It's a tie atop The Day's Top 10 football poll
One of the primary reasons The Day of New London's Top 10 state coaches' poll has 13 voters is to prevent ties.
To quote the late Robert Burns: "The best laid schemes of mice and men/Go often awry."
Ansonia and New Canaan are the co-No. 1 teams in the second Day coaches' poll of this season.
Ansonia received six first-place votes to the Rams' five. Theoretically, that would give the Chargers the No. 1 vote.
The two tied because both received third-place votes. Ansonia had three and New Canaan two, thus causing a deadlock.
No. 3 Norwich Free Academy received the other two first-place votes.
Three-time defending Class LL champion Xavier of Middletown was ranked No. 1 in the season-debut of The Day coaches' poll. It was beaten by North Haven last Friday, 42-28.
Ledyard and the Valley Regional/Old Lyme co-op were the only other area teams receiving votes.
- Ned Griffen
The Day's Top 10 H.S. Football Poll
First-place votes in parentheses, record, points tabulated on a 30-28- 26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis, and last season's final ranking:
T1. Ansonia (6) 2-0 370 2
KNOW THIS: UConn-bound Arkeel Newsome has 19 carries for 348 yards and seven touchdowns this young season so, yeah, he and his offensive line are really good.
NEXT: at Holy Cross, Friday, 7 p.m.
T1. New Canaan (5) 2-0 370 3
KNOW THIS: Yes, co-No. 1s. This season has already jetted past crazy and is currently cruising through screwball.
NEXT: at Greenwich, Saturday 4 p.m.
3. Norwich Free Academy (2) 1-0 301 4
KNOW THIS: It bears repeating — NFA led 42-0 early in the second quarter of Saturday's 48-21 win over Montville. Montville, meanwhile, had 33 yards on 21 plays.
NEXT: at Fitch, Friday, 6:30 p.m.
4. St. Joseph 2-0 278 5
KNOW THIS: Jordan Vazzano's 42-yard Hail Mary to Lars Pedersen with no time left gave the Cadets a wild 36-34 win over Fairfield Prep.
NEXT: v. Ridgefield, Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
5. Southington 2-0 230 7
KNOW THIS: Yale-bound Stephen Barmore completed 17 of 25 passes for 321 yards and five touchdowns as the Blue Knights strafed Manchester last Friday, 41-8. That result is more impressive given that Manchester took Windsor to overtime the previous week (in a 25-18 loss).
NEXT: v. Simsbury, Friday, 7 p.m.
6. North Haven 2-0 208 NR
KNOW THIS: You beat the No. 1 team in the state (Xavier), AND beat it 42-28, then you earn yourself a spot in the Top 10. End of story.
NEXT: at East Haven, Friday, 7 p.m.
7. Darien 2-0 190 NR
KNOW THIS: It's been a few years since the Blue Wave have been in the Top 10. They make their season debut after scoring the game's first 28 points in a 42-21 win over then-No. 6 Greenwich.
NEXT: at Bassick, Friday, 7 p.m.
8. Middletown 2-0 176 8
KNOW THIS: Blue Dragons' coach Sal Morello was displeased by his team's second-half performance against Wethersfield last Friday. They still won, 28-0, and an ugly win, as the great Bob Brackett once said, “beats a sharp pencil in the eye.”
NEXT: vs. Bristol Eastern, Friday, 7 p.m.
T9. Shelton 2-0 140 NR
KNOW THIS: The Gaels have yet to get to the brutal portion of their Southern Connecticut Conference D-I schedule, but those who've seen them play keep using the word, “WOW.”
NEXT: at Amity, Friday, 7 p.m.
T9. Windsor 2-0 140 9
KNOW THIS: Jaylen Berry Arkeel-ed against Bulkeley last Friday. He ran 10 times for 150 yards and four touchdowns. He added a 35-yard fumble return for a touchdown for good measure.
NEXT: at Bristol Central, Friday, 7 p.m.
Dropped out: Xavier-Middletown (1); Greenwich (6); and West Haven (10).
Also receiving votes: Masuk (2-0), 132 points; Tie, Newtown (2-0) and Xavier (1-1), 124; West Haven (1-1), 106; Ledyard (2-0), 73; Farmington (2-0), 56; Naugatuck (2-0), 47; Staples (1-1), 43; Fairfield Prep (1-1), 42; Capital/Classical/Achievement (2-0), 41; Platt-Meriden (2-0), 32; Glastonbury (1-1), 20; Valley Regional/Old Lyme (2-0), 15; Barlow (2-0), 14; Tie, Ridgefield (2-0), 10; Rocky Hill (2-0) and Woodland (2-0), 9; Notre Dame-W.H. (1-1), 8; Hand (1-1), 7.
The following coaches voted: Tom Brockett, Ansonia; Jim Buonocore, Ledyard; Craig Bruno, Naugatuck; Scott Daniels, Glastonbury; Joe DellaVecchia, St. Joseph-Trumbull; Steve Filippone, Hand-Madison; Rob Fleeting, Windsor; Steve George, Newtown; Tanner Grove, Montville; Tim King, Valley Regional-Deep River; Sean Marinan, Xavier-Middletown; John Murphy, New Milford; Marce Petroccio, Staples-Westport.
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