Norwalk Clinches First State Playoff Berth In 13 Years

It wasn't always pretty, but the Norwalk football team blanked archrival McMahon 17-0 at Jack Casagrande Field on Thursday morning to clinch its first state playoff berth since 1998.

The Bears did all their scoring in the first half, taking a 6-0 lead on Delshawn Wilson's 33-yard TD pass to Gil Araujo.

In the second quarter, Johnny Anzalone scored on a 10-yard TD run with Wilson adding the two-point conversion run. Jon Wilkins then booted a 31-yard field goal.

Comfortably ahead at the half, Norwalk's defense did the rest in the second half to complete an 8-1 regular season under first-year coach Sean Ireland. Norwalk sliced McMahon's lead in the all-time series to 31-19-1.

The Senators, who were considered an FCIAC darkhorse at the beginning of the year, concluded a disapointing season at 3-7.

Norwalk, one of four FCIAC teams to make the state playoffs, finished fifth in the Class LL rankings and will play at No. 4 Conard (9-1) in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.

In the other quarterfinal games, top seed Xavier (10-0), the No. 1-ranked team in the state, hosts No. 8 Glastonbury (8-2), No. 2 Staples (9-0) faces No. 7 Ridgefield (8-2) in an all-FCIAC battle and No. 3 Hall (9-1) entertains No. 6 Newtown (8-2).

New Canaan (9-1) also clinched a playoff berth in Class L with a 42-21 victory over Darien.

THURSDAY'S RESULTS

Football

Norwalk 17, McMahon 0

FRIDAY'S SCHEDULE

No games scheduled

STANDINGS

• Football

West Division FCIAC Record FCIAC Points F/A Overall Record Overall Points F/A Staples 8-0 281-225 8-0 281-125 Greenwich 8-0 304-88 8-1 337-139 Danbury 4-4 226-142 5-4 256-148 Bridgeport Central 3-5 227-274 3-6 255-327 Trumbull 2-6 157-254 2-6 157-254 Westhill 0-8 108-317 0-9 108-338 Central Division FCIAC Record
FCIAC Points F/A Overall Record
Overall Points F/A Norwalk 7-1 226-120 7-1 226-120 Ridgefield 7-2 271-176 7-2 271-176 Stamford
6-2 268-124 6-2 268-124 McMahon 3-6 234-208 3-6 234-208 Harding 2-6 77-235 2-6 77-235 Fairfield Ludlowe 0-9 72-339 0-9 72-339 East Division FCIAC Record
FCIAC Points F/A Overall Record
Overall Points F/A New Canaan 8-1 331-158 8-1 331-158 Darien
8-1 285-165 8-1 285-165 Wilton
5-4 287-226 5-4 287-226 Fairfield Warde 4-5 212-204 4-5 212-204 St. Joseph 3-6 167-242 3-6 167-242 Trinity Catholic 3-6 173-240 3-6 173-240 Bassick 0-9 74-343 0-9 74-343

• Boys soccer

West Division FCIAC Record Points Trumbull 11-1-4 37 Staples 10-2-4 34 Greenwich 9-4-3 30 Westhill 9-5-2 29 Danbury 6-2-7 28 Bridgeport Central 3-11-2 11 Central Division FCIAC Record Points Norwalk 13-1-2 41 Ridgefield 7-6-3 21 Stamford 6-9-1 19 Fairfield Ludlowe 5-9-2 17 McMahon 4-12-0 12 Harding 0-16-0 0 East Division FCIAC Record Points Darien 11-2-3 36 Wilton 9-5-2 29 New Canaan 8-3-5 29 Fairfield Warde 6-6-3 21 Bassick
6-7-3 21 St. Joseph 2-11-3 9 Trinity Catholic 2-13-1 7

• Girls soccer

West DivisionRecordPoints Westhill 11-1-4 37 Greenwich 10-2-4 35 Trumbull 7-3-6 27 Danbury 6-8-2 20 Central 0-16-0 0 Central DivisionRecordPoints Staples 8-5-3 27 Ridgefield 5-6-5 20 Fairfield Ludlowe 6-9-1 19 McMahon 5-10-0 15 Stamford 3-13-0 9 Norwalk 2-13-0 6 East DivisionRecordPoints St. Joseph 14-1-1 43 New Canaan 12-2-2 38 Darien 9-4-3 30 Wilton 8-3-5 29 Fairfield Warde 9-5-2 29 Trinity Catholic 1-15-0 3

Field hockey

West Division
FCIAC Record Points
Staples 7-2-3-1 18 Stamford 8-4-1-0 17 Greenwich 3-5-3-2 11 Westhill 5-7-1-0 11 Ridgefield 0-6-5-2 7 Danbury 3-10-0-0 6 Trumbull 0-12-1-0 1 East Division Darien 13-0-0-0 26 Wilton 11-2-0-0 22 Norwalk 10-2-1-0 21 New Canaan 8-4-1-0 17 Fairfield Ludlowe 5-6-1-1 12 McMahon 4-7-2-0 10 Fairfield Warde 3-6-3-1 10

Girls volleyball

West Division Record Staples 16-2 Greenwich 14-4 Danbury 12-6 Westhill 11-7 Trumbull 8-10 Bridgeport Central 1-17 Central Division Ridgefield 16-2 Stamford 12-6 Fairfield Ludlowe
11-7 Brien McMahon 5-13 Norwalk 3-15 Harding 1-17 East Division Darien 18-0 New Canaan
14-4 Fairfield Warde 9-9 Trinity Catholic 7-11 St. Joseph
7-11 Wilton 5-13 Bassick 0-18