St. Joseph tops both state football polls heading into showdown vs. Darien

St. Joseph is the top-ranked team in both the coaches’ and media’s Week 3 state high school football polls as the FCIAC has the top three ranked teams in both polls. And that leads up to this Saturday’s big showdown when coach Joe DellaVecchia’s St. Joseph Cadets host coach Rob Trifone’s perennially-powerful Darien Blue Wave … Read more

FCIAC Cross Country Results for Week Two; Updated Standings

• Updated Boys Cross Country Standings • Updated Girls Cross Country Standings Dual Meet At Waveny Park, New Canaan Boys Team Scores: New Canaan 24; Westhill 38; Greenwich 72; St. Joseph 109 Individual Times (5K course) 1 – Andrew Malling (NC) 16:41.60 2 – Colin McLaughlin (WH), 17:23.65 3 – Allessandro Malagoli (NC), 17:59,90 4 … Read more

Greenwich field hockey bounces back

Despite falling to a strong Mamaroneck (N.Y.) squad on Saturday, the Greenwich High School girls field hockey team exhibited some positive signs, which it carried over into its next game against Trumbull.

“We lost 3-0 to Mamaroneck, but the game was much closer than the score indicated,” Cardinals coach Ally Orrico said. “We didn’t capitalize on our opportunities, but we did create opportunities for ourselves.”

Greenwich continued to create scoring chances during its road game against Trumbull on Monday night and this time, it lit the scoreboard.

Receiving scoring from four different players, the Cardinals raised their record to 3-2 with a 4-1 win over host Trumbull in an FCIAC matchup. Greenwich is in action again against a formidable Staples squad on Friday at 4 p.m.

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BOYS BASKETBALL: Kriftcher named next boys basketball coach at Trinity Catholic

Trinity Catholic did not have to look far for its new head boys basketball coach.

Brian Kriftcher has been on the Trinity Catholic bench for the past two seasons as an assistant to renowned head coach Mike Walsh. On Tuesday the school announced Kriftcher would be taking over for Walsh, who stepped down earlier this year.

Kriftcher will become Trinity’s first new head coach in 40 years, taking over a program steeped in tradition and championships.

“This is a great opportunity to build on a strong foundation here at Trinity. We are not starting from scratch but this is an opportunity to make it my own,” Kriftcher said. “I think since I have been here for two years I have some credibility with the players. They know what to expect from me and I know about them as players and as people.”

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Boys soccer: Westhill holds off Norwalk

NORWALK — Westhill sophomore goalkeeper Nathanael Aybar wants nothing more than to prove himself to his coach and teammates.

On Monday night, in a battle of FCIAC boys soccer unbeatens, Aybar won them over in a big way.

The first-year varsity starter turned away seven of 11 shots in the second half, leading Westhill to a 3-2 victory over Norwalk at Testa Field.

“It was actually really crazy in that second half,” Aybar said. “This is my first year starting after I earned the spot, but my defense was really great today.”

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Malling’s first-place finish helps New Canaan boys cross country sweep three

New Canaan’s Andrew Malling leads a group of runners down the first hill during Monday’s cross country meet in Waveny Park. — Dave Stewart photo Bill Martin, the head coach of New Canaan boys cross country team, has been asked by outsiders several times about his top runner this season. For those not in the … Read more

Greenwich girls swimming team edges Wilton

GREENWICH — Monday’s meet between Greenwich and Wilton featured the defending State Open girls swimming champion and a team that finished among the top-10, and it certainly showed with how impressive both squads were.

In a competitive, early-season meet reminiscent of a postseason matchup, the Cardinals and Warriors produced one standout performance after another, but in the end, it was last season’s title-winner that emerged victorious.

Defending State Open and Class LL champion Greenwich needed all the points it could get to edge a strong Wilton squad, 98-88, before a big crowd at Greenwich High School.

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BOYS SOCCER: Danbury explodes for 5 second-half goals against Ridgefield

DANBURY — After what he considered a lackluster first half from his team, Danbury boys soccer coach Anthony Howard challenged his team at halftime, urging them to be more aggressive and play more as a cohesive unit.

It did not take long for the Hatters to heed Howard’s advice, breaking the scoreless deadlock by scoring three times in the first 14 minutes of the second half en route to a convincing 5-1 win over rival Ridgefield Monday afternoon.

“I didn’t think it could get any worse because that first half was really, really bad. Sloppy and not ready to play and not up for the game and the first half was not good enough,” Howard said. “I spoke to them at halftime, said what I needed to say and they responded. They are kids and that’s all you want is for them to respond and they came out great in the second half.”

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