Coaches hand Tigers the No. 1 ranking in The Day's Top 10 poll

You beat the No. 1 team in the state, you're going to get votes.

You rout the No. 1 team in the state, you're going to be called No. 1.

Hand of Madison supplanted Xavier of Middletown as the No. 1 team in The Day of New London's Top 10 state coaches' poll after beating the latter Friday 40-20.

The Tigers (5-0), who were ranked third, scored 20 unanswered second-half points and won at the unfriendly confines of Xavier's Palmer Field.

Eleven of 13 coaches voted Hand No. 1. The other two first-place votes went to Ansonia (5-0).

Xavier (4-1) had been ranked No. 1 since after the first week of the 2010 season.

Ansonia, Staples of Westport (4-0), Windsor (4-0) and Xavier round out the top five.

Norwich Free Academy (5-0) is the only area team receiving votes in the poll and is 17th.

- Ned Griffen