NEW CANAAN -- A few weeks ago, New Canaan defensive lineman Connor Buck said the greatest feeling on a football field was sacking the quarterback.

 

Turns out he may have a new favorite play after rumbling 56 yards on a fumble recovery, busting open the game as No. 2 New Canaan beat No. 3 St. Joseph 62-21 Friday night at Dunning Stadium in a battle of unbeatens.

 

With the Cadets driving down 10, New Canaan's Cole Harris stripped Cadets quarterback Jordan Vazzano and Buck picked up the bouncing ball and sprinted away from everyone for the touchdown and a 24-7 lead.

 

"Touchdowns are nice. Yeah, touchdowns are pretty good," Buck said. "We had great pressure today and I am very proud of our D line for that. It's awesome, everyone gets hyped up, the offense gets hyped up."

 

The Rams defense had two interceptions and recovered two fumbles, and it was all too much for St. Joseph to overcome.

 

The two first half turnovers were especially devastating to the Cadets' hopes.

 

"It crushed us," St. Joseph Coach Joe DellaVecchia said. "We could have been right there but we gave them 17 points off turnovers and we dropped three touchdown passes and you can't do that in a game like this."

 

The Rams (8-0) turned an interception on the game's second play into a 3-0 lead on a field goal by Peter Swindell.

 

New Canaan went up 10-0 on Nick Cascione's first touchdown pass of the game to Alex LaPolice.

 

Cascione was brilliant on the big stage, finishing with 379 yards passing, six touchdowns and a rushing TD as well.

 

"Not too bad. Pretty good night," New Canaan Coach Lou Marinelli said of his quarterback. "I think he did a pretty good job tonight."

 

Aided by two personal foul penalties, St. Joseph was able to get on the board when Vazzano hit Lars Pederson on a 6-yard strike, making it 10-7.

 

The Rams answered back with another Cascione to LaPolice hook up and the ensuing Cadets drive ended with Buck dashing toward the end zone.

 

"It kind of deflated them even more," Marinelli said. "It was certainly a lift for us. Our defense, I thought, played a really great game and gave our offense field position and even when they didn't our offense was able to move the ball."

 

St. Joseph may have had a little momentum heading to halftime after scoring with 2:26 left to make it 31-14, but the Rams were able to drive down field and, despite having a touchdown called back on a holding call, were able to put more points on the board when Swindell knocked home a 45-yard try as time expired in the half, making it 34-14.

 

It was the second longest field goal in New Canaan history.

 

scott.ericson@scni.com; @EricsonSports

 

NEW CANAAN    17 17 14 14--62

 

ST. JOSEPH    7 7 0 7--21

 

NC--Peter Swindell 34 field goal

 

NC--Alex LaPolice 10 pass Nick Cascione (Swindell kick)

 

SJ--Lars Pederson 6 pass Jordan Vazzano (Kevin Bortnick kick)

 

NC--LaPolice 30 Pass Cascione (Swindell kick)

 

NC--Connor Buck 56 fumble recovery (kick failed)

 

NC--Cole Turpin 18 pass Cascione (Cascione run)

 

SJ- Mufasha Abdul Basir 1 run (Bortnick kick0

 

NC--Swindell field goal 45

 

NC--Cascione 4 run (Swindell kick)

 

NC--Robby Paul 13 pass Cascione (Swindell kick)

 

SJ--Pederson 7 pass Vazzano (Bortnick kick)

 

NC--Jack Gilio 75 pass Cascione (Swindell kick)

 

NC--Kyle Smith 5 pass Cascione (Swindell kick)

 

Records: New Canaan 8-0; St. Joseph 7-1