The state polls are out and, with three ranked teams going down, there was a slight shakeup of the rankings this week.
In the State’s Media Poll, Xavier expanded its lead to 10 points as Masuk lost a couple of first-place votes. Hand, with its 28-14 victory over West Haven, leapfrogged Ansonia into the No. 3 spot. Staples jumped a spot to No. 6 behind No. 5 New Canaan with its 42-23 win over Darien.
With its 14-0 upset loss to Fitch, New London dropped from No. 5 to No. 9. Bunnell’s 56-46 loss to Bethel dropped the Dawgs out of the Top 10, but only slightly to No. 11. The same thing happened to Darien, which fell out of the Top 10 to No. 12.
Less movement in The Day’s coaches poll, but the same general idea.
State Media Top 10
Others receiving votes: Bunnell (6-1), 173; Darien (6-1), 162; Greenwich (5-1), 161; North Haven (6-1), 154; Pomperaug (6-1), 148; Valley Regional/Old Lyme (6-0), 121; West Haven (5-2), 83; Norwalk (5-1), 49; Norwich Free Academy (5-1), 45; Glastonbury (6-1), 44; Hall (6-1), 31; Northwest Catholic (6-1), 27; Bethel (5-2), 21; Ledyard (5-1), 15; Fitch (4-3), 10; Berlin (6-1) and Newtown (6-1), 8; Cromwell (6-1), Ellington/Somers (7-0), Holy Cross (6-1) and North Branford (5-1), 7.
The following voted: Marc Allard, Norwich Bulletin; Bob Barton, New Haven Register; Bill Bloxsom, Hersam-Acorn; Sean Patrick Bowley, Connecticut Post; Don Boyle, Sporting News CT; Jim Bransfield, Middletown Press; Bryant Carpenter, Meriden-Record Journal; George DeMaio, WELI; Mike DiMauro, The Day of New London; Matt Doran, MSG Varsity; Kevin Duffy, Danbury News-Times; Tom Evans, Norwalk Hour; Noah Finz, WTNH-8; Ned Griffen, The Day of New London; John Holt, WFSB-3; Mark Jaffee, Waterbury Republican-American; Mike Madera, Elm City Newspapers; Joe Morelli, New Haven Register; Dave Phillips, Shore Line Newspapers; Mike Pucci, New Haven Register; Dave Ruden, Stamford Advocate; Tom Yantz, Hartford Courant; Mike Wollschlager, New Haven Register; Jimmy Zanor, Shore Line Newspapers.
The following did not vote: Ken Lipshez, Patch/West Hartford News.
The Day Coaches Top 10
Also receiving votes: Darien (6-1), 95 points; Glastonbury (6-1), 88; Bunnell-Stratford (6-1), 75; Greenwich (5-1), 73; North Haven (6-1), 70; Tie, Northwest Catholic-West Hartford (6-1) and Valley Regional/Old Lyme (6-0), 54; Pomperaug-Southbury (6-1), 43; West Haven (5-2), 27; Ledyard (5-1), 24; Holy Cross-Waterbury (6-1), 23; Ellington/Somers (7-0), 17; Tie, Bethel (5-2), Hall-West Hartford (6-1) and Norwich Free Academy (5-1), 11; Cheshire (4-3), 10; Tie, Farmington (6-1) and Norwalk (5-1), 9,
The following coaches voted: Tom Brockett, Ansonia; Jim Buonocore, Ledyard; Craig Bruno, Bunnell-Stratford; Dave Cadelina, Bridgeport Central; Steve Filippone, Hand-Madison; Rob Fleeting, Windsor; Tanner Grove, Montville; Jude Kelly, St. Paul-Bristol; Tim King, Valley Regional-Deep River; Sean Marinan, Xavier-Middletown; John Murphy, Masuk-Monroe; Marce Petroccio, Staples-Westport; Bob Zito, Maloney-Meriden.
CSWA Top 10
Also Receiving Votes: Bunnell 6-1 59; Notre Dame-West Haven 5-2 55; Darien 54; North Haven 6-1 38; Pomperaug 6-1 34; Greenwich 28; Glastonbury 6-1 24; West Haven 5-2 18; Ledyard 5-1 13; Northwest Catholic 12; Hall 10; Newtown 6-1 9; Bethel 7; Norwich Free Academy 5-1 7; Berlin 6-1 6; Ellington/Somers 7-0 6; Norwalk 5; Holy Cross 6-1 4; Coventry/Windham Tech 2; Hartford Public 1; North Branford 1; Waterford 5-1 1
Voters: Brian Barreto (NVL Blog), Don Boyle (Sporting News CT), Kyle Brennan (Waterbury Republican-American), George DeMaio (WELI Radio), Bill Donovan (WXLM 980 AM), Mark Fijalkowski (CT Sports Network), Larry Kelley (SE Conn Patch), Pete Lamoureux (WCCC 1290 AM), Bob Lazzari (Valley Times), Eric Montgomery (Minuteman Newspapers), Sean Patrick Bowley (Connecticut Post), Dave Phillips (Shoreline Newspapers), Pat Pickens (Fairfield Citizen-News), Mike Pucci (New Haven Register), Mike Suppe (Hersam Acorn Newspapers), Peter Vander Veer (Hersam Acorn Newspapers), Tom Yantz (Hartford Courant), Rich Zalusky (Willimantic Chronicle), Jimmy Zanor (Shore Line Times)
Strange things going on with the CSWA poll. A bunch of writers didn’t vote.
Add: And Ned at The Day points out (below) that, since hundreds of thousands of people didn’t have power from the storm, you can see why there were less votes.
Duh. Apologies. I’ll take my head out of my heated & and powered home for the moment and remember the less fortunate among us. Godspeed.
Someone tell me how Fitch received some votes – they lost to Danbury by 24 points? Is this because of the anti-Fciac bias – BTW Danbury also crushed Trumbull who was up here not too long ago – just wondering
Has more to do with the over-representation of eastern schools in the state rankings – always happens this time of year. See: New London hanging in there at #9 (after getting blanked by Fitch???), NFA barely slipping after a loss to Stonington, Fitch and Ledyard sneaking into the conversation, etc., etc.
They’ll disappear when they get flattened in the playoffs.
Can not wait to see the outcome of the Shelton vs Prep game this week
Masuk has almost the same amount of first place votes as wins of their first 7 opponents.
@Live/@James – I think it’s more about timing since Fitch just knocked off Top 10 New London whereas the Danbury victory over Fitch was in week one. Danbury will pad their record with Ludlowe, but do you think they are capable of beating Greenwich to really get everyone’s attention?
“Has more to do with the over-representation of eastern schools in the state rankings – always happens this time of year. See: New London hanging in there at #9 (after getting blanked by Fitch???)” – James
BWAH-HAW-HAW-HAW-HAW
The ECC hasn’t had more than two teams in the Top 10 at the same time in a long, long while. And any team getting 40-or-so points is just a ripple in the voting pool
(A lot of locals around these here parts will also prattle on about how the league never gets any respect until your ears bleed. It’s an old chestnut for the region)
NFA has 45 points in the Register poll. Do the math and that comes out to about three voters out of 24
Ledyard has 15 points, which would equate to one 14th and one 15th place vote
Fitch’s 10 points means that it got a 12th place vote. Bit odd given its record, but whatever. It’s all opinion
As for New London sticking at nine, it was an astonishing loss against Fitch. It made too many careless mistakes
Don’t forget, though, that the Whalers hung 51 points on Greenwich a few weeks ago. Ain’t talking about a scrub team here
“Strange things going on with the CSWA poll. A bunch of writers didn’t vote” – Frozen Fingers Bowley
There was a big nor’easter this weekend that dumped a lot of snow yon north, you silly wabbit
Few coaches couldn’t email their ballots this week because they either didn’t have power, phone service, or both. Had to hunt them down
(Talked to one coach Monday moments before he and his friend took a chainsaw to two large trees that were down in his backyard. One went in his pool)
Pucci had to hunt down voters, too, due to weather-related issues
No one is in charge of tracking down voters in the CSWA poll, so there you go
Apropos of nothing, Norwalk hasn’t gotten much support. Looks like there’s only around five of us giving the Bears any love
http://www.theday.com/article/20111031/INTERACT010114/111109999/-1/SPORT03
@NeedledNosedNed
Ohhhh yeah. I think I heard something about that. Silly me, spoiled with all this power all weekend, not running a poll, not having to worry about such issues.
Though, I’d say fire up the car, charge that phone and go to work on those votes!
Let them eat cake, I say!
(I’m kidding of course. Hope all are well.)
all that matters is where you end up.
Amen
Didn’t you use to have a blog entry called the Elite 8 at one point in time?
Watch out for Valley Regional coming out of Class S could be a possible contender