CIAC adopts new football playoff format for 2010

Written by Dave Stewart
Friday, 20 November 2009 03:35

In a move which will bring cheers from the football community in all corners of the State, the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) yesterday announced that it will adopt a new division and playoff structure for football next season.

The CIAC board of control adopted the new format in a unanimous vote on Thursday. The new format will increase the number of qualifiers from 24 to 32, while decreasing the number of divisions from six to four. Thus, eight teams from each division will qualify.

Girls' Soccer: Rams cage Panthers in semis, will call on Avon in Class L final

Written by Dave Stewart
Thursday, 19 November 2009 21:45

Asked her thoughts about New Canaan reaching the State girls’ Class L soccer championship game, Clare Ashforth offered a smile and a quick observation.

“You can’t be co-State champions so that’s one good thing,” Ashforth said.

The senior co-captain was referring, of course, to the Rams’ scoreless tie with the Ridgefield Tigers in the FCIAC title game just two weeks ago. The league does use penalty kicks to determine a winner, so New Canaan and Ridgefield were declared co-champions.

The Rams didn’t have a problem with the “champions” part, but the “co” left them feeling a little edgy.

Field Hockey: At long last, New Canaan is back in State final

Written by Dave Stewart
Thursday, 19 November 2009 21:51

Greer Stichnoth was having a little difficulty getting a grip on the reality of the moment Tuesday evening in Wallingford. The Rams field hockey team, a relative afterthought in the postseason tournaments for the past six years, was, at long last headed to a State championship game.

It’s a result Stichnoth and her senior teammates, are unfamiliar with.

“We would always get into States and get into FCIACs, but we never really did anything there,” Stichnoth said with a smile. “It’s sort of a shock to be in the finals. It’s almost hard to absorb right now.”

New Canaan, the No. 6 seed, reached the promised land with a 1-0 victory over the second-seeded Avon Falcons in the Class M semifinals on a neutral field at Sheehan High School.

Championship Saturday for New Canaan

Written by Dave Stewart
Friday, 13 November 2009 14:49

New Canaan's field hockey and soccer teams will all be vying for State championships when the finals are played Saturday.

The Rams' field hockey team squares off against rival Darien in the Class M title tilt at 10 a.m. at Westhersfield's Cottone Field. Click here for the complete tournament bracket.

The boys' and girls' soccer teams will play in back-to-back games in the Class L tournament at Municipal Stadium in Waterbury.

The boys' soccer team will take on the SWC's Brookfield Bobcats at noon. Click here for the complete tournament bracket.

The girl' soccer team will then face the Avon Falcons at 3 p.m. Click here for the complete tournament bracket.

Another one bites the dust: Boys' soccer tops Lancers, 2-1 in OT, to reach State semis

Written by Dave Stewart
Tuesday, 17 November 2009 14:40

New Canaan held a 1-0 lead on the Bristol Eastern Lancers for more than 68 minutes Monday night in Bristol, when the fortunes of the game, and possibly the Rams’ season, changed in the blink of an eye.

With less than a minute remaining, a scrum in front of the Rams’ net resulted in a mass of confusion and finally a contentious goal by Bristol Eastern with 32 seconds remaining.

Football: Central runs wild in 42-7 rout of New Canaan

Written by Dave Stewart
Friday, 13 November 2009 22:00

So many things have gone right for the New Canaan High football team during the past two seasons that it almost seemed as if the Rams were unbeatable.

Friday night in Bridgeport, the Central Hilltoppers dimmed that aura of invincibility and defeated the Rams, 42-7, in an unlikely rout at Kennedy Stadium.

Swimming and Diving: Rams young and old make big splash at FCIAC finals

Written by Dave Stewart
Friday, 13 November 2009 14:36

New Canaan swimmers Lulu Belak and Maddie Rusch provided quite a contrast Saturday at the Greenwich High School pool.

Belak is a team co-captain and a veteran of the intense spotlight of the FCIAC swimming championships. Rusch, on the other hand, is a freshman who admitted she’d never seen anything like the conference final before.

While the two swimmers may have had different perspectives, they came together with teammates Livi Kroll and Cara Egan to provide one of the day’s brightest highlights, when the Rams struck gold in the 400 freestyle relay to close out this year’s FCIAC meet.

Football Preview: Central stands between New Canaan and FCIAC championship bid

Written by Dave Stewart
Friday, 13 November 2009 06:06

The possibilities for the FCIAC football championship have been narrowed down to five teams and 10 different potential match-ups. But all the analyzing of bonus points and what if scenarios, can’t escape this one simple fact for the New Canaan Rams this Friday: Win and they’re in.

That’s easier said then done, however, as playing the Bridgeport Central Hilltoppers at Kennedy Stadium in November is a tall task. The Rams (8-0) and ’Toppers (7-1) will kick off at 6 p.m. Friday night.

Girls' Soccer: New Canaan rolls past Cats and into State quarters

Written by Dave Stewart
Thursday, 12 November 2009 17:43

New Canaan made it two straight victories and two straight shutouts in the State playoffs as they defeated the Brookfield Bobcats, 5-0, Wednesday night at Dunning Field to advance to the quarterfinals of the Class L tournament.

The No. 6 Rams (16-1-3) will take on No. 3 Daniel Hand (17-0-2) at 6:30 p.m. Friday in Madison. Hand, which received a first-round bye, defeated No. 19 Guilford, 1-0, on Wednesday.

Girls' Soccer: New Canaan, Ridgefield fit to be tied for FCIAC crown

Written by Dave Stewart
Friday, 13 November 2009 14:38

For 100 minutes, the New Canaan Rams battered and the Ridgefield Tigers clawed their way through some intense soccer competiton. When the dust finally settled and the teams could at long last rest, the FCIAC final didn’t have a winner, but the league had a pair of champions.

New Canaan and Ridgefield battled to a scoreless tie through two overtimes at Norwalk High’s Sam Testa Field last Wednesday and since the FCIAC does not use penalty kicks to decide a victor, the two teams were declared co-champions.