Three teams ranked in the Hartford Courant Top 10 coaches’ poll lost this past week, two of which absorbed their second loss of the season.
All three teams remain in the Top 10.
Sometimes it’s not whether you win or lose — it’s who beat you.
The teams with two losses were both involved in Top 10 matchups, the biggest which was Wilton grinding past then-No. 3 Greenwich, 7-3.
Wilton (8-0) earned nearly 100 more points than last week to move up two spots to third, just two points behind No. 2 Killingly (8-0), the defending CIAC Class SS champion.
The defending Class LL champion Cardinals (6-2), meanwhile, only fell to No. 6 because it was their second loss to a Top 10 team. Their first was to top-ranked New Canaan, the three-time defending L champion (14-7, Oct. 24).
Hand edged Fairfield Prep in Friday’s other Top 10 matchup, 20-17, the third straight year that the much smaller Tigers (who dropped to Class SS this season) beat the Jesuits, a LL program.
Hand (7-1) moved up two spots to No. 4.
Prep (6-2) holds at No. 7, a big reason being its 24-21 win over No. 9 New Britain on Sept. 26. Its other loss was to Greenwich (31-14, Sept. 12).
There was a big upset on Friday, too — Southington’s 28-7 win over then-unbeaten and No. 4 Windsor.
The Warriors won their first seven games by an average score of 35. Their loss to the Blue Knights (5-3) dropped them to No. 10.
Top 10 Coaches’ Poll
Listing record, total points with first-place votes in parentheses, previous ranking and CIAC class. Points tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis:
1. New Canaan, 8-0, 388 (12), No. 1, Class L
KNOW THIS: The Rams were set on going above and beyond to win Friday’s game for head coach Lou Marinelli, who missed his first game since the program’s 1980 season finale due to an undisclosed health issue. They did so convincingly, 28-0 over Staples, with Henry Stein running 20 times for 148 yards and a TD.
NEXT: at Trumbull (3-5), Friday, 7 p.m.
2. Killingly (1), 8-0, 350, No. 2, Class SS
KNOW THIS: Hayden Allard set state records for most Pick Sixes in a season (five) and a career (six) in the Trailblazers’ 63-27 rout of Norwich Free Academy on Friday. He set both records on a 34-yard interception return and ran 11 times for 70 yards and a score.
NEXT: at Waterford (5-3), Friday, 6 p.m.
3. Wilton, 8-0, 348, No. 5, Class MM
KNOW THIS: Wilton has few burly dudes whereas Greenwich has an abundance of them. The latter decided to use that to its advantage by battering the smaller Warriors with the run on Friday, often going as far as having a running back take direct snaps with 10 blockers lined up tight in front of him. The Cardinals had a 25-4 edge in second half plays with over nine minutes left but Wilton showed its toughness and staying power by only allowing a field goal during that stretch.
NEXT: vs. No. 5 St. Joseph (6-2), Friday, 6:30 p.m.
4. Hand, 7-1, 300, No. 6 Class SS
KNOW THIS: Lucca Boyce ran (checks box score) 39 times (jeez) for 200 yards and two scores in the win over Prep.
NEXT: vs. West Haven (4-4), Friday, 7 p.m.
5. St. Joseph, 6-2, 264, No. 8, Class M
KNOW THIS: The Cadets downed Fairfield Ludlowe at home on Saturday, 35-14, giving head coach Joe Della Vecchia his 200thcareer win. Della Vecchia has coached the program to eight CIAC state titles over 27 seasons.
NEXT: at No. 3 Wilton (8-0), Friday, 6:30 p.m.
6. Greenwich, 6-2, 262, No. 3, Class LL
KNOW THIS: The Cardinals didn’t help themselves against Wilton as they missed two field goals, had a third go awry and were penalized nine times.
NEXT: vs. Darien (6-2), Friday, 6 p.m.
7. Fairfield Prep, 6-2, 202, No. 7, Class LL
KNOW THIS: Seventh in the poll and second in the LL rankings.
NEXT: vs. Law (7-1), Friday, 6 p.m.
8. Cheshire, 6-2, 199, No. 9, Class L
KNOW THIS: Okay, okay, okay. We know there’s a lot of two-loss teams here. A win at Hand does get voters’ attention, though, which the Rams did in overtime, 28-27, on Oct. 10. Oh, yeah — they beat Class S contender Sheehan on Friday, 14-7, allowing the latter 110 yards on 33 plays.
NEXT: vs. Amity (5-3), Friday, 7 p.m.
9. New Britain, 7-1, 178, NR, Class LL
KNOW THIS: The Hurricanes powered past Platt on Friday, 49-14, even with their offensive catalyst missing the game to an ankle injury. Billy Seymour played a big part in the win as he ran eight times for 101 yards and three scores and completed 7-of-13 passes for 83 yards and a TD.
NEXT: at Manchester (2-6), Friday, 6 p.m.
10. Windsor, 7-1, 174, No. 4, Class MM
KNOW THIS: AJ Robinson completed 17 of 38 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown in Friday’s loss.
NEXT: at East Hartford (1-7), Friday, 6 p.m.
Also receiving votes: Newtown (6-2), 136 points; Woodland (8-0), 114; Darien (6-2), 90; Berlin (8-0), 88; Staples (5-3), 67; Sheehan (6-2), 36; Seymour (8-0), 24; Brookfield (6-2), 17; Law (7-1), 16; Glastonbury (5-3), 10; Southington (5-3), 9; Guilford (7-1), 8; Tie, Bunnell (6-2), Cromwell/Portland (8-0), Fairfield Ludlowe (5-3), Maloney (5-3) and West Haven (4-4), 7.
Voters: Erik Becker, Hand; Jason Bruenn, Platt; Joe Della Vecchia; St. Joseph; Mike Ellis; Fitch; Kevin Frederick, Maloney; Tanner Grove; Montville; Keith Hellstern, Fairfield Prep; Erick Knickerbocker, Rockville; Joe Lato; Woodland; John Mihalko, Ansonia; 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 genetically hardwired to love the sport having been born in Texas. He enjoys heavy metal, pro wrestling, the wit and wisdom of Jennifer Walters and being adored by cats and dogs everywhere.