Glastonbury seniors Joseph Accurso and Sara Rigatti were named the GHS scholar athletes for the 2021-2022 school year.
Glastonbury High School seniors Joseph Accurso and Sara Rigatti were named as the GHS scholar-athletes for the 2021-2022 school year. The Scholar-Athlete Program annually recognizes two high school seniors from each high school, 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. Accurso is a three-season running, competing on cross country trails in the fall and the track during the indoor and outdoor seasons, making all-conference and all-state during his time at GHS. His accolades extended to well beyond running, as he was equally impressive in the classroom and in the community. “Honestly I was so surprised because this school is very well known for its academic scholars and athletes. So just being even recognized as a candidate for it was an incredible achievement,” Accurso said of the recognition. “It was a great moment for me because I realized that all the work that I put in in the classroom and the field was all worth it.” Accurso, who will study electrical engineering while running cross country and track at Benedictine College, was a member of National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, World Language National Honor Society, and Mu Alpha Theta Math National Honor Society. He also participated in the CT Eastern Regional Music Festival Chorus. Mark Alexander, who coached Accurso in both cross country and track at GHS, called him a “true team player.” “As a team captain, Joseph is ideal. He works hard and he’s concerned about how hard the team is working,” added Alexander. “He was able to juggle his work ethic for track and his school work ethic. It’s one thing to be a great athlete, but to be a great student and an athlete is a rare thing.” Part of the process in selecting a scholar-athlete is how they are viewed by teachers, coaches, and other personnel at the School and Accurso was touched by how his mentors viewed him. “I was very honored that the faculty would speak so highly of me,” stated Accurso. “I’ve always loved developing those relationships with the teachers.” Rigatti was a star libero and a team captain for the Guardians’ volleyball team in the fall and was a team manager for the undefeated boys’ volleyball team this spring. “[Sara] takes pride in all the things that she is involved in. She stepped up no matter what we asked of her. She always wanted to improve and get better,” said GHS volleyball coach Tony Sanith, who added that Rigatti was instrumental in supporting and mentoring the younger girls. Rigatti too was busy outside athletics, taking part in Advisory, Big Siblings Club, and Foreign Language Peer Tutoring. “I was really surprised at first because honestly I didn’t even know there was this honor that you could get and I was even more shocked that it was me that got it,” Rigatti said of her reaction when GHS athletic director Trish Witkin informed her. “I still can’t believe out of all the other people who play sports here that I got this award. I didn’t really think of myself as a scholar-athlete, but it made me think more of what I’ve accomplished as a student and as an athlete.” Rigatti, who will major in environmental studies at Boston College, was also a member of National Honor Society, World Language National Honor Society, and Mu Alpha Theta Math National Society. She was also the recipient of the St. Anselm Book Award and participated in the CT Eastern Regional Music Festival choir. Rigatti added that this school year has been enjoyable on many levels, particularly after what happened over the last two years in regards to the Covid-19 pandemic, saying, “It was really nice to be able to get back to a normal year. We were all more excited to be here and had more of an appreciation.” “I’ve really become part of the community in the four year and I am really going to miss it,” added Rigatti. “It was nice to be recognized for the work that I put into the academics and the team. It was a good way to end the year.”
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For the second straight season, the girls’ outdoor track and field team at Glastonbury High School is the Class LL state champions.
The Guardians ran away with the competition, scoring 118 overall points, over 30 points more than runner-up Danbury at Willow Brook Park in New Britain on May 31. “They work together and they are very hard working and dedicated group,” head coach Brian Collins said of his team. “We had a lot of good underclassmen that performed really well this year and they learned from our seniors.” Sophomore Anna Hilary won an individual title in the pole vault and junior Layla Spann-McDonald took home an individual championship in the discus, as well as placing 2nd in the shot put. Two of GHS relay teams also won titles. Riley Carroll, Meghan Smith, Alyssa Healy, and Molly Harding won the 4x400, while Ava Gattinella, Kelley MacElhiney, Jackie Caron, and Annika Paluska won the 4x800. Harding, a senior who will run at Yale University, also finished 2nd in the 400 meters and 4th in the 200 meters. Paluska, a sophomore, placed 3rd in the 800 meters and senior Kathryn DeSousa, a Bryant University commit, finished 3rd in the high jump. Jackie Dudus, Kylie Hilliard, and freshman Lila Garbett placed 4th, 5th, and 6th, respectively, in the 1600 meters. Hannah Caiola teamed with Healy, Smith, and Carroll for a 4th place finish in the 4x100 relay. Caiola, a senior who will run at Southern Connecticut State University, also placed 6th individually in both the 100 and 200 meter dash. Smith (400 meters), Gattinella (800 meters), Anna Morris (discus), and Sophia Urban (pole vault) each had top-five finishes. Collins said the key to success over the past couple of year is how well-rounded the group has been, adding “Some years we’re heavy in some areas and very light in others, but recently we have been pretty even across the board. Those sixth, seventh or eighth places really add up.” Other Guardians to score in the meet were: Carroll (7th in 400 meters), Healy (7th in 300 meter hurdles), Alexandra Edwards (8th in 800 meters), and Lucy Bergin (8th in 3200 meters). The latest championship adds yet another banner to a growing list of accomplishments for the program, who have also won the last two Class LL indoor track and field titles as well. All told, the departing senior class has been part of four Class LL track and field titles and a State Open championship during the winter of 2020. “Our seniors had a chance to leave with a second LL championship and their dedication each and every day set the tone for everyone.” Collins said of his now-graduated seniors. “They did a great job at mentoring the younger kids. They are not just looking out for their own spots; they are looking out what’s best for the team. That’s what made them special.” Rocky Hill's Ben Centurelli pitched a complete-game shutout as the Terriers eliminated St. Joseph in the opening round of the Class M tournament on May 31. Junior Ben Centurelli pitched a complete-game shutout as Rocky Hill baseball knocked off St. Joseph 1-0 in the opening round of the Class M tourney on May 31 at Griswold Middle School. “We just needed to compete and at the end of the day we did that,” said Centurelli. “We competed and outplayed them on the field.” After allowing a pair of hits in the opening inning, Centurelli was rock solid the rest of the afternoon and allowed only three more hits, striking out four and walking none. “He is one of the most competitive guys that I have ever coached,” Rocky Hill head coach Eric Frank said of his ace. “He has tremendous command of his pitches and he wasn’t afraid of them. He gave us an outstanding performance today.” Frank and his No. 9 ranked Terriers had a tough task in the opening round against the No. 24 Cadets, who play in the highly-competitive Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference (FCIAC). “We knew it would be a challenge, but we have confidence in our guys,” added Frank. Thanks to Centurelli’s magnificent performance from the mound and a key hit from senior captain Jack Pawlich, the Terriers were able to make their final home game of the season a glowing success. With the sun beating down on the exposed field at GMS, the Terriers leaned on Centurelli and the stout group behind him, which gave the team an early confidence boost. In the top of the first inning, St, Joseph senior captain and leadoff hitter Chris Adzima reached base, but was picked off while trying to steal second on a laser throw from catcher Brendan Whalen. Center fielder Jaiden Reyes then made an acrobatic over-the-shoulder catch on a deep shot from Riley Jordan. St. Joseph’s ace Matt Tabel was equally impressive as his counterpart until the bottom of the third when the Terriers would break the scoreless tie. Reyes drew a walk and reached second following a ground out by Tyler Carlstrom. St. Joseph’s head coach Jim Chaves then decided to intentionally walk Whalen—the Terriers No. 3 hitter–putting the powerful Pawlich at the plate. Pawlich delivered with a line drive shot down the left field line, scoring Reyes from second base. “I did not expect that to happen and felt extremely disrespected, so I had to do what I had to do to them. They were asking for it,” Pawlich said of the plate appearance following the intentional walk of Whalen. “I was expecting something inside. I saw the fastball high and inside and I was able to turn on it.” Pawlich, who plays first base, finished 2-3 from the plate. Frank said he was a little surprised at St. Joseph’s strategy, adding, “They are both really good hitters so it’s like ‘pick your poison’. They decided to go to Jack and thankfully they did. He came up huge for us.” Playing with the lead, Centurelli methodically retired the next dozen batters by mixing in a series of change-up pitches, which he said he “found success with” as the game went on. In the top of the 7th inning, it was a complete defensive effort that put the game on ice. Pawlich scooped up a hit and flipped it to Centurelli, who ran over to first base from the mound, for the first out. Pawlich then did it himself for the second out when he nabbed a grounder and stepped on first. Reyes ended the contest by shagging a pop fly to center field. “We took note that some people were doubting us coming into this game and we always just try and prove our doubters wrong,” said Pawlich. The opening round win advanced the Terriers to the second round where they would fall to Killingly 8-1 on June 1, ending the high school careers for Pawlich and three other seniors—Ethan Pancoast, Leo Kerz, and Jeff Vanturas. Pawlich called the team “a family”, adding the seniors have become extremely close over the past four years The second round exit ended a successful first season for Frank, who took over the program last offseason and guided the Terriers to 15 wins this spring, including victories in 9 of the last 12 games. Frank stated that the team developed into a “mentally tough group”, adding, “I’m really proud of these guys. I’m not the easiest guy to play for, but they bought in from day one.” Last Tuesday was a banner afternoon for Rocky Hill sports in general. Along with the baseball winning the tourney game, the girls’ tennis team and the softball team hosted games at the high school. Tennis defeated Wolcott (5-2) in the first round of the Class M tournament. Softball fell to Seymour 10-3, ending the team’s first season under head coach Will Ramos, who led the Terriers to 13 wins this spring. Terriers' softball yielded four all-conference players in Erin Slavin, Christina DeNovellis, Shauna Kehoe, and Maddie Dillon. Dillon also made all-state. Slavin (Clark University), Dillon (Clark University), and Jazzy Edmunds (Western Connecticut State University) are the team’s three departing senior players and all will be playing college softball. Ramos praised his three seniors and said the team bonded this spring, adding, “The chemistry was there this season. Unfortunately it just didn’t happen at the end of the season and we fell short today.” Rocky Hill baseball seniors (l-r) Ethan Pancoast, Leo Kerz, Jack Pawlich, and Jeff Vanturas helped lead the Terriers to 15 wins this season. Daevyon Lovelace, Michael Anderson, Emeka Yearwood, Jaden Wynn - Cromwell (Track & Field): Lovelace, Anderson, Yearwood, Wynn combined to break the 13-year old school record in the 4x100 relay, running a 44.07 and finishing as the runner-up at the Class M finals on June 2 at Willow Brook Park. Wynn also finished 3rd individually in the 100 meter dash and 5th in the 200 meter dash, while Anderson broke a school record and placed 4th in the 300 meter hurdles
Noah Terzo - Wethersfield (Baseball): Terzo pitched six scoreless innings as the Eagles defeated Woodstock in the Class L second round. The senior, who will pitch at Keene State College next year, helped lead the Eagles to 17 wins this spring and was one of four WHS players, along with Ethan Lemos, Cam Righi, and Anthony Pretter, to be named all-conference. Brayden Bayek - Rocky Hill (Track & Field): Bayek placed 3rd in the 3200 meters at the Class M finals on June 2 at Willow Brook Park in New Britain. The junior ran a personal-best 9:41.12, while senior teammate Matthew Rostkowski placed 9th overall at the same event, also running a personal-best (10:05.48). Michael Bohlke - Newington (Track & Field): Bohlke won both the 1600 meters and 3200 meter at the Class L championships at Willow Brook Park in New Britain on June 1. The senior, who will run for George Washington University next fall, ran a 4:19.62 to edge Callum Sherry of Conard in the one-mile and then broke the school record by running a 9:07.99 in the two-mile, besting runner-up Eamon Burke of Xavier by over two seconds. Tyler Powell - Middletown (Baseball): Powell pitched a complete game, allowing three hits, as the Blue Dragons rallied for a dramatic 5-4 win over Torrington in the second round of the Class L tournament. The junior, along with senior Dan Lapham, had back-to-back sacrifice hits in the top of the 7th inning to take the lead before Powell took the mound to close it out. RHAM tennis seniors (l-r) Lauren Fenton, Addison Brown, Morgan Fazzino, Teresa Hooker. Photo credit: Dan Fish
Clutch would be a good word to describe the girls’ tennis team at RHAM High School. Needing a win to assure a spot in the state tournament, the Raptors defeat Enfield (4-3) in the regular season and then upset higher-rank Berlin (4-3) in the qualifying round of the Class L tourney. Leading the way were four senior captains—Lauren Fenton, Teresa Hooker, Addison Brown, Morgan Fazzino—that have played pivotal roles on the court and led the way off of it. “Their experience, enthusiasm and love of the game has been infectious for the entire team,” head coach Carol Fish said of her seniors. “We’re a young team. We have a lot of freshmen and they have really learned a lot from the work ethic of the seniors.” Fenton served as the team’s No. 1 singles player and Hooker served as the No. 2 singles, while Brown was half of the team’s No. 1 doubles team and Fazzino was half of the No. 2 doubles team. Against Enfield on May 25, the doubles teams were instrumental in the victory. Brown and Grace Baran (6-1, 6-0), Fazzino and Anna Lavenburg (6-1, 6-1), and the No. 3 doubles team of Kate Landry and Kiley Stanford (6-3, 6-1) all won. Those three victories, along with a win from No. 4 singles player Sophia Orama secured a team win for the Raptors, who finished the regular season 6-9. The combo of Brown and Baran were a consistent force for Fish this season, posting an 11-3 record as a tandem. Fish said that Baran, a junior, is a player who made a significant leap this spring. “She has been phenomenal,” Fish said of Baran. “Not only has she had a great season [in doubles], but she has stepped in to play singles and will do whatever is necessary for the team.” Fazzino also reached 10 wins as a double player. Fish also pointed to Fenton, who is a multi-sport athlete at RHAM, praising her willingness to go toe-to-toe with the other team’s No. 1 singles player, who are often year round tennis players. In the tourney win over Berlin on May 27, it was the next generation that carried the team. Despite playing shorthanded, the No. 19 Raptors prevailed over the No. 14 Redcoats at Berlin High School. Junior Bridget Austin won the No. 3 singles match (6-1, 6-2) and RHAM again swept the three doubles matches. Baran and junior Anna Lavenburg rallied to win (1-6, 7-5, 1-0), sophomore Kiley Stanford and freshman Alison Polochanin prevailed (6-2, 6-3), and the freshman duo of Kate Landry and Ella Mayo won a tiebreaker (6-3, 5-7, 1-0). The win over Berlin was the crowning achievement for the Raptors, who starting the season with four consecutive losses. Following the slow start, the team rebounded with three straight victories—defeating Simsbury, New Britain and E.O. Smith. The win over New Britain on April 24 was the team’s first and only clean sweep, winning all seven matches. Fenton, Hooker, Austin, and Brynn Maleryn each won singles matches, while the duos of Brown / Baran, Fazzino / Lavenburg, and Landry / Stanford won doubles matches. On Tuesday, the resilient Raptors fell to No. 3 Newington in the first round of the state tournament, ending the careers of the four seniors and the season for the other 16 players. Fish, who wrapped up her second season with the girls after coaching the previous five with the boys program, is hoping that some of the returning girls become year round tennis players. “I’ve really enjoyed it,” Fish said of the season. “Some of the younger girls have never played at all, so I’ve loved to see them improve and how everything started to click. Their understanding of the game and their skill sets improved tremendously. I’m really looking forward to next year and to see what happens with our younger players.” PHS sophomore Luke Stennett was the co-medalist of the Shoreline Conference golf championship as the Highlanders won the conference meet in a landslide.
Here are the Rivereast Standouts of the Week for the week of May 23-29: Luke Stennett - Portland High School (Golf): Stennett shot a 69 (-2), finishing as the co-medalist as the Highlanders easily won the Shoreline Conference (SLC) championship at TCP River Highlands in Cromwell on May 24. The sophomore was one of three Highlanders to be named first-team all-conference – joining Quinn Lapinski and Joe Lamalfa – as Portland cruised to a conference victory, besting runner-up Morgan High School by 28 strokes. Along with winning conference, the Highlanders finished the regular season with a perfect (16-0) record. Diana Zito - RHAM High School (Lacrosse): Zito broke the program’s single season assist record, dishing out 24 helpers this spring and surpassing the mark at RHAM High School in the team’s final game of the season on May 19. The junior was a true scoring threat for the Raptors, scoring goals and setting up a record number of other, and she was also named a scholar-athlete for her leadership on the field, along with her work in the school and in the community. Jake Martino - Bacon Academy High School (Track & Field): Martino took first-place in the javelin at the Eastern Connecticut Conference (ECC) championships on May 23 at East Lyme High School. The junior set a personal-best mark, throwing the projectile 152’10”, as the Bobcats secured the top three spots in the javelin thanks to Martino, Peter Walsh (2nd), Peyton Adams (3rd). Bacon Academy placed fourth overall as a team. Nicholas Rivard-Lentz - East Hampton High School (Track & Field): Rivard-Lentz pulled the rare double-dip, capturing a conference championship on the track and in the field during the Shoreline Conference (SLC) championships at Old Saybrook High School on May 25. The senior won 110 meter hurdles, running a time of 16.59, and then won the pole vault, vaulting 13’03”, which was nearly two-feet higher than second-place finisher Gage Rovelli of Coginchaug. To nominate someone for an Athlete of the Week, or questions of commetns on sports-related topics, email Josh Howard @joshhowardsports@gmail.com Melina Ford, a junior at Mercy High School in Middletown, has committed to play Division I soccer at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU).
Ford, who has lived in Portland her entire life, became a nationally recognized goalie this past fall and will be protecting the nets in New Britain for the Blue Devils starting in 2023. “I have always been interested in Central because my grandfather used to teach there and it is close to home,” said Ford. “Also, I already knew the coach and some of the players on the team.” She will be playing under a familiar system at her next destination, having played club soccer under CCSU head coach Mick D’Arcy, who has been guiding the Blue Devils for over two decades and has led the program to 10 conference titles and 10 NCAA tournament appearances. Ford’s journey to collegiate soccer started at the age of three. The now 17-year old first started as a field player and began playing goalie for the town team around the age of 10. She continued to rotate between playing in the field and in goal throughout middle school before finally settling in as Mercy High School’s starting goalie as a freshman in high school. Ford said playing multiple positions gave her a better perspective of the game, adding, “I feel like it gave me a sense of how different minds on the field work.” She has thrived since taking over the goalie duties at Mercy, earning All-Southern Connecticut Conference (SCC) twice, All-State the last two years, and All-New England last season. Ford also became the first Mercy soccer player to ever be named All-American this past fall. The three-year starter has been a brick wall, registering over 30 shutouts, including back-to-back goalless games as Mercy was crowned co-champions of the Class M state tournament last November. In the tourney semifinals, she blanked Granby and then held Sacred Heart Academy scoreless through regulation and two overtime periods (110 game minutes) as Mercy and Sacred Heart settled on a 0-0 tie in the title game. Last fall was a banner year for the Tigers of Middletown, who won their second straight SCC title and the draw in the state title game earned the program their first state championship recognition. Ford recalled the stress and exhaustion of the double OT tie in the title game, saying, “ It was exciting but it was very nerve-wracking because I didn’t want to let the team down with everything that was riding on the game. I felt like I had to step up and take it on.” The season ended with a championship, but it started with a pair of losses in the first month of the season. Things began to turn around for Ford and her team following a 3-0 loss to Guilford on Sept. 29. “In the beginning it was a bumpy ride,” recalled Ford. “We really just needed that one loss to get us to work together.” Mercy would not lose another game the rest of the season, including a redemption win over Guilford (1-0) on Oct. 21. This fall, the Tigers will return all but one starter as Ford heads back into goal for her fourth and final high school season. “We already have that team chemistry and we know how to work with each other,” said Ford, who has become an unquestioned leader on the field, taking over that role this past season. Ford, who also plays basketball and has run outdoor track for Mercy, said it was important for her to make a collegiate decision prior to her senior season. “It already feels like it has made a big impact and I won’t have to stress as much,” said Ford, who added that she looked at schools outside of the state before deciding to stay local. “I always had the feeling that I wanted to stay in Connecticut.” GHS senior Elliot Hamilton struck out 10 and allowed only one hit as the Guardians blanked Simsbury 12-0 in Hartford on on May 24.
Glastonbury senior Elliot Hamilton wasn’t the biggest or hardest throwing pitcher at Dunkin’ Donuts Park last Tuesday Night. But he was clearly the best Hamilton threw a one-hitter, striking out 10, to outduel Simsbury’s senior flame-thrower Dylan Scudder as the Guardian trounced the Trojans 12-0 at the home of the Yard Goats on May 24. “He showed tonight what he could do. He competes, he’s relaxed, and he’s got good mound presence,” GHS head coach Dennis Accomando said of Hamilton. After walking the first batter, Hamilton turned into the Trojan terminator, retiring the next 17 batters. “There is a radar gun here so I think I was just trying to overdo it a little, but as soon as I walked the first guy I told myself to relax,” recalled Hamilton, who will pitch at Salve Regina University. “Typically in every game I pitch I start to get better as the game goes on and once I was warm after the first inning I felt more confident.” Hamilton struck out the sides in both the third and fourth innings, and had a no-hitter going into the sixth before Simsbury’s Jacob Goodwin chopped a ball towards the pitcher’s mound. After slipping on the mat in front of the mound, Hamilton scooped up the bouncing ball and fired it to first base, but Goodwin beat his throw. Hamilton kept his fastball speed throughout the night, throwing in the mid-80s into the 6th inning. Scudder, who stands at 6’6”, was throwing in the upper-80s early on and overwhelmed the top of the Guardians’ order by striking out the side in the first inning. Following the shaky first inning, the Guardians experienced lineup settled in and was patient at the plate, drawing several walks and wild pitches, and got timely hits over the final six innings. “We preach adjustments,” stated Accomando. “Adjustments have been our downfall this year, but tonight we made great adjustments and we had to learn the umpire’s zone. We felt like we ran the bases really well, which is great.” Colin Martin was walked to start the 2nd inning before eventually scoring on a wild pitch. Jayden Sgro popped a shot over second base, driving in Drew Curto in the 3rd inning. The Guardians would add ten more runs over the next four innings, including two each from Hamilton, Owen Stephens, and sophomore Noah Scurto. Scurto, who also drove in two runs after smacking a triple to deep center in the 7th inning, was one of several underclassmen that came out of the dugout to get experience in the big venue. Accomando said the younger players have performed well all season, adding, “we’ve been talking a lot about watering the roots and preparing for the future and building sustainable growth. You have to get guys like that time and make sure they are getting that experience.” Sophomore Cody Heselton relieved Hamilton to start the 7th inning, fanning a pair of batter, before senior Dan Beagle came in to close out the game with a strike out. “He 100% earned that opportunity and I’m also glad that his teammates were able to reward him with that,” Accomando said of Beagle, who will pitch at Muhlenberg College. “He has led by example and he’s worked hard every single day..” Hamilton, Beagle, and Dan Cantafi—who will pitch at Keene State College—have led a senior-laden pitching rotation this season. Hamilton said the night under the lights in Hartford is a moment that the seniors will never forget, adding that senior team manager Ari Poliner hyped the team up with a speech before the game. Prior to the season, Accomando had his seven senior players write essays about what kind of legacy they wanted to leave. “All seven of them talked about how it is bigger than themselves to play Glastonbury baseball and that they wanted to make sure the future classes at Glastonbury understood what it meant,” Accomando recalled. “They have all pulled the same rope and have been fantastic. They have all faced adversity at some point this year, but they are a very selfless, close class.” As the lights began to turn off at Dunkin’ Donuts Park, the team left the nearly dark stadium with fresh memories of a dozen-run win to cap a 14-win regular season. Accomando was the last to exit. “Any time you play at a park like this is special,” stated Accomando. “These guys will remember a night like this.” Despite battling a bad case of allergies, Glastonbury High School sophomore Maya Manzotti shot a 46 as the Guardians defeated Woodstock Academy at Quinnatisset Country Club on May 17.
Manzotti’s performance and perseverance helped the team post a season-best overall score, shooting a 175 to easily win the road match. “She has a true winning attitude and did not want to let her teammates down,” first-year head coach Ken Barse said of his sophomore. Manzotti’s bout with Mother Nature may have helped, not hindered. “My allergies were awful and I was feeling so sick, but I wasn’t thinking about all of my shots so much,” recalled Manzotti. “Usually when I’m playing I focus too much on making sure I do everything just right and by not overthinking it made me play so much better.” In the end, Manzotti turned a negative into a positive. It was similar to what she did when she first started playing the sport in the summer of 2020. Because of the pandemic, her eighth grade year in middle school was finished remotely and most things were still shut down when summer rolled around, so she took to the links. “There wasn’t really a lot of things to do and the only thing open were the golf courses,” recalled Manzotti. “Throughout the summer I would play all the time and it’s been cool to see how much better I’ve gotten over the last two years.” She is now part of a strong sophomore class at GHS, which includes captain Morgan Peterson, who was the medalist—shooting a 36 with three birdies—in the win over Woodstock. Manzotti, Peterson, Kara Anderson, Neeyor Devtale, and Riley Savidge are all sophomore starters “These are usually girls that I wouldn't spend a lot of time outside of golf so it’s nice making new friends with girls in my grade,” said Manzotti, who added the team has bonded this spring. “We all consider each other good friends and that really helps with our game.” She added that Barse’s infectious passion for game has made a big difference. “He’s such a great coach and he really loves golf so much that it makes playing the matches and practice so much better,” she added. The Guardians finished undefeated in conference play and won 13 of 15 dual meets this spring, including a season-finale victory over Wethersfield at Glastonbury Hill Country Club on May 24. Glastonbury High School girls’ outdoor track and field team dominated the Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) West Division Championships, besting runner-up Conard by 77 points, on May 23.
The Guardian had success in every event at Hall High School, particularly the relays where they won all three events. Hannah Caiola, Alyssa Healy, Meghan Smith, and Riley Carroll teamed up to win the 4x100; Smith, Healy, Annika Paluska, and Molly Harding won the 4x400; and Alexandria Edwards, Mikayla Nedder, Kylie Hilliard, and Jackie Caron won the 4x800. Harding also won the 200 and 400 meters, running a personal-best time in both events. Layla Spann-McDonald won both the shot put and discus to round out the team’s first place-finishes. Second place finishes included: Caiola (100 and 200 meters), Smith (400 meters), Paluska (800 meters), and Kate DeSousa (high jump). Third place finishes included: Riley Carroll (400 meters), Ava Gattinella (1600 meters), Lucy Bergin (3200 meters), and Anna Hilary (pole vault). Fourth place finishes included: Paluska (400 meters), Jackie Dudus (3200 meters), and Healy (300 meter hurdles). Fifth place finishes included: Gattinella (3200 meters) and Jenna Fradin (long jump). |
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April 2024
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