New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Notre Dame-Fairfield emerges from crowded field to finish No. 1
The voters have spoken and Notre Dame-Fairfield is the No. 1 team to close out the 2021-22 season.
It is not a choice without controversy.
All of the top four teams received first-place votes and unfortunately, none of the top four got to play each other in the CIAC state tournaments which crowned five state champions this season.
The second, third and fourth place teams were all within 10 points in the voting.
Class L champions Notre Dame got six first-place votes and 502 total points; Class LL champions East Hartford got four first-place votes and came in with 484 points; Class MM champions Sacred Heart Academy was third in the poll with 480 points and had the least amount of firstplace votes with three and Holy Cross got 474 points and five first-place votes after winning Class M.
Had there been just four divisions as in the past, Holy Cross likely would have faced either Sacred Heart Academy, St. Joseph or both. That still would have left three teams in the same predicament.
To put it in some historical perspective:
Taking out 2020 and 2021
seasons when no state championships were held, four teams have been unanimously voted No. 1 since 2014 (2014 and 2015 Capital Prep; 2017 New London and 2019 Norwalk).
In 2018, Mercy was 28-1, winning Class LL and getting all but one first-place vote which went to RHAM, which won Class L.
In 2016, Capital Prep went 24-3, winning Class L and getting all but two first-place votes, one of which went to Class M winner, 28-0 Cromwell, and one vote for Class LL champions Stamford who went 25-2 out of the FCIAC.
Each coach stated their case for being No. 1 after the state championships at Mohegan Sun last weekend.
“It’s important when you peak as a team. I don’t really care who everybody thinks the best team is in January or February. It’s who can get it done in crunch time in the postseason and peak at that right moment,” Notre Dame coach Maria Conlon said. “I feel like our team came through a lot of adversity in the postseason. We were banged up with some injuries. I believe (we are No. 1).”