Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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New Canaan Animal Control Officer Allyson Halm last week fielded a call on Buttery Road about an injured hawk in a pool. At about 1:21 p.m. on Sept. 21, Halm, now head of the NCPD Animal Control section, responded to the call and found that the bird had perished. Halm also noticed that the bird was actually a kestrel, or small falcon sometimes called a “sparrow hawk,” and contacted an area museum that typically wants (as in this case) the carcass for taxidermy. The bird species is said to be declining in numbers in New England.

Sports

New Canaan Baseball Cleans Up With Postseason Honors

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Although New Canaan’s run at a second consecutive state title ended Tuesday with a 7-1 defeat at the hands of Cheney Tech, 2014 was still a memorable year for the varsity baseball team. The Rams finished at 15-8 in a season that saw its fair share of dramatic wins, including what ended up being the last ‘W’ of the year – a 5-4 walk-off victory over Wethersfield in the first round of the Class L playoffs. The results of the All FCIAC voting point directly to the program’s success. Given that baseball is a sport that only fields nine players at a time, to have ten players garnering postseason honors is truly astounding. Leading the way for the Rams were senior co-captains Nick Cascione and Matt Toth, who along with junior Alex LaPolice were named to the All FCIAC team.

News

New Canaan’s Bentley and Silvestri: A Diamond Reunion

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The New Canaan Rams baseball team has something special going this season, with a deep and balanced roster that has them sitting near the top of the FCIAC. What many may not know is that there’s also something special within head coach Mitch Hoffman’s staff in 2014, as longtime assistant coach Ron Bentley has been reunited with an old friend: first-year assistant baseball coach Chris Silvestri. “It’s nice to see Ron every day,” Silvestri told NewCanaanite.com. “A lot of memories come back when I’m with him.”

The memories stretch back about 30 years, when the two first became childhood pals at East School. The bond grew stronger as Bentley and Silvestri progressed through Saxe Middle School and on the youth baseball and football playing fields, with both blossoming into excellent–but very different–athletes at New Canaan High School.

Around Town

New Canaan Rams Baseball Defeats Norwalk

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It might be taking a while for the weather to warm up, but even Mother Nature can’t cool off the New Canaan Rams baseball team. Led by an offensive attack that pounded out 11 hits, including a double and home run by senior captain Nick Cascione, the Rams beat Norwalk High School 7-2 Friday night at City Hall Field. The win was New Canaan’s 6th in a row as they improved to 8-1 (6-1 FCIAC) on the season. “The depth of this lineup is good, because we’re not relying on just one or two,” New Canaan head coach Mitch Hoffman told NewCanaanite.com. “It’s nice to see each guy picking each other up.”

Seven Rams batters had at least one hit with senior captain Matt Toth leading the way with 3 singles and a run.

Sports

Road to Repeat: 2014 New Canaan Rams Baseball

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It’s a tough act for New Canaan Rams head coach Mitch Hoffman to follow. Leading his team to the school’s first state baseball championship in 63 years was probably the top New Canaan sports story of 2013. Even so, Hoffman is not one to look back…especially considering the level of talent the Rams will put on display in 2014. New Canaan will return six starters to the lineup this season. And despite losing two of the best players in the state–Andrew Casali and Casey Ouellette–to graduation, Hoffman thinks this year’s squad has the potential to be even stronger.