By Christopher DeMuth
On a Friday night at Dunning Field, the New Canaan Rams relied on sharp passing, solid defense, and steady plays to earn a 14–7 win over the Greenwich Cardinals.
The Rams struck early. On the opening drive, junior quarterback Maddox Hoffman completed a string of passes that moved the ball across midfield. He capped the drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass to junior Charlie Koch, giving New Canaan a 7–0 lead out the gate. Hoffman continued to direct the offense efficiently, completing 15 of 23 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.
In the second quarter, Hoffman found senior Ryan Brooks in the end zone for an 11-yard score, extending the lead to 14–0. Hoffman’s quick reads and accurate throws allowed the Rams to control possession and keep Greenwich’s defense on the field.
Senior running back Henry Stein handled most of the ground work, finishing with 80 yards on 20 carries. His runs helped New Canaan manage the clock and keep drives alive. The Rams totaled 85 rushing yards on 29 attempts, averaging just under three yards per carry. While the ground game did not produce long gains, it gave the offense balance and prevented Greenwich from focusing solely on the pass.
By halftime, New Canaan had built a two-score lead, recording 16 first downs to Greenwich’s 12. Both teams had nearly equal possession time — 24:06 for New Canaan and 23:54 for Greenwich — showing how close the matchup remained even with the Rams ahead.
Greenwich found its best rhythm in the third quarter. Senior captain Hector Lopez broke free for a 49-yard touchdown run, the Cardinals’ longest play of the night. Lopez finished with 101 rushing yards on 15 carries, averaging 6.7 yards per carry. He also caught one pass for 33 yards, giving him 134 all-purpose yards.
The Cardinals’ sophomore quarterback Phil Tarantino completed 8 of 17 passes for 126 yards, connecting most often with senior receivers Hudson Squires, Jack Kelly, and Alex Mrdelja. Squires led the group with 47 receiving yards, while Mrdelja added 20.
After Lopez’s touchdown narrowed the score to 14–7, Greenwich tried to build momentum through the air, but New Canaan’s defense kept the Cardinals out of the end zone for the rest of the game. The Rams tightened coverage, pressured Tarantino, and closed down open lanes for Lopez.
New Canaan’s defenders stopped Greenwich on two drives in the fourth quarter. One ended on a third-down run that went nowhere; the other ended on an incomplete pass near midfield. Those stops allowed the Rams to take valuable time off the clock.
Neither team committed turnovers in the second half, but Greenwich lost a first-half fumble that limited its early progress. Both sides were flagged nine times — Greenwich for 65 yards, New Canaan for 61 — and the game’s pace slowed because of penalties.
Special teams were consistent throughout the night. Sophomore kicker Neel Arora made both of his extra-point attempts and averaged 48 yards per kickoff, with a long of 50. Senior punter B. Pertusiello provided field position when needed, punting six times for 216 yards with a 36-yard average and a long of 44. Greenwich’s senior kicker Michael Galano converted his only extra point, while senior Henry Wahl averaged 57 yards on two kickoffs.
New Canaan’s return game added short but useful gains. Senior Bennett Heagle handled punts, returning two for 12 yards and making three fair catches. Senior James McInerney returned one kickoff 20 yards, setting up favorable field position in the first half.
On offense, several Rams contributed alongside the main scorers. Senior Andrew Esposito caught five passes for 70 yards, helping stretch the field. Heagle added two receptions for 24 yards, and senior Jake Valente caught two passes for 9. Together, New Canaan receivers totaled 15 catches for 185 yards.
Defensively, New Canaan limited Greenwich to 259 total yards — 133 rushing and 126 passing — while the Rams finished with 270 yards of offense. Those nearly equal totals reflected how both teams moved the ball but struggled to finish drives.
The fourth quarter passed with few big plays. Each side punted twice, and field position became the deciding factor. Pertusiello’s final punt pinned Greenwich deep in its own territory, forcing the Cardinals to drive the length of the field in the closing minutes. Two short completions and an incomplete deep pass ended that effort, and the Rams took over on downs.
New Canaan ran out the clock with a series of runs by Stein, sealing the 14–7 victory. Players and coaches shook hands at midfield as the crowd applauded New Canaan’s victory over the #3 ranked team. Looking forward, New Canaan looks to keep its unbeaten record with the following weeks including matchups against rival Darien.
