Forecasts for inclement weather on Friday have reduced the CIAC’s four 2025 state championship tournaments to one day – Saturday with wrestling beginning at 9:30 a.m. and expecting to end with championship finals at 6:30 p.m.
The big change for wrestlers is that the round of 32 will now be single-elimination instead of double-elimination.
National High School Federation rules limit wrestlers to just six matches a day. If a wrestler or wrestlers in third place or fifth place bouts exceed that limit, those matches will be on Sunday at Trumbull High beginning at noon.
The four championship tournaments will be in Trumbull (Class LL), Wilton (Class L), Guilford (Class M) and Killingly (Class S).
The seeds for the four tournaments have been announced and can be found below.
The official records do not include any results from Saturday’s conference tournaments nor any matches the wrestler may have wrestled outside of New England or New York. Results from the Central Connecticut Conference tournament are included in wrestler’s individual seeding because it was held before Feb. 11.
The top six individuals in each weight class at all four meets will earn an invitation to the State Open championships on Friday, Feb. 27 and Saturday, Feb. 28 at the Floyd Little Athletic Center on the campus of Hillhouse High in New Haven.
The CIAC will host their girls state championship tournament at the State Open. Girls can wrestle this week in the divisional tournaments (Class LL, L, M and S) but will have to choose which tournament they want to participate in at the State Open – boys (if they quality) or girls.
Tickets are not available at the door. They must be purchased online.
The four tournaments will be streamed on FloWrestling and through the NFHS network. There are subscription fees for both streaming services.
Class LL championships
At Trumbull
Last year: Fairfield Warde 260½, East Hartford 220½, Ridgefield 169
2026 seeds
Class LL brackets and results (FloArena)
Streaming video: FloWrestling and NFHS network.
Outlook: Two-time defending champion Fairfield Warde is in Class L this year but No. 3 Ridgefield should contend with five No. 1 seeds including defending State Open champion Cole Desiano along with No. 4 Danbury and No. 5 Trumbull. Watch out for No. 9 New Britain, who has a pair of No. 2 seeds and four at No. 4. The Hurricanes won their first CCC Tournament title two weeks ago without a wrestler in the finals but outstanding wrestler in the consolation rounds. Teams that want to contend will need to avoid first round upsets since it is single elimination this year in the round of 32 and wrestle well in the consolation rounds.
Notable: State Open champion Evan Schibi comes from one of the smallest schools in the state – Gilbert School in Winsted. But his Yellowjackets are competing in Class LL because they are a co-op with Torrington and Wolcott Tech. Schibi won the last two Class L titles. … Ridgefield’s best finish in a CIAC tournament came last year when the Tigers were third in Class LL.
Class L championships
At Wilton
Last year: Xavier 296½, Newtown 219, East Lyme/Norwich Tech 105
2026 seeds
Class L brackets and results (Flo Arena)
Streaming video: FloWrestling and NFHS network.
Outlook: Once again, this tournament is probably the deepest among the four CIAC state tournaments with No. 1 Xavier, No. 2 Fairfield Warde, No. 6 New Milford in the field along with Newtown and East Lyme/Norwich Tech. With four No. 1 seeds, the Falcons are the favorites to win a sixth straight Class L championship but winning individual championships won’t be easy for anyone in this competitive tournament. … Three-time Class L champion Braylon Gonzalez (144) of Xavier is the No. 1 seed and is looking for a fourth consecutive state title. Gonzalez is also a returning State Open champion.
Notable: The most recent team to win the Class L title other than Xavier was Bristol Eastern, who won three in a row from 2017-19. … Warde has won three Class L titles with its most recent championship coming in 2010.
Class M championships
At Guilford
Last year: Foran 203½, Bristol Eastern 185, Berlin 175
2026 seeds
Class M brackets and results (FloArena)
Streaming video: FloWrestling and NFHS network.
Outlook: Foran should battle it out with Bristol Eastern, who was a point shy of winning the Central Connecticut Conference tournament two weeks ago. Foran has a pair of No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in the field while Eastern has one No. 1 seed and two No. 2 seeds. Notre Dame-West Haven could make a run at the title.
Notable: Foran has won three state titles while Bristol Eastern is looking for their first title since 2019 when they won in Class L. Notre Dame-West Haven is looking for their first top 3 finish in a CIAC state tournament.
Class S championships
At Killingly
Last year: Killingly 221½, Stafford 172, Ledyard 164
2026 seeds
Class S brackets and results (FloArena)
Streaming video: FloWrestling and NFHS network.
Outlook: No. 7 Ledyard, who won their first ECC title since 2017 last week, will challenge No. 10 Killingly for the Class S title with Canton, Plainville and Stafford lurking for an opportunity to contend. Ledyard has two No. 1 seeds while Killingly has two No. 1 seeds and a pair of No. 2 seeds. The key to this tournament will be the performance in wrestlers in the consolation round and in the round of 32. Because it is a one-day event, the round of 32 is single-elimination.
Notable: Killingly has won eight state titles including six in Class S (2008, 2009, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025) and two in Class M (2003, 2019). The last Class S team to win four straight titles was Windham (2013-16). … Lewis Mills’ Jack Gedney, who trains with Simsbury, is looking to win his fourth Class S title. The last Class S wrestler to do that was Derby’s Anthony Marcucio in 1999. Somers’ William Accorsi, a defending State Open champion, is looking to win a third Class S title. … Ledyard’s most recent state title was a Class S title in 2017.
