Courant Top 10 State Football Coaches’ Poll
First place points in parentheses, record through Saturday, points tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis, last week’s ranking and CIAC classification:
1.Greenwich(13)7-0,390,1,ll
KNOW THIS: The Cardinals stopped St. Joseph twice within their own 5-yard line and used a pick-six with over two minutes left to win last Saturday, 23-9. They finished with three turnovers in all.
NEXT: at Westhill, Saturday, 1 p.m.
2. Cheshire 7-0, 348, 2, MM
KNOW THIS: Jeffery Gonzalez ran 18 times for 90 yards and a touchdown, scored on a fumble recovery, had nine tackles and added an interception as the Rams thumped Notre Dame of West Haven last Friday, 28-3. It was the fifth straight game in which they allowed six points or less.
NEXT: at North Haven, Friday, 7 p.m.
3. Maloney 6-1, 332, 3, L
KNOW THIS: This section of the Spartans’ write-up should be changed to“what did Donte Kelly do now?”the senior caught five passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns and scored on runs of 8 and 2 yards in last Thursday’s 41-17 beating of Hall.
NEXT: at Southington, Friday, 7 p.m.
T4. Staples 6-1, 266, 7, LL
KNOW THIS: Caleb Smith completed 20 of 32 passes for 308 yards and five touchdowns and ran 10 times for 42 yards as the Wreckers stomped Danbury last Friday, 51-0. He’s been the Donte Kelly of these Staples write-ups (or is Kelley the Caleb Smith of the Maloney write-ups?)
NEXT: vs. Trumbull, Friday, 7 p.m.
T4.westhaven6-1,266,9,ll
KNOW THIS: Nick Conlan completed 13-of-18 passes for 344 yards and five touchdowns in the Blue Devils’ road win over South-west Conference heavyweight Newtown.
NEXT: vs. Notre Dame-west Haven, Friday, 6 p.m.
6. New Canaan 6-1, 260, 6, L
KNOW THIS: The Rams needed just 27 offensive plays to tear up Norwalk last Friday, 51-8. Alex Russey ran four times for 94 yards and two scores and completed all three of his passes for 36 yards and a touchdown.
NEXT: at Bridgeport Central, Friday, 11 a.m.
7. Bloomfield 6-0, 218, 8, S
KNOW THIS: The Warhawks mangled Lewis Mills, 54-0, in last Saturday’s Central Connecticut Conference Tier 4 game. Their defense allowed the Spartans a meager 52 yards on 36 plays. The perennial Class S contender has outscored four division opponents, 192-19. OK, so the CCC uses enrollment as the number one factor in placing its 31 teams across its four divisions but — and call us crazy — it might be time to move Bloomfield up to (at least) Tier 2 because its long since proven to be a state force. That and the whole“iron sharpens iron”thing helps come playoffs.
NEXT: at East Catholic, Thursday, 6:30 p.m.
8. Shelton 5-2, 213, NR, L
KNOW THIS: The Gaels defense was spectacular in last Friday’s win over North Haven as it slowed the latter’s power running game down to a crawl. David Dojildko also scored on runs of 83 and 64 yards, oddly enough on the first play of separate drives.
NEXT: vs. Hamden, Friday, 7 p.m.
9.Northhaven5-2,199,4,mm KNOWTHIS: Two SCC Tier 1 powerhouses down (West Haven and Shelton). One to go.
NEXT: vs. Cheshire, Friday, 7 p.m.
10. Ansonia 7-0, 170, 10, S
KNOW THIS: The Chargers had a lot of fun last Friday night. It walloped neighbor and longtime rival, Derby, 58-7. Machi Ingram ran for 204 yards and two touchdowns and caught a touchdown. And it was also the 200th win for head coach Tom Brockett, the program’s all-time wins leader. The Chargers have won seven CIAC state titles under Brockett and he’s the state’s all-time winning percentage leader in the sport (.930), according to the Connecticut High School Football Record Book.
NEXT: at Woodland, Friday, 6:30 p.m.
Dropped out: Newtown (5).
Also receiving votes: Naugatuck (7-0), 128 points; Windsor (6-1), 109; Wilton (5-2), 105; Newtown (6-1), 93; Notre Dame-ffld. (7-0), 75; Hand (6-1), 43; Southington (5-2), 40; Hall (5-2), 20; Darien (5-2), 18; Manchester (5-1), 8; Tie, Bunnell (5-2) and St. Joseph (4-3), 7.
Voters: Tom Brockett; Ansonia; Craig Bruno; Amity; Joe Della Vecchia; St. Joseph; Mike Drury; Southington; Mike Ellis; Fitch; Rob Fleeting; Windsor; Tanner Grove; Montville; Andy Guyon; Xavier; Joe Lato; Woodland; Brian Mazzone; Stafford/east Windsor/ Somers; Bryan Muller; Brookfield; Marce Petroccio; Trumbull; Nathan Tyler, Stratford.