Sports

New Canaan Boys Basketball Falls to McMahon 68-55

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For one quarter on Friday night, you could not have asked for much more out of the New Canaan High School boys basketball team. Tied at 13 apiece with an undefeated, heavily favored McMahon team and hampered by the loss of senior co-captain Kyle Smith to a shoulder injury, the Rams were doing almost everything right—eventually building a four-point lead midway through the second quarter in front of a big home crowd. Unfortunately for New Canaan, the Rams were unable to consistently sustain that level of play for the rest of the game. The Senators took advantage of New Canaan turnovers and missed opportunities, turning missed shots and steals into easy layups at the other end of the court and eventually pulling away with a 68-55 win. “Turnovers are just killing us,” New Canaan head coach Mike Evans told NewCanaanite.com.

Sports

Ready to Rebound: 2015-16 New Canaan Rams Boys Basketball Preview

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It might be difficult for many to imagine, but it wasn’t too long ago that New Canaan was a “basketball town.” Although the Rams have not won a state title since 1962, hardcourt tradition has deep roots here in town, going back to the Loren Keyes-coached teams of the 1930’s, through the golden Wilky Gilmore and Gary Liberatore years of the late 50’s and early 60’s on up to the Don Usher era of the 70’s and 80’s. And there might not be anyone here in town who is more aware of that tradition—or more qualified to restore it—than current Rams head coach Mike Evans. “We have seven state championships, but no one knows that,” Evans told NewCanaanite.com. “We’re fifth all-time in Connecticut.”

Sports

New Canaan Football Outlasts North Haven 42-35 for Third Straight Class L Crown

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It was billed as a matchup of two heavyweights with polar opposite styles—the 21st century run-and-gun spread offense of the No. 6 New Canaan Rams versus the old-school ground-and-pound, Single-wing formation of the top-seeded North Haven Indians. It turned out to be North Haven’s passing that kept the game close, but it was New Canaan’s ground attack that ultimately won it. Led by senior running back Matt Cognetta’s 225 rushing yards and two touchdowns, the Rams outlasted the Indians 42-35 in a classic Class L championship showdown at Ken Strong Stadium in West Haven—one that had just about everything and anything you could have asked for from a high school football game. “It was a great football game to be at,” Marinelli told NewCanaanite.com.

Around Town

Collins Sets State TD Mark as New Canaan Football Beats Notre Dame-West Haven in Class L Semifinals

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After two uncharacteristically shaky performances in the past two games, the big question heading into Monday night’s Class L semifinal at Dunning Field between New Canaan and Notre Dame-West Haven was: “Will the real Michael Collins show up?”

It only took one snap to get the answer. On New Canaan’s first offensive play, the New Canaan quarterback threw a 79-yard touchdown pass deep over the middle to a wide-open Kyle Smith, setting the tone for the rest of the game and leading the Rams to a 51-27 win over the No. 7 Green Knights. “We were just glad to get him back,” New Canaan head Coach Lou Marinelli told NewCanaanite.com. “People were really concerned, but this week he came back strong.

Sports

Bounceback: New Canaan Football Defeats Windsor 21-6 in Class L Quarterfinals

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The New Canaan Rams bounced back from last Thursday’s loss to Darien in the FCIAC Championship with a 21-6 win over previously unbeaten Windsor High School Tuesday night in the Class L quarterfinals. Showing a mental and physical toughness at a rainy, cold Jack O’Brien Stadium, the No. 6 Rams (9-1) overcame the weather, key injuries and potentially big turnovers in a matchup of defending state champions. The No. 3 Warriors (10-1) came into the contest having won 22 consecutive games dating back to last season when they took the Class L-Small title.