Profile: Jackson Reis Plans for Fall Soccer Season

By Ward Pankowski

Soccer season may be a few months away, but junior Jackson Reis, who goes by Jack, is already planning to get an early start on his training. Jack told me about his soccer playing career, and talked about the goals he wants to attain in the coming season. Jack, who has been playing since he was just four years old, has been a part of the Premier team and stays in shape throughout the year by practicing his skills in pickup games and personal exercise.

Jack has studied soccer players before as well as tactics used by some teams. "My favorite team is Chelsea," Jack said, and he expressed his desire to be as good as some of the greats that Jack has followed in the last decade. Jack plans to play soccer in the fall, using his talents and training to perform as well as he can, and also plans to play in college, and while he doesn't know where he's going yet, it is certain that Jack will be a valuable addition to that school's soccer program.

Above: Jack examines strategies on a whiteboard in the athletics department. 

Darien Girls Softball Beats Middletown 6-0

By Juliette Dixon

The Girls Softball Team took on Middletown on Wednesday (5/29).

The Blue Wave girls are hoping to achieve the school’s first state title and this game propelled them to the quarter finals where they blanked Naugutuck 3-0.

During the Middletown game, sophomore Erika Osherow was really on her game, continuing an impressive no-hit streak.

DHS girls had one out in the top of the seventh, and finally one of the Blue Dragons was able to hit a single to the right field line. The ball hit Emily Moscatello’s glove at high impact but she was still able to make a quick throw to first base before the runner was able to get there.

Osherow struck out nine Blue Dragons and retired the last 15! There were only two walks at the top of the first and third innings. But that did not deter Osherow.

At bat, Osherow went 4-for-4 with a pair of hard-hit doubles, and sophomore teammate Avery Maley went 2-2 delivering a sac fly. She also had two RBIs while junior Emma Hamilton went 2-for4 with an RBI. Sophomore Rebecca DeMaio went 2-3.

Darien was able to rack up half of its points in the bottom of the third for the win. Osherow started off with a double and scored on a sac fly by Julia Domizaino. DeMaio and Maley had RBI singles in the frame.

In the past two seasons the Blue Wave has made it pretty far in the state tournament. Last year they reached the Class LL quarterfinals and Class L semi finals in 2011. The only time they reached the final was in 2009.

The Blue Wave Girls will be continuing on their way to the school’s first state title! Come cheer them on today at 4 p.m. when they face Stamford in the quarter finals here at HOME.

Good luck girls!!

Darien Rugby Rolls Over Fordham Prep, 42-20

By Zachary Basu

            The spring season’s hottest day saw Darien High School’s own Blue Wave Rugby squad take on Fordham Preparatory School in the final exhibition match of the season. Though Darien’s league games had wrapped up a few weeks prior with a huge win over rival Simsbury, Thursday’s game against Fordham Prep was considered just as, if not more important for the team. For seniors Jimmy Weinstock, Chris Brophy, Jeff Gebauer, Jack Bennett, Pierce Whiting, Andrew Eddie, Cameron Magida, and Aidan Rischmann, it was be the last game they would ever play for the Black and Blue Wave, and for some, their last game of organized rugby ever.

            Luckily for the departing seniors, Darien started off with a bang, as flanker Pierce Whiting broke open the Fordham Prep defense early with some huge runs, something he’s been doing all year long. Whiting scored two tries on the day and finished as Blue Wave Rugby’s leading scorer on the season. Whiting’s fellow senior and flanker Jack Bennett chipped in with two tries of his own along with senior fly-half Chris Brophy and junior center Andrew Morgan, who each had one. Extra-points kicker Morgan was successful in converting all of Darien’s tries, further adding to the blowout.

            With about 5 minutes left in the game and a line reading 42-0 on the scoreboard, Darien’s substitutes came on to fill in for the fatigued A-Team boys. Though Fordham Prep managed to punch in three tries against the reserves, it was not enough and the game ended with a score of 42-20.

            When asked about his thoughts on the day, junior captain Alex Gunn responded, “The game against Fordham Prep was the epitome of our season, as everything clicked together perfectly. We were able to get a W for all the great seniors leaving us this year and hopefully we can bring this momentum into the 2014 offseason.”

            Stay tuned next year for more rugby action, as the Black and Blue Wave do their best to replace a talented senior class.

Pictured aboev: The Rugby captains and co-presidents led their team to a strong finish.

DHS Girls Lacrosse wins 18-4 against Simsbury in State Quarterfinals

By Sam Meyjes

The Blue Wave Girls Lacrosse team played Simsbury at home on Thursday, and put them down with an easy win to advance to the Class L State semifinals. A game which looked to be close at halftime turned into a blowout for the Wave.

The defending FCIAC champs scored three goals off the bat, only to be answered by two from the Simsbury team, and then scored one more to provide a 5-2 halftime lead. At that point in the game, it seemed that anything could happen. Simsbury was looking strong, and the Wave looked a bit sloppy. But as soon as the second half whistle blew, the wave came out swinging, scoring 13 goals to Simsbury’s two, ending the game with an 18-4 win.

Goals were scored all over the board, with 3 from Senior Jena Fritts, 3 from Senior Taylor Hardison, 2 goals and an assist from Sophomores Caroline Benitez and Mariah Mathias,  2 from Sophomore Anna Moorhead, 4 from Junior Emily Stein, 1 goal and 1 assist from Junior Hollis Perticone, and 1 goal and 2 assists from Junior Dillon Schoen,

Senior Caylee Waters was rock solid in the net, finishing the game with 10 saves.

After moving up from Class M to Class L, this is certainly a strong showing by the team, which is looking for it’s first ever L championship. The Wave will play against Hall on Tuesday in the semifinals. The Hall team is 16-2 on the season, and should prove to be a difficult- but manageable- opponent for the team.

The Blue Wave Girls hope to add the State championship to their FCIAC championship win from this year (Photo credit: Mark Maybell)

Brannigan Swims for a Cure

By Sarah Cattano

Junior Owen Brannigan will be competing in a Swim Across America race on June 22. Swim Across America is dedicated to raising money and awareness for cancer research, and has become a popular event for many Americans who have been touched by a cancer story, or are simply swimming to raise money for the cause. Brannigan will be swimming for his Aunt Kathy, who recently won her battle with cancer. As a competitive swimmer, Brannigan is prepared for the 3 mile open water swim that he will complete next month. Brannigan says he has been “training every day,” and plans to swim with his wetsuit on at Woodway Beach Club to acclimate himself with the colder temperatures and varying conditions that the Long Island Sound can offer. Brannigan has currently raised the second most amount of money in the 3 mile swimmer category. On his Facebook page, Brannigan says, “My goal is to raise $3,000, but I know WE can do better.”

 Good luck to Owen as he prepares for his big race next month! If you would like to donate to his efforts, log on to www.swimacrossamerica.org !

Profile: Peter Gesualdi, Lacrosse

Senior Peter Gesualdi is a member of the Darien Boys Lacrosse team. His position is defensive mid field, or what he calls “short stick D-middy”. Gesualdi has been a strong and important player on the Darien High School lacrosse team over the past four yaers, and will continue to share his talent in college. Neirad met up with Gesualdi to ask him some questions about his lacrosse experience:

How long have you been playing lacrosse? 

“I’ve been playing lacrosse since 1^st grade.”

What position do you play?

“I used to play offense when I was younger but now I play short stick D-middy.”

What has been your most memorable lacrosse experience over the past four years?

“When we beat New Canaan in states last year, that was pretty memorable.”

How has the boy’s lacrosse team been this year?

“We’re not as good as we’ve been in the past years but we’re competing for state championship which is coming up in the next two weeks.”

Where are you playing next year? Are you excited?

“Next year I’m playing at Hobart and yes I’m very excited! I probably won’t start but I want to contribute to the team as much as I can.”

What made you choose to play at Hobart?

“I was also looking at Dickinson and Trinity, I chose Hobart because I liked the coaching staff and the overall campus. The coach also really sold me.”

It looks like Peter Gesualdi will continue to play lacrosse and extend his skills to his future college teammates at Hobart. We wish him the best of luck!

Boys Golf Runners Up in FCIAC Championship

Yesterday (5/30), the Boys Varsity golf team came in second place at the FCIAC Championship to Greenwich by the score of 312 to 319 over 18 holes; the event was held at Heritage Village Country Club in Southbury, CT. Senior captain Kieran Suri led the way with an exemplary round of 33-38=71, while freshman phenom Christian Ostberg had a solid 37-43=80. Junior captain Cameron Van de Graaf and freshman Sam Knowlton both played extremely well on the front nine but had trouble on the back, recording scores of 36-48=84 and 37-47=84 respectively. Junior Mac Koorbusch struggled in his debut postseason outing, shooting a 90. Despite less than stellar performances from key players Knowlton and Van de Graaf, the Wave was able to walk away with runner-up honors by the dint of Suri’s superlative round. Said Suri, “This is a tough golf course…especially the back nine, and I’m very happy with the way I struck the ball.” After Darien came New Canaan in third place with a cumulative total of 322.

The win comes on the heels of a 17-1 regular season, in which Darien beat every team in the FCIAC save Greenwich. Alas, the team was unable to triumph over the Cardinals in their second meeting.

The team is playing in the Division II State Championship on Monday, June 3^rd, which will conclude the 2013 golf season.

Above: Christian Ostberg hits a bunker shot (photo credit: Greenwich TImes)

Athlete Profile: Alexandra Ford

By Barbara Bell

Junior distance runner Alex Ford is finishing up a remarkable season in spring track. Alex joined the girls’ cross country team at the beginning of her freshman year, after deciding to get involved at the high school. She quickly fell in love with the sport and running itself, and decided to do both winter and spring track that year as well. Now she is a three-season “trackie,” and all her hard work is starting to pay off. Last spring, in her sophomore year, Alex finally saw her times start to drop. She ran a 5:48 mile and a 12:48 two-mile, putting her comfortably into the post season for FCIACs, and in the range for States.

This year, she came back stronger than ever. Alex ran many varsity races in cross country in the fall, although she barely missed FCIACs. In winter track, she came back to qualify for FCIACs again. And this spring, Alex has seen her fastest times so far. She dropped 7 seconds from her mile time (5:41) and finally qualified for states with a 12:06 two mile. Dropping almost three and a half minutes in as many years is quite an accomplishment, and Alex is surely proud.

“In eighth grade, I ran a 9:18 mile in gym class. I was so happy that I drew it in my planner, and put little hearts around it. I never thought that I would ever be able to break 6:00, so it’s a nice reminder of how far I’ve come,” said Alex.

Alex also completed the Celebrate Life Half Marathon in March of this year, with fellow junior Grace Evanich. Both of them ran the 13.1 race in memory of their friend, Andy Pena, who died of a rare heart disease called myocarditis in 2011. 

Photo caption: Alex rounds a turn during an indoor 3200 m race

Athlete Profile: Colten Appleby

By Annabel Schneider

Many students at Darien High School participate in one or more sports for the school. Junior Colten Appleby is a three-season athlete for the Blue Wave. In the fall Appleby runs cross country, in the winter Appleby wrestles, and in the spring he runs track. As well as being a talented athlete, Appleby is also a leader at DHS as he was a junior captain for the wrestling team this year along with senior Patrick Daigle, and next year he will be the captain of both the cross country team as well as the wrestling team.

Even though cross country is one of Appleby’s newest sports, as he started his freshman year, it is also his favorite. “I love cross country,” Appleby said. Freshman year, Appleby did not have a fall sport and he had always wanted to try cross country, so he joined the team. This year Appleby ran a 5K in under 16 minutes and his goal for next year is for the team to win New England's.

While cross country was new for Appleby just a few years ago, Appleby has been involved in wrestling since third grade. “My dad did it and he liked it so he wanted me to try it,” Appleby said. This year he was All-FCIAC and his goal for the team next year is to be FCIAC champion.

Appleby was encouraged to join track by his friend who was already on the team. This year he was very successful. Appleby typically runs the 800m, 1600m, and 3200m. His personal records this year were 2:07, 4:40, and 10:09.

It is difficult to be an athlete at DHS as our school is extremely competitive. To be a three season athlete as well as a captain must be exhausting. Make sure to follow Colten for the end of this year and next year on the blue wave sports blog.  

Girls Tennis Team: States, Are You In or Out?

By Isabelle Perticone

The varsity girls tennis team will be playing the girls Fairfield Ludlowe team today at 3 o’clock on the Ludlowe tennis courts. Ludlowe just won FCIACS and “is going to be really tough competition” according to junior doubles player Madison Bolotin.

So far, the girls have had a very successful season, holding on to wins against longtime rival New Canaan. “Beating New Canaan for the first time in 5 years was definitely a high for our team” said Bolotin. The girls have had very close matches against Ludlowe over the course of the season and plan to bring their A game to the courts today. “Our captains Jenna Murray, who plays number one singles, and Sarah Alptekin, who plays doubles with sophomore Catherine Hatfield, are all strong players and hopefully they will be able to pull through with wins,” said Bolotin.

If the girls win their match today, they will move on to the next round of States where their next competition will be determined. But only the winner of today’s athletics will continue on with their season.  “I am very confident in our team’s abilities, but I’ll be proud of our team and our season no matter what the outcome is,” said junior, varsity player, Sandhya Avula.

Come support the DHS girls tennis team today at Fairfield Ludlow at 3 o’clock. Show your Blue Wave pride!

Great Moments in NBA Playoff History

By Stephen Barston

As the NBA playoffs draw to a close and the San Antonio Spurs wait to find out who they will face in the finals, the excitement continues to build. This exhilaration may be impressive to the first-time viewer, but there have been countless other wild finishes and big moments in NBA playoff history; here are a select five.

1. Michael Jordan’s Game-Winning Shot against the Utah Jazz: Jordan’s last shot ever in a Bulls uniform was a beautiful crossover over the younger Bryon Russell, one that just proved what Kyrie Irving’s alter ego Uncle Drew has taught us: an “old man” can always defeat his younger competitor. This was just so magnificent in it only confirmed what we had thought for a long time—no matter his age, Michael Jordan was the best in NBA history. This sixth (and final) championship was further evidence.

2. Willis Reed Leads the Knicks to the NBA Title: Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals, perennial-powerhouse Lakers vs. relative-newcomers Knicks—not even this high amount of pressure could stop Willis Reed from playing. Neither could a torn thigh muscle. Despite a lackluster performance judging by the stat sheet, Reed’s motivation and resiliency gave encouragement to both his teammates and the raucous crowd at MSG, thus leading the Knicks to their first-ever NBA championship.

3. Reggie Miller Scores 8 Points in 9 Seconds: It’s a game that is sure to haunt Knick fans everywhere (especially Spike Lee, the target of this taunt from Miller). The Knicks held a sound lead of 105-99 with 18.7 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Apparently, Reggie Miller really did not want to lose Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Miller hit a three-pointer to cut the lead to three with 16.4 seconds left. Then, Miller intercepted an inbound pass and pulled up for a fast break three pointer to tie the game with 13 seconds left on the clock. After missed free-throws by John Starks and a missed putback by Patrick Ewing, the Knicks fouled Miller (who knocked down both shots from the charity stripe), and the Indiana Pacer captain solidified his place in the history books.

4. Michael Jordan Scores 63 Points Against the Celtics: Even the most novice of NBA fans would probably understand Michael Jordan’s legacy as an athlete, and this game is just testament to that fact. In 1986, Jordan—against arguably the best Celtic squad ever put together—went off, scoring a playoff record (one that still stands today) 63 points. Most of the 1985-86 season, Jordan had been unable to play, sidelined by a foot injury, and this performance was one of many to come from Jordan himself and it was just a foreshadowing of things to come in his illustrious career.

5. Julius Erving’s Baseline Scoop against the Lakers: Dr. J, known for ferocious dunks, clearly has a side of finesse as well. This move, where Erving went smoothly up-and-under the outreached arms of the Laker defense, was praised by his contemporary Magic Johnson as the greatest move he’s ever seen in a game. The sheer thought that this man, with seemingly nowhere left to go except out of bounds, could do something so awe-inspiring, so graceful, is enough to get on the list, despite the fact that his Sixers ended up losing the series.

Wave Girls Lax Takes Home the FCIAC Trophy!

By Cammie Lattimer

The Girls Lacrosse Team took on New Canaan on Friday (5/24) at Brien McMahon High School. The stakes were high as these two rivals battled it out for the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference (FCIAC) title.

Darien High School Girls Lacrosse Team was 16-0 and undefeated in the FCIAC, only having lost one game to Garden City, NY, crowning them the winners of the FCIAC Eastern Division. The championship game on Friday determined whether they would be the winners of the entire FCIAC tournament.

The New Canaan Girls Lacrosse Team was 10-1 in the FCIAC and 15-1 overall entering the game.

The weather was unpredictable as it fluctuated from a light drizzle to a downpour with strong winds. However, the dedicated fans simply opened the umbrellas and kept on cheering. Both teams never let up as the score went back and forth throughout the game.

“We had to dig deep and fight for the game. We knew we had to come out stronger in the second half. It really came down to us giving everything we had, and overcoming being down two goals at the halftime. In the end, when they tied it up with a couple minutes left, we fought even harder to go ahead and keep a lead. It was a whole team effort and it feels amazing to beat New Canaan in the finals,” said senior captain Kristy Gilbert.

The rivalry was apparent, as this would be the last time the seniors on each team would play each other in the high school season (Darien and New Canaan are in different State Tournament Divisions).

But the Blue Wave was as strong as ever, as Darien pulled through with the win. It was clear that the DHS Girls Lax Team wanted it more as they outsprinted, out-passed, and out-cheered New Canaan. The final score of the game was 12-10.

CONGRATS TO WAVE GIRLS LAX!!!

The next Girls Lacrosse game is on Tuesday, May 28^th at the DHS Stadium Turf at 5pm. It will be the first game of the State Tournament.

Photo Caption: The Darien Girls Lacrosse Team is #1 in the FCIAC.

Photo Credit: Steven Buono, Darien Times

Darien High School Girls Softball Defeats Greenwich 6-1

By Juliette Dixon

The Blue Wave is facing a three-peat FCIAC which started Monday 5/20 against Greenwich in a quarterfinal round matchup.

Sophomore Erika Osherow threw a three-hitter Monday with seven strikeouts.

Osherow was able to get an RBI double by junior, Colleen Bennett which allowed Jen Ambrogio to score. "I don't think it was my best game but I give a lot of credit to our defense," Osherow said. "I had great support today, as usual. I'm pumped that we're moving on."

Blue Wave used the three errors by the Cardinals by bringing in single runs in each of the first three innings. This helped them take the early lead.

Senior outfielder Emma Hamiltion had two of the three hits and sophomores, Keli Reyes and Kelly Vodola followed in suite. First baseman Brittany Osborn walked twice with doubled in Rebecca DeMaio to make it 3-0 in the third. Greenwich trimmed the lead in the fifth, but Darien responded in the home half of the inning as Hamilton doubled with one out and eventually scored on a passed ball.

Blue Wave coach Nick DeMaio knew getting past Greenwich for the second time this season would be no easy task, and can now concentrate on a third straight trip to the FCIAC semifinals. "They're a tough team but we rose to the challenge," said DeMaio, whose squad has won 15 of its last 16. FCIAC quarterfinals.

Fourth-seeded Blue Wave (17-4) will face top-seeded St. Joseph -- a quarterfinal winner over Danbury -- in the semis tomorrow at 5 p.m. at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield.

Darien Baseball Chokes; Out of FCIAC Contention

By Ahmed Mustafa

                  After a big win against Stamford on Monday, it was due or die for Darien on Wednesday. In order to make FCIACs for the first time since 2009, Darien would have to beat Wilton, and Staples would have to lose in order for Darien to make the playoffs. On the mound was junior Andrew Nault. Nault has been Darien’s most consistent starter this year. In his last start, Nault for the first time this year got roughed up against Norwalk.           

Nault was good in his first few innings. The 3^rd inning, Wilton’s offense came alive and scored 2 runs due to an error by junior Cam Smith. In the top of the 4^th, Smith made another error that cost another few runs giving Wilton a 3-0 lead. Nault could not finish the inning, leaving the game after 4 2/3 innings with runners on 2^nd and 3^rd. Senior Matty Mo (Matt Morr) came in and usually does his job, but failed today, allowing Naults runners to score, and then allowed another run  in 2 ½ innings. The Darien offense was quiet throughout out the game, only having 1 runner in scoring position. DHS lost 8-0, and  now is out of the FCIAC contention. Nault didn’t want to talk, but Matty Mo came and spoke about the game.

            “It’s disappointing, same record, the winner has the chance of the FCIAC, the loser doesn’t so it’s tough," Morr said.

             Coach Scott would not comment on Nault, but spoke about how this game shouldn’t affect the team. “We have no time to sit on this one. We play a tough team in Ludlowe (Fairfield Ludlowe) and we still have a chance from getting a winning record and putting us in a better position for States," Scott said.

          Junior Cam Smith was very disappointed with some of the errors he made. “Those plays were my bad, those should be caught, I don’t know they just weren’t in my glove," Smith said

          Today was most likely Darien’s final time playing at home for the season. Captain Andrew Maley spoke about his time here.“It’s been awesome, I’ve enjoyed every minute here, I love this field, we always use it for our advantage, and I’m going to miss it," Maley said. 

            Although DHS failed to make FCIACs, they are still in states. Darien High School has a very good future in baseball. This year, only 3 seniors started, and with some rookies having a year of experience in varsity, not only an FCIAC appearance is expected, but to win the championship in years to come. 

JV GIrls Tennis: Final Match

Although the girls couldn’t pull out a win, they definitely finished the season with their heads held high

By Caroline McKay

On Thursday, May 16^th, the Girls JV Tennis team played an away match against Ridgefield. Sadly, the girls could not pull out a win on this final game, but they were still appreciative of the great season they had with their teammates and coach, Jill. “We all became very close and had so much fun even though we didn’t win much,” said sophomore Morgan Savage. Freshman Ellie Cush added, “It was an overall great season and I loved to play with such amazing teammates! Special shout out to our coach, Jill: thanks for the memories!” Captain junior Kiki Martin led the team through a fun season, and freshman powerhouses Abby Mueller and Laura Schwartzman dominated the courts. Catch the Girls JV Tennis team next spring, with a new season and a new opportunity to excel!

Photo Caption: The girls on the JV Tennis team end the season with smiles.

Darien Boys Lacrosse Trumps Stamford

by Marielle Ravosa

The Darien Boys lacrosse team finished their regular season with a 16-2 win against Stamford on Tuesday at Darien High School’s stadium.

Senior Peter Gesualdi scored the first goal of the game, tying it at 1-1 after intercepting a pass, and junior Kyle Cornell scored the second at the beginning of the first quarter.

In the second quarter senior Kevin Seiler, Cornell, senior Brendan Hathaway, junior John Reed, and freshman Jack Kniffen all scored. In the third and fourth quarters, Kniffen, senior Drew Martzolf, junior Harry Gillespie, sophomore John Sommi, junior Goose Bolton, sophomore Connor Waldron and sophomore Riley van den Broek all scored.

Two of the team’s key players, juniors Peter Lindley and Phil Huffard, each sat out with minor injuries.

The Blue Wave will next play in the FCIAC quarterfinals this Saturday (5/18). The date and time have yet to be determined.

Caption: The boys celebrate their win.

Glavin Throws a Gem; Baseball Beats Stamford 4-0

By Ahmed Mustafa

After a great win against Fairfield Warde on Friday, Darien High School had to win their next 3 games in order to make their FCIAC dream possible. On Monday, Stamford High School came to Darien, looking to ruin DHS baseball’s chances of making the playoffs. On the mound was the ace of the staff, senior Mackenzie Glavin. Glavin has been unlucky this season, going 1-4, but with no run support.

Glavin looked sharp the first 2 innings, allowing no hits. The offense quickly backed him up, with a RBI single by sophomore Connor Davey. Davey was in the spotlight again, hitting another RBI single giving DHS a 2-0 lead. DHS started a little rally in the bottom of the 5^th, scoring another 2 runs, giving them a 4-0 lead. With the bases loaded, 1 out, senior Andrew Maley hit into a double play to end the threat. Getting the first run was all that Glavin needed, throwing a complete game shutout. DHS won 4-0. 

Glavin was very happy with this game.“This is an important win, one step closer to FCIAC, our ultimate goal. We played great today in the field and clutch hitting, so overall great game. I felt good, I had my off-speed pitches today, I was happy with it,” Glavin said. 

             Sophomore first baseman Connor Davey came through big today, with 2 RBI’s “I was happy that I contribute in a good way, I was glad we got the win, and we are still fighting for FCIAC’s, that’s our main goal. I was just trying to put the ball I play, and did my job," Davey said. 

Coach Scott was very pleased on the team’s effort and getting closer to the playoffs.

“ It was a tremendous all around team effort, starts with the guy on the hill, whose had some rough luck this year, but he came through today," Coach Scott said. 

            The standings are close in the FCIAC. Right now Darien and Wilton are tied for 9^th place, and Staples is 8^th. Staples will play a tough team in Danbury, and Darien plays Wilton, in Darien, on Wednesday 5/15, at 4:00 pm. If Staples loses and Dariens wins, Darien will be 8^th place, which will qualify them for FCIACs. 

Pictured: Glavin picthing

Showdown in Darien: Baseball Beats Fairfield, Makes FCIAC Run Closer

By Ahmed Mustafa

After a disappointing and crushing loss against Norwalk on Thursday, Darien High School had to start winning games in order to make a run at FCIAC’s. On Friday, Fairfield Warde came to Darien, looking to make a run at FCIACs as well. On the mound was junior Ames Murray. Murray has been starting and relieving all season. 

                 

Murray struggled early in the game, giving up 2 runs, but settled down. DHS’s offense was quiet until RF Senior Carl Stowell came through with a RBI Double, cutting Fairfield’s lead 2-1. Stowell was in the spotlight again, hitting a 2 run double, giving Darien a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the 5^th. Fairfield wasn’t going to back down, though, and tied the game in the top of the 6^th. Senior Liam Naughton came in, and prevented Fairfield from scoring more. In the bottom of the 6^th, sophomore Connor Davey came through with a RBI Double, giving DHS a 4-3 lead. Now, DHS was only 3 outs away from winning this ballgame. However, Naughton couldn’t hold the lead, allowing a run to tie the game. In the bottom of the 7, DHS had runners on 1^st and 2^nd, with 1 out. The potential winning run was at 2^nd, and Captain eenior Andrew Maley came to plate, hitting an RBI single to win the game. Darien won 5-4!

Maley talked about his approach at the plate. “I had 2 strikes on me, I was down pretty early on the count, and I was looking for a fastball I kept my hands inside, went  quick to the ball and got what I could drive," Maley said. 

RF Carl Stowell was huge in this game, having 3 RBI’s and leading Darien to the victory. “This was huge for us, with our final 4 games, we  needed at least 2 of them, and the way we came back and fought, it’s just incredible. I saw the runners on the scoring position, I was just trying to put the ball in play and hit it ay the outfield," Stowell said.

Murray went 5 1/3 innings, allowing 3 earned runs. He was not satisfied on his start, but happy that the team won. “It was a good all around win, we needed this to get into the FCIAC playoffs, and that’s our goal. I didn’t have my best stuff today, I threw all right in the bullpen, so I just went and grind," Murray said. 

Senior Liam Naughton got the win, but made the game a little interesting. In the top of the 7^th, with runners on 1^st and 3^rd 1 out, there was a play back to the mound.  He could’ve thrown it home to prevent the run from scoring, but took the gamble and tried to make a double pay, which failed and took Darien to extra innings. “I thought the ball was a hard enough hit, I already turned to 2^nd, and I heard 2, so I thought I had it and threw it to 2^nd, I probably could’ve gotten out of this game 20 minutes earlier. I don’t think I deserve the win, Ames was good, but we’ll take this win as a team," Naughton said. 

After disappointed on the effort against Norwalk, Coach Scott couldn’t be prouder of his boys battling until the end. “I’m proud of the guys, the way they fought back after getting down early. Ames was great, he struggled a little early but he settled down nice and kept this game close," Coach Scott said. 

Due to the win, a chance at FCIACs is still possible for Darien. On Monday, Stamford High School will come to Darien and try to stop the team. Right now, Darien is in 10^th place, and needs to be in 8^th to make FCIACs. But, if DHS plays the way they played today, look for them to win their next 3 games be in the playoffs.

Photo caption:  RF Senior Carl Stowell

Darien comes unprepared; loses to Norwalk 6-0

By Ahmed Mustafa

                  

                  After a big extra innings win on Monday against Brien McMahon, Darien High School was determined to start a winning streak going. DHS was off against Norwalk High School. The game was postponed on Wednesday, and because of more bad weather, the game was scheduled to be played at Darien High School, but DHS would be the road team. On the mound was junior Andrew Nault. Nault has been the most consistent starter for DHS, winning all of his starts. So how would DHS do?

                  Nault struggled early in the game, giving up a 2 run homerun, giving Norwalk an early 2-0 lead. DHS started a little rally in the top of the 5^th, threating to score a run. With junior Cam Smith on third, 1 out, he was going to run on contact. Junior Bobby Fitzpatrick hit the ball back to the pitcher, and Cam Smith didn’t know he got it, so he ran to home plate. The play at the plate was close, but the umpire called him out. Coach Scott came in to argue, but nothing could be done.

                 “Not much to say, the umpire claimed he got him on the foot, you’re not going to get the call overturned, he saw it a different way. I had to go and question it," Coach Scott said.

                In the bottom of the 5^th, Norwalk started its own rally, scoring 4 more runs, giving them a comfortable 6-0 lead. Nault left runners on 1^st and 3^rd with 1 out. Senior Matty Mo, (Matt Morr), came in and got out of the jam. Before Matt came, Coach Scott spoke to the umpire about how Norwalk was supplying illegal baseballs. The baseballs were then changed. DHS offense was quiet in the next 2 innings. Norwalk won commandingly 6-0. 

                Nault went 4 2/3 innings, 6 runs (5 earned). He didn’t want to comment; captain senior Andrew Maley did and spoke about his disappointment on this game. “We just didn’t come out with our best effort. We didn’t play that well today, we just got to turn the page and play hard tomorrow,"  Maley said. 

              Morr came in, went 1 2/2 allowing no runs. He was also very disappointed. “We were flat, we won a big game on Monday, we came up really different ,not as energetic, hitting wasn’t great, pitching wasn’t stellar, fielding wasn’t great, all around bad day. I felt good, today I felt on, located my pitches in the bullpen and that translated it on the mound,"  he said.         

              Senior RF Carl Stowell made an error on the field that cost another run. He was very dissatisfied on the loss.“It was a poor effort, pitching, offense, defense, even base running, we just didn’t expect to play, we didn’t play as a team and they did so that was the story. I made the wrong decision to let the ball bounce, I should’ve gone and caught it, and I did a poor job in getting in front of it,” Stowell said. 

               Coach Scott was very displeased by today’s game.“It was a disappointed effort, and we got outplayed. I thought Nault was a little flat today; it was the first start that he wasn’t on, so we’ll see how he does on his next start.  Matty Mo (Matt Morr) did a nice job, shut the door, and stopped the rally in the 5^th; he kept us at that same point," Scott said. 

             The controversy about today’s game was Norwalk supplying with illegal baseballs. Coach Scott confirmed that the game will be under protest. “Norwalk was supplying illegal baseballs. A ball that is not approved in the state and the national federation, so we just questioned. We’re not expecting to be the game overturned, but he wanted to question it so we’ll see how it goes," Coach said.               

             Friday now becomes a crucial game for DHS. Fairfield Warde comes to Darien, who is looking to make FCIACs. If DHS wins, this season is still under control.

Photo above: Nault pitching

Girls Lax vs. Greenwich

By Cammie Lattimer

The Darien Blue Wave took on the feisty Greenwich Cardinals on Tuesday May 7^th at the Darien High School stadium. Greenwich proudly displayed their “Play for Pink” shirts in place of their red jerseys, as Darien wore neon pink socks and bows.

The game was definitely a tense one as both teams had players who play in the off-season on the CT Chargers team. The opponents knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and the ending to the game was unclear as the halftime whistle blew. Darien was losing at halftime 6-7 due to a slow start, but picked up the pace and won the game 17-9.

“We wanted to win this game more than Greenwich, and we knew that at halftime we would have to turn it around and be more aggressive. It was a good test for us, and definitely helps us prepare for FCIACS," said senior captain Kristy Gilbert.

The Darien Girls Lax team is currently 12-1, with a tough loss in overtime on April 6th to Garden City. However, since Garden City is in New York, the Blue Wave is currently 10-0 in the FCIAC and the only undefeated team at the top of the league. Darien is also number 6 in the Laxpower national high school girls poll. This game marked the 325^th win by Coach Lisa Lindley. The team celebrated with a cake after the game, and the sweet taste of victory.

The next Darien Girls Lacrosse game will be their Senior Day on Friday May 9^th versus Fairfield Warde.

Photo Caption: Coach Lisa Lindley celebrates her coaching milestone with her team.

Photo Credit: Steven Buono, Darien Times

Horseback Riding Profile: Lilly Walker

By Kyra Hammer

Field sports, track, and games that involve a ball are not all that students play at Darien High School. Lilly Walker’s love for animals steered her away from the norm and she started horseback riding.

Blue Wave Sports Blog: When did you start horseback riding?         

Lilly Walker: I started horseback riding when I was about six years old, but I became more serious about the sport when I was 12.

BWSB: Why do you like it?

LW: I like it because it’s a very unique sport. I don’t necessarily pass or kick a ball, but I work with an animal and that’s what makes it really fun.

BWSB: How long do you train?

LW: I train seven days a week for about an hour or two.

BWSB: What is your schedule like?

LW: My schedule usually entails seven days a week of riding. Depending on the week, I usually ride on the weekdays and show on the weekends. It also depends on the “season”, where the spring/summer is more filled with showing than the fall/winter.

BWSB: Traveling?

LW: I travel wherever the show brings me! I’ve been to Florida, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Vermont, Kentucky and more.

BWSB: What are shows like?

LW: Shows usually take up the whole day. Show days are from very early in the morning to late evening/night. I’ve been up at 4:30 am to start my day and leave the horseshow at around 5:30 pm depending on where I am. Horse shows are very tiring and stressful, yet a lot of fun.

BWSB: Can you talk about owning a horse or pony and what it takes to care for them?

LW: Owning a horse/pony comes with a lot of responsibility. It isn’t easy taking care of a 1,000 pound animal. Even though they are big, they are fragile. Taking care of them is really important. For example, making sure they are eating and drinking regularly, to making sure they are “sound”(moving the right way and do not look injured).

Photo Caption: Lilly riding her horse, Commander, in a show in Florida.

Blue Wave Baseball Battles Senators

by Matt Brown

                Darien Baseball rolled in to Brien McMahon Monday May 6^th with seven wins and seven losses still looking to define themselves as an upper-echelon club. A win would qualify the team for the state tournament and bring them one step closer to qualifying for the FCIAC tournament, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished in years.

                The game was a understood must-win, but Brien McMahon was not going to roll over at all. In fact, quite the opposite. In the top of the first, junior Brendan Donohue ripped a double but was left stranded on third, as the Blue Wave bats started in somewhat of a low tide. In the bottom of the first, ace of the staff senior Mackenzie Glavin got touched up a little bit by a two out double from McMahon’s stud catcher. The hit sparked a rally that led to two runs for McMahon.

                After that Glavin settled in and silenced the McMahon’s bats. Unfortunately, the Darien bats remained quiet as well. McMahon sat in the driver’s seat of the game with their two run lead until in the sixth of seven innings. Here, Donohue worked his second double of the day to lead of the inning. Senior Nick Pettit followed him up with a single to create a 1^st and third situation with no outs and senior Carl Stowell at the plate to capitalize. And capitalize he did ripping an RBI single up the middle to drive home Donohue. Senior captain Andrew Maley followed him and shot a hard groundball back at the pitcher, which deflected off of his glove straight to the second baseman for an easy double play. An unlucky twist in favor of McMahon that made it feel like it just wasn’t Darien’s day. Glavin was tested in the bottom half of the inning but held true getting the outs he needed.

                The game was 2 to 1 with McMahon ahead heading in to the 7^th inning, and Darien needed a run to tie the game up and send it to extra innings, keeping their hopes of pulling above .500 alive. Junior Cam Smith started the inning up with a single up the middle.  Junior Bobby Fitzpatrick moved him over with a timely groundout to 1^st base. Sophomore Connor Davey stepped up to the plate with one out and put the ball in play to the shortstop, where the McMahon player made a poor decision and threw the ball away, allowing the tying run for Darien to cross home plate.

                Junior Ames Murray relieved Glavin on the mound for the bottom of the 7^th. With ice in his veins, Murray did the job and sat down McMahon and further pulled the moment toward the Blue Wave’s side. The game went in to extras, where the Wave did nothing but take advantage.

                To start the 8^th, Pettit stroked a hard hit single to rightfield, where the player made an error that allowed him to advance towards second.  Stowell followed with a huge triple to drive in the go ahead run. Maley couldn’t work him in but sophomore George Reed ripped a single bringing in yet another run making it 4 to 2 Blue Wave in the top of the 8^th. Junior Cam Smith followed him and with 3 balls and one strike jacked a home run over the leftfield wall. The rally didn’t stop there, Fitzpatrick reached and got moved over by another ball in play by Davey and another error by McMahon. Sophomore Anthony Dimeglio singled to leftfield bringing in Fitzpatrick.

                In the bottom of the 8^th, with a 7 to 2 lead, Darien had to grab just three more outs in order to walk out above .500. Murray walked the first two batters, but if he felt any pressure he definitely didn’t show it, striking out the next three hitters and sending the Blue Wave Baseball team to the bus with a state tournament birth and legitimate chance at making and qualifying for FCIACs.