The Lonesome Polecat: last call for BRACKETOLOGY~!
NOTE: This was written without the aid of a copy editor. Please ignore whatever spelling or grammatical errors are contained herein.
Okay, here’s YOUR final edition of BRACKETOLOGY~!
THINGS TO REMEMBER:
1. NO ONE officially qualifies until the CIAC football committee says so. They’ll rubber stamp everything the day after the end of the regular season, whenever that is.
2. We had to predict the winners of all the games to do this. That’s obviously the crappiest of crap-shoots.
3. We’re going to be wrong about some of these predictions. Like, really, really wrong. That’s because Thanksgrabbing week is always nutters. And if that wasn’t enough, this season has been chaotic, as proven by there being five No. 1 teams over eight weeks in The Day’s Top 10 state coaches’ poll.
4. Just because we didn’t pick your team to qualify doesn’t mean we hate you.
Hell, we don’t even know you, man.
5. A team receives 10 bonus points for any win by a team it beat.
There’s also schedule strength points that award a team five points for every win by an opponent even if it lost to said opponent.
That, and the schedule strength points, mean that programs that play winning teams gain more playoff points than programs that don’t.
All that means is that the better the schedule, the more points a team gets.
6. Let me remind you — this is not a competition. It’s only an exhibition. Please, no wagering.
The state quarterfinals (Tuesday, Nov. 29) and semifinals (Sunday, Dec. 4) are hosted by the higher seeds.
The finals are on Saturday, Dec. 10 at Arute Field at Central Connecticut State and Rentschler Field. Both will host three games at 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
FORTY ONE teams have (unofficially) qualified.
SEVEN spots (unofficially) open.
1-2-3-4!
CLASS LL
UM-MMMM. …. WE THINK THEY’VE (UNOFFICIALLY) QUALIFIED
(SUPER NO VACANCY)
No. 1 Greenwich (8-1)
NEXT: at Staples (8-1), TODAY~!
It’s clinched a home quarterfinal and would be the top seed with a win.
No. 2 Southington (8-1)
NEXT: at Cheshire (6-3), TODAY~!
Blue Knights get a home quarterfinal with a win.
No. 3 West Haven (9-1)
NEXT: Regular season over.
It’s clinched a home quarterfinal despite its 21-6 loss to Fairfield Prep (yes, a No. 1 team in The Day coaches’ poll lost for the elbentieth time this season.)
No. 4 Staples (8-1)
NEXT: vs. Greenwich (8-1), TODAY~!
The Wreckers clinch a home quarter with a win.
No. 5 Fairfield Prep (7-3)
NEXT: Regular season over.
The Jesuits could be seeded as high as third if everything broke right.
No. 6 Hamden (8-1)
NEXT: vs. Notre Dame-West Haven (6-3), TODAY~!
The Green Dragons could also be seeded as high if everything broke right.
More than likely Prep and Hamden would battle for the fourth seed if the latter won and Staples lost. Then it would be time to count the bonuses.
No. 7 Trumbull (7-2)
NEXT: at St. Joseph (8-1), TODAY~!
Another team that could rise as high as third with a win and lots of luck.
No. 8 Glastonbury (8-2)
NEXT: Regular season over.
Guardians just waiting around for everyone else to get done.
THE EIGHT: No. 1 Greenwich (9-1) vs. No. 8 Glastonbury (8-2); No. 2 Southington (9-1) vs. No. 7 Staples (8-2); No. 3 West Haven (9-1) vs. No. 6 Fairfield Prep (7-3 — THE REMATCHENING); No. 4 Hamden (9-1) vs. No. 5 Trumbull (8-2).
CLASS L
UM-MMMM. …. WE THINK THEY’VE (UNOFFICIALLY) QUALIFIED
No. 1 St. Joseph (8-1)
NEXT: vs. Trumbull (7-2), TODAY~!
Top seed with a win and can fall as far as fourth with a loss.
No. 2 Newtown (9-1)
NEXT: Regular season over.
The Nighthawks have clinched a home quarterfinal.
No. 3 Naugatuck (8-1)
NEXT: Ansonia (9-0), TODAY~!
No worse than the second seed with a win. Could fall as far as fifth with a loss, though.
No. 4 Maloney (8-1)
NEXT: at Platt (6-3), TODAY~!
Almost assured a home quarterfinal with a win.
No. 5 New Canaan (8-1)
NEXT: at Darien (6-3), TODAY~!
Rams have a shot a hosting a quarterfinal with a win. They can’t catch Naugy if it wins. They’d struggle to catch Maloney if it wins, too.
No. 7 New Milford (7-3)
NEXT: Regular season over.
The Green Wave will be sixth or seventh, depending on what Cheshire and Darien do.
WIN-AND-IN
No. 6 Cheshire (6-3)
NEXT: vs. Southington (8-1), TODAY~!
More on it in a moment.
No. 8 Darien (6-3)
NEXT: vs. New Canaan (8-1), TODAY~!
Same.
SEND HELP
No. 9 Shelton (6-4)
NEXT: Regular season over.
Let’s keep this REAL simple for everyone’s sake.
If Cheshire loses, then it could get tight between it and Shelton.
If Darien loses, then Shelton qualifies.
THE EIGHT: No. 1 Naugatuck (9-1) vs. No. 8 Shelton (6-4 — it’s HOT NAUGATUCK VALLEY-ON-NAUGATUCK VALLEY ACTION); No. 2 Newtown (9-1) vs. No. 7 New Milford (7-3 — THE REMATCHENING); No. 3 St. Joseph (8-2) vs. Darien (7-3 — THE REMATCHENING); No. 4 Maloney (9-1) vs. No. 5 New Canaan (8-2).
CLASS MM
UM-MMMM. …. WE THINK THEY’VE (UNOFFICIALLY) QUALIFIED
No. 1 Sport & Medical Sciences co-op (10-0)
NEXT: Regular season over.
The TIGERHAWKS are YOUR No. 1 seed.
No. 2 Northwest United (10-0)
NEXT: Regular season over.
It’s a season of firsts for the Workhorses. They finished their first unbeaten season after taking down Class SS participant Abbott Tech/Immaculate on Thanksgrabbing Eve, 20-0, and are playoff-bound for the first time. They’re also No. 2.
No. 3 Killingly (8-1)
NEXT: vs. Woodstock Academy (4-4) at Nichols College in Dudley, Mass., TODAY~!
Clinches No. 3 with a win.
No. 4 Thames River (10-0)
NEXT: Regular season over.
The Crusaders would be third if Woodstock wins, and fourth if Killingly wins.
No. 5 North Haven (8-2)
NEXT: Regular season over.
More on the Nighthawks in a second.
No. 6 Wethersfield (8-2)
NEXT: Regular season over.
The Eagles’ 17-14 loss to Newington on Thanksgrabbing Eve cost them a top four seed.
North Haven and Wethersfield are both tied with 1,375 points. The Nighthawks own the tiebreaker (opponents wins).
The Eagles max out at 1,390 points if Bristol Central (1-8) beats Bristol Eastern (3-6).
The Nighthawks have three chances to earn 15 points from Platt (vs. Maloney), Harding (over Bridgeport Central) and Cheshire (Southington). They’d also get five points if Notre Dame beat Hamden.
No. 8 Masuk (7-2)
NEXT: Regular season over.
It’ll be No. 7 if Platt loses, No. 8 if it wins.
WIN-AND-IN
No. 7 Platt (6-3)
NEXT: vs. Maloney (8-1), TODAY~!
Either it wins (and would be seventh), or it loses and is staked. FIN.
SEND HELP
No. 10 Wilton (7-3)
NEXT: Season over.
It qualifies if Platt loses and would be eighth.
THE EIGHT: No. 1 SMSA (10-0) vs. No. 8 Wilton (7-3); No. 2 Northwest United (10-0) vs. No. 7 Masuk (7-3); No. 3 Killingly (9-1) vs. No. 6 Wethersfield (8-2); No. 4 Thames River (10-0) vs. No. 5 North Haven (8-2).
CLASS M
UM-MMMM. …. WE THINK THEY QUALIFIED
No. 1 Berlin (10-0)
NEXT: Regular season over.
The Redcoats are YOUR No. 1 seed.
No. 2 Rockville (7-2)
NEXT: at Ellington (7-2), TODAY~!
Its clinched no worse than the fourth seed, win or lose..
No. 3 Notre Dame-West Haven (6-3)
NEXT: at Hamden (8-1), TODAY~!
A top five seed, win or lose. Might host a home quarterfinal with a win, too.
No. 4 Law (8-1)
NEXT: vs. Foran (9-0), TODAY~!
Clinches a top three seed with a win.
No. 5 Abbott Tech/Immaculate (8-2)
NEXT: Regular season over.
It could finish anywhere from second to fifth, depending on what happens to Rockville, Law and/or Notre Dame.
No. 6 RHAM (6-3)
NEXT: vs. Bacon Academy (1-8), TODAY~!
Raptors are making their first trip to states and locked into No. 6.
WIN AND IN
No. 7 Hartford Public (5-4)
NEXT: vs. Weaver (2-7), TODAY~!
It would be seventh with a win.
LET’S GET WILD, WILD, WILD
No. 8 Branford (4-5)
NEXT: at East Haven (2-7), TODAY~!
No. 9 East Lyme (4-5)
NEXT: vs. Waterford (5-4), TODAY~!
East Lyme trails the Hornets, 800-745.
Branford would have a floor of 925 points with a win.
East Lyme would have a floor of 900 if Norwich Free Academy beat New London, or 910 if New London won.
The Vikings and Branford both have a ceiling of 965. ... but it’s not likely that East Lyme will reach it. It needs the likes of Woodstock (vs. Killingly) and Bacon (vs. RHAM) to win in order to get just 30 points.
Branford gets five points if Killingly won, too.
SEND HELP
No. 11 Woodstock Academy (4-5)
NEXT: vs. Killingly (8-1) at Nichols College, TODAY~!
Say the Centaurs stunned Killingly. They’d have a floor of 880 points.
They’d need five games to go their way in order to max out at 935.
Here are a few of their problems, though:
1. They’d lose five bonus points if East Lyme lost.
2. They’d lose 15 bonus points if Public beats Weaver (and it should).
3. They need Bacon to beat RHAM.
ALIVE BUT BARELY BREATHING
No. 10 Avon (5-5)
NEXT: Regular season over.
In simplest terms, it needs Branford to lose, and the odds are against it.
No. 11 Lyman Hall (4-5)
NEXT: at Sheehan (4-5), TODAY~!
Same.
THE EIGHT: No. 1 Berlin (10-0) vs. No. 8 Branford (5-5); No. 2 Law (9-1) vs. No. 7 Hartford Public (6-4); No. 3 Rockville (8-2) vs. No. 6 RHAM (7-3); No. 4. Abbott Tech/Immaculate (8-2) vs. No. 5 Notre Dame-West Haven (6-4).
CLASS SS
UM-MMMM. …. WE THINK THEY QUALIFIED
No. 1 Foran (9-0)
NEXT: at Law (8-1), TODAY~!
It will be the top seed with a win. It can fall as far as fourth if it loses.
No. 2 Cromwell/Portland (9-1)
NEXT: Regular season over.
Second seed if Foran wins, top seed if it loses.
No. 3 Windham (9-1)
NEXT: Regular season over.
No. 3 if Foran wins, No. 2 if it loses.
No. 5 Barlow (8-2)
NEXT: Regular season finished.
The Falcons will be No. 4 if Ledyard loses. They’d most likely be fifth if Ledyard wins.
No. 6 Granby/Canton (8-2)
NEXT: Regular season over.
Fifth if Ledyard loses, sixth if it wins.
No. 7 Valley Regional/Old Lyme (9-1)
NEXT: Regular season over.
The WARRIORCATS are seventh if Gilbert/Northwestern/Housatonic loses, eighth if it won.
WIN-AND-IN
No. 4 Ledyard (8-1)
NEXT: at Fitch (5-4), TODAY~!
It could earn a home quarterfinal with a win. There’s a mathematical chance Barlow could pass it, but, again, it’s a mere mathematical chance.
Ledyard also qualifies if Gilbert loses.
The Colonels could also lose and still beat Ellington and Rocky Hill on bonuses, too.
No. 8 Gilbert/Northwestern/Housatonic (7-2)
NEXT: vs. St. Paul (4-5), TODAY~!
The Yellowjackets are among the few teams that made Ansonia sweat, so we’re not going to bother with what must happen if they lose.
SEND HELP
No. 9 Ellington (7-2)
NEXT: vs. Rockville (7-2), TODAY~!
The Knights best hope is a win and a Gilbert loss.
No. 10 Rocky Hill (7-3)
NEXT: Regular season over.
The Terriers best hope is for Gilbert and Ellington to both lose.
THE EIGHT: No. 1 Cromwell/Portland (9-1) vs. No. 8 Valley Regional/Old Lyme (9-1 — THE REMATCHENING); No. 2 Windham (9-1) vs. No. 7 Gilbert/Northwestern/Housatonic (8-2); No. 3 Foran (9-1) vs. No. 6 Granby/Canton (8-2); No. 4 Ledyard (9-1) vs. No. 5 Barlow (8-2).
CLASS S, or, THE NAUGATUCK VALLEY LEAGUE JAMBOREE
UM-MMMM. …. WE THINK THEY QUALIFIED
(SUPER NO VACANCY)
No. 1 Ansonia (9-0)
NEXT: at Naugatuck (8-1), TODAY~!
The Chargers are YOUR No. 1 seed.
No. 2 Holy Cross (7-2)
NEXT: at Wolcott (2-7), TODAY~!
The Crusaders will most likely be third, win-or-lose, because Bloomfield already has a 1,480-1,340 lead in points. It also has five bonus games, whereas Holy Cross has none.
No. 3 Bloomfield (8-2)
NEXT: Regular season over.
The WARHAWKS will be seeded second or third but odds are they’ll be second.
No. 4 Woodland (8-2)
NEXT: Regular season over.
Its locked in as the fourth seed, win or lose.
No. 5 East Catholic (7-3)
NEXT: Regular season over
The Eagles are locked into this spot.
No. 6 New Fairfield (7-3)
NEXT: Regular season over.
The Rebels are locked into this spot.
No. 7 Seymour (6-4)
NEXT: Regular season over.
Its locked in at seven.
No. 8 North Branford (6-4)
NEXT: Regular season over.
The Purple and Black attack are locked in at eight.
THE EIGHT: No. 1 Ansonia (9-1) vs. No. 8 North Branford (6-4); No. 2 Bloomfield (8-2) vs. No. 7 Seymour (6-4); No. 3. Holy Cross (8-2) vs. New Fairfield (7-3); No. 4 Woodland (8-2) vs. No. 5 East Catholic (7-3).
• • • •
That’s all for now.
Thanks for reading.
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