It’s already Week 4 of high school football season in Connecticut and there are still quite a few unbeaten area teams out there. That will end this week for one such early-season juggernaut, as Middletown and Newington face each other in a key CCC interdivisional game Friday.
Newington’s defense has been its biggest strength over the last two seasons, and last week, the Nor’easters stopped a two-point conversion in the waning moments of the game against Enfield to come away with a win. Middletown has cruised through its first three games against TRC, Plainville and RHAM, but Newington will be a bigger challenge. Said senior Josiah Sims after Newington’s win over Tolland two weeks ago: “I feel like our defense is still the same. We’ve been making big time plays when it’s needed. Our offense is getting better little by little, hopefully by the end of the season it will be at full capacity.”
Middletown and Newington are currently ranked No. 3 and 4 in Class MM. The two unbeatens are set to kick off in Newington on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Here are some other games to watch.
New Britain (2-1) at Enfield (2-1), Friday, 6 p.m.: Jayden Allen has been putting up big numbers for New Britain (155 rushing yards vs. Kennedy, 211 vs. Hall and 115 in a close loss to Fairfield Prep last week. New Britain last played Enfield in Oct. 2022 and came away with a 48-47 win. Enfield also lost a close one last week, to Newington, 15-13 after winning its first two games against Farmington and Simsbury.
Stafford/East Windsor/Somers (2-1) at Ellington (3-0), Friday, 6:30 p.m.: Ellington has 14 starters returning, including its senior QB Aaron Ladr, and the Knights have started off the season as one of those unbeaten teams after three games. Ladr had 263 passing yards in Ellington’s first game against Windsor Locks and broke the school record for passing yards and touchdown passes in the Knights second game, a win over the Coginchaug co-op. Last week was more of the same (244 yards passing, four touchdowns) in a 54-24 win over SMSA. With the exception of a loss to Haddam-Killingworth, the Stafford co-op is off to a good start but it could be hard-pressed to stop Ellington.
Other unbeaten local teams: Northwest Catholic (3-0) will travel to Plainville (2-1) Friday at 6 p.m.; Valley Regional/Old Lyme (2-0) hosts Capital Prep (0-2) Friday at 6:30 p.m.; Hand (3-0) travels to Hamden (0-3) Friday (6 p.m.); Berlin (3-0) hosts Wethersfield (1-2) Friday at Sage Park (6:30 p.m.); Rockville (3-0) hosts the SMSA co-op (0-3) Friday at 6:30 p.m.; Windsor (3-0) travels to Bristol Central (0-3) Friday at 7 and Maloney (3-0) hosts Manchester (1-2) Friday at Falcon Field (6:30 p.m.)
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Friday’s games
CCC: Tier 1, Manchester at Maloney, 6:30 p.m.; Tier 3, Middletown at Newington, 6:30 p.m.; Bristol Eastern at Farmington, 7 p.m.; Tier 4, East Catholic at Tolland, 6 p.m.; Northwest Catholic at Plainville, 6 p.m.; Rocky Hill at Lewis Mills/Wolcott Tech, 6 p.m.; Bloomfield at Avon, 6:30 p.m.; Inter, New Britain at Enfield, 6 p.m.; Wethersfield at Berlin, 6:30 p.m.; Windsor at Bristol Central, 7 p.m.
ECC Inter: Stonington at Windham, 6:30 p.m.
NVL Brass: Crosby at St. Paul Catholic, 6:30 p.m.
Pequot Sassacus: MSW at Cromwell-Portland, 6 p.m.; Capital Prep at VRLOL, 6:30 p.m.; North Branford at Haddam Killingworth, 6:30 p.m.; Weaver/Hartford Public/Classical at Coginchaug/East Hampton/Hale Ray, 6:30 p.m.
Pequot Uncas: CREC at Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton, 6:30 p.m.; SMSA Coo at Rockville, 6:30 p.m.; Stafford/East Windsor/Somers at Ellington, 6:30 p.m.
SCC Inter: Daniel Hand at Hamden, 6 p.m.; Lyman Hall at East Haven, 6 p.m.; Xavier at West Haven, 6 p.m.; Amity at Sheehan, 7 p.m.; Cheshire at North Haven, 7 p.m.
Saturday’s games
CCC: Tier 1, Southington at Hall, 3 p.m.; Tier 2, Simsbury at South Windsor, 1:30 p.m.; Tier 3, E.O. Smith at RHAM, noon; Inter, Conard at East Hartford, 1 p.m.; Glastonbury at Platt, 6 p.m.
CTC Inter: Cheney Tech at O’Brien Tech, 10 a.m.; Bullard Havens Tech at Wilcox/Kaynor Football, 10:30 a.m.; Prince Tech at ATI, 2 p.m.
Pequot Uncas: Granby/Canton at Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby, 1 p.m.
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