‘They’re a Very Special Group’: New Canaan Basketball Falls to Ridgefield in FCIAC Semis

For more than 26 minutes Tuesday’s FCIAC semifinal showdown between Ridgefield and New Canaan lived up to its billing and looked to be a fitting sequel to the previous meeting between these two teams 20 days ago—a double-overtime win for the Rams. 

Unfortunately for New Canaan, a storybook ending was not in the script this time around. The top-seeded Tigers outscored New Canaan 16-4 over the final 5:15 en route to a 62-49 win. With the win, Ridgefield advanced to the FCIAC finals for the third consecutive year and will try for a three-peat against Westhill. Meanwhile the Rams, who came into the tournament as the No. 5 seed will wait another year to seek their first FCIAC title since the 1968-69 season.

Town Approves Contract for Electrical Work at NCHS Track

The Board of Selectmen at its most recent meeting approved a $17,000 contract with a Darien-based company to install power outlets at the finish lines at the New Canaan High School track. As it is, a generator is rolled out onto the field to power up timing devices and scoreboards for track and field events at NCHS, according to Joe Zagarenski, senior engineer with the town Department of Public Works. Under a contract with Darien Electrical Contracting Inc., power will be installed in a shed near the Waveny water tower and will also come down to the finish lines at the track. The work would “get rid of the need for bringing a generator out to the track,” Zagarenski told the selectmen at their March 9 meeting, held via videoconference. 

“So needless to say, the high school Athletic Department is very supportive of this project,” he said. First Selectman Kevin Moynihan and Selectmen Kathleen Corbet and Nick Williams voted 3-0 in favor of the contract. 

Williams said he was “a little befuddled as to why this wasn’t done when we redid the track in the first place, years ago.” (Williams served on the Fields Building Committee that oversaw the water tower turf field and track projects.)

Zagarenski said conduits had been put in place as part of the original project, but installation of bleachers and grandstand seating was higher priority.

‘We Played With Pride Tonight’: Magnus Leads New Canaan over Wilton in FCIAC Quarterfinals

Willis Reed. Most basketball fans know the name and the moment associated with it. In Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Championship, the injured New York Knicks captain—barely able to walk and not expected to play with a torn thigh muscle—shocked the Los Angeles Lakers and when he emerged for pregame warmups. Reed then electrified the Madison Square Garden crowd and his teammates by sinking his first two shots of the game. The Knicks went on to win the game and the championship.

‘Survive and Advance’: New Canaan Basketball Nets FCIAC Playoff Win Over Norwalk

On the second anniversary of its first state championship in 57 years the New Canaan boys basketball team took one step closer to its goal of winning its first FCIAC championship in 52 years. The No. 5 Rams knocked off 12th-seeded Norwalk 41-33 Tuesday night in the First Round of the FCIAC playoffs. New Canaan advanced to Friday’s Quarterfinals where they will meet No. 4 Wilton, a team that handed the Rams two of its three losses this season.