MHS softball seniors Cheyenne Fuoco, Alessandra Latina, Ava DeFrance, Makayla Thompson, and Taressa Szewzyck
Alex Sikorski- Rocky Hill (Basketball): Sikorski, a 2017-graduate from RHHS, earned his degree in Finance from Western New England University. The now college-senior maintained a 3.94 GPA, while also shining on the basketball courts, surpassing the 1,000-career point mark and draining 175 career three-pointers (3rd in program history). The 2019-2020 1st team All-CCC will play out his final year of basketball eligibility as he works towards his master’s degree next year. John Amaning Jr- Newington (Track & Field): Amaning broke the school record in the 100-meter dash, running a 10.74 in a meet at Wethersfield last Thursday. The senior sprinter had a personal best 11.09 the week before, prompting a conversation between him and his coach about the record prior to the Wethersfield meet, “Wethersfield had a great sprinter that has numbers similar to me. So the competition in the race just helped me even more.” Amaning, who has also excelled as a running back on the gridiron at NHS, has committed to play both football and run track at Lackawanna College in Pennsylvania next fall, stating, “I’m so thankful for this opportunity. I’m grateful for the man above and allowing me to showcase my talents on and off the field.” Aaron Cholewa- Wethersfield (Lacrosse): Cholewa netted the game-winner in an 11-10 victory over Tolland last Monday, improving the team to 8-0. The senior scored two goals and added an assist in the win, which continued the Cinderella spring for an Eagles team that is ranked second overall in Class M during inaugural varsity season. Tyler Baldwin- Cromwell (Baseball): Baldwin, a college freshman on the Albertus Magnus College baseball team, earned Rookie of the Week honors from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. The 2020-CHS graduate was outstanding from the mound and plate during the first week in May, making two relief appearances, striking out two, and recording a 2.70 ERA. He also connected on two hits, scoring one run and stealing a base. Cheyenne Fuoco, Alessandra Latina, Ava DeFrance, Makayla Thompson, Taressa Szewzyck- Middletown (Softball): Fuoco, Latina, DeFranch, Thompson, and Szewzyck are the five Middletown five seniors, who have helped guide the Blue Dragons through a transition season. The five have helped the team in wins over New Britain and Plainville this spring.
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WHS scholar-athletes recipients Lindsey Pia and Michael Bielak
In late April, the CAS-CIAC announced the 2020-2021 scholar-athlete selections, recognizing two seniors from each high school. Recipients were student-athletes whose academic and athletic careers have been exemplary, whose personal standards and achievements are a model to others, and who possess high levels of integrity, self-discipline, and courage. It is one of the longest running CAS-CIAC events, honoring standout senior student athletes every year since 1984. Lindsey Pia and Michael Bielak were selected from Wethersfield High School. Pia is a four-year varsity diver for the swimming and diving team, who was a state finalist her junior year and a state qualifier her senior season. She helped lead the Eagles to three CCC divisional titles and an undefeated senior season. She has stayed active at WHS, helping organize nine blood drives for the American Red Cross, and was a member of the National Honor Society and an officer in the Spanish National Honor Society. She has also served as a mentor in the Wethersfield Festival Orchestra and also played for the Hartt School of Music. As a junior, Pia received the Smith College Book Award and was selected to participate in the University of Connecticut's pre-med and pre-dental high school program. Next year, she will attend The Ohio State University as a Biochemistry major on a pre-dental track. Bielak is a three-sport star, playing football, basketball, and lacrosse. He is a proud member of the inaugural WHS Boys Varsity Lacrosse team, playing a key role this spring for an Eagles that that is ranked second overall in Class M. Bielak excels in the classroom and challenges himself by taking AP courses in Psychology, Spanish, Calculus, Physics and English Literature, and was named AP Scholar. He also is involved in the National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, Social Studies National Honor Society, and the WHS Jets Team, and volunteers as a peer tutor. As a junior, Bielak received Bausch + Lomb Science Award and was selected as an American Legion Connecticut Boys State Delegate. Next year, he will attend the University of Rochester where he will major in Biology. Maren Valente and Abhishek Singh were selected from Rocky Hill High School Valente was an All-State cross country runner at the high school, also participating in soccer and track during her time at the RHHS. Valente, who will attend the University of Miami, said this of the honor, "The selection as a CIAC Scholar Athlete is super exciting! I am incredibly thankful for my coaches and teammates who have made each sport season so much fun and have pushed me to do my best on the track and also in the classroom. It’s awesome to be recognized for this award with such a great group of kids that are diligent in both school and in their sports. We’ve put in a lot of hard work over the last four years, so it is amazing to see it pay off." Singh played tennis and was a distance runner at RHHS. Singh, who will be attending the University of Connecticut next fall, said this of the honor, “I am very proud of being selected as a Scholar-Athlete. I wasn't expecting to receive this award, but I think that the effort I show in both athletics and academics was what led to my selection. I do both cross country and tennis, and, while I am not the best athlete at either sport, I strive to work as hard as I can in both while balancing the work I need to do for my classes. Overall, I am honored to be chosen as a Scholar-Athlete for Rocky Hill High School.” Monica Dewey and Zack Randozza were selected from Cromwell High School Dewey has excelled on both the basketball courts and the softball fields as CHS. She was a contributor on the Panthers 2018-2019 girls’ basketball state champion team and this past winter she averaged four assists and 3.5 steals a game. She is currently serving as a captain for the softball team, playing catcher and having a solid season from the plate. Dewey, who will attend the Central Connecticut State University, said of the honor, “I am incredibly grateful to have been selected as a Scholar Athlete. This selection is important to me because it recognizes the hard work that I have put in on the field, on the court, and in the classroom. I was raised to work hard at everything, to always be respectful and humble, and to constantly dedicate myself to being better than I was the day before. For as long as I can remember, I have implemented this mentality to my academic and athletic performance. I focus and work hard in the classroom because of the satisfaction I find in knowing I have learned something. In softball and basketball, I always give my unrelenting effort because of my passion for the game and my desire to respect not just my coaches, teammates or the opposing team, but the game itself. I owe it that much, considering the blessings playing sports has given me, such as meeting inspiring people, experiencing once-in-a-lifetime moments and providing me with an exciting purpose each day. I hope that my work ethic and my leadership has made my family, coaches and teachers proud and that I have left a lasting mark on Cromwell High School and the surrounding community.” Randozza excelled on the soccer fields at CHS, leading the Panthers in goals (8) this past fall. He will be attending the University of Connecticut, starting next fall. Talia Ventrelli and Trevor Dreshcer were selected from Middletown High School Ventrelli was part of Middletown’s successful dance team and is currently competing on the Blue Dragons lacrosse team. Outside of athletic, she was part of National Honors Society, Student Council, and Yearbook. She will be attending Endicott College next fall to study nursing, saying this about the prestigious honor, “Being selected as a recipient of the 2021 CIAC Scholar Athlete Award is an incredible honor. As a three season, four-year, varsity athlete, I have always strived to achieve an award such as this one. During a year of many losses and uncertainties, I am grateful to be recognized for such a high achievement.” Dreshcer was an accomplished thrower (shot put, javelin, discus) on the track teams and a swimmer at MHS. He will be attending Bucknell University next fall. Grace Canepari and Joshua Akosa were selected from Newington High School Canepari starred in both soccer and lacrosse at NHS. Akosa was recently named at the Class of 2021 Valedictorian at NHS. He was also a runner at the school and is currently starting on for the reigning state champion volleyball team. Benedict is a team captain for the GHS baseball team, starring at shortstop and dominating from the plate this season. Through the first nine games, the senior is hitting .531 from the plate (17-32), scoring 13 runs and recording seven stolen bases.
Prior to coming to GHS Benedict was well traveled, having lived in Arizona, California, Virginia, Minnesota, and Alabama. He has enjoyed his travels, saying, “It’s been an awesome experience becoming familiar with places around the country and connecting with new people everywhere I go.” Benedict, who also played basketball at GHS, will play a post-graduate year at Salisbury School in Connecticut, before exploring his college baseball opportunities as he pursues a degree in Sports Management. GHS Boys Tennis Remains Unblemished
The Guardians have defeated all nine opponents they faced this spring, including five convincing wins over the last two weeks. Coming into the week, the team is ranked #2 in Class LL. Over the 14-day span, the team has defeated Newington, Northwest Catholic, South Windsor, Middletown and E.O. Smith by a combined score of 32-3. Both Newington and South Windsor were undefeated heading into their matches against Glastonbury. The latest victory was a clean sweep of E.O. Smith (7-0) last Friday. #1 singles player Christian Kaverud defeated Kenny Wu, 6-0,6-4. #2 singles Luke Vrenenburg defeated Daniel Zhou, 6-2, 6-2, #3 singles Dhanush Kalanghi defeated Jake Bernstein 6-3, 6-0. #4 singles Elliott Kim defeated Max Boulay, 6-0, 6-0. On the doubles side, #1 Liam Kelleher/Matt Guasta defeated Leonard Schweitzer/Zach Scruggs, 6-1, 6-0, #2 Matt Daniels/Niteesh Kalanghi defeated Reza Shahroudi/Andrew Li 6-0, 6-0. #3 Josh Souder/Nick Bonavito defeated Jeff Roy/Amogh Chaubey 6-2, 6-2. GHS Girls Tennis Improves to 9-0 The Guardians defeated Berlin (7-0) and South Windsor (6-1) last week, improving their record to 9-0 this spring. #1 singles player Catherine Zak defeated Katy Sparmer of Berlin and Jina Lee from South Windsor. Annee Bess Blair, Olivia Lee, Emma Kantor also picked up singles wins for GHS last week. Double teams of Mirta Atigetchi/Bridget Corey, Anna Radulescu/Erin Canaba, Zoe Gates, Sammie Chung/Norah Andersson, and Emma Miller/Leila Azimov also took home victories for the Guardians. GHS Baseball Wins Two of Three GHS baseball took home victories over Windsor and Simsbury early last week before dropping a close one to Berlin to close out the week. On Monday, the Guardian defeated Windsor 10-2. Owen Stephens pitched a gem, tossing a complete game and giving up only three hits. Stephens threw 63 strikes on 80 pitches. Glastonbury's offense broke the game open on a strong six-run fifth inning. Stephens, Luke Fahey, Sean Borden, and Sam Benedict, each had RBIs in the productive inning. After Windsor scored a run in the top of the third, Glastonbury answered when Benedict singled on the first pitch of the at bat, scoring a run. In the fourth inning, Jake Benedict tripled, scoring a run, and Fahey singled, scoring a run. The six-run fifth offensive came from singles by Stephens and Borden, an error on a ball put in play by Fahey, and a double by Benedict. The next day, the team beat Simsbury 11-5 at Dunkin Donuts Park in Hartford. Spencer Azzara was on the bump, pitching four innings and allowing one run on one hit. Nick Verdone, Dan Cantafi, and Dan Beagle provided the bullpen relief in the win. Ben Curcio went 2-3 at the plate with an RBI to lead the Guardian's hitting. Jayden Sgro showed speed on the bases, stealing two. In all, the Guardians stole seven bases total. Berlin edged the team 6-5 last Friday. The Guardians got things going in the first when Verdone reached on an error, and advanced to third on a hit by Sam Benedict. Verdone scored on a pass ball, and Benedict scored on an RBI by Jake Benedict. Beagle was on the mound, lasting three innings, allowing three hits and three runs, while striking out three. Cantafi pitched well in relief, going 3.1 innings giving up 3 hits and striking out 2. Sam Benedict went 2-3 at the plate. Glastonbury could not hold a 5-3 lead going into the seventh, giving up three runs in the bottom of the inning for a tough loss. The loss dropped Glastonbury to 6-5 on the season. Another Great Week for GHS Boys Golf GHS boys’ golf had a tri-match hosting Wethersfield and Manchester at Glastonbury Hills Country Club last Monday. On a day that wasn't ideal for scoring, the Guardians posted one of their finest team scores in recent years, an even par 144. Glastonbury’s score bested Manchester (173) and Wethersfield (181), bringing the Guardians our overall record to 6-0. Junior Connor Goode led the way by shooting a (-2) 34. Senior captain Ethan Kalk followed with an even-par 36 and juniors Nick DiNino and Charlie Dolan each posted 37. Head coach Tom Zelek stated, “The damp, cool and breezy conditions made this team score even that more impressive. Everyone handled the weather well by being prepared and managing both the course and the conditions. I couldn't be more impressed by this team as they worked their way around the course doing what they needed to do to keep the ball in play.” The next day, the team posted their 7th win of the season, defeating Rocky Hill (153-234) at Glastonbury Hills Country Club. Goode, posting another sub par round of 35 on a cool, breezy day, once again led the home team. Kalk and DiNino each posted 39 with junior Charlie Dolan rounding out the team scoring. Zelek said of this win, “The weather hasn't been ideal for scoring but Glastonbury Hills is in fine shape early in the season and the players have handled the conditions extremely well. I'm very pleased where we are at this stage of the season. As we get deeper into our schedule and the players have had more time to practice and play I only expect us to be able continue scoring well.” On Friday, the team traveled to Timberlin Golf course and walked away with a tie against a strong team from Berlin, each posting scores of 159. Dolan led Glastonbury with a 38, which also made him the match medalist by posting the lowest score of anyone from both teams. Goode and DiNino (39) followed and freshman Gavin Kvadus completed the scoring. Zelek added, “It's not very often that golf matches end up with a tie and the athletes of both teams were disappointed as they realized one stroke would have made the difference to secure a victory. We didn't come away with a win but I'm pleased how we played against a team that has always risen to the occasion when challenged. I knew this was going to be our toughest competition so far this season and I understand the players' feelings but as a team we scored well and should be proud of holding our own playing on the road.” Glastonbury softball started the season with six straights wins before hitting a bump in the road and dropping back-to-back games, including a loss in Rocky Hill last Monday.
The Guardians, who were without starting pitcher Brooke Tracy, fell to the Terriers 5-3 at Elm Ridge Park. Freshman Gabby Lambert pitched well in relief, striking out six, but ultimately errors cost the team multiple runs for a second straight contest. “The last two games we’ve been compounding errors,” said GHS head coach Karen Costes, whose team also allowed three unearned runs in a 4-0 loss to Hall in the previous game, “Unfortunately we gave a game away. It’s coming down to execution and right now we are not executing defensively or at the bat.” The Guardians jumped out to a 3-1 lead after the first two innings thanks to runs by Lambert, Rayah Snyder, and Genelisse Costa. Nabia Crawford drove in two with one swing of the bat in the first inning. Despite the lead, the team was disappointed after failing to capitalize on a bases loaded opportunity in the second inning. All told, the Guardians stranded five runners on base Monday night. “The momentum in the beginning was fantastic, but we didn’t push through all seven innings,” added Costes, “We had nine strike outs today. We couldn’t put the ball in play, but I know we can, and that’s the frustrating part.” The home Terriers scored four runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a lead they would not relinquish. Costes, who is starting several freshmen and sophomores, remains optimistic, “We are very young and that is something that I need to remember. [Next year] we will be returning every single kid that we have on the field right now and our sophomores are freshmen in a sense. Our lack of experience is showing right now, but they need to have a few of these to help us get through tough situations and build that confidence.” Rocky Hill starter Nicole DesRoches struck out eight in six innings of work and Shauna Kehoe pitched a hitless seventh to pick up the save. Kehoe also did damage from the plate, scoring two runs and driving in another. “It’s an Important win for us,” said Rocky Hill head coach Tyler Catlin, “To beat Glastonbury, a LL school that is a very good and a very well coached team, is nice.” Following the loss to Rocky Hill, Glastonbury closed the week with a 9-6 victory over Simsbury on Thursday before falling to Berlin 12-0 on Friday. Tracy, who was lights out from the mound over the first six games, was forced to miss all three games last week but will be returning for the stretch run. Lambert earned the victory over Simsbury after fanning 15, also driving in two runs from the plate. Sadie Scurto also had a pair of RBIs, while Natalie Lessard had three hits and scored two runs. Snyder also crossed the plate twice. Despite the tough stretch, the young team is showing promise and is still in contention with a record of 7-3. Costes and her team are hoping they finish the season like they started it. “I had a lot of [the players] on a summer team and that kind of gave a head start on a team where I’d only have two retuning varsity players. So that helped a lot and I got to know them,” Costes said of the team’s chemistry, “The seriousness of this being a varsity team rather than a travel team is setting in and we are still trying to find all the ins and out of playing all seven innings and how to battle and how to get through a season playing every other day. We are right there, we just need more experience in order to draw out that good feeling that when we’re down, we can go back in the memory bank and use those experiences.” Luke Brown- Newington (Track & Field): Brown ran a personal-record, winning the mile in a meet against Hartford Public on May 5. The senior then teamed with Sam Geisler, Michael Bohlke, and Reed Campbell to break a school record in the Distance Medley Relay at the CT Relay Festival, running a 10:41.
Abby Johnson- Middletown (Lacrosse): Johnson scored three goals, including the game-winner in overtime as Middletown beat E.O. Smith 6-5. The freshman led a potent offensive attack that also featured two goals from Talia Ventrelli and one from Tierra Giannelli. Menna Majdoub- Newington (Lacrosse): Majdoub scored her first varsity goal as Newington defeated Rocky Hill 9-6 last Friday. The junior is helping fill a role for a team that is looking for to finish strong this spring. Tino Gagliardi- Cromwell (Baseball): Gagliardi had five hits, five RBIs, and scored four runs as the Panthers defeated East Hampton and Old Saybrook in back-to-back games last Friday and Saturday. The senior leads Cromwell in both hits and RBIs this spring. Matt Fletcher- Wethersfield (Baseball): Fletcher pitched six innings, striking out six and surrendering only five hits as Wethersfield defeated Newington 4-2 at Dunkin Donuts Park last Thursday. The senior is part of a strong pitching rotation for the Eagles. Rocky Hill softball seniors (L-R) Nicole DesRoches, Lauren Colasacco, Tia Sheathelm, and Razina Bhura. Photo credit - Lisa Ullrich Slavin
Rocky Hill pitcher Nicole DesRoches surrendered two runs in the first inning and then was trapped in a bases loaded jam in the second inning. Some coaches would have reach into their bullpen but not Rocky Hill head coach Tyler Catlin, who let his hard-throwing senior play through it. “Coach Decker’s big mound visit helped her settle in,” recalled Catlin, “She got on a roll. She started striking out hitters four, five, and six.” Trailing 3-1 in the second inning, assistant coach Matt Decker visited the mound to encourage DesRoches, saying, “We’re coming back off this field at 3-1 and we’re gonna hit and take the lead and shut them down from there.” DesRoches responded by not allowing a run over the next four innings, tossing eight strikeouts, as the Terriers won 5-3 at Elm Ridge Park last Monday night. “I think it’s really important that I had the people behind me doing what they needed to do. That helped me, and it was helpful that I got warmed up. They started struggling, so I started to feel better about the way I was pitching,” said DesRoches, “Tonight’s win was really good because we came into the game knowing they were a pretty good team, so winning this game will help our confidence.” Glastonbury entered the contest 6-1, having averaged 12 runs per game in those six wins. Rocky Hill’s defense rose to the challenge, limiting the Guardians to only three hits and stranding five base runners. The Terriers bats heated up in the fourth inning, scoring four runs. Maddie Dillon slapped a triple down the right field line, which opened things up. Dillon, DesRoches, Shauna Kehoe, Jazzy Edmunds each scored in the pivotal inning. Dillon then made the play of the night from the field in the fifth inning, making a diving stab after drifting to right field from her second base position. Catlin said Dillon’s catch was reminiscent of the over-the-shoulder snag that former player Sophie Kurdziel made against St. Joseph in the 2016 Class M semifinals. Kehoe, a sophomore who also drilled a triple, finished the game on the hill by pitching a hitless seventh inning to pick up a save. Catlin likes his one-two pitching tandem, feeling they create a “thunder and lightning” aspect from the mound. “I thought we’d bring in Shauna in the last inning. Shauna is a pretty composed kid, I know when I bring her in she will bring a spin,” recalled Catlin, who wanted to keep Glastonbury’s talented lineup off balance, “I wanted to give them something else to see. Nicole brings the heat and Shauna brings the spin.” Catlin added, “It’s an Important win for us. To beat Glastonbury, a LL school that is a very good and a very well coached team, is nice.” DesRoches is one of four seniors, along with Lauren Colasacco, Tia Sheathelm, and Razina Bhura. “I’ve been playing with the other seniors since we were in little league, so we know each other really well,” said DesRoches, who also scored a run in the victory, “We’ve been friends outside of softball so that makes it easier to lead the group.” The seniors have led the way through a tough schedule, while also grooming the next generation. “I feel like when I was a freshman and a sophomore, the seniors took us under their wing, so I have just followed what they did. I talk to the freshman as much as possible and try and make them feel they are doing really good in practices and games. We all cheer each other on,” added DesRoches. Rocky Hill finished the week with wins over New Britain and Middletown, before falling to Enfield to end the week at 6-5. Edmunds had five RBIs and Bhura drove in two more runs in the win over New Britain. Sheathelm had a masterful day in the field and smacked a triple in a 5-3 win over Middletown. All told, the Terriers won three of four games last week. “I felt like last week was a rough week,” Catlin said of the previous week when the Terriers dropped two of three games, “The rest of the season we just have to take it one game at a time and try and get on a roll.” WHS softball captains (l-r) Molly Bowers, Erica Christie, Claire Sipes, Mackenzi Banet following win over Rocky Hill
Elm Ridge Park has been a house of horrors for Wethersfield softball in recent seasons. Since 2014, the Eagles had lost five straight games at the Rocky Hill-based park, which included a pair of comeback victories by the Terriers in the last two contests. The program exorcised those demons last Monday night, defeating Rocky Hill 6-3 in another competitive games between the rival schools. “We came into this game and we knew we wanted it really bad,” said senior Erica Christie, who had a pair of hits, “We’ve been practicing really hard, and we wanted to do it for our coaches. We just really wanted this game.” Rocky Hill head coach Tyler Catlin credited the Eagles following the loss, “Hats off to Wethersfield. They played a great game.” Junior pitcher Mackenzi Banet pitched seven solid innings, striking out seven and working her way out of jams in the fourth and seventh innings. Banet put an exclamation point on the game by striking out Maddie Dillon with the bases loaded in the seventh. “For sure I was really nervous,” a laughing Banet said of the seventh inning scenario, “I try and stay calm because it makes it worse if you don’t. I just try and focus on what’s important.” Head coach Colleen Budaj commended her starting pitcher’s composure, “She’s well-trained and carries a lot of poise. One of the things her pitching coach tells her is to not overthink and to trust your training. She got some reps for us her freshman year and now she been our pitcher this year and we left her in for the duration of most games because we have that trust in her.” Behind Banet is a supporting cast in the field that is working in perfect harmony. “Communication is something that we’ve really stressed,” added Budaj, who has only two seniors, “We’ve never coached the freshmen and sophomores, so we’ve really stressed that communication this season.” Christie, who is captaining the outfield, added, “I feel like we’re all really close friends at practice and out on the field so that helps us communicate and be able to make those plays.” WHS drew first blood, scoring a pair of runs in the first inning on a sacrifice bunt from Kyla Brogan, which sent home Gabriella Tomaino. Banet crossed home plate later in the inning following a Rocky Hill error. Claire Sipes scored in the third, extending the lead to 3-0. Rocky Hill started the fourth inning with four straight hits, including back-to-back doubles courtesy of Nicole Desroches and Christina DeNovellis. Dillon then singled, sending DeNovellis home to narrow the gap to 3-2. With no outs in the inning, the Eagles infield stepped up and forced a pair of ground outs, including a great scoop-and-laser to first by freshman shortstop Alyssa Pericello. Banet ended the inning by striking out Jasmine Edmunds. Christie, Sipes, and Tomaino each scored in the top of the seventh, extending the lead to 6-2. Rocky Hill, which had come-from-behind home wins vs Wethersfield in 2018 and 2019, cut the lead in half when Erin Slavin doubled, sending home a run. Desroches and DeNovellis each walked, setting up base loaded with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. “We just kept our composure and trusted our skills,” senior captain Molly Bowers said of the crucial sequence. Following Banet’s game-winning strikeout, the team breathed a sign of relief knowing that they had officially thwarted a Rocky Hill rally. “We knew they needed a hit and we had to make a play. We knew we could,” said Sipes, who is the team’s starting catcher, “This was our game and we’ve been waiting for this game for a while.” The win the was fifth in six games for a team that is keeping it simple following a lost year due to COVID. Budaj said her and assistant coach/husband, Steve Budaj, have stressed two areas this spring, “Putting the ball in play and making the routine plays. We’ve tried to keep it as simple as we can coming into each game and we hit a bump in the road in our last game vs RHAM and what I’m so impressed by today is how they rebounded from that. The loss pointed out some things we had to fix and to come off a loss shows the growth that we are making.” The girls are following the coach staff’s lead. “With the year off it was definitely hard, but we all get along really well,” added Bowers, “All the girls are really sweet, and we all have our strengths. I think we all practiced and grew individually, and I think we just have a really good chemistry as a team,” “We’re just friends top to bottom. It’s been exciting,” added Sipes. WHS ended the week with blowout victories over Bloomfield (18-0) and Hartford Public (22-1), improving to 7-1. On the other side of the diamond, it been an up and down season for the Terriers, who dropped to 2-3 following the loss. The team was limited by an injury to starting catcher Lauren Colasacco, who was unable to start behind the plate against Wethersfield, which made communication difficult at times. Despite the hurdles, Catlin believes the pieces are in place and it’s just a matter of consistency for a team that lost 10-2 to Berlin at Elm Ridge on April 19 before coming back four days later and beating the Redcoats of Berlin, one of the top teams in the state, 11-6. “It’s a good enough team to make run. Our heads got big after that Berlin game and I think we just didn’t perform tonight,” stated Catlin, who has sophomore Shauna Kehoe starting on the mound, “Shauna is one of the kids that plays year around and absolutely loves this game.” Kehoe leads a talented sophomore class, which features DeNovellis and Emma Simons, who made several plays in the field against Wethersfield, including a double play when she snagged a ground ball and tagged a runner before firing the ball over to first. “She made five or so plays against Berlin and made another five or six plays tonight,” Catlin said of Simons, “She’s been a defensive stalwart for us and she’s going to be a nice fixture for the team.” The Terriers finished the week with an 18-0 victory over Hartford Public and an 8-4 loss to Windsor. Catlin believes the team is still in the hunt, “I look at our schedule and I look at our team, and I think we can win every game when we step on the field. I think if our kids show up and take care of what they can take care of, I have high hopes for us. I think we can make a little run at the Class M’s.” GHS #1 singles player Catherine Zak during Northwest Catholic match last week A year off hasn’t affected the girls’ tennis team at GHS. Coming into the week, the Guardian have won every meet, including clean sweeps in six of seven contests. From a win-loss standpoint it is reminiscent of the 2017 and 2018 teams, which won a state championship in 2017 and finished the 2018 regular season undefeated (17-0). Head coach Sharon Murphy said the demeanor of the 2021 squad differs from those past teams. “It’s just a totally different group of girls that I had when we were on top,” the eighth-year head coach said, “It’s a sweet group of girls. They are all extremely polite, they help each other out and it’s a joy to be around them.” Leading the way is Catherine Zak, who is the team’s #1 singles player. As a freshman in 2019, Zak played in the State Open and won a first round match. After losing a high school season due to the COVID-19 cancellation, she has returned for her junior campaign in an expanded role. “I definitely feel like I’m a leader, especially being #1 and being a role model for the girls coming up next,” said Zak, “Being a junior I only have a few years left, so I want them to see what it’s like to be #1 and what it’s like to be on the lineup and have that responsibility.” Zak won her first four matches before suffering a loss against Rocky Hill’s Suhani Sheth last Monday. She won the first set 6-3, before dropping the second set (3-6) and a third-set tiebreaker (8-10). Despite the loss, Zak enjoys the competition and uses the loss as fuel for future matches. “It’s one of the most competitive matches I’ve had. These matches are really fun for me,” Zak said following the defeat, “I don’t like to get mad at myself that much with these competitive matches. I just have fun and at the end of the day it’s just one match out of the 15 that we have, and we have much more coming up.” Murphy added, “I’m sure she’s a little disappointed in herself with a few unforced errors that could have swayed the game either way. The fact that she said she is having fun and was chatting with the other girl shows a lot about her character and being an overall good sport.” Annee Bess Blair, the #2 singles player, also suffered her first defeat vs Rocky Hill. Blair also won the first set before dropping the second and third-set tiebreaker, losing a competitive match to Jen Kimball. Murphy said her two top singles players can use the losses as learning moments, “Today was our first real competition and they both came up on wrong end. I think they both played phenomenally well, and it shows them what they really need to work on and what they need to focus on. They need to focus on closing out the match, especially in the second set.” The supporting cast picked up the slack, winning the rest of the matches as the Guardians held off the Terriers (5-2). Olivia Lee and Emma Kantor each won singles matches. The senior tandem of Mitra Atighechi and Bridget Corey won the #1 doubles match, while the Anna Radulescu/Erin Cabana and Norah Andersson/Sammie Chung duos also won doubles matches. Atighechi and Corey earned all-conference in 2019 and are two of four seniors, along with Cabana and Radulescu, that Murphy has on her roster. Because of the circumstances surrounding last spring, all four seniors where named team captains. Chung, a junior, is a player that Murphy and assistant coach Fredy Escudero praised for stepping up this spring. “She made big improvement. Her net game is aggressive,” stated Murphy, “She wants to play, and she wants to win.” Following the Rocky Hill meet, both Zak (6-0, 6-1) and Blair (6-0, 6-0) both rebounded with convincing wins against Northwest Catholic. The Guardian swept the match, losing only seven points the entire meet. Emma Miller and freshman Leila Azimov picked up singles victories, while Atighechi/Corey, Abdersson/Chung, and Zoe Gates/Lexi Tran took home doubles victories. Due to an expanded roster, Murphy tried a new approach this season by having the younger girls come in an hour earlier to use the courts prior to the veteran players showing up. This has allowed for more teaching moments. “We can work on things in smaller groups and help them get better,” stated Murphy. Murphy’s team closed the week with another clean sweep of East Catholic, improving to 7-0. Zak and Blair each won (6-0, 6-0). Zak said that win or lose, the players are just happy to be part of a team again, “It’s honestly amazing. We just learned to come together more, and we just try and cheer each other on more.” Liu was one of two GHS athletes (along with Luke Vredenburg) to be named and honored last week as a CAS-CIAC Scholar Athlete. Scholar-Athletes are those who exhibit exemplary academic and athletic careers, whose personal standards and achievements are a model to others, and who possess high levels of integrity, self-discipline, and courage. Liu, a senior, is an accomplished cross country runner at GHS, also running long distance in both indoor and outdoor track. This spring, she is currently competing in both the 1600 and 3200 meters for the Guardians outdoor track team. The avid distance runner said what she likes most about running is, “discovering how much I can push my body and breaking times that, a couple of years ago, I would have never thought was possible for me.” Outside of athletics, she is a high-honor student and is part of Chinese Honor Society at GHS. Liu, who lived in California for 12 years prior to moving to Glastonbury, will be attending John Hopkins University next year and is leaning towards majoring in biology. Being recognized academically and athletically is something Liu takes pride in, saying, “Being honored as a scholar-athlete means being able to consistently challenge yourself, both mentally and physically, with the determination to improve yourself.” |
AuthorSports Editor for the Rare Reminder, Glastonbury Citizen, and Rivereast News Bulletin Archives
December 2023
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