Cover Story | By Darien High School Sports Marketing Club Members: KAITLYN BARBER, SHEPHERD READ, TREVOR KISSKO, CHI-WEI DAUGAVEITES, SADIE GOLUS and RHYAN FINLEY with Faculty Advisor SARINA THOMAS
photo by Bambi Riegel
Editor’s Note: Darien Sports Marketing was launched in Spring 2023 at Darien High School (DHS) as an elective course designed to provide students with an authentic, hands-on learning experience in the sports industry. Through a partnership with Blue Wave Athletics, students apply real-world marketing concepts to enhance school spirit, increase fan engagement and foster a positive, inclusive sports culture through social media, content creation and event promotion.
The success of the course has expanded beyond the classroom through the creation of the Sports Marketing Club which gives students the opportunity to continue this mission and take greater ownership of the program. Students create and share original content—including game schedules, podcasts, videos and other promotional materials—with the broader school and community audience through platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. Darien MagazineCT is thrilled to join this initiative with our inaugural DHS Sports Round-Up, contributed by members of the DHS Sports Marketing Club.
Girls Cross Country
The Darien Blue Wave Girls Cross Country team, coached by Steve “Norrie” Norris, Brian Clas and Stephanie Kwiatkowski and led by captains (from left): Hanna Pierpont, Jane Huffman, McKenna Shea, and Sydney Michalowski, had a strong showing last season. The Blue Wave placed fifth out of 16 teams at the FCIAC Championship meet at Waveny Park and finished eighth out of 20 teams in a competitive Class LL race at Wickham Park. This season, the team is focused on building on that success through hard work, dedication and a strong commitment to one another. With strong leadership and a shared commitment to improvement, Darien will look to continue its success at the FCIAC Championships on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at Waveny Park.
Follow on Instagram @dhsgirlsxctf
photo by Bambi Riegel
Boys Cross Country
The Boys Cross Country team, coached by Tyson Kaczmarek and Rachid Sofiane and led by captains (from left): Carlos Kerimi Cepeda, Jackson Lucas, Tomas Madariaga, and Theo Bouichou, finished last season with a 10–5 FCIAC regular-season record and placed eighth at the FCIAC Championships. Andrew Sharron earned First Team All-FCIAC honors. While the team graduated several key contributors from last year’s squad, this season, a new group of athletes, is ready to step up and compete, bringing energy and determination to the Blue Wave.
Sophomore Matteo Hersey and junior Gabriel Checketts lead this year’s team, which features multiple contributors and strong leadership from its senior runners. The Blue Wave also welcome a talented group of freshmen who have shown significant potential early in the season. With a blend of experienced leadership and emerging talent, Darien will look to build momentum throughout the season, culminating in the FCIAC Championships on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at Waveny Park.
Follow on Instagram @waveboysxc
photo by Bambi Riegel
Football
The Darien Blue Wave Football team, led by Head Coach Andy Grant and captains (from left): Jimmy Benedict, Will Primmer, and Michael O’Rourke, finished last season with a 6–5 record and advanced to the CIAC Class L quarterfinals before falling to New Canaan, 42–7. Darien opened the season strong, defeating Naugatuck and Brien McMahon by a combined score of 79–0, but a challenging FCIAC schedule later slowed the team’s momentum. The Blue Wave also fell to New Canaan, 39–7, in the annual Turkey Bowl.
This season, the Blue Wave are working to find their rhythm following a 28–7 opening loss to No. 4 St. Joseph. Darien will rely on an experienced offensive line, led by junior Joe Roche and senior Thomas Cavolo, while senior quarterback Hugh Dunlap and junior Bruce Hopkins look to form a dynamic duo on offense. One of the most anticipated games of the season will be the annual Turkey Bowl against New Canaan on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, at 10am at DHS Stadium.
Follow on Instagram @dhsbwfootball
Cheerleading
The Darien Blue Wave Cheerleading team, led by Head Coach Sidney Ambrosio and captains (from left): Mai Hynes and Ally Kennedy, is looking forward to a strong 2026 season. After Coach Ambrosio took the helm in 2025, the team is continuing to build momentum and develop its skills, teamwork and routines. The Blue Wave will have four FCIAC competitions throughout the season, running from mid-October through mid-November, providing opportunities for the team to showcase its hard work and compete at a high level.
Follow on Instagram @dariencheer
photo by Katharine Calderwood
Field Hockey
Wave Field Hockey, coached by Mo Minicus and Sherry Ramsey and led by captains (from left): Athena Ogle, Ava Welch, Shannon Bock, and Sophie Beach, is coming off a remarkable 20–2–1 season. The Blue Wave captured the FCIAC title with a 2–1 shootout victory over Staples before defeating Staples again, 1–0, in the CIAC Class L Championship. Ana Duarte scored the game-winning goal, securing Darien’s first state championship since 2022.
With most of last season’s team returning, the Blue Wave enter this season with plenty of experience and high expectations. As defending FCIAC and CIAC champions, the team knows there will be a target on its back and understands the importance of continuing to put in the work both on and off the field. Darien will look to build on last season’s success while competing for another championship run. One game to watch is the Monday, October 26 matchup against Fairfield Ludlowe at DHS.
Follow on Instagram @wavefieldhockey
photo by Cole Byczek
Boys Golf
The DHS Boys Golf team, led by Head Coach Tom O’Donnell and captains (from left): Matthew West and George Brown, enters the 2026 season looking to build on an outstanding 2025 campaign. Last season, the Blue Wave captured the FCIAC Championship by defeating Fairfield Warde by just two strokes and finished the season with an impressive 15-1 record. Darien continued its success at the state championship, placing second behind Fairfield Prep. Individually, Matthew West had a historic season, setting a new school record for lowest scoring average at 36.7. West was also named to the All-State team, becoming the first Darien golfer to earn the honor since 2019.
The Blue Wave has carried that momentum into the 2026 season, opening with victories over Stamford and Norwalk. With a strong returning core and two experienced captains, Darien will look to continue its success throughout the season.
Follow on Instagram @dhswavegolf
photo by Katharine Calderwood
Boys Soccer
The Boys Soccer Team, led by Head Coach Jon Bradley and captains (from left): Matteo De Benedittis, Dylan O’Connor, Benett Higgins, and Thomas Graziosa, finished the 2025 FCIAC season with a 9–5–1 record. The Blue Wave had several strong performances throughout the season, including an impressive 3–1 victory over rival New Canaan. This season, Darien will look to build on last year’s success and continue competing at a high level. One of the most anticipated matchups will be Wednesday, October 16, at 6pm at home against New Canaan.
Follow on Instagram @wavesoccer
photo by Katharine Calderwood
Girls Soccer
The Darien Blue Wave girls soccer team, led by Head Coach Leigh Parsons and captains (from left): Avery White, Peyton Ochman, Quin Chandler, and Sarah Ryan, is coming off a successful 2025 season. The Blue Wave finished the FCIAC regular season with an 8–3–4 record and earned a spot in the FCIAC playoffs. This season, Darien will look to build on that momentum and continue competing at a high level throughout the FCIAC. One of the key matchups to watch will be Tuesday, October 6, against the reigning FCIAC champions, St. Joseph.
Follow on Instagram @dariengirlssoccer
photo by Katharine Calderwood
Girls Swim & Dive
The Blue Wave Girls Swim and Dive team, led by coach Jason Memont, is coming off a strong 6–3 season. The team’s only losses came against Ridgefield, New Canaan and Greenwich, while Darien earned close victories over Wilton and Norwalk. This season’s captains are (from left): diver Katelyn Nugent, and swimmers Heili Jalakas, Caroline Gies, and Leanna Li.
Despite being a small team, the Blue Wave are looking to make a big impact this season with the return of two key swimmers. With Ridgefield moving to Class LL, Darien has an opportunity to compete for a state championship, but the team knows it will need to continue working hard and competing at a high level to make that goal a reality. One meet to watch is Friday, October 9, against New Canaan at the New Canaan YMCA.
Follow on Instagram @bluewaveswimanddive
photo by Katharine Calderwood
Girls Volleyball
The Girls Volleyball team, led by Head Coach Carson Mafrice and captains (from left): Audrey Brooks, Scarlett McCabe, Ada Rossi, and Sienna Sorrells, is looking to build on the lessons of a challenging 2025 season. Last year, the Blue Wave entered the season with an entirely new starting lineup, with the exception of returning libero Marlene Davis. Darien finished the season with a .500 record before falling to Southington High School in the first round of the state playoffs.
This season, the four captains have returned with a strong game plan and have done an excellent job creating a positive, disciplined, and team-focused gym environment. The Blue Wave enter the season with renewed energy and determination and have already gotten off to a strong start with a victory over Newtown. With a strong foundation of leadership and a hunger to compete, Darien will look to continue building momentum throughout the season. One game to watch is Thursday, October 15, against Trumbull.
Follow on Instagram @bluewavevolleyball
Follow Darien Sports Marketing on Instagram @dhs_sportsmarketing. For more DHS sports info, follow DHS Athletics @dhsbluewave. For live action coverage of DHS Sports, follow DAF Media on YouTube.
