Editor’s Note: The Hartford Courant Top 10 High School Football Poll is back! And not a moment too soon. Coaches from across the state sent in their votes after Week 1 of the season, with the results below. Once again, FCIAC teams dominate the top spots, with a few outliers scattered in between. Check out the poll below.
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, and CIAC classification:
T1. Darien (5) 1-0 372 L
KNOW THIS: Blue Wave tight end Kevin Roche (6-foot-9, 250 pounds) has committed to Georgia Tech. Charlie Thom, the team’s other tight end, is 6-6, 260. Offensive tackle Jackson Davenport (6-6, 275) has committed to Buffalo, too. And now you know why folks are touting Darien. Oh, yeah — Ben Rolapp threw for 223 yards with four touchdowns and ran for another in last Friday’s 45-6 mashing of Cheshire.
NEXT: at McMahon, Friday, 7 p.m.
T1. New Canaan (7) 1-0 372 L
KNOW THIS: The Rams edged Maloney in the 2022 CIAC Class L final, and again in last season’s semifinal en route to a title win over rival Darien. They didn’t allow Friday’s game at Maloney to turn into another thriller, though, as they rolled, 42-13. Andrew Esposito caught nine passes for 271 yards and five touchdowns, the latter which puts him in a second-place tie for most in a game in state history, according to the Connecticut High School Football Record Book.
NEXT: at Fairfield Warde, Friday, 6 p.m.
3. Greenwich 1-0 302 LL
KNOW THIS: The Cardinals returned just two starters on both sides of the ball. They care about those things, though, which is why they downed highly-touted West Haven on the road last Friday, 24-6. M.J. D’Angelo ran 14 times for 129 yards and a score and threw for 62 yards and a touchdown for Greenwich.
NEXT: at Stamford, Saturday, noon.
4. Windsor 1-0 239 MM
KNOW THIS: The Warriors, unlike Greenwich, have a lot of starters back. A lot. John Manning is one of them, and he ran for 302 yards and six touchdowns in last Friday’s 53-26 win over East Hartford.
NEXT: at Simsbury, Thursday, 6:30 p.m.
This CT senior running back’s night to remember puts Windsor opponents on notice
5. Fairfield Prep 1-0 235 LL
KNOW THIS: Finbar Malloy had five catches for 85 yards and three touchdowns and Anthony Dorsi had nine total tackles and a pick as the Jesuits shut down perennial LL contender Southington, 38-8, last Friday.
NEXT: at Hand, Friday, 7 p.m.
6. Staples 1-0 211 LL
KNOW THIS: Quarterback Nick Weil is one of many, many new starters for last season’s defending LL champs and number one team in the state. He completed 16 of 23 passes for 223 yards with five touchdowns as the Wreckers trounced Hamden last Friday 48-7.
NEXT: at Ridgefield, Friday, 7 p.m.
7. Hand (1) 1-0 198 M
KNOW THIS: The Tigers looked every bit like the defending Class M champs last Friday when they ran down New London, 36-14. Paul Calandrelli threw for 110 yards and two touchdowns and scored on a 37-yard run to help Hand take a 36-0 lead into the half.
NEXT: vs. Fairfield Prep, Friday, 7 p.m.
T8. Masuk 1-0 182 MM
KNOW THIS: The Panthers’ Max Viglione ran for an 83-yard touchdown and caught a 38-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Champagne in last Friday’s 33-26 win over Class MM runner-up Wilton.
NEXT: CIAC Class MM quarterfinals vs. Platt, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
T8. St. Joseph 1-0 182 M
KNOW THIS: HT Jones threw touchdown passes to Jake Rios (83 yards) and T.J. Wright (46) in last Friday’s 17-7 road win over two-time defending MM champion North Haven.
NEXT: at Westhill, Saturday, 2 p.m.
10. Notre Dame-W.H. 1-0 176 L
KNOW THIS: Luke Miklos ran 14 times for 144 yards and Joe Capasso scored on runs of 1 and 2 yards as the Green Knights bullied Trumbull last Friday, 33-13.
NEXT: at Law, Friday, 7 p.m.
Also receiving votes: Newtown (1-0), 141 points; West Haven (0-1), 121; Bunnell (1-0), 88; North Haven (0-1), 81; Ansonia (1-0), 76; Bloomfield (1-0), 73; Maloney (0-1), 68; Killingly (1-0), 40; Tie, Berlin (1-0) and Naugatuck (1-0), 26; Manchester (1-0), 21; Tie, Barlow (1-0) and Cromwell/Portland (1-0), 16; Brookfield (1-0), 14; Glastonbury (1-0), 9; Tie, Hamden (0-1) and Trumbull (0-1), 8; Tie, Wilton (0-1) and Xavier (0-1), 7.
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.