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NEW CANAAN, Conn. On a spectacular Saturday morning at Westport's PJ Romano Field, the New Canaan 3 Red team continued its dazzling defensive display, shutting out Westport, 12-0. For 10 consecutive quarters, no team has scored a point on the New Canaan defense.
Line play was solid in this win: Nicholas Radman, Jackson LaMorte, Jackson Slazyk, Ben Marshall, Bryce Harrell, Corey Pickering and Dylan Kortman were impressive. Griffin Deane and Will Thomas tag-teamed at center and improved as the game wore on.
On defense, playmaker Harry Appelt was all over the place, making play after play until Nicholas Radman and Maddox Underwood teamed to stop Westport cold on fourth down. Henry Cannon and Jack Murphy also teamed on several tackles as the defense continued its dominance.
On offense, Hayden Shin had several bull runs up the gut for five-plus yards before Chris Canet went 34 yards to deep in Westport territory. With 0:47 left in the first half, quarterback phenom Chris Canet broke around right end and went 30 yards to put New Canaan up 6-0 at half.
Westport had the ball to start the second half and was subject to more of New Canaan's smothering defense led by Charlie Borthwick, Maddux Underwood and Harry Appelt. Jackson LaMorte, Jack Connors, Jack Murphy and Johnny Dunn were all active in pushing Westport backward as well. After a Westport punt, the line play of Bryce Harrell, Ben Marshall, Mac Machale, Will Thomas and Jackson Slazyk continued to open gaping holes for Chris Canet, who made a 15-yard run on third and 20, and Hayden Shin, who pounded on the Westport midsection with runs up the gut.
With 10:26 left in the fourth quarter, Westport broke through the line and looked as if it would tie or go ahead. But Johnny Dunn made a touchdown-saving tackle from behind that may have been the biggest play of the game. In what many called the hit of the game, Griffin Koch then leveled a Westport runner, sending a message that New Canaan was not to be denied. Maddox Underwood and Nicholas Radman made the next big stop, and Chris Canet broke through the line on fourth and 10 and recorded a huge 11-yard sack, giving the ball back to New Canaan.
With three minutes left, a 60-yard run was nullified by a suspect holding call. But two downs later from New Canaan's own 10-yard line, huge blocks by Aidan Blair and Corey Pickering opened a gaping hole that Tommy Towers hit and went 70 yards to put New Canaan up, 12-0.
The defense put an exclamation point on another shutout with a picture-perfect unassisted tackle by Maddox Underwood, who along with Jack Murphy and Griffin Deane patrolled the defensive backfield to perfection.
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