FCIAC Football Blog

New Canaan’s 23 game winning streak is over. So is its chance to repeat as FCIAC champions. And its number-one ranking in all the polls will certainly be gone.

All thanks to Bridgeport Central, which drubbed the Rams 42-7 and got itself into the title game.

Shabashe McIntosh ran for 184 yards on 22 carries and scored four times, according to stats compiled by Dave Ruden of The Advocate.

Over in Stamford, where I was covering the Trinity Catholic-Stamford game for The Advocate, there were plenty of smiles in the press box. On his halftime show on WSTC-AM/WNLK-AM, Matt Levine and I talked about how great that win was for Central. After the game, Stamford head coach Kevin Jones said he wasn’t shocked at all.

Thursday, I e-mailed Christon Gill and told him the only way I’d get to see central play this season, because of my freelance schedule, was if Central got the win over New Canaan.

His reply was confident: “You’ll see me in full uniform next Friday.”

Central’s been hiding in obscurity since Gill’s sophomore year, when the Hilltoppers couldn’t beat Greenwich to open the season, or in the Class Ll semifinals.

Now they’ve proven twice this season – once against Greenwich, and now against New Canaan – that they can win the big game.

We’ll see if it’s third big game, the FCIAC championship game Friday against Staples, will also be a charm.

Former Trumbull head coach Jerry McDougall is back in the game. Eleven seasons after he last coached the Eagles football team, 74-year-old McDougall will be the defensive coordinator at Fairchester Athletic Association school St. Luke’s, reports Dave Ruden of The Advocate.

The full story will appear in print tomorrow, meanwhile, Ruden posted the basics on the Overtime blog (see above link).

Though McDougall is synonymous with Trumbull football, he has several ties to St. Luke’s, which was 1-8 last season.

McDougall stepped down as Trumbull’s baseball coach in 2005, and is the state’s all-time winningest football coach.

McDougall also has not walked away from football, just from coaching. He’s often seen on the sidelines of a few high school games a week, and did spend one season doing color commentary for Matt Levine on WSTC-AM/WNLK-AM’s High School Game of the Week.

Shelton quarterback Mike Brighindi has been named BlueStreak Sports Training Fairfield County Player of the Week for his performance Friday against Cheshire.

Brighindi completed 19 of 28 passes for 276 yards and one TD and in a come from behind 35-34 overtime victory on the road. Brighindi led the Gaels on an 82-yard drive in the final two minutes of regulation to tie the score, and completed six of eight for yards on the game-tying drive.

Brighindi will receive his award at 2:45 p.m. Wednesday from BlueStreak Sports Training president Matt Cole.

Nick Cortese of Trinity Catholic, the winner of the award in Week 2, was the runner up. He ran for 216 yards and five touchdowns in the Crusaders double-overtime win over Fairfield Ludlowe.

Also nominated in Week 3: Scott Benzing, WR, Brookfield; Joe Dalla Vecchia, QB, St. Joseph; Nikki Dysenchuk, RB, Darien; Chris Hines, RB, Norwalk; Matt Kelly, CB, Staples; Justin Warzoha, QB, Greenwich; and Mike Webber, WR, New Milford.

Players are nominated both by football coaches representing teams in Fairfield County. A mimimum of five nominees from a weekly fan poll are also included on a ballot, and the Player of the Week is then selected by members of the Fairfield County sports media community.

The award is presented by the FCIAC Football Blog.

The following media members voted: The following media members voted: Rob Adams (WGCH-AM), Bill Bloxsom (Hersam-Acorn Newspapers), Zachary Eastright (WSTC-AM/WNLK-AM), Dan Farrand (News-Times), Scott Ferrari (Greenwich Citizen), Andy Hutchison (Newtown Bee), Jason A. Intrieri (FCIAC Football Blog Live), Ken Morse (Hersam-Acorn Newspapers), John Nash (The Stamford Times), Matt Norlander (New Canaan News-Review), Dave Ruden (Stamford Advocate), Eliot Schickler (Westport News), Paul Silverfarb (Greenwich Post), Dave Stewart (New Canaan Advertiser), Rob Sullivan (Minuteman Newspapers), Michael Suppe (Hersam-Acorn Newspapers).

With seven first-place votes, New Canaan kept the top spot in Week Three of the Bill Gonillo Five Poll, presented by the FCIAC Football Blog.

New Canaan nearly doubled second-place Staples, but just two points separate the Wreckers from third-place Bunnell and fourth-place Darien. Masuk is fifth.

The Bill Gonillo 5 is a weekly poll conducted by the FCIAC Football Blog and voted on by sports media members who cover teams and leagues based in Fairfield County. Updated results are announced every Monday during the football season.

For more about Bill Gonillo, check out BillGonillo.com.

To walk in Bill’s honor, or make a donation in Bill’s name, at Step Out for Diabetes in Fairfield on Oct. 19, click here.

For previous poll results, click here.

Also receiving votes: Greenwich (1) 35, St. Joseph 18, Shelton 8, Wilton 7, Fairfield Prep 2.

The following media members voted: Rob Adams (WGCH-AM), Damian Andrew (News 12 Connecticut), Sean Patrick Bowley (Connecticut Post), Zachary Eastright (WSTC-AM/WNLK-AM), Dan Farrand (News-Times), Scott Ferrari (Greenwich Citizen),  Jason A. Intrieri (FCIAC Football Blog Live), Ken Morse (Hersam-Acorn Newspapers), John Nash (The Stamford Times), Matt Norlander (New Canaan News-Review), Dave Ruden (Stamford Advocate), Eliot Schickler (Westport News) Paul Silverfarb (Greenwich Post), Rob Sullivan (Minuteman Newspapers)

Photo of New Canaan helmet by Dave Stewart, New Canaan Sports Photography.

New Canaan has claimed the top spot in the Bill Gonillo Five poll for Week 2 of the high school football season.

The Rams edged Bunnell in first-place votes 7-6, but pulled away because of five second-place votes to Bunnell’s two.

The Bill Gonillo 5 is a weekly poll conducted by the FCIAC Football Blog and voted on by sports media members who cover teams and leagues based in Fairfield County. Updated results are announced every Monday during the football season.

For more about Bill Gonillo, who passed away one year ago tomorrow, check out BillGonillo.com

To walk in Bill’s honor, or make a donation in Bill’s name, at Step Out for Diabetes in Fairfield on Oct. 19, click here.

For previous poll results, click here.

The Poll:

Also receiving votes: Greenwich (35), Wilton and St. Joseph (10), Danbury (9), Fairfield Prep (2), Newtown and King (1).

The following media members voted: Rob Adams (WGCH-AM), Bill Bloxsom (Hersam-Acorn Newspapers), Sean Patrick Bowley (Connecticut Post), Zach Eastright (WSTC-AM/WNLK-AM), Dan Farrand (News-Times), Scott Ferrari (Greenwich Citizen),  Jason A. Intrieri (FCIAC Football Blog Live), Ken Morse (Hersam-Acorn Newspapers), John Nash (The Stamford Times), Matt Norlander (New Canaan News-Review), Mike Quick (MSG Plus), Jesse Quinlan (Greenwich Time), Dave Ruden (Stamford Advocate), Paul Silverfarb (Greenwich Post), Rob Sullivan (Minuteman Newspapers), Michael Suppe (Hersam-Acorn Newspapers)

Photo by Dave Stewart, New Canaan Sports Photography.