Season-Ending Polls Released In Baseball, Softball

Eight state champions were determined last weekend in the CIAC baseball and softball tournaments, and this week, panels of sports media and coaches submitted their final ballots for the season-ending statewide polls.

Both teams winding up on top of their respective polls did so in unanimous fashion. Class LL champion Staples received all 14 first-place votes in baseball, while Class L titlewinner Masuk garnered all 14 top nods from softball voters.

Here are the top 10 in each sport, as well as all other teams collecting votes.

BASEBALL

1. Staples
2. Southington
3. Cheshire
4. Amity
5. Waterford
6. St. Joseph
7. Fairfield Ludlowe
8. Berlin
9. Newtown
10. Wolcott

Also receiving votes: Coventry, Daniel Hand, Shepaug Valley, South Windsor, Ledyard, Holy Cross, Trumbull, Enfield, Masuk, Wethersfield, Notre Dame-West Haven, Glastonbury.

Voters: Tim Jensen, Patch Media Corp.; Dave Ruden, The Ruden Report; Shawn McFarland, Hartford Courant; Pete Paguaga, GametimeCT; Mike Madera, Hearst Connecticut Media; Dave Phillips, Shoreline Newspapers; Noah Finz, Frontier Cable/Vantage Sports Network; Bill Bloxsom, Trumbull Times; Ryan Lacey, Danbury News-Times, Scott Ericson, Stamford Advocate; Kyle Maher, Journal Inquirer; Dave Heuschkel, The Valley Press; Kevin Roberts, Southington Observer; Mike DiMauro, The Day of New London.

(Jeff Hanouille)

SOFTBALL

1. Masuk
2. Southington
3. Norwich Free Academy
4. Waterford
5. Cheshire
6. St. Joseph
7. Trumbull
8. East Haven
9. South Windsor
10. North Haven

Also receiving votes: Seymour, Somers, E.O. Smith, Coginchaug, Brookfield, Notre Dame-Fairfield, Bristol Eastern, Stamford, Granby, West Haven, Coventry, Oxford.

Voters: Coaches: Jeff Babineau, St. Joseph; Bryan Burdick, NFA; Nick DeLizio, North Branford; Ken Pereiras, Seymour. Media: Tim Jensen, Patch Media Corp.; Scott Ericson, Stamford Advocate; Vickie Fulkerson, The Day; George DeMaio, WELI; Jimmy Zanor, Norwich Bulletin; Ryan Lacey, Danbury News Times; Mike Madera, Hearst Connecticut Media; Dave Phillips, Hearst Connecticut Media; Richard Zalusky, Willimantic Chronicle; Lori Riley, Hartford Courant.

(Tim Jensen/Patch Media Corp.)