Howdy,

Check out the weekend that Lou Marinelli and his New Canaan football team enjoyed:

• Beat rival Greenwich on Saturday, 35-20.

• Marinelli won his 300th game, joining West Haven coach Ed McCarthy and the once and always Colonel Ledyard, Bill Mignault.

• Francesca Mountain, Marinelli’s oldest daughter, gave birth to Tessa on Sunday, making him a grandfather for the second time.

Everything is coming up Marinelli.

“It’s been a really special weekend for my family,” Marinelli said.

It sounds crazy to say that New Canaan has been a surprise this season given that it’s won seven of its nine state championships over the last 13 seasons. However, even Marinelli wasn’t sure what to expect after 28 seniors graduated, half of which started for last year’s Class L championship team.

New Canaan is 3-0, which includes a season-opening road win at Hand, a veteran team that was ranked No. 2 in the New Haven Register Top 10 media poll and expected to contend for a state title.

The Rams have been ranked numero uno in The Day’s Top 10 state coaches poll since the rankings started after Week 1.

“We have some good young juniors that are coming on and playing a little bit better than we thought they could play,” Marinelli said. “I don’t know how good we are, but I think we’re getting better. I think by winning two games over the likes of Hand and Greenwich will help us mature.

“I’m very pleasantly surprised.”

Zach Allen and Alex LaPolice were among the Rams few known commodities. Allen, a 6-foot-6, 258 pound defensive end-linebacker, gave Northwestern a verbal commitment before the season. DePolice, who was the team’s leading receiver last year, will play at Harvard.

The quarterback position is of upmost importance to New Canaan given that it’s been the masters of the Tony Franklin System offense.

Junior Michael Collins is the Rams’ new starting quarterback and is off to a strong start. He’s thrown for 637 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions. New Canaan offensive coordinator John Marinelli, Lou’s son, told Sean Patrick Bowley of GameTimeCT.com last week, that Collins is, “the best, most technically proficient quarterback I’ve ever worked with.”

“He could be really good,” Lou Marinelli said. “He’s got a really good arm and is really smart. He’s a good student and works hard at it. He’s been a real pleasure to coach.”

Junior running back Matt Cognetta has stepped up in the absence of older brother, Frank, who broke his foot during New Canaan’s Grip It and Rip It 7-on-7 passing tournament in July. Frank Cognetta led the team in rushing last year.

Matt Cognetta scored his team’s final two touchdowns in the Greenwich win, a 14-yard reception and a 57-yard run on an end around.

The offensive line features two juniors and a sophomore, so, yeah, New Canaan is set for the next two seasons.

“A kid who’s been a surprise is Kyle Smith (6-3, 222) at receiver,” Marinelli said. “He’s done really well. Then we had a kid come out from the lacrosse team, David Strupp. He’s going to play lacrosse at Harvard. He’s only a junior, but he’s started at defensive end and done a great job.

“The thing that I was really nervous about that has been really surprising to me has been the linebackers after Cole Harris and Michael Root graduated. You’re not sure what you’re going to get, but the younger kids have really stepped up and done well for us. The nose tackle and two tackles, we have a rotation going now. (Senior) Malaki Holan (5-10, 282) has done a really good job for us.”

Marinelli also praised the work of senior safety-receiver Sterling O’Hara.

New Canaan has three more must-see games later in the season. It plays host to Staples (2-1) on Oct. 24, followed by a game at No. 5 St. Joseph (Nov. 1). It closes the season against rival and fourth-ranked Darien on Thanksgrabbing. The Blue Wave have beaten the Rams the last two seasons.

“We’re not as good as last year, but we have the potential to be pretty good,” Marinelli said.

• • • •

The New Haven Register Top 10 media poll: 1. Southington (3-0, 22 first-place votes); 2. New Canaan (3-0, two first-place votes); 3. Darien (3-0, one first-place vote); 4. Ansonia (3-0, one first-place vote); 5. St. Joseph (3-0); 6. Newtown (3-0, one first-place vote); 7. Windsor (3-0); 8. Cheshire (3-0); 9. Shelton (3-0); and, 10. Tie, Hand (2-1) and Xavier (3-0).

• • • •

Behold, the ballot that Polecat Worldwide submitted to media poll coordinator Pooch Diggity Dogg of the Digital First Monolith:

1. Southington: Runs the most up-tempo-est offense we’ve ever seen.

2. New Canaan: Has a chance to win the program’s 500th game this Thursday.

3. St. Joseph: Needed a late touchdown to beat winless Ridgefield. No worries.

4. Ansonia: QB Jai’Quan McKnight (lower leg) and RB Tajik Bagley (ankle) both missed last Friday's 40-0 win over Wilby. Chargers' head coach Tom Brockett told Pooch Diggity Dog on Monday that he doesn't know the status of either for this Thursday's game against unbeaten Seymour. STAY TUNED. 

5. Darien: We so want to see it play St. Joseph this Thursday afternoon.

6. Cheshire: You beat West Haven as thoroughly as it did, you get ranked high on this ballot.

7. Naugatuck: It’s only a matter of time before the Greyhounds crack both Top 10s. They’re that good.

8. Newtown: May be ranking it too low.

9. Hand: Played better in last Friday’s 37-24 win at Wilbur Cross, but we’d still like to see more consistency.

10. Ledyard: Let’s just fast forward to the Halloween game against Windham.

11. Brookfield: New Fairfield slowed the Bobcats’ running game last Friday, but still won, 21-10. Trust in GOD’S OFFENSE.

12. Shelton: Mark Piccirillo would be a great QB to own in high school fantasy football league provided you’re enough of a degenerate to be in a high school fantasy football league.

13. Hall: Started its season with wins over Glastonbury and Newington. Nice.

14. Xavier: Defense has been as good as the Falcons could’ve hoped. Watch out if the offense continues to develop.

15. West Haven: Gets credit for beating Greenwich more thoroughly than Darien did.

• • • •

Granby’s Connor Field mastered the manly discipline of the running arts while leading his team past Sports Medical Sciences Academy/University, 51-20, on Friday. He ran 17 times for a school-record 337 yards and four touchdowns and scored on a 60-yard catch.

Mykel Morris helped Bridgeport Central rally from a 12-point, fourth-quarter deficit and beat Fairfield Warde on Friday, 24-21. Morris ran for a game-winning 79-yard touchdown with over a minute left. He ran 22 times for 285 yards and two touchdowns, completed 7 of 14 passes for 220 yards, and had an interception.

Ledyard’s JoJo Shumaker ran for 189 yards and four touchdowns as his team trounced Stonington on Friday, 42-13. …. Khaleed Exum-Strong ran 26 times for 275 yards and five touchdowns during Friday’s 49-21 win over Waterford. …. Plainfield scored two touchdowns in the final 2 minutes and 48 seconds to stun New London on Friday, 21-17. …. Tyler Bailey ran for four touchdowns and scored on a 50-yard punt return as No. 3 Ansonia beat Wilby on Friday, 40-0.

Handy Ellison was, ah, useful in Maloney’s 49-20 win over Farmington on Friday. He scored on runs of 3, 1 and 43 yards and kicked seven extra points. … Tyzhan LEATHERWOOD ran 31 times for 288 yards and four touchdowns as Platt downed Plainville on Friday, 61-26. …. Elijah Benjamin scored on runs of 3 and 55 yards as Kennedy beat Watertown on Friday, 32-7, to start its season 3-0 for the first time in school history.

Andrew Yamin ran for 208 yards and four touchdowns in the first half as Cheshire blitzed then No. 6 West Haven on Friday, 42-28. The Rams led the Westies by as much as 42-14 in the fourth quarter. …. Xavier’s defense held Hamden to 77 yards in its 30-7 win on Friday. …. Hand’s Nick van Dell threw for 339 yards and four touchdowns in Friday’s 37-24 win over Wilbur Cross. The Governors’ A.J. Consiglio completed 28 of 46 passes for 322 yards and three touchdowns, all to Wali McKelvey.

Dario Highsmith ran 18 times for 266 yards and four touchdowns as Middletown bounced back with a 34-7 win over Bristol Eastern on Friday. The Blue Dragons (2-1) averaged 8.8 yards a play. …. Windsor needed just five plays to score three touchdowns during Friday’s 38-6 win over Bristol Central. The Warriors totaled 169 yards on those five plays. …. Shelton downed Amity on Friday, 42-7, as Mark Piccirillo threw for 142 yards and two touchdowns, ran for 93 yards and a touchdown, and threw a 2-point conversion. The Gaels also had six sacks.

Mike Krieger completed 12 of 16 passes for 306 yards and four touchdowns and ran eight times for 39 yards and a score as Derby beat Crosby on Friday, 46-20. …. Colton Smith ran 11 times for 175 yards and two scores and threw for two touchdowns to lead Fairfield Prep past Notre Dame of West Haven on Friday, 35-18. …. Adam Wojenski completed 18 of 23 passes for 263 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 53 yards and a score as Bunnell beat Masuk on Friday, 21-14.

Matt Sanzaro was 15 of 23 for 260 yards and four touchdowns as Wethersfield trounced E.O Smith on Friday, 50-3. … Jake Kasuba completed 12 of 21 passes for 132 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 176 yards and a score as Foran beat Sheehan on Friday, 42-35. … Killingly’s Michael Elsey scored on a 90-yard kickoff return, ran for 104 yards and a touchdown, and had 114 yards receiving during Friday’s 53-28 win over Fitch.

Montville spotted Bacon Academy a 16-point first quarter lead before hammering the Bobcats 59-16. Jon McCray ran 15 times for 183 yards and four touchdowns and scored on a 92-yard reception, too. Teammate Tyler Quidgeon completed 12 of 18 passes for 329 yards and two scores, too. The Indians’ defense also held Bacon’s Sean Kelly to 111 yards passing with three interceptions after he had thrown for over 400 yards in his previous two games.

Jake Ober scored on runs of 27, 2 and 15 yards and threw a 56-yard touchdown for Coginchaug in its 28-14 win over Haddam-Killingworth on Friday. …. Mike Montano ran for 89 yards and two touchdowns and threw for two more as North Haven beat East Haven on Friday, 48-14. GOD’S FATHER’S OFFENSE. …. Kevin Trefz ran for a 14-yard touchdown with 2:31 left to give fifth-ranked St. Joseph its 21-17 win over Ridgefield on Friday.

Jalen Brown completed 17 of 30 passes for 332 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 75 yards and two scores as Stamford continued its ascension with a 42-30 win over Trumbull on Saturday. The Black Knights (2-1) have scored 134 points, which is three points less than the scored in 11 games last year.

North Branford’s Austin Calamita scored six times during Saturday’s 68-19 win over Lewis Mills. Calamita had four catches for 91 yards and three touchdowns, ran six times for 78 yards and two scores, and scored on a 54-yard fumble recovery. Rachel Sokoloff also converted on eight of 10 extra points.

Chris Jean-Pierre completed all five of his passes for 171 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another as Valley Regional/Old Lyme downed Old Saybrook/Westbrook on Saturday, 42-7. Tyler Cheverier also ran for two touchdowns and had 14 tackles, tying Greenwich’s Pete Salvatore for the state’s career record (520), according to the Connecticut High School Football Record Book.

Holden Cote ran for 192 yards and four touchdowns to lead Woodstock Academy past St. Bernard/Norwich Tech on Saturday, 35-14, for its first win on the field in almost two seasons. The Centaurs beat Bacon Academy (23-13) on Oct. 28, 2011. They were awarded a forfeit victory over Stamford Academy later that year on Nov. 19.

Javon Alston did some things for Bulkeley/(takes deep breath) Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy in Saturday’s 46-38 win over Fermi. Alston had 10 catches for 135 yards and a touchdown, scored on both a 65-yard kickoff return and a 99-yard interception return, and caught a pass on a 2-point conversion. Teammate Malik Starks completed 14 of 19 passes for 278 yards and four scores and ran for a 1-yard touchdown.

Sam Ruzzi kicked a game-winning 22-yard field goal with 1.1 seconds left to give Trinity Catholic its 17-14 win over Fairfield Warde on Saturday. Ruzzi also ran 14 yards on a fake punt for a first down during a touchdown drive. He also had a 70-yard punt. Trinity is 3-0, one season after it went 0-11. .… Rayshawn Phillips threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns and scored on a 5-yard run as Capital Prep/Achievement First beat Bullard-Havens on Saturday, 32-20. Wesley Raffington returned the opening kickoff for an 80-yard touchdown and later scored on a 75-yard kickoff return for Bullard-Havens. …. Darien didn’t allow Bassick to cross midfield in its 41-0 win on Saturday.

Canton ran 49 times for 316 yards and didn’t attempt a pass (HOORAY) to beat Ellington/Somers on Saturday, 21-14. The Warriors, which have just 27 players and no JV program, held the Purple Knights to 38 yards of offense in the first half. .... Staples had its second shutout on Saturday, 34-0 over Westhill. The Wreckers (2-1) haven’t allowed a touchdown this season. It lost to Xavier, 3-0, on a last-second field goal in Week 1. …. Morgan’s Jake Ward ran 37 times for 186 yards and four touchdowns during Saturday’s 41-21 win over Hyde.

Devin Gilnite ran FORTY THREE TIMES for 174 yards and three scores as Rockville beat Weaver on Saturday, 22-6. …. Cromwell’s Jarius Bailey completed 6 of 10 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown and ran 15 times for 155 yards and three touchdowns in Saturday’s 40-7 win over Nonnewaug. Teammate Kristian Sapp added 22 carries for 226 yards and two touchdowns. …. Karon Golding had 10 catches for 153 yards and three touchdowns in Conard’s 41-27 win over East Hartford on Saturday. Enyce Walker ran 14 times for 215 yards and two touchdowns and threw an 18-yard touchdown for East Hartford.

• • • •

STORYTIME:

Kountry Kyle Brennan, Waterbury Anarchist-American: Naugy put on a quite a show (and how).

Kountry Kyle Brennan and Remmington, NVL Blog: Week 4 picks.

Bodacious Bryant Carpenter, Meriden Record-Journal: Area notebook.

Ray Curran, Digital First Monolith: Inside the SCC.

Pooch Diggity Dogg: Area notebook.

Mark Jaffee, Waterbury Anarchist-American: Wolcott’s Pelletier puts up big numbers.

Ken Lipshez, Meriden Record-Journal: Ellison shuns personal tribute for family matters.

John Nash, The Hour: Area notebook.

Norwich Bulletin: Area notebook.

Dave Ruden, Ruden Report: FCIAC notebook.

Derek Turner, Digital First Monolith: CCC notebook.

• • • •

That’s all for now. Thanks for reading. More soon.

Vaya con dios.