Editor’s Note: The dust has settled on a week filled with matchups worthy of the Friday Night Lights– or even the Monday Night Football stage. No. 3 Daniel Hand proved its title-contending worth with a win at No. 8 Brookfield, No. 4 Killingly smashed Jonathan Law, and No. 5 Darien got past Masuk, 28-21, setting up a showdown with Staples this week.
FCIAC schools continue to dominate the top of the rankings, but Hand, Killingly and Windsor have shown that there’s some pretty good football being played in other parts of the state, too. There are also some interesting names in the ‘Others Receiving Votes’ category, with unbeaten powers Maloney and Berlin ready to crash the rankings, and some schools that have suffered a slip-up chomping at the bit to get back in.
Here’s a look at the Top 10 this week.
Hartford Courant Top 10 Coaches’ Poll
Listing record, total points with first-place votes in parentheses, previous ranking and CIAC class. Points tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis:
1. New Canaan, 3-0, 380 (10), No. 1, Class L
KNOW THIS: The Rams beat Bunnell on Friday, 27-7, and have allowed just two touchdowns so far.
NEXT: at No. 7 St. Joseph (2-1), Saturday, 2 p.m.
2. Greenwich, 3-0, 364 (3), No. 2, Class LL
KNOW THIS: Cardinals junior Jack Kelly scored on runs of 3 and 2 yards, had six tackles and recovered a fumble in his team’s end zone for a touchback as his team downed Notre Dame of West Haven on Friday, 38-7.
NEXT: at Westhill (0-3), Saturday, 2 p.m.
3. Hand, 3-0, 316, No. 4, Class SS
KNOW THIS: Junior Brayden Dempsey was the story in the Tigers’ 38-7 rout over then-No. 8 Brookfield on Friday. He forced fumbles on all three of his sacks, all of which gave Hand great field position to score three touchdowns. Then there’s this — he’s playing with a club on his right hand after fracturing his right thumb during a scrimmage earlier in the month. He had surgery the day before the team’s season opener at St. Joseph (Sept. 12) and played that game.
NEXT: at Hamden (0-3), Friday, 6 p.m.
4. Killingly, 3-0, 314, No. 3, Class SS
KNOW THIS The Trailblazers knocked off Law on Friday, 49-21, with senior Hayden Allard scoring on runs of 70, 61, 9 and 10 yards and an 83-yard interception return. Egad.
NEXT: at New London (1-2), Friday, 5 p.m.
5. Darien, 3-0, 270, No. 5, Class L
KNOW THIS: The Blue Wave’s Jay Franzese threw four touchdown passes to four different receivers in Friday’s 28-21 win over Masuk. And now comes one of the weekend’s co-main events.
NEXT: vs. No. 6 Staples (3-0), Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
6. Staples, 3-0, 252, No. 6, Class LL
KNOW THIS: Mickey Ross kicked a 38-yard field goal as time expired to give the Wreckers a wild 34-33 win over West Haven on Friday.
NEXT: at No. 5 Darien (3-0), Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
7. St. Joseph, 2-1, 232, No. 7, Class M
KNOW THIS: Speaking of comebacks, the Cadets trailed Southington three times on Friday but battled back for a 30-24 win. Senior Tristan Spain scored on a go-ahead 10-yard run with 42 seconds left in the game and finished with 30 carries for 192 yards and a TD. Up next is the weekend’s other co-main event.
NEXT: vs. No. 1 New Canaan (3-0), Saturday, 2 p.m.
8. Windsor, 3-0, 176, No. 9, Class MM
KNOW THIS: AJ Robinson completed 27 of 39 passes for 381 yards with three touchdowns and scored on a 1-yard run as the Warriors held off perennial South-West Conference power Newtown on Friday, 34-31. Jayden Compton added 10 catches for 183 yards and two TDs and intercepted a pass on the Nighthawks’ last possession.
NEXT: at Bristol Central (0-3), Friday, 7 p.m.
9. Fairfield Prep, 2-1, 159, 10, Class LL
Know this: Senior Vinny Lombardo scored on a 58-yard reception and a 15-yard run as Prep got past New Britain on Friday, 24-21. Next: at Shelton (1-2), Friday, 7 p.m.
10. West Haven, 2-1, 114, NR, Class LL
KNOW THIS: The Blue Devils received 18 more points than they did last week as a few coaches were impressed their play against Staples.
NEXT: vs. Xavier (1-2), Friday, 6 p.m.
Dropped out: Brookfield (8).
Also receiving votes:
Maloney (3-0), 95 points; Wilton (3-0), 90; Woodland (3-0), 82; Berlin (3-0), 81; Fairfield Ludlowe (3-0), 72; Brookfield (2-1), 61; Tie, Bunnell (2-1) and Newtown (1-2), 55; Seymour (3-0), 29; Cheshire (2-1), 19; North Haven (2-1), 18; Glastonbury (2-1), 17; New Britain (2-1), 16; Amity (2-1) and Masuk (1-2), 15; Holy Cross (2-1), 11; Norwalk (2-1), 7.
Voters:
Erik Becker, Hand; Jason Bruenn, Platt; Joe Della Vecchia; St. Joseph; Mike Ellis; Fitch; Kevin Frederick, Maloney; Tanner Grove; Montville; Keith Hellstern, Fairfield Prep; Erick Knickerbocker, Rockville; Joe Lato; Woodland; John Mihalko, Ansonia; Bryan Muller; Brookfield; Marce Petroccio; Trumbull; Nathan Tyler, Stratford.
Ned Griffen has obsessively covered state high school football since the mid-nineties, back when Dan Orlovsky was just a wiry teenager at Shelton High School. He was genetically hardwired to love the sport having been born in Texas. He enjoys heavy metal, pro wrestling, the wit and wisdom of Jennifer Walters and being adored by cats and dogs everywhere.
