The Meat Grinder

It's all over. We've crowned six state champions and concluded the 2024 CIAC high school football season. There were a few surprises -- Masuk knocking off No. 1-ranked Windsor to win the Class MM final and its first title since 2004 comes to mind. But for the most part, it was a weekend of Blue Bloods with Ansonia (22nd title), New Canaan (15th), Greenwich (10th), St. Joseph (16th) and maybe even Killingly (fifth) now, packing their displays with more championship trophies. But it was and especially big weekend for the FCIAC and Fairfield County at large, which won two thirds of the titles. The FCIAC alone won half of them. Overall, we ended the season right where it started: With Greenwich beating West Haven, this time to win the Class LL title, and New Canaan being crowned the No. 1 team in the state. This time, however, that ranking is etched in history. FIFTEEN-TIME championship coach Lou Marinelli joins us for our annual chat with the state's final No. 1 team. He talks about his players, his program's run of success and how it managed to win a third-straight title despite every team in the state chasing them. Join host Sean Patrick Bowley alongside Scott Ericson and Dave Stewart as they break down everything -- from the final GameTimeCT Top 10, weekend's best plays, the top performances and everything in between. It's a jam-packed episode you won't want to miss! So, for the final time this year, join us, won't you? RUNDOWN 0:00 — The Montage of Heroes 3:17 — New Canaan, Fairfield County are No. 1 10:00 — The final 2024 GameTimeCT Top 10 Poll 19:58 — Championship Weekend Impressions 22:11 — Ansonia wipes out Bloomfield in Class S final 27:59 — Allard, Killingly race past Sheehan in SS final 29:47 — Masuk stuns No. 1 Windsor to win Class MM title 37:04 — St. Joseph holds off Brookfield in classic M final 40:52 — D'Angelo, Greenwich leave little doubt in LL final 45:06 — Controversial play goes viral as New Canaan wins third-straight L title 49:06 — Interview with NEW CANAAN'S LOU MARINELLI 1:28:11 — Final PIcke'ms Results 1:30:11 — Who will be 2024's Player of the Year Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WELCOME BACK to another edition of The Meat Grinder, your weekly dose of High School Football in Connecticut. And, at least, it's Championship Weekend! And that means it's the last week of high school football in Connecticut. Forty-eight teams entered, 12 teams remain to play for six (lol) CIAC championships. If the weekend's finals are even remotely as good as Sunday's semifinals, we're in for a treat because Sunday's were ridiculously good. We had thrills, like Ansonia's stunning, Hail-Mary victory over Woodland and Bloomfield's comeback win over WCA in Class S. We had spills, like St. Joseph intercepting four passes and dethroning defending Class M champ Hand and Greenwich dethroning defending LL champ Staples. And we had chills, like the way Windsor, Masuk, Sheehan, Killingly and West Haven (especially the Westies) dismantled their opponents in stunning fashion. JOIN host Sean Patrick Bowley and staff writers Dave Stewart and Scott Ericson as we recap the madness and make our picks for this weekend's 2024 CIAC Football Championships at CCSU's Arute Field and East Hartford's Rentschler Field Friday and Saturday.  It's a tight race in the annual staff pick'ems contest with a FIVE-WAY TIE heading into the final six games! Who will come out on top? As an added bonus, we roll back the clock to the preseason and see where how SPB and Pete Paguaga did on their 2024 state championship picks! (Spoiler alert: Mostly pretty well!) Join us, won't you? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to another thrilling episode of THE MEAT GRINDER, your weekly does of High School Football in Connecticut. Twenty-four teams are gone, 24 remain. We've reached Semifinal Sunday in the race for the six 2024 state championships! After a rainy Thanksgiving we were treated to snow, glorious and beautiful snow on Tuesday's CIAC quarterfinals (unless you were along the Connecticut shoreline) as we moved into playoff football in December. And, much like the weather, the first round of the playoffs brought us some surprises. Like two No. 8 seeds -- WCA and Notre Dame-West Haven -- knocking off a pair of No. 1 seeds -- Capital Prep and Naugatuck, respectively. The SCC and the FCIAC thrived while the Pequot -- all six teams -- was sent home for the holidays. It wasn't all rosy, however. Northwest United announced it would forfeit its Class MM against No. 1 Windsor, perhaps a foretelling of the mis-matched blowouts that pervaded the quarterfinal rounds, which got us thinking (again) about how we can improve these here playoff rankings. But, when the snow cleared, the semifinals were, at last, set with four rematches of regular-season games, including BOTH Class LL semis, and another playoff rematch between Hand and St. Joseph. Join host Sean Patrick Bowley, who, once again, is joined by Scott Ericson and Dave Stewart to break down the games and -- of course -- make their picks to reach next weekend's championships. Dave Stewart is leading the staff pick'ems contest with SPB a game back! It's a jam-packed show again, so join us, won't you? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WELCOME BACK to another thrilling episode of The Meat Grinder, your weekly dose of High School Football in Connecticut. After a wild (and wet) week of great Thanksgiving games, we've finally reached the 2024 CIAC Football Postseason!  On Tuesday night, Valley Regional/Old Lyme rallied to knock off H-K and, ultimately, punch its Class S playoff tickets. On Wednesday night, Naugatuck out-slugged Ansonia in Ye Olde Valley Rivalry  to recapture the No. 1 seed in Class L. Wethersfield went from 0-10 to 9-1, riding QB Cam Righi to a glorious, Class MM-clinching overtime victory over rival Newington. Forty-eight teams enter, six teams leave. And we're excited to see some new... uh... well... many familiar matchups in Tuesday's quarterfinals. SEVEN, in fact, and potentially more in the coming rounds. There's lots to discuss -- especially with the tragic death of a Bloomfield Pop Warner player and a number of coaches already announcing their resignations — and 24 games to pick as we continue our march toward the 2024 CIAC championship games in two weeks. Your host Sean Patrick Bowley is once again joined by Dave Stewart and Scott Ericson as we break down everything that happened on Thanksgiving Week and decide who will advance to Sunday's semifinal round. Join us, won't you? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to another thrilling episode of The Meat Grinder, your weekly dose of High School Football in Connecticut. And, because we live in the great state of Connecticut and because we're fast approaching the last Thursday in November AND because we love high school football, you should know what this episode is all about. Yes, turkeys, it's Thanksgiving Football Week in Connecticut, the final regular season game of the year. It's a time to come home home, get the gang together and head out to your favorite high school football game, whatever it might be called — The Air and Speed Bowl, the Olde Canal Cup, the Turkey Bowl, the Green Bowl, the Elm City Bowl, The Battle for the Bell or the Battle for the Sword... whatever. There's always something to whet your football appetite during Thanksgiving in the Nutmeg State — especially this year, with no NFL games to really care about (sigh). And, of course Thanksgiving week means copious amount of playoff math, which begets playoff scenarios. Thankfully, its not too hard this year, what with 33 of 48 teams qualified heading into the grand regular season finale. Still, we'll do our best to break it down for you. Because time is precious and short, Thanksgiving Week also means our annual hybrid episode, combining the Meat Grinder with the weekly Pick'ems Podcast! Join host Sean Patrick Bowley, alongside staffers Dave Stewart, currently in first place, and Scott Ericson, currently fending off the 8-Ball below, as we pick 20 — Twenty! — key high school football games. So if you're not one of the lucky contestants playing this week, pull up a chair, kick back and relax. We've got everything you need to know, and then some. Happy Thanksgiving Football 2024 to all. We do hope you will join us. RUNDOWN 0:00 — Introduction: It's that time of year again! 2:35 — East Hartford, East Haven pull off stunners. 5:58 — The latest GameTimeCT Top 10 Football Poll 8:00 — The CIAC Playoff Formula — a refresher. 8:57 — Class LL playoff breakdown 10:29 — Class L playoff breakdown 11:48 — Class MM playoff breakdown 13:19 — Class M playoff breakdown 14:51 — Class SS playoff breakdown 16:11 — Class S playoff breakdown 17:35 — The Thanksgiving Pick 'ems Podcast! 21:22 — H-K at Valley Regional/Old Lyme 22:57 — Newington at Wethersfield 25:44 — NWC at East Catholic 27:48 — ATI at NW United 30:23 — West Haven at Fairfield Prep 33:26 — Newtown at Masuk 35:47 — Bristol Easter vs. Bristol Central 38:14 — Maloney vs. Platt 41:02 — New London at NFA 43:15 — Ledyard at Fitch 45:36 — New Canaan at Darien 48:56 — Greenwich at Staples 51:11 — Trumbull at St. Joseph 53:41 — Ansonia at Naugatuck 56:03 — Harding at Bridgeport Central 57:44 — Southington at Cheshire 59:30 — Lyman Hall at Sheehan 1:01:07 — Notre Dame-West Haven at Hamden 1:03:40 — Wilbur Cross at Hillhouse 1:05:14 — Bunnell at Stratford 1:07:16 — Wrapping up #cthsfb #connecticut #highschoolfootball #hsfootball Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Week 11 — the last weekend of the 2024 high school football season before our favorite time of the year, the grand Thanksgiving week finale. And you know what that means! It's time, at last, to take a detailed dive into the CIAC football playoff picture heading into Thanksgiving Week. Half of the 2024 field is set: Twenty-four teams have (unofficially) qualified for 48 spots across the six playoff divisions. Those include Fairfield Prep, which rallied from 15 points down to all but dash North Haven's dreams of a three-peatwhile solidifying its place in the Class LL race; and Brookfield, which marched past rival Masuk to stay unbeaten and clinch its first playoff berth in six years.  We'll take a deep look at who's still alive and who needs what to secure one the remaining 24 spots heading into the final week. That includes Manchester, which rode Emmanuel Sampel and Joe Mugovero to a comeback victory over New Britain, drawing the Red Hawks oh, so closer to a return trip to the Class LL playoffs. And it includes the likes of Hillhouse and East Haven, who will play Friday in a game that to decide whose Thanksgiving Day game will mean more than just bragging rights. All this, plus the latest GametimeCT top 10 poll, a recap of Choate's NEPSAC Bowl championship victory over Brunswick to complete yet another unbeaten prep school season. You won't want to miss this episode. Join us, won't you? RUNDOWN 0:00 — Introduction: Brookfield, Prep clinch playoff berths 1:54 — It's Almost Playoff Time! 8:14 — Fairfield Prep rallies past North Haven, into LL playoffs 16:01 — The Week 11 GameTimeCT Top 10 Poll (Nos. 10-8) 17:49 — Brookfield marches past Masuk, into Class M playoffs 24:42 — The GameTimeCT Top 10 Poll (Nos. 6-1) 27:47 — Class LL playoff outlook (Manchester rallies past NB) 31:25 — Class L playoff outlook (bottleneck after No. 6) 33:33 — Class MM playoff outlook (8-1 Wethersfield must win) 36:41 — Class M playoff outlook (East Haven can join race) 39:47 — Class SS playoff outlook (Ellington must win twice) 41:48 — Class S playoff outlook (NWC vs. East is key) 46:18 — Choate beats Brunswick in NEPSAC Bowl, finishes unbeaten again 51:45 — Shout outs! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're down to the final full week of the 2024 high school football season, a time when, with playoffs on the minds, the impossible suddenly become possible and where goats become G.O.A.T.S. Exhibit A is Staples quarterback Nick Weil, who fumbled three times and threw four picks against some hungry, hungry Hogs, yet somehow — with a little help from his friends — lived to tell his fantastic tale of perseverance in the face of overwhelming adversity. Staples' nutty 14-10 victory over St. Joseph, courtesy of the Staples defense and Weil's 42-yard TD pass with 47 seconds left, highlighted a big week of football games as we round the final turn into the homestretch. But it wasn't the only impressive performance.  Jayden Taylor and Ryan Schoffstall piloted Newtown as the Nighthawks' blasted off for FIFTY first-half points to overwhelm Bunnell and prove they're a team a team with which to be reckoned with. Quintez Whittle and Ansonia, down their QB, met every Woodland punch with an overwhelming array of counters and haymakers in a 50-27 win. Glastonbury's Luke Shannon and Connor Finnerty teamed up for FIVE touchdowns in a 49-21 rout of then-unbeaten New Britain in what's surely at bellweather result in the upcoming Class LL playoffs. There was also big nights in big spots for Watertown's Brady Gambee, Ludlowe's Ryan Tompkins, Manchester's Joe Mugovero, Sheehan's Joshn Durant, everyone on Windham and more, much more. We dive into these fascinating finales, look ahead to some great games ahead -- including Brunswick and Choate's anticipated NEPSAC Bowl showdown of four University of Notre Dame recruits — plus a heapin' helpin' of CIAC playoff outlooks and another round of SHOUT OUTS! on this week's show. Join us, won't you? RUNDOWN 0:00 — Introduction: Staples pulls a rabbit from its rear 1:21 — It’s Week 10! 4:17 — 4 Notre Dame commits highlight Brunswick, Choate bowl showdown 8:23 — Mt. Hope sues RIIL over Stafford!? 13:14 — Latest GameTimeCT Top 10 Poll (Nos. 10-8) 15:00 — Weil rises above, No. 7 Wreckers rally past St. Joe 21:03 — No. 6 Newtown makes massive statement 24:11 — Top 10 Poll (Nos. 5-1): Marinelli wins 400th, Hand stays unbeaten 28:17 — Segway: What’s your favorite football movie? 33:48 — CLASS S Playoff Update: Whittle, Ansonia outlast Woodland 37:55 — CLASS SS Playoff Update: Windham knocks off Waterford; Sheehan takes care of LAw 41:32 — CLASS M Playoff Update: Watertown’s back 44:40 — CLASS MM Playoff Update: What about Wethersfield? 48:57 — CLASS L Playoff update: Ludlowe draws closer 52:49 — CLASS LL Playoff update: Glastonbury knocks off New Britain 59:48 — SHOUT OUTS! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WELCOME back to another edition of THE MEAT GRINDER podcast, your weekly dose of High School Football in Connecticut with hosts Sean Patrick Bowley and Pete Paguaga. We've reached the last three weeks of the 2024 season and, after eight long weeks, the focus at last shifts back to West Haven, where Nick Conlan, Kadear Dembele and the Blue Devils, who started out ranked, but lost their season opener to Greenwich, returned to the state's consciousness with by avenging last year's loss to rival North Haven with a sixth-straight victory. The win virtually assured the Westies would take their place among the elite teams of the Class LL race, but would voters reward them with a spot in the Top 10? Elsewhere, Sean and Pete review some of the big results and break down all six of the CIAC playoff races, including Cromwell/Portland's comeback victory over Haddam-Killingworth -- won by two haymakers in the second half -- to claim the inside track on the Class S playoff race. They also look at Killingly's big win over Barlow, Windham's loss to Fitch and what those results mean for the Class SS race; Class M's big weekend with Brookfield (vs. Barlow) and St. Joseph (vs. Staples) taking center stage; And, of course, the remaining races in Class MM, L and LL. ... Could Kennedy (??) have a realistic shot? Join us for this, shoutouts and much, much more! RUNDOWN 0:00 — Introduction: West Haven turns tables 1:05 — It’s Week 9 Already!? 5:47 — West Haven wins 6th straight, 32-7 over North Haven 16:12 — The Latest GameTimeCT Top 10 Poll 20:45 — Latest Top 10: No. 2 Hand survives Hamden on crazy Hail Mary 25:52 — Cromwell/Portland’s two haymakers rallies Panthers past H-K 31:03 — CLASS S Playoff Outlook: Woodland goes down 33:43 — CLASS SS Playoff Outlook: Killingly rolls past Barlow, Fitch knocks off Windham 37:35 — CLASS M Playoff Outlook: Big tests for Brookfield, Law 39:49 — CLASS MM Playoff Outlook: Xavier knocks off Hillhouse, Torrington OK 44:15 — CLASS L Playoff Outlook: Newtown’s time arrives; Which NDWH shows up? 50:03 — CLASS LL: Who gets the final two spots? Kennedy?? 57:52 — SHOUT OUTS! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WELCOME to another edition of THE MEAT GRINGER, your weekly dose of high school football in Connecticut with hosts Sean Patrick Bowley and Pete Paguaga, and — welp — guess we can no longer ignore New Britain. The Hurricanes, who have been screaming all year long for our love and attention as they racked up win after win, week after week, finally got to mug for the GameTimeCT cameras when they took on Maloney in a pivotal Week 7 game at Veterans Memorial Stadium. And, after surviving an early onslaught courtesy of Maloney receiver Jesus Martell, the 'Canes turned to junior back Jayden Allen to rally them to 20-17 victory and a 6-0 record, their best start since 2003. Then they turned to us, unleashing their disappointment in being unranked, for us failing to pick them to win among other slights, perceived or otherwise. This, of course, was after they got into an acrimonious "discussion" with Maloney during the post-game handshakes over some apparent pregame social media shenanigans, which is currently being investigated by both school districts. Pete and Sean discuss all of this, take a look at the latest top 10 review some of the other big results from Week 7 — Hello, Woodland! — and dive back into the ever-developing state playoff picture heading into the final month of the season. And let's not forget our weekly SHOUT OUTS! Join us, won't you? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WELCOME back to another edition of THE MEAT GRINDER podcast, your weekly dose of High School Football in Connecticut with hosts Sean Patrick Bowley and Pete Paguaga. We’ve reached the midpoint of the 2024 season and — WELP! — throw out the scouting reports! That’s what we did — onto a pyre — after a topsy-turvy Week 6, one that saw yet another unbeaten SWC team go down after getting shut out in the next game after shutting out their last opponent. Two weeks ago, it was Bunnell knocking off Masuk. This week, it was unbeaten Brookfield knocking off Bunnell by the same score, 21-0.  We also saw a number of other unbeaten teams go down, including, for the second time this year, the state’s No. 1-ranked team when Wilton rose up and knocked off top-ranked Greenwich on its home turf at Cardinal Stadium. It’s left us with more questions than answers as we sift through the carnage to try and figure out where all of these teams actually should be ranked heading into the season’s second half. Join us as Pete and SPB recap the carnage AND have a **spirited** debate about which teams deserve to be voted in the GameTimeCT Top 10 football poll. (Spoiler Alert: They both agree it should be newly-crowned No. 1 Windsor. After that? Well...) Plus! Don’t miss SPB’s FIRST real look at the six playoff division races. And don’t forget our weekly SHOUTOUTS! Join us, won’t you? Rundown 0:00 — Midseason Madness 1:40 — Burn the Scouting Report: Windsor is No. 1 6:30 — Wilton stuns No. 1 Greenwich, 20-13 16:55 — Brookfield shuts down No. 7 Bunnell 24:25 — Latest Top 10 Football Poll: Nos. 10-5 26:26 — New Canaan puts Staples to sleep, moves to No. 5 28:23 — Latest Top 10 Poll: Darien shuts out St. Joseph 29:04 — Latest Top 10 Poll: Windsor overwhelms Maloney, assumes No. 1 33:27 — NOW, DEBATE! The Podcasters' Top 10 ballots 44:16 — FIRST LOOK! Mideason CIAC Playoff Standings 45:25 — Class S Playoff Rankings 47:21 — Class SS Playoff Rankings 48:08 — Class M Playoff Rankings 49:08 — Class MM Playoff Rankings 50:03 — Class L Playoff Rankings 51:35 — Class LL Playoff Rankings 52:45 — SHOUTOUTS! Week 6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WELCOME BACK to another exciting episode of The Meat Grinder Connecticut High School Football Podcast, brought to you GameTimeCT and the Hearst Connecticut Media Group and hosted by Sean Patrick Bowley and Pete Paguaga. With a majority of the state — especially those in the GametimeCT Top 10 — resting up on their midseason bye weeks, we took the opportunity to check in with some of the state's top contenders downballot from the usual suspects atop the state rankings. We start with the clinic put on by Killingly in its 48-13 road rout of Guilford, a result that signaled the perennial power's prospects as the top contender in Class SS.  We also checked in with two of Killingly's top rivals, Waterford and Ledyard, as they vied to keep pace in the ECC and Class SS race during their clash of unbeatens at Alumni Field. Elsewhere, we got our first good look Law and Amity in a pivotal SCC game for both squads. We also returned to Rafferty Stadium to kick Fairfield Prep's tires as the Jesuits mopped their lacrosse Field with (still) winless Shelton. Throughout it all we took a very preliminary look at how the 2024 CIAC playoff races are shaping up ahead of next week's midseason report. And don't forget to check out the latest round of SHOUTOUTS! Yes, even the bye weeks are busy. So join us, won't you? RUNDOWN 0:00 — Introduction: Killingly dominates 1:10 — How did you enjoy your bye week? 5:!0 — Latest Top 10 Football Poll: Bunnell jumps St. Joe? 10:20 — Killingly routs Guilford, 48-13, cements favorite status 18:25 — Waterford wins ECC/SS unbeaten battle vs. Ledyard 22:50 — Urgency lacking in budding playoff races 28:37 — Sophomore QB rallies Law past Amity 35:29 — Fairfield Prep rips winless Shelton 39:05 — Huge Week 6 games to watch 46:19 — SHOUTOUTS! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WELCOME BACK to another exciting edition of The Meat Grinder, your weekly look back at everything that happened in Connecticut high school football, hosted by Pete Paguaga and Sean Patrick Bowley, brought to you by GameTimeCT and CT Insider. It was back to good ol' league play in Week 4, the last full week before teams start taking their byes, and it was a busy one with a host of unbeaten teams going down in defeat, particularly No. 4-ranked Masuk, which suffered its first loss of the year, 21-0 vs. SWC rival Bunnell — a game that was a carbon copy of its 14-0 takedown of No. 1 New Canaan the previous week. But it was busiest in the Central Connecticut Conference where Tolland, Manchester and Wethersfield all saw their unbeaten seasons end while victorious East Catholic, Bristol Central and New Britain subsequently continued theirs in thrilling fashion. We break it all down, look at the latest top 10 poll and at last remaining unbeaten teams through four weeks, including Capital Prep, who rode Hashim Jones to another big victory in the Pequot League. And don't miss another round of SHOUTOUTS! Join us, won't you? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WELCOME BACK to another exciting edition of The Meat Grinder, your weekly look back at everything that happened in Connecticut high school football, hosted by Sean Patrick Bowley and brought to you by GameTimeCT and CT Insider. And, between Masuk's stunning defensive takedown of No. 1 New Canaanand Windsor's heart-pounding, 41-35 double-overtime stunner of No. 2 Darien in the second (and last) wholesale round of Alliance games, what didn't happen last week? Well, No. 4 Staples didn't fold when Maloney roared back to tie their game in Westport. No. 3 Greenwich didn't miss an extra point in rallying to defeat Bishop Hendricken in a showdown of lower New England powerhouses. Ansonia didn't blink in the face of another NVL contender. Xavier didn't score in three trips inside Manchester's red zone, including on the final play as the Red Hawks moved to 3-0. Pete and SPB — who both got excoriated by Masuk and Windsor players for their incorrect picks last week (especially Windsor's John Manning clapping back at Pete over who's got the most dudes) — break down those games, as well as the latest GameTimeCT Top 10 Poll, which saw the aforementioned Cardinals assume the the position as Connecticut's No. 1 team. But, much like New Engkand's weather, things sure have a habit of changing fast. We also look at some of the last undefeated teams standing and look ahead to a busy, three-day Week 4. Join us, won't you? The Rundown 0:00 — Introduction: How wrong we were... again. 4:01 — No. 8 Masuk shuts out No. 1 New Canaan 9:10 — No. 6 Windsor outlasts No. 2 Darien in 2OT 17:39 — The Latest GameTimeCT Top 10 Poll: Newtown, Staples move up 20:12 — Greenwich is No. 1 after rallying past Bishop Hendricken 26:48 — Podcasters' Top 10 comparison 33:54 — Around the state: Fights, threats continue to disrupt 36:41 — Alliance "Standings" and last remaining unbeaten teams 41:52 — Ansonia buries Watertown, stays unbeaten 44:11 — Manchester holds off Xavier, stays unbeaten 47:13 — Glastonbury rolls through Norwalk, Manchester next 48:20 — Week 4 Games to Watch 51:18 — SHOUTOUTS! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to the latest episode of 'The Meat Grinder' Connecticut high school football podcast with Pete Paguaga and Sean Patrick Bowley, brought to you by GameTimeCT.com. Stop us if you've heard this before: Showdown? Showcase. Yes, the "Game of the Week" turned into the "Catch of the Day" at the Surf Club in Madison as GameTimeCT No. 6-ranked Hand dominated No. 7-ranked Fairfield Prep, 34-3 in one of the most eye-popping results of Week 2. It was just one of many intriguing or downright crazy results to come out of Week 2, especially Thursday night as Maloney and Windsor both beat back tough challenges from Glastonbury and Simsbury, respectively. Jesus personally showed up twice to rescue both Meriden schools. Maloney's Jesus Martell took over in the second half to save the Spartans while Platt's Jesus Vasquez (aka Fifa) saved the Panthers from the jaws of defeat against Berlin. Windsor didn't have Jesus, but did get a needed defensive boost after losing quarterback AJ Robinson. Elsewhere, New Britain stayed unbeaten with a rout of East Hartford, Naugatuck outlasted Holy Cross in an NVL showdown, Cromwell/Portland rode Tyler Cipolla to a big win over North Branford in the Pequot, and Norwalk stunned Wilton in a Saturday afternoon FCIAC encounter. Pete and SPB talk about these games and much, much more as they cap the week with their weekly Shout Outs! and head into another big Alliance Week 3. Oh boy. Join us, won't you? RUNDOWN 0:00 — Introduction: How wrong we were 1:34 — Hand dominates Fairfield Prep at the Surf Club 10:06 — Latest Top 10 Poll 10-611:53 — Windsor survives Simsbury 13:21 — Latest Top 10 Poll 5-1 15:56 — Jesus saves Platt from Berlin 25:56 — Around the state: New Britain, Middletown, Naugatuck win 30:20 — Cromwell/Portland rides Cipolla 34:27 — Around State II 36:52 — Norwalk rallies past Wilton 39:33 — Alliance Week 3 45:32 —Shout Outs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

And we’re off!  Week 1 is in the books, including a massive slate of enticing Alliance matchups between the major conferences. What happened? What did we learn? Well, if anything, we learned that the FCIAC, out of the starting gate, has taken a massive lead on everybody else — especially the SCC. Thanks to dominant efforts by New Canaan, Darien, Greenwich and Staples, not to mention a strong effort by St. Joseph, the FCIAC has claimed the first four spots and five overall in the latest GameTimeCT Top 10 poll. But there were plenty of other eye-opening Week 1 performances out there — Fairfield Prep, Killingly, Windsor, Bunnell, Berlin and Windham, just to name a few. We also saw the return of Steve Christy to the Masuk sidelines. We break it all down on another thrilling episode of The Meat Grinder CT high school football podcast with Sean Patrick Bowley and Pete Paguaga, brought to you by GameTimeCT. So join us, won’t you? 0:00 — Opener: FCIAC reigns over Week 1 5:28 — No. 1 New Canaan rips No. 7 Maloney 8:26 — No. 5 Greenwich marches past No. 4 West Haven 18:22 — The Latest GameTimeCT Top 10 Poll, Nos. 10-8 20:54 — No. 7 Fairfield Prep rolls into anticipated rematch vs. No. 6 Hand 24:45 — Top 10 Poll Nos. 5-1 29:23 — Wrapping Up Alliance Week 1 34:54 — Bunnell, NW United, Amity win thrillers 37:57 — Week 1 Shoutouts! 45:32 — Looking ahead to Week 2 #cthsfb #connecticut #highschoolfootball #hsfootball #fairfieldcounty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kickoff, at last! Hello again and welcome to the Meat Grinder, your weekly dose of high school football in Connecticut brought to you by the gang at GameTimeCT.com and hosted by Sean Patrick Bowley and Pete Paguaga. In this first episode of Season 7, we look back at everything that's happened this past offseason, starting with the deaths of two of Connecticut's all-time great coaches, Chuck Drury of Pomperaug and Ed McCarthy of St. Joseph and West Haven. We also break down the preseason Top 10 and give you our picks to reach and win the SIX 2024 CIAC state championship games. Join us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to 16th and final Season 6 episode of The Meat Grinder, your weekly dose of high school football in Connecticut, brought to you by GameTimeCT and CT Insider. After six great championship bouts ad CCSU and UConn’s Rentschler Field, we’ve crowned our 2023 champions and voted in the final GameTimeCT Top 10 poll and the STAPLES WRECKERS are No. 1 following their thrilling, 21-20 Class LL championship victory over West Haven. Join hosts Sean Patrick Bowley and Pete Paguaga as they run through everything that happened during championship weekend, including recaps of all six state championship games and how they voted in the final top 10 poll. This week’s special guest star, our first in over a month, is none other than newly crowned No. 1-ranked Staples coach ADAM BEHRENDS.  The Iowa native arrived in Westport from IMG Academy in Florida just four years ago and, after a near-disastrous 2-8 season in 2019, Behrends quickly molded Staples in to a contender. But after a 1-point loss to Fairfield Prep in the 2022 quarterfinals, the Wreckers developed a 2023 Mantra: Find the Point. And they did just that, avenging their playoff loss to Prep by a point and then avenging their Week 1 loss to West Haven by a single yard and one point: 21-20. We also run down some of the candidates of the upcoming 91st New Haven Register All-State football Team. So — for the final time in 2023 — join us, won’t you? RUNDOWN 0:00 — 2023 CIAC Championship Montage 4:23 — Staples finishes No. 1  10:42 — The Final 2023 GameTimeCT Top 10 13:11 — Poll Comparisons: Pete, Sean, Coaches 16:43 — Class LL Championship recap 20:46 — Class S championship recap 23:15 — Class MM Championship recap 24:29 — Class M Championship recap 25:59 — Class L Championship recap 28:40 — Class SS Championship recap 30:47 — Championship weekend takeaways (crowd comparisions) 36:37 — Interview with Staples coach ADAM BEHRENDS 1:06:46 — Final championship thoughts, 2024 look ahead 1:15:17 — 2023 Players and Coaches of the Year? 1:23:58 — Will Aldam wins the picks and Season 6 wrap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to another thrilling edition of The Meat Grinder, your weekly dose of high school football in Connecticut with GameTimeCT's Sean Patrick Bowley and Pete Paguaga, and the weekly GameTimeCT Pick'ems Podcas: CIAC quarterfinal edition. And what a Thanksgiving week it was as we completed the CIAC state playoff field. There were upsets galore in the final Class S standings; a stunning revival for Fairfield Prep, which toppled West Haven to become the first losing team to qualify; Jett Hall's legendary Valley performances as Naugatuck toppled Ansonia in a battle of unbeatens. But the best game of Thanksgiving belonged to the Apple Valley Classic, where — at long last — Notre Dame recruit Matt Jeffery, injured for the better part of the last seven weeks, made his triumphant return to the gridiron and led Cheshire past rival Southington in a ride-or-die scenario in a game it hadn't won since 2011. SPB takes you through that thriller at Fontana Field and all the rest as we put a bow on the 2023 regular season.  And now we're onto the playoffs. First 45 is your annual Thanksgiving recap with highlights of impactful games from last week. The second 45 is the pick'ems, where Pete and Sean predict all 24 quarterfinal games, not to mention take a few stabs at predicting the state champions. You won't want to miss a minute. So join us, won't you? RUNDOWN  0:00 — Opening Montage: Matt Jeffery, the return 1:55 — Introduction: CIAC playoff (and website) probs 10:15 —Thanksgiving week wrap: Tuesday night 11:59 — Thanksgiving week wrap: Wednesday night (Masuk, Hand, Fairfield Prep) 20:47 —Thanksgiving Day wrap: Smith, Staples knock off No. 1 Greenwich 27:56 — Thanksgiving Day wrap: Jeffery goes off as Cheshire topples Southington 39:29 — Jett Hall. Naugatuck run past Ansonia, to 10-0 record 43:55 — Wrapping up Thanksgiving. 45:12 — Flip over your record, it's the pick section. 49:20 — CLASS S bracket and picks 55:06 — CLASS SS bracket and picks 1:04:08 — CLASS M bracket and picks 1:15:01 — CLASS MM bracket and picks 1:20:58 — CLASS L bracket and picks 1:28:15 — Class LL bracket and picks #cthsfb #highschoolfootball #connecticut #football #notredamefightingirish #ctfootball Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to another thrilling episode of The Meat Grinder, your weekly dose of High School Football in Connecticut and because we live in Connecticut, and we're fast approaching the last Thursday in November, everybody should know what that means. Yes, turkeys, it's Thanksgiving Football Week in Connecticut, the final regular season game of the year. It's a time to come home home, get the fam or the gang together and head out to your favorite high school football game, whatever it might be called — The Route 83 Bowl, the Turkey Bowl, the Green Bowl, the Elm City Bowl, The Battle for the Bell or the Battle for the Sword... whatever. There's always something to whet your appetite Thanksgiving morning.  And of course Thanksgiving week means copious amount of playoff math, which begets playoff scenarios. Many, many playoff scenarios. Because time is precious and short, Thanksgiving Week also means our annual hybrid episode, combining the Meat Grinder with the weekly Pick'ems Podcast! So if you're not one of the lucky contestants to be playing this week, pull up a chair, kick back and relax. We've got everything you need to know, and then some.  We start off with the usual, a breakdown of the latest GameTimeCT 10 poll, followed by a complete run down of all the teams vying for playoff spots. There are only 16 of 48 spots remaining and we'll tell you who needs what to keep playing next week.  We also recap some of last week's big games with playoff implications, including Hand-Sheehan and South Windsor-Enfield. SPB also recaps two of last week's WILD NEPSAC Bowl games — Cheshire Academy's late rally past Avon Old Farms and Hamden Hall's thrilling conclusion to its Bowl game vs. Dexter Southfield-Mass. And, finally, treat yourself to a full hour of Thanksgiving high school football picks. We're picking 20 games, including some of the week's biggest.  So, Happy Thanksgiving to all. We do hope you will join us. RUNDOWN 0:00 — Introduction 1:25 — It's Thanksgiving Football Week 2023! 7:13 — Wilton gets defensive with Shelton 8:25 — The Latest GameTimeCT Top 10 Poll (Windsor rips Bloomfield) 11:40 — Class S playoff situation 13:02 — Class SS playoff situation 14:23 — Hand tops Sheehan to qualify in Class M 17:13 — Class M playoff situation 18:00 — Class MM playoff situation 19:59 — Class L playoff situation: South Windsor knocks off Enfield to qualify 23:57 — Class LL playoff situation (Fairfield Prep getting closer) 25:59 — NEPSAC Bowls: Late TD propels Cheshire Academy over Avon Old Farms. 32:12 — NEPSAC Bowls: Hamden Hall holds off Dexter Southfield on final play 37:40 — THE PICKEM PODCAST 39:56 — Masuk at Newtown 43:27 — Prep at West Haven 45:58 — NWU at ATI 48:07 — Staples at Greenwich 51:00 — Guilford at Hand 55:16 — North Branford at Coginchaug 57:06 — Fitch at Ledyard 58:36 — NFA at New London 1:00:41 — Darien at New Canaan 1:04:24 — Naugatuck at Ansonia 1:09:04 — Green Bowl: NDWH at Hamden 1:12:27 — Stratford at Bunnell 1:14:41 — Central at Harding 1:16:21 — Cheshire at Southington 1:21:50 — Hartford Public at Weaver 1:23:18 — Battle for the Bell: Bristol Eastern v. Bristol Central 1:25:34 — Stoddard Bowl: Platt vs. Maloney 1:28:01 — Rumble in Trumbull: St. Joseph at Trumbull 1:30:15 — Elm City Bowl: Hillhouse at Cross 1:32:40 — Carini Bowl: Sheehan at Lyman Hall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve reached the penultimate week of the 2023 regular season, the week where we set the Thanksgiving table and learn, definitively, who is in and who needs what to qualify for the CIAC playoffs.  And, yes, your crack staff at GameTimeCT hunkered down with our slide rules and abacuses this weekend so that we may give you our best estimates on the latest scenarios heading into the final week and a half.  We also run down the latest top 10 poll and recap some of last week’s big games, beginning with No. 9 Ansonia’s 35-0 takedown of Oxford in an unbeaten NVL battle at Jarvis Stadium last week in, perhaps, a harbinger of playoff matchups to come.  We also recap the return of North Haven coach Tony Sagnella from his weekend suspension and sift through the ongoing soap opera in Monroe, where Masuk’s seniors have risen about the controversy surrounding their coaching staff, to deliver an emphatic, playoff-qualifying victory over New Milford.  Don’t miss our weekly shoutouts and a look at the upcoming NEPSAC Bowl championship games.  So join us, won’t you? RUNDOWN 0:00 — Introduction 3:34 — Ansonia knocks off unbeaten Oxford, heads into Thanksgiving 9-0 9:42 — Week 11 GameTimeCT Top 10 Football Poll (Nos. 10-7) 11:38 — Sagnella returns from suspension for No. 6 North Haven 12:49 — Week 11 GameTimeCT Top 10 Football Poll (Nos. 5-1) 14:53 — 2023 Playoff Scenarios: Explaining CIAC's playoff formula and website issues 19:45 — Class S Playoff Scenarios (North Branford's huge win)  22:38 — Class SS Playoff Scenarios  25:16 — Class M Playoff Scenarios 26:35 — Class MM Playoff Scenarios (Cheshire in trouble) 32:22 — Class L Playoff Scenarios 34:22 — Class LL Playoff Scenarios (Can Fairfield Prep pull this off??) 43:20 — Seniors rise above the mess at Masuk 54:42 — SHOUTOUTS 1:03:43 — Suffield Academy upsets Cheshire Academy, NEPSAC Bowl matchups announced Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices