The big show: New Canaan football faces must-win Turkey Bowl vs. Darien

New Canaan’s Quintin O’Connell (20) battles Darien’s Connor Tienken, a 2018 graduate, during last season’s Turkey Bowl game at Boyle Stadium. — Dave Stewart photo

Lou Marinelli has led the New Canaan football team through 41 games against the Darien Blue Wave and, truth be told, the rivalry never gets old for the veteran head coach.

While Marinelli has been through enough of the wars to remain cool and collected on Thanksgiving morning, the electricity and hype surrounding the annual Turkey Bowl clash can cause players’ emotions to run a bit high.

The answer to that, Marinelli said, is just focus and play the game.

“It’s like the Hoosiers movie where they measure the hoop and it’s still 10 feet and it’s still the same width,” New Canaan head coach Lou Marinelli said. “In any big game, you’ve got to remember, from youth up until now, it’s still the same game. All the skills and techniques that you’ve learned to this point — now you’ve got to put them to good use.”

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