Each week, GOOD Morning Wilton will run news of weekend results and scores from Wilton Youth sports teams. Please send all stories and updates, along with a photo to editor@goodmorningwilton.com by noon on Monday of each week. Stories received after the deadline may not be included. Results write-ups will be grouped by sport and published in the order they are received.

Football

Wilton 8 Blue Shuts Out Fairfield Giants, 26-0

Wilton 8 Blue opened up its 2018 season with a decisive 26-0 win over new expansion team Fairfield Giants. Wilton’s offensive line of Luke Totten, Merrick Snyder, Jake Enman, Jackson Duncan and Andrew Kress moved the ball down the field with runs from Quinn Stengrim up the middle and Charlie Rath outside. Stengrim punched it in for the first score of the afternoon and Rath added the 2 on a sweep.

On the defensive side of the ball Wilton’s defensive line controlled the line of scrimmage and made many tackles. Christian McLaughlin had several tackles for loss and Lorcan Garcia stuffed a 4th down attempt. Wilton’s defense line looked solid all day. On Wilton’s second drive a 22-yd. run from Christopher Capone and a 17-yd. touchdown run put Wilton back on the scoreboard. Wilton’s defense continued to dominate, with Wilton defensive ends Kress and Nicholas Walden racking up most of the tackles.

Cornerback Colin Randol had a highlight play with a fingertip diving save on a long third down. Wilton added another touchdown before the half on a long pass from Andrew Acosta-Rua to Caleb Rath.

The second half was mostly Wilton pounding it up the middle behind the running of Duncan and Wilton’s defense coming up big play after play. The game ended with an interception by Enman at cornerback. Wilton’s next game is Tuesday, Sept. 11 at 7:30 p.m. on the Wilton turf against New Canaan Red.

Wilton 6th Grade Blue Wins Season Opener vs. Westport, 23-0

Wilton 6th Grade Blue started its 2018 campaign the same way they ended the 2017 season–with a strong win over Westport, 23-0. The Warriors’ defense got things started when Westport fumbled on the first play of the game and Cael Dexter recovered the fumble, giving Wilton great field position. The offense took the field and proved they can still pound the ball inside behind great offensive line play from Maja Driscoll, Cole Galante, Jack Huntley, Ryan Luchetta, Liam McKiernan, Ryan Meenan, Jack Santosky, Cole Siegel, Henry Soojian, Jaxon Thomas and CJ Young.

Seven plays later, Jack Schwartz barreled into the end zone for the first touchdown of the season.

On Westport’s next drive, the defense created another turnover as Schwartz intercepted the Wreckers QB and set Wilton up with great field position at the 12-yard line. Liam Snyder ran it in from there for the Warriors second touchdown of the game. Wilton continued to move the ball well with great runs from Will Cristini, Dexter, Luke Ginsburg, Ray Ferranti, Charlie Keller, Luke Perna, and Ryan Stocker.

The biggest offensive play of the game came just before halftime when Ferranti raced 45-yards for the final touchdown of the game. Ginsburg was a perfect 3-for-3 on extra point attempts, giving the Warriors their 23 points before halftime.  The defense did the rest, with a great pass break-up by Cristini and sacks/tackles for loss by Dexter, Ginsburg, Ferranti, Schwartz, McKiernan, Driscoll, and Siegel.

Wilton played excellent team defense with every player on the team contributing to at least one tackle in the game.  The defense held on the final, fourth-and-goal play of the game, keeping Westport out of the end zone and off the scoreboard.

Roller-Coaster Season Opener Sees Darien Eke Out Win Over Wilton 4th Grade, 29-30

In a roller coaster of a season opener versus Darien, this team battled hard all the way until the last seconds ticked off the clock. The first quarter did not go as planned. Darien scored a touchdown on the first play, and followed it with a successful kick. On Wilton’s first possession, there was a lost fumble. On Darien’s next drive, they scored another touchdown on a pass play despite solid tackling from August Furman, Brady Corry, and Emmett Sommer in the series. Wilton’s drives had some great runs, but too many called back for penalties.

Into the second quarter, things were not looking good for the Warriors…but then the tides turned. Wilton quickly drove down the field with big runs from Colin Faherty and Corry for a touchdown. After Faherty ran in the 2-point conversion the score was 14-8. After a strong defensive stand from Wilton with Dylan Flanagan, Corry, and Faherty all making big tackles, the Warriors followed with more big runs from Faherty and Corry for another touchdown, to tie the game. Jack Condon made a huge tackle to stop Darien at the half in a stalemate.

Then Wilton started to roll, scoring a quick touchdown to start the second half with a big run by Cody Korpan and Denny Dustin paying a visit to the end zone; a Faherty 2-point conversion put Wilton up 22-14. After a stout defensive effort powered by Sommer, Mark Whitman, Michael Duarte, and Bly Christianson, Wilton fired back again with a Flanagan touchdown scamper and a Korpan extra point to put Wilton up 29-14. Nick Skillin also contributed with great runs and punishing tackles. The comeback was anchored with solid offensive line play by centers Charlie Heffernan and Michael Lenz with line mates Matthew Fogarty, Jaxon Lin, Cooper Rekow, Cole Herpst, and Wyatt Hoffstatter. The defense also had strong play from Henry Snow, Liam Pierson, Finn Snyder, Korpan, and Wyatt Kreter.

Unfortunately for Wilton stories do not always have happy endings. Darien was able to mount a fourth quarter comeback, and in the final minute the Warriors lost, 29-30. In the end, the Warriors proved they could move the football, but need to cut down on penalties and mental mistakes. Their physical toughness in blocking and tackling should make them a formidable opponent in weeks to come.