Cards destroy Rams
NEW CANAAN — Greenwich’s start to Saturday night’s showdown against FCIAC football rival was like a dream, as it scored 21 points during the first 5 minutes, 16 seconds of play.
For the Rams, it was
a nightmare.
A lightning fast beginning, in which it scored 21 unanswered points, ignited Greenwich to a 42-14 victory, before a near packed house at Dunning Field.
Ranked third in Class LL entering the much-anticipated matchup, Greenwich ran its record to 4-0 with the victory. New Canaan, which had won three straight, dropped to 3-2 and made it that much tougher on itself to qualify for the postseason. The game marked the fourth time GHS coach John Marinelli and his father, New Canaan coach Lou Marinelli went up against each other. John Marinelli’s Cardinals have won the last two meetings.
Senior quarterback Gavin Muir threw touchdown passes to senior wide receivers Lance Large and Stephen Bennett in the first half and ran for a score himself. Rams senior signal caller Drew Pyne tossed a pair of scoring strikes to senior wideout Quintin O’Connell in the opening half.
Greenwich drove 69 yards in eight plays to take a 7-0 lead on New Canaan on its first possession.
Large’s 23-yard touchdown reception capped the impressive drive. On the play, Muir dropped back to pass and found a wide open Large in the left corner of the end zone for the score, with 9:51 left in the opening quarter.
After New Canaan’s opening possession ended with Pyne getting sacked by Greenwich defensive end Mozi Bici, the Cardinals’ quickly added to their advantage. Muir connected with Bennett for a 38-yard pass play, setting the Cards up on the New Canaan 5-yard line. Two plays later, Muir ran it in from three yards out, giving Greenwich a 14-0 edge at the 7:02 mark of the second quarter.
The situation grew worse for the Rams, who fumbled the ensuing kickoff, with GHS senior Ryan Raybuck recovering at the New Canaan 33-yard line. On the next play, Muir rolled right and lofted a pass into the end zone, where Bennett was all alone for a touchdown. Ben Howarth added the extra point and just like that, the Cardinals held a 21-0 lead with 6:44 still to go in the first quarter.
New Canaan’s next drive stalled at the Greenwich 7-yard line, but the Rams reached the end zone for the first time early in the second quarter. Pyne threw an 18-yard scoring strike to O’Connell, who made the reception in the back of the end zone and managed to get his toes down for a touchdown 47 seconds into the second quarter.
The Rams’ offense found some rhythm late in the first half, behind the PyneO’Connell combination. Running a fade pattern down the left sideline, O’Connell hauled in a 19yard touchdown pass, cutting Greenwich’s advantage to 21-14 with 2:54 left in the second quarter.
Greenwich went threeand-out the next time they got the ball, but recovered a New Canaan fumbled punt and took over at the Rams’ 48-yard line. An 18-yard reception by Large for a first down set the Cards up on the Rams’ 5. Calling his own number, Muir ran up the middle for a score, making it 28-14 with 10 seconds to go in the opening half.
Off a well-executed playaction, Muir threw a 29yard scoring strike to senior Tysen Comizio, who ran free up the seam, making it 35-14 at the 8:37 mark of the third quarter.
Pyne got the ball to sophomore Christian Sweeney and senior Wyatt Wilson several times during the third quarter, but a pair of sacks by Edward Iuteri halted the Rams’ drives. Muir’s 63-yard completion to Comizio put the ball on the New Canaan 7-yard line and two plays later, Comizio scored on a 4-yard run, making it 42-14 with 10:06 remaining. Comizio also helped power the Cards’ running game throughout.