The dust from the CIAC football quarterfinals has settled and we’re on to the semifinals, which take place Sunday at the site of the higher seeded teams at 12:30 p.m.
Defending Class S champion Bloomfield is still alive after a close quarterfinal win over East Catholic. Defending Class M champion Hand is also still here with a 45-6 victory over New London in the quarters, and Windsor, No. 1 in the Courant’s state coaches’ poll, will face CCC foe Newington in the semifinals.
Here is a quick look at some of the local teams who are still playing:
Class MM
No. 4 Newington (10-1) at No. 1 Windsor (11-0): Newington was able to avenge a Thanksgiving Eve loss to Wethersfield in Tuesday’s quarterfinal game, with a 20-13 win over their CCC rival Eagles. Now the Nor’easters will go up against top-seeded Windsor, which has been ranked No. 1 in the Courant’s state coaches poll since midway through the season after a win over then-No. 1 Darien. Newington coach John Acquavita is not surprised by Windsor’s success: “I was at the North Haven-Windsor semifinal last year in the pouring rain and I left with my friend, we walked to the car and I said, ‘Windsor’s going to be the No. 1 team in the state next year.’ And here they are.” Newington is also banged up, after losing senior wide receiver/DB Aiden Bengtsen to a broken collarbone last week. Windsor has not played since Nov. 23, a 20-0 win over Bloomfield, after NW United forfeited the quarterfinal game against Windsor due to lack of healthy players.
Class M
No. 4 St. Joseph (8-3) at No. 1 Hand (11-0) at the Madison Surf Club: Hand, No. 2 in the Courant’s coaches poll, has a 23-game win streak dating back to last season when the Tigers capped off their year with a 57-20 win over Rockville to win the Class M championship. Hand has won 14 state titles and even after losing quarterback Aiden Dolan to graduation and Trinity College, it’s back to the same thing for Hand, winning and more winning. Senior quarterback Paul Calandrelli has passed for more than 1,500 yards and 24 touchdowns and he’s rushed for 522 yards and eight touchdowns, while senior RB Tyler Narracci has rushed for 634 yards and 12 touchdowns.
No. 6 Berlin (8-3) at No. 2 Brookfield (11-0): Berlin struggled at the start but found its footing and dispatched Rockville – the team that beat the Redcoats in the playoffs last year – in the quarterfinal, 33-7. Brookfield, ranked fifth in the Courant’s coaches poll, beat Law 48-13 in the quarterfinal and its closest game was a 14-point over Masuk on Nov. 15.
Class SS
No. 3 Sheehan (9-2) at No. 2 Windham (10-1): Sheehan routed Windham last year in the Class SS quarterfinals 33-0 but this is a new team and a new season. Having said that, it may be a tall order for Windham to beat Sheehan but Windham has a way of coming on strong in the fourth quarter in games. The Whippets beat Ledyard 17-14 on a last second field goal Tuesday night in the quarterfinals while Sheehan beat Granby/Canton 20-6.
Class S
No. 8 WCA (8-3) at No. 5 Bloomfield (8-3): WCA knocked off No. 1 Capital Prep handily, 41-28 in Tuesday’s quarterfinal while Bloomfield gutted out a tough 22-21 win over East Catholic. WCA is on a five-game win streak; the Warhawks have won seven of their last eight, with the lone loss coming to No. 1 Windsor, 20-0, on Nov. 23.