The New Canaan High School football team quickly silenced critics who claimed its schedule had been too easy after the stunning loss to St. Joseph in Week 6. The Rams came out angry, with guns blazing, against a Wilton defense caught off guard. Senior wide receiver Kevin Macari made the big plays all day, catching five passes for 121 yards and three touchdowns, as the Rams lit up the Warriors, 43-7.
"We just knew we had to come out strong and explode from the get-go," Macari said. "Last week's loss really hurt a lot. We just came out and played our hearts out today."
Quarterback Matthew Milano worked exclusively out of the shotgun, passing for 354 yards and five touchdowns and adding a rushing score as well. The Rams' final touchdown was the perfect bookend on the day as Milano connected on a 59-yard rainmaker, hitting Macari on a perfectly timed cutback route down the middle. The Wilton secondary had no answer for a team clearly motivated by last week's loss.
The biggest question on everyone's mind at New Canaan's homecoming game was whether Wilton could take advantage of the Rams' first loss in a year. Milano's goal line run and Macari's first touchdown catch swiftly took the air out of a raucous Wilton side. Entering halftime up 22-7, the Rams already had the game well within their grasp. Two quick scores to open the second half iced it for the Rams. Wilton running back Ned Hammerle had the Warriors' only score.
"We were definitely more mad and ready to play than anything," Milano said. "We really worked our butts off in practice all week. We knew we would come back strong today."
New Canaan will truly be put to the test in the final three weeks of the season, playing playoff contenders Greenwich, Bridgeport Central and, finally, Darien for the annual Turkey Bowl.
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