Hall (20-14, OT). They can’t afford another defeat as they’d slip from sixth in the LL ratings. Keyion Dixon scored on runs of 47 and 80 yards and a 12-yard interception and threw a 50-yard touchdown in last week’s 30-6 win over New Britain. Running back Romelle Jack is equally dangerous, too.
KICKOFF: 6:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Derby (6-2) at Wolcott (6-2).
WORDS: Another week, another NVL game that’s going to challenge a scoreboard operator. Derby dropped to 11th in Class S when it was strafed by Naugatuck last week (48-13). The Eagles are ninth in Class M, a division that’s regularly had three-loss teams qualify. Mike Kreiger (QB) and Ricky Bartone (RB) have been the Red Raiders’ offensive catalysts. Wolcott has run a balanced attack led by Vincent Gambino (1,515 yards passing, 17 TDs) and Mike Audibert (1,148 yards, 23 TDs).
KICKOFF: 6:30 p.m.
RECORDS: North Branford (8-1, 6-1 Pequot Sassacus); Morgan (7-2, 5-2).
WORDS: One of the weekend’s biggest games for the Class S state playoff ratings as North Branford is ninth and the Huskies 11th. And, oh, yeah, it’s a big rivalry game. The Thunderbirds’ offense took a big hit two weeks ago when QB Eddie Miller suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. The senior was leading one of the most dynamic offenses in the Pequot. Junior Paul Pastet has taken over and has attempted just 17 passes in two starts for 132 yards and four TDs. Linebacker Nick Sagnella has a team-high 99 tackles and eight sacks. Morgan beat the holy heck out of Class M hopeful Ellington/Somers last week (63-28). Chucky Kostek completed 14 of 21 passes for 235 yards and four touchdowns, and workhorse Jake Ward ran for 235 yards and 3 TDs.
KICKOFF: 6:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Northwest Catholic (8-1); Platt (7-2).
WORDS: NW is third in Class S, the Panthers ninth in L. The former could withstand another loss, the latter likely couldn’t. Fullback Delano Robinson has run for a team-high 821 yards and 8 TDs for the Indians and Jack Manzi has thrown for 784 yards and 9 TDs. You know who leads the Platt offense — Tyzahn LEATHERWOOD. He’s averaged 207.6 yards with 17 TDs. Joseph Mwamba has passed for an average of 186 yards with 16 TDs.
KICKOFF: 7 p.m.
RECORDS: Danbury (7-2, 4-0 FCIAC West); Greenwich (6-3, 3-0).
WORDS: This will amend the Class LL ratings as Danbury is seventh and the Cardinals are 13th. The Hatters have been the year’s best surprise as they’ve earned the program’s first winning season since 2004. They’ve used their speed to create big plays. Anfreny Ith has averaged 171.1 yards passing with 10 touchdowns with his top targets being Tysheen McCrea (25 catches, 437 yards, 5 TDs) and Pierre Moudourou (23 catches, 476 yards, 5 TDs). Greenwich has clawed itself back into playoff contention after opening the season with the schedule from hell — losses to West Haven (35-22), Darien (33-26) and New Canaan (35-20). The multi-talented Austin Longi is a threat to score whether he’s lined up at tailback, receiver or cornerback.
FAIRFIELD PREP AT XAVIER
KICKOFF: 7 p.m.
RECORDS: Fairfield Prep (7-2, 2-1 SCC D1-West); Xavier (6-3, 2-1).
WORDS: Prep is fifth in Class LL and needs to win out. The Falcons have lost three in a row, but are still rated 10th in the division and not dead yet. QB Colton Smith makes the offense go and is a dangerous runner. He’ll be without his biggest blocker as Boston College-bound tackle Anthony Palazzolo was ejected from last Friday’s game against Hamden after he threw a punch, ripped off a player’s helmet and threw it. Defense has been Xavier’s strength. Linebacker Colin Morris (81) and Spencer McManus (67) have been the top tacklers. The Falcons should be amped as this is their regular season finale (yes, already). Their playoff odds aren’t good, so they might as well go out raising hell.
SATURDAY
KICKOFF: 1:30 p.m.
RECORDS: North Haven (8-1); No. 3 Darien (9-0)
WORDS: An awesome inter-conference game and it’s of vital importance to Class L. Darien is rated third and would (unofficially) qualify with a win. The Indians are eighth and could be in trouble with two losses. It’s also an interesting matchup as North Haven utilizes GOD’S FATHER’S OFFENSE, and the Blue Wave have been led by their defense. Cole Pecora (629 yards, 10 TDs) and Mike Montano (505 yards, 7 TDs) have paced the Indians very balanced running game. The Blue Wave’s George Reed (60 tackles, 7 sacks) and Marc Evanchick (58 tackles, 18 sacks) are one of the state’s top defensive end tandems.
AVON AT CANTON
KICKOFF: 1:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Avon (6-3, 6-1 Pequot Uncas); Canton (8-1, 7-0).
WORDS: Avon is 10th in Class M and must win out to have a shot to qualify. The Warriors are fifth in Class S, remarkable for a program that was resurrected and resumed varsity play in 2007. A win here would also earn Canton its first league title since 1958. The trench battles ought to be awesome as both teams can smash with the best of them.
KICKOFF: 2 p.m.
RECORDS: McMahon (7-1); No 9 St. Joseph (7-2).
WORDS: Oh, there’s so much at stake here. McMahon is rated fourth in Class LL, the defending Class M champion Cadets are fourth in that division. The Senators would also qualify for the FCIAC championship game with a win. A loss, and a Darien win, would put the Blue Wave in the title game. McMahon have been masters of the manly discipline of the rushing arts as they’ve attempted just 58 passes (our hearts swell with joy). Seniors Kentrell Snider (774 yards, 11 TDs), Tyre Holman (752 yards, 12 TDs), and Timmy Hinton (741 yards, 8 TDs) have led the Senators democratic rushing game. St. Joseph hasn’t had consistent quarterbacking, but it does have all-state running back Mufasha Abdul-Basir (159.2 yard average, 12 TDs). The versatile Lars Pedersen has 1,394 all-purpose yards and run for 5 TDs, caught 5 TDs, and scored four times on special teams. He’s thrown two TDs, too.
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STORYTIME~!
• Bob Birge, The Hour of Norwalk: Coaches use online tool to help players scout opponents.
• Doug Bonjour, Hearst Inc.: McMahon-St. Joseph game holds plenty of playoff implications; and, area notebook.
• Doug Bonjour and Chris McNamee, Hearst Inc.: Guide to the games.
• Kurmudgeonly Kyle Brennan, Waterbury Anarchist-American: Area notebook; his weekly Top 10 musings; and, a preview of Derby at Wolcott.
• Kurmudgeonly Kyle Brennan and Remmington, NVL Blog: Game of the week preview (Derby at Wolcott); and, Week 10 picks.
• Bodacious Bryant Carpenter, Meriden Record-Journal: #32 and #45 add up to big numbers indeed; and, area capsules.
• Pooch Diggity Dogg, GameTimeCT.com Monolith: North Haven controls its own fate, but No. 3 Darien awaits. NOTE: No one controls their fate/destiny, right, Chip? Pooch also gives his predictions, too.
• Dave Greenleaf, Bristol Press: Central ready for Fermi.
• Mark Jaffee, Waterbury Anarchist-American: Area picks.
• Cameron McDonough, New Britain Herald: New Britain has injury concerns ahead of game against Newington.
• John Nash, The Hour of Norwalk: Area capsules.
• Kevin Roberts, Bristol Press: Eastern faces E.O. Smith in home finale; and, St. Paul focused on Wilby on Senior Night.
• Dave Ruden, The Ruden Report: Darien or McMahon — which potential finalists presents the best storyline.
• Sean Patrick Starfish, GameTimeCT.com Monolith: Games to watch.
• Matt Straub, Bristol Press: Plainville hosts Bloomfield.
• Tom Yantz, Hartford Courant: Windsor-Glastonbury showdown Friday night; and, capsules.
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Thanks for reading. More soon.
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