Following three stellar performances to start its 2025 season, Greenwich High School’s varsity lacrosse team was determined to continue its positive momentum when it traveled to Darien to face the rival Blue Wave in an early-season FCIAC matchup.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the Blue Wave made sure there weren’t many positives for the visitors when the squads renewed their rivalry on April 17.

Receiving four goals from three players, Darien won its FCIAC-opener in impressive fashion, scoring nine first-half goals, seizing a commanding eight-goal halftime lead and coasting to a decisive 16-2 victory over Greenwich. The win was the fourth straight for the Blue Wave after they started their season by being edged, 12-11, by non-conference Fairfield Prep. Mikey Brescia, a senior attack/captain and senior midfielder Colin Zeller, also a captain, each had one goal for Greenwich, which trailed 4-1 following the first quarter and 9-1 at halftime.

“It seemed like everything that could have gone wrong for us and went well for them happened,” Greenwich coach Bobby Lutz said. “Give them a lot of credit. We weren’t winning faceoffs and we weren’t winning the time of possession battle. We have a great offense and our defense is kind of new, but they are learning quickly.”

The Cardinals began their 2025 campaign with a 7-5 win over a strong Staples squad in Westport on April 9, In their home-opener on April 12, the Cardinals dropped a tight 14-12 decision, then on April 14, GHS beat host Fairfield Ludlowe handily, 16-4.

“We were super hot coming in and having fun out there,” Brescia said of the Cardinals’ play entering their matchup versus the Blue wave. “But we definitely have more to work on and refining to do for the rest of the season. It’s a reality check so we can get better from it. It’s a learning experience and there is still a lot of time left in the season.”

“Junior attack Max McBride, sophomore attack/midfielder Henry Jeffers and junior attackman Benjamin Bilodeau recorded four goals apiece to power Darien’s offense.

“We were practicing all week, setting up all our different plays, we went through the whole playbook,” said McBride, who scored two goals in each half for the victors. “We went out today and ran all our different plays, we moved the ball well, got everybody the ball, so it went well.”

While the Blue Wave flourished on offense, their defense was sound throughout, making the Cardinals work hard to generate shots on goal when they did have the ball. Darien enjoyed a significant time of possession advantage throughout this FCIAC matchup.

“We’ve been talking about this defense, people were thinking it was shaky, but we came together as a group, started communicating and we started working together as a unit,” said Blue Wave senior defender Mark McNamara, one of the squad’s captains. “I think that really helped us with the win today.”

Darien imposed its will on GHS from the opening quarter, then rode the momentum thereafter.

“We came in here with some confidence we usually have good regular season games with them,” Lutz said. “We had a good win against Staples and this is the first time things didn’t go well and we didn’t really bounce back emotionally. I think this is more of an emotional loss than X’s and O’s.”

Indeed, Greenwich knows the one-sided defeat can prove to be a learning lesson.

“You’re going to face great teams throughout the rest of the season and definitely in the postseason, so they have to learn how to get up from these games,” Lutz noted.

Said Brescia: “Not our best effort between the 30s, I think we do have some reflecting to do and come back stronger. We’ll lick our wounds, watch some film and we’ll come back better and stronger. Hopefully, we’ll see them again and we can put a better effort out there.”

Mark McNamara, senior Gardiner Ely and sophomore Jimmy Benedict were among some of the athletes who anchored Darien’s highly effective defensive effort against a Greenwich team that scored 35 goals through its first three games.

“We know they like to stall the ball and set up their plays, so we got in their hands and were aggressive and didn’t let them set anything up,” Mark McNamara said of Greenwich. “It led to them making missed passes and turning over the ball.”

Senior midfielder Connor McNamara tallied twice, while Mark McNamara and Ely both longstick men, each had one goal in the winning effort.

Bilodeau notched the game’s first goal, scoring off an assist from junior attack Ryan Thurlow 30 seconds into the opening quarter. Converting a shot from 10 yards out, Bilodeau made it 2-0 at the 8:58 mark of the first quarter, then after Darien won the ensuing faceoff, Connor McNamara tallied in transition, putting hosts ahead, 3-1, 37 seconds later. 

Brescia pulled the Cardinals to within 3-1 when he scored with 3:31 to go in the first frame, but it was all Blue Wave from there. The home team outscored Greenwich, 5-0, in the second quarter, getting two goals from Jeffers and one each from McBride, Mark McNamara and Bilodeau. 

“Our theme is to go out and play hard every minute,” Darien assistant coach Chris Sgritta said. “We started off slow in the beginning of the season, so we wanted to prove that we can play a full complete game, both offense, defense and at the faceoff X.”

“Greenwich is a great team, they beat Staples at the beginning of the season, 7-5,” Sgritta added. “So, we knew they were going to be a battle and they have been a thorn in our side the past couple of years. We prepped the boys and let them know that every game is a battle.”

When Greenwich created shots on goal Darien senior goalie George Persinger, also a team captain, kept the visitors off the scoreboard with several impressive saves.

“Without them, I couldn’t be the goalie that I am today,” Persinger said of his squad’s defenders. “Those guys were the reason why we won today. I could see all the shots, the ‘D’ has been lights out. Not just this game but the whole season.”

The Cardinals, who have played a lot of away games early on in the season, traveled to Chappaqua, N.Y., for a game against Horace Greeley High School on Saturday (April 19). GHS remains on the road, visiting Ridgefield (April 24) and Weston (April 26).

Greenwich’s next home game is on April 29 against Joel Barlow. Darien, which entered the week ranked No. 9 in the USA Lacrosse High School Boys Northeast Top 10 Rankings, hosted Chaminade High School on April 19. The Blue Wave host Wilton on April 24.

Brescia, Boden Farmer, Teddy Johnson and Zeller at the Cardinals’ senior captains.

“It’s truly an honor, it’s what I’ve dreamed of as a kid,” Brescia said of being one of Greenwich’s captains. “It’s awesome to continue with Colin, being a captain for two years now. It’s something that we pride ourselves on and we try to give our best to the whole team and put everything into what we do. Leading this team means everything to me.”

Photos by Antonio Monteiro/06878 Photography: Darien and Greenwich renewed their lacrosse rivalry.

06878 Photography by Antonio Monteiro: The Cardinals and Blue Wave met at Darien in an FCIAC game.

Photos by 06878 Photography by Antonio Monteiro: Greenwich boys lacrosse team in action vs. Darien.

For even more pictures of Greenwich’s boys lacrosse team’s game against Darien, click on the following link https://www.06878photography.com/lacrosse—darien-high-school-varsity-boys-vs-greenwich-high-school-varsity-boys-at-darien-high-scho