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Happy Halloween weekend all. Hope it is littered with fun, candy and merriment.

But before Halloween, there will be High School football.

Bring on the picks!

Prep (2-4) at Hamden (0-6), Hamden High School, tonight, 7 p.m.- Tom Shea told me that he was frustrated by being 2-4 when his team could easily be 4-2 at least. He understands that this game with Hamden is a rivalry contest and one with a team that has state playoff experience. Shea was adamant about playing better in this game than his team did against Amity on Friday night. I think the Jesuits take care of business against a depleted Green Dragons team. Pick: Prep 21, Hamden 7.

Ludlowe (0-6) at Staples (6-0), Staples Stadium, Saturday, 10 a.m.- Yikes. This has every opportunity of getting ugly. Pick: Staples 48, Ludlowe 0.

Warde (3-3) at St. Joseph (4-2), St. Joseph High School, Saturday, 1:30 p.m.- I have to give credit to Warde, whose offense has woken up since the insertion of Chris Foley into the starting quarterback position. The Mustangs have averaged  points per game since Foley started in the Wilton game. I think the Mustangs have the chance to knock off the Cadets, especially if Tyler Matakevich is still hurt (which it sounds like he is). But winning this game would move Warde up with the big boys, and I don’t quite think the Mustangs are ready for that company just yet. Pick: St. Joseph 30, Warde 24.

Bunnell (4-2) at ND-Fairfield (0-6), Sacred Heart University, Saturday, 7 p.m.- Bunnell has a high-octane offense that is coming off of two straight losses. Notre Dame has not allowed fewer than 28 points this year. Keep that scoreboard moving! Pick: Bunnell 56, ND 7.

Last week: 3-1; Year-to-Date: 18-6

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They key saying in football is “Any given week, anything can happen.”

But typically in high school sports, parity doesn’t reign. The better team, more often than not, wins a lot of the time. I know that isn’t rocket science, but it is the facts.

However, 2010 in the FCIAC has been strange. It all started on opening night with Norwalk beating Greenwich. Let me demonstrate why the “Transitive Property” doesn’t work in sports.

Consider that:

New Canaan lost to St. Joseph, 28-27

St. Joseph lost to Wilton, 27-14

Wilton lost to Trumbull, 13-9

Trumbull lost to Stamford, 27-19

Stamford lost to Greenwich, 7-0

Greenwich lost to Norwalk, 19-7

Therefore Norwalk is better than New Canaan, right?

Wrong, especially when you consider that Norwalk lost to Trumbull, 48-0.

Usually we know who is good and who is not by week 6. However, how good is Bridgeport Central? The Hilltoppers are 4-2, with four wins against teams with a combined 2-22 record. They’re 0-2 against Greenwich and Trumbull.

Tyler Matakevich is apparently the glue that holds St. Joseph together. The Cadets get him back and all of a sudden shock New Canaan in a wild game.

Stamford has all of a sudden won four straight games, including a win over Trumbull.

The only teams with their acts together (for now) are Staples and Darien. And the Blue Wave almost lost to a school from Delaware on Saturday!

Leave it to the year that Harding wins an FCIAC contest for the league to go haywire. Stay tuned people. It’s going to be an interesting final four weeks of the season.

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I went 3-1 yet again this week. If Fairfield Prep could’ve converted on a two-point conversion (or kicked the extra point and won in overtime) I would’ve gone perfect.

Instead, 3-1 will have to do, yet again.

Let’s rehash:

McMahon 42, Ludlowe 14- The Falcons are finding ways to score points. They’re just not able to stop anybody. Ludlowe takes on Staples on Saturday at 10 a.m. Maybe the Wreckers will still be sleeping?

Amity 14, Prep 13- CJ Donohue needs to make better decisions (and better throws) if Prep is going to upset some of these teams. The Jesuits have the running game, they have the defense. They even have the knack for coming up with a big play or two, they just need their QB to get out of the way.

Warde 41, Trinity Catholic 40- I saw this score and my jaw dropped. Good for the Mustangs to show some guts and steal a game in Stamford, especially down 40-27 with 2:41 left in the game. This win should be a huge lift for Warde, who is now 3-3 and 2-2 in the conference. However, St. Joseph is calling on Saturday.

Oxford 34, ND 12- Bad gets worse for the Lancers. Up next: Bunnell. Yikes.

My Bill Gonillo 5

Tim Parry’s FCIAC Football Blog offers sportswriters (like myself) to vote in the weekly Bill Gonillo 5. Here is my poll for this week:

1. Masuk (6-0). The Panthers suddenly look really good given what happened to Trumbull and New Canaan this week, don’t they?

2. Staples (6-0). Ho hum, the Wreckers are undefeated through six games.

3. Darien (6-0). Really? 21-20 over a team from Delaware? I guess a win is a win.

4. New Canaan (5-1). Lost by one point to St. Joes with Matakevich. Can’t punish the Rams too much.

5. Ridgefield (5-1). Does anyone else notice that this team only loses to Staples?

6. St. Joseph (4-2). Don’t look now, but the Cadets are back. Tyler Matakevich is the difference and he’s healthy. Look out FCIAC.

Follow me on Twitter for more quips and updates. As always, take good care.

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Here’s hoping we get an undefeated week for the first time this year.

Ludlowe (0-5) at McMahon (2-3), tonight, 6 p.m.- The Senators fought hard in a tightly contested game with Staples on Saturday before falling to the Wreckers 21-13. However, McMahon has had a pretty bizarre year, being blown out by Stamford, and losing to Danbury. The Falcons may have the opportunity to win the game if they play some offense and make some plays on defense. But I don’t think they’ll have enough. Pick: McMahon 22, Ludlowe 12.

Prep (2-3) at Amity (2-3), tonight, 7 p.m.- I’ll be making the haul up to Woodbridge for this contest. Hopefully I don’t bump into any bears or mountain lions. The Jesuits have been difficult for every team they’ve faced, not named Xavier. I think Prep finds a way to get the job done tonight. Pick: Prep 23, Amity 14.

Warde (2-3) at Trinity Catholic (1-4), Saturday, 1 p.m.- The Mustangs get better and better every week, especially running the ball. Chris Foley has a nice arm and is versatile in the pocket. Warde’s ability to change the pace of the game and control the ball is valuable. The Mustangs will need to continue to do this against an explosive Crusaders’ offense, which has averaged almost 40 points per game in its last three games. I think Alex Delaney runs wild and Warde wins. Pick: Warde 27, Trinity Catholic 20.

Oxford (3-2) at Notre Dame (0-5), Saturday, 7 p.m.- Oxford’s offense is explosive, averaging more than 33 points per game. The Lancers defense has been anything but stalwart, allowing an average of 43 points per game against. This one could be ugly. Pick: Oxford 32, ND 8.

Last Week: 3-1; Year-to-Date: 15-5
For updates on Prep and Amity tonight, follow me on Twitter. Check our website for write-ups on all of the games tonight and tomorrow. Any questions or concerns, chime in with a comment. Thanks for your continued support and take good care.

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Another 3-1 week boosts my record to 15-5. However, I was 22.7 seconds (or a fourth down stop) from being 4-0. The Connecticut High School football gods are finding new ways to laugh at me. Oh well.

Let’s recap what happened this weekend.

No. 1 Xavier 34, Fairfield Prep 0. Our Tom Cleary was at the game and he made it seem as though if Prep had every opportunity to score, it still wouldn’t have. The Jesuits will have better days. One of them may be Friday night.

Norwalk 24, Ludlowe 13. I was pleased to hear that the Falcons pulled out in front early in this game. I was also pleased to hear that they scored more than one TD on offense. That’s called growth. Sounds like Ludlowe will have a chance to beat Westhill. Who knows besides that.

Wilton 24, Warde 20. One of the more bizarre moments I’ve ever seen happened in this game. Warde called timeout with 3 seconds left in the game, and the Wilton student section mobbed the middle of the field as though the game ended. Either way, I was impressed by Warde’s running game and junior quarterback Chris Foley played very well. The Mustangs should leave this defeat feeling good about themselves.

Newtown 48, ND-Fairfield 12. Yikes. I don’t know what else to say about this game, other than ND-Fairfield has been outscored 217-68 in five losses. That averages out to 43-13. Crikes.

My Bill Gonillo-5

I vote for the Bill Gonillo-5 as a part of Tim Parry’s FCIAC football blog. He’s a freelancer for me as well. For more on his blog, click here

1. Masuk (5-0)- The Panthers proved their worth with a 45-0 pummeling of Bunnell.

2. New Canaan (5-0)- The Rams pummeled Seymour, 49-0. Their next challenge comes Saturday at St. Joseph.

3. Staples (5-0)- Evidently McMahon has a competitive program this year. No style points for the Wreckers, but a win is a win.

4. Trumbull (5-0)- Is an 18-13 win over a down Greenwich team a good win? Yes. Will the Eagles lose to either Stamford or Danbury? No.

5. Darien (5-0)- The Blue Wave are looking pretty good for a Thanksgiving showdown between undefeateds, as long as New Canaan can stay undefeated.

6. Bridgeport Central (4-1)- Nice bounceback win for the Hilltoppers, with a 37-6 victory over Westhill. Central will head to Greenwich on Friday night.

As always, you can f0llow me on Twitter here. If you have any comments, feel free to leave them. Take good care.

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Thus far I’ve gone 3-1 every week putting my four week record at 12-4. Not bad, but not great. Going for the perfect week this week. Here goes nothing.

Prep (2-2) at No. 1 Xavier (4-0), tonight, 7 p.m., Palmer Field. Tom Shea gets a chance for his first signature win against the undefeated and CSWA No. 1 team in the state Xavier. I think Prep can go up there hungry and compete for a little while, but the Falcons are good. Really good. I hope plays well enough to keep this a game, and maybe makes a few big plays to keep it interesting. But I don’t think that will happen. Pick: Xavier 34, Prep 12.

Norwalk (1-3) at Ludlowe (0-4), Saturday, 3 p.m., Taft Field. The Bears were much celebrated for their opening night, 19-7 win over Greenwich on Sept. 16. However, Norwalk has played lousy since, being outscored 110-12 since. Ludlowe, especially if it made some necessary offensive changes, has the chance of competing with Norwalk. However, I can’t pick the Falcons until they prove to me that they can beat anyone. Pick: Norwalk 22, Ludlowe 14.

Warde (2-2) at Wilton (1-3), Saturday, 4 p.m., Fujitani Field. I wrote in my column this week that Fujitani Field is just so much fun to say. Say it out loud to yourself. Doesn’t that sound cool? Anyway, Warde head coach Duncan Della Volpe told me that he thinks this game will be a classic football game. I am buying in to that concept, as I will be at this game. The Warriors are supposedly big up front, which could create problems for the Mustangs’ running game. However, I think this game is a test for Warde. I think it passes. Pick: Warde 20, Wilton 14.

Newtown (3-1) at Notre Dame (0-4), 7 p.m., Campus Field. It is possible that the Lancers are flying below the radar as “worst football team in Fairfield” simply because we’ve put so much emphasis and expectation into Ludlowe. The Nighthawks have played very well thus far, outscoring their opponents 121-74 in four games. I think ND puts up points, but Newtown scores more. Pick: Newtown 48, Notre Dame 22.

Last Week: 3-1; Year-to-Date: 12-4

As always, you can follow me on Twitter for updates on the Warde/Wilton game. Visit our site for post-game stories after every game is completed. Also come back here for more info on Monday, complete with my Bill Gonillo-5 rankings. Have a good weekend, all and keep up the great comments!

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I came this close. THIS CLOSE to an undefeated week. It took Harding’s first FCIAC win in four years, but I guess my perfect week will have to wait. Let’s recap what happened.

Prep 37, Law 22. I was surprised that this result was as anyone. I just spoke with our Tom Cleary who was at the game and he said that the result was never in doubt. He also said that the Jesuits are disciplined and we all knew that they would surprise some teams. Read more on this game here. After a careful look at their schedule, five wins is not out of the question for Prep. That would be quite the successful year under Tom Shea, wouldn’t it Prep loyalists?

New Canaan 34, Warde 13. The Mustangs had it. they had the momentum after Craig Lowery’s 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, but the Rams are the Rams for a reason. New Canaan found ways to make plays, especially with QB Matt Milano, who threw for three TDs. Warde can take solace in the fact that it picked off Milano twice, and competed with the Rams. Read more on this game here. We’ll learn a lot from Warde this weekend when the Mustangs go to Wilton.

Harding 12, Ludlowe 6. Wow. Wow. Wow. There is no other word for this result. Hats off to Harding for making more plays than the Falcons, but Ludlowe has to do better than that. Big offensive changes should be in order for Ludlowe as it ran 47 plays in Harding territory and could not generate and offensive score. Ludlowe’s lone score came on defense. Read more on this game here. The Falcons have Norwalk coming up on Saturday, it’ll be interesting to see if the Falcons can win a game this year.

Bethel 53, Notre Dame 22. Joe Beler told Kevin Duffy from our sister paper The News-Times that he is stunned that Bethel is 2-2. I’m not shocked that HIS squad is 0-4, I’m just surprised how badly that it has looked. Read more on this game here. The Lancers are teetering on that level of winlessness too. They’re lucky they don’t play Masuk this year. However, Bunnell comes calling on Oct. 30. Yikes.

My Bill Gonillo 5

I am a voter for the Bill Gonillo-5 as affiliated with Tim Parry’s FCIAC Football Blog. For the official rankings click here. These are mine for Week 5

1. Masuk (4-0). The Panthers are my No. 1 until proven otherwise.

2. New Canaan (4-0). The Rams look pretty good, I forsee a date in the FCIAC Title game this year.

3. Staples (4-0). The Wreckers will roll for the next three weeks. Should be 7-0 before playing…

4. Trumbull (4-0). …this team. The Eagles close with two MISERABLY tough games with Staples and Ridgefield. Nov. 13 in Westport could be an FCIAC semi-final game.

5. Bunnell (4-0). The Bulldogs survived a case of looking ahead by beating New Fairfield. Friday’s showdown with No. 1 will be a HUGE game in Stratford.

6. Darien (4-0). Still not sure how I feel about the Blue Wave. They’re certainly good enough to be in the rankings, but they haven’t really beaten a good team yet.

As always, you can follow me on Twitter.  Any questions, problems, concerns, feel free to comment.

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Despite the fact that both Ludlowe and Warde both lost this past weekend, the Mustangs and Falcons appear to be teams headed in opposite directions.

Warde fought valiantly against the No. 2 team in the state, New Canaan, 34-13. Craig Lowery was the lone bright spot, scoring-wise, for the Mustangs. But Warde’s defense was about two or three plays from having the game be a lot closer. The Rams were perfectly adept and making eight yards on 3rd and 6, or 14 on 3rd and 13.

The Mustangs put up a fight, and impressed New Canaan’s coach, Lou Marinelli, enough that he was complimentary of Warde after the game was over.

“I think Warde has come a long way,” Marinelli said. “[Warde coach Duncan Della Volpe] is doing a great job. They’re very well-coached. There were times, especially in the beginning, where they had us back on our heels.”

For more on that game, read my story from the Stamford Advocate

From the other side of town, Ludlowe is now 0-4, with an embarrassing and frustrating loss to Harding, 12-6. The win for Harding was its first over an FCIAC opponent since Nov. 11, 2006, when the Presidents beat Bassick.

Ludlowe ran 47 of its 56 plays in Harding’s territory, but could not find a way to score an offensive TD. Ludlowe’s lone score came on a fumble recovery in the end zone. For more on that game, read my story from the Connecticut Post

Tom Hammons ran the ball well in the wildcat and threw the ball well as well. I expect him to start at quarterback on Saturday against Norwalk.

The real epidemic is that the Falcons are starting sophomores on the offensive line. However, Ludlowe’s frustration lies from not even being competitive in three games against three of the best teams in the state, and then scoring just six points against a Harding team which had allowed 113 points in three games, all losses.

I will give credit to Ludlowe’s defense. The only points the Falcons allowed were on a fake punt and set up on a blocked punt.

I think Warde’s two losses are a function of superior competition. We’ll learn a lot about the Mustangs on Saturday when they go to Wilton. The Falcons appear to be in shambles at the moment. McCloskey promised big changes, but if the Falcons can’t beat Harding, how are they supposed to beat anyone in the FCIAC?

If Warde and Ludlowe were going to play today, I’d pick the Mustangs, 41-0. However, we still are seven weeks away and a lot can happen between now and then.

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter and tune back in here Tuesday for a recap of all of the games of the week in town. I’ll also reveal my Bill Gonnillo-5 picks during that post as well.

Thanks for reading and take good care.