Howdy,

PREVIOUSLY, ON BRACKETOLOGY:

• A mere two teams had qualified for the CIAC playoffs.

• Killingly needed another win to clinch a Class M berth (it won — AND HOW).

• We picked Southington to beat South Windsor on Saturday (oops).

And now, semana dos de BRACKETOLOGY....

Eighteen 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.

Said 18 are:

CLASS LL: No. 1 Naugatuck (9-0), No. 2 Darien (9-0), No. 3 Shelton (8-1), No. 5 West Haven (8-1) and No. 6 South Windsor (8-1).

CLASS L: No. 1 Masuk (9-0), No. 2 Windsor (8-0), No. 3 Hand (8-1) and No. 5 Middletown (9-0).

CLASS M: No. 1 Killingly (8-0), No. 2 Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton/Lyman Memorial (9-0), No. 3 Berlin (8-1), No. 4 Sheehan (8-1), No. 5 Watertown (7-2) and No. 6 SMSA/University/Classical (7-2).

CLASS S: No. 1 St. Joseph (8-1), No. 2 Rocky Hill (9-0) and No. 3 Ansonia (9-0).

There are 14 berths still to be claimed — five in Class S, four in L, three in Class LL, and mere two in Class M.

Now, onto BRACKETOLOGY.

GROUND RULES

1. We’re going to be wrong about a bunch of these predictions and it’s cool. Surprises are generally FUN!

2. 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, then use it as motivation and to win said state title. That written, you dang well better give us an invitation and free meal at your year-end banquet for providing you with the proper motivation needed for you to succeed.

3. YOU are encouraged to follow the ROBOABACUS, the magnificent creation of Matt Fischer, the CIAC’s Kaywinnet Lee Frye (albeit nowhere near as charming or comely). It updates the playoff races in real time unlike, you know, fake time.

4. This is an exhibition, not a competition. Please, no wagering.

Remember, kids — the top eight teams in each division qualify, and a bonus are the 10 points a team receives for every win by an opponent it defeated.

The quarterfinals (Tuesday, Nov. 28) and semifinals (Sunday, Dec. 3) will be played at the higher seed. The finals will be played Saturday, Dec. 9 at sites to be determined (likely West Haven High and Willow Brook Park in New Britain, if past history is a bellweather — yeah, we know fancy words. We're not as look as we dumb).

Thanks to Sean Patrick Star of the GameTimeCT/Hearst Monolith for helping out with some of the maths, an Achilles heel of ours. After all, he went to Syracuse, we went to mosh pits.

Once again, into the breach:

CLASS LL

Five teams are alive for the final three berths.

IN: No. 1 Naugatuck (9-0), No. 2 Darien (9-0), No. 3 Shelton (8-1), No. 5 West Haven (8-1) and No. 6 South Windsor (8-1).

Naugy and Darien will earn home quarterfinals if they win out.

Naugy plays at Ansonia (9-0) on Thanksgrabbing. Eep.

The Blue Wave host New Canaan (7-2) on Thanksgrabbing. The Rams ought to be dripping venom by game day because they may not make states if they lose, and because they’ve lost the last five regular-season meetings to their neighbors. Eep.

IF Naugy, Darien and Greenwich all finish unbeaten, then Shelton has the edge over West Haven for a home quarterfinal. The Westies would need bonus points to go in their favor, though.

The ROBOABACUS is not perfect, thus it didn’t pick up on the fact that South Windsor qualified after its wacky 30-27 overtime win over Southington. It pays attention to a team’s maximum and minimum points and not who they played. Thus it didn’t pick up on this — South Windsor’s minimum with a loss may be the same as Southington’s maximum if it won (1,150), HOWEVER, South Windsor would earn 10 points for Southington’s win and have 1,160 points.

Thus the Bobcats have made states for just the second time in school history (they played for the 1988 MM title).

(We see you, Bobcats. We see you.)

ONE MORE WIN: No. 4 Greenwich (8-0) and No. 7 East Hartford (8-1).

Greenwich gets two cracks at qualifying. It closes out its regular season on the road at Xavier (4-5) this Thursday and Staples (6-3) on Thanksgrabbing.

East Hartford plays at Manchester (3-6) on Thanksgrabbing Eve. It can still qualify with a loss if Fairfield Prep loses to West Haven.

WIN AND COUNT THE BONUSES: No. 8 Southington (7-2), No. 9 Fairfield Prep (7-2) and No. 10 Cheshire (6-3).

Okay, so Southington plays at Cheshire on Thanksgrabbing.

Southington will have a minimum of 1,100 points with a win. It maxes out at 1,150 if it gets all five bonuses.

Cheshire will have a minimum of 1,050 points with a win. It maxes out at 1,100 with five bonuses.

MEANWHILE, over in Fairfield, the Jesuits will host West Haven. Their minimum with a win is 1,100. Their max is 1,160 with five bonuses.

Cheshire needs a win and a Prep loss to qualify because its max and the latter’s minimum are the same (1,100), and they share a bonus (Harding over Bridgeport Central). Thus if Harding wins, Prep has 1,120 points and the Rams go bye-bye.

Prep vs. Southington will be dicey. The Jesuits have slight 1,160-1,150 edge in maximum points and both have five bonuses.

After all that jabbering, the easiest explanation is that Cheshire and Southington both need to lose and hope Prep falls, and Prep needs to win and collect bonuses.

THE EIGHT: No. 1 Darien (10-0) vs. No. 8 Southington (8-2) (AGAIN); No. 2 Shelton (9-1) vs. No. 7 East Hartford (9-1); No. 3 Greenwich (10-0) vs. No. 6 South Windsor (9-1); No. 4 West Haven (9-1) vs. No. 5 Naugatuck (9-1).

We so, so want a Shelton-Naugy playoff game. HOT INTERLEAGUE VALLEY-ON-VALLEY ACTION.

• • • •

CLASS L

Eight teams fighting over four seeds.

IN: No. 1 Masuk (10-0), No. 2 Windsor (10-0), No. 3 Hand (9-1) and No. 5 Middletown (9-1).

These teams are playing for a top four seed.

Masuk hosts Newtown (6-3) on Thanksgrabbing Eve.

Windsor has two games left and at home. It hostso Norwich Free Academy (5-3) on Thursday and Middletown (!) on Thanksgrabbing Eve (BIGGEST GAME OF THE NIGHT).

Hand plays at Guilford (4-4). The Tigers have a 38-5-1 edge over their Guilford neighbors.

ONE MORE WIN: No. 4 Fitch (8-0), No. 6 Maloney (8-1), No. 7 North Haven (7-2) and No. 8 New Canaan (7-2).

Fitch has two chances to qualify. It hosts Windham (2-6) on Thursday and plays at Ledyard (2-7) on Thanksgrabbing. The Falcons will most likely get a home quarterfinal if they win out.

Maloney plays city rival Platt (4-5) on Thanksgrabbing.

North Haven plays at Amity (3-6) on Thanskgrabbing.

New Canaan, as mentioned earlier, plays Darien.

What if Fitch, Maloney, North Haven and New Canaan lose? More on that in a moment.

RUBBING THE ROSARY: No. 9 Bunnell (7-2).

Bunnell plays at town rival Stratford (4-5) on Thanksgrabbing.

Okay. Here we go — Maloney is a near lock to clinch win or lose. Its minimum is 1,100 with five bonuses that would take it to 1,150.

Bunnell’s maximum with a win is 1,110.

All Maloney needs is one of its five bonuses, or for the Bulldogs to lose one of their three bonuses, to qualify.

Fitch can lose both games and still have a shot at making it. It will have a 1,070 minimum with six bonuses.

Bunnell is the only team outside the top eight that can catch the Falcons. It will have a minimum of 1,080 with three bonuses.

North Haven will be cooked if it loses, and Bunnell and New Canaan both win.

New Canaan will almost be toast if it and North Haven lose and Bunnell wins. It can’t catch Bunnell, and it will need a lot of bonuses to catch the Indians.

THIN ICE: No. 10 Hillhouse (6-3).

The Acs play longtime Elm City foe Wilbur Cross (6-3) on Thanksgrabbing.

Hillhouse cannot catch the top seven teams and will need Bunnell and New Canaan to both lose. That guarantees nothing, though.

The Acs will have a 940 minimum with a win. Bunnell and New Canaan will both have a 940 minimum if they lose.

Hillhouse can max out at 980 with four bonuses.

New Canaan can max out at 1,010 with seven bonuses.

Bunnell can max out at 970 with three bonuses.

NOPE: No. 11 E.O. Smith (6-3) and No. 12 East Lyme (5-3).

E.O. will be favored to beat Tolland (4-5) next Tuesday. It will need all five bonuses to max out at 940, which, as you remember, is the minimum for both Bunnell and New Canaan if they lose. Bunnell or New Canaan will need just one bonus, or E.O. to lose one of its five, to clinch a berth.

East Lyme has slightly better odds. Slightly. Wins over Guilford (Thursday) and winless Waterford (Thanksgrabbing) get it to 890 points. It maxes out at 970 with all eight bonuses.

The Vikings' maximum is just 30 more points than Bunnell and New Canaan’s minimum with a loss, so they’d need a lot of luck.

THE EIGHT: No. 1 Windsor (10-0) vs. No. 8 Bunnell (8-2); No. 2 Masuk (10-0) vs. No. 7 North Haven (8-2); No. 3 Hand (9-1) vs. No. 6 Middletown (9-1); No. 4 Fitch (10-0) vs. No. 5 Maloney (9-1).

• • • •

CLASS M

Eight teams for two spots. This division is so easy-peasy.

IN: No. 1 Killingly (8-0), No. 2 Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton/Lyman Memorial (9-0), No. 3 Berlin (8-1), No. 4 Sheehan (8-1), No. 5 Watertown (7-2) and No. 6 SMSA/University/Classical.

Killingly and the C/WT/B/LM MIGHTY PATRIOT BULLDOGS have clinched home games. Killingly has a better chance at earning the top seed. It hosts Capital Prep (4-2) on Thursday and plays at Woodstock Academy (4-5) on Thanksgrabbing.

C/WT/B/LM finishes the regular season at home Saturday night against SMSA/U/C.

Berlin and Sheehan will earn home quarterfinals if they win their last games. Berlin plays at New Britain (4-5) on Friday. Sheehan hosts crosstown rival Lyman Hall (5-4) on Thanksgrabbing.

It's 1985 all over again at Watertown because it qualified for states for the first time since winning Class SS that year. It hosts Torrington (2-7) on Thanksgrabbing. There's almost no way it or SMSA/U/C can catch Berlin or Sheehan for a top four seed.

ONE MORE WIN: No. 7 Barlow (6-3) and No. 8 Weston (6-3).

It just so happens that these two meet at Weston on Thankgrabbing. How convenient.

All playoff possibilities should be so cake to decipher.

BRAWL: No. 9 Wolcott (5-4), No. 10 Law (5-4), No. 11 Bacon Academy (5-4), No. 12 Lyman Hall and No. 13 Thames River (4-4).

Yep. A four-loss team is going to make states which, as far as we can tell, has never happened. Closest we could find is when New Canaan finished the 2001 regular season 6-3-1, made the Class M playoffs, and bowled through both Waterford and Seymour for the title.

Wolcott is in control IF it beats Holy Cross (5-4) on Thanksgrabbing. Its minimum will be 860 with three bonuses.

Law is the only team that can catch Wolcott, but it will have to beat Foran (4-5) on Thanksgiving and earn all six of its bonuses to max out at 860 points. That’s Wolcott’s minimum.

What if Wolcott flubs the dub?

Oh, dear, sweet Tiamet.

Bacon Academy hosts RHAM (4-5) in the battle for THE RAIL on Thanksgrabbing. A win and eight bonuses get it to 830.

Lyman Hall plays at Sheehan. Not good. It maxes out at 810 with just one measly bonus.

Thames River plays at Stonington (2-6) on Thursday. It finishes against Quinebaug Valley (4-5) on Thanksgrabbing. Two wins and three bonuses gets it to 810 points.

NOPE: No. 14 Stratford (4-5).

The Red Devils' maximum with a win is (780). Barlow will have a 790 minimum with a loss, Weston 780.

THE EIGHT: No. 1 Killingly (10-0) vs. No. 8 Wolcott (6-4); No. 2 C/WT/B/LM (10-0) vs. No. 7 SMSA/U/C (7-3) (THE REMATCHENING); No. 3 Berlin (9-1) vs. No. 6 Barlow (7-3); No. 4 Sheehan (9-1) vs. No. 5 Watertown (8-2).

• • • •

CLASS S

THIRTEEN teams for five spots.

IN: No. 1 St. Joseph (8-1), No. 2 Rocky Hill (9-0) and No. 3 Ansonia (9-0).

All three have clinched home quarterfinals.

NEXT.

ONE MORE WIN: No. 4 Bullard-Havens (8-1), No. 6 Stafford/East Windsor/Somers (8-1), No. 7 Valley Regional/Old Lyme (8-1) and No. 8 Cromwell/Portland (8-1).

B-H hosts No. 5 Prince Tech (7-1) on Saturday.

S/EW/S plays at Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby (4-5) on Thanksgrabbing Eve.

The WARRIORCATS head to No. 17 Haddam-Killingworth (6-3) on Friday. H-K, which threw the division into chaos last weekend. More on that later.

Cromwell/Portland plays at Rocky Hill. Hoo-boy.

No, we’re not going to break down what happens if these teams lose. It’s too time-consuming and nutso. Maybe next week. Maybe.

ALL HOPE ABANDON, YE WHO ENTER HERE: No. 5 Prince Tech (7-1), No. 9 O’Brien Tech (7-2), No. 10 Old Saybrook/Westbrook (7-2), No. 11 Seymour (6-2), No. 12 Bloomfield (7-2), No. 13 Capital Prep/Achievement First (4-2) and No. 14 Plainfield (6-2).

This may be the thing that, after several years, will put us in the hospital with broken brains.

(Takes eight deep, cleansing breaths).

Alright, this pack here is a dang gallimaufry (LOOK IT UP). Prince Tech, Seymour, Cap/Ac and Plainfield all have two games left. That creates so many different scenarios as compared to, say, teams with a game left.

Cap/Ac also plays just eight games that count towards its schedule, so we have have to remember to divide its total by eight, not 10 like everyone else.

We’re going to try to keep this as simple as possible (HAH).

Prince has to deal with both Bullard-Havens and Cap/Ac over four days. B-H has been the class of the Connecticut Technical Conference this season and averaged a state-high 54.8 points. It has held five teams in single digits. Its lone loss was non-conference to Cap/Ac last weekend (27-6). It also thumped O’Brien Tech (36-12, Oct. 28), which beat Prince Tech (18-12, Nov. 4).

Cap/Ac has battered Prince the last seven years when they both played in the Constitution State Conference. The struggles all the tech schools had competing against the Hartford school led to them telling it, “see ya’!” and abandoning it, Bassick and Harding to form an all-tech school league.

So, yeah, we’re not optimistic about Prince’s chances.

O’Brien hosts Platt Tech (3-6) on Saturday. The Condors' minimum with a win is 1,070. They max out at 1,210 with four bonuses, but two of those bonuses are Prince wins, so that doesn’t help them.

OS/W looked like it was going to earn a share of the Pequot Sassacus title with Crom/Port and the WARRIORCATS and make the Class S tournament. Its 14-7 loss to H-K last Friday screwed it all up. The Rams host Morgan on Thanksgrabbinb and, because the Huskies are winless, they’ll earn the bare minimum of 100 points for the win. They’ll have 990 with a win, and could max out at 1,120 with three bonuses.

Seymour’s chances look good because of its schedule and ability to max out at 1,190 points, better than anyone else in this group except for Prince Tech and Cap/Ac. It will have a minimum of 1,140 points if it wins home games against Derby (3-5) on Thursday and Woodland (5-4) on Thanksgrabbing Eve. The problem is that it will need a bunch of underdogs to win in order to collect all five bonuses.

Bloomfield hosts Glastonbury (3-6) on Thanksgrabbing Eve Eve. Glastonbury is a LL school, thus if the WARHAWKS beat them, they’ll earn 130 points, not 100, for beating a team three divisions higher than them. Add in Glastonbury’s three wins and that would give Bloomfield 160 points and a 960 minimum. It will max out at 1,170 with five bonuses, but, like Seymour’s, they don’t look promising.

Cap/Ac needs to win at unbeaten Killingly this Thursday. That’s a tall order. It must also beat Prince. It will have a 123.75 minimum, and a 128.75 max with four bonuses. It plays Prince on Thanksgrabbing.

FINALLY, there’s Plainfield. It should win at winless Waterford on Thursday and visits Griswold (6-3) on Thanksgrabbing. The Panthers will have a minimum of 1,120. They have seven bonuses that can max them at 1,190, but they will be lucky to get more than four of them.

NOPE: No. 16 Griswold (6-3) and No. 17 Haddam-Killingworth (6-3).

Griswold maxes out at 1,070 with all eight bonuses.

H-K maxes out at 1,030 with all eight bonuses.

Neither can catch B-H, S/EW/S, Cromwell/Portland or the WARRIORCATS win-or-lose.

Only reason they're mathematically alive is because they can pass Prince Tech if it loses its final two games. Course they’d also need O’Brien, OS/W, Seymour, Bloomfield, Cap/Ac and Plainfield to all fall apart, too.

THE EIGHT: No 1. Ansonia (10-0) vs. No. 8 Seymour (8-2) (THE REMATCHENING); No. 2 St. Joseph (9-1) vs. No. 7 O’Brien Tech (9-1); No. 3 Rocky Hill (10-0) vs. No. 6 Valley Regional/Old Lyme (9-1); No. 4 Bullard-Havens (9-1) vs. No. 5 Stafford/East Windsor/Somers (9-1).

• • • •

South Windsor enjoyed one of its best wins in a long, long time when it edged Southington in overtime, 30-27.

The Blue Knights, on the other hand, were seething.

Southington got the ball first in overtime and Ryan Montalvo caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from Will Barmore. The touchdown was waved as a Blue Knights receiver on the other side of the field in the end zone was flagged for a personal foul before the touchdown.

The ball was moved back to the 15-yard line. South Windsor’s Michael DaCosta picked off Barmore on the next play.

Cameron Plourde kicked a game-winning 22-yard field goal for South Windsor (8-1). It had lost its previous four games to Southington by a combined score of 171-0.

“Top (win), it really is,” Bobcats head coach Dave Hodge told Bryant Carpenter of the Meriden Record-Journal. “Against a program like Southington, with their history, and a lot of people still not believing we had what it took to beat Southington.”

Blue Knights head coach Mike Drury told Sean Begin of the Hartford Courant, “You're just upset because you don't want to lose games like this. But (South Windsor) battled."

The Bobcats trailed 21-7 at halftime and 27-14 late in the third quarter.

Connor Kapisak completed 13 of 25 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns for South Windsor. Colin Ryan had five catches for 175 yards and two touchdowns, and Julian Ibes ran 28 times for 101 yards.

Montalvo ran 19 times for 151 yards and two touchdowns for Southington and Barmore was 14 of 22 for 124 yards with an interception and ran eight times for 36 yards and a score.

South Windsor mowed down fellow heavyweight East Hartford on opening night (41-14, Sept. 8), thus it's the Central Connecticut Conference Division I Universal champion.

• • • •

So Wolcott raised a few eyebrows Friday night when it grabbed Torrington by the leg and repeatedly smashed it into the ground in an 88-22 win.

Yep. 88 points.

“I have watched (the film),” first-year Wolcott head coach Matt Hove told Mark Jaffee of the Democratic Republic of the Waterbury. “To be honest, there was not a whole lot I could have done rather than take knees (beginning) in the third quarter. I let the seniors play into the third quarter and had an entire mass substitutions (after that).

“Torrington just was just not able to stop us offensively.”

Wolcott’s 88 points are the fifth-most in a game since 1930, according to the Connecticut High School Football Record Book.

Marianapolis Prep scored 108 against Windham Tech in 1964 for the post-1930 record. Norwich Free Academy holds the overall record as it torched Bulkeley of New London, 130-0, in 1902.

Matt Polzella played like a gamer with a MUT level of elebenty on Madden as in completed 17 of 24 passes for 262 yards and six touchdowns and ran 11 times for 102 yards. Nick Longo had five catches for 110 yards and three touchdowns and Anthony Ligi ran 14 times for 170 and a touchdown and had three receptions for 57 yards and a TD.

Wolcott ran 63 plays for 641 yards and had 28 first downs.

Compounding matters is that Hove has installed an up-tempo, no-huddle offense and doesn’t believe in punting.

• • • •

GAWK SLACK-JAWED at The Day's Top 10 state coaches' poll: 1. Darien (13 first-place votes); 2. Greenwich; 3. Ansonia; 4. St. Joseph; 5. Windsor; 6. Masuk; 7. Shelton; 8. Middletown; 9. West Haven; and, 10. Hand.

That would be three from the FCIAC and SCC, two from the CCC, and one each from the NVL and SWC.

• • • •

The GameTimeCT.com/New Haven Register/Hearst Inc. Top 10 media poll: 1. Darien (24 first-place votes); 2. Greenwich; 3 Ansonia; 4. St. Joseph; 5. Windsor; 6. Masuk; 7. Shelton; 8. Middletown; 9. West Haven; and, 10. New Canaan.

• • • •

Ned Freeman’s cold, calculating computer rankings at CalPreps.com: 1. Darien; 2. St. Joseph; 3. Greenwich; 4. West Haven; 5. Shelton; 6. Masuk; 7. Hand; 8. Ridgefield; 9. Staples; and, 10. New Canaan.

That's six FCIAC teams. Ned's program loves it some Gold Coast.

Middletown was No. 12, Windsor No. 13, and Ansonia No. 17.

Ridgefield’s schedule was rated the hardest as its lost to Darien (38-12), Greenwich (26-21), and St. Joseph (38-25) and beat Staples (24-20).

• • • •

Dig (or mock) the ballot Polecat HQ filed for the GameTimeCT/New Haven Register/Hearst Empire media poll:

1. Darien

2. Greenwich

3. St. Joseph

4. Ansonia

5. Masuk

6. New Canaan

7. Shelton

8. West Haven

9. Ridgefield

10. Hand

11. Windsor

12. Middletown

13. North Haven

14. Killingly

15. South Windsor

Three minor changes this week. First was flip-flopping North Haven and Killingly. Both teams are near-and-dear to our hearts because of their commitment to the Manly Discipline of the Running Arts. Killingly is undefeated and North Haven has two losses (to West Haven, 33-27; and Shelton, 31-20). We still felt we should reward the latter for rallying to beat much larger (in both physical size and enrollment) Fairfield Prep, currently ninth in the LL playoff rankings, and for playing a more difficult schedule.

It's not you, Killingly. It's us.

Also swapping in South Windsor for Southington. The Central Connecticut Conference may have split its 10 Division I teams into two divisions, and those 10 don't all play one another, but the Bobcats should be recognized as the CCC D-I universal champion with wins over fellow Class LL contenders East Hartford (41-14) and Southington.

The harder ish was Ridgefield as we continued to go bicker amongst ourselves about what to do with it. It has three losses, but they were to No. 1 Darien, No. 2 Greenwich, and No. 4 St. Joseph. Ain't like the Tigers lost to scrubs.

Ridgefield was one of the better teams we've seen and returned a veteran group that squeezed past West Haven and Shelton in last year's LL playoffs. Yet we were still uncomfortable ranking  a three-loss sixth last week.

There's also the matter of the Tigers wasting a 25-point lead with over nine minutes left in regulation and losing to St. Joseph.

Since we've continued to clash amongst ourselves with this issue (insignificant compared to real-life issues), we decided to follow the myth of King Solomon and split the metaphorical baby.

Ridgefield drops to nine. New Canaan, Shelton and West Haven all move up one spot. The Tigers will stay there until someone better impresses us and needs to be ranked ahead of them.

You still awake?

• • • •

NOTABLES~!

Darien allowed Bridgeport Central to gain just four first downs and 126 yards as it devoured another FCIAC foe, 42-0. It was the Blue Wave’s 34th consecutive win, tying it with Derby (1966-70), New Canaan (1967-70), Xavier (1970-74), and Fitch (1999-2001) (GOD’S OFFENSE) for the seventh-most consecutive games without a loss, according to the Connecticut High School Football Record Book. Note that Derby had one tie during its 34-game streak.

Tysen Comizio ran 20 times for 215 yards and three touchdowns and added three catches for 31 yards as No. 2 Greenwich decimiated Danbury, 57-7. Zach Moore kicked field goals of 27, 35 and 36 yards.

Holy Cross caught a big break last Saturday when was that Markell Dobbs, the Chargers’ running back and offensive catalyst, was held out of the game to rest. It didn’t matter. Darwin Amaya ran for four touchdowns as Ansonia rolled to a 50-6 win. 

Jaden Shirden ran for 100 yards and three touchdowns in the Cadets’ 49-7 mauling of McMahon. Shirden did all that on just six carries. Shirden also scored on a 17-yard catch. ...  Windsor shut out another team. This is a recording. The Warriors choked out Hall, 29-0, its fifth shutout. Arron Henry had two interceptions and five tackles for the Warriors and Joe Russell had eight tackles.

Jake Roberts (not that Jake Roberts) made the most with limited opportunities as Shelton smashed Notre Dame of West Haven, 40-6. He completed 5 of 7 passes for 79 yards and two touchdowns and ran seven times for 36 yards and a score. Jack Carr added 14 carries for 136 yards and a touchdown and Ray Weiner had five tackles and an interception.

Mike Aresco kicked his state record 22nd career field goal in Middletown’s 51-20 romp over Platt. Aresco hit from 43 yards out (with room to spare) and made all six of his extra points. STONE Belzo completed 10 of 18 passes for 184 yards and three touchdowns for the Blue Dragons and DeAaron Lawrence had eight catches for 135 yards and two scores.

Chris Chance ran for 190 yards and three touchdowns as West Haven ran through Xavier, 45-7. Zach Conlan had nine carries or 108 yards and two touchdowns, and the Westies defense held Penn State-bound Will Levis to 6 of 14 passes for 79 yards with two interceptions.

Phoenix Billings threw for 180 yards and three touchdowns with (four interceptions) and scored on a 5-yard run as Hand routed Wilbur Cross, 34-10. The Tigers scored 27 in the first quarter thanks to the Governors turning it over on their first three possessions. Delvantae Hutton added 24 carries for 141 yards for Los Tigres.

Owen Shin ran for a lot of yards (147) on few carries (nine) as New Canaan squished Fairfield Ludlowe, 45-0. He also caught multiple touchdowns (two) on few yards (4) and few catches (2). We amuse ourselves sometimes. Senior Zach Fishman also got the start at QB and played almost the entire game aside from starter Drew Pyne taking four snaps in the first half. Fishman completed 10 of 19 passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns.

Mark Montano ran 27 times for 237 yards and four TDs and had an INT as North Haven rallied to beat Fairfield Prep, 35-28. Zach Orth also had 14 tackles (in addition to seven carries for 55 yards) for North Haven, which ran 51 for 372 yards and five touchdowns and attempted just three passes (happy dance). GOD'S FATHER'S OFFENSE.

Joe Catania and Joe Ferreira combined to rush for 209 yards and both ran for a score as Rocky Hill knocked off unbeaten Berlin, 26-10, in a battle for CCC D-3 supremacy. Catania also kicked a 23-yard field goal and two extra points for the Terriers. GOD’S OFFENSE. ... Spencer Lockwood ran 27 times for 297 yards and four touchdowns as Killingly trucked Plainfield, 42-0. Zach Caffrey had 12 carries for 102 yards and a score for Killingly.

Tyler Nelli ran for 136 yards, threw a 36-yard touchdown pass, and, along with Hamear Stephens, had to fill in at cornerback because two starters were involved in a car accident Friday morning in Fitch's 20-14 win over East Lyme, earning it the ECC Division I championship. Linebacker Pedro Mojica, who had to fill in at fullback when Hollis Scott was injured, added a gut-busting 88-yard touchdown run and Nick Helbig had three sacks.

Raquan Thompkins threw touchdown passes of 43 and 5 yards and ran for a 44-yard touchdown as East Hartford continued its march towards the Class LL playoffs by marching through Newington, 27-7. ... Zack Koslosky caught a 38-yard touchdown pass and kicked a 21-yard field goal and four extra points to pace Naugatuck to its 38-0 rout of Waterbury Career Academy. Mike Plasky threw two touchdown passes for the Greyhounds.

That old football chestnut that it’s unpossible to throw in New England’s cold and blustery weather? It’s so, so WRONG. Greg Gatto completed 24 of 30 passes for 365 yards and seven touchdowns as Ridgefield sliced and diced Fairfield Warde, 55-8, on last Friday’s arctic evening. Jackson Mitchell remains ridiculous as he caught 13 passes for 210 yards and three touchdowns for the Tigers.

Ryan Douchette completed 10-for-18 passes for 231 yards with three touchdowns, including a game-winning 18-yard pass to Greg Clark in overtime, as Montville beat Waterford, 26-23. Clark also caught a 23-yard touchdown pass for the Indians. Max Mazzella scored on catches of 34 and 30 yards and kicked three field goals, including a 27-yarder to tie the game on the final play of regulation for the Lancers.

Owen George completed 7 of 16 passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns and scored on a 3-yard run in New London’s 26-0 thumping of Ledyard. Jacob Commander added 12 carries for 88 yards and a touchdown and spent much of his time at linebacker in the Colonels’ backfield. The Whalers' defense allowed 97 yards, 46 of which Ledyard gained on a halfback option. ... Michael Cullina was 13 of 18 for 267 yards with three touchdowns and an interception as Valley Regional/Old Lyme flew past Lewis Mills, 35-3. Ernest Jean-Pierre had five catches for 112 yards and a TD for the WARRIORCATS and Justin Robida had 12 tackles, including two for a loss.

Mason Santa Maria scored on runs of 3, 65 and 27 yards as O’Brien Tech crunched Vinal Tech, 30-8. The Condors (7-2) are closing in on their first playoff berth in their seventh season. … Chris Walter ran for 206 yards and a touchdown and returned a fumble for another score as Prince Tech beat Thames River, 36-20. Alex Higgins ran for 189 yards and a score for Prince. Trey Stimson (78 yards) and Albert Velasquez (71) both rushed for touchdowns and Jo Jo Beltran scored on a 75-yard kickoff return.

Bunnell had the perfect offensive game plan in its 40-0 pillaging of Newtown — it didn’t attempt a pass. A WINNER IS YOU. Ja’len Madison scored on runs of 11 and 47 yards for the Bulldogs and Richard Souffrant (1, 6 yards) also ran for touchdowns.

The Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton/Lyman Memorial co-op has been a helluva’ fun story this season. The Patriots were winless two seasons ago and snapping a 22-game losing streak last year. They have just 24 players this year (WHAT), but those 24 have been good enough to get it them back to states. Nick Pronovost ran eight times for 83 yards and two touchdowns, caught three passes for 98 yards and three touchdowns, and had an interception in Friday's 40-0 win over Granby to clinch a Class M quarterfinal home berth. Jacob Carlson completed 3 of 4 passes for 98 and three touchdowns and ran nine times for 96 yards and a score for the MIGHTY PATRIOT BULLDOGS and Shaun O’Connell ran 17 times for 128 yards. We haven’t forgotten Reece Hawkins (10 tackles) or Riley Gardner (five tackles, three sacks), either.

Yale-bound Dathan Hickey scored five times in pacing Bristol Central to its 61-18 rout of East Catholic. And those five touchdowns? He did that in the first quarter. Yes. Hickey ran five times for 102 yards and four touchdowns and scored on a 87-yard kickoff return and an 70-yard interception return and was given the night off during the second quarter. Smart and athletic. That’s just not fair to us who aren’t athletic. Or smart.

Nick D’Elia went into peformed Russell Wilson cosplay to propel Watertown past Derby, 46-30. He completed 8 of 14 passes for 219 yards and four touchdowns to four different dudes and ran 12 times for 204 yards and three scores. YOWZAH. ... Seymour’s Bobby Melms is a blur. He ran 17 times for 158 yards and two touchdowns and had three receptions for 115 yards and two scores as the Wildcats gnawed on Oxford, 38-19.

Sheehan punched its ticket to the Class M playoffs by stomping East Haven, 41-0. Jordan Davis ran 17 times for 111 yards and three touchdowns for the Titans (8-1), who last made states in 1995. Weston Terzi also completed 20 of 27 passes for 179 yards and two scores. ... Harvey Alexander went hoss during Wilton’s 57-6 pillaging of Westhill. The senior ran 22 times for 209 and six touchdowns.

Kevin Rabacs scored on a 65-yard punt return and Daniel Thompson threw touchdowns of 35 and 8 yards as Staples trounced Stamford, 42-0. Harris Levi scored on runs of 2 and 3 yards for the WRECKERS and Max Longeran caught a 35-yard touchdown pass and scored on a 16-yard run. Note that on a Hoth-like night that Staples other touchdown pass was caught by Jake Thaw. Seriously.

Rafael Nieves had 28 carries for 214 yards and two touchdowns in Simsbury’s 24-7 win over Glastonbury. Zach Tabellione had 14 tackles for Glastonbury. ... Anthony Simpson scored on runs of 8 and 40 yards as Bloomfield rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to beat RHAM, 25-21. The WARHAWKS scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter for the win, ending with Ky’Juon Butler’s 3-yard touchdown run.

Barlow put itself in position to make states by trucking Bethel, 48-14. Trevor Furrer scored on runs of 6 and 29 yard and threw a 24-yard touchdown for the Falcons (6-3). TRIPLE OPTION. We must also laud Barlow for running 62 times for 455 yards and six touchdowns and throwing just thrice. Awesome.

Colton Engel could use some rest. The dude ran 36 times for 254 yards and three touchdowns as Stafford/East Windsor/Somers topped North Branford, 20-14. John Kopek added 10 tackles. … Quintus Reid completed 8 of 10 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns and scored on a 3-yard run as Hillhouse topped Foran, 28-16. ... A.J. Moscato ran for three touchdowns in Guilford’s 42-0 win over Bassick.

Chris Bogdanski ran 11 times for 222 yards and two touchdowns to help St. Paul beat Wilby, 46-8, and snap a three-game losing streak. The Falcons, a fine wishbone team, ran 32 times for 342 yards and five touchdowns and threw just three times. APPROVED. ... Frank Griffin ran for a 3-yard touchdown with 2:13 left as Plainville continued its upward trajectory with a 28-21 win over Avon, victory its fourth straight win. Griffin also threw two touchdowns and ran for a second touchdown for Plainville (5-4), which was 0-10 last season. Ryan Burgos ran for three touchdowns for Avon.

Eli Rivera and Coginchaug/Hale-Ray did well in Saturday’s 42-21 win over Morgan. Rivera completed 12 of 18 passes for 219 yards and five touchdowns for the DEVIL NOISES (5-4) while Anthony Curry had four receptions for 139 yards and three touchdowns. Also, Ryan Genest caught four passes for 40 yards and two scores and had an interception. ... Ben Ambro threw for two touchdowns and ran for a third as Rockville won its first game of the season on Friday night, 42-22, over Canton. Dugan Lloyd completed 11 of 24 passes for a school-record 225 yards with a touchdown for Canton.

Hayden Hulme was 8 of 14 passing for 197 yards with three touchdowns as Law kept its playoff hopes alive — and almost staked Lyman Hall’s — in a 46-0 clubbing. ... Freshman Khalil Eason had two interceptions and recovered a fumble as Norwalk clamped down on Trinity Catholic, 27-7. … Stratford’s Jason Docteur had three catches for 118 yards and intercepted a pass at the goal line and ran it back 76 yards in the Red Devils' 20-7 win.

Shawn Robinson started hot for New Britain last Friday and kept poured it on Enfield in the Hurricanes’ 44-38 win. Robinson returned the opening kickoff for a 65 yard touchdown and scored on a 60-yard kickoff return in the second half. He also ran for 151 yards and two scores. ... Kyle Zajack completed 13 of 18 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns as Capital Prep/Achievement First knocked out unbeaten Bullard-Havens, 27-6.

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Thanks for reading. More soon.

Adios.