Here are the Rivereast Standouts of the Week for the week of Feb 6 – 12:
Meghan McPhee and Lily Tabellione - Portland High School (Track & Field): McPhee and Tabellione won individual state titles at the Class S state championships that took place at the Floyd Athletic Center on Feb. 9. McPhee won the 600 meters, running a personal-best 1:42.41 to edge runner-up Kiylah Williams (1:43.41) of Bloomfield. Tabellione won the 1,000 meters, crossing the finish line with a personal-best time of 3:05.97 and easily defeating runner-up Catherine Minegan (3:09.59) of Old Saybrook. Next up for the pair is the State Open in New Haven on Saturday, Feb. 18, starting at noon. Nina Holm - RHAM High School (Ice Hockey): Holm scored the game-winning goal as the Nighthawks—a co-op team featuring players from RHAM, Avon, Southington, Wethersfield, Newington, Lewis Mills, and Coventry—dealt Darien their first loss of the season. Holm, a senior, intercepted a pass and fired a shot into the back of the net with less than a minute to play in regulation as the local ice hockey club won 7-6 and shocked a Blue Wave team in Darien that entered the contest with a record of 16-0-2. Brian Collisson - East Hampton High School (Track & Field): Collisson cleared a personal-best height of 11’ 06” in the pole vault to finish as the runner-up at the Class S state championships in New Haven on Feb. 9. Collisson’s efforts were good enough to tie the best jump at the event, finishing behind only Kian Sirowich of Woodland, who by a tie-breaker. The junior will now compete at the State Open at the Floyd Little Athletic Center on Saturday, Feb. 18, starting at noon. Dante Colella - Bacon Academy High School (Wrestling): Colella finished in third place at the Eastern Connecticut Conference (ECC) championships in Killingly on Feb 11. Colella, a junior who wrestles at 170 lbs., defeated Sebastian Rodriguez (9-6) in the quarterfinals round and then easily won the rematch with Rodriguez (6-0) in the third-place match. Carson Brown (160 lbs.) placed fourth and Gabe Mahon (145 lbs.) placed fifth to also earn podium spots for the Bobcats at the conference tournament. To nominate someone as an Athlete of the Week or with sports-related questions, email joshhowardsports@gmail.com
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Wethersfield senior Nicole Partridge hit statistical milestones in back to back games in early February.
Nicole Partridge - Wethersfield High School (Ice Hockey): Partridge achieved a pair of milestones in consecutive games. She scored her 100th point on Feb. 3 as the Nighthawks defeated Fairfield Ludlowe/Warde 3-1 at the Newington Ice Arena and then tallied her 50th goal the following night in a win over Woodstock Academy in Promfret. Partridge, a senior, entered the week with 107 career points as a member of the co-op team that features players from Wethersfield, Avon, Southington, Newington, RHAM, Lewis Mills, and Coventry. Audrey Dana - Cromwell High School (Track & Field): Dana finished third in the 55 meter dash at the Shoreline Conference (SLC) Championship on Feb. 3. Dana, a sophomore, also teamed with Molly Caserta, Isabella Coite, and Taylor Mooney for a third placed finish in the 4x400. Mooney (6th / 600 meters), Coite (6th / 1000 meters), and Delaney Belcourt (8th / 300 meters) also had top-ten finishes at the conference championships held at Floyd Athletic Center in New Haven. Adam Alexander - Newington High School (Basketball): Alexander posted a double-double, scoring a dozen points and grabbing ten rebounds as the Nor’easters defeated Rocky Hill 60-29 on Feb. 7. Avery Mickens scored a team-high 15 points, while Gavin Gray and Josiah Sims each chipped in nine points in the victory, which was Newington’s sixth straight. The Nor’easters close the regular season at home, hosting Wethersfield at NHS on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 6:45 p.m. Daniel DiTunno - Rocky Hill High School (Track & Field): DiTunno placed fifth in the 3,200 meters and had a top-ten finish in the 1,600 meters at the Class S State Championships held at the Floyd Athletic Center in New Haven on Feb. 9. DiTunno, a sophomore, has helped lead the Terriers on the track this winter, starring as a distance runner. Shalyn Smith - Middletown High School (Basketball): Smith scored 22 points as the Blue Dragons took down Maloney 56-36 on Feb. 10. Smith, a junior guard, leads Middletown in both scoring (16 points per game) and assist (five per game) as the Blue Dragons team finished the regular season with double digit wins and are now preparing for the postseason tournaments. Newington sophomore Selah Prignano scored 20 points in the first half at the Nor’easters took down Rocky Hill 70-32 last Tuesday.
Newington High School girls basketball was clicking on all cylinders at Rocky Hill High School last Tuesday night, scoring at will in the first half during a 70-32 victory over the Terriers on Feb 7. Rocky Hill was celebrating Senior Night, yet it was the visiting Nor’easters who stormed out of the gates. Newington head coach Marc Tancredi was happy with his team’s rapid ball movement in the win, praising the team for being unselfish. “We have multiple scoring threats,” added Tancredi. “The emphasis is to share [the ball]. It’s about making that one more pass and trusting that your teammate will be able to make the play.” Newington used a 23-0 scoring run in the first half to take a commanding 30-point lead into the halftime break. Sophomore Selah Prignano scored 20 points, all in the first half, knocking down three shots from beyond the arc during Newington’s scoring surge. Prignano was a key reserve a season ago as a freshman, coming off the bench as a defensive specialist, and has now transformed into a threat on both ends of the court. “I feel a lot more comfortable, with my shot and my overall basketball IQ,” said Prignano, who also had five steals defensively. “I feel like I’m more involved and confident and being part of the team.” Sophomore Bella Cucuta ended any doubt of a Rocky Hill rally by knocking down a trio of 3-point shots in the third quarter, putting Newington up 54-17 early in the second half. Cucuta is coming off an all-conference season as a freshman and now finds herself in a leadership role as well. “I definitely feel like I’m more of a leader and have had to step up in my position,” said Cucuta, who finished with 20 points. With a 37-point lead, both Prignano and Cucuta exited the game with 5:33 left in the third quarter. Tancredi said his sophomore duo is playing beyond their years, crediting the pair for maturing on and off the court. “We expected a lot out of them coming into this season and it was a slow start, but they are starting to emerge.” added Tancredi. “They are both very talented and are now growing up and learning how to play the way that we need to play to win basketball games.” Senior captain Brianna Gadarowski added eight points, while sophomore Kendall Miller added six points, seven assists, five rebounds and three steals. The goals have remained lofty for a Nor’easters team that is coming off a state championship appearance a season ago. Prignano said the championship quest a season ago, which ended with a loss to powerhouse Notre Dame-Fairfield in the Class LL championship game at Mohegan Sun, helped fueled the team’s drive this season. “The [championship] game put into perspective where we can get to,” Prignano said of the title game last winter. “We know what we can do and we know how well we work together.” The departure of all-state Lilly Ferguson (currently playing basketball for The University of Massachusetts) and three other influential seniors forced the team to learn on the fly with a new rotation this winter. The early results were rough as the Nor’easters started the 2022-2023 by losing two of their first four games. Tancredi said the team’s inexperience showed in the early stages of the season, but they have since learned to play with and play off of one another. “We just matured and grew up a little bit. We understand what we need to do to win basketball games,” Tancredi added. “We’ve learned to play together as a team and we’re playing to our strengths.” Since a 59-35 loss to Hamden on Dec. 28, the Nor’easter have not lost a game in the state of Connecticut with their only loss this calendar year being a game at Springfield College against St. John Vianney (NJ), who are a top-ranked team in the country. Following the out-of-state loss, the team closed the regular season on an eight-game winning streak, finishing with a record of 16-3. Tancredi said it’s the “little things” that the team needs to improve on before the conference and state tournament rolls around later this month. “We need to have better decision making and communicate better,” added Tancredi. “We can’t have any mishaps against the best teams in the state because that could be the difference in the game.” Despite the loss, the Terriers finished the regular season strong and posted a record of 14-6. Senior players Christina DeNovellis, Alyssa Gau, Kate Oostendorp, and Abigail Boutin, along with senior manager Mia Mascaro were honored prior to the game. McKinnon credited his seniors for helping him implement his brand of basketball since he took over the program three seasons ago. “They lead by example on and off the court and I couldn't ask for better core group to be the captains of our team,” stated McKinnon Over the last two years, the seniors have helped lead the team to back to back double digit win seasons and a pair of state tournament appearances. “They have laid the foundations for the future and have been great role models,” added McKinnon. Rocky Hill basketball seniors from left; Mia Mascaro (manager), Abigail Boutin, Christina DeNovellis, Kate Oostendorp, and Alyssa Gau were recognized prior to the Terriers game against Newington on Feb. 7. Lexi Pacheco, a junior at Glastonbury High School, scored three goals as the Storm won in Bridgeport on Feb. 6.
Lexi Pacheco, a junior at Glastonbury High School, scored a career-high three goals as the Storm defeated Fairfield Ludlowe/Warde 8-1 on Feb. 6. The Storm is a local ice hockey team that includes players from Glastonbury, East Catholic, South Windsor, Tolland, and Rockville. It was the first time Pacheco had a hat trick in a game, scoring a pair over the first two periods and netting her third in the final period at Wonderland Ice Rink in Bridgeport. “It felt good; it felt like I accomplished a goal,” stated Pacheco. “I set personal goals for myself each season and that is not a main one, but it’s always something that I wanted to accomplish.” Pacheco led an explosive offensive charge that also got goals from Norah McCauliffe, Deirdre McKiernan, Lili Ficaro, and freshman Juliana Sirois, who scored her first varsity goal. Goalie Lola Espirito-Santo earned the win in goal, saving 18 shots as the Storm earned their 12th victory this year. Following a sophomore season in which she tallied 18 points, Pacheco has increased her production and become one of the Storms’ main offensive threats. Storm head coach Frank Usseglio said that Pacheco showed offensive talent over her first two seasons, yet he sees a “huge difference” in both production and leadership from her this winter. “She has been consistent every year, but her overall game has improved so much,” added Usseglio. “She plays a lot of minutes and is carrying a load for us.” Pacheco switched club teams in the offseason, joining the Cromwell-based Wolfpack. She said the change has been beneficial. “I’m more comfortable on the ice and I definitely feel like I improved since last year,” added Pacheco. Her older sister, Bella Pacheco, is a senior captain on the team, starring on the defensive end. The younger Pacheco said it’s been fun to play with her older sibling and that they have that extra connection on the ice, adding, “We know where each other are, especially with long distances passes. We know what to expect out of each other.” Two nights before Pacheco tallied her hat trick, Ficaro — a sophomore from South Windsor — pulled the same feat in a 7-0 win over Greenwich in Newington. The 15 goals in back-to-back games were the most the team has had over a two-game stretch this season. Pacheco said that, despite the team graduating some of her best friends a season ago, the chemistry on the ice has remained solid. The team closed the week with their most impressive win of the season, defeating the reigning conference champion Southington/Avon Nighthawks 1-0 tonight at Newington Ice Arena, improving to 13-3. Goalie Kelsey Kowal (31 saves) and the Storm defenders kept the high powered Nighthawks at bay all night. It was the first time all season that the Nighthawks were held without a goal. Ficaro scored the game-winning goal in overtime, with an assist from sophomore Kate McKiernan and freshman Charlie Laramee. The goal was Ficaro’s 14th this season, which leads the team. Usseglio said that Ficaro’s game-winner was a “laser shot” and added that both Ficaro and Pacheco are powering an offense that is just starting to reach their potential. It was a great measuring stick game for the Storm, who lost to the Nighthawks in the Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) tourney a year ago. With postseason play starting later this month, Usseglio said he likes how his team is performing on both ends of the ice. “We’ve made great strides,” added Usseglio, who is in his 11th year leading the Storm. “Offensively we’re playing better than we were earlier in the year and we have been putting the puck in the net lately, but defense is our staple. We’re very mature defensively.” The Storm play their final regular season home game this Friday, Feb. 17, welcoming Stamford/Westhill/Staples to Newington Ice Arena. Face-off is 8:30 p.m. After waiting two years to make his debut on the high school wrestling mat, Glastonbury High School junior Troy Giaccone is now a conference champion.
Giaccone, who wrestles at 182 lbs., defeated Gavin Fallon of Avon to win the Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) title at Glastonbury High School on Feb. 4. “Just seeing all the coaches excited for me and seeing all my teammates excited for me felt great,” stated Giaccone. “It felt like all the work that I put in at practice had paid off.” Making Giaccone’s accomplishment even more rewarding is that he spent his first two high school season patiently waiting for his chance to compete. He lost his freshman season to the Covid-19 cancellation in 2021 and a season ago he missed his entire sophomore season due to a broken ankle. Despite the season-ending injury, Giaccone said he attended every practice last winter and used that time to train mentality in preparation for his return. GHS head coach Jake Jones said he could see Giaccone’s drive from day one, but wasn’t sure what to expect out of him this winter because of his lack of time on the mat “His greatest attribute is definitely his work ethic,” stated Jones. “Not a lot of high school athletes are getting themselves in the gym after practice every day, and I think Troy’s strength is a large part of his success.” Entering the conference championship, Giaccone was the fourth ranked wrestler in his weight class. His road to the championship would include knocking off the top two seeds to win the championship. In the semifinals, he took down the top-seed Jesse Baldwin of Middletown, who had just defeated Giaccone in a tournament the previous week. Once the CCC bracket was unveiled, Giaccone was thrilled to get a shot at redemption. “My coach came up to me and said this is exactly how we want the bracket because I was going to face him in the semis,” recalled Giaccone. “It really happened how we wanted it. I wanted to go against him again and I knew I could beat him because I only lost by one point the first time.” Jones added that Giaccone approached the rematch with a different mindset. “Troy admitted himself that he went into the [first] match nervous because Baldwin is a big, strong wrestler himself,” added Jones. “I knew that we would be able to beat him when we saw him again and we were lucky enough to see him a week later. It definitely is a confidence boost beating good wrestlers. Wins are wins, but wins against guys that know what they’re doing are definitely good for a wrestler’s confidence.” After eliminating Baldwin, Giaccone said his confident was at an all-time high going into the title match which he completely dominated, beating Fallon by a major decision (10-0). “It felt amazing,” said Giaccone, who said friends and coaches came up to congratulate him following the victory. It was made extra special that GHS was the host site for the tourney. The Guardians finished ninth overall at the event with Andrew De La Rosa (138 lbs.) and Kyle Amirault (145 lbs.) placing fourth and Ryan Ouelette (113 lbs.) placing sixth. Giaccone, who has been wrestling since the 4th grade, admitted that his first matches this season were nerve-wracking after having two years without competition. Once he settled the nerves, he’s been a wrecking ball, winning 23 of 26 matches this year. He credited wrestling partner and senior captain Andi Jano for his guidance this year, saying Jano gives him advice before matches and providing Pedialyte afterwards to replenish the electrolytes. Along with wrestling, Giaccone also runs cross-country and plays lacrosse at GHS . The three-sport athlete said that the stamina training from cross-country allows him to “go the length in any match” and that the physicality of lacrosse prepares him for the rigors of wrestling. Next up is the Class LL championship, taking place at Trumbull High School, on Feb. 17 and 18. “Troy is definitely reaching his potential,” stated Jones “I see good things ahead for Troy.” After overcoming a two-year absence from wrestling, there’s no telling what is next for the rising wrestler. “I’m just ready for it,” Giaccone said of the upcoming tournaments “I’m going to do the best I can.” East Hampton’s Liana Salamone drives around Valley Regional’s Siena Schaller during the Bellringers 44-39 victory last Friday. Salamone led all scorers with 23 points.
Sophomore sensation Liana Salamone was at her best when it counted the most. After being held scoreless in the first quarter, Salamone went into attack mode over the final three quarters and finished with a game-high 23 points as East Hampton girls’ basketball rallied to defeat Valley Regional 44-39 on Feb. 3. Salamone, the team’s leading scorer the past two seasons, exploded for 13 points in the fourth quarter as the Bellringers erased a deficit over the final eight minutes to earn their 15th win this winter. Despite playing with the home court advantage, East Hampton struggled from the field for most of the game, trailing by as many as ten points in the second half. The tide began to shift midway through the third quarter when Salamone scored four straight points to spark a 10-2 scoring run for the home team. In the closing minute of the third quarter, sophomore Katie Ireland buried a three-pointer and senior captain Jordan Murphy scored on a rebound putback to cut the deficit to four entering the final frame. A baseline three-pointer from Ireland with 1:30 to play in regulation gave the Bellringers their first lead since it was 3-2 in the first minute of the game. Salamone scored five straight points late in regulation and the Bellringers defense stiffened late, holding the road-weary Warriors to two points in the final three minutes of the game, to polish off the victory. The win was a microcosm of the season for the Bellringers, who have battled through adversity since longtime head coach Shaun Russell was put on suspension after shoving one of his players in a win at Valley Regional High School on Dec. 20. Allyson Smith, a 2005 graduate of East Hampton High School, is serving as the team’s interim coach in Russell’s absence. Smith was a two-time all-state and four-time all-conference basketball player at East Hampton High School, finishing with 1,444 points and as the school’s all-time leader in steals, before winning a National Title as a member of Southern Connecticut State University basketball team from 2005-2009. Despite the early-season controversy followed by the coaching shift, the Bellringers haven’t missed a beat on the court. They have won 16 of 17 games this season, outscoring their opponents by nearly 31 points per game. Salamone, who was the only freshman girls’ basketball player to be named all-state last winter, has again paced the team offensively but had trouble finding her rhythm in the first quarter against Valley Regional. Early on, junior Delaney Russell picked up the slack on the offensive end, scoring the team’s first eight points including a pair of three-pointers in the first quarter. Salamone did most of her damage in the second half when she outscored the Warriors (17-16) by herself over the final two quarters. But it was the team’s defense that allowed them to close the door, holding Valley Regional to a mere seven points over the final eight minutes. Valley Regional’s senior captain Abigail Bradbury scored a team-high 19 points, but only three points came in the decisive fourth quarter thanks to a defensive effort led by East Hampton’s all-conference junior Jackie Russell. Following the win over Valley, East Hampton beat Morgan 57-24 on Tuesday, extending the team’s winning streak to 11 games. Next up is a rematch with conference foe Cromwell (14-4) at Cromwell High School (today) Friday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. The Panthers from Cromwell are the only team to defeat East Hampton this season, winning 38-29 at East Hampton High School on Jan. 3. They also won last year’s game regular season meeting, handing the Bellringers one of only two regular season losses during the 2021-2022 season. Since 2016, East Hampton and Cromwell have dominated the Shoreline Conference (SLC), combining to win seven straight conference championships with the Bellringers winning the last three and the Panthers holding the crown from 2016-2019. The rival teams are also two of the top-ranked team in Class M, meaning they have potential conference and state postseason games on the horizon. Here are the Rivereast Standouts of the Week for the week of Jan. 30 – Feb. 5:
Andrew Johnson - Portland High School (Wrestling): Johnson was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler after taking first place in (182 lbs.) at the Matt Bishel Bobcat Classic at Bacon Academy High School on Feb. 4. Johnson and fellow senior captain Spencer Rosado (138 lbs.) were the two Highlanders to win their respective weight classes as Portland finished in 3rd place overall as a team. Saniyah Otero - Bacon Academy High School (Track and Field): Otero won the high jump at the Eastern Connecticut Division II Indoor Track and Field Championship at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London on Feb. 4. Otero, a junior, jumped 4 ‘06” to win the competition and senior teammate Megan Braga jumped 4 ‘04” to tie for third-place as the Bobcats finished sixth overall as a team. Brady Lynch - East Hampton High School (Basketball): Lynch scored 32 points in a thrilling 68-67 win over Haddam-Killingworth on Jan. 31. Lynch, a sophomore, scored a career-high 35 points in the game the previous week and is averaging over 20 points per game this season for a Bellringers team that has already qualified for the state tournament and could make some waves in the Shoreline Conference (SLC) tournament starting later this month. Dylan Devine - RHAM High School (Wrestling): Devine won a conference championship, defeating Jack Janes of Avon to win the 152-pound division at the Central Connecticut Conference Championship at Glastonbury High School on Feb. 4. Devine, a senior, defeated Mike Affum of Southington, Michael Norman of Glastonbury, and Ryan Zydanowicz of Hall to reach the finals. The Raptors finished second overall at the conference championship, finishing behind only East Hartford. Taylor Gerst (left) and Melinda McKenzie are captaining a Bacon Academy fencing team with a bright future.
Bacon Academy High School fencing head coach Max Levesque is continuing a fencing legacy at the school. Levesque, a 2012 graduate of Bacon Academy, first started fencing while in high school under the team’s inaugural head coach David Comas-Diaz and is now continuing the teachings of the program’s founder “I’m getting a feel for what best I could do for the kids,” said Levesque, who is in his second season since taking over as the head coach. “It’s neat to be here; I do enjoy being back.” At the turn of the century, fencing made its debut at the high school as a club sport under Comas-Diaz. In 2015, Mike Vinickas took over the program the same year that fencing became an officially recognized sport through the Connecticut High School Fencing Association. The following season Cooper Johnson became the program’s third head coach and he brought in Levesque as an assistant coach in 2017. Following Johnson’s departure, Levesque officially took over the reins prior to the 2021-2022 season. Vinickas and Johnson also fenced and learned the ropes under Comas-Diaz, making Leveque the fourth branch on the coaching tree of Comas-Diaz. “We are all his disciples,” said Levesque, who attended Rochester Institute of Technology and fenced for the school’s club team, eventually becoming the club’s Vice President for three years, before returning to Colchester Now in charge at Bacon Academy, Levesque’s goal is to rebuild a program that previously won an Eastern Connecticut Conference (ECC) championship as a team and have had several individual conference champs from 2011-2019. Levesque currently has a dozen promising fencers on his roster, yet he does not have a single senior and seven are novice (first-year) fencers. Luckily he has a pair of experienced captains in juniors Taylor Gerst and Melinda McKenzie. Gerst competes as a foil, using a light rectangular blade where points are scored when the tip of the blade lands within the torso of the body. She first joined the team as a freshman after searching for a sport to do during the winter months. Gerst, who also plays soccer and is on the track team for the school, said the sport of fencing has shaped her as a person and called the team “a big family.” “Looking back, I'm two complete different people. I have changed both mentally and physically, in fencing and in general,” stated Gerst, who received a Sportsmanship Award at the conference championships a year ago. McKenzie is an epee, using a slightly larger and stiffer blade where the target area is the entire body. She was selected as a Scholar-Athlete a year ago and said her rise through the sport has been swift. “I came in as a freshman knowing nothing about fencing. My only exposure to the sport was from books and that one scene from The Parent Trap,” recalled a smiling McKenzie. “I’ve learned so much and I’ve met a lot of really good people. I think we have a really good group of kids this year; it’s a really good environment.” Gerst and McKenzie formed a friendship prior to fencing, having both competed in taekwondo. The captains agreed that a lot of disciplines they learned in the Korean martial art sport have translated to fencing. With three years of fencing under their belts, they have become both leaders and successful in competition, each winning over 60% of their bouts. “When I decided on captains it felt natural to choose them. They seemed obvious to me,” stated Levesque, who added the two have been helpful in his transition from assistant coach to head coach. On the boys’ side, sophomore Bennett Holloway is leading the way. Holloway, an epee, has won 69% of his bouts and has shown major improvement. During a Dec. 17 tri-school bout against Norwich Free Academy and Waterford, Bennett won only two of six bouts. However, in the rematch with the two schools on Jan. 28, Bennett won all six of his bouts. Levesque said he is excited to see where Holloway and the rest of the young fencers can take the program over the next couple of years. “We are very young and it’s a rebuilding year, but we’re doing well,” stated Levesque. “Next year I definitely could see some more success.” With his entire roster scheduled to return next winter, Levesque said the goal is to keep improving the athletes within the program and hopefully grow the number of fencers. Levesque said the team has created fundraisers and reached out to local businesses to help spread the word about the program and build better relationships with the community. Up next is a ‘Novice Only’ tournament for first-year fencers this Saturday, Feb. 11 at Waterford High School (8:30 p.m.). The team’s regular season finale will take place at New London High School against New London and Griswold on Saturday, Feb. 18 (9 a.m.) before competing in the ECC tourney and state competition to close out the season. For Gerst and McKenzie, they just want to keep improving individually and helping the novice fencers. “The best part is the people,” Gerst said of the sport of fencing. “Someone on Waterford that I went to club with was helping our squad out and giving us pointers against another team. Everyone comes together and at the end of the day, we are all friends.” McKenzie, who also does cross-country and track at the high school, added that it’s nice to be on the ground level of rebuilding the fencing program. “It’s a cool experience for me to be able to help in some ways,” added McKenzie. “When I first started no one knew there was fencing team and now I’ve been one of the people that have helped spread the word.” Wethersfield High School swimming and diving defeated Rocky Hill 101-71 on Jan. 23.
WHS sophomore Paolo Pirrotta won the 100 yard freestyle and was on a pair of relay teams that also won. Pirrotta teamed with Joseph Andino, Alexander Ahrens, and Owen Powers to win the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay and joined forces with Ahrens, Paxton Smith, and Kevin Peling to close out the meet with a win in the 400 Yard Freestyle Relay. Rocky Hill junior Ved Bathula won a pair of races for the Terriers, taking home first in the 100 and 200 Yard Freestyle. Outside of Bathula, WHS took first place in the other events. Powers won the 200 Yard Individual Medley, Andino won the 50 Yard Freestyle, Miguel Gonzalez Otero won the 500 Yard Freestyle, Peling won the 100 Yard Backstroke, and Jack Simmons won the 100 Yard Breaststroke. Wethersfield also won the 200 Yard Medley Relay as Peling, Simmons, Andino, and Broden Wilhelm teamed up for the victory. Chase Dumais of Wethersfield also scored the most points in the diving competition. Both Rocky Hill and Wethersfield have home meets against Newington on the horizon. The Terriers welcome the Nor’easter to RHHS on Tuesday, Feb 14 for a meet at 3:45. The following week, the Eagles next play host to Newington on Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 5 p.m. Madisyn Aurigemma - Rocky Hill High School (Basketball): Aurigemma scored a career-high 14 points as the Terriers downed Tolland 52-39 on Jan. 31. Aurigemma, a freshman, has been a spark plug off the bench for a Rocky Hill team that entered the week with a record of 10-5. Next up is a home game against Bulkeley on Friday, Feb. 10 at 6 p.m.
Angelo Hughes - Wethersfield High School (Track & Field): Hughes finished third in the pole vault at the Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) championships in New Haven on Jan. 28. Hughes, a senior, vaulted a personal-best 10 '6”, the same height as senior teammate Alejandro Rodriguez, who placed 4th. Both Eagles vaulters will now compete at the Class L championships this Saturday, Feb. 10 at the Floyd Athletic Center, starting at 4:30 p.m. Sarah Aldrich - Newington High School (Cheerleading): Aldrich took first place in the Top Gun Tumbling at the Windsor Warrior Cheer competition last weekend. The Nor’easters finished 1st and 3rd overall in the Top Gun Group Stunting as Bella Longo placed second overall in the Top Gun Jumps. Newington finished 4th overall as a team at the competition. Victor Payne - Cromwell High School (Basketball): Payne scored 36 points as the Panthers defeated Old Saybrook 69-51 on Jan. 24. Payne, a junior, is the leading scorer for a Panthers team that has won 14 of their first 15 games this winter. Next up is an important road conference road test at East Hampton (tonight) Thursday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. Chris Adamczyk - Rocky Hill High School (Wrestling): Adamczyk won the Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) championship in the 220-pound bracket at Glastonbury High School on Feb 4. Adamczyk defeated Nick Ebrahimi of Berlin in the title bout to take the conference crown and will now focus on the Class S state championship later this month. To nominate someone as the Athlete of the Week or with sports-related questions, email joshhowardsports@gmail.com |
AuthorSports Editor for the Rare Reminder, Glastonbury Citizen, and Rivereast News Bulletin Archives
December 2023
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