The St. Joseph girls basketball team finished 8-8 in league play a year ago, but went 1-7 against teams that qualified for the FCIAC Tournament.
Now, with a 3-0 start, they are hoping to make the jump not just into the conference playoffs but as a contender for the title.
The first big chance to make a statement comes Saturday afternoon, when the Cadets host town rival Trumbull. Their last win over the Eagles came on Jan. 31, 2014.