Top 10 Connecticut high school boys soccer teams to watch in 2015

Video: Cheshire soccer highlights vs. Hamden

The Connecticut boys soccer season is rolling along, and it's time to look at 10 in particular that have shown the possibility of title drives. Records are current as of Wednesday night.

Bacon Academy (Colchester) (7-1-2)
The Bobcats have all the motivation they need this year after they went unbeaten last regular season, were seeded second in the CIAC Class M tournament, and then knocked off in the semifinals by No. 11 Tolland (1-0). They return a strong nucleus from that team in senior forwards Colby Decker and L.J. Luster and classmate Sam Pipicelli (midfielder). Bacon knocked off defending Eastern Connecticut Conference champion East Lyme last month (3-1) and play the same team again this Friday. It also played fellow Class M power Montville to a tie on Tuesday (1-1).

Cheshire (8-0)
Fairfield Prep has won three of the previous four Southern Connecticut Conference tournaments, and Guilford and Hand are consistent league and state powers. But the Rams are the SCC's only unbeaten and untied squad. What's more noteworthy about their success is that they finished 4-11-1 last year. They haven't made it to the state tournament in two seasons, either (they had done so from 1996-2012). Cheshire has already clinched a CIAC Class LL berth thanks to seniors Toby Goldstein (12 goals, five assists), Thomas Conlon and Eric Dishnica.

Coventry (8-0)
There are four teams tied for third in the North Central Connecticut Conference — Bolton, Canton and Somers. The Patriots have beaten the trio by a combined score of 20-1. That includes their 6-0 win over Bolton on Tuesday. Jared Cote, Jack Galey, Kwabena Obiekwu, Alec Erskine and Nicholas Erskine. All scored in that win. Coventry is tied with state superpower Suffield for first in the NCCC. The Patriots will play host to the latter on Oct. 20.

Farmington (6-0-2)
The Indians have been one of the state's giants of the sport. They've won 11 CIAC state titles and have played in four consecutive finals. They are in their 33rd season under head coach Steve Waters, who won his 500th game last month (he and former E.O. Smith head coach John Blomstrann are the only ones to reach that number). Seniors Jared Edelson (midfielder/striker) and Evan Hughes (forward) lead this year's team. Farmington has a fun month ahead — it plays Glastonbury in a rematch of last year's Class LL final, and has two games against neighbor and fellow soccer power Avon.

Glastonbury (8-0)
The Tomahawks are the top-ranked team in the state coaches' Class LL/L poll. That's what they get for being arguably the state's top program, having won back-to-back LL titles (it was co-champion with Ridgefield in 2013). They've been so good that they were ranked in the USA Today/ National Soccer Coaches Association of America Top 25 preseason poll. Glastonbury returned four All-Central Connecticut Conference North Division players (John Kapelewski, Sebby Sanzaro, Griffin Scaglia and Alex Tow) and already have wins over fellow heavyweights Avon (3-1) and Southington (3-1).

Lewis Mills (Burlington) (7-0-1)
The Spartans want a state title and they want one now. They're 40-2-5 over the previous three seasons and were seeded no lower than fifth in Class M. They've been bounced in the quarterfinals (2014), second round (2013) and semifinals (2012). Mills has torn through the Berkshire League again by outscoring opponents 31-0 (Nonnewaug played it to a scoreless tie on Sept. 21). Senior forward Freddy Marinelli and the Spartans are currently atop the Class M rankings, and only a state title will do this fall.

Montville (Oakdale) (6-1-2)
Last year's ECC runner-up always has a star player or two. That's not the case this season, as the Indians have a balanced crew that's ranked fourth in the state coaches' Class M-S poll. Montville has a strong defense led by 2014 All-ECC Medium Division picks Joel Greenwood and Noah Cook, and Lucas Chaude (midfielder/forward) was honorable mention. Defenseman Quentin Duperry assisted forward Eric Ross on his goal in Tuesday's 1-1 tie against Bacon.

Southington (6-1-1)
The school's football team has become a state powerhouse. The soccer program wants to do the same. The Blue Knights were moved into the loaded CCC Central-Blue Division this season and they've fared well, giving up just three goals. They even played Farmington to a scoreless tie (Sept. 16). Southington has two big games later this month against Avon (Oct. 22) and Glastonbury (Oct. 26). It hasn't made the state tournament since 2010. That's not a problem this year with defenseman Ryan Burrill, midfielder Bryan Doyle and forward Erik Schneider.

Staples (Westport) (6-1-2)
This program has won 12 CIAC state titles. The Wreckers haven't won one since 2009 and are looking to rectify that issue. They blanked defending Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference champion Fairfield Ludlowe last Friday (3-0) with Teddy Lawrence and Tyler Wright both scoring their first career goals. Defenseman Kenji Goto and goaltender Noah Schwaeber captain a team that wants to better last year's Class LL quarterfinal berth.

Suffield (West Suffield) (8-0)
Suffield is pretty serious about its boys and girls soccer. The school's soccer Twitter profile boasts, "7 decades of tradition" with its location listed as "Titletown, CT." The Wildcats have outscored opponents 34-0 this season and seek their 10th state title. They had won three Class M titles from 2011-13 but were bumped up two divisions to Class LL last year based on their numbers and overwhelming success.