Results Of Final Girls Volleyball Coaches Balloting Released

CONNECTICUT — Just days after capturing its third straight Class LL championship and 20th overall state title, the girls volleyball team from Darien High School received another accolade when it was voted the top team in Connecticut by a panel of coaches.

Under first-year head coach Carson Mafrice, who had the unenviable task of replacing legendary Laurie LaRusso at the helm after more than four decades of success, the Blue Wave came back from a 2-set deficit to topple Glastonbury 3-2 in the divisional finals. That performance earned them first-place nods from 12 of the 15 coaches voting in the poll.

Glastonbury wound up second in the balloting, and Class L champion Farmington, which garnered one first-place vote, was third.

Here are the top 10, with first-place voted in parentheses, as well as all other teams collecting support.

1. Darien (12)
2. Glastonbury
3. Farmington (1)
4. Southington (1)
5. Greenwich
6. Bristol Central
7. Joel Barlow (1)
8. RHAM
9. (tie) Trumbull
   9. (tie) Amity Regional

Also receiving votes: Woodstock Academy, Valley Regional, Fairfield Warde, East Lyme, Granby Memorial, Seymour, Coventry, Fairfield Ludlowe.

Coaches voting: Craig Brown, East Haven; Tim Guernsey, RHAM; Richard Heitz, Southington; Steve Brienza, Wilton; Michael Stango, Holy Cross; Steven Goodrich, SMSA; Tina Rembish, Fairfield Ludlowe; Nicole Trommelen, Trumbull; Curt Burns, Avon; Jim Mann, Lewis Mills; Lance Pepper, Bristol Central; Kevin Savejs, Maloney; Carol Conti-Asplund, Joel Barlow; Alex Park, Manchester; Michelle Abraham, New Britain.
Compiled by Tim Guernsey