The Southern Connecticut Conference division races won't be determined Friday but in essence, some of them will be if certain results happen.

Start with the SCC Quinnipiac. Fairfield Prep takes its five-game winning streak to Middletown for a rematch with Xavier, which dealt Prep its last loss. Xavier is fighting for a state tournament berth after a slow start. If Xavier wins, it goes a game up over Prep with two left, but in essence, Xavier would have to lose both games to not be the recognized division champ and the higher seed in the league tournament even if the teams finish in a dead heat.

In the SCC Housatonic, Cheshire puts its unbeaten division record on the line at Sheehan. A win and Cheshire clinches a tie and would clinch it outright with a win Monday over Lyman Hall. So the Housy teams are rooting hard for Sheehan.

A win over Branford at home and Career would maintain a two-game lead in the SCC Oronoque with three road games left. That would leave it to North Haven, which trails by two in the loss column, to beat Career Monday. Career won by 24 last time out.

Then there's the Hammonasset where Hillhouse hasn't lost a game since 2005. That won't change.

Next week some SCC teams play as many as three games with a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule. Then division races will start to become official

After a Tuesday bye week for most SCC teams, the league returns with a full schedule this evening.
The biggest game is No. 7 Career vs. Wilbur Cross at 6 p.m. at the New Haven Athletic Center. Something has to give between these Oronoque Division foes: Career has won eight straight since a season-opening loss to Hillhouse while Cross has won four straight.
The top two teams play in the Hammonasset (3-0 Hillhouse at 3-0 Hand) and two of the top teams (West Haven at Fairfield Prep) play in the Quinnipiac.The first installment of the battle of Wallingford is tonight as a desperate 2-7 Lyman Hall team plays at Sheehan at 6 - part of a boys-girls doubleheader.
One big game in the Shoreline Conference is 9-1 Cromwell visiting 8-1 Coginchaug at 7:30 p.m.
In other action, Stratford travels to Notre Dame-Fairfield (SWC), Danbury tried to avoid losing its third straight in the FCIAC when it plays at unbeaten Ridgefield and Holy Cross tries to hand Watertown it second straight loss (NVL).

Career survived at Branford 56-55 Tuesday night. Now the Panthers host North Haven in SCC Oronoque Division play. Branford tries to rebound at Wilbur Cross Saturday night, also in division play.

In the SCC Quinnipiac, Xavier tries to make it two straight when its hosts Hamden while Notre Dame-West Haven tries to get its first win of the season at West Haven. Fairfield Prep, which has lost two of its last three, has an interdivision home game against Guilford.

In the SCC Housatonic, Amity comes off a 70-48 win over North Haven to host Sheehan while, Cheshire, three days removed from beating Sheehan 70-50, plays at Lyman Hall.

And in the SCC Hammonasset, Foran hosts Hand in what could be a battle for second place behind Hillhouse.

Hillhouse come a thrilling 48-47 win over Career Wednesday night to face Notre Dame-West Haven tis evening. Then the Academics hop on a bus on Saturday to travel to Hartford to face top-ranked New London in the Doc Hurley Classic at Weaver High at 2:45.
Wilbur Cross comes off its win over Hand to play at Cheshire at 6:45 p.m. The Govs, too, play in the Hurley Classic Saturday, facing Bulkeley following the Hillhouse-New London game.
Career tries to bounce back at Lyman Hall this evening. Fairfield Prep is at Foran in other SCC interdivision action. An intriguing non-conference game pits Hyde at Stratford, two of the four 2010-11 state champions. This is the first time the two teams are facing one another. It is the season opener for both teams.