After a season of many accomplishments by FCIAC teams, it is time to select the two athletes you think were the most outstanding during the past 10 weeks.
All season we have been honoring the BlueStreak-Overtime FCIAC Players of the Week. Now, for the third straight season, we have decided to honor two players as the BlueStreak-Overtime FCIAC Male and Female Fall Players of the Year. The two winners will receive trophies from BlueStreak Sports Training and quarter-zip sweatshirts from The Stamford Advocate.
And unlike the regular season, when BlueStreak picked the winners, you will be able to vote for the two people you believe are most deserving.
We were going to have five male and five female finalists, but due to the number of outstanding candidates nominated we have expanded the field to six each. We are very pleased that we have eight of the 19 league members represented, in six different sports.
Here are the male finalists and their accomplishments:
SEAN GALLAGHER: STAPLES SOCCER: Gallagher, the Wreckers’ center back, was an integral part of a team that won the FCIAC championship and reached the state title game. Gallagher was the team’s shut-down defender. When he was injured at the start of the season, the Wreckers opened 1-2. When he returned, the team went 19-1-1.
KEVIN MACARI, NEW CANAAN FOOTBALL: Macari was an explosive two-way player for a New Canaan team that took a 9-1 record into the state playoffs. He had 36 receptions for 762 yards and 12 touchdowns, an average of 22 yards and two touchdowns on punt returns, and returned two of his three interceptions for scores.
ANDRES TORRES: NORWALK SOCCER: Torres led the FCIAC in scoring with 27 goals and three assists as the Bears clinched the top seed in the FCIAC Tournament. He finished as the second-leading scorer in school history.
JOE DELLA VECCHIA, ST. JOSEPH FOOTBALL: Della Vecchia keyed the Cadets to a 7-3 record and berth in the state tournament. He completed 133 of 212 passes for 2,337 yards and 27 touchdowns. He has also rushed for 522 yards and four scores.
RORY SHEPARD, NEW CANAAN SOCCER: Shepard was named the most valuable player as the Rams made a surprising run as the 19th seed to the CIAC Class L championship. Slowed by an injury, Shepard played in just 14 games yet finished with 12 goals and eight assists.
TYLER JACOBS, STAPLES FOOTBALL: Jacobs was one of the league’s most versatile performers for a Staples team that was 9-1 heading into the state playoffs. He rushed for 915 yards and 11 touchdowns, returned two punts for touchdowns and had seven interceptions, one he returned for a score.
Here are the female finalists and their accomplishments:
KIRSTEN ERIKSEN: WESTHILL SOCCER: Eriksen finished with four goals and six assists, but her greatest value was as a field general for the Vikings as they reached the final game of both the FCIAC and CIAC Class LL Tournaments. Eriksen helped spark Westhill to a 13-1-2 finish before the state final.
MACKENZIE BEGLEY, DARIEN VOLLEYBALL: Begley had another outstanding year as setter and floor leader for a Darien team that went 24-1, won the FCIAC title and reached the state final. She finished with 607 assists, 280 service points, 75 aces, 196 digs, 28 kills and six blocks.
CAROLINE EDISON, FAIRFIELD WARDE CROSS COUNTRY: Edison came on strong during the postseason to finish second in the FCIAC championship and first in the CIAC Class L championship. She also came in 10th at the State Open and ninth at the New England championship, as well as a fourth-place finish at the New Balance Invitational.
ELLIE RIEGEL: DARIEN FIELD HOCKEY: Riegel, a midfielder and defender, was a big reason the Blue Wave were the most dominant team in the sport in the state, going unbeaten with league and state titles. Riegel led Darien with 20 goals and 18 assists. She had two goals, including the game-winner, in the state final.
SHANNON COLLIGAN, GREENWICH SOCCER: Colligan was the player opponents made the focus of their game plans as the leading scorer for a Greenwich team that won its second conference championship in school history. Colligan, a dynamic finisher, ended up with 19 goals and 11 assists.
MADDIE RUSCH, NEW CANAAN SWIMMING: Rusch did not lose an individual race, competing in six different events, during the dual meet season. She won the 50 free and was part of two winning relays as the Rams won the FCIAC title for the first time in 13 years. She won the 50 free in a meet-record time, anchored two winning relay teams — one in a meet-record time — and was third in the 500 free as New Canaan won the Class L title. Rusch anchored the winning medley relay team, was second in the 50 free and anchored a second-place 200 free relay team as the Rams finished second at the State Open.
So there are your 12 candidates. You are allowed to vote for one male and one female. The voting will continue until noon on Monday, when we will announce the winners.
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As stated, finalists were based on being nominated. No one nominated any Trumbull players.
As stated, the finalists are based on being nominated. No one nominated one for consideration.
what not one Trumbull HS football player? Aren’t the THS Eagles playing for the state championship tonight @ UConn? What gives?
If you are referring to me, I don’t vote.
how do you vote? ps go Shannon!
Watch for forthcoming blog post addressing the process.
It really is all about who has the biggest rolodex or who knows how to beat the system. All the above athletes deserve the recognition they received by Blue Streak but after that it is a horse and pony show. Thanks Dave for recognizing these fine athletes.
Easy, more people are voting for female candidates and not voting as much for the males. Has happened very time.
If the number of votes are usually at over 3,000 then how do you explain the number of boys votes?
not only is macari a good football player but he’s athletic in general… I think he’s a 2 sport athlete. regardless that I am an fciac opponent of macari, he deserves the win
This is a legitimate voting system without duplication which relies on friends and family to spread the word and get others to vote. It’s fun, it’s fair and it’s exciting to the very end when the results come in. Thank you to Bluestreak for organizing and running this.
It is just be vote. We pick the most deserving finalists.
Is this poll decided by a committee after or just regular voting?
I LOVE CAROLINE EDISON – Chris Bartlett : )
youre all talking big games for second third
VOTE FOR ANDRES TORRES! AMAZING SOCCER PLAYER.
SHANNON!!!!!!!!!!!!
In our two previous votes we have had very high vote totals. The vote has been set up to prevent multiple voting.
almost 2K votes for the girl from FW? I’m sure she’s wonderful, but hard to believe someone isn’t “gaming” the system.
We do that with our weekly award and when we started this last winter we decided to try using a vote for player of the year and it has proved successful. Sure, there is an element of a popularity contest but people also have fun with it too. The key is having viable candidates. I don’t think anyone could complain if anyone here won.
Although I fully support the concept of giving these scholar athletes some much deserved recognition for their hard work and achievements, it seems like a rather “bush league” methodology for determining the winner, very reminiscent of American Idol. Why don’t their coaches just prepare a brief justification for why their candidate should win the honor and then submit their case with some relatively unbiased committee of knowledgeable sports experts in the area.
YOU GO GIRL!!
Ron & Carol Keenhold
VOTTTEEE SHANNOOONNN!!!!!!!
MADDIE
MADDIE
MADDIE
VOTE MADDDIE
MADDIE
MADDIE
VOTE FOR MADDDIEE!!!
M
MA
MAD
MADD
MADDI
MADDIE
MADDI
MADD
MAD
MA
M
I don’t really know why any of you guys are talking… Caroline has nearly double the votes of everyone else. but I guess 2nd place is pretty important too?
YEAAAAHHH SHAANNNOOONNNNN!!!!
(she’s going to win)
oppps… sorry… looks like you forgot about Caroline : /
voteeeee
SHANNONNNNNNN!!!!!!
Shannon Colligan dominates other net minders with her scoring proficiency and elevates the game of her teammates with her numerous assists and hard play.
BRAVO! BRAVO! BRAVO!
YOU GO MADDIE!!
WE LOVE YOU!
hey chuckie ellie riegel is not even on the darien lacrosse team! all you GHS’ers continually talk about ending the blue wave lacrosse streak, but if I remember correctly Greenwich lost in finals. If i am also recalling correctly Darien has won more FCIAC and State Championships than Greenwich or NC ever has. I think we pretty much own you in everything else anyway
Besides the entire BWFH team is RIDICULOUS they should actually all be on this, no one was as good as they were in the entire state of ct this year!
GO SHANNON!!!
lovee you
SHANNON!!!!
love you shann
VOTE FOR CAROLINE EDISON
VOTE FOR CAROLINE EDISON
VOTE FOR CAROLINE EDISON
VOTE FOR CAROLINE EDISON
SHAN-ROCKS XXXOOO
YOU GO BABY
SHANNON COLLIGAN!!!!!!!!!!!
YOU MAH
GO MADDIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shannon,
You are such a talented young female athlete. It has been such a treat to watch you grow. Good Luck- The Mooney’s
YEAH SHANNOOONN!!!!!
MADDDDIIEEEE RUSCH
haaha yaaaaa shannonnn
SHANNON
SHANNON!
SHANNON!!
SHANNON!!!
shannons going to win… just to let everyone know…!!!!!!
OUHHHGAAAHH
TYLER JACOB IS ONE OF THE MOST ENTERTAINING HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES IN THE FCIACS IN A LONG TIME. GREAT JOB TYLER, GOOD LUCK TONIGHT!
Hey guys, I’m not going to jump in here too much. I think the debate is fun. But it might be more productive to extol the virtues of the athlete you are supporting without denigrating others.
ellie riegel has almost 1/13th of shannon’s votes at the moment. Just saying 131 people know who shannon are, 10 people know who ellie is and no one knows who you are.
funny kyle, she’s up for this award for soccer but she was one of the GHS laxers who ended the blue wave season in States last spring…i think you know her
that’s funny because it seems like 111 people have heard of her.
who is shannon colligan ive never even heard of her. VOTE ELLIE RIEGEL
MADDIE
MADDIE
MADDIE
MADDIE
YAY!!
VOTE SHANNON SHE’S SEXY AND AMAZING AT SOCCER
shannon shannon shannon!!!!!
YEAAAAHHH SHAANNNOOONNNNN!!!!
(she’s going to win)