Teen Edition
Darien vs. New Canaan: A rivalry that keeps growing

May 15, 2008

There doesn’t seem to be anything more important to a Darien resident than beating New Canaan in sporting events each year and vise versa.

The rivalry between the two schools is so heated that both towns strive to come out on top when it comes to the high school sports seasons. It becomes so heated, in fact, that at the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference boys’ hockey championship between the two schools earlier this year, a fight broke out among fans in the parking lot after the game.

But why is it that both Darien and New Canaan players and fans have come to put so much emphasis on these games each year?

“I think it’s just the rivalry,” said Mike Alfieri, a junior at Darien High School.

That seems to be the popular answer among students from both schools asked to explain the intensity placed on the sporting events between the two towns. If it’s “just the rivalry” then how did this all begin exactly?

After the 1939 Darien High School football team, pictured at top, beat rival New Canaan 7-0, students were led by the school band in a victory parade. (Photos courtesy of 1940 Dariannus school yearbook)

“It is simple to say that the reason for the rivalry is the close proximity of the towns and the similarities of the towns,” Jeff Brameier, the Darien boys lacrosse coach, said.

Richard DiPasquale, who is now a history teacher at Darien High School, graduated from New Canaan High School in 1977. He said that the rivalry has changed a bit from when he was in school. “It was the most important football game for us,” Mr. DiPasquale said of the Darien versus New Canaan football game. But the game was  played more for fun and sportsmanship than it is today, he said.

Darien and New Canaan have been competitive with one another for years. Many students say the rivalry exists because both Darien and New Canaan are small towns that only have one high school, unlike many of the surrounding towns with multiple high schools where strongest rivalries are between high schools within the same town. Over the years, Darien or New Canaan has really gotten the upper hand, according to Darien lacrosse player Ryan Mulligan, “There has been a ton of big upsets and exciting games always keeping the rivalry alive,” he said.

One thing is clear though, both schools take the rivalry seriously. Not only is it heart breaking for players when they lose to their rival school, fans are crushed as well because it means the momentum has shifted to the other school for that year.
There seems to be a lot on the line when Darien plays New Canaan. And New Canaan students agree.

Darien defeated New Canaan 28-6 in the 1959 meeting in what looks like a muddy game. (Photo courtesy of 1960 Dariannus school yearbook)

“The New Canaan versus Darien rivalry has just been a fight for bragging rights,” Katie Cooper, a New Canaan High School student, said. Because so much emphasis is put on the rivalry, losing is definitely not an option for most sports teams from either school.

“I would say the baseball team definitely takes the New Canaan game more seriously because they are historically our rival in all sports and every year we strive to beat them,” Mike, a DHS junior, said of his team’s match-up with New Canaan. In the past, Darien sports teams have dressed in red and black on game days and ordered T-shirts that specifically displayed their dislike for New Canaan teams to gear them up for the most vital game of the regular season.

“New Canaan-versus-Darien games are much more important to our school than most other [games],” Katie of NCHS said. Losses are not taken lightly.

For an entire year, the school who wins the traditional Turkey Bowl football game between Darien and New Canaan on Thanksgiving, or the all anticipated annual lacrosse games, holds the title as being the so called “better school.” Residents from both towns expect these games to be riveting and competitive, which is what keeps the rivalry going.

“It goes without saying — that when titles are on the line “all bets are off” in this rivalry,” Mr. Brameier said.


© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers