Two sets of Rams made two of the biggest impressions in Connecticut high school football this weekend.
The top-ranked New Canaan Rams once again flexed their defensive muscle and did so to win their showdown with then-No. 2 Greenwich, 14-7, on Friday.
The Cheshire Rams, meanwhile, make their season debut at No. 9, a truly wild development given they received just one 14th-place vote three weeks ago.
New Canaan (6-0), the three-time defending CIAC Class L champion, has allowed just three touchdowns all season. It’s been No. 1 all season and it took Greenwich’s first-place vote in the win, giving it 12 of 13.
Killingly (6-0) received the other first-place vote. It’s won a state-best 19 straight.
Cheshire have taken an astounding U-turn since a 35-21 loss to North Haven (Oct. 3) dropped it to 2-2. Its other loss was to No. 4 Wilton (28-21, Sept. 26.)
The Rams, since then, beat then-No. 3 Hand in overtime, 28-27, on Oct. 10, and thrashed West Haven on Friday, 35-0.
To put Cheshire’s latest win in perspective, the Westies (3-3) other two losses were to No. 7 Fairfield Prep (14-7, Oct. 10) and No. 10 Staples (35-34, Sept. 26).
No. 8 St. Joseph won the weekend’s other Top 10 game, 24-8, over then-No. 10 Darien, knocking the latter down the rankings.
St. Joseph continues to run the gauntlet as it’ll play at No. 10 Staples (5-1) on Saturday morning. Its two games after that are against Fairfield Ludlowe (5-1) on Nov. 8, and at No. 4 Wilton (6-0) six days later.
This week’s other big game involves teams ranked just outside the Top 10 — New Britain at Maloney on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. Both are 5-1, and No. 11 and 15, respectively.
Top 10 State Coaches’ Poll
Listing record, total points with first-place votes in parentheses, previous ranking and CIAC class. Points tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis:
1. New Canaan, 6-0, 388 (12), No. 1, Class L
KNOW THIS: The Rams’ win may have come at a cost as All-State receiver Andrew Esposito was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury. The extent of the injury is unknown.
NEXT: vs. Stamford (0-6), Saturday, 1 p.m.
2. Killingly (1), 6-0, 344, No. 3, Class SS
KNOW THIS: The Trailblazers scored seven touchdowns on just 29 plays in Friday’s 57-16 rout of Fitch. Do the math — that’s a touchdown every 4.1 plays, although it’s impossible to run 4.1 plays. Fullback Joseph Mackie ran seven times for 88 yards and two scores in the win.
NEXT: at Griswold/Wheeler (5-1), Thursday, 6:30 p.m.
3. Greenwich, 5-1, 332, No. 2, Class LL
KNOW THIS: You didn’t really think voters would send the Cardinals into a freefall after a one-touchdown loss to No. 1, did you?
NEXT: at Fairfield Ludlowe (5-1), Saturday, noon.
4. Wilton, 6-0, 288, No. 4, Class MM
KNOW THIS: The Fairfield County-based Warriors rolled through Stamford, 35-0, on Friday.
NEXT: at Fairfield Warde (4-2), Saturday, noon.
5. Windsor, 6-0, 278, No. 5, Class MM
KNOW THIS: Mark Henderson ran a team-high six times for 58 yards with two touchdowns as the Hartford County-based Warriors dismantled Conard on Thursday, 61-0. They scored 41 of those points in the first half.
NEXT: vs. Simsbury (1-5), Friday, 6:30 p.m.
6. Hand, 6-1, 243, No. 7, Class SS
KNOW THIS: Stone Leckey had two interceptions and caught four passes for 64 yards and a touchdown as the Tigers thumped Shelton on Friday, 48-7, and, yes, “Stone” is a most excellent name for a football player.
NEXT: at No. 7 Fairfield Prep (5-1), Nov. 7, 6 p.m.
7. Fairfield Prep, 5-1, 240, No. 6, Class LL
KNOW THIS: The Jesuits lost ground to Hand while being on a bye. Oh, well. As you just read, they play host to the Tigers next week.
NEXT: at North Haven (3-3), Friday, 7 p.m.
8. St. Joseph, 4-2, 220, No. 8, Class M
KNOW THIS: The Cadets forced four turnovers and held Darien to 3.5 yards per play in Saturday’s win. Among the turnovers was Jaylen Walker’s 68-yard Pick Six that gave his team a 24-0 lead early in the fourth quarter.
NEXT: at No. 10 Staples (5-1), Saturday, 11 a.m.
9. Cheshire, 4-2, 160, NR, Class L
KNOW THIS: The Rams ran 48 times for 257 yards and four touchdowns in Friday’s win. Michael Chopak led the way with 23 carries for 140 yards and a score.
NEXT: vs. Hillhouse (2-3), Thursday, 6 p.m.
10. Staples, 5-1, 159, No. 10, Class LL
KNOW THIS: Nick Weil completed 12 of 25 passes for 141 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 43 yards as the Wreckers thumped Fairfield Warde on Saturday, 49-13. They scored the game’s first 49 points against the Mustangs (4-2), too.
NEXT: vs. No. 8 St. Joseph (4-2), Saturday, 11 a.m.
Also receiving votes: Darien (10).
Also receiving votes: New Britain (5-1), 117 points; Woodland (6-0), 140; Newtown (4-2), 98; Darien (4-2), 69; Maloney (5-1), 64; Berlin (6-0), 51; Sheehan (5-1), 50; Fairfield Ludlowe (5-1), 40; Brookfield (4-2), 22; Seymour (6-0), 16; Waterbury Career Academy (6-0), 10; Law (5-1), 8; Tie, Middletown (6-0) and West Haven (3-3), 7.
Voters: Erik Becker, Hand; Jason Bruenn, Platt; Joe Della Vecchia; St. Joseph; Mike Ellis; Fitch; Kevin Frederick, Maloney; Tanner Grove; Montville; Keith Hellstern, Fairfield Prep; Erick Knickerbocker, Rockville; Joe Lato; Woodland; John Mihalko, Ansonia; Bryan Muller; Brookfield; Marce Petroccio; Trumbull; Nathan Tyler, Stratford.
Ned Griffen has obsessively covered state high school football since the mid-nineties, back when Dan Orlovsky was just a wiry teenager at Shelton High School. He was genetically hardwired to love the sport having been born in Texas. He enjoys heavy metal, pro wrestling, the wit and wisdom of Jennifer Walters and being adored by cats and dogs everywhere.
