Boo!
It's October already. The leaves are altering colours, Halloween shall be right here quickly, and homecoming video games are on the schedule for most of the CIAC's l groups.
October additionally means byes, with decreased slates of 46 and 34 video games over the following two weeks.
The vast majority of Week 4's video games are full and a few separation has begun.
On Friday, we noticed some assertion wins, just a few playoff-caliber matchups, and maybe a lot of setbacks. As of Saturday morning, 23 groups stay unbeaten, with 19 of these now 4-0. Greenwich and Masuk, each 3-0, are in motion Saturday afternoon.
Each Class M and Class SS characteristic 5 unbeaten groups apiece, with the Class SS group of Legislation, Hand, Plainville, Ansonia and Waterford all 4-0. There are two extra Class SS groups with one loss every, and likewise 4 2-2 groups, so a .500 report locations a workforce within the thick of the race. Proper now, the eight spot is held by Rocky Hill.
In Class M, the highest eight is a little more difficult, with 11 groups both undefeated (5) or having one loss (6).
Class S is analogous, with three unbeatens and one other eight groups with only one loss.
On the reverse finish is Class LL, the place simply 4 groups are above .500. Greenwich, Staples (4-0) and Southington (4-0) are unbeaten. And in a shock, Stamford at present ranks fourth with a 3-1 report after going 1-9 final season.
There's clearly a protracted, lengthy method to go between right here and the playoffs, however we're no less than starting to get a semblance of what the races are going to appear to be.
Then once more, possibly not.
An A+ efficiency
We've already talked about the logjam on the prime of Class SS. And smack dab in the midst of issues is Plainville.
The Blue Devils are off to their first 4-0 begin in 21 years. The 2005 season didn't finish properly, as Plainville misplaced 5 of its subsequent six video games to finish at 5-5.
This yr is shaping as much as be completely different, nevertheless, and after y, senior quarterback Anthony Abarno is giving the Blue Devils way more than only a passing grade.
"You realize, we labored so onerous within the offseason, even in-season practices we labored so onerous," Abarno advised GametimeCT's Bryant Carpenter. "We attempt to be A+ each apply, each conditioning (session). All the pieces, we attempt to be A+. So, yeah, we anticipated to be 4-0."
The Blue Devils' newest win, a battle of unbeatens with Tolland, was whole domination, and Abarno continued to have a sizzling hand, passing for 266 yards and 4 touchdowns, whereas including yet another TD on the bottom. That offers him 1,166 yards and 16 touchdowns with only one choose this season, after placing up 2,531 yards and 33 touchdowns as a junior.
"We wished to make an announcement tonight and wished to create some separation with a number of the groups on our schedule, and I assumed we did that," mentioned Plainville coach Tim Shea. "Each week, there's at all times new challenges. We have been extra beat up than individuals suppose, so I'm actual happy with how the youngsters stepped up tonight."
Turnabout
No. 7-ranked Staples outscored its first two opponents by a mixed rating of 109-0, leaping to 2-0 in a relative breeze.
Its final two video games? Not a lot.
After defeating Ridgefield by three factors final week, the Wreckers rallied for 2 fourth-quarter touchdowns e 14-10 in one of many Alliance's premier video games Friday night time in Westport.
Quarterback Grant Bozeman handed for 229 yards and linked with Lucas Kuliga and Noah Sandrew for touchdowns. Sandrew, who had 11 catches for 112 yards, scored the game-winner on a surprising dive to the pylon with 5:39 remaining.
The sport was a dramatic turnabout after Cheshire had used its robust operating assault to dominate the time of possession whereas constructing a 10-0 lead within the first half.
Staples discovered its rhythm within the second half to get the win, with the protection shutting out the Rams within the closing 24 minutes.
"Our guys care so deeply they usually're so keen about our program and one another and desirous to battle side-by-side," Staples coach Matty Jacowleff advised GametimeCT. "We knew (Cheshire) was making an attempt to own however we felt assured that over the course of the sport, we have been going to have the ability to hit our photographs and money in on some massive alternatives."
Bullet factors
- 1 behind its "flexbone" offense, enhancing to 4-0 with three wins over perennial SWC contenders Brookfield, Newtown and now Bunnell.
- Handcontinued its streak in opposition to Fairfield Prep, beating the Jesuits for the fourth consecutive time 35-13 on the Surf Membership in Madison. As t, none of the present Tigers gamers have ever misplaced a recreation to Prep.
- No. 1-ranked New Canaan lastly gave up factors, however 4 for its n. The Rams had shut out their first three opponents.
- Berlin, which had its 15-game profitable streak snapped by South Windsor in Week 3, misplaced a second straight, falling to North Haven 24-7. That was additionally the Nighthawks' first win of the marketing campaign.
- Bridgeport Centraldefeated Bassick 40-16 for its second win, doubling its win whole from the earlier seven seasons mixed. The Hilltoppers have been 1-9 final yr and snapped a 61-game shedding streak final fall. Not a nasty begin in any respect for first-year coach Ryan Ayers.
- Stamford shut out Stratford 25-0 to push its profitable streak to a few and leap to fourth place within the Class LL rankings. The Black Knights have been 1-9 in every of the previous two seasons.
- Defending Class MM champion Windsor blasted East Hartford 50-0 to get its first victory of the yr. The Warriors opened the yr with video games in opposition to three High 10-ranked groups in New Britain, St. Joseph and Glastonbury.
- Simsbury romped over Bloomfield 55-20 on Thursday and, underneath new head coach Jim Caouette, improved to 3-1 after ending 1-9 final season.
Up subsequent
We've practically reached the midpoint of the CIAC soccer season and which means … bye weeks.
There are decreased slates the following two weeks with 46 video games scheduled for Week 5 and one other 34 in Week 6.
That doesn't imply there aren't some attention-grabbing matchups forward.
The SCC has some key contests, led by a battle of groups ranked within the GametimeCT High 10 ballot when No. 6 Cheshire visits No. 4 Hand on Friday on the Surf Membership at 7 p.m. Final season, the Rams rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit and gained 28-27 in OT.
We'll additionally get a take a look at Legislation at Xavier and Sheehan at Shelton, with each of these video games additionally kicking off Friday at 7 p.m.
The Pequot additionally encompasses a showdown with perennial energy Rockville enjoying at unbeaten North Branford on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Different Week 5 video games to observe:
Friday, Oct. 9
- Platt at Windsor, 6 p.m.
- Branford at Wilbur Cross/Profession, 6 p.m.
- Guilford at West Haven, 6 p.m.
- New Britain at Glastonbury, 6:30 p.m.
- Conard at Berlin, 6:30 p.m.
- Fitch at New London, 6:30 p.m.
- Ansonia at Holy Cross, 6:30 p.m.
>
This text initially printed at t.