Glastonbury High School senior Charlie Dolan is normally preparing for a golf season in March.
           
However, this spring is different. 
           
GHS boys’ golf was moved to the fall, so Dolan’s days on the local links for the Guardians are over and now he sets off on a course to the next set of courses. 
           
Dolan has committed to continue playing golf at McDaniel College in Maryland. 
           
“I thought it was a perfect fit academically and as a golf school,” said Dolan, who is undeclared on his major but is leaning towards business. “It’s a good balance between academics and golf. I went to visit and what sold me was the guys and the coach, they were really welcoming.”
           
Dolan explored several schools, including colleges locally and in Florida, before ultimately deciding the college in Westminster, MD was a happy medium, weather-wise and from a distance standpoint.
           
The previous 12-months were a whirlwind for Dolan, who played two high school seasons and participated in several summer tournaments from April through October of 2021. 
           
After his sophomore high school season was cancelled because of the Covid-19, Dolan returned as one of the state’s best amateur golfers as a junior. He finished tied for ninth (+2) at the Division I championship and followed it up with a top-15 performance at the Open Championships. 
           
His senior year was moved to the fall and he took full advantage of the short turnaround, playing his most consistent golf and posting his best season yet as GHS finish as the runner-up overall in Division I. Dolan tied for second overall at the Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) championship, matching senior teammate Connor Goode, each shooting a 72. 
           
Dolan said the healthy competition between himself and Goode—who committed to play golf at the University of Connecticut—allowed the golfers to excel and was good preparation for collegiate competition. 
           
“We definitely have that next level competitiveness and we’ll need that in college,” said Dolan. “[Connor] pushed me and appreciated that from him. It made me a better player.”
           
Playing at GHS, Dolan teed-off against the best golfers in the state. He said that he matured into a better player because of both the competition in practice and with the elite teams the Guardians faced.
           
Tom Zelek, his coach at GHS, said that Dolan developed the skills to compete at the highest levels, evidenced by his performance at the Avon Invitational when he was the co-medalist with Goode, each shooting a (-2). 
           
Dolan also finished in the top-6 of all Connecticut high school golfers and represented Team Connecticut at the New England Championship.
           
“Charlie possesses many of the attributes to be successful at any level he aspires to. He has the confidence to take on challenging courses and pressure-packed situations,” said Zelek. “Charlie is able to move on from a bad shot or terrible break and focus and concentrate on the shot at hand.”
           
Zelek added that Dolan’s creativity on the course, combined with his competitiveness and motivation to succeed with help him thrive the next level.
           
The admiration between coach and player was mutual as Dolan said he couldn’t have asked to play for a better high school program, adding, “I appreciate coach Zelek. He pushed us and we have a great program. I loved the guys we had. We definitely have one of the best programs and that will definitely help me in college.”
           
The consecutive seasons last spring and fall also helped Dolan become a more focused and well-rounded golfer. He played continuous golf for seven straight months.
           
“I think that was why I played so well,” recalled Dolan. “I think that helped me because in college you will play spring, summer, fall for four years so it definitely prepared me for what is coming next.”
           
At McDaniel, golf will become a 12-month a year gig as competition takes place in both the fall and spring. 
           
He’ll be joining a program led by longtime coach Scott Moyer, who has led the Green Terror to eight NCAA National Championships and numerous conference championship titles in his 36 years with the school. 
           
Dolan said not preparing for a fall season is “weird” and that he will use this time to work his overall game, focusing on his club speed in an effort to hit it further off the tee, adding, “You can always work on your short game, chipping and putting. Those 6 to 10 footers that you need to roll in can make you three to four strokes better.” 
           
The soon-to-be GHS graduate began playing golf at the age of 10 after being introduced to the game by his father. 
           
“I was naturally good at it and have excelled from there. It’s definitely good to start at a young age because you can play for life,” he said. 
           
As he got into high school he realized that his hobby could become a passion that he could take to the next level. 
           
​“Golf is a frustrating sport where there is a lot of ups and down, but when you can have that success at a high level it definitely rewards you more than any other sport. It becomes so fun and entertaining. I just love it.” 

   Newington Lilly Ferguson against E.O. Smith in the Class L semifinals. Photo credit: Dan Healy - Eclipse Sportswire 

​Newington girls’ basketball played their final game of the season at Richard Rogalski Gymnasium, defeating Guilford 54-45 in the quarterfinals of the Class L state tournament on March 8.

Guilford gave the home team a scare early on, taking a 12-10 lead after the first quarter. The Nor’easters outscored the visiting Grizzlies 37-23 over the next two quarters to regain control and advance to the semifinals.  

Senior Lilly Ferguson led a balanced attack with 19 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Freshman Bela Cucuta and senior
Marlie Zocco each knocked down four three-pointers as the Nor’easters connected from 11 total shots from beyond the arc. 
Cucuta finished with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Zocco had 12 points and four rebounds. 

Newington, the top-seed in Class L, earned a pair of home games in the tourney because of their 19-1 regular season record. The win over Guilford, improved the Nor’easter to 11-0 at home this season.

It was a thoroughly dominant home stand for Newington, who outscored their visitors by nearly 28 points per game this winter.     

After winning a 35-34 thriller of E.O. Smith in the semifinals, Newington will now play Notre-Dame for all the marbles this Saturday. March 19 at 6:15 in the Class L state championship game at Mohegan Sun Arena. 

Eagles Ice Hockey Wins Tourney Thriller
Trailing 3-0 late in the second period, Wethersfield ice hockey was on the brink of elimination in the quarterfinals of the Division II state tournament at Koeppel Community Sports Center in New Britain. 
           
Undaunted, the Eagles deep senior class took over. 
           
Will McCarter scored on a knuckler in traffic in the waning stages of the period to start the comeback, before Colby Quinn scored on an improbable angle following an assist from junior Jack Millen, narrowing the deficit to one goal with six minutes left in regulation. 
           
With 25 seconds remaining in regulation, Wethersfield pulled their goalie in a last ditch effort and it worked. Millen won a draw and Ryan Mazur slid the puck over to his brother Shane Mazur, who fired a laser into the back of the net to tie the game up and send it into overtime. 
           
In the extra session, Shane Mazur duplicated his heroics with a long range slap shot game-winner after receiving a pass from Millen, advancing the Eagles to the semifinal round with a 4-3 victory. 
           
​The come-from-behind victory extended the season for the Eagles and the high school careers for eight seniors who created an unforgettable tourney memory.   

Nor’easters Put Terriers on Ice
Newington co-op ice hockey defeated Rocky Hill co-op 5-2 in the opening round of the Division III state tournament on March 7.
           
The Nor’easters found offense from a variety of sources and got 15 saves from goalie Jeremy Wagner to oust their conference rivals. 
           
Josh Grimm, Harrison Ranger, Evan Oliver, Andrew Stribling, and Evan Howard each found the back of the net in the victory. Grimm added a pair of assists.
           
After falling behind 1-0, the Terriers tied it up on a goal from Tyler Poulin in the closing minutes of the first period. 
           
Newington scored the next three goals before Jacob Nelly tipped in a goal following a shot from Gabe Boily, cutting the deficit to 4-2 midway through the third. 
           
Howard added an insurance goal for Newington late in regulation to seal the victory. 
           
It marked the third time that Newington defeated the Rocky Hill co-op—which includes Middletown, Plainville, and Haddam-Killingworth—defeating them Feb. 9 and Feb 26 by identical 7-2 scores. 
           
The loss ended the high school careers for eight seniors; Boily, Connor Konopka, Jacob Nelson, Sean Sides, Ryan Brady, Jeffrey Beliveau, and brothers Brody and Owen Davidson. 
           
After eliminating Rocky Hill, Newington knocked-off Staples 2-1 in the quarterfinals. 
           
Tyler Leavitt and Braeden Humphrey each scored and Wagner stopped a dozen more shots to preserve the victory. 

After a two-year hiatus, RHAM High School cheerleading is back atop the conference after winning the Central Connecticut Conference (CCC)-East on Feb. 19
           
It was a triumphant return for the Raptors, who overcame a difficult 24 months. 
           
RHAM cheer last won a division title in 2019. In February of 2020, head coach Danielle Levasseur said the team made “routine errors”, causing them to finish fourth in the conference championships.
           
When COVID-19 hit America soil in March of 2020, cheerleading was one of the sports most impacted. The team sport, which is indoors and includes close contact with multiple stunts and vocalizations, was extremely limited last season and postseason tournaments were canceled.  
           
This winter competition was back and better than ever, featuring events in the regular season and holding both conference and state tournaments. 
           
RHAM seniors Erin Lapierre, Hannah Mangiafico, Sydney Summerer, Rachel Gaudette, Amanda Simmons, and April Snyder helped groom a new group of gymnasts that was learning on the fly. 
           
Levasseur praised the half dozen seniors for their leadership and resilience, bridging the gap between the grade levels.  
           
“They have been a tremendous help in helping us rebuild over the last couple of years,” Levasseur said. “Other than [our seniors], most of our team is freshmen and sophomores and because of COVID they have not had the same level of opportunities and experience as our seniors do.”
           
Lapierre, Mangiafico, Summerer were selected All-CCC. Sophomores Paige Cavalieri and Danielle Poudrier also made all-conference. 
           
Heading into the conference championships, Levasseur said the team gained confidence after scheduling a competition ahead of the conference finals to get feedback from judges.   
           
“We were able to use feedback from that to make changes to our routine to get higher scores,” added Levasseur. “The week leading into CCCs they were having some really consistent practices. It was nice to see that we were hitting more frequently and getting much cleaner and their confidence was growing.”
           
RHAM High School hosted the CCC cheerleading championship this season, giving the Raptors some home cooking for their crowning achievement. 
           
“[The team] was really happy, especially with the year off that we were able to bounce back from that,” Levasseur said of the conference accomplishment.
           
RHAM cheer has become a standard of excellence and Levasseur has been a major part of that success over the past decade and a half. 
           
The now-coach was a former RHAM cheerleading captain prior to graduating in 2012 and becoming a cheer captain at Merrimack College until her graduation in 2016.      
           
She took over the program in 2017 and joined forces with assistant coach Alicia Goode, who was also a RHAM-graduate and former cheer co-captain with Levasseur in high school. 
           
The alumni-duo have continued to grow the program, while preaching the same positive principles they were taught.  
           
“It kind of fell in my lap and I am so happy that it did because I’ve enjoyed working with them and watching the program continue to grow,” Levasseur said of her return to RHAM.
           
After winning the conference, the Raptors competed in the state competition held at Floyd Athletic Center in New Haven on March 5, finishing 11th among Class M teams and placing ahead of 10 other teams.
           
It ended another banner year for the Raptors and the high school careers for the six seniors. 
           
Levasseur said the departing cheerleaders had a profound impact on the young girls, evidenced by the non-seniors giving speeches dedicated to the seniors on the team’s Senior Night. 
           
“It was really great to hear them talk about how much the seniors have inspired them,” said Levasseur. “I am really proud of how the seniors have been able to model for the underclassmen how to act, what they should be doing, how they should prepare for competition, and how to be great teammates.”
           
Levasseur added that the entire team, both senior and non-seniors, has been flexible, overcoming COVID-related absences, injuries, and lineup changes. 
           
​“They have been great at buckling down and getting right to work,” she added. “They have not complained about the things that have happened. They have persevered through to have the best performances that they can and make the most of this season.” 

Bacon Academy’s Cara Shea was named a Standout Athlete of the week after scoring a career-high in points on March 4. Shea is pictured at Mohegan Sun Arena during the conference finals. 

Here are the Rivereast Standout Athletes of the Week for the week of Feb. 28 - March 6.
           
Cara Shea - Bacon Academy High School (Basketball): Shea scored a career-high 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds as the Bobcats knocked off Griswold 77-34 in the second round of the Class M tournament on March 4. Shea, a sophomore, and junior Marissa Nudd combined to score 29 of Bacon’s 39 first-half points to give the Bobcats a comfortable 22-point lead at the break. Nudd finished with a game-high 20 points, while Valerie Luizzi netted 13 and Elizabeth Glover added 10.
           
Jessica Starr - East Hampton High School (Track & Field): Starr ran a personal-best 41.64 in the 300 meters at the New England Championships in Massachusetts on March 5. The senior, who has committed to the University of Connecticut to run track, finished eighth overall at the regional event held at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston.  
           
Nina Holm - RHAM High School (Ice Hockey): Holm had an assist as Avon-RHAM girls’ ice hockey co-op defeated Simsbury 3-1 in the quarterfinals of the state tournament on March 3. Holm, a junior at RHAM High School, dished out an assist for the team’s first goal, helping the co-op team reach the semifinals. Avon and RHAM are two of the schools that make up the seven-team co-op, joining Newington, Wethersfield, Coventry, Southington, and Lewis Mills.  
           
Eli Evison – Portland High School (Basketball): Evison earned first-team All-Shoreline Conference (SLC) for his consistent work on the courts this season. In the regular season, the versatile senior averaged 15 points and seven rebounds per game, both team-highs, and led the Highlanders in block shots this winter.     
           
​To nominate someone for an Athlete of the Week or with any questions or comments on sport-related topics, email Josh Howard at [email protected]

East Hampton freshman Brady Lynch is swarmed by multiple Cromwell defenders during the Bellringers Shoreline conference semifinal loss to the Panthers on March 1. 

East Hampton boys’ basketball gave top-seed Cromwell everything they could handle in the Shoreline Conference (SLC) semifinals before falling to the Panthers 63-43 at Cromwell High School on March 1.
           
“Their defensive pressure hurt us throughout the game,” East Hampton’s first-year head coach John Antolini said. “We came out flat and we missed a lot of shots. We missed a lot of shots that we normally make.”
           
Early in the second quarter J.J. Feehan hit a floater, giving Cromwell a 21-10 lead before East Hampton responded with a 14-3 run. 
           
Behind the spectacular play of freshman point guard Brady Lynch, who scored 10 points during the run, the Bellringers narrowed the margin to 25-24 after scoring eight straight points spanning the end of the first half into the early stages of the third. 
           
Cromwell’s senior captain Gianluca Albert ignited a 16-point run, which bled over into the fourth quarter. Albert, who was named the Shoreline Conference Player of the Year, finished with a game-high 21.
           
Antolini said the team lost their composure at times during the game, particularly during the crucial run, adding, “We rushed our offense which created a lot of misses. I give their defense a lot of credit for that. We just didn’t step up tonight.”
           
It was Bellringers third loss to the Panthers this winter, also falling in the two regular season games—Dec. 28 and Feb. 7—against their conference rivals.
           
“We were very stagnant tonight,” added Antolini. “We need to come out and be ready to play tonight in these types of games and we weren’t ready tonight.” 
           
Lynch led the team with 16 points, while Drew DiStefano added nine in the loss.
           
Antolini said it took Lynch a few games to assume a leadership role but he’s matured as the season has aged and has a great chemistry with older brother, Jye Lynch, who is a senior 
           
The Bellringers made the semifinals after upsetting Hale Ray in the first round of the SLC. They were coming off a 12-8 regular season in which they won four of their final six games to qualify for the postseason tournaments.
           
DiStefano made the All-SLC second team and Jye Lynch made the honorable mention team.      
           
“We’ve had a lot of success and we’ve won some really big games. We’ve competed in every single game,” Antolini said of his team as a whole. “We haven't given up and we have heart in every single game. We are a real physical team, which has had an impact every single night” 
           
Antolini, who spent the previous decade coaching basketball at Sports & Medical Science Academy (SMSA) in Hartford, wrapped up is first season at EHHS on Tuesday when the Bellringers fell to Windsor Locks in the first round of the Division V state tournament on March 8.
           
It was the final game for seven seniors: Jye Lynch, Ethan Palma, Connor Michalowski, Jack Watkins, Brady Battit, Miller Koziel, and Jack Blakey.

GHS boys 4x400 relay team qualified and competed at New England Regionals in Boston, MA. The team with alternates (l-r) Dominic Pena, Kevin Clarke, Jackson Boyd, Michael Sardo, Joseph Accurso, and Cody Stone

Seven-tenths of a second doesn’t sound like a lot of time, but in a race, the blink of an eye can be the difference between moving on and going home.
           
The Glastonbury High School indoor boys 4x400 relay team edged the relay team from Naugatuck High School by the slim margin in the State Open on Feb. 19, qualifying them for the Regional competition in Boston.
           
Jackson Boyd, Kevin Clarke, Joe Accurso, and Michael Sardo make up a relay team that was seeded eighth going into the competition and finished sixth, sending them to the Boston-based tournament.   
           
Head coach Mark Alexander said he knew the team was primed to run fast at the Open and he liked the position they were in, adding, “We knew they could qualify. We just kept giving positive feedback.” 
           
Alexander was so confident that he said he had already booked the hotel and made restaurant reservations in Boston. 
           
“They knew they could do it, they just all had to have good times at the same time,” added Alexander, “I knew this team could do special things.”
           
Boyd, a junior, is the youngest of the four. He leads off the relay team and sets the tone for the rest of the race. 
           
It took Boyd a while to embrace the lead role, but he has since grown to enjoy it.
           
“Starting off there is a lot of pressure because it’s like you’re running your 400 solo. There is no catching up to someone or staying in front of somebody. You have to be there to set a pace,” said Boyd.
           
At the State Open, Boyd finished his leg and thought he had run poorly, but in reality he had set a blazing pace. 
           
“I like the relays a lot. You get to cheer each other on at the end and you’re doing it as a team. The energy in the building is better,” added Boyd
           
Boyd passed the baton to Clarke, a task that has been an issue for the two in the past but this time it was smooth until Clarke turned to sprint.
           
“[The exchange] felt good until I turned around and there was a guy in front of me that I had to run around,” a smiling Clarke said. 
           
Clarke, who is also one of the team’s top jumpers in the field, used his athletic ability to quickly dodge the opposing runner and regained his stride. 
           
Next up was Accurso, who was new to the team and was running with the group for the first time competitively. He is known for his success in distance and was added to the team after the Class LL meet. 
           
“In the week leading up I was able to work out with these guys and increase my top speed. We were able to iron out the order and find a good spot where my distance ability could help,” said Accurso, who knew his role. “Basically my job is to get it smoothly from Kevin and keep our position and get Michael in a good spot to do what he does.”
           
He did just that, giving the baton to Sardo, the team’s anchor and fastest 400 runner.
           
Sardo has been the relay team’s anchor for the last three years, a spot he finds comforting. 
           
“I like the pressure, I really enjoy it,” said Sardo. “Being the anchor and knowing you have to finish strong is definitely the way I like to run the race.”
           
Sardo did what he does best, running past opponents and cementing sixth place overall by what amounted to a photo finish. The four combined to run a 3:35.46, edging seventh-place foursome from Naugatuck, who ran a 3:35.53. The top six teams go on to compete at Regionals.   
           
Once the team officially found out they qualified for Regionals by a fraction of a second, they didn’t know how to react. 
           
“We were all going crazy and yelling. We were exchanging clothes for some reason,” Clarke said laughing. 
           
Accurso added, “It was fantastic, it was definitely the highlight of the season.”
           
Boyd, Clarke, and Sardo have added chemistry from playing soccer together at GHS and Accurso is an extremely experienced runner, excelling at cross country in the fall.
           
Each of the four has distinctly different personalities, but together they created a championship-worthy relay team. 
           
On March 5, the team competed in the New England Regionals at the Reggie Lewis Center in Beantown where they ran an even faster time, finishing 3:33.28—the team’s best time all season.  
           
When Boyd was asked what the key is to a good relay team, he replied with a simple answer, “Michael Sardo.”
           
Sardo said it was a team effort, adding, “If we weren’t all looking forward to the same goals I don’t think we would have had a chance at going to New Englands.”

Sydney Kehl and Kiley Feeney carried a lot of weight on their shoulders this winter.
           
The two were the only seniors on the Glastonbury High School girls’ basketball team, which lost four of five starters from a season ago  
           
Along with filling a production void, they also had to mentor a crop of new court visionaries that will take over next winter. 
           
The result was a 13-win regular season and a memorable victory in the Class LL tournament, defeating New Britain 43-24 at Glastonbury High School in the opening round of the state tourney on Feb. 28.
           
It would mark the final time that Kehl and Feeney would step on the court together at GHS.
           
“It was definitely on my mind before the game,” said Kehl, who was the only returning starter from last winter. “This was the last time that Kiley and I would wear out white uniforms and we had a big crowd come out. I said to [the team] ‘don’t just play for us, play for everyone here’.”
           
With the 12th Man—GHS’s student section— back at full force, the Guardians lived up to their name, protecting home court with an intense, swarming defensive effort.
           
It was also the first day since March of 2020 in which the players, coaches, officials, and spectators were not required to wear masks indoors, giving the game some extra juice.  
           
“I think having the student section here and having the gym open gave us so much momentum,” said Feeney. “We just rode that energy.”  
           
Feeney got things started by canning a three pointer after receiving an assist from freshman point guard Maddy Handrahan. A few moments later, Handrahan drained her own three-pointer before sophomore Gisel Astiasaran made a pair of layups to end the quarter. 
           
The offense provided the highlights, but it was a stout defense that took away New Britain’s will. 
           
The Guardians, who were the 15-seed in the tourney, limited the visiting #18 Golden Hurricane to two points in the opening quarter.
           
The defensive pressure continued into the second quarter as Glastonbury forced New Britain to shoot five airballs over the first 16 minutes. 
           
“They had a few girls that we had scouting reports on that we knew we had to hold and I think we did a great job at that. We shut down their best players and got the job done,” said Feeney.  
           
Late in the second quarter, Kehl knocked down a triple and Handrahan followed with another three-pointer as the Guardians took a healthy 23-7 lead into the half.
           
Leading by 19 points in the third quarter, the two seniors put the game out of reach by connecting one final time on the court when Kehl drove into the lane before kicking it out to Feeney, who nailed her second three-pointer to make it 33-11.
           
All told the Guardians made seven shots from beyond the arc, nearly matching New Britain’s entire scoring output. 
           
With just under a minute to play in regulation, the seniors checked out of the game for the final time, walking to the bench together as the home crowd gave a standing ovation.
           
“It feels amazing,” Kehl said of the win. “I got a little emotional with it being my last game here, but it feels great.”
 
Feeney, who experienced a similar feeling in the fall when she captained the GHS volleyball team that also hosted and won a state tournament game, added, “We came in knowing that we were going to win and got the job done.”
           
Astiasaran led the team with 12 points in the tourney win, while Feeney and Handrahan each had nine. Skylar Fiske added six points, Kehl five, and Lilly Woodworth came off the bench to get a bucket in the fourth quarter. 
           
Two days later, Glastonbury fell to second-seeded East Hartford in round two of the tourney, ending the season and the high school basketball careers for Kehl and Feeney. 
           
Kehl said she hopes that they left a positive impression on the returning girls, adding that head coach Chris Vozzolo would often use their play as examples of “senior effort”, referring to diving after loose balls, boxing out, and other hustle plays.   
           
“We have that experience because we’ve been on the team for a while,” added Feeney. “It’s about giving all the knowledge that we’ve gotten through the years to the younger players.” 

Glastonbury's Alyssa Healy defends an in-bounds pass from New Britain's Adrianna Faienza during the Guardians 43-24 victory on Feb. 28

Cromwell's Jessica Grodzicki guards Lillian Martineau of Lewis Mills during the Panthers 46-36 Class M tournament victory on March 1 / Cromwell senior Sam Stergos looks to pass against East Hampton in the team's 63-43 win over the Bellringers in the Shoreline semifinals

Because of scheduling and other logistics, it is uncommon both the girls’ and boys’ varsity basketball teams get to play on the same night in the same gym. 
           
Cromwell High School experienced that rare roundball double-header last Tuesday night when girls hosted an opening-round state tournament game and the boys followed with a conference semifinal contest. 
           
In keeping with tradition, Cromwell–-known as the Home of the Championships—won both games at Jake Salafia Gymnasium at CHS.
           
The girls started the night with a 46-36 win over Lewis Mills to win their Class M first round game. The Panthers built a big lead before overcoming a setback in the second half to eliminate the visiting Spartans and advance to the second round.  
           
Brynn Kovacs provided Cromwell an 8-6 lead midway through the first quarter when she intercepted a pass and converted a layup in transition. Kovacs steal-and-score was part of a 14-point surge as the Panthers closed the half on a 25-4 run.
           
Nevaeh Clark scored a team-high 11 points and Jessica Grodzicki added 10 more, while Adela Cecunjanin shined defensively with a team-high 11 rebounds and a pair of blocks.  
           
Clark, who is the team’s leading scorer and point guard, made her final bucket in the opening minute of the third quarter when she sank a floater. However, when Clark came down to the ground she tweaked her knee, causing her to miss the rest of the game.
           
Clark’s injury forced head coach Kelly Maher to shorten her already thin rotation and Lewis Mills responded with a 10-2 run, narrowing the deficit to 33-20.
           
“I think [the team] got rattled early, but they took it one possession at a time and got some key defensive stops and did what they needed to do down the stretch,” recalled Maher. “They have been in these types of situations before and tonight and they could have folded, but I was pleased with how they responded.”
           
The response was an 8-point run. Kayla Nappi had a rebound putback before Grodzicki scored four straight points. Grodzicki then found Kovacs for a long jumper, upping the margin to 41-20.
           
Following Clark’s injury, Grodzicki moved to point guard and the rest of the lineup filled the surrounding roles.
           
“We all communicated on defense and worked our hardest because our defense brings our offense. It all came together,” said Grodzicki.
           
Nappi was particularly aggressive in the second half, finishing with seven points and nine rebounds, including six offensive rebounds.
           
“She has really stepped up on both sides of the court, which is really helpful,” Grodzicki said of Nappi. 
           
Maher added that Nappi has expanded her game, becoming a force on the glass and a legitimate scoring threat.
           
“It has really helped us because other teams have to guard her and it’s brought a whole new dimension to the team,” added Maher.
           
Cromwell held off one last Lewis Mill’s run behind freshman Riley Mills, who scored a game-high 14 in defeat. 
           
Along with her point guard duties in the second half, Grodzicki was also tasked with helping guard Mills. Grodzicki and sophomore Cameryn Hickey fought through multiple screens on each possession to limit the Spartans first-year phenom. 
           
Hickey has become an unsung hero for the Panthers success this season.
           
“She has really grown since the first day. Her all-round game has grown,” Maher said of Hickey. “Defensively she has picked it up and I think she embraces guarding the best guard. Offensively she has developed into a threat because she can drive, she can dish, and she can shoot.” 
           
In the end it was team’s grit and determination that allowed the Panthers to overcome the second-half adversity and rise to the 10-point tourney win.
           
“All of us getting on the floor and making that extra pass and just doing the extra things really helped us to win tonight.” said Grodzicki, “It feels really good. We didn’t achieve our goal in the Shoreline so it feels really good to be able to achieve this goal and keep going.”
           
The boys duplicated the girls’ double-digit margin of victory by eliminating East Hampton 63-43 in the Shoreline Conference (SLC) semifinals.
           
Senior’s Ginaluca Albert (21 points) and JJ Feehan (14) led the way. 
           
Feehan started the game like a house of fire, scoring the team’s first seven points. He scored on a rebound putback and then grabbed a defensive rebound before taking it coast-to-coast and kissing it off glass, making it 4-0 within the first minute. A few possessions later, he drilled a three-pointer. 
           
Feehan said it was on the seniors to set the tone early, adding, “We have five seniors and three of them start and so we tried to push the ball and push the intensity every game. We want to come out and go up at the start because it breaks the other team’s morale.”
           
The Panthers never trailed in the contest. However it did get dicey when they missed their final four shots of the first half, prompting a 10-0 scoring run by East Hampton. The run spanned the late stages of the second quarter into the third, cutting the margin to 25-24.
           
Albert, who was later named the Shoreline Conference Player of the Year, then scored 10 points in the third to ignite a 16-point run which put the game out of reach at 49-30.
           
Head coach John Pinone was pleased with how his team responded after a sluggish close to the first half.
           
“The first half they beat us up inside physically, getting second and third shots,” said Pinone. “In the second half we were able to run our offense a little better. We screened better, we hit some open shots, and a couple times we got second opportunities. I think our defense did a much better job when we had that run.”
           
Feehan said it was about getting better shot selection, adding, “We just had to focus and get good looks. We had to attack the rim and make our threes.”
           
Sophomore Victor Payne added 10 points in the win and senior Sam Stergos came off the bench to provide a physical nature. 
           
Stergos, a 6’5” center, scored a pair of buckets down low, hauled down a half dozen rebounds, and blocked two shots. He also made the highlight of the night with 6:50 left in regulation when he received a pass just outside the arc and lofted a perfect alley-oop pass to Feehan, who converted on his end to make it 51-32 with 6:50 left in regulation. 
           
Pinone said Stergos has added another dimension to the team, particularly over the last month, saying, “He’s playing important minutes for us.”
           
Pinone added that the seniors are still learning to play in these big tourney games, adding, “It’s the first real tournament experience for these guys. This is the first time they are getting significant minutes in a tournament atmosphere and I think it’s a good opportunity and will only help them the more we play.” 
           
As the final minutes ticked off the clock, the Cromwell student section— known as the CHS MOB—began chanting “We want Morgan!” referencing the impending Shoreline Conference championship game. 
           
Morgan had dealt the Panthers their only loss this season, winning 38-35 on Feb. 18. It snapped a 17-game winning streak for Cromwell and prevented a perfect regular season. 
           
Pinone made it clear that the team has a “next team up mentality.” 
           
“There is nothing good that can be learned from a loss that you can’t learn in a bad win,” the veteran coach said. “Games aren’t won and lost at the buzzer, they are won and lost with plays made or not made during the 32 minutes.”
           
In the rematch, Cromwell got revenge by knocking off the Huskies from Morgan in the SLC championship game—winning 55-39 on March 4 at Polson Middle School in Madison.   
           
After advancing past the first round, the girls knocked off Wolcott, 53-40, in round two on the same day the boys captured the Shoreline Conference crown. 
           
Clark returned from her injury and the younger girls again stepped up as Hickey led the team with 15 points and Nappi ripped down a team-high 13 rebounds.  
           
The tournament success is nothing new for both the boys and girls programs at CHS, yet the unconventional double-header was something that the players, coaches, and spectators will not soon forget. 
           
Maher, who is also the school’s Athletic Director, said the games were a great morale booster for programs that had the 2020 state tourney cut short and the 2021 season shortened because of COVID-19. 
           
“It’s great for the community and school in general to have two home games in the tournament,” added Maher. “It’s brought a new found energy and it’s just great to see the kids energized for the tournament.”

Cromwell boys basketball celebrates after winning the Shoreline Conference Championship on March 4.

Alexa Grenier - Wethersfield (Basketball): Grenier scored a dozen points as the Eagles spread the ball around in a 55-44 victory over New Milford in the opening round of the Class L state tournament on March 1. The senior added 13 rebounds and a pair of blocks as Vanessa Venditti also scored 12 points and Ella Alger chipped in 11. 
           
Nicole Partridge - Wethersfield (Ice Hockey): Partridge was named the Player of the Game, scoring a goal and dishing out two assists as the Avon-Wethersfield girls’ co-op ice hockey team won the Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) with a 3-2 victory over Conard. Partridge is one of three WHS athletes on the Nighthawks team that made All-Conference, joining Bella Bonfiglio and Sophia Nower. Bonfiglio also had a goal and two assists in the conference championship game and Nower doled out three helpers. Southington, Newington. RHAM, Lewis Mills, and Coventry are also part of the seven-team co-op.   
           
Gavin Gray - Newington (Basketball): Gray has been a major contributor on both ends of the court for a Nor’easters team that won 11 regular season games and qualified for the Division II state tournament. The junior is capable of filling up the net on any given night, evidence by his 29 and 27 scoring games this winter.  
           
Shalyn Smith - Middletown (Basketball): Smith scored a career-high 25 points as the Blue Dragons eliminated Stamford 70-51 in the second round of the Class LL tourney on March 3. The sophomore led a balanced scoring effort for Middletown, who also got double-digit contributions from Shadae Bushay (18), Tyah Pettaway (13), and Jada Bryant (10).
 
Lilly Ferguson - Newington (Basketball): Ferguson scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds, both team-highs, as the Nor’easters breezed by Bristol Central, 68-31, in the second round of the Class L state tournament. The senior was one of 10 Newington players to score in the game and one of three players, along with Bela Cucuta (12) and Selah Prignano (11), to score in double-figures.