By Michael Letendre
It’s official as the CIAC has just released its 2022 CIAC Girls basketball state tournament pairings.
And after a year off from the postseason favorite due to the pandemic, the tournament is back on and in the Class L bracket, Bristol Central and Bristol Eastern are both in the mix.
The Rams will start first round play with a familiar opponent while the Lancers have to travel down Interstate 84 for its postseason opener against an unknown assailant.
Central, ranked 16th in the fray (10-10 overall), will get one more shot against Platt (No. 17, 10-10) in what has turned into a rubber match.
The CCC South opponents split the season series 1-1 with each program winning on the road.
On January 11, Central dropped a close 47-34 decision and in the rematch on February 1, the Rams came away big 44-34 winners in Meriden.
Will the final encounter, from the Charles C. Marsh Gymnasium in Bristol, bring the Rams a little luck against the pesky Panthers?
After an 0-7 start, Central has been on absolute fire – winning 10 of 13 games to end the regular season – as Lillian Sirois (14.7 points-per-game), sharp-shooter Brooke Watson (9.8 ppg, 15 three-pointers) and Ariana Rivera (9.1 ppg) will lead the charge against the Panthers.
The contest between the squads commences this coming Monday at 6:30 p.m.
And on that same day, Eastern travels down to Bethel High School in a first round tilt.
Bethel was 12-8 in regular season play this year while the twenty-first ranked Lancers start the Class L tournament with an 8-12 ledger.
The Wildcats are from a strong Southwest Conference division – playing mostly against teams in the Fairfield Country area.
Neither squad played against any like opponents this year but expect Bethel to be an excellent test for the Lancers.
Eastern brings in senior star Ciara Collins (24.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.7 steals-per-game) and that’s who the Wildcats must contain.
Fellow CCC South All-Conference selections Janessa Gonzalez (8.9 points, 8.7 rebounds-per-game) and Taigan Parent will also be looking forward to the challenge.
Four squads got byes in the Class L tilt this year as the CIAC did not use the fill the bracket method to fill all the slots.
The top ranked squad is Newington (19-1 regular season) and if Central can pass its first round test against Platt, the Nor’easters are waiting in the wings.
On the flip side, if Eastern can sneak by Bethel, a possible date against No. 5 Edwin O. Smith or No. 28 Kennedy is in the cards.
To open the season, Smith defeated Eastern 61-50 and boasts good size and plenty of talent.
If Central or Eastern advances, second round play commences on March 4 at 6:30 p.m.
2022 CIAC CLASS L – Girls Basketball Pairings
FIRST ROUND
No. 1 Newington – Bye; No. 17 Platt (10-10) at No. 16 Bristol Central (10-10), 2/28, 6:30 p.m.; No. 25 Stratford (8-12) at No. 8 Torrington (14-6), 2/28, 6:30 p.m.; No. 24 Northwest Catholic (8-12) at No. 9 Guilford (13-7), 2/28, 6:30 p.m.; No. 4 Mercy – Bye; No. 20 WCA (9-11) at No. 13 Fitch (12-8), 2/28, 6:30 p.m.; No. 28 Kennedy (6-14) at No. 5 E.O. Smith (15-5), 2/28, 6:30 p.m.; No. 21 Bristol Eastern (8-11) at No. 12 Bethel (12-8), 2/28, 6:30 p.m.
No. 2 Simsbury – Bye; No. 18 New Milford (9-11) at No. 15 Wethersfield (10-10), 3/1, 6:30 p.m.; No. 26 East Lyme (7-13) at No. 7 Maloney (15-5), 3/1, 6:30 p.m.; No. 23 Masuk (8-12) at No. 10 Farmington (13-7), 3/1, 6:30 p.m.; No. 3 Notre Dame-Fairfield – Bye; No. 19 North Haven (9-11) at No. 14 Naugatuck (10-10), 3/1, 6:30 p.m.; No. 27 Rockville (6-14) at No. 6 Pomperaug (15-5), 3/1, 6:30 p.m.; No. 22 South Windsor (8-12) at No. 11 Windsor (12-7), 3/1, 6:30 p.m.
SECOND ROUND
Platt/Bristol Central winner at No. 1 Newington (19-1), 3/4, 6:30 p.m.; Stratford/Torrington winner vs. Northwest Catholic/Guilford winner, 3/4, 6:30 p.m.; WCA/Fitch winner at No. 4 Mercy (16-4), 3/4, 6:30 p.m.; Kennedy/E.O. Smith winner vs. Bristol Eastern/Bethel winner, 3/4, 6:30 p.m.
New Milford/Wethersfield winner at No. 2 Simsbury (18-2), 3/4, 6:30 p.m.; East Lyme/Maloney winner vs. Masuk/Farmington winner, 3/4, 6:30 p.m.; North Haven/Naugatuck winner at No. 3 Notre Dame-Fairfield (16-3), 3/4, 6:30 p.m.; Rockville/Pomperaug winner vs. South Windsor/Windsor winner, 3/4, 6:30 p.m.
QUARTERFINAL ROUND – March 8 from the site of the higher seed
SEMIFINAL ROUND – March 14 (Location and time TBD)
CLASS l FINALS – from Mohegan Sun Arena (either on March 19 or 20), Time TBD
