Bacon Academy athletic trainer Tim Crowley (left) is pictured with Coginchaug’s athletic trainer Ethan Bankoski.

March is National Athletic Trainer Month and today we recognize Tim Crowley, the athletic trainer at Bacon Academy High School.

Since joining the Bobcats athletic department last May, Crowley has developed a rapport with the student athlete, coaches, and administration at the high school that is needed to provide safe and successful athletic seasons. 

Crowley, a contracted employee who works for Select Physical Therapy, said he feels appreciated at Bacon Academy, adding, “The athletes and the coaches really respect and enjoy what I do for them.” 

This isn’t Crowley’s first foray in athletic training, although it is his first in a decade and a half. 

Crowley was born and raised in Waterford before graduating high school in 1990 and attending Southern Connecticut State University where he received a bachelors’ degree in physical education and athletic training. 

After spending two years as a graduate student studying biomechanics at the University of Connecticut, Crowley served as an athletic trainer from 1994-2007 before answering to a different calling. 

Crowley took a hiatus from athletic training to become involved in the seminary, working in the ministry until last year
when he decided to get recertified in the field of athletic training.  

“I still loved [athletic training] when I stepped out, but I had a calling to do some more education,” recalled Crowley, who is still a family pastor at LifeWay Church in Newington. 

Despite 15 years away from the profession, Crowley passed the athletic training exam last February before arriving at Bacon Academy prior to the current school year.

His typical day is a mixed bag full of training for a variety of ages and ability levels.  

During the mornings, he runs fitness classes at the Vernon Senior Center before heading over to Bacon Academy for the afternoon where he preps for incoming student athletes that may need tape, ice, or various other forms of preparations for practice and games. 

“I love taking care of athletes and making sure they are set to play,” said Crowley. 

In his 15 years away from the profession, Crowley said there have been some changes, mainly in how concussions are handled. 

But for the most part, Crowley was able to hit the ground running again following the long layoff. 

Athletic trainers are the first line of defense in emergencies and during home contests at Bacon Academy, Crowley is on-campus ready to react in a moment’s notice. 

At any given time, multiple sporting events may be going on at the same time and Crowley will attend the sport that may need him the most and is he added that he is only a call away if needed in another part of the building.

The dedicated work and importance of athletic trainers was highlighted earlier this year when Demar Hamlin, a professional football player for the Buffalo Bills, suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field during a game in Cincinnati on Jan. 2. First responders performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and used other emergency treatments for 10 minutes on the field before Hamlin was transported by ambulance to a local hospital. 

Following nine days in the hospital, Hamlin was released to rehabilitate at home and the medical personal that gave him aid on the field have since been lauded for their immediate reactions and life-saving efforts.        

“It is a very service-oriented profession; we are usually thinking of others,” Crowley said of the line of work.

Crowley said the key is to be prepared for any situation that may arise and that creating a harmonious relationship between the school nurse, coaches, and administration is vital to best serve the student athletes on a daily basis.

Since he joined Bacon’s athletic department, the Bobcats have remained safe and have thrived in competition. The Bobcats athletic teams have produced multiple state tournament appearances and individual conference titles, along with individual state championships in swimming. 

Currently Crowley is being shadowed by a Bacon Academy student as part of the student’s Capstone Project. 

The mentor’s main message to the mentee is the life of an athletic trainer is filled with change. 

“I told her the most important thing that I do is know that every day is going to be a different day,” said Crowley. “We could have five days of practice that all seem like they’ll be the same, but none of them are going to be the same.”

​Crowley, who resides in Berlin with his wife and the couple's five children, added that he has enjoyed his time in Colchester and looks forward to finishing up the school-year with a safe and successful spring sports season.   

RHAM High School cheerleading placed 3rd at the Class M state championships at the Floyd Athletic Center in New Haven on March 4. It was the highest the program has ever finished at the state competition, advancing the Raptors to the New England Regionals in Massachusetts for the first time.  

RHAM High School’s cheerleading team reached the New England Regionals for the first time in program history, placing 6th overall at the multi-state competition at Worcester State University on March 18.    

The trip to regionals ended another banner year for the Raptors, who won a second straight Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) championship and finished first in the New England Cheerleaders Association (NECA) Open Championships.

The Raptors also placed 3rd overall at the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) Class M state finals — the highest finish in program history. 

Head coach Danielle Levasseur said the key to the success was the team approaching competition season with a relaxed, fun-loving attitude. . 

“I think it really helped calm some nerves and helped the team have consistently clean and solid routines,” stated Levasseur, a 2012 graduate of RHAM High School. “We are so proud of all of the hard work they put in this season and we are excited to see them continue to excel next season.”

Coaching the team with Lavasseur were Ali Goode and Isabelle Goode, sister who were also RHAM graduates.  

Lavasseur and Ali Goode had previously cheered together at RHAM before returning to program and coaching the team to conference title a season ago. This year, the duo welcomed in the younger Goode sister, who is a 2022-graduate of Boston University where she cheered for the Division I Terriers the previous four years.

Ali Goode said her younger sibling provided a new perspective, crediting her with challenging both the team and the coaches.    

“She brought a whole different level of expertise,” added Ali Goode, “The kids really latched on to a lot of things that she was teaching them and they took it and ran with it. They blew us out of the water.”

Despite each coach having hectic schedules, the three longtime friends made it work. 

“It was a lot of fun,” Ali Goode said of the coaching trio. “Creatively we worked together and were able to bounce ideas off each other.” 

Mia Tyler, the Raptors’ only senior, was an extension of the coaching staff. 

Tyler called cheer her “happy place” and said the last four years have been full of challenges, but the ending couldn’t have
been any better.  

“I was honestly so glad the season did go on for a few extra weeks, not because I get to tell people I went to New Englands for cheer, but because I truly did not want the season to end,” stated Tyler, who added it was emotional once it was over. “I have been a part of the program through all the ups and downs, virtual practices, cheering at soccer games when football wasn’t allowed to be played, and I enjoyed every second of it.”

Tyler was in a unique position because she was the only cheerleader that had been with the program prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, which put significant restrictions on high school cheerleading for nearly two full seasons. 
 
It was both the big and little things that Tyler helped with this year. Being a senior, she was the only cheerleading member that had participated in an in-person school pep rally because the previous years had been cancelled or virtual. 

“Mia was able to step up and guide everyone else through it,” said Ali Goode. “She has a lot of spirit and she really thrived in the leadership role.” 

Helping captain the team was Paige Cavalieri, a junior who was named All-CCC. 

Tyler said Cavalieri was the ideal co-captain, calling her “the greatest support anyone could ask for.”

Cavalieri is part of a large junior class that also featured fellow all-conference selection Dani Poudrier, who was also named team’s Most Valuable Player (MVP). 

Other team awards this season were the Coaches Award, presented to Kiley Foley, and Most Improved Award, given to Lauren Heffernan.

Foley, Brianna Kjellquist, Olivia Arcari, and Emma Bernier earned All-Academic honors.  

“This is probably one of the most talented teams that we have had,” said Ali Goode. “They have a great baseline level of talent and ability.”

Goode added that the team gained confidence with each passing competition, saying, “We gave them hard material and every time we presented them with something difficult they mastered it a lot faster than we expected them to.” 

Next season the team should again be stacked with talent with 14 of 15 cheerleaders returning.

The one exception will be Tyler, who will attend Springfield College and is leaving the program in good hands after helping guide them through a historic season.  

​“I’ll miss all my girls the most, especially those I have seen grow and develop into amazing cheerleaders,” said Tyler, who also thanked her coaches. “The team was amazing to be on and I’m so glad I get to say I’m a RHAM varsity cheer alumni.”

Last fall, Glastonbury residents Scott and Betsy Reed set out to snap a few photos of the freshman football team at Glastonbury High School.  

Soon the Reed’s picture-taking hobby transformed into a passion for the local couple, who created Glastonbury Sports Photography and now are capturing thousands of timeless photos of athletes on a weekly basis.

“We never imagined that it would grow to what it's become,” said Scott, “It's a lot of work, but hearing the positive impact the images have on the players and teams is just awesome.”

During the day, Scott is a financial planner and owns Reed Financial Services LLC in Glastonbury where Betsy is the Director of Marketing and Client Engagement for the corporation. 

At night, the cameras come on as snap away at a variety of sports around the area, mainly Glastonbury High School where three of their kids compete.   

“There is so much volunteering that goes into these sporting events and this is our way of giving back,” said Betsy. “These kids will grow up and always have these pictures.”

Between the two, the couple captures between four to six thousand photos per game before heading home to begin the tedious editing process. 

When they first started, weeding through the images and enhancing the photos would take all day. However, thanks to experience and better software, the Reeds can now complete the task in just a few hours. 
But for the couple, the entire process doesn’t feel like work at all. 

As they wait for the pictures to download, they turn on music as they sit around the kitchen island anticipating the potential wonders they just captured. 

“It’s like Christmas,” described Scott.

Each started as an amateur photographer, with Scott dabbling around with his Canon Rebel and Betsy taking photos of nature with her IPhone. 

Now each shoots with a Canon R6—recommended for sport photography—and they have spent countless hours of online research to hone their craft. They have also invested in a variety of lenses to capture the perfect shot and editing software to enhance the finished product.

It’s also a dance between the two during the sporting events. They usually shoot from opposite sidelines to capture as many angles as possible and they watched the entire game through the lens while dodging wayward balls and pacing coaches.

During the game, they will correspond with each other in an effort to strike a balance between action shots and candid moments. 

If one of their kids is participating in the game, the finished photos are downloaded for free to their website and various social media sites.

The feedback was so positive from the first couple of uploads that the Reeds began to receive inquires to do many other sporting events.   

To offset some of expenses for time and travel, the Reeds began to charge a $100 flat fee, which an extremely reasonable rate. 

Recently, they were hired by the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) — the governing body of high school sports in the state — to photograph the Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) wrestling championships at Glastonbury High School in February. 

Over the last eight months, the couple noted that there has been a bit of a learning curve.  

“We’ve learned its okay to be heavy handed with the shutter,” said Betsy. “Or if that play is over and you think you’re done, you’re not, because maybe someone is high-fiving or celebrating.”

At first they would just focus on action during competition, but they soon realized that there was so much more going on around them –– from the coach’s interactions with the players, to the fans in the stands, to the candid moments between players.

Scott noted being on the sidelines and their advanced lenses allow a perspective that can’t be seen from the stands, adding “You can freeze frame a moment with the long lenses that can reach right onto the field.”

No sporting event is too big or too small for the local couple, who have covered freshman teams, junior varsity, varsity, and club teams.

One of their sons, Colby, is special needs and participates in Special Olympics and Unified Sports. 

The Reeds said the gratitude they received from taking photos at his events have been phenomenal. 

“We got an enormous amount of feedback from parents that saw pictures of Unified basketball. It meant a lot to the parents,” Betsy said.  

The couple is looking forward to shooting spring sport season for the first time and anticipating the return of football season in the fall.

Their son, Eli, who was the original inspiration behind the photo-taking venture will be entering his sophomore season with the Guardians.

“Whether it is the bright sunlight or Friday night lights, there is nothing better [than football],” said Betsy.  “There is emotion, there is drama.”

When the Guardians football season kicks off it will also mark one year since the Reed’s sports photography passion kicked off. 

No matter the sport, the Reeds said the last eight months have been a learning experience, but mostly a rewarding one. 

“We've received letters from players thanking us for the images of them and countless texts, messages and e-mails from parents telling us the positive impact the photos have had on their kids,” stated Scott. “I can't even describe how good that makes us feel”

​For more information, visit glastonburysportsphotography.com or check out the Reeds’ photos on Facebook or Instagram.

GHS seniors cheerleaders (from left) Abby Guy, Ava Westergren, Alexa Bouzakis, and Kyleigh Shuck closed their high school career by helping the Guardians to a top-three finish at the Open Championships. The four are pictured on Senior Night at GHS on Feb. 17. Photo credit – Glastonbury Sport Photography

The seniors on the Glastonbury High School cheer team ended their high school on a high note, leading a Guardians squad that placed 3rd in the Advanced Level at the New England Cheerleading Association (NECA) Open Championships on Feb. 25 at East Haven High School. 

It ended an interesting year for the cheer unit that had as many as nine seniors to start the season, but for a variety of reasons, had only four remaining by season’s end. 

“When everyone else left it brought us closer because we all put ourselves out there and wanted to make this work,” said Abby Guy, who added the performance at NECA was a good send off. “It meant a lot to us especially because it was our last year and we wanted to make it a good year.”

Guy, Ava Westergren, Alexa Bouzakis, and Kyleigh Schuck were the final four seniors that had to shoulder a bigger load in
competition, along with helping mentor the next generation of Guardians cheerleaders.

“With a cheer team you need a specific amount of people to do what we do, so with people gone we had to readjust every time, which made it harder,” recalled Schuck. 

Westergren said it was important to keep the team’s “spirit up”, adding “We had to encourage everyone and keep the team positive.” 

Despite an adjustment period, the four never wavered and began to thrive once competition rolled around, placing top-three at both the Central Connecticut Conference (CCC)-West finals and posting the team best (77.60) at the NECA competition, finishing behind only first-place RHAM High School (79.00) and runner-up Branford High School (78.60). 

“We put in a lot of effort into the competition and routine especially because we did have a hard season,” said Bouzakis. “Doing really well at NECA was really rewarding.”

The future of GHS cheer also shined at the Open Championships as the junior varsity (JV) team placed 2nd overall in the JV division.

For the four seniors, NECA was the last time they would perform as a unit. All four have cheered together at GHS since freshman year, participating in both the fall and winter season. 

The high school cheerleading season is broken up into two segments, with the team performing at the football games in the fall and at basketball games in the winter. The winter time is also the competition season.

The seniors agreed that cheerleading in the fall was preferred because there is less pressure and due to the excitement of performing under the Friday night lights in front of large crowds. 

However, by the time February rolled around, the four each said they embraced the pressure that comes with the end-of-season competitions. 

It was also an interesting four-year journey for the departing seniors at GHS. When they were sophomores, Covid-19 shutdown the football season and the cheer squad would perform during soccer games without stunting due to the restriction placed on distancing and physical contact during performances. 

Following an unfulfilling sophomore season, the four returned ready to rebuild a sport that, along with football and wrestling, had some of the toughest restrictions in the state during 2020.

The seniors said one of the goals this year was to create a positive culture, blending all the grades and ability levels together in an effort to create a more welcoming environment for this season and beyond.

“There was a lot of team bonding this season,” said Westergren. “No matter what grade, we found kids to bond with.”
With only a few months left at GHS, each has started to make preparations beyond high school.  

Guy recently committed to the University of Rhode Island where she will study communications. She is attending cheer clinics and may continue cheering at the next level.

Bouzakis is still deciding her college location, but wants to study business. She noted that she may continue to cheer at a club level depending on where she ends up. 

Schuck is looking at schools down south where she plans to study psychology and also may do club cheer. 

Westergren said will not cheer at the next level and is deciding between Penn State and The University of South Carolina where she will study criminology. 

​The four agreed that the time a GHS was “flown by” and referred to the end of high school cheerleading as “bitter sweet”. 
Shuck added, “I’ll miss the girls, and the friendships.”  
​

Harrison Ranger, a senior from Cromwell, scored his 100th career point as the Newington co-op ice hockey team made a second straight state championship.  

Newington’s bid for a second straight ice hockey state championship ended at Quinnipiac University, falling to Masuk 6-3 at the M&T Bank Arena in Hamden on March 20.

The Nor’easter, the # 3 seed in the tourney, went toe-to-toe with the top-seeded Panthers before running out of steam in the third period as Masuk’s Andrew Scalia netted a hat trick to help secure the program’s first state title. 

It ended another remarkable season for Newington, who won the Central Connecticut Conference-South conference and totaled 23 wins as they earned a return trip to the state championship game.

“We accomplished a lot and had a heck of a season,” Newington head coach David Harackiewicz said. “It’s disappointing, but one team has to win and one team has to lose. It shouldn't take away from what [we] accomplished this year. I was really proud of the group.”

After Masuk struck first on a goal from Scalia less than two minutes into the game, Newington countered on a goal from Josh Beaudoin with an assist from Jack Petronio.  

The scrappy Nor’easter again knotted the game (2-2) in the second period when Nate Thomas scored on a great feed from Harrison Ranger. 

Entering the third period, the Nor’easters trailed 4-2, yet Harackiewicz had seen his team rally all season and still had confidence. 

“We were looking for that first goal because I think that would have changed momentum, but we just couldn’t get it,” added Harackiewicz. “We got too many penalties, that didn’t help things in the third period.” 

Masuk added two more in the third period, taking a commanding 6-2 lead midway through the third on a Scalia’s third goal before Newington’s Josh Grimm scored late in regulation.

“We couldn’t get back on track and Masuk played a good game,” added Harackiewicz. “[Masuk] only lost one game all year and they hadn’t lost to any D3 teams. We knew this was going to be a tough game.”

It marked the final game for 11 seniors that helped make up the co-op team featuring players from Newington, Cromwell, Berlin, Manchester, and Canton.  

Harackiewicz stated that the departing seniors have meant “everything” to a program. 

“They have set the bar high,” added Harackiewicz, who noted last year’s state championship win and the conference title this season. “Those are great accomplishments; those are championships.” 

Ranger, an all-state player from Cromwell, is one of those seniors that left a major mark on the program.

He was a finalist for the Division III Skater of the Year after what proved to be a monumental year in which he tallied his 100th career point. 

“It has been great playing for this team the last four years. It has been some of the most fun I have ever had playing hockey,” stated Ranger, who was selected for the team’s Top Gun Award. “One thing that I am going to miss is playing with fans because they truly create a memorable experience and atmosphere in high school, whether they are routing for you or against you. Being able to play in front of fans is one thing, but in high school you are playing in front of your friends and family, which is a greater feeling.”

Ranger tallied his 100th point and scored the game-winning goal during the team’s come-from-behind win over Rocky Hill’s co-op in the Division III semifinal round on March 13.

The Nor’easters trailed the Terriers 2-0 in the third period before tallying three goals in the final frame to advance to a
second straight championship game.

It was one of several games this season that the Nor’easters rallied to defeat an opponent. 

In a game against Glastonbury on Feb. 22, the Nor’easters scored a pair of late goals, including a game-winner from Grimm at the horn to rally to defeat the Guardians 5-4.

Senior Evan Howard (Canton) was selected as a first-team all-state and had a night to remember, netting a hat trick, in the team’s conference-clinching 5-3 victory over Conard on March 3. 

Howard was also selected as the Division III Defenseman of the Year, leading a unit that helped senior goalie Jeremy Wagner (Manchester) protect the net. 

For his efforts this season, Wagner was named the Division III Goalie of the Year. 

Evan Oliver, a senior from Newington, was named as the team’s Hobey Baker Award Winner, and senior Mikey Deegan (Berlin) received the team’s Scholar Athlete Award.

The seniors all played a big part in the team’s championship victory last March, a 3-1 win over Conard, to win the program’s first title since 2013.

Harackiewicz said it will be a tall task to replace so many influential seniors; however he noted that players like Petronio, Thomas, David Andrews, and Mason Buckley will lead a talented group coming back, adding, “The younger guys will have to get some experience and step up.”

For Ranger, the state and conference titles, along with his 100 career points, have all added up to a memorable time on the local ice.  

​“I will also miss my teammates that I have been playing with throughout these four years,” added Ranger. “I have built great memories with them and I have shared once in a lifetime experiences with them that I will never forget.”

​Portland High School senior captain Harrison Collins dives to the hoops while being defended by Windsor Locks Evan Courtney. The Highlanders lost to the Raiders in the state semifinals.

The boys basketball team at Portland High School gave No. 1 seed Windsor Locks all they could handle before the Highlanders ran out of gas in the Division V state semifinals, falling 67-56 at East Hartford High School on March 15. 

Windsor Locks’ one-two punch of senior Malike Alassani and sophomore Sincere Monroe provided a nearly unstoppable inside-outside threat that accounted for 42 points as the top-seeded Raiders advanced to the state championship game.

Alassani, a powerful and explosive forward, scored 24 points. Monroe, a lightning quick and fearless guard, added 18.
All-conference point guard Harrison Collins led the Highlanders attack with 20 points, but ultimately breakdowns on both ends of the court doomed the local team.   

“Hats off to Windsor Locks, they’re a great program and well-coached, but I still think we are the better team,” Portland head coach David Bradbury said. “But we didn’t play like it tonight. We missed shots, missed free throws, and allowed them to play to their strengths and they capitalized.”

Portland, the No. 4 seeded team in the tourney, traded buckets with the 17-win Raiders for the first three quarters, trailing by only one point heading into the final frame.

Senior Joe Rusczyk powered the Highlanders early on, scoring eight points in the opening quarter as Portland held a 16-14 advantage after eight minutes of back-and-forth action. 

The first half featured five lead changes and each time Windsor Locks looked like they would pull away, Portland responded by hitting a big shot. 

Collins scored 11 points in the second quarter, highlighted by a pull-up three-pointer from straight away in the closing moments of the first half to narrow the margin to 32-31 at the break. 

The teams continued to exchange shots in the third quarter as Monroe heated up from the field, scoring 11 points in the frame.

Trailing 41-36 with 2:12 left in the third, Portland’s Ben Fecteau netted five straight points on a putback followed by a three-pointer, tying the game at 41. 

Four straight points from Monroe were countered by a long triple by Rusczyk to again make it a one-point margin headed into the fourth quarter.

Bradbury commended his team’s resiliency, adding, “I couldn’t be more proud of the boys, they gave everything they had.” 
Whether it was fatigue or merely a lack of execution, the fourth quarter belonged to Windsor Locks, who held a 22-12 advantage over the final eight minutes. 

The Raiders used an 8-2 scoring surge to start the fourth quarter to create separation and then solidified the win from the foul line in the final four minutes, hitting seven of eight foul shots before Alassani put the exclamation point on the victory with a dunk in the closing seconds. 

“My guys just willed it,” Windsor Locks head coach Dan Copes said. “But so much credit to Portland, they would not go away. They hit some huge shots.” 

The loss ended a historic season in Portland, who won 15 regular season games and advanced to the Shoreline Conference (SLC) championship game for the first time in program history. 

“We took a step forward as a program. It’s not where we wanted to get to and we didn’t reach our goal, but it’s a special time for Portland basketball,” stated Bradbury,

Immediately following the final buzzer, Bradbury shared an embrace with an emotional Collins on the court. 

Collins was a multiple first-team all-conference selection under Bradbury, averaging 21 points per game and also leading the team in assists and steals this season. 

“I told him I love him and that he played his heart out,” Bradbury said of the exchange, “This is not the end for him. The lessons he learned here will go on to help him.”

Collins is one of six seniors whose final game was the tournament defeat. Rusczyk, Fecteau, Ryan Kerr, Austin Vess, William Favale will also be graduating this spring.  

Prior to Bradbury’s arrival, the Highlanders were coming off a five-win season in 2020. Three seasons later, the seniors are leaving the program following 20 total wins (including postseason) this winter.

“All of our success moving forward will be built off the backs of these guys. I couldn’t be more proud of the work ethic they displayed on a day to day basis,” stated Bradbury. “They truly are the foundation of what we are building at Portland.”

Windsor Locks would go on to win the Division V state championship, defeating Shepaug 69-58 at Mohegan Sun Arena on March 18. Monroe scored a game-high 22 points as the Raiders secured the program’s second state title, first since 2001.

​It was the second straight season that the Highlanders would be eliminated by the eventual state champion, also losing to the 2021-2022 champions from Windham in the quarterfinals a season ago.   

East Hampton girls basketball celebrated the program’s first state championship since 1980, defeating Valley Regional, 31-29, in dramatic fashion at Mohegan Sun Arena on March 18.
           
Head coach Shaun Russell said he was “grateful” after the victory, adding, “This title is for the town.”
           
Sophomore Liana Salamone shook off a rough day from the field to finish with a game-high 12 points and haul down a team-high 10 rebounds.
           
Russell said Salamone showed “great composure” by doing all the little things down the stretch despite the shooting struggles.   
           
After Salamone split a pair of free throws in the closing seconds, Valley’s Elizabeth Allen nearly tied it at the buzzer but her diving layup attempt rolled off the rim, securing the Bellringers first state title since Queen’s “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” topped the Billboard charts.
           
Coincidentally, it was Queen’s “We Are The Champions” that played over the loudspeakers as players and coaches exchanged hugs and tears on the court following the historic victory. 
           
“It feels amazing,” said Salamone. “I’m so thankful we pulled through and got this win.”
           
The championship contest was a grind-it-out battle between two Shoreline Conference (SLC) rivals that knew each other’s tendencies after having played twice during the regular season—both East Hampton wins.
           
Junior Jackie Russell produced a pair of clutch plays in the final few minutes of regulation, one on each end of the court. 
           
With 1:59 remaining, she made a miraculous reverse layup, putting the Bellringers up 30-27. Then, after Valley’s Regan Grow scored to narrow the margin to one point, Russell drew a charge when Olivia Cunningham drove to the basket for a potential go-ahead layup with 6.7 left on the clock.
           
“We were only up one, so we knew we couldn't give them a basket,” recalled Jackie Russell, who scored 10 points and was playing with four fouls when she took the crucial charge.
           
Shaun Russell said that Jackie Russell developed into a legitimate two-way star this winter, adding, “She has become a kid that plays on both ends of the court at a high level.” 
           
The second half featured five lead changes and a pair of ties as the Deep River-based Warriors deployed an effective defense to take the ball out of the hands of Salamone and Russell, guarding the Bellringers’ two top scorers outside the arc. 
           
“Valley makes it really hard,” stated Shaun Russell. “They made it congested and took things away that we are good at.” 
           
East Hampton shot only 22% from the field and 21% from beyond the arc in the game, but it was second chance points that ultimately made the difference. 
           
Jackie Russell scored following an offensive rebound to give the Bellringers a 25-23 lead early in the fourth, while Salamone and senior captain Jordan Murphy each had two offensive rebounds in the final quarter.  
           
Murphy, who is East Hampton tallest starter at 5’ 9”, had the tough task of controlling the key against a Valley team that features four starters that are 5' 10” or taller. 
           
“Coach told us that defense was what was going to win the game and our shots weren’t falling, so we knew we had to rebound and play defense well and we did,” said Murphy. 
           
The victory was the second state title in the last five month for Murphy, who was named the Most Valuable Player of the Class S volleyball tournament as the East Hampton spikers capture a state championship last November. 
           
Murphy was one of a handful of crossover players that won state championships in both sports, joining Olivia DeMartino, Delaney Russell, Amber Murphy, and Stephanie Miller. 
           
“I am so thankful to have the opportunity. This one is awesome and volleyball was amazing too,” said Jordan Murphy. “I love this team. The past four years under Coach Russell have been amazing.”
           
Including the postseason, East Hampton won 26 of 27 games this season and captured a fourth straight conference title on the road to the state championship. 
           
“It’s an indescribable feeling,” said Jackie Russell. “It’s amazing to bring home [a championship] for my hometown with these girls I love so much.”
           
The cupboard should again be full next season as Jordan Murphy and Mikeala Rich will be the only two departing seniors. 
           
Salamone, the SLC Player of the Year, will be one of four returning starters, joining DeMartino, Jackie Russell, and Delaney Russell as the team aims for a fifth straight conference title and a return trip to ‘The Sun’.  

Cromwell boys basketball following a state championship victory at Mohegan Sun Arena on March 19.

After allowing 17 points in the opening quarter, Cromwell boys basketball got defensive as they rallied to defeat Ellington, 53-46, in the Division IV state championship at Mohegan Sun Arena on March 19.

It marked the program’s 10th championship and third state title in the John Pinone-era.

Pinone, the team’s head coach for over two decades, said he liked how his squad responded following the sluggish first quarter in which they scored only eight points. 

“Our intensity kicked up to another notch,” stated Pinone. “We got some easy points in translation and got some easy baskets.” 

Victor Payne led the comeback, scoring all of his team-high 23 points after the opening quarter. 

Payne, the Shoreline Conference Player of the Year, was held scoreless for the first 13 minutes of action before netting five straight points on a pair of free throws and a spinning layup in traffic as Cromwell started the second quarter on a 6-0 scoring run to narrow the deficit to a single point.

Ellington was unable to generate any point over the first seven minutes of the second quarter before scoring four points in the final minute of the quarter to take a 21-16 lead heading into the second half.

Despite trailing at the break, Pinone said he remained calm and wasn’t concerned. 

“We were down nine at the Shoreline Championship and we’ve been down in other games too.” stated Pinone. “We just needed to make some adjustments and do a better job on offense.”

A baseline three-pointer from Luge Gagnon temporarily gave Cromwell the lead in the third quarter and then the Panthers used a 10-point run later in the quarter to take the lead for good. 

Payne scored eight points during the third-quarter spurt, hitting 8 of 12 shots total in the game as Cromwell shot 58% from the field as a team. 
But the comeback victory was ultimately decided on the defensive end.

“Defense is a mindset, we talk about it every huddle,” stated Pinone, whose team held 21 of 27 opponents under 50 points this winter. 

Pinone also credited junior Keanu Gomez for his defense on Ellington’s quick guard Darren Zahner. Zahner scored seven in the opening eight
minutes, but Gomez helped limit him to two points the rest of the way.  

Captain Cody Murphy led Ellington with 23 points in the loss. 

Senior guard Jake Salafia sparked Cromwell on both ends of the court in the second half rally, scoring nine of his 11 points, six coming on a pair of old-fashioned three-point plays. 

Salafia said the slow start didn’t worry the team.

“We just had to pick up the intensity,” stated Salafia.  “We knew we were the better team and we had to believe it and play like it too.” 

Despite being the top-ranked going into the Division IV state tourney, Salafia added the team felt they were being underestimated. 

“We had a lot of doubters, so to prove them wrong feels great,” stated Salafia.

Pinone added that because of those doubters his team had a “chip on their shoulder” going into the state tournament and was on a mission to prove that the Shoreline Conference (SLC) was one of the premiere conferences in the state 

After an 18-2 regular season, the Panthers won the SLC by rallying to defeated Portland in the conference championship game and then eliminated Weston, Windham, and Griswold in the state tourney to reach the state title game. 

Pinone said he thought it was the toughest road for any of his three championship teams.  

“I think we earned this one; we beat some good teams along the way,” added Pinone.

Including the postseason, the Panthers won 25 of 27 games this winter, winning both the SLC and state championship in the same season for the first time since 2009.

Celebrating together as champions on the floor at the Mohegan Sun Arena was the last dance for six seniors at Cromwell. 

Gagnon, Salafia (all-conference), Tyler Daniele (all-conference), Jack Corona, Jovan Marrero, and Logan Mure left a mark at CHS, bookending their high school careers with conference championships and adding another state championship banner to the “Home of the Champions.”

Longtime head coach John Pinone holds up the Panthers championship plaque following the team’s state championship victory.

Portland senior Harrison Collins brings the ball up court as the Highlanders student section behind him cheers on the team on March 10 at PHS. Collins scored 22 points as Portland defeated Wheeler to advance to the state semifinals.   

Portland High School basketball maestro Harrison Collins put on a show during the team’s final home game, slicing and dicing his way through defenders as the Highlanders defeated Wheeler 60-42 in the quarterfinals of the Division V state tournament on March 10.

Collins scored a game-high 22 points and dished out eight assists as the No. 4 seed Highlanders eliminated the No. 5 seed Lions to advance to the state semifinals. 

“We were really amped up,” said Collins, who is one of six seniors. “We just had to stay together; we knew it was going to be a rowdy environment.”

Although the Highlanders had the advantage of playing at home, the gym at PHS was packed with Wheeler fans that made the long trip from North Stonington to see a potential upset.

But it didn’t take long for the visitors to find out that an upset was not in the making.  

Behind Collins and a terrific supporting cast, the Highlanders controlled the tempo and never trailed in the game.

Head coach David Bradbury said it’s the best his team executed on the court this season.

“It’s great when you’re playing really well at the right time,” added Bradbury. “I talk to the boys about reaching that peak at the right time and we’ve hit our stride at the right time.” 

Junior Joe Rusczyk scored the game’s first points when he banked in a shot off glass and—after Wheelers’ Deondre Bransford tied it with a layup—Collins scored five straight points to provide Portland the lead for good.

Similar to Portland’s style, Wheeler plays at a high-tempo, but they couldn’t match the Highlanders athleticism. They also had no answer for Collins, switching from a man defense to a zone defense in the second quarter in an attempt to get the ball out of Collins’ hands. 

The result was a shooting exhibition from senior Ryan Kerr, who canned a pair of three-pointers on passes from Collins. Kerr scored eight of his 15 points in the second quarter. 

“We knew they wanted to play man, but we know we have the size and skill to beat guys in man-to-man,” added Bradbury, who credited Wheeler head coach Stephen Bailey for mixing in multiple defenses. “He made good adjustments, but our guys just really executed.” 

It was more of the same in the second half as Collins drained a straight away three-pointer in the first minute of the third quarter, promoting a 14-3 scoring run. 

Rusczyk scored five straight points during the third quarter surge, converting a three-point play and then stealing a pass in the open court before making a layup.

By the four minute mark of the third quarter, the Highlanders had turned a 10-point halftime lead into an insurmountable 21-point advantage.   

Second-chance points also helped the Highlanders. 

Senior captain Ben Fecteau gobbled up a dozen rebounds, many on the offensive end. Fecteau put the finishing touches on the game when he drove baseline and converted a traditional three-point play by powering his way through a pair of defenders for a bucket and hitting the ensuing free throw midway through the final frame. 

Rusczyk finished with nine points, Fecteau scored seven, and senior Austin Vess added six points—all in the second half. 

Bradbury was impressed with his team’s ability to take Wheeler’s best punch and stay composed, something he said the team struggled with a season ago.

“We did a good job defensively with our switches and with our help defense.” added Bradbury. “In the first quarter [Wheeler] hit some tough shots and I thought we didn’t get out in transition as much as we wanted to. There were a lot of
50/50 balls that we may not have gotten in the first half, but we did a great job at tightening that up in the second half.”

Collins agreed that it was the team’s relentless defense that put the game to rest. 

“Everyone was playing their role well and we worked on helping,” stated Collins. “Everyone played great team defense. That is what won it for us.”

Collins added that the team leaned on the experience from a season ago when they won a pair of state tournament games before being eliminated in the quarterfinals round at Windham.

The goal this season was to assure home playoff games and, after finishing the regular season with 15 wins this winter, the Highlanders earned a first round bye in the state tourney before ousting Wolcott 67-46 at PHS In the second round behind 27 points from Rusczyk.

The home win over Wheeler put the finishing touches on a historic home schedule in which the Highlanders won 13 of 14 games at PHS this winter.  

East Hampton’s Jackie Russell is defended by Coginchaug’s Chloe Shafir as senior captain Jordan Murphy comes over to set a screen during the Bellringers 44-24 state semifinal victory on March 13.

East Hampton girls basketball soundly defeated Coginchaug 44-24 in the Class M semifinals at Morgan High School on Monday, earning a trip to Mohegan Sun Arena for this weekend’s state championship game.

It will be the program’s first state championship appearance since 1980.

In the semifinals triumph, the Bellringers used an efficient offense and smothering defense to overwhelm the Durham-based Blue Devils from the opening tip. 

Sophomore Liana Salamone led the offense with 19 points, while junior Jackie Russell added 12 and sparked the team on the defensive end by taking a pair of charges in the first quarter.

“This time of year, you have to hang your hat on defense,” said East Hampton head coach Shaun Russell.  “You play in different venues and there are different shooting backgrounds, so you’re not always going to shoot well or you may not get good shots because you are playing teams that can guard.”

Jackie Russell, who scored all of her points beyond the arc, drained a high-arching three-pointer on the team’s first trip down the court.

After Coginchaug’s Katie Farr tied the game at three, Russell canned another triple to give the Bellringers the lead for good. She also prompted a 11-0 scoring run in the second quarter by hitting back-to-back treys from the left and right wings. 

The opposing teams entered the semifinal round very familiar with each other because both play in the Shoreline Conference (SLC) and had already played twice this season, once during the regular season and once in the SLC tournament semifinals.

The Bellringers had won the previous two games by an average of 20 points per game, yet East Hampton emphasized the importance of not taking a conference rival lightly.   

“We couldn’t underestimate them. We knew they could play just as well,” said Jackie Russell “They had seven seniors, so we knew they would give it all they have and we just had to come prepared.”

It was also the third time this winter that the Bellringers were playing at Morgan High School, giving the team added comfortability at the neutral site.  

Salamone put the game out of reach in the third, scoring seven points as East Hampton upped the lead to 24 points going into the final quarter. 

Sophomore Olivia DeMartino added six points and four steals in the victory.

Shaun Russell said DeMartino’s versatility gives the team a lot of flexibility on both ends of the court, adding that DeMartino, junior Delaney Russell, and senior captain Jordan Murphy can all guard multiple positions on the defensive end.

“Defensively with that group it allows us flexibility to do some different things,” added the longtime coach. “We can guard just about anybody and make the other team do things they don’t want to do.”

The team’s defensive tenacity was on full display during the second and third quarters, holding Coginchaug to a mere eight points over the 16-minute stretch.  

After East Hampton secured a spot in the state championship game, they watched two other SLC rivals battle in the second half of the semifinals back-to-back to see who their opponent would be.  

Valley Regional defeated Cromwell, 56-51, to reach the title game and set up a third meeting with the Bellringers. 

East Hampton defeated Valley Regional in both contests this season, winning easily at Deep River in December and then having to rally to earn a victory at EHHS in February.

Outside of the two losses to the Bellringers, the Warriors of Valley Regional  won 17 of 18 games in the regular season. They have an experienced roster that features first-team all-conference seniors Abby Bradbury and Lily Grow, who have combined to average nearly 30 points per game this season. 
 
East Hampton’s resume is even more impressive. Entering the championship game, the Bellringers have won 27 of 28 games this year, including the postseason.

Shaun Russell expressed that he wanted his team to soak up the semifinals victory before turning the page to the title tilt,
saying, ““Enjoyment and desire to play is also what fuels the energy to play and intensity.”

“We have to strike that balance of preparing for a familiar opponent and at the same time still improve and find those areas of the game that can help us,” he added.

With the semifinals triumph now in the rear view mirror, there’s just one game left for all the marbles. 

Jackie Russell said the trip to Mohegan “means everything”, adding, “we just have to have a couple of really good days of practice and get ready.”

​Check ciacsports.com for a complete list of dates and time for this weekend’s state basketball championship games.