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It took all 10 regular season games to determine the New Canaan High School football team's playoff fate, but the defending state champs are back for a shot at a fifth straight title. The Rams (9-1) will travel to third-ranked Naugatuck (9-1) for the quarterfinals of the Class L playoffs at 6:30 tonight.
The way New Canaan closed out its schedule since its stunning Week Six loss to St. Joseph, it is hard to believe its playoff hopes were ever in doubt. The Rams' offense is playing off the charts, averaging nearly 46 points a game in their final four games. Quarterback Matt Milano has thrown for more than 1,000 yards during the current four-game win streak. Wide receiver Kevin Macari is wrapping up a season that could go down in the record books as one of the best in state history.
The icing on the cake was handing FCIAC champion Darien its first loss of the season in the annual Turkey Bowl on Thanksgiving Day. The Rams surprised spectators with a 42-14 trouncing of the longtime rival. Darien is ranked fifth and will take on fourth-seeded Wethersfield on the road at the same time tonight.
The Rams enter the reformatted playoffs as the No. 6 seed and will play as the visiting team throughout the postseason. It is a new scenario for a team accustomed to being the top-ranked team in its class.
The state playoffs will have a new look this year after the football divisions were restructured for the 2010 season. There are now four classes instead of six, with the top eight teams in each class making the playoffs as opposed to four. That expands the playoffs to three games instead of two.
Do you think New Canaan can win a fifth-straight state title despite the low seed? Where does Kevin Macari rank among all-time FCIAC wide receivers? Start the discussion below!
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