Can Greenwich Football Three-Peat? Cardinals Chase 12th Connecticut State Title

Defending Class LL champion Greenwich returns quarterback Phil Tarantino and several key pieces from a team seeking its third consecutive state championship

The Greenwich Cardinals are seeking their third straight Connecticut state title and their 12th state championship overall in 2026. | Bill Berg

Greenwich High School enters the 2026 football season as the defending Connecticut Class LL state champions, and the Cardinals have plenty of reason to believe another title could be within reach.

Despite losing several seniors from last year's team, Greenwich returns several key pieces from its second consecutive championship squad — most notably quarterback Phil Tarantino. That continuity gives the Cardinals a strong foundation as they pursue the program's 12th state championship and a third straight title.

Greenwich closed out the 2025 season in dominant fashion, defeating Southington 45-6 en route to capturing the CIAC Class LL state championship. It was Greenwich's 11th title overall and third since 2022.

Quarterback Phil Tarantino Returns

For Greenwich, they don’t have to worry about that. Phil Tarantino, a rising junior, led the Cardinals to the Class LL championship as a sophomore last season. Tarantino totaled over 2,000 all-purpose yards and 20 total touchdowns last season as a sophomore. His comfort in the pocket, as a 6-foot, 185-pound quarterback, gives Greenwich valuable continuity at the game's most important position as the Cardinals pursue another championship.

Michael Galano Gives Greenwich a Special Teams Weapon

Greenwich also has something few high school programs possess: an elite kicker and punter. Michael Galano’s weapon is his foot, and he can kick the ball 65+ yards, which is very rare for high schoolers. He is a 4.5-star kicker according to Kohl's Kicking and is the No. 1 ranked kicker in Connecticut in his classification.

A Returning Defense

Linebacker Justin Carroll also returns after recording 118 tackles, including 14 for loss, last season. His presence gives Greenwich an experienced centerpiece on a defense that held Southington to six points in the Class LL championship game.

Greenwich Will Be Tested Early

Greenwich starts its season at home against Bridgeport Central before traveling to New Britain in week 2. 

After that comes a difficult stretch of games against Warde, Newtown, Norwalk and New Canaan. New Canaan is one of Connecticut’s perennial contenders and should be a significant test for Greenwich a little more than halfway through the regular season.

Can Greenwich Win Three Straight?

Greenwich's recent track record speaks for itself: three state championships since 2022, including back-to-back titles entering this season. With its championship quarterback returning as a junior, the Cardinals have an important piece in place for another run. Under head coach Anthony Morello, Greenwich has already shown it can win with much of this core, and continuity at quarterback is exactly the kind of edge that should separate Greenwich from the rest of the Class LL teams. 

With Tarantino back behind center, Carroll anchoring the defense and Galano providing an advantage on special teams, Greenwich has many of the ingredients needed for another championship run. The schedule will provide plenty of tests, but the Cardinals enter 2026 with a legitimate opportunity to do something the program has never done before: win three consecutive state titles.