Gina DellaRose isn’t a particularly imposing person: She barely clears five feet tall, has flowing brown hair and wide brown eyes, and is one of the sweetest-spoken girls you could…

At the outset of this all-decade project, there was nearly nothing set in stone. There was an enormous amount of research that needed to be done to properly choose the members of each team and best rank each of the top lists. There was a least one thing that was a sure bet from the beginning, though, and that was Naugatuck’s top athlete of the decade: Brian Mariano.

Mariano’s exploits in Garnet and Grey are stuff of legend: He won 11 NVL titles in 11 varsity seasons, was a combined six-time all-NVL selection, a five-time all-state honoree, once an All-New England pick, twice an All-America honorable mention, twice an All-America choice, and a national champion, all of which came in soccer and diving (of course, the latter was his bread and butter). Not bad for a guy who never planned on stepping foot on the one-meter springboard.

1. Gina DellaRose ’05 (soccer, track and field): Athlete of the decade 2. Shane Kingsley ’06 (football, basketball, baseball): Combined 3-time All-State, 5-time All-NVL; 2005 New Haven Register All-State football;…

1. Brian Mariano ’02 (soccer, diving, track and field): Athlete of the decade 2. Ryan Kinne ’07 (soccer): All-America, 2-time All-New England, 2-time All-State, 2-time All-NVL; 2006 NVL Boys’ Soccer…

Top Five Teams of the Decade 1. 2004 Football: The only undefeated NVL and state champion in school history; posted a school-record 437 points and 7 shutouts; 7 All-NVL picks 2….

Top Five Teams of the Decade 1. 2001 Boys’ Soccer: The decade’s first state championship at NHS; t-most wins of the decade (19-1-1); 1 All-American, 2 All-New Englanders, 5 All-NVLers 2….

Team of the decade: 2004 Undefeated Class SS and NVL champion; No. 6 in final NH Register poll; WRHS records points (437), shutouts (7); 3 All-State picks; 7 All-NVL picks…

Team of the decade: 2001 Best record of the decade (10-0 regular season, 10-1 overall); NVL champion; last NHS team to beat Ansonia and qualify for Class LL Tournament; 7…

Team of the decade: 2008 Best record in school history (10-7-1); first team to qualify for NVL tournament Player of the decade: Jesse Menzies All-New England (2008); All-State (2007-08); All-NVL…

Team of the decade: 2001 T-most wins of the decade (19-1-1); Class LL state champion; NVL champion Player of the decade: Ryan Kinne All-America (2006); All-New England (2005-06); All-State (2005-06);…