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In a thrilling showdown between two of Connecticut's top football teams, second-ranked St. Joseph emerged victorious with a 21-14 win over No. 3 New Canaan at Dunning Field on Friday night. The Hogs dominated the first half, taking a 21-0 lead into halftime, but had to withstand a furious comeback attempt by the Rams in the final minutes.
New Canaan quarterback Maddox Hoffman connected with Jack Crowell on a 24-yard touchdown pass with 1:07 remaining to pull the Rams within seven points. The home team then recovered an onside kick at midfield and drove down to the St. Joseph 15-yard line. However, a sack and an incomplete pass on the ensuing plays sealed the victory for the Hogs.
The win was St. Joseph's first over New Canaan since a 27-14 regular-season triumph in 2022. The Hogs had come close last year, falling 7-3. For New Canaan, the loss marks the first time the program has dropped back-to-back games in eight years. The Rams' previous two-game skid came against Masuk in the 2017 Class M semifinals and St. Joseph in the 2018 opener. The last time New Canaan lost two straight in-season games was in 2005, with current retired MLB catcher Curt Casali as the junior quarterback.
New Canaan had its 29-game winning streak snapped in a 34-31 loss to Ludlowe on Oct. 30. Ludlowe jumped from No. 6 to No. 1 in this week's GametimeCT Top 10 Poll. The Rams' head-to-head series with St. Joseph has been streaky over the past two decades: New Canaan won eight straight from 2008-2014, St. Joseph followed with five straight from 2017-2022, and New Canaan won in 2023 and 2025.
Key Analysis
St. Joseph's early dominance proved crucial, as the Hogs' defense held New Canaan scoreless in the first half. The Rams' late surge showcased their resilience, but costly mistakes in the red zone ultimately decided the game. With the win, St. Joseph solidifies its position as a top contender, while New Canaan looks to regroup after its second straight loss.
Scoring summary: St. Joseph – Michael Charland 1 run (Jake Rios kick); Jack Mooney (Rios kick); Justin Daniel 47 run (Rios kick). New Canaan – Cole Esposito 52 pass from Maddox Hoffman (Neel Arora kick); Jack Crowell 24 pass from Hoffman (Arora kick). Records: St. Joseph 6-1, New Canaan 6-2.
Originally reported by yahoo.