Xavier has been voted the No. 1 team in the NHR’s state media poll for the second-consecutive year.
This time, it was unanimous.
Xavier was simply dominant in 2011. It earned its second-straight unbeaten, 13-0 season, capped with 42-7 victory over FCIAC Champion Staples in the Class LL championship game.
Fellow SCC Division I team Hand took No. 2 with a 13-0 season, including a convincing 31-10 victory over New Canaan in the Class L championship game.
Despite playing in the same league, Xavier and Hand did not face each other.
Class M and NVL champion Ansonia, which capped the first 14-0 season in Connecticut history with a 38-0 victory over Ledyard in the championship game, took the No. 3 spot.
Class S champion and NVL runner-up Holy Cross (12-2) chimed in at No. 8.
Locally, FCIAC champion and Class LL runner-up Staples (11-1) took the No. 4 spot. SWC Champion and Class L semifinalist Masuk (11-1) comes in at No. 5. Class L runner-up New Canaan (11-2) finished No. 6.
Class L semifinalists Windsor and New London finished No. 7 and 9, respectively. Notre Dame-West Haven, which lost to both Class LL and L champions and then Windsor in the Class LL quarterfinals, rounded out the poll at No. 10.
Xavier was also a unanimous No. 1 in the Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance Poll.
Xavier got all but one of the No. 1 votes in The Day’s state coaches poll.
Final NHR State Media Poll
Others receiving votes: Norwalk (9-2), 225; North Haven (9-2), 192; Ledyard (11-2), 186; Newtown (9-3), 169; Cromwell (10-3), 144; Greenwich (8-2), 84; Hall (9-2), 81; Berlin (10-2), 52; Valley Regional/Old Lyme (10-2), 51; Northwest Catholic (9-3), 21; Conard (9-2), 20; Ellington/Somers (10-1), 17; Glastonbury (8-3) and West Haven (7-3), 11; Wolcott (8-4), 9; Pomperaug (8-2), 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; Ken Lipshez, Patch/West Hartford News; 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.
Final Day Coaches Poll
Also receiving votes: Notre Dame-West Haven (8-3), 107 points; Cromwell (10-3), 104; North Haven (9-2), 91; Norwalk (9-2), 73; Newtown (9-3), 50; Conard-West Hartford (9-2), 35; Greenwich (8-2), 29; Berlin (10-2), 26; Valley Regional/Old Lyme (10-2), 25; Hall-West Hartford (9-2), 18; Northwest Catholic-West Hartford (9-3), 17; Farmington (9-1), 15; Bunnell-Stratford (8-2), 8; Tie, Waterford (7-4) and West Haven (7-3), 7.
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.
Dave Cadelina of Bridgeport Central could not be reached to vote.
CSWA Media Poll
Also Receiving Votes: Ledyard 11-2 114; Norwalk 9-2 106; Newtown 9-3 85; Cromwell 10-3 80; North Haven 9-2 60; Greenwich 8-2 32; Hall 9-2 21; Berlin 10-2 19; Valley Regional/Old Lyme 10-2 16; Shelton 8-2 8; Northwest Catholic 9-3 5; Conard 9-2 4; North Branford 4; Wolcott 8-4 3; Darien 2; Farmington 9-1 2; Bunnell 1
Voters: Brian Barreto (NVL Blog), Bob Barton (CT H.S. Football Record Book), Bill Bloxsom (Hersam Acorn), Jim Bransfield (Middletown Press), Kyle Brennan (Waterbury Republican-American), George DeMaio (WELI Radio), Gerry deSimas (Collinsville Publishing Co.), Bill Donovan (WXLM 980 AM), Mark Fijalkowski (CT Sports Network), Dave Greenleaf (Bristol Press), Mike Guerrera (Southington Citizen), John Holt (WFSB Channel 3), Larry Kelley (SE Conn Patch), Bob Lazzari (Valley Times), Greg Lederer (Cheshire Herald), Ken Lipshez (Farmington/W. Hartford Patch), Robert Mayer (Berlin Patch), Eric Montgomery (Minuteman Newspapers), Sean Patrick Bowley (Connecticut Post), Dave Phillips (Shoreline Newspapers), Mike Pucci (New Haven Register), Paul Rosano (Meriden Record-Journal), Dave Ruden (Stamford Advocate), Elliott Schickler (Westport News), Mike Suppe (Hersam Acorn Newspapers), Peter Vander Veer (Hersam Acorn Newspapers), Tom Yantz (Hartford Courant), Rich Zalusky (Willimantic Chronicle), Jimmy Zanor (Shore Line Times).
X better have all the #1 votes.
It doesn’t really matter.
Hate to put you on the spot Sean, but what is your take on the final poll and just how good do you think this 2011 Xavier team was?
I’ll address that shortly in a season-wrap post that will come out this evening at some point.
Wow! They got it right! That’s exactly the order I predicted. While I don’t think Holy Cross is the 8th best team in the state, I understand why they need to be put there. Otherwise, that’s exactly where they should be in my opinion!
Hand would beat Xavier this year. Xavier is not a dynasty, this is their 3 titled in school history. Hand plays X next year @ Palmer, of course! We will see next year, it all depends on how successful X recruiting season is.
Hand would beat Xavier this year. Xavier is not a dynasty, this is their 3 titled in school history. Hand plays X next year @ Palmer, of course! We will see next year, it all depends on how successful X recruiting season is.
It’s going to be hard to find an Elite 8 from the CT Post distribution area! Masuk? New Canaan? Staples? Yikes!!!! It should be called The New Haven County Division III or the SCC’s Tomato Cans!!!
Nice comment frank! But it seems you are in the minority as the register and sportswriters have it 54 for Xavier and 0 for hand. Good luck in the coaches poll.
Not a bad poll.Holy Cross at #8 is a joke.They won a class title congratulations but that does not entitle you to a top 10 finish.Anyone want to list quality wins for the Crusaders.I see a few Pequot wins by the slimest of margins…
yes nick vitale is the best in the state been a highschool football fan since the 70s keep up the good work
Hey frank only your coach saw it that way out of 66 votes
Wow – I always thought I liked the Coaches poll, but that was the poll that had been voting Masuk 7 first place votes to Xavier’s 6 (media polls had X by a comfortable margin), and now they put Holy Cross at #7 and Ledyard at #10?
I’m beginning to think that Coaches are too busy with their own teams…
BTW, who do you think voted Hand #1 – S. Filippone or J. Murphy?
Juat had to post this here also.
Congrats to all the state champions!!!
To all the old men and water boys: yadda yadda, blah blah, hizzah hizzah.
17 titles since 1976, 14 wins in a season, rushing attack from hell (3 3K+ rushing leaders since 2007), a domnating offensive line (way to go Butch, you for sure make the old lavender proud!), and a rock ribbed defense with a dominating shut out in the finals!
all the rest is just white noise, yes there are other great teams in the state….
I think I have been obnoxious enough :)
GO Lavender! GO Blue! GO Chargers!
POLL IS FAIR ENOUGH—I WONDER IF THE XAVIER AND HAND FANS WILL BE FIGHTING OVER WHOS BETTER NEXT YEAR? ANSONIA WILL BE THERE AGAIN,THATS WHAT GOOD PROGRAMS DO.THEY DONT REBUILD THEY RELOAD.CYA NEXT YEAR.MASUK SHOULD BE RANKED HIGHER.
“Hey frank only your coach saw it that way out of 66 votes” — Comment by Xhs
Having compiled the coaches’ votes, you’d be wrong, but, hey, never let the facts get in the way of lying
To quote Filippone in the New Haven Register’s story, “They certainly deserve to be No. 1. They managed to win for two straight years against the best competition in the state. How can you deny those kids for what they rightfully earned?”
“BTW, who do you think voted Hand #1 – S. Filippone or J. Murphy?” —Comment by Reggie Palmer
Neither, and only that coach and I know
(Laughs manically, tents fingers)….
anyone else notice how xhs has no class? along with the rest of xavier
Please indulge me to congratulate the Staples seniors, both the high school and PAL coaches who expertly guided them through their football careers, and my fellow parents.
A few quick Staples statistics: The seniors finished with a 28-1 regular season varsity record and were 5-3 in the post season, including two FCIAC championships and three playoff appearances, of which two were Class LL championship games. For those who also played JV as sophomores or juniors, add to that another 20-0 record. That’s a remarkable 53-4 combined career achievement.
The seniors will be the first to tell you that by no means would they take credit for their success. Rather, they learned that the moment they put on a Staples uniform they were not separate classes of kids but one complete unit. They were fortunate to have great leadership from the classes before them and I feel confident in saying they passed down the tradition to the classes below. And, of course, who could ask for better coaching.
Insofar as FCIAC play, the Staples seniors were a staggering combined 31-1, with the one loss by one point. And to be honest, next year’s Staples team may well be the most complete team ever. Just as Xavier’s loss to Staples inspired them to win it all, it’s only poetic to muse that Staples’ loss to Xavier last weekend might be the rallying cry for next year. The tradition continues…
Tremendously classy moves by Coaches Filippone and Brockett not to vote for their own teams as No. 1. As undefeated Class champions they were certainly entitled. This Xavier fan applauds them both.
Well he won’t be a coach long if he can’t tell talent!
Ansonia will win most of their games in the NVL again,same old story,wonder why ?
SCC #1 and #2 rated teams just like in 2009 but this time not like most leagues it is 2 different teams.
Congratulations to Xavier and all the other winners. Anyone notice how few Staples fans were left in the stands by the fourth quarter. Where is the team support?? Wow
@ Ned
{in my best Maxwell Smart voice}
What would you say if I said Coach xyz voted for Hand?
lol
BTW, Nice shout out to Coach Wyatt’s blog in your column the other week…
@Ned. Make that, you, that coach, and anyone with reading comprehension skills who read SPB’s prior post. In his write-up for Hand: “They got New Canaan coach Lou Marinelli’s vote for No. 1.”
Scratch that. I just saw he isn’t a voter. I need to brush up on my own reading comprehension skills.
HC should be 10
to class –
Please don’t judge all of us by what some people post on here, for obvious reasons.
I thought about Marinelli’s comments too, but yeah, he’s not on the list. I’m curious if Marinan gave a nod to Hand, knowing that it wouldn’t matter. I doubt it, but it might be all he can grab right now as a motivational tool for next year. The Masuk comparisons certainly drove them this year, but that’s gone for now, at least.
SCC commish said X v Hand next year, right? It’ll be fun.
Next year most of Xavier and Hand studs are gone. It will be a new order in the SCC and likely up for grabs beyond just Xavier and Hand in 2012.
Raise your hand if you have three wins over teams in the Final Coaches Poll. Ansonia…..anyone else?? Bueller??
While that is an interesting sidenote and great fodder for vociferous Ansonia backers (myself being one, albeit a levelheaded one), whoever voted for Ledyard in that poll was probably not at the game Saturday. Calling their offense “vanilla” would be a slap in the face to the flavor vanilla.
Hillhouse is the best team in the SCC next year! Mark it down
Amen. Ledyard played a pretty good defense but offense was as one dimensional as it gets. It was interesting to see Newsome have to play as a strong back rather than an elusive one. He still managed great yardage against 10 in the box until the fourth quarter when he just ran away from every one. I felt Ledyard played the best defense Ansonia saw all year and it still wasnt even close. Also Matos made the best catch I saw all year.
Yikes…This blog is turning into NVL Blogosphere…Even Joe the shot is involved now….Had enough for the year….Can’t take it anymore….LOL…Final word:Ansonia is great, and everyone else stinks….One spot open in the SCC valley guys,c’mon on board……
Of course it turned into an NVL Blog. That’s what happens when you’re the only local team standing at the end of the year.
SPB- Can you change the name of the “Elite 8″ to “Ansonia and 7 Also Rans”?
@MasterLegend hahahahaha
To people who think Xavier has no class…
I would first like to point out your ignorance. Calling a team, or better yet, a community such as Xavier out like that without ANY knowledge of what you are saying is quite humorous. As a graduate and former football player(and State Champion) at Xavier I know what Xavier stands for. If you don’t have class…you don’t play, it’s as simple as that. Coach Marinan is one of the state’s best coaches hands down and he would not put up with anything that gives the team or that high school a bad rep. Not only does the team play with class, but our fans are as well. Our fan section is monitored every game by faculty members who barely let us say anything besides “Let’s go Xavier” and a fan base of parents and alumni that support at every game. That’s class and that’s support. It’s a community. If you want to see a bad example of class, talk to the 800 Staples fans that left at the end of the 3rd Quarter. Think before you speak please. Congratulations to Xavier and all the other state champions.