Ruden Sports News

We are in the calm before the storm. The state finals are this weekend, with the fate of six teams to be determined over the course of 15 hours starting at noon tomorrow.

There is no shortage of storylines for the Fairfield Warde baseball team’s Class LL final against Southington. Mustangs coach Brett Conner was just given a clip from the Bridgeport Post in June of 2002, an article on the Fairfield baseball team’s 7-6 second-round win over Shelton. That was the final high school game for Conner, who was Shelton’s catcher. Fairfield — Warde and Ludlowe were consolidated for several years into one school — went on to win the state title, the last one by a school from the town.

Conner’s parents taught at Fairfield and he remembers going to games with his mother when he was young.

Andrew Warde, as it was known pre-consolidation, last won a baseball state title in 1981, a wild 9-8 decision over Rockville in 13 innings, with a steal of home the deciding run.

Back in the final for the first time since 2016, the Mustangs, the most talented team in the FCIAC, will attempt for the rare trifecta of regular season, league and state champion. Staples last did it three years ago.

Baseball, by far, has been the FCIAC’s most interesting sport this year, with more good teams with more good players. The number of quality pitchers and catchers was off the charts.

First pitch tomorrow is noon, and if you hurry out after you might catch the final from the other major headline story this spring: the New Canaan-Darien girls lacrosse rivalry. It is annual news but this year played out on a different level. Heading into the FCIAC final, a 10-8 Rams win, both teams were ranked in the top five nationally. Never have the pair concurrently played on this high a plane. They will soon be stocking major college programs across the country, with talent to spare returning.

Tomorrow they stage a Class L final rematch, won last year by the Blue Wave.

Since the end of out-of-state play we have had to endure a lot of blowouts — no one in Connecticut is anywhere close to them — but the reward is we will get a third meeting with a second title on the line.

It is hard to remember the last time two FCIAC teams played at a higher level simultaneously. Since lacrosse is by far the conference’s best-played sport, it would have happened on the boys or girls side. Darien, New Canaan and Ridgefield all have had highly ranked boys teams in recent years, with the Blue Wave fielding some top 5 sides.

High school national polls have to be taken with some context because the people voting are not seeing all the top teams in person and hopefully are at least using HUDL video to base decisions. It is hard to assess how the Darien and New Canaan girls teams would fare against, say, the best of Maryland.

This unlike most years has been a by-the-books boys lacrosse season. The longest-running storyline has been whether anyone can beat Darien. And so far only New Canaan has been successful. Staples gets the final try Sunday in the Class L final, the reward with a win its first state title. Staples advanced following Tyler Clark’s dramatic overtime goal on Wednesday against Ridgefield.

It often seems as only Darien can beat Darien. The team has gone through lapses in many games, sometimes due to the opposition but more often self-imposed. It is as if the knowledge the flip can be switched at any time provides a measure of security.

The Blue Wave was tied late in the third quarter with Fairfield Prep on Wednesday, committing a number of uncharacteristic turnovers. Then came a run of seven goals in five minutes when the team is winning draws and moving quickly, not letting defenses set up.

The other focus has been the boys lacrosse state tournament format. Class M was set up as the Wilton Invitational, though the Warriors sleepwalked to a quarterfinal overtime win against Daniel Hand. The expected margin of tomorrow’s final against 10th-seeded Notre Dame-West Haven — the Warriors are second in the state poll but seeded fourth — should amplify a conversion to what hockey does, putting all the top teams in a Division I. Wilton should be competing for a Class L title and the Green Knights the chance to win in a lower division.

Fairfield Warde will be sending Zach Broderick to the mound, and he has been a money pitcher, winning the last two FCIAC titles. The Mustangs are on the verge of completing a sensational two-year run.

With the St. Joseph girls lacrosse team in the Class M final, the FCIAC is assured of two state champions and could have as many as five. That would be the fitting end to a great spring sports season and a great sports year.