Avon volleyball team finishes No. 2 in final top 10 coaches poll
The Avon High volleyball team and their fans celebrate the first state title in school history in volleyball. More photos from the Class L championship match
The Trumbull High girls volleyball team turned in a tremendous performance in the Class LL tournament. After losing in the championship match of the FCIAC Tournament, the No. 8 Eagles didn’t drop a single game in five matches to capture the Class LL championship with a 3-0 win over Westhill-Stamford.
It was the first state title in girls volleyball for Trumbull High. The Eagles achieved another first on Tuesday night. They were voted as the No. 1 team in the state top 10 coaches poll for the first time with a tight four-vote win over Class L champion Avon in balloting by 27 coaches from across the state.
Avon and Trumbull both received 12 first place votes but the Eagles (21-4) finished with 490 points while Avon (23-2) finished with 486 votes. RHAM, which lost to Avon in the Class L semifinals, 3-2, still received a pair of first place votes while Westhill, which lost to Trumbull in the Class LL title game, received one first place vote.
Avon rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the Class L semifinals to beat RHAM, 3-2 and earn a spot in the championship match for the first time in program history. The Falcons swept Guilford, 3-0, to win their first-ever state title.
Class M champion Seymour (24-1) finished fourth with Westhill finishing fifth. Class S champion Lyman Memorial (21-3) was ranked sixth.
It was one of the closest final top 10 polls since the Hartford Courant began the coaches poll in 1988.
In 1995, Darien edged Amity by 2½ points for the top spot in the poll. In 1991, Bristol Eastern and St. Joseph-Trumbull each had four first place votes but Eastern edged St. Joseph by six votes to earn the No. 1 ranking. In 2004, Bunnell had seven first place votes while Darien earned eight. But Bunnell beat Darien by eight votes to earn the top spot in the poll.
It’s the best-ever ranking for Avon in the year-end top 10 poll. The previous best finish was a seventh place ranking by the Falcons in 2002 when Avon finished the year 20-1. The Falcons were ranked No. 13 in 2005.
Trumbull and Avon didn’t meet on the court this year.
Volleyball state top 10 coaches poll
FINAL: Tuesday, November 26, 2019
| Team | Rec. | Pts | LW | Class |
| 1. Trumbull (12) | 21-4 | 490 | nr | LL |
| 2. Avon (12) | 23-2 | 486 | 7 | L |
| 3. RHAM (2) | 22-2 | 350 | 1 | L |
| 4. Seymour | 24-1 | 320 | 10 | M |
| 5. Westhill (1) | 23-4 | 302 | 5 | LL |
| 6. Lyman Memorial | 21-3 | 220 | nr | S |
| t7. Bristol Eastern | 23-2 | 176 | 2 | L |
| t7. Guilford | 23-4 | 176 | 8 | L |
| 9. Fairfield Ludlowe | 23-4 | 150 | 3 | LL |
| 10. Greenwich | 19-3 | 84 | 6 | LL |
| Also receiving votes: Waterford (21-6) 72, Coventry (23-1) 38, Lyman Hall (7-13) 28, Woodstock Academy (19-6) and Hale Ray (22-4) 22 | ||||
| Coaches voting: Jack Biggs, East Lyme; Angie Kumm, Berlin; Steve Goodrich, SMSA; Jon Shepor, Staples; Tony Nocera, New Milford; Nichole Trimmelen, Trumbull; Rich Heitz, Southington; Jeff Babineau, St. Joseph; Steve Lapham, Greenwich; Curt Burns, Avon; Cathy Federowicz, Seymour; Harold Branstrom, Montville; Michael Stango, Kennedy; Judy Joslin, Enfield; Laura Arena, Farmington; Tony Sanith, Glastonbury; Mike Smeriglio, Stamford; Steve Banks, Fitch; Adaeze Merah, Bulkeley; Michelle Abraham, New Britain; Craig Brown, East Haven; Seth Davis, Amity; Tim Guernsey, RHAM; Peter Georgiou, Brien McMahon; Kerry Roller, Conard; Kevin Savejs, Maloney | ||||
State top 10 volleyball poll champions
2019 – Trumbull
2018 – Joel Barlow
2017 – RHAM
2016 – RHAM
2015 – Platt
No poll conducted in 2013 and 2014
2012 — Coventry
2011 — Coventry
2010 — Coventry
2009 — RHAM
2008 – Darien
2007 – Darien
2006 – Bunnell
2005 – Darien
2004 – Bunnell
2003 – Darien
2002 – Morgan
2001 – Morgan
2000 – Sheehan
1999 – New Britain
1998 – Darien
1997 – St. Joseph
1996 – Darien
1995 – Darien
1994 – Darien
1993 – Darien
1992 – St. Joseph
1991 – Bristol Eastern
1990 – Amity
1989 – Amity
1988 – Maloney