Ruden Sports News

With a little tiebreaking help the FCIAC ran the table with their playoff possibilities over the last 36 hours and will have nine teams playing in the state playoffs, which begin Tuesday with quarterfinal games.

That’s nearly 20 percent of the field of 48 schools that will be competing in six classes.

The pairings are unofficial until tomorrow morning, when the CIAC football committee approves them.

And if you are a fan of holiday rematches, the fans of the four teams that have recently participated in the two biggest Thanksgiving games will be joyous.

New Canaan (10-0), a 39-7 winner today over Darien (6-4), will host the Blue Wave again on Tuesday. The Rams are the top seed in Class L while Darien got enough bonus points to squeeze in as the eighth seed.

Greenwich (6-2) earned the third seed in Class LL and will again host No. 6 Staples (5-5) in Class LL. The teams met today in Cardinal Stadium, with Greenwich winning, 33-19.

Danbury (6-4), which qualified for the playoffs for the first time in 22 years, is the seventh seed and will travel to No. 2 Fairfield Prep (8-2) in a Class LL quarterfinal.

Fairfield Ludlowe (7-3), which earned a state playoff berth last year for the first time in school history is back — and will hit the road to face No. 3 Cheshire (7-3).

Wilton (9-1) is the No. 2 seed in Class MM and will host No. 7 Torrington (7-3).

And St. Joseph (8-2) earned the top seed in Class M and will host No. 8 WCA (7-3).

New Canaan, Greenwich and St. Joseph will all be defending state titles.

The semifinals will be at the higher seeded schools a week from Sunday and the finals will be held Dec. 13, with possible games on the 12th.