News

End of an Era: Danielle Simoneau Steps Down as NCHS Softball Coach; Joel Geriak Named Successor

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The highly successful and widely respected head coach of the New Canaan High School varsity softball team has stepped down, officials said Monday. Danielle Simoneau decided to make the change in order to watch her own daughter Makenzie—a freshman at Trumbull High School—play, according to NCHS Athletic Director Jay Egan. “We are very grateful for all the time and effort Danielle has given to build the softball program at NCHS and in the community,” Egan said in an email to softball families. “NCHS softball was a perennially weak program before Danielle came on board. We won an FCIAC Championship under her leadership and the youth softball program is viable option for girls in the spring.”

Named to the NCHS post in 2010, Simoneau herself was a standout pitcher, and powerful hitter, at Westhill High School in the early 1990s.

News

Kane’s No-Hitter Lifts New Canaan Softball Over Central

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On a day when their bats weren’t working as well as they usually do, the New Canaan Rams needed a lift from their pitcher. And did she ever deliver. Sophomore hurler Gillian Kane threw a no-hitter and tied a school record by striking out 13 batters to help the Rams edge the Central Hilltoppers 2-1 Wednesday afternoon at Bridgeport Central High School. New Canaan (9-7, 7-5 FCIAC) avoided what could have been a catastrophic defeat in their pursuit of an FCIAC berth, as Central pitcher Soleil Rivera kept the Rams hitters at bay, surrendering only six hits and one walk while striking out three. “A win is a win,” New Canaan head coach Danielle Simoneau told NewCanaanite.com.

Sports

Keshin, Kane Lead New Canaan Softball Over Ridgefield

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Molly Keshin has hit lots of home runs in her two-and-a-half years with the New Canaan Rams. In fact, the junior catcher’s six homers coming into Friday’s game at Ridgefield High School were the most in program history. Perhaps none were bigger than number seven. Keshin’s three-run blast in the third inning gave New Canaan a lead it would not relinquish as the Rams picked up a huge 4-3 win over the Tigers. With the win, New Canaan improved to 7-5 overall and 6-3 in a tight FCIAC playoff race. Meanwhile the Tigers, who came into Friday’s contest having won seven of their last eight games, fell to 8-4 and 5-3 in the FCIAC.

Sports

New Canaan Softball Tops Trumbull, 2-0

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What a difference four days make. Less than one week removed from Saturday’s 8-3 loss at the hands of Trumbull High School, the New Canaan Rams softball team turned the tables, upsetting the powerful Eagles 2-0 in a key FCIAC matchup. The Rams were led by sophomore pitcher Gillian Kane who went the distance for the shutout, giving up just four hits and striking out four against a potent Trumbull lineup. Junior Molly Keshin also had a huge game for New Canaan, going 2-for-3 with the game’s only two RBI coming on a triple to left-center that missed clearing the fence by inches. “They played phenomenally well,” New Canaan head coach Danielle Simoneau told NewCanaanite.com.

Sports

New Canaan Softball Tops Trinity Catholic

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In what has been a tale of two seasons thus far for the New Canaan High School softball team, Monday’s game against Trinity Catholic was definitely the best of times for the Rams.

Led by junior Rachel Keshin’s hitting and sophomore Gillian Kane’s performance in the pitcher’s circle, New Canaan coasted past the Crusaders 12-3 at Waveny Park. The Rams tagged Catholic pitching for 12 hits with five players having multi-hit games, helping the Rams overcome an early 2-0 deficit. Keshin was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with two home runs and three RBI, leading a New Canaan hit parade that busted out with seven runs of their own in the first inning. “I think this is how this team is going to go,” New Canaan head coach Danielle Simoneau told NewCanaanite.com. “They’re going to keep fighting and bouncing back and at the end of the day it doesn’t matter who we’re playing.