Local People

Lou’s Winners: Marinelli on the Super Bowl

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New Canaan football head coach Lou Marinelli is coming off a historic year which saw not only his 300th career win as a head coach, but also his second consecutive state title. The championship was the 10th crown in Marinelli’s storied career at the helm of the Rams, so we thought there was no one better to weigh in on this weekend’s marquis event—Super Bowl XLIX, pitting the defending champion Seattle Seahawks against the New England Patriots. Thanks to Coach Marinelli for taking the time to talk and allow us to pick his brain about the big game. If you’re Seattle head coach Pete Carroll, what do you do to prepare for Tom Brady and the Pats? Go to church a lot.

Faces of New Canaan

Faces of New Canaan: Ronnie Roganti

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We’ve wanted to track down Ronnie Roganti for a while for an installment of “Faces of New Canaan.” A high school senior, Ronnie has been a fixture on the sidelines at every football game for the last two years—home and away, postseason included. He’s a gifted photographer with a knack for getting to the right spot for the big play (see photo at right, for example). What we didn’t know until we sat down to talk to Ronnie (interview transcribed in full below) was how big a part New Canaan Rams varsity football coach Lou Marinelli played in Ronnie’s foray into sports photography. We’ll let Ronnie tell that story in his own words, and just mention one more way that the New Canaan football program—and Ronnie is not a player—has helped shape his experience here in town. A native of Westchester whose family moved here when he was in the fourth grade, which he spent at West, Ronnie also volunteers with special needs kids through a program an assistant coach on the football team at the time put him onto.

Around Town

New Canaan Rams Name 2015 Football Captains

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The first major step toward the defense of their Class L-Large state title was taken last night as the New Canaan Rams announced their captains for the 2015 season at their end of year banquet. Mike Cognetta, Mike Collins, Cass Knox and Gardner Read were selected by their teammates to lead the team next season as the Rams will try to win their third consecutive state championship. Collins had an exceptional season at quarterback – his first as a Rams starter – displaying a strong arm and an ability to read the opposition’s coverage that seemed to improve with each game. In 12 games under center for the Rams, Collins completed 154 of 283 passes, good for a completion percentage of 54%. His 2,624 passing yards was the 6th highest total in school history, and his 32 touchdown passes was the 4th best.

News

New Canaan Athletic Director Confirms: Investigation Underway into Alleged Security Breach of Video Analysis Tool Hudl

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New Canaan High School’s athletic director has confirmed that officials are investigating an alleged security breach of an online sports application that Rams coaches and players—including our state champion varsity football team—use to evaluate video footage and set strategies for games. Asked about the rumors swirling around a possible breach of the video analysis tool, Hudl, Athletic Director Jay Egan said that the Lincoln, Neb.-based itself is investigating its own security system and password distribution system. “We think that may be it,” Egan said. “We are in the process of investigating that right now. We don’t believe that it is any school, we don’t believe that it is any individual that, certainly any adults that are involved in it.

News

‘There’s No Better Ending’: New Canaan Football Overcomes Darien to Win Class L-Large State Title

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On Thanksgiving Day, the Darien Blue Wave stunned the New Canaan Rams, turning a two-score halftime deficit into a 28-21 win to steal the FCIAC Championship. Two and a half weeks later it was the Rams who turned the tables on Darien. Trailing Darien 20-7 at halftime on Saturday morning, New Canaan scored 14 unanswered points in the second half en route to a 21-20 win to capture the Class L-Large state championship at West Haven High School’s Ken Strong Stadium. The win marked the second consecutive state title for the Rams, and the 10th for head coach Lou Marinelli, who handed the previously unbeaten Blue Wave (12-1) their first loss of the season. “It doesn’t get any better than this,” Marinelli told NewCanaanite.com on a windswept field packed with jubilant New Canaanites, moments after the big win.