By Hal Levy, Shore Line Newspapers
Special to MaxPreps.com
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Nine more teams have clinched berths in the CIAC state high school football playoffs, including all four in Class M, according to unofficial calculations by Shore Line Newspapers.
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There is at least one clinch in five of the six divisions with this weekend and Thanksgiving games left to play.
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Southington (Class LL), New Canaan, Maloney and Berlin (Class MM), Windham, Ledyard, Hillhouse and St. Bernard/Norwich Tech (Class M) and Cromwell (Class S) are new additions to the list. Holy Cross-Waterbury (Class SS) clinched last week.
Clinches assume all scheduled games are played to conclusion or are forfeited.
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Class LL
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Southington (9-0-0, 1340 points, 148.89 average) clinched with its win over New Britain Friday night. With guaranteed points, the Blue Knights will finish with no worse than 1370 and a 137.00 average, even if they lose to Cheshire on Thanksgiving and get no outside help.
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The top three contenders can beat that mark but others cannot. Naugatuck, ranked fifth right now (8-1-0, 1050, 116.67) can get to a best of 1290 if it beats Ansonia on Thanksgiving and gets wins by Crosby over Kennedy and Wolcott over Holy Cross, plus its guarantees. Shelton (7-2-0, 1030, 114.44) can get to a best of 1200 with a win over Derby, guarantees and wins in five "if" games (Xavier over Middletown, Branford over East Haven, Amity over North Haven, Hand over Guilford and Hamden over Notre Dame).
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Meanwhile, Greenwich (9-0-0, 1260, 140.00) has 30 in guarantees coming from the winners of McMahon-Norwalk, Bridgeport Central-Harding and Westhill-Stamford and is in with a win or a tie against Staples and will clinch even with a loss if either of Naugatuck's "if" games does not come through or if it gets help from any of the following: Darien over New Canaan, Danbury over Ridgefield or Trumbull over St. Joseph.
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Fairfield Prep (8-1-0, 1130, 125.56) is in if it beats West Haven. That plus 10 guaranteed points from Notre Dame-Hamden puts the Jesuits at 1320 with a win. If Prep and West Haven tie, Prep's worst-case finish drops to 1275. But even then, it will be in if it gets two wins from among Cross over Hillhouse, Law over Foran, Shelton over Derby, Cheshire over Southington, Lyman Hall over Sheehan and Amity over North Haven. Prep only needs one of those things to happen if Wolcott does not pull the upset against Holy Cross.
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Newtown (8-1-0, 1110, 123.33) is in with a win against Masuk plus its guarantees. In a tie, Newtown's worst finish is 1285 meaning it is in if Wolcott does not beat Holy Cross or if it gets a win or a tie from among Pomperaug over New Milford, Stratford over Bunnell, Immaculate over Notre Dame-Fairfield or Darien over New Canaan.
Shelton's only shot is to win and hope two of the other three above it (not counting Greenwich) lose.
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Class L
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Lots of teams are close but no one is in for sure in Class L.
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Bunnell (9-0-0, 1250, 138.89) is in with a win or tie against Stratford, but gets to only a 1280 minimum (1310 maximum) with a loss.
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Masuk (9-0-0, 1210, 134.44) is also win with a win or tie against Newtown. At 1240 minimum or 1270 maximum, it might not make it with a loss.
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Bristol Central (8-1-0, 1125, 125.00) will get to 1295 with a win over Bristol Eastern plus guarantees. Central has five "if" games: New Britain over Weaver, Bulkeley over Hartford Public, Windsor over Bloomfield, Bulkeley over Sports and Medical Sciences and Newington over Wethersfield. That would put Central at 1345 for a maximum and it figures, realistically, to get three of those games.
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Staples (8-1-0, 1110, 123.33) has Greenwich left and might not make it even with a win. That, plus 30 in guarantees would put the Wreckers at 1330 with "if" points from Trumbull over St. Joseph and Norwalk over McMahon. If both come though, Staples is back in the playoffs. If not, it could finish fifth.
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West Haven (8-1-0, 1105, 122.78) has Prep and will get to 1305 with a win plus guarantees. The Westies also have four "if" games, Hand over Guilford, Sheehan over Lyman Hall, Cross over Hillhouse and Xavier over Middletown and can get to 1345 with all four. Figure, realistically, on a split. That would leave West Haven at 1325 and Bristol Central could finish with the same figure. The two would be just about even in the tie-breaker as well.
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The winner of Hall-Conard (Saturday) is alive, mathematically - and more than that should several of the top teams lose. Hall (8-1-0, 1055, 117.22) has the better chance and will range between 1245 and 1295 with a win. Conard (7-2-0, 900, 100.00) can get to 1150 at best with a win. That could be enough if two of three from among Bristol Central, West Haven and Staples lose.
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Class MM
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Only one spot is up for grabs here. New Canaan (8-1-0, 1170, 130.00), Maloney (8-1-0, 1100, 122.22) and Berlin (8-1-0, 1055, 117.22) are in.
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Even with a loss, New Canaan's minimum is 1190, Maloney's is 1110 and Berlin's is 1075. Middletown (1030 best), Coventry (1010), Branford (920) and Fitch (880) cannot match up.
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The fourth berth will go to one of those four or East Lyme. The Vikings (6-2-0, 800, 100) have Windham and Waterford to play. Two wins put them in. A loss to Windham and a win over Waterford leaves East Lyme with between 940 and 1010. That gets rid of Branford and Fitch. East Lyme's "if" games are Montville over New Fairfield, Killingly over Putnam, Tourtellotte over Woodstock, NFA over New London, Fitch over Ledyard, Bacon over RHAM and Montville over St. Bernard.
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Middletown (6-3-0, 810, 90.00) will get 160 for a win over Xavier and has 10 from the winner of RHAM-St. Paul. The Blue Dragons have five "if" games: East Catholic over Berlin, Enfield over Fermi, Plainville over Northwest Catholic, RHAM over Bacon and Farmington over Rocky Hill for a range of 980-1030.
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Coventry (6-3-0, 780, 86.67) has Cromwell left and can get "if" help from two teams: Avon over Vinal Tech/Coginchaug and Stafford over Windsor Locks for a window of 990-1010.
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Branford gets to 900 if it beats East Haven and adds points if Derby beats Shelton or Guilford beats Hand. The Hornets will make their third straight playoff trip if East Lyme loses two, Coventry loses and Middletown loses. Otherwise, the streak ends.
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Fitch (4-4. 500, 62.50) needs to beat Bacon and Ledyard, get all possible outside help and have all the Branford stuff going for it - plus a loss by Branford.
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Class M
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Windham (8-0-0, 1160, 145.00), Ledyard (8-1-0, 1140, 126.67), Hillhouse (8-1-0, 1100, 122.22) and St. Bernard/Norwich Tech (7-1-1, 1020, 113.33) are in.
North Haven can get to a best of 930, as can Valley Regional. Darien's best is 900 and so is Bethel's.
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Class SS
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Holy Cross (9-0-0, 1310, 145.56) is in and has clinched a home game.
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The rest of this division is completely open with nine teams still in it, mathematically.
Griswold (7-2-0, 900, 100.00) clinches with a win or tie against Plainfield. With a loss, Griswold's window if 910-970.
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Stratford (7-2-0, 880, 97.78) clinches with a win or tie against Bunnell. With a loss, it finishes between 900 and 930.
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Tolland (6-3-0, 830, 92.22) gets to 1000 if it beats Ellington and to 860 with a loss. The 1000 figure is not a lock.
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Joel Barlow (6-3-0, 800, 88.89) has a window of 910-950 with a win over Weston; Woodland (6-3-0, 790, 87.78) will be between 970 and 990 if it beats Seymour while Seymour (6-3-0, 790. 87.78) will be at 980 if it beats Woodland.
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The team which can get past all of them is Montville (5-3-0, 680, 85.00). The Indians still have New Fairfield and St. Bernard/Norwich Tech left. Two wins and guarantees get them to 995 and they have two "if" games: Plainfield over Putnam and Stonington over Westerly. Getting either one puts them ahead of Tolland.
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Hartford Public (4-3-1, 665, 83.12) has city rivals Bulkeley and Weaver to play and gets to a window of 935-985 with two wins.
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And if enough other teams go down Plainville (5-4-0, 630, 70.00) can get to 860 if it beats Northwest Catholic and gets all available outside help.
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Class S
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Cromwell (9-0-0, 1400, 155.56) is in after its win over North Branford. The Panthers swept their series from Hyde and the Thunderbirds and will finish with a minimum of 1430 points. Only Bloomfield and Ansonia can match that total.
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Bloomfield (8-1-0, 1265 140.56) is in with a win over Windsor but might not make it with a tie or a loss. A win would leave the Warhawks with a minimum of 1435. A loss would put the total between 1285 and 1325.
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Ansonia (9-0-0, 1230, 136.67) is in if it beat Naugatuck. That, plus guarantees, would push the Chargers to 1470. With a tie, Ansonia would be at a minimum of 1415. It has only one "if": Wolcott over Holy Cross.
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Northwest Catholic (8-1-0, 1205, 133.89) can get to a best of 1415 if it beats Plainville and gets "if" wins from Enfield over Fermi, RHAM over Bacon and Middletown over Xavier.
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Meanwhile, the winner of Friday night's bout between Hyde (8-1-0, 1190, 132.22) and North Branford 8-1-0, 1170, 130.00), will finish with 1400 to 1420 points. Both have two "if" games. Hyde's are Coventry over Cromwell and Windsor Locks over Suffield, North Branford's are Coventry over Cromwell and Tolland over Ellington.
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In both cases, expect the winner to finish at 1410 and beat out Northwest for the last spot, albeit just barely.
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New London (6-2-0, 925, 115.62) has lost two straight and is alive, mathematically, if it wins its last two from Waterford and NFA and gets all available outside help for a best-case total of 1305.
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Cross Country
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Connecticut fared well at the New England cross country championships at Ponaganset High School (Scituate, R.I.) last weekend.
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On the boys' side, Danbury and Glastonbury tied for first in team competition with 108 points each. Danbury got the win based on the position of its sixth runner. Individually, Glastonbury's Donn Cabral (15:29) was first with Xavier-Middletown's Adam Vess (15:34) second.
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For the girls, Glastonbury (263 points), Simsbury (297) and Lyman Memorial-Lebanon (318) were 5-6-7 overall in a competition won by Hanover, New Hampshire, with 80 points. Hanover's Georgia Griffin won the individual meet in 18:31 with Connecticut talking second and third in the persons of Ridgefield's Heather Stephens (18:41) and Glastonbury's Jamie Olson (18:42).
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Swimming
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What a great week in the life of John O'Connor.
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Wednesday night, his Branford High girls' swim team won the CIAC Class L state championship.
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Thursday night, he was inducted into the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
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Friday night, his son, Sean, was inducted into the Branford Sports Hall of Fame (John is already a member).
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And Saturday night, he coached his final meet, the CIAC state open.
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"On a personal level this week is filled with emotion," he said. "It has been obvious that the team has been motivated by wanting to win this state championship as a final gift to me. The reality is that every day of the last 32 years that I have spent with Branford High swimmers has been a gift. I've loved every minute of it. Tonight being honored by my peers is the greatest honor a person could every receive and tomorrow night watching our son Sean inducted into the Branford Sports Hall of Fame will be a proud moment for Jean and I. Like Lou Gehirg I consider myself the luckiest man that ever lived."
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Other team state titles went to Darien in Class M and Greenwich in Class LL.
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The Class S meet was postponed because of problems with the pool at Southern Connecticut State University.
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