Republican-American

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) [--] Golf's governing bodies, worried that players will turn to long putters as an advantage instead of a last resort, proposed a new rule Wednesday that would ban the putting stroke used by three of the last five major champions. The Royal & Ancient Golf Club and the U.S. Golf Association said the rule would not outlaw belly putter or broom-handle putters, only the way they are currently used. The proposed rule would make it illegal for golfers to anchor the club while making a stroke and not take effect until 2016. “More players are using it, and instructors are saying this is a more efficient way to putt because you don't have to control the whole stroke,” USGA executive director Mike Davis said. “The game has been around for 600 years. Fundamentally, we don't think this is the right way to go.” Orville Moody won the 1989 U.S. Senior Open using a long putter that he held against his chest, allowing for a pendulum motion. Paul Azinger won the 2000 Sony Open with a putter that he pressed into his belly. Long putters began getting serious attention last year when Keegan Bradley became the first player to win a major with a belly putter at the PGA Championship. This year, Webb Simpson won the U.S. Open and Ernie Els won the British Open using belly putters. “Our objective is to preserve the skill and challenge,” R&A chief executive Peter Dawson said. “This rule is not performance related. This is about defining the game defining what is a stroke.” The long putters are not being banned. The rule relates to the actual stroke, not the equipment. Players can use a broom putter as long as it is not anchored to the chest. Davis and Dawson said the catalyst for the new rule was not who was winning tournaments, but the number of players switching to long putters. Their research showed no more than 4 percent of golfers used the clubs for several years. It went to 6 percent in 2006, and then to 11 percent in 2011, with some PGA Tour events having as much as 20 percent of the players using the long clubs. There was no empirical data to suggest a long putter made golf easier. Carl Pettersson (No. 21) and Bradley (No. 27) were the only players among the top 30 in putting this year on the PGA Tour who used long putters. “We don't think putting in an anchored way is easy. You have to learn how to do it,” Dawson said. “But it takes one of the potential frailties out of the stroke ... We have to retain the skill and challenge inherent in golf.” The R&A and USGA will take comments for three months on the proposed rule before it is approved. Because the Rules of Golf are updated every four years, any ban on the anchored stroke would not take effect for another four years. The PGA Tour, European Tour and LPGA Tour said it would evaluate the proposed rule with its players. The PGA Tour has a mandatory players meeting in San Diego at the end of January. The PGA of America, meanwhile, said it was concerned that such a ban would drive people from the game. “As our mission is to grow the game ... we are asking them to seriously consider the impact this proposed ban may have on people's enjoyment of the game and the overall growth of the game,” PGA president Ted Bishop said. The decision figures to be divisive at the highest level. Tim Clark of South Africa and Pettersson have used broom putters their entire careers, and they have suggested a new rule would affect their livelihoods. Els once mocked Vijay Singh for using a long putter, but then Els switched to a belly putter last year when his putting suffered. “As long as it's legal, I'll cheat like the rest of them,” he said. Dawson said he was hopeful the players would understand the decision for the proposed ban on anchoring. Davis said potential lawsuits were never considered. “Shame on us if we're scared of litigation in doing the right thing,” Davis said. Tiger Woods is among those who have been outspoken about anchored putters, saying it takes away from the nerves in the hands in trying to make putts. “I just believe that the art of putting is swinging the club and controlling nerves,” Woods said Tuesday. “And having it as a fixed point, as I was saying all year, is something that's not in the traditions of the game. We swing all other 13 clubs. I think the putter should be the same. “I don't know if there's any statistical data on it ... about whether or not anchoring the putter does help on a certain range of putts, especially the guys who have gotten the twitches a little bit,” he said. “But one of the things that I was concerned about going forward is the kids who get started in the game and starting to putt with an anchoring system. There have been some guys who have had success out here, and obviously everyone always copies what we do out here. And that's something that I think for the greater good of the game needs to be adjusted.” Jack Nicklaus recalls then croquet-style putting was banned decades ago, and golf moved on. Even though far more golfers use long putters, he expects the same outcome. “They'll all learn to adjust,” Nicklaus told Golf Channel. “Like anything else, they'll get used to it and get over it. ... We've had changes with balls, wood heads, groover, all kinds of changes. Players have adjusted to those and they'll adjust to this.” That's ultimately what got the attention of golf's governing bodies. Adding to the attention was Guan Tianlang, the 14-year-old from China who used a belly putter this month when he won the Asia Pacific Amateur, which earned him a spot in the Masters. He will be the youngest player ever at Augusta National. Guan started using the belly putter about six months before his big win. Davis said there has been a dramatic increase in anchored putting styles in the last 18 months to two years at all levels of the game [--] tour players, elite amateurs, all the way down to the junior level. Previously, he said such putting was used by players who either “lost their way with conventional putting” or went to a broom putter because it was difficult for them to bend over for long periods of time in practice. For years, there was a stigma attached to those who used long putters. They were considered poor putters who needed help. Davis said certified instructors began to realize that anchored putting would take some of skill out of putting, and it could lead to the majority of golfers using long putters. “Throughout the 600-year history of golf, the essence of playing the game has been to grip the club with the hands and swing it freely at the ball,” Davis said. “The player's challenge is to control the movement of the entire club in striking the ball, and anchoring the club alters the nature of that challenge.” The proposal is for Rule 14-1(b) which reads, “In making a stroke, the player must not anchor the club, either `directly' or by use of an `anchor point.”' To anchor the club directly is defined by players intentionally holding the club or the hand gripping the club in contact with any part of the body. Putting styles such as the “claw” or “cross handed” are still allowed. Matt Kuchar uses a belly-length putter that he rests against his arm. That would be permitted. Belly putters are allowed, as long as they don't touch the stomach, such as the style Angel Cabrera used when he won the 2009 Masters. Broom putters, such as used by Clark, Pettersson and Adam Scott, can be used provided it is held away from the chest. Golf research has shown that golf participation is dwindling, mainly in the United States and Europe through cost and time it takes to play. Davis does not believe outlawing the anchored putting stroke will further decrease the number of golfers. “We really feel strongly that it's a false premise,” he said. “The game has been around for hundreds and hundreds of years. For 570 years, people figured out how to play without anchoring. Now they can't do without it? “It's not, `How can we make it harder?' or `How can we make it easier?' By doing this, we feel this clarifies the game,” he said. “This is about the future of the game.”

HARTFORD — If there is one team on the UConn campus least affected by the Atlantic Coast Conference's decision to invite Louisville rather than the Huskies to join its fold, it is the women's basketball program. The seven-time national champions play a very strong non-conference schedule each season and find a way to raise the level of their play even when they are playing inferior opponents night after night. As such, Coach Geno Auriemma reacted to the ACC snub Wednesday as if he wasn't fazed by it. "I think if you spend a lot of time worrying about where you're going to be next, I think you're wasting your time,'' Auriemma said. "I've always said this is how I got to be where I am today I just wanted to be really good at what I was doing. And I knew if I got really, really good at what I was doing somebody would want me. "So that's the way I do things now. I just want to be really good this year. I just want to have a really good team. I want my players to play well. I want us to reach our goals." Auriemma said he suspects that UConn president Susan Herbst and athletic director Ward Manuel are taking the same approach or at least should be. "I think Susan and Warde and everybody wants the same thing," Auriemma said. "We just want to be really good where we are. We just want to win every championship that we can in the league that we're in. And what happens beyond that is completely out of our control as coaches especially. Maybe even as an AD and a president." Auriemma has made it a point to maintain that he is happy in the Big East, and at the same time he is open to new challenges. "There's a lot of people out there that think you can politick for this stuff," Auriemma said. "That's not how this stuff works. You don't go on a campaign and get yourself into a different situation than the one you're in now. You've got to make the most of the situation you're in right now and that's where we are.''

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Carmelo Anthony scored 29 points to lead the New York Knicks to a 102-88 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night. Anthony, who sat out the fourth quarter, was 9 of 18 from the floor and also grabbed eight rebounds in 30 minutes. The second-leading scorer in the NBA has scored at least 29 points in his last four games, including 35 points and 13 rebounds in a 96-89 overtime loss at Brooklyn on Monday. New York's Steve Novak added 19 points and Tyson Chandler chipped in with 17 points and eight rebounds for the Knicks, who snapped a three-game road losing streak. Jason Kidd missed his second game in a row for New York with lower back spasms. Milwaukee's Brandon Jennings and Beno Udrih each scored 18 points. The Bucks, who have lost four of their last five games, also got 17 points and seven assists from Monta Ellis. Milwaukee overcame a 27-point, second-half deficit to beat Chicago on Monday, but there was no rally this time after giving up the first 10 points of the second half to fall behind 68-48 on Anthony's short jump shot with 9:38 to play. Milwaukee responded by scoring the next seven points, including a layup by Larry Sanders to trim the margin to 68-55 with 7:32. The closest the Bucks would get was 98-86 with 2 minutes left in the game on a basket by Udrih. The last time Milwaukee led was 31-30 on a layup by Udrih with 8:25 remaining in the second quarter. New York had a 45-44 edge before using a 9-0 run to take control. It started with a 3-pointer by Anthony. Three straight turnovers by Milwaukee all led to layups, including one by Raymond Felton for New York's biggest lead of the first half, 54-44, with 55 seconds left. Notes: New York improved to 5-4 on the road. The Knicks are 5-0 at home. . John Henson made his second start for Milwaukee. The rookie also did Monday for the first time. Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles used his third different starting lineup in three games. He used the same starting five for the first 10 games. . Kurt Thomas also made his second start for New York. He did not play in three of the previous five games. . Three of the next four Bucks' games are on the road.

HARTFORD — Before Kelly Faris stepped onto a basketball court for UConn this season, she had already secured a permanent spot in the hearts of Huskies fans through her scrappy play, unselfishness, defensive intensity and the energy she provided the Huskies her first three seasons. Her willingness to dive onto the floor for loose balls, fight for rebounds as an undersized 5-foot-11 power forward and do anything to help the Huskies win endeared her to coach Geno Auriemma almost from the moment she stepped on the campus. The fact that Faris was often a liability on offense was easily overlooked, because everyone knew that no one worked harder to impact the program. That wasn't enough for Faris. The new-look Faris scored a season-high 17 points Wednesday night to lead the Huskies to a 101-41 victory over Colgate in front of a crowd of 7,934 at the XL Center. "It's been a long time coming so I'm hoping I can keep it going and stay consistent with it," Faris said. "I think right now we're all working together really well and getting a lot of different options. And, personally, I feel like I'm making better decisions than I used to. And I've got to keep working on that and keep getting better at it. But I feel good about where I'm at right now.'' Frustrated by the fact that opponents left her open the last couple seasons to double-team other UConn players, she was determined not to let that happen anymore. Or if teams chose to still back off of her defensively, she was going to make them pay. So Faris worked diligently during the offseason to improve her outside shooting, and it had paid huge dividends so far. She went into Wednesday's game leading the Big East in field goal percentage (.727, 16-for-22) and tied for the conference lead in 3-point shooting percentage (.545, 6-fot-11). Then she promptly went out and hit her first four shots against Colgate, including a pair of threes. She finished the game shooting 5-for-6 from the field and making all three of her 3-point attempts. She also had five assists and five rebounds. "The last couple of years it hasn't worked out too well because we've all just kind of gotten stagnant on the court,'' Faris said. "I maybe have gotten some rebounds or set some screens. But we got the point where we relied on one or two players. If three people were having a bad game and only one person was the scorer, then we were kind of out of luck. So we can't have that this year. We've got to have multiple options all the time." The Huskies also received a strong game from Stefanie Dolson with 18 points on 9-for-13 shooting with seven rebounds and three assists. She was happier about what Faris accomplished. "It is awesome to see," Dolson said. "Kelly is always one of those people you root for, because she is just an awesome person on and off the court. She is always looking to help other people and get other people open on the court. When defense sags off of her and she is wide open for shots and she is knocking them in, you are always happy. She doesn't always get the recognition and praise other people get, because she kind of does the little things. So when she has awesome games like she had tonight and she is knocking in shots, everyone is happy for her." Sophomore Brianna Banks scored a career-high 20 points, including a 4-for-5 performance from beyond the 3-point arc, to lead the Huskies in scoring. She also tied Faris for the game-high in assists with five and had a game-best four steals. "I just wanted to play," Banks said. "I came here to play and not sit on the bench because I didn't have confidence. I would understand if it was a physical thing, but having confidence is something you really can control and get. That's just what I needed." Breanna Stewart scored in double figures for the sixth straight game with 12 points and also pulled down a game-high eight rebounds. Bria Hartley finished with eight points and four assists in her first start of the season. Of all the things that happened in the game, the most encouraging was clearly the continued efficient offensive production from Faris, who scored 15 of her points in the first half. "I don't know anybody that's ever worked any harder than Kelly and no one deserves to be rewarded more than she does," Auriemma said. "There's always going to be a spot for her on any team at any level because making shots is just a bonus when you have somebody like Kelly. "You look at her stat sheet today and that's pretty impressive for someone to be able to do all that. We're going to miss her, but not yet.''

NEW YORK — The most polarizing Hall of Fame debate since Pete Rose will now be decided by the baseball shrine's voters: Do Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa belong in Cooperstown despite drug allegations that tainted their huge numbers? In a monthlong election sure to become a referendum on the Steroids Era, the Hall ballot was released Wednesday, and Bonds, Clemens and Sosa are on it for the first time. Bonds is the all-time home run champion with 762 and won a record seven MVP awards. Clemens took home a record seven Cy Young trophies and is ninth with 354 victories. Sosa ranks eighth on the homer chart with 609. Yet for all their HRs, RBI and Ws, the shadow of PEDs looms large. "You could see for years that this particular ballot was going to be controversial and divisive to an unprecedented extent," Larry Stone of The Seattle Times wrote in an email. "My hope is that some clarity begins to emerge over the Hall of Fame status of those linked to performance-enhancing drugs. But I doubt it." More than 600 longtime members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America will vote on the 37-player ballot. Candidates require 75 percent for induction, and the results will be announced Jan. 9. Craig Biggio, Mike Piazza and Curt Schilling also are among the 24 first-time eligibles. Jack Morris, Jeff Bagwell and Tim Raines are the top holdover candidates. If recent history is any indication, the odds are solidly stacked against Bonds, Clemens and Sosa. Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro both posted Cooperstown-caliber stats, too, but drug clouds doomed them in Hall voting. Some who favor Bonds and Clemens claim the bulk of their accomplishments came before baseball got wrapped up in drug scandals. They add that PED use was so prevalent in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s that it's unfair to exclude anyone because so many who-did-and-who-didn't questions remain. Many fans on the other side say drug cheats — suspected or otherwise — should never be afforded the game's highest individual honor. Either way, this election is baseball's newest hot button, generating the most fervent Hall arguments since Rose. The discussion about Rose was moot, however — the game's career hits leader agreed to a lifetime ban in 1989 after an investigation concluded he bet on games while managing the Cincinnati Reds, and that barred him from the BBWAA ballot. The BBWAA election rules allow voters to pick up to 10 candidates. As for criteria, this is the only instruction: "Voting shall be based upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played." That leaves a lot of room for interpretation. Bonds, Clemens and Sosa won't get a vote from Mike Klis of The Denver Post. "Nay on all three. I think in all three cases, their performances were artificially enhanced. Especially in the cases of Bonds and Clemens, their production went up abnormally late in their careers," he wrote in an email. They'll do better with Bob Dutton of The Kansas City Star. "I plan to vote for all three. I understand the steroid/PED questions surrounding each one, and I've wrestled with the implications," he wrote in an email. "My view is these guys played and posted Hall of Fame-type numbers against the competition of their time. That will be my sole yardstick. If Major League Baseball took no action against a player during his career for alleged or suspected steroid/PED use, I'm not going to do so in assessing their career for the Hall of Fame," he said. San Jose Mercury News columnist Mark Purdy will reserve judgment. "At the beginning of all this, I made up my mind I had to adopt a consistent policy on the steroid social club. So, my policy has been, with the brilliance in the way they set up the Hall of Fame vote where these guys have a 15-year window, I'm not going to vote for any of those guys until I get the best picture possible of what was happening then," he wrote in an email. "We learn a little bit more each year. We learned a lot during the Bonds trial. We learned a lot during the Clemens trial. I don't want to say I'm never going to vote for any of them. I want to wait until the end of their eligibility window and have my best idea of what was really going on," he said. Clemens was acquitted this summer in federal court on six counts that he lied and obstructed Congress when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs. Bonds was found guilty in 2011 by a federal court jury on one count of obstruction of justice, ruling he gave an evasive answer in 2003 to a grand jury looking into the distribution of illegal steroids. Bonds is appealing the verdict. McGwire is 10th on the career home run list with 583, but has never received even 24 percent in his six Hall tries. Big Mac has admitted to using steroids and human growth hormone. Palmeiro is among only four players with 500 homers and 3,000 hits, yet has gotten a high of just 12.6 percent in his two years on the ballot. He drew a 10-day suspension in 2005 after a positive test for PEDs, and said the result was due to a vitamin vial given to him by teammate Miguel Tejada. Biggio topped the 3,000-hit mark — which always has been considered an automatic credential for Cooperstown — and spent his entire career with the Houston Astros. "Hopefully, the writers feel strongly that they liked what they saw, and we'll see what happens," Biggio said last week. Schilling was 216-146 and won three World Series championships, including his "bloody sock" performance for the Boston Red Sox in 2004. ——— AP Baseball Writer Janie McCauley and AP Sports Writers Arnie Stapleton and Dave Skretta contributed to this report.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Mark Sanchez remembers bouncing off his offensive lineman's backside, dropping to the turf and wondering what hit him. The New York Jets quarterback certainly knows now. He has been, well, the butt of jokes on sports radio shows and blogs all over the internet. Especially since the replay has been shown countless times since he ran into Brandon Moore and fumbled last Thursday night in a 49-19 loss to the New England Patriots. "I guess (I was) more stunned than anything," Sanchez said Wednesday. "Just like a car accident. I was like, `Whoa. What just happened?' Then, the ball's gone. It was weird." It was a broken play in which Sanchez tried to make something happen, but instead made all the blooper reels. And the fumble led to a touchdown in the middle of a 35-point second quarter for the Patriots. "It's embarrassing," Sanchez said. "You screw up the play and I'm trying to do the right thing. It's not like I'm trying to force something. I start to slide and I slide right in the worst spot I possibly could: right into Brandon Moore." Sanchez said his teammates have been cool with him about the play, keeping the razzing to a minimum. After all the play epitomized the season for the Jets (4-7) and their struggling quarterback. Sanchez's overall statistics have been a bit better the last few weeks than they were earlier in the season. He has completed more than 72 percent of his passes in two straight games and has a 300-yard passing performance. But the numbers don't tell nearly the whole story. Sanchez is still making crucial mistakes in games, just as he did last week, and the question remains as to whether he'll ever be better than he is now. Four of his 10 interceptions this season have been in the red zone, or within the opponents' 20-yard line. Six of the 10 have come from inside the 35. "We've made mistakes in the red zone and it hasn't just been Mark Sanchez making a mistake," coach Rex Ryan said. "There's been other mistakes as well. Is it a route? Is it a dropped pass? A protection error? Sometimes a lot gets blamed on the quarterback, but sometimes there are other things involved as well." Ryan dodged questions about Sanchez's struggles specifically, pointing to everyone needing to improve — including himself. "If we could just say, `Stop. Just don't do it,' I think we've said that a bunch," Ryan said. "I don't think that's going to fix it. Clearly, you have to, I think, look more into why the mistakes were made or whatever." It's true that the Jets' offensive woes can't be entirely pinned on Sanchez. New York ranks tied for 16th in the NFL with 20 dropped passes. The running game has failed to be consistent for a prolonged stretch this season, and the offensive line has also had its share of troubles protecting the quarterback. But Sanchez has failed to become the franchise-type player the Jets expected him to be when they drafted him in 2009, the type of quarterback who can take an offense on his shoulders and make everyone around him better. He has 41 turnovers in the last two seasons — 28 interceptions and 13 fumbles lost. Former NFL MVP Rich Gannon had a one-word description of Sanchez on CBS Sports Network's "NFL Monday QB" earlier this week: "Lost." Phil Simms followed that up with his own critical assessment. "I think that really sums up everything for the New York Jets," the former Giants quarterback said. "I live up here in the New York area, so I read it every single day. Tim Tebow brought in. A different offense. All of the injuries to skill players. Very tough for a quarterback to get firm footing and show what kind of talent he has." There have been plenty of excuses made by many people, but to Sanchez's credit, he has never pinned any of his struggles on anyone other than himself — no matter how justified he might be in doing so. "They can't happen," Sanchez said of his mistakes. "I just have to do a better job of protecting the football." He has five games left in the regular season to try to do that, and to firmly establish himself as the future of the franchise and not just a player who peaked in his first two seasons while helping the Jets to consecutive AFC title games. Ryan and his staff have put together videos of how to limit turnovers, especially since the Jets rank tied for fifth in the NFL with 22. "We have clips of every single player we have — how to hold it, what the opponent's seeing, everything," Ryan said. "You name it, we're trying to find answers to it, solutions to it." All five of the Jets' opponents — Arizona, Jacksonville, Tennessee, San Diego and Buffalo — have records under .500, and Ryan has said the goal is to run the table, go 5-0 and see what happens from there. "It's important for all of us," Sanchez said. "Being the quarterback of a team, there's always more pressure and attention at that position. I don't treat it as anything else. We just need to win some games here. We've done it in the past and hopefully we'll do it again." ——— NOTES: Ryan faces Arizona's Kerry Rhodes for the first time since he called him "selfish" in his book last year after the two clashed at times while the safety played for the Jets. "That's in the past," Ryan said. "I'm not going to get into it." ... Sanchez on fan Ed Anzalone "retiring" from being Fireman Ed, partially because of increasing "confrontations" at MetLife Stadium stemming from him wearing the quarterback's No. 6 jersey: "He's been really supportive. Obviously, I appreciate that. He's been around a long time, seen the ups and downs of our team. Obviously, if his safety is in jeopardy here, then maybe it's a good move." ——— Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP—NFL

For nine years, since the state legislature approved a ban on smoking in bars and restaurants, the last public, indoor refuge for smokers has been members-only private clubs. That's starting to change, albeit slowly, as three large private clubs in the region have begun experimenting with designated nonsmoking times in their bars and lounges. The change marks a shift that club leaders say reflects the declining number of smokers and would have been unthinkable 30 years ago. Ancient Order of Hibernians Club President Emmett McSweeney can remember seeing bars filled with smoke "from the waist up." "People don't remember that 30 years ago, you could still smoke at your desk working for the city," said McSweeney, who is director of the Silas Bronson Library in Waterbury. "We've done some recent renovations (to the Hibernians Club) ... the whole bar was interesting. When you took down things that had been hung for any length of time on the wall, you could see the contrast between what was hung there and where the smoke stained what was exposed." That renovation, along with some members' urging to adopt nonsmoking times, prompted the club to make changes. Starting earlier this year, the bar is designated nonsmoking for lunch on Saturdays. Torrington Elks have gotten in on the act as well, designating one Saturday each month smoke-free. Scott Carlson is the Torrington Elks' third highest-ranking member and chairman of the committee that oversees Elks' facilities. If he had his way, the pub would be smoke-free all the time. "I've never smoked, and after I left (the pub) I felt like I smoked a carton of cigarettes," Carlson said. "We're probably catering to the minority. You've got probably about 10 percent of the people that smoke, and it's really not enjoyable for the nonsmokers." Torrington Elks did a few test nonsmoking nights over the past two years to gauge whether business would drop. It didn't. So this year, the nonsmoking nights have become a regular thing. "I don't think there's really been any issues with the smokers. They can go outside and smoke," Carlson said. "We were hoping the state would step in (and pass a nonsmoking law for private clubs) because if we ever decide to pass our own rule, we'd have to come up with a non-smoking room." The legislature held hearings on such a ban last year, but the bill didn't pass. Waterbury Elks started a nonsmoking time from 4 to 10 p.m. on Saturdays starting in May, but members declined to discuss the new rule. Statewide Elks President Terry Ford said he's seen Elks clubs across the state slowly adopt new nonsmoking rules, but he said each Elks chapter makes the decision on its own. "It's just a sign of the times," Ford said. "The cost of smoking is killing us, and people are just looking to be in cleaner environments." Cynthia Hallett, the executive director of the national nonprofit Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, said she wasn't surprised to hear that private clubs are beginning to enact their own smoke-free rules in Connecticut. The organization favors legislation banning smoking in private clubs. "Given that about 80 percent of the U.S. population doesn't smoke, people expect to go in and have an expectation that a place should be smoke-free," Hallett said. "Even among smokers, when you do public polling, they say, 'I support smoke-free because I want to enjoy a restaurant without having people smoke around me.'" That was exactly what happened at the Hibernians Club, McSweeney said, and smokers have been understanding of the concern. "They're used to having someone enforce (the restaurant and bar smoking ban) and that doesn't involve having the courage to go over to someone and say, 'I'm in the middle of a really good meal. Could you put out that cigarette?'" McSweeney said.

WINSTED -- Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington has decided to move its emergency services from Winsted Health Center to a new medical facility to be built off Route 44 in Barkhamsted. The hospital's Board of Governors made the decision Wednesday morning after three years of deliberation, said Brian E. Mattiello, the hospital's vice president for organizational development. He said in a statement that the board feels the new 19,000-square-foot, "easily accessible" facility will best meet the needs of patients, staff, doctors and the public. The five-acre parcel where the medical building will be built is just over the Barkhamsted, line near Mallory Brook Plaza, about a mile from the Winsted Health Center on Spencer Street. Plans call for the new facility to be built within the next two years and accommodate the relocation of existing services, including the emergency department, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs, blood drawing, laboratory, X-ray and digital mammography services, a sleep center and physician offices. These services will remain at the Winsted Health Center until the new facility is built. Charlotte Hungerford has wanted to upgrade its services in Winsted for the last few years. The emergency room branch at the Winsted Health Center was built in 1957 when it was the location of the former Winsted Memorial Hospital. The hospital closed in 1996, and Charlotte Hungerford helped create the health center and its emergency service care there. John Capobianco, Charlotte's vice president for patient care and administration, told the Winsted Board of Selectmen two years ago that the gymnasium for cardiopulmonary rehabilitation is cramped and lacks a shower room. The hospital also wants isolation rooms for respiratory illnesses and CT scanning. In 2004, the hospital did a study that indicated it would cost $2.2 million to renovate the Winsted Health Center to meet modern building codes. Mattiello said the Board of Governors and the administration based its decision on a strategic plan, the market, the community, economics, the plan's feasibility and clinical and patient needs. The hospital considered five different sites in town before narrowing it to either the Winsted Health Center or the Barkhamsted site. The Winsted Health Center foundation, created when the hospital closed, offered to construct a new building for the emergency department on its 13-acre campus. Charlotte worked with the Winsted Health Center Foundation in modeling a number of scenarios and conducted an economic and market analysis of continued emergency operations at its current location, Mattiello said. "It was concluded that the age, site limitations and current condition of our leased space at the Winsted Health Center did not present a cost-effective alternative to the option of a new building," he said in a statement. Christopher Battista, president of the Winsted Health Center Foundation, said in a statement he is "saddened and disappointed" by Charlotte's decision. He said the board "worked very hard and at no small expense to provide Charlotte with various options to rebuild the Spencer Street facility." He said he is puzzled that Charlotte would leave when its Winsted operations are profitable. He questioned whether the decision was "motivated by a desire to make more money even after taking into account the rent to a for-profit developer." Charlotte will lease space at the new building. The building will be constructed by Borghesi Building and Engineering Inc. Allan Borghesi of Borghesi Building said his firm will buy the five acres currently owned by the Lavieri Group LLC. His company will then establish another entity that will lease space to Charlotte. John N. Lavieri, chairman of the Charlotte Board of Governors, confirmed he and members of his family own that property and that he abstained from voting on the move to Barkhamsted because of that. He declined further comment. Battista questioned whether the developer will "attempt to attract" other tenants at the Winsted Health Center to the new facility, such as the Veterans Affairs, the Community Health Center and physicians. "The rents these partners currently pay the Health Center have allowed us to keep the rent we charge Charlotte lower than it otherwise would be," Battista said. "Will these rents at the out of town building be siphoned off to add to the developer's profits rather than being used to reduce Charlotte's ER and other costs? Will we see increases in health care prices as a result of Charlotte's out-of-town location?" Mattiello said the other tenants will make their decisions independent of Charlotte. Charlene LaVoie, the community lawyer for the Shafeek Nader Trust for the Community Interest in Winsted, was instrumental in creating the Health Center after Winsted Memorial Hospital closed. She said she thinks the move to Barkhamsted will fail. She said a for-profit entity will have to charge its tenants more in rent and "the margins in health care are very slim." "The only way to make money on an operation like this is to just sucker other tenants into paying increased rents," she said. Mattiello said concerns like Battista's and LaVoie's were "factored in and considered." "If there was any particular factor that overridden any other it was that in order to sustain an improved medical services a new building was the best option," he said. Meanwhile, the news is good for Barkhamsted, bad for Winsted. Barkhamsted First Selectman Donald S. Stein said the project will not lead to new jobs to the area but it will provide an undetermined amount of additional tax revenue to the town. The project was key to getting Winsted to agree to extending its water and sewer lines into Barkhamsted, which could lead to further development opportunities at the western end of town. Winsted Selectman A. Candy Perez said while it is good that the services will still be nearby, the town will lose a "critical piece of infrastructure. "When you can have health services as part of your quality of life, that's important to a town and it would've been nice to have kept it," she said.

HARTFORD -- Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on Wednesday said he has cut $170.4 million in state spending to help close a projected $365 million shortfall in this year's budget. Malloy is ordering nearly $161.7 million in cuts to executive branch agencies using his limited authority under state law to reduce state spending. The leaders of the Democratic-controlled legislature agreed to trim $3 million from the legislative budget and the Judicial Department is going to cut nearly $5.8 million. "We need to make these reductions in order to ensure the state lives within its means," said Benjamin Barnes, the state budget director. The reductions net out to approximately $123 million partly because the $170.4 million total includes some savings that had already been anticipated, he said. The administration will present a plan to lawmakers in the coming weeks for closing the remaining shortfall in this year's $20.5 billion budget. Malloy aides said this plan will propose budget changes that will require the legislature's approval. State law authorizes the governor to unilaterally reduce spending to keep the budget in balance. Malloy may rescind up to 5 percent of any line item and 3 percent of any of the 10 budget funds. The administration will be proposing still more spending cuts when Malloy recommends a new two-year budget plan to the legislature in February, Malloy aides said. The administration is estimating the governor and lawmakers will have to close a gap of $1.2 billion in the first year and nearly $1 billion in the second year. "I think at this point there is very little that is not on the table other than a tax increase," said Roy Occhiogrosso, a senior Malloy adviser. The governor has repeatedly said that he has no intention of raising taxes to close this year's shortfall or balance the next two-year budget. None of the reductions unveiled Wednesday are going to lead to any state layoffs or the closing of any state facilities, Barnes said. The overwhelming majority of unionized state employees are protected from layoffs through June 2015 under a far-reaching labor deal that was negotiated last year. However, Barnes said the reductions to personnel accounts assume a considerable rate of attrition. The personal services cuts add up to nearly $8 million. The Department of Children and Families accounts for $3 million of that figure and the Department of Revenue Services represents another $1 million. The reductions to the Department of Education, the Division of Criminal Justice and the Department of Administrative Services total another $2.1 million between them. Malloy is cutting $33.4 million from fringe benefits for state employees, including $28.4 million that the administration expects to save on health care costs. The Malloy administration and state employee unions established a new health plan as part of a labor savings agreement that was negotiated last year. It is designed to reduce costs through encouraging preventive care. Barnes said the administration estimates that health care will cost $28.4 million less than originally anticipated because of the new Health Enhancement Program. Malloy is cutting $80 million from social services. "I think the agencies who administer these programs need to work very hard to ensure the cuts don't result in harm to any individuals," Barnes said. The Department of Social Services takes the biggest hit. The governor is slashing nearly $32.3 million from its budget. The administration is cutting another $18.3 million from the Department of Children and Families, $21.3 million from the Department of Developmental Services, and nearly $7.8 million from the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. "Bear in mind, the cuts are all less than 5 percent under the law. So, we are not asking an agency to produce a program that used to cost a dollar to do it for a nickel. We are asking for a program that used to cost a dollar to do it for 95 or 97 or 98 cents," Barnes said. The governor is also reducing more than $26 million from the higher education system. Barnes said the reduction in state block grants should not result in tuition increases. The University of Connecticut is receiving a $10.2 million cut. The Board of Regents for Higher Education oversees the four regional state universities, the 12 community colleges and the online Charter Oak State College. The administration is cutting $14.2 million from the board of regents. This includes nearly $7.1 million from community colleges, $7 million from the regional universities and $122,800 from Charter Oak State College. Malloy is taking $8.4 million out of the Department of Education's budget, including $2 million from magnet schools, $1.2 million from the vocational-technical high schools and $1 million from priority school districts. The Palace Theater in Waterbury is losing $15,148. It is part of more than $1 million in reductions to the Department of Economic and Community Development.

Your biggest problem come state playoff time shouldn't be how to avoid the state's 50-point rule (in the first half, by the way). But that was about the only challenge Ansonia High's football team could find at a frigid Jarvis Field on Thursday night. The No. 1-seeded Chargers scored early and often in slugging No. 8 Prince Tech, 53-16, to raise their record to 12-0 and advance to the Class S semifinals Sunday at a time and site to be announced. A good thing? After all, Ansonia got to rest its starters for the second half. After not having practice Tuesday, this was a nice little tune-up. Or was it? There was not a lot of competition as the Chargers scored at will and defended with ease. Good preparation? Even Chargers coach Tom Brockett didn't know. But he didn't really seem to care, either. "You just move on to Sunday; it doesn't have to be pretty," said Brockett after watching his team post its 26th straight win. "There are pros and cons either way." If you're the glass-is-half-full guy, go with the up side. The Chargers were primed. Arkeel Newsome had a flat-out pedestrian night for him, with 81 yards on 13 carries. Heck, Arkeel usually has that before the band has warmed up its tubas. Now consider this. Arkeel scored five touchdowns, one coming on a 56-yard interception. Arkeel did not play in the second half. Forget the totals. Arkeel did what he needed to do and then got to watch. Prince Tech (8-3) was making its first appearance in the playoffs. The Falcons will revel in being there. They will not revel in the result. And it may not make them feel any better to know that with the win the Chargers became the winningest high school football program in Connecticut history with 743 wins, one more than New Britain. The Falcons won the toss and chose to defer, giving Ansonia the ball. It was all downhill from there. Like sliding down Mount Everest. A failed on-side kick attempt gave Ansonia the ball at the Prince Tech 48-yard line. Five plays and just over a minute later, Newsome scored TD No. 1 with a 6-yard run. On its next possession, the Chargers went 46 yards in four plays with Newsome scoring from 10 yards out. Ansonia threw a little diversity into the game when quarterback Jai'Quan McKnight found Andrew Matos all alone in the middle of the field. The cars on nearby Route 8 were closer to him than any defender as he grabbed a 67-yard TD pass. And so it went. Newsome picked off a pass and bolted down the right side and to the middle for another score, and by the time halftime loomed it was 45-0. The biggest drama of the half came when McNight picked off a pass and returned it 61 yards with a clear lane to the end zone only to deliberately down the ball on the Prince Tech 13 to avoid any issues with the dreaded CIAC 50-point sportsmanship rule, which raises the threat of suspension of you beat a team by more than 50 points. "He did that on his own," said Brockett with a wry smile. Was it all as easy as it looked? "After a while, it was easy," admitted Newsome. "I thought we had to play good and we did play hard. It feels great to know that you can sit out a whole half and put the JV team in. I can't wait for the semis." The Chargers did an awesome job of eating up the clock in the second half with its second unit in. Two drives ate up 20 minutes on the clock and the Falcons only got the ball twice in the half. Freshman Tyler Bailey put on an impressive display with 93 yards on 19 carries, including one stretch where he toted the ball 11 straight times. Prince Tech featured hard-running back Rahkeem Jordan (28-171), who scored two second-half touchdowns, but most of Jordan's damage came in the second half, when he totaled 100 yards. Ansonia got his attention. "I hope they go all the way," Jordan said of the Chargers. "They gave us what they got. They deserve it. My team did what it can do. We played hard to the last whistle." The Chargers move on. Again. One more win for the state's all-time wins leader. Reach Rick Wilson at scribewilson@optonline.net.

WOLCOTT — Wolcott High's on-field leader, Mike Nicol, stood in the middle of Joe Monroe Field and told it like it was. No different from the way he's handled the past two memorable seasons in leading the Eagles to their only playoff appearances in the program's history. This time, he called it a bittersweet feeling after the top-seeded Eagles dropped a 32-14 decision to eighth-seeded Montville in the CIAC Class M quarterfinals Wednesday night. The Eagles ended the season at 9-2. "I have the best coaches and teammates behind me and I couldn't ask for anything more," said Nicol, the starting quarterback and safety. Nicol paused and then gave credit where it was due. "Montville is a very good team and they are big and strong and their defense got good pressure on every play," said Nicol. Especially in the second half. Once the second half began, the Indians (9-2) took control, dominating the line of scrimmage. Junior tailback Jeremiah Crowley (179 yards, 25 carries) was the beneficiary. Crowley scored his second touchdown of the game on a 50-yard burst down the right sideline to give the Indians a 25-14 edge with 5:01 left in the third quarter. "I just had perfect blocks," said Crowley. "The holes were there the whole night and I couldn't have done it without my teammates." While Montville's offense began clicking, Wolcott's stalled. The Eagles punted three times and had a turnover in four second-half possessions. The second half was totally different from the first 24 minutes, as the Eagles trailed only by five, 19-14, at halftime. "It was definitely a winnable See WOLCOTT, Page 5C game," noted Nicol. On the opening drive of the game, Wolcott junior Joe Lynch scored on a 36-yard TD run in the first quarter, and Joseph Keeley's PAT kick made it 7-0 with 9:53 left. But Crowley responded moments later with his first TD on a 19-yard run, and the Indians tied the score on Brandon Robertson's PAT kick. Then came the momentum shift when Montville's Buddy Dewaine Jr. returned an interception 87 yards for a touchdown, sprinting down the right sideline. Wolcott co-captain Jim Nelson knocked down the two-point conversion and it appeared that would jump-start the Eagles. Nicol drove the Eagles down the field and connected with Ryan Caggiano on a 12-yard touchdown pass. Caggiano leapt high to snag the ball away from the defender. Keeley's PAT gave the Eagles a 14-13 edge with 7:08 left in the half. "We definitely had the momentum after that," said Caggiano. But it was short-lived, as Montville quarterback Nicholas Clemons ran for a 14-yard TD run wit 4:03 left. While Jayson Matos stopped Clemons on the conversion run, Montville had a 19-14 edge. "Having a halftime lead was huge for us," said Clemons. "I have to give a lot of credit to our defensive line. We knew that if we could contain their quarterback (Nicol), we would be OK, and they did." Nicol had 20 rushing touchdowns and 1,226 rushing yards through 10 regular-season games, but was limited to only 20 yards Wednesday. Wolcott had two opportunities to score in the first half only to see two penalties prevent that from happening, first on a holding penalty nullifying a 58-yard TD reception by Mat Cyr from Nicol, and second, a personal foul on Nicol, who leapt high and hurdled a Montville defender, which is not allowed. "We had some opportunities and just didn't capitalize on them," said Wolcott coach Jason Pace. "Montville is a big, physical team and they played hard the entire game. So did we. I am proud of the effort we gave. We never quit." Even in defeat, Caggiano found the upside. "We had a special season and it wasn't just about football," said Caggiano. "It was about teamwork and a strong brotherhood. We have a lot of great memories, things we'll never forget. The program is strong and I know the underclassmen will make another good run next year."

SOUTHINGTON — Every senior dreads the moment when the game clock hits 0:00 and he realizes he won't be together with the same group of teammates ever again. Only a few get to say their goodbyes while rejoicing in a state championship. The Southington High football team will not be among those few. No. 7 Glastonbury avenged a regular-season loss and handed No. 2 Southington its first setback of the season, 23-14, Wednesday night in the Class LL quarterfinals at Fontana Field. Southington coach Mike Drury individually hugged and thanked each of the Blue Knights' seniors after the loss and said he couldn't have been more proud of the way his kids played. "I told my kids to keep their heads held high," Drury said. "They played their hearts out, but it just didn't go our way tonight. The little things that we knew would determine the game did, and we lost that battle." With the home crowd rocking Fontana Field, it only took one play to swing the momentum Glastonbury's way. On the first play from scrimmage, Blue Knights tailback Jarrid Grimmett darted through a big hole in the middle of the field, but Glastonbury's Justin Kretzmer ripped the ball out of Grimmett's hands. Six plays later, quarterback Joshua Hill scampered down the right sideline for a 22-yard touchdown. Midway through the second quarter, Southington wide receiver Corbin Garry saw a rare opportunity. Garry was back for a punt return when the Glastonbury punt sailed only 15 yards toward the sidelines. With the Tomahawks (10-1) thinking the ball would bounce out of bounds, nobody was around Garry. The ball took a wild bounce into Garry's hands and he raced down the sideline to the Glastonbury 20. Four plays later, Southington quarterback Stephen Barmore scored on a 5-yard touchdown run to tie the score at 7-7. After the two sides traded punts, Grimmett busted through a hole like he was on fire and scored a 40-yard touchdown to give the Blue Knights a 14-7 lead. Southington (10-1) held a 14-10 lead at halftime, but the momentum swung back to Glastonbury in the third period. On third and 10 from their own 14, quarterback Ben Berey scrambled outside of the pocket and launched a perfect pass to Grant Lewis, who scored on an 86-yard touchdown to give the visitors a lead they never relinquished. Southington's offense never seemed to get in sync and had a difficult time moving the ball after that. "We looked good in practice all week," Barmore said. "They just play really good defense. They are physical and seem to always be in the right spots. Coach said that the game would come down to turnovers and field position, and that's what beat us tonight." Barmore completed eight of 21 passes for 54 yards and rushed the ball eight times for 62 yards and a touchdown. Grimmett had eight carries for 86 yards and a touchdown. Drury pointed to his team's success throughout the season and noted the Blue Knights should be proud of the way they played all year long. "We had a great season," Drury said. "I told my kids that. Sometimes, things don't go your way, but that's how the game is played. These type of games are won and lost on turnovers, and that's what beat us. We battled the whole game. We just came up a couple plays short."

CIAC FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS Class LL Quarterfinals NFA 63, Newtown 21 Glastonbury 23, Southington 14 Xavier 55, Greenwich 14 Class L Quarterfinals New Canaan 16, Avon 7 Daniel Hand 55, Platt 26 Masuk 21, Middletown 14 Windsor 38, Fitch 7 Class M Quarterfinals Weston 29, Ellington 22 Montville 32, Wolcott 14 Class S Quarterfinals Ansonia 53, Prince Tech 16 Woodland 37, Capital Prep 35 North Branford 49, Trinity Catholic 28 SUMMARIES Woodland 37, Capital Prep 35 Woodland 6 6 8 17—37 Capital Prep 0 21 7 7—35 Scoring summary W—Anthony Scirpo 5 pass from Tanner Kingsley (kick failed) CP—Antwan Byrd 8 run (Chase Briley kick) CP—Bennie Fulse 8 run (Briley kick) W—Scirpo 8 pass from Kingsley (pass failed) CP—Byrd 4 run (Briley kick) 3rd quarter CP—Tashane Walters 103 interception return (Briley kick) W—Scirpo 31 pass from Kingsley (Jack Pinho pass from Kingsley) W—Scirpo 24 pass from Kingsley (Kingsley run) W—Safety (bad punt snap run out of end zone) W—Rahmi Rountree 8 pass from Kingsley (Scirpo kick) CP—Byrd 1 run (Briley kick) Individual statistics Rushing—W: Taylor Tucciarone 19-79, Anthony Scirpo 3-10, Joe Masulli 3-6, Tanner Kingsley 2-(-8); CP: Antwan Byrd 15-37, Bennie Fulse 12-22, Daquan Clarke 2-9, Mike Jones 1-5, Chase Briley 1-(-39). Passing—W: Tanner Kingsley 22-34-321-5 TD-1 INT; CP: Antwan Byrd 11-18-190 Receiving—W: Anthony Scirpo 12-179, Rahmi Rountree 6-85, Jack Pinho 1-47, Brian Zaccagnini 2-5, Brian Reis 1-5; CP: Mike Jones 3-53, Bennie Fulse 1-47, Daquan Clarke 3-36, Brandon Marshall 1-25, Hugh McCalla 1-19, Richard Hunter 1-10, Nasir Williams 1-9 Records: W: 8-3; CP: 10-1 MONTVILLE 32, WOLCOTT 14 Montville 13 6 6 7—32 Wolcott 7 7 0 0—14 Scoring summary Wol—Joe Lynch 36 run (Joseph Keeley kick) Mon—Jeremiah Crowley 19 run (Brandon Robertson kick) Mon—Buddy Dewaine 87 interception return (Nicholas Clemons' pass failed, deflected by Jim Nelson) Wol—Ryan Caggiano 12 pass from Mike Nicol (Keeley kick) Mon—Nicholas Clemons 14 run (Clemons run failed, tackled by Jayason Matos) Mon—Crowley 50 run (kick failed) Mon—Izak Tibbetts 19 run (Robertson kick) Individual statistics Rushing: Montville—Jeremiah Crowley 25-179; Izak Tibbetts, 4-41; Nicholas Clemons, 5-15. Wolcott— Joe Lynch, 4-32; Mike Nicol, 14-20; Passing: Montville—Nick Clemons 1-of-5-0, 14 yards; Tyler Quidgeon, 1-of-1-0, 7 yards; Mike Nicol 12-of-25-1, 182 yards; Receiving: Montville—Buddy Dewaine, 1-14; Nicholas Clemons, 1-7. Wolcott—Matt Cyr, 3-58; Jayson Matos, 3-74; Jason Pelletier, 4-46; Ryan Caggiano, 2-27. Records: Montville 9-2; Wolcott 9-2. ANSONIA 53, PRINCE TECH 16 Prince Tech 0 0 8 8—16 Ansonia 18 27 0 8—53 Scoring summary A—Arkeel Newsome 6 run (kick failed) A—Newsome 10 run (kick failed) A—Andrew Matos 67 pass from Jai'Quan McKnight (conversion failed) A—Newsome 56 interception return (Arthur Kwaskiewicz kick) A—Newsome 1 run (Kwaskiewicz kick) A—Matos 6 run (Kwaskiewicz kick) A—Newsome 10 run (kick failed) PT—Rahkeem Jordan 5 run ( Jordan run) A—Tyler Bailey 7 run (Bailey run) PT—Jordan 7 run (Jordan run) Rushing: A—Jai'Quan McKnight 3-24, Arkeel Newsome 13-81, Saiheed Sanders 9-74, Tyler Bailey 19-93, Thomas Majchrzak 2-2, Andrew Matos 1-4, Totals 47-278; PT — Rahkeem Jordan 28-171, Rayshawn Phillips 1-(-1), Totals 29-170. Passing: A—McKnight 3-7-116, 1 TD; PT—Phillips 6-17-78, 3 int. Receiving: A—Matos 2-80, Witold Gul 1-36; PT— Armando Centeno 3-22, Jordan 1-13, Ed Redding 1-18, Jermaine Douglass 1-25. Records: A 12-0; PT 8-3. GLASTONBURY 23, SOUTHINGTON 14 Glastonbury 7 3 6 7—23 Southington 7 7 0 0—14 Scoring summary G—Josh Hill 22 run (Kyle Wucherpfenning kick) S—Stephen Barmore 5 run (Kyle Smick kick) S—Jarrid Grimmett 40 run (Smick kick) G—Wucherpfenning 33 field goal G—Grant Lewis 86 pass from Ben Berey (kick failed) G—Ryan Marano 23 pass from Berey (Wucherpfenning kick) Individual statistics Rushing: G—Joshua Hill 7-43; Charles Wooding 6-17; Ben Berey 6-21; S—Jarrid Grimmett 8-86; Tyler Hyde 7-31; Barmore 8-62. Passing: G—Berey 10-14-169; S—Stephen Barmore 8-21-54. Receiving: G—Grant Lewis 2-96; Ryan Marano 2-25; Josh Hill 3-44; Tyler Janssen 1-(-4); Wooding 2-8; S—Connor John 3-22; Nathan Bonefant 1-20; Corbin Garry 2-7; Alex Jamele 2-5. Records: G 10-1; S 10-1. SUNDAY'S GAMES CIAC FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS Sites and times to be announced Class LL Semifinals Glastonbury vs. Xavier Staples vs. Norwich Free Academy Class L Semifinals Masuk vs. Daniel Hand Windsor vs. New Canaan Class M Semifinals Berlin vs. Weston Montville vs. Hillhouse Class S Semifinals Ansonia vs. Hyde Leadership Woodland vs. North Branford

HARTFORD — Ask six people who watched Wednesday night's Class S quarterfinal between No. 7 Woodland and No. 2 Capital Prep what was the biggest play of the football game, and you'll almost assuredly get six different — though correct — answers. You might hear about any one of Tanner Kingsley's four huge fourth-quarter completions to three different receivers. Some may say it was his two-point conversion run, or Woodland's go-ahead safety on a bad punt snap. Or maybe even Jim Barrett's late on-side kick recovery. Whatever the play, though, they were all indispensable to the Hawks' come-from-behind 37-35 victory at Dillon Stadium. Woodland advanced to Sunday's semifinals against No. 3 North Branford at a time and site to be determined today. The Hawks (8-3) had to rally from a 16-point deficit after Kingsley threw an interception in the end zone and had it returned 103 yards by Tashane Walters for a touchdown. That made it 28-12 in favor of Capital Prep (10-1) with 6:38 left in the third quarter. It didn't faze the record-setting quarterback. "I just live to see the next play," said Kingsley, whose five touchdown passes gave him 47 on the year to shatter the state's previous single-season mark of 43. "I knew I had to step up and lead the offense down the field again. I have a refuse-to-lose mentality." He did just that, aided by a resurgent rushing attack that softened the Trailblazers' secondary. Taylor Tucciarone rushed for 71 of his 79 yards in the second half. "We told them, 'You guys are See HAWKS, Page 4C from the Valley. Play football like it,'" Woodland coach Tim Shea said. "Tucciarone ran the ball great, Scirpo and (Rahmi) Rountree were excellent, Tanner was good and the line blocked well." Woodland started to chip away by putting together a 10-play drive (including a fourth-and-inches conversion by Kingsley) that ended on a 31-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Scirpo. Kingsley hit Jack Pinho with a two-point conversion pass to make it 28-20 with 2:48 left in the third. The Hawks forced a three-and-out on the next series, led by Jim Barrett's stuff of a screen pass to Mike Jones. "We finally started to connect with each other," Barrett said of Woodland's second-half defense, which allowed 35 yards. "We started playing as a unit. We were getting down on each other in the first half. We gave ourselves a pep talk at halftime, and we came out and played much better." On a third-and-9 from the 24, Kingsley scrambled to his left and heaved a ball into double coverage at the goal line. Scirpo rose above two defenders for his fourth score of the night, and Kingsley followed with the game-tying two-point conversion run to make it 28-all with 11:50 left. "This team doesn't quit at all," Kingsley said. "We bring so much heart to the game, and I knew it wasn't over. There was so much time for our offense. We can score on any play of the game." Woodland made another three-and-out stop on the ensuing drive, but Capital Prep punter Chase Briley saw the snap sail over his head and rest near the 5-yard line. He picked it up and ran out of the end zone for a safety that gave the Hawks a 30-28 lead, their first since early in the second quarter. On the following series, Woodland put together an 11-play set that ate up nearly seven minutes. Kingsley again found Scirpo in double coverage on a fourth-and-14 from the Capital Prep 38. Scirpo managed to grab the ball and tap a foot in bounds before losing the ball after he hit the grass. "It was supposed to be a streak route," said Scirpo of the 24-yard catch. "I cut it off and I saw the ball coming at me. I didn't even know I had the ball because I got hit so hard again." Woodland took a 37-28 lead when Kingsley ended the drive with an 8-yard middle-screen pass to Rountree. Capital Prep quickly scored on Antwan Byrd's third touchdown run of the night to make it a two-point game, but Barrett secured the ensuing on-side kick to give the Hawks a chance to run out the remaining 2:02. "I was getting all antsy waiting back there," Barrett said. "Someone told me they were going to pop it high, and I was getting ready for it. Once it went up, I flew to the ball and it ended up in my hands. I made sure I did not let go." Woodland faced a third-and-8 at its own 47 with a minute left, but instead of running the ball to waste time, the Hawks went to the air. It worked. Kingsley floated a pass down the right sideline to the 5-foot-6 Pinho, who reeled it in and ran 47 yards to seal the game. "I give all credit to Coach (Tim) Phipps for the play call," Pinho said. "I ran a wheel route and got open. Tanner placed it perfectly in my hands. It happened so fast. I looked up and realized we were going to the semis."

Game highlights

BEACON FALLS — Thanksgiving eve may have been a record-breaking night for Woodland wide receiver Anthony Scirpo, but his effort one week later was probably the best of his life. The Hawks, seeded seventh in Wednesday's Class S quarterfinals, trailed No. 2 Capital Prep for most of the second and all of the third quarters. The deficit reached as many as 16 points. But every time Woodland needed a pick-me-up to get back into the game, Scirpo was there. His second-quarter touchdown catch, an 8-yarder on which he survived hits from three Trailblazers coming from three directions, ensured the Hawks would not trail by double digits at the half. "I stuck in there, caught the ball and got us back into the game before halftime so we weren't down by two touchdowns," said Scirpo, a senior who cited that grab as his favorite of his 12 on the night. It may have been his favorite but it certainly was no more important than his 31-yard score in the third that cut Capital Prep's lead from 16 to eight. Ditto with his 24-yard touchdown catch on a jump ball early in the fourth that helped Woodland tie the game. Or maybe the most crucial reception of the night, a 24-yard catch in double coverage on the left sideline to convert a fourth-and-14 late in the game. It led to the game-winning touchdown on a screen to Rahmi Rountree. In almost all the big situations, junior quarterback Tanner Kingsley had the utmost confidence in his longtime friend and teammate. "The plays were unbelievable," Kingsley said. "Every game coming up to that game, Scirpo has been making big plays for us. I like going to him a lot. He makes me look good." "We've had good chemistry throughout the whole year," Scirpo said. "He just looks to me to make big plays and I'm always there to make it for him." Their relationship is about decade old, stretching back to their youth baseball and basketball days in Beacon Falls. Together, they've etched their names at different levels in the Woodland, Naugatuck Valley League and state record books. Kingsley's 47 passing touchdowns this year are a state record, as are his 615 passing yards against Seymour. He could move into the NVL all-time lead and state top five in single-season yards with a strong effort in Sunday's semifinal against North Branford, and he's already creeping onto career lists. None of those incredible numbers would be happening without Scirpo's efforts. His eight touchdown grabs over the last two games give him 23 on the season, a league record and one off former Bristol Central star and current New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez's state record. His 32 career scoring grabs are fifth-most in state history, and he's likely to crack at least the state's top 25 in both career and single-season catches and yards this weekend. Scirpo said after his school-record 283 receiving yards and four touchdowns against Seymour that the records barely occur to him. A few days in class changed that. "It's definitely clicked in," Scirpo said. "It's been the buzz around school." Scirpo, a three-year varsity starter, had eight touchdown catches his junior year but knew he needed to do more as the Hawks moved back to the spread offense. "I've definitely worked on my route-running this year and getting off the ball quicker," Scirpo said. "I've had to concentrate on going up for the ball to make big catches. I've really decreased my drops this year and it's made a big difference." He got off to a bit of a slow start this season. Through Week 6, he had seven touchdown catches but only 211 yards, including a shutout against Ansonia in Week 2. Over the last six games, though, Scirpo has been as good as anyone in the state. He has 876 yards, 16 touchdowns and five 100-yard games in that span. "A lot of it is want(ing the ball)," Woodland coach Tim Shea said. "When the ball goes up, he's got the confidence factor that he's going to be the one who comes down with it. On the bigger stage he's making bigger plays, and we need that." The plan for the Hawks against the Thunderbirds on Sunday at Meriden's Falcon Field won't change—they want Kingsley to find Scirpo. "We have confidence in all of Tanner's reads and Anthony's pass patterns, along with the rest of the guys. But when that guy's on, we have to go to him," Shea said. "The more touches he gets, the better we're going to be."

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Graeme McDowell has done a lot right this year, except for win. He now has one last chance to fix that. Back on the course that has provided two key moments in his career, McDowell opened with three straight birdies Friday and finished strong for a 6-under 66, giving him a three-shot lead going into the weekend at the World Challenge. "A good day's work," said McDowell, whose day was not over until he was escorted away for a drug test. Bo Van Pelt got up-and-down from the drop zone for bogey on the final hole that gave him a 68, leaving him tied for second with Keegan Bradley and Jim Furyk, who each had a 69. Tournament host and defending champion Tiger Woods was tied for the lead on the back nine until he stalled and settled for a 69. He was four shots behind. This is the final destination of a whirlwind trip for McDowell, who spent two weeks in China, a short holiday in Dubai, a tournament in Australia, back to Dubai and then across eight time zones to California. It's also been somewhat of a whirlwind year, filled with opportunity, but no trophies. He played in the final group in back-to-back majors, the U.S. Open and British Open, without winning. He was on the winning Ryder Cup team again, only he concedes his game wasn't there and he earned only one point. McDowell always feels relaxed at Sherwood Country Club, with an 18-man field and no cut and the finish line clearly in his sights. Suddenly, though, he has something at stake. The World Challenge doesn't belong to any tour. It offers world ranking points, though he isn't in dire need of them. But there's a trophy, and McDowell hasn't hoisted one of those since that birdie-birdie finish to beat Woods in a playoff at Sherwood in 2010. "I would love to compete and play well this weekend, really to kind of put a little icing on what's been a mediocre year," McDowell said. "Despite the fact that I feel like I've played some decent golf this year, I really don't have a lot to show for myself, and this would be a nice way to finish." McDowell was at 9-under 135. Even though McDowell's win at Sherwood in 2010 capped a dream season — his U.S. Open title, the clinching point at the Ryder Cup — it was a runner-up finish in 2009 that set up all those spoils. He was a last-minute replacement for Woods, who didn't play as his personal life unraveled, and McDowell finished second. It was the first year the tournament received ranking points, and McDowell earned enough to get into the Masters and eventually the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, which he won. That U.S. Open title assured him being in the Ryder Cup, where he holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole that carried Europe to a big win. "Sometimes the stars align," he said. His 66 gave him a cushion going into the weekend, but light rain overnight and for much of the day made the course soft and vulnerable. McDowell said the greens could only be rolled, not cut, making them substantially slower. That attributed to so many good scores, with half of the field in the 60s. McDowell believes there's a 63 or 64 out there for someone, especially in these conditions, so his three-shot lead doesn't seem like much only halfway through the event. Woods fired at flag around the turn, picking up easy birdie putts on the ninth and 10th, handling the par 5s without difficulty and getting to the top of the leaderboard. His momentum slowed with a bogey on the par-3 15th, and a poor chip from the rough to the left of the par-5 16th green that led to a par. "I had a decent warm-up session, but the work I did last night was some of the best I've hit the golf ball all year," Woods said. "I just had to come out here and trust it, and when I did, I got into a nice little run there. I just need to do that all 36 holes on the weekend." Nick Watney, who had a 67 on Thursday, fell apart late. His sand wedge from the middle of the fairway on the 16th landed over the green and kept right on going, leading to a bogey that felt like losing two shots to the field. He bogeyed the 18th for a 73, putting him five shots out of the lead. He was tied with Rickie Fowler, who had a 67. "Just a terrible way to finish, but we're only halfway through," Watney said. "So we'll see if we can make a charge at those guys in the morning." McDowell is mainly charging to the end of the season. He plans to go home to Northern Ireland for three days, and then head to Orlando, Fla., where he just finished building a new home. McDowell slept in his new house for the first time Monday, flying to California the next day. What will he do with more than two months off? "Try and stay out of the bar as much as possible," he said with a laugh. "December will be very much recharging and relaxing and moving into my new house in Orlando and spending some time with friends and family. And January will be detoxing and practicing and getting ready to do it all again."

NEW YORK — Carmelo Anthony and JR Smith each scored 20 points, and the New York Knicks beat the Washington Wizards for the 10th straight time, 108-87 on Friday night. Tyson Chandler and Ronnie Brewer each added 12 points for the Knicks, who improved to 6-0 at home and also beat the Wizards for the ninth straight time at Madison Square Garden. Both winning streaks are their longest active against one team. Chandler finished with 10 rebounds but his 5-of-8 shooting represented a cold night after the NBA's leading shooter had made 16 of 17 over his previous two games and came in shooting 71.8 percent for the season. Raymond Felton scored 11 points for the Knicks, who shot 53 percent from the field in their third straight game without starting guard Jason Kidd, who remains out with lower back spasms. Jordan Crawford scored 17 points and rookie Bradley Beal had 14 for the Wizards, who beat Portland 84-82 on Wednesday for their lone victory after a 0-12 start but were never in this game after the first 10 minutes. The Knicks led by nine after one and kept increasing their lead, going ahead by double digits throughout the second half and by as much as 23. The only time the home fans grew restless was at the half, during the filming of a scene for the upcoming Vince Vaughn film "Delivery Man." After a hard foul, the actor playing the Knicks star had to shoot two free throws but couldn't make both, the boos growing louder with each miss until he had to be rattled. Celtics 96, Blazers 78: In Boston, Jeff Green scored 19 points, Jason Terry added 17 and the Boston Celtics cruised to a comfortable win without Rajon Rondo, topping the Portland Trail Blazers 96-78 on Friday night. Rondo served the first game of his two-game suspension for his role in a scuffle Wednesday night against the Brooklyn Nets. Courtney Lee started in his place and finished with 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Nets 98, Magic 86: In Orlando,k Fla., Joe Johnson had 22 points and the Brooklyn Nets earned their fifth straight victory, holding off the Orlando Magic 98-86 on Friday night. Gerald Wallace added 20 points, including five 3-pointers, as all five Nets starters reached double figures. They beat the Magic for the third time this season and wrap up their three-game road trip in Miami on Saturday. Glen Davis had 16 points to lead the Magic, who lost their third straight game. Brooklyn center Brook Lopez missed his first game of the season with a mild right foot sprain. He is day to day. Orlando begins a five-game road trip Sunday in Los Angeles. It will be their first meeting against Dwight Howard since trading the All-Star center this past summer.

Ed Daigneault breaks down the final regular season football game.

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