The New Canaan 4th Grade Black team knew coming into this season that many opponents had them circled on their schedules. Considering last season’s undefeated, championship campaign as 3rd Graders, this comes as no surprise. That being said, this is a slightly different NC Black team in 2014, as several key players were Rule 5 ½ picks in the annual NCYF redraft, giving the team a different…yet just as potent…look.
As with most reorganized teams it sometimes takes a play, or a game, or even longer to find their rhythm. And in Saturday/Sunday’s season opener, an opportunistic Wilton “White” team took advantage of the new-look NC Black 4’s tepid first steps, handing the defending champs a tough 13-6 loss at Fujitani Field.
Dominic Rasso (#77) and Eoin Mueller (#51) apply the big hit as Jeremiah Brayboy (#24) and Brendan Hagan (#22) assist in the pileup. (Jen Gentner photo)
The game started out well for New Canaan as a facemask penalty and some strong runs by Eoin “The Big O” Mueller – behind solid blocking from the offensive wall of Holden “Caulfield” Busby, Devon “Onward” Christian and “Super” Cooper Dinan – picked up two first downs and moved the ball into Wilton territory. The drive, however, would stall at the Wilton 32-yard line as New Canaan turned the ball over on downs, just one yard shy of a first down.
The game – originally started on Saturday – was postponed due to lightning, so the NC Black 4’s made the trip back up Route 7 again the following day. This posed a problem for New Canaan, as two key players – Will “The Thrill” Larson and Matthew “The Knife” Cutler – were unable to play. Even so, New Canaan’s defense was able to overcome these deficiencies and stymied Wilton, pushing them backwards to their own 26 yard line and forcing a punt. Henry “Irish” Garrity was the big man on defense, shooting off the line and into the backfield before the Wilton RB knew what hit him.
Upon regaining possession, the New Canaan offense once again moved the ball across midfield with runs from Mueller and “Shiftin’” Griffin Gentner, eventually reaching the Wilton 30. Once again, the drive ended with a turnover on downs, as the first quarter came to a scoreless close.
Wilton was able to finally gain some traction, as William Sullivan nearly broke off a big run, stopped only by a TD-saving tackle by Gentner at the NC 25. From there, the defense stiffened as bone-crunching tackles from Beckett “Beatdown” Beatman and Dom “The Dominator” Rasso ended Wilton’s drive at the NC 22.
Griffin Gentner (#23) applies the hit as his fellow teammates continue their pursuit. (Diane Rasso photo)
The Black 4’s were ready to start moving the ball out from the shadow of their own goalposts, but a botched exchange and resulting recovery by Wilton gave the Warriors great starting field position at the NC 8-yard line. And despite tenacious tackling by Busby and “Big” Ben Bo, Wilton was able to punch the ball into the end zone on a 1-yard George Hahn plunge with only 10 seconds left in the half. The ensuing extra point conversion was thwarted by New Canaan as Petey “KO” Cieszko came up with a big hit to keep the score 6-0 Wilton at the half.
Wilton came out of the intermission seemingly energized, and was able to mount an impressive scoring drive to open the 2nd half, moving 60 yards in 5 plays. The drive was capped off by a 25-yard run by Wilton’s Tommy McKiernan, and after converting the extra point, Wilton led 13-0.
The two teams traded possessions for the balance of the 3rd quarter. Gentner and Mueller saw the bulk of the action, picking up significant yardage behind blocks from Jason “The Argonaut” Pastushan, Jack “Henry’s Big Bro” Hladick, and Reese “Don’t Call Me Terry” Hanrattie, while the New Canaan defense made a stand led by solid tackles from A.J. “The Ringer” Bell, Jeremiah “Trotter” Brayboy, Flynn “Mister” Coffey and Tucker “Spike” Milligan.
Brendan Hagan scores New Canaan’s only TD on the day via a 69-yard pass from Ty Groff. (Jen Gentner photo)
Wilton seemed to have the game in hand, as New Canaan was pinned at its own 11-yard line, facing a 4th-and-20. Taking a perfect snap from center Colin “Perk” Perkins, QB Ty “Law” Groff dropped back looking deep for a receiver. Tucker Milligan’s textbook block gave Groff all the time he needed to find Brendan “Don’t Call Me Tom” Hagan streaking down the sideline. Groff threw a strike, hitting Hagan in stride for a dramatic 69-yard TD, cutting the Wilton lead to 13-6 with just under 5 minutes left in the game.
Wilton took over, needing one first down to clinch the game. New Canaan needed a stop for a chance to win, and for a moment it looked like they were set up for that chance as Wilton faced a fourth-and-2 from its own 28. To Wilton’s credit, they converted the first down as McKiernan slipped through for a game-clinching 10-yard run.
“We did a lot of things right and a few things wrong,” New Canaan head coach Jason Milligan said. “We were a couple of key plays away from a different result. We will make some adjustments and learn from this game.”
TEAM 1 2 3 4 – TOT
NC 0 0 0 6 – 6
W 0 6 7 0 – 13
W – Hahn 1-yd. run (failed conversion)
W – McKiernan 25-yd. run (extra point good)
NC – Hagan 69-yd. reception from Groff (failed conversion)
New Canaan (0-1) will face the Wilton Blue 4’s (1-0) this Saturday at Water Tower Turf Field. Kickoff is at 7pm.