I’m pretty sure this has been mentioned here and elsewhere, but since the point was reiterated to me by Ned Griffen of The Day, it bears repeating.
Yes, the 2010 CIAC football championship games will be played at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.
In fact, here’s the entire playoff schedule via to the 2010 CIAC Football Tournament guide.
(Remember, we have four divisions, folks!)
Quarterfinals:
Tuesday, November 30, 2010 – 6:30 p.m. — at the site of the higher ranked team.
Semifinals
Saturday, December 4, 2010 – 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. – Neutral sites ( I imagine these will be at our usual championship sites like Ken Strong Stadium, New Britain, Trumbull, etc.)
Championship
Saturday, December 10-11, 2010 – Rentschler Field
(One game on Friday evening – 7:00 p.m. / Three games on Saturday – 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m.)
–
Now, only in the case of “extremely inclement weather” will the CIAC postpone the games at Rentscher.
This has happened before. In 2003, the finals were supposed to be played in East Hartford, but a massive snow/ice storm forced postponement of all the games, which ultimately moved to weather-ready Ken Strong Stadium in West Haven. They were played over the the next week, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
From what I remember, Rentschler Field (and Jess Dow Field at Southern) didn’t want to spend the cash for the snow removal.
So this is a very real issue in 2010, especially with championship games scheduled deeper into December as they’ve ever been. (I’m sure Chris Everone of KSS will be speed dialed once the flakes start falling. As always, he’ll be ready.)
However, the CIAC has decreed that No games will be postponed past Sunday, December 12. Which means there’s just a two-day window for the bulk of these championship games.
Could they could actually cancel some championship games?
Co-champions. …Foof. I’m not even going to ponder the mess that will unleash.
The championship game admission is $10 (no children, senior or Student discounts like in the quarterfinals and semifinals). I’m guessing (hoping?) that price will get you into all three games Saturday. Would Rentschler clear the stands? The question has been forwarded to CIAC.
Update: Yes, the $10 includes admission to all three Saturday games, says CIAC.
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but the Friday night game is $10 all by itself?
Comment by johnny ribbs — July 23rd, 2010 @ 2:40 pm
I dont understand the class break downs you have schools in LL that are doubled the size of each other (Pomperaug 731,norwalk vs – Danbury, greenich new b. ect… over 1400), and some over 300 to 400 boys more. Pomperaug and other schools in LL are closer to size with more of the S division schools then they are there own class. How is that fair to these teams that they have to now try and win a state championship against teams with double their enrollment. The Ciac sometimes makes me laugh all the talk about fairness, its a joke………….
Comment by HSFOOT — July 23rd, 2010 @ 4:54 pm
I don’t buy the enrollment gripe wholesale. Do the discrepancies matter? Of course they do. But not nearly as much as you’d think. Enrollment contributes, but doesn’t equal strength. There’s a lot more that goes into building a good football program. Pomperaug would have beat Danbury, Norwalk, Stamford and the majority of Class LL schools a dozen times over last year. You can say that about a lot of lower division schools… but not enough to say enrollment doesn’t matter at all (hence why we have divisions by size).
Enrollment, coaching, youth programs, the school and even the town itself (some towns are just football towns, while others are not) impact the success of an HS football program overall.
When we divide these programs up into divisions, the cutoff is going to look cruel. But you have to cut it off somewhere. Besides, those schools on the fence aren’t eternally beholden to those classes. All it’ll take is minor changes to a few enrollments, and you get movement. So Pomperaug may be in Class LL one year, but Class L the next. So it evens out eventually for the tweeners.
I’ve argued for years that less is more. Six divisions was an abomination, with at least two Classes a year looking like a JV tournament (Seymour in Class SS, Ansonia in S? They’re basically the same size). Even four divisions, in my humble estimation, doesn’t accurately represent the actual differences in classes. Take a look at this year’s Class M… bleah. I’ve always believed our small state has about three levels.
But, hey, four isn’t six. So I’m happy.
Comment by Sean Patrick Bowley — July 24th, 2010 @ 12:19 pm
I think, yes, the $10 is for the Friday game all by itself which would make no sense. I should at most be $8 if it’s a single game. To be honest, I didn’t ask.
Comment by Sean Patrick Bowley — July 24th, 2010 @ 12:25 pm
When discussing the fairness of the system you need to look at the entire process, not simply the playoff classes. During the regular season (the qualification process for the tournament) Pomperaug enjoys a size advantage almost every week.
Thu., 9/16 Notre Dame-Fairfield 233
Fri., 9/24 Masuk 670
Sat., 10/2 Bethel 481
Fri., 10/8 New Milford 786
Sat., 10/16 Weston 379
Fri., 10/22 Stratford 457
Fri., 10/29 Joel Barlow 464
Fri., 11/5 Brookfield 508
Fri., 11/12 New Fairfield 521
Wed., 11/24 Oxford 298
Pomperaug 731
Assuming they qualify, they then lose the “advantage” they had throughout most of the SWC season.
On the other hand…ND and Oxford must play and BEAT teams that are two and three times larger than they are on a weekly basis, in order to qualify for the tournament….where they will THEN play schools their own size.
Comment by Dr. Von Nostran — July 27th, 2010 @ 3:21 pm
Well put.
Comment by Sean Patrick Bowley — July 29th, 2010 @ 12:37 pm
VON you left out one important stat The CIAC did not pick the teams to play in the SWC this year, but they did pick the teams to play in the four classes for the STATE championship……..
Also. i think the top size teams in the SWC would perfer not to play the likes of oxford,Imac,weston,rather then play and beat them by 50 and hurt their average for the states.
Also in class LL you probally will have to go 10-0, 9-1 the make it there might be one spot at 8-2. Im sure in all the other classes 8-2,7-3, and i bet a 6-4 slips in.
The bottom line is a team that has 731 enrollment was placed in a class that has 50% of teams with a 400,500,600,700 advantage and was left out of a lower class by 1 student, you tell me if that makes sence………
Comment by HSFOOT — July 31st, 2010 @ 2:49 pm
HSFOOT, you are right about one thing: the CIAC didn’t choose the teams to play in the SWC this year.
But Pomperaug chooses to be a member of the SWC, where they are the second largest school on their schedule and often have a significant enrollment advantage as Dr. Von Nostren pointed out.
And perhaps you are right that it isn’t fair there are only 34 schools in LL, 36 each in L and M, and only 37 in S. To make it completely fair and statistically objective, the CIAC should move Naugatuck or Buckley (or both) up to LL.
I look forward to your spirited defense if Pomperaug goes 9-1 in the SWC and makes it into the LL playoffs when 8-2 SCC and FCIAC teams stay home.
Comment by roto — August 4th, 2010 @ 10:22 am
HSFOOT,
I understand the frustration of the “1 student” comment. Consider this;
If the CIAC followed the model used for hockey, Pomperaug as a premier program in the state, would compete in Division 1.
If the CIAC followed the basketball model, where they add the following # of students to the total (10 Semis / 25 Finals / 50 Championships – Over Past 4 Seasons), Pomperaug while still on the small side, would fall firmly into the LL category.
What makes less sense to me is that an incoming freshman basketball player at your SWC bretheren Stratford will compete for the next four years at class L, rather than M, due to the success the program enjoyed with a Gatorade Player of the Year that he will likely never even meet.
Comment by Dr. Von Nostran — August 4th, 2010 @ 10:25 am
There is a open invitation for another school to join the SCC. Pomperaug would make a nice addition to the SCC. They are in New Haven county. If you look at their schedule for football in the SWC it is impossible to see them any worse then 9-1. They don’t play either Bunnell or Newtown,Why? They would be challenged in the SCC wher there are no free rides. The SCC asked Masuk to join but they turned the invitation down not wanting to spoil a good thing. Pomperaug most likely has the same mind set.
Comment by Dave k — August 5th, 2010 @ 10:26 am
ROTO if Pomperaug goes 9-1 and other teams go 8-2 then they deserve to make the playoffs, over the 2 loss teams. Also if i remember correctly in the early 90s when the SWC first started out Pomperaug was one of the smallest schools in it. The problem with the classes are that the ciac wants to make them all the same size……
Comment by HSFOOT — August 5th, 2010 @ 4:28 pm
Von – if the ciac followed the other playoff models you would have around 90 football teams make the playoffs or around 65 % of teams and that might still be low. The bottom line is each sport is different and should be goverend that way. You play with 5 on a court and 22 on a football field the sports are totally diffrent…..
Comment by HSFOOT — August 5th, 2010 @ 4:37 pm
If you guys think about it,do you really think that Pomp DOESNT want to play Newtown and Bunnell??? If they go 9-1 they may still not make it because of the records of the other schools vs Newt and Bunn. The new system is stupid! Your still going to get a tech school in because they only play each other but qualify for the states(and they all stink!)
Being an NVL fan I went down to New Haven to check out their camp and to watch Torrington and Derby vs Masuk in the final scrimmages. It looks like Cochran is the real deal,but shame on the Masuk coaches for allowing that big-mouth father of his to actually call plays and yell to his son where to throw the ball on EVERY play,and he doesnt just yell at his kid either,he coaches from the stands!! That being said they are already a well oiled machine almost like they have been practicing since late December or January,(wink wink);)
Comment by NVLfan — August 11th, 2010 @ 8:25 am
I hate the idea of playoffs at Rentschler. Having 5,000 fans in a 45,000 seat stadium will ruin the energy and atmosphere.
Comment by clashmoremike — August 11th, 2010 @ 5:48 pm
Nice to see the Masuk hating starting so early this year. Yes, nvl, Masuk has been lifting, competing in passing league, and went to camp. Just get ready for your league to be embarrassing again. Cant wait to hear how Torrington, Watertown, and Wolcott are the real deal this year.
Comment by rer — August 11th, 2010 @ 11:16 pm
Please boys let’s not get into a battle about league worthiness, especially if it’s going to be between the NVL and the SWC.
The big boys of both leagues enjoy their fair share of cupcakes each year.
Comment by johnny ribbs — August 12th, 2010 @ 10:23 am
I agree having 3,ooo to 5,ooo fans in a 40,000 seat stadium is dumb. I remember a few years ago i went to the Brookfield vs Ledyard state title game in Waterbury, i nice little stadium seated about 1,500 the place was packed with about 1,800 fans the atmosphere was great felt like a little superbowl…….Masuk is probally the best team in the State this season, or at least a top 5…..I dont think they cheat but probally the opposite their players buy into their offseason program and they offer them a lot.
Comment by HSFOOT — August 12th, 2010 @ 2:42 pm
Masuk should be top notch this year. Lookout for Greenwich too, they lost 3 games by a total of 4 points last year and they have most of their linemen back.
Not sure about upstate…will Berlin be a contender again?
Comment by clshmoremike — August 13th, 2010 @ 4:59 pm