Varsity Girls Volleyball Team Adds Another Win

By Viara Radoulova

On Friday, October 26, the Darien High School Girls Varsity Volleyball Team continued to maintain its status as “the undefeated” after playing against Wilton. The final scores were 3-0 for Darien.

“I think we played a solid game and we’re all looking forward to competing in FCIACs and States,” sophomore Celia Martzolf said after the game.

Do not miss the next game in which the Varsity team competes in the DHS Main Gym for the FCIAC Quarterfinals at 4:00pm on Thursday, November 1st. 

Above: Team members celebrate after a point

Blue Wave Football Preview: Staples

By Kat McKay

So tomorrow (Saturday, 10/27) is one of the biggest football games of the year. Darien has, so far this season, earned a record of 4-2, which is impressive, but still inferior to their weekend rivals. On Saturday, they’re playing the best team in the FCIAC: Staples.

Staples is undefeated. The Wave, though, is fresh off of last Friday’s dominating 35-7 win over Wilton. For the second time all year, DHS will have all its starters on the lineup, thanks to senior captain Peter Gesualdi’s return.

 The bantering going on between these two schools on Facebook alone is a show, but the real game – which will settle all of the arguments—starts tomorrow at 1:30, here at DHS. For those of you who haven’t kept up with FCIAC football, here’s what the two teams look like going into Saturday’s showdown.

Offense

Staples has played five games this season. In three of those, they scored over 50 points- and in the other two, they scored 49. Their rushing attack has never been held to fewer than 300 yards. The Wreckers are yet to score less than 7 touchdowns in a game.

Darien has scored an average 35.7 points per game, which is, in and of itself, impressive. The Wave’s average rushing yards is 214, but this number should jump now that Gesualdi- who is a threat on both the ground and as a receiver- is back. Senior captain and quarterback Henry Baldwin has passed for a total of 1095 yards this season.

Defense

Staples has held their five opponents to a total of 68 points. That is all.

Darien, led on defense by senior captain Matty D’Andrea, has yielded 115 points to six opposing teams. 

There are a lot of elements that go into a football game. Stats are important, yes, but so are other things: a team’s mentality, momentum, crowd, and preparation. The Wave has all the tools to serve Staples its first loss of the season on Saturday. Now we see if they will actually do it.

Photo caption: Senior Christain Bognar running the ball at last Friday's game against Wilton. Photo credit to MSG Varstiy.

Varsity Field Hockey; Rising to the Challenge

Monday, October 8th the Darien Field Hockey team secured another win for their already strong season by beating Daniel Hand four to one on Darien High School’s home turf. “It’s a really important win for us, because they [Daniel Hand] are such big competition” said junior Libby Feingold.

Darien started off the game strong with the first goal scored by junior Hollis Perticone assisted by senior captain Lexie Perticone. The duo repeated this process earning the team’s second goal just a few minutes after the first. “I really don’t deserve credit for those goals because the setup was so perfect,” said junior Hollis Perticone. After the goals scored early in the first half there were no additions to the scoreboard for either teams.

Darien picked up its intensity again in the beginning of the second half when junior Claire Culliton scored the third goal with no assists by her fellow teammates. The second half continued on with little action until four minutes before the end when sophomore Kyla Johns scored Darien’s final goal assisted by Junior Sloane Bessey. Soon after Daniel Hand scored its first and only goal of the game leaving Darien with a win four to one. Check out the next Field Hockey game against Ridgefield on October 13^th at DHS.

Caption: Mara Donohue and Cassidy Stauffer

Boys JV soccer trumps Danbury 4-0, Ties Norwalk 3-3 the following day

Sam Meyjes

The Blue Wave Junior Varsity soccer boys beat out the Danbury Hatters 4-0 on Monday, giving the team it’s 6th win of the season.

Junior captain Dan Murphy stepped up to put the team on his back, ringing up 2 goals, while sophomore Florian Eenkema van Dijk and freshman Austin Stockdale and each scored 1 to give the team it’s final score of 4, while strong defense in the backfield by junior Captain Timmy Scolaro and sophomore Johann Nottebohm kept the Hatters on a shutout.

 

“We have a really wholesome team that knows how to win games. It’s a great thing we have here” said Scolaro

 

On Tuesday, the team headed to a match against the infamous Norwalk JV team, competing in what was described by Scolaro and numerous other Blue Wave players as a “rigorous battle to the death”, though no team was actually killed in the process, as the game ended in a tie, 3-3, with goals scored by junior captains Dan Murphy and Goose Bolton, and sophomore Steven Walker, sending the team’s record to 6-3-1.

 

These past two days have been a heck of a run for this dream team, this super squad. Luckily, the boys get some good rest in before their next game. Get out there and support our boys in blue as they take on Stamford next Monday the 22^nd.

 

Honorable mention: Toby Hansford, as directed by various captains. Toby, I don’t know you, but great job, you’ve apparently earned it.

The Season that Never Ends: Varsity Tennis Player Alex Swords Trains for the Upcoming Tennis Season

By Katrina Vassell

Its common knowledge that our school's tennis players train vigorously during the season, but most people are unaware of the hard work and time our athletes dedicate to their sport the remainder of the year. Our school's players have already started to perfect their serves and build endurance months before the season begins. They believe that stepping onto the courts with endurance will enable them to focus on technique and pinpoint specific weaknesses right before the first tournament.

Senior Alex Swords, varsity's newest player from Cincinnati, elaborated on the importance of pre-season training. He explained that during the season, he plays for two hours on the school's team each day. Although he works less on specific tennis stills off season, he conditions for an additional hour with an emphasis on endurance and stamina at Chelsea Piers. "I definitely train for more hours off season. I spend a lot of  time conditioning so I can focus on my skills during the season without worrying about stamina." When living in Ohio, Swords was one of the top 20 players and has continued to thrive at DHS. Last year he qualified for semi-finals at State Championships with varsity player Rio Usami, and attributes his success to the team's philosophy of year round training. 

Detroit Tigers vs. San Francisco Giants World Series

By Ryan Filipone

It’s now the end of the season.  Two teams are close to the taste of champagne and completing their year-long goal . This will be a good match up, the Tigers vs. Giants.  The Giants made history by being only the second team in MLB history to win 6 elimination games when they were down.  Matt Cain of the Giants made history this year by pitching a perfect game.  The Tigers had two big stars.  Miguel Cabrera won the Triple Crown, the first person since Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox in 1967.  Justin Verlander was also very successful by throwing 23 straight scoreless innings in the postseason, giving him the third longest streak behind Christy Mathewson (27 in 1905) and Lew Budette (24 in 1957) in a single postseason.  He also joined Sandy Koufax, considered the best pitchers in MLB history, to become just the second pitcher to throw a shutout with 10 strikeouts in a winner-take-all game.

The Tigers starting pitching will look like Justin Verlander, Doug Fister, Anibal Sanchez, and Max Scherzer.  Verlander would like to pitch three games but most likely he will start Game 1 and Game 7 if necessary.  They have been dominant this postseason, with a record of 5-1 an ERA of 1.02, Opponents Batting Average .162, and 9.6 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched.  The only question is the bullpen and how manager Jim Leyland will decide who closes since the downfall of Valverde. 

The Giants starting pitching has pitched well but seems like they were suspected to do better.  Their starting pitchers will be Barry Zito, Madison Bumgarner, Ryan Vogelsong, and Matt Cain.  Zito will pitch game one and the Giants will hope Cain will be able to also pitch Game 7 since he is supposed to pitch Game 4.  Tim Lincecum will be in the bullpen.  Unlike the Tigers, the Giants bullpen is strong and should be a factor.  The pitching for the Giants will be the reason why they win and should do well.

The Tigers batting is also very strong.  The whole lineup is strong and everyone can contribute in the lineup.  They are led by Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, and Delmon Young (who had an incredible ALCS).  Look for them to play well. 

The Giants are not as well batting and will have trouble with the Tigers starting pitching.  They have been hot though and hope it continues to the World Series.     

I predict the Detroit Tigers to win the 2012 World Series.  The pitching for the Tigers is too good right now and their batting is doing well also.  The Tigers have the better starting pitching and the lineup and therefore they will prevail.

Girls' Varsity Soccer game ends in a tie against Greenwich

By: Mac McDonough

The Girls' Varsity Soccer team faced off against Greenwich last Friday,
October 19. Although the teams tied with a final score of 0-0, the
girls were pleased with their performance out on the field.

"We played really well and this will give us momentum for the last two
games of our season to hopefully qualify for states," junior, Dillon
Schoen said after the game.

In the last three seconds of the game one of Greenwich's players had a
hand ball in the 18 yard box. A penalty that usually results in a free
kick, however the refs chose to turn a blind eye (clearly the NFL
replacement refs have found work in the Fairfield County area).

The girls' are looking forward to playing Norwalk this Tuesday under
the lights, and will have their senior day game Friday against
Fairfield Warde.

"When our team plays like it did against New Canaan and Greenwich we
can be the best team in the league," junior, Julia Black said after the
game.

Caption: Ellie Bennet battles it out on the field

Darien Football Bounces Back

By Jenn O’Neill

On Friday, October 19^th, Blue Wave Football took on the Warriors at Fuijitani Field in Wilton. The Wave dominated the Warriors finishing with a score of 34-7. During the first half of the game, Senior Peter Gesualdi started the game off with a touchdown as well as a successful two point conversion making the score 8-0 within the first three minutes of the game. This was Geusualdi’s first game back since the beginning of the season.

As the first quarter progressed, the Wave continued to dominate the field. Senior Brian Wiegand turned a 45-yard interception into Darien’s second touchdown of the game. The Warriors were finally able to respond with a 4 yard pass to put them on the board at the end of the second quarter.

A 14-7 score was not going to cut it for Darien, so in the second half, they successfully shut down Wilton. Senior captain Ian Vander Horn scored a 30 yard touchdown to bring the score to 21-7 and not long afterwards, Senior captain Henry Baldwin threw a 57 yard scoring pass to Senior Graham Lesko. Senior Christian Bognar moved the ball the necessary 5 feet into the end zone scoring Darien’s final touchdown.

 “I feel like our team has gained a rhythm offensively and defensively which we haven’t yet had this season, and its going to be hard to stop that going forward,” Lesko said. Come support the Blue Wave next Saturday October 27 on the Oval where they will take on Staples.

Picture Caption: Senior Graham Lesko celebrates the team’s fourth touchdown. (Photo Credits to Mike Maybell)

Boys Cross Country Finds Success in FCIAC

By Holly Gordon

The Darien Boys Cross Country team competed in FCIAC last Thursday (10/18) at Waveny Park in New Canaan. Darien runners participated in three different races; freshmen, junior varsity and varsity. However, it was the junior varsity and varsity races that brought in the top medals for Darien boys. Boys varsity began running at approximately 3:20pm, following the start of Girls varsity at 2:50pm. The course consisted of several different terrains, in which runners traversed along the short grass of the field and onto the gravel path of the woods. Although this course may be shorter than others, lasting 2.48 miles, climbing hills and tricky curves did not make it easy. Darien varsity runners performed highly. First, Darien juniors, Brien Davy, Peter Kruech and Ben Olsen all finished in the second FCIAC group, consisting of runners who placed 15^th to 30^th. Furthermore, sophomore Alex Ostenberg finished 11^th, junior Colten Appleby took 9^th and finally, junior Marshall Huffman took 7^th place in the varsity race. More success came with junior varsity, where four Darien individuals placed within the top 15 runners. Sophomore Brendan Triano placed 12^th, sophomore Tim Grozier 9^th, senior Sean Lee 8^th and junior Alex Rayhill 7^th were those to do so.  

Coming in with an impressive 17-1 record and a rank of 4^th in the state, Darien Boys Cross country proved their excellence by placing 3^rd overall in FCIAC. At the FCIAC awards ceremony, they were also named eastern division champions.

“We knew the competition was going to be tough and we did perform the best we could on that day” Davy said.

Come support Darien Boys Cross Country in CIAC State Class Championships at Wickham Park (Manchester) on Saturday, October 27^th starting at 9:50am!  

Below: From left, junior Alex Rayhill, sophomore Brendan Triano, senior Sean Lee, and sophomore Tim Grozier all finished within the top 15 runners of the Junior Varsity race. 

Wave Takes Second in FCIACS: Girls XC Finishes Up Regular Season at Waveny

By Barbara Bell

Blue Wave Girls’ Cross Country had its final race of the regular season Thursday October 18^th at Waveny Park in New Caanan. Throughout the day, the course saw 19 teams, 6 races, and held an impressive amount of competitors (close to 1,000).

The Varsity team was led by sophomore Anne Johnston, who was favored to win. Although she came in 4^th overall, with a time of 14:41, Johnston still claimed a victory and a personal record. Following her in 2^nd place for Darien (11^th overall) was senior Grace Loh, who, despite working through a calf injury, finished with a time of 15.11. The other 5 places were filled by Sarah Colon, Ellen Bauer, Sophie Long, Katie Farren, Claire Walker, and recent varsity addition Grace Evanich.

Even though the JV race didn’t contribute to the 2^nd place finish, the majority of the runners ran their best times of the season. Head Coach Steve Norris said, “We had the best ever time performance on the FCIAC course since 1989; the top 5 people had better average times. I was particularly pleased that 6 out of the 7 seniors were able to finish their cross country careers on a high note.”

Captain Grace Loh stressed the teamwork and enthusiasm that contributed to the racing atmosphere. “We really came together to support and cheer on each other. Considering that this is many peoples’ final race of the season, [all of us captains] are extremely proud of all the girls. It was a very fast paced race, so the fact that we were able to keep up is impressive.”

Another accomplishment for the Wave? For the second time this season, the girls beat Wilton, something that previously hadn’t happened in FCIACS since 1992.

Fortunately, the season isn’t over yet. Varsity continues on to states on Saturday October 27^th at Wickham Park in Manchester, CT.  

Darien High School Trumps Norwalk High School

by Marielle Ravosa

Darien High School’s Girls JV Field Hockey Team played against Norwalk High School at six o’clock on Tuesday at Norwalk’s stadium turf (10/16). The girls started off the game with a quick goal from sophomore Julia Russo; sophomore Avery Maley also scored in the beginning of the game. Goalie, sophomore Morgan Spar, played an excellent first half with six saves. Darien won the game with an overall score of 9-0. “The girls did a great job,” sophomore Erinn Ravosa said. They surely continue to play well in the weeks ahead!

Cheer on the girls at 5:30 pm this Friday (10/19) at the DHS stadium turf when they play Stamford High School.

Above: Darien’s offensive line sprints down the field (photo credits: Darien Patch)

Skydiving Success

By Jenn O’Neill

On Sunday, October 14^th, Felix Baumgartner (otherwise known as Felix the Fearless) successfully landed his 24 mile high skydive. After traveling for only 17 minutes at speeds up to 800+ miles an hour, Baumgartner was not only able to break this record, but broke the sound barrier. When asked what the experience was like, Baumgartner said, “"It's hard to describe, because I didn't feel it. You know, when you're in that pressure suit, you don't feel anything. It's like being in a cast." (National Geographic News). Of course, there are risks that come with being a daredevil. If his pressurized suit were to rip, the lack of atmospheric pressure would cause his blood to boil. But Baumgartner approached the task in an optimistic manner. His desire to break the record outweighed the numerous risks this jump entailed. The date of his jump was actually on the 65^th anniversary of the previous record holder, Chuck Yeager.  It also occurred at the same time as the seven NFL games being played and was still able to make headlines and hash tags on social networks like Facebook and Twitter.  "In 65 years it goes to show there are still challenges to overcome, and you should never lose sight of trying to achieve them," Baumgartner said. "I would be proud to be a part of that group of explorers." (National Geographic News)

Photo credit to National Geographic News

Record Skydive: Twenty-three Mile Jump

By Colin Sullivan

Imagine this: you float up 23 into the air in a big balloon, then wearing nothing but a spacesuit jump, reach a top speed faster than that of the speed of sound, and a few minutes later, deploy your parachute and land on the ground. Sounds next to impossible. However, for Austrian pilot Felix Baumgartner, this will soon become a reality as he attempts to break many records when he jumps out a balloon 23 miles in the air later this week.

            Baumgartner has been training for this mission for years now. He is a former helicopter pilot in the Austrian air force and a professional skydiver. "I'm not nuts," Baumgartner said. "You know, our records are meant to be broken, and I'm a very competitive person. I like the challenge," (CNN.com).

            For two to three hours, Baumgartner will ride inside a small capsule that is being lifted into the air by a massive balloon. Once he reaches an altitude of 120,000 feet (23 miles above sea level), he will jump from the capsule, wearing a pressurized spacesuit. At this altitude, Baumgartner will be more than three times higher than most commercial airplanes fly. He will be able to see the curvature of the earth, and there will be almost no atmosphere that for about 40 seconds, Baumgartner will fall with little to no wind resistance. As a result, he will reach a top speed of about 690 miles per hour, faster than the speed of sound. This is about 190 mph faster than the average commercial airplane.

            The absence of an atmosphere at this altitude also presents a major problem for Baumgartner. He has to jump out of the capsule just right so that he does not begin to flip over or spin while falling. If Baumgartner were to begin to flip, there would be no atmosphere or wind to stop him from flipping and as a result, he could pass out. If he were to pass out, he would have to rely on an automatic emergency parachute to deploy and save his life. One Baumgartner enters earth’s atmosphere, he will begin to slow to his terminal velocity of about 120 mph. Then, after a five-minute free fall, he will deploy his parachute and land on in New Mexico.

            The mission was supposed to launch on Tuesday, October 9, but was delayed due to weather conditions. Though tings may change, the launch is anticipated to be Sunday, October 14.

            If Baumgartner succeeds, he will be the first human to travel the speed of sound without being in some sort of vehicle, and will topple the previous record for highest sky dive by about two miles.

            Hopefully all goes well and Baumgartner is able to accomplish a task most people would think impossible.

 An animation of what it will look like when Baumgartner takes the leap of faith.

Workers fill the massive balloon will helium during a test flight.

Photos courtesy of CNN.com

Darien Girls Volleyball Digs Pink!

By Kate Fitzmaurice

October is breast cancer awareness month and all over, people are showing their support by displaying pink in their homes or businesses and sporting pink apparel. Darien Girls Volleyball also took action by hosting the fourth annual Dig Pink® game.

The team played Westhill on Friday, October 12^th to raise awareness about breast cancer.

Because of the high-spirited players and the help of the enthusiastic crowd, Darien beat Westhill with final scores of 25-18, 21-25, 25-16 and 25-12. “Both teams looked pumped,” senior Michaela Brady said.

The crowd on the Darien side was a wave of pink. People of all ages came out to celebrate this cause, and to cheer on the Darien Girls Volleyball team.

The players have been raising money through bake sales and selling tickets in the hopes of reaching their goal of $1,000.

Dig Pink® is a fundraiser sponsored by the Side-Out foundation.  High schools, middle schools, and colleges all over the country hold these events in order to raise awareness about breast cancer. All proceeds from the event go to the Side-Out foundation, which gives grants to medical research organizations.

The Side-Out Foundation was founded in 2004 by Rick Dunetz, shortly after his mom was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer. At the time Rick was coaching West Springfield High School. When the team found out about Rick’s mom they were determined to raise her spirits and won a game against their rivals in her honor. The team went on to win the district championship title! The goal for the foundation continues to strive to unite volleyball players in the fight against breast cancer.

According to the Side-Out Foundation, “The term side-out refers to a situation in volleyball when one team wins a point while its opponent is serving, thereby regaining serve or control of play. It is hoped that this Side-Out will do the same for breast cancer patients, providing them with the support, education and best available treatments to regain control of their lives.”

“Funds donated to Side-Out are donated primarily to breast cancer research, specifically translational research (designed to reach the patient's bedside as quickly as possible).” Special projects coordinator for the Side-Out foundation, Julie Matthews, said. The foundation also sends funds to organizations that work to provide support for cancer patients and their families.

“We hope Dig Pink® events will inspire students to take an active role in their communities.” Matthews said. “We also hope the events remind players, coaches and fans to be cognizant of their own health and to take steps to achieve a healthy lifestyle.”

If you would like to donate to the Side-Out foundation, please visit their website at http://www.side-out.org

Come support Darien Girls Volleyball in their next game, away this Monday against Danbury at 5:30pm.

Above: Fans at Dig Pink celebrate with team members after their game 

MLB Playoff Preview



By Ryan Filipone

Detroit Tigers vs. Oakland Athletics  ALDS

            The MLB Playoffs are here.  This year the AL teams seem to be equal.  All teams have their positives and negatives and no team really seems to be standing out as the best or worst. 

In the Tigers vs. A’s series, I feel the Tigers will win.  This is why, they have Miguel Cabrera who won the first Triple Crown since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967 and a pitcher who won the pitching Triple Crown, Cy Young and AL MVP last year, being only the 10^th pitcher to win the Cy Young Award and AL MVP.  And do not forget about Prince Fielder who is still a great player.  They have the bats and pitching to win the series.

The Tigers great pitching will help.  Jose Valverde who is a good closer and a good pitching rotation makes them a threat.  The pitching rotation will be Justin Verlander (17-8 2.64 ERA), Doug Fister (3.45 ERA), Anibal Sanchez, who helped them to get here, and Max Scherzer (16-7 3.74 ERA).  Max Scherzer struck out eight or more batters in 10 consecutive starts, the only American League pitchers to have a longer streak since 1920 were Randy Johnson, Nolan Ryan (twice) and Pedro Martinez. 

The Tigers good pitching led by Justin Verlander and offense led by Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder will be the reason why they win the series.  The Detroit Tigers will be the ALDS Champions.

San Francisco Giants vs. Cincinnati Reds  NLDS

            This will be a great series with great teams who both have their stars.  The Reds are being led with Johnny Cueto as their ace and Joey Votto as their lead bat and defense.  The Giants are being led with Matt Cain as their ace and Buster Posey as their lead bat and defense. 

Votto is someone who has won the NL MVP in 2010, NL Hank Aaron Award in 2010, and a Gold Glove Award in 2011.  He will be a big key for them to win along with teammates Brandon Phillips who is a great second baseman, Scott Rolen who is still an effective third baseman, and Jay Bruce who is a power hitter in Right Field.

For the Giants their pitching staff is one of the best if not the best in the league.  Their rotation is Matt Cain (16-5 ERA: 2.79), Madison Bumgarner (16-11 ERA: 3.37), and Tim Lincecum.  Lincecum has had a rough year at times but still can pitch well.  Matt Cain is one of the best in the league and has pitched a perfect game.  Madison Bumgarner is also a great pitcher who shows dominance at times.

They also have people who will help on offense.  Buster Posey is a NL Batting Champion, winning it this year, and won the NL Rookie of the year in 2010.  He also has playoff experience winning the World Series with the Giants in 2010.  Pablo Sandoval will also be key.  He was an All-Star this year and has helped lead that lineup with help of Hunter Pence. 

I think the Giants will win this series.  Their pitching rotation being led by Matt Cain could be too much for the Reds.  The lineup for them is not bad either, the led the league in runs scored on the road which will be help full since they don’t have home field advantage but start the two games at home with the two of the three best pitchers in the series.  The San Francisco Giants will be the 2012 NLDS Champions.



Boys Cross Country slightly outraced

By: Cameron Wong

            Unfortunately, this year’s Darien Boys Cross Country (Boys XC) team will not be finishing undefeated as they did last year.  On October 9, 2012, Darien competed in a 4K triple header cross country meet against Trumbull, Norwalk, and Danbury at Tarrywile Park in Danbury.

            Danbury struck revenge on the Darien Boys XC Team by winning in a close 26-29 victory over Darien, after losing to them last year.  This is Boys Blue Wave XC’s first and only loss of the season.  The way the scoring works in Cross Country is that the team with the lower total rank wins.  “This has been our most competitive meet of the season and it came down to the end” Assistant Coach Kevin Knapp told me.  Darien went 2-1 at this meet beating both Trumbull and Norwalk.  Sophomore Alex Ostberg placed second in the race with a 13:24 for 2.5 miles.  Ostberg was shortly followed by junior captain Marshall Huffman who finished in fourth, junior Colten Appleby, sixth, junior Ben Olsen, seventh, junior captain Peter Kreuch, tenth, and junior captain Brian Davey, twelfth.  “We all went out there and give it our best shot,” senior captain Andrew Xiong said.  This has been one of the closest and fastest races this year and the team preformed very well.

            Coach Tyson Kaczmarek is still happy with how the team finished, despite this loss.  “I am very happy with how it went.  Danbury is the number one team in the state, and there is a reason why that is.  We had a great race” Coach Kaczmerek said.  He has been leading this historic team for 10 strong seasons and is very hopeful for a good race at the FCIAC competition next week.  The team finished the season at 17-1 and is currently ranked 4^th in the state.  It is no doubt that he is capable of leading the team and he looks forward to another great year.

            This team has had a great season and looks forward to the FCIAC XC competition next Thursday, October 18^th at Waveny Park.  Come to cheer on the Boys Cross Country team.

Homecoming Spirit Uplifted by DHS Cheerleaders

By: Katrina Vassell

Friday (9/28) the Darien High School cheerleading team preformed at our pep rally, lifting the spirits of DHS students and inspiring blue wave pride. Dancing to a remix of "Party in the USA" and "Party Rock Anthem," the girls showcased their new moves.  The routine incorporates physically demanding stunts and intricate dance moves with tumbling. "The program is improving we hope that will continue to show that through football season into winter this season," senior captain Kelly Manhart said.  Off to a great start, the team continued to work hard and unite the school this homecoming weekend. Come see the cheerleaders in action at the next football game, this Saturday (10/6) as they cheer the boys to victory against Danbury at 2:30

Above: DHS cheerleaders performing a lift

Darien Girls Volleyball defeats New Canaan

By Kate Fitzmaurice

Last Friday, (9/28) Darien Girls Volleyball came one game closer to regaining their FCIAC championship title. The team defeated New Canaan, winning all three games. The first game ended in a score of 25 to 19.  The second game was a whopping 25 to 10 and the third game ended with a score of 25 to 17. Senior captains Riley Sousa and Kelly Kosnick (pictured) led the team to its success both with serves and crucial hits. Seniors Callan Clasby and Lauren Pryor also helped the team come out on top with both solid passes and hits. Come see the team take on Harding tomorrow (10/3) in the main gym. 

Wave’s Girls Cross Country Team Makes Sports History

By Maeve Tierney

Tuesday, September 25th was a beautiful day for a cross country meet. Darien High School’s Girls Cross Country team made sports history at Allen’s Meadow in Wilton, beating the Warriors 35-20 for the first time since 1988.

DHS sophomore Ann Johnston added to the triumph, finishing with the second fastest time in Wilton track course history. She placed first at 15:08.

Johnston was not alone in her exceptional performance. Overall the team placed in the first four of the top nine finishers.

According to the Darien Times, DHS Seniors Ellen Bauer placed fifth at 16:21, Sarah Colon sixth at 16:22, Katie Farren seventh at 16:30.

Notably DHS Seniors Sophie Long placed 13th at 17:15, Grace Loh 14th at 17:23, Claire Walker 17th at 17:38.

Loh had a particularly brilliant performance. Half way into her race of 2.5 miles Loh’s left calf began bothering her to the point where the unstoppable track force debated giving up.

“Not finishing is the worst feeling ever,” Loh said. So she continued on, finished admirably and made her team proud.

The Girls Cross Country Varsity team will be running in the Ocean State Invitationals in Rhode Island on Saturday, September 29th. If you happen to be in Rhode Island that weekend, be sure to stop by.

Or watch the girls run at Greenwich point against Greenwich, Staples, New Canaan, and Brien McMahon on Tuesday, October 2nd.

Caption: Grace Loh recovers after her dramatic race.

Photo credit: Grace Loh

Football falls to St Joe’s in Homecoming Week Game 35-21

Brendan Ferguson

Caption 1: Ian Vanderhorn runs with the ball to score Darien's last touchdown of the day

(source: Darien Times)

This past Saturday, Darien High School Varsity Football devastatingly lost to St. Joseph’s High School in double overtime with a score of 35-21 at the DHS Stadium.

Though the game did not turn out as planned, some DHS students recall it as one of the most exciting games they have ever seen. “The game was so exciting; the current seniors did a great job at leading the student section in cheering,” junior Sam Meyjes said.

The game did, in fact, have quite a few exciting moments in the first half. Darien struck first making the score 6-0. St. Joe’s then bounced back and made the score 14-6. Senior Matty D’Andrea made a spectacular interception leading to Darien scoring again as well as making a two point conversion, making the score 14-14. Darien struck once more leading 21-14 at the half.

The second half of the game was more of a show for St. Joe’s, who tied the score 28-28 causing the game to go into overtime. The first overtime was teeth-clenching, but both teams did not score. In the second overtime, St. Joe’s pulled away with a touchdown, and Darien was unable to match it.

Come check out the team’s next game at DHS vs. Danbury!