Catch Craig Bruno on Live From the FC

Can't come down from the state championship football high? Neither can I. So tune in at 10 a.m. to Live From the FC and listen to interviews with the three Fairfield County coaches who won state championships this season. Have any questions for them? Send them via AIM to livefromthefc.

First up, New Canaan head coach Lou Marinelli, who had one for the ages Saturday with the Rams' come-from-behind 34-30 win over Daniel Hand to take the Class MM crown.

Next up: Rich Albonizio, whose Greenwich team completed back-to-back FCIAC and Class LL championship runs with a 28-14 victory over Shelton.

And last but not least, Bunnell head coach Craig Bruno, whose Bulldogs also completed back-to-back campaigns in the SWC and Class L with a 22-14 win over league rival Masuk.

Click the link above, or the logo, to listen live. Or check later Saturday for the archive.

State Coaches Poll: Bunnell Finishes 3rd, Masuk 9th

Ansonia has been named the No. 1 team in the state, according to The Day of New London's State Coaches Poll. Greenwich finished second, while Bunnell finished third.

The Day of New London Top 10 state coaches football poll

First-place votes in parentheses, record, points tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis and last week’s ranking:

1. Ansonia (9) 13-0 380 1
2. Greenwich (2) 11-1 364 2
3. Bunnell-Stratford (2) 13-0 346 4
4. Seymour 11-1 276 10
5. New Canaan 10-2 272 NR
6. Hand-Madison 11-1 236 3
7. Shelton 10-2 224 7
8. Ledyard 10-1 213 NR
9. Masuk-Monroe 10-3 170 NR
10. New London 11-1 140 5

Dropped off: Bristol Eastern (6), Staples-Westport (8) and Southington (9).

Also receiving votes: Bridgeport Central (8-2), 138; Southington (9-2), 125; Bristol Eastern (10-1), 106; Staples-Westport (8-2), 96; Berlin (10-2), 68; Conard-West Hartford (9-2), 45; Cromwell (10-1), 42; Tolland (9-3), 28; Woodland-Beacon Falls (8-4), 24; Weaver-Hartford (9-2), 14; Northwest Catholic-West Hartford (8-3), 8.

The following coaches voted: Chris Anderson, Woodland-Beacon Falls; Jim Buonocore, Fitch; Dave Cadelina, Bridgeport Central; John DeCaprio, Notre Dame-West Haven; Chuck Drury, Pomperaug-Southbury; Steve Filippone, Hand-Madison; Tanner Grove, Montville; Jude Kelly, St. Paul-Bristol; Tim King, Valley Regional-Deep River; Bill Mella, Southington; John Murphy, Masuk-Monroe; Marce Petroccio, Staples-Westport; Bob Zito, Maloney-Meriden.

Bunnell Players and Craig Bruno to Appear On The Fifty Yard Line

I just got an e-mail from Matt Levine, the host and producer of The Fifty Yard Line, a football show streamed in live video to his Web site, mattlevine.net, at 7 p.m. Tuesdays from Route 22 restaurant in Stamford.

Levine has confirmed that Bunnell head coach Craig Bruno and a few of his players -- most likely Class L championship game MVP Mario Guererro and WR-DB Mike Easley -- are scheduled to appear on the show.

So log in live, or come on down and join us (I'm the co-host) at Route 22 and download the archive later. Route 22 is located at 1980 W. Main St. in Stamford, between Exits 5 & 6 on I-95.

The Bunnell Three-Peat: Are The No. 1?

Let's face it. The state's coaches and the state's writers are going to to declare Ansonia No. 1. They went undefeated, put up some gaudy numbers, have the state's Player of the Year (Alex Thomas), and to top it off, they took down the Evil Empire (okay, maybe just Darth Vader) on Championship Saturday.

We'll probably see Greenwich take No. 2. They earned some respect with their showing in Florida (though it was a loss) and picked up some more votes in both polls with impressive performances against Staples and Central. But because they didn't dismantle Shelton in the Class LL championship game, they will miss out on the grand off-the-field prize.

But what about Bunnell?

A lot of people are talking No. 3, and I have to agree. Maybe they're even a No. 2?

The SWC doesn't get the credit it deserves. Maybe it's a down season, but who knows for sure? You can't take away the fact that Bunnell took down Staples, a team ranked 4th and 5th most of the season. And you can't brush off the fact the Bulldogs had to beat Masuk three times this season to claim its hardware.

It's tough to beat a team once in a season, even more so to take someone down twice. But three times in one season? You have to be a damn good team to do that.

I don't have a vote, but I'll give you my Top 3:

1. Greenwich
2. Bunnell
3. Ansonia