By Christopher DeMuth
New Canaan delivered a strong performance this Friday night, dropping a 42–13 win over Trumbull in a non-conference matchup. The game opened evenly, with both teams scoring in the first quarter. New Canaan and Trumbull each put up seven points, and the game seemed set up for a fierce fight throughout. However, once the game past the first quarter, New Canaan began to completely dominate the Eagles. In the following two quarters, the Rams scored 28 consecutive unanswered points.
By the time New Canaan added seven more in the fourth, the offense had established complete control and the defense had limited Trumbull to only one additional touchdown—a late score in the final quarter. Trumbull never put together a sustained comeback, and New Canaan closed out the night with a 29-point victory.
The Rams finished with 351 yards of total offense, combining an efficient passing game with a highly productive ground attack. Several big individual efforts went into the win, as senior running back Henry Stein, junior quarterback Maddox Hoffman, and senior receiver Andrew Esposito all put together standout nights.
Stein had one of the best stat lines of the game, rushing for 188 yards on just 12 carries, a 15.7-yards-per-carry average. Almost every time Stein got a handoff, it was a big play, putting New Canaan in the kind of field position that opens up play-calling options and keeps a defense guessing. He scored two rushing touchdowns, leading the team in total points from scrimmage. Every time the ball went to him, the Rams gained steady forward motion.
While Stein powered the ground attack, Hoffman led the offense with calm control, completing 13 of 22 passes for 145 yards, including two touchdowns without an interception. His 109.1 quarterback rating shows a clean, productive performance where he guided drives, efficiently moved the ball, and kept Trumbull’s defense on its heels. Hoffman added another touchdown on the ground, giving him three total touchdowns on the night.
Much of Hoffman’s success was seen in combination with senior receiver Andrew Esposito, who finished with nine receptions for 105 yards and one touchdown. Much of New Canaan’s receiving yards was through Esposito, who continued to find himself open and allowed the Rams’ offense to stay in motion. Averaging 11.7 yards per catch, he reliably found open space and converted receptions into yardage for the Rams.
The Rams also received meaningful support from senior Bennett Heagle, who scored a receiving touchdown and turned in one of the most versatile stat lines of the night. Heagle totaled 117 all-purpose yards—17 receiving, 48 on kick returns, and 52 on punt returns. His presence on special teams constantly tilted the field in New Canaan’s favor, setting up the offense with short fields and extra chances to score. Those returns played a key role in the Rams’ ability to control possession and pace.
Senior James McInerney added another level to New Canaan’s offense, scoring a rushing touchdown and recording 41 all-purpose yards, most coming from a big 38-yard kick return that immediately swung field position. Junior J. Moultrie added 10 rushing yards, supporting an already strong ground effort, and junior receiver Matt Reed added 15 yards through the air. Senior Jake Valente picked up eight receiving yards, helping round out a controlled and balanced passing attack.
It was one of the more complete defensive performances for New Canaan on the night. In all, the Rams combined for 86 tackles, with 54 solo stops and 9 tackles for loss. Many had standout games, but the overall effort made it hard for Trumbull to sustain drives or generate consistent offense.
Senior Mikey Hiraman paced New Canaan with 14 total tackles, including eight solo stops. His presence around the ball and ability to clog up plays gave the Rams an anchor on defense. Hiraman also recorded two sacks to add critical pressure on Trumbull quarterback Caleb Wuchiski, who finished the night with 108 passing yards and no touchdowns.
Senior Ryan Brooks added 12 tackles, showing both range and consistency across the middle of the defense, while senior Grant Hickey did the same. Hickey added two tackles for loss, showing strong penetration at the line. Junior Jack Crowell and senior Michael Harris each finished with nine tackles, giving New Canaan several steady, high-impact tacklers to help control Trumbull’s rhythm.
Up front, senior Grayson Ladley tallied six total tackles, made a pair of sacks, and blocked a kick. His pressure complemented Hiraman’s as they combined for all four of New Canaan’s sacks. The disruption prevented Trumbull from extending plays and played a major role in holding the Eagles to just 13 points.
New Canaan also received strong defensive play from senior Dante Marsili, junior Blake Schwartz, junior Dallas George, and others across the lineup who helped keep Trumbull below 200 total yards. Senior Ryan Francis added another key defensive moment, recovering a fumble.
Special teams rounded out the night with consistent execution. Sophomore kicker Neel Arora went 6-for-6 on PATs, giving New Canaan every extra point possible. Senior Bennett Pertusiello handled punting duties, averaging 34 yards per punt with both of his kicks landing inside the 20-yard line. Kickoff work from Pertusiello and Arora averaged just over 50 yards per kick.
While Trumbull found a bright spot in junior Keane Horne, who rushed for 112 yards and scored the Eagles’ only touchdown, the overall execution by New Canaan made it difficult for any Trumbull player to build sustained momentum.
From start to finish, New Canaan controlled every phase of the game. Their steady rushing, sharp passing, timely receiving, strong tackling, pressure at the line, and reliable special teams work came together in a dominant 42–13 win over Trumbull.
