NCHS Senior Drew Pyne Signs Early Letter of Intent To Play Football at Notre Dame

New Canaan High School senior quarterback Drew Pyne on Wednesday signed an early Letter of Intent to play football at the University of Notre Dame. Pyne said he’s always dreamed of playing at the storied Indiana university. “[Rams Football Head] Coach [Lou] Marinelli gave me the right path in high school to make all this happen, so all thanks to him,” Pyne said moments before a signing ceremony in the Wagner Room at NCHS attended by more than 50 relatives, friends, classmates, teammates and coaches. “I’m blessed with this great opportunity so I’m very excited.”

Asked what special NCHS memories he’ll take with him, Pyne said, “All of high school has been fantastic, whether football or academically.”

“Mr. [Bill] Egan, our principal, has made it a great experience for me. And Coach Marinelli has made it unbelievable as well.

‘They Just Refused to Lose’: Recalling New Canaan Football’s Historic Undefeated 2008 Season, 10 Years Later

The year 2008 was supposed to be about rebuilding for the New Canaan Rams football program: The team was ranked in the bottom half of the FCIAC’s preseason polls and only a handful of starters from the previous season were returning. They were not expected to accomplish anything special. Yet they ended up doing exactly that, with unforeseen contributions from a particularly tight-knit squad that would post an undefeated record heading into a dramatic showdown versus New Canaan’s longtime rival before moving on to states—cementing a legacy whose storybook season launched 10 years ago this month. Behind center

One of the squad’s returning starters, tri-captain Nate Quinn, switched from defense to quarterback for 2008, marking a dramatic turnaround for what New Canaan had been fielding in recent years at the all-important position. The Rams had won consecutive state titles in 2006 and 2007 with guys like Curt Casali and Charlie Westfal at QB.