Seven games are on the FCIAC football schedule for Friday night, but it’s the two Saturday games which could steal the show, as the unbeaten Staples Wreckers and Darien Blue Wave play at 2 p.m. at DHS, and the undefeated Greenwich Cardinals travel to New Canaan to face the Rams under the lights at 7 p.m.
Here’s a look at the Week Five slate of games…
Friday, Oct, 5
Trinity Catholic (0-4) at Ludlowe (3-1), 6 p.m.
Watch on the Falcons Sports Network
Ludlowe is one of the more remarkable stories in the league this season. After winning just one game the last two seasons, the Falcons are 3-1 through four games and have a shot at a fourth win against a Trinity team which has struggled this year.
Westhill (0-4) at Capital/Achievement (1-3), 6:30 p.m.
Both of these teams lost in routs last week — Westhill at New Canaan and Capital at Danbury. The Vikings have a real chance to get out of their slide and into the win column for first-year head coach Joe DeVellis this weekend.
Bridgeport Central (0-4) at Wilton (2-2), 7 p.m.
The Wilton Warriors were overwhelmed by the St. Joseph Cadets last week, but can rebound when they host Bridgeport Central on Friday night. Wilton would edge back over the .500 mark with a win.
Brien McMahon (0-4) at Stamford (1-3), 7 p.m.
The McMahon Senators’ offense had just 14 points through three games but finally came to life last week, finding the end zone four times. Unfortunately for McMahon, it wasn’t enough as Ludlowe won by an extra point in double overtime. Stamford, meanwhile, will look to get in the win column for the second time in three games when it hosts the Senators at Boyle Stadium.
St. Joseph (3-1) at Ridgefield (2-2), 7 p.m.
After suffering their first loss two weeks ago, the St. Joseph Cadets were mad as hornets and took it out on Wilton in a 47-0 shutout last weekend. The Ridgefield Tigers meanwhile, had a tough time against unbeaten Staples and will be facing another big challenge in the Cadets.
Warde (2-2) at Danbury (3-1), 7 p.m.
The Danbury Hatters and first-year head coach Augie Tieri have won three of their first four and could move one step closer to a winning season when they take on a 2-2 Warde Mustangs squad this weekend. Warde snapped a two-game losing streak with a 48-6 romp over Central in week four.
Trumbull (2-2) at Norwalk (2-2), 7 p.m.
A pair of .500 teams looking to improve their chances at a winning mark in 2018. The Norwalk Bears opened with two wins, but lost a heartbreaker 43-42 to Ludlowe before being routed by Greenwich 55-0 last week.
Trumbull, meanwhile, has had things go as expected, with wins over Ludlowe and Trinity, and losses to powerhouses from Greenwich and New Canaan.
This is a test for both teams and will go a long way towards determining their season-long fate.
Saturday, Oct. 6
Staples (4-0) at Darien (4-0), 2 p.m.
Watch on Darien Athletic Foundation’s YouTube page
The Darien Blue Wave just doesn’t stop. Ranked No. 4 in the preseason polls — behind three other FCIAC schools — Darien has worked its way back into the No. 1 spot. The Wave has done it with its usual mistake-free, methodical approach. Linebacker Connor Fay leads a defense which has allowed just 20 points in four games, while the offensive motor has been adeptly driven by quarterback Cooper Hancock.
In Staples, the Wave will be facing another 4-0 team which is making believers out of many. The Wreckers haven’t been as dominant as Darien, and the Wave is as tough as it gets, but a win for Staples here would turn the conference, and Class LL, on its ear.
Greenwich (3-0) at New Canaan (3-1), 7 p.m.
Watch on New Canaan’s NFHS Network Page (subscription)
Even with the Darien-Staples game between two undefeated teams, this is the league’s marquee matchup of the weekend, as Lou Marinelli’s New Canaan Rams host John Marinelli’s Greenwich Cardinals at Dunning Field.
New Canaan, which has won three straight since a week-one loss to St. Joseph, needs a win here to boost its Class LL playoff chances. The Rams’ offense has been clicking in recent weeks, led by QB Drew Pyne and WR Quintin O’Connell, with several other players beginning to step up. New Canaan has improved each week on defense as well.
Greenwich, meanwhile, has torn through its first three opponents to the tune of 153 points scored in three games. That includes a 55-0 shutout of Norwalk last week. QB Gavin Muir and RB Tysen Comizio have been the main drivers on offense, while Mozi Bici anchors a strong defensive unit.