Simon Kandeke- Portland (Soccer): Kandeke scored twice and dished out an assist in a 5-0 win over Coginchaug on Senior Night on October 12. The senior has battled nagging injuries all season, but has been able to return to the lineup and provide more firepower to a Highlanders team that qualified for the state tournament following a 3-1 victory over Cromwell on October 14.
Kandeke is grateful that he has been able to contribute this season, “It felt great. I was able to contribute to the win and my team was excited for me to join them again. The best part of it all was definitely making my mom and school proud on our stage. It’s a different feeling.” Sydney Weimer and Liam Calhoun- RHAM (Cross Country): Weimer and Calhoun, both seniors, celebrated RHAM’s cross country Senior Night by winning their respective races in a meet versus Enfield on October 12. Weimer ran a 22:38 to finish first in the girls’ field and Calhoun ran a 16:54 to win the boys’ race, each leading the way as the Raptors defeated the Eagles of Enfield. Jordan Murphy- East Hampton (Volleyball): Murphy had terrific back-to-back matches last week, combining for 19 kills and 27 digs in a straight set win over Cromwell and a five-set loss to Haddam-Killingworth. The junior leads the team in kills and has the second most aces and digs this season for a Bellringers team that has won 11 of 14 matches this fall. Sam Blumberger- Bacon Academy (Soccer): Blumberger scored six goals as Bacon Academy won all three games last week. The senior captain scored three goals in an 8-0 win over Haddam-Killingworth on October 11 and then scored the lone goal on a header after receiving a cross from junior Steven Laliberte on October 13. Blumberger finished his fantastic week with a two goal, one assist performance in a 6-0 win over Windham on October 15 as the Bobcats won their 10th game of the season.
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Portland seniors Teddy Williams (L) and Owen Brunk (R) are dominating opponents this fall
All great defensive football teams have linebackers that can stop the run and play the pass effectively, while creating chaos for opposing teams. The Cromwell/Portland football team has that luxury this season. Portland High seniors Owen Brunk and Teddy Williams are manning the middle for the Panthers, teaming with junior Ryan Rozich to form one of the fiercest linebacking trios in the state. “We felt like we were the best when we were sophomores and Ryan was a freshman,” said Brunk. “The guys on the team, they push me every day. Even when it gets difficult guys like Teddy will push me. We push each other. “ Brunk was an All-State linebacker as a sophomore in the fall of 2019 and was ready to repeat that performance in 2020, but the pandemic had other plans that included the cancellation of full-contact high school football in the state of Connecticut. Williams recalled the difficult time, “We missed out on our junior year, which is a big year, and we’ve just been working all offseason to get prepared for it. We were ready when we got the chance.” The three linebackers, along with quarterback Cole Brisson, are captaining a Panthers team that through four games are undefeated, including a 49-0 statement victory over North Branford last Saturday. Brunk intercepted two passes, returning one for a touchdown, and Williams had a sack, forced fumble, and fumble recovery in the lopsided win. Brisson led the offense with four touchdown passes, two to Ben Fagan, and running back Alex Hair (also a PHS student) ran for 133 and two touchdowns on only 10 carries. The team started the season with wins over Morgan (36-8), Haddam-Killingworth (41-3), and Valley Regional/Old Lyme (21-6). Rozich, who attends Cromwell High School, said the team couldn’t wait to get back on the field after last fall’s disappointment, “We came out ready to play and it’s showed on the field. We put in a ton of work in the offseason to get ready and we’re just having fun.” Since the team wasn’t able to compete last fall, the linebackers focused their attention on getting bigger, stronger, and faster in the weight room, training with former Penn State standout linebacker Jarvis Miller at Athlete Training Institute in Cromwell. “We were able to learn from him. We knew there wasn’t many guys that were doing what we are doing,” Brunk said of the top-notch training. “We knew what we were doing was different. Not many guys train like we do in the offseason.” Williams has seen a night and day difference in his performance thanks to the professional and extensive training, “Two years ago I was average at best and then I got in the weight room and I work out with these guys, and I come back 100 times better.” Brunk and Williams do most of their damage on the defensive side, each averaging eight tackles per games, and they also double as offensive threats. Brunk is a bruising running back, scoring a pair of touchdowns of the ground through the first four games. Williams starts at receiver, leading the team in receptions (16) and receiving touchdowns (4), and handles some kicking duties on special teams. The versatile Williams doesn’t mind the double and sometimes triple duties, “I love being the guy that everyone can look at and know that I can get something done.” Panthers head coach Randell Bennett heaped praise his linebackers, calling them “unstoppable”, adding, “When the linemen see that kind of speed moving in front of them it’s almost like an unfair advantage.” The production and success on the field is a combination of tireless work in the weight and film rooms, mixed with a natural chemistry. Brunk and Williams are just as close off the field as they are on it. “My freshman and sophomore year I thought our team was close, but it nothing compared to this team now,” said Brunk. “We not only work out together in the offseason but we also hang out together. We created a bond that when we are on the field everything is easier.” Williams added, “It’s awesome, I know that if I make a mistake, those two have my back and they’ll make the play. It allows me to go 100% and fly around out there.” After playing three of four on the road, the Cromwell/Portland football co-op enters a three-game home stretch. The Panthers will welcome Old Saybrook/Westbrook (10/22, 6 pm), Granby/Canton (10/29, 6 pm), and CREC co-op (11/5, 6:30 pm) to Pierson Park in Cromwell over the next three weeks. Portland and Cromwell are normally rivals in sports, but not on the football field where the towns are united in a quest for a state championship. “We knew the potential we had this year,” said Brunk. “Every day in practice we are working and we have so many guys that can play at a high level. First team, second team, and we have guys on the third team that can step up and play varsity football.” GHS golfers Connor Goode and Charlie Dolan with the 12th Man Group. (l-r) Cole Cummings, Goode, Elliot Hamilton, Dolan, Mickey Shae, Luke Burns, Kayden Hinchey
The move to fall yielded championship results for the GHS boys’ golf team. The Guardians finished the regular season undefeated (14-0), captured the conference title, and then senior Connor Goode put an exclamation point on the season by winning the Division I golf championship at the Chippanee Country Club in Bristol on Monday. Overall at the state finals the Guardians finished as a runner up, shooting a (+34), placing behind champion New Canaan (+32). Goode’s individual championship performance was an even-par 70, winning the championship by three strokes. Charlie Dolan tied for 7th at the state finals, shooting a (+8) 78, Nick DiNino and Gavin Kvadus both tied for 23rd, and Nick Anderson tied for 49th. “It’s probably the strongest group that I’ve ever had. To have five starters playing tremendous golf with the scores they have had, I don’t think we’ve ever had that,” said head coach Tom Zelek. “I’ve had a lot of good groups, but this is a pretty amazing group. They play in the summer time in tournaments and that makes a difference, because they are playing those 18-hole tournaments.” Prior to the championship finale, the team teed off at Glastonbury Hills Country Club for the final time last Tuesday, defeating Berlin (154-163). For the seniors it was the last time competing on the course they have called home for the past four years. Conditions for the home finale were ideal as the autumn weather was perfect with the fall foliage peeking through. Even a handful of GHS student showed up waving the infamous Glastonbury’s 12th Man Flag to support the golfers. “It’s was cool and sad a little bit being our last go-around,” said Goode, who finished as the match medalist. “I feel like we were cut short a little bit by COVID and the season ended a lot sooner than we thought, but it was fun to wrap up my senior season as a golfer at Glastonbury Hills. I’ve played here my whole life, so having the 12th man out here to celebrate was pretty cool.” Dolan finished one stroke behind after sinking a clutch put on the final hole, “It felt good, we both played pretty good. We were both on the team freshman year, so after four years it was a nice way to end.” It was a unique season for the program, as it marked the first time playing in the fall after years of competing in the spring. Many of the state’s golf teams made the switch this year, which turned out to be a great move, both weather-wise and from a competition standpoint. Zelek credited the switch as one of the reasons for the team’s success, “Our first match of the year was our lowest score all year, and that’s amazing. I think it made a tremendous difference. The kids agree, every coach I’ve talk to agrees. More kids were able to try out, and the weather and course conditions were great.” Dolan echoed his coach, “I think golf in the fall is definitely better. We came out fresh after summer tournaments and we were playing prime golf. In the spring it’s a lot colder, we’re wearing pants and pullovers. The fall is just better for golf.” In the spring, the team finished 3rd in the Division I Championships. Goode had finished tied for 2nd and Dolan tied for 9th individually. They both said the healthy competition in practice and during meets drove them to be better. “There’s always a competition within ourselves. Having that competition and those players behind you to push you definitely helps,” said Goode. “We were disappointed with our state’s performance last spring, so we came in with a chip on our shoulder and wanted to win it this year.” Four months later, Goode redeemed himself with a state championship. Zelek said his co-captains were consistent all season, adding, “Connor has always been confident and comfortable on the course and there’s been improvement every year. And if I was going to give an award for the most improved player, Charlie has certainly risen to the top. He pushes Connor all the time.” Prior to states, the group took take of business by dominating the conference finals, winning the CCC by 17 strokes. Goode and Dolan tied for 2nd overall, each shooting a 72 at Stanley Golf Course in New Britain. DiNino placed 4th, shooting a 75, and sophomore Gavin Kvadus finished 7th, shooting a 76. Nick Anderson rounded out the scoring for the Guardians. Zelek added that coaching this group was a pleasure, “They are great kids on and off the course. I have the easiest job. Being able to coach on a course is relatively new, but on the course there isn’t a lot I have to point out because they are doing all the right things.” Goode, who has committed to play golf at the University on Connecticut, said the bond between the team extend off the course. “Even outside of the high school season we are playing together during the summer and we’ve become really good friends. We’ve become a close-knit group which, helps the team play a lot better, and we’re always supporting each other,” said Goode. “It’s been really fun, but it has also felt like it’s gone by really fast.” Dolan added, “It was a short season. We’re definitely going to miss it, but it was a fun year.” GHS senior Molly Harding had a productive week, first committing to run track at Yale University and then starring for the Guardians field hockey team.
“I’m so honored to announce my commitment to Yale University to run Division I track,” stated Harding, “Huge shoutout to my family, friends, teachers, and coaches for making my biggest dream come true. Go Bulldogs!” After announcing her commitment to the prestigious university, the field hockey captain scored a season-high four goals as the Guardians defeated Simsbury 4-1 last Wednesday. “It was certainly a game I won’t forget,” Harding said of the four-goal explosion, “Having committed only a couple of days earlier, I came in feeling confident and ready to compete. I was fortunate enough to play a great game, but I never would have been able to do it without my team alongside me. As a team, we proved we could come together and play with high energy and intensity against another really strong team. I am looking forward to seeing how far we can take it this year as we near the end of our season and begin playoffs.” Field hockey head coach Maureen Perkins said Harding is a complete student-athlete, “Yale has been a dream of hers and we're are so excited that she gets the chance to fulfill that dream. She's worked so hard in and out of the classroom to make this a reality and it is great when something like this can happen. In terms of field hockey, I think that most on the outside look at her and just see a really quick player, but she is so much more than that to our team. She is integral on both our offensive and defensive corners and has been one of the team's leaders in both goals and assists over the last few years. She feels a great deal of responsibility to make sure that the team is successful and I think that all of this has helped to explain the success the team has had over the last few years." During the Outdoor Track & Field season in the spring, Harding won the 400 meters in the conference finals, but nagging injuries prevented her from competing with the team as the Guardians captured a Class LL state championship in June. Prior to graduating and preparing for her new academic and athletic home in New Haven, Harding will be back with her hometown Track & Field team this upcoming spring as they aim to defend their title. “Over the course of my athletic career, I have been so fortunate to have such amazing and supportive teammates as well as coaches that have helped me every step of the way. I love field hockey and competing as a team, so that is certainly something I am going to miss as I go onto Yale and compete in track,” added Harding, “I chose Yale because it gave me the perfect balance of rigorous academics and Division I athletics. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve wanted to be a part of the Ivy League. With Yale being a short car ride away and a place where I had competed in several track meets before, it immediately felt like home. I am most excited for the chance to continue my academic career at the highest level possible while competing in a sport that I love.” Busy Week for Guardians Volleyball
GHS girls defeated Coventry and Platt in straights before falling to Conard in four sets last week, ending the week with an overall record of 10-5. In the win over Coventry, Anastasiya Andriyashko had nine kills and four aces. Junior setter Sara Wild dished out a game-high 29 assists. Wild added 20 more assists in the win over Platt and Kayla Valenches chipped in with six kills, three aces, and three blocks. Kiley Feeney had 12 digs and 10 aces in the loss to Conard. Field Hockey Downs Simsbury, Draws with Wilton GHS field hockey welcomed a 7-1 Simsbury team to GHS last Wednesday and defeated the visiting conference rivals 4-1 behind four goals from senior forward Molly Harding. After a scoreless 1st quarter, Harding scored her first goal in the second quarter to give GHS a 1-0 lead before intermission. The score stayed the same into the 4th quarter when Harding scored her second goal off an assist from fellow senior Kaitlyn Welsh. The Glastonbury lead was cut in half midway through the final period when McKenna Pennington scored on a breakaway for Simsbury. On the very next GHS possession, Harding and Welsh teamed up again, using a series of four give-and-go passes to move the ball down the field until Harding finished the play and netted her third goal of the game. Senior keeper Kaitlyn Parent made one save in goal for Glastonbury and senior defender Grace Boehning made a defensive save in the third quarter to keep Simsbury from cutting further into the GHS lead. Harding finished her day with a goal with about a minute left in the game when she scored off a rebound of a GHS penalty corner. Three days later, the Guardians visited Wilton and tied the Warriors 2-2 in overtime. GHS jumped out to an early 1-0 lead half way through the first quarter on a nice scoring play from senior forwards Christina Guanci and Harding. Harding set up Guanci with a pass across the scoring circle, which Guanci collected on the left side of the goal and fired past Wilton goalie Emily Johnson. The score remained 1-0 going into intermission thanks to a glove save by Parent as time in the first half was expiring. After intermission the Guardians extended its lead when Welsh, a midfielder, scored on a penalty stroke. The stroke was awarded to GHS when a Wilton defender fell on a ball and prevented it from being played. Wilton scored twice in the fourth quarter to even the score, the first by Lizzie Kendra and the second by Charlotte Casiraghi. The game went to a 10 minute 7-on-7 sudden victory overtime period due in part to another late half glove save by Parent. During the overtime period neither team was able to score and the game ended in a tie. The tie moved the team's overall record to 7-1-2-1 on the season. GHS Swim & Dive Wins Two More Meets The Glastonbury High School Girls’ Swimming and Diving Team won two more meets last week, defeating South Windsor 93-79 and E.O. Smith/Tolland 95-75, improving to 7-0 this season. Last Wednesday, the Guardians won 11 of the 12 events verse the Bobcats, improving their all-time record against SWHS to 11-0. GHS was led by triple winners Avery Kudlac and Annika Paluska. The double winners were Riley Kudlac, Rachel Davis and Brooke Sowka. The single winners were Belle Christensen, Riley Lord, Emily Booth, Jade Casey, Lauren Lord, Norell Paluska, Madelynn Booth and Julianne Lui. Amber Zeng from South Windsor secured their lone win. The meet started with a 1-2 sweep in the 200 medley relay. The relay team of Belle Christensen, Riley Lord, Avery Kudlac and Annika Paluska won the event followed by the relay team of Brooke Sowka, Norell Paluska, Lauren Lord and Katie Papa. The 200 freestyle was also a sweep with GHS going 1-2-3. Riley Kudlac was 1st, Evie Christensen was 2nd and Paeton Romero was 3rd. Riley was a new Class LL qualifier and her time was so good that she is now the 8th fastest 200 freestyler in GHS history. The 200 individual medley was yet another 1-2-3 sweep by Glastonbury. Rachel Davis was 1st, Annika Paluska was 2nd and Vivian Nguyen was 3rd. Annika qualified for the Class LL Meet with her time. The “splash and dash” 50 freestyle was a 1-2-4 finish for GHS. Emily Booth was 1st, Madelynn Booth was 2nd and Sophie Redfern was 4th. The score entering diving was a lopsided 50-12 in favor of the home team. Diving was a 1-4 finish for the Guardians. Jade Casey easily won the event by over 40 points and Anna Hilary was 4th. The 100 butterfly opened the 2nd half of the meet and GHS placed 1-2. Lauren Lord was 1st and Julianne Lui was 2nd. Lauren qualified for the Class LL Meet. The 100 freestyle was a 1-2-3 sweep. Avery Kudlac was 1st, Emily Booth was 2nd and Katie Papa was 3rd. The 500 freestyle would be the clinching event of the meet as GHS placed 1-2-4 making the meet score 93-32. Brooke Sowka won the event by over 30 seconds. Elizabeth Evans was 2nd and Hannah Kaufman was 4th. GHS would swim the last 4 events exhibition. The 200 freestyle relay would see the Guardians sweep and touch 1-2. The relay team of Norell Paluska, Avery Kudlac, Riley Kudlac and Annika Paluska easily touched 1st and turned in the 10th fastest time in the 200 freestyle relay in school history. The relay team of Rachel Davis, Julianne Lui, Vivian Nguyen and Katie Papa touched 2nd. The 100 backstroke would see GHS touch 1-2-3 once again. Brooke Sowka was 1st, Belle Christensen was 2nd and Lucy Boisoneau was 3rd. The 100 breaststroke was probably the best race of the afternoon as Norell Paluska would battle with both Amber Zeng and Jocelyn Niemczyk. 1.5 seconds separated these three at the finish as Amber Zeng got the hard fought victory. Norell was 2nd, Riley Lord was 3rd and Heather Newandee was 5th. The final 400 freestyle relay would see GHS touch 1-2 to sweep the event. The relay team of Annika Paluska, Madelynn Booth, Julianne Lui and Rachel Davis would touch 1st while the relay team of Lauren Lord, Emily Booth, Vivian Nguyen and Riley Kudlac would touch 2nd closely behind. Last Friday, the team took down E.O. Smith/Tolland’s co-op team. President Joe Biden was on the UConn campus adjacent to the Mansfield Community Center Pool, but was unable to stop by and watch the Guardians dominate the meet. You could hear Marine One land and takeoff during the meet. GHS won all 12 events, improving to 18-0 all-time against E.O. Smith, although one could argue that they are no longer E.O. Smith High School since they are a co-op with Tolland High School. Glastonbury was led by triple winners Rachel Davis and Riley Kudlac. The double winners were Brooke Sowka, Avery Kudlac and Lauren Lord. The single winners were Belle Christensen, Annika Paluska, Francesca Gionfriddo, Julianne Lui, Margo Zhang, Katie Papa, Norell Paluska, Teaghan Tarczali and Izzy Driscoll. The meet started with a 1-2 sweep in the 200 medley relay. Belle Christensen, Rachel Davis, Riley Kudlac and Brooke Sowka won the event while the relay team of Paeton Romero, Julianne Lui, Lola Branson and Katie Papa placed 2nd. The score was 12-2 and E.O. Smith would never get any closer. The 200 freestyle was a 1-2-4 finish for GHS. Avery Kudlac was 1st, Norell Paluska was 2nd and Elizabeth Evans was 4th. The 200 individual medley was a 1-2-3 sweep. Lauren Lord was 1st, Riley Lord was 2nd and Margo Zhang was 3rd. The 50 freestyle was a 1-3-4 finish. Annika Paluska was 1st, Madelynn Booth was 3rd and Emily Booth was 4th. The score entering the diving event was 48-14. E.O. Smith didn’t have any divers so GHS would turn in a 1-2-3 sweep by default. Francesca Gionfriddo was 1st, Anna Hilary was 2nd and Hailey Zimmerman was 3rd. Francesca improved on her 7th highest point total in school history for 6-dives with a fantastic 229.70 points. The 2nd half starts with the 100 butterfly and GHS would place 1-4-5. Julianne Lui was 1st, Lola Branson was 4th and Lucy Boisoneau was 5th. The 100 freestyle was a 1-2-4 finish. Rachel Davis was 1st, Vivian Nguyen was 2nd and Katie Papa was 4th. Rachel Davis qualified for the Class LL Meet with her time. The 500 freestyle would be the clinching event of the meet as GHS turned in a 1-2-3 sweep to make the meet score 95-28. Riley Kudlac was 1st, Paeton Romero was 2nd and Evie Christensen was 3rd. Riley qualified for the Class LL Meet and also accomplished a rare feat. By qualifying for the 500 freestyle, Riley has now qualified for the Class LL Meet in all 8 individual swimming events. Records are not kept on this type of accomplishment, but I am pretty sure the last person to do this was Abbey Fusco in 2013. GHS would swim the last 4 events exhibition. The 200 freestyle sprint relay would see GHS touch 1-2. The relay team of Rachel Davis, Margo Zhang, Lauren Lord and Katie Papa would just out-touch the relay team of Annika Paluska, Hannah Kaufman, Tali Horesco and Emily Booth. The 100 backstroke would be a 1-2-3 sweep. Brooke Sowka touched 1st, Belle Christensen touched 2nd and Natalie Koziol touched 3rd. The 100 breaststroke was a 1-2-4 finish. Norell Paluska touched 1st, Riley Lord touched 2nd and Julianne Lui touched 4th. The final 400 freestyle relay was a 1-2- sweep. The relay team of Avery Kudlac, Teaghan Tarczali, Izzy Driscoll and Riley Kudlac touched just ahead of the relay team of Lauren Lord, Elizabeth Evans, Heather Newandee and Annika Paluska. In recent weeks, Glastonbury participated in some non-standard meets as they attended the West Hartford Invite where several schools competed in non-standard events. There were 50’s and 100’s of every stroke along with a 100 individual medley and no relays. The highlight of that meet was Rachel Davis improving on her 3rd fastest time in school history in the 100 breaststroke. She only trails Emily Maganvita from 2008 and Hannah Hummel from 2010. The Guardians also had a scrimmage against the 2019 Class LL and State Open Champions from Cheshire High School. There were no official scores kept at this meet but it is safe to say the Glastonbury was far and away the stronger team. That scrimmage might provide some promising predictions for the upcoming 2021 Class LL and State Open Meets. The upcoming schedule has a home meet and Senior Night against East Catholic on Tuesday, October 26th at 4 PM. Contributed by Steve Hoyt. Big Foot Spotting: Just like the real Big Foot, here is a grainy picture of Rocky Hill kicker Brody Troiano's Big Football Kick - a 57 yard field goal in practice.
Brody Troiano- Rocky Hill (Football): Troiano made all four of his extra points as the Terriers defeated Farmington 28-7 last Saturday, but it was his big boot in practice that had social media buzzing last week. With a little help from the wind, the senior nailed a 57-yard field goal in practice. To put Troiano’s kick into perspective, NFL kickers (spanning 2009-2019) made less than 50% of field goal attempts from 57 yards or more. “It felt good. As soon as I made contact I knew it was a solid kick, but honestly I thought I wasn't going to make it,” Troiano said of the kick, “We were practicing our normal PATs and we just started moving back, the next thing. I knew we were pushing 50 yards. I have hit 50 yarders in practice before, but never tried from 57 and then we just tried it, it went well. I also want to thank the holder Tommy and the snapper Chis for setting me up for it.” In the win over Farmington, Troiano also led the defensive charge by causing a fumble and racking up six tackles, including two for loss. Quarterback Tyreice Dominique ran for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Dominique also tossed a touchdown to Frankie Guerrera, while running back M.J. Torres had 18 carries for 111 yards and a touchdown. The Terriers are now 3-1 on the season with rival Bloomfield (5-0) coming to RHHS for a battle this Friday (10/22). Kickoff is 7 p.m. Troiano hopes the Terriers can keep the momentum going, “I feel like there are several factors to the success so far. I have to start out by thanking Coach Dance and the rest of the coaching staff. They do so much work from organizing practices to making in-game adjustments. Also I think the team play that we have been able to put together so far has been huge. Everyone does their job and this allows us to be able to move the ball downfield or stop an offense in their tracks. I also have to give credit to the fans, they are able to change the momentum of the game and with not having a full season last year it's great to have them this year. We have so many great athletes on the team and I know we have something special, but we still have several games ahead of us and we need to keep working hard day in and day out.” Hailey Gaydos- Newington (Field Hockey): Gaydos scored a pair of goals, one assisted by freshman Hailie Broadbent, as Newington defeated Windsor 2-1 last Friday. The junior is one of the main scoring threats for a Nor’easter team that has won two of their last three and enter the week with a record on 5-6, looking to make a push for a postseason berth. Charlie Martindale- Wethersfield (Golf): Martindale finished tied for 7th, shooting a 76, at the CCC boys golf finals at Stanley Golf Course in New Britain last Thursday. The senior has had a busy couple of weeks as the Eagles played five matches and the conference championship during a nine-day span, including a win over Bloomfield in which Martindale was the match medalist. Lily Kenney- Cromwell (Soccer): Kenney was perfect in goal, shutting out Portland (1-0) last Thursday and Hall (4-0) on Friday. The junior goalkeeper, along with a stout defensive front have been tremendous for the Panthers, who have shutout nine opponent this season and enter the week with a record of 7-0-5. Dario Rigano- Middletown (Soccer): Rigano scored three goals as Middletown blanked New Britain 8-0 last Thursday, improving the team to 7-1-3. The senior is captaining the team with fellow senior Alex Foligno and junior Marshall Butler, and the win over New Britain marked the team’s fourth shutout this fall. Rocky Hill softball coach Tyler Catlin is stepping down after five seasons with the Terriers to spend more time with the family. Catlin is pictured with wife, Alyssa, and the couple's firstborn, Joey.
After five seasons Tyler Catlin has decided to leave his post as the head softball coach at Rocky Hill High School. Catlin worked wonders during his tenure with the program, leading the Terriers to four state tournaments, while winning multiple conference titles and guiding the team to the state finals in his first season in the dugout. “I want to thank Mr. Seidman for giving me the opportunity to lead this team. I will miss my friends from the program, all my assistant coaches I had the pleasure to coach with: Ash Black, Erin Weber, Matt Decker and Stacey Pinto as well as “the dude”, Mike Dudis, and the voice of Rocky Hill, Bob Dobmeier,” Catlin stated after announcing his decision to step down, “I wish Mr. Horvath and all the RH athletic teams nothing but the best moving forward. I look forward to support my future successor in whatever he/she may need with a very talented group of players returning for an exciting 2022 season.” Catlin, who teaches at Chippen Hill School in Bristol, had many memorable moments during his tenure at RHHS, including wins over North Branford and St. Joes on suicide squeeze plays to reach the 2016 Class M state championship. Then there was the numerous come-from-behind victories, including a miraculous rally in a 2017 game against Berlin when Catlin’s team fell behind 14-1 in the first inning before coming back to win 15-14 thanks to the heroics of Rachel Roncaioli. Former Rocky Hill softball player and 2018-graduate Sophie Kurdziel recalled the 13-run comeback against Berlin in 2017 and reflected on Catlin as a coach, “One of the things I’ll always remember about Coach Catlin was the passion he had for the team. He never gave up on us regardless of the score. I don’t know if we would’ve been able to do it without Coach hyping us up between innings and helping us stay focused.” The following year, the team trailed East Hartford 8-1 before coming back to win 9-8 on freshman Lauren Colasacco’s pinch hit double off the wall. Catlin would guided the Terriers to three double-digit win seasons, including 22 in 2016. Overall he posted a record of 59-48. The departing manager said he always looked forward to the rivalry games, especially against neighboring Wethersfield, saying, “Colleen Budaj put in a good word for me to get the Rocky Hill job when I coached her daughter, Summer, and Wethersfield hoops team in 2015-16 season. We had a friendly rivalry and those games were always circled on my calendar.” Catlin’s exit leaves a massive void in the dugout and he now turns his attention to playing defense against a new opponent. Actually, two little ones. “A lot has gone on in my life since taking this coaching position. I got married to my beautiful wife Alyssa, she was a big fan of the program and coming to games. We had our son Joey last season and now we are expecting a baby daughter this upcoming April,” stated Catlin, “I also unexpectedly lost my mother in 2019. Grief is difficult for anyone and I was no different. Coaching that team in 2019 and seasons after was my biggest remedy. The way the players gave me their all every practice and every game meant the world to me. They were all there for me more than they could ever realize.” GHS XC captains (l-r) Ava Gattinella, Annika Hurley, Sarah Ongley, and Kelley MacElhiney
GHS girls’ cross country won the Wickham Invitational last Saturday, besting second-place North Kingstown from Rhode Island (81-109) in the Large Varsity division. Freshman Brooke Strauss was the Guardians top-finisher, placing third overall with a time of 19:06 (6:10 pace). Head coach Brian Collins said that Strauss first caught his eye when she ran a great time at the annual summer Alumni Race at JB Williams Park prior to her entering the fifth grade. Four years later, Strauss is setting the pace at GHS. “She is a really humble young lady and she gets along with everybody,” Collins said of Strauss, who has already ran the program’s sixth fastest time at JB Williams Park, “She seems like she is enjoying it. That’s the main thing, you have to enjoy doing it.” Junior Jackie Caron and sophomore Jackie Dudus, who finished placed 12th and 25th at Wickham, are also new to the program after choosing cross country over soccer. “We’ve lost a lot of girls in the past to soccer, swimming, field hockey, and other sports. But for some of these girls, they realized that this is their better sport,” stated Collins. Captaining the team for Collins are Sarah Ongley, Annika Hurley, Kelley MacElhiney, and Ava Gattinella. Gattinella, a sophomore, is already one of the team’s fastest runners. She finished with the team’s third fastest time (19:52) at Wickham, placing 14th overall. “All the hard work we’ve been doing is paying off,” Gattinella said of the team’s success this fall, “I wanted to help the new people adjust because I was a new person last year and I felt like I could help them out to be comfortable and have fun on the team.” Collins said all his captains have embraced the role, earning respect through their dedication to improve, “ Someone like Sarah Ongley has progressed night and day from the beginning of her freshman year until now. She’s improved tremendously.” Hurley and Ongley, both seniors, are veteran voices after navigating through the COVID-restrictions last fall. At Wickham, the pair of seniors led the way for the JV squad. Hurley finished second (21:52) and Ongley third (22:03) as the team won the bracket, miles ahead of runner-up Greenwich. Hurley is excited that this group gets a chance to compete beyond the regular season, “We have a really young team this year and some of the girls have never really had a normal season, so the younger girls will be able to see how great the postseason is and we get to experience that together. Personally I have a lot of gratitude for having a normal year. A lot of our hard work through the winter, and through the spring, is really culminating right now into a really good cross country season.” Ongley added, “Given that last year wasn’t a normal year, I was really hoping to make this year as successful as we can I put a lot of work in over the summer to help the team and hopefully have some success myself.” MacElhiney, a junior, had a great mentor in her older sister Casey MacElhiney, who graduated after starring on the cross country trails last fall. “I was trying to follow in her footsteps in the beginning, but now I finally feel like I can do my own thing. I feel a lot more confident about my running now.” All four captains were part of the school’s outdoor track & field team that won the Class L state championship in June. Coach Collins was recently named the Coaches Associations’ 2021 Girls Track & Field Coach of the Year for last spring’s accomplishments. Collins gave credit to the people around him, “I’m very fortunate to work with some very dedicated and talented girls, along with some outstanding coaches. It’s a team award.” Prior to the Wickham Invite, the team traveled to Vermont for the Wood Run Trail in Thetford, finishing 2nd overall despite not having the services of Strauss for the meet. Caron finished 8th out of 599 runners. “It was good competition, a lot of these girls haven’t seen competition from out of state,” said Collins, “It says a lot about the character of these girls and it also boosts their confidence. They’ve done well in our meets, but a meet like that is going to be very big for them, going against some of the top teams in New England.” MacElhiney said that the out-of-state trips bring the team closer together, “It’s really fun, the experience of going places with your team and making those memories. We’re like a family.” The invite in Vermont and the win at Wickham are great measuring sticks for the upcoming postseason tournaments. The Conference Finals, Class Championship, and State Open will all be held at Wickham Park in Manchester. “Wickham will be a good show of all the hard work we’ve put in throughout the season,” Ongley said prior to the invite, “It will be good to see how we compared against the other teams in the state.” Collins and assistant coach Brian Gaudreau both like how the team is running with the postseason rapidly approaching. “They’re young, but the good part is that they've grow together and they have success together, and hopefully they can build off that," stated Collins. Hurley added, “Our team has always been really close. I think it’s a testament to what our team is. My best friends are from every single grade because of cross country and that’s always been something about our team that is unique. In races we can be super competitive but at the end of the day we’re really good friends.” The Guardians competed in Vermont, pictured with coach Gaudreau Matt Daniels had a fourth quarter for the ages as Glastonbury football defeated Newington 28-20 last Friday night at Alumni Field in Newington. Over the final 12 minutes, Daniels ran for 162 yards and two touchdowns, and also hauled in a clutch reception, as the Guardians erased a fourth deficit to earn their first victory of the season and hand the Nor’easters their first loss.
“You always want your big time players to make big time plays in big time games, and that’s what he did,” head coach Eric Hennessy said of Daniel’s fourth quarter heroics. It was a game of contrasting styles as Glastonbury used a physical ground game to counter Newington’s aerial attack that came in averaging nearly 48 points per game. The Guardians were able to control the tempo and the ball, totaling 331 rushing yards and holding Newington to a measly two yards on the ground. “We knew we’d have our run game today,” said Daniels, “We ran a lot of outside zone, that was their weakness on the edge, and we hit that and it work.” Starting running back Jack Petrone was a breast, carrying the ball 35 times for 161 yards, providing the thunder to Daniels’ lightning. “Newington is a pretty amazing team offensively and they’re fast, so we don’t match up well with their speed but we understood that we could matchup with their size and we felt we could wear them out a little bit. That was our goal,” added Hennessy, who previously coach at Newington from 2013-2016, “We wanted to line up and pound it on them, and when we got the opportunities to throw the ball we did. We wanted to mange the clock and be the more physical team.” Petrone ran for two touchdowns in the first half but big plays from Newington gave the home team a 20-14 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Down six and facing a 3rd & 6 from their own 18 yard line, quarterback Drew Curto rolled out and connected with Daniels for a 29-yard hookup down the left sideline. Two plays later, Daniels broke several arm tackles before breaking free for a 41-yard score. Daniels gave credit to his fellow captain for paving the path, “My boy Jack Hennessy was pulling around the end, so I grabbed on to his back and he led the way,” After the Guardians forced a turnover on downs in the red zone, Daniels ripped off his second touchdown, weaving his way downfield for an 89-yard touchdown with under a minute to play in regulation. “We made good blocks on the edge and the corner missed a tackle and I just used my speed to score the touchdown,” added Daniels, “We’ve been underestimated all year and this was coach Hennessy’s old school, so we were all very confident and we wanted to win for him.” The Guardians defense sealed the deal in the closing seconds on the game. After Newington drove into the red zone, a sack by senior Patrick Serksnas pushed them back to the 25-yard line before the team forced three straight incompletions. The win came at the right time as the Guardians (1-4) go into their bye week with momentum. “In each of the four games before we weren’t able to make that play. We had opportunities, but we weren’t able to capitalize on it,” added Hennessy, “Today we capitalized when we needed to and that was difference. It’s nice going into the bye week with a win and it’s nice beating one of the better teams in the state and making a statement.” |
AuthorSports Editor for the Rare Reminder, Glastonbury Citizen, and Rivereast News Bulletin Archives
December 2023
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