Playoff Preview: Wave Football Goes for Championship Double

-By: Darius Majd-

Just earlier this week, DHS football players and fans alike wondered if the team could navigate its way to an unprecedented season, and a state title. In the aftermath of the vandalism of New Canaan High school on Nov. 22, this storybook finish was quickly extinguished. Dealing with the suspension of five players for the remainder of the season due to involvement in the prank-gone-wrong, and the heavy emotional toll that accompanied this incident, the Blue Wave stumbled once again in the Turkey Bowl on Thanksgiving against powerful rival New Canaan 42-14. The game, which was controlled by New Canaan but competitive during the first half, unraveled in the second half, in no small part due to the absences of several starters; if losing a starting lineman and receiver to suspension were not enough, other players such as all-state senior captain Charlie Kunze – a two-way starter – were sidelined with injuries early on in the game.
With the undefeated season gone, and the chance to win the Turkey Bowl for the first time since 2001 with it, the DHS football team must now pick itself up and turn its attention to the Class L state championships. Despite the loss, Darien dropped only to the #5 seed – 1 spot above New Canaan. A difficult road awaits the team if it wants to achieve state glory, and a possible rematch with the rival Rams. This path would run through undefeated Masuk, the #1 team in Connecticut. But first, the Wave must get past #4 seed Wethersfield (9-1) in the quarterfinals.
Darien will rotate a number of players in to replace the suspended starter on the defensive line, including juniors Jake Coughlin and Curry Harmon, and senior Justin Coley (who also starts on the offensive line). Filling in at the open spot at wide receiver will be senior Peter McDonough and junior Patrick McDonald. Senior Scotty Waters, the remaining starter at the receiver position, will look to keep up the strong play that he showcased against New Canaan.
The time off after the Turkey Bowl should also give injured players time to recover; Kunze is expected to play against Wethersfield, but only on the D-line (he had been playing on both sides of the ball for much of the season). Senior linebacker Brandon Coley is confident that the time of will have the team ready to go: “We should have Tucker [Morehouse] and Kunze back by the time of the game, and I think we are solid on both sides of the ball. Wethersfield have big lineman, but we have the speed to beat them.”
The Blue Wave football opens its state playoff campaign with its quarterfinal match up with Wethersfield on Tuesday. (11/30) The game will be at 6:30pm at Wethersfield High School, so come and show your school spirit and support the team.
Caption: Senior captain Peter McDonough tackles a Ram in the Turkey Bowl. McDonough is one of several players who will be playing on both sides of the ball to counteract personnel losses.