Sports

Darien Football Edges New Canaan 37-34 in Overtime Turkey Bowl Thriller

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It was one of the most memorable chapters in a long and storied rivalry—a rare high school football game that not only lived up to but exceeded its hype as the top-seeded Darien Blue Wave escaped New Canaan with a breathtaking 37-34 overtime win over the No. 2 Rams Thanksgiving afternoon in front of nearly 5,000 fans at Dunning Field. Darien senior co-captain Finlay Collins was named the game’s MVP, rushing 10 times for 87 yards and two touchdowns and sealing the Wave’s thrilling win with an interception of New Canaan quarterback Drew Pyne in overtime at the Wave five-yard line. “Hats off to New Canaan, they played a hell of a game.” Darien head coach Rob Trifone told NewCanaanite.com.

Sports

2016 Turkey Bowl Essentials: A Breakdown of New Canaan vs. Darien

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Thursday morning will mark the third straight year New Canaan and Darien collide in the Turkey Bowl as the top two teams in the state. And if the previous two Thanksgiving match-ups—both won by Darien by a score of 28-21—are any indication, this year’s game will be another classic chapter in a historic rivalry that dates back to 1928. As was the case last year, this will be the only time the No.1 Wave and No. 2 Rams face one another as Darien will defend its state Class LL title while the Rams are looking to win their fourth straight Class L crown. Even with the absence of an official FCIAC Championship game this season, stakes will be high on Thursday as the game will count toward CIAC rankings, impacting the probability of a state semifinal home game.

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Officials: Turkey Bowl Tickets Sell Out in 37 Minutes

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Tickets for the widely anticipated New Canaan-Darien Thanksgiving morning football game sold out in 37 minutes, district officials said. All 2,800 tickets allocated to New Canaan High School had sold out by 12:37 p.m. Monday, while the 1,900 tickets for Darien sold out by 12:05 p.m., NCHS Athletic Director Jay Egan confirmed. Officials landed on that 60-40 split because the Rams are hosting this year’s Turkey Bowl at Dunning Stadium. Individual students and football families were allowed to purchase tickets in advance, Egan said. The 4,700 total tickets sold will accommodate fans who will fill not only Dunning’s regular stands but also 1,000-plus extra seats and an estimated 1,000 in standing room, he said.

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District Officials To Expand Dunning’s Capacity to 4,000-Plus for Turkey Bowl

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District officials say Dunning Stadium will have capacity for about 4,200 attendees for Thanksgiving morning’s Turkey Bowl, and that New Canaan High School as the home team in this year’s rival game will sell 60 percent of the tickets, Darien 40 percent. Asked about a major change in the logistics of the hugely popular football game—under which only advanced, not game-day, tickets will be sold (details below)—NCHS Athletic Director Jay Egan said the district has been keeping “very close accounts this year of comped tickets, student passes and the whole nine yards, so we know how many people are in [Dunning] Stadium.”

The 4,000-plus capacity figure represents 2,000 in regular seating, 1,000 in standing-room, and another 1,000-plus between larger bleachers and smaller units from baseball and softball facilities that are being brought in, Egan said. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bryan Luizzi, asked about the plans during a presentation before the Town Council on Wednesday night, noted that Boyle Stadium (capacity 10,000) was not available this year for the Rams-Blue Wave game. While the FCIAC has done away with its own conference championship game, the league has preserved the Thanksgiving Day rival games. This year’s Stamford High School-Westhill High School game is to be played at Boyle, home of the SHS Black Knights.

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Officials: No Game-Day Tickets To Be Sold For Turkey Bowl, No Student IDs Accepted

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Citing a desire for safety and smooth operations, officials said Saturday that no game-day tickets will be sold for this year’s Turkey Bowl, the hugely popular rival football game between New Canaan and Darien High Schools held each Thanksgiving morning. Tickets will cost $10, students will need to buy one—no passes or student IDs will be honored—and can be purchased in the NCHS gym foyer from 12 to 5 p.m. on Nov. 21 and 22, and 12 to 4 p.m. on Nov. 23, according to an announcement released by the school’s athletic director. “This year’s game is being hosted by New Canaan High School and will take place in Dunning Stadium, which has significantly less capacity than Boyle Stadium,” according to the announcement.