CT Championship Previews: Basketball, Boys Ice Hockey, Boys Swimming

CONNECTICUT — State championship time has arrived for high school basketball, boys swimming and boys ice hockey teams across Connecticut, as CIAC tournament finals run from Saturday through Wednesday.

All 10 basketball finals will be played at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, the three boys ice hockey finals will take place at Quinnipiac University and the boys swimming State Open is set for the pool at Yale University.

Here are some interesting facts about some of the teams involved in championship contests.

• There will be a proliferation of Panthers, as four squads with that nickname will play for titles. Panthers will definitely prevail in Class L girls basketball, as both Pomperaug and E.O. Smith sport that moniker. Other Panthers are Cromwell (boys basketball) and Masuk (boys ice hockey).
• Two different sets of Spartans will compete in boys basketball finals: Waterbury Career Academy and Shepaug Valley.
• Northwest Catholic is the only school represented in both the girls and boys basketball finals.
• Greenwich is far and away the leader in boys swimming with an incredible 36 State Open team championships.
• Only East Catholic (boys basketball, Div. I), Notre Dame-West Haven (ice hockey, Div. I) and the Newington co-op (ice hockey, Div. III) have a shot at repeating their 2022 titles. Bloomfield boys basketball also has a chance for a second straight championship; the Warhawks won Div. IV last year, and are currently the top seed in Div. III.
• The only two undefeated basketball teams in the state, Hamden and Fairfield Ludlowe girls, are each making their first appearance in a title tilt. Also playing for a championship for the first time is Waterbury Career Academy boys basketball.
• Four teams have made previous finals appearances, but never won a state crown. Pomperaug and E.O. Smith are both 0-2 in girls basketball title games, but face each other in the Class L final. Others are Shepaug Valley boys basketball and Masuk ice hockey.
• Of the teams with previous state championships, Staples boys basketball has waited the longest for another, winning its only title in 1937. Others with 40-plus year spans include Ellington boys basketball (1972), East Hampton girls basketball (1980) and St. Bernard boys basketball (1982).

Tickets for CIAC winter championship events will only be available digitally, and may be ordered here.

Here is complete information about each title contest, including championship game histories and links to team rosters and season records.

BOYS BASKETBALL
All games at Mohegan Sun Arena

Div. I
3/18, 8:15 p.m.

No. 1 East Catholic Eagles vs. No. 2 Northwest Catholic Lions

Regular season: EC 19-1; NWC 18-2
The road to the finals:

• EC: 1st round bye; d. Westhill 87-47; d. Wilbur Cross 61-59; d. Ridgefield 74-45
• NWC: 1st round bye; d. Bristol Central 79-40; d. Hillhouse 71-50; d. Notre Dame-West Haven 73-61

Title game record: EC 7-7; NWC 6-6
Last state championship: EC 2022; NWC 2003
Rosters

Div. II
3/19, 6:15 p.m.

No. 1 St. Bernard Saints vs. No. 7 Staples Wreckers

Regular season: SB 17-3; STA 15-5
The road to the finals:

• SB: d. East Hartford 84-67; d. New Canaan 49-42; d. Windsor 76-71; d. Xavier 76-53
• STA: d. Manchester 74-39; d. RHAM 69-62; d. Holy Cross 61-47; d. Fairfield Warde 57-55 (OT)

Title game record: SB 2-1; STA 1-0
Last state championship: SB 1982; STA 1937
Rosters

Div. III
3/19, 3 p.m.

No. 1 Bloomfield Warhawks vs. No. 2 Waterbury Career Academy Spartans

Regular season: BLO 17-2; WCA 17-3
The road to the finals:

• BLO: 1st round bye; d. Masuk 84-58; d. Newington 74-61; d. New London 78-59
• WCA: 1st round bye; d. Darien 84-55; d. Killingly 64-63; d. Platt 84-71

Title game record: BLO 6-7; WCA 0-0
Last state championship: BLO 2022; WCA none
Rosters

Div. IV
3/19, 10 a.m.

No. 1 Cromwell Panthers vs. No. 3 Ellington Knights

Regular season: CRO{ 18-2; ELL 17-3
The road to the finals:

• CRO: 1st round bye; d. Weston 58-42; d. Windham 72-58; d. Griswold 63-54
• ELL: 1st round bye; d. Bacon Academy 59-55 (OT); d. Northwestern Regional 76-69; d. Seymour 58-41

Title game record: CRO 9-7; ELL 2-2
Last state championship: CRO 2018; ELL 1972
Rosters

Div. V
3/18, 12:30 p.m.

No. 1 Windsor Locks Raiders vs. No. 6 Shepaug Valley Spartans

Regular season: WL 17-3; SV 14-6
The road to the finals:

• WL: 1st round bye; d. Gilbert 53-47; d. Old Saybrook 60-50; d. Portland 67-56
• SV: 1st round bye; d. Classical Magnet 59-50; d. Innovation 64-56; d. Lyman Memorial 50-45 (OT)

Title game record: WL 1-4; SV 0-1
Last state championship: WL 2001; SV none
Rosters

GIRLS BASKETBALL
All games at Mohegan Sun Arena

Class LL
3/18, 6:15 p.m.

No. 1 Hamden Green Dragons vs. No. 2 Fairfield Ludlowe Falcons

Regular season: HAM 20-0; FL 20-0
The road to the finals:

• HAM: 1st round bye; d. Danbury 65-38; d. Enfield 46-34; d. Newington 57-44
• FL: 1st round bye; d. East Hartford 35-25; d. Conard 58-43; d. Newtown 55-36

Title game record: HAM 0-0; FL 0-0
Last state championship: HAM none; FL none
Rosters

Class L
3/19, 12:30 p.m.

No. 1 Pomperaug Panthers vs. No. 3 E.O. Smith Panthers

Regular season: POM 18-2; EOS 17-3
The road to the finals:

• POM: 1st round bye; d. Hillhouse 49-46; d. North Haven 61-32; d. Windsor 54-45
• EOS: d. Farmington 56-32; d. Bristol Eastern 58-38; d. St. Joseph 65-34; d. Holy Cross 66-60

Title game record: POM 0-2; EOS 0-2
Last state championship: POM none; EOS none
Rosters

Class MM
3/19, 8:15 p.m.

No. 4 Mercy Tigers vs. No. 6 New London Whalers

Regular season: MER 15-5; NL 14-6
The road to the finals:

• MER: 1st round bye; d. East Haven 62-33; d. Foran 57-25; d. Daniel Hand 50-27
• NL: 1st round bye; d. Weston 60-35; d. Sheehan 47-41; d. Wolcott 62-36

Title game record: MER 3-4; NL 2-2
Last state championship: MER 2018; NL 2017
Rosters

Class M
3/18, 10 a.m.

No. 1 East Hampton Bellringers vs. No. 6 Valley Regional Warriors

Regular season: EH 19-1; VR 17-3
The road to the finals:

• EH: 1st round bye; d. Platt Tech 68-18; d. St. Paul 39-34; d. Coginchaug 44-24
• VR: 1st round bye; d. Haddam-Killingworth 52-37; d. Granby 51-30; d. Cromwell 56-51

Title game record: EH 1-1; VR 3-1
Last state championship: EH 1980; VR 1999
Rosters

Class S
3/18, 3 p.m.

No. 10 Northwest Catholic Lions vs. No. 16 Kolbe Cathedral Cougars

Regular season: NWC 12-8; KOL 10-10
The road to the finals:

• NWC: d. Wamogo 68-13; d. Bolton 51-48; d. Coventry 48-44; d. Windham Tech 64-35
• KOL: d. Windsor Locks 49-22; d. Housatonic Regional 68-26; d. Thomaston 67-34; d. Somers 65-56

Title game record: NWC 3-6; KOL 7-4
Last state championship:NWC 1999; KOL 2010
Rosters

BOYS ICE HOCKEY
All games at Quinnipiac University

Div. I
3/22, 7 p.m.

No. 1 Notre Dame-West Haven Green Knights vs. No. 2 Fairfield Prep Jesuits

Regular season: ND 16-3-1; FP 14-5
The road to the finals:

• ND: 1st round bye; d. Ridgefield 5-0; d. New Canaan 5-1
• FP: 1st round bye; d. Notre Dame-Fairfield 4-2; d. Greenwich 5-0

Title game record: ND 8-10; FP 18-4
Last state championship: ND 2022; FP 2019
Rosters

Div. II
3/21, 7 p.m.

No. 1 North Haven Nighthawks vs. No. 2 Woodstock Academy Centaurs

Regular season: NH 18-2; WA 19-1
The road to the finals:

• NH: d. Sheehan 8-0; d. Daniel Hand 5-2; d. North Branford 1-0
• WA: d. Glastonbury 5-0; d. Westhill-Stamford 6-2; d. Branford 8-5

Title game record: NH 2-2; WA 1-0
Last state championship: NH 2004; WA 2017
Rosters

Div. III
3/20, 7 p.m.

No. 1 Masuk Panthers vs. No. 3 Newington co-op Nor'easters

Regular season: MAS 17-1-2; NEW 18-2
The road to the finals:

• MAS: d. Southington co-op 8-3; d. Hall 2-1; d. Conard 3-1
• NEW: d. Brookfield co-op 3-2; d. Enfield co-op 4-1; d. Rocky Hill co-op 3-2

Title game record: MAS 0-1; NEW 3-2
Last state championship: MAS none; NEW 2022
Rosters

BOYS SWIMMING
at Yale University

State Open
3/18, 1 p.m.

• Qualifiers and information