Fall Practice Begins: Manchester Title Histories, 2021 Schedules

MANCHESTER, CT — Thursday marks the official opening of practice for all eight CIAC-sanctioned fall sports in Connecticut, with boys and girls cross country, field hockey, football, boys and girls soccer, girls swimming and girls volleyball teams setting out on their long-awaited quests for league and state championships.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, teams were only able to play a limited regular season schedule last fall, and no state tournaments were conducted.

Among schools in Patch communities in Hartford and Tolland counties, Glastonbury is the all-time leader with 39 fall team championships, followed by Farmington (35), Granby Memorial (33), E.O. Smith (30) and Manchester (29).

Area schools looking to repeat their 2019 state titles are Tolland boys cross country (State Open and Class M) and girls cross country (M), Hall girls cross country (State Open and LL) and boys soccer (LL), Granby girls soccer (M) and field hockey (S), Conard boys cross country (LL), Bolton boys cross country (S), E.O. Smith girls cross country (MM), Glastonbury girls soccer (LL) and Avon girls volleyball (L).

Manchester High School's 29 fall state titles date back to 1936, while East Catholic has won 20 state championships since 1975. Cheney Tech has yet to capture a fall team title.

Here are the state championships won by Manchester and East Catholic teams in autumns past, as well as a link to this fall's schedule of varsity contests for all three town high schools.

MANCHESTER

• boys cross country (20) - LL: 2002, 1995, 1993, 1982, 1979, 1977; State Open: 1995, 1993, 1955, 1954, 1953, 1949, 1948, 1946, 1945, 1944, 1943, 1937, 1936
• girls cross country (4) - State Open: 1996, 1994; LL: 1996, 1994
• boys soccer (4) - LL: 1979; L: 1962; L-M: 1958, 1956
• girls soccer (1) - L: 1990

EAST CATHOLIC

• girls cross country (6) - L: 1985, 1984, 1982, 1981, 1980; LL: 1983
• girls swimming (4) - S: 2009, 2008, 2007; M: 1980
• boys cross country (4) - MM: 1989; L: 1985; State Open: 1982; M: 1975
• football (3) - M: 1987; M-I: 1986, 1983
• boys soccer (2) - S: 2006; M: 2005
• girls soccer (1) - M: 2014

2021 Manchester fall varsity schedule

2021 East Catholic fall varsity schedule

2021 Cheney Tech fall varsity schedule

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