Sports
Blue Wave Charity Lacrosse Game a Big Hit
Alumni vs Varsity game raises money and collects toys for children in need
In a first-of-a-kind lacrosse alumni event, Blue Wave lacrosse players, both current and former, played a charity game at the brand-spanking-new Sono Field House on Friday night.
Coach Lisa Lindley welcomed the players to the exhibition in which original plans to "mix and match" old and young gave way to alumni versus varsity game.
Score wasn't kept during the competition, but the competitive juices were evident anyway as spectators watched some very fit Darien High School athletes take on their predecessors: 17 alumni players ranging from seven recent graduates to vets from the class of 2002.
The quality of play was at a high level especially for recent grads like Sam Stevenson (DHS Class of '09) who played fall ball, and current players like Corinne Sommi, still in shape from a winning volleyball season.
But other alums discovered a cruel reality: the longer the time spent away from the game, the more prolonged the accompanying stiffness.
Exception to that rule was Lindsay Caruso (DHS class of '99-Lynchburg). Caruso hasn't been playing lacrosse recently, but that's not to say her running shoes haven't seen some serious action. Caruso trained for the NYC Marathon this year.
"As a result I'm not in too bad shape," said Caruso.
A couple of the girls from the Class of '97 now coach. Emily Stevens (Denison) coached lacrosse in Columbus, OH and last year, returned to Denison where she's an assistant coach. Courtney C. DePeter Calabrese (Notre Dame) is also coaching. She's at Sacred Heart in Greenwich.
Also teaching, but not on the field, is second-grade New York City public school teacher Jessica McNell (DHS Class of '02; Brown).
"I'm glad to be back," said McNell.
Not all the alumni invitees were in attendance. And a few of the current players were busy representing the Blue Wave in other sports; Liz Calby and Ann Fucigna were playing varsity basketball against Harding.
The $1100 rasied from the event will go to the pediatric Joy Fund at Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. In addition, toys collected at the event will be delivered to the Ronald McDonald House of New York.
Lindley paid kudos to the organizers: alum Stephanie Calabrese, current captains Cali Ceglarski, Liz Calby, their parents. Sono Field House and Vavalas who catered a post-game pasta dinner.
Other alumni who had planned to attend: Hayley Stineman (DHS class of '04, Denison), Mallory Newton (DHS class of '04, Denver)), Anne Ryan (DHS class of '07, Richmond), Sarah Lane (DHS class of '99, Conn College), Katie Ceglarski (DHS class of '04, Gettysburg), Melissa Madalon (DHS class of '07, Roankoe), Kat Collins (DHS class of '07, Dartmouth), Caroline Spillane (DHS class of '08, Penn), Callie Frelinghausen (DHS class of '08, HWS), Courtney Bennett (DHS class of "09, Dartmouth), Chloe Drimal (DHS class of '09, Yale), Amy Marchesi (DHS class of '09, Hamilton), Steff Calabrese (DHS class of '00, Roanoke), Allison Bisset Swanson (DHS class of'00, Cornell, Kim Flatley Pepe (DHS class of '00, Arizona), Eliza Bennett (DHS class of '06, Dartmouth), Alex Hamill (DHS class of '09, W&L), Corey Vernon (DHS class of '09, UVA), Phoebe Maglathlin (DHS class of '09, Duke), Clemmy Little (DHS class of '09, Cal Berkley) and Kat Nestory (DHS class of '09, Gettysburg).
