Another Thanksgiving Week has come and passed.
Another Hartford Courant Top 10 high school football state coaches’ poll has been scrambled from all the holiday week chaos headed into the CIAC playoffs.
The easy part first — Windsor (10-0) and defending Class M champion Hand (10-0) are first and second, respectively, for the ninth straight week.
Windsor received nine of 13 first-place votes, and the Tigers received three.
And now, the fun.
There were three games last week between teams ranked in the Top 10 and the winners all prevailed by double-digits.
Fairfield Prep beat then-No. 8 West Haven, 31-20, last Wednesday.
New Canaan shutdown then-No. 4 Darien, 34-0, on Thanksgiving.
Staples also blanked then-No. 5 Greenwich, 27-0, on Thanksgiving.
New Canaan moved up to third this week — and picked up a first-place vote — as it’s the hottest teams in the state.
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Since literally fumbling the game away against Masuk in a 14-0 loss on Sept. 27, the two-time defending Class L champion Rams (9-1) have beaten three playoff teams — Fairfield Ludlowe (30-14, Oct. 5), Staples (23-10, Oct. 19) and Darien. They also opened the season with a 42-13 win at Class L quarterfinalist Maloney (Sept. 13).
Staples (9-1), the defending Class LL champion, moved up to fourth, followed by Brookfield (10-0), Newtown (10-0) and Fairfield Prep (9-1).
Darien (8-2) dropped to eighth, followed by Killingly (10-0), which is making its season-debut.
West Haven (8-2) is 10th, four points ahead of Greenwich (8-2), even though the latter beat the former in Week 1 (24-6, Sept. 13).
Hartford 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. Windsor (9) 10-0 382 1 MM
KNOW THIS: Windsor is already on to the Class MM semis after quarterfinal opponent Northwest United had to forfeit Tuesday’s scheduled game due to it not having enough healthy players. The top-ranked Warriors are one step closer to taking home the program’s first state title since 2014.
NEXT: CIAC Class MM semis, TBA
2. Hand (3) 10-0 358 2 M
KNOW THIS: The Tigers thumped Guilford last Wednesday, 51-28, for their 17th straight win over their neighbors. Hand scored on two pass plays, a run, a field goal, a fumble recovery and both an interception and punt return to go ahead, 44-6, in the game’s first 22 minutes and 44 seconds.
NEXT: CIAC Class M quarterfinal vs. New London (6-4), Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
3. New Canaan (1) 9-1 338 4 L
KNOW THIS: Andrew Esposito ran eight times for 126 yards and four touchdowns as the Rams bullied Darien. They ran 43 times for 254 yards while the defense allowed just 144 total yards.
NEXT: CIAC Class L quarterfinal vs. Maloney (6-4), Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
4. Staples 9-1 302 6 LL
KNOW THIS: Justin Halky had two interceptions and Charley Leahy recovered two fumbles in the Wreckers’ win over Greenwich. It was the first time the Cardinals had been shut out since Nov. 23, 2006. …. by Staples (20-0).
NEXT: CIAC Class LL quarterfinal vs. Manchester (6-4), Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
5. Brookfield 10-0 264 7 M
KNOW THIS: Michael Walters required just eight carries to run for 207 yards and three touchdowns as the Bobcats overwhelmed Bethel, 54-7, last Wednesday. By comparison, Bethel had 146 total yards on 36 plays.
NEXT: CIAC Class M quarterfinal vs. Law (6-4), Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
6. Newtown 10-0 252 9 L
KNOW THIS: It sure would’ve been swell had the Nighthawks and Brookfield played one another during the South-West Conference season but c’est la vie.
NEXT: CIAC Class L quarterfinal vs. Amity (8-2), Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
7. Fairfield Prep 9-1 247 10 LL
KNOW THIS: Ben Conelius kicked four extra points, a 34-yard field goal and, as after lining up to punt, threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to Finbar Malloy in the Jesuits’ win over West Haven.
NEXT: CIAC Class LL quarterfinal vs. Kennedy (7-3), Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
8. Darien 8-2 208 3 L
KNOW THIS: Flashback to the last time the Blue Wave played Fairfield Ludlowe — Ben Rolapp completed 15 of 29 passes for 244 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in Darien’s 48-15 win on Oct. 25.
NEXT: CIAC Class L quarterfinal vs. Fairfield Ludlowe (8-2), Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
9. Killingly 10-0 165 NR SS
KNOW THIS: Quinn Sumner completed all three of his passes for 125 yards and three touchdowns for Killingly in its 47-0 win over Woodstock Academy on Thanksgiving.
NEXT: CIAC Class SS quarterfinal vs. Ellington (6-4), Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
10. West Haven 8-2 153 8 LL
KNOW THIS: There are few CIAC quarterfinals on Tuesday that, on paper, look intriguing. West Haven at Glastonbury, now that’s a game worth going to see.
NEXT: CIAC Class LL quarterfinal vs. Glastonbury (8-2), Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
Dropped out: Greenwich (5).
Also receiving votes: Greenwich (8-2), 149 points; St. Joseph (7-3), 114; Naugatuck (9-1), 68; Glastonbury (8-2), 56; Bunnell (8-2), 51; Sheehan (8-2), 42; Wethersfield (9-1), 34; Maloney (6-4), 32; Fairfield Ludlowe (8-2), 20; Capital Prep/Achievement First (10-0), 18; Ansonia (9-1), 17; New Britain (8-2), 16; Newington (9-1), 15; Bristol Central (9-1), 14.
Voters: Erik Becker, Hand; Tom Brockett; Ansonia; Joe Della Vecchia; St. Joseph; Mike Ellis; Fitch; Rob Fleeting; Windsor; Kevin Frederick, Maloney; Tanner Grove; Montville; Andy Guyon; Xavier; Joe Lato; Woodland; Brian Mazzone; Stafford/East Windsor/Somers; 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 born in Texas thus he was genetically hardwired to love the sport. He enjoys heavy metal, pro wrestling, Jennifer Walters and being adored by cats and dogs everywhere.