Sports
Preview: North Branford Boys Seeking State Hockey Championship
A total of 11 high school state basketball and hockey titles are up for grabs this weekend at Yale and Mohegan Sun.
State championship weekend is dawning upon Connecticut, with 11 CIAC titles to be decided on the ice and court in a 48-hour stretch.
Three boys’ ice hockey championship games will be played at the Ingalls Rink at Yale University in New Haven on Friday and Saturday, while eight basketball title matchups are set for the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville on Saturday and Sunday.
North Branford High School boys ice hockey is seeded No. 1 as it faces No. 2 Fairfield Warde/Ludlowe in the Division II championship Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Patch will be providing coverage of all 11 games on the participating schools’ home Patch sites (Canton Patch, Manchester Patch, Danbury Patch, etc.).
Here is a brief look at each title contest, with season records, championship game histories and more:
BOYS ICE HOCKEY
Friday, March 18
Division II - 7:30 p.m.
No. 1 North Branford vs. No. 2 Fairfield Warde/Ludlowe
Records: NB 18-4-1; FWL 18-4-1
In title games: NB 0-1; FWL 1-1
Note: The teams tied 4-4 on Dec. 30
Saturday, March 19
Division III - 10 a.m.
No. 3 Staples-Weston-Shelton vs. No. 5 Westhill-Stamford
Records: SWS 15-8-0; WS 14-6-2
In title games: SWS 1-2; WS 2-4
Note: SWS defeated WS 3-2 on Jan. 30
Division I - 2 p.m.
No. 3 Darien vs. No. 9 Fairfield Prep
Records: DAR 20-3-0; FP 11-9-2
In title games: DAR 2-5; FP 16-3
Note: Darien won both regular season matchups
BOYS BASKETBALL
Saturday, March 19
Class M - 3 p.m.
No. 1 Sacred Heart vs. No. 6 Notre Dame-Fairfield
Records: SH 22-2; NDFF 21-3
In title games: SH 7-2; NDFF 0-2
Note: Sacred Heart seeks its third state title, winning Class S in 2015 and 2014
Class S - 6:15 p.m.
No. 1 Immaculate vs. No. 11 Coginchaug
Records: IMM 22-2; COG 17-7
In title games: IMM 2-3; COG 1-2
Note: Immaculate has scored 71.5 points per game in the tournament; Coginchaug has allowed just 48.5 PPG
Class L - 8:15 p.m.
No. 3 Middletown vs. No. 4 East Catholic
Records: MID 22-2; EC 21-3
In title games: MID 7-2; EC 4-7
Note: Both teams won their semifinal games in overtime
Sunday, March 20
Class LL - 5:30 p.m.
No. 4 Weaver vs. 2-Danbury or 3-Hillhouse
Note: Danbury-Hillhouse will be played Thursday at 7 p.m. at Crosby HS
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Saturday, March 19
Class S - 10 a.m.
No. 1 Thomaston vs. No. 3 Canton
Records: THO 23-1; CAN 19-5
In title games: THO 3-3; CAN 0-3
Note: Rematch of the 2015 final, won by Thomaston, 52-50
Class M - 12:30 p.m.
No. 1 Cromwell vs. No. 11 Notre Dame-Fairfield
Records: CRO 24-0; NDFF 18-6
In title games: CRO 1-4; NDFF 0-5
Note: Cromwell beat Notre Dame 42-28 in 2013 final
Sunday, March 20
Class L - 12:30 p.m.
No. 2 New London vs. No. 5 Capital Prep
Records: NL 24-0; CP 21-3
In title games: NL 1-0; CP 3-1
Note: Capital Prep seeks its fourth straight title
Class LL - 3 p.m.
No. 4 Stamford vs. No. 10 Greenwich
Records: STA 21-2; GRE 19-3
In title games: first appearance for each
Note: Greenwich defeated Stamford 64-55 on Feb. 3
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