FAIRFIELD - For the past few seasons, the Ludlowe football team has been all about writing new chapters in its history.
Another one is now in the books.
Quarterback Ryan Love threw three touchdown passes, including two on fourth-down plays, to lead No. 6-ranked Ludlowe past No. 8 Ridgefield 30-15 Thursday night at Taft Field, giving the Falcons their first-ever 5-0 start.
Love said for the Ludlowe seniors, it's all part of the goal.
"My class has worked their tail ends off our whole career here," Love said. "I've never seen more mission-driven humans in a squad before. We got that dog in us."
The Falcons continued their gunslinging approach under coach Mitch Ross, going 4-for-4 on fourth down conversions. Love connected on fourth-down touchdown passes to Gabe Lesizza for 14 yards and Jackson Danylko for eight yards. Ludlowe also converted on four third-down plays, and never punted.
"When I see coach Ross leave us in on fourth-and-10, it only fires me up to make a great throw," Love said. "Our receivers know that the ball's coming to them and they always find a way to get open on fourth down. (Ross) really just trusts us as an offense to get that first down."
Both Ridgefield (3-2) and Ludlowe moved up in the GametimeCT Top 10 Poll this week, with the Falcons climbing to No. 6 and the Tigers jumping two spots to No. 8. They're part of a six-team FCIAC contingent ranked in the top 10.
The Tigers hold a 9-3 advantage head-to-head against the Falcons, but Ludlowe has won the only two meetings since 2016, including a 53-44 shootout in 2023.
Ludlowe took the initial 14-0 lead by scoring on its first two possessions.
Ridgefield made some noise with a 62-yard pass from Connor Chojnacki to Chris Colsey to set up a one-yard touchdown run by Santino Barrella, chopping the 14-point deficit in half with four minutes to go in the second quarter.
But Ludlowe answered with a 73-yard drive capped by Love's touchdown pass to Danylko for a 21-7 halftime lead.
"The two losses we have, we put ourselves in bad spots early," Ridgefield coach Jamie Reed said. "We're not talking about Xs and Os right at the end here. We talked about bigger ideas, like just making sure we maintain the standards of the program. That's the stuff that's important.
"We're not going to deviate from the plan, we're not going to do things differently, we've just got to do some things better."
Ludlowe extended its lead when Love connected with Timmy O'Neill for a 24-yard touchdown early in the third quarter. O'Neill was Love's top target with five catches for 103 yards and the score.
Ben Kaminsky had a big night running the ball, finishing with nine carries for 96 yards and the Falcons' first touchdown.
"We've got the best passing game in the state and then tonight started with our run game," O'Neill said. "We going for it - Ben Kaminsky, Gabe Lesizza, Allesandro (Giron) - they're just dogs. And then we got the passing game going and Ryan aired it out a bit. It's a lot of fun."
Player of the game
Ryan Love, Ludlowe:
Quotable
"This is now a senior class of 26 players and they've worked really hard. They're a very tightly bound group, we have a good captain bunch and they're very, very motivated. They know we're a competitive team against anybody and they know we can do a lot of school firsts. 5-0 is another box to check but I keep telling the kids, we have bigger aspirations and there's more to do." - Ludlowe coach Mitch Ross.
No. 6 Ludlowe 30, No. 8 Ridgefield 15
RIDGEFIELD 0 7 0 8 - 15
LUDLOWE 14 7 6 3 - 30
L-Ben Kaminsky 3 run (Fin Roper kick)
L-Gabe Lesizza 14 pass from Ryan Love (Roper kick)
R-Santino Barrella 1 run (Charles Hong kick)
L-Jackson Danylko 8 pass from Love (Roper kick)
L-Timmy O'Neil 24 pass from Love (kick failed)
L-Roper 26 field goal
R-Safety, runner tackled in end zone
R-Chris Colsey 6 run (kick failed)
Records: Ridgefield 3-2; Ludlowe 5-0
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This article originally published at No. 6 Ludlowe football, QB Ryan Love, beat No. 8 Ridgefield for first 5-0 start in program history.