Norwalk High Football Faces Ridgefield Friday

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Updated FCIAC playoff races in boys and girls soccer, girls volleyball and field hockey:

BOYS SOCCER

1.Norwalk 11-1-1 34*
2.Darien 10-2-2 32*
2.Trumbull 9-1-3 30*
4 Staples 8-2-3 27
5.New Canaan 7-1-5 26
6.Wilton 8-5-1 25
7.Danbury 6-2-5 23
7.Greenwich 7-4-2 23
7.Westhill 7-5-2 23
10.Fairfield Warde 6-4-3 21

GIRLS SOCCER

1.St. Joseph 12-1-1 37*
2.Greenwich 10-1-3 33*
3.Westhill 10-1-2 32*
4.New Canaan 9-2-2 29
5.Fairfield Warde 8-4-2 26
6.Wilton 6-2-4 22
7.Darien 6-4-3 21
8.Trumbull 5-3-5 20 (def Staples)
9.Staples 6-4-2 20
9.Fairfield Ludlowe 6-6-1 19

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

1.Darien 15-0*
2.Staples 13-1*
3.Ridgefield 12-2*
4.Greenwich 12-3*
5.New Canaan 11-3
6.Danbury 10-4
7.Westhill 9-5
8.Stamford 8-6
9.Fairfield Ludlowe 7-7 (def. Fairfield Warde)
9.Fairfield Warde 7-7

FIELD HOCKEY

1.Darien 11-0-0-0 22*
2.Wilton 9-2-0-0 18*
3.Norwalk 8-2-1-0 17*
3.Staples 7-2-1-1 16*
3.Stamford 7-3-1-0 15*
6.New Canaan 6-4-1-0 12
7.Greenwich 3-4-2-2 10
7.Westhill 4-5-1-0 9
9. McMahon 3-5-2-0 8
9. Fairfield Ludlowe 3-5-1-1 8
9. Fairfield Warde 3-6-1-1 8

* = clinched playoff spot

The Norwalk football team was dealt a dose of reality in last week's 28-14 loss to New Canaan, which is seeking a sixth straight trip to the state finals.

Now it will be interesting to see how the Bears react to their first loss under rookie coach Sean Ireland.

Norwalk visits Ridgefield on Friday in a critical battle of 4-1 teams looking to stay in the CIAC Class LL state playoff picture.

With 15 teams either undefeated or with only one loss in the division, a second defeat might eliminate the loser of Friday's clash at Tiger Hollow.

Norwalk's mission is to slow down Ridgefield's offense,which has been rolling since a 16-3 season-opening defeat at Greenwich.

Last week, Sam Gravitte scored three touchdowns - one rushing, one receiving and one on an 85-yard kickoff return - as the Tigers defeated Fairfield Warde 37-20 for their fourth straight win.

Ridgefield junior quarterback Curtis Rowe has passed for nine TDs and 977 yards for the Tigers, who feature a balanced attack as three players have more than 200 yards on the ground -- John Turner (48 carries for 287 yards and three TDs), Gravitte (62-265, 3 TDs) and Rowe (43-203,  3 TDs).

Jack Heller is Ridgefield's top receiver with 25 receptions for 380 yards and five TDs.

Ridgefield is sixth in the Class LL rankings while Norwalk dropped six spots to No. 10 after the loss to New Canaan.

On Saturday, McMahon (2-3) will look to reach .500 when it visits winless Fairfield Ludlowe (0-5).

After back-to-back heart-breaking defeats, the Senators pulled out a wild 42-35 win over Wilton last week.

Quarterback Damien Vega threw three TD passes, including a 9-yarder to Zack O'Connor to snap a 35-35 tie with six seconds remaining.

Ludlowe is coming off a 55-9 pounding at Greenwich.

THURSDAY'S RESULTS

Boys soccer

McMahon 2, Stamford 1

Girls soccer

 Ridgefield 3, McMahon 0

Field hockey

Norwalk 2, Staples 1 -- Katie Schmidt scored both goals for the Bears (8-2-1), who defeated the Wreckers (7-3-1) in a battle of FCIAC playoff teams

McMahon 1, Stamford 0 -- Gillian Minnerly scored the game's only goal in the first half as the Senators (5-5-2) upset the Black Knights (7-3-1)

Girls swimming

McMahon/Norwalk 108, Ridgefield 78

FRIDAY'S SCHEDULE

Football

Norwalk at Ridgefield, 7 p.m.

Boys soccer

Norwalk at Fairfield Warde, 4 p.m.

McMahon at Trumbull, 4 p.m.

Field hockey

Stamford at Norwalk, 6:30 p.m.

Danbury at McMahon, 7 p.m.

Girls volleyball

Stamford at McMahon, 4 p.m.

Norwalk at Staples, 5:30 p.m.

SATURDAY'S SCHEDULE

Football

McMahon at Fairfield Ludlowe, 2 p.m.

Girls soccer

Norwalk at Darien, 4 p.m.

Field hockey

Weston at McMahon, 3 p.m.

STANDINGS

• Football

• Boys soccer

• Girls soccer

Field hockey

Girls volleyball