Here's how I voted for the 2013 New Haven Register Top 10 Football Poll after Week 1.

The Poll will be posted on-line later tonight and appear in Tuesday's print editions.

1. Ansonia
2. Xavier
3. New Canaan
4. NFA
5. Newtown
6. Middletown
7. Southington
8. St. Joseph
9. Greenwich
10. Shelton
11. New London
12. Masuk
13. Darien
14. Fairfield Prep
15. West Haven

Here's how I voted for the 2013 New Haven Register Preseason Top 10 Football Poll.

Each voter is asked to rank their Top 15 teams. The Preseason Poll will be posted on-line later tonight and appear in Tuesday's print editions.

I'm sure my ranking will change after Week 1 and throughout the year, but here goes.



1. Ansonia
2. Xavier
3. NFA
4. West Haven
5. New Canaan
6. Newtown
7. Southington
8. Middletown
9. St. Joseph
10.Greenwich
11. Glastonbury
12. Shelton
13. New London
14. Masuk
15. Hand

Below is a list of players who have decided on their college destination.




Andre Anderson Hillhouse Univ. of New Haven
Andrew Barton Ridgefield Bryant
Ben Berey Glastonbury Tufts
Brendan Bilcheck Hand Bowdoin
Tim Boyle Xavier UConn
Caleb Camacho New London Sacred Heart
Chris Devaney Newtown Bryant
Jonah Dorsey Xavier Stonehill
Quinn Fleeting Windsor Central Conn. State
James Frusciante Staples Princeton
Pete Gerson Hand Yale
Peter Gesualdi Darien Hobart
Chris Golger Fairfield Prep Tufts
Pieter Hoets Staples Trinity
Darryn Horner Hillhouse Stonehill
Andrew Isaacs Manchester Maryland
Cory Jasudowich Cheshire Academy UConn
Andrew Kalach Watertown Sacred Heart
Kevin Kearney Staples Bowdoin
Nick Kelly Staples Amherst College
Mike Lasala Wilton Washington & Lee
Marcus Little Manchester Boston College
Kris Luster Xavier Wesleyan
Andrew Matos Ansonia Rhode Island
Sean Merrill Sheehan Sacred Heart
Tom Milone Masuk UConn (baseball)
Colin Moore Avon Furman (lacrosse)
Je’Vaughn Moore Hillhouse Monmouth
Ryheime Moore Windsor AIC
Ryan Murtha Montville Sacred Heart
Tommy Myers Coventry/Windham Tech UConn
Liam O’Neil Greenwich Tufts
Darick Orange Windham Tech Central Conn. State
Cole Ormsby Windsor UConn
Lance Ormsby Windsor Central Conn. State
Brandon Robertson Montville Sacred Heart
Hector Rodriguez Berlin Dean
Patsy Romero Wilton Plymouth State
Connor Rowe Ridgefield Bryant
Max Schumann Xavier Univ. of Chicago
George Smith Holy Cross Bryant
Max Tylki Xavier Brown
Kyle Vaughn Staples Fordham
Matt Walsh Hand UConn
Hal Chapman Wingo Avon Georgetown

Here is the ballot I submitted for the New Haven Register Top 10 football poll after Week 11. Voters are asked to vote for 15 teams. Points on tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis.

The poll should be up later tonight on the Register's website and will appear in Tuesday's print editions.
My Top 10 ballot stays the same from last week.

1. Hand
2. Staples
3. Ansonia
4. Xavier
5. Windsor
6. Newtown
7. Southington
8. Norwich Free Academy
9. Greenwich
10. Masuk
11. Hillhouse
12. West Haven
13. North Branford
14. Glastonbury
15. St. Joseph

Here is the ballot I submitted for the New Haven Register Top 10 football poll after Week 10. Voters are asked to vote for 15 teams. Points on tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis.

The poll should be up later tonight on the Register's website and will appear in Tuesday's print editions.
My Top 10 ballot stays the same from last week.

1. Hand
2. Staples
3. Ansonia
4. Xavier
5. Windsor
6. Greenwich
7. Newtown
8. Masuk
9. Southington
10. Norwich Free Academy
11. Hillhouse
12. West Haven
13. North Branford
14. Glastonbury
15. Middletown

Here is the ballot I submitted for the New Haven Register Top 10 football poll after Week 9. Voters are asked to vote for 15 teams. Points on tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis.

The poll should be up later tonight on the Register's website and will appear in Wednesday's print editions.


1. Hand
2. Staples
3. Ansonia
4. Xavier
5. Windsor
6. Greenwich
7. Newtown
8. Masuk
9. Southington
10. Norwich Free Academy
11. Hillhouse
12. West Haven
13. North Branford
14. Glastonbury
15. Middletown

Here is the ballot I submitted for the New Haven Register Top 10 football poll after Week 8. Voters are asked to vote for 15 teams. Points on tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis.

The poll should be up later tonight on the Register's website and will appear in Tuesday's print editions.


1. Hand
2. Staples
3. Ansonia
4. West Haven
5. Xavier
6. Windsor
7. Greenwich
8. Newtown
9. Masuk
10. Southington
11. North Branford
12. Norwich Free Academy
13. Glastonbury
14. Hillhouse
15. Middletown

Here is the ballot I submitted for the New Haven Register Top 10 football poll after Week 7. Voters are asked to vote for 15 teams. Points on tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis.

The poll should be up later tonight on the Register's website and will appear in Tuesday's print editions.


1. Hand
2. Staples
3. Ansonia
4. West Haven
5. Xavier
6. Windsor
7. Greenwich
8. Newtown
9. Masuk
10. Southington
11. Berlin
12. North Branford
13. Norwich Free Academy
14. Glastonbury
 15. Hillhouse

Here is the ballot I submitted for the New Haven Register Top 10 football poll after Week 6. Voters are asked to vote for 15 teams. Points on tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis.

The poll should be up later tonight on the Register's website and will appear in Tuesday's print editions.


Some interesting games last week:

No. 1 Hand survived against No. 8 West Haven
No. 10 Southington edged No. 9 Glastonbury
No. 5 Windsor rallied past previously unbeaten Middletown

With that being said, this week's ballot:

1. Hand
2. Staples
3. Ansonia
4. West Haven
5. Xavier
6. Windsor
7. Greenwich
8. Newtown
9. Masuk
10. Southington
11. Berlin
12. North Branford
13. Norwich Free Academy
14. Fairfield Prep
15. Glastonbury

Here is the ballot I submitted for the New Haven Register Top 10 football poll after Week 5. Voters are asked to vote for 15 teams. Points on tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis.

The poll should be up later tonight on the Register's website and will appear in Tuesday's print editions.


Last week's No. 1 Xavier lost to Hand, 40-20, snapping the Falcons' 30-game winning streak.

I decided to go with Hand as the new No. 1 team, jumping the Tigers over Staples from last week's ballot. Staples, Ansonia and Windsor are all worthy candidates for No. 1, but Hand's domination over Xavier in the second half impressed me enough to give Hand the nod (for now).

1. Hand
2. Staples
3. Ansonia
4. Windsor
5. Xavier
6. Greenwich
7. Newtown
8. West Haven
9. Masuk
10. Berlin
11. Southington
12. Glastonbury
13. Norwich Free Academy
14. North Branford
15. Fairfield Prep

Here is the ballot I submitted for the New Haven Register Top 10 football poll after Week 4. Voters are asked to vote for 15 teams. Points on tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis.

The poll should be up later tonight on the Register's website and will appear in Tuesday's print editions.


One team from my previous ballot lost (New London), so I dropped it out and added a new team.

1. Xavier
2. Staples
3. Hand
4. Windsor
5. Ansonia
6. Greenwich
7. Newtown
8. West Haven
9. Masuk
10. Berlin
11. Southington
12. Glastonbury
13. Norwich Free Academy
14. North Branford
15. North Haven

Here is the ballot I submitted for the New Haven Register Top 10 football poll after Week 3. Voters are asked to vote for 15 teams. Points on tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis.

The poll should be up later tonight on the Register's website and will appear in Tuesday's print editions.


Two teams from my previous ballot lost (Darien and Ledyard), so I dropped them out and added two new teams.

1. Xavier
2. Staples
3. Hand
4. Windsor
5. Ansonia
6. Greenwich
7. Newtown
8. West Haven
9. Masuk
10. Berlin
11. Southington
12. Glastonbury
13. New London
14. Norwich Free Academy
15. North Branford

Here is the ballot I submitted for the New Haven Register Top 10 football poll after Week 2. Voters are asked to vote for 15 teams. Points on tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis.

The poll should be up later tonight on the Register's website and will appear in Tuesday's print editions.


Two teams from my previous ballot lost (Hillhouse and New Canaan), so I dropped them out and added two new teams.

1. Xavier
2. Staples
3. Hand
4. Windsor
5. Ansonia
6. Greenwich
7. Newtown
8. Darien
9. West Haven
10. Ledyard
11. Masuk
12. Berlin
13. Southington
14. Glastonbury
15. New London

Here is the ballot I submitted for the New Haven Register Top 10 football poll after Week 1. Voters are asked to vote for 15 teams. Points on tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis.

The poll should be up later tonight on the Register's website and will appear in Tuesday's print editions.


Since none of the teams from my preseason ballot lost, I will go with the same 15 teams.

1. Xavier
2. Staples
3. Hand
4. Windsor
5. Ansonia
6. Hillhouse
7. Greenwich
8. Newtown
9. Darien
10. West Haven
11. Ledyard
12. Masuk
13. Berlin
14. New Canaan
15. Southington

Here is the ballot I submitted for the New Haven Register Preseason Top 10 football poll. Voters are asked to vote for 15 teams. Points on tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis.

The poll should be up later tonight on the Register's website and will appear in Wednesday's print editions.


1. Xavier
2. Staples
3. Hand
4. Windsor
5. Ansonia
6. Hillhouse
7. Greenwich
8. Newtown
9. Darien
10. West Haven
11. Ledyard
12. Masuk
13. Berlin
14. New Canaan
15. Southington

The football season kicks off next Wednesday. Below are 10 games you may not want to miss in 2010.

Sept. 17
1. Xavier at Notre Dame-West Haven, 7 p.m.: Xavier handed ND only loss last season.

Sept. 18
2. Avon at Hyde, 1 p.m.: Could be game of the year in Pequot Conference. And it takes place in Week 1.

Sept. 24
3. Masuk at Pomperaug, 7 p.m.: Rematch of last year's SWC championship game won by Pomperaug.

Oct. 2
4. Conard at Glastonbury, 1 p.m.: Has potential to be one of the best games in the Central Connecticut Conference this year.

Oct. 9
5. Ridgefield at Wilbur Cross, 1 p.m.: Ridgefield earned a one-point win last year down in Fairfield County.

Oct. 15
6. Wolcott at Ansonia, 7 p.m.: This marks the 1,000th game in the storied Ansonia program. Wolcott has never defeated the Chargers.

Oct. 23
7. New Canaan at St. Joseph, 2 p.m.: These squads could be, perhaps, the best two teams in the FCIAC this season.

Nov. 12
8. Shelton at Cheshire, 7 p.m.: This meeting has become quite the rivalry in recent years.

Nov. 25
9. Staples at Greenwich, 10 a.m.: Or are Staples and Greenwich the two best out of the FCIAC?

Nov. 25
10. Hillhouse at Wilbur Cross, 10:30 a.m.: Elm City Classic could indeed be that as these rivals meet on Thanksgiving morning.

With the end of the decade fast approaching, this week’s Top 10 lists the top teams from this decade.
The rankings are based upon a combination of state playoff appearances, number of finals a team reached and championships won.

1. New Canaan
The Rams, who play in, arguably, the toughest league in the state, the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference, have qualified for the state playoff seven times this decade.
They advanced to five finals and have won four championships.

New Canaan is the three-time defending Class MM champions, and are one of the favorites in that class this season as well.

The Rams also won the Class M title in 2001. They went to the final in Class M in 2000, and the semifinals of Class MM in 2005.

The team did not make the playoffs in 2003 (the Rams went 5-5-1) and 2004 (6-4).

2. Ansonia
The Chargers, out of the Naugatuck Valley League, qualified for the playoffs eight times this decade, one more than New Canaan, and the most of any team on this list.

Ansonia went to five finals, and won Class S titles in 2002, 2003, 2006 and 2007. The Chargers also appeared in last year’s final before losing to Cromwell.

Ansonia, which has won a state-record 16 CIAC titles, lost in the Class S semifinals in 2000, 2001 and 2004.

3. Greenwich
Like fellow FCIAC member New Canaan, the Cardinals made the playoff field seven times this decade.

Greenwich won back-to-back Class LL titles in 2006-2007. The Cardinals lost in the Class LL final in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2004.

The team’s six championship game appearances is the most of any team on this list. Greenwich also made the Class LL semifinals in 2003 before losing to eventual champion New Britain.

4. Staples
The Wreckers are the third FCIAC to make the list. Staples went to the playoffs seven times this decade.

The team won the Class MM title in 2002 and the Class L title in 2004 and 2005.

The Wreckers went to five straight finals from 2002-2006, and seven straight playoff appearances from 2001-2007.

Staples lost in the Class L final in 2003 and 2006, and lost in the Class L semifinal in 2001 and 2007.

5. Masuk
The Panthers, out of the South-West Conference, have made the postseason seven times this decade, including the last four seasons.

Masuk is the defending Class L champions, the only title it has won this decade.

The Panthers, however, have been in four other finals (2000, 20003, 2005, 2007) this decade but finished as the runner-up each time.

Masuk lost in the Class MM semifinals in 2002.

6. New Britain
The Golden Hurricanes, members of the Central Connecticut Conference, had a sensational start to the decade.

New Britain, which leads the state in career victories, won three titles in four years. The Golden Hurricanes captured Class LL titles in 2001, 2003 and 2004.

New Britain also went to the Class LL semifinals in 2000 and 2002, for five playoff appearances this decade.

7. Hand
The Tigers had a remarkable run during the middle of this decade.

Hand, the Southern Connecticut Conference’s lone representative on this list, won three straight Class M titles from 2003-2005.

The Tigers also made the Class MM final in 2007 before losing to New Canaan.

8. Seymour
The Wildcats, another NVL school, have made five playoff appearances this decade.

The Wildcats won their only title of the decade after capturing the Class SS crown in 2007.

Seymour went to the final last season in Class SS, and also made the Class M final in 2001 and the Class MM final in 2002.

In 2000, the Wildcats were defeated in the Class M semifinals.

9. Bloomfield
The Warhawks, also from the CCC, were another team that had success early in the decade.

Bloomfield made the playoffs four straight times from 2000-2003. The team won the Class M title in 2000, the Class S championship in 2001 and the Class SS crown in 2003.

In 2002, Bloomfield lost in the Class SS semifinals, and the team lost in the Class S final in 2006 to Ansonia.

10. Ledyard
The Colonels, out of the Eastern Connecticut Conference, have made the playoffs six times this decade.

It’s lone title came in Class M in 2007, which was the last game in legendary coach Bill Mignault’s career.

Ledyard lost in last year’s Class M championship, and the team also lost in the Class M final in 2002 and 2003.

The Colonels also lost in the Class M semifinals in 2004 and 2006.

Honorable mention goes to:

Berlin (six appearances, one final (Class M 2007)
Hyde (six appearances, three titles (Class S 2000, 2004, 2005)
Shelton (four appearances, two titles (Class LL 2000, Class L 2003)
West Haven (four appearances, one title (Class LL, 2003)

Did your team make the list? Who would you add? Let us know. Leave a comment below.

This week we rank the past 10 Register All-State MVPs.

1. Dan Orlovsky, Shelton (2000)

As a senior, Orlovsky threw for 2,489 yards as the Gaels went 12-0 and won the Class LL state championship. Orlovsky went 28-4 during his high school career. He was named an All-American selection from Prep Football Report, SuperPrep and Prep Star as a senior.

But Orlovsky made an even bigger impact on the collegiate level. Orlovsky turned down offers from Purdue and Michigan St. to attend the University of Connecticut. Orlovsky holds the school record for most pass completions (916), pass attempts (1,567), yards passing (10,706), touchdown passes (84), interceptions (51), total plays (1,710) and total yards (10,421).

As a junior, he ranked seventh in the nation in passing, and fifth in touchdown passes. As a senior, he led the Huskies to a victory in the Motor City Bowl, in the school’s first bowl game appearance. Orlovsky was named the most valuable player of that game.

Orlovsky was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round (145th overall) in the 2005 NFL Draft. He is currently a member of the Houston Texans. He has thrown eight touchdowns, eight interceptions and for 1,616 yards as a professional.

2. Mike McLeod, New Britain (2004)

As a running back at New Britain, McLeod helped the Hurricanes win three state titles and four league championships. He rushed for 1,800 yards and 39 touchdowns as a senior. He scored a state-record eight touchdowns in a game against Manchester in 2004, and tallied 65 career touchdowns.

McLeod put up even more impressive statistics at Yale from 2005-2008. He set school records of 49 career touchdowns, 3,672 career rushing yards, 817 career attempts, three 200-plus yard games and 19 games over 100 yards.

McLeod holds the Ivy League records for consecutive games with a touchdown (18), which ended in 2007. Was the Ivy-League most valuable player in 2007.

3. Aaron Hernandez, Bristol Central (2006)

Hernandez holds state records for receiving yards in a game (376 in 2005), receiving yards in a season (1,807 in 2005) and receiving yards in a career (3,677 from 2003-2006) while at Bristol Central.

He also holds state records for touchdown receptions in a career (47), in a season (24 in 2005) and consecutive games catching a touchdown pass (18 from 2005-2006).

As a senior, he was rated the No. 1 recruit at the tight end position by both Scout.com and Rivals.com, and earned a spot to play on the East team in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Hernandez is now playing at Florida, the 2008 national champions. During his career with the Gators, Hernandez has played in 26 games, including 16 starts. He has caught 43 passes for 532 yards seven touchdowns.

4. Alex Thomas, Ansonia (2007)

Thomas is the state’s all-time leading rusher. He holds records for most yards in a game (518 in 2007), yards in a season (3,596 in 2007) and yards in a career (8,279 from 2004-2007).

Thomas helped lead the Chargers to back-to-back Class S state championships, Naugatuck Valley League championships and the No. 1 ranking in the final Register Top 10 Poll.

He also holds the state mark for touchdowns in a career (114), touchdowns in a season (47 in 2007) and career points (747).

Thomas, a sophomore, is vying for a starting position at running back at Yale.

5. Tim Washington, Bristol Central (2001)

During his career for the Rams, Washington set several state records, including rushing yards in a career, rushing yards in a season, touchdowns in a career and touchdowns in a season.

Those marks have since been broken, by Thomas, but Washington still holds state records for most consecutive 100-yard rushing games with 29, points scored in a season (294 in 2000), point responsibility in a season (350 in 2000) and point responsibility in a career (806).

As a senior, he was a SuperPrep All-American, rated the No. 5 prospect in New England and the No. 35 running back in the country by SuperPrep. Rushed for 7,712 yards and had 9,021 yards of offense in his career. He attended Syracuse, and later the University of Massachusetts.

6. John Sullivan, Greenwich (2002)

An offensive lineman is seldom selected as the Register State MVP. Sullivan was an exception. As a senior for the Cardinals, Sullivan was a Parade and SuperPrep All-American, as well as a USA Today and ESPN.com second-team All-American.

He was rated No. 61 on the ESPN list of the nation’s top 100 players, and No. 14 among offensive linemen nationally by CBSSportsLine.com. As a senior, led Rams to 12-1-1 mark, the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference title and an appearance in the Class LL state final. Made 20 tackles for a loss and 12 sacks in 2002 on defense as a nose guard.

At Notre Dame, Sullivan started 43 games on the offensive line, including 31 straight starts. Sullivan was a sixth round pick (187th overall) in the 2008 NFL draft, selected by the Minnesota Vikings where he is likely to start at center this season.

7. Kenny Tinney, Ansonia (2003)

The versatile Tinney excelled in several positions for the Chargers. He played quarterback, and had an above-average arm. But he was most effective when running the ball out of the pocket.

Tinney was also a dangerous special teams player, returning both kickoffs and punts, as well as a talented defensive back.

Tinney helped lead Ansonia to back-to-back Class S state titles in 2002 and 2003. He was a three-time coaches all-state and all-Naugatuck Valley League selection. He returned a state-record seven punts for touchdowns in 2003, which is one shy of the national mark.

Tinney would rate higher on the list but had a tumultuous college experience. He spent the 2004 and ‘05 seasons at Milford Academy in New Berlin, N.Y. Tinney had committed to UConn out of high school and then re-opened the recruiting process before committing to Syracuse after one season at Milford.

After he failed to qualify after the 2004 season, Tinney re-opened his recruitment again and eventually committed to Michigan State, before being kicked out of school. He also had stints at Grambling and Central Connecticut St., but never played in an official collegiate game.

8. Jermelle Lewis, Bloomfield (1999)

As a senior, Lewis was rated as the top running back on the East Coast, and the sixth best back in the nation by the internet recruiting site Rivals.com. He was named an All-American by The Sporting News and a first team All-American by SuperPrep.com.

Lewis helped his team win 35 straight games and claim three straight Class S state titles. In his junior and senior season, he tallied 54 touchdowns and nearly 4,000 rushing yards. He finished his career with 84 touchdowns. In addition, Lewis won New England indoor track championships in both 55-and 100-meter dashes.

Lewis attended Iowa, but his collegiate career was marred by injury. He gained a career-best 709 yards on 123 carries and eight touchdowns as a sophomore for the Hawkeyes.

9. Amari Spievey, Xavier (2005)

Spievey, who led his team to the Class LL state title, finished as the all-time leading rusher in school history with 3,606 yards and 50 touchdowns. He also caught 53 passes for 858 yards.

Spievey returned three punts and two kickoffs for touchdowns. He also played defensive back, where he recorded 87 tackles and 16 interceptions during his career.

At Iowa, Spievey, a junior defensive back, was named a pre-season First Team All-Big Ten by Phil Steele’s College Football and Lindy’s Football, and is listed as a first team corner back following spring practice for the upcoming season.

In 2008, Spievey was a second team All-Big Ten selection by league coaches, an honorable mention All-Big Ten pick by the league media, a second team All-Big Ten selection by Phil Steele’s College Football, a second team sophomore All-American pick by CollegeFootballNews.com and he won a coaches appreciation award for his defensive efforts.

10. Jordan Brown, Glastonbury (2008)

Brown finished his career as the all-time leading rusher in school history. As a senior, he gained 2,134 yards and scored 34 touchdowns while leading the Tomahawks to the Class LL state title.

Brown compiled 4,404 rushing yards and 60 touchdowns, and finished with 6,652 all-purpose yards in his career. Eye-opening numbers considering Brown missed half of his junior season after suffering a knee injury.

He begins his first year of playing collegiate ball this fall at Bryant.

So what do you think?

Please leave your comments.

This week's installment of the Top 10 football topics is all about rivalries. Some are the greatest in state history, others made the list because of longevity, and some appear because of recent memorable moments in the series.

Tell us what is your favorite.

1. New London vs. Norwich Free Academy
The annual Thanksgiving Day game between the two schools is the oldest high school football rivalry in the COUNTRY. The teams will meet for the 148th time on Nov. 26 at 10 a.m. in Norwich.

The longevity of this series makes it the state’s best rivalry. At times, however, football from the Eastern part of the state doesn’t get as much recognition as teams from the south-western sections do.

But this one, between a program (New London) that has a long history of success on the gridiron, and one (NFA) that has been one of the state’s most consistent teams in recent years, is reminiscent of rivalries down in the Valley, in Southern Connecticut and in Central Connecticut.

Both programs are passionate about the sport, and the fans are as crazed as any in the state.
New London has won four of the last seven meetings, including a 21-7 victory last season before the Whalers went on to win the Class SS state title for the program’s fifth championship.

2. Greenwich vs. Staples
While there are several other big games down in the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference — New Canaan vs. Staples, New Canaan vs. Greenwich, St. Joseph vs. Trumbull, Darien vs. New Canaan — this one, in recent years, usually has major implications on the state playoff ratings.

Since 2005, this contest has been played on Thanksgiving, and it’s one of the most highly anticipated games of the year. In 2007, Greenwich defeated the Wreckers, 37-0, and also captured the FCIAC title in the process. Both teams earned playoff berths that year.
The winning team in the last four games in this series has won by shutout (Staples in 2005 and 2006, and Greenwich in 2007 and 2008).

This year’s meeting is set for Nov. 26 at 10 a.m. in Westport. It’s been the MSG game of the week the past several seasons.

3. Ansonia vs. Seymour
The Valley has produced several notable rivalries. Ansonia vs. Naugatuck, Ansonia vs. Derby and Shelton vs. Derby immediately come to mind.

But in recent years, Ansonia vs. Seymour might be the most intense, and important, one in this football-rich section of the state.

Ansonia is a founding member of the Naugatuck Valley League, while Seymour joined the NVL in 1994. The teams sometimes played a non-league contest against each other in years when the schedule allowed for an 11th game.

In 2007, the teams were put in the Brass Division of the NVL, with the division winner, which has been Ansonia the past two years, moving on to the NVL championship. This has only heightened the rivalry, although since 1994, Ansonia holds a 12-3 series lead against its neighbors.

This year’s contest is set for Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. in Seymour.

To read last season's game story click here.

4. New Britain vs. Southington
This rivalry has become so big, in fact, that last year’s game was played at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, home to the University of Connecticut.

The game will be contested at that site again this year on Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.

Last year, New Britain snapped a three-game losing streak to the Blue Knights with a 3-0 victory.

It is, arguably, the central part of the state’s wildest rivalry. Despite last year’s result, both teams are have a penchant for putting points on the board. The teams combined to score 35 or more points every year from 2003-2007.

5. Bunnell vs. Masuk
It’s what Masuk wasn’t able to do, until last year, that made this rivalry the best in the South-West Conference.

When Masuk defeated the Bulldogs, 42-20, last season, it snapped the Panthers’ five-game losing skid to Bunnell. Masuk had lost six of the last seven to their rivals, including in the 2006 and 2007 SWC championship, and in the 2007 Class L state final.

Masuk’s victory last season snapped Bunnell’s 21-game winning streak dating back to 2006.
This year’s contest is scheduled for Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. in Monroe.

Last season's game story can be found here.

6. Hand vs. West Haven
Two of the Southern Connecticut Conference most prominent programs have played several memorable games recently.

Last year, Hand won 38-20, in the series most lopsided game in four seasons.

In 2007, West Haven scored with 22 seconds remaining to take a 40-34 lead. However, Hand, on just two plays, scored with time winding down. A successful extra point kick by Joe Robichaud gave the Tigers a 41-40 victory and kept Hand’s perfect season in tact.

West Haven emerged with a 14-11 victory in 2006, and a 21-19 decision in 2005.

The teams have split the last six contests. This year’s game is set for Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. in West Haven.

7. Fairfield Prep vs. Shelton
Another one from the SCC that’s just as intense, and rowdy.

Although Shelton has won four of the last five meetings, the last four in this series have been highly competitive.

The rivalry was intensified in 2007 when Prep player Ryan Nolan was quoted as saying that "Shelton should be afraid of us." Shelton came back to win that contest 26-21. Prep emerged with a 14-9 win in 2006.

This year’s game is Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. at Finn Stadium in Shelton.

8. Hillhouse vs. Wilbur Cross
These two New Haven schools first played in 1920. The series then began on Thanksgiving morning in 1984, and was called the Elm City Bowl.

Despite Hillhouse holding a 51-30-6 overall series lead, there have been several close games recently.

Last season, Hillhouse emerged with a 26-20 victory to cap an unbeaten regular season. The Academics trailed 20-12 at halftime, but Brandyn Wright’s 4-yard touchdown run in overtime lifted Hillhouse to victory.

Hillhouse has won the last four in the series, which includes a 7-0 victory in 2007, a 6-0 win in 2006 and a 21-12 victory in 2005. Cross last won in 2004, a 23-21 win.

Last year’s game was the first Elm City Bowl to be played at Wilbur Cross. The game returns to Bowen Field this year on Nov. 26 at 10:30 a.m.

To read last season's game story on the Elm City Bowl, click here.

9. Cromwell vs. Hyde
This rivalry is just eight games old, but it is, arguably, the biggest one in the Pequot Conference.
Cromwell earned two victories over the Howling Wolves last season — a 17-14 win in the regular season, and a 34-9 victory in the Class S state semifinals.

Cromwell leads the series 5-3. Hyde defeated the Panthers in the 2004 Class S championship.

If the first eight games are any indication, this rivalry has the potential to be one of the biggest in the state in the years to come.

The Class S semifinal game story could be found here.
The regular season game story is here.

10. Hartford Public vs. Weaver
This rivalry spans 85 games. Hartford Public leads the series over its fellow city school 43-38-4.

Basketball is usually the sport of choice in Hartford, but city schools have enjoyed success on the gridiron over the last 15 years. Hartford Public won the Class LL title in 1994 after a victory over Southington.

Weaver won the Class L title in 1996, and captured Class M crowns in 1997 and 1999. Weaver has advanced to the postseason in five of the last 10 seasons.

The second installment in the Top 10 football topics is all about coaches. Here is our list. Tell us what you think. Feel free to leave a comment below. Records were taken from the Connecticut High School Football Record Book (2008 edition).


1. Ed McCarthy, West Haven
The veteran McCarthy has won 288 games since 1971. McCarthy led St. Joseph to three-straight state championships (1980-1982), and five-straight title game appearances. Before stepping down, McCarthy was influential in building what would become, arguably, the most dominant program during the 1980s. St. Joseph won seven state titles that decade, matched only by Ansonia.

At West Haven, McCarthy’s teams won state championships in 1986, 1987, 1989 and 2002.
Despite a 6-4 record last year, and a 3-7 mark in 2007, McCarthy remains one of the most passionate, respected and animated coaches the state’s ever seen.

2. Lou Marinelli, New Canaan
Marinelli, who previously coached at two New York high schools and as an assistant at Boston College, has a record of 222-81-6 at New Canaan since taking over the program in 1981.

During his tenure, the Rams have won seven state championships, including the last three in Class MM. Last year’s edition went 13-0 and finished as the No. 1 team in the final Register Poll.

Marinelli is one of the most personable, intelligent and classiest coaches around, and has continued New Canaan’s long history of success on the gridiron.

3. Steve Filippone, Hand
There have only been two head coaches at Hand since the program’s inception in 1971. Legendary coach Larry Ciotti almost single-handily built the program from scratch, and won four titles before stepping down in 1988.

A year later, Filippone took over and continued the tradition that Ciotti started.
Filippone has since surpassed Ciotti in career wins and state championships. Filippone enters this season with 160 victories, and won his fifth state title in 2005.

Filippone is also active off the field. He is the co-chairperson of the football committee for the Connecticut High School Coaches Association.

4. Marce Petroccio, Staples
Prior to Petroccio coming to Staples in 1993, the Wreckers never qualified for the state playoffs.
Since then, Staples has advanced to a state final six times and won titles in 2002, 2004 and 2005.

Petroccio has a record of 133-48 at the school, and won the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference title in 1997 and 2003. He is the career wins leader in school history, and has established the Wreckers as a genuine state power.

5. John Murphy, Masuk
Murphy has been heavily successful in adopting the spread offense, which has become the offense of choice for several teams in recent years.

In just his second season in 1998, Murphy, and the Panthers upset favored Fitch to win the Class L title. Four more state final appearances followed in 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2007.

Last season, Masuk captured Class L again with a 56-13 victory over Newington. The Panthers have won the South-West Conference championship in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2003 under Murphy, who has won 115 games.

6. Rich Albonizio, Greenwich
Albonizio enters this season with a 123-19-1 record with the Cardinals, including Class LL state titles in 1999, 2006 and 2007. Albonizio also won a state championship at Trinity Catholic in 1993.

Albonizio, who also coached at Port Chester, N.Y., where he played in the late 1960s. He still teaches in that city’s school system. Albonizio, who has 222 career victories, has maintained Greenwich’s standing as one of the top programs, not only in the FCIAC, but on the state level as well.

7. Mike Emery, Fitch
Emery is known for his double-wing offense, which made the Falcons one of the most productive teams in the late 1990s.

In 1999, Emery led Fitch to the Class L state title. That year, Emery was named the Register All-State coach of the year. The Falcons repeated in 2000, and the team advanced to the state final in 2001, before losing to Notre Dame-West Haven.

Emery, who also coached at Montville, and has recorded 169 career wins, stepped down as Fitch’s coach in 2002. However, he returned to the sidelines last season. Despite going just 2-9, it likely won’t be long before Emery has the Falcons competing for state titles again.

8. John Acquavita, Wilbur Cross
Acquavita started the Hyde program in 1998, and it wasn’t long before the Howling Wolves established themselves as one of the best small schools in the state.

Hyde won its first state title in 2000. Acquavita also won titles in 2004 and 2005, as Hyde became the signature program of the Pequot Conference.

In 2006, Acquavita left to accept the job at Wilbur Cross, his alma-mater. The Governors went 6-5 last season while playing a competitive Southern Connecticut Conference Division I schedule. But with Acquavita at the helm, using a combination of brains and a nurturing spirit that was instrumental in Hyde’s success, the Wilbur Cross program appears headed in the right direction.

9. Tom Brockett, Ansonia
In just his third season, Brockett is, arguably, the state’s best young coach. He’s taken powerhouse Ansonia to the state playoffs every season he’s been head coach, and won Class S titles in 2006 and 2007. Last season, the Chargers fell to Cromwell in the final.

What’s more impressive is that Brockett, a Wallingford native, has been able to survive the critics in this football-crazy town. The last non-homegrown talent to head Ansonia was Doug Morrell in 1986. He went 5-6 that year and wasn’t invited back the next season.

Brockett will likely have his toughest challenge this season. Gone is the team’s starting quarterback (Ron Bilodeau), an all-state running back (Tristan Roberts) and an all-state lineman (Tommy Hyde). But expect the winning tradition to continue because of Brockett’s passion and tenacious attitude for success.

10. Scott Benoit, Hamden
Benoit is the only one on this list to have never won a state championship. But Benoit is, without question, one of the most committed and knowledge able coaches in the state.

Hamden is the third headcoaching position for Benoit, who played at West Haven.
He piloted North Branford for five years. His record there was 38-16, including two conference titles and a Class S state championship game appearance in 2001.

Benoit then spent three seasons at Guilford, a team that won just five games in the previous four seasons before Benoit’s arrival. He matched that win total in his first year with the Indians.
In the fall, Hamden may return the most talent of any team in the state. Benoit may finally earn the state title that’s eluded him.

(*) The list only includes active coaches. Former New London coach Jack Cochran, who owns eight state titles, would've been included in this list. However, Cochran was fired in April. Cochran is appealing the decision made by school officials.

Honorable Mention
Mark Ecke, Cheshire: Led the Rams to two state titles, and was coach when Cheshire set the state mark for consecutive victories (49) in 1996. Cheshire lost in the 2008 Class LL final.

Jude Kelly, St. Paul/Goodwin Tech/Lewis Mills: Has won 197 games, which also includes stints with Southington and East Catholic. The co-op team moves to the Naugatuck Valley League this year.

Bob Zito, Maloney: Has coached at four schools, including guiding Newtown to two state championships.

Craig Bruno, Bunnell: Like Masuk's Murphy, Bruno has excelled using the spread offense. Won state titles in 2006 and 2007.

Rich Angarano, Brookfield: Led Bobcats to Class M state title last season.

Bill Mella, Southington: Still seeking first state title, but has Blue Knights in contention seemingly every year.

Bob Maffei, Trumbull: His teams hold their own in rugged FCIAC.

Jim Buonocore, Jr., Ledyard: Father put New London football on the map. Junior is keeping tradition alive at Ledyard.

Rob Fleeting, Windsor: Fleeting begins his first season at Windsor this fall. He previously led Weaver to five playoff appearances in 10 seasons. The 1999 edition won the Class M state title.

Sal Morello, Cromwell: Another young coach that has won 61 games since starting the program in 2002. Guided Panthers to first state title last season.