Westport’s Julia Marino, 13, an eighth grader at Bedford Middle School, recently took third place in the girls 12-13 slopestyle competition at the United States of America Snowboard Association (USASA) National Championships at Copper Mountain, Colo. She also took fifth place in boardercross and 12th place in half-pipe. Julia trained on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays over the winter with the Stratton Mountain Competition Team. She also plays soccer for the Beachside Soccer Club. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Photo VAST::vastaction.com

Before and after pictures of the Westport’s Staples High School rugby team whose has their heads shaved today at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport. They raised almost $6,000 for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation for childhood cancer research. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Nancy Epright for WestportNow.com

Westport’s Staples High School varsity baseball team won its home opener today against Trinity Catholic 9-5. Staples- 2-0 (2-0 FCIAC) was powered by three hits from Colin McCarthy (above) with two runs scored; Bryan Terzian with three hits and four RBIs, and Tyler Jacobs with three hits and three runs scored. Staplesbaseball.com photo

Two youngsters identified only as “Evan and Ethan from Westport, CT” today were winners at Yankee Stadium playing “Match Game NY.” The youngsters correctly identified the locations of two pictures of the same Yankee player from among those displayed briefly in a grid on the giant screen in center field. For their efforts, the two won $50 gift cards from P.C. Richard & Son. The Yankees were not as fortunate, losing to Detroit 10-7. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Members of the Westport’s Staples High School Rugby team today ruck over the ball against Simsbury High at the Staples first home game of the season. Staples won 29-17. Last week, Staples won all three of its games at the annual Rugby Jamboree hosted at Fairfield Warde High. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Marilyn Smith for WestportNow.com

Second-seeded Staples-Weston-Shelton co-op fell 4-0 today to No. 4 Watertown-Pomperaug in the Division III championship game in New Haven.

The Staples boys hockey team (16-7), making its third championship game appearance in program history, was seeking its first state title since 1981.

It was 2-0 Watertown at the end of the first period. Watertown goalie Trevor St. Onge made 31 saves, the key to the game.

Staples had advanced to the championship with a 6-1 victory over No. 3 Windsor-East Granby-Avon in the semifinals Tuesday night.

The Westport YMCA sixth grade boys travel basketball team won the Fairfield County Hoops B Bracket Championship on Saturday with a win over Stamford 40 – 36, avenging a loss to them earlier in the year. This capped a winning regular season and victories in the playoffs over a seventh grade Weston team as well as teams from Southbury and Easton. Pictured are (l-r -bottom) AJ Trimboli (coach’s son)  Gary Avery with his younger brother, Max Fiore, Louis Colosimo; (middle) Cayne Mandell, Noah Lomnitz; (top) Coach TJ Trimboli, Adam Feuer, Jesse Levinson, Thomas Tamiolakis, Colin Hunter, and Josh Berman. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

In a very physical contest, Westport’s Staples High School boys basketball team tonight defeated Amity 52-37 in the state playoffs before a packed home crowd. Pictured are senior tri-captains Luke Yeager (l) and Jake Felman (r) as they work together on offense. The Wreckers meet Ridgefield on Wednesday night at Ridgefield. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Elaine Rankowitz for WestportNow.com