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Ansonia’s Sheldon Schuler pitches to Shykeem Harmon during a 34-22 Thanksgiving Day victory over Naugatuck. Ansonia, the No. 1 seed in Class S, is vying for a state-record 21st title (Photo Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media)
The 2018 CIAC Class S football quarterfinal preview capsules. Compiled by Sean Patrick Bowley.
More quarterfinal previews: CLASS LL | CLASS L | CLASS M
All games Tuesday, Nov. 27, 6:30 p.m.
No. 8 Plainfield at No. 1 Ansonia
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Clik here to view.WHERE – Jarvis Stadium at Nolan Athletic Complex, Ansonia - TICKETS – Adults $10, Students/Senior Citizen $5
- RECORDS – Plainfield 8-2, Ansonia 10-0
- PLAYOFF HISTORY/LAST APPEARANCE – Plainfield (0-2): lost to Bloomfield 64-6 in 1999 Class S semifinals. Ansonia (43-13): Lost to St. Joseph 42-36 in Class S championship.
- PLAYERS TO WATCH – Plainfield: Soph. QB/DB Liam Smith; Jr. RB/DB Lucien Dube; Sr. RB/LB Kyle Holt. Ansonia: Jr. RB Shykeem Harmon; Soph. QB Sheldon Schuler (6-2, 220); Jr. WR/LB Tyler Cafaro; Sr. LB Terjuan Burney.
- STORYLINES – Despite backing in after a 13-6 loss to rival Griswold, Plainfield is making its first playoff trip since 1999. That’s great, but its schedule — frankly — has been less-than stellar. It eschewed playing against larger ECC schools in favor beating up on new Connecticut programs like CREC (1-9) and Amistad (0-6), and two Rhode Island schools. It narrowly beat 1-9 Stonington and 3-7 Bacon Academy. Its best win was a 6-0 victory over Windham and its only loss was a 49-6 to Killingly, a playoff qualifier in Class M, in the season-opener. Now they face the long trip to Jarvis Stadium to face one of the state’s most storied programs, which just completed another unbeaten regular season by ending Naugatuck’s on Thanksgiving. Ansonia ran 1,800-yard rusher Shykeem Harmon behind a double-wing formation with QB Schuler — all 6-foot-2, 220 pounds of him — as a lead blocker. Schuler would be an offensive lineman on most teams.
- SPB’S PICK – Ansonia
- PETE’S PICK – Ansonia
- CAL PREPS’ PREDICTION – Ansonia 42-0
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No. 5 Woodland at No. 4 Bloomfield
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Clik here to view.WHERE – Phil Rubin Stadium, Bloomfield HS - TICKETS – Adults $10, Students/Senior Citizen $5
- RECORDS – Woodland 9-1, Bloomfield 9-1.
- PLAYOFF HISTORY/LAST APPEARANCE – Woodland (7-4): lost to Ansonia 51-12 in 2013 Class S championship. Bloomfield (20-9): Lost to Cromwell/Portland 28-14 in 2016 Class S quarterfinals.
- PLAYERS TO WATCH – Woodland: Sr. RB/LB Edit Krivca, Sr. LB Carter Amore, Fresh. Jason Palmieri, Jr. OL/DL Alek Tolboe, Jr. QB Tyler Bulinski. Bloomfield: Sr. RB/LB Ky’Juon Butler, Jr. DL/OL Kyle Barlow (6-1, 190), Jr. OL/DL Kyle Davis (6-4, 215), Soph. QB Daron Bryden, Fresh. WR Jayvon Massey.
- STORYLINES – Woodland is back in the state playoffs for the first time since 2013 and first under coach Chris Moffo, just three seasons removed from being 1-9. Edit Krivca leads the Hawks’ rushing attack with 1,360 yards and 20 TDs. But Bloomfield has a host of weapons at its disposal, including one of the state’s top tailbacks in Ky’Juon Butler (1,883 yards, 18 TDs rushing), a stable of top-notch receivers in David Robinson, Jayvon Massey, Myles Davis and Anthony Simpson, and sophomore quarterback Daron Bryden (1,858 yards, 29 TDs passing). The Hawks, whose only loss was 37-0 to Berlin, are also big and tough up front with junior ends Kyle Barlow (9 sacks) and Kyle Davis (5 1/2) and Butler at linebacker. The game features two of the state’s best freshman receivers in Bloomfield’s Massey and Woodland’s Jason Palmieri. The last time these two met, Woodland pulled off a 30-26 semifinal win and this squad had Ansonia sweating in an eventual 36-20 loss.
- SPB’S PICK – Bloomfield
- PETE’S PICK – Bloomfield
- CAL PREPS’ PREDICTION – Bloomfield 28-17
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No. 7 Haddam-Killingworth at No. 2 Bullard-Havens
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Clik here to view.WHERE – Kennedy Stadium, Bridgeport
- TICKETS – Adults $10, Students/Senior Citizen $5
- RECORDS – Haddam-Killingworth 9-1, Bullard-Havens 10-0
- PLAYOFF HISTORY/LAST APPEARANCE – Haddam-Killingworth (0-2): Lost to Holy Cross 42-14 in 2011 Class S quarterfinals. Bullard-Havens (0-6): Lost to Stafford/Somers/East Windsor 20-12 in 2017 Class S quarterfinals.
- PLAYERS TO WATCH – H-K: Sr. QB/LB Tobey Callender; Sr. RB/WR/FS Dalton Modehn; Sr. RB/LB Zach Kauffman; T/DE Aiden Maher (6-5, 235); Jr. DL/OL Trey Callender; Bullard-Havens: Jr. QB Cyrus Cotto; Sr. RB/CB Edward Holmes; Jr. WR/LB Marcus Johnson; Sr. WR/FS Isaiah York (6 INT); Sr. LB Christian Pagano.
- STORYLINES – Haddam-Killingworth and its strong, double-wing offense spearheaded by backs Tobey Callender (1,277 yards, 17 TDs) and junior Dalton Modehn (1,054 yards, 18 TDs), has bulldozed its way to the program’s best regular-season record in history and is making its third state playoff appearance and first since 2011. Callender is also a threat on defense with five sacks and 5 INTs alongside Trey Callender (16 TFLs) at defensive end. Sparked by its stingy defense, Cyrus Cotto at QB (1,454 yards, 15 TDs) and Edward Holmes at RB (1,577 yards, 20 TDs), Bullard-Havens completed a second-consecutive CTC championship with an unbeaten record under new coach Chris Pace. Bullard-Havens, however, has yet to win a state tournament game in six previous tries. It was close last year, losing to Stafford 20-13. But H-K looks like a steamroller and it’s hard to see that streak ending against it.
- SPB’S PICK – H-K
- PETE’S PICK – H-K
- CAL PREPS’ PREDICTION – H-K 35-17
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No. 6 Cromwell/Portland at No. 3 Stafford/Somers/East Windsor
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Clik here to view.WHERE – Enfield High School
- TICKETS – Adults $10, Students/Senior Citizen $5
- RECORDS – Cromwell Portland 9-1, SSEW 10-0
- PLAYOFF HISTORY/LAST APPEARANCE – Cromwell/Portland (6-6 as Cromwell; 1-1 as C/P): lost to Ansonia 49-28 in 2016 Class S semifinals. SSEW (1-2): lost to Ansonia 52-19 in 2017 Class S semifinals.
- PLAYERS TO WATCH – Cromwell/Portland: Sr. WR Nick Wright; Sr. QB Bryce Karstetter; Sr. RB Bryan Lockwood; Sr. DB Zac Cyr; Sr. DB Kevin Hinkle. SSEW: Sr. OL/LB Johnathan Kopek; Sr. RB/DB Julien Rivas; Sr. QB/DB Colton Engel; Sr. WR/DB Jeff Kology; Sr. LB Cody Gebo; Sr. OL/LB Tyler Gilbert.
- STORYLINES – The addition of senior receiver Nick Wright, who — in his first year playing football — broke the program’s record for receiving yards in a season (1,425 yards), has been a boon for veteran QB Bryce Karstetter and Co. The Panthers, whose only title was in 2008, are back in the playoffs after a one-year absence. Their only loss was a perplexing 34-20 setback to OSW, a team that loves to run the ball. Now they face another fellow Pequot powerhouse out of the Uncas Division that loves to run, too. The Bulldogs, led by a big offensive line and standouts QB Colton Engel and RB Julien Rivas — who have combined for over 2,000 yards of total offense — completed the first unbeaten season in program history and is playing in its third-consecutive postseason. The Pequot awards its overall title to the team with the best record — in this case, Stafford. But consider this a de facto Pequot League championship game in the quarterfinals.
- SPB’S PICK – Stafford
- PETE’S PICK – Stafford
- CAL PREPS’ PREDICTION – Stafford 27-26
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More quarterfinal previews: CLASS LL | CLASS L | CLASS M