Staples won their second straight Class L championship on Saturday with a 5-2 win over Darien at Wethersfield High.
On Tuesday, the Wreckers were the unanimous choice as the No. 1 team in the state in the top 10 coaches poll. Staples (22-1) has been voted No. 1 in the poll four times, including in 2023. The only loss of the season came to Camden Catholic of New Jersey, 3-2.
Darien (20-3) lost to Staples three times this season and finished No. 2 in the poll. Guilford (17-3-0-3) finished at No. 3 after the Grizzlies beat Branford, 1-0 in double OT in the Class M championship game.
Wilton (15-5) is No. 4 with Class S champion Shepaug (15-4-1) coming in at No. 5 after beating Sacred Heart Academy for their first state championship since 2002.
The top 10 state field hockey poll as voted by state coaches.
Week 8, FINAL, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024 | ||||
Team | Rec. | Pts | LW | Class |
1. Staples (6) | 22-1 | 160 | 1 | L |
2. Darien | 20-3 | 144 | 2 | L |
3. Guilford | 17-3-0-3 | 106 | 10 | M |
4. Wilton | 15-5 | 95 | 4 | L |
5. Shepaug | 15-4-1 | 93 | nr | S |
6. Branford | 17-3-0-1 | 91 | 8 | M |
7. Sacred Heart Acad. | 14-4-2-1 | 65 | nr | S |
8. Fairfield Ludlowe | 16-4-0-1 | 60 | 3 | L |
9. Glastonbury | 16-2 | 45 | 7 | L |
10. Hand | 18-3 | 41 | 5 | S |
Also receiving votes: North Branford (16-2-2) 24, Greenwich (14-6) 12, Ridgefield (12-7) 7, Simsbury (11-5-1) 7 | ||||
Coaches voting: Matt Arinello Immaculate, Margaret Bristol Canton, Janet Dickey Westbrook, Dawn Hough New Milford, Kitty Palmer Guilford, Maureen Perkins, Glastonbury, Kyle Seaburg Norwalk, Jenna Tucchio Stonington |
Conference tournaments
Eastern Connecticut Conference
Semifinals
Saturday, Oct. 26
(2) East Lyme 4, (3) Fitch 0
(1) Stonington 1, (4) Waterford 0
Championship
Tuesday, Oct. 29
East Lyme 3, Stonington 2
FCIAC
Quarterfinals
Thursday, Oct. 24
(1) Staples 9, (8) Fairfield Warde 1
(2) Darien 6, (7) Norwalk 0
(3) Fairfield Ludlowe 2, (6) Ridgefield 0
(4) Greenwich 2, (5) Wilton 1
Semifinals
Saturday, Oct. 26
Staples 3, Greenwich 0
Darien 2, Fairfield Ludlowe 0
Championship
Tuesday, Oct. 29
Staples 3, Darien 2, OT
Shoreline Conference
Semifinals
(1) North Branford 4, (4) Old Saybrook 0
(3) Haddam-Killingworth 1, (2) Westbrook/Lyme-Old Lyme 0
Championship
North Branford 3, Haddam-Killingworth 0
Southern Connecticut Conference
Quarterfinals
Thursday, Oct. 24
(1) Hand 2, (8) Lauralton Hall 1
(7) Cheshire 2, (2) Branford 1
(6) Hamden 6, (3) Sacred Heart Academy 1
(4) Guilford 2, (5) Amity 1, OT
Semifinals
Saturday, Oct. 26
Guilford 2, Hand 0
Hamden 1, Cheshire 0
Tuesday, Oct. 29
Championship
Guilford 3, Hamden 1
SouthWest Conference
Quarterfinals
Monday, Oct. 21
(1) New Milford 4, (8) Weston 1
(2) Immaculate 3, (7) Brookfield 0
(3) Newtown 1, (6) New Fairfield 0
(4) Joel Barlow 2, (5) Pomperaug 1
Semifinals
Thursday, Oct. 24
New Milford 1, Joel Barlow 0, penalty strokes, 3-1
Newtown 4, Immaculate 0
Championship
Monday, Oct. 28
Newtown 2, New Milford 0
Recent top 10 poll champions
2023: Staples (20-2-0-1)
2022: Darien (23-0)
2021: New Canaan
2020: No poll, COVID-19 pandemic
2019: Staples (21-1-2)
2018: Staples (22-1)
2017: Hand (20-1-2)
2016: Darien (16-2-3)
2015: Wilton (17-5)
2014: Glastonbury (18-0-2)
2013: Darien (21-1-1)
2012: Darien (21-1)
2011: Cheshire (22-1)
2010: Darien (22-0)
2009: Darien (22-0)
2008: Darien (21-0-1)
2007: Darien (18-3)
2006: Greenwich (20-2)
2005: Greenwich (21-1)
2004: Fairfield Warde (17-2-0-1)
2003: Pomperaug (22-0)
2002: Pomperaug (19-0-1)
2001: Shepaug Valley (17-0-1)
2000: Granby
1999: Canton (15-2-3)
1998: Canton (18-1-1)
1997: New Canaan
1996: Cheshire
1995: Canton (17-0-3)
1994: Enfield
1993: Enfield
1992: Canton (19-0)
1991: Canton (19-0)
1990: Greenwich
Gerry deSimas, Jr., is the editor and founder of The Collinsville Press. He is an award-winning writer and has been covering sports in Connecticut and New England for more than 40 years. He was inducted into the New England High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018.