Staples Girls Gymnastics Record-Breaking Year Nears An End
Above: Five Staples gymnasts who qualified to compete in the CT State Open are (l to r) Hannah Bitsky (bars, balance beam, vault), Maite Di Pietro (balance beam and floor), Mikeala Snow (bars and vault), Sarah Arango (bars) and Laura Guster (all-around) and team Captain Sofia Alarcon-Frias. At left, in back is Head Coach Kelsey Martin and Coach Amanda Lewis.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
The 2024 - 2025 Staples Girls Gymnastics Team had a record breaking year, setting a school record of 144.8 on January 29, 2025 when they competed against Westhill and New Canaan at their home gym at the Westport Weston YMCA.
Laura Guster also scored three school records. She now holds the school record for all-around (38.25), bars (9.75) and beam (9.7). Laura also was crowned the FCIAC All-Around Champion with an impressive score of 38.05.
The Staples Gymnastics team concluded their regular season on on February 12, then went on to take second place in the FCIAC tournament with an outstanding score of 140.95. The Staples gymnastics team was seeded second in the L division State tournament and third in the entire state. Unfortunately, due to injury and other circumstances three of their top gymnasts could not participate in the state tournament. Without three of the top gymnasts, Staples finished a respectable 4th place.
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Above, Head Coach Kelsey Martin, who has been leading this exceptional program for 15 years, confers with her gymnasts. All photos here are from the CT State Opens competition held on Saturday, March 1st at New Milford High School.
The State Opens competition includes qualifying gymnasts from all across the state, with the top 40 individuals in the State on every event and the top 20 all-arounders.
Balance beam competitors for the team are Hannah Bitsky and Maite Di Pietro who have also qualified for the New England Championship on beam. The New England Championships include competitors from the New England states, depending upon who qualifies, and will be held on March 8th at Jonathan Law High School, 20 Lansdale Avenue, Milford, CT.
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The Staples gymnastics team was seeded second in the L division State tournament and third in the entire state. Unfortunately, due to injury and other circumstances three of their top gymnasts could not participate in the state tournament. Without three of the top gymnasts, Staples finished a respectable 4th place.
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The girls take a photo after the competition concludes. From left are Sarah Arango (bars), Maite Di Pietro (beam and floor), Mikeala Snow (bars and vault) and Hannah Bitsky (bars, beam, vault).
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Westport Fashion & Style Helps Homes With Hope's Mission To Help Those In Need
Homes With Hope President & CEO Helen McAlinden giving opening remarks on the activities of her organization before the models stepped onto the runway.
Emcees Dave Briggs and Alisyn Camerota returned to host the 5th annual Fashionably Westport event and the Westport Library on Friday night.
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Fashionably Westport held at the Westport Library was an outstanding event that brought together the entire local community. The Westport Downtown Association created a remarkable 5th annual Fashionably Westport fashion show. This event once again supported Homes with Hope, a Westport-based nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness in Fairfield County.
Westport town officials Danielle Dobin, Board of Finance (above, 2nd from left) and RTM Andrew Colabella volunteered once again this year to show their style.
There were plenty of stylish looks for the younger generation like these from TheTwoOhThree.com
Helen McAlinden, President and CEO of Homes with Hope, shared that last year the organization provided vital services to over 1,350 individuals through its comprehensive support programs, aiding the most vulnerable members of Fairfield County.
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Above, McAlinden speaking about the efforts of the organization to help those in need. Helen expressed her gratitude, stating, "On behalf of Homes with Hope’s Board of Directors, staff, and the people we serve, we extend our heartfelt thanks the Westport Downtown Association. The support from this event makes a significant and positive impact on our mission.
Briggs and Camerota kept the energy level up as they described the fashions and spoke about the Westport merchants who generously provided the clothes, accessories, and did hair and make-up to help make the models look their best.
There were many mother-daughter models and even three generations as in the top row two photos from the left.
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Music was provided by the local band Moss and a guitarist on the stage as guests enjoyed hors d'oeuvres and posed for photos at the Fashionably Westport backdrop.
Westport merchants served up a fine selection of attire for those who want to look their best on the courts.
McAlinden addressed the audience saying, “The proceeds will enable our dedicated staff to continue offering vital services to those who turn to us for assistance. We are deeply appreciative of everyone who attended and kindly ask that you continue to support the local shops that showcased their fantastic fashion and the beauty salons.” Helen added, “Lastly, please feel free to reach out to me on my mobile phone at 475.225.5292 if you would like to learn more about Homes with Hope or visit. We welcome volunteers! To learn more about our work check out our website, Homes With Hope”
Many of the guests were dressed to the nines and would have done very well walking the runway.
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Everyone went home with amazing gift bags packed with generous goodies and discount vouchers to use to shop local. Their contributions to the event were truly outstanding. Homes With Hope is profoundly grateful to all who made this evening possible.
Nearly one hundred of Westport’s merchants and restaurants generously provided a variety of goods and services to support Fashionably Westport and Homes With Hope.
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The traditional fashion show finale brings all the models out on the runway at once for the audience to take one last look at the fabulous fashions.
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The “Y’s Men Classical Music Society Presents A Performance By Staples Stradivarius Chamber Orchestra On March 4th At Saugatuck Congregational Church
Members of the acclaimed Staples Stradivarius Chamber Orchestra along with Co Directors Carrie Mascaro and Jeri Brima (far left) They will perform a free concert on Tuesday, March 4 in the Saugatuck Congregational Church Sanctuary, beginning at 2:45 pm. (contributed photo).
About The Y’s Men of Westport-Weston Classical Music Society: Since 2016, the Y’s Men Classical Music Society offers educational and inspirational programs of classical music from the 17th century through contemporary times. It is one of more than 30 diversified activities offered to the group's 500 plus membership of Westport and Weston retired and semi-retired men. The Society meets monthly from September through May on the first Tuesday of the month. Members and their guests are welcome.
About The Stradivarius Chamber Orchestra: The Stradivarius Chamber Orchestra, a distinguished part of the Staples Music department, first formed over 50 years ago. This select ensemble is composed of committed and skilled string students who undergo an audition process each spring. Typically, around 45 students from grades 9-12 audition, showcasing their abilities through a chosen solo, scales, arpeggios, and sight reading. This year, 30 members have been chosen to participate in the Stradivarius Chamber Orchestra, alongside a smaller Amati Cello Ensemble comprising four members. Prior to the pandemic, the program was robust enough to sustain two separate chamber orchestras, reflecting its long-standing tradition and continued appeal among young musicians.
Students from our music program have gone on to attend prestigious institutions such as Berklee College of Music, along with notable alumni who have studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Many have advanced their careers by performing with esteemed ensembles like the Cleveland Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Additionally, their chamber orchestras participate in regular performances at off-campus venues, including the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA). Beyond these organized events, students also perform in smaller groups throughout the community. Recently, middle school and high school chamber orchestras collaborated for a festival concert, allowing older students to mentor younger musicians, fostering a continued interest in music as they transition into high school.
The Chamber Orchestra at Staples High School benefits from the collaborative expertise of both Carrie Mascaro and Jeri Brima, who co-teach the ensemble. With over three decades of experience in the Westport Public Schools, Mascaro brings a wealth of knowledge and a proven track record in music education, alongside her active role as a conductor for the Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestras and her commitment to chamber music. In contrast, Brima's background includes a significant nine years in the Chicagoland area, where she honed her skills before joining Staples six years ago. Her focus has recently shifted to scholarly pursuits as she works towards her doctoral degree in music education. Together, they create a rich learning environment for the students, blending performance practice with academic rigor, while fostering a love for orchestral and chamber music.
Students rehearse for two hours each week from 5:30 to 7:30 PM, demonstrating their commitment to excellence in music. In addition to these rehearsals, they are required to participate in a 30-minute sectional each week, balancing this with their other commitments. Their dedication is evident not only in their practice and performance skills but also in their organizational efforts, as they maintain a snack schedule for the rehearsals. This level of commitment and planning showcases the strong work ethic and camaraderie among these dedicated musicians.
WRECKERS WIN FCIAC CHAMPIONSHIP!
Wednesday night, Senior Captain Adam Udell led Staples Wreckers Basketball to the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference, defeating the number one ranked Ridgefield Tigers 68-58. Wearing #1, quite fittingly, Udell was the game MVP, leading all scorers with 24 points including two 3-pointers. The game was played at the Mahoney Arena at Fairfield University and most of the arena's 3,500 seats were filled with cheering fans who roared at almost every time a basket was scored.
Photos By J.C. Martin, story by Jake Sullivan and J.C. Martin for WestportLocalPress.com. Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
When the final buzzer sounded, the celebration began.
On a special night in which the FCIAC basketball championship made its debut in the beautiful Leo D. Mahoney arena on the campus of Fairfield University, the #2 seeded Staples Wreckers squared off against the #1 seeded Ridgefield Tigers. Ridgefield drew first blood to start the game on layup by Senior Alex Hickey (20 points), and it started off quite even.
The Ridgefield Tigers noticeably changed their defense from the first meeting just 7 days earlier, this time seemingly sagging off anybody not named Dhilan Lowman (sophomore, 6 points). A tip-in layup just before the first quarter buzzer by senior Charlie Bowman (6 points) gave the Wreckers a 9-8 lead after 1. In the second quarter, the Wreckers started to find themselves through their fast-paced offense as a result of their intense man-to-man defense.
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Quick baskets by Junior Mason Tobias (11 points, 4 rebounds) and sophomore Austin Heyer (2 points 2 assists 2 rebounds) followed by free throws from Junior Matt Corrigan (19 points) led to a quick Ridgefield timeout to start the second quarter. The Staples Wreckers’s depth was on display in the second quarter as multiple players got in the game and Joined the scoring party. The Wreckers led Ridgefield 30-21 at the half.
Coming out of the locker room, the second half was all about Adam Udell (24 points, 11 assists, 6 rebounds) and Corrigan, who scored 13 of his 19 points in the second half. A couple gambles defensively and missed box-outs led to three pointers for the Ridgefield Tigers, which seemingly kept that in the game as the third quarter closed with a score of Staples 47 Ridgefield 39. The fourth quarter was all Staples, who seemed to score right after any basket by the Ridgefield Tigers. This trading-of-baskets proved to happen too late in the game for the Ridgefield Tigers.
Photos By J.C. Martin, story by Jake Sullivan and J.C. Martin for WestportLocalPress.com. Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Coming out of the locker room, the second half was all about Adam Udell (24 points, 11 assists, 6 rebounds) and Corrigan, who scored 13 of his 19 points in the second half. A couple gambles defensively and missed box-outs led to three pointers for the Ridgefield Tigers, which seemingly kept that in the game as the third quarter closed with a score of Staples 47 Ridgefield 39. The fourth quarter was all Staples, who seemed to score right after any basket by the Ridgefield Tigers. This trading-of-baskets proved to happen too late in the game for the Ridgefield Tigers.
The Staples faithful erupted as Adam Udell rifled a pass in the paint to Corrigan, who scored an and-1 layup to give Staples a 61-48 lead with 3:28 to go. After that, Ridgefield was in desperado mode and forced to foul, sending Udell to the free throw line, where he continued his poise. The crowd erupted again as Senior Charlie Bowman dribbled out the clock and the Staples bench jumped for joy. This FCIAC championship is the first since 1963, and is particularly special for the school, who had lost back-to-back conference championships in 2023 and 2024.
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The Wreckers are not done this season, as they now head in the division 1 state tournament, hosting Kolbe Cathedral on March 4 at 6:30 PM.
The Staples cheerleaders did their best to contribute to “the sixth man”, revving up the Staples fans, who were outnumbered by the Ridgefield fans in the 3,500 seat Mahoney Arena. The crowd noise when ever either team made a great play was at times deafening. At one point, when it appeared that the momentum was with Staples, the Wreckers fans began chanting, D A V I D G O L D S H O R E!!
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When The Final Buzzer Sounded, The Celebration Began!
The Spales Wreckers Starting Five with their newly awarded FCIAC Championship medals.
Head Coach Goldshore made the rounds, hugging everyone he could, including his Mom (bottom, right) who was delighted with her son’s huge victory.
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Some of the team members receiving their medals. At bottom left, Adam Udell with his medal and MVP plaque. Udell lead all scorers with 24 points.
Head Coach David Goldshore with his FCIAC Championship team members.
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Proud parents take to the court to congratulate their boys and pose for some photos. At right, MVP Adam Udell is interviewed my members of the media.