Turkey Day rivalries will decide last 11 playoff spots

Math is painful. CIAC football playoff math can make one's brain ooze out of one's nose.

‘Tis the final week of the Connecticut high school football season. The playoffs start next week with 32 teams throwing down to earn a state title across four divisions.

Twenty-one teams have unofficially qualified — nothing is official until the CIAC football committee rubber-stamps the rankings the day after the end of the regular season which, if weather forecasts are correct, may not be for a while.

That leaves 11 berths available so, as a public service, here's a primer that hopefully clears everything things up:

CLASS LL

IN: Three-time defending champion Darien (9-0), Greenwich (9-0), New Britain (9-1), Newtown (9-0), Shelton (9-0) and New Britain (91).Darien, Shelton and Newtown have the best chances to host a home quarterfinal next Tuesday with wins. If both Greenwich and Southington win, they will be in a tight race for the fourth seed.

Fairfield Prep (vs. West Haven) is in with a win on Thanksgiving. It can also qualify with a loss, but more on that in a moment.

New Canaan (7-2) and Staples (7-2) can qualify with Thanksgiving wins. There are a few problems, though. The first is that New Canaan plays Darien, the top-ranked team in The Day's state poll. The second is that Staples plays at Greenwich, ranked second in the poll. The third is that both can win and still be out-pointed by Prep, even if it loses, depending on bonus points.

A team receives 10 bonus points for every win by a team it beat.

East Hartford is currently behind Prep, New Canaan and Staples

The Blue Knights have beaten Cheshire six years in a row. As if it wasn’t bad enough that Cheshire has already played (and lost to) Hand, Newtown and Shelton this season. Somehow, the Rams weren’t scheduled to play ‘Bama. vs. Cheshire, Thursday, 10 a.m. The Chargers and Naugtauck (9-0) have played 119 times in the state’s third-oldest rivarly, but this year’s game will be just the fifth time (and second year in a row) that both teams are unbeaten. Ansonia leads the series 73-35-11. vs. Naugatuck, Thursday, 10 p.m.

The Hurricanes methodically ran down Berlin in the second half of last Friday’s 33-14 win. The Redcoats ran 17 offensive plays for 35 yards. New Britain ran 32 plays for 194 yards, all on the ground, with two touchdowns. Class LL quarterfinals vs. TBA, Tuesday, Nov. 27.

The Jesuits edged the Westies last season, 21-14, ruining the latter’s opportunity of hosting a Class LL quarterfinal. West Haven would like to give Prep a receipt as the Jesuits will qualify for LL with a win on Thanksgiving. at West Haven, Thursday, 10:30 a.m.

Middletown (9-0), 152 points; Naugatuck (9-0), 121; New Canaan (7-2), 83; Sheehan (8-1), 77; Maloney (8-1), 65; Berlin (9-1), 58; North Haven (7-2), 31; Staples (7-2), 29; Bloomfield (8-1), 8; Brookfield (8-1), 7.

Rich Angarano, Brookfield; Tom Brockett, Ansonia; Craig Bruno, Amity; Scott Daniels, Glastonbury; Joe DellaVecchia, St. Joseph; Mike Ellis, Fitch; Rob Fleeting, Windsor; Tanner Grove, Montville; Andy Guyon, Xavier; Tim King, Valley Regional/Old Lyme; Joe Lato, Masuk; Marce Petroccio, Trumbull; Jeff Roy, Shelton.

Go to www.theday.com to read The Lonesome Polecat, Ned Griffen’s state high school football blog. in the rankings, but may be in better shape than the latter two. It hosts Manchester (45) on Wednesday and needs a win, combined with a loss by either New Canaan or Staples.

CLASS L

IN: Naugatuck (9-0), Middletown (9-0), Hand (9-0) and Maloney (8-1). All but Maloney have clinched a home quarterfinal, and Maloney will get the final home game with a win over Platt.

Bunnell (vs. Stratford), Windsor (vs. Middletown), North Haven (vs. Amity), and Platt (vs. Maloney) all qualify with wins.

RHAM needs to beat Bacon Academy (3-6) on Wednesday and, preferably, have either Windsor, North Haven or Platt lose.

Wethersfield needs to beat Newington (3-6) and have Platt and RHAM lose. Guilford is mathematically alive, but plays at nemesis Hand on Wednesday.

CLASS M

That's ‘M' as in ‘Messy.' IN: St. Joseph (8-1), Sheehan (8-1), Berlin (9-1), Killingly (91) and Cheney Tech (8-2). The first four have clinched home quarterfinals.

Brookfield (vs. one-win Bethel) and East Haven (vs. Branford) qualify with a win. Things then get messy. Abbott Tech/Immaculate (63) is presently ranked eighth but will get few points from beating winless MCW United on Thursday. The same applies for No. 9 Rockville (6-3) against one-win Ellington on Wednesday. Ditto No. 11 Law (6-3) against one-win Foran (18) on Thanksgiving.

No. 10 Wolcott (6-3) qualifies with a win over Holy Cross (6-3) on Thanksgiving.

No. 12 Weston (6-3) needs to beat Barlow and hope for a miracle. No. 13 Branford (5-4) needs more than that.

CLASS S

IN: Bullard-Havens (10-0), Ansonia (9-0), Stafford/East Windsor/Somers (9-0), Cromwell/Portland (9-0), Bloomfield (8-1) and Woodland (8-1).

B-H and Ansonia have clinched home quarterfinals. S/EW/S (vs. Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby) and Bloomfield (vs. Glastonbury) will clinch the other home quarters with a win.

Tuesday's No. 7 Haddam-Killingworth (8-1) at No. 9 Valley Regional/Old Lyme (71) game in the equivalent of a Class S qualifier. H-K won't be cooked if it loses, though. Valley/Old Lyme will.

No. 8 Plainfield qualifies with a win over Griswold (5-4) on Thanksgiving. H-K will likely outpoint