Beau Knows TD's: Rams Crush Trinity Catholic

NEW CANAAN - To say that the New Canaan Rams game against Trinity Catholic was…well…unorthodox, is perhaps an understatement.

Case in point:

-A 6’3” 167-lb. sophomore nicknamed “Bambi” making his starting debut at QB.

-Three turnovers by New Canaan in the first quarter.

-Two touchdown runs by a player who primarily plays linebacker.

-A touchdown reception by a player who usually plays offensive tackle.

-A fumble recovery returned for a touchdown by a backup linebacker.

When all was said and done, it added up to a 52-3 annihilation of the Crusaders.

With the win, New Canaan not only avenged last year’s stunning 31-28 OT loss to Trinity, they clinched a berth – and a home game – in the CIAC Class L State playoffs.

Rams RB Frank Cognetta had another stellar game, scoring 3 TD’s while racking up 90 yards on 14 carries. Cognetta’s first two scores put New Canaan up 14-0 after a shaky first quarter that saw the Rams uncharacteristically cough up the ball on an INT, a fumble and a muffed punt. Trinity was unable to capitalize, however, and New Canaan’s offense settled down in the second quarter as sophomore QB Mike Collins– starting in place of the injured Nick Cascione – was able to find a rythym.

“This game for him is like money in the bank for us,” said New Canaan head coach Lou Marinelli of Collins, who finished the game completing 6 of 13 passes for 78 yards. “I thought that his being in there for the entire game certainly is going to pay benefits, because we’re expecting big things out of him.”

While Collins showed flashes of big things in the future, perhaps the biggest moment of tonight’s game belonged to Beau Santero.

Spending the entire season as one of the Rams’ unsung heroes on the offensive line, the 6’5” 236-lb. senior wore #32 instead of his usual #51, and lined up against Trinity as a tight end. An NCHS basketball player in the winter, Santero used his leaping ability to haul in a nicely thrown fade pass from Collins that put Rams up 21-0 with 5:41 left in the 1st half.

“I’ve got to give it up to Mike Collins throwing a beautiful ball, he put it exactly where it needed to be,” said Santero. “I think I’m going to be back at offensive tackle next week, but I haven’t given them a reason not to put me back in at tight end though, so maybe it’s not my last time in the end zone.”

A little more than 4 minutes later, senior captain Cole Harris took a fourth-and-1 handoff 33 yards for another New Canaan score, extending the Rams lead to 28-0.

Trinity would spoil the shutout on their next drive, as QB Randy Polonia set up the Crusaders with a 60-yard run to the New Canaan 6-yard line. The Rams defense would hold and Trinity settled for a 21-yard FG to cut the Rams lead to 28-3 with 14 seconds left in the half.

Mike DiCosmo returned the ensuing kickoff 61 yards to the Crusaders 25-yard line, setting up Peter Swindell for a 42-yard FG attempt. The sophomore, whose trick kick in practice recently gained national exposure, split the uprights and the teams went into the half with New Canaan up 31-3.

New Canaan would pick up where they left off in the second half, scoring on their first two offensive possessions. Using a goal line Wildcat formation, direct snaps to Harris and Cognetta led to short TD runs of 1 and 2 yards respectively, extending the Rams lead to 45-7.

With 3 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, Luke Montgomery chased down Trinity’s backup QB Johnny Somers, who had replaced an injured Polonia, and stripped him of the ball. Junior Trey Gesing scooped up the fumble and ran it in for New Canaan’s final touchdown of the evening, capping the scoring at 52-3.

New Canaan spent the rest of the game successfully avoiding going over the 50-point differential, and listening for updates on the St. Joe’s – McMahon game, as their opponent in the FCIAC Championship game still hung in the balance. St. Joe’s prevailed and will face New Canaan for the conference crown next Friday, 11/22 at Trumbull High School.

“I’m just glad to be in it, so many years we’ve gotten so close,” said Marinelli, who saw his team improve to 10-0 (8-0 in the FCIAC). “We’ve been the bridesmaid, like the third team out, I can’t tell you how many times. So to be back in it again is great especially with this group of kids.”

-Terry Dinan

                                        1          2          3          4        TOT

TRINITY CATHOLIC           0          3          0          0          3

NEW CANAAN                   7          24       21          0         52

NC – Cognetta 4-yd. run (Swindell kick)

NC - Cognetta 4-yd. run (Swindell kick)

NC – Santero 18-yd. pass from Collins (Swindell kick)

NC – Harris 33-yd. run (Swindell kick)

TC – Ruzzi 21-yard FG

NC – Swindell 42-yd. FG

NC – Harris 1-yd. TD run (Swindell kick)

NC – Cognetta 2-yd. TD run (Swindell kick)

NC – Gesing 15-yd. fumble recovery (Swindell kick)