THE DAY’S TOP 10 H.S. FOOTBALL POLL
First-place votes 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 and last week’s ranking
1. Darien (5) 9-0 372 2
KNOW THIS: Three impressive stats from the Blue Wave’s 28-21 FCIAC Championship win over New Canaan on Thanksgiving: 1. New Canaan was held 28 points under its average; 2. The Rams had 271 yards offense, 168 yards under their average, and, 3. New Canaan’s Michael Collins, one of the state’s top two quarterbacks, completed 47.5 percent of his passes. He averaged 62 percent through eight games. The state’s newly ordained No. 1 team plays Staples for the second time in three weeks in the first of three Class LL rematchs (Darien beat the Wreckers on Nov. 14, 27-0).
NEXT: CIAC Class LL quarterfinals vs. Staples at McMahon, today, 6:30 p.m.
2. Southington (8) 10-0 368 1
KNOW THIS: A Southington-Darien semifinal on Monday, Dec. 7 will settle all questions about who is No. 1. The Blue Knights must beat Conard again, though, in another LL rematch. The Blue Knights won at Conard, 53-25, on Oct. 23.
NEXT: CIAC Class LL quarterfinals vs. Conard, today, 6:30 p.m.
3. Shelton 10-0 308 4
KNOW THIS: The Gaels played Derby on Thanksgiving, thus they won. Alex Kirk had three catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns, eight tackles and three sacks as Shelton blasted its neighbors, 49-0, its 13th straight win against the Red Raiders. And now we get YET ANOTHER rematch featuring the Gaels and West Haven (Shelton won at West Haven, 48-27, on Oct. 12).
NEXT: CIAC Class LL quarterfinals vs. West Haven, today, 7 p.m.
4. New Canaan 8-1 298 3
KNOW THIS: Should you be a diehard football fan without a dog in these playoffs, then GO TO WINDSOR for the most-enticing quarterfinal since the CIAC instituted that round in 2010. New Canaan has won two straight Class L titles, including the Class L-Large crown in last season’s annoying eight division playoffs. The Warriors tore their way through Class L-Small last year to win that division.
NEXT: CIAC Class L quarterfinals at Windsor, today, 6:30 p.m.
5. Windsor 10-0 296 5
KNOW THIS: The Warriors had the most impressive win of Thanksgiving week, and “impressive” isn’t a strong enough word. Jakhari Grant completed 7 of his 8 paases for 146 yards and four touchdowns in a 48-7 mauling of Middletown last Wednesday. Windsor also held the Blue Dragons to 178 yards. Moreover Middletown (8-2) was playing for a Class L playoff berth (the Blue Dragons qualified as the eighth seed thanks to bonus points on Thanksgiving Day).
NEXT: CIAC Class L quarterfinals vs. New Canaan, today, 6:30 p.m.
6. North Haven 10-0 272 6
KNOW THIS: The Indians average a state-high 50.8 points. Here’s an example why — they scored touchdowns against Amity on Thanksgiving on their first seven possessions on TWENTY FOUR PLAYS.
NEXT: CIAC Class L quarterfinals vs. Middletown, today, 6:30 p.m.
7. Ansonia 10-0 231 7
KNOW THIS: The Chargers continued their Thanksgiving Day tradition of beating Naugatuck last Thursday, 41-8, their fifth straight win over their Valley pals and 13th in 14 years. They’re also the top seed in Class S. Again.
NEXT: CIAC Class S quarterfinals vs. Capital Prep/Achievement First, today, 6:30 p.m.
8. Glastonbury 8-1 210 8
KNOW THIS: The Tomahawks are involved in the only new LL quartefinal matchup, which also features the division’s most intruiging plotline of the night — Glastonbury’s dynamic rushing duo of UConn-bound Keyion Dixon and Jake Madnick vs. linebacker Ben Mason and a Nighthawks’ defense that’s allowed just 8.2 points per-game.
NEXT: CIAC Class LL quarterfinals at Newtown, today, 6:30 p.m.
9. Wethersfield 9-1 163 9
KNOW THIS: The Eagles’ Richard Williams ran 13 times for 162 yards and a touchdown and had 15 tackles and a sack in last Wednesday’s 44-12 clubbing of Newington. Torrington will be seeing a lot of him tonight.
NEXT: CIAC Class L quarterfnials at Torrington, today, 6:30 p.m.
10. Notre Dame-W.H. 8-2 146 10
KNOW THIS: Harding’s Taisun Phommachanh has completed 61.2 percent of his passes for 2,277 yards and 30 touchdowns. The Green Knights’ defense has averaged 11.8 points against playing the likes of Shelton, North Haven, West Haven (7-3), Hand (7-3) and Xavier (6-4).
NEXT: ClAC Class L quarterfinals at Harding, today, 6:30 p.m.
Also receiving votes: New Fairfield (9-1), 114 points; Newtown (9-1), 103; Ledyard (9-1), 57; St. Joseph (7-2), 53; Conard (8-2), 42; Staples (7-2), 35; Trinity Catholic (8-1), 34; Ridgefield (7-2), 32; Tie, Bloomfield (10-0) and Granby (10-0), 27; Torrington (9-1), 23; Tie, Killingly (9-1) and West Haven (7-3), 20; Brookfield (8-2), 19; Seymour (9-1), 15; Harding (10-0), 12; Middletown (8-2), 11; Morgan (9-1), 7.
The following coaches voted: Rich Anganaro, Brookfield; Tom Brockett, Ansonia, Jim Buonocore, Ledyard; Craig Bruno, Naugatuck; Scott Daniels, Glastonbury; Joe Della-Vecchia, St. Joseph; Steve Filippone, Hand; Rob Fleeting, Windsor; Steve George, Newtown; Tanner Grove, Montville; Tim King, Valley Regional/Old Lyme; Sean Marinan, Xavier; Marce Petroccio, Staples.
Note: go to www.theday.com to read The Lonesome Polecat, Ned Griffen’s state high school football blog.