It’s been eight years since New London beat Seymour for the 2008 CIAC Class SS championship.

There’s been 34 state titles won by 18 teams during those eight years. Seven of the state’s eight football conferences have won at least one.

The Eastern Connecticut Conference hasn't won a state title during that span, diminishing its reputation among coaches across the state.

There isn’t an ECC team ranked in the top 10 of The Day’s state coaches’ poll for the seventh time in 12 weeks this season. New London had been ranked 10th for five weeks, but dropped out after a 13-0 loss to Norwich Free Academy on Thanksgiving.

NFA (8-2) earned 75 points and is ranked 14th. The Whalers (9-1) dropped to 17th with 43 points. They’re the ECC’s only teams in the poll, and it’s not because the league isn’t represented well enough. The ECC has two voters, which is as many as any other league.

The ECC has a chance to boost its reputation in Tuesday’s CIAC playoffs. New London, seeded third in Class L, hosts No. 6 Notre Dame of West Haven (7-3).

Fifth-seeded NFA plays at fourth-seeded Southington (10-0) which is also ranked fourth in the poll in the Class LL quarterfinals.

Darien continues its reign atop the poll and received 12 of 13 first-place votes after beating No. 2 New Canaan in overtime on Thanksgiving, 37-34.

The two best quarterfinals on paper will be in Class LL. Ridgefield (8-2), which moved up to No. 10 this week, plays at third-ranked West Haven (10-0), while No. 6 Newtown (10-0) hosts No. 8 Shelton (8-2).