The following SCC teams have bye weeks for the 2010-2011 season. These teams have the option of scheduling non-conference opponents for the next two seasons.

Week 1 Lyman Hall
Week 2 Fairfield Prep
Week 3 Law
Week 4 Wilbur Cross
Week 5 Foran
Week 6 East Haven
Week 7 North Haven
Week 8 Sheehan
Week 9 Branford


Athletic directors in the Southern Connecticut Conference recently approved several changes to the league’s football scheduling format, SCC commissioner Al Carbone confirmed Thursday.

The actual schedule has not yet been approved, but the new format will used for both the 2010 and 2011 season. The current four-division set-up will remain the same.

However, teams can now play crossover games against opponents in the three other divisions, instead of crossing over to just two divisions, as was the case in 2009.

There are nine teams who currently have an open week. Those teams have the option of scheduling non-conference opponents as part of the new two-year cycle.

Also, a team can request a division change as long as they follow proper league policy. The request will then be reviewed and voted upon by the ADs.

Carbone also confirmed that Hyde declined an invitation to join the league next season. Carbone said that since Derby defected the SCC for the Naugatuck Valley League last winter, the SCC offered invitations to Masuk, North Branford and St. Joseph. All three declined.

Class L champion Notre Dame-West Haven finishes as the No. 1 team in the final Register Top 10 Poll. Class LL champ Cheshire was second.

The Top 5

1. Notre Dame (11-1) (19 first-place votes)
2. Cheshire (11-1) (3)
3. Staples (12-1)
4. New Canaan (11-1) (1)
5. Pomperaug (12-1)

See the complete Top 10 Poll in Tuesday's Register, along with final standings and the football notebook.

Cheshire 28, Staples 21
(at West Haven)
Cheshire 0 21 0 0 7 — 28
Staples 7 0 0 14 0 — 21

First quarter
S—Matt Kelly 3 run (Santiago Cuartas kick)
Second quarter
C—Brian Havlicek 8 pass from Greg Palmer (Kyle Pulek kick)
C—Greg Palmer 10 run (Pulek kick)
C—Greg Palmer 6 run (Pulek kick)
Fourth quarter
S—Brendan Rankowitz 16 pass from Keith Gelman (Cuartas kick)
S—Keith Gelman 1 run (Cuartas kick)
Overtime
C—Mike Skibicki 2 run (Pulek kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing—CH: Greg Palmer, 22-66; Dan Sweeney, 11-31; Mike Skibicki, 1-2; Sebastian Little, 1--1; STAP: Matt Kelly, 20-43; Keith Gelman, 13-3; Ryan Burke, 4-6;
Receiving—CH: Brian Havlicek, 1-8; Dan Sweeney, 2-12; Ryan Connolly, 1-7; Brian DeBisschop, 1-13; Max Slade, 1-2; Sebastian Little, 3-39; STAP: Brendan Rankowitz, 8-118; Pat Murray, 5-50; Matt Kelly, 3-76;
Passing—CH: Greg Palmer, 9-14-81-1; STAP: Keith Gelman, 16-20-244-1;
Team records: Staples 12-1; Cheshire 11-1

Max DeLorenzo scored four touchdowns and accounted for over 380 yards of offense to lead the Berlin football team to a 46-6 victory over Bethel in the Class M championship game Sunday at Municipal Stadium in Waterbury. It was the first state title for the Redcoats in six state final appearances.

Berlin (10-2) dominated from the start, taking the opening kickoff 60 yards in 14 plays despite three minor penalties. DeLorenzo capped the drive with a two-yard run. On the Redcoats’ second drive, DeLorenzo carried on eight of the nine plays and scored from the 3.

Bethel converted its initial first down early in the second quarter but fumbled. When Berlin’s ensuing drive stalled, Devin Silverman booted a 36-yard field goal. DeLorenzo scored his third touchdown of the first half on a 35-yard pass from Dan Hackett to give Berlin a 25-0 halftime lead.

Bethel (9-3) scored its lone touchdown in the third quarter when quarterback Bill Ramirez hit Javier Reyes for a 71-yard catch and run.

Senior defensive lineman Luke Scinto stripped Staples running back Matt Kelly and then recovered the fumble on a second down in overtime to lift the Cheshire football team to a dramatic 28-21 victory to claim the Class LL state championship before 4,182 at Strong Stadium in West Haven Sunday.

The third-seeded Rams (11-1) won their seventh championship, but first since 1997. It marked the first time that a championship game went to overtime since 1990 when both Newtown and Sacred Heart captured titles. It also marked the first time that an overtime state title game involved a member of the Southern Connecticut Conference.

Senior quarterback Greg Palmer scored on touchdown runs of 10 and 6 yards as Cheshire built a 21-7 halftime lead.

Senior Brendan Rankowitz caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from senior Keith Gelman, and Gelman scored on a 1-yard run, in the fourth quarter as the top-seeded, and top-ranked, Wreckers tied the game at 21 to force overtime.

Junior Mike Skibicki scored on a 2-yard touchdown run on the only carry of the game in overtime for the Rams.