Football News

Thanksgiving Football: Five FCIAC teams set sights on state playoff berths

It’s Thanksgiving, which means rivalry games, the end of the high school football regular season, and for some, a springboard into the postseason. As kick off time hits for three conference games on Wednesday evening, there are still five FCIAC teams alive in the state playoff race. The Darien Blue Wave, Greenwich Cardinals and St. … Read more

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 … Read more

FCIAC Thanksgiving week football scoreboard and schedule

The FCIAC’s Thanksgiving week football schedule remains largely untouched despite extreme cold in the forecast for the region on Thursday. The only change as of early Tuesday evening was to the rivalry game between the Ludlowe Falcons and Warde Mustangs at FWHS. That contest was moved from Thanksgiving morning to 4:30 p.m., Wednesday. On Wednesday, … Read more

Turkey Bowl by the Numbers: New Canaan, Darien and the historic football rivalry

The 2015 Darien Blue Wave hoist the Coaches Memorial Trophy, awarded to the winner of the Turkey Bowl each season. —Dave Stewart photo There’s nothing quite like the rivalry between the Darien and New Canaan football teams and this week’s Wave by the Numbers takes a look at some of the history of the game … Read more

Darien, Greenwich top GameTimeCT Football Poll

Darien and Greenwich are ranked first and second, respectively, for the eighth consecutive week in the Week 11 GameTimeCT/Register Top 10 Football Poll. The results have been extremely close between Darien and Greenwich, a pair of powerful and proud programs from the FCIAC, for the last six of these state high school football polls voted … Read more

Matthews, Ridgefield football overpower Warde 29-0

James Isaacson (#14) and Ben Seward (#5) combine to stop a Warde player in Friday night’s game. — Christian Abraham photo Horrible, rainy conditions are not exactly conducive to a productive passing game. Yeah, try telling that to Ridgefield coach Kevin Callahan or his quarterback, Owen Matthews. “We came in (to Friday’s game at Fairfield … Read more

Staples routs Stamford, keeps playoff hopes alive entering Thanksgiving game with Greenwich

WESTPORT — Staples entered Friday eighth in the CIAC Class LL playoff point rankings, slotted for the final postseason berth with two games remaining. Pounding fellow Class LL school Stamford on Friday night, 37-0, was important and necessary, but the Wreckers know playoff qualification will come down to their regular-season finale on Thanksgiving against Greenwich, … Read more

O’Connell, New Canaan run away from Ludlowe in the rain

FAIRFIELD — In the Class LL standings, state powerhouse New Canaan and upstart Ludlowe were only separated by a few points heading into Friday’s showdown.

After watching the game, it is clear the gap is still fairly wide between the two on the field.

In a driving rain storm, Ludlowe hung in the game for most of the first half before New Canaan pulled away for a 41-7 win at Taft Field.

The win means New Canaan (7-2) is still alive in Class LL, though it will likely have to beat No. 1 Darien on Thanksgiving to get in.

The loss eliminates Ludlowe (6-3) from playoff contention but does not diminish the turnaround of the program this fall with a game against town rival Warde looming on Thanksgiving.

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Ludlowe winning as it rebuilds, faces New Canaan in key clash in state playoff race

To say Ludlowe football was at a low point in 2016 is kind of underselling it.

The team went 0-10 , playing in front of mostly empty bleachers with a roster that resembled that of a Class S school rather than the LL school Ludlowe is.

In fact, when Mitchell Ross took over as coach in 2017, he inherited a roster of 22 players.

Total.

He was able to add a few players through in-school recruitment and the team won a game in his first season though they still finished as the last-place team in Class LL at 1-9.

This preseason, the roster is topping out at close to 100 players.

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