BRACKETOLOGY, ECC (Division I)-SCC-SWC synergy, Week 11 review, polls, but mostly BRACKETOLOGY
Thanksgrabbing week is (finally) here!
There will be 65 games played over the next three daze, many involving teams scrambling to either qualify for the CIAC playoffs or improve their seeding.
Mercifully, this is the final week for BRACKETOLOGY.
The plan is to keep YOU in the know by updating this post with playoff scenarios after the Thanksgrabbing Eve Eve and Thanksgrabbing Eve games.
Nineteen teams have unofficially qualified, "unofficially" because no one qualifies for states until the CIAC football committee approves the pairings the day after the end of the regular season. Those teams are:
CLASS LL: Darien, West Haven, Southington, and Newtown.
CLASS L: New Canaan, New London, Windsor, and Middletown.
CLASS M: St. Joseph, Valley Regional/Old Lyme, Killingly, Hillhouse, Bunnell, Wolcott, and Berlin.
CLASS S: Capital Prep/Achievement First, Ansonia, Bloomfield, and Cromwell/Portland.
Four spots are left in Class LL, L and S, and one in Class M.
Now, onto BRACKETOLOGY.
GROUND RULES:
1. A bonus is when a team receives 10 points for each victory earned by any opponent it defeated.
2. We’re going to be wrong about a bunch of these predictions and it’s cool. Surprises are often FUN!
3. Just because we didn’t pick your team to qualify doesn’t mean we hate you. Hell, we DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU, MAN. Should you choose to believe us not picking you to win states is the worst insult you’ve ever suffered, cool. Use it as fuel to win said state title. That written, you dang well better give us an invitation and free meal at your year-end championship banquet for providing you with the proper motivation needed for you to succeed.
4. YOU are encouraged to follow the ROBOABACUS, the magnificent creation of CIAC Director of Technology Services Matt Fischer, a man who can smell 100100100100s. It updates the playoff races in real time unlike, you know, fake time.
5. To quote David Letterman, “This is an exhibition, not a competition. Please, no wagering.”
Remember, kids — the top eight teams in each division qualify, a bonus is the 10 points a team earns for every win by any opponent it defeated, and tiebreaker points are the two points that a team receives for every win by an opponent even if it lost to said opponent.
The quarterfinals (Tuesday, Nov. 29) and semifinals (Monday, Dec. 5) will be played at the higher seed. The finals will be played Saturday, Dec. 10 at sites to be determined.
Once again, into the breach:
CLASS LL
IN: Darien (9-0), West Haven (9-0), Southington (9-0) and Newtown (9-0).
All four have clinched home quarterfinals.
Darien will earn the top seed with a win over New Canaan (9-0) on Thanksgrabbing in the very exclusive GAME OF THE YEAR (of the regular season).
WIN-AND-IN
SHELTON (7-2)
Bonuses (40): Hamden (2-7) over Notre Dame-W.H. (6-3), Hand (1-8) over Guilford (3-6), Branford (4-5) over East Haven (4-5) and Cheshire (6-3) over Southington (9-0).
Next: vs. Derby (2-7), Thanksgrabbing. It’s beaten the latter 13 straight years.
Shelton will qualify with a loss by two of the four — Norwich Free Academy, Fairfield Prep, Cheshire and Greenwich.
Xavier, Glastonbury and Trumbull cannot catch Shelton under any circumstances.
RIDGEFIELD (7-2)
Next: at Danbury (2-7), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
Bonuses (50): Fairfield Ludlowe (0-9) over Fairfield Warde (2-7), Westhill (3-6) over Stamford (3-6), Bridgeport Central (2-7) over Harding (6-3), Norwalk (3-6) over McMahon (0-8) and Trumbull (6-3) over St. Joseph (8-1).
A loss gives Ridgefield a floor of 960 points with a chance at a 1,010 maximum. Glastonbury, Greenwich, Trumbull, and Xavier cannot catch it under any circumstances.
A loss prevents the Tigers from catching Cheshire (1,040 minimum) if the latter wins.
NORWICH FREE ACADEMY (7-2)
Bonuses (50): East Lyme (1-8) over Waterford (6-2), Bacon Academy (2-7) over RHAM (2-7), Stamford (3-6) over Westhill (3-6), Stonington (5-4) over Westerly (5-5) and Staples (5-4) over Greenwich (6-3).
Next: at New London (9-0), Thanksgrabbing.
The Wildcats will be seeded between fifth and seventh with a win, depending on how the other contenders fare and bonuses.
The odds favor NFA being seeded fifth if it, Shelton and Ridgefield all win because it has the highest ceiling.
A win gives the Wildcats a 1,120 minimum, which is 10 points less than Shelton and Ridgefield’s maximum. Thus NFA will clinch the fifth seed with a win and two bonuses.
NFA is quite vulnerable with a loss. It will have a floor of 930 points with five potential bonuses.
A Wildcats loss and Cheshire win gives the Rams a berth.
NFA can lose and still catch Greenwich and Trumbull even if both win, provided it receives enough bonuses.
The Wildcats will beat out Xavier with one bonus.
WIN-AND-COUNT-BONUSES
FAIRFIELD PREP (7-2)
Next: at West Haven (9-0), Thanksgrabbing.
Bonuses (40): Hamden (2-7) over Notre Dame-W.H. (6-3), North Haven (3-6) over Amity (3-6); Hand (1-8) over Guilford (3-6) and Shelton over Derby.
The Jesuits all but qualify with a win. They will have a minimum of 1,060 points and will top Cheshire's max (1,070) by receiving two bonuses. Prep and the Rams both earn 10 points from a Hand win, so if it wins, then Prep will tie Cheshire's max.
Should Prep and Cheshire finish tied in points, the Rams own the head-to-head tiebreaker (a 10-0 win).
CHESHIRE (6-3)
Next: at Southington (9-0), Thanksgrabbing.
Bonuses (30): Prep (6-3) over West Haven (9-1), Hand over Guilford and Sheehan (5-4) over Lyman Hall (1-8).
A win gets Cheshire to 1,040 points. Its max is 1,070. It needs a win and a loss by Ridgefield, NFA or Prep.
HELP
GREENWICH (6-3)
Next: vs. Staples (5-4), Thanksgrabbing.
Bonuses (60): Ludlowe (0-9) over Warde (2-7), Westhill (3-6) over Stamford (3-6), Bridgeport Central (2-7) over Harding (6-3), Norwalk (3-6) over McMahon (0-9), Trinity Catholic (6-3) over Wilton (6-3) and Trumbull (6-3) over St. Joseph (8-1).
The Cardinals will have 950 points with a win and a chance to max out at 1,010
Greenwich cannot catch Ridgefield under any circumstance.
The Cardinals can best Shelton, NFA, Prep or Cheshire if either of those four lose and don’t earn enough bonuses.
NEED A MIRACLE
XAVIER (6-4)
Next: SEASON OVER.
Bonuses (50): North Haven (3-6) over Amity (3-6), Prep (6-3) over West Haven (9-0), Hand (1-8) over Guilford (3-6), NFA (7-2) over New London (8-0) and Wilbur Cross (5-4) over Hillhouse (8-1).
Two years ago, the Falcons were a longshot to qualify for states. They needed three of six teams to lose, most of which were favored based on their record. Xavier lucked out as five lost, went to states, and beat Shelton in overtime to win the LL title.
The Falcons are in almost the same position this season. They have a floor of 880 points with a chance to max out at 930. They cannot catch Shelton or Ridgefield under any circumstances. They can’t catch NFA, either, if it gets one bonus.
Xavier’s best shot, then, is for Prep, Cheshire, Greenwich AND Trumbull to all lose, and beat Glastonbury on bonuses.
GLASTONBURY (6-3)
Next: SEASON OVER.
Bonuses (20): Bulkeley/HMTCA/Weaver (0-9) over Public (2-7), and Simsbury (4-5) over Avon (1-8).
Glastonbury has qualified for states eight seasons in a row, starting with its 2008 Class LL championship.
The Tomahawks' streak is in jeopardy. They will finish with an average of 91.11-88.89 points depending on its bonuses (their average must be used instead of its point total because it didn't play 10 games). That B/H/W bonus, however, is not promising.
The Tomahawks cannot catch Shelton, Ridgefield or NFA under any circumstances.
Glastonbury needs Prep, Cheshire, Greenwich, AND Trumbull to all lose and beat Xavier on bonuses.
TRUMBULL (6-3).
Next: vs. St. Joseph (8-1), Thanksgrabbing.
Bonuses (40): Ludlowe (0-9) over Warde (2-7), Westhill (3-6) over Stamford (3-6), Central (2-7) over Harding (6-3) and Trinity (6-3) over Wilton (6-3).
The Eagles will finish between 870-930 with a win depending on its four bonuses. Problem is that Trinity looks like the only safe bet to win.
Trumbull cannot catch Shelton or Ridgefield under any circumstances. It might also struggle to catch NFA, too.
The Eagles best hope, then, is a win and losses by Prep, Cheshire, and Greenwich.
THE EIGHT: 1. West Haven (10-0) vs. No. 8 Greenwich (7-3), No. 2 Newtown (10-0) vs. No. 7 Cheshire (7-3), No. 3 Darien (9-1) vs. No. 6 Ridgefield (7-3), No. 4 Southington (9-1) vs. No. 5 Shelton (8-2).
CLASS L
IN
New Canaan (9-0), New London (9-0), Windsor (9-0) and Middletown (8-1).
New Canaan, New London, and Windsor have clinched home games.
Middletown will clinch a home quarterfinal with a win, too. It can even lose and still get one.
New Canaan will earn the top seed with a win over Darien.
New London will earn at least a top two seed with a win over NFA. It will be the top seed if it wins and New Canaan loses.
The Windsor at Midddletown game on Thanksgrabbing Eve has ginormous implications on the division even though both have unofficially qualified.
WIN-AND-IN
Platt (7-2)
Next: vs. Maloney (7-2), Thanksgrabbing.
Bonuses (40): Bristol Eastern (0-9) over Bristol Central (5-4), E.O. Smith (3-6) over Hartford Public (3-6), Public (2-7) over Bulkeley/HMTCA/Weaver (0-9) and South Windsor (5-4) over Rockville (3-6).
Platt is in good shape for a two-loss team that hasn’t qualified yet.
The Panthers can lose and still qualify because Masuk (Newtown) and Naugatuck (Ansonia) end their respective regular seasons against an unbeaten Top 10 team.
The Panthers might be able to lose and beat out Harding if it wins. Their floor with a loss is 960 points. Harding's is 960 with a win. Harding’s bonuses aren’t promising, though.
Wilton cannot catch Platt, either.
MASUK (7-2)
Next: at Newtown (9-0), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
Bonuses (30): Brookfield (3-6) over Bethel (1-8), Stratford (2-7) over Bunnell (7-2) and New Milford (5-4) over New Fairfield (7-2).
Masuk is in better shape than Maloney or Naugatuck if all three lose. Masuk’s floor is 960 with three bonuses, Maloney's is 940 with three bonuses and Naugatuck is way back with 880 points and 50 bonuses. Wilton cannot catch Masuk under any circumstances.
MALONEY (7-2)
Next: vs. Platt (7-2), Thanksgrabbing.
Bonuses (30): East Catholic (5-4) over Northwest Catholic (4-5), Farmington (2-7) over Plainville (0-9) and Public (2-7) over B/H/W (0-9).
The easiest way in for the Spartans, if they lose to Platt, will be if two of the three lose — Notre Dame-W.H., Naugatuck or Harding.
Maloney will have a slim chance to qualify if Harding and Naugy or ND win. Maloney's floor with a loss is 940. Harding's floor is 960 with a win. Maloney's bonuses are promising, Harding's aren’t. So if the Spartans receive all of their bonuses and Harding gets none, they get the berth.
Wilton will struggle to catch Maloney.
NOTRE DAME-W.H. (6-3)
Next: at Hamden (2-7), Thanksgrabbing.
Bonuses (30): North Haven (3-6) over Amity (3-6), Prep (6-3) over West Haven (9-0) and Cheshire (6-3) over Southington (9-0).
The Green Knights will pass the Platt-Maloney loser with a Green Bowl win. If they lose, then it will need Naugatuck, Harding and Wilton to all lose, and to beat Naugy on bonuses. The latter has five bonuses, and every team it needs to win has a losing record.
NAUGATUCK (7-2)
Next: at Ansonia (9-0), Thanksgrabbing.
Bonuses (50): Waterbury Career (4-5) over Gilbert/Northwestern (7-2), Sacred Heart/Kaynor Tech (5-4) over Wilby (0-9), Crosby (3-6) over Kennedy (4-5), Derby over Shelton, Woodland (1-8) over Seymour (7-2).
The Greyhounds haven’t beaten a winning team and were smashed by Seymour (48-12) and Wolcott (49-20). Ansonia whacked both.
Naugy, if it wins, can jet up to the sixth spot.
HELP
HARDING (6-3)
Next: vs. Bridgeport Central (2-7), Thanksgrabbing.
Bonuses (30): Bassick (4-5) over Bullard Havens (8-1), Danbury (2-7) over Ridgefield (7-2) and Platt Tech (3-6) over O’Brien Tech (4-3).
A win gets the Presidents to 960 points. It will struggle to reach their 990-point max as every team they need to win has a worse record than their opponent.
It doesn’t look like Harding can catch Platt if it loses.
Harding might be able to catch Masuk if it loses.
The Presidents have good odds to leapfrog Maloney if it loses.
Harding will pass ND or Naugy if either loses.
That’s a lot of “ifs.”
WILTON (6-3)
Next: vs. Trinity Catholic (6-3), Thanksgrabbing.
Bonuses (40): Stamford (3-6) over Westhill (3-6), Guilford (3-6) over Hand (1-8), Danbury (2-7) over Ridgefield (7-2), and McMahon (0-9) over Norwalk (3-6).
A win gets it to 920. Its max is 960. It cannot catch Platt or Masuk under any circumstances. The Warriors can catch Maloney, but it's hard to envision them collecting more than two bonuses.
THE EIGHT: No. 1 New Canaan (10-0) vs. No. 8 Maloney (7-3), No. 2 New London (10-0) vs. No. 7 Masuk (7-3), No. 3 Windsor (10-0) vs. No. 6 Notre Dame-West Haven (7-3), No. 4 Middletown (8-2) vs. No. 5 Platt (8-2).
CLASS M
IN
St. Joseph (8-1), Valley Regional/Old Lyme (8-1), Killingly (8-1), Hillhouse (8-1), Bunnell (8-1), Wolcott (8-1) and Berlin (8-2).
St. Joseph, Valley/Lyme, Killingly and Hillhouse will all earn home quarterfinals with a win.
Valley/Lyme hosts Haddam-Killingworth (4-5) on Thankgrabbing Eve Eve.
Bunnell plays Stratford (2-7) on Thanksgrabbing Eve.
St. Joseph plays at Trumbull (6-3) on Thanksgrabbing. It will clinch the top seed with a win.
Killingly plays at Quinebaug Valley (2-7) on Thanksgrabbing.
Hillhouse plays Wilbur Cross (5-4) on Thanksgrabbing in the Elm City Bowl.
Wolcott plays at Holy Cross (3-6) on Thanksgrabbing.
Berlin has finished its regular season. It can be seeded anywhere between third and eighth, depending on the other teams and bonuses.
WIN-AND-IN
NEW FAIRFIELD (7-2)
Next: vs. New Milford (5-4), Thanksgrabbing.
Bonus (10): Masuk (7-2) over Newtown (9-0).
The Rebels most likely have to win to qualify. A loss gives it a floor of 1,000, and it’s unlikely to get that bonus. That will give Foran and Gilbert/Northwestern Regional a chance to beat them out for a berth if either wins, and Foran is the favorite in its game (Law).
HUGE NEW MILFORD FANS
WATERFORD (6-3)
Next: vs. East Lyme (1-8), Thanksgrabbing.
Bonuses (20): Fitch (3-6) over Ledyard (3-6), and Stonington (5-4) over Westerly (5-5).
The Lancers are in trouble. A win will give them between 1,020-1,000 points, depending on their two bonuses.
Gilbert/Northwestern’s floor is 1,000 with a win and can max out at 1,040.
Foran’s floor with a win is 1,000 and can earn three bonuses.
Waterford’s best chance is a G/N loss (in addition to New Fairfield), because Foran will struggle to get more than one bonus.
GILBERT/NORTHWESTERN (7-2)
Next: vs. Waterbury Career (5-4), Thanksgrabbing.
Bonuses (40): Canton over Granby (1-8), Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby (1-7) over Stafford/East Windsor/Somers (7-1), Coginchaug (1-8) over North Branford (5-4) and H-K (4-5) over Valley/Lyme (8-1).
The only game that baffles us more than NFA-New London is G/N vs. Waterbury. G/N hasn’t beaten a winning team and played a weak schedule. Career has beaten just one winning team.
A win gets G/N to 1,040-1,000 depending on bonuses.
FORAN (6-3)
Next: vs. Law (4-5), Thanksgrabbing.
Bonuses (30): Hamden (2-7) over Notre Dame-W.H. (6-3), Amity (3-6) over North Haven (3-6) and Sheehan (5-4) over Lyman (1-8).
It will have 1,000 points with a win over Law. That matches New Fairfield’s floor with a loss to New Milford. New Fairfield has one bonus (Masuk over Newtown). Foran has three bonuses, but only Sheehan looks like a winner.
THE EIGHT: No. 1 Valley Regional/Old Lyme (9-1) vs. No. 8 Berlin (8-2), No. 2 Hillhouse (9-1) vs. No. 7 St. Joseph (8-2) (EGAD), No. 3 Killingly (9-1) vs. No. 7 New Fairfield (8-2), No. 4. Wolcott (8-2) vs. No. 5 Bunnell (8-2).
CLASS S
IN
Capital Prep/Achievement First (9-0), Ansonia (9-0), Bloomfield (10-0) and Cromwell/Portland (9-0).
Cap/Ac, Ansonia and Bloomfield have unofficially clinched home quarterfinals.
Cap/Ac and Bloomfield have finished their regular seasons.
Crom/Port will earn a home quarterfinal with a home win against Rocky Hill (8-1) on Thanksgrabbing in one of the week's most important games.
Ansonia hosts Naugatuck (7-2) on Thanksgrabbing.
Cap/Ac has already clinched one of the top two seeds. It has a 161.11 average (it played nine games) and will max out at 166.67 if it received all five of its bonuses.
Ansonia will clinch a top two seed with a win. It will max out with a 165-point average if it beats Naugatuck and earns all five bonuses. Cap/Ac has better bonuses than the Chargers on paper, though.
WIN-AND-IN
BULLARD HAVENS (8-1)
Next: at Bassick (4-5), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
Bonuses (30): Quinebaug (2-7) over Killingly (8-1), Harding (6-3) over Bridgeport Central (2-7) and Wilcox Tech (0-8) over V/EH/GT (1-8).
Good to see that Bridgeport has a big football game Wednesday night.
STAFFORD/EAST WINDSOR/SOMERS (8-1)
Next: vs. Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby (1-7), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
Bonuses (70): C/WT/B (5-4) over Ellington (6-3), G/N (7-2) over Waterbury Career (4-5), Granby (1-8) over Canton (0-8), Coginchaug (1-8) over North Branford (5-4), H-K (4-5) over VR/OL (8-1), Nonnewaug (1-7) over Lewis Mills (3-6), Old Saybrook/Westbrook (7-1) over Morgan (6-3).
S/EW/S should be very optimistic about its chances to make states.
SEYMOUR (7-2)
Next: at Woodland (1-8), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
Bonuses (50): SH/KT (5-4) over Wilby (0-9), Naugatuck (7-2) over Ansonia (9-0), Torrington (4-5) over Watertown (3-6), Kennedy (4-5) over Crosby (3-6), and Derby (2-7) over Shelton (7-2).
Ditto.
ROCKY HILL (8-1)
Next: at Cromwell/Portland (9-0), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
Bonuses (50): Plainville (0-9) over Farmington (2-7), RHAM (2-7) over Bacon (2-7), Tolland (5-4) over E.O. Smith (3-6), Avon (1-8) over Simsbury (4-5) and Rockville (3-6) over South Windsor (5-4).
The Terriers almost have to win Wednesday as they’re likely staked if they lose.
HELP
OLD SAYBROOK/WESTBROOK (7-2)
Next: at Morgan (6-3), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
Bonuses (60): C/WT/B (5-4) over Ellington (6-3), G/N (7-2) over Waterbury Career (5-4), WL/S/EG (1-7) over S/EW/S (7-1), Coginchaug (1-8) over North Branford (5-4), H-K (4-5) over VR/OL (8-1) and Nonnewaug (1-7) over Lewis Mills (3-6).
The Rams must win and have one of the teams ahead of them lose in order to qualify.
OXFORD (7-2)
Next: vs. St. Paul (6-3), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
Bonuses (50): Wolcott (7-2) over Holy Cross (3-6), Watertown (3-6) over Torrington (4-5), Crosby (3-6) over Kennedy (4-5), Derby (2-7) over Shelton (7-2), Woodland (1-8) over Seymour (7-2).
See Old Saybrook/Westbrook.
TRINITY CATHOLIC (6-3)
Next: at Wilton (6-3), Thanksgrabbing.
Bonuses (40): Ludlowe (9-0) over Warde (2-7), Central (2-7) over Harding (6-3), Ridgefield (7-2) over Danbury (2-7) and Norwalk (3-6) over McMahon (0-9).
The Crusaders must win and earn all of their bonuses to max out at 1,190 points. TC will also need three of the six to lose — Bullard Havens, S/EW/S, Seymour, Rocky Hill, Old/West, and/or Oxford — and, if Seymour, Bullard Havens or Rocky Hill lose, hope that they don’t each collect enough bonuses. That’s a lot to expect.
NEED MORE THAN A MIRACLE
WINDHAM (7-2)
Windham must beat Montville (2-7) on Thanksgrabbing Eve and earn all three of its bonuses just to get to 1,140.
Windham cannot catch Seymour, Bullard Havens or Rocky Hill. It might not be able to catch S/EW/S even if it is upset on Thanksgrabbing Eve. It cannot catch Oxford if it wins.
It’s painful for any team that doesn’t make states, but it’ll be more so for Windham because its two losses each came in the final 26 seconds.
Waterford scored the go-ahead touchdown with 26 seconds left to beat the Whippets, 27-20, to open the regular season.
Windham led Killingly by 12 points with four minutes left in their Oct. 23 game. Killingly rallied and scored the go-ahead touchdown on the final play to win, 14-12.
Ouch.
THE EIGHT: No. 1 Capital Prep/Achievement First (9-0) vs. No. 8 Seymour (8-2), No. 2 Ansonia (10-0) vs. No. 7 Stafford/East Windsor/Somers (9-1), No. 3 Bloomfield (10-0) vs. No. 6 Cromwell/Portland (9-1), No. 4 Rocky Hill (9-1) vs. No. 5 Bullard Havens (9-1).
• • • •
One of the few things state high school football doesn’t do as well as other sports is allow for non-conference games. Crossovers add a little juice to the schedule instead of the same-old, same-old regional games.
Praise Athena, then, that the Southern Connecticut Conference, the South-West Conference, and a few Eastern Connecticut Conference teams have banded together for a two-year partnership starting next season.
Scheduling issues within the three leagues led to the partnership (read: smaller schools are balking about playing the larger ones). The matchups in this series were based on class size, enrollment, and the program’s recent success. The 2018 schedule will be determined later.
Most of the next year’s games will be played in Week 2 (Sept. 15-16) and Week 6 (Oct. 20-21) next season. There will also be games during Week 4 (Oct. 5-6) and Week 11 (Nov. 16-17).
Another positive of the partnership is that Newtown and NFA will both play more fellow LL schools. NFA is the only LL team in the ECC and, up until this year, had played just one non-league LL opponent from 2011-2015. It didn’t play any when it finished 10-0 and earned the No. 2 seed in the LL playoffs.
The Wildcats were able to schedule four LL teams this season (Darien, Staples, Stamford and Xavier) because the ECC guaranteed it only six games, and they said they’re better for it
New Milford is the only other LL program in the SWC.
It’s only right that Newtown and NFA play more LL teams. The Central Connecticut Conference is broken up into enrollment-based divisions, so a team such as Southington has played eight games against LL schools (it also annually plays fellow large school Cheshire on Thanksgrabbing Day).
The majority of teams in the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference are LL. Every Class LL plays in the SCC’s Tier 1 with the exception of Amity Hamden, and Wilbur Cross.
There are 39 teams participating, so there weren’t enough non-conference opponents for some of the SCC schools.
Hopefully the ECC’s non-Division I schools will take part in 2018. Granted, the ECC has turned itself into a loose confederation of schools instead of a real league, but getting involved would allow the partnership to have more match-ups. It would also benefit those teams should they make states to have played another team of their caliber.
Here, then, is the next season’s beautiful schedule born from a beautiful interconference friendship:
Week 2
Sept. 15-16
Amity at Fairfield Prep; Barlow at Bassick; Bethel at Law; Branford at New Fairfield; Cheshire at Norwich Free Academy; East Haven at Bunnell; Foran at Brookfield; Hamden at Pomperaug; Hand at Shelton; Hillhouse at New Milford; Ledyard at Creed/Career/Whitney Tech; New London at Masuk; Newtown at Xavier; North Haven at Harding; Notre Dame-Ffld. at Lyman Hall; Notre Dame-W.H. at Fitch; Stratford at East Lyme; West Haven at Wilbur Cross; Weston at Sheehan.
Week 4
Ledyard at Notre Dame- Ffld.
Week 6
Bassick at Ledyard; Brookfield at Guilford; Bunnell at Hand; Creed/Career/Whitney Tech at Weston; East Lyme at Barlow; Fairfield Prep at New London; Fitch at Branford; Harding at Stratford; Law at East Haven; Lyman Hall at Bethel; Masuk at Amity; New Fairfield at Hillhouse; New Milford at Hamden; Pomperaug at North Haven; Sheehan at Foran; Shelton at Newtown; Wilbur Cross at Cheshire; Xavier at Notre Dame-W.H.
Week 11
Guilford at East Lyme.
• • • •
BEHOLD, The Day Top 10 state coaches' poll: 1. Darien (11 first-place votes); 2. New Canaan (one first-place vote); 3. West Haven; 4. Southington (one first-place vote); 5. Windsor; 6. Newtown; 7. Ansonia; 8. Shelton; 9. Bloomfield; and, 10. New London.
• • • •
The New Haven Register/GameTimeCT.com Monolith Top 10 media poll: 1. Darien (23 first-place votes); 2. New Canaan (four first-place votes); 3. West Haven; 4. Southington; 5. Windsor; 6. Newtown; 7. Bloomfield; 8. Ansonia; 9. Shelton; and, 10. New London.
• • • •
Ned Freeman’s cold, calculating computer rankings for CalPreps and MaxPreps: 1. West Haven; 2. New Canaan; 3. Darien; 4. Shelton; 5. Newtown; 6. Notre Dame-W.H.; 7. Xavier; 8. Ridgefield; 9. New London; and, 10. Cheshire.
Ansonia, Windsor and Southington are 12th-14th, respectively, and Bloomfield is 22nd.
The computer ranks Xavier’s schedule as the toughest, which is why it’s ranked seventh despite four losses. It beat Fairfield Prep (31-7), NFA (36-0) and St. John’s of Shrewsbury, Mass. (13-15). Its losses were to West Haven (27-18), Shelton (38-35), Cheshire (26-24), and Notre Dame-W.H. (20-0).
Hand (1-8) has had the toughest schedule based on its opponent’s combined record (55-27, .671).
• • • •
Dig the ballot Polecat HQ filed for the New Haven Register/GameTimeCT media poll:
1. Darien
2. New Canaan
3. West Haven
4. Southington
5. Shelton
6. Windsor
7. Newtown
8. Notre Dame-W.H.
9. Ridgefield
10. Greenwich
11. Bloomfield
12. Ansonia
13. St. Joseph
14. New London
15. Cheshire
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NOTABLES~!
Brett Huber caught 19 catches for 211 yards and four touchdowns and ran nine times for 32 yards and two touchdowns to pace Foran to its 47-30 win over Creed/Career/Whitney Tech last Thursday. Huber set a state-record for career receptions (204), besting Blake Jensen of Stonington (188). He also has 102 catches this season, tying the state record set by Peter Demmerle of New Canaan in 1970. Lance DiNatale completed 34 of 46 passes for 467 yards and four touchdowns for Foran and Jared Hubler added eight catches for 185 yards.
Isaac Tomblin ran 22 times for 105 yards and two touchdowns as East Lyme beat Law last Thursday, 28-14, for its first win of the season. The Vikings ran a manly 58 times for 245 yards and three scores. ... Jordan Cruz caught a 19-yard touchdown and two interceptions as Windham thrashed Woodstock Academy last Thursday, 46-0. .... Will Levis completed 25 of 43 passes for 257 yards and five touchdowns as Xavier blanked Wilbur Cross on Thursday, 42-0. Parker Rowley had 10 catches for 131 yards and two touchdowns for the Falcons.
Kristian Sapp ran 12 times for 202 yards and three touchdowns as Cromwell/Portland smeared North Branford last Thursday, 63-6. Bryce Karstetter completed 5 of 7 passes for 213 yards and three touchdowns for the Panthers and Dianta Highsmith had three catches for 158 yards and two scores. Jon Siena also ran three times for 87 yards and a score and caught a 50-yard touchdown.
Mcclay Marshall had 21 carries for 128 yards and two touchdowns and Dom Manna ran 16 times for 122 yards and a score as East Haven beat McMahon last Thursday, 29-10. ... Melquann Gomez completed 13 of 22 passes for 233 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another as No. 10 New London routed Waterford on Friday, 34-6. Jacob Commander ran for 158 yards for the Whalers. ... Zach Mauro ran for two touchdowns and threw for another as Nonnewaug downed Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby on Friday, 26-6.
Dexter Lawson Jr. completed 11 of 14 passes for 241 yards with three touchdowns and an interception and ran six times for 90 yards and two scores as Bloomfield thumped Enfield on Friday, 51-19. Thomas Norman had 10 carries for 171 yards and a touchdown for the WARHAWKS and Robert Thompson-Bishop added seven catches for 186 yards and three touchdowns.
Jordan O’Brien ran for 17 times for 122 yards and three touchdowns as Abbott Tech/Immaculate beat Cheney Tech on Friday, 41-21. Donte Williams ran 19 times for 89 yards and a score for AT/I, which ran a manly 58 times for 305 yards and five touchdowns. ... Jack Hamel ran for a game-winning 4-yard touchdown to lead Berlin edged New Britain on Friday, 28-25. Hamel ran 18 times for 127 yards and two touchdowns, completed 5 of 14 passes or 67 yards and a score, and ran for a conversion for the Redcoats.
Conard held Hall to 149 yards and ruined its chances at going to the Class LL playoffs with a 24-18 win last Saturday. Declan Flaherty ran for 80 yards and two touchdowns for Conard (6-4). ... Manny Sanchez ran 24 times for 243 yards and five touchdowns as CREC hammered Canton on Saturday, 50-14.
Khyon Gillespie ran 17 times for 179 yards and a touchdown and three catches for 113 yards and a score as Capital Prep/Achievement First beat Prince Tech on Saturday, 44-30. Kyle Zajack completed 13 of 20 passes for 298 yards with three touchdowns and an interception for the Trailblazers and O’Neill Robinson had eight catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns and 11 tackles. Esau Greene added 22 tackles. Luis Valentin had 12 carries for 130 yards and two touchdowns and caught two passes for 27 yards and a touchdown for the Falcons (6-4). Also, Trondell Thomas had 10 carries for 81 yards and two touchdowns and J'quan A. Hall had 20 carries for 123 yards.
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Thanks for reading. More soon. We promise.
Vaya con dios....
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