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FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. ? Of all the sports played in Fairfield County, rowing was the sport of choice for Main Street Connect readers in 2011. Twelve of the top 50 most-read sports stories on MSC's Fairfield County sites were about rowing.
While rowing was the most popular sport of the year among readers, one football story caught the attention of parents all over the area. The most-read sports story of the year was that of three New Canaan youth football coaches resigning amid controversy over burning their team's third-place trophies.
The college choices of high-school rowers was the most-read rowing story of 2011. The Connecticut Boat Club took home gold medals in a California competition, and in another event the rowers didn't even need water. Rowing also provided one of the most inspiring stories of the year, the heartwarming tale of and Yan and Olga Vengerovskiy, owners of Norwalk's Maritime Rowing Club.
Fairfield County also loves running, with triathlons, half-marathons and the Boston Buildup catching readers' attention.
Readers also showed their love for UConn sports and Penn State football stars Silas Redd and Khairi Fortt of Fairfield County and looked to President Obama for help with their March Madness picks.
New Canaan football also grabbed headlines with its sixth straight run to the state title game and an offensive lineman committing to Notre Dame. The basketball story of the year was the amazing journey of Sean Obi, a Greens Farms Academy student from Nigeria.
Lacrosse was the spring sport of choice, with an eligibility rule causing a playoff controversy. A Darien native's early success for the Cornell University men's lacrosse team showed the success of Fairfield County athletes after high school. Baseball made news too, as the Fairfield American Little League team once again made a run all the way to the New England regionals.
Eric Gendron's best games of 2011: New Canaan vs. St. Joseph boys ice hockey conference championship; Staples vs. Darien "Snow Bowl"; Staples vs. Greenwich football conference championship; Wilton vs. Darien field hockey state semis; Fairfield American walk-off home run.
Eric's favorite stories of 2011: Norwalk High football clinches first state playoff berth in 13 Years; New Canaan's Hompe, Persky and Eppler smash points record; Gau lifts Staples baseball to conference title; Stamford's Bobby Valentine named Red Sox manager; Norwalk Legion wins first state title; New Canaan's Casali realizes pro ball dream; 7th Annual Conn. Challenge; Stamford banker goes to the mat for veterans.
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