CIAC DENIES LEDYARD'S APPEAL TO DROP DOWN IN CLASS FOR BOYS' BASKETBALL STATE TOURNAMENT

The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference has denied a request by Ledyard High School to move down from Division II for the 2017-18 boys' basketball state tournament, athletic director director Jim Buonocore confirmed on Tuesday.

Buonocore and principal Amanda Fagan met with an appeals committee at the CIAC offices in Hamden on Oct. 20 to present Ledyard's case and ask the state's governing body of high school athletics to consider dropping the Colonels to a lower division for this year's tournament.

The CIAC voted earlier this fall to adopt a new five-division format, combining enrollment and strength of schedule, on a one-year trial basis. Ledyard's current boys' enrollment of 383 of would have placed the Colonels in Division IV, but the CIAC, taking into account Ledyard's recent success over a three-year period (the Colonels won the 2017 ECC tournament), opted to place the program in Division II.

"They reviewed all the data we presented, then decided not to move forward with our appeal," Buonocore said. "We think we've been misplaced, and they don't believe we have.

"We're under the assumption this is a one-year deal, so it's unfortunate for our seniors, but I know our kids will have great year and we'll play where they tell us to play."

— Chuck Banning