2024-25 State CIAC Championships

During the 2024-25 high school sports season, 66 different schools won the 126 team state titles handed out by the CIAC — Class and State Open titles. This year Greenwich HS was tops in the state winning a total of eight. In Class LL, the Cardinals won in Football, Girls Track, Boys and Girls Swimming, Boys and Girls Tennis and an Open title in Boys Swimming. 

The New Canaan Rams finished the year with 5 titles - Class L Football, Girls XC, Soccer and Tennis, and Girls Division I Golf.

The Blue Wave finished with a grand total of 4 state titles - Boys Hockey and Class L Boys Tennis, Class LL Girls Lacrosse and Girls Volleyball. 

Congrats to a great year!

Darien Roasts in State's First Heat Wave

It was a week of record-breaking heat in Connecticut, with some areas experiencing temperatures over 100 degrees. To compound the misery, a number of state parks along the Sound had to turn away guests when parking lots filled. Governor Lamont activated an Extreme Heat Protocol, a measure to open cooling centers throughout state towns along with assisting in transportion help for vulnerable groups. In Darien, temperatures climbed to 105, opening cooling centers at the Library and Town Hall.  

Michael Burkhart

Michael Burkhart, DHS '72 grad and brother of classmate Pam Burkhart Mele, passed on June 21, 2025. Mike was a well-known presence in Darien. Not only did he worked at Rings End for 31 years, he was involved with the Noroton Fire Department for an astounding 50 years. During that time Mike served as Fire Chief and Darien Fire Commissioner. Additionally, Mike was a leader of Camp Fire Club of America and a former director of Spring Grove Cemetery. Predeceased by his wife Prudence, Mike is survived by three children and seven grand-kids. A gathering is planned on July 6 at Lawrence Funeral Home from 2-6. 

2025 DHS Graduation

Darien held their graduation on Monday, June 16, the very last day of school. Usually schools schedule graduation earlier, to include a date in the case of rain. But state tournaments this year ran long, as the Girls Lacrosse Finals took place on Sunday, June 15, a game the Wave were victorious. 348 students graduated, and the ceremony included the songs "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac, "Jenny Rebecca", and Green Day's "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)".

Wave Over Rams in a Nail-Biter

The Darien girls stunned arch-rival New Canaan in Sunday's CIAC lacrosse finals, rallying from a  4-goal deficit, deep in the 3rd period, to win the State championship 5-4. New Canaan, defending state champs, were shut-out in the 4th quarter.  Coach Lindley called it an "ugly win" but was happy.  "We had graduated a ton of people," she said. 

Maybe, but this team managed to win both the FCIAC and now the CIAC finals. Darien was ranked No. 1 all season in CT public high schools and achieved national rankings in various polls anywhere from 3 to 12. 

This was Darien's 21 state championship, and over the last four years has met New Canaan in the finals - losing in 2022 and 2024 and winning in 2023 and now 2025. Darien finished this year with a 20-2 record.

Some folks remembering  Jordy Perry Kay (right) at her Memorial at the  Weed Beach Hut. 

Left - Josie and Lauren with Jordy's son Andrew

Eddy, Eric Joosten, Lauren Fair and Tom Tyler

Kathy Micha Frate, Paul Hendrickson, Jeff Frate

Paul Hepp 1950-2024

Classmate Paul Frederick Hepp passed away on Saturday, June 22, 2024. 

See full obiturary in the Memorials Sections. 

Love to Hear From You!

Please, leave your remarks in the 'Comment' Section

Do A 55th Reunion?

Lots of classmates are talking about holding a 55th reunion of the DHS Class of 1969. Probably something on the lighter-side, a casual Friday get-together and then a restaurant dinner Saturday night.

If this sounds good, you can contact classmate Jeff Myers, someone brave enough to put his name out-there.

Jeff can be reached at myerspercussion@gmail.com . Could be fun!

On 7 acres within the heart of Darien, Baywater Properties is re-imagining downtown Darien — at The Corbin District — resetting the landscape of shopping, dining, lifestyle and entertainment. Baywater began this exciting transformation in 2019 with extreme attention to detail and a sharp focus on creating one of the most enjoyable and walkable downtown environments in the region

Tim and Jamila Potts
 

Mark Paddock, Dennis Sullivan, Sue Venardi Mahoney, Janet Martin Fisher, Martyn Goossen, Kathy DelleFontane Goossen, Steve Craig

 

Rick Weber, Chris Weber, Eric Joosten, Paul Hendrickson

Choir

Vandy Van Wagener and Family

Anne Marie McGarry

Greetings Anahid!

Steve and Patti Craig squishing apples from their apple trees. One year they report harvesting over 20 bushels of apples. (Note: 1 bushel = 48 pounds). The Craigbo Cider Co. made 16 gallons of unadulterated apple cider, while also donating apples to a local farmer and food pantry.
 

 Terry Cummings, Tim Maul, Cliff Powell

 Shot of trip out west during summer of '69 when we hitchhiked to California. Mark Tinker's dad bought us the car to roam around California and back to CT. Thought I lost this. Great memories from that trip. Those were the days!  -George Wehmann