FCIAC Soccer Playoffs: New Canaan Stuns Norwalk 2nd Straight Year

Deja vu.

For the second straight year, the Norwalk boys soccer team earned the top seed in the FCIAC playoffs, and for the second straight year the Bears were stunned by No. 8 seed New Canaan in the quarterfinals.

Jon-Luke Ferrandino scored the tiebreaking goal with seven minutes remaining Friday as the Rams rallied to defeat Norwalk 2-1 at Testa Field.

The victory sends the Rams (9-3-5) into a semifinal meeting with three-time defending FCIAC champion Staples on Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Fairfield Ludlowe. The fourth-seeded Wreckers (11-2-4) advanced Friday with a 1-0 win over No. 5 Greenwich (9-5-3).

The other two higher seeds also advanced, although they need extra time to do it.

No. 2 Trumbull got past No. 7 Wilton 2-1 (8-6 penalty kicks) and No. 3 Darien ousted No. 6 Westhill 3-2 in overtime.

In Tuesday's other semifinal (7 p.m. at Ludlowe), Trumbull (12-1-4) takes on Darien (12-2-3).

In  Norwalk, Nic Zuniga beat Rams goalie Scott Levene to give the Bears (13-2-2) a 1-0 lead three minutes into the second half before New Canaan tied it on Timothy Pritchard's goal with under 14 minutes to play.

In Darien, the Blue Wave jumped out to a 2-0 halftime lead on goals by Marcus Iqbal and Eric Kanigan.

But Westhill (9-6-2) tied it in the second half on goals by Jacques Baudoin and Enzo Caso, who scored with under five minutes left in regulation to force overtime.

Kanigan then converted a penalty kick with 1:07 left in the first overtime to give Darien, which was just 2-6-7 last season, the lead and the Blue Wave held on.

In Westport, the Wreckers (11-2-4) advanced on a goal by Steve Smith 10 minutes into the first half.

David Hoffman gained possession for the Wreckers and served a cross. Lorenzo Esposito’s header was punched away by keeper Jake Leaman. After Max Hoberman nearly converted the rebound, the ball bounced out to Smith, who pushed the ball just outside the crowded box, then scored on a eft-footed shot.

The Wreckers made their lead hold off behind their suffocating defense and goaltender James Hickok (10 saves). Greenwich now takes a 9-5-3 record in the CIAC Class LL state tournament.

In Trumbull, Sam Slater gave the Warriors (9-6-2) a 1-0 lead in the first half, but Trumbull's Keith Bond scored in the second half to force overtime.

The Eagles significantly outplayed Wilton with a 20-5 edge in shots, but goalkeeper Peter Como kept the Warriors in it with 10 saves.

After two 10-minute overtime period, the teams went to penalty kicks, and things were decided in the first round as each team converted three of their five chances.

Trumbull finally prevailed in the second round of penalty to move on to the semifinals.