Well, that hurt.
After a few surprises in week one, the second time around for FCIAC football wasn’t quite so dramatic as seven of the eight games on the slate were decided by at least 33 points.
The lone close game was shown on the HAN Network on Friday, as the Westhill Vikings edged the Norwalk Bears, 26-21, at Norwalk’s Testa Field.
The Vikings were one of five teams to move to 2-0 through two weeks, joining Darien, Greenwich, St. Joseph and Staples.
Here’s a look at the gaudy numbers…
Friday, Sept. 15
Trumbull 33, Ludlowe 0
Westhill 26, Norwalk 21
Darien 47, McMahon 0
Staples 49, Wilton 3
Ridgefield 49, Stamford 0
New Canaan 42, Danbury 7
Saturday, Sept. 16
Greenwich 49, Trinity Catholic 7
St. Joseph 52, Fairfield Warde 13
What happened and what’s coming up
Two more football games are on tap for week three on the HAN Network. On Friday, it’s the Trumbull Eagles and the New Canaan Rams, with the Tailgate pregame show at 5 p.m. and kickoff at 7 p.m. On Saturday, HAN heads to Darien for a battle between two undefeated teams: The St. Joseph Cadets and the Darien Blue Wave. Pregame coverage begins at 1 p.m., with kickoff set for 1:30 p.m.
Top Coach
Lou Marinelli and the New Canaan Rams have been synonymous with success on the football field for nearly four decades and on Friday night in Danbury, Marinelli became the state’s winningest coach when his Rams topped the Hatters, 49-7.
The win was the 332nd of Marinelli’s 40-year coaching career, and pushed him past Ed McCarthy, who coached at West Haven and St. Joe’s, into the top spot in the record books.
Marinelli, who is in his 37th year at NCHS, was more concerned with win No. 1 — as in his team’s first of 2017 — than he was with the record-setting number.
Vikings unvanquished
Sure it’s only two games, but so far, head coach Frank Marcucio’s Westhill Vikings are looking pretty good.
A favorite “sleeper” during the preseason, Westhill had no trouble beating Ludlowe in week one, but Norwalk posed a bigger challenge with talented wide receiver A.J. Hall and Jalen Elliott, along with sophomore QB Kyle Gordon in the ranks.
The Vikings’ defense was a huge difference-maker with five interceptions — one each from Noodles Metayer, John Menedez, Jakai Young, Josh Morris, and Alan Nowlin.
Westhill took the lead for good when Saquan Kelly ran in a touchdown from nine yards out with 4:07 remaining. Kelly had 165 rushing yards and a pair of TDs.
In the end, though, it was the Vikings’ D which carried the day.
27 and counting
Darien stretched its winning streak to 27 games and did it under their own lights for the first time when they crushed the Brien McMahon Senators, 47-0, on Friday night.
Quarterback Jack Joyce threw four touchdown passes, with two going to Nick Green and one apiece going to Patrick Burke and Max Grant. Mitch Pryor scored on 10- and eight-yard runs, and even backup QB Peter Graham, a sophomore, got into the act by scoring his first varsity TD on a 20-yard run.
Wreckers rolling
The Staples vs. Wilton match-up was set up as one of the more interesting contests on the week two schedule, but a showdown never materialized as the Wreckers romped, 49-3.
Harris Levi played a starring role, running for four touchdowns and 110 yards, and Staples was never really challenged by Wilton, building a 35-3 lead in the first half and adding two TDs in the second half.
Some excellent story links from Week Two…
• Westhill beats Norwalk to improve to 2-0 (Norwalk Hour)
• Gatto throws six TDs; Ridgefield routs Stamford (Ridgefield Press)
• Levi scores four TDs and Staples’ defense stops Wilton (GameTimeCT)
• Warriors look to rebound after loss to Staples (Wilton Bulletin)
• Light night means heavy scoring in Wave win over McMahon (Darien Times)
• St. Joseph hammers Warde football (Stamford Advocate)
• Greenwich football team downs Trinity Catholic (Stamford Advocate)
