Fairfield Warde wins fourth straight FCIAC wrestling title

Mustangs edge Ridgefield to continue their dominance in the conference

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Fairfield Warde won its fourth consecutive FCIAC wrestling championship on Saturday, February 14, 2026, scoring 203.5 points to edge out Ridgefield (196 points) and Danbury (180.5 points). The Mustangs had 11 wrestlers place on the podium, including individual champions Paul Soracco (138 pounds) and Dylan O'Brian (190 pounds).

Why it matters

Warde and Danbury have dominated the FCIAC wrestling scene for decades, with one of the two teams winning every conference title since 1987. This latest championship extends Warde's recent run of success and showcases the program's depth and ability to overcome the loss of top talent from previous seasons.

The details

Warde overcame a strong challenge from Ridgefield, which had five individual champions including repeat winners John Carozza (144 pounds) and Cole Desiano (113 pounds). Danbury also had four individual champions. Warde coach Jason Shaughnessy praised his team's ability to score points on both the front and back sides of the bracket to hold off the other top contenders.

  • The FCIAC wrestling championship took place on Saturday, February 14, 2026.
  • This was Warde's fourth consecutive FCIAC title, with their previous championship coming in 2025.

The players

Fairfield Warde

The Fairfield Warde High School wrestling team, which has won five FCIAC championships overall, including four in a row from 2023 to 2026.

Ridgefield

The Ridgefield High School wrestling team, which finished second at the 2026 FCIAC championship, matching their best-ever finish from 2003.

Danbury

The Danbury High School wrestling team, which has won 34 of the last 35 FCIAC championships prior to Warde's recent run of success.

Paul Soracco

A senior at Fairfield Warde who won the 138-pound individual title at the 2026 FCIAC championship.

Dylan O'Brian

A senior at Fairfield Warde who won his second consecutive FCIAC individual title, this time at 190 pounds, after winning at 165 pounds the previous year.

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What they’re saying

“Ridgefield is a super strong team, really good front-side bracket wrestlers, Danbury is a very balanced team like ourselves, and Trumbull's really strong as well. The competition is strong at FCIACs, so we were really pleased that we were able to balance it out between the front side of the bracket and the back side of the bracket, and have enough points to stay ahead of those good teams.”

— Jason Shaughnessy, Warde coach (Greenwich Time)

“Freshman year, I didn't get to contribute to it because I wasn't wrestling in this tournament, but now as a senior, I was able to contribute a lot to it. These four years, this program has made me a better person and a better athlete. It's been great.”

— Dylan O'Brian (Greenwich Time)

“Right when I got here as a freshman, seeing the team win, I didn't realize how big of a thing it was. Last year, we had one of the best teams ever and I was truly gifted to be a starter on that team. This year, we lost a lot of good kids, but our second strings, me included, pulled it together and still got the win.”

— Paul Soracco (Greenwich Time)

What’s next

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The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.