The CIAC state playoffs began Tuesday with quarterfinal round action:

Hillhouse tops St. Joseph to advance to Class M semifinals

EAST HAVEN — A football game might be won on the field, but often its fate is decided during practice.

Hillhouse was certainly well aware of St. Joseph’s potent passing attack, featuring quarterback Jordan Vazzano and a slew of talented receivers.

Leading up to Tuesday’s Class M state quarterfinal contest, the Academics concentrated on containing those weapons.

Practice does indeed make perfect.

The physical Hillhouse defense forced four turnovers and kept the Cadets’ offense out of sync throughout as the fourth-seeded Academics advanced with a 34-14 victory on a snowy Crisafi Field.

PHOTOS: Check out the scenes from snowy Crisafi Field in Hillhouse's Class M quarterfinal win.

Hillhouse (9-2) will face either No. 1 Wolcott or No. 8 Montville in Sunday’s semifinals.

Senior Darryn Horner made two interceptions, including one he returned 97 yards for a touchdown, for the Academics.

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Hyde slides into Class S semifinals after blocking Rocky Hill PAT

ROCKY HILL — Chris Young crossed the goal line on a 3-yard touchdown run and all the momentum seemed to be in Rocky Hill’s favor.

Now the Terriers just needed an extra point. That would tie it up at 15 and send the game to overtime.

Instead, with just 17 seconds left, Hyde seniors Ezekiel Nixon and William Burroughs got a hand on Greg Marzilli’s extra-point attempt. The kick fell short and the No. 5 Howling Wolves escaped with a 15-14 victory over No. 4 Rocky Hill Tuesday in the Class S quarterfinals.

“We know every point counts and that’s a prime example,” Hyde coach Melvin Wells said. “In the end we made a great play and we’re moving on.”

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Staples rolls past West Haven in Class LL quarterfinals 

WESTPORT — As the seconds ticked away right before the end of the first half, Staples’ Jared Levi delivered a bone-jarring shot to West Haven’s Eddy Williams that sent the back flat down on the cold, snow-flurried turf.

The play was indicative of the first two quarters and the rest of the game, as the Wreckers carried a dominant 35-0 lead into the half and rolled to a 42-20 victory over West Haven in a Class LL state quarterfinal football game at Staples High.

“It’s very difficult to emulate their speed with our scout team,” West Haven coach Ed McCarthy said. “And our tackling was shoddy at best in the first quarter.”

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Darryn Horner made two interceptions, including one he returned 97 yards for a touchdown, to lead fourth-seeded Hillhouse to a 34-14 victory over No. 5 St. Joseph in a Class M quarterfinal contest held Tuesday at East Haven High.

Horner's interception return gave the Academics (9-2) a 28-6 lead just before halftime. Horner also intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter that sealed the victory.

Hillhouse will face either No. 1 Wolcott or No. 8 Montville in Sunday's semifinals. That game was postponed and will be held on Wednesday.

Andre Anderson rushed 15 times for 141 yards and two touchdowns for the Academics. Facinete Haderia and Je'Vaughn Moore also had rushing touchdowns in the win. Moore also picked off a pass.

Jason Pelletier scored on a 92-yard kickoff return, and Jordan Vazzano rushed for a 13-yard touchdown for the Cadets (8-3).

NEW HAVEN — DeAngelo Berry scored on a 1-yard run, and then ran in the successful two-point conversion with 51 seconds remaining, as visiting Xavier, ranked fourth in the Register Poll, rallied for a 50-49 Southern Connecticut Conference interdivision victory Friday afternoon at Bowen Field.

The Falcons (6-1) scored 29 unanswered points in fourth quarter to erase a 28-point deficit. Xavier also trailed by 21 points on three separate occasions in the contest.

Senior quarterback Tim Boyle connected with junior Joe Carbone on a 41-yard touchdown pass with 6:12 left to cut the Hillhouse (5-2) lead to 49-42.

On the ensuing drive, Chidi Broderick recovered a fumble to give the Falcons the ball at the Academics' 27-yard line which set up the winning score.

Berry rushed 17 times for 90 yards and scored three times. Boyle gained 39 yards on six carries and scored twice. Junior Andrew Meoli carried nine times for 106 yards and one score for Xavier.

Junior Harold Cooper rushed 20 times for 198 yards and two touchdowns. Je'Vaughn Moore, James Moore and Andre Anderson also had rushing touchdowns. Je'Vaughn Moore threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Darryn Horner.