It’s do-or-die for Valley/Old Lyme football on Tuesday night

The Valley Regional/Old Lyme football team had a bye last week to get ready for their rivalry game against Haddam-Killingworth.

The Warriors could still use another week or two just to get healthy.

Every football team is banged up by this late in the season, and Valley/ Old Lyme has been nursing its fair share of injuries.

There's no rest for the hobbled, though, as the Warriors must beat H-K or miss the CIAC Class S playoffs. The game is scheduled for Tuesday night at Valley Regional (6:30), weather permitting.

“If we had another week, we'd be in good shape,” Valley/Old Lyme head coach Tim King quipped about his team's health. “It's do-or-die, and we have to have all hands-on deck.”

The Warriors (7-1) have a six-game winning streak against the Cougars (8-1), and have won nine of the last 10 meetings.

Valley/Old Lyme quarterback Ryan Santos has been bothered by an ankle injury sustained in a Week 2 win over Morgan (21-6, Sept. 14). The injury knocked him out in the first quarter of a Week 9 game at Rockville (Nov. 1), and the senior didn't play in the Warriors' last game against Lewis Mills on Nov. 9.

“He's been getting some reps (at practice), which has been a blessing,” King said. “We'll have some different series for him. He'll hopefully suit up and give it a go.”

Sophomore Jack Cox has stepped in at quarterback and done well. Valley/Old Lyme had a fourth-and-22 at the Rockville 26-yard line and trailed by a point with 59.4 seconds left.

Cox was forced to scramble as the pocket collapsed and got a pass off just as he was hit from behind. Senior Jae'len Arnum made a leaping 25-yard catch at the Rams' 1 and ran for a 1-yard touchdown seconds later to give the Warriors a 33-28 win.

Valley/Old Lyme senior guard-defensive tackle Ben Falivene suffered a high ankle sprain during the first half of a 21-14, overtime loss to Cromwell/ Portland and missed the last two

games. King said Falivene has been taking reps at practice again.

H-K is seventh in the Class S rankings and Valley/Old Lyme is ninth.

Six teams have unofficially clinched berths — the rankings aren't official until they're approved by the CIAC's football committee the day after the end of the regular season.

Bullard-Havens (9-0) and Ansonia (9-0) have unofficially clinched Class S home quarterfinals. Stafford/East Windsor/Somers (9-0), Cromwell/ Portland (8-1), Bloomfield (8-1) and Woodland (8-1) have also unofficially clinched berths.

The Cougars-Warriors winner clinches one of the two remaining berths.

H-K could lose and still qualify if Seymour (5-4) lost at Woodland on Wednesday, and if Plainfield (8-1) lost at home on Thanksgiving to Griswold (5-4).

The Cougars could still lose and out-point Seymour even if the latter won, however, because the latter needs all four of its bonuses. A team receives 10 bonus points for every win by an opponent it beat, and the odds are against Seymour getting all four of them.

The Warriors have no such wiggle room — Plainfield would get the eighth seed if they both lost. n.griffen@theday.com