High School Football
It’s championship Saturday for high school football. The big local teams include Berlin, above, and Bloomfield. A preview is in
Saturday marks the finish of the Connecticut high school football season, as eight teams will look to walk off the field victorious. The state championships are split up between three locations, with two games being played at 10 a.m, and the others at 2 p.m.
CLASS LL
No. 2 Greenwich (12-0) vs. No. 8 New Canaan (10-2)
At Boyle Stadium, Stamford, 10 a.m. Background: New Canaan will look to avenge an early-season, 42-14 loss to the Cardinals on the highest stage. Greenwich blanked Newtown 50-0 in the state semifinals, while New Canaan routed Fairfield Prep 38-7. Both teams field explosive offenses, as quarterback Gavin Muir leads the Cardinals, and Notre Dame commit Drew Pyne leads the Rams, and is protected by an offensive line which features a pair of Power Five football
commits.
CLASS L
No. 1 Hand (12-0) vs. No. 7 Maloney (10-2)
At Veteran’s Stadium, New Britain, 2 p.m.
Background: The defending champ Tigers beat Windsor 49-7 in the state semifinals to advance, while Maloney dispatched crosstown rival Platt 16-6 in a Stoddard Bowl rematch to advance to the finals for the first time since 2006.
The Spartans came from behind against Middletown to win in the quarterfinals, and beat the Panthers — who had beaten Maloney just two weeks prior — to clinch a spot in the championship game.
“It would mean a lot to bring a title to Meriden,” senior Ryan Martel said. “One of my goals for the past four years was to go to a state championship, because I love winning.”
CLASS M
No. 1 St. Joseph (11-1) vs. No. 3 Berlin (11-1)
At Shelton High, 2 p.m.
Background: Berlin out-muscled No. 2 Sheehan in the semifinals 34-22, while the Cadets blew out defending champs Killingly 52-7 to advance to their second straight title game (St. Joseph won the Class S championship last season).
The Cadets pack a punch offensively and are led by quarterback David Summers, who’s committed to Maryland. Berlin likes to spread the ball around, behind quarterback Kevin Dunn. Senior running back Alex Halkias, wide receiver Giancarlo Tufano and junior running back/defensive end Zach Hrubiec scored for Berlin against the Titans. Junior Larry St. Pierre and sophomore Marco Scarano are also heavily involved in the offense.
“There’s not one guy making every single play,” Halkias said. “We’ve been able to stay fresh throughout the entire year. We’re good, we’re ready to go.”
CLASS S
No. 4 Bloomfield (11-1) vs. No.7 Haddam-Killingworth (11-1)
At Veteran’s Stadium, New Britain, 10 a.m.
Background: Bloomfield, a perennial title contender in Class S, is looking for its first championship since 2015. The Cougars are playing in just their second ever, their first coming in 1994.
The Warhawks knocked off a powerhouse Ansonia squad in the semifinals, 26-19, while H-K handed Stafford/Somers/East Windsor its first loss of the season in an overtime thriller, 21-14.
Bloomfield is led offensively by sophomore quarterback Daron Bryden and senior running back Ky’Juon Butler, while the Cougars establish their offense around their run game, paced by senior Dalton Modehn and junior Tobey Callender.
“[H-K] has some really big linemen, we know that,” Bloomfield coach Ty Outlaw said. “We’re trying to use our speed against them.”