Senior Jacob Baclawski gearing up for a massive spike in the second set as libero Vietanh Dinh, (12) Sean Stegmaier and (14) Eni Lici watch
Flashback to June 6, 2019: Sophomore Jacob Baclawski walked off the court following a seven kill, eight dig performance, helping Newington boys’ volleyball win a third consecutive state championship. 22 months later, Baclawski is now a senior captain as Newington is back in action attempting to defend back-to-back-to-back titles. “It felt good, but it was a little shaky,” Baclawski said following the team’s first match in 676 days, “We didn’t know who was going to come back. We had a lot of seniors last year that left and went to college, and honestly, we put the new players in and we’ve got some good chemistry. This is a perfect win.” After having spring competition cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Newington picked up right where they left off, defeating now-conference-rival Lewis Mills in three sets (25-14, 25-17, 25-15). Head coach Curt Burns said the team is still a work in progress, “I think we played okay, but I think we can play much better. Our errors were our own fault but that we can clean up. It’s been a challenge. Our numbers are not huge but we’re making due with what we have.” Baclawski is the only returning starter and one of two players, along with Josh Akosa, to play any varsity sets in 2019. He started his senior campaign with nine kills and seven digs in the season-opening win on April 12. Akosa added seven kills and six digs in his first varsity start. Setter Eni Lici, who has played with Baclawski in club league, dished out 22 assists in his varsity debut. “Everyone else is new here. They just haven’t played that much time, but honestly they have been playing very well and clicking. It was a total team effort,” added Baclawski. Newington controlled every set, trailing only early in the second set and briefly in the third. First-year players Trey Guest and Vietanh Dinh also debuted with solid performances. Guest, a senior, had four kills and a pair of blocks, while Dinh is starting at libero as a freshman. “Trey he’s been playing for two weeks total, and he already has the form down. It’s just a matter of speeding the ball up and hitting it a little harder, but he’s making the good connection. We work on fundamentals every day,” said Burns, who thrust Dinh into the starting lineup, “It’s just a pure numbers thing. The libero spot is a position that you have to serve and pass and as you saw today he’s pretty good at it, so he’s stepped right in and he’s done a fine job. We just try and find the best athletes and train them to play volleyball. He’s done a real nice job.” With all the new players, including five new starters, Burns has done more teaching of fundamentals, “The new guys have never played volleyball. We’re not only teaching the skills but also the nuances of the games, how to rotate, substitute, they were thrown in the fire from day one. They struggled a little bit tonight but you see that there is potential there, so they have to continue to work on that.” During the long wait between competition, Baclawski worked on the mental part of the game, reviewing the game film from the 2019 season, while also training his body, “I learned how to prepare for the season and I got my got my weight up because I was around 165 as sophomore. I gained 20 pounds which helped me develop more muscle. I was ready to go back out there and prove myself as a player.” The added power was on display during both his spikes and serves. He ended the first set with a thunderous spike and served up back-to-back powerful aces to widen the gap in the second. Following the opening win, it was a mixed bag last week as Newington fell in three sets to Wethersfield on Thursday and rebounded with a straight set win over Rockville on Friday. Sean Stegmaier shined in the loss to Wethersfield, blocking three shots and adding three kills. Senior Dennis Nguyen played setter against Wethersfield, dishing out 17 assists and then earned the player of the game against Rockville after a four-kill, two-ace, five-dig performance. Burns, who also coaches girls’ volleyball at Avon, along with his longtime assistant Amy Handel will try and have the team peaking by the time conference and state tournaments roll around. “We want to put another banner on the wall,” said Burns, pointing to where the championship banners hang at Richard E Rogalski Gymnasium, “There a nice little space right up there.”
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GHS seniors Gregory Perry (left) and Jared Mozeleski (right) will help lead boys lacrosse this spring Glastonbury boys’ lacrosse kicked off the spring season with a loss at Wilton on April 10. It was the program’s first official game in 682 days, dating back to the Class L tournament when the same Warriors program from Wilton eliminated them on May 29, 2019. “We went back to the basics, knowing that there is a whole year of lacrosse lost,” said head coach Scott Hinchey, who is relearning most of the roster, “We’ve been trying to be patient and make sure we’re teaching the little things more. This year is totally different, we have three players that have played varsity in the past, so we really have to teach the little things and we’re filling roles and trying to teach lessons along the way.” Senior Gregory Perry and Jared Mozeleski are two of those players with varsity experience, playing supporting roles as sophomores in 2019. “Everyone here has been biting at the bit, just waiting to get back out here. Not only knowing we get the chance to play, but to play for something and play for a state championship is definitely special, especially for our senior year,” said Perry. Mozeleski added, “I was really pumped to get back out here and lead the younger guys our senior year. We can go out on a high note and at least have a full season. We were really excited.” Two years after debuting on varsity, the pair are now in leadership roles for a Guardians squad that is small in roster size but deep in talent. “Last year we had around 33 guys, we were kind of deep. This year we don’t have that same experience and we have a lot of younger guys,” stated Perry, “It’s just about everybody understanding and buying into their roles. We just have to do our job. If we can do that we’ll be successful.” The long wait in between action centered around the COVID-19 pandemic and the complete shutdown of high school sports, which started less than a month before the 2020 lacrosse season was set to begin. Mozeleski, who is a year-round lacrosse player, was forced to sharpen skills on his own, “For me personally, I was shooting out on the wall in my back yard, just trying to get reps and practicing. Obviously we couldn’t get the team together during quarantine but it was important to do it on your own and get the reps in, whether it’s the gym or the wall.” Summer and club leagues allowed the players to knock the rust off, but bonding between the current team will have to happened on the fly for a group that hasn’t been together since before the Tiger King was a thing. “Our seniors have set that tone and provided that leadership. They definitely have the urgency of knowing that it’s their year to contribute,” said Hinchey, who is has been part of the program since 2005 and in his eighth season as head coach. “They’re also buying into the right role on the team,” he added, “We also have some talented younger players, so certain seniors need to know that my role may not be a starting role, it could be a secondary role that they can do well. It’s more of a quieter class, that’s their personality, but they’re growing into that leadership.” Prior to the season opener in Wilton, the team played a physical, intense scrimmage against Guilford. Hinchey could see the progression of the team in real time, evidenced by a rough start followed by a solid finish, “We made some selfish plays and didn’t try and find the open guy as much as we should have, but we grew from that and rallied late and started doing that. Our last four or five goals came off nice assists, and that what we like to see. Early in the game we were forcing it a little too much and that’s part of being young. I thought we turned some of those negatives into positives.” Hinchey added that the team’s primary goal is to embrace the opportunity this spring and, as always, aim for a conference title, “Every day is a blessing that we can get out here and play. The coaches are happy to be out here and so are the players. Win or lose, we’ll get better.” The loss to Wilton, a 14-6 defeat, was a good measuring stick for a Guardians team that faces an extremely competitive early-season schedule. Cole Wallace scored two goals and dished out an assist, while Matt Harding added two more goals in the opener. Kayden Hinchey tacked on a goal and an assist, Colin Hersom had a goal, and Josh Heaney and Holden Conroy each tallied an assist. Senior Graham McLaughlin and junior Ryan Bell each took turns in goals. McLaughlin got the start and Bell took over in the second half. “They both have different skill sets,” Hinchey said of his rotating goalies, “They’re both solid and in the mix. That’s one position that I think we have a lot of strength.” It has been a brutal last 13 months for all high school athletes, so the seniors want to make the most of this opportunity. “It’s been definitely a roller coaster. I play football too, so we had to go through that, not knowing if we had a season or not,” stated Perry, “A lot of sports around the country have been going through that so it’s definitely a great feeling to be back out here. Just being able to turn the page, we just have to make the most of what we have right now.” “Our goal is to lead the team with the highest intensity that we can and obviously win conference,” added Mozeleski, who is helping captain the defense, “We’ll see what happens in late-May, early-June. We just have to play to the best of our ability.” The Guardians rebounded from the season-opening loss, picking up win #1 with a 15-4 victory over Hall on Monday. Following 2020’s spring high school sports Covid-cancellation, Glastonbury softball returns from the long hiatus with two players having varsity experience. Juniors Brooke Tracy and Sadie Scurto return to anchor a defensive unit that will feature sophomore shortstop Rayah Snyder and freshman pitcher/3B Gabby Lambert. Snyder and Lambert combined to hit 15-22 with four homeruns in the Guardians scrimmages against Windsor and East Hartford earlier this month. Head coach Karen Costes said that pitching will be the team’s strength this year, adding “Brooke and Gabby will keep us in every game, even against the best teams in the area. Our bats are not far behind our pitching. Once all the pieces come together, we will be tough to beat!”
WHS soccer players #24 Gabi Villagra and #3 Sierra Judson were both named All-Academic. Photo credit- Jo-Ann Campbell
On March 8, the Connecticut High School Coaches Association released the 2020 All-Academic teams for the fall season. Wethersfield High School had an area-high eight players selected: (Swimming) Haley Krawczyk, Julia Pitchell, Olivia Thompson, and Emily Wolf. (Soccer) RJ Darrell, Anis Nurkic, Gabi Villagra, and Sierra Judson. Cromwell had three players selected: (Cross Country) Mark Rodriguez and Mike Zocco. (Soccer) Tyler Nieves. Middletown was represented by cross country runners Sean Ahern and Thomas Cunningham. Rocky Hill’s Maren Valente was selected for cross country. Rocky Hill head coach Rich Dance and R.J. Onyina after Onyina signed his commitment to play football at SCSU R.J. Onyina’s road to college football has been paved with obstacles. The Rocky Hill senior recently committed to Southern Connecticut State University after two years of character-building hurdles. “It’s really exciting,” Onyina said of his commitment to SCSU, “My junior year I didn’t get to show out that much with getting hurt and that made me work really hard in the offseason. This year I had a vision in my own head of what I could have done this year. I was a lot bigger and stronger and worked so hard to the point where I think I could have done a lot of big things.” Onyina suffered a high-ankle sprain, forcing him to miss over half of his junior season in 2019, and then COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of 11v11 football this past fall. During the turbulent two seasons, head coach Rich Dance helped Onyina deal with the setbacks while guiding the team through the disappointment of an incomplete fall. “Coach helped us, and we helped each other. I really thought we could have done big things this year, but it is what it is. Everything happens for a reason.” Onyina entered RHHS four years ago after attending Corpus Christie in Wethersfield. “Coming here I was kind of nervous, it was my first time changing schools. It a different environment from a private school,” said Onyina, who used sports to bond with his new classmates, “Now I call this place my home. This is where I found my family, there are people just like me that have the same goals.” Along with playing football, he also played basketball and is currently on the track & field team as a sprinter, hurdler, and as part of relay teams. His rare combination of size, speed, and strength will be a welcomed addition to the Owls football team in New Haven. “I’m really excited to show them what I can do. I know a lot of people are rooting for me,” said the 6’2” receiver, “I feel like I’m a lot bigger than some guys, and going into a college program will help me get to that next step. I’m just going to keep working out, eating right, and training to get better every day.” He made the most out of quarantine, choosing to focus on self-improvement. “During Covid it was kind of hard because my parents didn’t really want me leaving. I ended up staying with my cousins and they got me some workout equipment. I’d run with a parachute, work out in the basement. During those two months I put on like 10-15 pounds. That’s where it all started for me.” Onyina feared that his lack of game-tape might hurt his chances at college football, but Dance helped him make the connections he needed. “Coach really believes in me. I owe him everything because I really don’t think I would have been able to do it without him. He was the one telling us to stay motivated and keep working and it all paid off in the end,” Onyina said of Dance, “I’ve always wanted to stay in Connecticut and going there they made me feel like family. It’s a really great opportunity for me because it’s a D2 program and I can stay close to home and play the sport I love.” He will join an Owls program that will be motivated heading into the fall of 2021, following a year without games due to the pandemic. Onyina, who played both sides of the ball at Rocky Hill, said he was recruited as a wide receiver yet is willing to accept any role that head coach Tom Godek and Southern staff have for him. Next fall, he’ll began to write the next chapter in his football story, as he pursues degree in finance or engineering. “It will allow me to grow as a person. Every day I ask myself if I get better, and there I feel like I can grow academically, athletically, and in every aspect of life.” The soon-to-be graduate is currently finishing up his senior season on the track and will soon be accepting his diploma with a senior class of football player that he’s grown close with despite the setbacks. “They are all my brothers. In 30 years I’ll still be talking to them,” said Onyina, who added that Rocky Hill will always be home, “Even next year, I’ll be here supporting the guys here. Rocky Hill is the type of community where everyone gives back to each other. You see everyone supporting each other all the time. That’s what I love about this place.” On March 8, the Connecticut High School Coach Association named the 2020 All-Academic team for fall season, honoring a half dozen Glastonbury High School student-athletes.
Cross country runners Casey MacElhiney and Emma Smith were honored. MacElhiney said, “Being selected as All Academic means dedication. Different from other athletic awards, being named All Academic recognizes hard work in both sports and school. As an athlete, school has always been my top priority. As a student athlete, I work hard to balance my academic career with my athletic career and put my maximum effort into both.” Smith added, “Being all-state and academic all-state means so much. In a year where so much was taken away from us, I have learned to appreciate the opportunities that have been given to us. I know I, and all the other seniors have worked so hard these past four years, only for it to end on a year without the chance to win states or stand at the start line of Wickham along with 500 other girls. I am beyond happy that I received recognition for the hard work I’ve put in throughout my high school career.” Field hockey players Caitlin Gallagher, Mary Norman, and Abby Peterson were also selected. Peterson stated, “When I found out I was selected for the All-Academic team, I was deeply honored. Being an athlete at GHS is more than just the work you put in on the field, but also the work you put in the classroom. Having the ability to manage both a high intensity sport and a demanding course load has taught me the true meaning of perseverance and success. This recognition is very important to me because as I continue my academic and athletic career at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute playing field hockey this fall, I will continue to strive for excellence on and off the field.” Swimmer Caroline Cermignani also received the distinguished honor. Glastonbury girls basketball seniors (L-R) Jillian Margaglione, Jaci Budaj, Rachel Roman, and Charlotte Bassett
Glastonbury basketball seniors Jaci Budaj, Rachel Roman, Jillian Margaglione, and Charlotte Bassett have shared the same court together since the third grade. The four recently completed a nine-year basketball journey with a championship, leading the way as Glastonbury defeated Wethersfield on March 26 to capture a conference title. “When you’ve been playing together that long you always know they will have your back on the court,” said Budaj, “We’ve all grown up together.” In a day and age of private schools and player movement, the nearly decade-long basketball bond is a rarity. “We all know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and how each other play,” added Margaglione, “We know what each of us have to do and we play so well together, so that definitely helped the team.” That chemistry was more important than ever this season, which combined the complication of a pandemic with the normal challenges of a season. Chris Vozzolo has been coaching the foursome since first entered GHS, most recently helping navigate them through an uncertain offseason following a near upset of #1 Staples in the 2020 Class LL state tournament. “We talked a lot about that Staples game and about how we were up going into the fourth quarter, we left it all out on the court. Then the next day was a complete shutdown and it was tough to find any closure to the basketball season. We skipped out on a lot of the stuff we’d normally do at the end of the season,” recalled Vozzolo, “We were keeping our fingers crossed that we’d have a season. It was kind of a crazy offseason in terms of playing club ball or getting the team together. It was really just dark for a long time.” With everything virtual, the veteran head coach leaned on the leadership of seniors and focused on the mental part of the game. Vozzolo and his four seniors read the book, The Energy Bus, which emphasizes approaching life, work, and team with positive energy. “We talked about how we wanted to infused energy and life into our program,” stated Vozzolo, who has been coaching the GHS girls’ program since 2016, “We discussed it and came up with some plans for the season together, and I’ve got to say that it went awesome.” Following a delay to the winter sports season, the team finally received the green light to practice in January. “We tried to enjoy it more and we talked about cherishing every day,” added Vozzolo. With the knowledge that the season would be a shortened version, featuring twelve regular season games, the team decided to embrace the change. “We were excited to be able to play because for a while we didn’t know if we’d be able to. We just approached every day like it could end at any moment,” said Budaj. Roman added, “Playing together was our top priority. We just wanted to keep everyone with a positive attitude and play to win.” The seniors, who were all returning starters, hit the ground running. The team began 2021 by winning six straight games, defeated the first half dozen opponents by a margin of 14 points per game. Vozzolo said the continuity developed over the previous three years was helpful, “We got going right from the first day. We felt like we were right where we left off. They feel conformable with my coaching, I feel comfortable coaching them. We can all be honest and transparent with each other and it made it a lot easier.” Margaglione added, “We wanted to have fun this season, mostly under the circumstances going on, and we just wanted to win.” During the team’s fifth game of the season, a 63-52 win at South Windsor, Bassett eclipse the career 1,000-point mark on a layup in the second quarter. After battling ankle injuries last season, Bassett was happy to accomplish the scoring mark, yet her priorities were elsewhere this winter, “I really wanted to focus on the younger girls more this year, so it wasn’t really about me. I wanted to make a lasting impact on the younger girls and make basketball more popular at our school, because I think we need that.” The prolific scorer’s humble and unselfish demeanor resonated with both her teammates and the coaching staff. “Charlotte is unbelievable, she promotes other people’s success and she gives off such a positive and encouraging light to others,” Vozzolo said of Bassett, who averaged 17 points per game this season, “At the same time we asked her to carry some of the volume when it comes to scoring the basketball. She takes it extremely seriously and works on it extremely hard. She’s been an unbelievable leader for us, and she’s been starting for four years. We’ll definitely feel that gap next year.” Following the 6-0 start, the Guardians won four of the next five before falling to Manchester in the regular season finale. “We were definitely disappointed after that loss, because that meant that we didn’t get into the top bracket,” recalled Roman. “That Friday night in Manchester was a stunner,” added Vozzolo, who credited Manchester for outplaying them, “I met with those four the next morning and we decided that we’re going to move forward and do what’s best for our program and each other. We just took care of business going forward.” Once the conference tourney started, Glastonbury’s defense rose to another level, holding Berlin and Farmington to 33 and 36 points, respectively, in the first two rounds of the tournament. They almost got a shot at redemption against Manchester, however Wethersfield knocked off Manchester in the semifinals, setting up a battle with the Eagle from across the river in the title game. Wethersfield entered the championship game in an offensive rhythm, averaging 57 points per game over the previous three contests. “We preach defense every single day. Luckily, we have a team that buys in and allows themselves to be coached. They put maximum effort into the defensive end, and it translates into our defensive play in the postseason,” said Vozzolo, who credited assistance coach Tim Bosworth with putting together a perfect defensive game plan against Wethersfield, “We matched up accordingly and played our defensive style that we did all year. Our girls obviously turned it up a notch.” Playing at home, Glastonbury held Wethersfield to a season-low in points, winning the title game 55-21 behind the masterful defensive effort. Budaj was tasked with guarding Wethersfield’s main scoring threat Vanessa Venditti and the Guardians restricted the Eagles normally effective motion offense. The championship triumph ended an impressive run for the four seniors, who helped the program win 31 of 40 games (including the postseason) over the last two seasons. “We wanted to end our time together on a high note,” said Budaj. Each of the seniors brought a different quality to the court. Bassett handled the bulk of the scoring. Margaglione was the distributor, dishing out five assists per game. Roman controlled the insides, leading the team in rebounds (11 per game) and blocks. Budaj provided the energy as a defensive specialist, averaging nearly three steals per game. Separately they were good. Together they were special. “That is part of the magic, they complement each other very well. They’re all different players but when they all play together, they play very symmetric with one another,” said Vozzolo, who also coaches soccer and tennis at GHS, “They are not afraid to share the ball with each other, they are all great passers, and they play hard and stick up for each other. That comes from coming through the ranks and having good youth coaches and good club coaches, and once they got to me it was just a continuation of that.” Vozzolo added that the team’s fifth starter, junior Sydney Kehl, was the ideal complement for the four seniors. Following graduation this spring, the roundball quartet will head off in separate direction. Bassett will continue her basketball career at the University of New Haven, Roman (Bryant University) and Budaj (Sacred Heart University) will play soccer at the next level, and Margaglione is off to study business at The University of Connecticut. Next winter will mark the first time in 10 years that the Glastonbury girls will not share the court together. They all agree that it will be bittersweet, yet the love of the game and for one another will remain. “We didn’t just play high school together, we played AAU together and now that I think about it it’s kind of incredible that we still know each other to this day,” said Bassett, “That’s really cool, it’s probably the best sports relationship that I’ll have.” Roman added, “I think it was good that we all stuck together. It made us all stronger. It was good to show the younger girls that they should stick with it because it will make the team better.” Glastonbury girls basketball celebrating Charlotte Bassett's 1,000th career point following victory over South Windsor on March 2 Cromwell brothers, Harrison Ranger (left) and Kilian Ranger (right) are photobombed by Newington's Sam Davies. The three helped Newington co-op hockey win a conference title in March
Kilian and Harrison Ranger shared a championship moment on March 26 when the Newington co-op hockey won a CCC title. The brothers, who are two of three Cromwell High School student-athletes on the co-op’s roster, each played pivotal roles for a team that won 11 of 13 games, which included a victory over Tri-Town in the Conference Championship. “We lost the state semis, we lost in conference semis for three years straight, so it was really rewarding to push though and get the championship,” said Kilian, who is two years older than Harrison, “We were more known as a regular season team because we had a great record last year and then we got bounced out of both the conference and state tourneys, so it was really good to prove that we could win it.” The older Ranger (Kilian) led the team in goals (15) and scoring (23 points), while the younger Ranger (Harrison) finished second on the team in assists (9) and scored 12 points overall. Harrison said it’s been great playing with and learning from his older brother, “Since we lived together our whole life, we’ve learned hockey the same way. We have chemistry and we know where each other is going to be on the ice because we have a similar playing style.” The Ranger family moved to Cromwell from Raleigh, North Carolina four years ago, bringing an abundance of hockey talent with them. Older brother, Ethan Ranger, starred for two seasons with the co-op, earning all-state honors following the 2018-2019 season. The two younger siblings have followed in the footsteps of Ethan and their father, Michael, who played in Canada “We played hockey in North Carolina for our whole childhood and when we moved here we were introduced to high school hockey because there is no high school hockey in North Carolina,” stated Kilian, who played junior and club hockey growing up, “High school hockey is very popular in Connecticut and we were attracted to it because the head coach on the team at Newington, David Harackiewicz, mentioned to us about the co-op.” Since arriving in the Nutmeg State, the Ranger family has elevated the co-op program, which includes players from Newington, Cromwell, Berlin, Manchester, and Canton. The team was nearly flawless this season, going 9-0-1 through 10 regular season games before falling to Wethersfield (2-0) in the regular season finale. But as fate would have it, the longtime rivals were pitted against each other in the semifinals of the CCC tourney. “The first time we played them it was a tight game and the two goals were kind of flukes,” recalled Kilian, “I felt good that we could get redemption against them. We knew we could play with them, they were a good team but we thought we were good too.” The rematch turned out to be one for the ages, and possibly the longest and greatest high school hockey game in the state’s history, lasting five overtimes and ending shortly before midnight on March 24. Newington’s Sam Davies ended the game on a goal with just over three minutes left in the fifth overtime, securing a 3-2 victory and sending the co-op team to the conference championship game. “We didn’t want our last lost to be to Wethersfield. We always play tight games against them,” said Kilian, who was up until three in the morning following the win, “We didn’t want to end it that way, especially against Wethersfield.” Harrison recalled the multiple times between action during the overtime periods, “We would just be in the locker room and we’d talk about their weaknesses and what we needed to work on. We tried to hype each other up so we wouldn’t get too down or too tired. We wanted to make sure we were on-point no matter how long it went on.” The brothers were able to start and finish the marathon game thanks in large part to the work they put into the offseason. Each was coming off an injury-riddled 2019-2020 season. Kilian dealt with a broken hip and Harrison a broken leg. During a quarantine-filled offseason, the two hit the weight room to get bigger, stronger, faster, and more durable. “Hockey is a pretty physical game, and also from a speed aspect you need to develop your legs because if you don’t have strong legs you won’t be able to skate hard or skate fast in general. We trained our upper bodies as well,” said Kilian, who mentored his younger brother in the weight room, “In the fall we where in the gym six days a week and I think that helped with his confidence. Freshman year he was a little on the smaller side which caused him to break his leg towards the end of the season. He got bigger and stronger, which helped his confidence.” Thanks to the added muscle and year under his belt, Harrison’s confidence grew in year-two, “I think I got smarter and more confident in making better passes and plays. I got older and stronger. I was willing to carry the puck when I got my chance and to shoot more and make the extra play.” The same night that Newington eliminated Wethersfield, conference #1 seed Hall/Southington was upset by Tri-Town, setting up a title match with the hockey talents from Ellington/Somers/East Windsor. The championship game proved to be a mismatch as Newington jumped to a 2-0 lead after the first period and never looked back, shutting out Tri-Town 5-0. Kilian and Sam Hedlund each scored two goals and dished out two assists, while Joey Petronio netting a goal as well. Goalie Andrew Fogarty, who started and finished all 13 games this season, stopped every shot he faced to register his third shutout of the year. The conference championship win wrapped up a bizarre shortened season without a state tournament. The brothers, who schooled virtually during the season to avoid contact tracing, were just happy to have a season. “I just took it day by day because I knew that we might not have a season,” said Kilian, “I was grateful that the season wasn’t cancelled. Even though we didn’t have a state tournament, we still got to get a conference championship.” Kilian and five other senior will be graduating, leaving a sizeable void next season. Harrison will lead a group coming back next season, which will include Braeden Humphrey, Evan Howard, Joshua Grimm, Jeremy Wagner, and Cromwell’s Thomas Quirk. “It still uncertain how well we will do next season because we are losing a lot of seniors and firepower, but I still think we will be able to compete,” said Harrison, who was glad to help his brother and the departing senior win a championship this winter, “I knew we could win a championship this season if we really played our game. Once we won it was refreshing because we worked all season for this. All that worked paid off.” Wethersfield High School's girls hockey players Paige Muscillo, Isabella Bonfiglio, Sophia Nower, Nicole Partridge, and Molly Regan helped the Nighhawks win nine regular season games and a tourney game this winter
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AuthorSports Editor for the Rare Reminder, Glastonbury Citizen, and Rivereast News Bulletin Archives
April 2024
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