Thanks for a great year, 2018

So....The end of another year. 2018 was an interesting one. This blog is going to be mostly about the "professional" related things that have gone on, although there are many other memories from the year.

The year started off with a lot of job-searching.

Throughout It was fun to help Rob Adams out on Robcating Radio with a lot of Fairfield Prep games and some other games, including the Martin Luther King Classic at Webster Bank Arena. I never think I'm a broadcaster but I have fun on the air and appreciate all the opportunities Rob gives me.

During the summer, Rob got involved with broadcasting both Babe Ruth baseball and Little League baseball and I was excited that he invited me to help out. The Little League baseball was especially fun as we broadcasted a lot of Fairfield American. We called both the District 2 and Section 1 tournaments, which American won both. Included in the run of games was a Fairfield American vs Fairfield National Game.

Robcasting banner and Rob and I calling FFLD American game (Eric Scholl Photo) 

We also broadcasted the 2018 Fairfield Prep Holiday Classic last week. Along with Rob and Jake Zimmer, we called Warde vs Notre Dame and Ludlowe vs Prep on the first night. Rob called the second night solo (AKA, he Scullied it). Warde went on to defeat Ludlowe for the Championship.

Me, Jake and Rob prepping to call the Holiday Tourney (Rob Adams Selfie)

Here is the broadcast of Ludlowe and Prep, which the Falcons won in overtime.

Back to the beginning of the year.

In January, The Darien Times newspaper was looking for freelance sports writers so I reached out and started writing for them. I had written for some of their sister papers in 2017 and I thought it would be good for me and I was also very excited to help out Susan Shultz and Dave Stewart, the editor and sports editor of the DT, respectively. I mostly covered the Darien boys basketball team and the DHS baseball team. I also covered the Darien girls basketball team and the New Canaan baseball team (for the New Canaan Advertiser - a sister paper of the DT, where Dave Stewart is also the sports editor). I got to cover both Ludlowe and Warde, two schools and the town of Fairfield that mean so much to me. It was great getting to interview great coaches and friends in John Dailey, Sara Kinsley, Ryan Swaller, Brett Conner and Mike Francese.

It was great to deal with all of the coaches and student-athletes but covering the Darien baseball team stands out to me. Covering them on a consistent basis, I got to know the players, coaches and the families. Add in the fact that it was cool to cover an FCIAC Championship. Coach Mike Scott and outfielder/pitcher Justin Jordan were phenomenal to work with. Coach Scott was always easy to talk to, whether it be in a post-game interview setting, or just chatting pre-game.

My favorite article I wrote this year, and I think it's the best article I've written, was on Fairfield Warde basketball's Sean Conway. I wrote the article for The Fairfield Sun (it also appeared on the FCIAC website). I interviewed Sean, Dan Fitzpatrick and Coach Swaller and they could not have been easier to work with.

I still did a little more freelancing in the summer and the fall but due to circumstances on both sides, the relationship ended. I enjoyed it and am grateful for the opportunity.

The summer was fun as for the eighth summer in a row, I was a camp counselor with Fairfield Parks and Rec. So many great people I worked with over the summer, and summers past.

The end of the summer turned out to be the best moment of the year as I was hired as the Athletic Secretary at Ludlowe and Warde High Schools. It's been a great four months so far in the job. I have learned a lot and know I will continue to learn. I hope I have been helpful to Athletic Director's Todd Parness and Seth Fry so far and am excited for what is to come. Here I've also met a lot of people. I know a lot of the Ludlowe people but have met more and got to know a lot of people at Warde.

Prior to the FLHS/FWHS football game. 

Looking forward to 2019. Can't wait for baseball season and to be part of the Ludlowe baseball coaching staff.

I hope to write more, whether it be here or on another outlet.

Happy New Year to all!

New Canaan Football Beats Fairfield Prep, Will Face Greenwich in State Championship

New Canaan's Drew Pyne hands the ball off during the Rams win over Prep 

The eight-seeded New Canaan Rams came into Rafferty Stadium in Fairfield and took down the number five seeded Fairfield Prep Jesuits 38-7 on Sunday afternoon.

New Canaan got on the board with 8:32 left in the first quarter on a J.R. Moore two-yard touchdown run.

The Rams went up 10-0 when Nicholas Radman connected on a 21-yard field goal with 1:14 left first quarter.

New Canaan extended their lead to 17-0 with 39 seconds left in the half. Following a Prep fumble that gave the Rams the ball at their own 41, Drew Pyne connected with Wyatt Wilson for a 52-yard touchdown.

Prep got on the board with 4:15 left in the third. Following a New Canaan missed field goal, the Jesuits marched down the field and John Iaropoli connected with Finn Duran for the 16-yard touchdown.

On the next possession, New Canaan answered right back as Moore ran in for the 10-yard touchdown to put the Rams on top 24-7.

Defensively, Jack Finnigan picked off a Prep pass and brought it back to the Jesuits 14-yard line with 1:40 left in the third. Later on the drive, New Canaan recovered their own fumble in the end-zone for a touchdown to put the Rams ahead 31-7. The ball was recovered by Harrison Skym.

O'Connell put the icing on the cake with a 23-yard touchdown run to cap the scoring with 5:33 left.

The Rams will play Greenwich in the Class LL Championship on Saturday at a time and site to be determined.


Editor's note: This was supposed to be a personal blog, but with no outlet to write for at the moment, I'll write a game stories here.