In theory, there shouldn’t have been any changes in this week’s Hartford Courant state high school football coaches’ poll because all the ranked teams either won or were on a bye this past weekend.
Instead, Newtown dropped out for the second time this season.
It’s 7-0, too.
There are no definitive rules when voting in a poll, and some voters will shuffle teams around when they feel it’s necessary. Still, it’s odd for an unbeaten team to bounce in-and-out of the Top 10.
Newtown has been a perennial powerhouse in the South-West Conference and large-school CIAC state title contender, so why has it dropped out of the Top 10 twice this season?
The best guess is its schedule.
The Nighthawks, through no fault of their own, have played seven teams with a combined 7-35 record. Four of those teams are winless, too.
St. Joseph (5-1), by comparison, has beaten two 4-2 teams (Bloomfield and North Haven).
The Cadets, which fell out of the Top 10 last week after a loss to No. 3 Darien (14-0, Oct. 18), jumped back into the rankings at No. 9.
Newtown isn’t the only unbeaten team that’s unranked, either. There are 11 others and all 6-0, such as New Britain, Newington and the Capital Prep/Achievement First co-op.
The Nighthawks are on a bye this week but may return to the Top 10 next week depending on what voters do with the loser of this Friday’s game between St. Joseph and No. 5 Greenwich.
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) 6-0 382 1 MM
KNOW THIS: The Warriors made quick work of Enfield on Saturday, scoring 31 in the second quarter of their 58-0 win. Cashmire Lewis caught four passes for 56 yards and two touchdowns and scored on a punt return.
NEXT: at Conard, Saturday, 2 p.m.
2. Hand (4) 6-0 350 2 M
KNOW THIS: The Tigers scored 22 unanswered points in the second half to rally past Cheshire last Friday, 35-22. Paul Calandrelli completed 14 of 21 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown and ran 10 times for 72 yards and two scores for Hand.
NEXT: vs. Hamden, Friday, 7 p.m.
3. Darien 5-1 322 3 L
KNOW THIS: Thomas (not Tom) Herget scored on runs of 4, 6 and 2 yards and caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from Ben Rolapp as the Blue Wave overwhelmed Fairfield Ludlowe, 48-15, on Saturday.
NEXT: at Wilton, Friday, 7 p.m.
4. New Canaan 5-1 301 4 L
KNOW THIS: The Rams allowed just 113 total yards and forced five turnovers in last Friday’s 32-0 win over Wilton. That’s dang impressive because the latter was coming off a 20-17 win over then-No. 1 Greenwich (Oct. 18).
NEXT: vs. Norwalk, Friday, 7 p.m.
5. Greenwich 5-1 265 5 LL
KNOW THIS: The Cardinals were scoreless in the first half of last Friday’s game before they got their offense going and beat Trumbull, 21-7. We all have days in which we start slow.
NEXT: vs. St. Joseph, Friday, 6 p.m.
6. Staples 5-1 233 6 LL
KNOW THIS: Nick Weil completed 15 of 24 passes for 232 yards with a touchdown and interception and ran five times for 36 yards and a score as the Wreckers bounced back with a 27-0 win over Stamford on Saturday. They lost to New Canaan the previous week (23-10, Oct. 19), as some of you will remember.
NEXT: vs. Danbury, Friday, 7 p.m.
T7. Brookfield 6-0 192 8 M
KNOW THIS: Seniors Nyzir Torres and Michael Walters both ran for over 100 yards and two touchdowns as the Bobcats trucked Pomperaug last Friday, 48-7. Walters ran 13 times for 133 yards and Torres had 12 carries for 122 yards for Brookfield, which ran a glorious 47 times for 419 yards and six TDs.
NEXT: vs. East Lyme, Friday, 6:30 p.m.
T7. West Haven 5-1 192 7 LL
KNOW THIS: The Blue Devils surely remember last year’s 21-13 home loss to North Haven. The latter played keep away via their single wing running game so effectively that West Haven only had the ball for 14 minutes and 23 seconds.
NEXT: at North Haven, Friday, 7 p.m.
9. St. Joseph 5-1 173 NR M
KNOW THIS: The Cadets move back into the Top 10. …. just in time to play Greenwich and Darien this week and next. WHEE-EEEE. Oh, yeah — they blanked Ridgefield last Saturday, 29-0, their fourth shutout.
NEXT: at Greenwich, Friday, 6 p.m.
10. Masuk 5-1 168 10 MM
KNOW THIS: Bethel got off to a 5-0 start this season thanks to a very favorable schedule. And then it ran into Masuk last Friday. Shane Walker caught two touchdown passes and picked off two passes as the Panthers ransacked the Wildcats, 42-0.
NEXT: vs. Pomperaug, Friday, 7 p.m.
Dropped out: Newtown (9).
Also receiving votes: Newtown (7-0), 154 points; Bunnell (5-1), 121; Fairfield Prep (5-1), 120; New Britain (6-0), 101; Killingly (6-0), 90; Ansonia (6-0), 82; Newington (6-0), 29; Tie, North Haven (4-2) and Windham (6-0), 9; Woodland (5-1), 8; Tie, Capital Prep/Achievement First (6-0) and Hillhouse (5-1).
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.