There’s a new No. 1 in high school girls basketball.
Norwich Free Academy vaulted into the top spot in the GameTImeCT weekly Top 10 girls basketball poll.
The unbeaten Wildcats, fresh off lopsided wins against Ledyard and Fitch, received nine first place votes from the state’s sportswriters. Previous number one Notre Dame-Fairfield garnered six first place votes, while fourth-ranked Ridgefield had the other two first place votes.
“We’re proud of our progress, but we’ve told the kids not to be concerned with the polls,” NFA head coach Courtney Gomez told The Bulletin. “This is such a different season.”
The Wildcats (5-0) travel to Waterford for a big ECC South matchup on Wednesday night (7 p.m.). On Saturday, NFA hosts No. 7 Bacon Academy in a battle of Top 10 teams.
The Wildcats-Bobcats contest is a rematch of last year’s ECC Division I tournament championship game, won by NFA.
TEAM (1st place votes) RECORD POINTS
1. NFA (9) 5-0 488
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 seconds left.
10. HAND 5-1 172
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/GameTimeCT
