One New Entry Cracks Top 10 of Latest Football Poll

Daniel Hand High School maintained its commanding lead in the most recent Connecticut high school football poll, while three teams improved their rankings and a new entry cracked the top 10.

The Tigers garnered 22 of 25 first-place votes to easily outdistance St. Joseph, which received the other three top nods to remain in second.

Here are the top 10, with last week's ranking in parentheses, as well as all other teams collecting votes.

1. Daniel Hand (lw: 1)
2. St. Joseph (lw: 2)
3. Darien (lw: 4)
4. Greenwich (lw: 3)
5. Newtown (lw: 5)
6. Bloomfield (lw: 6)
7. Ansonia (lw: 8)
8. Southington (lw: 9)
9. Ridgefield (lw: 7)
10. Cheshire (lw: N/R)

Also receiving votes: Sheehan, Simsbury, Killingly, Maloney, Naugatuck, New Canaan, Shelton, Wethersfield, Weston, Notre Dame-West Haven, Rockville, Hall, Woodland, Fairfield Prep, Newington.

Voters: Bill Bloxsom, Hearst Connecticut Media; Sean Patrick Bowley, GameTimeCT; Bryant Carpenter, Record-Journal of Meriden; Ryan Chichester, Bristol Press/New Britain Herald; Gerry deSimas Jr., Collinsville Press; Mike DiMauro, The Day of New London; Erik Dobratz, WTNH-8; Scott Ericson, Stamford Advocate; Michael Fornabaio, Connecticut Post; Ned Griffen, The Day of New London; Mark Jaffee, Republican-American of Waterbury; Ryan Lacey, Danbury News-Times; Gabby Lucivero, NBC CT; Mike Madera, Walter Camp Football Foundation; Kyle Maher, Journal Inquirer; Shawn McFarland, Hartford Courant; Joe Morelli, New Haven Register; Keith O’Brien, GameDay CT Sports; Pete Paguaga, GameTimeCT; Dave Phillips, Shoreline Newspapers; John Pierson, WTNH-8; Dave Ruden, The Ruden Report; Rich Zalusky, The Chronicle of Willimantic; Jimmy Zanor, Norwich Bulletin; Joe Zone, WFSB-3.