Wilton Youth Football Results

After three convincing victories to open their season, the Wilton White 8th graders dropped their second game in a row on Saturday with a 23-8 loss to New Canaan Black at Dunning Field.

The teams played fairly evenly throughout, but one player, New Canaan quarterback Christian Sweeney, made the difference. Sweeney sprinted for touchdown runs of 44 and 59 yards in the second quarter, and broke free for a 55-yard score in the fourth.

Wilton quarterback John Stanley moved the ball steadily and effectively all game long. He directed a ground game that churned out 89 yards from Trevor Martines and Sean Sullivan, with Michael Burton, E.J. Fasano, Max Greenberg, Evan Kauh, Quinn O’Connor and others opening the running lanes. Stanley also completed several passes to a receiving corps of Nolan Graham, Mack Kepner, Jimmy McKiernan, Mattias Onnerud and Will Rath.

The Warriors’ defense kept New Canaan down in the first quarter, and the Rams struggled to find an answer for Matt Gulbin, Michael Coffey, Howie Long, Ryan Witty and others in the trenches. Wilton converted four first downs before Martines darted into the end zone for a two-yard touchdown on the first play of the second quarter. A two-point kick by Ryan van Heyst gave Wilton an 8-0 lead.

New Canaan tied it up with 9:35 left in the second quarter, and the Warriors’ attack moved efficiently, nearly bringing the game to halftime still tied, 8-8. But Sweeney dashed for his second score with three seconds left in the half, and the Rams took a 16-8 lead into the break.

The Warriors’ defense dominated for much of the second half, with multiple tackles for a loss by Long, who also forced a fumble. But a comeback attempt ended when Sweeney scored his third touchdown with 1:30 left in fourth quarter. Wilton gets a chance to bounce back on Saturday night against New Canaan’s White team with a home game at Fujitani Field.

By Tyler Kepner