Thursday, February 28, 2013

Preview for Girls Indoor Track’s Last Weeks



By Annabel Schneider

This year the Blue Wave Girls Indoor Tack accomplished something they never have before. They wons the Triple Crown: FCIAC Champions, Class L State Champions, and State Opens champions.  Before this year Indoor Track had never done better than fourth place in State Opens. Even after a very successful year and banquet behind them, seven of the runners aren’t done yet.

Senior Grace Loh, juniors Dillon Schoen, Leah Hotchkiss, and Catherine Lacy, and sophomores Maddie Schneider, Anna Sulger and Anne Johnston are hoping to continue their winning streak at New Englands in Boston on March 2nd and Nationals at the Armory in New York City on March 8th and 9th.

At New Englands, On Saturday March 2nd, Lacy will be competing in the long jump, the same event that she came in first at State Opens. Hotchkiss will be competing in the high jump. Loh will be running the 1000m, Schoen will be running the 600m, and Sulger will be running the 300m. Finally, Sulger, Schoen, Schneider, and Lacy will be running the 4x200 relay.

At Nationals, On Friday the 8th Loh, Sulger, Schoen and Johnston will be running the distance medley. Then on Saturday the 9th, Sulger and Schoen will return along with Schneider and Lacy to run the 4x200 relay, the same relay in which the girls broke the school record in at State Opens.

Schneider has high hopes. “I am really excited just to be going to both competitions. I know we are going to try our hardest and hopefully we will do well.”

Check the blue wave sports blog to stay updated on the Girls Indoor Track team’s last busy weeks of the season.

Photo: The State Open Champions

Staples Squeaks By With Narrow Win in Girls Gymnastics


By Kyra Hammer


In its last home meet of the season, the Darien High School Girls Gymnastics team competed against Staples at the Darien YMCA on Saturday (2/2). Darien lost by 4.15 points ending with a total of 123.90 points, with Staples taking a slim victory with 128.05 points.

Darien started the meet on vault with sophomore Samantha Gunn scoring highest with an 8.40. Throughout the meet, Gunn continued to lead the team and ended with the team’s highest all-around score, 34.05. Sophomore Kajsa Lundeen finished second all-around on the team with a score of 31.65.

Senior and team captain Caroline Congdon shared her hopes for the remainder of the team’s season saying, “We want to do well at FCIACs, finish strong at the last two meets, and if we are lucky go to states.”

Come support the girls as they compete against New Milford and Wilton on Tuesday, February 5 at 4:30pm at New Milford High School.

Photo caption: Senior team captains (left to right) Marya von Schmidt and Caroline Congdon share a smile after a close meet.  

Athlete Profile: Lily Christensen


By Bailey Swiggett

Lily Christensen, senior at Darien High School, has been skating since she was in 5th grade. She began her competitive hockey career in 6th grade and has continued to show a passion and love for the sport of ice hockey.

Throughout Christensen’s high school career, she has played defense and has loved it! “I love playing hockey because it’s such a different sport,” says Christensen. The different group of people, close bond with all of her teammates, and love for the sport in general are all reasons why she loves playing ice hockey.

This year, the girl’s hockey team won FCIAC for the second time in school history. “I knew that we were capable of winning,” says Christensen, who was awarded MVP of the tournament. The game was close, but in the end they took the win against New Canaan, with a final score of 3-4.

Christensen stands as an inspiration to those younger than her. She has served as captain both her junior and senior years and was voted onto the FCIAC First Team last year. Her hard work and dedication to the sport of that she is someone to look up to as both an athlete and a leader. Her team and DHS wish her the best as she continues her hockey career at Miami University. 

Photo caption: Christensen clears the puck in the FCIAC final
Photo credit: Darien Athletic Foundation

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Darien Girls Basketball Survives Tense Game Against Cheshire



By Edward Pankowski

 Tuesday night, February 26, saw the Darien Girls Basketball team prevail against Cheshire, using a surprisingly strong offense to offset a weaker defense. Strong drives by Darien in the first half gave the team a commanding lead, which it was able to defend against a strong retaliation by Cheshire in the fourth quarter. 

 The main gym of Darien High was packed with both Cheshire and Darien fans, though the Darien audience was definitely larger. Before the game, I spoke to sophomore Kendra Fitzpatrick, who predicted, " If we bring our A-Game, we'll win." In the pre-game practice, the Darien team demonstrated impressive teamwork, concentrating on passes and short, aggressive pushes to the basket. Cheshire, meanwhile, demonstrated significantly stronger three point shooter and seemed to be more aggressive overall.

Darien scored the first points early on in the first quarter, taking a lead that Cheshire was never able to surpass. The Girls team was able to maintain control of the ball for most of the quarter, and at some points, the struggle over the ball became more direct and physical, and the Cheshire team grappled with Darien girls over the ball. Kate Forey in particular demonstrated a particular determination, managing to maintain control despite the best efforts of Cheshire. 

The second quarter started well for Cheshire, as they brought out the cannons of the team, easily sinking multiple three pointers. Darien was able to make up these points with some skillful free throws and layups, which demonstrated some of the teamwork and co-ordination on display during the pre-game practice. The Cheshire team was forced to pull a player off the court towards the end of the quarter due to an ankle injury, which temporarily stalled the game. However, Meg Marren was able to drastically increase Darien's lead over Cheshire with a series of skillful three-throws, making the score 24-12 at halftime. 

Darien scored its first three pointer of the game shortly after the beginning of the third quarter, but aggressive playing by Cheshire began to reduce the teams lead. At the same time, Cheshire clearly sought to avoid giving Darien more free-throw opportunities, which meant that fewer fouls occurred. The room became noticeably tense as Darien's lead shrank to the single digits, and by the late fourth quarter, it was down to a mere four points, 47-43. 

The Darien Girls team was able to strengthen its lead with more aggressive tactics. Emily Stein was the most visible of the girls to take the game to the Cheshire basket, and ultimately, a series of free-throws by Stein and Marren extended the blue wave lead to 56-48. Cheshire scored in the last fifteen seconds, but by that point, both sides knew it was over, and the Darien Girls Basketball team secured a major victory in the CIAC tournament. The final score is 56-50.

Photo caption: Junior Emily Stein shoots a free throw in the third quarter of the game in which she played a major role in defeating Cheshire

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Rugby Season Preview


An insight into what’s to come for DHS’ newest Varsity sport
By Zachary Basu

            As the Darien High School spring athletics season rolls around with the classic lacrosse and track seasons expected to dominate day-to-day conversation, some students are looking forward to the start of DHS Rugby’s first year as a varsity sport.
            A rapidly growing sport in all regions of the country, rugby is a spring option that has seen a spike in popularity and success at DHS the last few years. First established in 2007 as a club, the “Black and Blue Wave”, as they’re fondly known, was essentially carried by the fraternal tandem of Sam and Connor McCarthy, two well-known British alums that have since taken their talents to the Miami University of Ohio. Since then, the club – coached by the McCarthys' father John – has seen incredible progress both in yearly turnout and overall playing level.
            The 2013 season will see newly named captains senior Jimmy Weinstock and junior Alex Gunn alongside team vice-presidents seniors Chris Brophy and Jeffrey Gebauer hoping to lead their team to statewide success.
            Of his expectations for the upcoming season, Gunn stated, “Although we've graduated players with a lot of talent and experience, through an earlier start to the season and more interested and dedicated athletes now wanting to experiment with this vastly growing sport, we are expecting to do as well, if not better, than last year’s 4-4 record.”
            Gunn also stressed that the team would be looking for leadership and talent from junior forward James Foster in addition to senior backs Weinstock, Brophy, and Gebauer.
            For all interested in learning about rugby or simply watching DHS’ best partake in one of the more exciting sports the school has to offer, come out to the team’s first home game on Wednesday April 10th against Fairfield Prep.


Caption: The now-Varsity Rugby team celebrates last year after their final match at the club level.

Girls House Hoops Playoff Round One Roundup


By Kat McKay

It’s been ages since I’ve seen a basketball or written a ranking. Thanks to Nemo and February break, House play has been suspended for a while. This is late, but here are the official, YMCA-sanctioned end-of-season standings:
1.      Hoosiers, 7-1
2.      Huskies, 7-1
3.      Blue Devils, 5-3
4.      Sun Devils, 5-3
5.      Tarheels, 4-4
6.      Bears, 3-5
7.      Cavaliers. 1-7
8.      Wildcats, 1-7

House playoffs run a double elimination scheme. The first place team plays the eighth ranked, and then inwards from there, with teams who lose entering the losers bracket (each game there is sudden death) and teams who win remaining in the winners bracket. Last night, Monday, February 25, was the first round. There were no upsets. (Except for me. I was upset. But more on that later.)

Instead of doing a regular ranking, I’m going to do a game analysis for each match. There were only four, and they all went as I would have predicted.

Hoosiers v Wildcats: The Hoosiers are the best team in this league. It isn’t even a question. Congratulations for the millionth time to Kristy Gilbert and Riley Sousa, whose team scores more than everyone else combined (almost.). Their performance, while exceptional, was not really unorthodox. What’s more surprising is that the Wildcats ended their season on such a poor note, and ranked beneath the Cavaliers. I haven’t seen this team personally since week one back in December, so I don’t remember much about what their playing style is like—all I have are their results, which are somber. They scored a fair number of points against a highly successful defense, so they could possibly do all right and survive another round depending on whom they play and how much energy they can bring.
RESULT: Hoosiers W, 57-35

Huskies v Cavaliers: First of all, can I just mention that my team did not come in last overall (!!). Okay. This game was sort of slow, which was disappointing considering what is at stake.  The Huskies are very tall—Emma Hamilton and ALexa Sheldon don’t let anyone else get rebounds, because nobody else can reach the ball—and that works to their advantage. It was a slow scoring night all around, but overall not too one-sided.
Result: Huskies W, 24-15

Blue Devils v Bears: The Bears laid down this one. The Blue Devils are this year’s comeback team. Their third place finish in the regular season is indicative of how much they have improved since adding Caylee Waters to the roster. I still think they are underdogs, though, compared to the winners of the previous two games, so it will be fun to see how they fare against better teams than the tired-seeming Bears.
RESULT: Blue Devils W, 30-18

Sun Devils v Tarheels: On paper, this is supposed to be the closest game of the league— both middle-ranked teams with potential, the Sun Devils and Tarheels each had a legitimate chance to keep themselves in the winners bracket. But because this initial round of playoffs was very typical, the Sun Devils came away with the win. It makes me nervous that the Tarheels are in the losers bracket, because I think (for now) they can dominate it. On the other hand, the Sun Devils will probably find serious competition in the winners bracket. A lot is riding on that upcoming game for them—they can show everyone they were meant to be in the top 3, which they just barely were edged out of by their Blue relatives.
RESULT: Sun Devils W, 23-13

That’s all for the first round. The YMCA is speeding up the whole event, so the second round is tonight (winners games I think) and tomorrow night (losers games, such as my own). Until then DHS--!

Monday, February 25, 2013

FCIACS to States: Girls Ice Hockey Ready to Dominate

Darien Girl’s Ice Hockey goes into tonight’s state quarterfinal confident after successful February break FCIAC win.

By Sarah Cattano

Fresh off February vacation and an FCIAC win, Darien Girls Ice Hockey is gearing up for its next big game: state quarterfinals against Ridgefield today (2/23). After an impressive regular season with 15 wins, three losses, and two ties, DHS Girls Hockey is ready to go out with a bang for its 2012-2013 season. Junior captain and goalie Shannon Hall spoke enthusiastically about the team’s future success in the forthcoming games. “Since we just won FCIACS we have a really good boost going into our game tonight. I think we’ll go in strong and confident,” Hall said. Girls Hockey has many key underclassmen players that have been extremely successful this season, and Hall thinks that they will help the team in the games to come. “All of our underclassmen, especially freshmen, have been playing well this season. Most importantly, we’ve been playing really well together as a team,”  Hall continued. After a strong regular season and an FCIAC win, Girls Hockey is ready to dominate the games in this upcoming week. “We’ve had a successful season this year because we never give up. Even after a loss, we always come back,” Hall said. Be sure to check out Girls Ice Hockey in the state quarterfinals, tonight, Monday, February 23 at 6:00 at the Darien Ice Rink!

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Athlete Profile: Kristy Gilbert

By Katrina Vassel

When senior Kristy Gilbert graduated from elementary school, she fell in love with lacrosse. Since then, she has played on Darien’s travel teams and spends her summers practicing on the Connecticut Chargers. Her freshman year, Gilbert qualified for Darien High School‘s junior varsity lacrosse team. Sophomore year, she was promoted to a midfield position on Varsity. 


“My favorite team has been varsity. The whole team aspect is awesome and playing with other people who have the same mentality makes the game fun,” Gilbert said. Her most memorable experience was playing in a state semi final game during postseason of freshman year. “I scored two goals and I will never forget that experience,” Gilbert added. 

She believes that this season’s varsity team is talented and has the potential to win both FCIAC finals and the State Championships. “Our team has a lot of experience, but also younger girls who have a lot of potential,” Gilbert said. Her dedication was rewarded when Cornell University recognized her talent and recruited her for its lacrosse team.

Photo caption: Gilbert protects the ball as she heads up field

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Darien Girls Hockey Advances to Finals with Double Overtime Win



By Amanda Sload

Yesterday (2/20), Darien's Girls Hockey Team took on Ridgefield in the FCIAC Semi Finals. The 2nd seed Blue Wave came back from a 1-0 deficit to score with seconds remaining and kept their FCIAC dreams alive with a 2-1 victory in overtime against the 3rd seed Tigers.

As senior captain Lily Christensen said, "Last night was a crazy game, but I was very confident with the team; I knew were were capable of winning".

Darien started out strong in the first period, generating offense, playing solid defense, and outshooting Ridgefield 8 to 1. The first period was the only time during the game when one team had a distinct advantage over the other. The momentum changed constantly throughout the majority of the game as each team had close calls and great stops. 

In the second period, Ridgefield upped its game, barely edging Darien in shots, 9 to 8. Though the period was tight, Ridgefield was able to put one in the goal just a few seconds before the end of the period, gaining a 1-0 lead. 

Though down, the Blue Wave was determined to come back. The team had played Ridgefield just a few days ago and was able to tie the game after being down 2-0. In this even more important game, the girls knew they had to put the puck in the net. 

A few minutes into the third period, junior Shannon Hall made a huge stop in net on a Rdgefield breakaway to keep the Wave within one goal. Throughout the game, Hall made 15 stops, holding Darien in the game. The Wave managed 33 shots on net. 

Though Darien had chances throughout the period, they were still down and pulled the goalie with just over a minute remaining. With the extra skater on the ice, freshman Georgia Cassidy, assisted by sophomore Amanda Sload, found the net as she stuffed the puck through Ridgefield's goal with 16 seconds remaining in the game. 

Now tied, the teams entered overtime. The first overtime was tight with strong defense on both ends, just 3 shots for Darien and 2 for Ridgefield, and neither team found the back of the net. However, at 3:55 in double overtime, Cassidy did it again as she scored on a breakaway to advance Darien to the finals.

Christensen was happy with the team's success and effort overall. "Going in the third period we all knew we had a job to do and luckily we got it done! The team played well, we just had a few issues getting stuck on the boards and clearing the puck out of the zone. Afterwards was amazing-- everyone was going nuts in the locker room!" said Christensen.

Come support Darien as they battle rival New Canaan for the FCIAC title on Saturday the 23rd at 3:40 at Terry Conners Ice Rink. 

Photo caption: Cassidy dekes the Ridgefield goalie on the breakaway to complete the 2-1 OT win
Photo credits: Darien Athletic Foundation

Monday, February 18, 2013

Twice as Nice: Indoor Track Teams Sweep States


By Barbara Bell
The Girls' and Boys' Indoor track teams have a lot to celebrate about. This past Friday, (2/15) both Indoor Track Teams won the Class L State Championships at Hillhouse in New Haven.
The girls' 4X200 relay team, composed of Anna Sulger, Dillon Schoen, Catherine Lacy, and Maddie Schneider broke yet another record, this time setting a new class L time. Sulger won both the 300 M and the 600 M (Schoen finished second). Grace Loh won the 1000 M, and Katie Farren ran a new personal best in the 3200 with a time of 11:57.93. As per usual, Darien also swept field events. Catherine Lacy won long jump, Leah Hotchkiss won high jump, and Maddie Schneider took first in the pole vault.
Lacy said that their 4X200 relay had a "phenomenal" run, and that she "didn't think any of us expected to do as well as we did." Breaking the record was "one of the best feelings," she added.
As for the boys' team, the distance runners shined in the 1000 M. Brian Davey, Marshall Huffman, and Peter Kreuch, all juniors, took first, second, and third respectively. Nick Lombardo, Cooper Drippe, CJ Raya, and Spencer McMullin won the 4X200 relay, and Lombardo also won the high jump.
After a disappointing loss in FCIACS, the boys team made a comeback, beating rival Windsor by 26 points. Davey said that states had been their "ultimate goal" and that "really great performances" helped them capture it.
Congrats to both on a phenomenal season! Qualifiers return to the track on Tuesday (2/19) for the State Opens.

Picture: The Girls' and Boys' Teams celebrate their wins.

9th/10th House Basketball Wrap-Up: The Season Draws to a Close



By Stephen Barston


With Duke winning the championship this past Wednesday, it was bittersweet ending to the House basketball season: sweet for the Blue Devils, who used their depth to coast through the playoffs, but sour for the rest of the league, who now must wait until next year to bring home the title for their team. Throughout the year, there were big surprises and players that need recognition for their great performances week in and week out. On that note, here are my awards for the 2012-2013 house basketball season…

MVP:George Reed, Texas Texas fought its way up from #10 in the preseason power rankings and ended up as the last undefeated team in the league. Reed did it all for the Longhorns throughout the season, scoring, setting up buckets for his teammates, and playing ferocious defense, too. The only thing he couldn’t do was find his way to the championship game, but that’s easily overshadowed by his consistency in the regular season.

Defensive Player of the Year: Daniel Traver— It was no coincidence that Syracuse allowed the fewest points in the league this season; each game, they were led on the defensive end by Daniel Traver. Traver’s quickness and strength allowed him to defend guards and big men, seeming to hold everyone he covered to below-average performances, even if he was going up against someone taller than him.

Newcomer of the Year (Best Freshman): Jamie Schofield— Schofield’s versatility constantly makes him a threat on the offensive end. On fast break opportunities, he can break through the defense with a few quick steps and get to the hoop to draw a foul. In half-court possessions, he can work the ball around to his teammates or size up his defender to get into open space and knock down a shot. Congrats to him for a solid season, and look for him to wreak even more havoc as a sophomore next season.

Surprise Team of the Year: Stanford— Stanford was ranked 7th at the beginning of the season, and, in my opinion, lacked a true star to guide their team. That ended up being irrelevant. Sophomores Davis Nixon, John Mackie, and Anthony DiMeglio spearheaded a squad that centered around impeccable chemistry and that worked efficiently together. They ended up near the top of the standings, much to the surprise of many House fans, but there was good reason for their success.

Player(s) to Look For In the Future: The Drake Brothers— As the sophomores move on to 11th/12th grade house basketball next year, the Drakes will still be in the 9th/10th league and will have a certain advantage. This year, they found a way to lead their team of all freshmen to a few victories despite all the odds being against them. They are the perfect guards: shooting and passing specialists that can orchestrate a dangerous offense. Look for them to find success next year with valuable experience and a full season under their belts.

Once again, congratulations to Duke on a successful season (to say the least) and see you all next season…

Friday, February 15, 2013

Bulls Triumph Over Lakers in House Final 33-29

By Cameron van de Graaf
 
The 11th and 12th grade 2012-2013 Darien YMCA House Basketball season drew to a close on Wednesday, February 13th as the Bulls narrowly edged out the Lakers by the score of 33-29. Junior Dan Murphy and Senior Jack Traver played pivotal roles for the Bulls, while the Whiting brothers, Pierce and Jackson, put up solid numbers for the Lakers.

The game started off in dramatic fashion, as Travers put up a three and sank four straight free throws in three minutes to put the Lakers down early. Murphy scored on several fast breaks to add more points to his team’s rapidly growing total. Though the Lakers’ big men played solidly in the first 10 minutes, their efforts could not stop the Bulls from going up 16-8 one quarter of the way through.

Over the next 10 minutes, however, the Lakers launched a comeback predicated on the shooting success of several players. Junior Andrew Nault was first to score after snagging an offensive rebound, and was followed in short order by Nick Saggese, who drained a three pointer. At the end of the half, the Lakers had closed the gap, and the score stood at 22-21 Bulls.

In contrast to the first half, the second period was defined by anemic offense and inspired defense on both teams. Particularly notable were Pierce Whiting’s blocked shots and rebounds, which robbed the Bulls of momentum on several occasions. Accompanying this physical play was an increase in fouls and violations called, with the referee interrupting the action at regular intervals to call a charge, travel, or foul. Due to the above factors, the two teams remained within two points of each other for the first 15 minutes of the second half. The Bulls were just beginning to pull away when Jackson Whiting put the Lakers back into contention with a basket and penalty shot combined for a three point play. With fewer than 40 seconds left, the score was 31-29 Bulls, and the Lakers had possession. Unfortunately, the team was unable to convert and resorted to fouling in order to stop the clock. Murphy stepped up, making both of his bonus free throws to put the Bulls up 33-29, a nearly insurmountable lead with only 15 seconds left. The final moments passed without heroic comeback, and the Bulls were crowned the House champions of 2013. Reflecting on the victory, Morgan said, “We had a great team this year…we’re glad we could pull out the win.”

Pictured: Players battling for the ball.

Darien Trumps Fairfield Warde High School

By Marielle Ravosa

The Darien High School Girls Basketball team recorded a 49-41 victory over Fairfield Warde on Wednesday (2/13) at Fairfield Warde High School.

Senior Meg Marren led the game, scoring 17 points, and making 13 rebounds, one assist, five steals, and two blocks! Senior Kate Bushell scored nine points with four rebounds and three assists. Juniors Kelly Karczewski and Emily Stein scored a combined total of 17 points. Freshman Erin Karcsewski and sophomore Kendra Fitzpatrick also scored a combined total of seven points.

Stay tuned for future games, as girls basketball enters the playoff season. 
Pictured: Junior Emily Stein dribbles down the court.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Girls Basketball Senior Day

Seniors Slam Dunk Norwalk

By: Cammie Lattimer

The Girls Basketball Team took on Norwalk last night (2/12) at Darien High School. After their Senior Day was postponed from the past Friday to Tuesday, the girls were more than ready to take on Norwalk. Each of the three seniors, Ali Aparicio, Kate Bushell, and Meg Marren, were each recognized by their coach, Katie Lauten, in a heartfelt speech. After the Star Spangled Banner was sung for the last time in their home gym for these three players, the game began. Their record was 12-5 coming into the game, and it was clear from the start that it would soon be 13-5. At halftime, the score was 27 to 7, Darien, with Meg Marren scoring her 1000 career point with just 2: 28 left in the first period, and senior Kate Bushell with the assist. Junior Emily Stein had numerous steals as her quick speed down the court led to more and more baskets. The players worked as a team and ran every play with determination and energy. A true testament to the hearts of the players was the overwhelming support for senior Meg Marren after she became the first girl to make 1000 career points. Every teammate was smiling ear to ear that they were able to help Meg make history. Meg Marren’s old basketball coach, Raquel Welsh, shared, “tonight was a goal Meg whispered to me as a sophomore when she finished the season with an even 500 points. She is an incredible player and has inspired many to believe that the impossible is possible.” Winning the game with a score of 62-4, was the perfect way for the Girls Basketball team to end their last home game. Their next game is tonight (2/14) at Stamford High School at 7 p.m.; come and show your support!

Pictured: The team shows their support for Meg’s 1000th career point.

Photo Credit: Molly Marren

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Meg Marren Scores Her 1000th Point

By Kate Fitzmaurice

Last night (2/12) Darien girls’ basketball won its game against Norwalk. What seemed like an easy game for Darien was also a very exciting night. The team honored its three senior captains Ali Aparicio, Kate Bushell, and Meg Marren (pictured). In addition to the senior recognition, it was also the game in which Marren scored her 1000th career point this season! Marren told MSG Varsity earlier in the season, “My biggest athletic goal is to reach 1000 points before the season ends." Marren had many supporters last night at the game. When she scored her 1000th point the team presented her with a framed picture and the game ball. Marren and her record will certainly go down in DHS history. Come and see the team play in its next game tonight at 7 p.m. at Fairfield Warde High School.
(Photo credit to Darien Athletic Foundation)

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Wave Puck Handily Defeats Trumbull


By Courtney Kyritz

This past evening (2/11) the Darien Boys Varsity Hockey Team took on Trumbull in a blowout game. Winning with the final score, 7-0, the boys added another victory to their record making them 13-1-2.

Starting out the first period strong, the boys started strong. Sophomores Tiger Sullivan and Jack Pardue as well as seniors Captain Brendan Hathaway and Jack Knowlton all scored heading the 5-0 start over Trumbull. Leading into the second period, the boys continued to play strong and junior Robbie Juterbock and senior Captain Trent Bergin scored, finishing off the goal scoring for the night, and giving the team a solid 7 goal lead. During the final period the boys played conservatively, working on control of the puck all in preparation for their up coming game against Fairfield Prep.

Neirad talked with Bergin about what to expect for the upcoming game with Prep, he said, “A tough battle between two of the states top teams, I think it should be a great game, and we will need a lot of fan support.” 

Come check out Wave Varsity Hockey this Wednesday Feb. 13th @ 6:00, Home at Darien Ice Rink.


Caption: Players celebrate after a goal 

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

World of Sports Wednesday (1st Edition)

By Matt Brown



            I was lucky enough to the go to the Super Bowl this past weekend. It was everything I was hoping it would be and more. I hopped on the plane Friday morning with my godmother Nancy and rolled into New Orleans almost as excited as Ray Lewis was for the game (Just Kidding). I went in to the weekend committed to rooting for the Ravens over the 49ers, and a huge fan of the before mentioned linebacker Ray Lewis.
             Lewis started his career in 1996 and played his last game this past Sunday. He is regarded by many to be within a group of the best linebackers to ever lace em’ up. He is also one of only two linebackers to ever be rewarded Super Bowl MVP. And no, 1996 isn’t a typo, he has been doing the damn thing for 17 years. The Baltimore Ravens have never existed without Ray Lewis on the roster. Even the people that think he is a tad overrated as a linebacker admit that he is the best motivator to ever have pads on. He revolutionized the pump-up speech. To top it off, he does endless charity work and is extremely religious.
            As those who dislike the Ravens are quick to point out, his career does have a strange blemish. In 2000, after a Super Bowl party in Atlanta there was a brawl that resulted in two men being stabbed to death. Lewis was held for 15 days on charges of murder and then made a plea deal with the prosecutors. He was only charged with obstruction of justice in exchange for testifying against the two people he was with. His two friends were acquitted and no other suspects were ever arrested for the crime. Nobody knows for sure who is innocent and who is guilty, and now it seems that we never will.
            My grandpa was a sports reporter on ESPN back in the day so I got to go behind the scenes at ESPN to see the taping of a show on Saturday. In the process I got to meet sports reporters, sports writers, and just plain sport lovers like Adam Schefter, ESPN’s NFL Insider, and Mike Lupica, the author of books like “Travel Team” and “Heat” which almost every 12 year old guy read at least a chapter of back in the middle school years. So there I was, a huge football and Ray-Ray fan chilling in a room watching Lupica and Schefter toss on make up. The executive producer ran through what was going to be talked about on the show, and Ray Lewis and the murders came up. Mike Lupica seemed passionate on the subject and showed it on air, saying how it says something about the attention span of the sports world and what we care about.
            To me, it caused a temporary epiphany. It made me realize that the whole playoffs this year I (at age 17) had been watching a man playing his 17th season and thinking of nothing but his sheer awesomeness. It did not have the epiphany that he was definitely guilty of something related to the murders that took place 13 years ago, but I had the epiphany that I had spent a long time not caring about the murders at all. I realized that Ray Lewis’s story was not a case of media forgiveness and athlete repent. Michael Vick’s crimes were forgiven. Ray Lewis’s alleged crimes, albeit alleged, were forgotten.
            Just a day later after the Raven’s victory Ray Lewis was standing on the podium holding the Lombardi trophy yelling “Baltimore!” into a microphone. And I sat in my seat with chills. Chills. Chills of inspiration and amazement. I was not alone, I turned on ESPN later that night and heard analyst Tom Jackson say “What a ride for Ray Lewis, this is one of the best things ever.” One of the best things EVER. And I sat back on my hotel room bed and thought about Mike Lupica and thought again about how disgustingly little I cared about the murders that Ray Lewis were involved with. The media, the Ravens, and the NFL had all moved on and revered Lewis as a hero, and I followed right behind them and did the same and will forever. As quickly as stories were published about Ray Lewis as a villain in 2000 they were published just as fast in 2001 about Ray Lewis the hero. So I ask you, sports fans, do we care about what’s right and wrong? Or will we write, read, and watch whatever makes the best story? There will forever be an unsolved murder involving Ray Lewis, but when big Ray throws on his Hall of Fame jacket and gives a moving acceptance speech nobody in the room will care. But hey, at least he swears he isn’t hiding anything the same way Lance Armstrong swears he didn’t cheat, so maybe they both really are falsely accused… Oh wait nevermind.

Go cheer for Wave Puck tonight. Till next Wednesday, it’s been really real.
            

Monday, February 4, 2013

Staples Squeaks By With Narrow Win in Girls Gymnastics


By Kyra Hammer

In its last home meet of the season, the Darien High School Girls Gymnastics team competed against Staples at the Darien YMCA on Saturday (2/2). Darien lost by 4.15 points, ending with a total of 123.90 points, with Staples taking a slim victory with 128.05 points.

Darien started the meet on vault with sophomore Samantha Gunn scoring highest with an 8.40. Throughout the meet, Gunn continued to lead the team and ended with the team’s highest all-around score, 34.05. Sophomore Kajsa Lundeen finished second all-around on the team with a score of 31.65.

Senior and team captain Caroline Congdon shared her hopes for the remainder of the team’s season saying, “We want to do well at FCIACs, finish strong at the last two meets, and, if we are lucky, go to States.”

Come support the girls as they compete against New Milford and Wilton on Tuesday, February 5 at 4:30pm at New Milford High School.


Photo caption: Senior captains (left to right) Marya von Schmidt and Caroline Congdon share a smile after a close meet.