Sunday, October 18, 2026

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Yankee Hits Cycle; Westporter Wins Lexus

By Dave Matlow

UPDATE Melky Cabrera today became the 15th New York Yankee to hit for the cycle and the first since 1995, a rare feat that won a 2009 Lexus for a Westport woman.WestportNow.com Image
Jean Murdoch stands in the driveway of her Sniffen Road home today that she hopes will soon be occupied by a new Lexus.  (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

A surprised Jean Murdoch said she only vaguely remembered entering the Yankees’ “Hit for the Cycle” contest on WCBS Radio.

Soon after Cabrerra legged out a ninth-inning triple to complete the accomplishment at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Yankee broadcasters John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman announced that the Westport woman had won the “Hit for the Cycle” contest.

Murdoch, a Sniffen Road resident, was watching the game on television and was not aware of her Yankee luck on the radio broadcast until notified by WestportNow. A WCBS Radio representative later confirmed she was the winner.

P&Z Clears Way for Staples Lights

UPDATE The Westport Planning and Zoning Commission tonight cleared the way for permanent lights for the Staples High School football field with conditions.

The six to one approval of text language that would allow for a special permit to be issued for the lights came after an earlier informal survey of members by Chairman Ron Corwin to see whether they should proceed to approve the town’s application for lights on the field—a longtime controversial subject.

Only commission member Ellie Lowenstein indicated she was not in favor of approval under any conditions, and she later voted against the text amendment.

Many neighbors of Staples High School had testified in opposition of the application, as they had in previous years, saying the lights and noise were inappropriate for a residential area.

Winners

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Two Westport high school students rowing for the Saugatuck Rowing Club won a first place title Sunday in the Youth National Championships for U.S. Rowing in Cincinnati, Ohio. In the men’s double, Max Meyer-Bosse (c), a student at Staples High School, and Owen Traynor (r), who attends Greens Farms Academy, came in first about three seconds ahead of students from Redwood, Calif.-based Northern California Crew. The victory made them national champions in the men’s double. They qualified for the event by winning the New England Regionals in May. Pictured with them is Coach Sharon Kriz. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Staples Shines at New England Track and Field Meet

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Members of Westport’s Staples High School Boys 4×400 relay team are all smiles after finishing third Saturday at the New England Track and Field Championship Meet in Burlington, Vt. The team ran a very fast 3:22:33. Pictured (l-r) are (back row) Matt Marriott, and Raphael Ray; (front row) Pip Turegano and Obiju Dan-Udekwe. Other competitors for Staples were:  Matt Marriott, fourth place in the 400; Liv Massey, fifth place in the long jump; Paul Chandler, ninth place in the pole vault, and Josh Henry, 10th place in the triple jump. Coaches Laddie Lawrence and Jess McCray attended the meet with the athletes. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Lisa Marriott for WestportNow.com

Majors Division Champs

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In the Majors Division of the Westport Little League World Series, the Marauders today won the championship with a 1-0 win over the Raiders in the second game of the best two-out-of-three series. The Marauders won the first game of the series on Tuesday 4-1. Pictured (l-r) are (back row) Coach Tom Greenwald, Joe Zec, Willie Nolan, Eric Zuermuehle, Jack Greenwald, Justin Gallanty, Alex Spada, and Coach Alan Gallanty; (front row) Jason Blankfein, Jack Baylis, Zack Azadian, Victor Kolbin, Cole Crawford, and Jake Atlas. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Girls Softball Champs

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The Pythons today clinched the Westport AAA girls softball championship by beating the Falcons 11-8 at Greens Farms Field. Pictured (l-r) are (top row)  Catherine Vartuli, Kait Smithson, Coach Peter Perry, Madison Malin, Daisy Laska, Assistant Coach Cliff Tofel, Nicole Lynch, Gabriella Perry, Helena Lintel, and Assistant Coach Chad Dick; (bottom row) Lily Tofel, Christina Dear, Gracyn Levenson, Kaitlyn Lowe, and Madison Dick. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Staples Captures State Boys Volleyball Title

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Westport’s Staples High School boys volleyball team today won its third consecutive state title over Southington with a 3-1 win at Cheshire High School for the Class L championship. The victory capped a 24-0 season for Staples, which has won 80 straight matches. For Coach Bruce Betts, it was the fourth straight Class L crown and eighth title in nine years. Staplesvolleyball.com photo

Staples Golfers Celebrate State Title Win

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Westport’s Staples High School varsity boy’s golf team celebrates after beating four-time winner Simsbury by four strokes to win the Division I state championship. Andrew Gai was the medalist in the state with a score of 70. Andrew and Kirk Massie made all state, Andrew got the MVP award, and Dylan Murray got the coach’s award. Pictured (l-r) are Austin Alianiello, Kirk Massie, Charlie Knofla, Dylan Murray, Andrew Gai, and Coach Tom Owen, now in his 20th season as head coach at Staples. It was Owen’s second state title, but his first in Division I after winning the D-II state crown in 1997. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Mary Palmieri Gai for WestportNow.com