What better time to divulge my final Register Top 10 football poll picks than halfway through basketball season? I'm the worst blogger ever.

Xavier had to be the No. 1 team, and it was unanimous, but in a head-to-head situation I think it would be great to see Hand and Ansonia take their shots. If Hand is at its best and Xavier has an off day, isn't at least possible the Tigers would come away with a win? Isn't it possible that, with Arkeel Newsome at his best behind that dominant Charger offensive line, Ansonia catches Xavier off guard?

The biggest question was how far to drop Masuk. The Panthers were tied with a one-dimensional North Haven in the fourth quarter before pulling away in a monsoon and then got beat by Hand. I had been voting Masuk No. 1 all year. I couldn't vote them ahead of the LL and L finalists, Staples and New Canaan, but sixth is as far as they deserved to fall.

1. Xavier (13-0) Def. Staples 42-7 to win Class LL title
2. Hand (13-0) Def. New Canaan 34-10 to win Class L title
3. Ansonia (14-0) Def. Ledyard 38-0 to win Class M title
4. Staples (11-1) LOST to Xavier 42-7 in Class LL final
5. New Canaan (11-2) LOST to Hand 34-10 in Class L final
6. Masuk (11-1) LOST to Hand 35-14 Class L semis
7. Windsor (11-1) LOST to New Canaan 27-24 in Class L semis
8. Holy Cross (12-2) Def. Cromwell 34-27 to win Class S title
9. Notre Dame-West Haven (8-3) LOST to Windsor 14-7 in Class L quarters
10. New London (9-2) LOST to New Canaan 27-26 in Class L quarters
11. Newtown (9-3) LOST to Staples 44-20 in Class LL semis
12. North Haven (9-2) LOST to Masuk 28-14 in Class L quarters
13. Norwalk (9-2) LOST to Xavier 55-14 in Class LL semis
14. Ledyard (11-2) LOST to Ansonia 38-0 in Class M final
15. Valley Regional/Old Lyme (10-2) LOST to Holy Cross 23-14 in Class S semis