GREENWICH, Conn. — After five weeks of high school football last fall, the buzz around the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference concerned how far the mighty Greenwich Cardinals had fallen. 
Mike Dunster, Greenwich
File photo by David Choate
The perennial contender had already lost to Darien and Ridgefield, and had a game against New Jersey power St. Joseph of Montvale looming in Week 7. Greenwich would lose that contest 47-7 and finished the season a very un-Cardinal-like 8-3.
The Cardinals’ goals for 2009 were pretty obvious: Reload for a new season and return to the FCIAC and state tournaments. Five weeks into this season? So far, so good. The Greenwich Cardinals ran roughshod over the Trumbull Golden Eagles in a battle of unbeatens last Friday, building a 23-0 first-half lead and cruising to the tune of 37-7.
The win gave Greenwich a 5-0 record and made them a prime contender for an FCIAC championship game berth. With the loss, Trumbull was knocked from the ranks of the unbeatens, with only Greenwich, Staples, New Canaan and St. Joseph still undefeated.
Greenwich’s senior quarterback and co-captain Mike Lefflbine ran for two touchdowns and connected with senior co-captain Camryn Ferrara for a 26-yard score to lead the offensive parade. While Lefflbine guided the attack, senior Colin Dunster provided the highlight, as he made several cutbacks and raced 70 yards on a punt return for a TD to give the Cards a 13-0 lead in the second quarter.
Greenwich’s victory was a big statement, as the Cards improved to 5-0 with a game against Bridgeport Central (4-1) at Kennedy Stadium on Friday night. The Cards have a tough second half, with games still to come against New Canaan, St. Joseph and Staples, all 5-0 this season.
2. New Canaan’s passing fancy: Turner Baty wasn’t in the New Canaan Rams’ plans when the preseason began back in August. Heck, the senior wasn’t even in town until two weeks before the Rams’ first game. Now Baty is in the New Canaan High School record books.
Baty made his second start at quarterback and lit up the night with 367 passing yards and a pair of TDs as the Rams beat up the Seymour Wildcats 35-0 Friday in Seymour. Baty completed 20-of-28 throws and had touchdown passes of 7 yards to senior co-captain Cody Newton, and 10 yards to senior running back Peter Park. Baty also ran for a 3-yard score.
The 367 passing yards placed Baty third in the NCHS record books behind Kurt Horton and Charlie Westfal, respectively. Horton had 599 yards against Rippowam in 1970, a mark that still stands as the Connecticut record.
Westfal had 375 yards when he led the Rams to a victory over Hand in the 2007 Class MM final. Newton also had a huge night against Seymour, catching six passes for 179 yards and a touchdown. In the past three games, Newton has 23 catches for 476 yards and a pair of TDs. The Rams’ Willie Ouellette, a senior co-captain, shifted from QB to receiver and had six catches for 109 yards.
3. Cadets on the march: St. Joseph obliterated the Bassick Lions 54-19 on Saturday to set up a huge FCIAC showdown at New Canaan next weekend. The Cadets, who improved to 5-0, had a big passing day from quarterback Joe DellaVecchia, who was 12-for-16 for 265 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for a TD.
Junior Tyler Matakevich ran eight times for 125 yards and a TD on offense, and had a fumble recovery and an interception on defense. Matakevich is averaging 8.26 yards per carry and 143.6 yards per game, and also leads the Cadets in tackles.
St. Joseph will visit New Canaan’s Dunning Field at 1:30 p.m. Saturday for the Rams’ Homecoming. The road team has won the last three meetings of this series, with the Cadets ruining New Canaan’s Homecoming festivities two years ago.
4. Change of fortunes at St. Luke’s: The St. Luke’s Crusaders didn’t have much to cheer about in recent years with just one win in each of the past two seasons. Earlier this year, the Crusaders added a coaching legend to their ranks when Jerry McDougall joined Ryan Brown’s staff as the offensive coordinator, and the results have been remarkable.
St. Luke’s celebrated Homecoming on Saturday with a laugher, beating Horace Mann 46-0 to improve to 3-2, jumping over the .500 mark for the first time in four years. McDougall’s defense held the Horace Mann offense to 32 total yards, while forcing four turnovers and not allowing a first down.
On offense, senior co-captain Zaire Reiph, a transfer from Brien McMahon in Norwalk, ran seven times for 11 yards and the first two touchdowns. Jeff Joseph had six carries for 62 yards and two TDs in the victory.
Top performers
• Silas Redd and Kevin Pierre-Lewis (King School, Stamford) combined for 435 rushing yards during the Vikings’ 40-12 win over Kingswood-Oxford. Redd ran eight times for 209 yards and TDs of 67 and 85 yards, while Pierre-Lewis had nine carries for 226 yards and four TDs.
• Zach Thomas (Bunnell) had 80 yards rushing and 165 yards passing as the Bulldogs pounded SWC foe Weston, 41-21. Thomas was 12-of-18 passing with a touchdown and ran for three more scores in helping Bunnell improve to 3-2.
• Quarterback Jalen Holmes (Stamford) threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to give the Black Knights their first win of the season, 18-0, over Danbury. Holmes connected with Barry Boderick for 24 yards and Renard Desir for 10 yards.
• George Benitez (Darien) tossed three touchdowns and ran for another to lead the Blue Wave to a 35-6 Homecoming victory over Trinity Catholic. Benitez had 90 yards rushing and 178 yards passing, as Darien, last year’s league runner-up, jumped over the .500 mark at 3-2.
Fortt headed to "Linebacker U"
Stamford High senior Khairi Fortt finalized his college plans, making a verbal commitment to accept a scholarship from Penn State earlier this month. Fortt, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound linebacker, had more than 30 offers, and narrowed his choices down to Penn State, North Carolina and Georgia early in the school year. Fortt will be joining his friend, Silas Redd of King School, at Penn State. The pair will also play in the 10th Anniversary U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Jan. 9, 2010, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Dave Stewart, the sports editor of the New Canaan (Conn.) Advertiser, is a MaxPreps.com writer and photographer. He may be reached at 203-966-9541 or at sports@ncadvertiser.com.
