By Hal Levy, Shore Line Newspapers
Special to MaxPreps.com
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Holy Cross-Waterbury has become first state high school football team to clinch a berth in the CIAC playoffs, according to unofficial calculations by Shore Line Newspapers.
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The Crusaders are 8-0-0 with 1,160 power points and a 145.00 average. Holy Cross is the only unbeaten team in Class SS and actually has clinched not only a semifinal spot, but a home game as well. In addition to its current total, Holy Cross is guaranteed 60 more points from the outcomes of six games: Torrington-Seymour, Crosby-Wilby and Woodland-Naugatuck this weekend and Torrington-Watertown, Crosby-Kennedy and Seymour-Woodland over Thaknsgiving. That leaves HC with a minimum of 1,220 points or a 122.00 average.
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Guaranteed points and clinches are based on the premise that all scheduled games are played to a conclusion (including a tie) or are forfeited.
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Only Stratford (7-1-0, 860, 105.50) can catch Holy Cross. The North Paraders have a pair of massive point games left with unbeatens Masuk and Bunnell (each worth 200) and also have 30 in guarantees coming for a worst-case 1290 with two wins.
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Of the other contenders, sixth-place Montville (5-2-0, 650, 92.86) can come the closest to Holy Cross with a best possible finish of 1215 if it wins its last three games against East Lyme, New Fairfield and St. Bernard and amasses all possible bonus points (30 guaranteed, 90 not). Fourth-place Woodland (6-2-0, 770, 96.25) can get to 1210 with wins over Naugatuck and Seymour plus all possible outside help.
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Tolland, currently third (6-2-0, 800, 100.00) can get to a best of 1170 with wins over Coventry and Ellington plus all possible help. Griswold, which is fifth (6-2-0, 750, 93.75) can max out at 1120 with wins over Bullard-Havens and Plainfield plus all available assistance.
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The Class LL race continues to be tight. Southington (8-0-0, 1140, 142.50) leads with Greenwich (8-0-0, 1070, 133.75) second. Southington still has New Britain and Cheshire to play and will clinch with two wins. Greenwich has Darien and Staples left and also will clinch if it wins twice. Newtown (7-1-0, 980, 122.50) is third and has Weston and Masuk to play. Two wins will leave the Nighthawks and between 1310 and 1380 points. That might not be enough.
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Fairfield Prep (7-1-0, 960, 120.00) has Amity and West Haven to play and, with two wins, will get to a window of 1360 to 1440. New Britain (7-1-0, 910, 113.75) puts its season on the line Friday night against Southington. A loss would all but eliminate the Hurricanes, a win and New Britain can look at a window of 1,250 to 1,370, assuming it also beats Weaver. Shelton (6-2-0, 890, 111.25) can get to 1,230 with wins over Hamden and Derby, plus help. Naugatuck (7-1-0, 870, 108.75) can get to a window of 1,270-1,310 with wins over Woodland and Ansonia plus help.
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In Class L, Bunnell, West Haven and Masuk are all unbeaten and all have at least one seven-win opponent to play. Bunnell (8-0-0, 1,070, 133.75) has New Milford and Stratford (7-1) left and is in with two wins. West Haven (8-0-0, 1,065, 133.12) has Cheshire (5-3) and Prep (7-1) and likewise is in with two wins. Masuk (8-0-0, 1,010, 126.25) has Stratford and 7-1 Newtown to go and will also make it with two wins. Bunnell's worst with two wins plus guarantees is 1,420; West Haven's worst is 1,435 and Masuk's is 1,400.
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Bristol Central (7-1-0, 950, 118.25 is currently fourth and has Newington and Bristol Eastern to go. With two wins plus guarantees, Central will have a window of 1,285 to 1,365.
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Staples (7-1-0, 920, 115.00) can gain ground with wins over Ridgefield (5-3) and Greenwich for a window of 1280 to 1380. William Hall-West Hartford (7-1-0, 905, 113.12) can get to 1,235 to 1,325 with wins over East Hartford and Conard. Conard (1170 best), East Catholic (1165 best) and Wilton (1140) are mathematically alive.
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In Class MM, there are a half-dozen teams with good shots at spots. New Canaan (7-1-0, 980, 122.50) is in if it can beat Trumbull and Darien. The Rams would have a worst-case total of 1,300 with those wins plus guarantees. Maloney (7-1-0, 960, 120.00) has Bulkeley and Platt left but will pick up only 230 points for two wins plus guarantees. Maloney's window is 1,150 to 1,270. That should be okay but there are mathematical scenarios where it isn't. Berlin (7-1-0, 865, 108.12) has big point games left with Middletown and East Catholic and will get to a window of 1,245 to 1,315 if it wins both. That's good enough to clinch.
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Middletown (6-2-0, 790, 98.75) also has two big games with Berlin and Xavier and will get to a window of 1,150 to 1,220 with two wins. Obviously, beating Berlin is a must.
Branford (6-2-0, 735, 91.88) has to win out as well. The Hornets have Xavier and East Haven left and will get to a window of 1,050 to 1,110. A Berlin win over Middletown would benefit the Hornets most.
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East Lyme (5-2-0, 630, 90.00) can move up quickly on the outside. The Vikings have three games left (Montville, Windham, Waterford) and will have a window of 1,110 to 1,230 with all wins.
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Coventry/Windham Tech can get to a max of 1,010.
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In Class M, Windham (7-0-0, 960, 137.14) will clinch if it finishes with wins over any two from among New London, East Lyme and E..O. Smith. Two wins would be worth at least 300 and no one outside the current top four can surpass a 1,260 worst. Darien's best is 1,150 and Valley Regional's is 1,120. Ledyard (7-1-0, 980, 122.50) would love a rematch with Windham and is on target for one with wins over Bacon Academy and Fitch. Actually, the Colonels clich a berth with a win over either one. Any win is worth at least 180 with guarantees for a worst of 1,160.
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Hillhouse (7-1-0, 920, 115.00) clinches with wins over Law and Wilbur Cross and could sneak in with a split. The Acs would have a window of 1,110-1,210, depending on which game they won and that might still be enough.
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St. Bernard (6-1-1, 840, 105.00) will have a window of 1,170 to 1,230 if it beats North Smithfield, R.I. and Montville in its last two games. That's enough to guarantee a spot.
And then there is Class S, which is having its own elimination tournament the next two weeks when North Branford plays Cromwell and Hyde. Cromwell (8-0-0, 1180, 147.50) will clinch a spot if it beats NB and then tops Coventry. The Panthers will have a worst-case finish of 1,580. North Branford (8-0-0, 1130, 141.25) likewise will be in with two wins. That would put the T-Birds at 1,560 minimum.
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Bloomfield (7-1-0, 1,075, 134.38) has Simsbury and Windsor left and will finish with between 1405 and 1505 with two wins. Ansonia (8-0-0, 1,050, 131.25) can pick up ground with wins over Watertown and Naugatuck. That plus guarantees would put the Chargers with between 1,470 and 1,490.
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New London (6-1-0, 885, 126.43) has Windham, Waterford and Norwich Free Academy left and will, with three wins, get to between 1,395 and 1,495. Northwest Catholic (7-1-0, 995, 124.38) has East Catholic and Plainville left and will finish between 1,385 and 1,415. Hyde (7-1-0, 970, 121.25) has North Branford and Valley Regional and will window at between 1,370 and 1,430.
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Cross Country
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Danbury edged Glastonbury by four points to win the CIAC state open boys' cross country championship. The Hatters scored 74 points to 78 for Glastonbury. Newtown (127) was third.
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Individually, Glastonbury's Donald Cabral repeated as state champ, edging Matt Terry of Danbury by five seconds over the 5-K course at Manchester's Wickham Park.
Lyman Memorial (136) beat Simsbury (155) for the girls' title while Jamie Olson of Glastonbury won the individual crown by 12 seconds over Heather Stephens of Ridgefield.
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The wins by Cabral and Olson marked the first time in Connecticut cross country history that both open crowns were won by runners from the same school.
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Another piece of history was added to. Guilford High's girls qualified for the New England meet for the seventh year in a row (finishing sixth overall in the team standings). Guilford had the old mark of six straight. The Indians should be able to add to the record since they have no seniors on this year's team.
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CIAC state tournaments are underway in boys' and girls' soccer, girls' volleyball and field hockey and will culminate with championships next weekend.
Girls' swimming state trials are this weekend with divisional finals mid-week and the state open Saturday, Nov. 19.
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After that, the only fall sport still in season will be football. The high school regular season ends Thanksgiving Day with state playoffs the following Tuesday (semifinals) and Saturday (finals) in six divisions.