Sports

New Canaan Football Blanks Norwalk 43-0

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It was one heck of a way to start a football game. Ryan O’Connell had a season’s worth of highlights in the game’s early moments, scoring three touchdowns in the first quarter and adding three interceptions in the first half—including a pick-six on the game’s first play from scrimmage—to lead New Canaan to a 43-0 win over the Norwalk Bears Friday night at Dunning Field. “He’s been everything,” New Canaan head coach Lou Marinelli said of his senior co-captain. “He’s the best around on both sides of the ball since [current New Canaan defensive coordinator and former star player] Chris Silvestri’s been here.” High praise indeed.

Sports

Second Half Surge Propels New Canaan Football Over Greenwich 40-16

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The first half of what was coined the “Marinelli Bowl II” seemed to follow the script of the first meeting between father and son head coaches last year. Lou Marinelli’s New Canaan Rams got out to an early lead, then John Marinelli’s Greenwich Cardinals came back to pull close. The Rams were on their heels, clinging to a 13-8 lead over the Cardinals at intermission. But as the fog rolled across Dunning Field, so did the offense for the Rams as No. 2 New Canaan (6-0) put up 27 unanswered points in the third and fourth quarters en route to a 40-16 win over the Cardinals (4-2) Friday night.

Sports

New Canaan Football Blanks Central 49-0

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It was at times sloppy, but New Canaan’s 49-0 win over Bridgeport Central was money in the bank for head coach Lou Marinelli—especially considering New Canaan’s recent history against the Hilltoppers at cavernous Kennedy Stadium. “You never know what you’re going to get when you come up here,” Marinelli told NewCanaanite.com. “This can be the house of horrors for us.”

But those looking for a replay of New Canaan’s shocking 42-7 defeat at the hands of the Hilltoppers in 2009 would be sorely disappointed. New Canaan outgained Central 402 to 149 in total offense—including 246 yards on the ground, despite being without injured senior offensive lineman, co-captain Teddy Hood—and put the game away early with a 35-0 lead at halftime, crushing any notion of another upset. The Rams were led by senior co-captain Ryan O’Connell, who rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns.

Sports

Pyne, O’Connell Lead New Canaan Football Over Ridgefield, 41-21

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After last week’s shaky win over Trinity Catholic, the New Canaan Rams were looking a leader who could step up and give a struggling offense an identity, a rhythm and some confidence. Enter Drew Pyne. The freshman quarterback solved New Canaan’s quarterback conundrum, completing 20 of 35 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns, rushing for 58 yards and helped lead the Rams to a convincing 41-21 win over Ridgefield Friday night at Dunning Field. “Just a tremendous job for his first time as a varsity starting quarterback,” New Canaan head coach Lou Marinelli told NewCanaanite.com. “He exceeded my expectations for sure.

Sports

New Canaan Football Slips Past Trinity Catholic 20-6

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It wasn’t the prettiest of wins, but Lou Marinelli will take it. Tested by a tough, underrated Trinity Catholic squad Marinelli’s New Canaan Rams—buoyed by a spectacular defensive performance—escaped their season-opener at Dunning Field with a hard-fought 20-6 win over the Crusaders. “Thank God for our defense, thank God for (defensive coordinator) Chris Silvestri, they did a tremendous job,” Marinelli told NewCanaanite.com. “The best thing I can say is that we were stymied. Thank God for some heroics by some kids who came up big.”

One such hero was New Canaan linebacker James Freyre.