New Canaan Sports Digest Oct 4

Rams Fourth in New Haven Register poll

The New Canaan Rams football team, which needed a strong fourth quarter to , slipped one spot to No. 4 in this week's New Haven Register top 10 state media poll.

No. 3 Ansonia (3-0) and New Canaan (3-0) flip-flopped in the poll. Xavier (3-0, 13 first-place votes) jumped over Masuk (3-0, 12) back into the No. 1 spot. The teams may jockey for the top ranking all year.

Completing the poll are: No. 5 Hand (3-0), No.6 New London (2-0), which routed Greenwich, 51-33, No. 7 Staples (3-0), No. 8 Windsor (3-0) No. 9 West Haven (3-0) and No. 10 Bunnell (3-0), which was unranked last week.

Staples, which rallied from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat McMahon 24-21 on a last-second field goal, also fell one spot.

Two other FCIAC teams -- No. 11 Trumbull (2-0) and No. 15 Darien (3-0) - are on the verge of cracking the top 10.

New Canaan bantams defeat Darien

The New Canaan bantam fourth grade football team defeated Darien White 20-12 on the road Sunday for its fourth victory of the season.

After forcing a punt on the game's opening possession, New Canaan took over at its 35-yard line. Following two plays by Nick Gilio and Robert Evans, Ryan McAleer scored on a 33-yard  touchdown run with Thomas Marshall, Charlie Mullaney, Alec Kazlauskas and Steven Hoge providing the blocking. The point after failed, leaving New Canaan with a 6-0 lead.  

New Canaan's defense, led by Nicky Hoge, Nick Gilio Jack Hynes, Tyler Saitta, Charlie Mullaney and Thomas Marshall, forced another three-and-out on Darien's second possession.

Evans' 31-yard TD run then capped a 62-yard drive for New Canaan before Darien marched eight plays to pull within 12-6 on a 9-yard TD burst.

New Canaan answered with an 80-yard drive and scored again on Evans' 20-yard TD run. Ryan McAleer, Nick Gilio and Andrew Smith provided key blocks. Andrew Smith's two-point conversion run gave New Canaan a 20-6 halftime lead. 

The defenses took over in the second half, and the game's final score came on a 10-yard TD run by Darien, which completed a seven-play drive. Saitta recovered a fumble to end a Darien possession late in the game.

Darien had another possession, but the game ended when New Canaan thwarted a pass attempt on fourth down.

Revolution U-9 boys soccer

Henry Welles scored two goals as the Revolution U-9 boys soccer team battled the undefeated Bethel Maroon squad to a 2-2 tie on Sunday

Carter and Jackson Alvord's athletic saves in the net kept the Revolution in the game. The defensive unit of Carson Perlman, Ryan Corbett, Adam Rizvi, Alex Tchir, and Jack Eccleston played strong in the first half, denying their opponent goals.

Midway through the second half,  Bethel Maroon scored its first goal, but New Canaan's offensive line of Welles, Colin Byrne, Boden Gammill, Mason Dorman, and Jack Fannon responded with aggressive offensive plays and passes.

Welles scored the first goal with a perfectly placed upper shelf shot. Five minutes later, Welles converted a breakaway to give New Canaan a 2-1 lead.

MONDAY'S SCHEDULE

Boys soccer

New Canaan 8, Trinity Catholic 0

Girls soccer

Westhill 2, New Canaan 0 -- The Rams (4-2-1) dropped their second straight and remain without Sarah Mannelly, who is recovering from a concussion

Field hockey

New Canaan 3, Greenwich 2 (OT) -- Rams rallied from a two-goal deficit to stun the Cardinals. Michelle Paturzo tied the game with just over two minutes remaining before Beatrix Eppler scored the game winner in overtime.

Girls volleyball

Stamford 3, New Canaan 2

TUESDAY'S SCHEDULE

Boys soccer

New Canaan at Bridgeport Central, 6 p.m

Boys cross country

Fairfield Ludlowe, Harding, Westhill, Darien at New Canaan, 4 p.m.

Girls cross country

Fairfield Ludlowe, Harding, Westhill, Darien at New Canaan, 4 p.m.

STANDINGS

• Football

• Boys soccer

• Girls soccer

Field hockey

0

Girls volleyball