Sports
Greenwich Cardinals Poised to Chase FCIAC Football Championship
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Shane Nastahowski rushed for 88 yards and a touchdown Thursday as the Greenwich football team clinched a berth in the FCIAC championship game with a 17-7 victory at Danbury.
The Cardinals, who improved to 8-1, can now sit back and await their opponent, which will be Staples if the Wreckers (7-0) defeat winless Westhill (0-8) on Saturday.
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If that is the matchup, the FCIAC title game, currently set for Nov. 18 at Trumbull's McDougall Stadium, likely will be moved to Thanksgiving in Westport since the Wreckers already are slated to host the Cardinals in their annual season-ending clash.
In a defensive game Thursday, Greenwich's Jesse Adelberg accounted for the only points in the first half with a 35-yard field goal in the first quarter.
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In the third period, the Cardinals' Taylor Olmstead returned a blocked punt 32 yards for a touchdown. Nastahowski's 7-yard score made it 17-0 in the fourth period.
The Hatters (5-4) avoided the shutout on James Harrington's 14-yard TD run with under two minutes remaining.
Greenwich, which struggled to an uncharacteristic 5-5 record last season, will be making its first appearance in the FCIAC championship in five years.
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Molli Haimerl, Shannon Colligan and Naomi Leeds scored Thursday to lead ninth-seeded Greenwich to a 3-1 win over No. 24 Manchester in the first round of the Class LL girls soccer state tournament.
After Haimerl opened the scoring in the first half for the Cardinals (14-2-4), Colligan made it 2-0 in the second half. Anna Manser got Manchester on the board, but Leeds put away the contest for Greenwich with 10 minutes remaining.
Maddie Graham made three saves for the two-time defending FCIAC champions, who will host No. 25 Ridgefield in the second round on Saturday (2 p.m.). The Tigers advanced with a 3-1 upset of No. 8 seed West Haven on Thursday.
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The Cardinals field hockey team (5-6-3-2) defeated Newtown 3-2 in a Class L qualifying game Thursday. Greenwich, the No. 20 seed, will take on No. 4 seed Conard in the first round on Friday.
In girls volleyball, the 12th-seeded Cardinals defeated FCIAC rival Fairfield Warde 3-1 (20-25, 25-12, 25-17, 25-15) in a Class LL first-round contest. Greenwich will play at No. 5 Ridgefield, the FCIAC runner-up which had a first-round bye, in the second round on Saturday (2 p.m.)
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Greenwich's Emily Stotesberry (433.05) won the Class LL girls diving championship Thursday at Hamden. She finished almost 100 points ahead of runner Taylor Hadra of Conard (340.25).
The Cardinals had three divers in the top 10 as Megan Mahoney was fourth (313.45) and Weronika Filarska ninth (275.00)
Other local divers in the top 10 included: No. 6 Kelsey Tague of Fairfield Ludlowe (298.90) and No. 7 Lauren Cunningham of Stamford/Westhill ( 296.95).
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The Greenwich boys soccer team (9-5-3) is the 17th seed and has to go on the road to take on No. 16 Hamden in the first round of the Class LL state tournament on Friday (2 p.m.).
The winner earns a date at top-ranked Pomperaug (17-1-1), which had been undefeated until losing to Bunnell in the SWC finals.
THURSDAY'S RESULTS
Football
Greenwich 17, Danbury 7
Girls soccer
Greenwich 3, Manchester 1, Class LL first round
Girls volleyball
Greenwich 3, Fairfield Warde 1 ((20-25, 25-12, 25-17, 25-15), Class LL, first round
Field hockey
Greenwich 3, Newtown 2, Class L qualifying
FRIDAY'S SCHEDULE
Boys soccer
Greenwich at Hamden, 2 p.m., Class LL, first round
Field hockey
Greenwich at Conard, 2 p.m., Class L, first round
SATURDAY'S SCHEDULE
Girls soccer
Greenwich at Ridgefield, 2 p.m.
Girls volleyball
Greenwich at Ridgefield, 2 p.m., Class LL, second round
STANDINGS
- Football
FCIAC Points F/A Overall Record
Overall Points F/A Norwalk 6-1 196-106 6-1 196-106 Ridgefield 6-2 223-144 6-2 223-144 McMahon
3-5 214-180 3-5 214-180 Stamford 5-2 240-104 5-2 240-104 Harding 2-6 77-235 2-6 77-235 Fairfield Ludlowe 0-8 58-309 0-8 58-309 East Division FCIAC Record
FCIAC Points F/A Overall Record
Overall Points F/A New Canaan 7-1 282-145 7-1 282-145 Darien
7-1 250-157 7-1 250-157 Fairfield Warde
4-4 184-169 4-4 184-169 Wilton 4-4 252-198 4-4 252-198 Trinity Catholic 3-5 159-211 3-5 159-211 St. Joseph 2-6 138-228 2-6 138-228 Bassick 0-8 66-308 0-8 66-308
- Boys soccer
6-7-3 21 St. Joseph 2-11-3 9 Trinity Catholic 2-13-1 7
- Girls soccer
Field hockey
West DivisionFCIAC Record Points
Staples 7-2-3-1 18 Stamford 8-4-1-0 17 Greenwich 3-5-3-2 11 Westhill 5-7-1-0 11 Ridgefield 0-6-5-2 7 Danbury 3-10-0-0 6 Trumbull 0-12-1-0 1 East Division Darien 13-0-0-0 26 Wilton 11-2-0-0 22 Norwalk 10-2-1-0 21 New Canaan 8-4-1-0 17 Fairfield Ludlowe 5-6-1-1 12 McMahon 4-7-2-0 10 Fairfield Warde 3-6-3-1 10
Girls volleyball
11-7 Brien McMahon 5-13 Norwalk 3-15 Harding 1-17 East Division Darien 18-0 New Canaan
14-4 Fairfield Warde 9-9 Trinity Catholic 7-11 St. Joseph
7-11 Wilton 5-13 Bassick 0-18