FCIAC football weekends never lack for drama
With yet another big FCIAC football game about to kick off at his place Saturday, New Canaan’s Lou Marinelli was acting more like a giddy fan than coach of the No. 3-ranked team in the state.
Friday night had just seen No. 2-ranked St. Joseph hang on to beat No. 4 Ridgefield, 17-14, and No. 5 Greenwich cool off Trumbull 44-12, setting a Halloween weekend of at least three hotly anticipated games between FCIAC rivals, all involving the top-fiveranked teams in the latest GameTimeCT New Haven Register Top 10 Football Poll.
Marinelli had an idea. Sure, it was a fantastical and — yes — a very Fairfield County idea that’s sure to elicit eyerolls everywhere else, but hear him out:
“You know what would be fun?” Marinelli asked rhetorically. “Let’s get all three games at Boyle Stadium
for a triple header.”
OK, so the groan-inducing idea of moving any FCIAC game not involving Stamford High School to Boyle Stadium aside, what better way to witness what is shaping up to be one of greatest weekends in league history?
And, ignoring the nightmarish logistics of pulling something like that off, Marinelli was serious.
“I think it would be great for our league,” Marinelli said Sunday. “When was the last time we’ve ever had something like this to showcase our league? I think it would be great. It would be exciting. It would generate a lot of interest and make a lot of extra money.”
As it is, casual fans are forced to choose, since they all kick off at approximately the same time Saturday.
At 2 p.m., current No. 4 Ridgefield will take a familiar trip down Route 35 to Fujitani Field and face archrival Wilton.