Student Sports Articles

We are so thrilled to announced that after a thorough application and interview process Kate Neary ’24, Kathryn Murano ’26, and Camry Tomey ’25 have been selected as our first ever Student Sports Reporters - an internship position between St. Joes and the FCIAC! They will be tasked with attending SJ games, matches, and meets, and then writing an article on the results. Their articles will be hosted on the FCIAC website as well as below. 

After a thriller of a win against Trumbull on Thanksgiving the St. Joes Hogs finished the regular season 6-4. With the regular season ending, I decided to talk with the 3 captains Michael Lucifora, Logan Spolestra, and Dom Parry about their time on the football team. 
 
Michael Lucifora

• What is your favorite memory with your team?
  • “My favorite memory would have to be walking up the hill together before each game.”
• What is the biggest lesson you have learned from your team?
  • "That if you want to succeed you have to put in the work to do what is necessary.”
• What are your plans for after St. Joes?
  • “My plans are to go to college and get a degree before I hopefully become a pilot.”
• What is your favorite Coach Del quote?
  • “'I can’t teach stupid’.”

Logan Spolestra

• What is your favorite memory with your team?
  • "It was definitely my sophomore year playing against Daniel Hand in the first round of the playoffs and winning.”
• What is the biggest lesson you have learned from your team?
  • “That if you're not a team player, and we are not working as a team, nothing will go right.”
• What are your plans for after St. Joes?
  • “I will be attending Liberty University. Right now I will be walking on the football team and hopefully getting a scholarship.”
• What is your favorite Coach Del quote?
  • “He says a lot of quotes, but definitely ‘Be a team player’.”

Dom Parry

• What is your favorite memory with your team?
  • “When we beat Danbury at our last home game. It was our last home game together and one of our teammates got hurt so it was a special moment for us to get the win for him.”
• What is the biggest lesson you have learned from your team?
  • “No matter how many times you lose, you always have to get up after it. All the mistakes you make you have to learn from going through the season.”
• What are your plans for after St. Joes?
  • “I plan on majoring in sports management and playing college football.”
• What is your favorite Coach Del quote?
  • “‘Practice like you play’.”

The Girls Soccer Class LL semifinal featuring St. Joes was quite the thriller. It was the third meeting of the season between St. Joes and Staples, with a tie in the regular season and St. Joes beat Staples the FCIAC championship. The opening kickoff led to a St. Joes chance on net, but after 2 quick goals Staples was up 2-0. While the game was leaning in Staples’ direction, St. Joes never gave up and continually got chances on net. The first goal was scored by sophomore Julia Nunes, and quickly after junior Alexa Pino scored the tying goal just before the halftime whistle. 

After halftime, the game went back and forth with both teams having multiple chances on net. The break came when senior Taylor Jenkins was taken down in the box and was awarded a penalty kick. Alexa Pino scored off the penalty kick and netted the go ahead goal and her second of the night. Less than a minute later, Staples was awarded a penalty kick and it was tied once again. Shortly after the pair of penalty kicks, junior Sara Parker scored an incredible, highlight reel goal to once again put St. Joes ahead. For the second and final time St. Joes was in the lead. The rest of the game was back and forth, but for the third year in a row St. Joes Girls Soccer is headed to the State Championship Final. The game will be held on Saturday at 10am at Trinity Health Stadium.

Despite a strong effort, St. Joe’s junior varsity football team faced a disappointing loss to Ridgefield on Monday, Oct. 23. While there were many attempts to drive the ball downfield and create opportunities for scoring, St. Joes unfortunately fell short.

The first quarter was ultimately uneventful all around. In the second quarter, Ridgefield scored a touchdown with 7:57 minutes remaining. They missed the two point conversion, however, making the score 6-0. During the remaining eight minutes of the quarter, there was a frenzy of activity. There was an interception by Ridgefield with 6:19 minutes remaining, causing a turnover of possession at the 20-yard line. However, the team suffered an incomplete pass as well as two sacks on the Ridgefield quarterback within the next three minutes. With 3:12 remaining, Ridgefield scored a field goal. This secured a score of 9-0, which would persist for the remainder of the quarter, and the game. During the remaining three minutes of the quarter, St. Joes attempted to make up for lost time. However, they were unable to gain enough yardage and Ridgefield attempted another field goal with just a few seconds remaining, which they missed. The third and fourth quarters were scoreless for both teams.

Despite the loss, St. Joes remains optimistic for what the remaining four games of their season could bring.

Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023 was a busy day on the St. Joes campus, with two games happening bilaterally: a boys varsity soccer game against Staples high school, and a freshman football game against Norwalk high school.

St. Joe’s freshman football won their game against Norwalk on October 19 with a score of 30-20. It is the team’s 7th consecutive win, leaving them undefeated in their 2023 season to date. The first touchdown for St. Joes was scored by freshman Kyle Wiker. He drove the ball 90 yards off of a punt return, and then the team completed a two point conversion to bring the score to 8-0. The next touchdown was scored by freshman Finn Kilmartin. St. Joes scored another two point conversion, and shortly after, another touchdown. They had an unsuccessful two point conversion, making the score 22-0 leading into halftime. Norwalk scored two touchdowns in the third quarter, but St. Joes also got another touchdown and two point conversion, bringing the score to 30-12 leading into the fourth quarter. Due to another touchdown by Norwalk, the final score was 30-20.

Also happening on October 19th, 2023 was a boys varsity soccer game. It was the team’s last home game of the season, now they only have three away games left before the season’s conclusion. Despite a strong start, Staples ended up winning 5-2. During the first half, St. Joe's game started out strong with two goals. Junior striker Lucas Auten scored on a long ball over the middle, and senior forward Joseph Iazzetta scored on a penalty kick with 28 seconds remaining in the half. Staples also had two early goals, scored by Brendan Allen and Avery Mueller. The score was tied 2-2 leading into halftime.

During the second half, however, St. Joes struggled. Staples scored three times over a span of 19 minutes. The 5-2 loss was disappointing for St. Joes, but the team remains optimistic for what the remainder of the season could bring.

St. Joe’s varsity field hockey faced a disappointing loss to Fairfield Ludlowe on Friday, October 13, 2023. St. Joes went into the second half trailing 3-0. With 3:15 minutes remaining in the third quarter, junior captain and midfielder Ella Dunford scored off a corner for St. Joes, making the score 1-4. The final score was 6-1, Ludlowe.

FCIAC holds Officials Recognition Week Oct. 8-14

The week of October 8th was FCIAC officials recognition week. It is important to recognize our officials, because when they do their jobs well their work is almost invisible, and therefore few people take time to acknowledge the efforts it took to do things like enforce rules, diffuse potential conflicts, and display fairness to both teams. Officials are critical in ensuring the proper safety and conduct in sporting endeavors, however they face a tremendous amount of pressure, as they must observe play, assess situations, control the pace of play, and make split-second rulings.

On October 13th, the two officials overseeing the St. Joes vs. Ludlowe field hockey game, Paul Kindzierski and Mike Carbine, were interviewed to get their thoughts on officiating high school sports. Kindzierski has been officiating for 17 years, with a total of eight sports. Currently, he is focusing on girls lacrosse, field hockey, and basketball. When asked what his favorite sport to officiate is, Kindzierski said, “Girls lacrosse. I like the way the game moves, it just moves, the game moves great, and it’s probably the easiest one to officiate out of all the sports.” Duties of officiating lacrosse are physically and mentally demanding, as referees need to be in excellent physical condition to keep up with the constant movement and pace of play.

Carbine has been officiating field hockey for three years. He also officiates basketball, boys lacrosse, and football. He started officiating football 14 years ago. When asked what his favorite sport to officiate is, Carbine said, “Boys lacrosse. Just, the flow of the game, the rules make sense, it’s just the quality of the game.” Similarly to Kindzierski, Carbine enjoys the fast pace of lacrosse. Jobs of lacrosse referees include checking for legal equipment, watching for rule infractions, approving the score, and particular attention must be paid to illegal body contact, especially to the head.

When asked what they love about high school athletics, both Kindzierski and Carbine gave the same answer: the kids. According to Carbine, “The kids are great. Always fun working with the kids.” Furthermore, Kindzierski said, “I used to play sports when I was younger, so I like being involved in sports.”

Officials get an opportunity to interact with the sport in a different way and foster a love for the game. Both Kindzierski and Carbine officiate high school and youth. Kindzierski has officiated some college clubs. His favorite age to officiate is the younger kids, because “I like the really young kids. Just when they’re learning [the sport], so you’re basically teaching.” The role of an official can extend far beyond simply enforcing rules: they can be a quintessential figure in developing a child’s knowledge for a sport.

Conversely, Carbine said that “the quality of the game is usually better when they’re older, because it’s cleaner, when they’re younger…the game just doesn’t move. So I would say the older kids.” The older kids often already have a more solid knowledge of the game, so the referee’s role is less to teach the rules, but just to enforce them. So the game can move at a more intense pace, and more skillfully. Thank you to Kindzierski and Carbine for their time. It is essential to acknowledge and thank our officials for their time, dedication, and effort. After all, without officials, high school sports would not exist.

Despite a tense first half that left players and spectators alike on the edge of their seats, St. Joes girls soccer pulled through with a 3-1 win against Brien McMahon. McMahon was coming off of two wins, a 2-0 victory against New Fairfield and a more recent 6-0 win against Bridgeport Central. The win for St. Joe’s is its 13th consecutive win.

The first half was aggressive yet ultimately uneventful for St. Joes and the score was 0-0 for the majority of the half. Over five corner kicks were made during the half. With 18:43 minutes remaining in the half, St. Joe’s had two shots, both of which were blocked. Coach Nogueira urged his team to get to the ball and speed up the game as much as possible. The team’s offense was playing slow, but they had to urge movement in order to be able to score. They were also struggling to judge balls in the air and orient their team to properly receive them. With under 15 minutes remaining, junior left wing Sara Parker made a shot that was blocked. With 11:50 minutes remaining, senior center attacking midfielder Taylor Jenkins made a shot that bounced off the post.

At this point, Coach Nogueira was encouraging his team to “play the simple ball.” With 3:18 minutes remaining in the first half, Brien McMahon scored. Down 1-0, St. Joe’s was feeling the pressure, especially since ity were not used to trailing in the first half. With two seconds left, the Cadets tried to score, but an attempted shot bounced off of the top goal post. Leading into halftime, St. Joe’s had to think hard about how to turn its game around.

However, thanks to communication and focus, St. Joe’s was able to score early in the second half. With 37:34 minutes remaining, sophomore right wing Julia Nunes made an assist to junior center forward Alexa Pino, who scored. The ball bounced off the side bar and fell into the back of the net, and with this goal came a newfound burst of energy and hope for St. Joes. The rest of the second half was very aggressive. With around 36 minutes remaining, McMahon made a kick from the 30-yard line, which was blocked. Just a few minutes later, Parker made a shot that missed. Minutes after that, Jenkins also shot, and it was blocked. At least four other consequential shots were blocked or missed. St. Joes was working hard to make space and push their offense upfield. With 24:33 minutes remaining, Pino made an assist to Nunes, who scored and brought the score to 2-1. This dynamic viewed that of which caused the first goal for St. Joe’s, and this team’s chemistry is undeniable. With 19:13 minutes remaining, Jenkins scored off a ball that bounced off the McMahon goalkeeper’s hand and wedged behind the upper post of the goal. She secured St. Joes with a score of 3-1. During the remainder of the second half, at least two shots were taken, and Pino had two corners. St. Joes did a nice job of forcing the ball into their attacking half in order to make as many opportunities as possible. With 6:45 minutes remaining, Pino had a kick that missed the goal by about a foot. St. Joe’s made another shot with under 3 minutes remaining that was blocked. The final score of 3-1 was a reminder to St. Joe’s that it is possible to overcome obstacles and come back from a rocky start with communication, perseverance, and determination.

Girls soccer won its 11th regular season game against Wilton 4-0. The Cadets are coming off of a 10-0 win against Westhill, and it is the team’s 11th consecutive win, giving them an undefeated season to date, as well as their 11th successive win by four or more goals. St. Joes continues not only to perform excellently under any circumstances, but also to present laudable margins within their scores.

The first half started off quickly and full of promise for St. Joes: Junior center forward Alexa Pino scored the first goal of the game and senior center attacking midfielder Taylor Jenkins scored a second goal shortly after, both within the first 30 minutes of the half. Jenkins scored again with 9:01 remaining in the half, with an assist from junior left wing Sara Parker. Parker operated predominantly along the sidelines of the field, providing support to forward and midfield players such as Jenkins or Pino by passing and crossing the ball into threatening areas. Pino’s position as center forward means that her job, not unlike a striker, is to try and push play forward within the attacking half in order to look to score. She certainly succeeded with this goal: during the last 16 minutes of the half, Pino took three corners and one shot, that was blocked, with just over a minute remaining. As a whole, the team’s offense was extremely strong, emphasizing playing quick and making as many goal-scoring opportunities as possible.

At halftime, coach Jack Nogueira felt that “the first ten to fifteen minutes of the second half will be critical.” He was correct: The beginning of the second half was a frenzy of shots and strong defense. Junior goalkeeper Helena Kaczmarczyk saved two balls within the first eight minutes of the half. In tandem with the secure defensive end, the forwards and midfielders were able to create opportunities. With 34:50 remaining, sophomore right wing Julia Nunes made a pass to Pino, who made a shot that got blocked. Pino took another corner with 33:17 minutes remaining. Less than a minute later, senior center back Maeve Matthews took a shot that bounced off of the upper post of the goal. During the final 30 minutes of the second half, Wilton became more aggressive in their attacks. They had a corner at 26:44 that got kicked out over the top bar.

Both teams were creating as many opportunities as possible: Parker took two shots, one with 24 minutes remaining and one with 14 minutes remaining, and Jenkins took a shot with 19 minutes remaining. None of the shots were successful, but demonstrated what Coach Nogueira was urging for his team: “we have to figure out how to get our girls straight and ready to play.” And ready to play they were: Pino scored her second goal of the game on a penalty kick with 24 minutes remaining. With 11 minutes remaining, sophomore center midfielder Zoe Garces took a corner. The remaining ten minutes of the game were extremely fast-paced. St. Joe’s made two more shots, both of which were blocked, but their score of 4-0 secured them a win.

This game was a thrilling match up of two teams who are not afraid to make as much space as possible and to play aggressively. St. Joes girls soccer have once again displayed their talent, inter-team communication, and promise for the rest of the season.

October 12, 2023 - Girls Varsity Soccer vs. Brien McMahon
Written by Kathryn Murano '26

Despite a tense first half that left players and spectators alike on the edge of their seats, St. Joe’s girls soccer pulled through with a 3-1 win against Brien McMahon. McMahon is coming off of two wins, a 2-0 win against New Fairfield and a more recent 6-0 win against Bridgeport Central. The win for St. Joe’s is their 13th consecutive win.

The first half was aggressive yet ultimately uneventful for St. Joe’s. The score was 0-0 for the majority of the half. Over 5 corner kicks were made during the half. With 18:43 minutes remaining in the half, St. Joe’s had two shots, both of which were blocked. Coach Nogueira urged his team to get to the ball and speed up the game as much as possible. The team’s offense was playing slow, but they had to urge movement in order to be able to score. They were also struggling to judge balls in the air and orient their team to properly receive them. With under 15 minutes remaining, junior left wing Sara Parker made a shot that was blocked. With 11:50 minutes remaining, senior center attacking midfielder Taylor Jenkins made a shot that bounced off the post. At this point, Coach Nogueira was encouraging his team to “play the simple ball.” 

With 3:18 minutes remaining in the first half, Brien McMahon scored. With a score of 0-1, St. Joe’s was feeling the pressure, especially since they were not used to trailing in the first half. With 2 seconds left, the team tried to score, but an attempted shot bounced off of the top goal post. Leading into halftime, St. Joe’s had to think hard about how to turn their game around.

However, thanks to communication and focus, St. Joe’s was able to score early in the second half. With 37:34 minutes remaining,sophomore right wing Julia Nunes made an assist to junior center forward Alexa Pino, who scored. The ball bounced off the side bar and fell into the back of the net, and with this goal came a newfound burst of energy and hope for St. Joe’s. 

The rest of the second half was very aggressive. With around 36 minutes remaining, McMahon made a kick from the 30 yard line, which was blocked. Just a few minutes later, Parker made a shot that missed. Minutes after that, Jenkins also shot, and it was blocked. At least four other consequential shots were blocked or missed. St. Joe’s was working hard to make space and push their offense upfield. With 24:33 minutes remaining, Pino made an assist to Nunes, who scored and brought the score to 2-1. This dynamic viewed that of which caused the first goal for St. Joe’s, and this team’s chemistry is undeniable. 

With 19:13 minutes remaining, Jenkins scored off a ball that bounced off the McMahon goalkeeper’s hand and wedged behind the upper post of the goal. She secured St. Joe’s with a score of 3-1. During the remainder of the second half, at least two shots were taken, and Pino had two corners. St. Joe’s did a nice job of forcing the ball into their attacking half in order to make as many opportunities as possible. With 6:45 minutes remaining, Pino had a kick that missed the goal by about a foot. St. Joe’s made another shot with under 3 minutes remaining that was blocked.

The final score of 3-1 was a reminder to St. Joe’s that it is possible to overcome obstacles and come back from a rocky start with communication, perseverance, and determination. 

October 12, 2023 - Girls Varsity Soccer vs. Ridgefield Tigers
Written by Cameron Tomey '25

The St. Joes Varsity Girls Soccer team dominated in their match today against the Ridgefield Tigers with a final score of 5-2. This match was one of the more challenging for the Cadets this season as they battled with their trademark grit from start to finish. In the first half, both teams fought for control of the game. St. Joe's defense was rock solid like always, with Helena Kaczmarczyk in goal. On the offensive end, St. Joes demonstrated exceptional ball control and teamwork. Goals by Junior forward Alexa Pino (2), Junior forward Sarah Parker, and Senior midfielder Taylor Jenkins (2) ushered the St. Joes Cadets to victory. The Cadets now have a record of 12-0. The Cadets are unstoppable this season with a group of extremely talented and hard working players who are all striving to win both the State and FCIAC championships. Next up for the Cadets is Brian Mcmahon High School on October 12th with plans to continue their winning streak and become 13-0 overall.

It was the first matchup of the year between cross town rivals St. Joes and Trumbull, and St. Joes girls soccer showed their dominance.

Tuesday’s game was quite the scoring frenzy with five goals being scored before halftime and six goals in total. Three goals came from junior forward Sara Parker, two goals came from sophomore forward Julia Nunes, and the final goal came from senior midfielder Taylor Jenkins. This is one of multiple games this season the team has scored six goals, and they have scored at least four in every single game.

When asked about their success, senior captain Maeve Matthews said, “Coach (Jack) Nogueira reminds us that we can never settle, we have to continue to play how we play no matter what team it is.” This mindset will surely carry them through the rest of the season and even into the playoffs. The defense, led by Matthews, was extremely strong. This season the Cadets have only conceded one goal on a penalty kick.

On the opposite side is an effective offense that keeps putting the ball in the back of the net. Even when Sara Parker was not scoring herself, she still found a way to contribute. She had two assists, delivering perfect crosses that led on goals from both Julia Nunes and Taylor Jenkins. It is evident this team has great chemistry, their runs are timed well and they are always pressing the goal. The cross town rivalry is also strong,

“All four years of playing high school soccer it’s been a special game, it’s the rivalry,” Matthews said. The Trumbull and St. Joes game is always one of the biggest of the year, no matter the sport.

St. Joes has cruised through the first nine games of the season. The Cadets have already faced tough opponents such as Fairfield Ludlowe, but still have more, including games with Staples and Ridgefield in the coming weeks. The FCIAC is a very competitive conference. After winning both the FCIAC and Class L State titles last year, the team has been moved up to Class LL. St. Joe’s has previously won in Class LL in 2013, and even reached the ranking of No. 7 in the nation by the end of the season.

Once again, St. Joes proved they are a force within the FCIAC conference.

Despite what has started off as a somewhat rocky season for St. Joseph boys’ soccer, the Cadets came through with a 2-2 draw against Westhill, which is currently ranked fourth in the FCIAC standings. Tension for the game was high as Westhill was coming off of a 4-1 win against Stamford as well as four other wins and two draws in the 2023 season to date.

The first half of the game started off promising for St. Joes: Senior striker and captain Joseph Iazzetta was awarded a penalty kick with 28:27 left in the first half, but missed. However, with 20:13 minutes remaining in the half, Iazzetta scored in a momentous feat of perseverance. Despite usually playing center-mid, Iazzetta did an admirable job with the transition from playing midfield to playing forward. Less than one minute after Iazzetta’s goal, Westhill scored off a free kick. This tied the score 1-1, a score that would persist for the rest of the half. With seconds left in the half, Iazzetta charged into the penalty box and attempted to score, but the shot was blocked by the Westhill goalkeeper.

St. Joes had some trouble making space upfield during the first half as they prioritized slower passes and resetting their defensive lineup whenever they gained possession. The team played backwards and set up passes within the defense. With under three minutes left in the first half, SJ coach Thomas Connolly urged his team to play aggressively, and find the open space whenever possible. Connolly also stressed the importance of playing long and clearing as many balls as possible. Despite Westhill’s aggressive offense, the low number of goals the Vikings scored throughout the game was partially due to senior goalkeeper and captain Jason Lambert, Jr. as well as help from the defense. Lambert had many noteworthy saves in the first and second halves, including one off of a Westhill corner and one further down the field at the 20-yard line.

St. Joes defense performed well under pressure, especially during corners from Westhill: Sophomore center midfielder Cruz Guglielmoni headed a Westhill corner to the sidelines with 28:29 remaining. A little bit later, sophomore right fullback Jamie McKenna blocked a shot on the goal. During the second half of the game, St. Joes once again prioritized resetting and using slower passes. Westhill had a corner with 37:20 remaining, which they missed. During this half, St. Joes tightened up its attack and started playing much more aggressively. There were multiple shots taken: With 21:44 remaining, sophomore center attacking midfielder Josiah Thompson shot, and with 5:21 remaining, sophomore left midfielder Alexander Acosta shot. Directly after Acosta’s shot, Guglielmoni shot a corner on Westhill. These shots missed but displayed the team’s emphasis on offense during the second half. With 26:03 remaining, Westhill earned a free kick. Connolly directed his team to stand together in a group of four to attempt to stop the kick, and sophomore left midfielder Chris Maldonado blocked the shot. Over 20 minutes later, with 5:01 remaining in the half, Westhill scored. The score was 2-1 and the pressure was on for St. Joes.

By the two-minute mark, St. Joes regained possession and were rewarded with a free Kick. The kick was given to sophomore center back Marcelo Rosa, and with under a minute remaining in the game, and from 30 yards back, Rosa scored. The point brought the score to a draw of 2-2, a score that held for the remaining 45 seconds of the game. Although it is Rosa’s second year on varsity, it was his first varsity goal, and it certainly could not have come at a better time. The goal not only tied the game for St. Joe’s, but also boosted morale for the boys and reinforced hope in their abilities as individuals and as a team. The game acts as an optimistic indicator of what may be to come for the St. Joes boys soccer team for the remainder of their season, as well as a reminder that every moment in a game counts, and that redemption is possible with communication, teamwork, and energy.

October 11, 2023 - Pink Volleyball Game
Written by Cameron Tomey '25

On October 11th 2023 the St. Joes varsity volleyball team played against Fairfield Ludlowe in a game that became more than just a competition. This match was an inspiring example of giving back.

The pink game, held at St. Joes home court, was dedicated to raising money for the Tommy Fund, an organization that provides crucial assistance to families dealing with pediatric cancer. Both teams, St. Joes and Fairfield Ludlowe, came together to make a significant impact.

St. Joes varsity volleyball team bought their best to the court. Not only did they come to win but they also actively participated in fundraising during the match. Raffles, baked goods, drinks, tshirts, water bottles and wristbands were set up to collect money for the Tommy Fund. The spirit of giving was amazing as everyone who attended contributed to this important cause,

In the match, St. Joes varsity volleyball celebrated there victory against Fairfield Ludlowe. The real victory was the overwhelming support for the Tommy Fund. 

All of the proceeds from this game were donated directly to the Tommy Fund. The funds raised will go towards helping children and families affected by pediatric cancer.

October 9 - Annual Pink Field Hockey Game
Written by Kate Neary '24

It was the annual pink game for the Field Hockey team, and it was made even more special by a win. The cadets won 3-2 in their game against Fairfield Warde on Monday. The first goal came from junior captain Ella Dunford, the second came from junior captain Gigi Gracia, and the last came from senior Meghan Hoynes. Through this point in the season the Cadets are 3-6. They took home wins against Masuk, Westhill and Fairfield Warde. 

It was also a special game for senior goalie Sophia Chaves who reached her 300th career save with the team. Against Warde on Monday, she was very good in net and always cheered on and hyped up her teammates during the game. After St. Joe's, Sophia plans to attend Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio to continue her field hockey career. 

The field hockey team, especially when put up against the tough teams in the FCIAC, never gives up and always supports each other during the game.

October 3 - Girls Varsity Soccer (St. Joes vs. Trumbull)
Written by Kate Neary '24

It was the first matchup of the year between cross town rivals St. Joe’s and Trumbull, and St. Joe’s girls soccer showed their dominance. Tuesday's game was quite the scoring frenzy with 5 goals being scored before the half and 6 goals in total. Three goals came from junior forward Sara Parker, 2 goals came from sophomore forward Julia Nunes, and the final goal came from senior midfielder Taylor Jenkins. This is one of multiple games this season the team has scored 6 goals, and they have scored at least 4 in every single game. When asked about their success, senior Maeve Matthews said, “Coach Nogueira reminds us that we can never settle, we have to continue to play how we play no matter what team it is.” This mindset will surely carry them through the rest of the season and even into the playoffs. 

The defense, led by their captain Maeve Matthews, was extremely strong. This season, they have only conceded one goal on a penalty kick. On the opposite side is an effective offense that keeps putting the ball in the back of the net. Even when Sara Parker was not scoring herself, she still found a way to contribute. She had two assists, delivering perfect crosses that led to goals from both Julia Nunes and Taylor Jenkins. It is evident this team has great chemistry, their runs are timed well and they are always pressing the goal.  The cross town rivalry is also strong, “All four years of playing high school soccer it's been a special game, it's the rivalry,” Maeve said. The Trumbull and St. Joe’s game is always one of the biggest of the year, no matter the sport. 

St. Joe’s have cruised through the first 9 games of the season. They have already faced tough opponents such as Fairfield Ludlowe, but still have more, including games with Staples and Ridgefield in the coming weeks. The FCIAC is a very competitive conference to play in. After winning both the FCIAC and Class L State titles last year, the team has been moved up to Class LL. St. Joe’s has previously won in Class LL in 2013, and even reached the ranking of #7 in the nation by the end of the season.

Once again, St. Joe’s proved they are a force within the FCIAC conference.