Howdy,

Do we really have to do this? All that math is hurty in the brain.

Yeah. We must. There’s just three weeks left in the regular season of our precious 2017 Connecticut high school football season. BRACKETOLOGY must be started.

Two 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 M: Berlin and Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton/Lyman Memorial.

Eight spots are left in Class LL, L and S, and six 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 Radar O'Reilly. 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.

Once again, into the breach:

CLASS LL

ONE MORE WIN: No. 1 Darien (8-0); No. 3 Shelton (7-1); and No. 4 Naugatuck (8-0).

The trio will qualify with wins this weekend because No. 8 Southington (7-1) plays at No. 7 South Windsor (7-1) on Saturday morn. The loser of that game will be unable to catch those three.

Shelton hosts to Notre Dame-West Haven (2-6).

Darien plays at Bridgeport Central (1-6) on Saturday, while Naugatuck plays at Waterbury Career Academy (3-5).

LOCKS: No. 2 Greenwich (7-0); No. 5 West Haven (7-1); and No 6 East Hartford (7-1).

Greenwich hosts Danbury (1-7, Friday), at No. 19 Xavier (4-4, Nov. 16), and at No. 16 Staples (5-3, Thanksgrabbing). Two wins clinches a spot.

We’re optimistic about the Westies despite their schedule. They host Xavier Friday and visit No. 9 Fairfield Prep (7-1) on Thanksgrabbing. They’re the favorites in both games.

East Hartford is the closest thing to free money here based on its schedule — at Newington (2-6, Friday) and at Manchester (2-6, Thanksgrabbing Eve).

UNCERTAIN: No. 7 South Windsor (7-1); No. 8 Southington (7-1); and, No. 9 Fairfield Prep.

The loser of South Windsor-Southington still has a chance.

South Windsor will almost be home free if it wins on Saturday because its last game is at Enfield (1-7, Thanksgrabbing Eve), which sits at the bottom of this division.

Southington hosts No. 11 Cheshire (5-3) on Thanksgrabbing. That’s no gimme. Cheshire hasn’t lived up to the preseason hype, but it's better than its record shows. It opened the season with a win over Shelton (28-10) and has lost to West Haven (27-0), North Haven (17-14) and Hand (20-12), all of which are playoff contenders.

NOT GOOD: No. 10 Newtown (6-2); No. 11 Cheshire; and, No. 12 Wilbur Cross (6-2).

Newtown hosts Bunnell (6-2) on Friday. It closes on Thanksgrabbing Eve at Masuk (8-0), which has laid waste to everyone it’s played this season.

Cheshire can’t afford another loss and still has to deal with Southington. It plays at Harding (2-6) on Saturday.

Wilbur Cross hosts Hand (7-1) on Saturday. The Tigers are trying to qualify for Class L. It closes at Hillhouse (5-3) on Thanksgrabbing in one of the day’s older rivalries.

THIN ICE: No. 13. Westhill (6-2); No. 14 Conard (5-3); 15. Ridgefield (5-3); 16. Staples (5-3); No. 17 Norwich Free Academy (5-3); 18. Simsbury (5-3); and, 19. Xavier.

Westhill is the only one in the group that could mathematically qualify if seven of the top eight teams win this weekend. Not all of them will be eliminated because, again, Southington plays South Windsor. They’d still be close to the edge, though.

Note that Westhill plays at Wilton (4-4) on Friday and that won't be an easy game. Wilton has played a better schedule and lost to four of the FCIAC's best — Darien (27-0), St. Joseph (41-21), Ridgefield (17-3) and Staples (49-3).

THE EIGHT: No. 1 Darien (10-0) vs. No. 8 South Windsor (8-2); No. 2 Greenwich (10-0) vs. No. 7 East Hartford (9-1); No. 3 Shelton (9-1) vs. No. 6 Southington (9-1); and No. 4 West Haven (9-1) vs. No. 5 Naugatuck (9-1). We so, so, so, so, SO hope we’re wrong and get a Shelton-Naugy quarterfinal.

CLASS L

ONE MORE WIN: No. 2 Masuk (8-0); and No. 3 Middletown (8-0).

Masuk plays at New Milford (3-5) on Friday.

Middletown hosts Platt (4-4) on Friday. It’s in Middletown’s best interest to win that game because it plays at No. 1 at Windsor (7-0) in THE game of Thanksgrabbing Eve.

LOCKS: Windsor; and No. 5 Fitch.

Windsor has some sizable obstacles in its path after playing at Hall (1-7, Thursday) because it has back-to-back home games against NFA (Nov. 16) and Middletown. It’s in with a win over one of those two and Hall.

Fitch all but qualifies with a win at No. 10 East Lyme (5-3) on Friday, and if No. 9 Bunnell (6-2) loses at Newtown. A loss by either No. 6 Maloney (vs. Conard) or No. 7 North Haven (vs. Fairfield Prep) would almost do it, too, depending on bonuses.

Regardless this weekend, Fitch is in good shape because its final two games are vs. Windham (1-6, Nov. 16) and at Ledyard (2-6, Thanksgrabbing).

UNCERTAIN: No. 6 Maloney (7-1); No. 7 North Haven (6-2); No. 8 New Canaan (6-2); No. 9 Bunnell; No. 10 East Lyme.

Maloney hosts Conard (5-3) on Friday and city-rival Platt on Thanksgrabbing. We’d say its odds to beat both are better than 50-50, but neither game looks easy on paper.

North Haven’s postseason hopes are riding on Friday’s game against Prep because it ends the regular season at Amity (2-6). Yeah, Prep-North Haven is HO-YOOOOGE this weekend for both the participants and Class LL and L hopefuls.

New Canaan hosts Fairfield Ludlowe (1-8) on Friday. No problem. It plays at Darien on Thanksgrabbing. ENORMOUS problem. Darien has beaten the Rams the last five Thanksgrabbing Days, and that rivalry has become that day’s best.

Bunnell, much like North Haven, has so much hinging on this weekend at Newtown. It’s last game is at town rival Stratford (3-5) on Thanksgrabbing, so the odds are in its favor to finish 8-2 IF it beats Newtown.

East Lyme has to win out starting with Fitch. It gets easier for the Vikings after this weekend as it hosts both Guilford (3-4, Nov. 16) and winless Waterford (Thanksgrabbing).

THIN ICE: (deep breath) No. 11 E.O. Smith (5-3); No. 12 Abbott Tech/Immaculate (5-3); No. 13 Bristol Central (5-3); No. 14 Hillhouse (5-3); No. 15 Wilton (4-4); No. 16 Crosby (4-4); No. 17 RHAM (4-4); No. 18 Platt; and No. 19 Guilford.

This entire group is pretty much hosed if all of the division’s top seven teams win this weekend.

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

Yep, no New Canaan because it must beat Darien and then get some help (and the eight participants would breathe a heavy sigh of relief).

CLASS M

IN: No. 2 Berlin (8-0); and No. 3 Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton/Lyman Memorial (8-0).

HATS OFF, by the way, to C/WT/B/LM for qualifying. It went 0-10 two seasons ago and snapped a 22-game losing streak last season (it finished 5-5). Finally, a football team called the Patriots that we can feel good about. TRIPLE OPTION.

LOCKS: No. 1 Killingly.

All it has to do is win one of its last three games at Plainfield (6-1, Friday), Capital Prep/Achievement First (3-2, Nov. 16), or at Woodstock Academy (3-4, Thanksgrabbing). FREE MONEY.

ONE MORE WIN: No. 4 Sheehan (7-1).

The Titans play Friday at East Haven (1-7). B-I-N-G-O.

SIDENOTE: Wow, Sheehan hasn't made states since it lost to Stanford Steve Coughlin and powerhouse Ansonia in the 1995 Class S semifinals (16-6). That was back when they were still coached by Dennis Mannion, a dang good coach and a GREAT American. Mannion's teams played in the same division as large-school powerhouses Cheshire and Shelton and more than held their own as one of the SCC's smallest schools (yes, kids, there was an time where smaller schools played larger schools, beat them, and didn't threaten to leave the league or use state legislation to end those matchups). 'Twas a great time for Connecticut high school foots balls.

PROLLY: No. 5 Watertown (6-2).

Speaking of teams that haven’t been to states in decades. …. Watertown hasn't been to the postseason since 1986 when some dude named “Brogna” quarterbacked it to the Class SS title. Anywizzle, the black and orange host Derby (3-4) on Friday and Torrington (2-6) on Thanksgrabbing. Win both. Playoff drought over.

We're going to pause here for a moment to mention that this division may be the most MEH in state history. Sure, Berlin has great pedigree, and Killingly has been beastly, but all but six teams in M have three-or-more losses. All but 12 of the division's 35 teams are still mathematically alive, too. And there's a dang good chance there's going to be a four-loss playoff qualifier. WHEE-EEEE.

UNCERTAIN: No. 6 SMSA/University/Classical (6-2); No. 7 Weston (5-3); No. 8 Barlow (5-3); No. 9 Lyman Hall (5-3); No. 10 Thames River (4-3); No. 11 Wolcott (4-4); No. 12 Foran (4-4); No. 13 Tolland (4-4); No. 14 Law (4-4); No. 15 Gilbert/Northwestern (4-4).

The horror. The horror.

SMSA/Univ/Classical hosts Gilbert/Northwestern on Thursday. The loser will gnash its teeth. Worse for SMSA/U/C is that it plays at C/WT/B/LM on Nov. 18.

Weston plays at New Fairfield (1-7). Very winnable. BUT WAIT — it hosts Barlow on Thanksgrabbing in what should be a Class M play-in game. AWESOME.

Barlow hosts Bethel (3-5) on Saturday.

Lyman Hall plays at Law on Friday. Wave goodbye to the losing team. Lyman also plays at Sheehan on Thanksgrabbing.

The rest of this group, with the exception of Thames River, all has four losses and, as such, are donezo if they get a fifth.

Thames hosts Prince Tech (6-1) on Saturday. It also plays at Stonington (2-5, Nov. 16) and vs. No. 23 Quinebaug Valley (3-5). While Stonington has a losing record, it’s never easy judging the quality of tech school teams such as Thames.

Okay, who’s next? Wolcott? Ah, yes. The Eagles play at Torrington on Thursday. They’re home for the (Thanksgrabbing) holidaze against Holy Cross (5-3).

Foran hosts Hillhouse (5-3, Friday) and at town-rival Law (Thanksgrabbing).

Tolland plays Saturday at Bulkeley/HMTCA/Weaver (1-7). It closes on Thanksgrabbing Eve Eve against an E.O. Smith team that gave Windsor hell earlier this season. Not good.

Law. It should already be burned into your brain that it finishes with home games against Lyman Hall and Foran.

FINALLY, Gilbert/Northwestern. You know it plays SMSA/U/C on Thursday. It plays at Waterbury Career Academy (3-5) on Thanksgrabbing Eve Eve.

NOPE: No. 16 Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby (4-4); No. 17 Bacon Academy (4-4); No. 18 Stratford (3-5); No. 19 Bethel (3-5); No. 20 Brookfield (3-5); No. 21 Ellington (3-5); No. 23 Quinebaug Valley (3-5); and, No. 24 Avon.

That was far, far too much typing.

Pardon us as we go take a break to do some home carpal tunnel release surgery.

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

CLASS S

ONE MORE WIN: No. 1 St. Joseph (7-1); No. 2 Bullard-Havens (8-0); No. 3 Ansonia (8-0); and No. 4 Rocky Hill (8-0).

St. Joseph plays at McMahon (1-7, Friday) and on Thanksgrabbing vs. Trumbull (2-6).

Bullard-Havens plays at No. 15 Capital Prep (3-2) on Friday and we have no idea who will win. It closes at home against No. 6 Prince Tech.

Ansonia plays at Holy Cross (5-3) on Sunday and at Naugy on Thanksgrabbing.

Rocky Hill has a tougher close than most, but it's Rocky Hill and thus up for the challenge. It has home games against Berlin (Friday) and No. 7 Cromwell/Portland (7-1) on Thanksgrabbing Eve.

PROLLY: No. 5 Old Saybrook/Westbrook (7-1); No. 9 Stafford/East Windsor/Somers (7-1); No. 10 Valley Regional/Old Lyme (7-1).

OS/W plays at Haddam-Killingworth (5-3) on Friday and hosts winless Morgan on Thanksgrabbing.

S/EW/S hosts North Branford (4-4) on Friday and takes next week off. It moseys over to Windsor Locks/Suffield/Granby on Thanksgrabbing Eve. We picked against the Bulldogs making states during the early rounds of last season’s BRACKETOLOGY. We ain’t doing that again.

The WARRIORCATS play Saturday at Lewis Mills (1-7). Win, beat H-K next Friday, and they’re golden.

UNCERTAIN: Prince Tech; No. 7 Cromwell/Portland; No. 8 Plainfield; No. 11 O’Brien Tech (6-2); No. 12 Seymour (5-2); No. 13 Griswold (6-2); and, No. 14 Bloomfield (6-2).

Prince Tech closes at Thames River, at Bullard-Havens, and at CP/A. Not good.

Cromwell/Portland heads to Nonnewaug (1-7) on Saturday and should dispatch the latter. That game at Rocky Hill on Thanksgrabbing Eve, though. That’s as difficult as it gets for any of the S hopefuls.

Plainfield hosts Killingly on Friday. EEP. It goes to winless Waterford next Thursday and finishes at Quiet Corner rival Griswold on Thanksgrabbing.

O’Brien, which is having the best season of its young career, has winnable games left at home against Vinal Tech/East Hampton/Goodwin Tech (1-7, Saturday) and Platt Tech (2-6, Nov. 18).

Seymour has three games left — at Oxford (3-5, Friday), vs. Derby (3-4, Nov. 16), and home for Woodland (4-4).

Griswold hosts Windham on Friday and Plainfield on Thanksgrabbing.

Bloomfield welcomes RHAM (4-4) this Friday and Glastonbury (3-5) on Nov. 21.

THIN ICE: No. 15 Capital Prep/Achievement First (3-2); and, No. 16 St. Paul (5-3).

Yes, CP/A is a mere 3-2 after nine weeks. None of the tech schools wanted it around when it broke off from the Constitution State Conference and formed the Connecticut Technical Conference. The Trailblazers were left without a league and forced to cobble together a schedule that featured teams from Taxachussetts (New Mission), New Jersey (Hun School) and CANADA (Toronto Prep). The latter two games didn’t count towards the playoffs, thus it has an eight-game schedule.

Now that we’ve explained all of that, CP/A finishes with three teams that have won six-or-more games — Bullard-Havens (Friday), at Killingly (Nov. 16) and vs. Prince Tech (Thanksgrabbing Eve).

The problem for St. Paul isn’t its schedule — it’s that it needs so much help. It has winnable games left at winless Wilby on Thursday and vs. Oxford on Thanksgrabbing Eve, however it’s so far behind in points with a low ceiling. It’s needs to max out on bonuses and hope many, many teams in front of it flop.

NOPE: No. 17 Holy Cross (5-3); Haddam-Killingworth; Woodland; and No. 22 Derby.

First, it’s going to be hard enough for a two-loss team to qualify.

Secondly, Holy Cross hosts Ansonia on Saturday. DOH.

Thirdly, H-K has to deal with Old Saybrook/Westbrook AND the WARRIORCATS.

Fourthly, Woodland plays at Seymour on Thanksgrabbing Eve.

Fifthly, Derby closes with Watertown (Friday), Seymour (Nov. 16) and Shelton (Thanksgrabbing). And those are all on the road.

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

• • • •

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. Southington.

The same teams have been ranked in the top 10 of The Day’s state coaches’ poll for the past four weeks. Just 11 other teams received votes this week, which is a tad low.

St. Joseph, Shelton, West Haven and Southington have all lost a game but are still ranked in the top 10.

The likes of Berlin, Fitch, Killingly, Naugatuck and Rocky Hill (last year’s Class S runner-up) are all unbeaten and not ranked. Berlin didn’t even receive a vote.

The GameTimeCT/New Haven Register media poll has had the same top 10 teams with 12 other teams receiving votes.

Perhaps it means something. Perhaps it means nothing. But it’s curious.

Maybe past success has something to do with the lack of representation. Top-ranked Darien, No. 3 Ansonia, No. 4 St. Joseph, No. 5 Windsor and No. 10 Southington have all won state titles over the past four seasons.

No. 7 Shelton played for the CIAC Class LL title in 2014 and 2015.

No. 2 Greenwich and No. 9 West Haven are two of the state’s all-time most successful programs.

Perhaps conference affiliation is a factor. There have been 32 state titles awarded since the CIAC expanded from 24 to 32 participants in 2010. The Fairfield County Interscholastic Conference and Southern Connecticut Conference have won nine apiece. The Central Connecticut Conference has won four. Those leagues account for eight of top 10 teams (the Eastern Connecticut Conference is the only league that hasn’t won a state title over that seven-year stretch).

Could school size be a factor? Eight of the top 10 teams are Class LL or L except for Ansonia and St. Joseph, which are both in Class S and have won multiple titles since 2010.

• • • •

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

• • • •

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 (7-1); 8. Ridgefield (5-3); 9. New Canaan (6-2); and, 10. Windsor.

Middletown was 11th, Southington 15th and Ansonia 16th.

The program rated St. Joseph’s schedule the hardest. It’s opponents are a combined 36-27, bu-uuuut, among those teams are Darien (42-10 loss), Ridgefield (38-35 win), New Canaan (38-35 win), and Staples (49-9 win). That’s FCIAC royalty there. It’s also beaten Fairfield Warde (52-13) and Wilton (41-21). Both are 4-4, but that’s a function of getting knocked around by the FCIAC’s best.

• • • •

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. Ridgefield (more on it in a moment)

7. New Canaan

8. Shelton

9. West Haven

10. Hand: We probably should've been voting the Tigers based on being a late two-point conversion away from beating Shelton earlier in the season, but didn't because they've played an SCC Tier 2 schedule. Last Friday's 20-12 win over Cheshire did the trick.

11. Windsor

12. Middletown

13. Killingly

14. North Haven

15. Southington

We had NO idea what to do with Ridgefield.

On one hand, Ridgefield is 5-3.

On the other hand, the Tigers lost to top-ranked Darien (38-12), No. 2 Greenwich (26-21) and No. 4 St. Joseph (38-35). It had its chances to win the latter two games.

Should one give a team's strength of schedule any consideration after a loss and, if so, when are multiple losses too much? Note that CalPreps' computer program rated them eighth overall (it also reated the Tigers' schedule just slightly behind St. Joseph's).

Is it unfair to give schools playing in tougher leagues such leeway, while holding schools playing easy schedules to a higher standard?

A reporter at a SW Conn outpost said the Tigers aren't the same team that barely lost to St. Joseph and that we should drop them.

Ultimately, there's no right or wrong answer. A ballot is made up of one's opinions and, like snowflakes, no two are the same.

Probably wouldn't have stuck with Ridgefield had we not seen it play St. Joseph. It's passing game is terrific and the defense is solid. We haven't seen many teams better than it.

Perhaps, in time, we'll change our minds. That's allowed as there's no rule of law involved when voting in a top 10, and one should make changes if they feel they've made mistakes.

That's just our opinion, though.

• • • •

NOTABLES~!

Nick Green had four tackles and scored on touchdown passes of 3 and 4 yards from Jack Joyce as Darien blanked Wilton, 27-0, its third straight shutout. Kevin Grune had 10 tackles and for the Blue Wave, which have won 33 straight games. ... Justin Lopez completed 6 of 7 passes for 209 yards and four touchdowns as No. 2 Ansonia shredded Derby, its longtime Division Street rival, 56-8. Markell Dobbs added eight carries for 148 yards and two scores for the Chargers, who ran 37 plays for 562 yards.

Gavin Muir completed 21 of 34 passes for 261 yards and a touchdown as No. 2 Greenwich got past Ridgefield, 26-21. Mosi Bici had 3 ½ sacks for Greenwich (7-0) and Zach Moore kicked field goals of 39 and 43 yards. Greg Gatto completed 28 of 44 passes for three touchdowns for the Tigers (5-3). ... David Summers completed 17 of 34 passes for 258 yards and two touchdowns and scored on a 60-yard run as No. 4 St. Joseph shredded Staples, 49-9. Whoh. Jude Andrzejewski scored on a 4-yard interception return and had four sacks and a forced fumble.

Tomasz Johnson had 18 carries for 170 yards and four touchdowns as No. 5 Windsor cracked Hartford Public, 32-12. Julian Jackson threw a 86-yard touchdown to L.J. Wolcott. ... Matt Hersch completed 24 of 30 passes for 398 yards and three touchdowns and threw for a two-point conversion as No. 6 Masuk ransacked Stratford, 50-0. Jack Roberge ran 12 times for 103 yards and three touchdowns and had four catches for 112 yards, including a 72-yard touchdown, for the Panthers.

Jack Carr ran 36 times for 247 yards and two touchdowns as he literally carried No. 7 Shelton past Amity, 27-17. Shelton played most of the game without Jake Roberts, who sprained his knee in the Gaels' 38-28 win over West Haven on Oct. 27.

Mike Aresco kicked field goals of 32, 38 and 37 yards as No. 8 Middletown drove down to Jersey City, N.J., and beat Hudson Catholic, 23-12. Xzavier Reyes ran 27 times for 180 yards and scored for the Blue Dragons (8-0) and Aresco tied former Wethersfield kicker Austin Stefano (2014-16) for the state career field goal record (21), according to the Connecticut High School Football Record Book.

Kyle Godfrey scored on runs of 34 and 3 yards as No. 9 West Haven got past Hillhouse, 29-15. Jordan Wetmore returned a fumble for a 26-yard touchdown for West Haven. ... Will Barmore completed 15 of 24 passes for 221 yards with two touchdowns and scored on a 2-yard run as No. 10 Southington stomped Enfield, 45-8.

Spencer Lockwood ran for 193 yards and five touchdowns as Killingly trucked Trinity Catholic, 49-7. Zach Caffrey ran for 137 yards and a score for Killingly (8-0) and linemen Michael DiRuscio, Ethan Canova, Matt Phelan, Alex Fontaine, John Cacciapuoti, Jake Gauthier and tight end Quinn Gervasio made it possible. HATS OFF to Killingly HC Chad Neal, too, for his quip to Jimmy Zanor of the Norwich Bulletin about RPOs (run/pass options) — “Our RPO is called ‘running people over.’” Someone print that in big block letters on a black t-shirt for us, please.

Zack Orth ran 14 times for 129 yards and two touchdowns, caught a 24-yard touchdown pass, scored on a 15-yard fumble return, and had nine tackles as North Haven thrashed Foran, 60-14. GOD’S FATHER’S OFFENSE. Mark Montano completed the only two passes he threw for 100 yards and two touchdowns and ran 11 times for 72 yards for North Haven (6-2). ... Drew Pyne completed 13 of 28 passes for 175 yards and three touchdowns as New Canaan fought past Norwalk, 32-12

Shea McManaway completed 9 of 12 passes for 165 yards and five touchdowns as Norwich Free Academy dropped 42 points on Waterford in the first quarter of its 42-15 rout. Kevin Pomroy caught two of McManaway’s touchdown passes for the Wildcats (5-3). ... Owen George threw for 163 yards and four touchdowns to help New London beat Montville, 46-21, and snap a six-game losing streak. Elijah Parker and Gio Lopez both caught two touchdown passes for the Whalers (2-6). Lopez also scored on a 33-yard interception return.

Michael Cullina completed 7 of 11 passes for 158 yards and three touchdowns and scored on a 13-yard run as Valley Regional/Old Lyme beat Rockville, 28-6. Ryan Santos scored on catches of 40 and 24 yards for the WARRIORCATS (7-1). ... Trey Stimson ran 14 times for 230 yards and two touchdowns and scored on an interception return as Thames River won its third straight game, 62-28, over Platt Tech. Zack Jackson threw for 129 yards and three touchdowns for Thames (4-3) and Albert Velasquez scored on an interception return. ... Davaughn Luty ran 17 times for 59 yards and two touchdowns, caught three passes for 90 yards and a score, caught a two-point conversion pass from Andrew Koziol, and had an interception as Griswold bounced Stonington, 42-14.

Yale-bound Nathan Hickey ran 21 times for 206 yards and four touchdowns and scored on an 84-yard punt return as as Bristol Central took out Platt, 43-26. Justus Fitzpatrick scored on a 99-yard interception return for Central (5-3). ... Raquan Tompkins ran 11 times for 113 yards and a touchdown and completed 7 of 12 passes for 144 yards and a score as East Hartford downed New Britain, 28-7. Kevin Jones had 10 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown, caught four passes for 77 yards and a score, and had nine tackles for the Hornets (7-1).

Alex Halkias ran 16 times for 81 yards and a touchdown as Berlin downed Bloomfield, 23-14, to unofficially qualify for the Class M playoffs. Kevin Dunn completed 8 of 13 passes for 136 yards and a touchdown for the Redcoats (8-0) and Larry St. Pierre scored on a 15-yard interception return. And why does Berlin call itself the Redcoats give the latter were the bad guys who tried to enforce taxation without representation and what-not?

Phoenix Billings threw touchdowns of 4 and 52 yards for Hand as it scraped past Cheshire, 20-12, and strengthened its chances to qualify for Class L. Colin McCabe scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 20-yard fumble return that gave the Tigers a 13-12 edge. Its been quite a debut for first-year head coach Dave Mastroianni as Hand (7-1) finished 2-8 last year.

Joe Catania ran nine times for 79 yards and three touchdowns as Rocky Hill ran over Avon, 42-0. GOD’S OFFENSE. Matt Osgood had five catches for 105 yards and three touchdowns for the Terriers (8-0). STOP THROWING, Rocky Hill. Stay true to GOD’S OFFENSE. ... Tamar Coverson-Epps scored on a 73-yard kickoff return, a 15-yard fumble return, and a 29-yard run as Seymour thrashed St. Paul, 49-12. Tyler Ganim scored on runs of 40 and 1 yards for Seymour (5-2) and Bobby Melms also scored on a 10-yard fumble return. … Nick Fedak ran 13 times for 154 yard and three touchdowns as Oxford did Senior Night right with a 43-0 rout of Wilby.

Sal Barnabei threw three touchdown passes as Wilbur Cross clocked Notre Dame of West Haven, 27-7, to continue what’s been a helluva’ year for the Governors (6-2). ... Tyrese Wright ran seven times for 153 yards and four touchdowns, completed 6 of 11 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown, and scored on a 78-yard interception return as Bullard-Havens tore through Vinal Tech, 52-0. Eddy Holmes ran for 187 yards and two touchdowns for the Tigers (8-0).

Maloney rolled Newington 41-10 as Aiden Valentin ran 27 times for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Larue Graham completed 15 of 33 passes for 221 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for the Spartans (7-1), which have won seven in a row and sure look Class L playoff-bound. … Connor Rich ran 20 times for 154 yards and two touchdowns and completed all 7 of his passes for 118 yards in Northwest Catholic’s 34-6 win over Bulkeley/HMTCA/Weaver.

Hark! Shakespeare Rodriguez defended Lyman of Hall's forces by twice taketh away a soaring pigskin from yon enemy quarterback in a victorious 12-0 campaign against Branford. Yes. we’ve painted many rooms without ventilation. What's it to you?. … Sheehan scored 41 in the first quarter as it brutalized Bassick, 62-8. Nathan Zona (94 yards) and Jordan Davis (89) both ran for two touchdowns for the Titans (7-1) and Wes Terzi threw touchdowns of 42 and 23 yards and kicked five extra points.

Here’s a score you don’t see too often — 6-2. That was the result of Stafford/East Windsor/Somers win over Ellington last Friday. Colton Engel completed 8 of 16 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown and ran 26 times for 110 yards for S/EW/S (7-1) and John Kopek had 10 tackles and a fumble recovery. ... Tyler Llewellyn needed just seven carries to rush for 127 yards and two touchdowns as Fairfield Warde edged McMahon, 32-29.

Vincent Dyer ran 13 times for 184 yards and four touchdowns, had two interceptions, one of which he returned for a 39-yard touchdown, and ran for a two-point conversion as Old Saybrook/Westbrook thumped North Branford, 55-25. Victor Pascoe ran nine times for 104 yards and three touchdowns for the Rams (7-1), which attempted just one pass (APPLAUSE). ... Mike Plasky completed 12 of 21 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown and ran 11 times for 47 yards and two scores as Naugatuck mowed down Wolcott, 61-22.

Simsbury’s Rafael Nieves ran a lot for Simsbury in its 24-0 win over Manchester. Nieves ran THIRTY FIVE TIMES for 224 yards and two touchdowns. ... Penn State-bound Will Levis completed 21 of 33 passes for 367 yards and four touchdowns and ran for a 6-yard touchdown as Xavier downed Hamden, 47-20. Tyrone Abrahams ran for 154 yards and a TD for Xavier (4-4). … Devin Hill completed 7 of 11 passes for 210 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a 7-yard touchdown as SMSA/University/Classical thumped Canton, 40-0.

Manny Sanchez ran 27 times for 346 yards and six touchdowns and caught a 53-yard touchdown pass from Issac Torres as CREC beat Windham, 55-36. Natanael Barbosa had 26 carries for 253 yards and four touchdowns and scored on a 44-yard interception return for Windham. ... Dalton Modehn ran 15 times for 192 yards and two scores as Haddam-Killingworth rumbled past Lewis Mills, 35-13.

Christian Bier had five of Westhill’s THIRTEEN SACKS as it beat Trumbull for the first time in school history, 29-21 (the Vikings beat Trumbull five years ago but had to forfeit the win). How could any defense at any level of the foot balls rack up 13 sacks? Do Deacon Jones IV and Reggie White Jr. Jr. Jr. both start for Westhill? A.J. Laccona threw touchdowns of 7, 64, 12 and 56 yards for Westhill (6-2). ... Morgan Haskett ran 17 times for 83 yards and a touchdown and recovered four fumbles (WHAT) to help Bethel hold off Notre Dame of Fairfield, 21-14.

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