Marisa Lee, a 2020 graduate of RHAM High School, is starting the second phase of her collegiate basketball journey, recently transferring to American University in Washington, DC.
After her stellar high school career in Hebron — which included a state championship in 2018 — Lee accepted a full athletic scholarship from the University of Hartford. Following two turbulent years, Lee decided it was time to leave Connecticut’s capital for the nation’s capital. “American is a great place to become a better player and work with a great team,” Lee said of her decision to transfer. “I’m excited for the opportunity to be a better player and a better person.” Lee graduated from RHAM in the heart of the pandemic before choosing to stay local to play Division I hoops after getting recruited by head coach Morgan Valley, who was the coach at the U-Hart at the time. Her freshman season in Hartford was condensed because of COVID-19, resulting in a shortened 12-game season. Lee made the most of it, averaging 4.5 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. However, prior to her sophomore season things took another unexpected turn. The university announced plans to downgrade their sports program to Division III and Valley announced she would be leaving the program to accept an assistant coaching job at the University of Connecticut, where she won three National Championships as a player. Despite Valley’s departure, Lee decided to continue to soar with the Hawks for her sophomore season, but a bout with COVID-19 forced her to miss numerous games and resulted in a dip in production. Following the season, Lee decided to enter the transfer portal — which permits student athletes to place their name in an on-line database declaring their desire to transfer and to seek other opportunities — and looked at a few different schools around the country before ultimately choosing American University. “When I committed to Hartford I thought I was done with all of the recruiting and everything,” said Lee, who averaged a double-double while leading RHAM in points and rebounds as a junior in 2019. “To start it again was really weird. You’re texting and calling coaches all the time, and going to look at school. It was like repeating the process.” Lee said the final straw in deciding to leave Hartford was when she found out the program would be shifting conferences and would not be eligible for postseason play during their transition to the Division III level. “A lot of teammates decided to enter the transfer portal. The biggest thing was not being able to play at the level and as many games as I would want to,” added Lee. “I feel like now is the best time, knowing that I would have to transfer eventually with this transition.” She said the roller coaster of emotions over the last couple 27 months has changed her mental approach to the game and in life. “I’ve learned so much and I’ve changed a lot in a positive way,” said Lee. “A lot of the things that I experienced since COVID have helped me now.” She noted that all the quarantines, multiple shutdowns, inability to leave campus, playing in masks, coaching changes, and uncertainty has actually increased her desire to play basketball. “I got a different perspective on the game and a new appreciation. All my life I could just go to the gym and basketball, but now I would get a text at 7 a.m. that I can’t practice or the game is canceled and postponed,” said Lee, who first started playing basketball in grade school. “So now I’m more grateful and excited to play. You learn that everything is not guaranteed.” Despite the ups and downs, she said doesn’t regret the time she spent in Hartford and said both the experience and coaches helped her become a more complete player. In high school she played mainly on the post with her back to the basket, but once in college she transformed her game into more of an outside threat. This will help her at American where she said the coaches want her to play on the perimeter more. For Lee, who grew up in Marlborough her entire life, a chance to play outside of Connecticut is exciting. She is joining an Eagles program that is coming off a 23-win season and a Patriot League title, which earned them a spot in the NCAA tournament for the third time in program history. At her next destination she will study early childhood education in the classrooms as she hits the hardwood for head coach Megan Gebbia, who will be entering her tenth season leading the program. Lee added that she has been “itching” to see more of the world and that her next destination will allow her to do that more.
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Glastonbury High School’s Paul Giliberto is part of a robust group of seniors that are guiding boys’ volleyball during the program’s most successful campaign in two decades.
Like many of the Guardians’ players, Giliberto is wearing multiple hats, serving as one of the team’s setters and playing outside on the front line. Head coach Tony Sanith recently named Giliberto a GHS Difference Maker, which recognized the school’s athletes for their various contributions in and out of competition. “Paul always shows up to practice and treats all the coaches and his teammates with the utmost respect which allows him to become so approachable and build great connections,” stated Sanith. “Also, he respects the sport of volleyball and how it should be played. He is a student of the game and looks to improve each day.” Coming into the week the Guardians have been thoroughly dominant, downing all 15 opponents and only losing a total of five sets along the way. “Having eight seniors on the team really helps,” Giliberto said. “We got a lot of experience last season and we played club volleyball in the offseason, so we’re a lot more developed and this year the chemistry is a lot better.” Giliberto leads the team in both aces and assists. He is averaging over an ace per set, highlighted by his dozen aces in a win over Lewis Mills on April 8. On May 6, he served up a season-high 29 assists in a four-set win over Conard. Outside of the arena, Giliberto is part of DECA (a business club) and part of the Psychology Club at GHS. Prior to high school, Giliberto had never played competitive volleyball and decided to join the team to stay busy during the spring. The group used the last four years to learn the game and create cohesion on the court. Last spring Giliberto earned All-Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) honors after totaling 385 assists as the team’s primary setter. Following his all-conference junior campaign, he played offseason club volleyball for the first time and said the experience gave him even more confidence entering his senior year. He was able to expand his game and further develop his serving, mastering the technique of the float serve. After graduating fellow all-conference players Liam Scales and Peter Sposito, Giliberto and the returning seniors knew they had a chance to springboard off a 17-win season from a year ago. Giliberto, Matt Herrera, Stephen Dayton, Jack Niland, Zach Kridler, Ryan Hoffman, Eric Rose, and Ryan Barcikowski are the eight seniors that are engineering the Guardians undefeated spring. “We have a lot of fun and I think that has shown in the games,” said Giliberto. “We are all very close and have fun together to take the edge off to not feel the pressure.” Giliberto and his senior brothers are hoping this season ends like it did back in 2002 when the program won a Class L state championship. “We started out wanting to prove ourselves, so we had a lot of fire to start the season and now the win streak is still going,” added Giliberto, who will attend Villanova University to study math and statistics next year. “I think as we get closer to the end of the regular season and into the playoffs it will be even stronger.” GHS senior players (l-r) Owen Stephens, Daniel Cantafi, Luke Fahey, Elliot Hamilton, Preston Hunt, Drew Jean, and Daniel Beagle on Senior Night
GHS Baseball Celebrates Seniors, Sweeps Week Glastonbury High School baseball dominated last week, outscoring four opponents 37-2 behind strong hitting and excellent overall pitching. They ended the week by recognizing the team’s seven seniors at Riverfront Park. The Guardians started off the week with a convincing 14-0 win against the Enfield Eagles on Monday. They scored seven runs in the 1st inning courtesy of a pair of hits from Drew Curto and singles from Dan Cantafi, Jack Petrone, and Jarrod Cosalan. Glastonbury never turned back after the early lead, scoring three runs in the following two innings and ending the game early in the 5th inning with four more runs. Elliot Hamilton pitched four innings for the Guardians and got the victory, allowing only two hits and striking out six. Anthony Michaud helped conserve the shutout after coming in to close in the 5th inning. The next day, the team blanked the Masuk Panthers 8-0 in Monroe. The offense remained hot, scoring six runs in the 2nd inning thanks to singles from Drew Jean, Kyle Stephens, Luke Fahey, Curto, and Petrone. Left-handed starter Cody Heselton got the win and pitched a spectacular game, allowing only two hits, while striking out nine. Daniel Beagle came in to close in the 6th inning and contributed to the shutout. The winning streak continued on Wednesday as the Guardians traveled to Farmington and beat the River Hawks 10-1. Great hitting was again on display with sixteen overall hits and a 5-5 performance from Curto, the team’s lead-off hitter. Cantafi, Petrone, and Fahey each had multiple hits in the contest. Cantafi not only had multiple hits for the Guardians, but also earned the victory after pitching six innings and striking out six. Petrone came in to close and shut down the River Hawks for the final out. The Guardians returned home to Riverfront Park on last Thursday for Senior Night and beat the Northwest Catholic Lions 5-1. The game was scoreless until the 3rd inning when Glastonbury scored a pair of runs following hits from Cantafi and C.J. Butera and then the Guardians went on to score three more runs in the 5th inning to grow the lead. Again the bats were alive for the home team with multiple hits from Curto, Cantafi, and Owen Stephens. Stephens got the victory for Glastonbury after throwing five innings. Hamilton came in relief in the 6th inning and Beagle closed out the game and the successful week for the Guardians. GHS Softball Hammers Four More Glastonbury High School softball continues to mow down opponents; defeating four more last week by a combined score of 54-10. Last Monday they beat Newington 15-3 behind three hits and three RBIs from Rayah Snyder. Sadie Scurto also drove in three runs, while Natalie Lessard had three hits and Molly Doherty reached base twice on two hits. The next day, the Guardians beat Maloney 12-6. Scurto was 4-4 with a pair of doubles and Nabia Crawford had three hits, driving in two runs. Molly Edgington and Brooke Tracy also drove in two runs apiece, while Tracy struck out 11 from the mound. In a 13-0 win over Farmington last Wednesday, the team celebrated five seniors for Senior Night. Tracy and Gabby Lambert combined for a no-hitter, striking out 13. Scurto and Lambert each drove in two hits. Last Thursday, the Guardians closed the week with a 14-2 win over Northwest Catholic to improve to 14-2 overall. All told, the team ended the week with 55 hits, a dozen coming from Snyder and nine coming from Scurto. Snyder also contributed 11 runs and Scurto drove in a team-high 10. GHS softball seniors (l-r) Brooke Tracy, Sadie Scurto, Molly Edgington, Meredith Lambert, Alyssa Meyers on May 11 during Senior Night. GHS girls' tennis captain (l-r) Catie Zak, Olivia Lee, Zoe Gates, and Annee Bess Blair
Glastonbury High School girls’ tennis held court against Berlin last week, sweeping the Redcoats (7-0) on a windy day at GHS on May 2. The Guardians didn’t drop a set and only lost a dozen total points the entire match behind an experienced lineup in familiar roles. Captains Catie Zak, Annee Bess Blair, Olivia Lee, and Zoe Gates have also assumed the same positions from last spring when they team won all 15 regular season matches. Zak is back as the team’s No. 1 singles player after earning all-state as a junior last spring. Against Berlin, Zak battled through a back and forth first set with Berlin’s Klaudia Fidyk before rallying to steal the set 7-5 and finish the match with a convincing sweep (6-0) in the second set. “Last year that could have gotten to me,” Zak said about the first set struggles. “Now I feel like I’ve got more confidence. I’ve been playing for 13 years and seven years competitively, so it comes naturally now.” The unpredictable wind made serving difficult at times, yet Blair –– the No. 2 singles — and Lee — the No. 3 singles — both breezed through their respective matches. After jumping out to early leads, Blair and Lee each showcased a killer instinct, finishing sets with poise and precision. “In past years it hasn’t always been as easy for me to finish off a match,” said Blair, who won 6-1, 6-1 over Olivia Salina. “Seeing Catie and Olivia playing their best, it’s definitely easier to pull it together and keep my mental fortitude up and stay strong.” Lee won 6-0, 6-1 over Isabella Kmita. She jokingly described the team as “a chaotic, but loving group”. “We have an energy and we’re all excited and support one another,” Lee added. “We all mesh together really well and I think that is so special.” Sophomore Phoebe Chung played No. 4 singles against Berlin, ousting Sara Rogan 6-2, 6-0. Gates is captaining on the double side, teaming with sophomore Leila Azimov to create a dynamic duo. In the team’s only loss this season –– a 6-1 defeat against powerhouse Amity –– Gates and Azimov scored the team’s only victory. “It’s very important in doubles to have someone that you’re very capable with,” Gates said. “You have to play with someone that matches your energy. I’m fortunate to play with [Leila], we have a very good relationship and I trust her very much.” Head coach Sharon Murphy praised her captain, calling them “great” and assistant coach Fredy Escudero said the group is doing an ideal job at passing down their wealth of knowledge to the younger players. “The chemistry they have transfers to the court. We are a very balanced group,” added Escudero, who said that most of the girls are capable of filling any of the roles at both singles and doubles. The doubles tandems of Nora Andersson Orth / Sammy Chung (6-0, 6-0), Kate Qian / Elliot Finch (6-0, 6-0), and Kiley Gallagher / Sydney Waltz (6-1, 6-1) swept the three doubles matches against Berlin. Gates said the team feels more connected this year than they did a season ago, adding, “I’ve felt more of a sense of team. What we’ve tried to do is create a more unified community.” During last season’s undefeated season, the team was still handcuffed by the Covid-restrictions and leaned on a strong senior class for leadership. “We’ve been fortunate to have such good captains in the past to look up to and that has helped us transition into the role,” said Blair. The Guardians followed the victory over Berlin with wins over Conard (5-2) and Avon (7-0). Entering the week, the team has won 11 of 12 matches. The captains are enjoying the wins, but are also just cherishing the time together. “I want to end our senior year as a fun one and not a stressful one,” said Lee Zak added that the teammates have all become very close, adding, “I like to view all of them all as my family.” The Guardians end the regular season at GHS this Friday, hosting Simsbury on May 20 at 3:45 p.m. Michelle Novikova: Newington (Tennis): Novikova has been unstoppable through her first 14 matches this season, winning all 14 and not dropping a set in any of her matches. The senior co-captain, who is the Nor’easters No. 2 singles player, defeated Windsor’s Najia Elarabi (6-1, 6-0) on May 11 at the Nor’easters swept all seven matches against the Warriors and improved to 13-2 overall this spring.
Lily Kenney: Cromwell (Softball): Kenney pitched a perfect game, retiring 21 consecutive batters as the Panthers blanked Haddam-Killingworth 7-0 on May 13. Along with fanning a dozen batters and not allowing anyone on base, the junior also drove in three runs as Cromwell earned an important conference victory and improved to 15-2 overall. Sophia Nower: Wethersfield (Golf): Nower was the medalist, shooting a 40, as the Eagles defeated Newington 169-195 at Goodwin Golf Course on May 12. Liv Hammer (42), Sarah Morrissey (43), and Cora Tinker (44) also shot well in the win over the Nor’easters, which improved Wethersfield to 9-2 overall. Emma O’Connell: Rocky Hill (Lacrosse): O’Connell scored her 100th career goal as the Terriers outraced Griswold 20-13 to win on the team’s Senior Night on May 13. O’Connell, who is of six Rocky Hill seniors, was recognized prior to the game with Julianna Violette, Katie Whelan, Elena McKinney, Rosie Blair, and Emily White. Carly and Lenna Reilly: Cromwell (Lacrosse): The Reilly sisters combined for 10 goals (5 each) as the Panthers defeated Haddam-Killingworth 12-11 in a barnburner on May 12 at CHS. The sister provided the bulk of the offensive fireworks but it was junior Bridget Russ who scored the decisive goal to put the Cromwell up for good, earning the team their second victory this spring. To nominate someone as an Athlete of the Week or with questions/comments on sports related topic, email Josh Howard at joshhowardsports@gmail.com Newington senior captain Sam Cultrera is defended by Luke Whitaker.
Newington boys’ lacrosse came out of the gates quickly on Senior Night, scoring a pair of goals to draw first blood against Wethersfield, before the Eagles stormed back to defeat the Nor’easters 18-7 in a key Central Connecticut Conference showdown on Monday, May 2. Playing at a packed house at Clem Lemire Complex in Newington, goals by attackers Everett Hillman and Kyle Bross provided the home team a 2-0 lead in the first quarter. Wethersfield responded by scoring 10 of the next 12 goals to break the game open. Junior captain Wil Bankowski scored four of his game-high seven goals during the first-quarter turnaround. “It feels amazing. Going against a rival in their house and beating them,” said Bankowski, who added the team wasn’t worried about the early deficit. Slow starts and strong finishes are something Wethersfield has become accustomed to this spring. . “Sometimes we are a slow starting team. We’re not focusing on what is right in front of us and we lose our composure,” said Wethersfield head coach Bruce Cutkomp. “But these guys really responded and we just played our game. We have a really talented offense and a really fast defense, so as long as we play our game we can control the ball and the pace of the game.” The Eagles expanded the lead in the second quarter, as Bankowski and his fellow attackers Matt Ruck and Colby Quinn continued to spark the scoreboard. Ruck found the back of the net early in the second quarter and then Bankowski scored following a fantastic feed from Quinn. Bankowski then assisted Ruck on a goal less than a minute later. Quinn added two goals in the final minute of the first half, including a backbreaker with eight second remaining to give the Eagles a gaudy 15-5 lead at the break. Quinn ended the night with five goals and Ruck tallied four. After allowing four goals in the opening quarter, WHS goalie Cooper Moreau and his defensive mates were rock solid the rest of the game and allowed only three goals over the final 36 minutes. Moreau, a captain in his second year in both roles, made 13 saves. “Unfortunately we go down a lot, but we are a great team at rebounding,” said Moreau. “Lacrosse is a game of runs. Not everything is going to go your way, so when you get the opportunities you just have to make sure they count.” Helping Moreau protect the backend is a senior-heavy defense headed by Tanner Healy, Will McKenna, and T.J. Mayfield. Newington did their best to respond in the second half as Bross scored midway through the third after getting an assist from Paddy Brown. However, it was too little, too late as they didn’t add another goal until 2:38 to play in regulation when Joey D'Amato scored. Bross had a team-high four goals, while Brown served up three assists and scored a goal. “One of the things that is challenging with a young team is finding that consistency,” said Newington first-year head coach Chris Siewertsen, “You get locked in and you’re excited to get going, but a couple of goals go in the other way and it’s about how you respond. Those are the types of things we’re trying to work out with these guys.” Siewertsen took over the program in October, coming to Newington with 15 years of coaching experience, most recently at Rockville High School. He said the seniors, who were recognized prior to the game, have been instrumental with helping him transition into his new position. “They have stepped up in a big way this year. We lost a lot of seniors last year so these guys have had to step in and we’ve asked a lot of things from them this year that they haven’t had to do in the past,” added Siewertsen. “They have been put in uncomfortable positions and they have responded. We are a young team and the seniors have been a good example for the younger players.” Seniors RJ Longo (captain), Sam Cultrera (captain), Dylan Casey, Will Lynch, Chris Johnson, Zach Aldieri, and Corey Smith have been the veteran voice on the field for Siewertsen this year. Despite it being a rebuilding year, Newington has chalked up three impressive victories this season, including a pair of wins over the Bristol co-op and a 17-2 win over Enfield. The loss was the ninth for the Nor’easters and the seventh win for the Eagles, qualifying them for the postseason for a second straight year. Last year Wethersfield won 14 of 15 regular season games in their first official varsity season. This year they have faced a tougher regular season schedule and Cutkomp hopes it pays dividends when the state tournament rolls around. Despite dropping a game to Sheehan (11-7) on May 4, Cutkomp liked the team’s defensive intensity, particularly in the second half. Even when the team had a double-digit lead against Newington, Cutkomp kept imploring his team to keep attacking. “We want to keep the emphasis on keeping that gas pedal down and putting up a big number to put the teams away,” said Cutkomp. Entering the week, the Eagles stand at 8-3 after defeating Conard 12-9 on May 12. They close the regular season at RHAM High School on Saturday, May 21 at 10:00 a.m. Bankowski said faster starts are the key to a deep postseason run and Moreau said it will come down to becoming a more “gritty team” along with stressing the mental part of the game. Newington rebounded from the loss to Wethersfield by downing Rocky Hill 11-7 on May 12 behind four goals from D’Amato and two goals apiece from Hillman, Bross, and Brown. Wethersfield #4 Shane Mazur chases down a loose ball as Newington's #16 RJ Longo and #17 Evan DeMarco chase during the Eagles 18-7 win on May 9. Bacon Academy senior Jack Novak (left) was named a Standout Athlete of the Week after striking out 10 Montville batters in a 12-2 win last week. Novak is pictured with fellow senior Dan Shane after the victory. Bobcats baseball has made it a tradition to go to Wendy’s to celebrate after wins.
Here are the Rivereast Standout Athletes of the Week for the week of May 2-8: Jack Novak - Bacon Academy High School (Baseball): Novak improved to 6-0 on the mound this spring by pitching a complete game — fanning 10, including the sides in both the 3rd and 4th innings — as the Bobcats defeated Montville 12-2 on May 5. The senior also connected on a triple from the plate, driving in two runs. Dan Shane ended the game (mercy rule) when he sent home Andrew Navickas in the bottom of the sixth, improving the team to 13-1. Eli Evison - Portland High School (Golf): Evison shot a season-best (41) as the Highlanders earned an impressive 151-177 victory over Daniel Hand at the Madison Country Club on May 5. Luke Stennett (34) and Joe LaMalfa (37) both tied their best marks this spring and Quinn Lapinski shot a 39 to round out the foursome that scored the big road victory. Ben Fecteau, the team’s fifth golfer, also shot a season-best (42) on the day. The win improved the Highlanders to 8-0 this spring Natalie Assunto - RHAM High School (Softball): Assunto had three hits and scored a pair of runs as the Raptors rallied for a dramatic 5-4 win over Norwich Free Academy on May 5. RHAM won the game on a walk-off error in the bottom of the 7th inning after Taylor Fitch evened the score earlier in the inning with a single to drive in the game-tying run. Hadley Marchand earned the win from the hill, overcoming an early three-run deficit to pitch a complete game and strike out seven as the team improved to 10-2. Pat Gavrylchuk - East Hampton High School (Tennis): Gavrylchuk won his No. 1 singles match, defeating Logan Medbury (6-1, 6-0) as the Bellringers won six of seven matches to defeat Old Saybrook on May 3. Reilly Howard (6-0, 6-0) and Ben Fields (6-1, 6-0) also won singles matches, while the tandems of Matt Piela / Romain Le Floc’h (7-5, 6-2) and Anthony Miro / Ethan Fields (6-0, 6-2) won doubles matches for East Hampton. To nominate someone for an Athlete of the Week or with questions or comments on sports-related topics, email Josh Howard at joshhowardsports@gmail.com Portland High School’s record-breaking runner Shawn Laverty has decided to continue competing at the next level.
“I’m excited to announce my commitment to the University of Vermont to further my academic and athletic career,” Laverty announced on April 9. “Thank you to my family, teammates, and coaches for guiding and supporting me through this journey.” While starting her college search, Laverty had originally decided to give up competitive running at the next level. She wanted to channel her energy into academics and the other aspects that come with the collegiate experience. However, earlier this year she came to the realization that she wanted to continue lacing up her running shoes. “Vermont really appealed to me from the beginning of my college search,” said Laverty. “Seeing my success this year, I realized that [running] is not something that I wanted to give up yet. I like that competitive aspect of it and just being with a team and training to get better.” Laverty will be joining a Catamounts running team led by Matt Belfield, who has been coaching the Division I program for two decades. Running at a the highest collegiate level is something that seemed like only a pipe dream a few years ago for Laverty, who had grown up playing soccer and hadn’t ran more than a lap around the track until high school. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit American soil in March of 2020, Laverty was a sophomore and used the time away from school to increase her distances while decreasing her times. “I [ran] just to cope with it all and with all the free time,” recalled Laverty. “My times started to go down and I was getting stronger and realized I can go someplace with it.” Her times on the cross-country trails and during indoor and outdoor track season drop like a rock, culminating with her success this year. Laverty had a top-ten finish at the Class S cross-country championships in the fall and then had a record-breaking winter, shattering the school record in the 3200 meters by running an 11:53.77 at the Class S Indoor Track and Field finals in February. She finished 2nd in the event overall, beating her own personal-best time in the distance by 17 seconds and the school record — which stood for a decade — by 15 seconds. It was an astonishing accomplishment for someone who first started training for the two-mile distance only a few months earlier. “It’s something that I never thought I would be capable of and it’s so rewarding. It’s made me have an appreciation for what my body is capable of,” Laverty said of her incredible running progress. Deborah Rooth, who has coached Laverty in indoor track for the past two years, said, “Shawn possesses qualities that make her a fierce competitor. She has a work ethic second to none.” “She was unafraid to challenge herself,” added Rooth. “As Captain of the team she demonstrated great leadership abilities and was well respected by her teammates. Shawn is a coach’s dream and I felt privileged to be a part of her success.” Currently, Laverty and the outdoor track and field team at PHS are preparing for the state championships later this month. She is hoping to qualify for the State Open, slated for June 6, in either the 1600 or 3200 meter distance and with her 4x800 relay team. Laverty is a student-athlete in every sense of the word. Along with her laundry list of running accomplishments, she is heavily involved with the school and community. She serves as the Vice President of the National Honor Society chapter and is also part of the National Technical Honor Society. She is heavily involved with student government at the school, serving as the Secretary for the Student Senate, which helps with school-wide events such as pep rallies and spirit weeks. “I’ve enjoyed the small intimate community at Portland. I’ve appreciated being able to know everyone and making good connections, but I'm ready to experience something a little bigger and see more of the world,” said Laverty. “Who I am and the life I’ve created in Portland has brought me to this point and I am very grateful for it, but I’m also very excited for what the future holds.” In Vermont, she will study business administration at the university’s Grossman School of Business in Burlington. “It’s got that cute city feel, but not too big,” Laverty said of Burlington. “I’m looking forward to experiencing new memories with a new team.” RHAM High School senior Ailish Kleinhen will continue to live out her hardwood dreams in New York.
“And the journey begins,” Kleinhen posted to Instagram on May 1. “I am excited to announce my commitment to further my education and athletic career at Hartwick College! I am beyond excited for the next 4! A huge thank you to my family, friends, coaches and teammates. I couldn’t get here without all of you. Go Hawks!” Kleinhen was the ideal teammate, captain, and closer for a Raptors basketball team that finished the regular season with 14 wins this past winter. “Ailish had a great senior year and impacted our team in so many ways more than just on the court,” RHAM girls’ basketball head coach John McNair said. “She would go and pick a teammate up if they fell, and she would be there to offer words of encouragement and support after a tough game or practice. Her selflessness is one of the things I respected most about her as a teammate and it’s really something you can’t coach.” McNair added that Kleinhen did a little of everything on the floor, including being a relentless defender who did not back down from any challenge. That mentality will suit her well at the next level where she will join her new basketball fraternity as she pursues her degree in physical therapy. Kleinhen said it was important for her to choose a school that offered her major, adding, “The coaches are awesome and I love everything about it. It’s more than just basketball and that is what I need.” Over the years, Kleinhen has learned a thing or two about physical therapy. She used PT to recover from a broken elbow suffered while playing basketball in the eighth grade, along with mending ankle, knee, and various other injuries throughout her time playing sports. “You name it, I’ve pretty much gone for everything,” said a smiling Kleinhen. After dabbling in cross-county running her first years in high school, Kleinhen realized that the team aspect of basketball was her true passion. She is currently on the school’s ultimate frisbee team, calling the club sport “super fun”. Kleinhen, who was born in Glastonbury before moving to Marlborough in kindergarten, said she will miss her teammates that she played with at RHAM, particularly the basketball team from this past winter. “This was definitely my favorite group of girls that we’ve had,” said Kleinhen, who embraced a mentorship role for a talented freshmen class headed by first-year standout Maddy Evans. She recalled one of her favorite moments was during Evans’ first start. Kleinhen was forced to miss the game because of a concussion, so she helped coach the Evans from the sideline, drawing up plays and offering advice from the bench. Kleinhen added it was “really cool” to see the growth of the younger girls this winter. Coach McNair praised Kleinhen for her “incredible selflessness” in accepting the role as the first player off the bench, saying, “While she might not have started a game, she was always in at the end of close ones, and to me that’s the most important time to be on the floor.” McNair noted a game against Bacon Academy when Kleinhen ignited the team off the bench, sinking five three-pointers and scoring 20 points as the Raptors beat the rival Bobcats, who would eventually go on to play for a state championship at Mohegan Sun “As a coach, you want everything to work out the way it should, and you want kids to be rewarded for all the work and sacrifices they make. That night, Ailish shined in the moment and confirmed for me that she deserved the opportunity to play at the next level,” said McNair. “I have no doubt she will succeed at Hartwick. She has the right approach to adversity and manages to keep it all in perspective,” added McNair. At Hartwick, she will join a Division III program based in Oneonte, NY that plays in the Empire 8 Athletic Conference. The Hawks are coming off an 18-win season in the first year under head coach Sarah Lombard. “I’ve played on a lot of different teams with a lot of different people and the teammates that I’ve had have been so motivating,” said Kleinhen. “I’m beyond excited to go through the next four years with a new group.” Christian Kaverud’s role has expanded this year. The Glastonbury High School junior is again serving the tennis team’s #1 singles player and is now mentoring a strong group of underclassmen that have put the team in prime position for a deep run this spring.
Coming into the week, the Guardians have won all eight meets and Kaverud is undefeated in singles play. “The team has been great. I really enjoy the atmosphere with the guys,” said Kaverud. “This is one of the best teams that we’ve had.” The team has been so dominant that they have only dropped two total matches overall, winning 52 of 54 individual and doubles matches. Kaverud has breezed through most of his opponents, yet did find himself down a set during an April 29 match against Farmington’s Shrey Choudary. After losing the first set (4-6) on some controversial calls, the mentally tough tennis star refocused and began to deliver shots to Choudary’s Achilles’ heel, which was his opponent’s backhand. “I knew once I started attacking his weakness he had no chance,” recalled Kaverud, who took the next two sets (6-2, 10-6). Freshmen Joseph Chan and Andrew Risinger have taken turns as the team’s #2 and #3 players in a majority of the matches, competing beyond their years. Chan has won all seven of his matches and Risinger has won six of seven. Chan almost dropped the second set against Farmington’s Abhi Mannam before battling back to win (6-3, 7-5). “They are so mentally strong. I’ve seen a lot of perseverance from them so far,” Kaverud said of the first-year high school players. Kaverud added that he has focused his attention on the mental part of the game, particularly over the last year. He estimated that about 85% of the game is mental, saying he used last offseason to improve mentally by using meditation and film study film to prepare for situations like he faced at Farmington. “I want to reach the point where nothing bothers me in a match. I want to almost act like a robot,” stated Kaverud. He also began a weight training regime, along with focusing on recovery between matches. The added elements have allowed him to finish off opponents quicker, bounce back from matches more efficiently, and push through setbacks. “Once you fix those certain things and you know what to fix, the world becomes your library because you know what you want to look for,” he said. Prior to the season, Kaverud made his college commitment to Southern New Hampshire University (SHNU). He said it was important for him to make a decision now, so he can put all of his energy into high school tennis and the various year-round tournaments that he plays in. “I started looking at colleges really early and narrowed down to a list of three. When I went for official visits I knew Southern New Hampshire was the best fit between the team and the coaches,” recalled Kaverud. It was at one of his official visits to SNHU that he got an idea to document his high school tennis journey, uploading “day in the life” segments and helpful tips that he has learned throughout the process. Kaverud’s videos can be found on YouTube by typing in CK Tennis. |
AuthorSports Editor for the Rare Reminder, Glastonbury Citizen, and Rivereast News Bulletin Archives
December 2023
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