Middletown – Harold Cooper scored three touchdowns while Je'Vaughn Moore threw for two TDs and ran for a third as fourth-seeded Hillhouse advanced to the Class M state football championship game with a 48-26 semifinal victory over No. 8 Montville on Sunday night at Middletown High School.

The Academics will play No. 2 Berlin, a 21-7 winner over No. 6 Weston, either Friday or Saturday at Rentschler Field in East Hartford. Montville, which upset top-seeded Wolcott in the quarterfinals, finishes 9-3.

Cooper scored on runs of 67 and 14 yards and caught a 29-yard touchdown pass from Moore in the fourth quarter. Moore also threw a 28-yard TD pass to Darryn Horner and had a 31-yard TD run in the first quarter that gave Hillhouse (10-2) the lead for good 7-6.

Horner also returned an interception 52 yards for a score.

Montville junior Jermemiah Crowley had a huge game for the Indians, rushing for 246 yards on 29 carries and three touchdowns, including an 82-yarder in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Nick Clemons added a fourth TD for Montville, which scored on its opening drive to take a 6-0 lead but could not match Hillhouse's speed.