The Lonesome Polecat (state variant): BRACKETOLOGY~! and a whole lot of notables
More rock, less talk, so onto BRACKETOLOGY~!
GROUND RULES
1. A team is all but hosed if it has four losses. Law is the only team in the 42-year history of CIAC playoffs to qualify with that many (Class M, 2017).
2. We’re going to be wrong about a bunch of these predictions because crazy stuff happens this of year and it's awesome. Surprises are (usually) FUN.
3. Just because we didn’t pick your team to qualify doesn’t mean we hate you. Hell, we don’t even know you, man.
4. Matt Fischer, the CIAC’s Mr. Scotty, built the ROBOABACUS so that you may stay updated on all the playoff races. He even tricked it out by adding a color bar to update the current playoff status. So USE IT.
5. 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.
6. We’ve added a high and low category to represent the most and least playoff points a team may earn.
7. This is an exhibition, not a competition. Please, no wagering.
Remember, kids — the top eight teams in each division qualify, and bonuses are the 10 points a team receives for every win by an opponent it defeated.
The state quarterfinals (Tuesday, Nov. 27) and semifinals (Sunday, Dec. 2) are hosted by the higher seeds. The finals are on Saturday, Dec. 14 at Willow Brook Park in New Britain and Trumbull High.
The following have (unofficially) qualified:
CLASS LL: Darien, Newtown, Southington and Simsbury.
CLASS L: St. Joseph, Hand and Maloney.
CLASS M: Rockville.
CLASS S: Bullard-Havens, Ansonia and Bloomfield.
Eleven teams in. Twenty-one spots to go.
• • • •
CLASS LL
IN
1. DARIEN (9-0)
NEXT: vs. New Canaan (7-2), Thanksgrabbing.
HIGH: 1,530.
LOW: 1,270.
BONUSES (90): TRUMBULL over St. Joseph; NORWALK over McMahon; TRINITY CATHOLIC/WRIGHT TECH over Wilton; DANBURY over Ridgefield; FAIRFIELD LUDLOWE over Fairfield Warde; WESTHILL over Stamford; SOUTHINGTON over Cheshire; GREENWICH over Staples; BRIDGEPORT CENTRAL over Harding.
All but clinches the top seed with a win. Can drop no lower than fifth with a loss.
2. NEWTOWN (9-0)
NEXT: at Masuk (6-3), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
HIGH: 1,450.
LOW: 1,230
BONUSES (60): DANBURY over Ridgefield; NEW MILFORD over New Fairfield; POMPERAUG over Notre Dame-Ffld.; BARLOW over Weston; XAVIER over West Haven; SHELTON over Derby.
Earns at a top three seed with a win. Can drop no further than sixth with a loss.
4. SOUTHINGTON (8-1)
NEXT: at Cheshire (7-1), Thanksgrabbing.
HIGH: 1,380.
LOW: 1,160.
BONUSES: ENFIELD over South Windsor; SIMSBURY over Avon; GLASTONBURY over Bloomfield; NEW BRITAIN over Berlin; CHESHIRE over Harding (with win over Cheshire on Thanksgrabbing).
Earns a home quarterfinal with a win. Can drop as far as seventh with a loss.
5. SIMSBURY (8-1)
NEXT: vs. Avon (2-7), Thanksgrabbing Eve Eve.
HIGH: 1,300.
LOW: 1,140.
BONUSES (40): AMITY over North Haven; GLASTONBURY over Bloomfield; NEW BRITAIN over Berlin; MANCHESTER over East Hartford.
Huge favorite to beat Avon, so it will be no worse than fifth if Cheshire wins, or fourth if Cheshire loses.
JUST WIN, BABY
3. CHESHIRE (7-1)
NEXT: vs. Harding (3-5), Friday; vs. Southington (8-1), Thanksgrabbing.
HIGH: 1,440.
LOW: 1,040.
BONUSES (90): SHEEHAN over Hamden; SHEEHAN over Lyman Hall; FAIRFIELD WARDE over Fairfield Ludlowe; EAST HAVEN over Law; MASUK over Newtown; EAST HAVEN over Branford; SHELTON over Derby; SHELTON over Fairfield Prep; HARDING over Bridgeport Central.
The Rams have two chances to qualify with a win. It can earn the second seed even if Darien and Newtown win, which could happen given that half their bonuses look like mortal locks.
Cheshire will also qualify if Sheehan beats Hamden AND Shelton beats Fairfield Prep this week.
Oh, yeah. You're reading it right — the Rams are ranked third but haven’t qualified and No. 4 Southington and No. 5 Simsbury have. That’s because Cheshire has a higher average (it's played eight games, the others have played nine), but Southington and Simsbury have more overall points.
6. GREENWICH (8-1)
NEXT: at Staples (2-7), Thanksgrabbing.
HIGH: 1,270.
LOW: 1,090.
BONUSES (60): TRUMBULL over St. Joseph; NORWALK over McMahon; TRINITY CATHOLIC/WRIGHT TECH over Wilton; FAIRFIELD LUDLOWE over Fairfield Warde; WESTHILL over Stamford; BRIDGEPORT CENTRAL over Harding.
The Cardinals will also qualify if Sheehan beats Hamden AND Shelton beats Fairfield Prep this week.
7. RIDGEFEILD (7-2)
NEXT: vs. Danbury (5-4), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
HIGH: 1,190.
LOW: 970.
BONUSES (70): MCMAHON over Norwalk; STAMFORD over St. Joseph; WILTON over Trinity Catholic/Wright Tech; FAIRFIELD WARDE over Fairfield Ludlowe; STAMFORD over Westhill; STAPLES over Greenwich; NEW CANAAN over Darien.
A loss to Danbury means the Tigers will need Prep, Hamden and Hall to lose. They’ll need just one bonus to match Conard’s maximum (980) and beat it on tiebreaker points. It will need just one bonus to beat Shelton’s maximum (970).
8. NORWICH FREE ACADEMY (6-3)
NEXT: vs. New London (4-4), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
HIGH: 1,110.
LOW: 910.
BONUSES (60): BACON ACADEMY over RHAM; FITCH over Ledyard; XAVIER over West Haven; KILLINGLY over New London; GLASTONBURY over Bloomfield; EAST LYME over Waterford.
NOTE: It will receive 10 guaranteed points from Killingly-New London if it beats New London on Thanksgrabbing Eve.
The Wildcats must beat New London and hope that Prep AND Hamden lose at least once.
Hamden has a maximum of 1,130 playoff points if it collects every bonus. Prep and NFA’s ceiling is 1,110 points.
NFA has an advantage over both because it requires five bonuses to reach its max, whereas Hamden and Prep each need eight to do so. Prep will, however, earn 10 points if NFA beats New London because it beat the Wildcats 33-28 on Oct. 26.
The Wildcats are all but doomed with a loss.
9. FAIRFIELD PREP (5-3)
NEXT: at Shelton (5-3), Friday; vs. West Haven (2-6), Thanksgrabbing.
HIGH: 1,100.
LOW: 750.
BONUSES (80): NORTH HAVEN over Amity; FAIRFIELD LUDLOWE over Fairfield Warde; NFA over New London; HARDING over Bridgeport Central; HARDING over Cheshire; NOTRE DAME-W.H. over Hamden; SHELTON over Derby (with a win over Shelton on Friday); WEST HAVEN over Xavier (with a win over West Haven on Thanksgrabbing).
What we just wrote about NFA applies here.
10. HAMDEN (6-2)
NEXT: at Sheehan (6-2), Friday; vs. Notre Dame-West Haven (5-4), Thanksgrabbing.
HIGH: 1,130.
LOW: 740.
BONUSES (80): AMITY over North Haven; POMPERAUG over Notre Dame-Fairfield; WILBUR CROSS over Hillhouse; SOUTH WINDSOR over Enfield; HARDING over Bridgeport Central; BASSICK over Lyman Hall; HARDING over Cheshire; SHEEHAN over Lyman Hall (with a win over Sheehan on Thanksgrabbing).
See NFA, Prep.
NOT GOOD
11. HALL (6-3)
NEXT: at Conard (6-3), Nov. 23.
HIGH: 1,020.
LOW: 830.
BONUSES (30): CHESHIRE over Southington; NEW BRITAIN over Berlin; CHESHIRE over Harding.
It's eliminated with a loss to Conard.
How can Hall be considered a longshot and Prep isn’t when both have three losses? ANSWER: Prep, with two wins, will have a higher floor (1,030) than the Warriors (1,020).
12. SHELTON (5-3)
NEXT: vs. Fairfield Prep (5-3), Friday; at Derby (2-7), Nov. 28.
HIGH: 970.
LOW: 690.
BONUSES (40): WEST HAVEN over Fairfield Prep; NORTH HAVEN over Amity; NFA over New London; EAST HARTFORD over Manchester.
NOTE: Fairfield Prep-West Haven is guaranteed with a win over Prep on Friday.
It cannot finish higher than seventh. It’s unlikely that happens because its maximum with two wins (970) is the same as Ridgefield’s minimum with a loss to Greenwich (970). So the Gaels must win out and hope that NFA, Prep, Hamden and Hall all lose.
13. CONARD (6-3)
NEXT: vs. Hall (6-3), Saturday.
HIGH: 980.
LOW: 770.
BONUSES (50): WEST HAVEN over Fairfield Prep; BRISTOL CENTRAL over Bristol Eastern; WEST HAVEN over Xavier; NEW BRITAIN over Berlin; EAST HARTFORD over Manchester.
Conard has the slimmest of chances to get to seven but has to beat Hall on Saturday.
No. 14 Fairfield Ludlowe (5-4); and, No. 15 Naugatuck (5-3).
Ludlowe cannot finish higher than eighth.
Naugatuck cannot finish higher than eighth, too. There's also the matter of the Greyhounds playing Watertown (6-2) and Ansonia (9-0), too. Eep.
THE EIGHT: No. 1 Darien (10-0) vs. No. 8 NFA (7-3); No. 2 Newtown (10-0) vs. No. 7 Ridgefield (8-2); No. 3 Southington (9-1) vs. No. 6 Greenwich (9-1) (neat); No. 4 Simsbury (9-1) vs. No. 5 Cheshire (8-2).
• • • •
CLASS L
IN
1. ST. JOSEPH (8-0)
NEXT: at Stamford (3-5), Friday; vs. Trumbull (3-6), Thanksgrabbing.
HIGH: 1,610.
LOW: 1,230.
BONUSES (100): MCMAHON over Norwalk; FAIRFIELD PREP over West Haven; WILTON over Trinity Catholic/Wright Tech; RIDGEFIELD over Danbury; FAIRFIELD WARDE over Fairfield Ludlowe; STAPLES over Greenwich; NEW CANAAN over Darien; NOTRE DAME-W.H. over Hamden; FAIRFIELD PREP over Shelton; STAMFORD over Westhill (with a win over Stamford on Friday).
(Unofficially) clinched a home quarterfinal.
2. HAND (9-0)
NEXT: at Guilford (4-5), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
HIGH: 1,580.
LOW: 1,350.
BONUSES (90): NORWALK over McMahon; WEST HAVEN over Fairfield Prep; WILBUR CROSS over Hillhouse; MIDDLETOWN over Windsor; WETHERSFIELD over Newington; NOTRE DAME-W.H. over Hamden; SHELTON over Derby; SHELTON over Fairfield Prep; EAST LYME over Waterford.
(Unofficially) clinched a home quarterfinal.
3. MALONEY (8-1)
NEXT: at Platt (4-5), Thanksgrabbing.
HIGH: 1,350.
LOW: 1,170.
BONUSES: NORTH HAVEN over Amity; FARMINGTON over Plainville; HARTFORD PUBLIC over Bulkeley/HMTCA/Weaver; WETHERSFIELD over Newington.
Earns a home quarterfinal with a win.
JUST WIN, BABY
4. NEW CANAAN (7-2)
NEXT: at Darien (9-0), Thanksgrabbing.
HIGH: 1,280.
LOW: 990.
BONUSES (90): NEW LONDON over Killingly; STAMFORD over St. Joseph; TRUMBULL over St. Joseph; McMAHON over Norwalk; WILTON over Trinity Catholic/Wright Tech; FAIRFIELD WARDE over Fairfield Ludlowe; NEW LONDON over NFA; STAMFORD over Westhill; STAPLES over Greenwich.
New Canaan will qualify if New London beats Killingly OR Stamford beats St. Joseph this Friday. One of those two scenarios is beyond unlikely.
The Rams will also qualify with a win over Darien. OBVIOUSLY.
The odds are still very much in favor of New Canaan if it loses. It will still qualify if New Britain beats Berlin this Friday and doesn’t collect enough bonuses, or Newtown beats Masuk on Thanksgrabbing Eve, or if Middletown beats Windsor that same night OR wins but doesn’t collect nearly all of its bonuses.
5. WETHERSFIELD (7-2)
NEXT: at Newington (7-2), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
HIGH: 1,210.
LOW: 990.
BONUSES (50): FARMINGTON over Plainville; HARTFORD PUBLIC over Bulkeley/HMTCA/Weaver; MIDDLETOWN over Windsor; PLATT over Maloney; HALL over Conard.
The Newington game is HUGE because it's the equivalent of a Class L play-in. It should also be a doozie (CalPrep.com's computer model gives Wethersfield a slight edge). The Eagles aren't cooked if they lose because they will still qualify if Masuk or Wilton lose, OR if either of those two don’t collect nearly all their bonuses.
6. NEWINGTON (7-2)
NEXT: at Wethersfield (7-2), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
HIGH: 1,200.
LOW: 980.
BONUSES (50): RHAM over Bacon Academy; E.O. SMITH over Tolland; ENFIELD over South Windsor; WINDSOR over Middletown; MALONEY over Platt.
The Indians’ scenarios are nearly similar to Wethersfield’s (their floor and ceiling is 10 points less than the latter).
7. BERLIN (7-2)
NEXT: at New Britain (3-6), Friday.
HIGH: 1,160.
LOW: 970.
BONUSES (50): LEWIS MILLS over Capital Prep/Achievement First; TOLLAND over E.O. Smith; PLAINVILLE over Farmington; BULKELEY/HMTCA/WEAVER over Hartford Public; AVON over Simsbury.
If you want to see the nastiest feud since Magnum T.A. vs. Tully Blanchard, then check out Berlin-New Britain. A Redcoats loss will force them to hope that three of the following four lose — Masuk, Wilton, Windsor and Quinebaug Valley. Windsor will also have to collect four of its six bonuses, Quinebaug will need to max out, and both will need Berlin to earn no bonuses.
8. MASUK (6-3)
NEXT: vs. Newtown (9-0), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
HIGH: 1,080.
LOW: 830.
BONUSES (50): NEW FAIRFIELD over Notre Dame-Ffld.; BRISTOL CENTRAL over Bristol Eastern; POMPERAUG over Notre Dame-Ffld; BUNNELL over Stratford; GUILFORD over Hand.
The Panthers will be a huge home underdog against Newtown, but, hey, crazier things have happened in this rivalry. They’re nearly donezo with a loss unless, for example, Wilton, Windsor and Quinebaug all lose.
WIN-AND-PRAY
9. WILTON (6-3)
NEXT: at Trinity Catholic/Wright Tech (2-7), Thanksgrabbing.
HIGH: 1,010.
LOW: 820.
BONUSES: MCMAHON over Norwalk; STAMFORD over St. Joseph; FITCH over Ledyard; FAIRFIELD WARDE over Fairfield Ludlowe; STAMFORD over Westhill; BUNNELL over Stratford; STAPLES over Greenwich.
The Warriors should beat TC/WT but still need help. There’s almost no way they can catch New Canaan. It will be tough for them to catch teams five-through-seven because the floors of all three teams (if they lose) are still bigger than Wilton’s floor with a win (940). Their best hope, then, is for Newtown to beat Masuk AND beat Quinebaug Valley and Windsor on bonuses. Quinebaug will have a higher floor (950) than Wilton if it beats Thames River. Masuk and Windsor both have the same floor if they both win. Wilton has bad bonuses but Quinebaug and Windsor’s look FAR worse.
10. WINDSOR (6-3)
NEXT: vs. Middletown (6-3), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
HIGH: 1,000.it
LOW: 780.
BONUSES (60): RHAM at Bacon Academy; E.O. Smith over Tolland; FARMINGTON over Plainville; HARTFORD PUBLIC over Bulkeley/HMTCA/Weaver; MASUK over Newtown; PLATT over Maloney.
Four of the team’s Windsor is relying on for bonuses have a worse record than their opponent, so that decreases its odds.
11. QUINEBAUG VALLEY (6-3)
NEXT: at Thames River (7-1), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
HIGH: 980.
LOW: 780.
BONUSES: MCW UNITED over Abbott Tech/Immaculate; PLATT TECH over O'Brien Tech; THAMES RIVER over Abbott Tech/Immaculate (with a win over Thames River on Thanksgrabbing Eve).
The Pride are on shaky ground because although their floor is slightly higher than Masuk and Wilton’s if all three win, their ceiling is lower. They cannot finish higher than sixth but it’s unlikely they can get higher than eighth.
No. 12. Fitch (5-4); No. 13 Middletown (6-3); No. 14 Notre Dame-West Haven (5-4); No. 15 North Haven (5-4); No. 16 East Lyme (5-4); No. 18 Woodstock Academy (6-3); and, No. 21 New London (4-4).
This group can finish no higher than as eighth IF they win and receive every bonus and if Masuk, Wilton, Windor and Quinebaug Valley all lose.
THE EIGHT: No. 1 St. Joseph (10-0) vs. No. 8 Wilton (7-3); No. 2 Hand (10-0) vs. No. 7 Berlin (7-3); No. 3 Maloney (9-1) vs. No. 6 Newington (8-2) (THE REMATCHENING); No. 4 Wethersfield (8-2) vs. No. 5 New Canaan (7-3).
• • • •
CLASS M
IN
1. ROCKVILLE (8-0)
NEXT: vs. Morgan (1-7), Thursday; at Ellington (3-5), Thanksgrabbing.
HIGH: 1,510.
LOW: 1,210.
BONUSES (60): STAFFORD/EAST WINDSOR/SOMERS over SMSA/University/Classical; COVENTRY/WINDHAM TECH/BOLTON/LYMAN MEMORIAL over Haddam-Killingworth; OLD SAYBROOK/WESTBROOK over Morgan; GILBERT/NORTHWESTERN over Valley Regional/Old Lyme; COGINCHAUG/HALE-RAY/EAST HAMPTON over Ellington; GILBERT/NORTHWESTERN over Waterbury Career Academy.
NOTE: Old Saybrook/Westbrook-Morgan is guaranteed with a win over Morgan on Thursday; Coginchaug/Hale-Ray/East Hampton-Ellington is guaranteed with a win over Ellington on Thanksgrabbing Eve.
The Rams will be 30 points away from earning the top seed just by beating Morgan on Thursday. They're a lock to be the top seed based on their schedule.
JUST WIN, BABY
2. WATERFORD (8-1)
NEXT: at East Lyme (5-4), Thanksgrabbing.
HIGH: 1,350.
LOW: 1,150.
BONUSES (40): BACON ACADEMY over RHAM; LEDYARD over Fitch; STONINGTON over Westerly (RI); WOODSTOCK ACADEMY over CREC.
Waterford isn't guaranteed a home quarterfinal with a win.
A loss might ruin the Lancers because there are three teams outside the top eight that can catch them — No. 9 New Fairfield, No. 10 Watertown, and No. 11 Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby.
New Fairfield, on paper, should win out (as you'll see when below).
One thing that helps Waterford, as well as well as fellow top eight teams Killingly, Weston, SMSA/University/Classical and Granby/Canton, is that the loser of this Saturday's Thames River at Abbott Tech/Immaculate game cannot catch them.
3. KILLINGLY (8-1)
NEXT: vs. New London (4-4), Friday.
HIGH: 1,330.
LOW: 1,110.
BONUSES (70): CAPITAL PREP/ACHIEVEMENT FIRST over Lewis Mills; STONINGTON over Westerly; CAPITAL PREP/ACHIEVEMENT First over Nonnewaug; BERLIN over New Britain; BROOKFIELD over Bethel; EAST LYME over Waterford; NEW LONDON over NFA (with win over New London on Friday).
The Red Hawks have less leeway than Waterford and their bonuses look shaky.
4. WESTON (8-1)
NEXT: vs. Barlow (6-3), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
HIGH: 1,350.
LOW: 1,110.
BONUSES (90): NOTRE DAME-FFLD. over New Fairfield; NOTRE DAME-FFLD. over Pomperaug; NORTHWEST CATHOLIC over East Catholic; HILLHOUSE over Wilbur Cross; STRATFORD over Bunnell; LAW over East Haven; MASUK over Newtown; BROOKFIELD over Bethel; FORAN over Branford.
The Barlow game is a Class M qualifier. The Trojans face the same challenges as Waterford and Killingly if they lose, especially because they’ll need so many bonuses to play catch-up.
5. ABBOTT TECH/IMMACULATE (6-1)
NEXT: vs. Thames River (7-1), Saturday; at MCW United (0-8), Thanksgrabbing.
HIGH: 1,300.
LOW: 1,000.
BONUSES (30): PRINCE TECH over MCW United; QUINEBAUG VALLEY over Thames River; O'BRIEN TECH overBullard-Havens.
NOTE: Quinebaug-Thames River is guaranteed with a win over Thames River on Saturday; Prince Tech-MCW United is guaranteed with a win over MCW United on Thanksgrabbing.
The UNITED will be in deep trouble if it lose Saturday because beating winless MCW is worth so little (just 100 points for the win).
6. SMSA/UNIVERSITY/CLASSICAL (8-1)
NEXT: vs. Stafford/East Windsor/Somers (6-2), Friday.
HIGH: 1,340.
LOW: 1,110.
BONUSES (80): ELLINGTON over Rockville; COVENTRY/WINDHAM TECH/BOLTON/LYMAN MEMORIAL over Haddam-Killingworth; MORGAN over Old Saybrook/Westbrook; CROMWELL/PORTLAND over Rocky Hill; MORGAN over Rockville; VALLEY REGIONAL/OLD LYME over Gilbert/Northwestern; VALLEY REGIONAL/OLD LYME over Haddam-Killingworth; WINDSOR LOCKS/SUFFIELD/EAST GRANBY over Stafford/East Windsor/Somers.
NOTE: Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby-Stafford/East Windsor/Somers is guaranteed with a win over S/EW/S on Friday.
The third team with a floor of 1,110. What’s up with that? The TIGERHAWKS don’t have promising bonuses because they’re relying on a lot of losing teams. You can almost knock 20 points off their bonuses right now as it requires Rockville to lose twice.
7. THAMES RIVER (7-1)
NEXT: at Abbott Tech/Immaculate (7-1), Saturday; vs. Quinebaug Valley (5-4), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
HIGH: 1,300.
LOW: 940.
BONUSES (20): MCW UNITED over Abbott Tech/Immaculate; O'BRIEN TECH over Bullard-Havens.
NOTE: MCW United-Abbott Tech/Immaculate guaranteed with a win over Abbott Tech/Immaculate this Saturday.
It’s imperative the Crusaders win out. It's highly, highly unlikely they’ll earn either bonus which will give them 1,100 points if they split their games. Killingly, Weston, and SMSA/U/C, if they all lose, will each need just one bonus to pass Thames.
FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO PARTY
8. GRANBY/CANTON (7-2)
NEXT: vs. Old Saybrook/Westbrook (2-7), Friday.
HIGH: 1,200.
LOW: 1,010.
BONUSES (70): ELLINGTON over Rockville; COGINCHAUG/HALE-RAY/EAST HAMPTON over North Branford; GILBERT/NORTHWESTERN over Valley Regional/Old Lyme; HADDAM-KILLINGWORTH over Valley Regional/Old Lyme; GILBERT/NORTHWESTERN over Waterbury Career Academy; STAFFORD/EAST WINDSOR/SOMERS over Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby; OLD SAYBROOK/WESTBROOK over Morgan (with a win over Old Saybrook/Westbrook this Friday).
It will be shocking if the Bears lose to the Rams. The problem is they may not get more than one or two bonuses.
9. NEW FAIRFIELD (6-2)
NEXT: vs. Notre Dame-Fairfield (5-3), Thursday; at New Milford (4-5), Thanksgrabbing Eve Eve.
HIGH: 1,190.
LOW: 830.
BONUSES (50): WESTON over Barlow; STRATFORD over Bunnell; EAST HAVEN over Law; BRANFORD over Foran; NOTRE DAME-FAIRFIELD over Pomperaug (with a win over Notre Dame on Thursday).
The Rebels are on a six-game winning streak. CalPrep.com’s computer model picks them to win their final two games by double digits.
New Fairfield has the best chance to pass the ATI-Thames loser because it needs fewer bonuses to reach its ceiling (unlike WL/S/EG, which needs 80 bonuses to max out). Its bonuses also look better than, say, Watertown’s.
10. WATERTOWN (6-2)
NEXT: at Naugatuck (5-3), Thursday; vs. Torrington (5-4), Thanksgrabbing.
HIGH: 1,180.
LOW: 810.
BONUSES (50): SEYMOUR over Woodland; CROSBY over Kennedy; DERBY over Shelton; ST. PAUL over Oxford; NAUGATUCK over Ansonia (with a win over Naugatuck this Thursday).
We wouldn’t have thought the Indians had a shot against Naugy a month ago. We have no idea what to expect now because the Greyhounds are in a free fall.
The Torrington finale is curious because its administration forced it to forfeit last Friday’s game for “unsportsmanlike conduct,” thus ending any shot it had to make states (more on that later).
We’re ignoring Watertown’s 1,180 max because it requires Derby to beat Shelton, and Naugy to beat Ansonia.
11. WINDSOR LOCKS/SUFFIELD/EAST GRANBY (6-2)
NEXT: at North Branford (6-2), Friday; vs. Stafford/East Windsor/Somers (6-2), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
HIGH: 1,200.
LOW: 800.
BONUSES (80): ELLINGTON over Rockville; COVENTRY/WINDHAM TECH/BOLTON/LYMAN MEMORIAL over Haddam-Killingworth; MORGAN over Rockville; GILBERT/NORTHWESTERN over Valley Regional/Old Lyme; ELLINGTON over Coginchaug/Hale-Ray/East Hampton; GILBERT/NORTHWESTERN over Waterbury Career Academy; STAFFORD/EAST WINDSOR/SOMERS over SMSA/University/Classical (with a win over Stafford/East Windsor/Somers this Friday); NORTH BRANFORD over Coginchaug/Hale-Ray/East Hampton (with a win over North Branford on Thanksgrabbing Eve).
The good — the Raiders have the highest ceiling of any team outside the top eight.
The bad — it requires them to beat two of the Pequot’s better teams (including one on the road), and they’re so relying on oh, so many bonuses to reach their max. Two of those bonuses require Rockville to lose, so consider WL/S/EG’s max 1,180 instead of 1,200.
No. 12 East Haven (6-2); No. 13 Wolcott (6-3); No. 14 Barlow (6-3); and, No. 15 Tolland (6-3).
East Haven has the highest floor of this group (1,100). It cannot finish higher than seventh and needs too many teams in front of it to fall apart to reach the top eight.
THE EIGHT: No. 1 Rockville (10-0) vs. No. 8 Granby/Canton (8-2); No. 2. SMSA/University/Classical (9-1) vs. No. 7 New Fairfield (8-2); No. 3 Abbott Tech/Immaculate (9-1) vs. No. 6 Waterford (8-2); No. 4 Weston (9-1) vs. No. 5 Killingly (9-1).
• • • •
CLASS S
IN
1. BULLARD-HAVENS (9-0)
NEXT: at O’Brien Tech (3-5), Saturday.
HIGH: 1,560.
LOW: 1,420.
BONUSES (10): PLATT TECH over O'Brien Tech.
NOTE: O'Brien Tech-Platt Tech is guaranteed with a win over O'Brien Tech on Saturday.
It cannot finish lower than third.
2. ANSONIA (9-0)
NEXT: at Naugatuck (5-3), Thanksgrabbing.
HIGH: 1,600.
LOW: 1,360.
BONUSES (60): HOLY CROSS over Wolcott; WATERTOWN over Naugatuck; WATERTOWN over Torrington; KENNEDY over Crosby; DERBY over Shelton; WATERBURY CAREER ACADEMY over Gilbert/Northwestern.
NOTE: Watertown-Naugatuck is guaranteed with a win over Naugatuck on Thanksgrabbing.
It cannot finish lower than third.
3. BLOOMFIELD (9-0)
NEXT: vs. Glastonbury (3-6), Thanksgrabbing Eve Eve.
HIGH: 1,550.
LOW: 1,320.
BONUSES (70): TOLLAND over E.O. Smith; ROCKY HILL over Cromwell/Portland; HILLHOUSE over Wilbur Cross; PLAINVILLE over Farmington; BULKELEY/HMTCA/WEAVER over Hartford Public; AVON over Simsbury; BERLIN over New Britain.
Earns a top four seed with a win and will finish no worse than fifth with a loss (which ain't happening).
JUST WIN, BABY
4. PLAINFIELD (8-1)
NEXT: at Griswold/Wheeler (6-2), Thanksgrabbing.
HIGH: 1,310.
LOW: 1,130.
BONUSES (20): BACON ACADEMY over RHAM; STONINGTON over Westerly.
Also qualifies if SMSA/U/C beats S/EW/S and WL/S/EG beats North Branford this weekend.
Like Woodland, the Panthers can lose and still qualify as long as S/EW/S loses once.
The Panthers, if they lose, will still be in good shape vs. North Branford. The latter’s floor, if it wins out, is 1,080, 50 points than Plainfield’s floor if it loses.
5. WOODLAND (8-1)
NEXT: at Seymour (6-3), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
HIGH: 1,340.
LOW: 1,140.
BONUSES (40): WOLCOTT over Holy Cross; TORRINGTON over Watertown; CROSBY over Kennedy; DERBY over Shelton.
The Hawks qualify if SMSA/U/C beats S/EW/S and WL/S/EG beats North Branford this weekend.
Woodland will still have a chance to qualify with a loss provided that S/EW/S loses once. The latter’s floor with two wins is 1,160, whereas the Hawks’ floor with a loss is 1,140. That will be a lot of ground for them to make up because they only have four bonuses.
North Branford winning out isn’t as much of a concern because its ceiling with two wins is 1,150. It needs eight bonuses to get that high, two of which require Rockville to lose. Nah.
6. HOLY CROSS (7-2)
NEXT: at Wolcott (6-3), Thanksgrabbing.
HIGH: 1,280.
LOW: 1,070.
BONUSES (40): NAUGATUCK over Watertown; TORRINGTON over Watertown; NAUGATUCK over Ansonia; WATERBURY CAREER ACADEMY over Gilbert/Northwestern.
Almost has to win out. It cannot get higher than 1,100 points with a loss, and that requires bonuses such as Naugatuck over Ansonia.
7. SHEEHAN (6-2)
NEXT: vs. Hamden (6-2), Friday; vs. Lyman Hall (4-4), Thanksgrabbing.
HIGH: 1,340.
LOW: 1,200.
BONUSES (80): NEW FAIRFIELD over Notre Dame-Ffld.; NEW FAIRFIELD over New Milford; BARLOW over Weston; BRANFORD over East Haven; BROOKFIELD over Bethel; BRANFORD over Foran; HAMDEN over Notre Dame-W.H. (with a win over Hamden this Friday); LYMAN HALL over Bassick (with a win over Lyman Hall on Thanksgrabbing).
The Titans qualify with a win over Hamden and losses by S/EW/S and North Branford. They really need to win out because three losses in this division is dangerous.
FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO PARTY
8. PLAINVILLE (7-2)
NEXT: vs. Farmington (5-4), Thanksgrabbing.
HIGH: 1,200.
LOW: 970.
BONUSES (60): LEWIS MILLS over Capital Prep/Achievement First; TOLLAND over E.O. Smith; ROCKY HILL over Cromwell/Portland; LAW over East Haven; LAW over Foran; AVON over Simsbury.
There’s an outside shot the Blue Devils beat Farmington and still fail to make states because S/EW/S and North Branford win out and Seymour beats Woodland.
9. STAFFORD/EAST WINDSOR/SOMERS (6-2)
NEXT: at SMSA/University/Classical (8-1), Friday; at Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby (6-2), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
HIGH: 1,210.
LOW: 800.
BONUSES (50): ELLINGTON over Rockville; CROMWELL/PORTLAND over Rocky Hill; ELLINGTON over Coginchaug/Hale-Ray/East Hampton; GILBERT/NORTHWESTERN over Waterbury Career Academy; WINDSOR LOCKS/SUFFIELD/EAST GRANBY over North Branford (with a win over Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby on Thanksgrabbing Eve).
You should’ve figured out by now that the Bulldogs must win out.
10. SEYMOUR (6-3)
NEXT: vs. Woodland (8-1), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
HIGH: 1,090.
LOW: 860.
BONUSES (50): HOLY CROSS over Wolcott; NAUGATUCK over Watertown; KENNEDY over Crosby; NAUGATUCK over Ansonia; DERBY over Shelton.
The Wildcats will struggle to catch Holy Cross even if it loses.
The Wildcats will struggle to catch Sheehan even if it loses to Hamden but beats Lyman Hall.
Seymour's best chance is for Plainville to lose and for one loss for S/EW/S and North Branford.
11. GRISWOLD/WHEELER (6-2)
NEXT: vs. Plainfield (8-1), Thanksgrabbing.
HIGH: 107.78 (it has a nine-game season, thus its point total must be judged by its average).
LOW: 83.33.
BONUSES (40): LEDYARD over Fitch; STONINGTON over Westerly; EAST CATHOLIC over Northwest Catholic; CREC over Woodstock Academy.
We almost listed the WOLVERLIONS in the NOPE category because they cannot finish higher than eighth. We didn't. You'll see why in a moment.
12. WATERBURY CAREER ACADEMY (6-3)
NEXT: vs. Gilbert/NW Regional (3-5), Thanksgrabbing Eve Eve.
HIGH: 1,020.
LOW: 850.
BONUSES (30): TORRINGTON over Watertown; OXFORD over St. Paul; GILBERT/NORTHWESTERN over Valley Regional/Old Lyme (with a win over Gilbert/Northwestern on Thanksgrabbing Eve Eve).
It cannot finish higher than seventh.
13. NORTH BRANFORD (6-2)
NEXT: vs. Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby (6-2), Friday; vs. Coginchaug/Hale-Ray/East Hampton (5-3), Thanksgrabbing Eve.
HIGH: 1,150.
LOW: 750.
BONUSES (80): ROCKVILLE over Ellington; HADDAM-KILLINGWORTH over Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton/Lyman Memorial; CROMWELL/PORTLAND over Rocky Hill; MORGAN over Rockville; VALLEY REGIONAL/OLD LYME over Gilbert/Northwestern; OLD SAYBROOK/WESTBROOK over Granby/Canton; ELLINGTON over Coginchaug/Hale-Ray/East Hampton; WINDSOR LOCKS/SUFFIELD/EAST GRANBY over Stafford/East Windsor/Somers (with a win over Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby this Friday).
NOTE: Ellington-Coginchaug/Hale-Ray/East Hampton is guaranteed with a win over Coginchaug/Hale-Ray/East Hampton on Thanksgrabbing Eve.
It can rocket up as high as fourth if EVERYTHING goes right. I can also be gifted with a gold boat.
No. 14 Bacon Academy (6-3); No. 15 Notre Dame-Fairfield (5-3); and No. 16 Coginchaug/Hale-Ray/East Hampton (5-3).
ND has the highest floor of the three and cannot finish higher than sixth. Bacon and C/H-R/EH cannot finish higher than seventh.
THE EIGHT: No. 1 Ansonia (10-0) vs. No. 8 Griswold/Wheeler (8-2); No. 2 Bullard-Havens (10-0) vs. No. 7 Plainfield (8-2); No. 3 Bloomfield (10-0) vs. No. 6 Holy Cross (8-2); No. 4 Woodland (9-1) vs. No. 5 Sheehan (8-2).
• • • •
We’re not sure which superlative to use to label last Friday’s North Branford vs. Morgan game.
“LO-OOOODICROUS” works.
North Branford scored SIXTY FIRST-HALF POINTS in its 72-32 gonzo win.
The Thunderbirds led 60-26 at halftime. Their first-half total tied for the eighth-most in a half, according to the High School Football Record Book.
North Branford and Morgan also combined to score nine touchdowns in the second quarter alone. Not quite sure how that’s possible, but that’s what they reported.
The Thunderbirds scored 40 in the second quarter, tying it for 12th for the most points in one quarter.
North Branford ran 36 plays for 544 total yards (15.1 yards per play). It’s something out of Lincoln Riley's happiest, feverish dream.
Tyler DiNapoli ran nine times for 197 yards and four touchdowns and caught two passes for 42 yards and a touchdown for North Branford. That’s 239 yards on 11 touches, which explains its ridiculous yards per play.
Brandon Fratta completed 10 of 15 passes for 265 yards and four touchdowns for the Thunderbirds and Aiden Ferrucci ran twice for 80 yards and two touchdowns and scored the game’s final points on a 98-yard kickoff return.
Alex Clinton had three catches for 144 yards and two touchdowns for North Branford.
Andrew Nye threw five touchdown passes, three to Liam Whelan, for the Huskies.
For the record, Bloomfield (1999) and New Britain (2003) share the state record for most points in a half (69).
Yes, Jack Cochran coached both teams.
• • • •
Something extraordinary happened last Friday — an opponent (Shelton) gave Hand a scare.
Colin McCabe ran for a go-ahead 7-yard touchdown with 18 seconds left and Ethan Haberman picked off a pass in the Tigers' end zone on the final play for a 21-14 win.
It was the 33rd straight win for Hand (9-0), the top-ranked team in both The Day's Top 10 state coaches and GameTimeCT.com/New Haven Register media poll. The last time it didn’t win by double digits was when it beat Cheshire 20-12 on Nov. 11, 2017.
Hand had been ferocious to its next 26 opponents after that Cheshire win. It’s won by an average score of 46.6-8.3 (1,212-215). Its closest game this year was a 41-6 rout of Norwalk (Oct. 18).
Shelton didn’t allow a first-half touchdown and led 7-6. Hand’s Colin Telford’s 64-yard interception accounted for his team’s points (he finished with two INTs).
The Gaels went ahead 14-13 on Tyler Pjatak’s 2-yard run with 1:49 left in the game.
The Tigers started their final drive at their own 45 after a pooched kick. They avoided disaster when Isaiah McNeilly’s fumble bounced into the arms of Seth Sweitzer during that drive.
Shelton actually managed to drive to the Hand 27 with one second left in regulation before Haberman ended it with his pick.
McCabe ran 20 times for 152 yards and had a 58-yard reception for Hand. Phoenix Billings completed 4 of 8 passes for 89 yards and a touchdown and ran 11 times for 64 yards and Kade Doverspike had a team-high seven tackles.
Pjatak had 24 carries for 154 yards with a touchdown and five catches for 95 yards for Shelton.
• • • •
Speaking of dominant teams, no CIAC-eligible football team has dominated their conference this decade (or maybe ever) as Ansonia has the Naugatuck Valley League.
The Chargers’ dominance is why it was shocking when they were involved in their second consecutive barnburner last Thursday.
Shykeem Harmon ran 28 times for 331 yards and four touchdowns, ran for two conversions and had a 15-yard catch to carry Ansonia past Seymour 35-32.
The previous week, the Chargers needed a fumble recovery at the Woodland 3 with 21.8 seconds left to set up the go-ahead touchdown in their 26-20 win.
Michael “High Sticking” Fornabaio of GameTimeCT.com combed through the archives and came up with this bit of trivia about Ansonia:
• It has won 94 NVL games in a row. Its last conference loss was to Thanksgrabbing rival Naugatuck 38-20 on Nov. 25, 2010.
• Thursday night was just the sixth time it didn’t win by more than six points.
• It hadn’t given up 32 points in a regular-season game since a 61-35 win over St. Paul on Oct. 10, 2014.
The game was scoreless after the first quarter. Seymour never led but came as close as 21-18 and 27-25 in the second half.
Harmon ran for the game-winning TD with under four minutes left.
Ethan Hamilton returned the ensuing kickoff for a 75-yard touchdown. Sean Foster’s extra point cut the Chargers’ lead to 35-32.
Ansonia ran out the clock with Harmon sliding down at the Wildcats’ 4 rather than scoring as Seymour was out of timeouts.
Kevin Harmeling ran 23 times for 109 yards and two touchdowns and completed 7 of 10 passes for 159 yards and a TD for the Wildcats.
• • • •
Farmington’s Jacob Conrad (and his right arm) had one of the most ridiculously efficient and productive games you’ll ever see in last Friday’s 47-0 rout of RHAM.
Conrad completed 15 of 16 passes for 319 yards and SEVEN TOUCHDOWNS, the latter of which would rank him third along with 12 other dudes all-time in state history, according to the Connecticut High School Football Record Book.
Bloomfield’s Jason Manson (now St. Thomas More’s head coach) and Michael Collins of New Canaan both threw a state-record nine touchdown passes.
• • • •
This deserved its own special mention rather than placement in NOTABLES~! — Hillhouse rallied from a 21-point deficit and stunned Foran last Friday 44-34.
Yowzah.
Foran led 21-0 and 28-8.
The Academics scored 22 points in the second quarter and outscored the Lions in the second half 22-0.
Tyrone Kelley took a pass from Demelle Turner for a 78-yard touchdown to finally put Hillhouse ahead 34-30 with 2:07 left in the third quarter.
TRIVIA — Hillhouse was on the wrong end of a record-setting comeback in Xavier’s 50-49 win on Oct. 26, 2012. The Falcons trailed 49-21 to start the fourth quarter, and it shares the state record for biggest comeback with St. Joseph (1974), Bacon Academy (2010) and Wolcott (2013).
Andrew Janik completed 28 of 50 passes for 421 yards with a touchdown and ran four times for 35 yards and two scores for Foran. Will Phelan added 12 catches for 220 yards.
• • • •
Full disclosure — circumstances forced us to use the Dallas Cowboys as our defense/special teams in fake football this weekend, one of many things that doomed the Reykjavik Fighting Otter.
We really wish we could’ve used Capital Prep/Achievement First's defense instead because it scored on FOUR fumble recoveries in its 44-26 win over Windham last Thursday.
The Trailblazers returned three of those fumbles in the fourth quarter.
Jahvon Olmstead scored on returns of 49 and 29 yards, according to Tweets by Richard Zalusky of the Willimantic Chronicle. Jameel Lawrence scored on a 39-yard return and Kadeem McKnight returned the other (78 yards).
Felix Martinez also scored on a 20-yard interception for Windham, meaning that five of the game’s 11 touchdowns were defensive.
Solomon Barlow threw for 305 yards and three touchdowns and Michael Brainsly had 16 tackles.
• • • •
Ledyard quarterback Brayden Grim is also Ledyard outside linebacker Brayden Grim. Due to the waning numbers the Colonels have late in the season, most of them are playing on offense, defense and special teams.
"Our defense played really good at the end," Grim said last Friday following Ledyard's 28-21 victory over Stonington, in which the Colonels scored the final 14 points.
"In the fourth quarter we get burned out a little bit, but I had adrenaline pumping."
Grim, the Eastern Connecticut Conference runner-up at 160 pounds last winter during wrestling season, was asked what was harder, the fourth quarter of a football game or a wrestling match?
"Wrestling ... there's no breaks; you get in your stance and go," he said.
Grim had 16 carries for 104 yards, two touchdowns and a two-point conversion, while Jaiden Bickham added 12 carries for 136 yards and also two touchdowns.
• • • •
It looked as if East Lyme had gotten the break it needed when linebacker Idris Gassar had the first of his two fumble recoveries at the Killingly 31 early in the second quarter of last Friday’s game.
The Vikings offense then went backwards 13 yards and was forced to punt.
The punt hit a Red Hawks player and was recovered by East Lyme’s Aidan Cary at the Killingly 37.
The Vikings managed to get as far as the 25 before turning it over on downs.
That sequence summed up East Lyme’s offensive struggles in a 48-7 loss.
“We just haven’t able to get anything going offensively,” East Lyme head coach Rudy Bagos said.
The Vikings had a third-and-8 at the Killingly 18 late in the third quarter, only for Kameron Crowe to intercept a screen pass and return it 78 yards for a touchdown.
East Lyme lost at home the previous week to Fitch, 21-7.
“I think they should shorten the field from the 30 to the 30,” Bagos quipped. “We’d be okay. It always seems when we get inside the 30 (that) we just shoot ourselves in the foot. And it’s on both sides. We had some bad plays. We called some bad plays.
“For just some reason, we haven’t been able to capitalize inside the 30, and it’s been our Achilles heel all year.”
• • • •
Ledyard coach Clay Killingsworth has reiterated throughout the season how proud he is that the Colonels haven't given up, despite struggling to a 2-7 record headed to play Fitch on Thanksgiving.
Killingsworth lauded his assistant coaches as well: Matt Roberts, Rel Green, Dave Eichelberg, Mark Chmielewski and Kevin Wilbur.
"Give them credit for this one," Killingsworth said. "I always say it like this ... I got to sometimes be like a duck, calm on the surface but underwater I got to keep kicking. (The assistant coaches) are like that too; they prepare every week like they're going to win the Super Bowl."
• • • •
Behold, The Day's Top 10 state coaches’ poll: 1. Hand (10 first-place votes); 2. St. Joseph; 3. Darien; 4. Newtown; 5. Greenwich; 6. Bloomfield; 7. Southington; 8. Cheshire; 9. Ansonia; and, 10. Maloney.
• • • •
The GameTimeCT/New Haven Register/Hearst Inc. Monolith Top 10 media poll: 1. Hand (19 first-place votes); 2. St. Joseph (six first-place votes); 3. Darien; 4. Greenwich; 5. Newtown; 6. Bloomfield; 7. Southington; 8. Ansonia; 9. Cheshire; and, 10. Maloney.
• • • •
Ned Freeman’s cold, calculating computer rankings for CalPreps: 1. St. Joseph; 2. Hand; 3. Darien; 4. Greenwich; 5. Southington; 6. Newtown; 7. Cheshire; 8. Bloomfield; 9. Ridgefield; and, 10. Shelton.
Maloney is ranked 13th and Ansonia 19th.
West Haven (2-6) has a slight edge over Shelton for the state’s toughest-rated schedule. The Westies lost to two Top 10 teams (No. 1 Hand and No. 4 Newtown), beat NFA (27-13), and only one opponent has a losing record.
• • • •
Dig the ballot Polecat HQ filed for the aforementioned media poll:
1. St. Joseph
2. Hand
3. Darien
4. Greenwich
5. Newtown
6. Southington
7. Bloomfield
8. Ansonia
9. Cheshire
10. Ridgefield
11. Shelton
12. Simsbury
13. Maloney
14. Fairfield Prep
15. New Canaan
• • • •
NOTABLES~!
Perhaps you were unaware, but St. Joseph has been awesome this season. Let’s start with this — it allowed Staples just 51 yards (on 45 plays) in last Saturday’s 50-0 beatdown. Staples threw for 102 yards, but 20 carries for MINUS FIFTY-ONE YARDS dragged down its total offense numbers. Jaden Shirden had 14 carries for 146 yards and four touchdowns, Jack Wallace completed 14 of 21 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns, and Brady Hutchinson had seven catches for 140 yards and two scores. Cole DaSilva had three of the Hogs’ six sacks, too.
Will Kirby ran for three touchdowns and scored on a 70-yard reception as Darien thumped Norwalk last Friday 40-0 and gave head coach Rob Trifone his 250th win. Peter Graham completed 20 of 25 passes for 356 yards with two touchdowns and David Evanchick and John Henry Slonieski each had two of the Blue Wave’s six sacks. Trifone coached at McMahon from 1988-2004 and Darien from 2007 to present and ranks sixth all-time in wins in state history. New Canaan head coach Lou Marinelli has won a state-record 348 games (as well as a state-record 12 CIAC titles).
Riley Ward had 10 catches for 150 yards and two touchdowns as Newtown dropped Barlow last Friday 44-10. Brandon Lombardo completed 9 of 14 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns for the Nighthawks and Jack Street completed 7 of 11 passes for 123 yards and two scores (yes, they use a two-QB system). Jack Zingaro had four catches for 55 yards and a touchdown and scored on 32-yard interception return, and James Knox recovered three fumbles, one of which he returned for a 48-yard touchdown.
James Rinello completed 14 of 21 passes for 112 yards and three touchdowns as Greenwich beat Ridgefield last Saturday 27-7 in what was a bit of an odd game. Ridgefield ran more plays than the Cardinals (76-45). It had more yards (264-204). Greenwich had 12 penalties for 105 yards to three for 25 for the Tigers. Ridgefield, however, turned it over three times and they were killers. One fumble was at the Greenwich 1 during the third quarter. The Cardinals' final touchdown came on Evan Weigold’s 62-yard fumble return.
Defending Class S champion Bloomfield keeps showing why it’s still the team to beat. Anthony Simpson ran caught ran 10 times for 97 yards and two touchdowns and 10 passes for 134 yards and a score as the WARHAWKS leveled Berlin last Friday 41-6. Daron Bryden completed 17 of 22 passes for 362 yards with three touchdowns for Bloomfield and Jayvon Massey had four catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Keep in mind that Berlin (7-2) began the night fourth in the Class L rankings. The Warhawks lead the state in both points scored (464) and against (19).
Brady Lafferty completed 21 of 30 passes for 266 yards and four touchdowns as Southington thumped New Britain last Friday 42-0 to finish unbeaten in the CCC Division I West for the sixth straight season. Carter Uhlman had five catches for 69 yards and two touchdowns, Joshua Vitti had 10 catches for 92 yards and a score, and M.J. Bennett ran eight times for 107 yards and a TD for the Blue Knights. Also, Billy Carr had a team-leading 13 tackles because that’s what he always does.
Cheshire scored 20 unanswered points in the third quarter to put down Sheehan last Friday 40-13. The Rams led 13-7 at halftime when Jack Lovelace scored on a 40-yard interception return to kick in the Rams’ turbo-boosters. Jake McAlinden ran 13 times for 153 yards and three touchdowns, Christian Russo had nine carries for 50 yards and a score, and Colby Griffin had 10 tackles and a sack for Cheshire. Terrance Bogan ran for 123 yards and a touchdown for the Titans. ... James Tarver carried Maloney’s offense again in last Friday’s 30-22 win over Windsor. Tarver ran for 208 yards and three touchdowns for the Spartans. He had 36 carries for 320 yards and five touchdowns in Maloney’s 35-6 clubbering of Wethersfield on Nov. 8.
Josh Letellier completed 8 of 14 passes for 121 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions and ran nine times for 57 yards as Fitch scraped by New London last Friday 19-14. Savonne Mitchell Jr. ran 20 times for 78 yards and a touchdown for Fitch. Josiah Williams ran for an 82-yard touchdown for the Whalers. ... Jackson Lopes ran six times for 52 yards and four touchdowns as Killingly thrashed East Lyme last Friday 48-7. Jack Sharpe ran 19 times for 138 yards, Jacob Nurse completed 4 of 5 passes for 90 yards and two touchdowns, and Kameron Crowe scored on a 63-yard catch and a 78-yard interception return for the Red Hawks.
All respect to Xavier, but North Haven brought joy to our dead heart last Friday because it ran 43 times for 402 yards (and only threw twice) in a 42-14 win. Albert Hooks had nine carries for 160 yards and two touchdowns for the Indians and Jaden Watson ran 13 times for 126 yards and two touchdowns. Joe Vitale added seven tackles and a sack and Matt Dodge had six tackles and two interceptions. GOD’S FATHER’S OFFENSE. ... Carlos Moreno ran six times for 102 yards and two touchdowns as Fairfield Ludlowe edged Danbury last Friday 27-24. James Bourque had 14 carries for 85 yards and two scores for Ludlowe, which used a few gutsy fourth down plays for the win. DENHOLM Feldman had SEVENTEEN tackles (HOW?) for the Falcons and Zachary Hathaway added 16.
Jackson Zalinsky threw a go-ahead 32-yard touchdown pass to Aiden Stankiewicz with 48 seconds left as Notre Dame of West Haven beat West Haven 41-35 in the town’s annual street fight, er, Soderman Bowl. The Blue Devils tied the game with 3 minutes remaining on Jaden Grant’s 9-yard run and Andre Rentas’ conversion pass to Jordan Berrios. Zalinsky completed 12 of 21 passes for 283 yards with four touchdowns and ran 10 times for 54 yards. Rentas ran for 147 yards and three touchdowns and threw for 55 yards and a score for the Westies.
Trey West completed 16 of 23 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns and ran 12 times for 85 yards and two scores as Manchester got the better of Platt in a 47-41 shootout last Friday. Jayden Colon caught three passes for 40 yards and two touchdowns and Jamil Gonzalez had six catches for 111 yards for Manchester. Roberto Salas ran FORTY times for 320 yards and SIX TOUCHDOWNS for the Panthers.
Perhaps you’re not very familiar with Weston football, what with it being a small town that stays quiet and keeps to itself. Well, its football team is a legit Class M contender because it has quarterback James Goetz. He completed 13 of 19 passes for 210 yards and four touchdowns and ran 11 times for 106 yards and a score to lead the Trojans past Masuk last Friday 62-41. Brendan Sawyer scored on a 5-yard run and a 38-yard catch for Weston (8-1). Nick Saccu was 15 of 21 for 211 yards with three touchdowns.
Aiden Boeshans completed 5 of 9 passes for 105 yards with a touchdown and interception and added 14 carries for 88 yards to help Simsbury get past Glastonbury last Friday 14-7. Daniel Sohn ran 21 times for 113 yards, Jonathan Muinde caught a 74-yard touchdown pass, and Brendan Gaffney scored on a 4-yard run for Simsbury. Brandon Myers ran 21 times for 111 yards and had 17 tackles for the Tomahawks. ... Shaun Gaskins ran 13 times for 57 yards and three touchdowns and scored on a 15-yard fumble return as Middletown triumphed over East Hartford last Friday 35-20. Malik Bennett did what he could for East Hartford as he had 13 carries for 133 yards and two touchdowns and scored on a 74-yard touchdown catch.
Arsen Shtefan ran 19 times for 125 yards and a touchdown and caught a 13-yard touchdown pass in Conard’s 31-8 win over Bristol Central last Friday. Victor Rosa had 17 carries for 153 yards and a touchdown for Central. ... Christian Collin ran 17 times for 139 yards and two touchdowns and completed 10 of 22 passes for 73 yards and a TD to pace Plainville past Lewis Mills last Friday, 20-6. … Leighton Wittig blocked a punt and had a sack in Avon’s 21-14 win over Rocky Hill last Friday. Matt Sevigny had 10 carries for 74 yards and a touchdown and caught four passes for 28 yards and a score for Rocky Hill.
Drew Pyne completed 20 of 35 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns and ran eight times for 60 yards and two scores as New Canaan took down Wilton last Friday 38-20 in what was a key game for Class L playoff positioning. Kyle Hyzy had four catches for 139 yards and a touchdown for Wilton. ... Michael Barrett ran 18 times for three touchdowns to help Trinity Catholic/Wright Tech beat Bridgeport Central last Friday 21-13.
Jaquan Dufour had two catches for 58 yards and two touchdowns, ran a mere three times for 41 yards and a score, and scored on a 41-yard punt return as Rockville danced on Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton/Lyman Memorial last Friday 54-0. Nas Knighton had 10 tackles, four for loss, for the Rams (8-0). ... Mark McLaughlin ran for 117 yards and three touchdowns and threw an 11-yard touchdown pass as Stafford/East Windsor/Somers co-op beat Haddam-Killingworth last Friday 26-15.
Jackson Rome ran 14 times for 167 yards and three touchdowns. Jackson Rome completed 5 of 8 passes for 112 yards and a score. Jackson Rome helped Granby/Canton thump Gilbert/Northwestern Regional last Friday 54-14. Colin Mackin had three catches for 101 yards and a score and an interception for the BEARWARRIORS. ... Devin Hill threw for 188 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another 72 yards as SMSA/University/Classical got past Windsor Locks/Suffield/Granby last Friday 26-20. Julian Ryans had four catches for 128 yards and three touchdowns for the TIGERHAWKS and Jordan Rivera ran for 82 yards and a score and had 11 tackles.
Andrew Koziol is happy to be back quarterbacking for Griswold. The Wolverines are even happier. Koziol returned from injury last Friday and threw for 244 yards and four touchdowns in a 55-12 smashing of CREC. Koziol, a three-year starter, broke his collarbone in Week 2 (Sept. 28) in a 27-13 loss to Bacon Academy. Mikey Sims scored on runs of 1 and 2 yards and an interception for Griswold and Logan Chappell scored on an 80-yard kickoff return and a 28-yard catch.
Julio Toro threw a game-winning 19-yard touchdown pass to Darrell Coombs in the fourth quarter and ran in the two-point conversion as Waterbury Career Academy came from behind to beat Wilby last Friday 17-12 for its program-record sixth win. ... Tyler Bulinski threw three touchdowns and ran for another in Woodland’s 35-15 win over Oxford last Friday. ... Xavier Powell also threw three touchdowns and ran for another last Friday as Watertown trounced Crosby 30-6.
Xavier Fonville’s ran for a game-winning 4-yard touchdown in overtime as NFA used another late rally to beat Bacon Academy last Saturday 34-31. Jayden Desilus threw a 10-yard touchdown pass with six seconds left in regulation and Isaac Wilkenson’s extra point tied the game. Desilus hooked up with Max Pierre-Louis earlier on that drive for a 31-yard gain on fourth-and-21. Desilus completed 23 of 43 passes for 332 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions, Fonvil ran 12 times for 73 yards and two touchdowns, and Cote had four catches for 42 yards and two scores.
Ryan Bakken threw three touchdowns passes, including two to Michael Vincent, as Waterford beat Woodstock Academy last Saturday 26-15 to clinch the ECC Division II title. ... Chase Tyson ran 12 times for 54 yards and two touchdowns as Holy Cross shutout reeling Naugatuck last Saturday 27-0. Drevon Yeldell completed 6 of 11 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown and ran four times for 32 yards and a score for the Crusaders, who held the Greyhounds to 177 yards. Naugatuck has lost three in a row after starting the year 5-0. ... Connor Rich ran for 74 yards and two touchdowns and completed 4 of 7 passes for 67 yards and a score as Northwest Catholic thumped the Bulkeley/HMTCA/Weaver co-op last Saturday 57-0.
Lastly, something that was notable for all the wrong reasons was Torrington forfeiting last Friday’s game against St. Paul because of what Torrington superintendent of schools Susan Lobomski called “some unsportsmanlike conduct (that) occurred amongst players” in a release, according to the Waterbury Republican-American. The forfeit eliminated the Red Raiders (5-4) from the Class M race.
• • • •
Thanks for reading. More soon.
Adios....
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