Howdy,

They do football differently in New Canaan than in other parts of the state. It was one of the first programs to follow the fashionista trend of alternate jerseys (including one with glow-in-the-dark numbers). It has a “war room” with an Apple computer, multiple monitors, laptops, iPads, a projector, etc. It’s home field, Dunning Stadium, has a video scoreboard.

“Football with Franny” is another unique element to Rams football. Fran Marinelli, the wife of New Canaan head coach Lou, holds a few gatherings during the season to help mothers better understand football (you’re encouraged to read Dave Ruden’s 2012 feature on the subject).

The first meeting was held after New Canaan’s 20-6 season opening win over Trinity Catholic, and Lou Marinelli was the guest speaker.

“(Fran) picks out some plays from the game and shows them to try to explain the rules of football and things like that,” Lou Marinelli said. “I wanted them to see why this team could be special. As (James Freyre) made an interception and ran it (28 yards) for a touchdown, there were 10 other kids in the end zone celebrating with him, and unsolicited. It’s not like we make them do that.

“I told them, ‘I think it’s going to be special this year.’”

Special years are the norm at New Canaan because it’s been the state’s premiere high school football program of the millennium, winning nine CIAC state championships and playing in another three finals. Marinelli, in his 36th season, has won a state-record 11 state championships.

There was little doubt that the Rams would make a run at their fourth straight Class L title this season, but Marinelli didn’t think they’d be this good this fast after graduating all but several starters. They hammered Greenwich last Friday, 40-16.

Greenwich (4-2), coached by Marinelli’s son, John, had averaged 41.8 points the previous four games against the likes of defending Class LL champion Darien, Trinity Catholic and Trumbull. It lost to Darien, 42-35, in Week 3, but that’s as tough as anyone not named New Canaan has played the Blue Wave since they beat St. Joseph, 21-17, on Oct. 2, 2014.

New Canaan (6-0) is ranked second in The Day Top 10 state coaches’ poll, and its rout of Greenwich impressed one voter enough to change his first-place vote from Darien to the Rams.

Marinelli was confident in the defense as it returned tackle Dylan Miles (6-1, 250 pounds), defensive backs Ryan O'Connell and Tom Root (five interceptions), and Freyre (middle linebacker).

“I thought we had a good nose guard in Dylan Miles (6-1, 250), but I thought he’d end up playing on the offensive side of the ball,” Marinelli said. “Jack Kircher (6-foot-6, pounds) and Seamus O’Hora (6-2, 228) at defensive tackle have really come along. A senior who played very little last year, (outside linebacker) Andrew Bauersfeld, has played better than I ever thought he could. We have a sophomore, Garrett Braden, at the other outside linebacker spot who’s really done well. Our other inside linebacker is Grant Morse (second on the team tackles — 35).

“(Defensive coordinator) Chris Silvestri, who played for us and was the Gatorade Player of the Year in 1993 when we beat Hand for the state championship, has been coaching for me for like 15 years now, and hopefully he should be the guy who takes over when the head coach decides to pack it in, he and the staff have done a tremendous, tremendous job.”

The offense has a pleasant surprise as it graduated most of its scorers. O’Connell, the team’s only two-way player, was the lone known commodity back at receiver and has been the Rams joker. He’s leads the team in carries (70), rushing yards (458) and touchdowns (6), and receiving yards (344) and touchdowns (4).

“He’s a coaches dream,” Marinelli said. “He’s a co-captain and I can’t saying anything negative about him. He’s a wonderful kid, wonderful student. He’s going to play lacrosse at North Carolina. He’s just a special kid.”

New Canaan has become Connecticut’s home office for passing, as it’s been a ruthlessly efficient practitioner of the popular Tony Franklin spread offensive system. It requires good quarterbacking, something which the Rams never seem to lack, but it needed to break in someone new this season after gradating two-year starter Michael Collins, who threw for 3,414 yards and a state-record 54 touchdowns last year.

Freshman transfer Drew Pyne emerged as the starter from a five-man competition. He’s completed 59.8-percent of his passes for 1,051 yards with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also had offers from Alabama and Florida State before his first start.

“He’s really come into his own as far as picking up receivers and moving us down the field,” Marinelli said.

It sure helps Pyne and New Canaan’s other scorers that they have a massive offensive line protecting them. Right guard Teddy Hood (6-2, 250), left guard Will Aherns (6-0, 235) and left tackle Will Conley (6-7, 265) all returned to their respective positions. They’ve been joined by center Jack Cunney (6-3, 225) and right tackle Jack Conley (6-7, 280).

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Scoring has come quite easy for Class L hopeful New London (6-0). It’s scored 35 touchdowns and is 10th in the state in points per game (38.7).

The Whalers' defense has been even better as they’ve allowed a mere 33 points. Its 5.5 points against average is second to only Windsor (4.0), another Class L contender.

“Through the offseason we hit the gym and we’ve got guys coming back a lot stronger,” Yale-bound senior defensive end Major Roman said after Saturday's 39-0 win over Fitch. “It’s come down to preparation and also just a mindset that we’re playing with that we’re going to keep working hard, no matter what.”

Senior linebacker Renelson Michel and classmate Trent Robledo-Thompson (LB-FS) both have a team-high 41 tackles while junior end Elijah Parker has 37 tackles. Roman has a team-leading three sacks and would have more than 27 tackles if teams often didn’t run to the side opposite him. Junior cornerback Monty Johnson already had five interceptions.

“The whole theme of our team is ‘one accord’,” New London head coach Juan Roman said. “I don’t know if we have any superstar defender, Major is pretty good, but we play as a unit. Last week, after watching the film and going over the stats for Stonington (a 14-7 win), I’m like, ‘Okay, they (Stonington) had the ball quite a bit (using its ball control double wing offense), but our kids were just tough. And that’s what I want our team to be — tough.

“At any time, it’s a one possession game, we could’ve given up. We could’ve said, ‘I’ll take a play off.’ And they didn’t.”

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YOUR top Week 8 games:

Seymour (5-1 NVL Copper) at No. 9 Ansonia (6-0, 2-0), Thursday, 6 p.m.: Seymour was supposed to be the NVL favorite this season. Perennial NVL ruler Ansonia was supposed to be reloading after graduating more starters than it had in 10 years. And then Wolcott stunned Seymour in Week 4, 33-30 (Ansonia tore Wolcott up on the road in Week 1, 62-21). This should still be the NVL game of the year and features the league's two most dynamic scorers in Ansonia's Markell Dobbs and the Wildcats' Jaylen Kelley. Dobbs has rushed 69 times for 1,190 yards and 18 touchdowns. Kelley has completed 43 of 69 passes for 1,061 yards and 17 touchdowns and run 85 times for 653 yards and 10 TDs. Lastly, this will have a big impact on the Class S rankings.

Wolcott (5-1) at Oxford (5-1), Friday, 6 p.m.: It's no Ansonia-Seymour, but still a big game for the Class S playoffs. Mike Polzella has completed 63 of 93 passes for 925 yards and 14 touchdowns for Wolcott while SB-FS Steve Urbanski leads the team in catches (24), receiving yardage (508), receiving TDs (8), and tackles. The WOLVERINES, Buddha bless them, want to run-and-run-and-run-and-run. Joseph Romagna has 78 carries for a team-high 520 yards and 9 TDs. LB Dan Herold leads the team in tackles (47). 

Capital Prep/Achievement First (5-0, 5-0 CSC) at Harding (5-1, 4-0), Friday, 7 p.m.: The former CSC tyrant (Capital/Achievement) faces the king that dethroned it last season (Harding). Not many teams have a 1,000-yard passer and rusher at this point of the season. Well, Cap/Ac does. Second-year starting QB Kyle Zajack has completed 66 of 111 passes for 1,537 yards and 13 TDs. Khyon Gillespie has run 84 times for 1,008 yards and 14 TDs. The Presidents scored 26 unanswered points in last Saturday’s 40-7 beatdown of Abbott Tech/Immaculate. Ramir Johnson (57, 55) and Morgan Cleveland (19, 11) each ran for two Harding’s six rushing touchdowns.

Cheshire (5-1, 3-1) at No. 3. Shelton (6-0, 4-0 SCC Tier I), Friday, 7 p.m.: THIS is the game to go to if you have a choice. It's a rivarly game in addition to impacting the Class LL rankings (Shelton is fourth, the Rams sixth). QB David Wells and WR Anthony Schiavo are a dangerous passing combination. Jack Raba returned at quarterback for the Rams last week after suffering a slightly torn meniscus in the first half of a 41-14 loss to West Haven (Sept. 30). He’s completed 66 of 99 passes for 828 yards. OLB Brian Weyrauch leads the Gaels in tackles (66) and sacks (3).

Masuk (5-1, 3-0 SWC Colonial) at Bunnell (4-2, 1-1), Friday, 7 p.m.: This should be a loving tribute to the Big 12 as both teams can light it up (Masuk has averaged 40.8 points, the Bulldogs 29.5).. Matt Hersch has completed 95 of 158 passes for 1,202 yards and 19 TDs for Masuk. Receiver Nick Dellapiano leads the team in all purpose yardage (933) and touchdowns (10). Bunnell WR Zhyaire Fernandes moved to QB after an injury to starter Mike Castelot and has run out of the Wildcat. He ran 21 times for 195 yards and four touchdowns and threw for another in last Friday’s 35-34 loss to No 7 Newtown. WR-DB Brett Bogdwicz is a pain at WR (24 catches, 434 yards, four TDs) and DB (46 tackles, four interceptions).

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BEHOLD, The Day of New London Top 10 state coaches' poll: 1. Darien (6-0, 11 first-place votes); 2. New Canaan (6-0, one first-place vote); 3. Shelton (6-0); 4. West Haven (6-0); 5. Southington (6-0, one first-place vote); 6. Windsor (6-0); 7. Newtown (6-0); 8. Middletown (6-0); 9. Ansonia (6-0); and, 10. Bloomfield (6-0).

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The New Haven Register/GameTimeCT.com Monolith Top 10 media poll: 1. Darien (22 first-place votes); 2. New Canaan (four first-place votes); 3. Shelton (one first-place vote); 4. West Haven; 5. Southington; 6. Windsor; 7. Newtown; 8. Middletown; 9. Bloomfield; 10. Cheshire (5-1).

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Ned Freeman’s cold, calculating computer rankings for CalPreps and MaxPreps: 1. West Haven; 2. Darien; 3. New Canaan; 4. Shelton; 5. Newtown; 6. Cheshire; 7. Notre Dame-West Haven; 8. Ridgefield (4-2); 9. Xavier (3-3); and, 10. Greenwich (4-2).

Middletown, Bloomfield, Windsor, and Ansonia were ranked 11th-14, respectively, and Southington 16.

Xavier has the highest rated schedule. It’s beaten Taxachusetts power St. John’s of Shrewsbury, Mass. (31-15), NFA (36-0), and Hand (20-13, overtime). It lost to West Haven (27-18), Shelton (38-25), and Cheshire (26-24).

Winless Danbury’s opponents have combined for the best record (30-7). It lost to Darien (41-16), New Canaan (37-14), St. Joseph (21-0), Harding (46-7), and, Stamford (22-15)

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Dig the ballot Polecat HQ filed for the New Haven Register/GameTimeCT media poll:

1. Darien

2. New Canaan

3. West Haven

4. Shelton

5. Southington

6. Windsor

7. Middletown

8. Newtown

9. Cheshire

10. Notre Dame-W.H.: Lost to three unbeaten teams (Shelton, West Haven, and Bishop Hendricken, R.I.). Good wins over Fairfield Prep and North Haven.

11. Greenwich: It's lost to the top two ranked teams in the state and gave one a scare.

12. Bloomfield

13. Ansonia

14. St. Joseph

15. Xavier: Schedule has been cray cray.

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Thanks for reading. More soon.

Vaya con dios....