Howdy,

In case you’ve been living under a rock, or scrambling to buy rations for Saturday's snow flurries, YOUR 2017 state foots balls finals have been either postponed to Monday night, or, in the case of Class LL-LLLLLLLL, moved up to start an hour early.

(We’ll spare you our old man, “in our day, we went to school when it snowed” schtick).

The NEW amended schedule is:

CLASS LL: Greenwich vs. Darien at Boyle Stadium, manana, 10 a.m.

CLASS L: Hand vs. Masuk at Trumbull High, Monday, 6:30 p.m.

CLASS M: Killingly vs. Barlow, Monday at Veterans Memorial Stadium, Willow Brook Park, New Britain, Monday, 6:30 p.m.

CLASS S: Ansonia vs. St. Joseph at Cheshire High, Monday, 6:30 p.m. Anyone who was following #cthsfb during the mid-nineties is giggling about Ansonia playing for a CIAC football title at Cheshire.

Now then, below are YOUR state championship previews. We hope you enjoy them.

A few things. It’s occurred to us that we’ve never explained the wonders that await you should you click the hyperlinks. You know, the (majority of) stuff that’s bolded.

The line with the championship game participants and their seeds — that hyperlink will take you to game rosters.

The hyperlink for the sites will whisk you away to Google Maps.

The links in the look/listen category are, like, you know. And a few are being streamed for free over at the Facebook.

The bolded link in front of each teams dudes takes you to that team's stats page at MaxPreps.com. Please note that we only linked to the teams that have updated their stats through Sunday’s semifinals.

All the other links will provide you with other merriment and glee.

YOU are encouraged to follow all of Saturday's (and Monday's) action at the Twit thing at #cthsfb. So many mammals will be posting so many hot takes.

One last time this season — HEY! HO! LET'S GO!

• • • •

CLASS LL

No. 1 GREENWICH vs. No. 3 DARIEN

WHERE/WHEN: Boyle Stadium, Stamford, Saturday, 10 a.m.

RECORDS: Greenwich 12-0; Darien 11-1.

LOOK/LISTEN: NFHSNetwork; Facebook; WGCH-1490 AM.

CHAMPIONSHIPS WON: Greenwich (7) — 1981 (Class LL), 1983 (Class LL), 1990-91 (Class LL), 1999 (Class LL), 2006-07 (Class LL).; Darien (6) — 1979 (Class L), 1991 (Class M), 1992 (Class SS), 1996 (Class S), 2015-16 (Class LL).

GREENWICH DUDES: Jr. DE Mike Bici (102 tackles, 12.5 sacks); Sr. DE Tyler Blizzard (6-foot-6, 208 pounds, 69 tackles, 12 sacks); Jr. RB Tysen Comizio (187 carries, 1,266 yards, 20 TD; 32 catches, 370 yards, 4 TD); Jr. MLB Jack Feda (114 tackles, 2 sacks); Sr. SS Jeremiah Harris (6-3, 179 pounds, 38 tackles, 3 INT); Jr. WR Larry Large (42 catches, 411 yards, 5 TD); Sr. DE-DT Nick McIntosh (34 tackles, 4.5 sacks); Sr. K-P Zach Moore (62-64 XP, 10-13 FG, 38.8 yards per punt); Jr. QB Gavin Muir (191-294 passing, 2,621 yards; 31 TD, 4 rushing TD); Sr. WR Jael Negron (33 catches, 560 yards, 10 TD); Sr. TE Henry Saleeby (36 catches, 525 yards, 3 TD); Sr. C Kyle Woodring (6-2, 260 pounds).

DARIEN DUDES: Sr. DE Andrew Evanchick; Jr. K-P Andrew Donovan; Jr. DE Connor Fay; Sr. LB Kevin Grune; Sr. S Peter Guttuso; Sr. QB Jack Joyce; Sr. RB-FS Mitch Pryor (6-2, 220); Sr. T-DT Mike Neary (6-3, 245); Sr. CB Connor Tienken; Sr. DT Charlie Zuro (5-11, 290).

WHEN GREENWICH HAS THE BALL: The Cardinals arguably have the most well-rounded offense of any finalist. They’ve skewed slightly towards the pass (339 pass plays, 8.8 yards an attempt), but have run a lot and efficiently (309 attempts, 5.9 yards per carry). Muir hasn’t thrown an interception in four games (he’s thrown 98 passes over that time). Comizio, thanks to the work of fellas such as Woodring, has averaged 6.8 yards and isn’t the easiest person to bring down. The Blue Wave’s defense was its dominant trait in winning the 2015-16 LL titles and has been pretty dang vicious this season, too. Evanchick, Fay, Neary and Zuro do such a great job getting pressure on the QB by themselves that Darien can spare more bodies in pass coverage. Add the Blue Wave ain't fun to run on with the likes of Grune behind that front line, either.

WHEN DARIEN HAS THE BALL: This is where we believe the Cardinals can tip the game. The Blue Wave have been without leading receivers Brian Minicus (suspension) and Nick Green (unknown) the past three games. It's left them thin at that position, even as Alex Dehmel and Tyler Herget have picked up the slack. And a team MUST be able to throw against Greenwich because its been unpossible to run against. Its opponents have averaged 1.9 yards a carry (or 1.888178913738019). Joyce can scoot as well as he can throw, and we’re surprised Pryor has less than 10 carries per game because he runs like a rhino, but can they and Darien’s offensive line would have to do what every other run game has been unable to do against the Big Red Wall.

CALPREPS SEZ: Darien 27-22 (again, the computer didn't get the memo about the Blue Wave’s suspensions).

GAMETIMECT SEZ: Darien 26-17 (have a tough time believing that either team could score that much against these defenses).

POLECAT SEZ: Greenwich.

To read more about this game, please visit:

Scott Ericson, GameTimeCT/Hearst Monolith: Marinelli, Trifone traveled similar roads to state final.

Davie Fierro, GameTimeCT/Hearst Monolith: Greenwich knows it has to overcome Darien’s experience. 

Dave Ruden, HIS website: Darien And Greenwich: A battle of strengths against strengths; Lou Marinelli breaks down the Greenwich-Darien Class LL championship game; (Tysen) Comizio’s Versatility Provides Greenwich Perfect Offensive Balance; and, (Mike) Neary’s two-way line play helps Darien return to Class LL final.

• • • •

CLASS L

No. 2 HAND vs. No. 5 MASUK

WHERE/WHEN: Trumbull High, Monday, 6:30 p.m.

RECORDS: Hand 11-1; Masuk 11-1.

LOOK/LISTEN: NFHSNetwork; Facebook.

HISTORY: Hand (11) — 1976-77 (Class M), 1982 (Class M-II), 1984 (Class M-I), 1989 (Class MM), 1997 (Class L), 2003-05 (Class M), 2011-12 (Class L); Masuk (3) — 1998 (Class L), 2008 (Class L), 2010 (Class L).

HAND DUDES: Jr. WR-CB Chris Bartosic (36 catches, 556 yards, 6 TD); So. QB Phoenix Billings (114-of-211 passing, 1,538 yards, 20 TD; 124 carries, 580 yards, 8 TD); Jr. WR-CB Ian Butler (24 catches, 297 yards, 5 TD; 45 tackles, 9 INT); Sr. RB-LB Brian Casagrande (6-1, 225; 8 rushing TD; 115 tackles, 2 INT); Sr. LB Connor Castaldo (44 tackles); Sr. WR-LB Ryan Coady (6-3, 180; 60 tackles); So. OL-DL Ben Corniello (6-2, 220); Jr. FB-MLB Kevin Girardi (87 tackles, 5 sacks); Sr. W-CB Chris Iannuzzi (16 catches, 182 yards, 3 TD); Jr. OL-DL Macken McDonald (6-1, 275; 34 tackles, 4.5 sacks).

MASUK DUDES: Sr. WR-LB Peter Cosmedy (6-2, 220); Sr. OL-DL Jack Duignan; Jr. WR-LB Peter Fox; Sr. QB Matthew Hersch; Sr. WR-LB Nicholas Lorusso (6-2, 192); Sr. WR-DB Tyler Michalka; Sr. OL-DE Max Mirizio (5-11, 230); Jr. RB-LB Jack Roberge; Sr. WR-DB Ryan Shaw; Sr. C Curtis Swain (6-4, 250); Sr. WR-CB Benjamin Vickowski; Sr. WR-OLB Micky Zuk.

WHEN HAND HAS THE BALL: The Tigers’ offense has been odd on paper because they haven’t been put up Oklahoma-esque numbers. They haven't subjected defenses to death by 1,000 screen passes this season as, PRAISE CIOTTI, they're running more this season (491 attempts at a workmanlike 4.9 yards per carry). It’s also taken a village for Hand’s ground game of late as it has gone the last three games without leading rusher Delvantae Hutton (878 yards, 7 TDs) due to injury. Billings has been steady, completing 54 percent of his passes at 7.3 yards an attempt, but he hasn’t been asked to be as busy as his predecessors. The Panthers' defense was magnificent in their 28-14 beating of four-time, four-time, four-time, four-time defending L champion New Canaan in Sunday's semifinals. They dropped elebenty defenders into coverage to fluster Rams QB Drew Pyne (an FBS recruit). He threw three interceptions, one of which Michael Zuk returned for a 46-yard touchdown. Masuk allowed just 1.9 yards rushing on 25 carries. The score wasn’t even that close as New Canaan scored all its points in the final five minutes. Jack Duignan scored on an 18-yard interception return in Masuk's 43-7 quarterfinal road rout of Fitch.

WHEN MASUK HAS THE BALL: Hersch has been hobbled by a foot injury, not that it’s affected his performance. He’s completed 34 of 47 passes for 479 yards and four TDs in two playoff games. Lorusso, Zuk and Roberge have all been capable receivers. Roberge is a slippery runner, too. Hand’s defense has been outstanding and among the best playing for a title. It hasn’t allowed more than two offensive touchdowns since a 21-19 loss to Shelton in Week 2. Casagrande is a scary dude with defensive wreckers all around him. They smothered North Haven’s run game in a 35-13 quarterfinal win (the Indians managed 87 yards on 39 carries). Handsome Mike Madera of the GameTimeCT/Hearst Monolith reported that Hand allowed just 88 yards through three quarters of its 31-6 rout of Windsor in the quarterfinals.

CALPREPS SEZ: Masuk 27-21.

POLECAT SEZ: Hand.

To read more about this game, please visit:

Doug Bonjour, GameTimeCT/Hearst Monolith: Joe Lato has rebuilt Masuk into state championship contenders.

• • • •

CLASS M

No. 1 KILLINGLY vs. No. 6 BARLOW: THE OFFICIAL state final of Polecat Worldwide

WHERE/WHEN: Veterans Stadium at Willow Brook Park, New Britain, Monday, 6:30 p.m.

RECORDS: Killingly 12-0; Barlow 9-3.

LOOK/LISTEN: NFHSNetwork; Facebook; WINY-1350 AM.

HISTORY: Killingly (2) — 1981 (Class M-II), 1996 (Class M); Barlow — FIRST TIME.

KILLINGLY DUDES: Sr. WR-S Zack Burgess (48 tackles, 3 INT); Sr. LT-DT John Cacciapuoti (5-10, 225; 12 PANCAKE BLOCKS); Sr. FB-LB Zach Caffrey (114 carries, 978 yards, 13 TD; 105 tackles); Sr. LG-DT Ethan Canova (5-10, 240; 13 PANCAKE BLOCKS); Sr. CB Michael Capuano (49 tackles); Jr. QB-CB-K Luke Desaulnier (25-41 passing, 399 yards, 10 TD; 3 rushing TD; 64-71 XP); Sr. C-LB Michael Diruscio (5-5, 175); Sr. RT-DT Alex Fontaine (6-1, 285; 20 PANCAKE BLOCKS); Jr. TE-OLB Quinn Gervasio (42 tackles, 6 sacks); Sr. TE-DE Jake Gauthier (6-1, 247; 10 catches, 173 yards, 4 TD; 34 tackles; 14 PANCAKE BLOCKS); Jr. RB-DE Nsaiah Harriet (6-4, 225; 42 tackles, 5 sacks); Sr. RB-LB Spencer Lockwood (306 carries, 3,027 yards, 42 TD; 66 tackles, 3 INT); Jr. RG-LB Matt Phelan (5-7, 175; 20 PANCAKE BLOCKS; 93 tackles, 5.5 sacks); Jr. FB-LB-T Derek Turner (47 tackles).

BARLOW DUDES: Sr. OL-DE Danny Brey (6-4, 215; 30 tackles, 4.5 sacks); Sr. RB-MLB Will Cusick (60 carries, 635 yards, 11 TD; 35 tackles, 2.5 sacks); Jr. T-DT Will Denny (6-2, 270); So. G-DL Joe Francoletti (5-5, 230); Sr. QB-DB Trevor Furrer (18-of-50 passing, 288 yards, 4 TD; 200 carries, 1,731 yards, 13 TD; 53 tackles, 4 INT); Jr. G-DT Cas Koopman (6-0, 223); Sr. RB-LB Cal Peterson (136 carries, 1,073 yards, 11 TD; 80 tackles); Sr. C-DT Sean Rego; Sr. WR-CB Will Reed (32 tackles); Sr. RB-LB Alex Stillman (106 carries, 783 yards, 9 TD; 134 tackles, 2 sacks); Sr. WR-CB Charlie Wilson (46 tackles, 3 INT).

WHEN KILLINGLY HAS THE BALL: You know that Killingly is going to run the ball. Killingly knows that you know that it knows that you know its going to run the ball. Now TRY TO STOP IT. The Redmen have averaged 8.9 yards a carry and, at 398.3 yards, is second to Barlow (412.1) in yards rushing per game, according to statistics inputted into MaxPreps.com’s database. Someday, Lockwood is going to be jolted awake and dive for an ice bath after finally feeling the aches from running on 52.9 percent of Killingly’s 578 offensive plays. For now, he’ll settle for averaging 9.9 yards a carry. Caffrey isn’t built like your traditional fullback (5-10, 200 pounds), but he sure runs like a fullback (or a wrestler) as he knocks fools over or flings them aside. Killingly, Tyr bless them, will often line use a mas macho formation with two tight ends (Gauthier and Gervasio), two fullbacks (Caffrey and Turner) and Lockwood and repeatedly smash away with the run. TO HELL WITH YOUR FIVE WIDES AND EMPTY BACKFIELDS. Lockwood better be prepared to reward Cacciapuoti, Canova, Diruscio, Fontaine and Phelan after all the work they’ve done for him. We suggest the local all-you-can-eat buffet. The Falcons held SMSA/University/Classical to a season-low in points during Sunday’s 53-14 mauling. Sam Muqbil (cornerback) and Stillman both had eight tackles, Cusick had two sacks, and Henry Eubanks (cornerback), Peterson and Stillman all recovered fumbles.

WHEN BARLOW HAS THE BALL: It was during the 2014 Orange Bowl that, as Georgia Tech used its sexy option game to methodically slice-and-dice Mississippi State, that Spencer Hall mused on Twitter, “Playing the tech offense is being eaten by a bunch of horseshoe crabs: funny and prehistorically amusing until you realize what's happening.” Barlow knows all about the deadly magic of the triple option. It has also gone plumb loco with the option ever since a four-game stretch during the middle of the season in which it lost back-to-back games to East Lyme and Stratford and scraped past Brookfield and New Fairfield. The Falcons, over their last four games, have run for an average of 524 yards (at 8.7 yards a carry) and 6.5 touchdowns. SO SEXY. Furrer made himself #cthsfb famous by running for 351 yards and three TDs on 33 carries in Barlow’s 47-34 road upset of Sheehan in the quarterfinals. It had 10 players run for at least 4 yards in Sunday’s win. Every football coach at every level says its unpossible to prepare for the option in a short period of time. Such is the burden placed on the Killingly defense.

CALPREPS SEZ: Killingly 42-22.

POLECAT SEZ: Killingly.

To read more about this game, please visit:

Ryan Lacey, GameTimeCT/Hearst Monolith: Barlow players will never forget late freshman coach Jordan Wright.

• • • •

CLASS S

No. 1 ANSONIA vs. No. 2 ST. JOSEPH

WHERE/WHEN: Cheshire High, Monday, 6:30 p.m.

RECORDS: Ansonia 12-0; St. Joseph 11-1.

LOOK/LISTEN: NFHSNetwork; WELI-960 AM.

HISTORY: Ansonia (20) — 1976-77 (Class S), 1979 (Class M), 1981-84 (Class S-II), 1987-89 (Class S), 1994 (Class SS), 1995 (Class S), 2002-03 (Class S), 2006-07 (Class S), 2011 (Class M), 2012-13 (Class S), 2016 (Class S); St. Joseph (12) — 1980 (Class S) and 1981-84 (Class S-II), 1988-90 (Class M), 2009 (Class SS), 2010 (Class S), 2013 (Class M), 2014 (Class M-Small).

ANSONIA DUDES: Jr. RB-DB Darwin Amaya (64 carries, 899 yards, 16 TD; 3 catches, 103 yards, 2 TD); Jr. OL-LB Martin Antoine; Jr. RB-LB Terjuan Burney (6-0, 235); RB Markell Dobbs (134 carries, 2,063 yards, 35 TD); Sr. OL-DL Alex Hernandez; Sr. OL-DE Mike LaRovera (6-0, 210); QB-DB Justin Lopez (23-of-45 passing, 658 yards, 2 TD; 30 carries, 466 yards, 5 TD); Sr. OL-NG Kolby Ortiz (6-1, 230); Sr. OL-DL Kevin Rascoe (6-0, 255); Jr. TE-LB Cody Teodosio (8 catches, 183 yards, 3 TD); Sr. WR-DB Brent Washington (10 catches, 346 yards, 6 TD).

ST. JOSEPH DUDES: Sr. LB Jude Andrzejewski (5-11, 212; 76 tackles, 6 sacks, 2 INT); Jr. Jesse Bike (32 catches, 469 yards, 4 TD); So. Will Diamantis (40 catches, 557 yards, 8 TD); Sr. DB Mike DiLorio (71 tackles); Jr. K Luke Kirby (70-71 XP, 6-8 FG); Jr. LB Jesse Lawson (73 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 INT); Jr. CB-WR Ace Luzietti (38 tackles, 3 INT); Sr. WR Jared Mallozzi (70 catches, 965 yards, 18 TD); So. OL-DE Mike Morrissey (48 tackles, 3.5 sacks); Sr. DB Connor Murphy (41 tackles); Jr. TE Phil Pasmeg (6-0, 220 pounds; 48 catches, 746 yards, 10 TD); So. RB Jaden Shirden (168 carries, 1,006 yards, 18 TD; 19 catches, 225 yards, 4 TD); Jr. QB David Summers (209-of-314 passing, 2,962 yards, 44 TD; 70 carries, 230 yards, 5 rushing TD).

WHEN ANSONIA HAS THE BALL: The defending S champion has been the El Supremo master of the Manly Discipline of the Running Arts for over a decade now and has continued its glorious tradition of mowing down defenses with Antoine, Hernandez, LaRovera, Ortiz and Rasco doing the dirty work beautifully up front. The Central Connecticut-bound Dobbs stops and cuts like a cheetah and has averaged FIFTEEN-POINT-FOUR YARDS A CARRY. That’s ridiculous and ludicrous. Hell, that’s RIDICULUDICROUS. The Chargers are going to need more than Dobbs, however, and could use a healthy Lopez. Healthy Lopez he is not after sitting out Sunday’s semifinal after hurting his right knee at practice the day before and spending the game watching from a physical therapy table with crutches to his side, according to Mark Jaffee of the Waterbury Communist National. Everyone here at Polecat Worldwide are devoted to the run, but, against a team such as St. Joseph, sometimes you have to pass. That has not been Ansonia’s strength. It’s on the likes of Andrzejewski (5-11, 218 pounds) and Lawson to force the Chargers to have to throw.

WHEN ST. JOSEPH HAS THE BALL: Summers is on the short-list for the best QB in the state this season as he’s completed .666 of his passes, averaged a robust 9.4 yards an attempt, and thrown a state-high 44 touchdowns (compared to a measly 4 interceptions). We dare say (write?) that the Cadets have the state’s best receiving corps as it is as talented as it is deep. Double-team Mallozzi and prepare to be burned by Pasmeg, Diamantis, and Bike. St. Joseph may not have played a team as physical offensively as Ansonia, but Ansonia hasn’t seen a passing game this lethal, either. LaRovera leads a beastly Chargers front, and its imperative that they get to Summers. Reckon that Burney and Teodosio will be sent on a blitz or two (or eight).

CALPREPS SEZ: St. Joseph 40-28.

POLECAT SEZ: St. Joseph.

To read more about this game, please visit:

Mark Jaffee, Waterbury Communist National: Preview, prediction; Chargers banded together for this 25-game win streak; St. Joseph’s air attack could pose trouble for Chargers; and, Hockey decision hip-checked (Ansonia’s Tom) Brockett into greatness

Dave Ruden, HIS website: St. Joseph’s Class S championship against Ansonia a study in contrasts.

• • • •

Ned Freeman’s cold, calculating computer rankings at CalPreps.com through the quarterfinals: 1. Darien (one last time — the computer model knows not of the Blue Wave’s suspensions); 2. Greenwich; 3. Masuk; 4 Hand; 5. St. Joseph; 6. West Haven; 7. New Canaan; 8. Ridgefield (7-3); 9. Staples (6-4); and, 10. Killingly. Ansonia is 14th because of its schedule.

• • • •

Thanks for reading. More after all this daffiness is over.

Adios....