New Canaan postponed Friday’s scheduled varsity football game versus Westhill High School solely because of concerns about players’ health and safety, and not to gain a competitive advantage, officials say.
Though the Vikings’ head coach filed a formal appeal with the FCIAC accusing the Rams of wrongdoing, New Canaan High School Athletic Director Jay Egan said that “even though artificial turf provides good footing,” a far better option for players—and those who would’ve come to watch the home game at Dunning Field—was to wait for the “next available day.”
“Why go into the driving rain at 45 degrees just to say we played? I personally would not do that just to say that we did it,” Egan told NewCanaanite.com. “It is also my understanding that it is the home team’s call with respect to any athletic contest. I do not think it is by mutual agreement, unless I am missing something on that.”
The Rams defeated visiting Westhill 55-12 on Monday night, following a weekend that saw supporters of both sides take fiercely to Twitter regarding the postponement.
The Vikings’ head coach, Frank Marcucio, said his understanding of the FCIAC’s rules was that if each team’s athletic director could not agree on moving a game—as happened here—then it should bumped up to school principals.
It isn’t clear whether a rule was violated or misinterpreted. FCIAC officials could not be reached for comment.
“They didn’t want to play us in the rain,” Marcucio said.
He added that the Vikings players had been preparing all week to play in wet weather.
“Let’s face it, when you are playing the number two team in the state and weather is going to be a factor—and it’s a natural factor, we have no control over that—I as a coach can look at the weather forecast and I prepared my kids all week to play in the rain,” Marcucio said.
Egan said that Rams head coach Lou Marinelli agreed with his decision to postpone the game though the decision itself was his (Egan’s) own.
Part of the thinking was that both New Canaan and Westhill were facing a bye-week the following week, and with SATs Saturday and sensitivities to many local families who would not participate in a Sunday football game, the next available day turned out to be Monday, Egan said.
“I do not feel that there was any negative impact on either team by playing this game on Monday night, considering neither team is scheduled to play again until a week from Friday or Saturday, whenever the next game is scheduled,” Egan said.
“It wasn’t for competitive advantage,” he added. “That is something that never came into the thought process on my or Lou’s part. It is health and safety.”
Egan said he understood Westhill’s frustration and a suspicion that New Canaan “tried to take advantage of them.”
“But we were not really trying to taking advantage of them,” the athletic director said. “We were trying to get good weather conditions. We only have four home games so we want families and fans to see us play.”
The Rams next will be on the road to face Danbury on Oct. 17.
—Terry Dinan contributed to this article
When I first heard this, I thought it was against the grain of football. But given their reasons, I think we have to stand behind this coach and this A.D. who know better. As far as Westhill goes, it’s silly to think you would prepare a team to play only in the rain. Westhill couldn’t have won that game if we gave them the ball on our 10 yard line every drive on a perfect day and we started on our own one in a blizzard. They should have been quiet about it and sound even more ridiculous now.
Sorry Dave but if you look at New Canaan’s record over the past few years in inclement weather you will see they have lost more often than they have won. Go back to Central 2009 – lost in rain – Trinity lost in mud — Darien lost in snow and rain. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that motivation.
I think you’re cherry-picking your “evidence” here. I remember the 2014 Rams beating a tough St. Joe’s team 41-14 in cold rain, capped by a 45-yard scoring pass in the last 10 minutes from Mike Collins to Kyle Smith—both current Rams players, by the way. And if I’m not mistaken, NC’s recent Turkey Bowl losses to Darien have all been in sunny weather, but NC’s 2013 State win over Darien, 44-12, was in driving snow (they called it the “snow bowl”) at Boyle Stadium. Good rocket scientists usually take into account all evidence, not just stuff that supports one theory.