Darien Football Downs Wethersfield

The Blue Wave football squad defeated Wethersfield High School in the state quarter-finals this Tuesday (11/30) with a score of 31-7. Darien will face the top seed Masuk in the state semi-finals.

Sprinting Towards a New Season: Girls Indoor Track Preview

-By: Katrina Vassell-

The winter track season is just beginning, and the girls have already begun a diligent training schedule. The girls hope to live up to their legacy, and gain another FCIAC title. “The team was one of the top three at FCIAC’s for the last seven years, and we plan on being as strong a team this year as in the past,” girls track coach Steve "Norrie" Norris said. If the team does not place first, second, or third in enough events, it will only be able to score half the amount of point needed for a fourth victory at the next state indoor meet. Placing at the top will be difficult because many skilled athletes, such as Class of 09 grad Christy Gasparino left along with junior Robin Bone who now attends school in Canada. Luckily the team has strong and experienced captains ready to take charge. Senior Elizabeth Crafford placed in the top two at the FCIAC pole vault last year. Senior Amanda Dobler is a middle runner and distance runner. She was on the first team at FCIAC in the cross country competition. According to Coach Norris, senior Sarah Dailey “has the best high jump,” and is a motivational captain. Senior Megan Keane is a powerhouse cross country, middle, and long distance runner. Although, regaining the speed and power reached at the end last year is a challenge, the team is willing to put in their devotion and effort. The girls are looking forward to a successful year and regaining their top position at FCIAC’s.

Pictures:
Runners- The long distance track team warming up
Running on track- Long distance runners head to the track

Field Hockey Moves to #3 Spot in National Rankings

-By: Claire Dickson-

It was the perfect end to a dream season for the Darien girls field hockey team. With a perfect regular season record, the girls went on to clinch both the FCIAC and State titles, and move their spot in the national rankings from fourth to third. As if that weren’t enough, the girls also kept up their record for most consecutive wins in the country, moving to a record of 75-1-0 for the last three years. This record is in the top nine for the longest winning streaks in scholastic field hockey history. But this fire was started by the gasoline given off by a larger than life senior class. The 2010 roster held 13 seniors and an all senior starting team besides Galen Rohn, a junior playing right back. These girls have certainly left a major dent in the program.
However, that’s not to say the underclassmen girls aren’t up for the challenge of keeping up the dynasty. The juniors consist of Rohn, a starter in an otherwise all senior starting lineup; Lilly Cassidy, a devoted player who contributed a fair share of goals to the team this season; Julia Cobb, a versatile player who is up for the challenge of filling big shoes; and Mimi Morgan, a new varsity player who is already showing improvement. With these juniors and an ever-improving class of sophomores and freshmen, the team looks to be in good shape for next year, even though they will be missing a key chunk of their departed seniors.


Photo: The senior field hockey girls after the state championship game last month.

Darien up 21-7 in 4th

Darien up 21-7 in 4th quarter. Darien scored again as Chris Allam ran it in for another touchdown.

Darien up 12-7 at half

Darien up 12-7 at half in states against Wethersfield. A field goal, safety, and touchdown by graham maybell is how they scored.

Playoff Preview: Wave Football Goes for Championship Double

-By: Darius Majd-

Just earlier this week, DHS football players and fans alike wondered if the team could navigate its way to an unprecedented season, and a state title. In the aftermath of the vandalism of New Canaan High school on Nov. 22, this storybook finish was quickly extinguished. Dealing with the suspension of five players for the remainder of the season due to involvement in the prank-gone-wrong, and the heavy emotional toll that accompanied this incident, the Blue Wave stumbled once again in the Turkey Bowl on Thanksgiving against powerful rival New Canaan 42-14. The game, which was controlled by New Canaan but competitive during the first half, unraveled in the second half, in no small part due to the absences of several starters; if losing a starting lineman and receiver to suspension were not enough, other players such as all-state senior captain Charlie Kunze – a two-way starter – were sidelined with injuries early on in the game.
With the undefeated season gone, and the chance to win the Turkey Bowl for the first time since 2001 with it, the DHS football team must now pick itself up and turn its attention to the Class L state championships. Despite the loss, Darien dropped only to the #5 seed – 1 spot above New Canaan. A difficult road awaits the team if it wants to achieve state glory, and a possible rematch with the rival Rams. This path would run through undefeated Masuk, the #1 team in Connecticut. But first, the Wave must get past #4 seed Wethersfield (9-1) in the quarterfinals.
Darien will rotate a number of players in to replace the suspended starter on the defensive line, including juniors Jake Coughlin and Curry Harmon, and senior Justin Coley (who also starts on the offensive line). Filling in at the open spot at wide receiver will be senior Peter McDonough and junior Patrick McDonald. Senior Scotty Waters, the remaining starter at the receiver position, will look to keep up the strong play that he showcased against New Canaan.
The time off after the Turkey Bowl should also give injured players time to recover; Kunze is expected to play against Wethersfield, but only on the D-line (he had been playing on both sides of the ball for much of the season). Senior linebacker Brandon Coley is confident that the time of will have the team ready to go: “We should have Tucker [Morehouse] and Kunze back by the time of the game, and I think we are solid on both sides of the ball. Wethersfield have big lineman, but we have the speed to beat them.”
The Blue Wave football opens its state playoff campaign with its quarterfinal match up with Wethersfield on Tuesday. (11/30) The game will be at 6:30pm at Wethersfield High School, so come and show your school spirit and support the team.
Caption: Senior captain Peter McDonough tackles a Ram in the Turkey Bowl. McDonough is one of several players who will be playing on both sides of the ball to counteract personnel losses.

Football Heads to State Tournament

-By Kevin Cassidy-

The Blue Wave's regular football season came to an end on Thanksgiving Day with a disappointing loss to arch rival New Canaan. Despite the 42-14 defeat on Thursday the Blue Wave still ended the regular season with a 10-1 record and as the FCIAC Champions. The Wave's regular season was good enough to help them earn the 5th Seed in the Class L Connecticut State Tournament. The team's first game will be held Tuesday (11/30) at 6:30pm against Wethersfield at Wethersfield. This will be the quarterfinal match up. If the Wave wins they will likely face top seeded Masuk High School of Monroe- the only team left undefeated team in Class L. The other team in the FCIAC that will be in the Class L State Championship is New Canaan, which earned the 6th Seed. Darien has a chance for payback with New Canaan if the Wave makes it to the state championship game. Senior Captain Will Weinstock said, "the team is excited for the State Championship". We wish the boys the best of luck in their big game on Tuesday.

Pictured: Darien High School Football Team (Credited to Kara Glover Billhardt)

Girls Basketball Preview

-By: Shelby Penfield-
Girls’ basketball season began this week with tryouts on Monday. (11/22) With three seniors, three juniors and two sophomores, the varsity team is made up of a small total of eight players. Seniors Captains Nicole Bush, Julia Boulton and Shannon Burke will be leading the varsity team and hope this season runs smoothly even though they lost five players. (That is still an improvement on the 2009-10 season where they lost 13 girls) Last basketball season, the varsity team had 10 wins and 8 losses. But according to junior Amy Biggart, “It’s looking good this year. We are working really hard this season.” Darien will especially need the hard work when they go up against competitive teams of Trinity Catholic as well as New Canaan.
Senior captains Nicole Bush (pictured), who is point guard, and sophomore Meg Marren, who is a strong offensive player, will play a vital part in leading the team to victory. Be sure check out the first game of the season against Berlin High School at 9am at Berlin High School on Saturday. (11/27)

New Canaan Dominates Darien in Turkey Bowl

-By: Doug Phipps-

Blue Wave Football was crushed by its archrivals, the New Canaan Rams (9-1) in the Turkey Bowl on Thanksgiving Day. The boys lost 42-14 giving them their first season loss. (10-1) Tension was higher than ever following vandalism of New Canaan High School on Tuesday night. (11/23) Three seniors, one junior and one sophomore player involved in that incident were suspended from play on Thursday.

New Canaan kicked off to Darien to begin the game. After driving into New Canaan territory, Coach Rob Trifone elected to go for it on 4th and 4, however, turned it over on downs as QB Chris Allam was tackled short of the first down marker. The Rams came back and drove deep into Darien territory, but after a tackle for a significant loss, New Canaan was forced to punt. After a DHS 3-and-out, the Rams completed a long touchdown drive, ending with a 28-yard touchdown pass from star senior wide receiver Kevin Macari to junior wide receiver Connor Kilbane. The PAT was good, and New Canaan was up 7-0, never to look back.

In the beginning of the 2nd quarter, Darien lost senior Charlie Kunze, team leader in tackles, to injury. He was helped off the field, and would return to the sidelines on crutches in the 3rd quarter. After losing Kunze, the Darien defense took a step backwards. After another long TD connection from Milano to Kilbane, Coach Trifone decided there was need for a change, and subbed sophomore QB Henry Baldwin in for senior Chris Allam for the end of the drive. Milano scored another touchdown, but the Blue Wave immediately retaliated. Senior Graham Maybell made a 2-yard touchdown connection. The score going into halftime was 21-7, Rams.

New Canaan wasted no time in the second half, as Milano threw a 79-yard TD pass, his fourth score of the day. After one more possession for each team, Darien punted away, and the Rams returned it 79 yards for a score. After the PAT, New Canaan led 35-7. A few minutes later, Darien's senior DB Peter McDonough intercepted Milano inside the New Canaan 35-yard-line. After a few plays, senior Jake Weil rushed for the second Darien TD of the day with 3:12 left in the 3rd quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Milano threw for his fourth passing TD and fifth total TD of the day, ending Darien's unbeaten streak. A few of the small bright spots for the Blue Wave were receiver seniors Scotty Waters and RBs Jarrett Gatling and Sean Fahey, each racking up several receptions. The FCIAC Champions' next game will be States on Tuesday. (11/30)

Players Suspended From Turkey Bowl

Five varsity football players (three seniors, one junior, and one sophomore) have been suspended from playing in the Turkey Bowl on Thanksgiving Day. This action comes after several acts of vandalism with blue spray paint at New Canaan High School on Tuesday. (11/23) The Wave faces arch rival New Canaan in the annual holiday match-up. Darien is entering the game undefeated and as the FCIAC champ.

Turkey Bowl Preview

-By: Ian Sullivan-

In the most anticipated game of the season, the undefeated FCIAC champ Blue Wave football will take on archrivals New Canaan on the home turf at 10:30am Thursday. (11/25) After a 17-7 beat down in the FCIAC championship in Trumbull on Nov 19 , the Blue Wave looks to continue its remarkable run and stop the 8-1 and defending state champs, the New Canaan Rams. Although Darien is the favorite, history is not on its side. The past nine meetings between these two powerhouses have favored New Canaan 8-0-1. While the Wave has already secured a spot in the Class L State Tournament, winning this game will end the Rams season. Both sides know the importance of the Turkey Bowl. “I guarantee a decisive victory,” senior running back Sean Fahey said. Statistically, the Rams come into the game with the fourth highest ranked offense in the state, while the Wave’s defense is number one in the FCIAC, allowing about only nine points per game. Two of the state’s top quarterbacks, senior Chris Allam for the Wave and junior Matt Milano for the Rams go head to head in a match for the year. Come support the Blue Wave in this annual holiday match-up.

Picture: (Kara Glover Billhardt) Last year's Turkey Bowl.

Girls Swimming Ends Season in Top 5 Spot

-By: Katherine Minion-

Girls’ Varsity swim team had a great performance at State Opens placing fifth overall this weekend. The team competed at Yale University on Saturday. (11/20) The top 24 swimmers across the state for each event qualify for State Opens. Among the Darien swimmers were seniors Catherine Treesh and Lindsay Tyler; juniors Caroline Kearney, Carly Berizzi, and Cammie Kirby; sophomores Caroline Orem and Francesca Milewski; and freshmen Victoria Chao and Amanda Bieler. Darien placed 5th, behind Greenwich (1st), New Canaan (2nd), Cheshire (3rd), and Wilton (4th). Senior captain Catherine Treesh performed well in the 50 and 100-yard freestyle, and senior captain Lindsay Tyler performed well in the 500-yard freestyle and the 200-yard IM. Darien’s 200 yard Medley relay placed 4th overall, and the team’s 200-yard freestyle relay placed 5th overall. The girls’ are now officially done for the season. “We’ve had a great championship season. I’m so proud of the way we all swam!” Tyler said.

Pictured: senior captains Lindsay Tyler and Catherine Treesh with head coach Marj Trifone

Girls’ Field Hockey Four-peats

-By: Ian Sullivan-

In by far the closest match of the season for the Blue Wave, the undefeated girls’ field hockey squad held off Daniel Hand High School of Madison on Saturday. (11/20) The girls nailed a 3-2 win in the CIAC Class M state finals. The game was held at Wethersfield High School with the Wave seeded second and Hand seeded eighth. Darien finished off the year with a 22-0 record. Senior duo Madeline Gill passed it off to her twin sister, Leslie, for a 1-0 early lead. After a low scoring half, senior captain Ellie Riegel got the Wave started with an early goal. However, Hand was not going to roll over, as they matched the Wave’s goal. However, later in the game freshman Hollis Perticone scored the game-winning goal to go ahead 3-1. Hand scored a goal late but it didn’t matter as the Blue Wave got its 76th consecutive win. “It was a really tough fight but we came out on top in the end. Our hard work from the season all paid off. I just can't believe that everything is over,” senior Claire Dickson said. The Field Hockey team has been seen as one of the Wave’s top programs in Connecticut and proved it to the whole state on this weekend. From all of us at Neirad, Congratulations girls’ field hockey!

Photo: Team celebrates after the big win. (courtesy of Kara Glover Billhardt)

Football Takes Home FCIAC Championship

-By: Ben Hall-

Football won its quest to land its first FCIAC championship since 1998 against Trumbull High School at Trumbull on Nov 19. The first half was a defensive battle, ending 0-0, with both teams turning the ball over at least twice, Trumbull fumbling three times, twice inside Darien's 20-yard line. Seniors Tucker Morehouse and Zack Sherwood dominated Trumbull's offensive line, constantly in the backfield, often bringing other defensive players with them. The second half was a different story. Right away on the first offensive drive, the Wave marched down to Trumbull's six-yard line, thanks to a 16-yard run by senior Graham Maybell. Darien finally got the big play they needed when senior quarterback Chris Allam rolled left and found sophomore Peter Gesauldi in the back of the end zone. After a failed fake punt attempt by Trumbull, Darien took over on downs and marched down the field yet again, thanks to a 49-yard reception by junior Clay Barker. Maybell scored on the next play to increase the Wave's lead to 14-0. Trumbull finally managed to get on the board with a three-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter, but by then it was already over, and the Wave defense was too much for the Trumbull offense. Sophomore C.J. Raia capped off the end of the game with a 32-yard field goal, making the final score 17-7. Darien has a short week of practice until they face off against arch-rival New Canaan in the Turkey Bowl next Thursday at home. (11/25)

Photo Caption: Senior captain Graham Maybell (MVP) running all over Trumbull (Photo credited to Kara Glover Billhardt)

Wavecast Sports Radio Episode 4 part 1

Buy/Sell
Over/Under

Wavecast Sports Radio Episode 4 part 1
Jay Alter, Kyle Marion, James Burgoyne

Wavecast Episode 4 Part 2

Five good Minutes with Charlie Baird
ODSS / Role Play

Wavecast Episode 4 Part 2
Jay Alter, Kyle Marion, James Burgoyne Special Guest: Charlie Baird

Wavecast Sports Radio Episode 4 part 3

Five minutes with Mr. Eagan
Food Chain: College Basketball
One Big Thing

Wavecast Episode 4 Part 3
Jay Alter, Kyle Marion, James Burgoyne Special Guest: Mr. Egan

The Powerful Volleyball Duo

-By: Annabel Schneider-

As fall sports come to a close, girls’ volleyball does it again, bringing home another FCIAC championship title. Two of its forces through the game and season were sophomores Kelly Kosnik and Riley Sousa. Out of the 12 players on the court, six from each team, Kosnik and Sousa both start being the only starting sophomores.

“I love volleyball. I love being competitive. I can get competitive in just about anything. Volleyball specifically is my favorite sport because there is so much to it. Every person is so involved in everything that happens. You have to come so close to perfection to succeed, yet every play is a little different. Now that I think about it, I can't pinpoint why exactly I love it. It's just a passion of mine because I love every part of the game,” Sousa said.

Neither of them have been doing it long. Unlike other sports, Darien doesn’t have recreational teams for volleyball before high school. “I had participated in many camps in 8th grade. Before then, I had some camps... However, I have only been playing competitively since freshman year. My first "game" I ever played was in 9th grade,” Sousa said.

Neirad asked if there is a lot of pressure being on a team with such a strong reputation. “While playing for BWVB, We try not to think about what the players before us have achieved. We work as hard as we can to achieve our goals,” Sousa said. “Yeah people have a lot of expectations because of how we've done in the past, but once the season starts we all start focusing a lot more on how we are playing at that moment and less about how we've played before,” Kosnik said.

Being in such a competitive sport requires a lot of prep. “A lot of practice, we think about what we'll need to do the most when playing a team and work on that. We also do a lot of stuff together as a team the day of, like breakfasts and some tradition things during warm-ups to get excited... usually involving a lot of high-fives,” Kosnik said. “Right before I game, I like to listen to some of my favorite songs to get into the zone. I also try to drink a lot of water,” Sousa said.

Even when the season is over the girls are still working hard. “Last year Riley and I were on a club team called CT Impact. We traveled to tournaments every other weekend and played with other girls from all over Connecticut. We did that all the way from December to June last year. Unfortunately I can't do club this winter but I'll be doing a lot of camps and a small league in the summer,” Kosnik said.

At the moment, both girls plan to continue volleyball through the rest of their high school career. Right now they are focused on the current state competition. Whether or not they play in college, its sounds like a possibility, but neither is sure.

“I think we had a great season. We had an undefeated regular season and won FCIACs, and we'll see how we do in States! We accomplished so much,” Kosnik said.

Photo caption: Riley Sousa, left, and Kelly Kosnik during FCIAC championship on Nov. 6. Photo courtesy of Connecticut Post

Darien Girls' Swimming Makes it to the Finals

-By: Emily Close-

Another breathtaking performance for girl’s swimming clocked in on Saturday (11/13) at the Class L Trials. Thirty six people swam in a series of 13 events made up of six heats. With a limited amount of spots open for the finals this Wednesday (11/17) the stakes were high, but the girls swim team proved this was no problem. Every girl except one qualified for finals. Sophomore Caroline Orem turned up the heat breaking a school record in the 100 backstroke set by her sister and former swim team, Katie. Caroline continued her streak with the help of juniors Cammie Kirby and Caroline Kearney along with senior Catherine Treesh to set a new record in the 200 Medley. Darien goes into the finals listed as number one in both these events.
Once on a roll, the swim team did not stop there, the girls were listed in several of the 13 events as follows:

50 Freestyle- 4. Catherine Treesh
100Backstroke (New Record)- 1.Caroline Orem, 5. Claire Treesh
100 Breaststroke-1.Cammie Kirby 2. Victoria Chao 8. Chapin Tricarico
100 Freestyle- 3. Catherine Treesh
100 Butterfly 5. Caroline Kearney 6. Carly Berizzi 8. Rebecca Liu
200 Free Relay 1. Amanda Bieler, Francesca Milewski, Lindsay Tyler, Catherine Treesh
200 IM- 1. Caroline Orem 4. Lindsay Tyler
200 Medley (New Record) 1.Caroline Orem, Cammie Kirby, Caroline Kearney, Catherine Treesh
400 Relay- 2. Caroline Kearney, Amanda Bieler, Caroline Orem, Lindsay Tyler
500 Freestyle- 2. Lindsay Tyler
Watch this Wednesday (11/17) at Southern Connecticut State University, 6pm as the Blue Wave girls swim team defends the State title in the Class L Finals.
Caption: Team cheering for the 400 free relay of Amanda Bieler, Caroline Kearney, Caroline Orem, and Lindsay Tyler

Bunnell ends Darien Girls’ Soccer Improbable Run

-By: Ian Sullivan-

Bunnell of Stratford was too much for the DHS girls’ soccer team on Saturday (11/13) who ended Daren’s run in the CIAC Class L state tournament. The Wave lost in penalty kicks with a score of 2-1. The game started off with an early Blue Wave lead when senior captain Georgie Highton scored the first goal. With a lead at half, the Wave couldn’t stop the dynamic Bulldogs' offense, which scored in the last nine minutes. Stratford forced a shootout, which ended in a 1-0 victory for Bunnell. “We were dominating for the whole game, until the penalty kicks. It was really frustrating losing in a shootout,” senior Lisa Randall said. While the Wave came up short, the girls had an unexpectedly successful season, finishing with an 11-6-2 record.

Photo: Phoebe Wong courtesy of Kara Glover Billhardt

Wave Football beats Norwalk

-By: Doug Miller-
The Blue Wave football team hasn’t won an FCIAC championship since 1998. They’ll have another chance at it next week after a 38-14 win over Norwalk this weekend. Both teams started off slow and the first quarter ended without a score on Saturday. (11/13) Norwalk scored first on a long touchdown pass early in the second quarter. Just when it looked like Norwalk was going to score again, senior cornerback Peter McDonough stepped in front of a pass and picked it off. The offense was able to get it to the one-yard line with 10 seconds left before senior quarterback Chris Allam found junior Clay Barker in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown. The first half ended with Darien up 7-6.
The Blue Wave kept the momentum in the second half. Allam found his rhythm with Barker again, this time for a 32-yard touchdown pass less than five minutes into the third quarter. Allam continued to go to the air, and hit running back sophomore Peter Gesualdi for a 39-yard touchdown pass on the next series. With so much success in the passing game, the offense decided to run the ball, and ended up with an 18-yard touchdown run by Allam. Norwalk tried to mount a comeback, making it 28-14 in the fourth quarter, before the Blue Wave ended it. Kicker CJ Raia kicked a 29-yard field goal, and running back sophomore Sam Gesualdi ended the scoring on a one-yard touchdown run. Overall, the football team played a good game in all facets. “We go into that weight room a lot and see that there is some space for more FCIAC championships, so it feels great,” senior defensive lineman Zack Sherwood said.
Come support the football team at the FCIAC championship game on Friday (11/19) against Trumbull High School in Trumbull.

Wavecast Sports Radio Episode 3 - Part 1

Wavecast Sports Radio Episode 3 - Part 1


Jay Alter, Kyle Marion, James Burgoyne

MP3 Audio: Am Wavecast Ep 3 part 1

Wavecast Sports Radio Episode 3 - Part 2

Wavecast Sports Radio Episode 3 - Part 2


Jay Alter, Kyle Marion, James Burgoyne

MP3 Audio: Am Wavecast Ep 3 part 2

Blue Wave Girls’ Volleyball Adds Another “W” to the Books

-By: Samantha Wood-

The Wave Girls' Volleyball beat the Guilford Indians in the home gym on Thursday (Nov 11). The bleachers were full and loud with support from the students. At first this CIAC Championships Round 2 game was close with both teams scoring one after another and staying neck-and-neck with each other. However, once Darien started heating up and winning the first game by a small margin, things started going downhill for Guilford. Guilford was trying to keep up morale, spirit, and determination as they fought hard against the Wave, but it just wasn’t enough. Darien won the second game, but the consistent scores for the two teams showed that it was far from a complete wash out. As the third game came to a close, the Wave was simply untouchable. Throughout the game senior captain Mackenzie Begley always appeared calm and collected. She had great tricky serves, and would make the scoring strike with such ease. The team did a great job keeping up their proud winning record. Make sure to support the girls in the CIAC Quarterfinals game at home at 7 pm on Saturday (Nov 13). (photo: Senior Emma Getsinger goes for the spike)

Field Hockey Beats Wallingford

By Doug Wells:

Blue Wave Field Hockey team kept up its undefeated record beating Mark T Sheehan High School of Wallingford 8-0 on Tuesday in the CIAC Class M first-round contest. (11/9) From the beginning until the final whistle the Blue Wave forwards dominated. Senior Sophie Watters had two goals along with goals from seniors Alex Iqbal, Leslie Gill, and Sam Johnston. Both Sophomore Lexie Perticone and freshman Hollis Perticone added to the win. With the constant offensive attacks the defensive for the Blue Wave did not have to do much. The few times they were tested there were answers from the strong defense. Watters had a strong game with two goals. “We came to play and it was a team effort,” Watters said. Defenseman senior Courtney Wynne had to say “it was a forward game” and “the forwards played very well.” Come support the girls’ next game on Thursday (11/11) at 2p at home. (Opponent TBD)

Girls’ Soccer Team glides into next round of States

-By: Jessica DeMaio-

The girls’ soccer team took a 3-0 victory over Woodstock Academy in the first round of the CIAC tournament on a chilly Tuesday afternoon at home. (11/9) The first goal was on a kick by senior captain Georgie Highton, which got loose from Woodstock’s goalie’s save and was kicked in by freshman Morgan Sawitsky. In the second half Darien had several attempts at a goal, including one early in the first few minutes of the half by freshman Dillon Schoen. Darien’s second goal rnoon came from junior Leslie Yuen with 28 minutes left in the half, and the team’s third and final goal came from senior Julia Boulton on an assist by Highton with 20 minutes left. With 16 minutes remaining freshman Phoebe Taylor went in as goalie, but neither her nor senior captain Charlotte Phillips faced much offensive action from Woodstock. The girls now advance to the second round of the CIAC tournament away in Watertown at 2pm on Thursday. (11/11)

Photo Caption: Darien offensive players attempt to drive toward the goal.

Girls Cross Country Lands Eighth Spot

-By: McKinley Stauffer-

Girls Cross Country finished its season on a remarkable note, finishing ninth out of the 18 teams in State Opens at Wickham Park in Manchester, Conn. (11/5) The team was ranked prior to the race as finishing eleventh overall, but ended up placing higher than expected. Sophomore Sarah Colon came in first for Darien after this 5,000 meter race. Five of the top seven members of varsity are sophomores. Colon said, “This was a good way to finish off the season. We all worked really hard and it definitely paid off.” Out of the seven varsity players, four are sophomores. While the team may have some young talent, Darien’s Cross Country success is mainly due to the fierce leadership of the senior varsity captains Amanda Dobler and Megan Keane. Dobler placed third for Darien and Keane followed right behind, taking fourth place. Darien was three places away from qualifying for New England’s. However, the team is optimistic about the upcoming Indoor Track season. If you are interested in doing Indoor, go to the organizational meeting on Nov. 17 or contact Coach Norrie for more information.

Picture Captions: Starting line of the race as the gun was fired to begin Cross Country Varsity Team: Coach Norrie, McKinley Stauffer, Katie Farren, Grace Loh, Amanda Dobler, Megan Keane, Ellen Bauer, Sarah Colon, Coach Raquel

Seniors Dominate Badminton Tournament

-By: Jay Alter-

Seniors Ian Sullivan and Rupert Hansford come up huge with a great badminton victory in the Weekend Alternative sponsored Badminton Tournament this Saturday. (11/6)

Girls' Swim Team places 4th in FCIACs

-By: Kevin Cassidy-

The Girls Varsity Swim team competed in the FCIAC Swimming Championships at Greenwich High School, Saturday, November 6th. The Girls had a great showing and managed to finish in 4th place behind New Canaan, Greenwich, and Wilton. The team did a great job, and had many swimmers earn all FCIAC honors. Senior Captain Lindsay Tyler was honored with First team all FCIAC after her second place finish in the 500 yard Freestyle, fourth place finish in the 200 yard Freestyle, and her her great work in the relays. Other members of the team that earned Second team all FCIAC included Catherine Treesh, Cammie Kirby, Caroline Orem, Amanda Bieler, and Francesca Milewski. “I think our team did great, considering we didn’t rest, shave, or wear fastskins like a lot of other teams. Plus, it’s been a rebuilding year, with 14 new swimmers on our team" Tyler said. The upcoming events for the Blue Wave include:Class L State Trials – Saturday, November 13th in East Hartford,
Class L State Finals – Wednesday, November 17th at Southern Connecticut State University, and State Opens – Saturday, November 20th at Yale. We wish the girls the best of luck on the remainder of their season.

Caption: All FCIAC swimmers and coach Marj Trifone

FCIAC update

By Jay Alter:


As the FCIAC tournaments are finishing up for the fall sports teams this season, here is how the teams are doing.

Girls Soccer - Lost in the semi-finals to Westhill in penalty kicks, start state tournament Tuesday, November 9th at 2pm (home)
Girls and Boys Cross Country - Finished in 2nd place in the FCIAC and STATE run.
Girls Swimming - 4th place in the FCIAC meet.
Girls Diving - 2nd in FCIAC
Girls Volleyball - Won the FCIAC tournament as they captured their 10th straight FCIAC title.
Girls Field Hockey - Won the FCIAC title for the fourth consecutive year.
Boys Soccer - Did not make FCIAC tournament.
Football - 8-0 and will play Staples in the FCIAC championship if they beat Norwalk (3-5) this Saturday (10/13)

Field Hockey Takes Fairfield Warde

By Claire Dickson:
The girls field hockey team continues its reign with another FCIAC championship win against Fairfield Warde on Friday. (11/5) This is the girls' fourth FCIAC title in four years, making Darien the team to beat in the field hockey world. It all started with senior Madeleine Gill who scored within the first 10 minutes of the game while seniors Ellie Reigel and Alex Iqbal added to the score making it 3-0. Then Gill topped off the score with a goal at the end of the game for a 4-0 final, blanking Fairfield Warde. Gill's extraordinary play led to her receiving the MVP award for the game. Come see the girls field hockey team keep their dynasty with their first state game at 2p on Tuesday (11/9) at DHS.

Girls Diving Lands FCIAC Second Place

-By: Julia Lang-

For the first time this decade, all four Darien divers competed in the FCIAC finals at Westhill High School on Thursday (11/14). The wave finished second, loosing only to the Greenwich Cardinals. Freshman Molly Klein finished 16th and senior Adrianna Baker finished 10th. The dynamic Ashcraft duo showed off their talents, with senior Alexandra finishing third and sophomore Caroline finishing fifth. Alexandra also made it onto the 1st team all FCIAC team while Caroline made the 2nd team. Despite the team’s amazing results, Baker said that the officials “were judging really low”. “At the meet, the judging was erratic as usual,” Baker said. While the officials may have been scoring more harshly than usual on Thursday, the team is still thrilled with its results. Darien finished only 7 points behind Greenwich High School with a total score of 38 points. Follow the team’s results as they head to States later this month! The girls will dive for the first time in the class L division for States Wednesday (11/10). Congratulations Darien Divers!

Pictured: Senior Alexandra Ashcraft and sophomore Caroline Ashcraft celebrating.

10 In a Row

-By: Ian Sullivan-

The Darien High School Girls' Volleyball Team won its 10th straight FCIAC championship on Saturday (11/6) edging out Fairfield Ludlowe in three straight games to crown an undefeated season. The top-seeded Wave only lost two games all season, finishing their FCIAC journey with a 21-0 record. Ludlowe seemed not be much of a competition who won by the scores of 25-17, 25-16, and 25-21 for all three games. Senior captain Mackenzie Begley was one of many overjoyed with the victory. "I'm so proud of our team and hope we can continue another streak in the state tournament," Begley said. The top-seeded Wave's next challenge will be at home on Thursday (11/11) against Windsor or Guilford in the first game of the state tournament. Come support the Blue Wave!

Pictured: Senior captain Mackenzie Begley and junior Katie Stueber

Field Hockey Trounces New Canaan

By Emily Close

One step closer to their 4th FCIAC title, the Darien Blue Wave Field Hockey team grabbed another win on Tuesday (11/2) beating New Canaan 8-2. Senior Maddy Gill racked up 4 goals while senior Sophie Watters (pictured) contributed with two goals, and senior Courtney Wynne and freshmen Hollis Perticone each scoring once. The New Caanan Rams were no match for the Blue Wave, who remain undefeated proving that no team has brought the same level of competition to the playing field. See if the BWFH girls can add one more win and one more title to their trophy shelf at 4pm on Friday (11/5) against Fairfield Warde at Wilton High school.

Girls' Swim Team Moves onto FCIACS

-By: Katrina Vassell-


Darien Girls Varsity Swim Team went to FCIAC trials at Greenwich High School on Wednesday. (11/3) The Top 16 swimmers for each event qualified for finals. Darien competed against New Canaan, Greenwich, Staples, Westhill/Stamford, Fairfield Ludlow, Fairfield Warde, Wilton, Saint Joe's, Trumbull, Ridgefield, and Norwalk for the fastest times. Four swimmers from each of the schools were placed in the events. “This is a huge meet. It’s the first of our championship season, and we are really psyched to do well and get some great times” senior captain Lindsay Tyler said. The 50 freestyle qualifiers were senior Catherine Treesh and freshmen Amanda Bieler, and sophomore Francesca Milewski. Senior Captain Lindsay Tyler qualified in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:59. Junior Caroline Kearney and sophomore Caroline Orem (pictured) both qualified in the 200 IM. With 5 wins so far, Darien has started a strong season. It has only lost to Greenwich, New Canaan, and Wilton, out of eight schools. The next championship meet is on Saturday (11/6) at Greenwich.

Football Season Update: FCIACs in Sight

-By: Darius Majd-

As the Darien High School football team’s undefeated season continues, many are undoubtedly beginning to recall the unbeaten run in 2008, which ended in a heartbreaking Turkey Bowl showdown with heated rival New Canaan. If the Rams’ 28-27 loss to St. Joe’s took a bit of the luster off of this year’s match up, their 43-7 blowout victory over Wilton reaffirmed many fans’ belief that this year’s Turkey Bowl will live up to the excitement of that 28-20 thriller, as well as the 14-7 defeat a year ago.

But despite all of the parallels to the 2008 season, and the FCIAC Championship that was decided on Thanksgiving that year, this season’s meeting is different: it will have no bearing on Darien’s FCIAC title hopes. This is because the 2010 FCIAC Football Championship will be played in Trumbull on Nov.19. This is six days before the game against New Canaan, who was eliminated from FCIAC contention with the loss to St. Joe’s. And 2008 was an aberration, as the two rivals were slated to meet in FCIACs well in advance, prompting officials to make the upcoming Thanksgiving game the championship.

Darien has two more games before then, against Westhill and Norwalk, and if they win those two they are guaranteed a spot in the finals, a match up against either Trumbull or Staples (most likely decided in a head-to-head clash on Nov.13). With the New Canaan game out of the FCIAC picture, Darien’s chances of reaching the game have significantly increased; Westhill has been beaten convincingly in its last six games after opening the season with a win over currently winless Harding, and Norwalk is 3-4, following up a season-opening upset of powerhouse Greenwich with some ugly losses to top-tier FCIAC opponents. Still, Darien senior captain Charlie Kunze says the team needs to stay grounded and stay at the top of its game: “We need to stay focused and make sure that we don’t make mistakes, and get better in these two weeks against Westhill and Norwalk.”

The Blue Wave Football team continues in its quest for perfection against Westhill at 2pm this Saturday (11/6) at Westhill High School. Then Nov 13 is the final game towards FCIAC qualification at home at 1:30pm against Norwalk.

Photo: Senior captain Charlie Kunze and the rest of the Darien defense have terrorized opposing offenses all season long.