By Michael Letendre
The field is set for the CIAC football playoffs which commences this coming Tuesday from the home site of the higher seed.
All six divisions saw the top eight teams qualify for the postseason over a loaded field.
And there’s some intriguing match ups despite no local team qualifying for the state tournament this season.
In Class L, Bristol Central finished in 21st place overall with 495 points (49.5 average) and was the only program that finished at 2-8 in the field.
And then over in Class MM, Bristol Eastern ended the year in 20th place, garnering 585 total points – carrying a 3-7 ledger that tied St. Paul Catholic for the best record in the city.
The Falcons, competing in Class S, finished with 670 points – good for 14th place overall.
Even in the expanded field, some divisions had a number of squads earn a home seed – a top-four ranking – despite multiple losses.
For example, over in Class LL, Southington (9-1) is the top ranked opponent while Greenwich, the runner up, finished 8-2 with losses to both the Knights and Staples.
Class L saw four teams earn home berths – including No. 3 Maloney – with 9-1 records.
Class MM is ultra competitive, having three undefeated squads in the mix along with No. 3 Killingly at 9-1.
After Berlin (10-0) in Class M, the bracket is a bit skewed.
Notre Dame-West Haven is the second seed at 7-3 while No. 8 Branford – playing a tough schedule – snuck in at .500 (5-5).
Branford is the only squad with a .500 record to qualify for postseason play.
All the teams in Class SS carry at least an 8-2 ledger with top-ranked Cromwell/Portland (9-1) leading the charge while in Connecticut’s smallest division, undefeated Ansonia is two games better than second ranked Bloomfield (8-2) in Class S.
Here’s a breakdown of the field for the 2022 CIAC football playoffs:
CIAC FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS
CLASS LL – QUARTERFINALS (November 29)
No. 8 Trumbull (7-3) at No. 1 Southington (9-1); No. 5 Fairfield Prep (7-3) at No. 4 Staples (9-1); No. 7 Hamden (8-2) at No. 2 Greenwich (8-2); No. 6 Glastonbury (8-2) at No. 3 West Haven (9-1).
CLASS L – QUARTERFINALS (November 29)
No. 1 St. Joseph (9-1) vs. No. 8 Cheshire (6-4) at Kennedy Stadium; No. 5 Naugatuck (8-2) at No. 4 New Canaan (9-1); No. 7 Shelton (6-4) at No. 2 Newtown (9-1); No. 3 Maloney (9-1) vs. No. 6 New Milford (7-3) at Falcon Field.
CLASS MM – QUARTERFINALS (November 29)
No. 1 SMSA Coop (10-0) vs. No. 8 Wilton (7-3) at Weaver; No. 4 Thames River (10-0) vs. No. 5 North Haven (8-2) at Grasso Tech; No. 2 Northwest United (10-0) vs. No. 7 Masuk (7-3) at Nonnewaug; No. 6 Wethersfield (8-2) at No. 3 Killingly (9-1).
CLASS M – QUARTERFINALS (November 29)
No. 1 Berlin (10-0) vs. No. 8 Branford (5-5) at Sage Park; No. 5 ATI (8-2) at No. 4 Rockville (8-2); No. 2 Notre Dame-West Haven (7-3) vs. No. 7 Hartford Public (6-4) at Veterans Field; No. 6 RHAM (7-3) at No. 3 Jonathan Law (9-1).
CLASS SS – QUARTERFINALS (November 29)
Cromwell/Portland (9-1) vs. No. 8 Ledyard (8-2) at Pierson Park; Granby/Canton (8-2) vs. No. 5 Joel Barlow (8-2) at Granby; No. 2 Windham (9-1) vs. Gilbert/Northwestern/Housy at E.O. Smith; Valley Regional/Old Lyme at No. 3 Foran (9-1).
CLASS S – QUARTERFINALS (November 29)
No. 1 Ansonia (10-0) vs. No. 8 North Branford (6-4) at Nolan Field; No. 5 East Catholic (7-3) at No. 4 Woodland (8-2); No. 7 Seymour (6-4) at No. 2 Bloomfield (8-2); No. 3 Holy Cross (8-2) vs. No. 6 New Fairfield (7-3) at Municipal Stadium.
*Game time for all quarterfinal contests is at 6:30 p.m.
*All Semifinal Games – December 4 (12:30 p.m. played from the site site of the higher seed).
*All Finals – December 10 (TBA at Arute Field or Rentschler Field)
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