Football Finals History & Notes

Posted on December 10, 2014 by John Holt

ciacnew_fb2014The CIAC fall championship season will officially conclude on Saturday with the CIAC football championship games. The final match-ups are set, and there are lots of interesting pieces of information to be found in the eight exciting match-ups. A complete tournament history for all 16 finalists are below, and a just a few finals notes are below.

  • The class L – Large contest between Darien and New Canaan is a rematch of last season’s class L championship. It marks the first time since the 1999-98 seasons that the CIAC championships have featured a championship rematch of the previous season. Ansonia and Bloomfield were the last teams to meet in consecutive finals as the teams squared off back-to-back in the late-90s.
  • Speaking of Ansonia, fans of round numbers will note that the Chargers are bidding to earn a 20th CIAC football championship this season. Also shooting for a round number in terms of titles is New Canaan, which can claim the program’s 10th title in its 14th championship game appearance.
  • Even with eight finals this year we are not guaranteed any first-time champions this season, as none of the contests feature two teams both looking for a first title. There are four teams trying to earn a first football title as Windsor, Norwich Free Academy, Valley Regional/Old Lyme, and Capital Prep/Achievement First are all trying to raise the trophy for the first time. Valley Regional/Old Lyme and Capital Prep/Achievement First are both appearing in finals for the first time.
  • When it comes to finals appearances, the 16 teams in the finals this year have combined for 134 appearances in football championship games. However five teams account for 59-percent of those appearances (79 out of 134) as New Canaan, Darien, St. Joseph, Ledyard, and Ansonia all have reached double digits in championship game trips.
  • The class LL – Small contest between Xavier and Shelton is the lone match-up this weekend featuring two teams with plus-.500 historical records in football finals. Xavier is 4-2 in football championship games and Shelton has four wins in five previous trips to football championship contests.
  • St. Joseph is riding a remarkable run of success in CIAC football finals. After losing its first two championship contests the Cadets earned wins in their last 11 trips to a CIAC final, including last year’s class M final.

Finals Matchups:

Class LL – Large: #2 Norwich Free Academy vs. #1 Southington (click here for roster/information sheet) (click here for live stream)
Championship History:
Norwich Free Academy: 3rd appearance, 0-2 overall. 2012 lost to Xavier 48-14; 1998 lost to Southington 54-26.
Southington: 8th appearance, 2-5 overall. 2013 def. Fairfield Prep 52-34; 2006 lost to Greenwich 28-7; 2005 lost to Xavier 45-30; 1999 lost to Greenwich 47-27; 1998 def. Norwich Free Academy 54-26; 1994 lost to Hartford Public 22-7; 1984 lost to Glastonbury 23-17.

Class LL – Small: #4 Xavier vs. #2 Shelton (click here for roster/information sheet) (click here for live stream)
Championship History:
Xavier: 7th appearance, 4-2 overall. 2012 def. Norwich Free Academy 48-14; 2011 def. Staples 42-7; 2010 def. Trumbull 24-13; 2005 def. Southington 45-30; 1981 lost to Naugatuck 28-6; 1977 lost to Fairfield Prep 22-6.
Shelton: 6th appearance, 4-1 overall. 2007 lost to Greenwich 28-14; 2003 def. Staples 35-18; 2000 def. Greenwich 22-8; 1995 def. Trumbull 14-7; 1988 def. Newington 10-9.

Class L – Large: #2 New Canaan vs. #1 Darien (click here for roster/information sheet) (click here for live stream)
Championship History:
New Canaan: 14th appearance, 9-4 overall. 2013 def. Darien 44-12; 2011 lost to Daniel Hand 34-10; 2010 lost to Masuk 50-20; 2009 def. East Lyme 28-0; 2008 def. Darien 26-7; 2007 def. Daniel Hand 34-30; 2006 def. Maloney 53-21; 2002 def. Ledyard 21-0; 2001 def. Seymour 29-6; 2000 lost to Bloomfield 55-6; 1996 lost to Killingly 27-13; 1993 def. Daniel Hand 35-14; 1982 def. Naugatuck 2012.
Darien: 12th appearance, 4-7 overall. 2013 lost to New Canaan 44-12; 2008 lost to New Cnaan 26-7; 1999 lost to Weaver 69-26; 1998 lost to Seymour 14-6; 1997 lost to Bloomfield 39-21; 1996 def. Bloomfield 21-16; 1992 def. Stratford 30-0; 1991 def. Berlin 35-22; 1989 lost to Daniel Hand 34-28; 1987 lost to East Catholic 14-0; 1979 def. Bristol Central 27-16.

Class L – Small: #3 Notre Dame-West Haven vs. #1 Windsor (click here for roster/information sheet) (click here for live stream)
Championship History:
Notre Dame-West Haven: 7th appearance, 3-3 overall. 2009 def. Pomperaug 28-21; 2001 def. Fitch 35-15; 1992 lost to Cheshire 28-14; 1991 def. Newington 20-0; 1986 lost to Trumbull 27-9; 1983 lost to Greenwich 14-8.
Windsor: 3rd appearance, 0-2 overall. 2012 lost to Daniel Hand 23-6; 2002 lost to Ridgefield 14-13.

Class M – Large: #2 Brookfield vs. #1 Berlin (click here for roster/information sheet) (click here for live stream)
Championship History:
Brookfield: 7th appearance, 2-4 overall. 2013 lost to St. Joseph 54-16; 2008 def. Ledyard 16-14; 2005 lost to Woodland 19-13; 2004 lost to Daniel Hand 35-6; 2003 lost to Bloomfield 34-14; 1995 def. Wilton 21-7.
Berlin: 8th appearance, 1-6 overall. 2012 lost to Hillhouse 34-12; 2009 def. Bethel 46-6; 2007 lost to Ledyard 21-14; 1992 lost to Middletown 36-18; 1991 lost to Darien 35-22; 1987 lost to Morgan 3-0; 1977 lost to Daniel Hand 20-16.

Class M – Small: #2 St. Joseph vs. #1 Ledyard (click here for roster/information sheets) (click here for live stream)
Championship History:
St. Joseph: 14th appearance, 11-2 overall. 2013 def. Brookfield 54-16; 2010 def. Ansonia 49-28; 2009 def. Montville 14-3; 1990 def. Middletown 26-0; 1989 def. Maloney 14-7; 1988 def. Bethel 25-21; 1984 def. New London 14-7; 1983 def. New Fairfield 20-0; 1982 def. Woodrow Wilson 37-8; 1981 def. Montville 37-30; 1980 def. Immaculate 43-7; 1979 lost to North Branford 25-22; 1978 lost to Stamford Catholic 20-9.
Ledyard: 11th appearance, 4-6 overall. 2011 lost to Ansonia 38-0; 2008 lost to Brookfield 16-14; 2007 def. Berlin 21-14; 2003 lost to Daniel Hand 28-0; 2002 lost to New Canaan 21-0; 1993 def. Guilford 44-14; 1991 def. Newtown 33-26; 1990 lost to Newtown 14-6 (OT); 1986 def. Stratford 12-6; 1984 lost to Middletown 35-12.

Class S – Large: #2 Ansonia vs. #1 Valley Regional/Old Lyme (click here for roster/information sheets) (click here for live stream)
Championship History:
Ansonia: 28th appearance, 19-8 overall. 2013 def. Woodland 51-12; 2012 def. North Branford 59-26; 2011 def. Ledyard 38-0; 2010 lost to St. Joseph 49-28; 2008 lost to Cromwell 14-12; 2007 def. New London 35-0; 2006 def. Bloomfield 34-12; 2003 def. Cromwell 55-0; 2002 def. Notre Dame-Fairfield 44-14; 1999 lost to Bloomfield 56-0; 1998 lost to Bloomfield 40-7; 1995 def. Bloomfield 7-0; 1994 def. Bloomfield 54-14; 1992 lost to New London 21-19; 1991 lost to New London 34-18; 1989 def. Weston 44-0; 1988 def. New London 20-15; 1987 def. New London 28-27; 1984 def. Putnam 56-6; 1983 def. Stamford Catholic 32-0; 1982 def. Derby 14-0; 1981 def. Woodrow Wilson 23-6; 1980 lost to Newington 24-12; 1979 def. Seymour 28-14; 1978 lost to Amity Regional 35-20; 1977 def. Stamford Catholic 20-7; 1976 def. Derby 6-0.
Valley Regional/Old Lyme: 1st appearance.

Class S – Small: #4 North Branford vs. #2 Capital Prep/Achievement First (click here for roster/information sheet) (click here for live stream)
Championship History:
North Branford: 4th appearance, 1-2 overall. 2012 lost to Ansonia 59-26; 2001 lost to Bloomfield 40-7; 1979 def. St. Joseph 25-22.
Capital Prep/Achievement First: 1st appearance.

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