SPB's High School Football

The CIAC released its official state tournament rankings today and here’s a quick layman’s look at the brackets. We’ll delve more into it later.

As expected, it’s another battle royale in Class LL. Our FCIAC finalists, Central and St. Joseph are 1-2 in the rankings, with recently-deposed SCC champion Hillhouse looking to erase the sting of their 41-34 loss to North Haven in this year’s league final with a glorious state championship. NVL finalist Sacred Heart and SWC finalist Newtown are waiting in the wings.

St. Joseph as a tough draw as the No. 2 seed, with a possible 2nd round matchup with Crosby or maybe even Stamford, which gave the Cadets all kinds of trouble in Tuesday’s FCIAC semifinals. In the upper bracket, Harding has what could be a nice road to the quarterfinals. Ridgefield’s up first followed possibly by Newtown. If Willie Gray and the Presidents can make it to the quarters (no, I don’t think Newtown is going to be an easy out, but Harding has a tendency to show up big in these tournaments), Josh Turner and Sacred Heart may await them.

Hillhouse, meanwhile, has an insanely smooth road to, at least the quarterfinals, maybe even the semifinals. The Academics, who open with No. 30 Simsbury) face relatively few heavyweights. Trumbull might put up a fight in the second round. Windsor figures to be a tough battle in the quarterfinals. But, really, expect the burned Academics to reach the semis… where St. Joseph, Crosby or (yes, maybe even) Stamford await them.

Central has it slightly tougher as it looks to reach its first state championship game since winning it all in 2003. The top-ranked Hilltoppers figure to reach at least the quarterfinals, but will likely have to take out a tough No. 8 in New Britain or No. 9 Holy Cross. Sacred Heart or Xavier could await them in the semifinals.

Of course, bracket quality drops off severely in a light Class L tournament, where it looks like a battle between Stratford and New London. Both schools have byes on the road to the championship. Stratford has to contend with the likes of Pomperaug (2nd round); Maloney (quarterfinals) and Wilbur Cross or Kennedy (semifinals). Wilbur Cross, at No. 12, is certainly the team to watch on the bracket’s lower half.

New London has to contend with No. 15 Weaver (2nd  round); North Haven, Wilby or Branford in the quarterfinals; then Bristol Eastern, Northwest Catholic or … yes, maybe even Bassick in the semifinals.

It’s been another crazy year at Bassick, the No. 11 seed.  The Lions have an intriguing draw with Career in the first round, they’re the type of team that could get knocked out there, or become a major bracket buster.

Still, this looks like Stratford and New London’s bracket to lose.

(By the way, congratulations to Fairfield Warde, which joins the fray as a No. 24 seed. They travel to No. 9 Avon in the first round. Keep an eye on the Mustangs.)

In Class M, Abbott Tech gets to show the rest of the state that it’s not your typical Tech school. They have a nice draw. They could get New Fairfield in the second round, but mostly the path is laden with teams below Abbott’s level.

Abbott’s road, however, becomes a minefield in the semifinals with a possible matchup with No. 3 Bloomfield, No. 14 Trinity Catholic, and maybe even No. 22 Weston or No. 11 Law (Those two play each other in the first round, winner has a chance to go relatively far).

In the top half, Seymour (at No. 17), Sheehan (No. 8 ) and Cromwell (4) are bracket busters to watch.

In Class S, it’s the Kolbe Cathedral and Hyde show. Somebody, anybody, please do something about this. They don’t belong here.

Class LL

The top seeds: 1. Central; 2. St. Joseph; 3. Hillhouse; 4. Sacred Heart; 5. Newtown

Byes: None. Playdowns: NFA at West Haven (Friday, 7)

Other regional schools: 11. Notre Dame-WH; 12. Harding; 14. Trumbull; 18. Stamford; 19. New Milford; 21. Ridgefield; 23. Greenwich; 24. McMahon; 27. Staples; 29. Fairfield Prep; 32. West Haven.

Schedule:
1st Round: Tuesday, March 9
2nd Round: Thursday, March 11
Quarterfinals: Monday, March 15
Semifinals: Wednesday, March 17
Championship: at Mohegan Sun Arena, March 19 or 20

Class L

The Top Seeds: 1. Stratford; 2. New London; 3. Bristol Eastern; 4. E.O. Smith; 5. East Lyme.

Byes: Stratford, New London; Bristol Eastern; E.O. Smith; East Lyme.

Other regional schools: No. 11 Bassick; No. 14 Masuk; No. 17 Pomperaug; No. 23 Platt Tech; No. 24 Fairfield Warde; No. 25 Norwalk; No. 27 Notre Dame-Fairfield.

Schedule:
1st Round: Monday, March 8
2nd Round: Wednesday, March 10
Quarterfinals: Friday, March 12
Semifinals: Tuesday, March 16
Championship: at Mohegan Sun Arena, March 19 or 20

Class M

The Top Seeds: No. 1 Nonnewaug; No. 2 Abbott Tech; No. 3 Bloomfield; No. 4 Cromwell; No. 5 Enfield

Byes: None.

Other regional schools: No. 11 Law; No. 14 Trinity Catholic; No. 15 New Fairfield; No. 17 Seymour; No. 22 Weston; No. 25 Bullard-Havens; No. 27 Bethel; No. 32 Immaculate.

Schedule:
1st Round: Tuesday, March 9
2nd Round: Thursday, March 11
Quarterfinals: Monday, March 15
Semifinals: Wednesday, March 17
Championship: at Mohegan Sun Arena, March 19 or 20

Class  S

The Top Seeds: 1. Hyde; 2. Kolbe Cathedral; 3. Litchfield; 4. Valley Regional: 5. Coginchaug.

Byes: Hyde; Kolbe Cathedral; Litchfield

Other regional schools: No. 9 Ansonia.

Schedule:
1st Round: Monday, March 8
2nd Round: Wednesday, March 10
Quarterfinals: Friday, March 12
Semifinals: Tuesday, March 16
Championship: at Mohegan Sun Arena, March 19 or 20.