Meghan Jeroszko was a senior leader and reliable rower on the Glastonbury High School girls’ crew team had one of the program’s best seasons this spring.
The recent high school graduate is now off to Merrimack College in North Andover, Mass to continue rowing collegiately. “Meghan was both a captain and a strong contributor to our varsity eight. On and off the water she would lead by example and served as an excellent role model for both the underclassmen and her peers,” said GHS crew head coach Eleanor Dowd. “Meghan truly immersed herself in practice and she attacked each piece.” Dowd added that Jeroszko was “a true advocate for her peers.” Jeroszko was also advocated outside of crew, where she was also part of Big Siblings program at the GHS, helping mentor and acclimate freshmen to the high school. Jeroszko said getting everyone comfortable and on the same page is very important in a sport like rowing, adding that her favorite part of rowing is the “team spirit.” “I just love rowing teams,” said Jeroszko. “It takes the ultimate teamwork.” Jeroszko was one of eight graduating crew members at GHS who will now compete at a Division I, Division III, or Club level in college. According to Jeroszko, that competition helped drive the team “We have a really big team, so it’s fun because there is some inter-team competitiveness but in the end they are your teammates and your best friends. It is just really enjoyable,” said Jeroszko. At Merrimack, she joins a Warriors rowing team led by Meghan Gibson. Dowd said that Jeroszko’s ability to "put the blinders on and focus her energy on just putting her blade in the water will help her succeed at the next level especially when dealing with the extra stressors that accompany collegiate rowing.”
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Since 2004, the King of Pain has been dubbed “the toughest road test in the history of Glastonbury.”
Until later this month. The Glastonbury River Runners (GRR), along with Open Doors Outdoors, welcome runners and walkers of all levels to join them for the first annual Queen of Wrath race, set to take place in South Glastonbury on Saturday, July 23. The Queen of Wrath is the brainchild of a few of the original participants of the King of Pain – a grueling 10-mile race through the relentless hills of South Glastonbury on Super Bowl Sunday in February. But instead of running in the dead of winter, the Queen arrives in the heart of the summer and tackles the challenging course in the opposite direction of the King. “It was a terrible idea at the time and now we are making other people do it,” joked Jason Marshall, the Executive Director of the GRR and veteran runner of the King of Pain race. In the summer of 2020, Marshall was marathon training and asked members of his running group which was worse — running the King of Pain route in the winter or summer and which direction of the course was harder? Marshall said it became a game of “Would you rather?” “It evolved from there to where we made it a fun run and we did it over the summer to see how people would respond to it,” said Marshall. What began as the Royal Flush, a series of five runs in the most hilly parts of Glastonbury with around 10-15 runners, has now transformed into the queen of all races, which will make its official debut later this month. Marshall and the others took the challenge to another level, but the founding father of the brutal race was Michael Keenan, the original creator of the King of Pain. Nearly 18 years ago, Keenan designed a series of road races in South Glastonbury. It started out with a flat one-mile race in the Buttonball neighborhood and the races became progressively longer and more difficult, culminating in a 10-mile race. “My hidden sadist emerged when it came time to map out the last race. I wanted to make sure that the race was an absolute monster, the toughest road race in the history of the town,” stated Keenan. “That meant it needed to be in the South Glastonbury orchards and it had to include a trip up Belltown Hill Road. It also needed the perfect name. As I was driving the course in my car, heading down Matson Hill Road, "King of Pain" by The Police suddenly came on the radio and the search for the race name was over.” Keenan said the series ran for a few summers before, “our wives threatened to kill us for ruining the families' summers, so we shut it down.” Five years later, Keenan contacted the GRR looking to revive the King, which made its triumphant return in February 2013. The King’s race has steadily grown in popularity over the years with as many as 200 runners participating this past winter. With the increasing popularity of the race, the GRR decided to combine forces with Open Doors Outdoors (ODO) — a non-profit organization which serves veterans, their families, and young people by taking them into the outdoors for reconnection, healthy activity, and healing — to officially bring the queen to Glastonbury. Davey Edwards, the founder and director of ODO, along with ODO race director Chaz Koch have been assisting with the logistics and race day preparation. Proceeds from the Queen of Wrath will benefit ODO. “One of the things that the River Runners pride themselves on is supporting local non-profits that have a similar mindset in regards to health, healthiness, and comradery,” said Marshall. “Open Doors Outdoors is an organization that we’ve made donations to in the past and they are all about helping military veterans.” The Queen of Wrath will start at 8 a.m. at Peter P Monaco Jr. Detachment 40/Marine Corps Building at 980 Chestnut Hill Road. Limited parking is available at the location with additional spaces available at Hopewell School, located .2 miles away from the start line. The cost to register for the race is $40 and participants will receive a finisher medal, along with other goodies. Packet pickup will be at Hops on Hill (275 Dug Road) on Thursday and Friday (7/21 and 7/22) between 4-6 p.m. Marshall said that, despite its name, The Queen of Wrath is beneficial for those training for a marathon or a novice who simply wants a challenge. “Just literally crossing the finishing line in any capacity is an accomplishment,” added Marshall. As for which is worse? Marshall said factors like weather are always a factor, but ultimately admitted, “I’d say the Queen of Wrath is more challenging.” For more information or to register for the race, visit runsignup.com/Race/CT/SouthGlastonbury/QueenofWrath10MileRoadRace Visit www.glastonburyriverrunners.com or www.opendoorsoutdoors.org for additional information about the GRR and ODO. Michael Keenan, the originator of the King of Pain race in South Glastonbury, crossing the line at the Firecracker 5k on June 25 Middletown Post 75's Alex Mach (left) and Rocky Hill's Ben Centurelli put on a brilliant pitching show at Palmer Field as Middletown defeated RCP 1-0 on June 28.
Middletown Post 75 defeated Rocky Hill-Cromwell-Portland (RCP) twice last week, winning both home-and-away games by a single run, yet each contests was memorable for different reasons. Enter last week, the local 19U American Legion juggernauts were both undefeated and were the last two teams in Zone 3 without a loss On Tuesday, June 28, Middletown won 1-0 on a dramatic walk-off at Palmer Field. Facing two outs in the bottom of the 7th inning, A.J. Quinn connected on a signal up the middle, allowing Spencer Misenti to score from second base. Quinn’s grounder towards second base was snagged by diving shortstop Vik Vakati, but Middletown head coach Danny Botti motioned for Misenti to round third and head home for the game-winner. “I’m not going to lie, I thought that ball was through, but Vik made a great play” said Botti. “It was a good thing that Spencer never stopped running. He was running hard the entire time.” After rounding third, Misenti sprinted towards home before doing a superman dive and tagging the plate with his left hand. “I was looking at Danny the whole way coming to third base and he was waving me through,” recalled Misenti. “I just figured the ball got through in the middle. I just put my head down and ran.” The dramatic walk-off ended an incredible duel between two of the best pitchers in the league. Middletown’s Alex Mach, who just finished his freshman season at UConn - Avery Point, outlasted Ben Centurelli (Rocky Hill) to earn the win. Botti credited Mach for battling through some tough spots against RCP’s loaded line up, adding, “They did a really good job, but he did a better job.” Each pitcher went the entire way, yet worked differently. Mach struck out six with his impressive fastball, which was clocked at 89 miles per hour, and Centurelli used a variety of pitches to methodically fan a handful of batters. RCP, who entered with a record of 13-0, had several chances throughout the night but left six base runners stranded. Each time an RCP player got on base, Middletown’s infield would rise to the occasion, coming up with three double plays to end the tops of three separate innings. The infield of Ryan Michaud (1st base), Luke Weisenberg (2nd base), Tyler Powell (3rd base), and Colin Loria (shortstop) each contributed to the success. “The best thing about Legion is guys coming together from different schools and learning to play together,” Botti said of his opportunistic infield. Because of the significance of the game, Botti said that his team had a little extra pep in their step prior to the game and Misenti agreed, adding, “RCP has been rivals for us ever since I started playing and it’s always great to beat them on our home turf.” Two days later (June 30), Middletown jumped out to a four-run lead before having to hold off a late charge from RCP to win 5-4 at Cromwell High School. Unlike the first meeting, each team took advantage of scoring opportunities and Middletown’s first run came following a controversial call. In the second inning, Weisenberg singled to send Ryan Quinn to third. During the play, Quinn was running from first to second base when second baseman Elias Deleon came up to field a short grounder and the two nearly collided, which could have been called interference. However, after a discussion between the umpires, the play stood and the ensuing batter was A.J. Quinn, who singled to send home Ryan, his brother. RCP head coach Pat Sirois believed the call should have gone the other way but made no excuses following the game. “First and foremost, it never comes down to the umpire. I think we made four or five physical or mental errors between then and now,” Sirois said of his message to his team after the game. “Even if there is a questionable call, they should not have had five on the board because we could have prevented them from scoring more than we did.” Middletown scored four in the top of the 5th, highlighted by a two-RBI double from Misenti, who connected on a total of six hits and had three RBIs in the two wins. Trailing by three runs and facing two out in the bottom of the 7th, RCP made it interesting after Brendan Whalen connected on a short bloop hit down the right field line to reach base. The home team then loaded the bases and a single by Vakati drove home Whalen and Tyler Carlstrom before Middletown pitcher Tiernan Powers closed the game by striking out Deleon. Powers, who pitched all seven innings and struck out eight, was cool as a cucumber with the bases loaded in the 7th. “I wasn’t too rattled by the hits,” said Powers, who credited the guys behind him for having his back. “That stuff happens.” Botti said it was Power’s game to win or lose and the thought of relieving him out never crossed his mind. “He did a phenomenal job,” Botti said of Powers, who also plays for UConn- Avery Point. “Obviously when you’re facing a really good team, that is grinding you for seven innings, he got a little tired towards the end but he hunkered down and did a really good job and got the win.” Misenti had three total hits and Jon Hosney added two in the win, which improved Middletown to 13-0. “It’s huge,” Powers said of the pair of wins over RCP. ”It should just fire us up for the rest of the season and the playoffs too.” Errors also hurt RCP, who dropped to 13-2 with the loss. Sirois said that he had different feelings towards the two losses to Middletown. He said the first loss was a “turn the page” game but he was disappointed with how the team responded after the first loss. “We were a little bit too comfortable, even after a loss. I thought we felt too comfortable tonight like we were just going to bounce back and they proved to us that we can’t do that against them. It’s a reality check for us,” said Sirois. “It doesn’t mean that we are going to make drastic changes, it just means that we’re going to change the mindset with the little things. Things like pregame, warming up harder, and staying mentally focused on the bench.” Middletown closed the week by splitting a double-header against Northeast on July 1. They won the first game 7-1 before suffering their first loss of the season (8-7) in nightcap, still finishing the week with the zone’s best overall record at 14-1. Recent Newington High School graduate Christian Amaral is taking his soccer talents to the next level.
“After a long recruitment process I’m super excited to announce that I will be continuing my athletic and academic career at AIC,” Amaral announced on Instagram on May 2. “I would like to thank God, my family, my teammates, all the coaches who have helped me along through this process, and coach Luke for giving me this opportunity. Time to get to work.” Amaral is joining a Yellow Jackets program that has created a lot of buzz around the American International College (AIC) campus in Springfield, Mass. AIC is led by head coach Luke Perry, who guided the program to their first ever NCAA tournament victory last fall, ousting Molloy University 4-0 in the opening round of the Division II tourney. “I was looking at different schools at first and AIC wasn’t really in the picture, but then coach Luke reached out to me and he was very open with me. I went to campus and I really enjoyed it and they gave me an offer,” said Amaral, who was open to playing anywhere in the country when he started his college search. After talking it over with his family, Amaral said he thought AIC was his best option because of his want to join a winning program and his opportunity to play early on. Amaral is coming off his second straight all-state season in Newington, scoring a team-high 36 points for the Nor’easters, leading the team in both goals (11 goals) and assists (14). Newington head coach Jeffrey Brunetti praised Amaral for his dedication to his craft. "Christian was a special player because he worked hard to improve and become great. He was incredible due to his drive and tenacity," added Brunetti. "I loved just sitting back and watching him play because it was exciting every time he had the ball at his feet. He was just so creative and dangerous with the ball at his feet and we knew at any moment we could witness soccer genius. Brunetti noted that Amaral made every player around him better, saying, "One of the unique characteristics with our program and something that we highlight for each of our seniors is the legacy that they leave for us. Christian has left his legacy of passion, dedication, talent, and sheer love for the game." Newington defeated eventual-state champion Wethersfield (3-1) in the regular season finale to capture a conference championship in early November. It was the team’s first conference championship since 2002 Amaral, who had a pair of assists in the conference-clincher, reflected, “The atmosphere and our fans were awesome. It was a great team moment and a great moment for me to finally get that conference championship that we’ve been searching for.” As a youth, Amaral’s parents had him try a variety of sports. He played both tennis and soccer throughout youth sports before eventually making soccer his fulltime passion. Along with his four years at the high school, Amaral also played CFC (Connecticut Football Club) soccer since he was nine years old. Now the sport has become a part of him. “As long as I can remember I’ve had a ball at my feet. It has always been a big influence in my life and I’ve made a lot of decisions based on soccer,” said Amaral. “Soccer means everything to me.” He said he will miss how supportive the school and the surrounding community is towards the athletes at NHS, but is stoked for the next challenge where he will study finance as he pursues his passion for four more years. “I’m looking forward to improving my game against better players and continuing to win with a good program,” Amaral said. RHAM’s baseball star Chase Melzen was named the first annual Allan D. Garray Teammate of the Year. Melzen (center) is pictured with head coach, Bill Eller, and father, John Melzen to his right, and mother, Sarah Melzen, and assistant coach, Evan Chamberlain to his left.
RHAM center fielder Chase Melzen was the 2022 recipient of the first annual Allan D. Garray Teammate of the Year award. The award was presented to Melzen at the RHAM baseball Awards Night ceremony on June 9, by Pat and Dave Morency, of Country Lane in Hebron, who wanted to honor their dear friend and the Garray Family. Garray was the catcher on the 1979 University of Connecticut World Series team before going on to play for the Kansas City Royals organization. After his playing days, he became an assistant coach for RHAM baseball and was part of the team’s 2004 state championship season, coaching future major leaguer A.J .Pollock as well as his own son, Cody Garray. Allan passed away suddenly in 2021. “It’s a huge honor,” said Melzen. “Being a good teammate is something that everyone can be regardless of skill or talent.” Melzen was also selected as the team’s Golden Glove winner for his outstanding work in the outfield. He hit .348 from the plate, connecting on 24 hits and scoring 23 runs, while driving in 11 others. The versatile Melzen was also 100% on stolen base attempts, stealing nine bags in nine attempts. The departing senior said the team had no idea about the “Teammate of the Year” honor coming into the awards ceremony and that he was “shocked” when they announced his name. “The teammates award is more meaningful because regardless of what you do out on the field, being a good teammate should always be top priority,” he added. Melzen was one of a half dozen seniors that helped the Raptors transition to a new head coach this spring. Longtime coach Paul Steiner stepped down following the 2021 season and the team welcomed back former assistant coach Bill Eller, who led the team to 15 wins in the regular season this spring. Eller praised Melzen for his work on the field, calling him “one of the best defensive outfielders I’ve ever coached at the high school level”, and for his willingness to do anything for the team, saying he’s leaving “some big shoes to fill next year.” “He came to practice every day with a positive attitude, always willing to help make the team better. He was always willing to help and include the younger players to make sure they knew how important they were to the team,” added Eller. “He was the first guy to grab a rake, move the battling turtle or help the team set up or break down for practice.” Whether it was a coaching change or the canceled season in 2020, Melzen said the departing seniors became like brothers over the years, adding that it is bitter sweet to be moving on. “I’ve known all these guys for an extremely long time. Just being able to grow with a team and play with each other just makes at the whole experience that much better.” said Melzen, who added that he has played with close friend and Quinnipiac baseball commit Mike Poncini since the first grade. The team welcomed in Eller, who last was an assistant with the team in 2018, when the current group of graduating seniors were in the 8th grade. Melzen said it was a smooth transition to Eller and the success spoke for itself as the team started the season with eight straight wins. After hitting a skid, Melzen said the turning point was when Eller and assistant coach Evan Chamberlain decided to shave off their normally full facial hair in an attempt to break a three-game losing streak. It worked as the Raptors hammered Bristol Central 14-4 the following game and won four of five to close out the season. Melzen called it the highlight of the season, adding, “It was nice to get a fresh start.” Melzen, who was born and raised in Hebron, also played soccer for the school in the fall and basketball for the town in the winter. He was also part of the student-run Ping Pong Club that played every Monday at the school. After graduated on June 18, he quickly turned the page to his next challenge where he will follow in the footsteps of Garray by attending the University of Connecticut-Avery Point. Despite getting multiple inquiries from various schools and coaches to continue playing baseball, he had decided to hang up his cleats for now. Melzen said he wanted to “focus more on my degree” as he studies mechanical engineering at Avery Point and will be part of the Air Force ROTC on the Storrs campus. After spending the last two years as a rock solid first baseman at Bacon Academy, Andrew Navickas will continue his baseball journey at the next level.
“I am excited to announce my commitment to further my baseball and academic career at Lasell University,” Navickas announced on social media. “I want to thank my family, friends, teammates, and coaches who helped me get to where I am today.” Navickas, who graduated from Bacon Academy on June 17, was a captain for a Bobcats squad that won 17 of 20 games in the regular season this spring. “There were a lot of things that made this group special. We had a lot of returning players and everybody was looking forward to playing together again,” said Navickas, who was a two-year starter. “Because we had so many returning players there was that cohesion that we established the previous season. We were able to put our offense together and we were a good defensive team, and that helped us win a lot of ballgames.” In 22 total games this spring, Navickas hit .315 and was second on the team in RBIs with 25. He scored 22 runs on 23 hits — connecting on four doubles, two triples, and a home run. Following the Covid-19 cancellation, which sunk his sophomore season in the spring of 2020, Navickas and the Bobcats would win 30 games over the next last two seasons, advancing to the Class M state quarterfinals in the spring of 2021. This fall, he’ll join his new college team in Newton, Mass. that plays in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC). The Division III Lasers are led by third-year head coach Billy Uberti, who is a native of the region and former Lasell player and graduate of the college. Navickas said Lasell was on his list of schools he was interested in and when he found out the feeling was mutual, he made a full commitment to the school in the early stages of his senior year. “I was fortunate to get that opportunity and I really did fall in love with the school and the sense of community at the school,” recalled Navickas, who will study finance and accounting. College baseball is next step for from the Navickas, who first started playing tee-ball as a toddler in Colchester. His father, John Navickas, introduced him to the sport and helped develop his skills, playing catch with him and coaching little league teams. Navickas also played basketball during his first two years at Bacon, before focusing his attention on his first love. Now that passion will take him well beyond Colchester. “There are so many things I’ll miss about Colchester community. I’ll really miss my friends coming to the game and supporting me. They keep you motivated,” said Navickas. “But it’s really cool to see that I get to continue my baseball career beyond high school.” He added that he looks forward to traveling across New England with his Lasell team, who plays up and down the Eastern Seaboard and last year made a weeklong road trip to Fort Myers, Florida. Levi Oh (left) and Ava Oh, twins from Cromwell, each qualified for the U.S. Kids Golf World Championship in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
Ava and Levi Oh, seven-year old twins from Cromwell, have both qualified for the U.S. Kids Golf World Championship, set to take place August 4-6 in Pinehurst, NC. The tournament is for golfers ages 5-12 and Ava was the youngest golfer who qualified, earning her invite at the age of six by shooting a personal-best 37 (+1). Levi soon followed by punching his ticket during the last event of the spring season when he clinched a tour victory with a one-stroke win. Ava said she is nervous but excited about playing on the big stage against the best junior golfers. She said she calms the nerves by taking deep breaths and focusing on one swing at a time. “Me and my mom have been working on my swing really hard. So I think about that, how I want to hit it and the distance, and then I just hit it," said Ava, who also credited her coach Evan Lambert. However, according to her mother, Sally Sohn, the ultimate nerve-reducer for Ava is her favorite food – a bagel. Levi said he is happy to visit North Carolina for the first time, the location where his mom played through college. Sohn was part of the University of North Carolina State’s Professional Golf Management (PGM) program – which is one of 18 Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) accredited programs nationwide – before she turned a PGA professional in 2014. Sohn will now watch her kids, who began playing at three, compete in the same state where she developed professional skills on the links. The national tournament is described as “The World's largest junior golf tournament, which provides a stage for golf’s next generation of stars to shine,” Sohn said that no matter what happens next month, it’s all about the experience for the young golfers. Beyond golf, Ava’s has dreams of someday becoming a judge so she can help people through fairness and inclusion. Levi aspires to become an Air Force pilot so he “can take his mom to see the rainbow.” RCP baseball pitcher Spencer Rosado on the mound at Riverfront Park in Glastonbury as shortstop Tyler Carlstrom looks on. Entering the week, the local American Legion team is 13-0.
For the second time this season, Rocky Hill-Cromwell-Portland (RCP) 19U American Legion baseball defeated Glastonbury by a single run in extra innings, prompting another perfect week for the multi-school team. A sacrifice fly by Elias Deleon (Cromwell) drove home Jaiden Reyes (Rocky Hill) in extra innings as RCP handed their rivals from across the river a 4-3 eight-inning loss at Riverfront Park in Glastonbury on June 20. It was the team’s third one-run win of the season. “I’d like to think it’s the mental make-up, but we are also starting some games lackadaisically,” RCP head coach Pat Sirois said. “We’re tough when it’s late. I’d like to jump on teams a little earlier, but when it comes down late we are focused and we tend to have a good chance to pull out these games.” Spencer Rosado (Portland) got the start on the hill, pitching six strong innings and striking out six. Rosado had a rough start to the game, allowing an RBI single to Jack Petrone in the first inning. He then hit a pair of batters with pitches in the second inning, before getting out of a bases loaded jam when Justin Valentin scooped a ground ball and flipped it to second base for the third out. In the third, Rosado again responded with the bases juiced when he struck out his pitching counterpart, Dan Cantafi, to end the inning. Sirois said he watched Rosado pitch a handful of times for Portland High School this spring and knew he could handle tough situations. “I trust that he would find it and we cut down on the walks as the games go on. His stuff gets better as the game goes on,” added Sirois. “We like to get him deep into the game.” Valentin tied things up in the top of the 2nd inning, slapping a single to center to score Tyler Carlstrom (Rocky Hill). Kyle Hyde (Berlin) then crushed a solo home run to deep left in the third, giving RCP their first lead of the game. Glastonbury again evened the score in the 5th inning when Elliot Hamilton hammered a triple to deep center, driving home Drew Jean. Each team scored in the 6th as Reyes blasted a screamer down the left field line to score Nicholas Soignoli (Cromwell) and Glastonbury countered when Owen Peterson singled to drive home Drew Curto. Garrett Fallon (Berlin) relieved Rosado prior to the 7th inning and pitched two scoreless innings to pick up the win. Sirois said he felt confident once Reyes reached base on a walk, adding the team worked the counts and got the job done. Tino Gagliardi (Cromwell) then advanced Reyes to second when he was awarded first on a pass ball before Deleon popped up a shot to left field, allowing Reyes to score the game-winner. Fittingly, Reyes ended the game when he snared a pop fly to center field to close the door on the extra-innings-battle. RCP’s defense struggled at time, but rose to the occasion when needed. Glastonbury stranded 14 runners and the team’s head coach, Brian Suriner, said not capitalizing on scoring opportunities are hard to overcome against “good teams”, adding that RCP is “disciplined.” Monday’s extra innings win started a busy and big week for RCP, who won four more games by a combined score of 41-7. On June 21, they beat East Hartford/Manchester (EMH) 11-0 behind three RBIs from Carlstrom and two runs each from Reyes and Malcolm Mention (Cromwell). Ben Centurelli (Rocky Hill) earned the win, allowing only two hits and striking out three in five innings. On June 25, they blanked Enfield 5-0. Austin Vess (Portland) earned the win on the mound and Rosado drove in a pair of runs while Gagliardi connected on two hits and scored a run. The following day, RCP beat Glastonbury for the third time this season, winning 15-7. Mention and Deleon each had three hits and scored twice. Mention, Vess, Soignoli, Zach Zajac (Cromwell) each drove in multiple runs. They capped the undefeated five-game week with a 10-0 win over Enfield on June 26. Zajac earned the win, pitching five scoreless innings and striking out eight. Entering the week, RCP is 13-0. |
AuthorSports Editor for the Rare Reminder, Glastonbury Citizen, and Rivereast News Bulletin Archives
April 2024
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