Darien enters the 2018 as the three-time defending Class LL champions and three-time defending No. 1 team in the GameTimeCT / New Haven Register Top 10 football poll.
The Blue Wave’s three-straight Class LL championships matches the most in state history, tying Xavier of 2010-2012.
Their three-straight No. 1 rankings is a feat matched only by Cheshire from 1993-1995.
Darien has proven it’s the best program in all the land for the past three seasons. It has only lost once over the during that time.
But, for the second-straight year, Darien will not start the year No. 1.
No, the (perhaps dubious) honor goes to New Canaan, once again.
The Rams started last season No. 1, but lost its first game to St. Joseph. (The rematch, by the way, is Saturday at St. Joseph.)
After falling short of a fifth-straight title by losing to Masuk in the Class L semifinals, New Canaan made offseason waves when three players — massive senior tackles Jack Conley and Jack Stewart and junior quarterback Drew Pyne — all committed to FBS college programs on the same day. Conley committed to Boston College, Stewart to Michigan and Pyne, who still has another year, committed to Notre Dame.
They soon were joined by linebacker Garrett Braden, who cast his lot with Rice.
That’s four FBS commits on one team, a rarity among CIAC schools.
While this tidbit tilted the scales in New Canaan’s favor as the state’s writers and broadcasters cast their ballots over the weekend, it was not unanimous — far from it.
A whopping six teams earned first-place votes in the preseason poll, which is likely a first in the New Haven Register’s 58-year history of running the poll.
In addition to New Canaan’s 15 first-place votes, nearly all of last year’s state finalists and champions — Greenwich, St. Joseph, Hand, Darien and Killingly — also grabbed some for themselves.
Greenwich, the Class LL runners-up earned the No. 2 ranking with three first-place votes.
St. Joseph, the Class S champions (now in Class M), took three first-place votes and are ranked No. 3.
Darien — finally — comes in at No. 4 with five first-place votes.
(In case you didn’t notice, that’s four FCIAC schools leading off the Top 10, also a rarity. We can’t tell you the last time it happened, if ever.)
Defending Class L champion Hand nabbed four first-place votes and are ranked No. 5.
And, finally, Killingly, the defending Class M champions, earned a first-place vote. They come in at no. 9. Update: Jimmy Zanor, sports editor of the Norwich Bulletin, explains his doing so here.
No. 6 Shelton, No. 7 Windsor, No. 8 East Hartford and No. 10 Naugatuck round up the top 10.
The 2018 Preseason Top 10 Football Poll
TEAM (1st place votes) | 2017 | PTS | LAST | CLASS |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. NEW CANAAN (15) | 9-3 | 836 | 8 | LL |
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| Last Year: Lost to Masuk in Class L semifinals. Season Opener: Saturday at No. 3 St. Joseph, 1:30 p.m. The Bottom Line: When three players commit to FBS Schools on the same day, and then a fourth joins them shortly thereafter, well... it makes an impression. But the Rams, now vying to knock off arch-rival Darien from its Class LL throne, still have a minefield to traverse in the FCIAC, beginning Saturday. |
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 | 2. GREENWICH (3) | 12-1 | 790 | 4 | LL |
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| Last Year: Lost to Darien in Class LL championship. Season Opener: Saturday, vs. Trumbull, 4 p.m. The Bottom Line: They don’t have New Canaan’s high-profile scholarship offers, but with All-Staters Gavin Muir, Mozi Bici and Tysen Comizio returning among so many others from last year's runner-up, make no mistake about it: The Cardinals are L-O-A-D-E-D. |
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 | 3. ST. JOSEPH (3) | 12-1 | 782 | 2 | M |
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| Last Year: defeated Ansonia to win Class S championship. Season Opener: Saturday, vs. No. 1 New Canaan, 1:30 p.m. The Bottom Line: Maryland commit David Summers, Connecticut’s first-team All-State quarterback, has weapons in Phil Pasmeg and Jaden Shirden at his disposal to help the Hogs make yet another championship run, this time in Class M. That first game, however, is a doozy. |
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 | 4. DARIEN (5) | 12-1 | 766 | 1 | LL |
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| Last Year: defeated Greenwich to win Class LL title. Season Opener: Friday, vs. Ridgefield, 7 p.m. The Bottom Line: The Blue Wave matched Xavier (2010-12) by winning a third-straight Class LL championship and tied Cheshire (1993-95) with three-straight No. 1 rankings. They return All-State LB Connor Fay and a handful of others for a go at an unprecented four-straight. But — what’s this? — once again Darien is denied the preseason's top spot. Ye of little faith, state voters... |
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 | 5. HAND (4) | 12-1 | 762 | 3 | L |
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| Last Year: defeated Masuk to win Class L championship. Season Opener: Friday, at Hillhouse, 7 p.m. The Bottom Line: The first non-FCIAC team debuts at No. 5. Though All-State LB Brian Casagrande has graduated, the Tigers return just about everybody else -- Phoenix Billings, Ian Butler, their entire defensive line -- to make a run at Dave Mastroianni’s second state title in his second year as head coach. |
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 | 6. SHELTON | 9-2 | 630 | NR | LL |
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| Last Year: lost to West Haven in Class LL quarterfinals. Season Opener: Thursday, vs. Cheshire at West Haven, 7 p.m. The Bottom Line: With the lion’s share of starters back, including QB Jake Roberts and RB/LB Jack Carr, the Gaels are the most experienced and deepest team in SCC Tier 1. Should Shelton reach the Class LL playoffs for the fifth-straight year, it’ll have to wade through a mess of FCIAC powerhouses. Bon chance! |
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 | 7. WINDSOR | 10-2 | 424 | NR | L |
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| Last Year: lost to Hand in Class L semifinals. Season Opener: Friday, at Maloney, 6:30 p.m. The Bottom Line: All-State lineman Dohnje Cassanova anchors a veteran line for returning QB Julian Jackson. The Warriors just have to find new playmakers. Shouldn’t take long for coach Rob Fleeting to get this crew ready. |
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 | 8. EAST HARTFORD | 9-2 | 341 | NR | LL |
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| Last Year: lost to Darien in Class LL quarterfinals. Season Opener: Friday, at South Windsor, 4 p.m. The Bottom Line: Dynamic quarterback Raquan Tompkins returns to help a veteran team prove last year’s long-awaited state playoff berth was no fluke. The Hornets believe they’re here to stay. |
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 | 9. KILLINGLY (1) | 13-0 | 337 | 5 | M |
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| Last Year: defeated Barlow to win Class M Championship. Season Opener: Friday, Sept. 7 vs. Plainfield, 7 p.m. The Bottom Line: Walter Camp Player of the Year Spencer Lockwood is gone, as are many of last year’s studs who scripted the state’s only unbeaten season. Expect hulking DE Nsaiah Harriet and the defense to hold down the fort until veteran QB Luke Desaulnier and the offense finds its new identity. |
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 | 10. NAUGATUCK | 9-2 | 287 | NR | L |
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| Last Year: lost to South Windsor in Class LL semifinals Season Opener: Friday, at Wolcott, 6 p.m. The Bottom Line: Is this the year somebody in the NVL finally beats Ansonia? The last to do it was Naugatuck eight years ago. A close-knit senior class has finally come of age in hopes of making it happen and returning to the state playoffs. This time, the Hounds are in Class L (Whew!). |
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| Dropped out: Ansonia (6), Masuk (7), West Haven (9), Middletown (10). First-place votes in parentheses and points tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis. |
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| Others receiving votes: Bloomfield (802), 265; Berlin (9-3), 242; Southington (8-20, 232; Ansonia (12-1), 229; Newtown (7-3), 172; Fitch (10-1), 156; Fairfield Prep (8-3), 116; West Haven (9-3), 77; Maloney (9-2), 74; North Haven (8-3), 73; Ridgefield (7-3), 66; Masuk (12-1), 60; Middletown (10-1), 44; Barlow (9-4), 27; Sheehan (9-2), 26; Rocky Hill (11-1), 21; Cromwell/Portland (8-2), 14; Brookfield (4-6), 14; South Windsor (10-2), 14; Stafford/Somers/East Windsor (10-2), 8; Bristol Eastern (2-8), 7; Cheshire (6-4) 7. | ||||||||
| The following voted: Bob Barton, New Haven Register; Nate Brown, Fox61; Bill Bloxsom, Hersam Acorn Newspapers; Sean Patrick Bowley, GameTimeCT; Kyle Brennan, Freelance; Doug Bonjour, Connecticut Post; Gerry deSimas Jr., Collinsville Press; Mike DiMauro, The Day of New London; Erik Dobratz, WTNH-8; Scott Ericson, Stamford Advocate; Ned Griffen, The Day of New London; Shelby Iava, New Britain Herald; Mark Jaffee, Republican-American of Waterbury; Ryan Lacey, Danbury News-Times; Kyle Maher, Journal-Inquirer of Manchester; Shawn McFarland, Hartford Courant; Pete Paguaga, GameTimeCT; John Pierson, WTNH-8; Noah Finz, CT Sports Now; Mike Madera, Walter Camp Football Foundation; Joe Morelli, New Haven Register; John Nash, The Hour of Norwalk; Keith O’Brien, GameDay CT Sports; Dan Orecole, Bristol Press; Dave Phillips, Shoreline Newspapers; Marc Robbins, CT Sports Now; Dave Ruden, The Ruden Report; Mike Suppe, Hersam-Acorn Newspapers; Rich Zalusky, The Chronicle of Willimantic; Jimmy Zanor, Norwich Bulletin; Joe Zone, WFSB-3 | ||||||||
There are voters that are much higher on Brookfield than I am
Still don’t know what to think of that team. It will be interesting to see how they look against Masuk. They haven’t been able to put up points for years and I don’t think their defensive backfield is strong enough to hold good teams under 28 points
They have loads of talent on offense but they keep trying things that don’t work.
To be honest, they’re at a schematic disadvantage every week. Everything they run on offense and defense is hampered by the fact that Coach A has to understand it. Its why no matter what offense they start the season with, they always revert back to double wing by week 7. They ran a true no-huddle spread for the first time last year, and at the first sign of trouble they went back to the I. Many of us thought Coach A should’ve retired with the 2015 team and gone out on top with back to back championships.
They have always struggled offensively when they don’t have a star QB. Some of that is just luck of the draw in HS football and some of it is a lack of development. They have enough speed on the offensive side of the ball where this year should be better but who knows.
Good Luck to all the teams on the up coming season. Going to be a good one the first week with St Joe’s & New Canaan .
Is there anywhere to stream that St Joes-NC game? No HAN Network this year for us FCIAC fans, so we’ll have to rely on schools streaming the games themselves or the radio broadcast if we want to follow along.
Here’s an idea….go see one game this year in person which doesn’t involve Greenwich. You know, actually travelling to Trumbull? You’d learn a lot more about high school football, judging from your posts last year and so far this year.
Walmart Wolverine – for those of us who have lives outside of Connecticut high school football, game films are a pretty good indicator of a teams strengths and weaknesses. In fact, I have heard that a few coaches actually use game films from time to time to analyze their own teams. Isn’t that shocking?
I also pine for the good old days before moving pictures and the forward pass, but time marches on regardless, and we really must learn to adapt.
Another post which we’ve learned nothing from. Get out of your basement for three hours a week and put the video games away.
Looks pretty good, although personally I would have switched NC and Greenwich. Ultimately I think Greenwich will have more weapons to bear, although in their game against each other NC has home field advantage which is in their favor. Teams 4-9 seem good, but I would have personally kept Ansonia in as number 10 after seeing them scrimmage against some decent teams. I think they’re still going to defeat Naugy, and likely win the S championship.
With so many FCIAC teams near the top of the list it’s a bummer that they don’t all get to meet each other during the regular season. It would have been really nice to see them play each other and sort this list out directly. Greenwich doesn’t play Darien or St. Joe’s. this year.
Good luck to all the teams ! Stay healthy, and have a fun season. LET’S GET READY TO RUMMMMMMBLE !
I think we could be seeing Hand and Windsor squaring off again this year in the postseason.
Should be back to stingy stingy defense and a potent offense after a down year from injury last year.
Still disappointed about NO Rams in the L playoffs this year.
This poll is very poorly done. It is so biased to the FCIAC. I can guarantee that 4 teams from the FCIAC will not finish the year in the top 5 never mind the top 4. When I used to be apart of PC and TC all I would hear is how great the top teams in the FCIAC are and they would always disappoint. And let me make another guarantee no more then 2 of those teams in he top 4 win states. Sorry don’t mean to sound bitter but this FCIAC praise is getting to be too much.
> And let me make another guarantee no more then 2 of those teams in he top 4 win states.
I really hope this was just a good joke
Great observation considering it is virtually impossible for 3 of the top 4 to win states seeing as how they are all LL. I would definitely guarantee only 2 of the top 4 as well! WOW
We all know football is cyclical, teams and leagues rise and fall over time. After years of feeling that the poll voters were prejudiced against FCIAC teams, this year they vote the other way and there are 4 FCIAC teams at the top of the poll. Guess what? Like everything else in the media, the poll is reactionary, and the FCIAC has done well in the post season the last couple of years. So what! It’s early, nobody has played a game that counts yet, and by the end of October this poll will probably look very different. Relax, watch a few games, see what happens. Maybe the FCIAC will dominate Class LL, maybe not, but there is sure to be some interesting competition in the other 3 classes.
No more than 2 can win dopey. 3LL schools
Some observation as we start season this week:
1. FCiAC is stacked – New Canaan, Darien, St. Joseph, Greenwich and Ridgefield all could make state playoffs
2. SCC may be down a notch but still have top teams in Shelton, Hand, and probably Fairfield Prep if Harrison is healthy and back to level he was as Sophmore
3. IMO no teams in S division and especially NVL should ever be in the top 10 as strength of schedule is a big factor. Ansonia has young talent and new QB could be good. Bloomfield
4. Whoever loses the New Canaan/St. Joseph game should not drop much in poll after opening week as they should be rewarded for playing a tough opponent.
5. I attended at least large portions of 7 different scrimmages and joint practices and am impressed with the following teams:
New Canaan- obvious talent all over field, size and speed
Shelton- plenty of skill players on offense and impressive tackling by front 7
Ridgefield- speed/experience ; good schemes
Hand- well disciplined group, may have best Defensive line in state
Mr Footbal, I guess you were not at the Newtown 31-6 spanking of Ridgefield last week? Maybe it was a bad day but Ridgefield got beat in every aspect of the game. Only TD for Ridgefield was the varsity vs Newtown JV.
Man there is zero intrigue in L M and S as one must assume Hand Joe’s and Ansonia should win their class with relative ease. Even if Joe’s loses to Darien and NC I think they will get in and win with Ridgefield being there best Win.
Maybe Bloomfield can hand with chargers in S?
NC vs hand would been like the past. Unfortunately rams went up as LL didn’t need another player.
Good luck to all the teams.
Brian I respectfully disagree Bloomfield is on the rise and their Sophomore QB is about to emerge as one of the states best.
Killingly lost a lot but returns talent, let’s see
What they do this year.
Sheehan returns a lot from a very impressive team last year.
Not saying those teams will beat Joe’s but the hogs lost several good and experienced players and they weren’t good defensively against good teams.
Good teams averaged 30 points and over 300yds per game.
Stafford brings back most of their team from a team that was competitive against Ansonia in the 1st quarter.
I’m not saying that you won’t ultimately be right about who wins, but it’s wrong to say there isn’t intrigued.
I was not at the Ridgefield scrimmage and have heard several things that were going on with Ridgefield that might explain that result. However, I have been at their practice/joint practice and stand by my opinion that they are a good team and have good speed and experience.
Wait…Greenwich doesn’t play Darien nor St. Joe’s??!!
What kind of league scheduling is that? Sad. Feel bad for the kids on those teams. They want big games every week, not 47-0 blowouts over the Sisters of the Poor.
The SCC has got to be the screwiest of all. It’s got a state championship team slated to play a schedule intended for teams that need help rebuilding in their wacky tier system. Hand and Ansonia will both go 13-0, both will end up in the end of the year top 5 and both will play NOBODY this year.
Look at the rest of SCC Tier 1 scheduling…it’s a meat-grinder. Hand should be in Tier 1 EVERY year. Last year Hand beat a Masuk team in the state finals which crushed New Canaan.
Shocked Ansonia is not in top 10. There football history alone puts them in there..
No. They need to play somebody and when they do they lose.
Shocked Ansonia is not in top 10. Just there football history should put them in
FCIAC needs better scheduling. I think I stand for everyone when I say that.
Exactly. The FCIAC should be ashamed of its scheduling, particularly when they have the four best ranked teams in the state. Every kid I’ve talked to down here on Darien, NC, Greenwich, and Joe’s said they wanted to play EVERY top team in the FCIAC, just just 2 or 3.
Whoever voted Killingly #1 should not longer be allowed to vote. They would lose by 30+ points to the top FCIAC teams and by 20+ points to Hand, Shelton, and Windsor.
Greenwich 49, Trinity Catholic 7
New Canaan 42, Trinity Catholic 6
Killingly 49, Trinity Catholic 7
last year scores from a common opponent
Let’s be real here, ECC. Comparing blowouts isn’t particularly helpful. Trinity also got worked by Stamford and Norwalk. That doesn’t mean Stamford and Norwalk are as good as Greenwich and New Canaan.
Killingly needs to beat the best to be the best. It’s no fault of the kids, but the strength of schedule wasn’t there.
Naugatuck in at 10 and ahead of Ansonia !!!! They got beat by 4 TDs last year against Ansonia. They get beat every year by Ansonia at least let Naugatuck win one game vs Ansonia before putting them in the top 10. Don’t tell me strength of schedule either the NVL might be the weakest league in the state.
I am shocked there isn’t more outrage at Naugatuck being in the top 10. Good program and great year, but lost to Ansonia and in th fist round of playoffs.
I would’ve put Middletown over them no question, heck even Ansonia although they graduated a ton of talent.
I think overall they got it right , Killingly didn’t deserve as high a rating and they lost so much talent. I get they won’t a championship, but what was the justification of leaving out Ansonia (lost great game to Joes and graduated a ton of talent) Killingly won the championship but graduated a ton of talent.
Yet, Ansonia is left out of the top 10 as is Middletown who was excellent last year and brings back a ton of players.
I’m lost in terms of what the voters logic .
Obviously, it’s just the first poll and will adjust as the season progresses.
D’ 100% on the money – heck Naugatuck may not beat Wolcott opening night oh ya i forgot the coach doesn’t punt for Wolcott LOL
I get that Ansonia lost a lot. And if I hadn’t seen them scrimmage, it might worry me.
I get that Naugy has a lot coming back. I’ve said it myself. They could be very good.
But you don’t put Naugy ahead of Ansonia in the preseason poll. That’s just poorly done.
If you want to be the king, you have to beat the king.
Ansonia is somewhere between 7 and 10, and Naugy is 12-14.
Middletown
West haven
Southington
Ansonia
Maybe even Newtown deserves the 10th spot over Naugatuck
west haven got smoked by Glastonbury in a scrimmage
The comments that suggest past performance should earn a spot of future projections shows how much education needs to be improved
I think your biased is showing. Darien is on this list based on what they’ve done as its stated under their ranking.
They’ve lost a lot
But still have a high ranking.
New Canaan, Greenwich and St. Joes had excellent seasons and return a good deal of experience.
So to say that past performance shouldn’t earn a spot is negligent and disingenuous.
There’s nothing Naugatuck did to warrant a top 10 post. There’s school that bring back more players I.e Middletown.
So if past performance shouldn’t matter, then what justifies Naugatuck having a top 10 ranking and being ranked over Ansonia, Middletown and Masuk?
Crazy Eddie, I agree that the poll means little right now, BUT…Some of these voters will take the poll and say “I can’t move so and so down until they lose” even if they agree a team they left out of the preseason poll is showing better half way through the season.
That is a problem with this poll and the NCAA polls. Based upon voters reaction to history, they set the stage for certain teams to have the best chance to finish #1, while making it almost impossible for non-ranked teams to “jump over” teams and get to the top spots.
Funny You watch all these games on ESPN where top teams are playing each other be in inter or intrastate matchups and FCIAC supporters here calling the SCC Wring for Allowing It’s Top Teams To Face each other? I don’t get it you should want to play the best? Sounds like getting a easier path to playoffs then bragging about being in the playoffs is the way to go
Down there???
There is no doubt that FCIAC teams have a much easier path to the state playoffs than SCC Tier 1 teams. That is a LEAGUE initiative, not a school/coach initiative. All of the top FCIAC coaches I’ve spoke to want a tougher schedule. Don’t blame the coaches.
Team and League success is cyclical. For the past 5 or so years the FCIAC has clearly been the dominant league in the state based on head to head match ups with other leagues, State Playoff Records and number of Championships. The SCC held the crown 5 years previous. Hell, the last 2 years the FCIAC has gone 19-5 in the playoffs with 2 or 3 of those losses coming from other FCIAC teams. Due to league size and divisions the top teams will never face each other every year. Instead they end up playing against 3-5 of the top teams in their league of which 3-4 are typically ranked in the Top 10 in the state. Go compare Shelton’s and Hand’s schedule to Darien’s, New Canaan’s, Greenwich’s, St. Joes’ or Ridgefield’s and tell me who has the more difficult schedule.
And now we see why they are Even able to have such a playoff record???
Shelton’s schedule is by far tougher than ANY FCIAC schedule. Not even close. Hand? They should be playing in Tier 1; nobody disputes that.
@ WW “Shelton’s schedule is by far tougher than ANY FCIAC schedule. Not even close”. Please try to show some objectivity. I know that it is early in the season but as of today Shelton does not play a single Top 10 team. This does not mean that they are not playing any good teams but this is not the SCC of 2008 – 2012. There is no doubt that the Tier 1 schedule is challenging but you made a specific statement about a specific team’s schedule. Compare Shelton’s toughest three opponents to the following:
Saint Joes: New Canaan, Darien & Ridgefield
New Canaan: Darien, Greenwich & St Joes
Darien: New Canaan, Ridgefield & Saint Joes
Ridgefield: Darien, Greenwich & St Joes
Greenwich has the easiest of the 5: New Canaan & Ridgefield (although they do supplement by playing Xavier)
Let’s not forget that Shelton’s “meat grinder” league schedule includes Guilford, Amity and NDWH
And the FCIAC’s “meat grinder” of a schedule has teams like Ludlowe, Central, McMahon, Warde, Trinity Catholic, Westhill, and Stamford.
See, it’s easy to do the same thing you just did.
What we’re talking about is the week-to-week gauntlet where there is very little rest. Some of the top FCIAC teams can go nearly a month without playing another top-flight team.
It’s much easier to predict FCIAC scores than it is SCC scores. That’s my point. We want more “toss-ups.”
To each his own.
Nice back pedal Walmart Wolverine. I responded to your statement that “Shelton’s schedule is by far tougher than ANY FCIAC schedule. Not even close.” I never once mentioned that the FCIAC scedule was a meat grinder. I am just pointing out that your perception of the Shelton schedule compared to the top FCIAC teams is inaccurate. You now want to pivot to “What we’re talking about is the week-to-week gauntlet where there is very little rest.”
Sure the Top FCIAC teams will play some of the teams you mentioned just like Shelton this year will actually play Masuk, Guilford, Amity, NDWH and Derby this year. That’s some gauntlet.
So here we go again with New Canaan love. They had all that D1 talent last year and Masuk made them look silly. Let me guess, all the bs 7 on 7 tournaments have set them apart from the rest of the state. Please!!
Easy Top 10
1. Greenwich
2. Hand
3. Shelton
4. Darien
5. New Canaan
6. Windsor
7. Newtown
8. St. Joe’s
9. Sheehan
10. East Hartford
Newtown isn’t that good this year. They could be looking at 7-3
Sheehan went 0-1 against SCC tier one teams Last year.Losing by 17 to Prep.They dont belong in this poll.Their speed is fine against the have nots but not the big boys,Do u really think they would beat Ansonia,Southington,West Haven,Prep,.? Come on be realistic.
SC has to rank Newtown that high because they beat Masuk last year…
Voters should have to put their name on the ballot and let’s see who voted for who. Someone has to take responsibility for voting Killingly #1. They finished 5th last year and lost a lot. And the poll administrators need to monitor this stuff. If pollsters aren’t going to be realistic, then replace them.
Gobballfan,I am with you.Whomever voted Killingly #1 should have their credentials pulled immediately.SPB how do we find out who?You need to get your detective glasses out and find this culprit. LOL.This has to be a joke?Also,as many of the blogsters have already written how do the Hounds come in at #10 and leave Ansonia and Prep on the outside looking in?This is a great site for information but seriously I have to wonder about the credibility of the people on board working here.
We don’t out our voters, nor do we tell them how to vote. We do attempt to maintain its integrity and will occasionally remind voters of this, where needed.
Voters can, however, out themselves:
Mr Zanor,I give you a lot of credit for coming forward with your story.However,I do stand by my comments that your credentials should be pulled immediately.Your top 5 includes NC,Greenwich,Darien and Shelton.With all due respect if you believe Killingly could beat one of these FCIAC powers or Shelton for that matter you have not got out of Norwich recently.I am assuming you had to do this for the publicity since we all know how social media works, but to use your vote on a small M school is just not being professional sir.Again,I admire you coming forward and it may play out that Killingly goes undefeated again but you must factor in SOS,leagues, ect when casting a vote IMHO.Hopefully you will get out of that corner of the state and travel and see some other area games this year.
Don’t get to excited about the poll yet. They shouldn’t have a poll till like week two.
The final top 10 poll last year had #2,#3 and #5 teams who won state titles weren’t in the first top ten poll last year.
Trivia question:
When was the last time Ansonia wasn’t on the Top Ten list ?
2015
New Canaan will again beatdown Darien this year, same as last year. (Now just wait for the Darien fans to say an asterisk should be put next to NC’s win.) Newsflash: NC would have won big, regardless.
This poll is straight up offensive. Naugatuck, East Hartford, Newtown, Maloney, Berlin, and Fitch all higher than Middletown? Middletown has proven to be a top 15 program in the state, top 3/4 in the CCC. And they’re only getting better. They reload, they don’t rebuild. Morello missed the playoffs his first 2 years as coach and has won minimum 8 games every year since, with a few semifinal appearances, 2 of which were lost by less than a touchdown. They’ve lost stars before (Dario Highsmith, Tyshaun James) and new ones emerge. They’re gonna break through and win a state championship sooner vs later. This year might not be the year seeing Hand is returning a lot, but Windsor and Middletown should be pretty even as usual and there’s no reason to think programs like Maloney, Naugatuck, and East Hartford are gonna come out of the blue to be top 10 teams when this is a state of blue blood football programs (the same teams always win). I can almost gaurantee Middletown will finish 8-2 or better and at the very least give Windsor a good game. They’ve proven over the last 6 years that that’s their baseline, and they’re “step backs/rebuilds” involve getting blown out by a top 3 team in the playoffs, but making the playoffs none the less, and obliterating less consistent programs like Maloney. I’m not saying Middletown can compete with the FCIAC or Hand this year, but if history is a good measuring stick, they’ll be better than a lot of the teams ranked higher than them. It’s annoying and offensive though that Windsor gets recognition for past success, as do teams like Ansonia and Newtown (in the past at least) yet Middletown doesn’t get recognition as a consistent program. Maybe after they make the playoffs for a 7th straight year (and probably a win or 2 if they can avoid Hand) they’ll start getting respect as a program. Hopefully this disrespect will be the fire/last straw they need to just breakout and beat a team like Hand. They’ve lost enough close games to programs like Darien and New Canaan that they’re due to for a significant win. And Middletown was better than they played against New Canaan last year.
MHS ALUM, I predict Fitch loses to Hamden Friday night. Which will support your point that Fitch should not be ranked higher than Middletown.
I agree with most of what you posted and I have been advocating for Muffletoen to get respect. But, where I have to draw the line when you talk about Ansonja and Windsor getting credit for past successes.
Ansonia (however you want to dispute the NVL) has consistently been one of the top programs in the state. They’ve gone to many straight Championships and even in the ones theyve lost they’ve been very competitive. Windsor has had more success than Middletown especially in the playoffs, so that’s why those teams get credit. It’s for past and current success.
I am unhappy that Naugatuck and East Hartford is ranked ahead of Middletown. Had they beat New Canaan they would’ve gone a long way to earn more statewide respect.
I’m excited to see what they do this season.
Naugatuck is in the Top 10 for the first time in a long time. Guess the voters think they will take another step forward in coach Dave Sollazzo’s second season at the helm. He is a good coach who has fired up the program and fired up a fan base that is difficult to please.
Greyhounds do not have a difficult schedule, outside of taking the trip to Ansonia on Thanksgiving. Can they make it to Turkey Day undefeated or do they get tripped along the way?
But perhaps even more so than the Ansonia obstacle, the bigger hurdle for Naugy will be playoff success which they have not had in years. They got beat up by South Windsor last year and by Darien in 2014. Last time you can say anything positive was in 2010, when they played New Canaan very tough before losing 21-12. Their last playoff win was 1993. Somebody can double check me on that if I am mistaken. Do they finally break through this year?
They looked pretty good in the preseason so I’m interested in following them this year
The CIAC is adamant when approached about an Open Division Playoffs being established because of the school size difference between Class S teams and LL Teams but turns a blind eye as a Class S team dominates the larger schools and goes undefeated in Conference play for almost 8 years.Makes good sense to me.
SWC, who have they played this preseason and can you elaborate on looked good?
I saw a practice. Their staff was pretty impressive and they had good athletes and some good size
2017 preseason too 10
Not awful
1. NC
2. Darien
3. Southington
4. Ansonia
5. Ridgefield
6. Cheshire
7. Windsor
8. West Haven
9. Masuk
10. Shelton
Here are your four state champions in December- in advance- before the season even starts:
New Canaan
Hand
St. Joe’s
Ansonia.
I’m really going out on a limb here. (Sarcasm)
I might be wrong on just one of them.
You’re welcome.
2017 preseason too 10
Not awful
1. NC
2. Darien
3. Southington
4. Ansonia
5. Ridgefield
6. Cheshire
7. Windsor
8. West Haven
9. Masuk
10. Shelton
Final rankings 2017
1. Darien
2. St Joe
3. Hand
4. Greenwich
5. Killingly
6. Ansonia
7. Masuk
8. NC
9. West Haven
10. Middletown
5 teams dropped out of the top 10 from preseason. So, if you are in this list, you have a 50% chance of staying here.
Good luck all!
Bloomfield is going to surprise everyone this season. Very impressed with their offense. They beat a talented East Hartford squad in the 7v7 Championship game (Final Score 56-19) last month. Their offense is going to be unstoppable with their sophomore QB, senior RB and WRs. Class S Championship Bloomfield vs Ansonia.
Ansonia is better than some of the teams in the Top 10 listed above. Ive never been an Ansonia fan but I am familiar with some of the kids they have on the team this year (the QB and his brother) and they are legit. I honestly think Nantucket who is number 10 above is going to get rolled by them in the regular season. I see them going 10-0 in the weak NVL and winning the Class S title.
What QB? They have four listed and the one that’s started the three scrimmages has been #2, I don’t believe that QB has a brother on the team.
I do believe Ansonia is better than some teams listed and will be more balanced offensively this season.
I can’t crown then class S champs just yet because Bloomfield and a few others will be very good.
JOMBEE,The kid that played QB in springs,camps and passing leagues is not the starter.
The starter is the New Haven kid who was Freshman last year.
He is a monster and will be one of the top QB’S in state.
The starter didn’t play in spring and played Basketball not football in Summer.
I believe one of the reasons he stayed at Ansonia because he was able to skip springs and summer football for Hoops.
TCAT he was also injured during springs.
He didn’t participate simply because he chose not to, once healthy he played summer ball.
FYI…..
-New Canaan High School has the smallest boys enrollment in Class LL.
-New Canaan High School has the smallest boys enrollment out of all the public schools in the FCIAC.
I remember on the old CT Post blog in 2009, Staples’ fans said that New Canaan would never compete for a state championship if they ever moved up to Class L or Class LL (from Class M and Class MM) and forced to play with the “big boys.”
How does that crow taste, Westport?
I’m not sure if Westport cares for crow,
but I’m pretty sure the Cadets liked the taste of Ram today.
Somewhere in Fairfield County a coach with a (yet again) underrated team is quietly smiling.
Is it me, or are the NC Rams and the Greenwich Cards two of the least disciplined teams in the CIAC? Try taking that many penalties against any quality opponent and see what happens! NC lost; Greenwich may have had a one-sided win, but it should have been even more so. Is there a connection here?