Finals Saturday

Today should be exciting, and I regret that I won't be at any of the football games. I will be filling in for Sports Editor Matt Straub at the Central men's and women's basketball games while he is out sick. He should be back by next week though, in time for me to hit the courts for some high school basketball, which starts up right away.
But football first.
Six games today. Six predictions.
I had a very good run of 8-3 in the semifinal round, which was a big change from last year when I got just about everything wrong. Let's see how I do with these even tougher games.

Class LL, Glastonbury vs. Cheshire: I'll say I'm still not terribly impressed with Glastonbury. I don't know why. I just don't believe the Tomahawks are that good, and I don't think they're going to break the CCC's run of struggles in this game.
I think Ragone will have a big day for Cheshire and the Rams will return to their glory days of the 1990s for a brief moment. But I'm not saying that will last.
Class L, Newington vs. Masuk: It's been quite a season for the Indians after most prognosticators, myself included, thought a .500 season would be a stretch. I figured out I was wrong about that after watching them once this year, in the opener against Hall, and immediately jumped to the other bandwagon saying I thought they could win a state title. That was reactionary, but they're making that look smart.
However, I think this is the end of the road. Newington played maybe it's best game of the year against Simsbury, so they're peaking at the right time. But it's hard to match what Masuk has done the last two weeks.
I don't think it will be a blowout. In fact, I'd expect closer to a shootout. But I think Masuk will put it away solidly at the end.
Class MM: New Canaan vs. Darien: This is the best matchup of the day, the one everybody in the state wants to know about. The winner of this probably gets voted number one unless Glastonbury wins, because just about everybody has either a loss or no marquee wins.
I've been saying since week three that I thought New Canaan was the best team this year. I'm not backing off it now. I think they'll win this one in a great game.
Class M: Ledyard vs. Brookfield: Ask anybody if they thought Ledyard would be back here after getting killed by Berlin opening night. If they're honest they'll say no. In fact, most thought it would be the Redcoats returning to this time take home a title.
But here's Ledyard. And here's Brookfield, going almost completely unnoticed all season despite having only one loss (to Newtown).
I don't think Ledyard will repeat, because I think Brookfield's a significantly stronger team. But maybe it's too early still to count out the defending champs.
Class SS: Seymour vs. New London: Quite honestly, while SS proved to be a very good division this year, these are the teams that most people probably would have picked to get here. The funny thing is New London doesn't look quite as invincible as they did six weeks ago, and after seeing them in person last week the Wildcats look extremely good. They have size up front, speed on the ends, and a super talent in Mike Osiecki at fullback.
The fans everywhere will love to hear the score from this one. They always do when Jack Cochran's involved. And I think Paul Sponheimer goes out with a championship over his longtime rival.
Class S: Cromwell vs. Ansonia: It's hard for a Rocky Hill alum to say this, but I'll be pulling hard for Cromwell in this one. I get tired of seeing Ansonia dominate, and I'd like to see an unlikely school get a win over one of the state's all-time powerhouses.
I was wrong when Cromwell got to the playoffs last year. New London killed them and then got pounded by Ansonia. But this Ansonia team is nowhere near as good. And this Cromwell team might have been a little bit better and is still looking for revenge from the last time the school got to the final.
I like the Panthers to take this one home.

football semifinals

It's that time again. Time for state playoffs in football, and lo and behold it's not even that cold today. That should make for some enjoyable games today at least. As for Saturday, that's anybody's guess.

I am about to head out to see Rocky Hill take on Seymour. It's the Terriers second playoff appearance after losing 22-19 to Hyde in 2005, a game that Rocky Hill probably deserved to win but missed a couple key chances at the end. We'll see if it's any different this time around, as Rocky Hill is once again a pretty heavy underdog.

But in general I'd say this is the most wide open the playoffs have looked in several years, at least since I've been covering them. Of the six divisions, I'd say only one has a definite clear favorite (Brookfield in M) and one other with a pretty safe prohibitive favorite (Masuk in L). The other four have two, three or even four teams that conceivably could win. I'm going to be curious just to see the scores come in after each game and see who stacks up where. The state polls should shuffle a lot by next week, but don't be surprised if New Canaan is still on top.

I'll start with the one other local game and go from there.

CLASS L

Newington at Simsbury: Up until Thursday I was worried about the way the Indians had been playing. Then they reminded me why I thought they were a title contender from very early on in the year. They pounded Wethersfield offensively, and even though the defense wasn't outstanding, it seemed to make the plays when it needed to, at least when the game was in doubt. It's hard to stay focused on Turkey Day with a 28-point lead.

Simsbury is good, and has certainly come from relative obscurity midway through the season to be one of the better teams in the state. Who would have guessed that Simsbury would be the second team in the CCC North to make a playoff game?

I don't know why. I like Newington to win a close one here. It's been quite a while since the Indians won a playoff game, but they played one of their better games of the season last week, and I think, should they stay healthy for this, they can get it done.

As for injuries, expect Harrison Scully and Jon Riddick to play in this one. There's no saving yourself for anything else at this point. And both are pretty tough kids.

Windsor at Masuk: Like I said, Masuk is a pretty solid favorite to win this, especially after pounding Newtown. While Windsor's been a good team this year, they have not been lights out. They have mediocre games, and never seem to blow anybody out.

I doubt they'll be able to put up a great fight against a very good team like Masuk.

CLASS LL

LL is more wide open than in years, mostly because the state's best reside in other divisions, mainly MM. But there are still some really good teams here.

Newtown at Glastonbury: Newtown really got pounded, and had New Britain or Southington won last week, might be sitting at home right now. So ironically, they have their current opponent to thank for their playoff spot.

I actually don't think they'll be returning any favors. While Glastonbury made it unblemished through a pretty good schedule, I don't think it was as good as what Newtown played. And I think Newtown's going to be pretty excited to play at this point after what happened last week.

I expect Newtown to sneak away. This is the game where Glastonbury doesn't get away with a mediocre performance, unlike when they played Southington.

Cheshire at Hamden: These two have been very under the radar. The buzz I hear about Hamden is they've always had the numbers and athleticism to be a good program, but now they have the coach too. Cheshire is hoping to regain its glory days.

I've felt pretty good about Hamden all season long, though, and I like the to sneak out in a competitive game here too.

CLASS MM

This is the cream of the crop. You could argue the top three teams in the state are all in this division. And poor Weaver is the fourth team that will have to try and deal with that, but shouldn't be around for very long. I'm really excited about these games.

Weaver at New Canaan: I saw Weaver against Wethersfield and quite honestly they got lucky. They should have lost, looking extremely unimpressive.

Meanwhile, I've felt all year long that New Canaan is the best team in the state. I don't expect this to even be close, although Rob Fleeting is a very good coach, and may have some tricks up his sleeve to even this out a bit. Still, look for New Canaan to roll.

Darien at Hillhouse: Darien's only loss was to New Canaan. Hillhouse went unbeaten against a slightly easier schedule, but not much. This is one heck of a semifinal matchup.

To be honest, I really would like to see a Darien-New Canaan rematch, so I will say that I expect that to happen. But I'm not so sure.

I really wish I could see this game.

CLASS M

Brookfield has a pretty open run here. None of the others were consistently impressive, and quite honestly Cheney Tech is overmatched.

Avon at Brookfield: Avon plays one of the easiest schedules in the state, and this year Tolland wasn't even as good competition as they usually are. I don't know much about Brookfield's schedule, but they sure pounded everybody.

I expect Brookfield to win this pretty easily.

Cheney Tech at Ledyard: Before Ledyard beat New London I thought they were slightly above average at best. Now they look like they could conceivably repeat as champs.

Cheney, for as well as they have played in earning this spot, is not on a level with any of the other playoff teams. The best team Cheney beat this year was either Prince Tech or East Catholic. That doesn't say a lot. Meanwhile, Ledyard is rolling after knocking off a true state powerhouse two weeks ago.

This won't be fair. But, as for me, I do feel Cheney deserves to play this game. They beat everybody on their schedule.

CLASS SS

The other matchup in this is probably the second best game in the state tonight, and either Rocky Hill or Seymour won't have an easy time in the final. In fact, I think this and LL are the two most balanced divisions this year. Any of the four teams could win either one. I wouldn't be surprised at all.

Montville at New London: Still, Montville got lucky. After putting up a one-point loss to the Whalers a few weeks ago, they had only to win on Thanksgiving Eve to clinch a spot, and lost to a pretty good St. Bernard group, but one they easily should have beaten.

Then Wolcott returned the favor by losing to Holy Cross the next day, so Montville's back in for what they probably had their minds on already. This is a grudge match.

I actually expect Montville to win this, in a thriller. The Whalers have struggled in big games since Jack Cochran got there, a strange thing to say about him. They are 0-2 in state finals, lost to Ledyard a few weeks ago and I think they are ripe for another upset against a team that is familiar with them. There's no playoff intimidation factor in this one.

CLASS S

Another set of games I'd love to be at. If you love the strategy of the game, and the roots with players going both ways, this is for you. These schools with small numbers bring the best out of athletes, and while the level of play isn't quite up to the LL and L brackets, the coaching is some of the best and the excitement from the schools might be even greater.

Hyde at Cromwell: This is the year Cromwell gets its playoff glory. The Panthers have a conference opponent that they beat pretty solidly first, and Ansonia is not as good as last year. Plus New London isn't around and these Panthers aren't intimidated by Hyde.

It's clear I think Cromwell will win Saturday too, but for now, I'll just say they should get past this one.

North Branford at Ansonia: I was stunned to see North Branford beat Cromwell, and I think the Panthers would love to get that matchup. But don't count on it. Even if Ansonia isn't as good as last year, they're still better than most. It's hard to be as good as a team that was voted the best in the state and had the state's all-time leading rusher.

Ansonia is used to getting to this point and winning. North Branford is relatively new to the game, although they got here in 2006.

So that's it. Let's see how these go now. I am headed out the door. See you at the game.

some updates

OK, so a lot happened on Wednesday night, clearing up the playoff situation. Locally, Southington and New Britain are out, no chance of making the playoffs. Conversely, Rocky Hill is in. What was a 99% chance before is now 100%.
Newington should know now that a win against Wethersfield clinches their playoff berth as well. There is no grey area there. But there is no chance of the Indians getting a home game.
As for Rocky Hill, the Terriers can get a home game in a few ways, possibly even the top seed although that would be very unlikely. To get any home game Rocky Hill will need wins from five of the six teams it beat that still have games. In fact, it's a specific five teams for reasons that are complicated but I'll try to explain.
Rocky Hill needs: Middletown over Xavier, Stonington over Westerly (RI), Prince Tech over Capital Prep, Enfield over Fermi, and RHAM over Bacon Academy. I'd actually give them the edge in four of those. Prince, Stonington and Enfield all seem like solid bets to me. RHAM/Bacon sounds like a complete tossup. And Middletown would be a big upset win.
Here's the interesting part. There is another game, Plainville at NW Catholic, that on paper would seem to help Rocky Hill. The problem is, if Plainville wins that, or rather Northwest loses it, without all the others happening as well, then Rocky Hill would not win the tiebreaker against Seymour and would end up at best in a tie. The win for Northwest actually helps Rocky Hill in the tiebreaker.
Rocky Hill would still also need Ansonia to beat Naugatuck, which seems like a pretty good bet. If Naugy won, RH would need all six of its games to come through. Those are the only ways they can pass Seymour.
As for passing New London, they would first of all need the Whalers to lose to NFA. Then they would need to get more bonus points than them. New London is guaranteed one win from the Plainfield-Griswold matchup having beaten both. They also will be looking to get Waterford over East Lyme, Fitch over Ledyard, Windham over E.O. Smith, and the kicker, Bacon Academy over RHAM. Windham is a near lock against E.O., but Fitch is very unlikely to beat Ledyard. Waterford is probably a slight favorite to beat East Lyme. Which means if things go as expected, New London would have three wins to match the three I think Rocky Hill gets easily. If New London in fact loses, the RHAM-Bacon game could determine which team, New London or Rocky Hill, finishes ahead of the other, and possibly who gets home field in a matchup between them. But a New London win makes this all a moot point.

There were some big upsets tonight. I was shocked to see Montville lose, and a little surprised by Hyde's win over North Branford, which seems to have knocked Northwest Catholic out of the playoff race. Masuk made easy work of Newtown and while a Masuk win isn't surprising, the manner in which they did it makes them look like a clear Class L favorite, and maybe the clearest favorite in any division.


A THANKSGIVING NOTE:
As I wrote in my blog last year, Thanksgiving is a day on which I try to make phone calls to all the people who have been important in my life in a positive way over the past 12 months. For whatever reason, Thanksgiving seems the best time to do this, not New Year's Day, or Christmas or any other holiday.
As always, I have made it through the year on the strength of my friends and family, and those truly close to me continue to show themselves more and more.
I urge all of you to really consider where you might be without the important people in your life, and also where they might be without you. There's no shame in admitting we're all in this together, and that nobody can go it alone.
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! Enjoy the turkey, the football and the smiles.
And keep your phone on in case I call you.

Thanksgiving week preview

This is a big week, and there are a ton of big games around the state, so I'm going to do this a little differently.
It's a pick bonanza, as I will be making quick picks (no explanation) on many games around the state with playoff implications or which otherwise strike me as interesting.
I'll also be doing local picks as usual, with a couple of exceptions. I am a couple hours away from going to see Rocky Hill host Nonnewaug, and it's fair to say the Terriers should clinch a playoff berth. I'll also be at Wethersfield-Newington tomorrow, and that ones up in the air. I'm going to enjoy that.
As for Rocky Hill, the Terriers hopes at a home game were likely dashed last week by losses for Berlin, RHAM and Plainville, all games that might have gone the other way to help Rocky Hill. It looks like Dave Coyne's bunch will have to face either Seymour or New London on the road next week.
As for Newington-Wethersfield, just get out to this one if you live in one of those towns. This could be a classic, and the team's are about as evenly matched as they have been in a long time. Newington's better, and with reason has a chance at a playoff berth.

OK, on with the picks.
Wednesday:
Cheshire at Southington, 6 p.m.: If the Knights win they will have a very good shot at the playoffs. Lose and it's all over. Southington needs to root against New Britain, which shouldn't be hard for them to wrap their heads and hearts around.
Then they need to go out and beat a very good Cheshire team, which coincidentally is also playing for the playoffs.
I have no doubt that Southington remembers last year, but this is a little bit different team. I'm not sure the Knights have the firepower to stay with the top teams this year, and I'm thinking Cheshire will be celebrating a win, but not necessarily a playoff spot...
BECAUSE
Glastonbury at New Britain, 7 p.m.: If the Hurricanes win they will have the advantage of Cheshire, assuming that two teams among Hillhouse, Hamden, Lyman Hall, Guilford, Newington, Bloomfield, and Rockville win.
First things first, the 'Canes have to do what nobody else has and knock off the Tomahawks. Glastonbury has played the best of any team in the CCC this season, but I still say New Britain has more in the way of pure talent. If New Britain comes out and plays its best, it can definitely win this game. But that hasn't happened consistently for several years.
Meanwhile, Glastonbury is in either way, and could either A) take the game lightly, or B) feel the pressure to go undefeated and beat a team they haven't come close to in recent years.
I've got a hunch that New Britain will be celebrating a playoff spot by night's end, or watching scores tomorrow to find out for sure.
Thursday:
Plainville at NW Catholic, 10:30 a.m.: Sadly, this one won't be close, although a miracle upset could greatly help Rocky Hill's slim chances at a home game. Don't count on that happening. The Blue Devils are down to just over one full string of players and Northwest can make the playoffs with a win and a Hyde loss to North Branford.

And that brings me to the rest of the state. I wish I could see some of these games. This should be an exciting couple of days. Here's the quick rundown of my picks.
South Windsor at Rockville: South Windsor
Manchester at East Hartford: Manchester
Windsor at Bloomfield: Windsor
Montville at St. Bernard: Montville
Seymour at Woodland: Seymour
Hyde Leadership at North Branford: North Branford
Masuk at Newtown: Newtown
Stratford at Bunnell: Bunnell
SMSA at Bulkeley (matters only to Newington's playoff chances ironically): Bulkeley
Bristol Eastern at Bristol Central: Eastern
Platt at Maloney: Platt
Weaver at Hartford Public: Weaver
Ledyard at Fitch: Ledyard
NFA at New London: New London
Darien at New Canaan: New Canaan
Staples at Greenwich: Staples
Wolcott at Holy Cross: Wolcott
Kennedy at Crosby: Crosby
Naugatuck at Ansonia: Ansonia
Hillhouse at Wilbur Cross: Hillhouse
ND-West Haven at Hamden: Hamden
Bethel at Brookfield: Brookfield
Bacon Academy at RHAM: RHAM
Fermi at Enfield: Enfield
Middletown at Xavier: Xavier
Stonington at Westerly (RI): Stonington

week 9 in review, week 10 preview

It's been a stressful week for me. I've been in the process of moving as well as dealing with some other issues. So I'm going to kill two birds with one stone here, and combine these posts for the week.
A few comments about last week. Very tough losses for Southington, New Britain and Newington. The Indians are still in control of their own fate most likely, as is Southington most likely (due to its remaining scheduled games). But New Britain needs some help again. Tonight's game in East Hartford should be huge.
Big, big, big, big win for Berlin. I can't emphasize this enough. Yes, the defense clearly didn't perform terribly well, but a win is a win at this point. And St. Paul was a dangerous team. One more big test with Northwest Catholic. Then Windham could be tough.
My record for the year, after a 5-4 week, is 53-14, and 6-3 in non-local games. Things are getting a little crazy here late in the season, just as they should.

On to this week's picks. I may be covering the Rocky Hill-Middletown game on Saturday, so nothing on that. But a word saying that if Rocky Hill wins that, the game against Nonnewaug on Thanksgiving should be pretty easy to clinch a playoff spot. And Ansonia beat Seymour tonight, meaning a home game is possible for Rocky Hill.

Friday:
Southington at New Britain (sort of), 7 p.m.: This one is at Rentschler Field but the Hurricanes will be listed as the home team. Not that it matters at all in football, so that means there will be no advantage in this one.
A loss here ends either teams playoff chances, while a win doesn't guarantee anything. This could end up being more about the rivalry than anything else.
On paper, New Britain has the most talent and has all season. But Southington plays very well defensively and always seems prepared for game time. The same cannot always be said for the Hurricanes.
This is going to come down to whichever team can make some big plays though, and I think the Hurricanes have the playmakers. I won't be surprised by any result in this, close or blowout win by either team.
But if I force myself to make a pick, I think New Britain will get the win.
Newington at Bulkeley, 7 p.m.: The Indians shouldn't have much worry about a second consecutive loss. The Bulldogs aren't good enough. The question for Newington will be all about points. It's going to come down to a few points either way as to whether or not they make the playoffs, and a game like this might be bad in the long run due to Bulkeley's few wins.
But Newington will get the win.
Wethersfield at Farmington, 7 p.m.: Again, Farmington is really struggling this season. It's too bad, cause this has been a good rivalry in other sports so far. But Wethersfield should win pretty easily.
Saturday:
Berlin at Northwest Catholic, 10:30 a.m.: Early morning start in the much at NWC. But, you know what. That field condition could ultimately help Berlin, which is probably much stronger in the running game, and not terribly good on defense lately. This should be low scoring due to the muck.
I think Berlin may have righted the ship a little bit, but the Redcoats, as I said before, are not out of the water yet. The playoffs are still in their control though most likely.
I like Berlin to get the narrow win here in a low-scoring game.
RHAM at St. Paul, 1:30 p.m.: St. Paul may score 100 points... well, if not for the rule that would suspend coach Jude Kelly for the next game if that were to happen.
Falcons win big.
STATE PICK OF THE WEEK
Simsbury at Manchester, Friday, 7 p.m.: After Manchester started 5-0 you might have thought it would be them for which this game would be significant. But look. There's Simsbury hanging tough at 7-2 in a conference with New Britain, Glastonbury, Southington and Manchester.
And the Trojans can pretty much wrap up a playoff spot with a win here, with Farmington the only other remaining game. Unbelievable really. The CCC North may be top to bottom the best conference in the state this year, even if none of the big three win LL.
I am really impressed with the way Simsbury is playing lately. And I think they will get the win in this one.

Stay warm everybody.

week 9 preview

State tournaments for soccer and volleyball mean I won't be covering any football this weekend. It's a shame too, because this may be the single most exciting weekend of the year locally with hugely important matchups for Southington, Newington and Berlin.
This is the week that could make or break any of those three teams (Mostly break, because Southington and Berlin still have tough ones after it that they'd have to win too.) We should know a lot more about who's going to make the playoffs by Monday.
The Herald will still have coverage of all three games tomorrow, so do not fear. We will also have coverage of all three local soccer teams playing today (Farmington, Wethersfield, Southington) and the volleyball and soccer teams on Saturday.
On to the picks.
Friday:
Glastonbury at Southington, 7 p.m.: This is the big one, the one everybody's been waiting for, at least everybody in Glastonbury. While the Blue Knights have been on top of the CCC North for three years, this team has been waiting its turn to take over. The Knights have a major target on their backs and for that matter these schools have been playing each other repeatedly in several sports for the past few weeks. That never breeds friendliness.
I've talked to as many people as I can find who know either one of these teams lately to see what they think. The problem seems to be that nobody is familiar with both. Glastonbury, for inexplicable reasons, doesn't get a whole lot of press coverage, not nearly in the area of what Southington gets. And ADs and school officials don't get to see teams other than their own very often. So everybody's kind of on edge to see how this turns out.
I have not seen Glastonbury play this year, but I know they have taken care of business better than Southington against the weaker opponents that they have played for the most part. Southington has played a much tougher schedule, but the narrower wins against East Hartford, Manchester and the likes make me wonder if Glastonbury is more poised to be dominant.
But all that matters is coming out with a win, and both have done that.
I have a hunch that Glastonbury is a bit better this year. The scores usually don't lie. So I'm guessing that Glastonbury will sneak out with a big win and a very good chance at the playoffs. Southington will be up against a wall after that.
And this has nothing to do with my hatred of the air raid siren.
New Britain at Simsbury, 7 p.m.: This is another danger game for the Hurricanes. Southington on the schedule next week, but the Trojans are pretty good, good enough to beat you if you don't play well.
After seeing Weaver last week, and being only minimally impressed, I'm left wondering how a deeply talented team like New Britain lost to the Beavers. The only explanation is that New Britain slipped up in a big way. Do the same tonight and it could be another loss.
But I think New Britain put that behind them. And Southington-NB has a much bigger feel if the Hurricanes win tonight.
I think they will.
Newington at Bristol Eastern, 7 p.m.: Win this, and the only remaining challenge on the schedule for the Indians is Thanksgiving against Wethersfield. Maloney is way down this year and shouldn't be a struggle for them.
Eastern is a team that's hard to get a grip on. They've solidly beaten the weaker and middling teams on their schedule, but lost pretty soundly to most of the good teams. Remember, their "win" over Conard was a forfeit in a game that they actually lost on the field.
Newington has been up to every challenge this year. I don't think that will stop against a conference rival they know well. Newington wins.
Hall at Wethersfield, 7 p.m.: It's a gutcheck game for the Eagles after a truly heartbreaking loss last week. Because of it, Wethersfield has no real playoff chances. They're playing for pride and a winning record.
The team should be pumped up about playing a night game at home, renting lights for a field that does not yet have them permanently. And Hall is not a powerhouse, but a good team.
This seems similar to Wethersfield's game against Windsor, and I always like Wethersfield on the home turf. I think the Eagles will bounce back with a win.
East Catholic at Rocky Hill, 7 p.m.: This isn't one of those exciting games this weekend. This should be a blowout as it has been for a couple of years. Rocky Hill in a landslide.
Middletown at Plainville, 7 p.m.: The Blue Devils are still struggling a lot, and Middletown will be hungry for a win in a year with few. Middletown wins.
St. Paul at Berlin, 7 p.m.: The loss to Enfield changed things dramatically for Berlin. They now need to win out to make the playoffs. This is the hardest one (with Northwest Catholic coming up).
The question is, after giving up 52 to Enfield, a mediocre offense, can Berlin stop St. Paul, an exceptionally good one? I wish I had been at the Enfield game because I've seen Berlin twice this year and can't imagine the defense getting pounded like that. I'm guessing that it was a one-game blemish, but a really big one.
Even if you play well, St. Paul could beat you. But, St. Paul has not proven able to stop a good offense all year. And that's why I'm picking Berlin. There's a better chance the Redcoats slow down the Falcons than the other way around.
Either way, expect some points in this one.
Saturday
Farmington at Conard, 1 p.m.: Conard.
STATE PICK OF THE WEEK
Ansonia at Crosby, Friday, 7 p.m.: Hear me out on this one. Ansonia is ranked number one in just about every state poll right now, with a lot of voters saying until their amazing streak of wins ends, they are the best team.
I personally don't believe they are anywhere near as good as they were lost year. They are still a very good team, but I would have two or three others ranked ahead of them if I had a vote.
The thing is, their schedule is pretty weak on the whole. Wolcott and Watertown have been the two best teams they've played so far. Crosby may be better than them, although lost to Wolcott.
I don't think Ansonia's going to lose in the regular season, and maybe not in the playoffs. If that happens they would easily be voted the top team again, which might be unfair. But that's the way it goes.

There are some other big games with playoff implications out there.
Montville at New London
Seymour at Watertown
Amity at Shelton
Bethel at Bunnell
Brookfield at Newtown
Darien at Staples
Be sure to check the standings for changes on Monday. There could be quite a shuffle in some divisions.

not in their house

It's time for me to say something that I've been debating for a couple years now. I usually don't like to criticize people involved with the high school athletic departments. But every once in a while something will irk me more than usual, and it happened the other night at East Hartford High.
But I'm not talking about the Hornets. Despite their reputation (mostly unfair) the Hornets fans caused no problems that I could see at that game. What bothered me came from the Southington side.
More specifically, it rang out from the track, a sound so piercing, so overpowering that it forces one to plug his ears each time he hears it.
I'm talking about the air raid siren. And it's about time it found its way to the grave.
For those who don't know what I'm talking about, the air raid siren has been a relatively short-lived tradition of the Blue Knights football team. From my understanding, it began during the tenure of former coach Jude Kelly (though I don't know if it was his idea).
The siren was intended to be rung each time the Knights took over on offense, signaling to the opponent that they were about to be put under attack by a barrage of deep passing. You see, the Knights for years had the most potent air attack in the state, and their names litter the state record books for passing and receiving yards.
Things have changed, however. The Knights are no longer a pass-happy offense. They have become more and more balanced each season under coach Bill Mella, and in fact have used defense to win games more in recent years.
Furthermore, it has gotten to the point that the siren is now rung more than just to start a drive. It shrieks out first downs. It shrieks touchdowns. It shrieks big gains.
I mean, logically, if the opponent doesn't know it's under attack by the time Southington scores a touchdown, I don't think the siren, symbolically, is going to warn them in time.
Of course, that's not my biggest problem. That lies squarely in the fact that Southington brings the siren on the road, submitting opposing fans to have to listen to its harsh wails on their home field, and quite frankly, it is tactless, arrogant and offensive.
If I were an opposing AD, and I saw them wheel it up to the field, I would ask them to return it to the bus or leave the premises. If I heard it go off during a game, I would immediately ask them to go home.
I'm not joking about this. This runs along the lines of Terrell Owens raising his arms to the heavens... on the Dallas Cowboys midfield star... as a member of the San Francisco 49ers. And while I am a 49ers fan, at the time of that incident, I didn't blame George Teague for sprinting out to clothesline Owens. That was the Cowboys' house. That was like dancing on their altar.
And please, somebody from a Southington opponent, stand up for your school. Don't physically or emotionally harm anyone. But make some kind of statement that such insults will not be viewed kindly. Stand up for your pride.
Better yet. I call on Southington AD Eric Swallow to do the right thing, now that he has taken over the position (with positive results I must add). Get rid of the siren. It makes your entire athletic program look bad.
If nothing else, the siren should remain in Southington for home games. Let your own fans deal with the noise.

Week 8 in review

Well, we finally found the surprises we've been waiting for. I'm still in shock over the Berlin-Enfield score, even if it did go into overtimes. There wasn't a whole lot of defense played in that one, and it may constitute the most shocking score in the state this year.
Wethersfield almost pulled off a big upset against Weaver, the same Weaver team that beat New Britain earlier this year and currently holds down a playoff spot in Class MM. If the Eagles had won the two teams would be tied for that spot, but alas, now it looks as if Wethersfield's playoff hopes are officially gone.
Southington eked out a win against East Hartford, I say eked because despite the 35-14 score the game was much closer than that. Maybe the Knights were looking forward to "bigger" games in the coming weeks. Maybe they'll surprise everybody once again and get back to the playoffs, but I have to say my impression of the team has taken some hits lately.
Newington had to grit out a win over Platt as well, but that was more because Platt played far better than I expected. That being said, Newington better play better themselves because the playoffs still aren't a complete guarantee, and because I think Newington has a shot at winning. But not with the incomplete performance I saw in that game. Masuk and others are too strong.
I liked that New Britain and Rocky Hill both rolled over weaker competition. That's what the best do. They both looked the part of playoff teams in those wins, although the road for the Hurricanes is still full of land mines. But, New Britain looks more prepared to weather them than it has in a few years, at least right now.
As for me, I got a couple things wrong this week. Along with Berlin, I incorrectly picked Shelton over Hillhouse, a predicted upset. Ooops. Looks like the Academics are as strong as advertised. Class MM is shaping up to be exciting, and the top seed actually means a whole lot when two of Hillhouse, Darien and New Canaan will actually meet in the semifinal.
My 5-2 week brings my overall record to 48-10, with a 6-2 record now in non-local games.

week 8 preview

It's hard to believe it's week 8 already, but here we are. Just a few more weeks until we decide who's in the playoffs and who's not, so it's crunch time. There's a lot of big-time games coming up soon, but on paper this is a pretty laid back weekend. The top playoff contenders have it fairly easy.
As for me, I'll be working a bit overtime with three games in three days. I'll be traveling out to East Hartford on Thursday for Southington's game. Then I'll be covering Platt at Newington on Friday and Wethersfield at Weaver on Saturday. Should be fun.
Let's get straight on to the picks.

Friday
Manchester at New Britain, 7 p.m.: This is probably the biggest matchup on the schedule. But, as we've seen in the last couple weeks, the Indians are pretenders. Their 5-0 start was merely coincidence of a weak schedule, and now they are struggling against good teams.
New Britain certainly qualifies as a good team, and I think the 'Canes can overpower Manchester up front and win this fairly easily.
Windsor at Farmington, 7 p.m.: Windsor's been kind of a weird team this season, looking really strong one week and then pretty mediocre the next. But they can easily handle Farmington.
Hang in there, Indians fans.
Plainville at Cheney Tech, 7 p.m.: Usually if the word "Tech" is involved it means an easy win for the opponent, barring some sort of co-op team. This is not your ordinary tech school. Cheney is well on its way to the Class M playoffs, and while I still very much doubt their ability to win there, they can certainly beat teams outside their own conference.
Plainville could compete in this one, but to be honest, I'm guessing Cheney is quite a bit better at this point, and will come out victorious.
Saturday:
Middletown at St. Paul, 2:30 p.m.: The Falcons need a bounce-back game, and this should provide the opportunity. Middletown is clearly a few steps below where it has been for several years now.
But look out. Middletown comes off a somewhat solid performance against Northwest Catholic, so the Blue Dragons might be growing up a bit. This probably won't be a complete cakewalk for St. Paul.
Then again, with that offense, they could post 50 points at any time. St. Paul comfortably.
Berlin at Enfield, 7 p.m.: Believe me, Berlin's offensive line will push the Raiders in whichever direction they want, sometimes in both. There is simply no way Enfield can slow down Berlin on offense, and I don't see Enfield, even with very good running back Walter Moon and receiver Pascious Mink (the greatest high school name I've ever seen) putting up more than a few points.
Rocky Hill at Prince Tech, 6:30 p.m.: See above rule about tech schools. It applies here. This will be a nice breather for Rocky Hill after a pair of very tough games in the middle of the schedule. In fact, most of the remaining games should be a breather.
STATE GAME OF THE WEEK
Hillhouse at Shelton, Friday, 7 p.m.: Talk about an overloaded bracket, one could make the argument that the top three teams in the state are all in Class MM. New Canaan and Darien are getting top votes from some pollsters and Hillhouse is also unbeaten.
This is the toughest game remaining for the Academics until Thanksgiving when they face Wilbur Cross. So a win here and their playoff spot should be very secure (which I already think it is).
Meanwhile Shelton has lost to two very good teams (Hamden and Xavier) and by close margins. The Gaels are very good, and appear to be on a completely different level from anybody Hillhouse has played yet. Plus, Shelton needs the win to keep alive any slim playoff hopes. A third loss and they can forget about it.
I think Shelton will surprise Hillhouse with the home field advantage and will sneak out with a big win. But Hillhouse will still have quite a bit of leeway in Class MM, which thins out a lot after the top three teams.

Happy Halloween, everyone! Remember, get your trick-or-treating done early so you can get out to the games, preferably in costume. If I see any good costumes, I'll be sure to share them here.
Don't be too scared.

Week 7 in review

I must be butter, because I'm on a roll. Last year I never had a perfect week making my football predictions. Now, I just had my second perfect week in the last three after going 8-0 last week.
The main thing is local teams are making it easy to be right. The top teams are doing little other than winning, and the bottom teams, sadly, are doing the opposite. There seem to be only a couple matchups each week that are hard to predict at times.
It was nice to see Rocky Hill finally get some votes this week in the state polls after knocking off previously unbeaten St. Paul a week after beating Berlin. That puts the Terriers in essentially a four-way tie for the Nutmeg League with those teams and Northwest Catholic (one of the Indians' two losses was a non-conference game). The difference is, Rocky Hill has played all three. The others still have to face off. Berlin still will face both St. Paul and Northwest.
The impressive thing about the Terriers' win is that they had to score points to do it. As a defense-first team, Rocky Hill can usually count on a win if it scores 20. But the Falcons had the firepower to frustrate that defense and Rocky Hill's offense went out and won it with the running attack.
Southington took care of business against Manchester. It's safe to say Manchester is a big step behind the other top teams in the CCC North and not the title contender some thought they might be after their 4-0 start.
Newington, New Britain and Berlin all had easy wins over outmatched opponents. There wasn't much question that would happen.
After seeing Plainville there's some hope for the future. The Devils have some young talent, they just need experience and a growth spurt to be competitive again. That should be coming next year and after. Keep working, guys. It will pay off.
With the perfect week, my record for the year is up to 43-8, and 6-1 in non-local games. I correctly guessed that Masuk was much better than Bunnell despite state rankings.

Week 7 preview

Brrrr. I'm freezing right now. Of course you all know that it's getting chilly outside. I don't have to tell you that. After all, the weather is something for people to talk about who don't have anything of importance to say, or something like that.
But what you don't know is that the heat in my apartment has suddenly stopped working in the past two days. It's possible the landlord forgot to get oil for the house. Who knows? What matters is it's really cold in here.
It is making me dread those cold December football playoff games, which would be wonderfully exciting if I weren't concentrating more on getting the feeling back in my fingers and hoping my pen doesn't freeze.
You know what, those games aren't that far around the corner. We're coming down the home stretch here. Enjoy the games this weekend.
I'll be covering Plainville's game against Enfield on Saturday, and will be in the office taking phone calls Friday night. Ken Lipshez will be in Rocky Hill, Andrew Lovell following the Canes to Rockville, correspondent Gerry deSimas, Jr. in Manchester and Brian Straight watching Newington-Maloney. Show them love and share your blankets with them.
On to the picks.

Friday:
Southington at Manchester, 7 p.m.: The fairy tale should come crashing down for Manchester. A loss to Glastonbury last week. Now they must play Southington and New Britain in a row.
Southington needs to put this one away early and show the opponent they mean business. They can't keep letting teams hang around.
I expect Southington to win.
Maloney at Newington, 7 p.m.: Newington's too good. Maloney's just not what they were a couple years ago. The Indians keep rolling along at home.
Wethersfield at Conard, 6 p.m.: This is tough. I saw Conard a few weeks ago and they looked really good. But since then, they've been killed by two straight opponents and forced to forfeit two games for using an ineligible player, who is now no longer on the team.
I haven't heard who that player was, so I can't say whether it's a big loss on-field. But suffice it to say this is a team with some problems right now.
And Wethersfield had a good win over Windsor last week. I don't know what to think of the Eagles.
The difference maker is that Wethersfield has struggled on the road so far. So I like Conard to come away with a win at home.
New Britain at Rockville, 6:30 p.m.: I don't think this game will show much. Rockville seems to be down more than usual. New Britain's played well for the most part this year. I don't expect them to have a slipup this big.
New Britain wins.
SP/GT/LM at Rocky Hill, 6:30 p.m.: The Terriers know if they lose this one their win over Berlin last week won't mean anything. I'm shocked that Rocky Hill is getting no respect from anybody. People just aren't convinced yet.
I hope that changes this week.
I'll be honest. I haven't seen St. Paul yet this year. I've looked closely at their scores, talked to people who have seen them, and read as much as I could on their games. I just think Rocky Hill is a better team right now, and I think St. Paul gets its first loss of the season in this one.
Whoever wins this will have a serious leg up on a playoff spot. Whoever loses could be in trouble.
Saturday:
Farmington at Weaver, 12 p.m.: I wish I could say more good things about Farmington. I know the kids are working hard. I know they want to win. They are just overmatched each week right now.
Weaver should have no trouble.
Berlin at RHAM, 2 p.m.: I wouldn't want to be the Sachems. The Redcoats are going to be out for blood and to prove that they are still the best team in the conference.
RHAM simply can't match up with them up front. This one could get ugly on the scoreboard with Berlin running away early.
STATE PICK OF THE WEEK
Masuk at Bunnell, Friday, 7 p.m.: The top two teams currently in the Class L rankings face off in Stratford with a lot on the line. Masuk already has a loss, and might not be able to afford another. Meanwhile, I'm sure Bunnell wants desperately to hang onto the top spot as the only unbeaten in the division.
I just look at Bunnell's scores and notice that they never seem to be killing teams. It looks like they let even some mediocre to bad teams stay somewhat competitive.
Now scores, don't say everything. It's possible that could be the result of subs coming in with a blowout in hand in the second half.
But Masuk's scores impress me more, and I've heard one or two people in the know say they don't think Bunnell is nearly as good as the ranking they are getting in the polls.
I'm going to pick Masuk in what, on paper, is an upset. That should shake things up a bit.
Newington moves past the loser of this if the Indians beat Maloney.

So that's it for now. As always, stay warm.

Week 6 in review

Wow. That's all I can say after watching the game between Rocky Hill and Berlin this past Friday. I've been giddy about it basically since then. It was a very good matchup. Perhaps not perfectly played, but still very well played other than Berlin's many false start penalties. Each team had players step up and make spectacular plays. Each defense was stout. The coaching was great (which is to be expected from John Capodice and Dave Coyne, two of the most overlooked coaches in the state).
OK, the dirty non-secret is that I am a Rocky Hill alumnus, and therefore always have an emotional stake in their games. But I put that aside as much as I could to cover this game, and I have this to say. Berlin's a better team. The Redcoats are simply stronger up front, and more multidimensional than the Terriers. If these two played 10 times, Berlin would win at least seven of them, if not more.
But this was one of those two or three. This was the one where Rocky Hill got a little bit lucky, made the plays it had to and snuck out of Sage Park with a huge win and a very good shot at the school's second playoff appearance.
Berlin will bounce back from this. They should still make the playoffs (of course St. Paul will have something to say about that for both teams in the coming weeks, but after this I tend to think things are looking worse for the Falcons than these guys). This might end up the wakeup call that Berlin needed.
As for the controversial penalty call on Rocky Hill's winning touchdown, I believe the call was right. From my perspective in the press box, it looked as if the Berlin defender held back Rocky Hill receiver Mike Mancini, forcing Mancini to push him away before catching the ball. In a way, the slightly underthrown ball was the perfect thing for Rocky Hill. A perfect ball and the defender might have been in the right spot.
It's ironic for a team that completed just one other pass in the game and has struggled with the passing attack this season that arguably the biggest play of the year should come on a third-and-17 situation through the air.
Max DeLorenzo is impressive too. Some are saying he might not have the physical instincts it takes to be a dominant runner. I say he's still a sophomore. If he can make plays the way he did the other night, he's going to be special, real special.
I'm telling you. I could talk about this game for hours.
As for the rest of the weekend, how about Newington shutting out Bristol Central! Most people felt Newington would win this game. I don't think anybody saw a shutout for them against a team that does nothing but score. Newington is quickly showing itself to be a true title contender in a wide-open Class L.
New Britain put the Weaver loss a little further behind it with a blowout win over East Hartford. Actually, as the weeks go by, Weaver looks more and more like a playoff contender. That loss wasn't as bad as it once seemed. New Britain just has to keep this going and against better competition.
Same goes for Southington. I hope the Knights don't keep doing this one good game, one mediocre game thing for long. That's a recipe for disaster, but for now a win was a win against Simsbury.
And Wethersfield kept its playoff hopes alive with a solid home win against Windsor. The Eagles proved they are better than they were last year, at least. Conard's next, and the Chieftains are reeling, particularly after forfeiting two wins due to an ineligible player. But Conard still has a lot of talent.
I feel bad for Plainville. The loss to East Catholic, which wasn't even competitive, settled the debate of who's at the bottom of the Nutmeg. It's time for Plainville to focus on player development for next year. The team is very young with a new coaching staff, and will improve in time.
I went 6-1 this week, and correctly predicted that Glastonbury would pound Manchester. The Indians are pretenders. The Tomahawks are for real, and right now are the favorites over New Britain and Southington in the CCC North. November should be very interesting.
My overall record now sits at 35-8 and 5-1 in non-local picks. Those numbers aren't too bad at all.

Week 6 preview

We are at the midpoint of the season, and after this week will be on the back end. Perhaps it's fitting in a way that I will get to see what should be one of the most pivotal local games of the year on Friday night when I watch Rocky Hill try to upset Berlin. There is nobody who questions that Berlin is the best team in the Nutmeg League. The team's results have shown nothing to believe otherwise. On the other hand, you will find a debate as to who is after that. St. Paul is unbeaten. Northwest Catholic has lost (in conference) only to the Falcons.
But, to be honest, I suspect that Rocky Hill is actually the next best team after Berlin. True, the Terriers lost to Northwest on a muddy day. I'm convinced on solid ground they would have won going away. St. Paul only beat the Indians by a point in what was, I'm told, a very well-balanced matchup. These are all good teams, but Rocky Hill seems to be a little more explosive at its best than the others.
And make no mistake about it, the Terriers are at their best on artificial turf. So while they play a road game at Sage Park, the surface will make them feel right at home. I have a feeling this could be a very good game, or it could be another Berlin blowout in what is setting up to be a remarkable season. If Rocky Hill is to win, its defense will have to make the difference. That seems pretty clear to me.
I'm glad I don't have to make an official prediction on this one. See you at the game.
As for the rest of my picks...
Friday:
New Britain at East Hartford, 7 p.m.: The Hurricanes showed, hopefully, that their loss to Weaver was simply a slipup and not a trend. In either case, I don't think East Hartford can stand up to them much. This won't be one of the epic CCC North clashes that could define the next seven weeks.
I like New Britain by a healthy margin.
Simsbury at Southington, 7 p.m.: On the other hand, Simsbury appears to be stronger than East Hartford. Of course, Southington seems to be among the state's elite once again, and after talking to some people in the know, the Knights close call against Bristol Eastern seems more an aberration than anything else. The Knights showed how good they can be against Conard last week.
I like Southington, by an equally healthy margin.
Newington at Bristol Central, 7 p.m.: Unless the lights of Muzzy Field are too bright, I just can't see the Rams slowing down the powerful Indians offensive attack. And likewise I don't think the Rams offense will have enough to consistently score against Newington's defense.
Newington has been the most pleasant surprise this season among local teams. Even had I expected good things from them, which I really didn't, I wouldn't have expected them to be this good.
Look for Newington to roll this week in an offensive show.
Saturday:
Farmington at Hall, 1:30 p.m.: Sorry, Farmington. This won't be the week for a win. Hall is way too good.
Windsor at Wethersfield, 2 p.m.: How expectations have changed quickly for the Eagles. A couple weeks ago, a team alumnus and friend of mine contacted me excited about the team's chances. He felt this was the year Wethersfield would do some serious damage.
Now, a pair of losses later, even he said it was the "same old Wethersfield".
I still think this team is solid, and in particular I think the Eagles play well at home. They are comfortable on their turf and enjoy having the fans. So I think they can keep this one close.
Windsor is a strong team, but definitely not as good as Glastonbury. I can't decide whether I think they are better or worse than Manchester. Probably a little bit better in my opinion.
But I also think Wethersfield will play better than it did against Manchester.
I'm going to call for an upset here and pick Wethersfield to get a good win at home.
Plainville at East Catholic, 7 p.m.: It's been easy to pick against Plainville lately, but chin up Devils fans. The Eagles of East Catholic High appear, on paper, to be the worst team in the Nutmeg League. Now, I said that RHAM looked worse than Plainville early on and I was wrong. There's a little more to go on here.
I actually like Plainville to win this by a solid margin. Don't expect a blowout or anything. And the Devils better avoid mistakes. But I think they will get a win here.
If not, they are officially the conference's cellar dweller.
STATE PICK OF THE WEEK
Manchester at Glastonbury, Friday, 7 p.m.: I don't really think this is a great matchup. But, it's hard to ignore two LL unbeatens from the same conference who both hold playoff spots based on the current standings. One of them won't for long.
You should have figured out by my comments above that I think, emphatically, that the one is Manchester. I don't believe the Indians are terribly good. I think they will be lucky to go .500 against their remaining schedule.
More importantly, I believe Glastonbury is legitimately very good, and WILL contend for that playoff spot. I like Glastonbury by a lot here.

Some other big games this weekend, as there are several:
St. Bernard/Norwich Tech at Stonington
Griswold at Montville
Crosby at Naugatuck
Avon at Tolland
New Canaan at St. Joseph
Bethel at Masuk

Enjoy.

Week 5 in review

Did you see that? Haha. You probably don't care. But, for the first time in a year and a half of making weekly high school football predictions, yours truly had a perfect week, going 8-0.
OK, so I was still off about how close several games would be, but I got all the winners right.
New Britain bounced back with a blowout of Hall after its stunning loss to Weaver. Nice win there. I hope the 'Canes can keep it up and build some momentum with the tougher part of its schedule still ahead.
Southington bounced back, albeit from a close win, with a bigger win against Conard. I must say that this was the most impressive score of the week.
Southington 35, Conard 0
I saw Conard a week ago, and they are legitimately a powerful team. Their 2-3 record is a product of playing maybe the three best teams in the CCC, Southington, New Britain and Newington (with apologies to Manchester and Glastonbury, on whom the jury is still out, although Glastonbury is looking more and more like an elite team).
Rocky Hill won its warmup against Plainville and now heads to Berlin in a huge game this week. Newington continues to impress after a blowout of Bloomfield that I expected to be a bit closer. Things are looking very good for the Indians right now.
Wethersfield struggled again against a good opponent, not even playing Glastonbury close. It looks like the Eagles, with a VERY hard closing schedule, will have to hope for a .500 season. It's still out there to be had, but they will have to play better than the last two weeks.
I didn't get to see any action in person last week, so I don't have much to comment on there. Southington was clearly the team of the week, though. It looks like the Knights are hitting their stride.
As for me, I'm going to bask in the glow of my zero in the loss column, which brings my record for the season up to 29-7, and 4-1 in non-local matchups. I'll be back later in the week with a look at this weekend's games.

Week 5 preview/picks

Back to the gridiron for another exciting weekend of games. Things should shake up a little bit with some key matchups in a few divisions. Locally it's not a bad slate of games either. There are some that you should definitely get out to.
I will not be covering anything this weekend. I'll be in the office on Friday night taking phone calls, and at a wedding on Saturday afternoon. So, it's open for me to make picks on all of these games.
Friday:
Bloomfield at Newington, 7 p.m.: This could be a trap game for Newington after a big win over Conard last week, but the thing about the Indians is they don't seem to take anything for granted. They haven't really played poorly in a game yet this year, and I don't really expect them to.
The key will be whether they can get healthy with both fullbacks (Harrison Scully and Fred Ortiz) nursing injuries. Those two are key to what the offense can do because they fight for small chunks on first down, and keep defenses honest, allowing the passing game and Spencer Parker's legs to make big plays.
I don't know much about Bloomfield, but their games tend to be shootouts. There should be a decent amount of scoring in this one, although the Newington defense has been good. I expect the Indians to get a win here and keep on rolling.
Conard at Southington, 7 p.m.: I saw Conard last week, and they are very dangerous. Southington is the epitome of consistency and good coaching, never ceasing to impress onlookers with how prepared the Knights are for each and every game.
I'm not quite sure why the Knights' game against Bristol Eastern was so close last week. Eastern's good, but I didn't think they were in Southington's strata this year. Either way, it should end up being a wakeup call for the Knights.
I think Southington will pull away late, with the defense proving too much for Conard to get much going.
Farmington at East Hartford, 7 p.m.: I don't have many words for the Indians. They just aren't playing well. East Hartford's not great, but they're probably too good for Farmington to hang with.
East Hartford wins going away.
Rocky Hill at Plainville, 7 p.m.: Same goes for Plainville as for Farmington. And the bigger problem is that Rocky Hill is very good. Now, the Terriers weapons don't translate as well on grass as on their own artificial turf. But they should be able to dominate this matchup up front and score a bunch.
Rocky Hill will win easily.
St. Paul/Goodwin/Mills at Enfield, 7 p.m.: Enfield didn't put up much of a fight against Rocky Hill, but I still say they are dangerous if a team isn't ready for them. So far everything's been going St. Paul's way, but I think they could find themselves in a fight here.
I still think the Falcons will win though. They look to be legit.
Saturday:
Glastonbury at Wethersfield, 12 p.m.: The Eagles first test, against Manchester, wasn't exactly a success. Turnovers were costly and the team let one slip away that they definitely should have won.
Make no mistake about it. Glastonbury is better than Manchester. Now, last year the Eagles' defense kept Glastonbury in check and gave the offense chances to win. It's still possible this year, but I don't think things look good.
Maybe home field will prove fruitful for Wethersfield, but I expect Glastonbury to win.
New Britain at Hall, 1:30 p.m.: The Hurricanes better bounce back quickly, cause Hall's a team that can beat you, like Weaver, if you aren't prepared. New Britain has always bounced back well in recent years after surprising losses. That's a positive thing to say about the team.
And I don't think Hall has quite the firepower to handle New Britain either. But I don't think this will be a blowout by any chance.
New Britain should win by less than two touchdowns.
State pick of the week:
Cromwell at Tolland, Friday, 6:30 p.m.: Out of a bunch of games with big playoff implications, this one interests me most. Cromwell's been showing up in some state polls lately, and I, for one, think they deserve it. The Panthers' program has been very impressive in recent years. Just ask Plainville coach Rocky Gagliardi, who was an assistant there at one time.
Meanwhile, Tolland made the playoffs last year, and is right in the hunt again this year. Both teams are unbeaten so far.
While the trip is a long one for Cromwell, I think the Panthers are among the elite in the small classes, and I expect them to get a big win in this one. Ironically, one team that will be rooting for that is Rocky Hill. The Terriers are chasing several teams in Class SS, Tolland among them.
Some other big matchups for the week (which won't necessarily make for competitive games):
New London at St. Bernard/Norwich Tech
Windham at Stonington
Greenwich at Ridgefield
Seymour at Crosby
Brookfield at Masuk
Danbury at Staples
Avon at Hyde Leadership
North Branford at Ellington/Somers
Those all pit teams with playoff aspirations, or the talent to pull off an upset. Now personally I don't think some of these matchups will be close. But the team that loses will still take a big hit in the points standings. This should be an exciting weekend.

week 4 in review

Week 4 was devastating for some local teams, and a very good sign for others. First the positives.
Newington's win over Conard means two things: 1) The Indians are in the driver's seat for a spot in the Class L playoffs, and 2) The Indians are a very good team. Conard impressed me in the early going, and I thought for sure their bruising rushing attack would wear down Newington. But not so. The defense stuck it out, and the offense got just enough going to win.
Fans in Newington should be excited. That is a division that is wide open for a potential champion. Nobody jumps out. The players need to stay focused and take confidence from every win, without getting ahead of themselves.
Meanwhile, New Britain just shot itself in the foot with a loss to a weaker Weaver team. Now, the Beavers are good. But word from the game and around the state is that there was no reason New Britain should ever have lost this game. This makes every game on the schedule absolutely critical in an always-loaded Class LL. New Britain-Southington, at Rentschler Field in November, should be another battle with potential playoff spots on the line, but only for one team, not both.
Wethersfield, though it's playoff chances were probably not as good as New Britain, suffered a similar kind of loss. I know Manchester is showing up on some pollsters rankings. I know they're 4-0. But with the remaining schedule Wethersfield has, this was one of the easier games, and they lost it.
I think the Eagles will be favored in only one of their remaining games. But I think there are three or four others they will be capable of winning, including this week against Glastonbury. They better bounce back, or all the good vibes of a 3-0 start could be gone.
After the way Rocky Hill handled Enfield I am confident in saying that had the Terriers played Northwest Catholic on artificial turf, or even a good grass field, they would have won by 10 points or more. But c'est la vie. You get the schedule and you have to play the games where you're told. Don't lose hope, Terriers. The playoffs are still reachable. You've proven you are good.
No surprise for Berlin against East Catholic. Sadly, no surprise for Plainville or Farmington either, in blowout losses.
Oh, and Southington keeps winning, but this one wasn't quite as easy as expected. Maybe the Bristol Eastern Lancers have more in them than they showed early on.
I went 6-2 in my picks, including correctly picking Cheshire over Wilbur Cross. That brings my record on the year to 21-7, 3-1 in non-local picks.

I'll be back tomorrow to analyze the MLB League Championship Series.
And the day after that to look at this week's high school slate. For now I'll just say I've got so many numbers crunching through my head over the playoff point system already, that I don't know if I'll make it to the end of November without my noggin exploding.

week 4 preview

[BLOGGER'S NOTE: Due to a change in coverage schedules for this weekend, I have removed my prediction on the Newington-Conard game. I will be covering that game on Saturday afternoon, and I do not want there to appear to be any conflict of interest in the coverage.
However, as it is an interesting matchup, I will provide some thoughts on it]

Things are starting to get much clearer, and after a muddy week 3, let's all hope things stay dry this weekend. The forecast is calling for it to be a little chilly at night, but sunny and dry during th day. So it should be good football weather, thankfully.
Of course, it will be the rare weekend where I happen not to cover any games. I'll be in the office on Friday, and while I may get out and watch a game on Saturday, I won't be reporting. Those duties will go to writers Ken Lipshez and Andrew Lovell, as well as a talented group of freelance writers.
That means I get to make picks in every local game this week, which is a bit of a treat. Let's see how things go.
Friday:
Bristol Eastern at Southington, 7 p.m.: Last year this would have been a big matchup. But the results so far this year don't look great for Eastern, but Southington keeps rolling along looking very strong against CT competition.
This is Southington's first home game, and the Knights are rested after a rainout last weekend. The fans should be into it, and the players eager to get back out there.
I expect Southington to jump all over the Lancers from the start and win this pretty easily.
South Windsor at Farmington, 7 p.m.: I know, every week the Indians seem to have an opponent among the weaker in the CCC conference. But it may be time to face up to facts. The Indians themselves are near the bottom of the conference.
I don't think South Windsor is as good as Fermi or Platt were, but they are probably better than E.O. Smith was, and I just don't see a lot of positives coming from Farmington.
I think South Windsor will win.
Weaver at New Britain, 7 p.m.: This has all the signs of being the trap game that New Britain has fallen victim to in recent years to teams like Windsor and Bloomfield. This is a good Weaver team, but certainly one the Hurricanes should beat. New Britain has to be careful not to let its early success blind it. It's still VERY early in the season.
Good teams lock down and win these games with relative ease. I don't know that New Britain does anything easily, but I will pick the 'Canes to come out on top.
Wethersfield at Manchester, 7 p.m.: The schedule gets a little bit tougher for the Eagles after East Hartford, E.O. Smith and Bulkeley, but not by much. Manchester just hasn't gotten back to the competitive level it was at a few years back.
The Eagles, like New Britain, need to make sure not to get caught up in early success. I hope the players realize they haven't beaten a good team yet, though they are capable of it.
I think Wethersfield will win this one, but it might get closer than comfort would allow, particularly on the road for the first time.
East Catholic at Berlin, 7 p.m.: Forget that after watching them I don't think anybody will beat Berlin. East Catholic isn't the team to even put up a fight.
I don't really have much more to say than I hope the Berlin fans don't mind blowouts. They will get very used to them.
Enfield at Rocky Hill, 7 p.m.: Sure, the Terriers lost to NW Catholic on Monday, and it was a heartbreaking game that they probably should have won. But the season is not lost, and the coaching staff will have to make sure they know that.
Lose to Enfield, and the playoffs will be almost definitely lost, and the Raiders are not a team to overlook. Enfield's passing attack happens to oppose one of Rocky Hill's minor weaknesses, so this won't be the best matchup for Rocky Hill.
But, I did see enough of the Terriers to know that they have a talented team. That was what made the NWC loss so difficult for them. This team can go places.
This is where they start to regroup. I'll pick them in a pretty close contest.
Saturday:
Newington at Conard, 2:30 p.m.:
This is easily the best matchup of the week. These teams will both be fighting for a playoff spot in Class L, and the loser of this game will be put in a very precarious situation in that regard.
Conard is always praised as a well-prepared team, while Newington has surprised many people so far this year.
Both are for real, and have competed very well against good competition so far. This should be a very close matchup.
In fact, there's the litmus test for it:
New Britain 24, Conard 19
New Britain 23, Newington 17
Can't get much closer than that.
Plainville at St. Paul et. al.: Who could have predicted St. Paul would be 4-0 after this week? Probably not many people.
At this point, I'll be very surprised if they aren't. The Blue Devils just need to worry about improving in practice and games each week, and hope for some bright spots to follow. I don't think wins will be coming.
St. Paul will win.
STATE PICK OF THE WEEK
Wilbur Cross at Cheshire, Saturday, 7 p.m.: At the office this week, we passed by a high school game on local TV and stopped to see who it was. It ended up being a thriller last weekend between Cheshire and Shelton, and it got us talking about how Cheshire has fallen far from the powerhouse it was in the 90s.
I think the Rams aren't as far away from being very good as their record shows lately. They are 1-2, but lost by one touchdown to a good Hamden team, and by a point in overtime to that unbeaten Shelton team.
Meanwhile, Wilbur Cross is solid again, with an overtime win against a very good small school in Hyde, a dominant win over Xavier and a win over Amity.
Both teams beat Amity, by similar scores, so this should be pretty close if you use standards like that to judge. I do.
In that case, I give the edge to Cheshire being at home, and I think it could be a spark for the team the rest of the year. I don't think either of these teams is going to be close to the playoffs in the end, but they won't be easy wins for anybody on their schedule.

week 3 in review

Rain made for one of the more unpleasant "weekends" of football I can remember, and not just because of rainy nights at the game and poor field conditions. Football just should not be played on Monday and Tuesday, as it was in two local cases this week, and then, there were those messy conditions.
My picks were still pretty solid, though. I went 4-1, with one game postponed to November, incorrectly guessing only the Plainville-RHAM game. I guess it's back to the drawing board for the Blue Devils after a really tough loss to swallow. This just won't be Plainville's year.
A couple notes from this week:
It was a very disappointing loss for Rocky Hill at Northwest on Monday. First off, I felt that the Terriers were the better, more talented team. They were outplayed that day though, picking up many costly penalties, turning it over five times and failing to get its running game going.
Granted, the referees were questionable to say the least. And the field condition, as it usually is at Northwest, was bad. But this team needed a win there, and hurt its playoff chances greatly in a year I think they have a legitimate shot to get back there.
I do ask the question to anybody who can answer it as to why Rocky Hill had to play at Northwest in consecutive years, not to mention they will play at Middletown for a second straight year. That means the Terriers will play the three traditional powers of the Nutmeg League, along with Berlin, on the road this year. That's simply unfair.
As for Berlin, good luck Nutmeg. It is becoming more and more clear that Berlin is easily the best team in this conference, and if they play like they did in dismantling Middletown, they will take home their first state title.
Nice win for Newington, another team proving that it will be tough this year. I think the Indians have their toughest remaining game coming up, but I'll save that for next week's preview.
Some stars from this week:
Kaiuway Boima, New Britain: Went crazy in the second half with five touchdowns.
Mike Mancini, Rocky Hill: Quietly had a very nice day punting, with two fumble recoveries and defensively.
The entire Berlin offensive line: I've never seen such a dominant performance against an allegedly good team.
The week brings my overall record this year to 15-5, 2-1 in non-local picks.

Week 3 football

Oh, Mother Nature has decided to play her tricks on us this weekend, and it didn't take long for that to effect the high school slate.
Before I even knew the game had been rescheduled (with Thursday being my day out of the office), the New Britain Golden Hurricanes had put a second-half hurting on Bloomfield for a 58-26 win after trailing at the break.
I guess I don't get to predict that game, but I would have guessed New Britain would win, just not by so many.
With a frequently muddy field to worry about, Northwest Catholic moved its game with Rocky Hill from Saturday to Monday. Here's hoping the field is in decent shape to play and not the mudbowl I've seen it be in the past when I cover that one.
So far everything else is on as scheduled, so as much as I can tell I will be out at Sage Park Friday night for a big matchup between Middletown and Berlin. It's a Nutmeg weekend for me, with two big conference matchups that should clear up the questions of who's on top this year.
I may also be called into action on Saturday to cover Newington's trip to Weaver. So, for now, I won't make any call on that game, but if plans change I will be back to make a pick.
On to the rest of them, and here's hoping we all can stay relatively dry this weekend.
Friday:
Platt at Farmington, 7 p.m.: I guess the schedule makers were nice to the Indians early on in the season, as they have another winnable game here. However, their blowout loss to Fermi last week does not bode well for them.
I'm guessing Platt is of a similar talent level to Fermi, and I think it will be another Farmington loss.
Wethersfield at Bulkeley, 7 p.m.: These Eagles sure know how to take care of business against lesser opponents. There was no messing around as they pounced all over E.O. Smith by halftime and the starters didn't have to take a snap in the second half.
Expect more of the same this week at Dillon Stadium. Wethersfield wins big.
Saturday:
Southington at Hartford Public, 12 p.m.: The Knights are back to their old ways, and Public doesn't seem quite as strong as it has been in recent years. I actually don't think Southington will have much trouble in this one. What will be interesting is to see who steps up for the Knights. It seems like a different person each game, and each season.
Look out if rain kills the air raid. But the Knights are less one-dimensional than they used to be, mostly because QB Josh Lamson can tuck and run.
Somebody will step up, and Southington should win.
Plainville at RHAM/Lyman Memorial, 11 a.m.: At the start of the season I thought Plainville would be the cellar-dwellers in the Nutmeg, simply because of their overall youth. But they've been better than I expected, and RHAM has been worse.
Now, I think Plainville will get a second win in this one, so long as the weather doesn't make it messy, in which case anything could happen. I'm still taking the Devils.
St. Paul/GT/LM at East Catholic, 1 p.m.: It's back-to-back Catholic school weeks for St. Paul after a big win over Northwest last week. This is simple. If you can beat Northwest, East is no problem.
If St. Paul loses this one, it would be the second week in a row they shock me.
STATE PICK OF THE WEEK
Danbury at New Canaan, Saturday, 2 p.m.: Score one for CT as Danbury took it to Rutland, VT last week. Things don't get easier when they return to the shoreline to take on defending MM champ New Canaan, which I suspect may just be the best team the state has to offer. It's a shame I don't get to see these teams during the regular season. I only know what I get to hear from others.
Well, like I said, I think New Canaan is the best team in the state based on what I'm seeing, so I'm going to pick them to win this, particularly at home. But Danbury must be playing with confidence.
I also will have my eyes on Darien at Ridgefield, because after the Blue Wave topped Greenwich last week, they got themselves on the state radar.


OK, let's do this. Get your rain gear ready, and just accept the mud. It will be more fun that way.

week 2 in review

Things are heating up, and not just in football. I've been busy watching soccer and volleyball this week and didn't get around to summing up week 2 in football.
As expected, some things became clearer, some more confused.
I thought I might have my first ever perfect week picking games and then... boom, a big upset (at least for now) and I'm back to dreaming about that perfection.
I must admit, with as much as I was wondering if the Northwest Catholic team was down a bit from past years, I never expected them to lose to St. Paul. Now I can't decide whether it says more about NWC or the Falcons. Is one not as good as expected, or is the other much better than expected?
The answer is usually somewhere in the middle. This week should go a long way in determining that as NWC faces Rocky Hill.
What we did find out, as I suspected, is that Newington seems to be a legitimate contender despite losing to New Britain. That game was every bit as close as I thought it would be. We learned, as expected, that Southington is once again very dangerous after plowing through Weaver. We learned that Wethersfield has a knack for beating up on weak competition, but we'll have to wait a few weeks to see what the Eagles do against a good team.
And sadly we learned that first-week wins by Farmington and Plainville may have been illusions.
Oh, and still waiting on the first points allowed by Rocky Hill, which has looked very good in two wins to start the year.
The players that most impressed me and others this week were Matt Roncaioli at Southington, Tyler Murphy at Wethersfield, and a rare recognition of a kicker, New Britain's Juan Duque.
I am now 11-4 overall and 1-1 in state games in my picks.
I'll be back tomorrow with the picks for Week 3.