In many respects, this was a down year for the FCIAC. There were a number of lopsided results and the gap between the elite and no-so-elite teams seemed as wide as ever.

It prompted many observers to suggest the FCIAC study the possibility of altering its divisional alignment to create more balance.

Yet in the postseason, the FCIAC has flexed its muscle, once again staking a claim as the premier conference in the state.

When the dust settled Saturday, three FCIAC clubs - Trumbull, Class LL, New Canaan, Class L, and St. Joseph, Class S -- were still standing.

The CIAC has announced the times for this weekend's games, which will be played at UConn's Rentschler Field in East Hartford.  Trumbull takes on Xavier, the state's top-ranked team  on Friday at 7 p.m.,  followed by a tripleheader on Saturday.

Hillhouse and New London, who meet for the Class M title, get things going at 11 a.m.  New Canaan, which is seeking a fifth consecutive state,  plays at 3 p.m. against Masuk in the  Class L final. Then at 7 p.m., St. Joseph and Ansonia square off for the Class S championship in the final contest of the day. 

This marks only the second time since the CIAC adopted a playoff format in 1976 that a trio of FCIAC squads will play for state titles in the same season.  It also happened in 2002, when the FCIAC went 2-1 in the finals (Ridgefield and New Canaan won and Greenwich lost).

The FCIAC, of course, is no stranger to championships, as 55 of its teams have played for state crowns since 1976, going 32-23. That includes three all-FCIAC finals: 1981, Greenwich 14, Trumbull 0; 1990, Greenwich 21, Danbury 6; and 2008, New Canaan 26, Danbury 7.

Remarkably, this is the 16th consecutive year in which at least one FCIAC team will play for a state title. In the past 35 years, only twice was the FCIAC shut out of postseason play - 1987 and 1994.

Every year, the FCIAC and Southern Connecticut Conference stage an unofficial competition for the title of top conference in Connecticut.

The SCC  has only two teams in the finals -- Xavier in Class LL and Hillhouse in Class M.

However, the SCC  has the FCIAC beat in at least one regard - it sent a league-record six teams to the postseason, as Xavier and Hillhouse were joined by West Haven, Hand, North Haven and Lyman Hall. The other FCIAC squads advancing to postseason play were Staples and Darien.

 Of course, in the only head-to-head matchup in the state playoffs so far, New Canaan defeated Hand, 39-21. Xavier will try to even the score for the SCC against Trumbull.