Monday, February 22, 2021

FSN Girls Basketball Poll (Week 1): RIDGEFIELD is No. 1

Our first FSN FCIAC Girls Basketball poll of the regular season is here! 12 coaches gave their input on who the top 8 teams in the league are after a week and a half of regular season play.

In our preseason poll, Trumbull was a near unanimous pick for number one, receiving all but one first place vote. But after their opening night loss to Ridgefield two weeks ago, the Eagles have now dropped as low as fourth in some submissions and edged Fairfield Ludlowe for the No. 2 spot by only two points.

As many predicted, Ridgefield took over the top spot this week after starting their season with a victory over then No. 1 Trumbull and also earning wins over Westhill and No. 6 Stamford. The 3-0 tigers face No. 6 Danbury as well as Wilton and Bridgeport Central this week. 

While the top three teams remained the same, a few teams gained ground in the polls after a week of regular season action, most notably new No. 4 Staples who also received a top 10 ranking in the state poll early last week. The wreckers started the season ranked 7th after losing a key group of seniors from last year's 18-2 team, but a 4-0 start has earned them both league and statewide recognition. They'll put that undefeated mark to the test three times this week facing two top three opponents (Fairfield Ludlowe on Tuesday, Trumbull on Thursday) and Norwalk.

Finally, two new teams received votes for this weeks poll, New Canaan and Westhill. The rams were able to win 2 of their first 4 and are expected to pick up two more wins this week against Brien McMahon and Darien while the Vikings put up tough competition despite facing three top 10 teams in their first four games.

Week 2 Preview

Tuesday
Game of the Day - #3 Ludlowe vs. #4 Staples: The Falcons rolled past Danbury and Fairfield Warde last week after a tough loss to #2 Trumbull in week one. The Wreckers started the season ranked 7th, but jumped up three places in the polls after four games in the regular season. A Falcon win would give Ludlowe even more legitimacy within the top three teams in the league while a Wrecker victory would give them momentum heading into their clash with #2 Trumbull on Thursday.

Curious About - #6 Danbury vs. #1 Ridgefield: Ridgefield has quickly become the favorite to win the FCIAC, moving into the top spot in the polls for the first time this season. Danbury was #4 in the pre-season poll, but losses to Staples and Ludlowe have some re-thinking the Hatter's ability to compete with top teams in the league. A Hatter win would be a huge upset and could give Danbury some legitimacy within the league.

Thursday
Game of the Day - #4 Staples vs. #2 Trumbull: As mentioned before, this is going to be one of the toughest weeks of the season for Staples, facing off against two of the top three teams in the league over three days. If the Wreckers are able to sweep both Ludlowe and Trumbull, they could potentially see themselves in the top three next week. Trumbull is still reeling from an opening loss to Ridgefield, but should pick up 3 more wins this week with a victory in Westport.

Curious About - #8 New Canaan vs #6 Danbury: Should the Hatters lose on Tuesday, they will be desperate for a win at 1-3 coming into Thursday's matchup at New Canaan. The Rams could push themselves into the conversation with an upset.

Saturday
Game of the Day - #5 St. Joseph vs. #3 Ludlowe: This will likely be the last major test for the Falcons before the playoffs (They will not play a single team ranked inside the top 8 for the rest of the year), so it's important they get a win to remain a top 3 team. St. Joseph has been a surprise contender this year, with their only loss being at the hands of #2 Trumbull. If the Cadets can pull off an upset, they could see themselves in the top three come next week.

Curious About - Westhill vs. #2 Trumbull: Few people expect the Vikings to win this game, but they received votes for eight place this week and they could turn some heads if they can keep it close.

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