Howdy,

The late Jean-Paul Sartre wrote that, "hell is other people."

WRONG. Hell is computing CIAC playoff points.

Everyone here at Polecat HQ is bloody tired of these aggravating points. It's done rotted our brain. We'd rejoice that we're done with them for the season if it weren't for the fact that they've worn us down to the point where we're too tired to boogie (or mosh).

Today is going to be WACKY, so you're going to have to be vigilant if you want to keep up with things.

Here are the FOUR best ways to stay clued in:

1. Follow the local action here at theday.com.

2. Track of the playoff points using Matt Fischer's ROBO-ABACUS. It updates everything in real time. You'll ask Santa to bring you one for Christmas.

2. Get thee to Twitter at #cthsfb. All sorts of dingbats (like us) will be providing game updates.

3. Tune into WELI-960 AM and listen to George DeMaio. He is the comptroller of scores. If you don't live in the New Haven area and can't get the signal, then listen online.

Few quick notes from Wednesday night:

1. Newtown, ranked 10th in The Day of New London Top 10 state coaches poll, beat No. 5 Masuk of Monroe, 21-14 and won the South-West Conference title. It was a gutty win by the Nighthawks as quarterback Dan Hebert suffered a season-ending injury two weeks ago.

Newtown will likely earn a home quarterfinal. Its win also hurt NFA's odds of getting one.

2. St. Joseph of Trumbull thrashed Trumbull, 55-20, to be the third qualifier in Class M. They are among the top threats in that division.

3. North Branford rallied to beat Hyde of New Haven, 32-28, to win the Pequot Sassacus Division.

4. Tanner Kingsley from Woodland of Beacon Falls completed 31 of 41 passes for a state-record 615 yards with eight touchdowns as he strafed Seymour, 62-26.

Kingsley bested the record set by New Canaan's Kurt Horton (599 yards) in 1970. His eight touchdowns were the second-most in state history, too.

It's rather amazing that it took 42 years for Horton's record to fall given the recent ascension of the (retch) passing game and spread offense at the high school level.

For the final time this season, we give YOU the playoff breakdowns, mental breakdowns, and half-baked predictions.

Please heed the words of David Letterman, "Remember, this is not a competition, it is only an exhibition — please, no wagering."

And it goes a little something like this….

CLASS LL

Qualified: Glastonbury, Greenwich, Newtown, Norwich Free Academy, Southington, Staples of Westport, and Xavier of Middletown.

Teams still alive: Three.

1. Southington (9-0)

Remaining game: Today v. Cheshire (6-3).

Outlook: Gets a home quarterfinal with a win, or losses by both Norwich Free Academy and Xavier.

2. Staples (8-0)

Remaining games: Today at Greenwich (8-0).

Outlook: A win gets it a home quarterfinal and the FCIAC title. Could earn the top seed, too.

3. Newtown (10-0)

Outlook: YOUR SWC champions are in great shape to earn a home quarterfinal.

4. Greenwich (8-0)

Remaining games: Today v. Staples (8-0).

Outlook: See Staples.

5. Xavier (8-1)

Remaining game: Today vs. Middletown (8-1).

Outlook: A win gets it some home (quarterfinal) cooking.

6. Norwich Free Academy (9-0)

Remaining games: Today at New London (7-2).

Outlook: Newtown's win really screwed up the Wildcats' shot at a home game. They need to beat the Whalers and hope that either Southington or Xavier lose in order to earn a home quarterfinal.

7. Glastonbury (9-1)

Outlook: Its regular season is over, and it patiently awaits an opponent.

8. West Haven (7-2)

Remaining game: Today v. Fairfield Prep (6-3).

Outlook: Lock. In with a win.

9. Ridgefield (8-2)

Outlook: Unknown. It needs Prep to beat the Westies. The final berth then comes down to playoff points. Ridgefield has a 1,010-point minimum, the Jesuits is 980. The Tigers have three bonus games, Prep had four. Advantage — Ridgefield.

11. Fairfield Prep (6-3)

Remaining game: Today at West Haven (7-2).

Outlook: Poor. Must beat the Westies and collect enough bonuses to beat out Ridgefield. Not good.

The ALL-NEW Eight: 1. Staples v. No. 8 West Haven; No. 2 Southington v. No. 7 Glastonbury, Part II; No. 3 Xavier v. No. 6 Greenwich; No. 4 Newtown vs. No. 5 NFA.

CLASS L

Qualified: Avon, Fitch, Hand of Madison, Masuk of Monroe, Middletown, New Canaan and Windsor.

Teams still alive: Four.

1. Hand (10-0)

Outlook: Clinched the top seed.

2. Windsor (9-0)

Outlook: Clinched the second seed.

3. Avon (10-0)

Outlook: Clinched the third seed.

4. Middletown (8-1)

Remaining game: Today at Xavier (8-1).

Outlook: A win gets it a home quarterfinal.

5. Masuk (9-1)

Outlook: It gets a home quarterfinal if Middletown, New Canaan and Fitch all lose. If Fitch won, then the Panthers are in good position to beat the latter on points.

6. New Canaan (8-1)

Remaining games: Today at Darien (6-3).

Outlook: It gets a home quarterfinal with a win and a Middletown loss.

7. Fitch (8-1)

Remaining games: Today vs. Ledyard (6-3).

Outlook: The only way it gets a home quarterfinal is if Middletown and New Canaan lose, and it earns as many bonuses as it can. The fourth seed would then come down to Fitch and Masuk. The Panthers would have 1,280 points if Brookfield loses to Bethel today, 1,290 if Brookfield wins. A win gets the Falcons to 1,250 points. They have five bonus games — New London over NFA; East Lyme over Waterford; Griswold over Plainfield; Bacon Academy over RHAM of Hebron, and Stonington over Westerly. DOUBLE WING.

8. Platt (7-2)

Remaining game: Today at Maloney (3-6).

Outlook: Lock. Win and it's in.

9. Farmington (7-2)

Remaining game: Today vs. Plainville (3-6).

Outlook: Not good. It must win, and Darien and Platt must lose. Should Darien win, then Farmington needs one of three bonuses games to snare the berth — Maloney over Platt, RHAM over Bacon, or E.O. Smith over Tolland.

10. Darien (6-3)

Remaining game: Today v. New Canaan (8-1).

Outlook: Poor. It needs to win, for Platt to lose, and for Farmington to lose and/or collect more bonuses than the latter.

11. North Haven (6-3)

Remaining game: Today v. Amity (4-5).

Outlook: Awful. It needs to win, and for Farmington, Platt and Darien to lose. Everyone here at Polecat HQ salutes the Indians and their usage of GOD'S FATHER'S OFFENSE.

The ALL-NEW Eight: 1. Hand v. No. 8 Platt; No. 2 Windsor v. No. 7 Middletown, Part II; No. 3 Avon v. No. 6 Fitch; No. 4 New Canaan v. No. 5 Masuk.

CLASS M

Qualified: Berlin, St. Joseph of Trumbull, and Wolcott.

Teams still alive: NINE.

1. Wolcott (8-1)

Remaining game: Today at Holy Cross (6-3).

Outlook: A win earns it the top seed.

2. Berlin (9-1)

Outlook: It will be no worse than the second seed.

3. Ellington/Somers (8-1)

Remaining game: Today v. Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton (6-2).

Outlook: Very good. Win and it's in. It would also get a home game. It could also qualify with a loss, but it'll be close.

4. Barlow (8-1)

Remaining games: Today vs. Weston (7-2)

Outlook: Unknown now that quarterback Jack Shaban suffered a season-ending injury. Win and it's in. It's out of bonuses, so if it wins, it finishes with 1,240 points. If it loses, it'll have 1,070 points. Remember that for later.

5. St. Joseph (8-2)

Outlook: Be afraid, Class M. Be very afraid.

6. Hillhouse (7-2)

Remaining game: Today at Wilbur Cross (2-7).

Outlook: Lock. Win and it's in.

7. New London (7-2)

Remaining game: Today v. NFA (9-0).

Outlook: Not good. A win and it's in, but NFA has played better this season.

8. Bullard-Havens (8-2)

Outlook: Very good. It would likely out-point Montville. The one thing that could screw it up is if Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton won. Then it comes down to bonuses.

9. Montville (8-2)

Outlook: Fair. Its needs three teams to lose — New London, Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton, and Barlow or Weston. Barlow, of course, plays host to Weston. If Barlow won, then Montville would need two of its five bonuses — Killingly (over Putnam/Tourtellotte/Ellis Tech), Watertown (over Torrington), Bacon (over RHAM), Stonington (over Westerly), and/or Windham (over Woodstock).

10. Weston (7-2)

Remaining games: Today at Barlow (8-1).

Outlook: Much better with Shaban out for Barlow. Win and it's almost in.

11. Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton (7-2)

Remaining games: Today at Ellington/Somers (8-1).

Outlook: Unknown. Win and it's in.

12. Ledyard (6-3)

Remaining game: Today at Fitch (8-1).

Outlook: Poor. It needs to win and have losses by Hillhouse, New London, Weston and Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton.

The Eight: No. 1 Wolcott at No. 8 Montville; No. 2 Berlin v. No. 7 Bullard-Havens; No. 3 Ellington/Somers v. No. 6 St. Joseph; No. 4 Barlow v. No. 5 Hillhouse.

CLASS S

Qualified: Ansonia, Hartford Capital/Classical/Achievement, Hyde of New Haven, and North Branford.

Teams alive: Seven.

1. Ansonia (9-0)

Remaining game: Today v. Naugatuck (6-3).

Outlook: It already clinched a home quarterfinal. A win earns it the top seed.

2. Hartford Capital/Classical/Achievement (10-0)

Outlook: It will be no worse than the second seed.

3. North Branford (10-0)

Outlook: It will be no worse than the third seed.

4. Rocky Hill (8-1)

Remaining game: Today v. Northwest Catholic (7-2).

Outlook: Very good. A loss doesn't doom it, either.

5. Hyde (9-1)

Outlook: It would get a home game if Rocky Hill loses.

6. Woodland (7-2)

Outlook: Very good. Wins by both Northwest or Trinity would make it difficult, though.

7. Prince Tech (8-2)

Outlook: Lock. It's in good shape because it's so far ahead of Oxford and Stonington. Now if Northwest won, and both Rocky Hill and Woodland collected a lot of bonuses. …. DOH.

8. Trinity Catholic (7-2)

Remaining games: Today at Wilton (4-5).

Outlook: Lock. Win and it's in.

9. Oxford (8-2)

Outlook: Not good. It needs losses by Trinity Catholic, Northwest, and Stonington.

10. Northwest Catholic (7-2)

Remaining game: Today at Rocky Hill (8-1).

Outlook: Unknown. Win and it's in.

12. Stonington (7-2)

Remaining game: Today at Westerly (5-4).

Outlook: Not good. The Bears need a win, and losses by both Northwest and Trinity.

The eight: No. 1 Ansonia v. No. 8 Prince Tech, No. 2 Hartford Capital/Classical/Achievement v. No. 7 Woodland; No. 3 North Branford v. No. 6 Trinity Catholic; No. 4 Rocky Hill v. No. 5 Hyde.

Vaya con dios….