Darien Scores and Standings, Oct. 21

UPDATES

• Football: Next week's showdown against fellow unbeaten Staples is looming for the Darien football team, but the Blue Wave can't afford to look past this week's opponent: Wilton.

The Warriors enter Saturday's game at Darien (2 p.m.) with a 3-2 record and have shown improvement, although they are coming off back-to-back losses to Ridgefield (47-20) and McMahon (42-35).

In those games, Wilton's defense has been torched for 89 points. Last week, McMahon quarterback Damien Vega threw three touchdown passes, including a game-winning 9-yard strike to Zack O'Connor with six seconds remaining.

Still, the Warriors have the ability to put points on the board, rallying from a 28-7 deficit against the Senators to tie the contest in the fourth quarter. Senior quarterback Sean Carroll can be dangerous and is a duel threat as Wilton's leading rusher.

Darien, meanwhile, continues to win without being flashy. Henry Baldwin tossed three touchdown passes in last week's 21-0 win over Trumbull, including a pair to Matthew Forelli.

Midway through the season, Darien ranks behind New Canaan (5-0), Staples (4-0) and Greenwich (4-0) in the FCIAC standings as the Blue Wave hope for a return trip to the FCIAC championship game.

For the season, Baldwin has thrown 12 touchdown passes with Forelli and Peter Gesualdi each grabbing three. One of the few returning starters from last year's FCIAC championship team, Gesualdi also is Darien's leading rusher with 248 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

While Darien is averaging just under 29 points per game, its defense is yielding just 10 points per contest, tied with Staples for the best mark in the FCIAC.

Last season, Darien struggled to beat Wilton, 14-2.

Junior football: Week eight games in Darien in the Fairfield County Junior Football League:

Saturday

at Darien High School

9 a.m. -- Junior sixth grade -- DJFL White vs. Ridgefield Orange

10:30 am. -- Junior sixth grade -- DJFL Wave vs. New Canaan Red

Sunday

at Darien High School

10:30 a.m. -- Junior fifth grade -- DJFL Blue vs. Wilton Black

12 p.m. -- Senior seventh grade -- DJFL White vs. Westport North

1:30 p.m. -- Bantam fourth grade -- DJFL Blue vs. Ridgefield Orange

3 p.m. -- Senior eighth grade -- DJFL Blue vs. Westport North

Updated FCIAC playoff races in boys and girls soccer, girls volleyball and field hockey:

BOYS SOCCER

1.Norwalk 11-1-1 34*
2.Darien 10-2-2 32*
2.Trumbull 9-1-3 30*
4 Staples 8-2-3 27
5.New Canaan 7-1-5 26
6.Wilton 8-5-1 25
7.Danbury 6-2-5 23
7.Greenwich 7-4-2 23
7.Westhill 7-5-2 23
10.Fairfield Warde 6-4-3 21

GIRLS SOCCER

1.St. Joseph 12-1-1 37*
2.Greenwich 10-1-3 33*
3.Westhill 10-1-2 32*
4.New Canaan 9-2-2 29
5.Fairfield Warde 8-4-2 26
6.Wilton 6-2-4 22
7.Darien 6-4-3 21
8.Trumbull 5-3-5 20 (def Staples)
9.Staples 6-4-2 20
9.Fairfield Ludlowe 6-6-1 19

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

1.Darien 15-0*
2.Staples 13-1*
3.Ridgefield 12-2*
4.Greenwich 12-3*
5.New Canaan 11-3
6.Danbury 10-4
7.Westhill 9-5
8.Stamford 8-6
9.Fairfield Ludlowe 7-7 (def. Fairfield Warde)
9.Fairfield Warde 7-7

FIELD HOCKEY

1.Darien 11-0-0-0 22*
2.Wilton 9-2-0-0 18*
3.Norwalk 8-2-1-0 17*
3.Staples 7-2-1-1 16*
3.Stamford 7-3-1-0 15*
6.New Canaan 6-4-1-0 12
7.Greenwich 3-4-2-2 10
7.Westhill 4-5-1-0 9
9. McMahon 3-5-2-0 8
9. Fairfield Ludlowe 3-5-1-1 8
9. Fairfield Warde 3-6-1-1 8

* = clinched playoff spot

THURSDAY'S RESULTS

• Girls soccer: Greenwich 2, Darien 0 — Phoebe Taylor made seven saves for the Blue Wave, who dropped to 6-4-3.

FRIDAY'S SCHEDULE

• Boys soccer: Stamford at Darien, 4 p.m.

SATURDAY'S SCHEDULE

• Football: Wilton at Darien, 2 p.m.
• Girls soccer: Norwalk at Darien, 4 p.m.

STANDINGS

• Football

• Boys soccer

• Girls soccer

Field hockey

Girls volleyball