The Darien Times

Contrasts collide as Wave rolls with playoffs race

Written by Steven Buono
Wednesday, February 01, 2012 02:23 PM

Girls Wave Hockey

Girls Wave hockey collided with FCIAC contrasts in its last two games.

Upended 7-2 by New Canaan and then upending Staples/Trumbull 7-0, Darien comes out of it 9-4 overall, 7-2 FCIAC well in playoffs position.

There are six games to play in the regular season with DHS fluttering between third and fourth in the conference.

“We got to seven and I said, hey, no more,” Darien coach Al Gurney said of Monday’s away game vs. the Wreckers (3-9, 1-8), playing without their best player besides, out with a concussion.

Emily Tropsa with three goals, Ellie Bennett, Lily Christensen, Sammy Nielsen and Sara Shaker scored for Darien. Goalies Shannon Hall and Izzy Scribano shared the shutout with DHS limiting shots on goal to seven.

Against a team at the opposite end of things in the FCIAC leading Rams (14-0, 9-0), saying seven and no more meant something else.

“Our goaltending’s come along,” said Gurney. “We’ve got two young girls and they do a nice job.”

Izzy Scribano played 30 minutes, stopping 16 shots, scored on three times, and Shannon Hall got in for 15 minutes making 12 saves in the Jan. 27 contest.

“It was your typical Darien-New Canaan game — hard fought, up and down,” said Gurney. “A couple of soft goals, they caught someone coming out of the penalty box and had a breakaway. They scored from an odd angle on a couple of goals.”

Darien was outshot 35-16.

Julia Arrix led Darien with a goal and an assist, Shaker scored, Galen Rohn and Christensen had a helper each.

“I mean, here and there, we got back to where it was 4-2,” Gurney added. “But you need to play a perfect game, mistake free. Take advantage of the opportunities you’ve got.

“A lot of good scoring opportunities, you don’t put it past the goaltender, then the clock is ticking.”

Senior Holly Burwick had a hat trick for the Rams, Olivia Hompe and Madzie Carroll scored twice each, while Carroll and Corbett Ripley set up two goals each, and Hompe, Burwick, Kyla Persky added helpers.

Gurney noted how DHS has not beaten New Canaan in his five years as coach, or previous, during the regular season. Darien’s crowning achievements remain defeating the Rams four years ago in the FCIAC and state tournaments.

“A huge part of that had to be (goalie) Katharine Macomber (DHS Class of 2010),” Gurney said. “I mean she just shut them down.”

Only blinking at history, though, the Wave’s eyes are set straight out ahead.

“Right now what we have to do — we’d like to end up two or three in the FCIAC,” Gurney said. “If you end up four you’re obviously going to end up playing New Canaan right out of the gate. We’d like to end up two or three, we can do that.”

Darien had a little help with Greenwich downing Ridgefield recently. The Wave beat the Cardinals 1-0 to help themselves the most it has done all season in the playoffs race.

Seedings are different at states this year. Where the top four teams in the FCIAC mixed it up with the top four from the Central Conn. League before, now it’s the top 12 in the state. First four teams each get a bye.

“We’ll probably be in the middle of the pack I would think,” Gurney said.

As for the FCIAC job at hand?

“It seems we are battling Greenwich for that two or three spot,” Gurney said. “Although if we could beat Ridgefield and Greenwich... That’s where our focus is right now.”

The Wave lost 4-1 to the Tigers in their first tangle this season and plays them again on Feb. 15.

“Our veterans are playing great,” said Gurney. “I have Lily Christensen on defense, she’s solid. And Galen Rohn. And we’ve only been playing three defense.”

Rookie Amanda Sload is the third.

“For a freshman to come out and play like she does, is incredible,” Gurney said. “It’s a big boost.”

The Shaker-Bennett-Tropsa line carries the main weight up front, and it’s as muscular a line as there is in the state.

“They’re doing a great job,” said Gurney. “And our next line is a couple of freshmen and a sophomore. But now our next line out there is all freshmen.”

Darien’s without forward Sage Thacher, and Alexa Weicker, both sidelined with concussions.

The Wave is breaking in a slew of rookies, each growing into the elevated roles as the season heads for the heights of home stretch and postseason.

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