Sports

Same Bases, New Faces: 2016 New Canaan Rams Baseball Preview

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In 2015, New Canaan Rams Baseball had a crop of senior talent that could be argued as the best in the program’s past decade, with the possible exception of 2007’s class headlined by now Tampa Bay Rays catcher, Curt Casali and the 2013 state championship-winning team led by Andrew Casali and Casey Ouellette. 11 seniors suited up for the Rams last year (15-5, 14-4 FCIAC; made FCIAC and CIAC Class L Playoffs), including regular starters Alex LaPolice (OF/P), David Giusti (P/OF), Brandon Abate (SS), Zack Smith (C), Kyle Levasseur (3B), and Kane Curtin (RF), as well as the oft-called-upon-pitcher, Clark Newlove. And having that amount of veteran leadership allowed the Rams to erase late-game deficits on several occasions, pulling out classic win after classic win — certainly making the 2015 squad one of the more thrilling baseball teams of recent memory. Even so, the byproduct of having such a large, vital senior class one year is that it means the next year will be filled with a lot of fresh faces. Enter the 2016 Rams of New Canaan Baseball.

Sports

Danbury Tops New Canaan Boys Basketball 63-43

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A 63-43 home loss to Danbury was certainly not the way New Canaan head coach Mike Evans wanted to send out his four seniors—Jack Havard, Kyle Smith, Sam Larson and Brian MacCalla. That being said, as has been the case for much of the 2015-16 season, there were positives aplenty that—although they didn’t contribute to a win—were minor victories in and of themselves. “The seniors have always been vocal leaders,” Evans told NewCanaanite.com. “Tonight they got to showcase it physically.”

MacCalla gave New Canaan (4-15, 3-12 FCIAC) quality minutes running the point while Larson had a solid night for the Rams, scoring five points and doing an admirable job working in the paint against a physical and athletic Danbury (17-2, 14-1 FCIAC) squad. And in what was probably New Canaan’s best feel-good moment of the game, Havard nailed a deep three-point basket—something the senior co-captain worked on the entire offseason.

Sports

Ready to Rebound: 2015-16 New Canaan Rams Boys Basketball Preview

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It might be difficult for many to imagine, but it wasn’t too long ago that New Canaan was a “basketball town.” Although the Rams have not won a state title since 1962, hardcourt tradition has deep roots here in town, going back to the Loren Keyes-coached teams of the 1930’s, through the golden Wilky Gilmore and Gary Liberatore years of the late 50’s and early 60’s on up to the Don Usher era of the 70’s and 80’s. And there might not be anyone here in town who is more aware of that tradition—or more qualified to restore it—than current Rams head coach Mike Evans. “We have seven state championships, but no one knows that,” Evans told NewCanaanite.com. “We’re fifth all-time in Connecticut.”

News

New Canaan Boys Basketball Falls to Westhill

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Facing an FCIAC powerhouse for the second consecutive game, New Canaan Rams head coach Mike Evans knew his team would have to be nothing short of perfect in order to pull off an upset over the Westhill Vikings in front of a home crowd on Tuesday night. Unfortunately for New Canaan, the Rams were less than perfect. Despite a breakout offensive performance from sophomore Tyler Sweeney who led all scorers with 26 points, the Rams couldn’t overcome turnovers and missed opportunities as they fell to the Vikings 69-52. “There are games on paper that we should win, and games on paper that we shouldn’t win,” Evans said. “The games that you shouldn’t win on paper, you can’t make any mistakes, almost zero.