Staples named No. 1 team in final state coaches poll of season
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
Berkshire League
Semifinals
(1) Shepaug def. (4) Lakeview
(2) Watertown def. (3) Nonnewaug
Championship
Wednesday, Oct. 30
Shepaug def. Watertown, OT
Note: This was the first BL post-season tournament in field hockey
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