Hailey Tobin, Sports Editor
Photos by Milo Zinser, Photos Editor
The New Canaan Rams are not talking about history, even as they stand on the verge of rewriting it.
Following a flawless 13-0 season in 2025 that culminated in a dominant 34-13 routing of Cheshire for the Class L state crown, New Canaan football entered the 2026 season with a target on its back. The program is chasing a historic five-peat and a fifth consecutive CIAC Class L state championship.
Yet, inside the locker room, the monumental weight of a five-year streak is deliberately ignored. The Rams have quietly rolled to a 4-0 start to open the 2026 campaign, focusing strictly on the immediate weekly opponent rather than the legacy and upcoming games.
“Each year, it’s a new team,” Head Coach Lou Marinelli said. “It’s different personality. It’s different, players. Some teams are stronger in certain areas than others. We’ve had a good start, and we’re still in a ‘feeling-out’ process of saying what we can do well so that, as we go forward, we can qualify for the state playoff.”
Coach Marinelli, the coach in Connecticut high school football history with the most wins, understands the outside noise and high expectations that surround his team. Still, he refuses to let his roster look past the present moment.
“I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned to them, ‘hey, let’s get our fifth,'” Coach Marinelli said “Let’s, worry about the team we’re playing. Then we’re going to worry about the next one, and the next one, and we’re going to try to qualify for the playoffs.”
Maintaining that hunger after a perfect season requires a surrender of individual egos. For the 2026 Rams to mirror the success of their past, selflessness must remain the baseline. Coach Marinelli made it clear that the team’s goals are entirely dependent on this shared mindset. “I think as long as our players, work together as a team, buy in, and not worry about who gets credit, we will meet our objectives.” he said
The on-field identity of this year’s team features a mix of veteran leadership and physically imposing force. Returning under center is senior quarterback Maddox Hoffman, who commands the offense after an explosive junior year racking up 2,030 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Hoffman’s familiarity with the system provides the team’s crucial stability, especially when translating the playbook to wideouts like Charlie Koch and Matt Reed. His transformation from the locker room to the field has earned him high praise from the coaching staff. “I am so impressed with how much he’s done and how far he’s come since last year,” Coach Marinelli said “He’s one of the primary leaders of our team. He’s done a tremendous job.”
Though the 4-0 opening act has kept the program’s momentum rolling, a brutal late-season gauntlet awaits. The true measure of this team’s five-peat aspirations will be decided in a stretch beginning October 23, when New Canaan travels to face Greenwich the reigning Class LL champions.
From there, the Rams have their hardest stretch of games yet, consisting of Fairfield Ludlowe, St. Joseph, and Wilton, This leads right into the legendary Thanksgiving Turkey Bowl rivalry on the road against Darien.
To survive these games, the strategy remains deeply rooted in old-school simplicity shared by Coach Marinelli.” Every long journey starts with a single step, and we’re on step three right now going to step four tomorrow.”
