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Micaella Balderrama PrideTime Blog Editor The Norwalk-McMahon Boys Swim Team has been making history this swim season. With a record of 7-2 so far, the boys have made it clear that they’re set on making a splash in the FCIAC pool. Starting off with a loss against Ridgefield, the boys quickly redeemed themselves with wins against Amity, Trumbull, Staples, and Hamden-- all leading up to the ultimate watershed moment of the New Canaan win, which was followed by two more wins against Danbury and Wilton.  Pictured: Members of the team **Not all are pictured here Obviously, the boys have been having an amazing season. But the biggest win this season was over New Canaan-- the first win over them in 18 years. A lot has changed since 2002, though. The team has grown immensely, both in numbers and talent. New Canaan was a big win and proved that the boys team is changing for the better. With head coach Marco Minocci leading the team alongside senior captains Lucas Balderrama, Henry Velazquez, and Chris Dauser, the boys have been building anew their reputation as a team.  Pictured: Senior captains Lucas Balderrama, Chris Dauser, and Henry Velazquez The boys started the New Canaan meet strong, with their 200 medley relays placing first, second and third. The boys A relay, made up of Kalen Anbar (‘24), Jorge Chajon (‘21), David Montoya (‘21), and Chris Dauser (‘20), finished with a time of 1:43.13, followed by the team’s B and C lays, coming in with times of 1:51.45 and 1:56.87. They carried on steadily through the meet, dominating races and scoring points from divers Ben Bradley (‘24), Peter Soares (‘21), and Elijah Villacis (‘21). Midway through the meet, the boys had established a 10-point lead, which from then on, was back-and-forth. Senior captains Henry Velazquez (‘20) and Chris Dauser (‘20) played a huge part in the win, scoring a combined 24 point total. Velazquez scored 12 points in individual events, where he placed first in the 200 free (1:52.10) and the 100 butterfly (51.02), and Dauser scored 12 points as well, with firsts in the 50 free (22.16) and the 100 back (53.50). The team’s 95-89 win over New Canaan didn’t just break precedent, but also inspired the boys to continue working hard, proving in their successive wins over Danbury and Wilton. Senior captain Lucas Balderrama (‘20), says “We’ve been working really hard this season, both in and out of the pool. As a team, we’re working harder than ever before and it’s all paying off. ” Following the New Canaan win was the Wilton meet. The boys demolished Wilton’s team with ease; their lineup was not their highest scoring one-- they didn’t need it to win. With swimmers not in their usual events, the meet proved to establish the notion that NMS didn’t need to put all their cards in to win this meet. However, the next week’s meet against Darien was a tough one. Darien beat Norwalk, but not without a fight. If anything is clear about the boys this 2019-2020 season, it’s that they are not here to play. Determined to crush opponents and rank high in the FCIAC conference, the boys are destined to make a big splash. Looking forward, the team is set to face Westhill/Stamford (2/19), and Greenwich (2/21), concluding the duel season with their final home and senior meet versus Fairfield Ludlowe/Warde (2/26) at 6pm.
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Aldo Salazar PrideTime Editor With the UEFA Champions League round of 16 returning on February 18th, 2020, lots of exciting games are awaiting. The Champions League is one of the most prestigious tournaments in all of sports. It is a soccer tournament consisting of 32 teams that compete in five rounds for the right to be crowned the best club in European soccer. The first tournament was held in 1955 and was won by Real Madrid. The current Champion holders are Liverpool and have a total of 6 Champions League trophies and the club with the most Champions League wins is Real Madrid with a stunning 13 trophies. Currently, all 4 Spanish and English teams, 3 Italian Teams, 2 German teams, and 1 French team made it past the group stages and are through to the round of 16 of the Champions League. Whichever team each team is chosen to play against, they will have to play each other twice, one game at their home stadium and one in the other team’s home stadium. If they end up tying, it will mean whoever has more away goals(the team who scored more goals in the opponent's stadium) wins and if they are still tied, then they will go to extra time(an additional 30 minutes) and penalties afterwards if needed. The round of 16 brackets are as follows:  I will be going down this list and I am going to be making my predictions on who will be going through to the quarter finals: Borussia Dortmund vs Paris Saint Germain: I think that this will be one of the most exciting games to watch and although Dortmund are a strong team and have a great squad, it will not be enough to put away PSG(Paris). PSG is looking like one of the best teams in the world right now and one of the favorites to win the champions league with the likes of Neymar and Mbappe up top. This game will definitely have lots of goals from both sides but while Dortmund will put up a fight and especially at home, they'll still lose to this strong PSG team. Real Madrid vs Manchester City: This is definitely the best game out of the rest and there will be lots at stake for both clubs. With Manchester City being banned from the champions league for the next 2 seasons(not including this one), and also 25 points behind Liverpool in the premier league, they have to give it their all in this current champions league. Real Madrid having had one of their worst seasons last year has been doing great and have improved this year with being at the top of La Liga and the whole team being in great form. Real Madrid also have some of the most experienced players having won the champions league multiple times meanwhile Man City have never won once. This game will definitely be a tight one but I think that both teams will win 1 game each and in the end Real Madrid will come out with the most goals and move to the quarter final. Atlanta vs Valencia: This game might seem as one of the more ‘boring’ games but it really is one of the most underrated ones considering it is Atlanta’s first time being in the champions league since 1991 and Valencia who have plenty of experience with European competition. Valencia are currently sitting in 7th place in La Liga and Atlanta are in 4th place and have scored the most goals in the Serie A. In the end, I think that Valencia’s experience and competitiveness will help them to beat an Atlanta who barely made it through the group stages and is still trying to improve. Atletico Madrid vs Liverpool: I predict that this will not be a very high scoring game considering that Atletico is a very defensive team and Liverpool also have the best defender in the world at the moment. Liverpool also haven’t been scoring much lately but are still undefeated and unstoppable in the premier league and are one of the favorites to win the whole thing. Atletico have been in pretty poor shape and have some of its strikers injured. In the end, the current champions, Liverpool, will come out on top with the win. Chelsea vs Bayern Munich: Chelsea vs Bayern instantly brings back memories to the champions league final of 2012 where Chelsea beat Bayern on penalties. Currently, Chelsea are in 4th place in the premier league but are in very poor shape. Bayern is in 1st place in the bundesliga but are a bit inconsistent. I think that Bayern should be able to beat Chelsea relatively safely and it should be a game with plenty of goals. Lyon vs Juventus: I think that Juventus should easily be able to beat Lyon. Lyon is missing Memphis Depay who is a key player for them and they are also in 11th place in the Ligue 1. Juventus are a very strong team sitting in 1st place in the Serie A and having the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, who knows how to win and get you trophies. Tottenham vs Leipzig: I think that this game is very interesting and the outcome can go both ways. At first glance you might think that Tottenham should be able to easily win since they have a pretty good team on paper and they made the champions league final last season but they really haven’t been all that great and as good as people thought that they would be at the start of the season. Leipzig are 2nd in the Bundesliga and have and their striker, Werner, is second top scorer in the league with 20 goals meanwhile Tottenham’s main striker, Kane, is injured and will not play for those matches. I conclude that Leipzig might surprise some people and end up beating Tottenham. Napoli vs Barcelona: This game is very interesting because both Napoli and Barcelona have been very inconsistent throughout the season. Napoli had a very poor start and are currently sitting in 9th place in the Serie A while Barcelona are in 2nd place in the Serie A and are out of the Copa Del Rey after being beaten by Athletic Club Bilbao. In the end, I think that Barcelona will beat Napoli because there is no way that Barcelona will lose the game in the Camp Nou and they have Lionel Messi who can put amazing performances anytime. Austin Keller PrideTime Editor-in-Chief  Grasping the Larry O’Brien trophy, Kobe celebrates his fifth championship in downtown Los Angeles - June 21, 2010 (Associated Press) Kobe Bryant, the iconic Los Angeles Laker, his thirteen-year-old Gianna, and seven others were killed Sunday morning in Calabasas, California when a helicopter slammed into the side of a mountain. The Sikorsky S-76B, which was given special clearance to fly that morning, had no survivors. En route to a youth girls’ basketball tournament at Mamba Training Facility in Thousand Oaks, the flight went awry due to the dense fog looming over the city. At 9:47 communication was lost with the chopper, those close by on the ground reported what sounded like an explosion. A brush fire erupted, rising from the wreckage. The devastating news quickly followed. At first it didn’t feel real. Honestly, it still doesn’t. There’s something to be said about just how stunned everyone felt reading the headline, seeing the quoted tweet, opening that dreaded text in your guys group chat. The Surreal ethos of this moment can not be overstated. In the world of journalism, you’re always reacting, always on your heels - but, at the same time, you can never forfeit composure. You have to remain, always, a professional, apathetic, neutral narrator of things as they are. You have to act like you’re not surprised, like your reporting led you to anticipate this preemptively, like you’ve seen it before. You have to find the words to tell the story. But I just can’t this time. Frankly, this is never an article I thought I’d have to write. Someone as titanic and legendary as Kobe was supposed to be immortal, I thought. I procrastinated writing this article because I, like millions of others, was at a genuine loss of words upon learning the news. I knew it paying tribute to him, to make sense of this senseless tragedy, would be a monumentally difficult task. I won’t try to give you a false sense of normalcy: in the sports world, we have never seen anything like this before. The aftershocks of this are hard to grasp. The wide-reaching nature of this horrific development is not yet fully appreciated. What, is, however, appreciated, is Kobe’s uniqueness. When reporting, you’re supposed to refer to the subjects wit certain formalities. Usually anyone is a Mr. or Mrs., in one of my articles, after they’re been introduced. Screw calling him Mr. Bryant. He only has one name: Kobe. A true sementing of legendary status is the absence of a last name, in sports; Shaq, LeBron, MJ, Kobe. We’ll remember him, simply, as Kobe, and kids years from now will dream of emulating the mesmerizing ride he took us on.  Young Kobe Supporters grieve together Outside the Staples Center Sunday (New York Times) On Monday night, Senator fans converged on the Mary Keehoe-Ralph King gymnasium for a home boy’s basketball game against the Wreckers of Staples. Aside from a 37 point, nine three-pointer performance from #37, the most palpable aspect were the long faces on the athletes on both sides, who surely did, and continue to, draw inspiration from Kobe. Senior and longtime basketball player Jocelyn Lister watched from a packed student section, donning a #10 USA Basketball jersey with Bryant on the back. Asked what, exactly, ‘mamba mentality’ meant to her, she professed, “it means to try to be the best version of yourself. It doesn’t mean be the best player on the team or even being named captain and holding that leadership role, it means to work hard when no one is watching, to better yourself, your teammates and your team." Leading the raucous McMahoniacs, Patrick Coulter - a captain of both the lacrosse and football squads - when asked the same, reflected “Growing up watching basketball, Kobe Bryant has always been one of my favorite players. I especially liked watching his interviews and other player’s testimonies about the work ethic that he had. I’ve taken inspiration from this to always be the first one at practice and the last one to leave..." "He taught me that there’s always someone working harder than you so don’t waste a minute. His leadership and intellectual understanding of basketball taught me to always be a student of the game”. He will be missed throughout high schools across the nation and globe, but nowhere more so than Lower Merion in southern Philadelphia, Pennyvania, where an Afro-clad Kobe at age 17 shook up highlight reels and dominated his way into the nba draft with his as a junior and senior. Critics will, fairly, bring up his Colorado sexual assault allegations from before he was #24, but I don’t want to hear about it. For one, he was never adjudicated guilty of anything criminal. For another, he wasn’t perfect - none of us are - but did the honest, right thing in his most shameful moment, by admitting his adulterous behavior to the word. His shortcomings off the court don’t demonstrate the conviction of the person he was. By Sunday morning, he was entering a new chapter to his life, admittedly the happiest one, for him, to date. The past was behind him; forget accepting, Kobe embraced it. When you consider the countless number of professional athletes who struggled to find that peace after their playing careers compared to Kobe’s nirvana, you’re reminded of his complexity, his uniqueness, his dedication to being a role model to millions of young kids each and every day, regardless of whether or not he was still a Laker.  The future Hall of Famer admits to his wife--and the world--that he committed adultery in 2003 Sometimes when sports figures die or retire, we tend in looking back to perhaps over influence their standing among the metaphysical. Make no mistake, Kobe Bryant was arguably the greatest to step onto the hardwood. More than his skill and raw talent, he was an intellectual, and never ceased to push the status quo of how smart an NBA player can be, beneath the tattoos, and media rants, and clubbing that grabs a hold of life as a budding star in the league. This guy spoke three languages. He learned Slovenian just to try to sh** talk Luka Doncic one time. Kobe would get in your face, he’d berate your ass, never giving you an inch. Not because he hated you, but because he expected the best of you. Five championships, two finals MVPs, an MVP award, fifteen all star appearances. Two Olympic gold medals. Fourth all time in scoring. Not one, but two jerseys retired by the association’s most storied franchise. He went on to win an academy award for documentary making soon after. Let’s be clear: we will never see another like Kobe Bryant. A man of all the wealth and fame possible, one who could walk into any street in L.A. and be treated as Jesus gracing the earth, chose to spend his weekends coaching youth basketball, just because it was one more thing to do with his beloved daughter. If that doesn’t summarize the person Kobe Bryant was in his forty-one years, I don’t know what can.  One of Bryant’s final Instagram posts was a family photo taken on Christmas It doesn’t feel fitting to end a Kobe article on such a sad note. I’ll leave those grieving him and reading this with some funnier things that have kept me, an admirer of Kobe’s, comfort when I stumbled across them on social media t in the days since the tragedy.
When the Lakers were blown out by the trailblazers one night, Kobe took back everyone’s Kobe (shoes) and said they couldn’t wear ‘em because they were too soft. Kobe would be like ‘you’re soft! stop crying! go hit some free throws in your driveway! others are preparing to beat you right now!” if he saw me right now. Who could forget the video with Kanye?: “But are you a different animal and the same beast ?” “what the f**k does that mean Kobe Bryant?” “You’re welcome” By: Brandon Miller, Editor  Ask any athlete who their favorite sports team is and they will have an answer ready for you. They will also be prepared to defend their team as soon as they tell you. The same goes for people who are not athletes and just love sports and live in an area that is dominated by a professional team. Whether it is being cocky, loyal, obnoxious being of fan of winning or losing reflects who you are as a person.
Throughout history, teams have moved, changed names, or completely dissolved. Through it all, fans have stuck with their teams. But why? What makes that team so important? It all starts in people’s childhood and how they were brought up as kids. This is truly the case for Mr. “Nunz” Annunziato, who is a long-time teacher here at Brien McMahon High School. “The New York Giants and New York Knicks are my favorite teams because growing up as boy we only had three television stations. Back then the Jets and Giants came on every week and Jets were kind of further up in New Haven, and down here we were mostly Giants fans. That's how I became of New York fan watching them on the TV as a boy and it's great,” stated Mr. Nunz. Even though most New York sports are on the down-low in recent years, growing up watching them creates memories that make it hard for you to disconnect. “The Giants used to practice at Fairfield University, so my dad used to take me there and we used to watch the practice. As the players were leaving you could walk with them and give them your piece of paper they would sign it for you. Moments like these truly consolidated my love for the New York teams, especially the Giants,” stated Mr. Nunz. Just as Nunz went to Giant's practices early in his life, researchers have seen some of the same phenomena and benefits of being such a devoted fan. Daniel Wann, a psychology professor at Murray State and a leading expert on fan behavior reports via the Seattle Times stated, “There has been a good deal of research in my lab and by others, replicated in multiple cultures, that indicate when an individual becomes attached to or identifies with a sports team, there are pretty clear psychological benefits of that.” Being a sports fan allows you to associate yourself with a nationwide family and allows people from all across the world to connect and bond over mutual teams and interest. Daniel Wann ,a psychology professor at Murray State gave an excellent example saying, “If you are Seahawks fans in Seattle, right now it’s pretty hard to feel lonely. It’s pretty hard to feel alienated. If you’re wearing a Seahawks jacket and walking through the mall, people are high-fiving you, people you’ve never seen before and will never see again. There’s a sense of community and connectedness that comes with it.” “I think the fanaticism comes from the place where you are. You go out to Ohio there are Ohio State things everywhere, you drive 150 miles to Michigan there are M’s all over or S’s for Michigan State,” says Mr. Kane, a longtime McMahon teacher. “Alabama with the big A or the rolling tide is everywhere and it's distinctive in whatever section of the country you are because there is an identity. That's part of the place where you live and part of the culture you grow up in. You are indoctrinated into the culture, and it's no different in other countries as well,” he continued. By: Brandon Miller, Editor  On Friday, November 1, Brien McMahon High School’s girls soccer team took the field against No. 1 ranked St. Joseph's and took a heartbreaking 1-0 loss. This was the third year in a row the Senators have played St. Joe’s in the first round of the FCIAC tournament, and they came seeking revenge after being eliminated by the Cadets each of the previous two years. “Playing St. Joe’s the 3rd year in a row was personal. It fueled me like nothing else, and I was so excited for the rematch,” affirmed Senior Captain Jocelyn Lister.  After losing 2-0 to the St. Joe’s during the season, the Senators had something to prove and to fight for. “Coming into the game I knew this was a game we could win. They usually are one of the top teams in the FCIAC but we match up well with them. I think the only thing I was worried about was solving problems on how we were going to score,” stated Senior Captain Peyton McNamera.
McMahon came out strong in the first half, holding the Cadets to zero goals, but unfortunately, they could not capitalize on one for themselves. McMahon had a wonderful chance with five minutes left after a freekick by McNamera to Sydney Movlevar, whose shot just hit the crossbar. McMahon’s halftime talk consisted of the coach telling the team that they were working hard, and that they just needed to finish their chances and put the game away. McMahon did just that as they almost scored in the first 10 minutes of the second half following a great build-up. Unfortunately St. Joe's scored with 25 minutes left off of an unlucky counter-attack. McMahon was unable to answer with a goal of their own within the remaining time, bringing an end to McMahon’s FCIAC run this season. “I thought we played one of the best games we’ve ever played. We fought hard and just came out unlucky in the end. It’s a game we definitely should have won,” stated McNamera. McMahon has to shake this loss of quickly as they need to prepare for the state tournament that is coming up. “If we play the same way as against St. Joe’s, we will be unstoppable. They scored an unlucky goal, putting our hard work to waste. The only thing we need to improve upon for states is finishing our chances,” maintained Lister. Frank Whalen Anonymous PrideTime Contributor  When Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett were traded to the Celtics in 2007, the balance of power in the NBA changed from a singular superstar with a sidekick to multiple superstars playing together to win a championship. Allen, Garnett, and Pierce were on the backside of their careers and all without a championship--the lone mark against each of their stellar careers. That championship came that season as the Celtics coalesced behind the “Ubuntu” mantra as they went 66-16, beating a frustrated and alone LeBron James and eventually the Kobe Bryant-Pau Gasol-led Lakers in a triumphant Game 6 beatdown in Boston. Those Celtics truly realized that anything is possible.  Despite winning multiple MVPs during his time in Cleveland, LeBron’s shift to Miami to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami was the clearest clue that the “Big Threes” would take over in the NBA. The Spurs had their own Big Three of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli, and Tony Parker, supplemented with a rising star in Kawhi Leornard; the young Thunder boasted THREE future MVPs in Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook; the Warriors stumbled into their own of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. After Durant’s move to Golden State cemented what would become THE dynasty in the NBA, the NBA landscape has changed massively over the past two years. The past few offseasons have seen 10 (!!!) All-Stars change teams including the reigning NBA Finals MVP in Kawhi, the presumptive best player on the planet in LeBron, the best scorer on the planet in KD, a human supernova in Russell Westbrook, and more than one unicorn (Anthony Davis and Kristaps Porzingis) change teams. This shift to a more player-centric league has left the era of the Big Three behind and has ushered in a retro-age of NBA Jam style team-building. With two superstars supported with depth, numerous teams have taken on a new look and have given parity to the NBA we haven’t seen in over a decade. Without further, your NBA JAM Season preview: (All Stats are from the 2018-2019 season and courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com) The ContendersThe Potential GOATS Los Angeles Lakers  LeBron James: 27.4 PPG 8.5 RPG 8.3 APG 51 % FG Anthony Davis: 25.9 PPG 12.0 RPG 3.9 APG 51 % FG After LeBron chose the Lakers in free agency, Anthony Davis (who shares an agent with James) requested a trade to the Lakers. The Lakers relented and sent a haul of young players and picks to the Pelicans to secure The Brow. This duo is easily the overall most talented and complimentary of the NBA Jam duos. With LeBron’s otherworldly passing and Davis setting a new career high in assists, the two could form one of the most potent pick and roll tandems in NBA history while unlocking another level to the Lakers offense. Both AD and LeBron hold All-NBA defensive potential as well, so if they both engaged on that end this Lakers team could be scary. Their Question: Can they stay healthy? LeBron missed his first significant chunk of time in his career last year and currently sits 17th all time in minutes played (not including the over 10000 minutes he’s played in the playoffs which ranks first all time). Davis has only played 75 games twice in his career and has only made the playoffs twice, bringing into question what his body will feel like over an extended season. The Defensive Destroyers Los Angeles Clippers  Kawhi Leonard: 26.6 PPG 7.3 RPG 3.3 APG 1.8 STLs 49 % FG Paul George: 28 PPG 8.2 RPG 4.1 APG 2.2 STLs 48 % FG In a similar fashion to their Staples Center counterpart, the LA-born Kawhi chose the notoriously snake-bitten franchise in free agency while the Clippers traded a host of future picks to the OKC Thunder for the rights to Paul George. The two will combine to create one of the most destructive duos in NBA history. George is coming of a First Team All-Defense selection while Leonard managed a Second Team nod (without the Raptors Load Management, Leonard likely would have been named First Team). George holds a 6’11” wingspan while Leonard boasts an absurd 7’3” allowing the two to swallow opponents whole while snatching not just basketballs but souls. Their Question: What does load management look like in Clipperland? After forcing a trade from the San Antonio Spurs, Kawhi and the Raptors agreed to manage his minutes per game as well as not play him in a number of games to prevent injury or late-season fatigue. Paul George is already forecasted to miss the first ten games of the season with shoulder surgery. With the depth the Clippers have, how will Doc Rivers start and sit his superstars so they are fresh for the long playoff run? The Grecian Tundra Milwaukee Bucks  Giannis Antetokounmpo: 27.7 PPG 12.5 RPG 5.9 APG 1.3 STL 1.5 BPG 57% FG Khris Middleton: 18.3 PPG 6 AP 4.3 APG 44 % FG At this point, Giannis and any NBA player could be a contender in an NBA Jam series; he is just that good. He is putting up numbers (and percentages) that haven’t been seen in The League since Prime Shaq...and for those who haven’t seen Prime Shaq {shivers}. Only Giannis is Shaq at a faster speed with a potentially better jumpshot. Giannis is darn near unstoppable basically. Add in Middleton--coming off his first All-Star appearance--who adds a secondary playmaker and solid defender to the mix and the Bucks position themselves as a top contender in the East. Their Question: How much better can Giannis actually get? Giannis has already fully blossomed into a superstar and at 24 years of age(!!!), there is still SO MUCH room for growth. He is still only shooting three pointers at a 25 % clip; if he weren’t going scorched-earth everywhere else, this would be a bigger deal, but he has time to correct and refine his jumper to become a mega-star (A Monstar?). Add in his all-world defensive ability and you have what combines to be one of the most mind-bogglingly unique basketball players of all time already. The Insiders Philadelphia 76ers  Joel Embiid: 27.5 PPG 7.8 RPG 3.7 APG 1.9 BLKs 48 % FG Ben Simmons: 16.9 PPG 8.8 RPG 7.7 APG 1.4 STLs 56 % FG If LeBron and AD are the supernovas, these two are the black matter of the NBA. While many of the duos complement each other perfectly, Simmons and Embiid have created an antithesis of how the NBA is trending. Simmons has (famously) yet to make a three pointer; he has attempted 17 TOTAL in two years (and most were last second heaves). Embiid can shoot threes (30 % 3PFG), but prefers to bully shorter or less athletic big men off the dribble. This basket-centric offense means they NEED their supporting cast to hit three pointers to give them space. Their Question: How good can this defense really be? Simmons and Embiid are just the beginning. Add in long-armed Al Horford, Josh Richardson, and Tobias Harris and this team is MASSIVE. They are more or less matchup-proof, meaning they can switch every screen and not have to worry about a huge mismatch at any point. If the 76ers make it to the NBA finals this season, it will be on the strength of their defense, not their offense. The Charity Cases (Need Some Help)The Jokers Denver Nuggets  Nikola Jokic: 20.1 PPG 10.8 RPG 7.3 APG 1.4 STLs 51 % FG Jamal Murray: 18.2 PPG 4.2 RPG 4.8 APG 44 % FG The Joker is in the same boat at Giannis in that he is completely and utterly unique. He is a 7-footer who uses his height and acuity to drop passes most of the human race cannot even begin to imagine (I could write a novel about how much I love numbers 3 and 4 in that video). Riding the surge of Jokic’s own charity, the Nuggets came in second in the Western conference last year mostly because of the amazing depth of talent beyond Nikola. All those passes have to go to someone and Jokic’s supporting cast is deep and talented, but without another superstar. Their Question: Who can make a leap? Jamal Murray is the most likely candidate to make a leap and become the second fiddle the Nuggets need, and--at 22--could be poised too. Beyond Murray, there are seven regular rotation players who are under 25, including Gary Harris, Malik Beasley, and a potential landscape-changer in Michael Porter Jr. If these young players progress and gel into a full-blown team, they could form a formidable presence in the Western Conference. The Stats Houston Rockets  James Harden: 36.1 PPG 6.6 RPG 7.5 APG 2.0 STL 5 TOs 44 %FG Russell Westbrook: 22.9 PPG 11.1RPG 10.7RPG 1.9 STL 4.5 TOs 43 % FG The only team to currently employ two NBA MVPs, the Rockets have put together two cheat codes and are hoping it will work. After breaking every rule the NBA has known about shooting three-pointers and falling tantalizingly short of the NBA Finals, the Rockets traded Chris Paul for Harden’s former teammate and friend Russell Westbroook. Both have set statistical records in the past few seasons, but neither have any championship jewelry to show for it. The Rockets hope these two ball-centric stars can find a way to co-exist to supplement their own swag with a Finals ring. Their Question: How does this work? It’s a simple question with an unsimple answer. Two men who have won the highest of individual accolades must now forgo some of that Ego to create something more. It is difficult to ask established stars to sacrifice (ask Kobe) for the betterment of the team, but the Rockets are going to. Each play best with the ball in their hands, so who takes the final shot of a close game in May and June? The Jazz Utah Jazz  Donovan Mitchell: 23.8 PPG 4.1 RPG 4.2 APG 1.4 STL 43% FG
Rudy Gobert: 15.9 PPG 12.9 RPG 2.3 BLK 66 % FG A blistering scorer and a defensive stalwart are the anchors of this Jazz team. This is the most traditional of NBA Jam duos, but that does not make it any less impressive. Gobert alone forces opposing teams to alter gameplans because of his ability to affect shots at the rim. Add in Mitchell’s explosiveness and the Jazz are not short on talent, especially with the addition of steadfast Mike Conley and a host of three point shooters beside them. Their Question: Can Gobert guard the three point line? While Gobert acts as a wall in front of the rim, his lateral speed leaves him a mismatch problem. In the playoffs last year against the Rockets, Gobert was basically run off the floor because of his inability to guard the three. In an increasingly mismatch driven league, Gobert’s struggles to stay on the floor in the most important games of the season have left the Jazz trying to maneuver a landscape of the positional less NBA and how to fit Gobert into it. Brandon Miller PrideTime Editor Norwalk- With a hard-fought match against cross-town rivals Norwalk High School on October 18th the McMahon girls soccer team closed out the week with a (3-0) record, while also qualifying for states after their 2-0 win over Westhill High School. “With our records from previous years and the dedication and hard work our team has put into advancing past and previous records, I feel that qualifying for states again is well deserved and hard-earned,” stated Senior Captain Jocelyn Lister.  Photo Credit to Josh Molaver After their 4-0 win to Norwalk, last season McMahon came looking to keep those bragging rights. McMahon’s record going into the game was 6-5 while the High’s was 2-8. McMahon came truly prepared for the game starting with a dominant performance and taking a commanding 3-0 in the first half. “Coming into the game we knew were the favored team to win but in a rivalry game anything can happen so we knew we had to come out strong,'' said Senior Captain Peyton McNamara. Junior captain Sydney Molaver opened up the scoring just nine minutes into the game with a header off a beautiful cross from Kaiylnn Ortiz. Followed up by a goal by Peyton McNamara off a beautiful one-two assisted by Viviana Luna. McMahon finished the half off with a goal by Mickaela Ortolano from outside the 18-yard box.  Photo Credit to Josh Molaver McMahon’s halftime talk was simple and straightforward, they just had to keep working hard and moving the ball. McMahon did just that coming out of the halftime and scoring within just 5 minutes of the half. The goal scored by Viviana Luna was assisted off a great cross from Niamh Linehan. McMahon dominated the second half, taking seven shots on target and only allowing one shot from the Bears. “Tonight the team played really well and worked hard We were fighting for something more than ourselves and I think it showed on the field,” said McNamera. With this win for McMahon beating cross-town rivals Norwalk High, they received the Boczer Cup trophy. “4 peat means the world to me not only for the title of city champs but to be able to always reflect on a rivalry game that lives on and know we played our hearts out, had fun and simply enjoyed the game of soccer,” said Lister.  While looking to end the regular season a high note McMahon hopes to keep improving as they continue in the States tournament and hopefully the FCIAC tournament. “I think for the final games of the season we need to play the ability we are capable of playing. We need to finish our chances and defend set-pieces,” said McNamara.
Jacob Biasetti PrideTime Reporter  The McMahon football team is working harder than ever to improve their team. They have been practicing since the summer, when they traveled to Pennsylvania for a football camp. The team practices six days a week, lifts weights, and watches film to prepare for their games. Practices alone can last up to three hours. Coach Q, the head coach of the team, brought in a strength and conditioning coach for the first time last year, and a speed coach that trained the team over the summer. On Thursday nights before their Friday night games, the team has a family dinner together followed up by a guest speaker who talks to the players and tells them their story and what football means to them. On the field, Coach Q has “reinstalled the offense that won us a state championship back in 1994," he says. McMahon is the only team that runs this offense which causes it to be confusing for other teams to defend against. The football camp that the team went to over the summer was “specifically for the offense," Coach Q explained. Jermaine Daniels, the starting fullback, and Patrick Coulter, the starting quarterback, are two captains who are both two-way starters. Luis Tejada, Lucky, and Jeff Cocchia are also very talented starters. Coach Q says the team is “excited about their younger talent," such as Matt Claps, another two-way starter who transferred from Trinity Catholic and is only a sophomore. On defense, seven of the team's starters are underclassmen, which is very exciting. Off the field, Coach Q and the football team have been big on community involvement. In September, they dedicate a game to pediatric cancer and raise money that they donate to the National Pediatric Cancer Society. That game is followed up in October with McMahons yearly  Pink Out game where the team makes a donation to the Cancer wing in the Norwalk Hospital. In November they hold a Salute to Service game where they honor Norwalk residents and people who have served.
McMahon Football hopes to keep improving as they come off a bye week and play Amity in New Haven on Friday 10/18. Cassidy Nash PrideTime Editor  After almost 60 years of pure hard work, the Brien McMahon Girls Track and Field team has finally earned the first division championship banner to be displayed in the gym.
The girls on the team went undefeated this outdoor season by beating teams like Darien, New Canaan and Ludlowe who were some of their fiercest competitors, only winning the Ludlowe meet by one point. “This year the team did really well. To be honest I was not expecting to win every meet but we did! It also feels good to get a banner during my last season of high school track,” said Captain Savannah Bromley who was the highest point scorer on the girls team. Ever since McMahon was established in 1960, the girls track team was seen as a secondary sport and unacknowledged by the school. Now, hopefully, with this astounding season, the track team will be seen as a vital part of McMahon athletics as it should be. “This season has been the best one. We have gone undefeated which it is so cool to be a part of and I’m so proud of all the work everyone has put in,” adds sophomore Niamh Linehan.  After their final defining meet against Norwalk High, the girls came out on top with a score of 100 to 31 points. Now, the girls will move on to FCIACs and States, which many of the girls have qualified for. “For States and FCIACs our competition increases, so while we will work hard as a team to place we will focus even more on each girls strengths and weaknesses to perform together and medal in our best events. With making history at McMahon and what we have already accomplished this season the pressure will increase as our expectations of the rest of the season have been raised, but with the bonds we have built this season with all teammates we will definitely be able to rise to the challenge,” adds Lister [pictured above]
Brendan Duddy PrideTime Senior Editor  NORWALK- Joseph Madaffari as been a part of the Brien McMahon community for 37 years and is now officially bringing an end to his career. Most who have passed through McMahon in the past 23 years have known Madaffari as their athletic director or gym teacher however when he began his career at McMahon, Madaffari was a math teacher and coach. Madaffari says he finally decided to call it quits and move on to the next chapter of his life after 37 years because he could tell it was time for a change explaining “I don't know what that change is, but I need a change.” Madaffari moved from being a math teacher to the athletic director (AD) after 14 years at McMahon. During his career as AD, Madaffari has seen McMahon at its best winning multiple FCIAC and State championships during his tenure. With all of that winning and all the other great things he does for the school, Madaffari was awarded the national athletic director of the year honor. “First time I met Mad Dawg (Madaffari) was in 1988. I think he was the baseball and track coach at the time” said English teacher and golf coach Bo Kane. Madaffari who says he's going to miss the growth of students through their four years at McMahon said “You have to put the student-athlete first. I mean you’re here for them. You’re here for them to reach goals. You’re here to mature them. You’re here so they'll make the right decisions later in life.” He also went on to add, “It's not about winning and losing, everyone wants to win. I want to win. I want to win in everything I play. I’ve kept that with me and I believe that the coaches beneath me share that same idea.” Born and raised in Norwalk, Madaffari has lived here his entire life. In high school, he went to Norwalk High where he played catcher for the baseball team and quarterback of the football team. From there, he went to college at the University of North Carolina. Today, when people think of McMahon athletics, Madaffari is easily one of the most recognizable names that comes to mind. “He’s an institution. There have only been three athletic directors that span McMahon’s entire history.” Kane remarked also adding “He’s done an amazing job running a hard to manage job with so many people.” With Madaffari’s retirement announcement, McMahon would need a new AD. The replacement would need to be someone who embodies the senator spirit. John Cross was the man for the job. “I think John Cross is going to be outstanding. I think… no, I know he is going to take this position to the next level as AD. I’m 100% sure of that” stated Madaffari when it came to his replacement. Cross has been working at McMahon since 1998 as a science teacher and has been the baseball coach since 2002. Before that, Cross attended McMahon as a student where he played baseball for Madaffari. “I’ve known him for a while and he's really got his act together. He's a great fit for the job, he's going to do amazing” said art teacher and tennis coach William Pierce. Madaffari also wanted to make sure he shouted out the staff at McMahon saying that they are some of the best he's seen while traveling the nation on workshops and such. He mentioned principal Scott Hurwitz saying that he loves the students and is going to do amazing things for the school. He also wanted to shout out his physical education department and longtime friend Steven Annunziato. “Nunz [Annunziato] and I coached football and baseball together, I’m going to miss my Nunz. I’m going to miss my PE department. Kenny, Phil, Stephany, Torry, Ilene, and of course the rookie Mr. Jacoby… the rookie.” Following his retirement, Madaffari says he’s going to stay active as he still is assistant commissioner for the FCIAC. He’s also going to teach some classes at the University of Bridgeport in leadership. “I’m going to spend some time with my kids and play some golf. A lot of golf.” When Kane heard about Madaffari’s plans to play a lot of golf, he chuckled and jokingly remarked “Good athlete but has the foot wedge in his bag and definitely knows how to walk the dog if you know what I’m saying.” When looking back on his career, Madaffari became a bit choked up walking through his time at McMahon. “I’m struggling because when you're at a location for as long as I've been, it's part of your life and it's tough to break away from something that means so much to you. I mean ‘Once a Senator, Always a Senator.’”  Brendan Duddy PrideTime Senior Editor  Boys baseball took home the 11-0 win through 5 innings of play against Central high school on what will most likely be the last game the seniors of Brien McMahon ever play on Pride Field. Both teams started off the game slow with the neither team scoring a run until the fourth inning when McMahon’s Korey Morton (‘20) knocked a solo home run out of the park. Senior Shane Popkins added to the lead sending one over the fence with a grand slam. “It was one of the greatest moments I’ve had in my baseball career in a while, and to end off my final home game like that is something I will never forget.” It wasn’t only the Senator’s amazing offense that contributed to the win, but also their outstanding defence. Allowing no runs through the game and only 3 hits with 11 strikeouts, Max Pomponi (‘19) was the team’s defensive anchor. “It felt really good in a must win game so I’m excited and it was a great performance from my teammates to back me up like they always do” said Pomponi. The game was brought to an abrupt stop once the lead got too large to overcome. The mercy rule was enacted in the 5th inning bring and end to the game and closing out the seniors’ career with a bang.  Claire Ripperger PrideTime Editor On May 16th, make sure you head over to Norwalk High Testa field at 6:30 to see the Senator men take on rival Norwalk in their last, and most important game of the season.
With both teams fighting to make states, the stakes have been raised. After an easy win by the McMahon girls lax team against Norwalk, the boys are real pumped. “Being my last game against Norwalk and the state qualifying game, I’m gonna put my whole heart into this game and leave everything on the field.” Says senior captain, Andrew Trujillo. While the senators haven’t had a picture perfect season, they are still prepared to take on cross town rivals. “We’re watching lots of film this week and making adjustments so we know what to do when the day comes.” Says John Gatt (‘19). You can catch Gatt in the net blocking shots during Thursday's game. He adds, “Gary Claps (‘21) will be an important player for this game with the faceoffs. Also Ian Campbell (‘19) and Charlie Coale (‘20) are going to make some big moves.” “Our strengths as a team are defense and ball movement on offense.” Trujillo adds. With a brick wall defense consisting of big men Andrew Trujillo, Peter Young (‘19), Danny Macintyre (‘21) and Gatt in goal, the Bears will have a hard time scoring. With Bret Rodgers (‘19), William Acuna (‘19), and Ian Campbell (‘19) on offense, the Senators have good chances at a high scoring game. While McMahon seems to have all-around strong team, the Norwalk High Bears will definitely come in hot on their home field. Make sure you’re there for the game of the season, Thursday at 6:30. Katherine Klein PrideTime Reporter  Photo: Caitlyn Hocker On April 9, 2019 McMahon Varsity girls Lacrosse played Trumbull on their turf. The game started with high energy which was broken for a moment with the terrible accident that struck one of McMahon’s teammates, Caitlyn Hocker. Hocker (‘20), was running for a ground ball when she was struck from behind by a Trumbull midfield player, causing them to both fall with the girl landing on top of Hocker.
“Caitlyn is usually the type of person that can walk off hits. When she didn’t get up and continued to lie on the ground, I knew something was wrong.” Sophia Tarasidis (‘19.) Hocker said she heard a crack and then found herself lying on the ground in an extreme amount of pain. “I watched the Trumbull girl ram in to Cait and when she fell I heard a crazy loud crack. It was super scary and I knew right away something had broken. I know I speak for everyone on the team when I say we’re devastated that she can’t play the rest of the season.” Hatsie Dune, (‘21) After being down for a couple minutes, Hocker was carried off the field and set down on the sidelines. At this time, she talked to the trainer who was trying to figure out what had happened. The Trumbull trainor, Mike Dias, had said to Caitlyn “that a crack doesn’t always mean a break”, so she took his word for it. Caitlyn still knew that she would be out for a couple games. The next day, Hocker went to the doctor to get x-rays. “The doctor came in and immediately told me it was broken, no sugarcoating it. She told me I had a clean break through the bottom of my fibula and that I wouldn’t need surgery and it’d be a normal recovery for a bone break.” Injuries to a teammate during a game can be a huge factor in the change of people's mindset and the way they play. After her injury, Caitlyn noticed the energy lower on the field. Everyone was affected by what happened to her in that moment. The team quickly changed this energy and started to use what happened to Hocker as a way of improving their playing. They ended the game with a hard fight and although they lost, this was one of the highest energy games and toughest games they played this season. “I think it overall pushes some of my teammates to work even harder and play even harder” Says Hocker (20’) Although Caitlyn cant play, she still shows up to almost every practice and game. She is still on the team and wants to support them through the end,She works very hard on being a leader off the field and helping them every way she can. Michelle Perea PrideTime Reporter
“I’m sad that this is going to be my last year playing sports competitively but I’m also very proud of how far I come!” When she starts her senior year, and being a soon to be two-year captain, she has set goals not only for herself and her teammates but for the athletic program in general. She hopes for success and to enjoy her soon-to-be last year at McMahon. “I’m looking forward to my senior year a lot actually. I’m excited for what it has to bring and just moving forward with both volleyball and basketball. I’m so excited to see the social aspects of senior year and my two IB classes.” Skidmore joined the McMahon Volleyball team her freshman year starting off on JV. Not only was she phenomenal on JV, but her left hand dominance was in her advantage and quickly recognizable to be bumped up to varsity her sophomore year. Then her junior year, Skidmore was nominated as one of the four captains. “This volleyball season I am going to try and make All-FCIAC. As a captain I want to lead my team to more wins this season but also work on my personal skills!” Not only is Skidmore a great athlete, but she is very dedicated to her education as well. Skidmore hopes to strive both in and out of school by being able to manage her time with the responsibilities set on her from coaches, teachers, and family members. “Senior year is going to be difficult and I need to focus on school before sports so I’m not sure if I’m going to play three seasons.” As this year’s seniors are already decided on their next steps after high school, it’s time for the new seniors to start the college process. Skidmore isn’t set on her future yet, for it is too early, but what she does know is that her athletic involvement won’t end in high school. “I don’t plan on being a D1 athlete for the school I attend but I will definitely join club sports or intramural.” Being a successful is not handed to a team. There is dedication and hard work that everyone on the team needs to give 110% for the success they want. Skidmore’s goal is to show dedication and show the underclassmen to fight and work for what they want. Skidmore finds good chemistry important as well, she wants to make sure everyone has an enjoyable season and no one is left out. She has set her own individual goals to try and reach out to the underclassmen and new incoming freshmen. “As a captain I want to make sure my teams’ bond well this season. I want to make us all be friends or just like each other. I think it will help a lot with the way we play and relationships both on and off the court.” For those underclassmen and new incoming freshman, Skidmore is more than happy to work with everyone and give advice to those who need it to better their skills. Her advice to those new athletes is: “GO FOR IT! Playing a sport is a great way to stay in shape, meet new friends, and have a great time. If your worried about making the team just give 110% and come to pre season works.” By: Sophia Tarasidis Ever since her high school years, Ashley Labrador, has maintained a relationship with sports.
In High School, Labrador was a three-sport varsity athlete and still stays active in her free time. Not only has she been an amazing athletic trainer, but she is also a friend to many of the athletes here at McMahon. “I like how she plays around with her athletes and shes easy to talk to,” said Caitlyn Hocker (‘20), a junior that has found herself in Labradors’ room very often due to a recent injury. Labrador has made her room a fun environment for athletes and students. “It's a comforting space where you always feel welcome,” Lila Young (‘21) said. Labrador has worked at Brien McMahon for five years and has had quite the impact on the student athletes that are constantly in and out of her room. She's not only a trainer but she's also a motivator. Labrador uses her extensive knowledge of how to stay in shape, and how to prevent injuries, to challenge the athletes she works with every day. Weather its taking a nap, getting wrapped before a game, or simply filling your water bottle, Labrador has made herself and her room a friend to the students at Brien McMahon High School. |
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