The Second Season Starts Tonight

Hand’s win over Guilford on Thanksgiving Eve placed them as the number 2 seed in Class L.  The top four seeds in the class get to host a quarterfinal game. Coventry-Windham Tech lost for the first time on Thanksgiving to Ellington-Somers.  That loss dropped them from a #3 ranking to a #7 seed and thus they were sent on a road trip. 

Hand has a long history in the playoffs and will seek their 10th Championship.  Hand has made two playoff appearances since their last championship in 2005.  Both times they lost to New Canaan; in the 2007 final and again in last year’s semifinal. 

Coventry-Windham Tech is a co-op team that is in their tenth year of varsity play.  This will be their third playoff appearance.  They have never made it past the first round.  They lost to Branford in 2005 and New Canaan in 2006 when they were in Class MM. 

There are 36 teams in Class L (based on male enrollment between 526-710).  Coventry-Windham Tech is the 526; the smallest school (or group of schools in their case) in the class.  How will this game turn out?  Well, let’s consider that it will feature a match-up of the undefeated SCC Division I East champ versus the runner-up in the Pequot Uncas Division.  Unless Hand decides to give it away, expect the ever popular “Score Management Policy” to rear it’s ugly head early. 

The winner of this game faces the winner of the 3/6 game (Masuk vs. North Haven) at a neutral site on Saturday in the semifinal. 

Gametime Weather

We catch a break on the temp, it’s expected to be in the high fifties, however, the chance of rain showers is around 60-70%.  Bring an umbrella. 

Patch Player of the Week

Senior receiver Nick Vitale was on fire Wednesday night.  His catches included two touchdowns within three minutes during the third quarter

Around the SCC

There are four SCC teams in the playoffs.  Xavier in Class LL and North Haven, Notre Dame-WH and Hand in Class L.  There was good news/bad news for North Haven this year.  Good – They didn’t have to come to the Surf Club for the third straight time.  Bad – They drew Masuk in the first round. 

Playoff Brackets

#8 Notre Dame-WH at

#1 Windsor

#5 New Canaan at

#4 New London

#6 North Haven at

#3 Masuk (at Trumbull HS)

#7 Coventry-Windham Tech at

#2 Daniel Hand

Click here for the CIAC Tournament Page:   http://www.casciac.org/fb.shtml

Semi-final games will be held on Saturday, December 3, 2011 and chosen from the following neutral sites:

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  • Middletown HS (one game at 2:00)
  • Cheshire HS (one game at 2:00)
  • Bunnell HS (one game at 2:00)
  • Sheehan HS (one game at 2:00)
  • East Haven HS (one game at 2:00)
  • Falcon Field, Meriden (one game at 2:00)
  • Municipal Stadium, Waterbury (one game at 2:00)
  • West Haven HS (two games at 2:00 and 7:00)

Note to CIAC: If the games go the way many think that they will, a lot of people across the state have their hopes set for a certain feature game in the West Haven 7pm slot, (hint: rhymes with Band vs. Cassock).