Good News Only, Sports James Bairaktaris Good News Only, Sports James Bairaktaris

Showing Love for Staples Swimming and Diving Seniors ahead of FCIACs

After their final home meet tonight against New Canaan, the Staples Wreckers Swimming and Diving Team honored their Class of 2022 members with chocolates and flowers in a true Valentine’s Day moment of appreciation. The teams will be heading to the FCIAC championships beginning on March 1st.

Pictured L-R: Jacob Lee (captain), Richard Campbell, Max Tanksley (captain), Coach Todd Gordon, Brendan McGinley (captain), Matt Lott and Brennan Herold. Contributed photo by Debbie McGinley for WestportLocal.com
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Good News Only, Sports J.C. Martin Good News Only, Sports J.C. Martin

Staples Girls Basketball Falls to Stamford

The Wreckers were defeated by the Black Knights on Tuesday by the score of 39 to 27. Stamford's strong defense held the Staples girls to just two points in the first quarter. Staples was held to nine points or less in each of the next four quarters, and an attempt to rally in the fourth was to no avail.

Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com  Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
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Sports, Good News Only J.C. Martin Sports, Good News Only J.C. Martin

Staples Gymnastics Heading To The FCIAC's

Staples gymnastics is ready for the Fairfield County Interscholastic Conference Championship competition on Saturday. Staples competed against St. Joe's and Trumbull (the current 1 and 2 seeds in the FCIACs on Tuesday night. 

It was a close competition. Saint Joe's edged out Staples by 0.3 with a final score of 132.9. Staples had a strong meet finishing with a 132.6. Trumbull finished third with a 130.5. Norwalk high school had some strong performances as well. 

Coach Kelsey Martin was happy with the performance last night. "We had a few falls on beam, but overall the team is looking polished, confident and ready for the post season. Our goal was to peak at FCIAC and States and we are on track to do so." For as crazy as this season has been, I am impressed with this team. We are a tight-knit team. We are hoping for a great end to the season."

Staples Meet highlights:

Mia Guster won vault (9.35) and floor (8.9) and finished third on beam (8.85). She is expected to contend for all three titles at FCIAC. 

Victoria Fidalgo won the bars title with a 8.7. She competed a new vault and got a career high of 8.4. She also finished 4th in the all-around with an impressive 33.00.

Mimi Schindler (8.45 vault, 8.55 beam and 8.2 floor) and Sofia Alarcon (8.45 beam and 8.3 floor) competed in the all-around competition. Abby Pleiter and Eliza Walmark had career highs on vault. 

Up Next: Staples qualified as a team for FCIAC (Saturday at 11:00 am). Staples is hopping to do well in the State Championships which begin on  March 5th.

Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com  Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.

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Good News Only, Sports James Bairaktaris Good News Only, Sports James Bairaktaris

Staples Girls Swimming Continues to Set Records at FCIAC Championships

Contributed photo. Winning 400 meter free relay: From left to right Annam Olasewere, Ayaan Olasewere , Ella Alpert and Jessica Qi
Contributed it Susan De Pinho

Staples freshman Annam Olasewere takes home Most Outstanding Swimmer award at FCIAC championships.


Staples girls swimming had a record breaking FCIAC Championships. Staples High School completed the FCIAC championships with three record breaking performances. Freshman Annam Olasewere set the State and FCIAC record in the 50 yard free with a time of 22.77. Olasewere's time of 50.18 in the 100 yd free also set a new FCIAC record. Senior Jessica Qi finished second in that event with a season best of 52.21. Qi also took second in the 200 free with a time of 1:56.05


The relay team of freshman Annam Olasewere, Ayaan Olasewere and seniors Ella Alpert and Jessica Qi set a new FCIAC record in the 200 free relay (1:36.27) and also won the 400 free relay (3:31.87)


Alpert was fifth in the 100 yd fly (57.78) and 7th in the 100yd back (1:00.51) while freshman Libby Turner (1:01.79) took the eighth spot.
Juniors Mia Guster and Kate Whittaker finished 8th and 11th respectively in the diving competition.


Staples moves on to compete in the Class LL and State Open championships

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Can’t Touch This: Wreckers Crush Homecoming Game 54-0 against Stamford

Staples Senior Nick Armentano breezes into the end zone with Stamford’s team unable to catch up. This was Armentano’s second touchdown of the game, which brought the score to 26-0 in the second quarter. The final score for the game was a domination over Stamford with 54-0. Jaime Bairaktaris/WestportLocal.com photo.

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Sports, Good News Only James Bairaktaris Sports, Good News Only James Bairaktaris

Staples Freshmen Girls Soccer Surfs the Blue Wave after Winning over Darien 3-2

All photos by WestportLocal.com

The Staples High School Girls’ Soccer Team battled Darien this morning on Wakeman’s turf field - with a close game coming to an end with a final winning score of 3-2 for the freshman team and their coach, Jack Tubbs.

Goals were scored by Chloe Barnes (#46), Kaela Cohen (#42) , and Ella Zhu (#40). The back line, featuring Lucy Barney (#3), Julianna Martire (#20), Stella St. Andre (#14 ), and Lucy Fisher (#18) held strong through the second half while Katie Fitzgerald (#32) lead the attack in midfield.

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Freshman Breaks another Record as Staples Swim and Dive Team Pushes through Season

Contributed photo
Contributed photo

Last night’s Staples Girls Swim & Dive Team meet was close, with “Another record shattered” reports Susana De Pinho.

Staples HS Girls swim team improved to 3-2 on the season with a hard fought win over Westhill/Stamford. The meet came down to the final event with Staples finishing first in the 400 meter freestyle relay with a time of 4:10.46 to secure the win.

Highlights of the meet include another record setting swim by freshman Annam Olasewere in the 50 meter free with a time of 26.15 beating her 26.48 record swim from last week. Olasewere also won the 100 meter free in a time of 59.38.

Staples senior captain Jessica Qi won the 200m freestyle (2:15.26) and 400m freestyle (4:50.68). Freshman Dani Schwartz took second in the 400m freestyle with a time of 4:55.30.

Co-Captain Ella Alpert won the 100m butterfly (1:09.07) and placed second in the 100m backstroke (1:10.68).

Freshman Ayann Olasewere and sophomore Libby Turner took first and second in the 200m IM (2:34.97 and 2:37.39). Olasewere won the 100 meter breaststroke (1:20.64) and Turner took third (1:32.37).

Staples divers Kate Whitaker, Mia Guster and Emma Thaw took 3rd, 4th and 5th respectively against a very competitive Westhill/Stamford team.



Next up for the Wreckers is Friday night's meet at home vs Greenwich.


Contributed by Susana De Pinho
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Good News Only, Sports, People, Community James Bairaktaris Good News Only, Sports, People, Community James Bairaktaris

Local Runners Pick up the Baton for The Great American Relay from Boston to California

Volunteer runners began their journey to Westport at Bridgeport Fire Department. Pictured are: J Lucas, Nancy Wilson, Kelly Konstanty, Lisa Goldstein, Karla Cohen, Lauren Leppla, Kenji Ogawa, and Lead Runner Ken Gallagher. (contributed photo/no order)
Volunteer runners began their journey to Westport at Bridgeport Fire Department. Pictured are: J Lucas, Nancy Wilson, Kelly Konstanty, Lisa Goldstein, Karla Cohen, Lauren Leppla, Kenji Ogawa, and Lead Runner Ken Gallagher. (contributed photo/no order)

Beginning on September 11th to honor those lost to the World Trade Center attacks, the Great American Relay is making its way from Boston to Santa Monica, California to raise money for first responders and members of the military.

Volunteer runners make their way towards Westport with The Great American Relay batons. 

Monday’s schedule brought the relay from Branford, Connecticut to the World Trade Center Memorial in Lower Manhattan in ten separate stages - with stages 26 and 27 connecting at Westport Fire Department Headquarters at around 10:30 yesterday morning.

Local runners who volunteered to carry the baton from Bridgeport Fire Department Headquarters to its handoff in Westport were: J Lucas, Nancy Wilson, Kelly Konstanty, Lisa Goldstein, Karla Cohen, Lauren Leppla, Kenji Ogawa, and Lead Runner Ken Gallagher. The group handed the baton off to Barbara Campbell, Elizabeth Hofmann, and Lead Runner Jeffrey Wollman who carried it to Darien’s hand-off point.

In total, 58 runners helped get the baton from Branford to the World Trade Center Memorial by Monday night.

This morning the red baton will continue its journey West - with an expected arrival at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s City Hall late tonight with the help of several dozen more volunteers. By the time the baton reaches that West Coast - it will have traveled through 415 stages totaling 3,500 miles for nearly 40 days with the help of hundreds of volunteer runners.


To learn more about The Great American Relay or to find a stage to run with, click here: greatamericanrelay.com

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Wreckers Soccer Wins Season Opener

The Wreckers defeated rival Ridgefield 4-0. Goals were scored by Mario Moreno, Reese Watkins, Dylan Hoke, Matt Shackelford and Jaden Mueller. Assists by Ryan Thomas (2), Jaden Mueller, Jack Foster, Marius Ekeberger with excellent goalkeeping by Jacob Greenberger.

Click to enlarge photos. Photos by J.C. Martin for WestportLocal.com

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