A morning conference call of the board of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) approved playing the Class L championship football game pitting Staples against Shelton at 3 p.m. today at West Haven High School.

Coach Marce Petroccio: Jimmy Hughes “definitely out” for today’s game. WestportNow.com photo

During a conference call Monday morning the CIAC board granted a waiver to allow the playing of the football finals past the season limitation deadline of Sunday, Dec. 7,Ӕ according to the CIAC Web site.
The Class L final between Staples and Shelton and the MM final between Masuk and East Lyme will be played today at Strong Stadium in West Haven (L at 3 p.m., MM at 7 p.m.).
It is the first time in 28 years of the playoffs that the CIAC has extended the season past the first Sunday in December.
Staples will be playing without star senior running back Jimmy Hughes. He injured his knee during the Dec. 2 semi-final win over Windsor.
ӓHes definitely out,Ҕ Coach Marce Petroccio told reporters Sunday after a two-hour practice session in the field house.
Although he wonӒt be on the field with us, he will be on the sideline rooting us on. Hell be the leader heҒs been for the past four years.
Hughes has rushed for 1,816 yards this season (5,419 during his career) and scored 38 touchdowns (74 career). He also holds the Staples records in rushing yards (5,419) and points (456).
The championship game originally was scheduled to be played Saturday afternoon. It was canceled due to the weekend snow storm.





While the field was ready to play Sunday, state police said roads were still dangerous and CIAC postponed the game again.
In the 28 years of the CIAC playoffs, a championship game has never been canceled. In the event of cancellation this year, teams would be declared co-champions
The weather forecast for this afternoon was for partly sunny skies with highs in the mid-30s with north winds 10 to 15 miles per hour.
The Staples football Web site planned real-time coverage of the game.

The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) postponed Class L championship game pitting Staples against Shelton is likely to be played Monday at 3 p.m. at Ken Strong Stadium at West Haven High School, according to conference officials.

The final decision will be made Monday morning during a conference call, but the CIAC Web site said the Staples-Shelton game was tentatively set for Monday afternoon “pending board approval.”

The afternoon game would come as a surprise to some Staples officials who had expected if a game were to be played Monday, that it would be a night game.

Monday is a regular school day.

The Staples vs Shelton state championship football game scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday in West Haven has been rescheduled for the same time Sunday due to bad weather.

After squeaking by Windsor Tuesday night 17-14, the top-seeded Staples Wreckers (13-0) are looking forward to Saturdays state championship game against third-seeded Shelton with senior running back Jimmy Hughes a doubtful starter.

The game will take place at 2 p.m. at West Haven High School, it was announced today.

Hughes, one of the stateҒs top players, was injured in the final play of the first half Tuesday night in the CIAC Class L semifinals at Norwalks McMahon Field.

He collided with teammate Matt Samela while blocking a Windsor field goal in a game played in sub-freezing temperatures.

Samela, the Wreckers’ leading receiver, and Hughes lay sprawled out on the turf after the collision. Samela soon got up but Hughes remained on the ground for five minutes before being helped off the field.

ғI knew Jimmy was hurt, Coach Marce Petroccio told reporters after the game. ԓI could see him grab his knee and knew we were going to have a problem. We were in the locker room and the kids were ready to cry. It was so sad.

Hughes watched from the sidelines on crutches as the Wreckers managed to pull it out on Andrew Kempler’s 26-yard field goal with 21 seconds left.

Kempler’s game-winning kick was set up by the strong running of Kempton Coady, who carried the ball 18 times for 135 yards for Staples.

“We owed him this,” said Petroccio referring to Hughes.

Asked today how the team will do without Hughes, the coach replied: “If we don’t have Jimmy, we’ll do what we have to do; if we do have Jimmy, we’ll do what we have to do.” He added, “We’re going to stay the course.”

Staples athletic officials said Hughes was seen by a doctor who found he had a bruised knee and a strained MCL muscle. They said while it was not a lasting injury, his status remained uncertain for Saturday’s game.

Also hurt in the game was Drew Grasso, a team captain, who suffered a hand injury, according to the Staples football Web site.

Shelton (11-1) defeated East Cathlolic/Cheney Tech, 35-14, in TuesdayԒs other semifinal.

The Staples Wreckers, in a hard fought game in sub-freezing temperatures under lights in Norwalk, tonight defeated Windsor 17-14 to advance to the state finals.

An Andrew Kempler 26-yard field goal with 21 seconds left in the game sealed the win for Staples.

Staples outstanding senior running back Jimmy Hughes was injured on the last play of the first half and did not play again. He collided with receiver Matt Samela when they successfully blocked a Windsor punt.