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I recently got a chance to sit down with Adam Lopez, drummer for the locally-based pop-rock band To Write a Riot! to discuss their...

BEACON FALLS — Dan Mariano squatted on the Woodland football field after his team’s disheartening, 28-21 loss to the Hawks (5-3) Friday, the proud senior captain’s glazed expression creating an invisible force field no teammate dared breach. At last, assistant coach Mark Swanson approached Mariano and leaned over: “We’re going to win out,” Swanson said. “You’ve gotta believe.”

MANCHESTER — Just six days after the class meets, at which no girl could break the 19-minute mark, six went sub-19 Friday afternoon in a blazing State Open at Wickham Park. Naugatuck’s Rosa Moriello was among the speedy sextet, finishing fifth in 18 minutes, 54 seconds. She was bested by Nonnewaug’s Jackie Nicholas (18:22), Fairfield Warde’s Meg Ryan (18:23), Glastonbury’s Reid Watson (18:28) and Bunnell’s Lauren Sara (18:29).

ANSONIA – Woodland can party like it’s 2007 all over again. For the second time in three years, the Hawks spikers are Naugatuck Valley League champions, as the Black and Gold beat top-seeded Kennedy, 3-1 (25-16, 27-25, 9-25, 26-24), in Thursday’s title game at Ansonia High. After dominating the first game, the Hawks trailed by as many as six points late in game two. But Woodland steadily climbed out of the deficit and eventually took a 23-22 lead on the strength of senior Steph Badale’s five-point service run. The teams traded the next six points, each facing a game point at one point, until an epic rally featuring 25 exchanges of the ball ended when senior Emily Hutvagner found the center of the Kennedy floor for the kill.

WATERBURY — The Naugatuck boys’ soccer team won its fourth straight Naugatuck Valley League championship Thursday night, topping Watertown, 2-1, at Municipal Stadium. Marcos Soares broke a scoreless stalemate in the 34th minute, heading home a perfect corner kick by Ralph Roper. The Greyhounds controlled possession for much of the second half, but the Indians’ Nick Polletta found the back of the net with just 11:02 to play, evening the score at 1-1.

PROSPECT — Republican incumbent Mayor Robert J. Chatfield secured his 17th consecutive term Tuesday with a landslide victory over Democratic challenger Charles F. Mallon. Chatfield won 78 percent of the vote, defeating the first-term Town Council member, 2,040-591. Throughout his campaign, Chatfield’s message was simple: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” And it appeared that the vast majority of Prospect voters shared this sentiment with the beloved “Mayor Bob,” who will now be entering his 33rd straight year as mayor of the town.