FCIAC Looking To Put 3 Teams In State Football Finals

Saturday has a chance to be another banner day for the FCIAC as the league will be looking to put three teams in the football state championship games for the third straight year.

There is the possibility of an all-FCIAC final in Class LL, although No. 5 seed Norwalk (9-1), which is coming off the first state playoff win in school history, will have to upset top seed Xavier (11-0). The Falcons are two wins away from a second consecutive 13-0 season.

In the other Class LL semifinal, No. 2 Staples (10-0) takes on No. 6 Newtown (9-2), which upset No. 3 Hall in the quarterfinals.

In Class L, New Canaan (10-1) will be seeking a sixth consecutive trip to the state finals when it battles top seed Windsor (11-0).

Unfortunately for FCIAC fans, all three games begin at 2 p.m. at different locations. Staples will be playing at Bunnell,  Norwalk travels to West Haven and New Canaan ventures to East Haven.

The possibility exists for a New Canaan-Masuk championship game rematch, as Masuk (11-0) faces Hand (11-0) in the other Class L semifinal.

Last season, the Panthers defeated New Canaan 50-20, ending the Rams' four-year reign as state champions.

Masuk is led by UConn-bound quarterback Casey Cochran, who has been named the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year for the second straight season.

Cochran is only high school quarterback in state history to pass for more than 10,000 yards and 100 touchdowns in a career. This year, the former New London quarterback has passed for 2,801 yards, 36 touchdowns and just four interceptions as the Panthers boast the highest-scoring offense in the state.

Last season, St. Joseph captured its second straight state championship while Trumbull fell to Xavier in the Class LL finals.

In 2009, New Canaan and St. Joseph won state crowns with Staples falling to Cheshire in overtime in the Class LL finals.