Wave Win CIAC Finals in Comeback
The Darien girls are again CIAC Volleyball Champs. It is Darien's 20th championship overall. But this year's victory wasn't an easy one for the team and head coach Carson Mafrice. Darien was down two sets to none before clawing their way back to win their third consecutive CIAC title. Glastonbury won the first set 25-19, the second 25-22 and where ahead in the third set 21-20 before Darien scored the next 5 and won 25-21. Darien won the fourth set 25-22. In the winner-take-all fifth set, first to 15, the Blue Wave were tied 10-10 before going on to win 15-12.
For Glastonbury (20-6), this was their second appearance in a state final, the last one winning the title in 1993. Darien's record was 24-2, finishing with a seven game winning streak while clinching both the FCIAC and CIAC finals.
Darien Lose in 2024 State Field Hockey Final
Staples won their second CIAC Field Hockey title on Saturday, defeating the Blue Wave 5-2. Darien scored first, right at the end of the first-quarter but Staples came back quickly, scoring two goals in the 2nd. Darien tacked on one more to tie at the half 2-2. Staples would score again in the 3rd quarter and twice in the fourth win going away, 5-2.
It is Staples second consecutive State title in field hockey, having beaten Darien last year in the states, 3-1.
Darien Crushes Warde - On to the Turkey Bowl
Darien advances to 9-1 with an easy win on Friday against Fairfield Warde. Darien scored 28 in the first half and 21 in the second to defeat the Mustangs 49-7. Darien QB Ben Rolapp was on fire- he threw for 5 touchdown, ran for a 39-yard rushing TD, and had no picks.
New Canaan also had an easy outing, defeating Bridgeport Central 42-6. Next game up for both teams is the Turkey Bowl at 10 am. This year the game is in Darien.
CIAC State XC Open
This year's CIAC State Open Boys Championship was held on October 31 at Wickham Park, the venue since 2006. Darien's Alex Ostberg, DHS Class of 2015, holds three of the four fastest times for the course. His best and the course record is 14:58, run in the 2014 CIAC State Open.
This year Open winner is Soheib Dissa from Newton HS with a 15:24. Dissa also won the CIAC Class L race on Oct 26 at 15:43.
Darien's best was Andy Sharron (16:42).
CIAC XC Class L Championship
There was no question Newtown's Soheib Dissa was the favorite to win the Class L Boys event, held a Wickham Park on Saturday, Oct 26. The senior defended his state title, finishing at 15:43. Xavier took home the team title for a sixth straight season with 42 points, beating out New Canaan (85). Darien finished in 12th place (302). Junior Andrew Sharron of Darien had the team's best time of 16:49.
For the girls, Brooke Strauss from Glastonbury won the 5K Class LL title, finishing at 18:13 in Wickham Park. As a sophmore, Brooke won the State Open championship in 2022. Greenwich captured their second straight Class LL title with 82 points. Darien finished in 12th place (219). Eve Calio had Darien's best time at 21:35.
For the New Canaan Rams, they won the girls Class L contest for a second time. The team finished with 93 points, beating runner-up New Milford at 120.
FCIAC Tournament Results
Boys Soccer: Team Greenwich beat Stamford 1-0.
Darien lost in quarterfinals to Danbury 6-0.
Girls Soccer: New Canaan beat St. Joseph 1-1 (3-2 penalty kicks)
Boys Golf: Chippanee GC
Fairfield Prep won Division 1 Boys golf (301)
Darien was 7th (315)
Girls Swimming and Diving: Team Ridgefield (464.5) won their 3rd FCIAC Championship
Darien was 3rd (231). Darien was 2nd in Diving behind New Canaan.
Darien Girls Win Volleyball Championship
In the first post-Laurie LaRusso season, after the coach of 42 (yikes!) seasons stepped down, Darien was able to three-peat a FCIAC Championship, defeating Greenwich 3-1.
Both Greenwich and Darien breezed through the post-season tournament, neither team giving up a set. Darien beat Staples and Trumbull and Greenwich beat Westhill and Fairfield Warde before the two teams met in the finals at Stamford High.
The sets were close: 25-29, 16-25, 25-23 and 25-22.
Darien finishes with a 21-2 record and Greenwich finishes 20-2.
Good Grades for Darien Schools
Darien Public Schools has recently received top grades from a school-ranking outfit named Niche. Niche assembles data compiled from reviews, other public information and data from the Dept of Education. The company ranked the Darien district as the fourth-best in the state (and behind New Canaan, at No. 1).
Darien's 4,700 kids in all grades have a student-teacher ratio of only 11 to 1. Rankings in specific categories give Darien an A+ in most, including Food served. Two areas which need improvement are Administration at B+ and the area of Diversity with a C-.
School to Kids: No Cellphones!
Darien Public Schools is telling middle and elementary students that all personal electronic devices- including cell phones, smartwatches, private laptops, headsets and the like can not be used during school. The new "bell to bell" policy requires that students stow their devices in their locker until the school day ends.
The district is also looking into a policy for high school students, with further discussion expected in the fall. Under the district’s current policy, high school students are required to bring their own charged personal device for use in class.
Stamford also bans devices for the younger students while Greenwich now bans cellphones in their high school.
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
55th Anniversary
Friday, August 15
Richie Havens
Sweetwater
Tim Hardin
Ravi Shankar
Melanie
Arlo Guthrie
Joan Baez
Saturday, August 16
Quill
Country Joe McDonald
Keef Hartley Band
Santana
Incredible Strig Band
Canned Heat
Grateful Dead
Leslie West and Mountain
Creedence Clearwater
Janis Joplin and the Kozmic Blues Band
Sly & the Family Stone
The Who
Jefferson Airplane
Sunday-Monday August 17,18
Joe Cocker and the Grease Band
Country Joe & the Fish
Ten Years After
Johnny Winter
Blood Sweat and Tears
Crosby, Stills and Nash
Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Sha Na Na
Jimi Hendrix
Paul Hepp 1950-2024
Classmate Paul Frederick Hepp passed away on Saturday, June 22, 2024.
See full obiturary in the Memorials Sections.
Last Year's Champs
In last year's athletic competition, 62 different CT high schools won a total of 122 State Championships awarded by the CIAC. At the top of the list is Greenwich with a total of 8 championships. New Canaan HS had a great year, winning 7 titles (Football, Girls Cross Country, Girls Lacrosse, Boys Swimming, Girls Golf, Boys and Girls Tennis).
Darien, along with 15 other Connecticut high schools, won two State titles. For Darien, The Wave won in Girls Swimming (L) and Girls Volleyball (LL).
Classmate Susan Danvers and Hubby Bob in Olympia, Washington.
Love to Hear From You!
Please, leave your remarks in the 'Comment' Section
Classmate Gary Swartz (far right) and wife Sally send greetings from Oman. The couple have their daughter's family staying there for the US State Department. The UN considers Oman the most improved country in terms of development in the last 40 years and is the oldest independent Arab state.
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!
A new restaurant has opened in downtown Darien. Called Green & Tonic, it is located in the town's Corbin District, a development still in the works, including stores, restaurants and luxury apartments. The restaurant is a juice bar, coffee shop and plant-based restaurant that also serves smoothie bowls, salads and kelp noodle dishes.
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
We know things are rough right now. So who better than some cheerleaders to keep up our spirits to finish the fight!
Front row left to right:
Anahid Kavookjian, Josie Mullen, Joni Dobson
Back row left to right:
Sue Geiger, Sharon Denunzio, Cinny Cobb, Sue Perschino, Peggy McNeil, Sue Venarde
Sandy Young, Carol Ann Augustus
| Pete White | Dave Terry |
| Claudia Smith Davenport | Kathy DelleFontane Goossen |
| Dennis Gavin | Pete Johnson |
| Rick Poccia | Janet Martin Fisher |
| Mark Beckwith | Anita Conway |
| Bruce Frail | Paul Dominis |
| Patty Mazza Sturges | Sue Dickman Klein |
| Sally Armus | Christy Rodgers |
| Mardi Porter | Ed Tyler |
| Bill Guptill | Mark Blackman |
| Georgiana Smith Bloom | Kate Mason Gredinger |
| Pete Franklin | Gary Gibbs |
| Tom Lane | Billy Harper |
| Anahid Kavoojian Vrana | Dave Lynch |
| Lauren Fair | Jimmy Valente |
| Tim Potts | Casey Nickerson |
| Suzanne Nikola Baldino | John van den Heuvel |
| Jim Morrison | Chris Bischof |
| Josie Mullen | Paul Buckley |
| Johnny Maul | Skip Kennedy |
| Bev Bonfoey | Barb Thorne |
| Marni Kent Hansell | Bob Mercer |
| Bob Ierardi | Eric Joosten |
| Dennis Sullivan | Tom Milek |
| Gary Swartz | Dave Miller |
| Steve Verses | Jay Baker |
| Cliff Powell | Ann Back Price |
| Steve and Patti Craig | Anne Marie McGarry |
| Vandy Van Wagener | Bill Schade |
| George Farrington | Todd and Martha Robbins |
| Rick Weber | Jane Seyferth |
| Sue Venarde Mahoney | Mark Tinker |
| Joan Dobson Glazebrook | Paul Hendrickson |
| Sandy McGill | Ted Vanech |
| Jim Tully | Stu Traver |
| Dick Costello | Mike Lopriore |
| Charlie Smith | Chris Eng Leventhal |
| Jane Genster | John Wuerthner |
| Carol Ann Augustus Summers | Anne Irvine |
| Ken Broska | Paul Hepp |
| Dave Jefferson | Sue Geiger |
| Allison Poccia | Joanne Schoepf Reisser |
| Benny Bruno | Kyle Hepp |
| Kathy Strachan | Pam Burkhardt Mele |
| Peter Scholtz |
Great shot of classmates Kenny Peliksza, Mike 'Lope' Lopriore, Dick Costello, and Ben Bruno in Jacksonville. Nobody mentioned any golf scores but all were sad to see former Jax resident Paul Hepp leave for Texas.
Choir
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
