Farmington Valley Keeps Top 10 Spot In Hockey Poll

FARMINGTON VALLEY, CT — The four-school ice hockey co-op consisting of Farmington, Avon, Windsor and Lewis Mills high schools maintained its status as the only Division II program ranked in the state's top 10 of the weekly balloting of coaches and media members.

Farmington Valley (9-1) stayed in the No. 9 spot for the second straight week after defeating Glastonbury on Saturday. The Generals have toppled three Division I opponents thus far this season, and look to increase their winning streak to six this Saturday, hosting E.O. Smith/Tolland at noon at Avon Old Farms.

Fairfield Prep (11-0) was again a unanimous selection of voters as the top team in the state.

Here are the top 10, plus all other programs receiving votes, with records through Jan. 24:

1. Fairfield Prep (11-0)
2. Notre Dame-West Haven (7-4)
3. Greenwich (8-1)
4. Ridgefield (8-2)
5. Xavier (8-4)
6. Hamden (7-3)
7. New Fairfield/Immaculate (6-1-2)
8. Notre Dame-Fairfield (6-4)
9. Farmington Valley (9-1)
10. New Canaan (5-6)

Also receiving votes: Northwest Catholic (5-3-1), Darien (4-8), Watertown/Pomperaug (8-1-1), Staples (8-2-1), Guilford (9-2).

Voters: Coaches: Matt Sather, Fairfield Prep; Nick Boorman, Suffield/Granby/Windsor Locks; Tim Belcher, Notre Dame-West Haven; Shaun Gallagher, Ridgefield; Larry Vieira, New Fairfield/Immaculate. Media: Mike Fornabaio, Connecticut Post; Tim Jensen, Patch Media Corp.; Sean Begin, Hartford Courant; Sean Patrick Bowley, GameTimeCT.com; Mike Madera, GameTimeCT; Dan Nowak, New Haven Register; Greg Lederer, Cheshire Herald; Luke Devoe, CTHSHockey.org; Peter Vander Veer, HAN Network; Jim Stout, MaxPreps.com.

Photo credit: Tim Jensen