The GameTimeCT Top 10 Girls Basketball Poll (March 2): NFA usurps ND-Fairfield for No. 1

Scott Ericson | March 2, 2021

What a week in girls basketball.

We have a new No. 1, with NFA picking up nine first-place votes and former No. 1 Notre Dame-Fairfield falling to No. 2 despite picking up six first-place votes.

Voters were torn as to how to handle Notre Dame’s loss to Masuk, in which their entire varsity team was suspended for violating school protocols.

In the end, more voters decided a loss is a loss no matter the circumstances. So, we have a new No. 1 for the first time since Jan. 12, 2020.

Ridgefield garnered two first-place votes for their unbeaten record in the FCIAC. With Trumbull and Kolbe both leaving the Top 10 after losses, Glastonbury and Hand filled the vacancies.

In what has been nothing if not an usual season, we still have seven unbeaten teams in the poll as we enter March and five more teams without losses in the others-receiving-votes section.

Normally, we would be in the thick of tournament season. But as it is in 2021, we are heading into the final two weeks of the regular season before beginning league playoffs.

		TEAM (1st place votes)			REC	PTS	LAST
		1. NFA (9)			5-0	488	2
Latest results Def. Ledyard 46-27, Fitch 60-23 Bottom Line: Nobody has been close to Jenissa Varela and NFA but a date with No. 7 Bacon Academy looms Sat.
		2. NOTRE DAME-FAIRFIELD (6)			6-1	464	2
Latest results: Def. Kolbe 78-46, Lost Masuk 36-33, Def. Brookfield 81-33 Bottom Line: Lancers took their first regular-season loss in state since Dec. 29, 2018 to New London.
		3. NEWINGTON			5-0	440	3
Latest results: Def. Bulkeley/SMSA 83-24 Bottom Line: Newington has not allowed a team over 30 points since opening night. Plays unbeaten Middletown Tue.
		4. RIDGEFIELD (2)			6-0	424	4
Latest results: Def. Danbury 36-31, Wilton 64-10, Bridgeport Central 65-9 Bottom Line: The Tigers defense has been smothering while Katie Flynn has been playing at an all-state level.
		5. STAPLES			6-0	338	7
Latest results:Def. Ludlowe 61-57, Trumbull 44-38 Bottom Line: The most challenging week of the schedule is over and the Wreckers escaped with no losses behind a strong week from guard Alva Nordin.
		6. SHEEHAN			7-0	302	8
Latest Results: Def. Lyman Hall 45-35, East Haven 43-32, Hand 49-38 Bottom Line: Win over Hand puts the Titans alone atop the SCC standings.
		7. BACON ACADEMY			2-0	301	5
Latest Results: No games last week Bottom Line: Bacon has been on quarantine since beating Waterford Feb. 16. Next scheduled game is Sat. vs No. 1 NFA.
		8. EAST HARTFORD			4-1	220	6
Latest results: Lost Glastonbury 42-41, Def. RHAM 46-27 Bottom Line: Rebounded nicely from loss, remains one of the teams to beat in the CCC. Rematch with Glastonbury 3/16.
		9. GLASTONBURY			4-0	183	NR
Latest results: Def. East Hartford 42-41, Manchester 53-47, RHAM 65-33 Bottom Line: A day after Glastonbury returned from a two-week quarantine, it beat undefeated East Hartford with Jillian Margaglione scoring the game-winner on a put back with eight second left.
		10. HAND			5-1	172	NR
Latest results: Def. Hamden 54-28, Mercy 35-23, lost Sheehan 49-38 Bottom Line: Team is doing really well … or it isn’t.
Dropped out: Trumbull (9), Kolbe Cathedral (10) First-place votes in parentheses and points tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis.
Others receiving votes: Trumbull (3-2), 148; Kolbe Cathedral (5-1), 145; Mercy (5-1), 110; Middletown (5-0), 109; Newtown (6-1), 103; Thomaston (7-0), 58; Windsor (5-1), 55; EO Smith (2-2), 48; Suffield (5-0), 43; Stamford (6-1), 40; Sacred Heart Academy (6-1), 26; New London (3-1), 26; East Hampton (6-0), 25; Parish Hill (5-0), 14; Ludlowe (3-2), 10; Holy Cross (4-0), 10; Pomperaug (6-1), 9; Bethel (3-3), 8
The following voted: Lori Riley, Hartford Courant; Mike Madera, Walter Camp Foundation/New Haven Register; Vickie Fulkerson, The New London Day; Dave Phillips, Shoreline Newspapers; Dave Ruden, The Ruden Report; Jimmy Zanor, Norwich Bulletin; Tim Jensen, Patch; Brian Medeiros, Canton; Fred Williams, Northwestern; Rick Wilson, Waterbury Republican American; Sean Krofssik, Record-Journal; Matthew Hornick, Bristol Press; Rich Zalusky, The Chronicle; Dave Danko, Fairfield Warde; Adam Betz, Journal Inquirer; Scotty Nails RCDS; Scott Ericson, GameTimeCT Poll compiled by Scott Ericson