10 Connecticut high school football games to see in the second half of the season

Video: Connor Field's highlights vs. Ellington
Granby Memorial running back shows off his skills.

There are sadly just five weeks remaining in the Connecticut football regular season. It ends on Thanksgiving Day, and teams across the state are hoping to play beyond that in the CIAC playoffs. Here are 10 games worth you going out of your way to see, that will definitely affect the four playoff races. Granby Memorial (6-0) at Morgan (Clinton) (6-0), Friday, 6:30 p.m.

The last two unbeaten teams in the Pequot Football Conference square off in a game that will also impact the eight teams who qualify in the CIAC Class S playoff (Granby is currently ranked second, Morgan fourth). Granby is playing in just its sixth year and has been one of the state's best stories this season. Running back Connor Field (1,101 yards rushing, 13 touchdowns) and quarterback Dominic Pagano (635 yards rushing, 12 TDs) are a handful in the Bears' flexbone offense. It's appropriate that the Huskies starting quarterback is named Chucky, as they love to chuck it — Chucky Kostek has thrown for 1,446 yards and 18 touchdowns. His top target has been Mateo Zumpano (36 catches, eight touchdowns).

Windsor (6-0) at Wethersfield (6-0), Friday, 7 p.m.



It's the biggest game of this weekend and will impact both the Class L playoff rankings as well as The Day of New London Top 10 state coaches' and GameTimeCT.com/New Haven Register media polls. Windsor is the defending Class L-Small champion (there will be just one champion in all four classes this season) and can attack either by land (running back Bennie Fulse) or air (receiver Tyler Coyle and quarterback Jakhari Grant). First-year starting quarterback Devon Smith has thrown for 797 yards and 11 touchdowns and run for 336 yards and two scores. Richard Williams is a handful whether he's running (414 yards, four TDs), receiving (237 yards, two TDs) or most especially tackling (88 tackles, six sacks).

Harding (Bridgeport) (6-0, 5-0 CSC) at Capital Prep/Achievement First (Hartford) (4-1, 4-1), Saturday, noon

Capital/Achievement has run the Constitution State Conference the last four seasons. It didn't lose a game over that time and won its first state title last season. The balance of power changed last weekend as the Abbott Tech/Immaculate-Danbury co-op snapped the Trailblazers' 48-game winning streak with a 34-21 win. Harding is the last remaining team in the conference and beat Abbott/Immaculate (40-35). Another loss could keep Capital/Achievement out of states. Sophomore Taisun Phommachanh has thrown for 1,504 yards and 20 touchdowns for the Presidents. Xavier Bass leads the team in receiving yardage (539), tackles (43) and sacks (six). Sophomore Kyle Zajack has thrown for 1,214 yards and 21 touchdowns in his first season as starting quarterback for the Trailblazers. Jakai Gill has turned a mere 18 catches into 440 yards (that's 24.4 yards a catch) and seven touchdowns.

Wolcott (5-1) at Seymour (5-1), Nov. 6, 6:30 p.m.

The CIAC's Class S division may not be accommodating to two loss teams with the number of unbeaten and one-loss schools it presently has. It's in the best interests of these Naugatuck Valley League rivals to win out, then. Nate Filippone has been an offensive catalyst for Wolcott (team-high 968 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns). First-year starting quarterback Jake Griffin has thrown for 766 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Wildcats' Jaylen Kelley is one of the NVL's most versatile players. He's thrown for 990 yards and 10 touchdowns, rushed for a team-high 588 yards and nine scores, and averages 37.2 yards a punt. Seymour lineman C.J. Falcioni excels at disrupting opposing offenses.

Staples (Westport) (5-1, 5-0 FCIAC Division II) at St. Joseph (Trumbull) (4-1, 4-1), Nov. 7, 2 p.m.



Staples has a bye week and can use it — injuries left it without quarterback Andrew Speed, two running backs (including leading rusher Ethan Burger), and two defensive backs in last weekend's 31-27 loss to Ridgefield. The Wreckers need to get healthy quick or it may miss states for a third-straight season (that would be an eternity by Staples' standards). Two-time state champion St. Joseph might be able to survive a second loss, but it still has Trumbull (4-1) left to play on Thanksgiving. Christian Trefz has shouldered the offensive load (822 yards rushing, eight TDs). Linebacker Cameron Ryan (52 tackles) seems to have a sixth-sense as to which unlucky opponent has the ball.

North Haven (6-0, 2-0 SCC Division II East) at Foran (Milford) (5-1, 1-0), Nov. 13, 7 p.m.

North Haven is having its best season of the millennium (and maybe farther back than that) with wins over perennial powers Notre Dame of West Haven (42-21) and Fairfield Prep (49-14). The Indians run a pure single-wing offense and use Mike Montano as the hammer to bludgeon defenses (796 yards rushing, 14 touchdowns). Middle linebacker David Mikos has a team-high 66 tackles. The Lions run one of the SCC's best passing attacks with first-year starter Lance DiNatale as the trigger man (1,634 yards, 20 touchdowns). Brett Huber has needed just six games to rack up 52 catches, 908 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Newtown (6-0) at New Fairfield (5-1), Nov. 13, 7 p.m.

The Nighthawks have been the South-West Conference's tyrant. They've won 38 straight games as they haven't lost a conference game since the end of the 2011 regular season. Newtown's defense has allowed it to maintain a stranglehold on the SWC this season as it's allowed a state-low 34 points (including three shutouts). Junior linebacker Ben Mason (6-foot-3, 240 pounds) is the Nighthawks' leading punisher while defensive tackle Christian Morlock and outside linebacker Nick Samuelson each have three sacks. New Fairfield's senior class gives it the best chance to make states since 2001 as only defending Class M-Large champion Brookfield has been able to stop it. Zach Tripodi has run for 960 yards and 14 touchdowns for the Rebels and middle linebacker Brian McGonnigle leads them in tackles (52).

Fitch (Groton) (4-2, 3-1 ECC Large) at Ledyard (5-1, 1-1), Thanksgiving, 7 p.m.



There's not a lot of love here. Ledyard head coach Jim Buonocore left Fitch to take his current job. Ledyard has also beaten the Falcons seven straight times to keep possession of Colonel Ledyard's sword. Fitch has rebounded well from a winless season and would be in contention for a Class L berth should it win its next three (no small task with 5-1 Killingly visiting next week). Quarterback Robert Duncan and defensive end Donte Paul have helped the resurgent Falcons. The Colonels are fourth in the Class M rankings. Manny Sanabria is the leading rusher (925 yards, 10 TDs) in Ledyard's double wing attack. Ledyard isn't throwing nearly as much as it did during last year's record-breaking season, but third-year starting quarterback Ty Ebdon will make defenses pay through the air.

New Canaan (5-0) at Darien (5-0), Thanksgiving, 10 a.m.

This has become THE Thanksgiving Day game the past few years (and one of the best attended). Two years ago, New Canaan had one of its best teams in decades and had already mashed its way to the FCIAC Championship. The Blue Wave stunned it with a late touchdown and won, 28-24. The Rams took a 21-point lead early in the second quarter of last year's game. Darien stormed back to win in overtime, 28-21. And, oh, by the way, New Canaan went on to beat the Blue Wave in back-to-back state finals. Michael Collins has his chance to go down as the best quarterback for a program that produces great ones (1,421 yards, 26 touchdowns). It's kind of hard to get to Collins with future FBS-tackle Lucas Niang (6-5, 295) in the way. Darien's defense has decimated opponents. Four-year starting defensive Mark Evanchick already has 15 sacks and needs three more to tie the state record of 60 held by someone named Dwight Freeney (yep, THAT Dwight Freeney). Shelby Grant has a team-high 658 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns.

West Haven (4-2) at Fairfield Prep (3-3), Thanksgiving, 10 a.m.

West Haven is better than its record shows as it's lost to two of the state's best teams, Shelton and Notre Dame of West Haven. It's still alive in the Class LL race and faces just one winning team, Hand, prior to this game, so it could be playing for a playoff berth here. Prep could ruin it all for Westies, something both have done a lot of over the years. The Jesuits had a chance to go to states last year when West Haven knocked them off, 21-14. The Blue Devils love to run out of their tried-and-true wing-T offense and have been led by Chris Chance and Anthony and Kyle Godfrey. Prep loves to smash-and-bash opposing defenses with the run, too. Nick Franchuk has averaged 106 yards rushing with five touchdowns running behind a big, physical line (featuring 6-2, 315-pound Sam Opont).