New Canaan’s Jackson Crowell had a 30-yard touchdown run and led the No. 1 Rams with 10 tackles and two sacks in a 47-14 win over No. 9 New Britain on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in New Britain. (Jim Fuller/For Hearst Connecticut Media)
NEW BRITAIN – Lou Marinelli looked around at the members of the top-ranked high school football team in Connecticut after the New Canaan Rams won their 27th consecutive game and bluntly declared, “We have a lot of work to do.”
Yes, New Canaan took care of business on the road with a 47-14 victory over No. 9 New Britain on Friday night. However, much of what he saw after halftime probably won’t be making it on the Rams’ 2026 highlight video.
“The second half, I don’t know if we fell asleep or what,” Marinelli said. “I think they are a good football team. Thank God we jumped up on them, because I think they are very well coached. If you look at their film, you can see they are well coached.”
New Canaan needed just 16 seconds to open the scoring. Charlie Koch did the honors with a 95-yard kickoff return. A 37-yard run by Matthew Reed and a 30-yard touchdown scamper by Jackson Crowell gave the Rams a 21-0 lead with 4:34 left in the first quarter.
The Rams almost added another score in the opening quarter, but Koch’s 70-yard punt return was negated by a penalty.
A 46-yard field goal by Neel Arora and Dallas George’s 14-yard run put New Canaan ahead 31-0 at halftime.
What happened after halftime wasn’t quite as impressive.
A couple of special teams miscues, penalties and the first two touchdowns allowed by the New Canaan defense this season didn’t leave a great taste in the mouths of the New Canaan players.
“The second half for us wasn’t really ideal,” said Crowell, who led the Rams with 10 tackles and two sacks. “We had a very strong first half, with not letting up any points, but we came out in the second half (with a) three-and-out, muffed punt, and like Charlie (Koch) said, ‘Stuff happens.’ As a defense, they scored off of that, but after that they rebounded really well. There’s a lot of good there, but there is also a lot to work on. As a defense going into the bye week, I think it is really good just working on stuff and getting better.”
New Canaan didn’t allow a point in the first three games. However, New Britain’s Billy Seymour connected with KJ Willis on a 17-yard touchdown pass seven plays after the muffed punt.
David Zwick capped a 14-play drive with a 3-yard scoring run for the Rams.
Seymour found a wide-open Willis, and one missed tackle resulted in an 88-yard touchdown.
A fumble off an attempted hook-and-lateral play by New Britain turned into an 18-yard scoop and score for George.
A safety made it a 47-14 final.
New Britain coach Isaiah Boddie, who called for a fake punt and a halfback option pass in the first half, summed up the subject of his halftime address to his team.
“Fight,” Boddie said. “We were down 30-0. There are two types of people when you get down. Some people make excuses for themselves and some people just fight and push through. That was our mindset, to just fight and push through, keep fighting and keep pushing. Guys did a better job in the second half, I liked our spirit, I liked how we came out. It was better.”
New Canaan was without starting quarterback Maddox Hoffman.
Marinelli was pleased with how backup quarterback Luke Cottrell played. Cottrell was one of four New Canaan players to rush for at least 40 yards.
Player of the game
Jackson Crowell, New Canaan: Crowell had a 30-yard touchdown run and led the Rams with 10 tackles and two sacks.
Quotable
“Everybody is running to the ball, everybody wants to be that guy. We have a bunch of dudes on our team,” – New Canaan’s Jackson Crowell on the Rams’ defense.
New Canaan 47, New Britain 14
New Canaan 21 10 7 9-47New Britain 0 0 7 7-14
NC-Charlie Koch 95 kickoff return (Neel Arora kick)NC-Matthew Reed 37 run (Arora kick)NC-Jackson Crowell 30 run (Arora kick)NC-Arora 46 field goalNC-Dallas George 14 run (Arora kick)NB-KJ Willis 17 pass from Billy Seymour (Jonathan Nunez kick)NC-David Zwick 3 run (Arora kick)NB-Willis 88 pass from Seymour (Nunez kick)NC-George 18 fumble return (Arora kick)NC-SafetyTeam records: New Canaan 4-0; New Britain 2-2.
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This article originally published at No. 1 New Canaan football uses fast start to beat No. 9 New Britain for 27th straight victory.
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