Charles Milot

Turkey Bowl: New Canaanites Gather for Beloved Annual Tradition as Rams Beat Down Blue Wave 27-0

By |

[Editor’s Note: This article has been updated by removing the name of at least one arrested teen whose charges were dismissed.]

For generations of Americans, Thanksgiving Day and football are synonymous. And for New Canaanites, the football appetite is fed each year when the New Canaan High School Rams football team is pitted against their arch rival, the Darien Blue Wave in the Turkey Bowl. Thousands of New Canaanites traveled to Stamford’s Boyle Stadium on Thursday as part of the local holiday ritual—students, teachers and faculty, alumni, parents and residents. Among them was James Freyre, a 2017 NCHS graduate, and linebacker of two state championship Ram football squads, who said he was eager to come back and enjoy his first game as an alumnus. “It’s definitely a little less stressful to be a fan than a player,” Freyre told NewCanaanite.com while standing on the sidelines on a sunny, mildly chilly day.

News

Three New Canaan High School Athletes Sign National Letters of Intent To Play Sports in College

By |

Three New Canaan High School student athletes signed their National Letters of Intent to play at the collegiate level during National Signing Day on Wednesday. Madison Starr signed to play soccer at Wagner College. Starr was one of New Canaan’s four captains as a senior, leading the offense as the Rams’ striker and making the All-FCIAC First Team in 2016. Starr was an integral part of New Canaan’s magical run to the 2015 Class LL State semifinals. Will Conley will take his considerable football talents to Fordham University.

Sports

‘This Is Why We Play’: New Canaan Football Tops Windsor 35-20 for Fourth Straight Class L Championship

By |

As darkness enveloped New Britain’s Veterans Memorial Stadium, Lou Marinelli stood alone at midfield, long after his New Canaan Rams defeated Windsor 35-20 for their fourth straight Class L championship. “I don’t want to leave,” Marinelli said. “We’re counting down the minutes on the sidelines and I’m saying, ‘Damn, I can’t wait until it’s over.’ But now I don’t want it to be over.”

For Marinelli, the time to reflect is well-deserved. The win marked the 12th state title in his 36 years as head coach of the Rams and his 331st career victory, tying former West Haven and St. Joseph coach Ed McCarthy for the most wins in state history.

Sports

New Canaan Football Tops Notre Dame-West Haven 20-17 in Class L Semifinals

By |

In a season filled with ups and a few downs, praise and scrutiny, hype and over-analysis, it seems only fitting that Drew Pyne’s finest moment in his young New Canaan career came on the heels of what could have been his lowest. New Canaan’s poised freshman quarterback rebounded from an interception deep in Rams territory and—buoyed by a dramatic defensive goal line stand—engineered a 95-yard second half touchdown drive for a lead the No. 2 Rams (11-1) would not relinquish in a 20-17 Class L semifinal win over No. 6 Notre Dame-West Haven (8-4) Monday night at Dunning Field. “That was incredible,” New Canaan senior co-captain Ryan O’Connell said of Pyne’s performance.

Sports

New Canaan Football Tops Masuk 31-28 in Class L Quarterfinal

By |

On a team laden with so many offensive and defensive weapons, it isn’t often that the kicker garners much of the spotlight. That being said there was perhaps no bigger factor in No. 2 New Canaan’s 31-28 win over No. 7 Masuk in Tuesday’s Class L quarterfinal than Rams kicker Grant Morse. Morse didn’t just bail out the Rams—in what New Canaan head coach Lou Marinelli called a “flat” performance—with his punting, averaging 47.5 yards on two kicks that helped tip the field position balance in the Rams’ favor.