Glastonbury senior captain Kate McKiernan fires a shot during the first half in an 11-10 overtime loss to Simsbury on May 3.
Glastonbury High School girls’ lacrosse team dropped a rare Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) game last Tuesday when they fell to conference rival Simsbury 11-10 in overtime at Glastonbury High School on May 3. Simsbury senior midfield Mackenzie Chapman bounced a shot in with 28.3 seconds left in the extra session, ending an entertaining two-hour game. “Any time you play you learn something, whether you win big or lose big or it’s a tight game,” said GHS head coach Kris Cofiell. “Kudos to Simsbury. It was a close game [against them] last year and they were up five or six goals and then we came back and beat them.” This season contest was a game of runs, featuring four ties and four lead changes. The home Guardians jumped out to a 3-1 lead behind sophomore midfielder Avery Olschefskie, who netted a pair of goals within the first four minutes of the game. Olschefskie, who finished the game with four goals, tallied her first a minute in after cutting hard to the net and getting an assist from senior captain Christina Guanci. Following a goal from Guanci — who also scored four times — Olschefskie faked a spin move to the middle and drove left before hammering home her second. Olschefskie and Guanci each added two more goal in the first half as Glastonbury took a 7-5 lead into the break. The visiting Trojans scored five of the first six points of the second half, taking a 10-8 lead before senior captain Kate McKiernan came to the rescue for the Guardians. McKiernan slid a sidearm goal past goalie Kaitlyn O’Brien with 6:34 left in the game and then, following a two-minute penalty, returned in the final minute of regulation and scored the tying-goal with 10.1 seconds to play. Glastonbury won the draw to begin overtime, but was unable to capitalize before Chapman’s goal ended the back-and-forth battle. “This is a huge win,” Simsbury head coach Rick Bontatibus said, “We struggled last year [against Glastonbury] and were up five and they came back to beat us. This was a big, emotional roadblock we had to get by. We always know it’s going to be tough because they have a lot of tradition.” Simsbury’s Elena Bontatibus scored a game-high five goals. Taylor Truting added a pair of goals and an assist, while Sarah Perliz added a goal and two assists as the Trojans improved to 5-3. Coach Bontatibus added that, despite the heartbreaking end to regulation, the team still believed going into the extra session, saying, “We win or lose as a team and our motto this year is ‘family’.” Glastonbury has dominated the conference for over a decade and Cofiell knew it would be tough to continue that this season after the team graduated what she called “a very influential class”. Cofiell said that despite losing a strong group from a season ago, the seniors from this season have stepped up. “Leadership has never been something that we had to find. This senior class has been amazing and every single one of our seniors has risen to that occasion to bring along the younger players, getting them physically and mentally ready to play.” Defensive captain Hannah David and goalie Bridget Clarke are leading the Guardians on the backend this season. Cofiell praised the two, saying both have made leaps in both leadership and from a skill standpoint this year. The loss to Simsbury was Glastonbury’s fourth. The first three were against powerhouses Daniel Hand, Cheshire, and Ridgefield. “In the beginning of the year there were a lot of ups and downs and injuries, and we had a lot of different starting lineups, so we feel like we are finally starting to come together,” added Cofiell. “I’m proud of them and I’m proud of the fact that they are probably closer than last year's class because they know what they have to do collectively.” The Guardians ended the week with another tough loss, falling to East Lyme 13-11. Entering the week, the team stands at 5-5. Cofiell said she hopes the team can fix the mistakes they have made in the losses and “turn the page” during the stretch run. The Guardians next home game is this Thursday, May 12 against East Catholic, starting at 4:00 p.m.
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The 2016 girls basketball team at Cromwell High School celebrates an undefeated championship season.
Cromwell High School athletic director and girls’ basketball coach Kelly Maher has decided to step down from coaching to channel all of her energy into her role as the director of athletics. Maher said the role of an athletic director has changed over the last couple of years and the 12-month commitment to her AD job prompted the decision. “It just happened to be the right time,” said Maher, who has been a head coach at CHS since 2007. “I have confidence in whoever will be taking over as the next coach.” Maher leaves the bench after an extremely fruitful 15 season guiding the Panthers, winning 315 games and three state championships during her time on the bench. She coached two undefeated teams (2013 and 2016) and won 83% of her games. Mya Villard, who played on both undefeated teams under Maher and was a two-time all-state player prior to graduating in 2016, said, “Coach Maher has left a legacy at Cromwell High that is reflected not only in the record books but also in the relationships she built with players.” “Year after year Cromwell continues to be a dominant program, but her character and what she stands for is what I will remember Coach Maher for,” added Villard, who went on to be a star of the courts at Eastern Connecticut State University. “I will forever cherish the memories as a team and the bond we built with each other. She will be missed but has built a strong program that will continue to be successful in the future.” Prior to taking over as the head coach, Maher served as an assistant coach and her ties to school date back over three decades, having played basketball at CHS before graduating in 1995. “It will probably be weird once that first practice day comes along, but I’m sure I’ll make an adjustment,” Maher said of not having to prepare for a season. Whoever takes over on the head coaching duties is getting an experienced group. The Panthers are slated to return every player from a season ago, including all-conference players Nevaeh Clark (1st team), Jessica Grodzicki (1st team), Adela Cecunjanin (2nd team), Cameryn Hickey (honorable mention). “The kids are great and they have come a long way. Now I’m just watching them from a different level, as an outsider and not a coach. I told them they can’t escape; I’ll still be watching them,” Maher said with a smile. Newington High School girls’ lacrosse team is playing with purpose, passion, and playfulness.
The approach is working wonders as the team has won four straight games entering the week, including an 18-10 win over Rocky Hill at McVicar Field on Tuesday, May 2. In the road win over the Terriers, eight Nor’easters scored and the balanced attack offered up 10 goals in the first half to take an early lead before coasting to victory. Junior Hailey Gaydos led the offensive attack with five goals. Kailey Krusewsky added three goals –– all coming in the second half –– while Morgan Hellman, Valerie Eogoroff, and Andrea Manocchio each scored twice. It was the third straight offensive explosion for Newington, who tied a season-high in goals after tallying 19 and 16 goals, respectively, in the previous two games –– wins over Middletown and Hamden. “[The players] have really bought into working together. It’s our mentality as a whole,” said assistant coach Ali Houldcroft, who was filling in for head coach Jaime Hale. “Our defense and teamwork really gets us to where we want to be.” Hellman is one of four seniors on a team that features a mixture of veteran voices and youthful exuberance. “We were excited to get our turn as seniors and we just love hanging out with everyone,” Hellman said of the team’s chemistry. “We cheer for each other on the field and give that support.” Gaydos, Hellman, Giuliana Stolfi, and goalie Kaleigh Tsakiris are captaining the team. Houldcroft praised her captains for their leadership, adding that Tsakiris has done a phenomenal job protecting the net. “Kaleigh keeps our defense well rounded and they talk about what we can fix and get better at on the field,” said Houldcroft. “[The captains] do a good job at lifting each other up.” Trailing 10-5 at the half, Rocky Hill scored two of the first three goals of the second half to narrow the margin. Johanna Brown scored two minutes in the half and then set up Emma O’Connell a minute later, narrowing the deficit to four. O’Connell, who is captaining the team with Julianna Violette and Sarah Whelen, led the Terriers with three goals. Sophomore Nicole Polites added a pair of scores. Krusewsky, who started on defense, scored three late goals — two assisted by Manocchio — to seal the game for the road team. Hellman, who has been one of the program’s primary attackers since entering high school, knows the importance of mentoring the next generation. “Being on varsity as a freshman helped me see what I should do and how I should help people,” said Hellman, who added that the team needs to keep communicating and having fun on the field in order to keep winning. “[Having fun] helps the team morale,” added Hellman. “We want to have fun, win or lose. If we play our best, we are happy.” Newington closed the week with a 14-7 win over Cromwell, ending the week with a record of 5-3. The Nor’easters have one more regular season home game remaining as they take on Northwest Catholic on Monday, May 16 and Windsor on Tuesday, May 17. Both games are scheduled for Clem Lemire Turf Field in Newington at 3:30 p.m. Hellman said the key in the second half of the season will be for the team to keep their composure and keep communicating on the field. Houldcroft, who played lacrosse at NHS and is now in her third year as an assistant with the program, added that the team will lean on their chemistry and transition game. Following the loss, Rocky Hill rebounded with an 11-10 overtime victory over Northwest Catholic. Polities tied the game with a goal to send it into overtime before O’Connell ended the game in the extra session with a powerful blast. The Terriers have a crucial game coming up when they travel to South Windsor this Friday, May 13 for a conference tilt at 4:00 p.m. Sadie Ruiz - Wethersfield (Lacrosse): Ruiz scored 13 goals and dished out six assists in three games this week. The sophomore attacker has four goals and an assist in a 20-10 loss to Granby, four goals and a pair of assists assists in a 12-7 win over EO Smith, and five goals and three assists in an 18-4 win over Enfield. Through the first 11 games, Ruiz has tallied 44 goals and 17 assists (61 points). Ruiz would go on to score her 50th goal, tallying six goals in a win over Watertown on May 9.
Trey Guest - Newington (Volleyball): Guest posted a career-high 6.3 kills per set as he hammered home 25 kills in a four-set victory over New Britain on May 2. The senior captain also had four blocks and a season-high 12 digs in the victory. Guest followed his performance up with 11 kills and a pair of blocks in a three-set victory over Simsbury the following night, improving the Nor’easters to 9-3. Emily Green - Cromwell (Tennis): Green, a co-captain for the Panthers, came back to win her match against Morgan on May 3. The senior rallied after dropping the 1st set (1-6) before taking the 2nd and 3rd sets (6-1, 6-0) to win the match, helping the team secure a 4-3 victory and improve Cromwell to 7-1 overall this spring. Tyler Carlstrom - Rocky Hill (Baseball): Carlstrom earned a pair of victories on the mound as the Terriers won all three games last week. The junior surrendered only one hit and zero run, striking out three, in a 15-0 victory over Bloomfield/AAE/Bulkeley on May 5 and then pitched four innings, striking out three more in an 11-5 win over Lewis Mills on May 6. Rocky Hill began the week with a dramatic 1-0 win over Plainville after Brendan Whalen drove in the game-winning run with two outs in the bottom of the 7th, cementing a terrific pitching performance from Ben Centurelli, who pitched a complete-game, three-hit shutout. Entering the week, Rocky Hill stands at 9-4. Jaime Anderson - Cromwell (Softball): Anderson, a senior, had two hits — one a home run –– driving in 3 RBIs and scoring two runs as the Panthers defeated Morgan 14-0 on May 3. Junior teammate Lily Kenney also homered in the win and pitched four scoreless innings, allowing only two hits and striking out four as Cromwell improved to 10-2. To nominate someone as an Athlete of the Week or for questions/comments on sports-related topics, email joshhowardsports@gmail.com East Hampton's Liana Salamone was the only girls’ basketball freshman to be selected All-State.
Out of the 43 players who made the Connecticut High School Coaches Association (CHSCA) girls’ All-State teams, East Hampton’s Liana Salamone was the only freshman selected. “I was the happiest person ever. I started crying tears with my dad,” Salamone recalled of her reaction with father, Craig Salamone, when finding out about the honor. “[My dad] has been there for me since I started basketball and we both really wanted it. I didn’t know if I could do it, but he knew I could.” The freshman-phenom took the local court by storm this past winter, scoring a team-high 445 points and averaging 17.1 points to power the Bellringers offense. The all-round point guard also did so much more than just score—averaging 7.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.8 steals per game. “Liana had an amazing and impactful freshmen season here in our basketball program. She was able to fit in with her teammates both on and off the court in a very positive way,” said East Hampton head coach Shaun Russell. “Liana worked hard all season to improve her game as well as to improve the ways in which she could help to make the team and her teammates better. Liana gave us great stability with the ball and her strengths played into those pillars of our program that we rely on to allow us to do the things we try to do well on a daily basis.” After having to prove herself as a first-year high school player, Salamone quickly became the court general for an East Hampton team that had one of the program’s most successful seasons—winning 23 of 26 games and a Shoreline Conference (SLC) Championship. “Once the season started and we started to scrimmage, I felt comfortable with my role as a point guard,” recalled Salamone, “As the games started our chemistry started to build and we found what worked for us, which was our defense and communication.” Her production increased with each game, peaking in the conference and state tournament games where she averaged 23 points per game. Salamone and Jackie Russell, a sophomore, created a dynamite backcourt that could score at will from both the inside and outside, along with setting up teammates. Both Salamone and Russell earned first-team All-SLC as East Hampton captured a third straight conference crown and made it to the semifinals in the Class M tournament. Following the season, Salamone went right back to work on the court. She is currently on a We Are One (Amateur Athletic Union) basketball team that is sponsored by Under Armour. The travel team is part of the Rise Division and will need to keep winning to keep their sponsorship. So far they have won a majority of their games and the goal is to compete nationally with games slated for Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, among other states over the coming weeks. Along with honing her basketball skills, Salamone is also competing with East Hampton’s track and field team, running sprints and relays for the Bellringers as the team aims to defend their Class M title from last spring. Her basketball goal for this offseason is to work on her jump shot, mainly her mid-range jumper, as she eyes an even better sophomore season. Salamone will be one of four returning starters next winter as East Hampton will be one of the favorites coming into the 2022-2023 season. Coach Russell believes his young superstar has a chance to etch one of the best careers the program has had, adding, “[Liana] has a good perspective on things for a player her age and she wants to be the best that she can be in all the things that she does.” “She has a chance to leave an impact and a footprint that will be passed down to the players that follow her just as she has been impacted by those that have played here before and with her,” added Russell. “The sky is the limit for her on the court and in the classroom. She is a great kid with a great work ethic and I look forward to helping her to strive to reach her full potential.” RHAM senior Andrew Macca officially committed to player soccer at Western New England at a ceremony at RHAM High School on April 20. Macca is pictured with his sister, Kaylee, and mother, Kerry, to his left and father, Jeff, to his right.
RHAM senior Andrew Macca has committed to play soccer at Western New England University in Springfield, Mass. “I’m very excited to announce my commitment to further my academic and athletic career at Western New England University,” Macca stated after making his decision. “I would like to thank my family, coaches, and teammates for helping me reach this goal!” Macca was an all-conference player, specializing on the defensive end and midfield, for a Raptors team that held nine opponents scoreless and didn’t allow more than two goals in any game this past fall. RHAM boys’ soccer head coach Ray Bell said that statistics doesn’t do justice to the type of players that Macca was. “One of Andrew’s best strengths as a soccer player was his ability to adapt and adjust at the multiple positions we ask him to play. Because of his knowledge of the game he simplified things for his teammates,” Bell said of the versatile Macca. “We were able to put him in the center defender spot as an emergency early in his career and he stabilized the position so much he continued his strong play for the next two years in that spot while also filling roles in the midfield when needed.” Macca is currently playing lacrosse at the high school and is also in Ski Club, along with being part of National Honor Society at RHAM. Outside of school, Macca is heavily involved in his church, serving as a greeter and working with the youth group. The Hebron native added that departing the area will be difficult and that he will miss his classmates, teammates, and the surrounding community. The soon-to-be graduate has some connections to his next destination. His father went to the university and he is familiar with the coaching staff, having played club soccer under WNE head coach Devin O’Neill. 2020-RHAM graduate Jonny Clough also plays for the school, starting 17 games and scoring a goal a season ago for the Golden Bears. “Western New England has always been on my list. Once I got the offer I took it,” Macca said of his college decision. At WNE he’ll join a competitive program under O’Neill, who is entering his eighth season and has won 60% of his games and a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) championship since taking over in 2015. Since his tenure, 23 of his players have been selected All-CCC. Macca added that he’s ready to embrace the next phase in his life, saying he welcomes the increased competition. “I’m looking forward to the competitiveness. I love winning,” said Macca, who will study finance. “I know a lot of people on the team and I’m excited to make that family again with a whole different group of guys.” The Portland High School baseball team after defeating Westbrook 12-1 on April 30. The team’s only senior, Mike Quesnel, was selected as a Standout Athlete after hitting a three-run home run and scoring four runs in the victory.
Here are the Rivereast Standout Athletes of the Week for the week of April 25-May 1: Mike Quesnel- Portland High School (Baseball): Quesnel was 2-2 with a single and a three-run blast in the third inning as the Highlanders defeated Westbrook 12-1 to earn their first victory of the season on April 30. The senior, who is the Class President, also scored four runs and was walked twice. Quesnel, the only senior player on the team, was honored on Senior Night with senior team manager Kendall Prince prior to a rematch with Westbrook on Monday. The Highlanders again defeated Westbrook 5-2, sweeping the season series. Sarah Newton- Bacon Academy (Lacrosse): Newton scored a career-high seven goals and dished out a pair of assists as the Bobcats defeated RHAM 17-6 on April 28. The senior, who will play lacrosse at Springfield College, leads the team in points (47) through the first 11 games as the Bobcats stand at 7-4. Newton has now scored over 100 career high school goals during her time at Bacon. Sean Connolly- RHAM High School (Baseball): Connolly had a game-winning hit as the Raptors erased a one-run deficit to defeat East Catholic 5-4 on April 27. The sophomore smoked a line drive in the bottom of the 7th inning—driving home Brad D’Amico for the winning run—and earned the win on the mound after striking out a pair of batters and pitching a scoreless top of the 7th. RHAM trailed 4-3 heading into the final inning before Mike Poncini sent home Chase Melzen for the game-tying run prior to Connolly’s walk-off, which improved the team to 8-0 this spring. Chelsea Woods- East Hampton High School (Softball): Woods has consecutive standout performances as the Bellringers won back-to-back games, defeating Morgan on April 27 and Valley Regional the following day. The sophomore had three hits, driving in three runs and scoring three more in a 15-11 win over the Huskies from Clinton. In the a 5-4 win over Valley, Woods cranked her first home run, scoring twice on a pair of hit and driving in two. GHS senior lacrosse captain (l-r) Ryan Bell, Cole Cummings, and Kayden Hinchey following a 20-2 win over Farmington on April 25.
Glastonbury High School boys lacrosse was clearly the more aggressive and talented team during last Monday’s bout with Farmington, yet led only 3-1 after the first quarter. That’s when the gong went off. The Guardians exploded for 10 points in the second quarter and held the visiting River Hawks scoreless in the frame, taking a commanding double digit lead into the break before coasting to a 20-2 victory. “We were getting a lot of looks, but we weren’t really burying our shots and we knew that,” said senior attacker Kayden Hinchey, who scored three goals. “Coming into the second quarter we were fired up. We knew we could pump in some goals.” Warren Channing was particularly active in the quarter, netting all of his game-high four goals in the 12 minute session. GHS head coach Scott Hinchey has been impressed with Channing, whose intimidating 6’1”, 235 pound frame has earned the nickname “Big Country” from his teammates. “[Warren] has had a great year. We’ve thrown a lot at him and he’s really stepped up his game,” said coach Hinchey. “He shoots it hard and we saw today when he steps in and gets his hands free there aren’t too many goalies that are saving those shots.” Hinchey, Channing, and Brady Stone are the team’s primary attackers. Stone led the team with six points—three goals and three assists. Coach Hinchey said the trio of attackers did a great job at setting the tone in the second quarter. Leading by a dozen points at the half, the Guardians added four more goals in the third, highlighted by face-off specialist Zachary Caporale, who won a draw and sprinted directly towards the goal before scoring with a powerful finish. All told, ten Guardians scored goals and 11 players contributed points. It was an impressive effort on both ends of the field. Outside of a goal late in the first quarter, the team’s starting defense completely stifled the Farmington offense. For a majority of the first three quarters, the ball was primarily in Glastonbury’s possession. Senior goalie Ryan Bell is back protecting the goal and is the undisputed leader after splitting time in net last spring. “Our chemistry as a defense is a lot better than last year. Everybody likes each other and everybody is communicating with each other,” said Bell. “If we can clear the ball better, that is one of our weaknesses right now, we’ll be perfectly fine.” The Guardians dominated possession, particularly in the decisive second quarter. Long stick midfielder Cole Cummings is captaining the middle and helping make life easier on Bell in the backend. After playing as a traditional midfielder a season ago, Cumming’s has settled into his new role and is the ignition behind allowing the team to do what they do best, which is use their speed in transition. “We really key off fast breaks. We try and push those to get us goals, to get us wins. We try to create a turnover on defense and push it right down field,” said Cummings. It’s a special senior class for coach Hinchey, who has been coaching the group since youth lacrosse. The veteran coach is blending his experienced seniors with the next generation of underclassmen, who he was able to play in the blowout win over Farmington. Freshman Dylan Larabee came off the bench and was aggressive, scoring from straight away early in the fourth. Sophomore Cayden Infantino got some time at goalie in the fourth quarter, saving a shot. “All of our guys are working hard,” said coach Hinchey. “It’s a good bunch of kids. They come out with good energy and I like how they compete every day. They enjoy being out here.” For the seniors, they have their eyes set on finishing strong in May with an eye on a potential tournament run. [Kayden] Hinchey called the senior his “brothers for life”, while both Cummings and Bell believe the team’s concrete chemistry is the key to a postseason push. Glastonbury finished the perfect week with wins over East Catholic (9-6) and Avon (15-7). Entering the week, the Guardians are riding a four-game winning streak and next play at home on Thurs., May 12 when they welcome rival Southington to GHS for a 5:00 p.m. start. GHS senior Aidan Januario looks to pass as he defended by Farmington's Lucas Ditson during the Guardians 20-2 win on April 25. Wethersfield girls lacrosse captains (l-r) Logan Lisella, Jaime Condon, Riley Ford, Ava Heimgartner have helped pave the way as the Eagles have won seven of eight games this spring.
Wethersfield girls’ lacrosse defeated Middletown 20-7 on a rain-soaked Cottone Field last Monday, April 25. The 20 goals was a season-high for an Eagles squad that improved to 6-1 this spring. Sophomore Sadie Ruiz led the way offensively, scoring four goals and dishing out three helpers. Two minutes into the game, Nicole Partridge got the scoring-party with the first of her three goals. Ruiz netted her first a minute later as the home team quickly jumped out to a multi-goal lead and never looked back. “Our goal every game is to come out and have the first goal and today they did that. That set the tone,” said WHS head coach Nicole Silva. Senior captain Logan Lisella, who had four goals, tallied her first at the 20-minute mark of the first half and 20 second later Partridge added her second of three goals, putting the Eagles up 4-0. Lisella is captaining the team with Jaime Condon, Riley Ford, and goalie Ava Heimgartner. The quartet is part of a seasoned senior class, featuring nine players that have helped lay the foundation for the program. Silva has been coaching the seniors since the sixth grade and has had a front row seat as the group developed through the town’s feeder program. A year ago, they were juniors during the school’s first official varsity lacrosse season when the team won 11 of 15 regular season games. Now in year two, the team has picked up where they left off and are clicking on all cylinders, having outscored their first seven opponents by a combined 49 points. “These girls started the lacrosse program. They have been here since day one,” added Silva. “They have actually built the program.” Along with the years of playing lacrosse, the seniors have the added benefit of playing other sports together—mainly field hockey in the fall—which creates additional chemistry on the field. “It helps a lot,” said Lisella. “We know each other’s personalities and that makes our team stronger.” Lisella added that the bond is so strong that the girls use non-verbal communication, such as eye contact and head nods, saying, “When you play with each other for four or five years you know how everyone plays and their skills and all their little tricks.” Silva has been impressed with the team’s ability to have that sixth sense on the field, adding, “It’s a pleasure to watch them. At this point I can tell who is going to pass the ball and who is going to score just by looking at them.” Condon handles the face-off duties for the Eagles, winning a majority of the draws against Middletown. She also added a goal with 8:41 to play in the first half when she stole a pass and took it the length of the field before burying a shot to make it 10-3. “Everyone always says ‘you win the face-offs, you win the game’,” said Condon, who added the team is playing with confidence. “We’ve grown up playing lacrosse together. When the league first started in Wethersfield we were all beginners on the same team and developed our skills together,” said Condon. Ford scored late in the first half and again early in the second half, giving the Eagles a commanding 17-4 advantage. She concurred that the team is best when they come out of the gates quickly. “The first thing we always say in the locker room is ‘first goal’ and that sets the tone for everything,” said Ford. “Getting the first goal really helped us and winning the draw really helped set the tone for the whole game.” All told, nine players scored and ten players helped contribute points. It was the sixth time in seven games that the team scored 11 or more points. One the back end, Heimgartner has been the voice on the defense. Heimgartner says that communication has been the key on the defensive side. “We’ve become such a close-knit family and I think that’s why we’ve succeeded so well is because we work together as one unit,” said Heimgartner. “We’re always talking consistently in the back, helping each other and that makes me more comfortable.” Sophomore goalie Hailey Washington is splitting time with Heimgartner, earning varsity minutes in goal as she gets extensive time on JV as well. “[Hailey] has really stepped up the communication and is becoming a leader on the team,” said Silva, who added it’s a luxury to have two strong goalies. “Ava brings the team up from anything. When we have a couple of down moments or give up a couple of goals, Ava is the one in the back there telling everyone what to do and how to do it.” Protecting the crease for the goalies are starting defenders Ella Agler, Brooke Arnold, and Zoe Martin. The defense helped slow down prolific Blue Dragon captains Abby Johnson (three goals) and Aliyannah Makein (two goals). Johnson and Makein are captaining Middletown along with defensive captain Isabella Latina. The loss dropped the Blue Dragons 2-3. As for the Eagles, they hope to keep the lacrosse locomotive rolling into May. “Our goal for every game is to come out fierce, first to every ball, and to make sure that we are having clean passes and catches,” said Silva, “[The players] all have a high lacrosse IQ at this point and they are a really close-knit group. It’s easier to coach a group of girls that know if someone is having a bad day, they pull them up. It’s phenomenal to see.” Wethersfield closed the week with a 15-3 win at Lewis Mill, improving to 7-1, and the team’s next home game is slated for Monday, May 9 (4 p.m.) at Cottone Field. Wethersfield junior Wil Bankowski
The Starting Five: Athletes of the Week (April 18-24) Morgan Hellman- Newington (Lacrosse): Hellman scored four goals as the Nor’easters buried RHAM 12-5 on April 19, earning the team’s first victory of the young season. The senior, who has committed to play lacrosse at Franklin Pierce, also added a pair of assists as junior Hailey Gaydos added three goals in the victory. Tyler Daniele- Cromwell (Tennis): Daniele has a pair of wins, defeating Portland’s Ben McGrew (6-2, 6-2) on April 18 and then ousting Haddam-Killingworth’s Joey Mercier (6-1, 6-1) on April 20. The junior’s individual wins helped the Panthers win both matches as a team, downing both the Highlands of Portland and the Cougars of H-K by identical 5-1 scores. Brendan Whalen- Rocky Hill (Baseball): Whalen connected on a pair of hits—including a triple— driving in four runs at the Terriers shutout Cheney Tech 12-0 on April 20. The junior helped provide the offense from the plate and the pitching duo of Jack Pawlich (W) and Jaiden Reyes combined for a one-hitter as Rocky Hill snapped a two-game skid and improve to 5-2 this spring. Christian Bonvisuto- Wethersfield (Tennis): Bonvisuto had a perfect week, winning all three of his individual matches. The junior first defeated Farmington’s Karhtik Pyeni (6-0, 6-1) on April 18, then beat John Martin of Suffield (6-1, 6-0) on April 20, before ending the week with a (6-0, 6-1) win over South Windsor’s Roger Mao. The Eagles won two of the three matches as a team, improving to 3-1 this spring. Colby DiMenna - Cromwell (Baseball): DiMenna had back-to-back beauties in wins over rivals Portland and Old Saybrook, combining for a handful of runs and RBIs in the two victories. The sophomore drove in three runs and scored two more, while also throwing four innings from the mound and striking out eight as the Panthers clobbered the Highlanders 14-2 on April 1. DiMenna then connected on three hits, driving in a pair of runs and crossing the plate three more times in an 8-2 win over the Rams. The Starting Five: Athletes of the Week (April 25-May 1) Bella Tomaino- Wethersfield (Softball): Tomaino hit a double in the bottom of the 7th, driving home Molly Bowers for the game-winning run in the Eagles 4-3 victory over Manchester on April 28. The junior’s walk-off capped Wethersfield’s fourth straight win as the team got a terrific pitching performance from the duo of Mackenzie Banet and Kyla Brogan, who allowed just three runs to a stacked Manchester lineup, improving the Eagles to 7-2. Michael Bohlke- Newington (Track): Bohlke won the 5k at the CT Distance Festival with a meet-record and school record-breaking time of 14:39. The win qualified the senior, who has committed to run at George Washington University, a spot at the Nike Nationals in Oregon this June, and gives him the 4th fastest time in the nation. Jazzy Edmunds- Rocky Hill (Softball): Edmunds went 4 for 4 from the plate, including a home run, and drove in four runs as the Terriers defeated New Britain 13-1 on April 29. The senior, who also scored two runs in the win, helped the team improve to 4-1 at home and 6-4 overall this spring. Tyshaun James- Middletown (Football): James, an all-state quarterback at Middletown High School in 2016, signed as an undrafted free agent with the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. Following his graduation from MHS in 2017, James went to be a star wide receiver at Central Connecticut State University where he would catch a program-record 18 touchdowns, including 14 in 2019. Wil Bankowski- Wethersfield (Lacrosse): Bankowski scored seven goals, including his 100th career goal, during a 14-10 win over Lewis Mills on April 28. The junior, who achieved the milestone at Cottone Field, has been a prolific stud for the Eagles over the past two springs as the team has now won 19 of 23 games since becoming an official varsity program. |
AuthorSports Editor for the Rare Reminder, Glastonbury Citizen, and Rivereast News Bulletin Archives
April 2024
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