For 4th straight year, Avon is largest school in Pequot Conference

For the fourth consecutive season, Avon is the largest school in the Pequot Football Conference according to figures provided by the CIAC in its yearly football packet. Avon has 540 boys in grades 9-12. The co-op teams of Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby and Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton have 535 and 528 boys in grades 9-12, respectively. 

The 2013 high school football season opens on Thursday, Sept. 12 when Avon hosts Canton at 4:30 p.m. at the high school. Canton is the third smallest school in the 20-team league with 286 students from grades 9-12 in the school. 

The co-op teams of Ellington/Somers (437), Gilbert/Northwestern Regional (431) and Valley Regional/Old Lyme (409) are ranked fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively in the league. Lewis Mills (409) is tied for the sixth largest school in the league. Five of the top seven teams in the league are co-op programs. 

Avon, Ellington/Somers, North Branford and Hyde qualified for the CIAC playoffs a year ago. Avon (10-1) fell in the Class L quarterfinals to New Canaan, 16-7 while Ellington/Somers (9-2) lost to Weston, 29-22 in the Class S quarterfinals. Hyde (10-2) beat Rocky Hill in the Class S quarterfinals but was eliminated by eventual state champion Ansonia, 41-13 in the semifinals. North Branford beat Trinity Catholic and Woodland Regional before falling to Ansonia in the Class S finals, 59-26. 

Avon and the Windsor Locks co-op are the only Pequot Conference teams in Class L. The Coventry, Ellington and Gilbert co-op teams are in Class M along with Lewis Mills. 

With an additional 25 and 24 students, respectively, Valley Regional/Old Lyme and Granby (366) moved up to Class M while Enfield, which lost 11 students, dropped down to Class S. 

The largest increase in students this year was found at Housatonic/Wamogo with an additional 52 students in grades 9-12. The co-op program of SMSA/University in Hartford has an additional 34 students in their two schools. 

The biggest decrease in students this year was found at Ellington/Somers, which has 42 fewer students in grades 9-12 than the two schools did a yeard ago. H-K is down 35 students and Gilbert/Northwestern is down 27 students. 

The East Hampton/Vinal Tech program left the Pequot Conference, joining the Constitution State League. And the host program will now be Vinal Tech in Middletown instead of East Hampton. 

With 161 students in grades 9-12, Hyde-New Haven is the smallest school in the Pequot Conference and the state to have a football team. 

Pequot Conference football 2013

Students at 2013
Pequot schools
School                Students  Class   Change
1. Avon                        540      L         down 8
2. WL/Suff/EG*             535      L         down 9
3. Coventry/WT/Bolt*   528       M          up 14
4. Ellington/Somers*    437       M        down 42
5. Gilbert/NWR*           431       M        down 27
6. Lewis Mills               409       M      no change
6. Valley Reg./OL*      409        M         up 25
8. Granby                   390        M         up 24
9. Enfield                    380        S       down 11
10. SMSA/Univ.*         360        S          up 34
11. Nonnewaug          353        S      no change
12. Housy/Wam*        333        S          up 52
13. Old Saybrk/WB*   321        S        down 19
14. No. Branford        312        S        down 1
15. H-Killingworth       309        S       down 35
16. Morgan                308        S          up 17
17. Canton                286        S          up 3
18. Stafford/EW*        281        S          up 15
19. Coginchaug         279        S       down 4
20. Cromwell              270        S       down 7
21. Hyde                    161        S           up 8
Source: CIAC. Numbers are students in grades 9-12. Change is difference in number of students from 2013 to 2012.
*Co-op programs

Pequot North                                  Students
Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby    535
Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton           528
Ellington/Somers                                   437
Enfield                                                  380
SMSA/University                                   360
Stafford/East Windsor                          281
Cromwell                                              270 

Pequot West                                  Students
Avon                                                   540
Gilbert/NWR                                        431
Lewis Mills                                           409
Granby                                               390
Nonnewaug                                        353
Housatonic/Wamogo                          333
Canton                                               286 

Pequot South                                  Students
Valley Regional/Old Lyme                  409
Old Saybrook/Westbrook                   321
North Branford                                   312
Haddam-Killingworth                          309
Morgan                                              308
Coginchaug                                       279
Hyde                                                  161