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| All-Brass Division players Armani Weaver of WCA (left) and Izzy Plant of Holy Cross (right) helped their teams get to the state tournament. |
The CIAC girls basketball state tournament brackets have been released, and the first game will be played by Waterbury Career Academy.
Thirty-three teams qualified in Class M, and since the Spartans (8-12 regular season) are the No. 32 seed, they have to play in a qualifying round matchup against No. 33 Kaynor Tech (8-12). WCA will host the game this Friday at 6 p.m., with the winner getting top-seeded Suffield (18-2) of the North Central Connecticut Conference. That game would be on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Suffield.
Class L and Class S begin first round play on Monday, followed by Class LL and Class L on Tuesday.
Holy Cross (19-1) has the best seed of any area team, and you don’t get better than No. 1. Because the CIAC wants to fill each bracket with 32 teams, four 5-15 teams qualified in Class L, and one of those is No. 32 Crosby. The Crusaders will host those Bulldogs at 7 p.m. in The Pit. Holy Cross won both regular season games easily over Crosby.
Kennedy (15-5) is the No. 6 seed in Class L and will play No. 27 Nonnewaug (7-13) of the Berkshire League at 7 p.m. inside Jack Taglia Gymnasium.
In Class S, Sacred Heart (13-7) is No. 16, the last seed to be able to host a home game in a 32-team bracket. The Hearts will entertain No. 17 Putnam (13-7) of the Constitution State Conference at 7 p.m. inside Alumni Hall.
When Class LL begins Tuesday, Bristol Eastern (15-5) will be in the friendly confines of the Thomas M. Monahan Gymnasium. The No. 15 seed will host No. 18 Lyman Hall (13-7) of the Southern Connecticut Conference at 7 p.m.
Several locals occupy seeds in Class M, including the previously mentioned WCA. St. Paul (17-3) has the best seed at No. 7, and it will take on No. 26 Griswold (11-9) of the Eastern Connecticut Conference at 7 p.m. in the gym on Maltby Street.
No. 15 Kaynor Tech (14-6) also gets to host a first round game and will square off with No. 18 Rocky Hill (13-7) of the Central Connecticut Conference at 7 p.m.
Wolcott (11-9) is the No. 24 seed and the only local to be taking a real road trip for its first game. The Eagles will head out to No. 9 Waterford (16-4) of the Eastern Connecticut Conference for a 7 p.m. game.
