new canaan high school fall sports preview september 2010

SPORTS PREVIEWNew Canaan High School Fall 2010

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2D NEW CANAAN ADVERTISER, NEW CANAAN, CONN., THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2010

Senior Caroline Falcone (15) battles a Blue Wave player during the Class

M final last year. Falcone, Anjelique Kyriakos,

Amanda Milunovich and Jasmine Allen will be co-captains as New Canaan

looks to build on last year’s winning ways.

(Dave Stewart/File Photo)

By Dave StewartSports Editor

Just two days before the start of the high school sports season last fall, Erin Gildea received some pretty big news: She would be taking over the New Canaan Rams ̓ varsity field hockey team.

It was an abrupt start, but the result was one of the big-gest stories to come out of New Canaan last year. Under Gildeaʼs lead-ership, the Rams won their first eight games, went 17-4-1 overall and reached the finals of the FCIAC and the State Class M tournaments. All this for a team that hadnʼt appeared in the league finals since 2001 or the State finals since winning it all in 2003.

Gildea was then named the FCIACʼs Coach of the Year,

This season, Gildea has had a little more time to prepare and, so far, the coach is happy with what she sees.

“For the seniors, this is their last shot, theyʼve worked hard and they really want it,” Gildea said. “Top to bottom, the level of commitment and desire has gone up a notch, which is great.”

There is certainly a lot to like about this yearʼs Rams, despite the loss of 12 seniors from last yearʼs squad.

The graduations hit hard-est through the middle with the losses of center-midfielder Betsy Hart, center Maggie Burke and center-back Greer Stichnoth.

Stichnoth was the quarter-back of the defense; Burke led New Canaan in scoring, and Hart was a four-year starter at the gameʼs key position. All three, along with forward

Leah Taben, were captains.Taking over the leadership

responsibilities this season are senior co-captains Caroline Falcone, Anjelique Kyriakos, Jasmine Allen and Amanda Milunovich.

Falcone, who will move into the center position on offense, thrives in big games.

“She was a sleeper last year,” Gildea said. “She was steady and she scored our three

biggest goals of the season. She really couldnʼt have come up bigger in the playoffs.”

F a l c o n e ʼ s scoresheet included the game-winning goal against Greenwich with a minute remaining in the FCIAC semi-finals, the game-tying goal against Branford, again with a minute to play, in the State quarterfinals, and the third and winning goal in the subsequent penalty stroke period against Branford. She also scored the lone goal in the Rams ̓1-0 win over Avon in the State semis.

Falcone will be joined up front by Kyriakos, another returning player.

“Anjelique is a forward and she saw a lot of playing time last year,” Gildea said, “Sheʼs the outspoken one — very fast and really hungry to start and contribute. Sheʼs stepped up as a leader and sheʼs taking her role as a captain very seri-ously.”

Allen and Milunovich are the Rams ̓two returning start-ers on the defensive end of the field.

Allen, who will play center-back, was a key part of the defense, but had her junior season cut short when she was suffered a concussion in the FCIAC semifinals.

“Sheʼs tough, sheʼs feisty and sheʼs a gamer,” Gildea

said. “Itʼs definitely good to have her back there leading the defense because they all are relatively young.”

Milunovich was a question mark in goal early last season, but proved up to the challenge and became a strength through the playoffs.

Against Branford, Milunovich came up huge, facing nearly 30 corners and stopping the final three penal-ty strokes to help New Canaan get the win.

“Itʼs huge to have a good goalie with a year of experience under her belt, and all those playoff games,” Gildea said. “What I was most impressed with was that she played her best ball in the playoffs. In the Branford game, she kept us in it; it was by far her best game. Sheʼs vocal, sheʼs a great leader and sheʼs very enthusiastic.”

The other key center spot on the field is at midfield, where the Rams need to repalce Hart, who Gildea called “probably the most fundamentally sound player Iʼve seen in high school in a long time.”

Stepping into those shoes is senior Bailey Wright, who came on last season and impressed the coach.

“Sheʼs so tenacious and sheʼs a good athlete,” Gildea said. “Sheʼs got big shoes to fill, but I told her not to approach it as if sheʼs replacing Betsy, just play Baileyʼs game and sheʼll be fine. Bailey is aggressive and tough and she reminds me of Betsy in that regard.

“Thatʼs the most important position on the field because youʼre key to the offense, key to the defense and youʼre involved with everybody. But itʼs also the best position and the most fun because you are involved with everything.”

Gildea said the teamʼs strengths are speed and depth.

While they may lack the star power of last yearʼs roster, the Rams are solid throughout, as every player is expected to contribute.

“Weʼre fast overall and weʼre a lot smaller than we were last year, but the girls have a never-say-die attitude,” Gildea said. “They donʼt quit on plays and theyʼre going to bug the heck out of opposing offenses. This year, it will be more of a team effort from top to bottom. Last year, we had a few girls that we sometimes relied on almost too heavily at times. This year, weʼre deeper and weʼll be subbing more, and thatʼs good.”

The Rams clearly have the most experience on the offensive end, as four veterans return.

Leading that group is Falcone at center, along with Kyriakos and seniors Alexandra Jonker and Austin Ready. Ready is working her way back from an injury this summer, but should be able to go soon.

Also seeing significant play-ing time will be junior Melanie Sztorc and sophomore Bea Eppler, with juniors Vanessa Neeleman and Kate Gilhool also in the mix.

Gildea said sheʼs thinking of using two lines, making substitutions in unison to cre-ate a better rapport among the forwards.

The midfield corps will include Wright at center, with junior Grace Burke on the left wing and senior Stephanie Toth and junior Abbey Buckenheimer on the right.

Burke is moving up from the defense, and Gildea said she was a player who took advantage of an opportunity to prove herself last season.

“I always tell the girls who donʼt play as much as theyʼd like to keep working hard because you never know whatʼs

going to happen,” Gildea said. “If you get a chance and you succeed, Iʼll make room for you. Grace stepped in at half-time of the Greenwich semi-final when Jasmine was hurt and she played great. Sheʼs more of an offensive-minded player, so Iʼve moved her up to midfield. Iʼm expecting big things from her this year.”

Also in the midfield pic-ture are juniors Molly Fox and Molly Robustelli, who will also see time at forward, and sophomores Michelle Halpert and Bridget Falcone, who has impressed the coach this fall.

On defense, Allen will run the show from center, with junior Robin Neuhaus on the right side, and juniors Phoebe Wilkes and Lucy Taben on the left.

Also in the mix are juniors Emily Baldwin and Emily Lord and seniors Molly Barfuss and Marissa Van der Voort, while junior Britt Gardella backs up Milunovich in the goal.

The Rams will have their

first big test on Monday, September 20, when they play at Wilton, with a game at Greenwich on September 27.

The big game comes late, as the Darien Blue Wave visits Dunning Field on Wednesday, October 20.

Of the Rams ̓four losses last year, three came to the Wave, including in the finals of the FCIAC and State playoffs. Darien has not lost a game in three seasons.

“The thing with Darien is that if you make a mistake, they will make you pay,” Gildea said. “Thatʼs what has separated Darien from every-body else — they donʼt miss opportunities. We got better at that as the season progressed, but weʼre still learning that.

“This year, they really want to beat them and they think they can, which is huge. Last year, a lot of the girls didnʼt really believe we could beat Darien, so when we fell behind by one, it was tough. This year, theyʼre ready.”

Rams at a glanceHead Coach Erin Gildea (2nd year)

2009 Record: 17-4-1; FCIAC and Class M finalistsCaptains: Caroline Falcone, Anjelique Kyriakos,

Jasmine Allen, Amanda MilunovichOthers to watch: Austin Ready, Alexandra Jonker, Bailey Wright, Grace Burke, Abbey Buckenheimer

The Big GamesSept. 16 vs. Fairfield-Ludlowe at Dunning Field; Sept. 20 at Wilton; Sept. 27 at Greenwich; Oct. 13 at Ridgefield; Oct. 20 vs. Darien at Dunning Field - Of New Canaan’s four losses last season, three were to the Darien Blue Wave, which has not lost a game in three seasons. This game is a rematch of last year’s FCIAC and State finals, and the Rams will get a shot at the Wave on the team’s home turf at Dunning Field.

FieldHockey

Success in 2009 leaves Rams hungry for moreFCIAC and State finalist New Canaan wants another shot at the Blue Wave this season

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NEW CANAAN ADVERTISER, NEW CANAAN, CONN., THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2010 3D


Conor Hanratty, Kevin Macari and Joe Costigan. The three New Canaan football captains for the 2010 season are a unique trio and among the fin-est Lou Marinelli feels heʼs had at NCHS.

“The three of them have all been offered college scholar-ships — one in lacrosse and two in football,” Marinelli said. “That alone shows you the ath-leticism of those kids. Thatʼs a spe-cial thing and theyʼre special play-ers.”

The three seniors are leading a Ram team which is looking for a five-peat, having won the last four CIAC Class MM championships. The road to the playoffs is a little wider, as 32 teams now qualify for the States, up from 24. But winning it all will be tougher, as there are now just four divisions with eight teams in each.

New Canaan followed up its 13-0 season in 2008 with an 11-1 record last year, overcoming adversity on the field as well as some internal rifts off the gridiron.

This year, all is relatively calm on the home front.

“Our biggest concern is the kids whoʼve been banged up a little bit in scrimmages, which is the way it should be,” Marinelli, who is now in his 30th year at NCHS, said. “In that regard, weʼre back to the normal way it was for the 28 years before last season.”

The Rams will open the new cam-paign against the Bassick Lions at 7 p.m. today, Thursday, at Kennedy Stadium in Bridgeport. New Canaan is ready to rumble after a fine show-ing during the preseason.

“Weʼre still trying to figure out what kind of team weʼre going to be, but in our scrimmages weʼve done well, which is usually a good indica-tor,” Marinelli said. “Whenever you graduate as many kids as we did, youʼre never really sure what you have but, so far, the work theyʼve done in the offseason has paid off and they look good.”

That work starts at the top with the three co-captains.

Hanratty, a 6-5, 310-pound offen-sive lineman, is a three-year starter and was named to the All-State team last year, The son of former Notre Dame quarterback Terry Hanratty, Conor committed to the Fighting Irish in the spring.

“Conor used to play on one side of the ball and now heʼs doing both,” Marinelli said. “I donʼt know if

Iʼll ever have another kid whoʼs a Division I lineman like he is, so weʼre going to try and get everything we can out of him.”

Macari, another All-State play-er, will be a key to New Canaanʼs spread offense, providing a huge target as the No. 1 wide receiver. The 6-2, 215-pound senior has offers from the University of Rhode Island and Georgetown, and Dartmouth is

also in his sights. Heʼll also start at safety on the defensive side of the ball.

“Heʼs worked hard in the offseason,” Marinelli said of Macari “He ran track and heʼs got-ten his speed down. Heʼs one of the faster kids weʼve had and heʼs looked good. He catches the ball, returns punts, plays in the secondary — he does it all.”

Costigan is an All-State lacrosse player who committed to North Carolina earlier this season. Heʼll start at tailback on offense and safety on defense.

“Heʼs really been explosive and if we can run with him, certainly thatʼs going to help us,” Marinelli said. “Joe has made a natural transition there. Heʼs an outstanding athlete.”

After a year which saw plenty of controversy with the tandem of Willie Ouellette and Turner Baty at quarterback, Marinelli and the Rams are now set at the position as junior Matt Milano takes over.

Milano is more of a pure passer in the mold of a Curtis Casali (Class of 2007) or Mike Suozzi (Class of 1997), and so far, Marinelli has liked what heʼs seen.

“Heʼs another kid who worked hard in the offseason,” the coach said. “Heʼs gotten his release much quicker and thatʼs been good for him. He just needs to get a few games under his belt and work on his decision-making, going through the progressions and everything. Heʼs 100 percent improved from where he was last year. He just needs reps and the more we get him behind center, the better heʼll be.”

Backing up Milano at QB are junior Thomas Campbell, sophomore Andrew Read and possibly Macari.

Milano has a number of great targets with Macari, senior Cameron Armstrong (6-2, 187 pounds) and junior Patrick Newton (5-10, 165) at wide receiver. Newtonʼs broth-er, Cody, led the State in receiving yards last fall.

“Patrick Newton is a surprise,” Marinelli said. “Cody was the No. 1 receiver in the State last year and itʼs almost like thereʼs no drop-off. Patrickʼs also been playing corner and heʼs done a great job catching

the ball. Itʼs to be determined, but right now, he looks almost as good as his brother.

“Cameron Armstrong has really looked good. Heʼs a very good ath-lete and heʼs devoted a lot of time this summer to football and getting himself into shape.”

Starting at tight end is 6-1, 195-pound junior Connor Kilbane.

Others in the receiving mix include seniors Tim Fox and Willie Gould, junior Patrick Burke and Read at wideout, with senior Mike Lovisa at tight end.

In the backfield, the Rams will feature Costigan at tailback and junior Connor Goodwin at fullback. Duke Repko, a sophomore, looked good during the preseason, but broke his collarbone during a scrimmage last Friday and will miss at least half the season.

Other possibilities include senior Jimmy Joe Granito and junior Kevin McDonough at tailback, and Bobby Distler at fullback.

Making the offenseʼs engine hum will be the offensive line, which is one of the biggest Marinelli has had in years.

“That is one of our bigger lines going back to the days with Anthony (Silvestro), Bruno (Dorismond), Michael Fagan and those guys (in the Class of 2003). I donʼt think since weʼve had a group like that untill now,” Marinelli said.

The line includes Hanratty, senior Jack Atchue (6-6, 260), juniors Kalin Killinger (6-1, 239) and Thomas Rochlin (6-0, 248), and senior Will Canelas (6-1, 250).

Senior David Russell (5-11, 223) was slated to start at center, but suf-fered a high ankle sprain during the preseason and will miss the start of the schedule. In his place, junior Nick Pelli (5-8, 220) has stepped up and will start on opening night.

Also in the O-line picture are juniors Rami Hamden and Chris Dijs.

Marinelli called the New Canaan defense a “pleasant surprise,”, as the Rams have answered a lot of ques-tions during the preseason.

The D-line will feature many of the O-linemen in a rotation, flanking

senior Ryan Shullman, who returns at nose tackle for a second year. Junior Nick White will also be in the mix for playing time.

Granito returns as a starting out-side linebacker, although a shoulder injury will keep him out of the first game.

Also looking strong are senior Corey Tarlow, juniors John Brainard and Dylan Leeming and senior Connor Schaney.

The inside linebackers will feature McDonough, along with seniors Matt Brady and JoVeto DeCarvalho, with juniors Hunter Budd and Stephan Walker getting looks.

The secondary is another strength for the defense, with Newton and Armstrong at the corners and Macari and Costigan as safeties.

Backing up those four will be Fox, Gould and Burke, along with juniors Peter Kraus and Michael Bossidy.

Punting for the Rams again will be Granito, with seniors Colin Shapiro, Brianna Valente and Jack Bennett as the kickers.

The Rams start the year with two road games against Bassick and Trinity Catholic. Theyʼll home to

take on Fairfield-Ludlowe in week three before facing Fairfield-Warde on the road and Seymour at home to round out the first five games.

While the first half of the season appears to be fairly easy, Marinelli sees it differently.

“The first five games are all land mines,” Marinelli said. “We could lose to anybody on our schedule if we make mistakes and we donʼt do what weʼre supposed to do. As a fan, you can sit back and say we should be 5-0, 6-0 or whatever, but Iʼve never gone into a game where I said ʻWeʼve got this one. ̓Maybe itʼs my paranoid nature, but you can never take anybody lightly.”

The second half of the season will feature St. Joseph, picked by many as the No. 1 team in the State, Wilton, Greenwich, FCIAC runner-up Central and Ram rival Darien.

“If this group does what theyʼre supposed to do and theyʼre diligent and focused on what they have to do each week, I think we could be good,” Marinelli said. “The team in general has a good feel about it. Theyʼre a great group of kids and theyʼre fun to be with.”

Rams at a glanceHead Coach Lou Marinelli (30th year)

2009 Record: 11-1, Class MM ChampsCaptains: Kevin Macari, Conor Hanratty

and Joe CostiganOthers to watch: Jack Atchue, Jimmy Joe Granito,

Cameron Armstrong, Patrick Newton, Kalin Killinger, Connor Kilbane, Kevin McDonough,

Thomas Rochlin and Ryan ShullmanThe Big Games

Sept. 25 at Trinity; Oct. 23 at St. Joseph - The Rams beat up the Cadets during the NCHS Homecoming game last year, but St. Joseph has been tabbed by many as the No. 1 team in the State this fall. New Canaan will have to take on the Cadets, or Hogs, on the road, making for a tough week-six matchup; Nov. 5 vs. Greenwich at Dunning Field; Nov. 12 vs. Bridgeport Central at Dunning Field; Nov. 25 - Annual Turkey Bowl vs. Darien at Darien HS.

New Canaan football hunts for five-peat

Football

Senior tri-captain Joe Costigan (5) will be starting on both sides of the ball, as a tailback on offense and a safety on defense.


Junior Matt Milano takes over at quarterback, leading the Rams’ offense. (Dave Stewart Photo)

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Art Brown has a straightfor-ward outlook when it comes to preparing for the high school cross country season. His phi-losophy is that if each indi-vidual runner improves along the way, the team will succeed as a whole.

Those are words to live by and the New Canaan Rams ̓ girls cross country team may have the perfect roster for that approach.

The Rams are relatively young with plenty of upside and a chance to make some noise in the always-tough FCIAC this season.

Brown is starting fresh with the Rams after taking over as head coach from Steve Bedard, who led the team for three seasons. Brown was a long-time coach at Stamford High School and came to NCHS last year, working as an assistant in the girls track and field program with head coach Fred Word.

His two seasons with the

track athletes has made the transition that much easier this fall.

“Itʼs been a good start,” Brown said. “I coached indoor and outdoor as an assistant with Fred last year, so Iʼm familiar with some of the girls, but we have some new girls who Iʼve never really met before. We have around 38 girls, our

attendance has been good, the effort has been good and the workouts are going well.

“Itʼll take me a couple of weeks of see-ing how we do in competition to get a better feel for what weʼre going to do this sea-son.”

New Canaan had a winning dual meet record last year at 11-6 before finishing 10th at the FCIAC meet and 14th in Class MM.

Two of the Rams ̓ top five from are returning, as senior Portia Schultz and junior Cara Schulte are back in the fold and will be team cap-tains alongside senior Emma Hutchins.

Brown knows Schultz and

Schulte well after they both ran track last winter and spring.

“Cara and Portia both were in the top five last year,” Brown said, “Cara had a bad hip last year so she was kind of limited, but she seems pretty healthy now. Portia ran indoor and outdoor for us last year and sheʼs a very hard worker. This is the first time Iʼve met Emma, but she was pretty highly recommended by the other two captains.

“Theyʼre all really hard workers; all very intelligent kids and so far theyʼve been great role models. Theyʼve been very helpful to me in dis-pensing information and Iʼm really pleased with all three of them. I think itʼs going to work out great. They seem to have a lot of respect from the other girls.”

A four-year veteran of cross country, Schultz led the Rams at last yearʼs State meet, finish-ing 42nd overall at Wickham Park. She was also second for New Canaan at the FCIAC meet, finishing behind then-senior Hillary Ashley, who graduated in the spring.

Schulte was 64th at the FCIAC meet and adds another veteran presence to the roster.

The rest of the team fea-tures 38 girls, many of whom have enough talent to con-tend for one of the seven team spots at the FCIAC final. Who breaks out in front of the pack remains to be determined.

“I havenʼt done time tri-als yet because Iʼm waiting for the first meet to see how we do,” Brown said. “Itʼs an interesting team. Iʼm not sure whoʼs going to emerge, but we seemed to have a pretty well-balanced team. Itʼs hard to predict because we have some new girls who are look-ing good.

“In cross country, some kids compete better than other, the courses are different and itʼs a lot more subjective than track, where you can go out with a

stopwatch and time the kids in the 400.”

Staying healthy is the main concern at this point, as each runner trains and progresses at their own pace.

“Iʼm taking the training gradually and I donʼt want to get anyone hurt,” Brown said. “Girls are more susceptible to lower leg injuries than guys and I want to make the work-outs difficult, but at the same time stay injury-free.”

New Canaan has several runners who are multi-sports athletes.

Senior Erin Markey returns after helping the lacrosse

team win a State champion-ship in the spring, while junior Kellianne Hickey is also back after winning FCIAC and State titles with the girls ice hockey team.

Among the most promising athletes is sophomore Katie DiFazio, who was “an out-standing runner as a fresh-man” in the track program last year.

Senior Meredith Kelley is also looking good this fall, with juniors Kelley Saiz, Kristin Constantanovich, Elizabeth Kilbride and Mackenzie Curtin also in the mix. Kilbride and Curtin are both returning var-

sity veterans.Sophomore Georgia

Hunsinger, a three-sport ath-lete with the cross country, basketball and lacrosse teams, also returns after a strong year as a freshman.

“My philosophy for each girl is to improve as the season goes on. If we do that, then weʼll have a successful year. As far as the team goes, if the girls improve as the season goes on, that will contribute to the teamʼs success. My goal as a coach is to give every girl an opportunity to succeed. Thatʼs really what weʼre trying to do.”

Rams at a glanceHead Coach Art Brown (1st year)

2009 Record: 10-7Captains: Portia Schultz, Cara Schulte

and Emma HutchinsOthers to watch: Georgia Hunsinger, Erin Markey,

Katie DiFazio and Meredith KelleyThe Big Meet

Oct. 21 FCIAC Championship at Waveny Park - The high school cross country season is over in the blink of an eye, and this race is one of the premier showcases for harriers, as the FCIAC boasts many D1 college prospects. The Rams will be looking to take a few steps up from last year’s 10th-place finish.


Like a poker player who just canʼt seem to catch a run of good cards, New Canaan boys cross country coach Evan Remley has had to deal with a shrinking pile of chips the past couple of seasons.

This year, Remley has been dealt a winning hand.

The Rams lost just two seniors to gradu-ation and not only return seven solid runners, theyʼve picked up a couple of standout athletes.

All of which has Remley thinking big this fall.

“Over the last few years, it seems like weʼve lost a lot of really good guys, but for the first time in about three years, weʼve actually gained a bunch of guys,” Remley said. “And the ones that weʼve been develop-ing are still around like Alex (Spinu) and Pat (Daly). So we feel pretty good about things going into the season. Weʼve got some guys with a track record of proven success and a couple of guys who could be pretty darn good.”

New Canaan is coming off a season in which they finished 11-6 and were seventh in the FCIAC and 10th in Class MM. They lost Todd Bratches and Will Guynn in the spring, but return six runners who competed in the FCIAC championships last year.

Any talk of the top runners in the FCIAC has to include the Rams ̓No. 1 harrier Alex Spinu.

A junior, Spinu has already earned All-FCIAC First Team honors during his career, as he finished 15th at the

conference final last fall. And that, Remley said, was with a below-par performance.

He may have lost to two or three people in dual meets, so he was pret-ty disappointed (at FCIACs) because he could have been top five,” Remley said. “This year more than ever, he really wants to be in that elite group. Early indications are that heʼll be able to do that.”

The Rams are also high on Daly, one of four senior co-cap-tains on the team. Daly, who won the FCIAC freshman championship three

years ago, is the NCHS record-hold-er in the 800-meter run at 18:17.

Last season, he was sidelined early with an injury and never got back into form. Now Daly is healthy and Remley feels he could make the FCIAC First or Second team.

“Heʼs an outstanding track ath-lete,” Remley said. “He had a tough season last year in cross country. He was injured and he never got quite fit enough to compete the way he wanted to. The 5K isnʼt his premier distance — he definitely likes the shorter stuff — but heʼs a competi-tive enough athlete that heʼll be able to do some good things during the cross country season.”

Brant Hoffman, another senior co-captain, also returns after finishing 24th in the FCIAC and earning a spot on the All-Conference Second Team last year.

“Brant has had some really good practices and he seems to be hitting his stride in fitness and develop-ment,” Remley said. “I think Brant is poised to have a breakout season.

Heʼs been a very respectful track athlete, but I think we could see some real advances in terms of his personal record and what heʼs able to accomplish.

“Iʼd love to get three guys All-County which would be a first for me as a coach. I donʼt know where we might place in the team rankings, but goal-wise Iʼd be really happy with having three guys on the All-County team.”

Joining Daly and Hoffman as senior co-captains are Taylor Parsons, a two-miler in track and James Arliss, a veteran middle distance and dis-tance runner for the track team.

Sophomore Kalan Lysenko became a force during his first season with the Rams, and comes from a family of cross country and track athletes.

“The family name goes back a long way,” Remley said. “His brother was a State champion and thereʼs a long history of running in that fam-ily. I think Kalan will have a good year. Itʼs going to be a little tough as he moves from being a freshman with few expectations to being a sophomore who suddenly has the expectations to perform. I think heʼll be up to it.”

Three juniors who could have a dramatic impact this season are Dylan Kavookjian, Henson Orser and Nick Laub.

Kavookjian was with the team last fall and has had some great runs dur-ing the preseason.

Orser transferred to NCHS last year and was a standout with the track and field program.

“He was a member of our All-Conference 4x8 in track and field,” Remley said. “His first season run-ning track and field, he ran around a

2:06 in the 800 which is great. Heʼs has looked very fit and he could be another good guy for us.”

Laub is a tennis player, who won the deciding match when the Rams beat Staples for the FCIAC cham-pionship in the spring. He broke his wrist during the summer and is unable to play tennis for a while, so he joined the cross country team and has looked good thus far.

“Heʼs fit and heʼs good,” Remley said. “Iʼd be hard-pressed to pre-dict what his performance will be, but heʼs very athletic and I would not be surprised if we saw some pretty impressive things from him this fall.”

With so much talent on the roster, the biggest problem Remley may face is deciding who gets to be in the seven-man lineup for the FCIAC

final in October.As for how New Canaan measures

up to the rest of the FCIAC, only time with tell. Darien, Ridgefield and Danbury, which has won five straight FCIAC championships, all figure to be near the top of the league rank-ings. Remley is shooting to have the Rams in the top five of the FCIACs and States.

“Cross country is tough,” Remley said. “Times donʼt mean much because the courses are so varied. You really just donʼt know until you face the competition. The real-ity is that the FCIAC is the toughest conference in Connecticut in most sports.

“I always believe that you canʼt control those things and if you com-pete at a high level, good things will happen.”

Rams at a glanceHead Coach Evan Remley (7th year)

2009 Record: 11-6Captains: Brant Hoffman, Pat Daly,

Taylor Parsons and James ArlissOthers to watch: Alex Spinu, Kalan Lysenko, Henson Orser, Dylan

Kavookjian and Nick LaubThe Big Meet

Oct. 21 FCIAC Championship at Waveny Park - The centerpiece of Fairfield County’s cross country season is a sight to behold with a huge crowd of spectators and competitors against a scenic New England backdrop. The Rams will have 10 runners vying for the seven lineup spots for the final, and will look to move up from last season’s seventh-place finish.

GirlsCross Country

BoysCross Country

Harriers ready to run with the FCIAC’s best

Rams burst from blocks with new head coach

Junior Cara Schulte, above at last year’s FCIAC championship meet, is one of several return-ing veterans as the New Canaan Rams look to move up with Art Brown as their new head coach. (Dave Stewart/File Photo)

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There wasnʼt a more dra-matic turnaround than what the New Canaan boys soc-cer team experienced late last fall.

With a regular season record of 6-7-2, the Rams slipped into the State Class L tournament as the 23rd seed in a field of 28 teams and then knocked off four straight oppo-nents to make a sur-prise appearance in the State final. The rally included wins over second-seeded Bristol Eastern, 2-1 in double OT of the quarterfi-nals, and Bunnell, 2-0 in the semifinals,

After building a 2-0 lead in the first half of the champi-onship game, the Rams saw Brookfield come back with three goals, as New Canaan fell, 3-2.

While the momentum from the Rams ̓dramatic win streak may have faded, the experi-ence gained from the tourna-ment should be a boon as they a new season this week.

“People keep that in mind but itʼs not easy to keep momentum going from some-thing like that,” second-year head coach Victor Sanchez said. “Itʼs a completely differ-ent season with new players. But I think the boys, especial-ly the guys who are returning, know what it takes to get to that point. They understand all the hard work and dedication that has to be put in. I expect those guys to really step up and be leaders this year so we can have a better start to our season.”

The Rams lost a few key play-ers, including captains Nick Housden, Kevin Campbell and Henry Richardson, but return with enough veterans to make a run at the State and FCIAC playoffs.

Thus far, Sanchez has been pleased with what heʼs seen.

“Theyʼre looking fine,” the coach said. “We have a young group this year, but Iʼm happy

with the team we have. Some of our stronger players are returning so Iʼm optimistic. Our preseason games have been all right and weʼre just working on the little kinks that we have to fix.”

Leading the Rams in 2010 are senior co-captains Rory Shepard and Scott OʼBrien. Both are forwards, although Shepard, an FCIAC All-East player, began last season on

defense.Sanchez didnʼt

mince words when talking about Shepard.

“Rory Shepard is really the heart and soul of this team,”

Sanchez said. “He is the go-to player. He started off last year as our center-back and we pushed him up to forward, so we could have some more offensive power and thatʼs where weʼre going to keep him this year.

“Thereʼs no one who works harder than Rory in practices and games. Heʼs more focused than ever with this being his senior year and Iʼm looking forward to seeing what he can do this season.”

OʼBrien saw plenty of play-ing time last season and is moving into a starterʼs role. Heʼs a three-sport athlete at NCHS, also playing for the Rams ̓basketball and lacrosse teams.

“Scott OʼBrien has been in the program for a long time and heʼs a hard-working play-er,” Sanchez said. “Heʼs vocal — not shy at all — and heʼs a good addition to our starting lineup. Heʼs also a very good captain. Iʼm happy with him and looking forward to watch-ing him grow throughout the season as a captain.”

While those two should help keep things settled up front, what the Rams have in the back is pretty strong as well, as goalie Scott Levene returns for his sophomore season.

“The skyʼs the limit with him,” Sanchez said. “Heʼll write his own destiny, but he works hard all year round. Iʼm very impressed with how heʼs

started off this season not only on the field but off the field as well. Heʼs stepped up and been a little more vocal and a little more of a leader. He feels comfortable with the guys.”

Levene was a huge part of the Rams ̓ late-season rally, and has worked his way onto the National scene. He even started on goal for FC Westchesterʼs U-16 team at the National Showcase in Florida.

“As long as he doesnʼt let everything get to his head, heʼll be fine and I donʼt fore-see that happening because heʼs such a hard-worker and so dedicated to his develop-ment,” Sanchez said. “He doesnʼt let all the attention get to him. Heʼs a great kid and an amazing player.”

The defense in front of

Levene could take several shapes as Sanchez and the Rams try to put all the pieces of the puzzle together.

Junior Tom Carey is back as a returning starter, while seniors Kyle Isherwood and Kiki Terry and sophomore Justin Pertierra were also on the varsity roster last year.

New to the defense are junior Ben Granath and soph-omores Nicolas Deambrosio and Robert Valente.

“Iʼm comfortable and con-fident with the defense and having Scott Levene back there helps out,” Sanchez said. “Heʼll relieve some pressure from those guys. Itʼs just a matter of the guys understand-ing our defensive system, staying focused and working hard.

“I think weʼll be fine but it is a new group and playing at this level is challenging.”

Another strong point for the Rams is a center-mid-field, where juniors Jon-Luke Ferrandino and Tim Pritchard both return.

Ferrandino had a great sea-son last year and earned an All-East nod.

On the midfield wings are junior Charlie Pickhardt and sophomore Steven Valente.

“I feel comfortable through the middle,” Sanchez said. “Our strengths are our return-ing players, who are right through the middle and up top. We have some new faces on the outside and in the back, but Iʼm confident and happy with the work weʼve put in so far.”

The Rams will need to be on their toes to stay in the playoff picture in the FCIAC, which offers some of the most consistent competition in Connecticut.

Itʼs difficult, but Sanchez sees it as a good thing in the long run.

“Itʼs a grueling schedule for the FCIAC, so we need to be focused every game,” he said. “Itʼs nice because the league is very strong and that prepares us for the end of the season. But at the same time, itʼs tough on the kids. You just have to be able to manage your time and your develop-ment. I enjoy it a lot.”

Fine finish has Rams thinking big again

BoysSoccer

Strong through the middle,NC poised for a solid year

Rams at a glanceHead Coach Victor Sanchez (1st year)

2009 Record: 10-8-2, Class L finalistsCaptains: Rory Shepard and Scott O’Brien

Others to watch: Jon-Luke Ferrandino, Scott Levene, Tom Carey and Tim Pritchard

The Big GamesSept. 16 at Wilton; Sept. 23 vs. Trumbull at Connor Field; Sept. 20 vs. Ludlowe at Dunning Field; Oct. 12 vs. St. Joseph at Dunning Field; Oct. 14 vs. Greenwich at Connor Field; Oct. 25 vs. Darien at Connor Field - New Canaan and Darien played to a scoreless tie in this rivalry match-up last year, much to the frustration of the Rams. New Canaan will look to get past the Blue Wave this time, when they meet at Connor Field again.Tim Pritchard, left, Tom Carey (13) and graduate Oliver Citrin (23) await a corner kick dur-

ing the Class L boys’ soccer final last fall. (Dave Stewart/File Photo)

Scott Levene homes in on a shot during the State championship game last year. Levene, a sophomore, is a national-caliber goalkeeper and gives the Rams a steady force behind a revamped defense. (Dave Stewart/File Photo)

Junior Jon-Luke Ferrandino returns at center-midfield after earning FCIAC All-East honors last fall.


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As the volleyball season was winding down last fall, New Canaan head coach Katie Campbell and some of her varsity play-ers decided to peek into the future and watch one of the Rams freshman games.

The experience was an eye-opener

“We watched one fresh-man game and my varsity (team) looked at them and was amazed,” Campbell said. “They were diving into the stands, they were ready to go and they were really into it. Thatʼs the sophomore class right now and theyʼre really great.”

With five sophomores and six juniors on the roster this season, itʼs quite clear that the future has arrived for New Canaan.

The Rams were 4-14 last season — a disappointing final ledger for a team that had high hopes at the start. Theyʼve now wiped the slate clean and are ready to get back in the hunt for a postseason berth this season.

While Campbell and the Rams were ironing out the game plan and the skills during the preseason, New Canaan did have some of the

key intangibles in place.“Right now, the strength

of this team is their unity and their willingness to play and learn,” Campbell said. “Technical stuff, weʼll get to that, and experience, theyʼll get to that, but the willingness

to learn is mak-ing all the dif-ference as we make strides every single practice.”

Providing the guiding lights for the younger players are returning starters and senior co-captains Melissa Tweed and Ellen Trinklein.

“They are just phenomenal captains,” Campbell said. “Theyʼre role models in every way. Tweed brings her aggres-siveness and her competitive spirit. Sheʼs an athlete, she wants to compete and she gives her all every game. She also has skills and the girls can learn from her that way as well. Ellen also brings that fire and passion. On top of her awesome volleyball skils, she also has an awesome attitude.

“Both Ellen and Melissa con-tinually make sure that weʼre running places and weʼre talk-ing. I havenʼt had to pick on the little stuff because thatʼs getting done. We can focus on the bigger things because the captains have been reinforcing everything.”

Tweed returns as a middle blocker and, as Campbell said, the senior simply owns the net

when sheʼs on the court.“Tweed will be in the middle

again and she just dominates the net. Sheʼs at the net and sheʼs thinking ʻThis is mine,

you donʼt mess with the net. ̓Sheʼs fun to watch,” Campbell said.

Trinklein will steer the ship as the the Rams ̓ starting set-ter.

“Sheʼs awesome to have on the court,” Campbell said. “Sheʼs kind of like a mom — she takes care of every-body and makes sure every-one knows what theyʼre doing and that they stay up. Ideally, sheʼll be on the court all the time so weʼll have that consis-tency out there.”

Junior Kellen Tensen also returns in a starting spot as an outside hitter and will be a key cog in the offensive machine.

“Sheʼs going to bring us a solid base for passing as well as creative hitting. Sheʼs really great at finding those empty spots and just swinging away,” Campbell said.

Promising sophomore Annie Conover has earned a spot in New Canaanʼs starting lineup as an outside hitter after play-ing for the freshman squad last year.

“Annie Conover has power and the desire to do a lot of things,” Campbell said. “Weʼre going to look to have her perhaps start jump serving this year and to step right in playing front row, back row and the outside position.”

The other two starting spots will feature a combina-tion of four players — juniors Andrea Mullaney, Tricia Osterndorf and Gwen Van de Graaf and sophomore Brittany Overacker.

Mullaney moved to New Canaan from California this season and Campbell said sheʼs already fit in nicely. Mullaney is a middle who also does a solid job on the back row.

Osterndorf adds height to the lineup and will play on the right side, while Van de Graaf, a workhorse according to Campbell is a setter and a right side player.

Overacker will be a defen-sive specialist who may also play Libero, a position which limits her offensive attack, but allows her to be subbed in and out at any time during the match.

“Sheʼs little but she has power,” Campbell said of

Overacker. “She has a rocket serve and she is a great passer — very natural in her move-ment. Weʼre excited to see what sheʼs going to do.”

Also returning to the varsity roster is junior Cassidy Ward, a defensive specialist who saw time last year.

Rebecca Evensen, another junior, moves up from the junior varsity ranks as a mid-dle blocker or a right side player with height.

Coming off the bench for the sophomores will be Isabelle Herde, Emma Stracke and Taylor Copeland-York, another player who has moved to New Canaan.

Herde, a middle, is one of the Rams ̓“hungriest players,” according to Campbell.

“Sheʼs ravenous to learn things and itʼs all coming to her through experience,” the coach said. “She just wanted it too much to not have her play varsity. I donʼt know what her playing time will be but she is going to push everybody to another level of competition.”

Stracke and Copeland-York are outside hitters, and Copeland-York may also see time as a defensive specialist.

“Emma is fearless,” Campbell said. “Sheʼs not afraid of a hard serve, weʼre just working on how she han-dles it. Sheʼll go for it and ask

questions later which is a great attitude for a young player to have.”

The FCIAC schedule is pret-ty tough throughout, with few easy marks and many strong teams along the way. New Canaan will face league and State powerhouse Darien on September 20 at NCHS.

The Rams also opened with Bridgeport Central on Tuesday in a game which was a good early challenge.

“Itʼs pretty even,” Campbell said. “We do see Darien early and Danbury late. Central will be a test for us and theyʼll give us a tough match. Weʼve just got to go out there and do what we can do. Theyʼre scrappy and they can give you trouble.”

Having so many younger players on the team has not only put a smile on Campbellʼs face this season, but it bodes well for the next couple of years as well.

“Itʼs pretty heartening, espe-cially knowing that we have even more talent down at JV just because of the numbers,” she said. “Girls are doing a lot of out-of-season things and thatʼs helping them. A lot of the girls who moved up from freshman are saying that because they did a program, theyʼre able to step up to help the varsity team.”

Rams at a glance

Head Coach Katie Campbell (6th year)

2009 Record: 4-14Captains: Melissa Tweed and Ellen Trinklein

Others to watch: Kellen Tensen, Annie Conover,Brittany Overacker, Andrea Mullaney,

Tricia Osterndorf and Gwen Van de GraafThe Big Matches

Sept. 20 vs. Darien at NCHS; Sept. 22 at Wilton; Sept. 29 vs. Stamford at NCHS - New Canaan lost three five-set matches last year and one of them was to the Black Knights of Stamford. If the Rams can turn those scores around, it would go a long way toward qualify-ing for the State playoffs; Oct. 13 at Norwalk; Oct. 27 vs. Brien McMahon at NCHS

Volleyball

Young gunsYouthful talent has spikers aiming at postseason trip

Junior Cassidy Ward will again be with the Rams’ varsity volleyball team as a defensive specialist. The Rams finished 4-14 last year but figure to move up with an influx of younger players from last season’s successful freshman squad.


New Canaan junior Kellen Tensen gets set to serve during a match last season. Tensen is back in the starting lineup this fall, as the Rams prepare to make a run at a postseason berth.


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For those who like to think of swimming as a strictly individual, time-based sport, New Canaan Rams ̓head coach Dave Fine has a message about teamwork.

“Thereʼs a piece of swimming that high school offers that you never see any-where else and thatʼs the team aspect,” Fine said, “Your place in your race counts toward something bigger. They learn racing when theyʼre younger and about making cuts, but when you get to the high school, itʼs not just about your team, but itʼs also about your friends.”

That way of thinking has helped the Ram girls perform above and beyond expectations during many of Fineʼs seven years at the helm and, armed with a talented roster of 35 swimmers and divers, the Rams ̓sea-son is shaping up to be one of New Canaanʼs best.

The Rams feature a plethora of athletes who should be in the running for FCIAC and State medals, as well as a shot at qualifying for the State Open meet in November.

Gone are strong swimmers such as Lulu Belak, the school record-holder in the 50-meter freestyle, Hannah Singer, Erin Fessler and Perri Finnican.

In their stead are New Canaanʼs returning swimmers, boasting one more year of experience, as well as a couple of newcomers who could

make an immediate impact. After going 7-2, finishing third in the FCIACs and taking second in Class M by a mere 33.5 points, Fine sees no reason the Rams canʼt at least duplicate that success this fall.

“We return a significant amount from last year,” the coach said. “We lost some important girls, but I think

weʼll be able to fill those holes quickly and be as successful as we were last year.”

Leading the Rams will be the teamʼs four captains: Allie

Skaperdas, Patty Kilbride, Tory Rusch and Kathryn Sawabini.

Skaperdas is a four-year veteran who competes in the 100 butterfly and 200 IM and could possibly see time in the 500 freestyle this season.

“Since her freshman year, sheʼs been an FCIAC finalist, a State final-ist, sheʼs been in the State Open twice — she made it as a sophomore and sheʼs been a big part of what weʼve done,” Fine said. “She has a passion for the sport and thatʼs a major factor in leading a team to victory.”

Skaperdas is also one of seven All-State swimmers returning, alongside senior Livi Kroll, juniors Cara Egan, Ali Rusch and Adelyn Graf, and sophomores Maddie Rusch and Erin Dunstan.

Kilbride, another four-year swim-mer, leads by example Fine said, and sheʼs grown by leaps and bounds since her freshman season.

“When she came in as a freshman, you would never have expected her to be where she is now,” the coach said. “She worked extremely hard for

all four years and weʼre looking for her to final in FCIACs, be in the top eight again at States and to make the State Open.”

Kilbride could figure into several freestyle events from 100 up to 500 meters.

Tory Rusch is the eldest of three sisters on the team and she recently made the decision to play softball at Bowdoin College beginning in 2012. Rusch is a sprinter who could also see time in the butterfly this year.

“Tory is vocal and I really think the girls voted her a captain based on her work ethic last year,” Fine said. “She was the first one in the water, she leads a lane and she is always busting her butt. That really showed last year and I think the girls want her to be their leader.”

Sawabini will lead a promis-ing group of divers, who are again coached by Joe Somma, who also directs the renowned Whirlwind Diving team.

“Joe had a tough decision to make between (Sawabini) and Alex Lloyd because either one would have made a great captain,” Fine said. “Kathryn has a great work ethic and from what Iʼve seen of the girls so far, theyʼre going to have a very good season on the boards.”

That quartet on the boards will also include sophomores Meredith Jonker and Ariana Ross, each of whom did well last fall

The sophomore Maddie Rusch burst onto the scene as a freshman last year and had a tremendous sea-son.

Her top race is the 50 freestyle, although Fine said he can use her in

just about any event and sheʼll score points.

“When it comes to the sport of swimming, sheʼs the real deal,” Fine said. “She made Junior Nationals over the summer, sheʼs ranked in the top 16 for 13 and 14-year-olds and she was 12th in the Nation in the long course 50 free. Her 50 free is unmatched. I really think she could swim in almost any event across the board anmd be in the top three in the State. Weʼre hoping for her to be that diverse for us this year.”

Senior Livi Kroll returns for her fourth season with the team and will compete in the backstroke and the middle distance freestyles.

“She swam great at the end of the season considering she missed a whole conditioning part of the sea-son,” Fine said. “She had a phenom-enal offseason and weʼre expecting great things out of her.”

Also back in the senior ranks is Taylor Dunstan, who made the Junior National Water Polo team this fall. Sheʼll compete in the freestyle and IM.

Taylorʼs younger sister, Erin, returns as a sophomore and will com-pete in the breaststroke and IM.

“She did everything we expected her to do last year,” Fine said. “She had a solid season and sheʼs our front-runner in the breaststroke this year. I donʼt like putting underclass-men in that position, but sheʼs the type of person and athlete who can handle that role.”

Senior Sam Salvo will give the Rams a strong distance freestyler once again after a fine open water season.

The junior class includes a number of top swimmers, including Cara Egan, a multi-event athlete who

excels in the breaststroke.Egan, Belak, and Ali and Maddie

Rusch were part of the 200 free relay team which established new NCHS and Class M records last year.

“Cara, since her freshman year, has had to take on a leadership role in her events and sheʼs very mature for a junior swimmer,” Fine said. “Sheʼs another multi-event swimmer and sheʼs a great breaststroker.”

Also returning for the junior class is Adelyn Graf, who has represented New Canaan in the backstroke, the 200 IM and the 500 freestyle during her career.

Ali Rusch, Grace Duncan and Emma Tobey are three more juniors who will be key for the Rams.

More veteran swimmers returning to the varsity ranks include seniors Ellen Gronseth and Lauren Ross, juniors Meghan Fahy, Lindsey Jones and Caroline Picard, and sophomores Tess Musky-Goldwyn and Julie Newton.

New Canaan has added 10 fresh-men to the roster and two, Jenna Egan and Alex Aliapoulios, will make an immediate impact. Egan can swim multiple events, while Aliapoulios stars in the breaststroke.

The FCIAC has made a major change to the schedule, as the top six finishers at the conference final last year will all face each other during the dual meet season.

Thus, New Canaan will have a gauntlet of tough teams including Darien, Greenwich, Staples, Wilton and Trumbull. The set-up will give the Rams a truer test of where they stand heading into the postseason.

“Thatʼs really going to show what weʼre made of,” Fine said. “Weʼll find out what we have to do to reach our goals by the end of the season.”

Talented swimmers dive into new seasonReturning Rams, plus some key newcomers, make New Canaan a team to watch

Rams at a glanceHead Coach Dave Fine (7th year)

2009 Record: 7-2Captains: Allie Skaperdas, Patty Kilbride,

Tory Rusch and Kathryn SawabiniOthers to watch: Maddie Rusch, Livi Kroll,

Cara Egan, Taylor Dunstan, Sam Salvo, Erin Dunstan,Adelyn Graf, Ali Rusch, Grace Duncan, Emma Tobey

The Big MeetsSept. 22 vs. Trumbull at Hillcrest Middle School; Oct. 1 at Darien — The Rams were young and relatively inexperienced when they met rival Darien in their first meet last fall. New Canaan improved greatly last season and this year, they’ll see the Blue Wave a bit later. That set-up could work in New Canaan’s favor, as they look to knock off one of the league’s top powers; Oct. 6 avs. Wilton at New Canaan YMCA; Oct. 13 vs. Greenwich at New Canaan YMCA.;

Swimming& Diving

Adelyn Graf is part of a strong junior class, as the Rams look to build on their 7-2 record from last season.(Dave Stewart/File Photo)

Junior Cara Egan, shown competing at the FCSL meet this summer, is one of numerous returning swim-mers for the New Canaan Rams this season.


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The New Canaan Rams had a secret as they readied themselves for the start of the fall girls soccer season last year.

While conversations about the FCIAC championship tended to center around defending champion St. Joseph and elsewhere, the Rams quietly went about their business

preparing for competition.

They were flying under the radar, which suited the Rams just fine.

“We knew on paper that we had a chance,” head coach Kirk Bamford said. “I donʼt think a lot of people realized the level and depth that we had. With the team spirit we had, we proved to be very dangerous.”

Dangerous is putting it mildly.Bamfordʼs first season at New

Canaan High School couldnʼt have gone much better.

The Rams were 19-1-3 overall, gained a share of the FCIAC crown when they played to a scoreless tie with Ridgefield in the final, and captured New Canaanʼs first State championship since 2004.

In all, the Rams allowed just seven goals, pitched 18 shutouts and out-scored their foes 19-1 during the postseason.

With 16 veterans back from that campaign, the Rams are ripe for an encore, but they wonʼt be sneak-ing up on anybody this time. They graduated six players — all of them key factors last year — but thereʼs too much talent in place for the Rams to slip.

“Obviously, they were important players last year in their roles, but you can see by the group weʼve got, we didnʼt add very many new play-ers,” Bamford said. “So the experi-ence theyʼve had at being involved and playing with those players, and progressing themselves as individu-als, will be good for us.

“We might be slightly different in how we play, but weʼve still go nice depth. Weʼll hopefully be able to compete with everybody at the high-est level.”

With people such as All-Staters Caroline Murray and Jana Persky,

goalie Holly Burwick, and a host of other big-time players still in the fold, the Rams appear set for a title defense this fall.

The team is deep, athletic and speedy in every spot on the field.

Still, Bamford feels itʼs intangibles that are New Canaanʼs biggest asset.

“The strength is the team in terms of the bond, the unity, and their understanding and commitment to each other,” Bamford said. “Thatʼs

big in any team sport. The girls have a good understanding and desire to win with each other. Weʼve got a good team cohesion and I think thatʼs going to be where we grow and develop.”

Leading the Rams as captains will be Murray, Persky and fellow senior Alyssa DiCosmo, another returning player.

Murray, a striker, is a handful for opposing defenses, with unrivaled speed and technical skill. She also came up big in the spotlight, setting up the game-winner in the State final last year when she battled for a free ball in the corner, turned and fired a perfect pass into the box for then-senior Liz Bruno, who headed the ball into the net.

Murray, who has already commit-ted to play at Ohio State next year, is a quiet leader off the field, but a whirlwind on the pitch.

“Caroline has been a great player for the program and she continues to grow and develop,” Bamford said. “Obviously, her record and perfor-mance speaks for herself. Sheʼs a very ferocious talent. Sheʼs very coachable and a good girl to have around. She comes alive on the field and now, being in that leadership role as a senior, sheʼs enjoying that as well. I think that will help her grow as a player.”

Persky is a veteran captain, having filled that role for the Rams ̓girls ice hockey team since her sophomore season. Sheʼll be back at center-midfield this fall, providing a steady influence for the team.

“Janaʼs a great inspirational player in the middle of the field. She pro-vides a lot of support and her leader-ship value is great as well. Sheʼs the type of person you want in the engine room,” Bamford said.

DiCosmo is a solid midfielder, who stepped up last season and has continued to improve during the summer. Sheʼs working her way back from injuries at present, but will be ready as the season begins.

“Alyssa has great experience and a lot of technical ability,” Bamford said. “Sheʼs relishing her new role as a leader on the team. Last year, she was very effective. Hopefully, weʼll see the positives and the benefits of her hard work this year.”

Also key for the Rams is the return of junior goalie Holly Burwick, who has been a starter since her freshman

year.“Sheʼs strong, technical player and

sheʼs experienced now,” Bamford said. “Although she doesnʼt always get a lot to do there, whatever she does, she does well. Thatʼs a credit to her because itʼs hard not being in the game all the time and still being able to perform. She has a good handle on that.”

Defensively, New Canaan has speed to burn, with juniors Sarah Mannelly and Stephanie Benko, senior Melanie Esclante and sopho-more Brianna McEwan slotted in as starters.

Also in the picture are junior Julia Tuttle and sophomores Kelly Armstrong and Giuliana Savini. Armstrong and Tuttle are dealing with injuries and the Rams hope to have them in action soon.

Backing up Burwick in the net are juniors Devon Calhoun and Alexandra Yuditski.

At center-mid, New Canaan will feature Persky, sophomore Anna Borea and junior Kendall Danforth, with DiCosmo, seniors Katie McKeever, Abby Lee and Keri Lloyd and juniors Lauren Holec and junior Malloury Hall on the wings.

At forward, Murray will be the focal point, with senior Aly DiRocco, junior Jenny Crandall and sophomores Eileen Dinnie, Abigail

Sawabini and Madzie Carroll in the hunt.

“Technically, weʼre decent,” Bamford said. “We can play and a lot of the players are very good together as a group. They help each other and work together. They understand thatʼs important.”

There are few easy wins in the FCIAC and the Rams will have a rough schedule to start with Trumbull, St. Joseph and Fairfield-Warde all on tap during the first five games.

“Itʼs important that weʼre ready to compete and that we get off on the right foot in terms of our perfor-mance and attitude,” Bamford said. “Itʼs important to start well and then keep that momentum.”

While itʼs tough predict a replay of the fantastic run the Rams had last year, thereʼs no doubt New Canaan has the pieces on place to contend yet again.

Bamford, who was named the FCIAC Coach of the Year last fall,has plenty to smile about again this fall.

“The girls are a great group — they have fantastic personalities and theyʼre very coachable,” he said. “They have a great attitude and I really like working with them. They respond well and Iʼm enjoying it. Thatʼs why I do it. I enjoy it and I want to help them get better. To me, thatʼs part and parcel why I do this.”

Rams at a glanceHead Coach Kirk Bamford (2nd year)

2009 Record: 19-1-3; FCIAC and Class L champsCaptains: Caroline Murray, Jana Persky

and Alyssa DiCosmoOthers to watch: Holly Burwick, Sarah Mannelly,

Anna Borea, Aly DiRocco, Katie McKeever,Melanie Escalante, Stephanie Benko

The Big GamesSept. 23 vs. St. Joseph at Connor Field; Sept. 29 vs. Fairfield-Warde at Connor Field; Oct. 11 at Greenwich; Oct. 15 at Darien; Oct. 28 vs. Ridgefield at Dunning Field - The New Canaan Rams and Ridgefield Tigers clashed twice last season, first at Tiger Hollow, where the Rams suffered their only loss. In the rematch in the FCIAC final, the teams played to a scoreless tie and were declared co-champs.

New Canaan defending two crowns in 2010

GirlsSoccer

Senior Caroline Murray, who has commited to play soccer at Ohio State, returns for one more season with the Rams, this time as a team captain.


Senior Jana Persky (15) will be one of three captains for New Canaan, as the Rams look to contend for the State and FCIAC championships again this fall. (Dave Stewart/File Photo)

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Tony’s De l i • 18 P ine S tree t • New Canaan , CT • 203 -972 -3403

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new canaan high school fall sports preview september 2010

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