Check out the Register's state title tracker Friday and Saturday with reporters tweeting and blogging on title events in boys' and girls' basketball, hockey and boys' swimming here.

After a sub-par regular season, Kolbe Cathedral has rolled through a Class M field thus far and is making its seventh title-game appearance this decade.

“It feels good,” said senior Imani Garcia, who will be playing in her third state final. “We’ve worked hard. Our regular season didn’t go as planned, but we pulled it together and we’re playing for a championship.”

Hillhouse is no stranger to the routine.

First there’s the CIAC girls’ basketball state championship luncheon, which was held Wednesday at the Mohegan Sun Convention Center. Then there’s the few days of eagerness and anticipation that follows. Finally, the time comes to play for a state title at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

The ninth-seeded Academics were crowned queen of Class L last season and will defend their state title Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at the Mohegan Sun Arena against No. 3 Wethersfield.

“It helps a lot,” said Hillhouse point guard Andreana Thomas of last year’s experience. “We know what to expect. We know the bright lights will be shining when we’re playing this year.”

The run to the sun has been different this season for Hillhouse. Academics coach Catrina Hawley-Stewart said last year’s squad was motivated by the senior factor: A handful of seniors focused on finishing with a ring. This year, a loss to Branford in the Southern Connecticut Conference championship has sparked the Academics tournament run. Hillhouse enters, coming off a quarterfinal win over previously undefeated and top-seeded Northwest Catholic and a semifinal win over last year’s Class M champion Berlin.

Is there pressure that comes along with the title defense?

“It’s back-to-back,” Thomas said. “It’s Hillhouse. You have to win it.”

Standing beside Thomas, Hawley-Stewart added: “Pressure isn’t always that bad. We take pressure as expectations that we could and should do it.”

This is the second straight season - and fourth overall - that the Southern Connecticut Conference has two teams playing in the state finals.
In 2002-03, Guilford won the Class L title and Career won the Class M championship.

Hillhouse is making its second straight Class L championship game
appearance. It's the second time that the Academic have reached back-to-back
state final. They also reached the Class L final in 2004 and 2005, winning the championship both years.

Mercy is making its third Class LL championship appearance. The Tigers
won the 1996 title (67-54 over Bristol Central) and lost in the 2006 final
(67-53 to New Britain).

Since the league was formed in 1994-95, SCC teams have won 11 state
titles. Hillhouse has the most with five (2009, 2005, 2004, 2000 and
1998).

For the eight girls’ basketball teams still standing, it’s been an exciting and enjoyable run to this weekend’s state championships at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

And it’s also been a long one...

For the entire story, click here.

Hillhouse is headed back to the Mohegan Sun Arena to defend its Class L title.

The No. 9 Academics beat No. 4 Berlin 54-47 at Plainville tonight.

Hillhouse trailed 22-10 early in the first quarter, but the Redcoats cooled off and the Academics took advantage.

Bria Holmes, who was held scoreless in the first half, finished with a game-high 18 points for Hillhouse. Andreana Thomas added 16 points and Courtney Brown chipped in with 10. Katelyn Zarotney led Berlin with 15 points. Zarotney and Kaitlyn Bovee combined for Berlin’s first 14 points.

Hillhouse will face No. 3 Wethersfield in the Class L championship. After falling in the Class L semifinals last season, Wethersfield knocked off No. 2 E.O. Smith 66-56 to earn a spot in the title game.

No. 3 St. Paul will face No. 9 Portland in the Class S championship.

Portland beat No. 5 Coginchaug 35-28, its third win over the Blue Devils this season. St. Paul beat No. 2 Bolton 44-30.

Click here for updated state tournament brackets.

Tonight, No. 9 Hillhouse will face No. 4 Berlin in a Class L semifinal game at Plainville.

The Redcoats already played two games this season at Plainville and are significantly closer to the school than the Academics.

Does Berlin hold an advantage?

"A court is a court," Hillhouse coach Catrina Hawley Stewart said. "The only advantage is they may have a bigger crowd. But we won our last two games in blue (referring to Hillhouse's road uniforms)."

Hillhouse, the defending Class L champions, knocked off previously unbeaten and top-seeded Northwest Catholic 41-39 in the quarterfinals. The Indians handed Berlin a 38-28 loss earlier in the year.

Amber Bepko hit a 3-pointer with 1:22 left in a second overtime, which lifted No. 9 Mercy to a 55-54 with No. 4 Career.

Bepko struggled early, but finished with 18 points. Danielle Machold led the Tigers with 19 points, 15 coming in the first half.

Bria Moore, whose 3-point attempt was off the mark as time expired, finished with 15 points for Career. J'Voni Hilton also had 15 points for the Panthers.

Mercy will play in its third state title game this weekend (either Friday or Saturday) against No. 3 Norwich Free Academy at Mohegan Sun Arena.

It's been a pretty impressive - and surprising - run for the Tigers. Mercy has knocked off top-seeded Lauralton Hall and the Panthers after losing two of the state's best players in Rachel Roberts and Bianca Simmons to graduation last year.

As for Career, the Panthers saw their string of three straight title game appearances come to an end. Career will likely be in the hunt again next season, as the Panthers will only lose Hilton to graduation.

For updated state tournament brackets, click here.

Sites and times are set for the Class L and Class S semifinals.

Class L
No. 9 Hillhouse vs. No. 4 Berlin at Plainville, 6 p.m.
No. 3 Wethersfield vs. No. 2 E.O. Smith at Plainville, 7:45 p.m.

Class S
No. 3 St. Paul vs. No. 2 Bolton at Glastonbury, 6 p.m.
No. 9 Portland vs. No. 5 Coginchaug, 7:45 p.m.

Class L Quarterfinals

No. 9 Hillhouse knocked off top-seeded and previously unbeated Northwest Catholic 41-39. Read the game story here.

No. 11 Branford's 11-game winning streak came to an end. The Hornets fell 44-37 to Wethersfield. Read the game story here.

Class S Quarterfinals

Once again, No. 5 Coginchaug rallied from a second-half deficit to keep its season alive, knocking off No. 4 Capital Prep 45-44. Audrey Biesak finished with 13 points, while Lauren Esposito and Samantha Mancinelli each added 12 points for the Blue Devils. Tafanie Roye finished with 18 points for Capital Prep.

For a look at updated state tournament brackets, click here.

After missing more than a month with a broken foot, Berlin senior sharpshooter Alexys Vazquez returned to action in the Redcoats 79-51 disposal over Fermi in the second round of the Class L tournament last Thursday.


Vazquez didn’t seem to have much rust in her first game back, netting five 3-pointers for 15 points.

Her return comes just in time. The Redcoats, seeded No. 4, will face a tough No. 5 Pommperaug team tonight in the quarterfinals.

A balanced attack continues to lead Career. The No. 4 Panthers advanced to the Class LL semifinals 62-42 win over No. 5 Holy Cross. 

Nicole Bentley and J'Voni Hilton each had 12 points. Jasmine Claxton added 11 points, while Nicole Anderson and Bria Moore each chipped in with nine points.  

The Panthers outscored the Crusaders 19-6 to open the game.

In other Class LL action, No. 9 Mercy beat No. 1 Lauralton Hall 48-39, knocking out the first top seed this year.

Sadie Edwards and Amber Bepko combined for 41 points for Mercy.

Keylantra Langley poured in 23 points for Lauralton Hall, but didn't get much help. Nicola Matero added six points.

For the rest of Wednesday's results, check out the Register's updated brackets here.

No. 9 Mercy will look to knock off top-seeded Lauralton Hall tonight at 7:45 p.m. at Berlin.

Mercy coach Tim Kohs’ thoughts on the Keylantra Langley and the Crusaders: “She’s explosive. She’s a great player. She can score in so many ways. She’s a big guard and we don’t have big guards.”

Kohs said it’s a winnable game — if the Tigers can contain Langley, rebound the ball and control Lauralton Hall’s size advantage inside.

No. 9 Morgan will face top-seeded Brookfield in the Class M quarterfinals tonight at 6 p.m. at Middletown.

Huskies coach Joe Grippo’s thoughts on Brookfield: “They’re tough. I heard great things about her (Bobcats high-scoring guard Brittany Martelle). We’ll force others to handle the ball.”

Grippo on Morgan’s run so far: Some people criticize our league (Shoreline Conference), but it’s good basketball. Look at the SCC. All the teams are gone (in Class M). Playing in our league prepared us well for the tournament.”

For the rest of the quarterfinal matchups, check out the Register's brackets here.

The CIAC High School Girls’ Basketball Championship Luncheon at the Mohegan Sun Convention Center will take place March 17 at 11:30 a.m., girls' basketball state tournament director Dave Maloney said today.
WTNH Channel 8's John Pierson will MC the event and the Connecticut Sun's Kara Lawson will be the guest speaker.

Here's the Register's All-Name team for this year's state tournament.

Starting five

Kendra Frisbie, Branford

Suvi Puripattarapan, Staples

Mercedes Jackson, Wilbur Cross

Emily Favorite, Ridgefield

Uniqua Tucker, Danbury

Off the bench...

Kathryn Tickell, Branford

Elizabeth Abercrombie, Ridgefield

Rachel Franzluebbers, East Cathooilc

Coach

Cazzie Iverson, Wilby

Seeded No. 21 in Class M, Plainfield is looking to become the lowest seed in over 10 years to reach the state tournament semifinals.

Looking back at the last 10 years, Old Saybrook (2001-02), St. Paul (2005-06), Guilford (2005-06) and Cromwell (2007-08) all reached the semifinals as No. 20 seeds.

Seeded No. 22 in the 2007-08 Class L tournament, Hand reached the quarterfinals, but lost 51-45 to No. 14 Wilbur Cross.