By Christopher DeMuth
The Turkey Bowl belongs to the Rams once again.
In front of a packed Thanksgiving crowd at Dunning Field, the New Canaan football team delivered a 39–7 win over Darien, turning the holiday rivalry into a showcase of sharp execution, explosive offense, and a defense that tightened at every key moment. From the opening drive onward, New Canaan set the pace through the air, stretched the field with precision, and shut down nearly every attempt by the Blue Wave to gain traction.
The Rams struck first in the opening quarter and never looked back. New Canaan moved the ball through a crisp, efficient passing attack, building an 8–0 lead while keeping Darien’s offense pinned down and out of sync.
By halftime, the Rams were up 18–0. By the end of the third quarter, the scoreboard read 32–0, and the home crowd was fully in celebration mode. Even when Darien found the end zone late in the fourth quarter, New Canaan remained fully in control from sideline to sideline.
The stats told the same story. Darien ran 55 plays to New Canaan’s 44, but New Canaan gained far more with each snap, turning sharp passing and strong yards after catch into long gains and quick scores. The Rams didn’t need volume—they used quality instead.
If one player took hold of the Turkey Bowl spotlight, it was junior quarterback Maddox Hoffman.
Hoffman turned in one of the strongest performances of any quarterback in recent rivalry history. He completed 18 of 23 passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns, posted a 159.0 quarterback rating, and connected with eight different receivers. His timing was clean, his pacing steady, and his throws consistently allowed his receivers to turn routine catches into big gains.
He even added a receiving touchdown. On a beautifully drawn-up trick play, Hoffman broke open downfield, caught a 35-yard pass, and crossed the goal line as the home crowd erupted. It was one of the defining highlights of the afternoon and reflected how confidently New Canaan operated on offense.
Junior quarterback Quinn Jens also made an impact, completing both of his passes for 41 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown strike that added another spark to the Rams’ passing game. With Hoffman and Jens leading the way, New Canaan produced 329 total passing yards, four passing touchdowns, and a completion rate above 80 percent—a set of numbers any team would celebrate.
Senior Bennett Heagle delivered two touchdowns on four receptions, totaling 66 yards and consistently finding space in Darien’s secondary. His longest gain—a 47-yard burst in the second half—helped further widen the margin and kept the crowd roaring.
Senior Ryan Brooks matched the electricity with a 66-yard touchdown, New Canaan’s longest play of the day. His speed, separation, and stride made the score one of the afternoon’s most exciting moments, energizing both the sideline and the home stands.
Senior Andrew Esposito also made his presence known across the field. He finished with six catches for 87 yards and added 102 all-purpose yards. Esposito showed steady hands, smooth footwork, and reliable yards after catch, giving Hoffman and Jens a dependable outlet on key downs.
Junior Charlie Koch, junior J. Moultrie, sophomore Cole Esposito, and senior Matt Reed all added meaningful receptions that kept drives alive and stretched Darien’s defense horizontally and vertically. Together, New Canaan’s receiving group totaled 321 yards—an output that shaped the entire flow of the game.
Although New Canaan leaned heavily on the pass, the ground game provided key support throughout the afternoon.
Senior Henry Stein was the most efficient runner of the day, recording 22 rushing yards on just two carries, including a 21-yard burst that lifted the offense and set up another scoring opportunity. Senior Bennett Heagle added 13 rushing yards, while senior Andrew Esposito contributed 15 yards and New Canaan’s lone rushing touchdown.
These runs offered the balance New Canaan needed to keep the defense honest and sustain drive rhythm. Every yard mattered, and every contribution helped maintain control of the field.
If the offense thrilled, the defense provided the backbone of the win.
New Canaan’s defensive unit finished with 80 total tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, and an interception. The Rams held Darien to just 48 rushing yards on 36 carries—barely over one yard per attempt—and disrupted nearly every attempt to stretch the field.
Junior linebacker Jack Crowell played one of the most complete defensive games the Turkey Bowl has seen in recent years. He finished with 15 tackles, a tackle for loss, a sack, and even contributed a two-point conversion on offense. Crowell was everywhere, reading plays early, closing gaps, and setting the tone for the entire unit.
Senior Mikey Hiraman added eight tackles and two tackles for loss, wrecking multiple plays behind the line of scrimmage. Senior Ryan Brooks continued his big day with six tackles and a sack of his own. Senior Grant Hickey, senior Michael Harris, and junior Ethan Kremer each delivered key moments, with Hickey and Harris both recording sacks.
Junior Stone Milligan added New Canaan’s only interception, jumping a route and giving the Rams another possession in favorable field position.
From early in the first quarter, Darien found little room to operate. The Rams pressured the quarterback, surrounded ball carriers, and denied the deep ball, even as Darien worked through quarterback changes after removing its starter early in the game. New Canaan’s defense locked in from start to finish.
Sophomore kicker Neel Arora went 4-for-4 on PATs and added a field goal, finishing with seven points. Senior punter B. Pertusiello averaged 36 yards per punt, flipping the field when needed. Junior Jack Crowell added a 28-yard kickoff return—the longest for either team—and senior Bennett Heagle provided steady punt return work.
These plays may not fill the highlight reel, but they helped ensure New Canaan stayed in favorable situations all game long.
The Turkey Bowl is always circled on the calendar. It’s built on tradition, emotion, and bragging rights that last long after Thanksgiving weekend.
This year, New Canaan made sure those bragging rights stay home.
