Masuk's #3 Joe Testani crosses over for a touchdown against Bunnell in SWC football action in Stratford, Conn. on Friday October 15, 2010. Photo: Christian Abraham / Connecticut Post
Well … so much for that.
Neither wind nor rain nor fired-up Bulldogs could stop the Masuk train Friday night.
The Monroe Express to Brookfield (site of the SWC championship game) plowed through the Bulldogs with a somewhat deceptive, yet convincing 45-0 victory. Instead of a sterling finish to an uplifting upset, we got seven consecutive kneel-downs by the junior varsity while the Masuk student section cheered “Coch-ran! Coch-ran! Coch-ran!” over and over in the gloomy night.
And, no, they weren’t referring to the quarterback.
Regardless of the final, Bunnell came to play. It moved the ball on offense and got within the shadow of the Masuk goal line several times. But turnovers doomed the Dawgs early, midway and late in the game. What good things Bunnell accomplished were wiped away almost immediately, however A Joe Diaz pickoff TD here, Colin Markus a 60-yard run and TD there. Masuk just kind of bled Bunnell to death.
It wasn’t a vintage Masuk performance, but it barely broke a sweat in taking a 21-0 lead. Bunnell attempted to flood the passing lanes, which gave QB Casey Cochran some trouble (he was picked off three times and threw for 155 yards).
But no worries, Masuk merely picked its spots and punched back with Markus, who broke free for several long runs to set up easy touchdowns. It was 21-0 at halftime. Hardly a wipeout. But the casual fans had already seen enough, and fled the field and the rain.
Then Diaz returned the second half kickoff for a TD. That was pretty much ballgame, although there would be more Markus to come.
Highlights of football action between Pomperaug and Weston in Weston, Conn. on Saturday October 16, 2010. Photo: Christian Abraham / Connecticut Post
We took the show to Weston on Saturday morning (Pomperaug 38, Weston 7) and the general consensus among SWC coaches in attendance was that nobody was touching Masuk (hardly new news). We drifted to other topics, such as who might be Masuk’s unfortunate opponent in an SWC title game, a potential Pomperaug-Brookfield showdown for that spot next month, a Bunnell-Newtown showdown this week, and, of course CIAC playoff possibilities for everyone. (It’s getting to be that time of year. Some of Xavier’s coaching staff was in attendance checking out Pomperaug, which stands to qualify in Class LL if it wins out.)
Oxford’s 14-7 loss to New Milford might have taken the Wolverines out of the race permanently. We also learned that Oxford QB Alex Miller broke the pinky finger on his non-throwing hand during practice before the game. He had surgery and will miss significant time, if not the rest of the year.
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Elsewhere, Trumbull affirmed its second-half mission by rallying to beat Greenwich 18-13. The Eagles are flying high at 5-0. Darien toppled Trinity Catholic 32-14 to improve to 5-0 and assure everyone that it will be unbeaten in the FCIAC when it’s time to tally playoff points in Week 9. (Their next game against Red Lion Christian of Delaware is another matter, but it doesn’t count toward FCIAC playoffs).
Tom Pauciello, # 5 of Trumbull High School, takes one in for a touchdown Friday night at Greenwich High School, Oct. 15, 2010. Photo: Bob Luckey
Not only did Staples struggle to take out McMahon, the Wreckers learned that outstanding sophomore Nick Kelly might have seriously damaged his knee in the process. The injury has yet to be sufficiently diagnosed. We should learn more soon.
So that leaves four undefeated teams left in the FCIAC. Darien’s schedule seems to give the Blue Wave an inside track to the FCIAC Championship game at McDougall Stadium on Nov. 19. Staples’ schedule looks manageable until if faces Trumbull in decisive Week 9. Trumbull’s schedule is tough, with both Staples and Ridgefield remaining.
As for New Canaan, the Rams are back from their first-half cruise and join the race this week. First up, a massive grudgematch with wounded St. Joseph at Dalling Field — will Tyler Matakevich, who has been testing his injured foot on the sidelines during games, make a triumphant return?
The Rams then comes home to Dunning Stadium to face, in order: Wilton, Greenwich and Central. Undefeated should get them close to an FCIAC berth. Whether they play Darien for the championship on Thanksgiving or somebody else at Trumbull on Nov. 19 remains a question.
Here are the FCIAC playoff points through Week 5:
| Trumbull | 5-0 | 620 | 124.0 |
| Staples |
5-0 | 590 | 118.0 |
| Darien | 5-0 | 570 | 114.0 |
| New Canaan |
4-0 | 420 | 105.0 |
| Ridgefield |
3-1 | 340 | 85.0 |
| Bridgeport Central |
4-1 | 420 | 84.0 |
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In the NVL, Ansonia shocked everybody by running roughshod over preseason favorite Wolcott in a crucial Copper Division battle at rainy Jarvis Stadium. Montrell Dobbs ran for 305 yards and freshman Arkeel Newsome continued to impress with a 72-yard kickoff touchdown. So Ansonia holds serve in the Copper, with only Watertown (this week) and Derby/O’Brien Tech (next) and Seymour (Week 9) standing it its way of an NVL title game berth.
On the other side, it’s Naugy in front, Woodland and Torrington nipping on their heels. Both Woodland (2-0 Brass) and Torrington (2-1) face off this week in a key division game. Woodland controls its own destiny (it faces Naugatuck in three weeks).
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In the SCC, Notre Dame-West Haven kept its playoff hopes alive by crushing Hand. Cheshire all but dropped out of the Class LL race with an 18-14 loss to Wilbur Cross. ND and Cross play in two weeks. West Haven is 5-0 and in decent shape in Class LL, but begins a brutal stretch of games beginning this week — at Cheshire, vs. Hand, at Wilbur Cross, at Xavier then vs. Fairfield Prep.
Xavier dominated Fairfield Prep and continued its inexorable march toward that West Haven showdown in Week 9. …The rest of the league has its eyes on Lyman Hall, now a surprising 4-1, and in the thick of the Class M race; North Haven, 4-1 and in the mix in Class L; and Hand, which is also 4-1 and in the Class L playoff race with West Haven and Wilbur Cross among its remaining games.
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Here are ALL of the State Playoff Standings, which we’ll cover in-depth a tad more in the coming weeks.
But if the season ended today (and thank God it doesn’t)…
Class LL – 8. Southington at 1. Trumbull; 7. Glastonbury at 2. NFA; 6. Hall at 3. Xavier; 5. West Haven at 4. Staples
Class L – 8. Hand at 1. Masuk; 7. New Canaan at 2. Darien; 6. Naugatuck at 3. Wethersfield; 5. Bristol Eastern at 4. Fitch
Class M – 8. Wolcott at 1. Berlin; 7. Cheney Tech at 2. New London; 6. Platt at 3. Waterford; 5. Enfield at 4. Plainville
Class S – 8. Woodland at 1. Ansonia; 7. North Branford at 2. Valley Regional/Old Lyme; 6. Montville at 3. Hyde; 5. Sacred Heart at 4. Coginchaug.
Resist the urge to go bonkers over these midseason pairings. Lots of season left.
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We’ll have the State Polls, the Elite 8 tonight and, tomorrow, video of Bunnell-Masuk and Pomperaug-Weston.
Also, we will be publishing a Midseason Report Friday both in our papers and in this space.
If all goes well, we’ll have a first-half video collage of all the first-half 2010 action.
So stick around.
Newsome’s kick-off return went for 82 yards, not 72. I was on the 20 when he caught the ball. The PA announcer mentioned 72, but Newsome caught the ball at the 18. Simple math, my friends. justsayin’
Ansonia caught Wolcott off-guard with formations Wolcott hadn’t seen. Then the onslaught began. Dobbs was all over the place for Ansonia. Ansonia’s first TD (57-yard pass) was what it needed to get Wolcott thinking about its past in “big games”. Wolcott is now 0-24 versus Ansonia.
@Remmy – Since you were there, we’ll trust your assessment. …Sometimes reporters, who are out of position, have to trust the announcer. Typically, reporters should consult with each other to pin down the actual spot.
DOES THE 50 POINT RULE APPLY TO THE SWC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME TOO?
@theruler – yes, it does
Please somebody tell coach svatik that he needs to change to a spread offense to win ball games…he doesnt have the line move any defense of line…from my opinion the coaches lost the last three games
Coach Svatik you need to change to the spread offense…
Pomperaug is playing better and should win the rest of their games though the Brookfield game should be a good one. Pomp has a bunch of injuries and just lost Matt Paola for the rest of the season. He’s been hurt all year playing just half a game against Masuk. His big play ability will be missed when Pomp plays against the better teams. He’s only a Junior so he will be back next year. The majority of their Offense and Defense are Juniors and Sophomores so they will be REAL good next year. They will have a tougher schedule next year playing Masuk, Bunnell, Brookfield, Bethel and Newtown
Is it me but it seems like Bethel gets a tough schedule year after year. Ok Brookfield is always on turkey day but Masuk, Bunnell, Newtown and Pomperaug almost every year? If not all at least 4 out of the 5.
How does Pomp(LL) not play Bunnell or Newtown this year?That means that they will not have played any LL schools this yr .
@WCC
That’s why those class “L”, “LL” teams Masuk, Bunnell, Newtown and Pomperaug make the playoffs by beating up on smaller schools in an inferior league.
the SWC has a very low bottom and a very high top. true most teams are in the low end, but the ones at the top are still just as talented as any other team in any other league
Too many past State Champs from the SWC to call it “inferior”.
@WCC – It is true that it’s easier for an SWC school to get to the States but the SWC has done very well in States. Since 2004, The SWC has an overall record of 17 wins and 10 loses with 5 State Championships. Not bad for an Inferior League. The SWC is top heavy. The same can be said about every other league in CT. The biggest problem is that the SWC has too many small schools.
do you see St Joes making states?
i agree tha svatik needs to switch to the spread too much speed to be bunched up running wishbone the line isn’t big enough to run wishbone. Straford should be 4 and 1 it loses to teams with a lot less athletes than they have.
fciacq———–yeah if st.joe himself makes a few phone calls
Why only 4 games for NC and Ridge?
@Fred – Because the FCIAC has 19 teams, 9 with a bye. So those teams played a game out of conference. NC – Seymour; Ridgefield – Wilbur Cross. Next Week: Darien vs. Red Lion.
Those do not count toward FCIAC championship. 9 teams will end up with just 8 games going toward the FCIAC championship, while others have 9. Therefore the total points is averaged.
It’s an asinine system, but the only way they can do it (ahem) fairly. Of course, then there’s the matter of unbalanced scheduling, in which some teams have strong schedules and others do not because half of the schedule is based on the West, Central, and East divisions … Also, the Thanksgiving Days don’t count so certain teams will never have to beat other teams to get into this game…
Argh.
It’s just silly, the whole thing is silly. Either move the title game to Thanksgiving, play the others the week before, or — better yet — just scrap the whole thing, FCIAC. Your two lucky finalists will then have to play Thanksgiving, then the tuesday after then the Saturday after just to get to the state title game. Too much. The title game doesn’t mean anything anymore with a three-tier playoff.
TROUBLE FOR TRUMBU!!! THE WHOLE O LINE IS OUT WITH 3 CONCUSUIONS AND S BAD SHLOULDERS!!!! THEY HAVE 2ND AND 3RD STINGERS STARTERS THIS WEE AND MYABE EVEN FOR WEEKS TO COME!!! DOENT LOOK TOO GOOD!!
farewell ur starting to piss me off
No ian i did not write this
I see a Staples v. New Canaan Championship game, who do YOU think would win? Always a classic game.
@jbomb- this year i think that is what we will see. NC v. Staples has been historically down to the wire games. from what i have seen so far this season i give the slight nod to new canaan, who is playing pretty solid defense thus far. but then again ask me agina after this week of nc v. joes. i hear matakevich is going to be back, maybe it will be the joes team we thought we were going to get all year.
Matgakevich is out for the New Canaan game.
Sean, What are your predictions this week for Brookfield at New Milford? Weston vs Masuk? Pomperaug at Stratford? I think Bunnell vs Newtown is going to be interesting. Who do you predict will play in SWC Championship, can Brookfield or Bethel still make it to play Masuk? What are your thoughts on the SWC QB’s this year? Who of any position are your early favorites for possible All SWC and any for All-State yet?
@richardfitzwell From what I have seen so far I think Staples has that “sense of urgency” to get back to that LL title game again, they play fast and wear out defenses…just ask Ridgefield. Have yet to see NC defense yet, but looking forward to see St.J v. NC, maybe then I can try and predict this years FCIAC title game.
BTW, Staples is going to have to play a “semi-fciac” playoff game with Trumbull before the actual championship…lets see how good Staples is.
p.s.
Whats the deal with Darien?
darien is over rated and will show their true colors come thanksgiving and states if they make it in…not to mention i bet they get smashed by red lion this week.
Ray Brown… You just dont want sj to make states because you dont want them to show you how bad the Non violent league really is… Just like they did last year wen they played Holy Cross is the semis. 56-7
St. Joes will give anyone in any class a good game. True, they might not make the states but I wouldn’t want to play them.
Darien would not schedule RED LION unless they did their homework beforehand. They knew it was a “W” before the schedule came out.
Red Lion seems to have brought in more ringers each season, so Darien may have thought they scheduled an automatic W, but I’m thinking otherwise. Red Lion’s one loss this season is to a Philly-area Catholic school that is ranked #7 in the state of PA by Maxpreps (which would mean #1 by a wide margin in CT).
@Roto – This Red Lion team is from Delaware. MaxPreps has them ranked No. 5 in that state. …2186th Nationally.
By comparison, Max Preps has Masuk ranked No. 598 in the country (No. 1 in Connecticut) and Xavier 668 in the country (No. 2 in CT).
Darien is ranked 2157 in the country, No. 10 in CT.
So, technically, Darien is ranked higher than Red Lion.
Strange but true tales from MaxPreps Ranking Land.
@ Sean. I know-I was talking about the only team Red Lion lost to, Cardinal O’Hara from Penn. I looked to MaxPreps to see where they stacked up in the world of Penn HS football, which is generally regarded to be light years tougher than CT. My point was just because Red Lion lost a game 30-0 doesn’t mean they had no chance against Darien.
Even if you take MaxPreps national rankings at face value (which is a dubious exercise), Red Lion and Darien are essentially even in the grand scheme of things.