Howdy,

Welcome to this week’s edition of BRACKETOLOGY, a task we partake in to induce a nervous breakdown before our families can do so at the holidays.

Ten more teams (unofficially) clinched this weekend for the CIAC playoffs to raise the total to 14. That leaves EIGHTEEN berths available.

We’ll try to break down the races in as simplest terms possible.

You’re encouraged to follow Matt Fischer’s magical ROBOABACUS, which details every team’s potential playoff points as well as updates in Real Time. It idiot proofs the scenarios for us idjits.

GROUND RULES:

1. These are not to be taken as gospel. BRACKETOLOGY was done in less than 30 minutes.

2. Just because we didn’t pick your team to qualify doesn’t mean we hate you. Hell, we don’t even KNOW you. Should you choose to believe that this is the worst insult you’ve ever suffered, use it as motivation, and go on to win a state title, then we expect a free meal at your year-end banquet for providing the extra incentive you needed.

3. We plan on being wrong on about half of these and, in fact, look forward to it. To err is human. To mock one’s self is divine.

Quote David Letterman, “Let me caution you — this is an exhibition, not a competition. Please, no wagering.”

Before we proceed, a quick explanation about “bonuses:”

• A team receives 10 points for every win and five points for each tie earned by any opponent it beat.

• A team receives five points for each victory and 2.5 points for each tie earned by an opponent it tied.

Remember, kids — the top eight teams in each division qualify, and then are broken in half based on enrollment.

CLASS LL

IN: Newtown (10-0), Southington (9-0), and Shelton (10-0).

WIN-AND-IN: McMahon (7-1).

The Senators play at Norwalk (4-6) on Thanksgrabbing. A win gets it a 115 average. Only Hall (115) and Cheshire (119.09) could catch them, which is why a win ensures them a berth.

FIGHT-FIGHT-FIGHT-FIGHT: Hall (7-2), Xavier (7-3), Cheshire (8-2), Fairfield Prep (7-3), Greenwich (7-3), Bristol Central (7-2), and Norwich Free Academy (6-2).

Dear, sweet Buddha, this division is AH-HHHH-MAZE-ING.

These seven are tightly bunched together, so much so that none can (unofficially) qualify until the results start rolling in on Thanksgrabbing.

Six of them could finish within five points of one another should they hit their maximum average by winning and collecting all their respective bonuses.

Check it out:

Hall: 115.

NFA: 114.44.

Fairfield Prep: 113.64.

Greenwich: 112.73.

Bristol Central: 113.

Xavier: 110.

Cheshire could finish with a better average than those seven, but it has to win at Southington on Thankgrabbing and earn all seven of its bonuses.

Hall finishes its season at home Saturday against Conard (4-5).

The other four play on Thanksgrabbing.

NFA plays at New London (7-2), which would qualify for Class M with a win.

Prep plays at West Haven (5-5). It's also the last game for Westies' coach Ed McCarthy.

Greenwich plays host to Staples (6-4).

Central plays Bristol Eastern (6-4).

It's going to be a long Thanksgrabbing for some of those teams.

SEND HELP: Glastonbury (7-3), New Britain (7-3), and Danbury (7-3).

GRANDE DIVISION FORECAST: No. 1 Southington (10-0) vs. No. 4 Greenwich (8-3); No. 2 Fairfield Prep (8-3) vs. No. 3 NFA (7-2).

PEQUEÑO DIVISION FORECAST: No. 1 Newtown (11-0) vs. No. 4 Hall (8-2); No. 2 Shelton (11-0) vs. No. 3 McMahon (8-2).

• • • •

CLASS L

IN: New Canaan (9-0), Windsor (9-0), Darien (10-0), Wethersfield (10-0), and Middletown (8-1).

WIN-AND-IN: Naugatuck (7-1).

Naugatuck qualifies with a win over St. Paul (5-5) this Friday, or at Ansonia on Thanksgrabbing.

FIGHT-FIGHT-FIGHT-FIGHT: Notre Dame-West Haven (7-2), North Haven (8-1), and Masuk (7-3).

ND, North Haven and Masuk will likely battle for the final two spots.

Masuk plays at Newtown on Thanksgrabbing Eve (eep). ND plays at Hamden (2-8) and North Haven plays host to Amity (3-7) on Thanksgrabbing.

ND would earn anywhere from 1,220-1,290 points with a win.

North Haven’s range would be 1,210-1,250 with a win.

Masuk could finish anywhere between 1,230-1,270 with a win.

The odds are in North Haven and Notre Dame’s favor, based on their final respective match-ups.

SEND HELP: Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby (7-3), and Platt (7-2).

MOOT POINT: Wilbur Cross (6-4).

GRANDE DIVISION FORECAST: No. 1 New Canaan (10-0) vs. 4 Naugatuck (9-2); No. 2 Darien (10-1) vs. No. 3 Wethersfield (11-0).

PEQUEÑO DIVISION FORECAST: No. 1 Windsor (10-0) vs. No. 4 North Haven (9-2); No. 2 Middletown (8-2) vs. No. 3 Notre Dame-West Haven (8-3).

• • • •

CLASS M

IN: Berlin (10-0), Ledyard (10-0), Brookfield (9-1), St. Joseph (8-2), and Ellington/Somers (8-2).

WIN-AND-IN: Wolcott (7-2), New London (7-2), and Bethel (7-3).

Wolcott, New London and Bethel can all play their way in, but it ain’t going to be easy.

Wolcott plays at winless Sacred Heart/Kaynor Tech this Friday. Okay, no problem. It also plays at Holy Cross (6-3) on Thanksgrabbing. That won't be fun.

New London, of course, plays host to NFA on Thanksgrabbing.

Bethel plays at Brookfield on Thanksgrabbing.

Wolcott is also the division's linchpin as it'll affect everything win or lose.

The Eagles would join Ledyard, St. Joseph and Ellington/Somers in M-Small if they qualified for states. They'd also push Brookfield into the top half, thus keeping one division from being far more stacked than the other.

Should Wolcott fail to make states, then Brookfield would play in the bottom half, much to the delight of Berlin and the rest of the teams in M-Large.

SEND HELP: Cheney Tech (7-3), and Abbott Tech/Immaculate (6-3).

Cheney and AT/I are in good shape given that Bethel, New London and Wolcott all have challenging games. The tech duo are also helped by their respective schedules.

Cheney plays host to St. Bernard/Norwich Tech (1-8) this Friday. It could max out at a 102.73 avearge.

AT/I plays host to winless O’Brien Tech this Saturday, and plays at Wolcott Tech (1-9) on Thanksgrabbing. It could max out at 100 if it won out.

MOOT POINT: Avon (6-4).

The Falcons are toast once Wolcott wins this Friday as their maximum average (100) is less than the minimums of Bethel (95.45) and New London (94).

GRANDE DIVISION FORECAST: No. 1 Berlin (11-0) vs. No. 4 Abbott Tech/Immaculate (8-3); No. 2 Brookfield (10-1) vs. No. 3 Cheney Tech (8-3).

PEQUEÑO DIVISION FORECAST: No. 1 Ledyard (11-0) vs. No. 4 Wolcott (9-2); No. 2 St. Joseph (9-2) vs. No. 3 Ellington/Somers (9-2).

• • • •

CLASS S

IN: Valley Regional/Old Lyme (10-0).

WIN-AND-IN: Northwest Catholic (9-1), Ansonia (9-1), Canton (9-1), Hartford Capital/Achievement First (9-1), Windham (8-1), North Branford (9-1), Plainfield (7-1), and Prince Tech (7-2).

Ignore the fact that only the WARRIORCATS have qualified — this division is pretty simple and will fill in quickly.

HC/AF plays host to Prince Tech on Thanksgrabbing Eve. A HC/AF win would earn berths for it, Northwest, Ansonia and Canton.

Say Prince wins — Northwest, Ansonia, and Canton would have to play their way in with Thanksgrabbing wins.

Northwest plays host to Rocky Hill (5-5).

Ansonia plays host to Naugatuck.

Canton plays host to Granby (7-3).

Windham, North Branford and Plainfield all must take matters into their own hands.

North Branford plays host to Hyde (5-5) on Thanksgrabbing Eve.

Windham's berth is as close as a sure-thing gets as it plays at Woodstock Academy (1-8) on Thanksgrabbing.

Plainfield may have it the toughest as it plays host to Griswold (5-5). The Wolverines have been erratic, but they've beaten the Panthers the last 11 years. Don't think that's not going to be rolling around the back of Plainfield's collective heads.

SEND HELP: Bullard-Havens (8-2).

B-H plays at winless Bassick next Tuesday. The only teams ahead of it that it can catch are Windham, North Branford, and Plainfield.

MOOT POINT: Morgan (7-3), Coginchaug (8-2), and Holy Cross (7-3).

GRANDE DIVISION FORECAST: No. 1 Valley Regional/Old Lyme (11-0) vs. No. 4 Plainfield (10-1); No. 2 Ansonia (10-1) vs. No. 3 Windham (9-1).

PEQUEÑO DIVISION FORECAST: No. 1 Northwest Catholic (10-1) vs. No. 4 North Branford (10-1); No. 2 Hartford Capital/Achievement First (10-1) vs. No. 3 Canton (10-1).

• • • •

The concept of districting became a fun talking point over the offseason, the idea that teams should be grouped by both enrollment and location. It was first brought up by Sean Patrick Bowley of the GameTimeCT.com Monolith, and improved on by former North Haven player and current Coast Guard employee Matt Glasz.

One can argue the merits for-or-against districting, but the Class LL race provides an example as to why Bowley, Glasz, and others have promoted it.

Glastonbury played at Norwich Free Academy on Oct. 2 and thumped it, 24-0. NFA followed that with a stunning loss at Griswold (5-5), 27-24.

NFA is in better position to qualify for states than the Tomahawks thanks to both its league and scheduling.

Glastonbury has lost to top-ranked Southington (41-38), seventh-ranked Windsor (28-14), and Hall (20-14) in Central Connecticut Conference play. Southington and Hall (7-2) are both Class LL programs. Glastonbury has played seven Class LL schools and has one more left against Simsbury this Friday.

NFA is the only Class LL program in the Eastern Connecticut Conference. It has played one Class L team (winless Fitch), four Class M teams, and two S teams.

Glastonbury’s opponents are a combined 52-42.

The Wildcats’ foes are a combined 30-45.

And NFA is ahead of the Tomahawks in the Class LL rankings.

• • • •

The Day of New London’s Top 10 state coaches poll. … is atop this page.

The same 10 teams remain in The Day Top 10 coaches poll this week with just a few minor tweeks.

St. Joseph (8-2) moved up a spot to eighth after it beat McMahon last Saturday, 33-17. The Cadets’ win cost McMahon its chance to play in the FCIAC championship game.

Their losses were to No. 2 New Canaan (41-14) and No. 3 Darien (21-17), which play for the FCIAC title on Thanksgiving Day at Boyle Stadium in Stamford at 10:30 a.m.

Reigning Class LL champion Southington (9-0) remains No. 1.

Wethersfield (10-0) moved down to ninth. It’s tied with Ansonia (9-1), which moved up a spot.

There will be little changes after this week as most teams are on a bye before the traditional Thanksgiving week games.

The one game of note is this Thursday’s South-West Conference championship game between No. 5 Newtown (10-0) and Brookfield at Pomperaug (7 p.m.) Newtown beat the Bobcats on Oct. 24 (21-14).

• • • •

The New Haven Register Top 10 media poll: 1. Southington (23 first-place votes), 2. New Canaan (2 first-place votes), 3. Darien (1 first-place vote), 4. Newtown (1 first-place), 5. Shelton, 6. Windsor, 7. Ledyard, 8. Wethersfield, 9. Ansonia, and, 10. St. Joseph.

• • • •

Ned Freeman’s cold, calculating computer rankings for CalPreps and MaxPreps: 1. New Canaan; 2. Darien; 3. Shelton; 4. Newtown; 5. Southington; 6. St. Joseph; 7. Fairfield Prep (7-3); 8. Brookfield (9-1); 9. Notre Dame-West Haven (7-3); and, 10. Xavier (7-3). Ledyard was 13th, Windsor 14th, and Wethersfield 21st.

• • • •

Behold, the ballot that Polecat Worldwide submitted to media poll coordinator Pooch Diggity Dogg of the GameTimeCT Monolith:

1. Southington.

2. New Canaan.

3. Darien.

4. Shelton.

5. Windsor: We’re believers in the Warriors now after its 28-14 win over Glastonbury.

6. Newtown.

7. St. Joseph.

8. Ledyard.

9. Brookfield.

10. Wethersfield.

11. Ansonia.

12. Fairfield Prep: Don’t care if its 7-3. We think it’ll make the LL-Large final, and beat some teams that have played easier schedules.

13. Xavier: Ditto, except that the Falcons ain’t qualifying for states.

14. Notre Dame-West Haven: Pretty sure there aren’t 15 teams that would beat both St. Joseph and Prep this season. Those are two of the teams that beat ND. The Green Knights also have good wins over Cheshire and Xavier. All that written, as much as we respect the grind of SCC D-1 play, we hemmed-and-hawed over voting for three teams with three losses each.

15. Greenwich: Felt uneasy voting for it after that Week 1 loss at West Haven, but we’re running out of options. We won’t argue if you call us large-school snobs.

• • • •

STORYTIME~!

• Marc Allard, Norwich Bulletin: Sideline.

• Doug Bonjour: Bullying a pressing topic among local ADs, coaches.

• Norwich Bulletin: Area notebook.

• Bodacious Bryant Carpenter, Meriden Record-Journal: Notebook. The cat has a way with words.

• Ray Curran, GameTimeCT.com Monolith: Inside the SCC.

• Pooch Diggity Dogg, GameTimeCT.com Monolith: Notebook, Game Balls, and his Week 11 media poll ballot.

• Cameron McDonough, New Britain Herald: Southington flying.

• Josh Nash, Norwalk Hour: Area notebook.

• Kevin Roberts, Bristol Press: Bristol Eastern picks up pace.

Dave Stewart, New Canaan Advertiser: A look at the FCIAC final through the years.

• • • •

NOTABLES~!

Michael Collins threw for 349 yards and three touchdowns as second-ranked New Canaan routed Trinity Catholic on Saturday, 47-16. … Mark Piccirillo threw for 219 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 139 yards and two scores as No. 4 Shelton beat West Haven on Friday, 38-28. … Kevaughn Bennett had 15 tackles as No. 7 Windsor beat Glastonbury on Friday, 28-14. … Mufasha Abdul-Basir ran 32 times for 290 yards and two scores as No. 8 St. Joseph downed McMahon on Saturday, 33-17.

Paul Pastet completed 13 of 25 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns and ran nine times for 46 yards and a score as North Branford rallied to beat Morgan in overtime Friday, 41-40. Shelby Franklin added 27 carries for 180 yards and two touchdowns for the Thunderbirds, who trailed 14-0 after one quarter. Jake Ward ran 49 times for 204 yards and four touchdowns for the Huskies.

Gio Marzullo ran 19 times for 330 yards and four touchdowns and added two catches for 60 yards and a score as Law smashed Lyman Hall on Friday, 48-6. Max German added 16 carries for 222 yards and a score. … Delano Robinson ran for 302 yards and three touchdowns as Northwest Catholic held off Platt for a 30-22 win on Friday. … Ryan Pasquali ran for 153 yards and six touchdowns as Greenwich pounded Danbury on Friday, 49-14.

Adam Wojenski completed 19 of 36 passes for 353 yards with six touchdowns and an interception as Bunnell downed Bethel last Friday, 53-34. Brett Bogdwicz added seven catches for 177 yards and three scores. … Khaleed Exum-Strong ran 15 times for 239 yards and three touchdowns in Friday’s 44-8 rout of Woodstock Academy. … Cheshire’s Andrew Yamin ran for 192 yards and four touchdowns as Cheshire downed Wilbur Cross on Friday, 49-21.

Bristol Central’s Drew Lee caught a school-record 97-yard touchdown pass during Friday’s 37-14 win over Fermi. … Eli Parks for 238 yards and five touchdowns in St. Paul’s 37-8 win over Wilby last Friday. … Jon Michael Bivona ran 13 times for 88 yards and three touchdowns and scored on a 50-yard screen pass as Stamford downed Fairfield Ludlowe last Friday, 35-17.

Vernon Mcalmont ran 16 times for 177 yards and four touchdowns and scored on a 30-yard interception return as Prince Tech thrashed Cheney Tech last Friday, 54-13. Teammate Bryan Montalvo scored on a 45-yard interception return and had 14 tackles for Prince and Danny Hampton added a 34-yard fumble return for a touchdown. … Junior Vasquez completed 16 of 18 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns and scored on a 26-yard run as Manchester squished Farmington on Friday, 48-6.

Steve Jankowski completed 11 of 15 passes for 231 yards and four touchdowns, scored on a 68-yard run, and kicked four extra points as Plainfield pounded St. Bernard/Norwich Tech on Friday, 42-6. Tyler Ballard added five catches for 143 yards and three scores. … Vincent Gambino completed 19 of 24 passes for 414 yards and six touchdowns as Wolcott blitzed Derby on Friday, 59-27. Phil Lebel added six catches for 155 yards and two touchdowns and an interception.

Jack Osiecki caught a 10-yard touchdown with 10 seconds left to give Seymour its 28-21 win over Oxford on Friday. Joey Salemme also had 30 carries for 286 yards and two scores. … Ryan Dunn ran 16 times for 80 yards and two touchdowns and completed 19 of 31 passes for 164 yards and a score as Ridgefield beat Wilton on Friday, 23-15. … Mike Scherer ran 18 times for 131 yards and two touchdowns and completed 8 of 11 passes for 101 yards and two scores as Xavier knocked off Fairfield Prep on Friday, 35-28.

Zach Davis ran for 173 yards and three scores as Sheehan clubbed East Haven on Friday, 42-7, its first win of the season. … Middletown’s Dario Highsmith ran 22 times for 280 yards and three touchdowns and completed 9 of 10 passes for 111 yards and two scores, and had an interception in Friday’s 52-27 win over Simsbury.

Rocky Hill’s Dave Sevigny ran nine times for 108 yards and four touchdowns and added a 48-yard touchdown catch in last Friday’s 35-8 win over Rockville. … Declan Flaherty threw touchdown passes of 7, 62, 11 and 69 yards as Conard walloped RHAM last Friday, 55-20. The Chieftains scored 35 first-quarter points. … Mark Hickman ran 16 times for 208 yards and two scores as Ellington/Somers beat Enfield last Saturday, 25-7. Shane McGowan added 15 tackles and a sack.

Connor Field ran for a 3-yard touchdown with 41 seconds left to give Granby a 24-20 win over Gilbert/Northwestern Regional on Saturday. Field ran 26 times for 184 yards and two touchdowns and threw a 42-yard touchdown. … Griswold had eight sacks and three interceptions in Saturday’s 23-13 win over Bacon Academy. The Wolverines held Sean Kelly to 12 of 34 passing for 104 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 329 prior to Saturday.

Dan Remeika ran for 141 yards and four touchdowns to help Wolcott Tech to its first win of the season, 42-28, over O’Brien Tech on Saturday. Derrick Barreto had 97 yards receiving and a touchdown and had three interceptions, one of he returned for a touchdown.

• • • •

Thanks for reading. More soon.

Vaya con dios.