Danbury Tops Preseason Wrestling Coaches Poll

DANBURY, CT — High school wrestling officially got underway Wednesday in Connecticut, but before the first grapplers had even taken to the mat, more than a dozen coaches submitted their rankings of the top squads in the state.

To no one's surprise, defending Class LL champion Danbury tops the preseason poll, receiving 14 of 15 first-place votes. Since 1989, the Hatters have accumulated 18 Class LL titles and 12 State Open championships.

The top 10, with first-place votes in parentheses, are:

1. Danbury (14)
2. New Milford
3. Fairfield-Warde
4. Foran
5. Trumbull
T6. Windham
T6. Newtown (1)
8. Bristol Eastern
9. Ellis Tech
10. Ledyard

Others receiving votes: New Fairfield, Xavier, Southington, Middletown, Montville, Fairfield-Ludlowe, Simsbury, Killingly, Bristol Central, Platt, New London, East Hartford, Guilford, Waterford, East Haven, Daniel Hand, Somers.

Coaches voting: Matt Boissoneault (Bristol Central); Ricky Shook (Danbury); Rafael Calixto (Ellis Tech); Jason Shaughnessy (Fairfield Warde); Matt Schoonmaker (Jonathan Law); Steve Bilheimer (Ledyard); Paul Gallo (New Canaan); Chris Piel (New Milford); Chris Bray (Newtown); Brian McCarty (Platt); Derek Dion (Southington); Charlie Anderson (Trumbull); Chris Gamble (Waterford); Pat Risley (Windham); Mike Cunningham (Xavier).

Photo credit: Tim Jensen