New Canaan Football Defeats Darien To Win 2024 CIAC Class L Title

NEW CANAAN, CT — For the third year in a row, the New Canaan Rams have won the CIAC Class L football championship.

The Rams outlasted the Blue Wave in the title game for the second year in a row Saturday at a frigid Arute Stadium in New Britain, 35-21. The victory represents New Canaan head coach Lou Marinelli's 15th state title and the 15th in school history.

Those in attendance saw a back-and-forth game up until halfway through the fourth quarter when New Canaan scored 14 unanswered points to pull away.

New Canaan led at halftime 14-7 thanks to a 36-yard touchdown from senior quarterback Lawrence Robinson to sophomore wideout Christopher Cuesta in the first quarter. Junior running back James McInernery scored on a direct snap and 32-yard run with 10:41 left in the second.

Darien scored their only touchdown of the first half on a four-yard run from senior quarterback Benjamin Rolapp halfway through the second quarter.

On their first possession of the second half, Darien tied the game at 14 when Rolapp found junior wideout Thomas Herget for a 65-yard touchdown pass.

The two teams then traded touchdowns. First, junior Andrew Esposito ripped off a 55-yard touchdown run for New Canaan, and Darien responded when Rolapp found senior tight end and co-captain Charles Thom on a six-yard pass.

The game was tied at 21 going into the fourth quarter, where New Canaan was able to pull away.

Robinson found junior running back Jake Valente on a play-action pass for an 11-yard touchdown with 10:12 left in the game. After forcing the Blue Wave to punt, Esposito scored again on a 69-yard touchdown pass from Robinson with 7:29 left.

The Rams' defense stood tall for the remainder of the game, keeping Darien out of the endzone before ultimately senior New Canaan defensive back Michael Smith intercepted a pass from Rolapp off a tip from the Rams' Ryan Leahy to seal the game with a little over two minutes.

New Canaan finishes the season with an overall record of 12-1, and Darien finishes at 10-3.

Saturday's championship game represented the 100th meeting between the two football programs, dating back to 1928.

Earlier this season, New Canaan beat Darien 34-0 on Thanksgiving in the Turkey Bowl.