Shelton, CT — Before Friday, Shelton’s Kanye Tinney knew virtually nothing about New Canaan’s Alex Benevento. By Friday’s end, Tinney and Benevento were exchanging handshakes and hugs after trading haymakers all night in Shelton’s hard-fought, 26-23 Connecticut Football Alliance victory over New Canaan at Finn Stadium. “I never knew him before today,” said Tinney, Shelton’s standout senior receiver. “But he’s a good guy. We like to battle. We just keep going at it. It’s fun.” It was indeed a heavyweight clash of 2023 Class L contenders. New Canaan, last year’s Class L champions, vs. a veteran Shelton squad looking to break a two-decade title drought. “It was like a boxing match,” said Shelton coach Mike DeFelice, sticking with the simile. “We were on the ropes. We took a couple of hits. But we didn’t go down.” Tinney’s electric 90-yard opening kickoff return sparked the Gaels to a three-touchdown lead into the fourth quarter. Benevento’s end zone pickoff at Tinney’s expense and his own electric 86-yard kickoff return for a touchdown rallied the Rams to within three, with the ball and 2 1/2 minutes remaining for a chance to win. “That’s what high school football is about,” DeFelice said. “Who’s your dude? It was our dude going up against their dude and it was great to see.” With Shelton reeling, Tinney sniffed out a double pass intended for a wide-open Benevento down the left sideline. The senior leaped, got a glove on Alex Russey’s throw, and tipped the ball away from Benevento’s reach. “I watched (Russey’s) film, I knew he played a little bit of quarterback last year so I knew he had an arm,” Tinney said. “But we had talent and I just had to play it.” On fourth and 12, Benevento couldn’t break free on a short pass and the Gaels celebrated the first of what they hope are many big victories over a murderer’s row of nine schools that reached the playoffs last year — and that doesn’t include Xavier. Asked if his heart had the stamina for another nine games like this, DeFeliced laughed. “My heart might not,” he said. “But I think this team does. We’ve been preaching one week at a time and, if there’s ever a schedule that you can’t look ahead… it’s ours.” For the defending champions, it was a frustrating night. The Rams drove deep into Shelton territory to start the game and the third quarter, but both times came away empty. Shelton, meanwhile, tacked on a pair of touchdowns by senior back David Dojlidko. The Gaels were up 19-0 when Benevento finally got the Rams on the board on a short pass from Luke Robinson that he took 44 yards for a touchdown. It was Benevento’s first score since his sophomore year after missing nearly all of last season with a broken arm. (Coincidentally, New Canaan lost linebacker Charlie O’Connor to what appeared to be a serious ankle injury in the first quarter Friday night). “He’s been waiting for this for a long time,” New Canaan coach Lou Marinelli said of Benevento. “He’s one of our captains and he’s a dynamic player. We’ve got to find more ways to get him the ball. “I’m proud of our kids that they hung in there. We just have to go back to work and fix the little things.” After stopping a New Canaan fake punt on the Rams’ 25, Shelton made it a 26-8 game on a 2-yard run by Ryan Kinik with 9 minutes left. But this game wasn’t over. New Canaan's defense held and Shelton shanked a punt that ultimately led to Michael Smith's 9-yard touchdown run that got New Canaan within 26-23. The Rams got the ball back one last time, but were finally stopped by Tinney’s last-minute heroics. “I think we just got a little hot-headed,” Dojlidko said. “But we controlled it. We kept our composure and sealed the victory.” Player of the Game Kanye Tinney, Shelton — He bookended the win with two massive plays: his 90-yard opening kickoff return touchdown and his batted pass of what looked to be a sure touchdown to New Canaan’s Alex Benevento. In between he and Benevento went one-on-one with each other. Quotable “When you win a game you’re not quite as good as you think and when you lose a game, you’re not quite as bad. I think there’s a lot of things to improve on.” —New Canaan coach Lou Marinelli Shelton 26, New Canaan 23 NEW CANAAN 0 0 8 15 — 23 SHELTON 7 6 13 0 — 26 S—Kanye Tinney 90 kickoff return (Jake Ferreira kick) S—David Dojlidko 2 run (kick failed) S—Dojlidko 15 pass from Mike Kinik (pass failed) NC—Alex Benevento 44 pass from Robinson (Russey pass from Robinson) S—Ryan Kinik 2 run (kick) NC—Benevento 86 kickoff return (Robinson run) NC—Mike Smith 9 run (Stevens kick) Records: New Canaan 0-1, Shelton 1-0. https://www.ctinsider.com/gametimect/football/article/shelton-new-canaan-18354165.php?fbclid=IwAR3a1p-2ovLrY8yC6_9SYlto28WBCS6696Pyk0NP1f5PEmcemQhsQDngo3c