After playing sparingly a season ago, Meghan Cegielski is now making her presence felt as senior leader on the girls’ volleyball team at Glastonbury High School.
Through the team’s first games, Cegielski has already surpassed her statistical totals from a season ago and has filled a major need upfront for a Guardians' team that enters the week with a record of 9-3. “Last year I felt like I was a little more scared on the court, but this year I feel like I’ve been able to play with more confidence and help the underclassmen,” said Cegielski. On Sept. 30, the prolific outside hitter tallied career-highs in both kills (8) and aces (6) in a three set win over Avon. The following game she threw down seven kills in a win over E.O. Smith. She has played a variety of positions during her time at GHS and played some libero a season ago. This fall, she has taken her game to another level and become impactful near the net, racking up the third most kills on the team. Cegielski said she is excited to be in her new position, playing alongside returning all-conference senior Evelyn Brenton and junior standout Amanda Leclair on the frontline. Head coach Tony Sanith stated the team was looking for that third hitter this season and Cegielski natural abilities made her an ideal fit. “We knew we had Evelyn as our returning hitter, but we didn’t know where our other offense was going to come from and to have her step us has helped us out a lot,” stated Sanith. “Meghan has always had the ability to instinctually play well. She is a great hitter and she is smart. We wanted to give her a role where she can play more freely.” Cegielski, who also plays for the Huskie Volleyball Club in the offseason, said she became intrigued by the game of volleyball after seeing it on television, adding “watching professionals doing it inspired me.” She is one of eight seniors that are guiding the Guardians, who dropped their first two matches this year before rebounding to win nine of their last ten matches. Through the first dozen matches, Cegielski leads the team in digs, while Brenton leads the team in both kills and blocks. Rebecca Lavoie has assumed the libero role and freshman McKenna Reynolds is averaging over five assists per set as a setter. Sanith said that Lavoie’s move to libero has been the key this fall. It allowed Cegielski to move upfront and put Lavoie, who was originally supposed to be the team’s setter, into the defensive role. Cegielski said the team shook off the early losses and began playing more as a team, adding, “Spending so much time together has made us close and we all knew each other already from years of playing together. We have been able to foster good relations overall as a team.” Sanith said it took a couple of games to figure out his rotation, but once he did the team started to click. “We just had to figure out what our best lineup was. I came with the idea of what the lineup could be and we tried it out and the chemistry and fit wasn’t quite there,” added Sanith. “A lot of the players are playing different positions, but they accepted the challenge.” Glastonbury has a rematch at Conard—who previously beat the Guardians in three sets—this Friday, Oct. 14 at 5 p.m. The Guardians returns home on Tuesday, Oct. 18 to welcome Hall to GHS for a match at 6 p.m. Cegielski said the key to a strong second half of the season is working more effectively as a unit on the floor, adding. “If we can make sure we are focusing as a team, then we could be really good.”
0 Comments
Senior captains (l-r) Adam Molusis, Aiden Crean, and Will Greelish have helped lead GHS boys’ soccer to an undefeated start through the first nine games.
A goal by senior captain Adam Molusis in the first half was the difference as Glastonbury boys’ soccer defeated Newington 1-0 on Oct. 6 in a much-anticipated Central Connecticut Conference clash between the two of the conference’s best. Both Class LL teams stepped onto the field turf at GHS without a loss with Newington coming in with a record of 6-0, having outscored their first half dozen opponents by a combined score 23-2. Behind Molusis’ goal and an outstanding performance on the defensive end, the Guardian remained unbeaten and dealt the Nor’easter their first loss. “We were very motivated,” senior captain Will Greelish said of the team’s mindset prior to the game. “They were placed ahead of us in the standings, so we wanted to prove ourselves and show that we were the better team.” Glastonbury was the more aggressive team in the first half, peppering Newington’s goalie Dakota Hawes with several shots. Molusis had a shot attempt go wide right (25th minute) and another wide left (27th minute) before he found his range in the 36th minute when he let the defense clear and found the bottom right hand corner of the net. “I was going to shoot it and then someone stepped in,” recalled Molusis. “So I did a fake shot and took a touch to the side and shot it in.” Molusis’ goal proved to be the game winning as the home team blanked a Newington offense that had scored at least two goals in each of the first six games. Senior Aiden Crean, who is captaining the backend, made a crucial sliding stop with less than ten minutes remaining in regulation to thwart a Newington scoring opportunity. “In these late games we just have to stay composed,” said Crean, “We know that all we need is one goal to win and we have confidence in ourselves.” Sophomore goalie Patrick Butler kept the net empty, making a handful of saves. After a relatively quiet first half, Butler faced a fierce Newington attack in the second half and turned away every attempt, making an athletic diving save midway through the second half and another with 6:39 remaining in regulation. Greelish, a captain on the midfield with Molusis, also cleared an attack with four minutes left as Newington controlled the ball for a majority of the final eight minutes, but was unable to get the equalizer. The victory was the eighth for the Guardians this year, which matches the team’s regular season win total from a year ago. Greelish said the experience the player’s received last season is paying dividends this fall, adding the team is still motivated by last season’s heartbreaking tournament loss to Xavier in overtime. “We have a chip on our shoulder now,” stated Greelish. “A lot of the players in our starting lineup are returners and played a lot last year. We want to win it this year.” Through the first nine games, the Guardians have only surrendered only two goals and the shutout of Newington was the seventh time they have held an opponent to a goose egg on the scoreboard. Crean credited the chemistry on the defensive end, adding, “When we’re communicating and moving the ball side to side, we’re really tough to beat.” The team is satisfied with start, yet it’s the 1-1-tie against Hall on Sept. 27, that has kept them grounded. In the draw, the Guardians were unable to capitalize on over a dozen corner kicks. “We left a lot on the table that game,” said Crean. “We have since corrected those minor mistakes and we’ve learned a lot from that game.” Molusis added, “It helps us because we know we are vulnerable and we still need to come out every game and go 100% or it might not turn out the way we want it to go.” Entering the week, the Guardians are one of five Class LL teams without a loss. Trumbull, Hall, Shelton, and South Windsor the four other undefeated teams. The Guardians next welcome Bristol Central to GHS on Thursday, Oct 13 (tonight) for a game under the lights, starting at 6:00 p.m. Here are the Rivereast Standouts of the Week for the week of Sept. 26 - Oct. 2
Alyssa Blanchette - Bacon Academy High School (Soccer): Blanchette scored a pair of goals, tallying the game’s only goal in a 1-0 win over East Lyme on Sept. 26 and another off a header in a 2-0 win over Ledyard on Sept. 28. The freshman has been explosive this year for the Bobcats, who currently stands at 6-2-1 and hosts Windham this Friday, Oct. 7 at 3:45 p.m. Avery Quesnel - Portland High School (Soccer): Quesnel scored the team’s only goal on a free kick as the Highlanders tied Valley Regional 1-1 on Sept. 27. The sophomore is one of the rising stars for a Highlanders team that will next return home for a game against Amistad on Thursday, Oct. 13 at 3:45 p.m. Max Nylen - RHAM (Football): Nylen had a game for the ages, scoring eight total touchdowns as RHAM scored a program-record in points during a 69-39 win over Farmington on Oct. 1. The senior ran for 373 yards and scored seven times on the ground, adding 30 yards and another touchdown receiving. The eight touchdowns is the most in school history and third most all-time in the state of Connecticut. Nylen also starred defensively, intercepting a pass and racking up seven tackles. The Raptors (3-1) now travel to Plainville (0-4) on Friday, Oct. 7 for a game at 6:30 p.m. Mackenzie Player - East Hampton High School (Volleyball): Player had a team-high six kills as East Hampton beat North Branford in three sets on Sept. 30. Through the first ten games, the junior has the second most kills-per-set for a Bellringers team that has won seven of the ten games and will welcome Coginchaug to EHHS for a Shoreline Conference clash this Friday, Oct. 7 at 6 p.m. RHAM girls’ cross country has nine seniors on the trails this fall. The nine are pictured at Senior Day at RHAM High School on Sept. 27.
RHAM girls' cross-country head coach Dan Martin has a robust senior class tackling the trails this fall. Of Martin’s 22 runners, nine are seniors. “Having nine seniors is a huge chunk of the foundation and the core of what we’ve been trying to do the last couple of years,” said Martin, who took over the program in 2014. “This is a strong senior class that is meshing well.” Running on Senior Day, the seniors did not disappoint by running past both East Hartford (15-47) and South Windsor (26-29), securing victories in the Raptors only home meet of the season on Sept. 27. Seniors Isabelle Mondo and Rachel Bartolucci both ran a time of 21:20 to finish atop the leaderboard. Mondo and Bartolucci head a class that also features Nina Holm, Bridget Grabski, Natalia Huapaya, Paige O’Brien, Emma Rhodes, Maria Felicitas Villanueva, and Samara Zigmund. “It is very clear that this year especially our team has created a very tight bond,” stated Mondo, who placed 5th overall at the Ocean State Invitational in Rhode Island three days prior to Senior Day. “Half of the seniors have been doing cross-country all four years, but we have all integrated together and now it truly feels like a family.” Bartolucci was the team’s top finisher at Class MM finals a year ago and said that some of the seniors have been running together since middle school. “We are all very supportive of each other. It’s been a great year; it’s a great team,” said Bartolucci. “We’re all on the same page and we have great chemistry.” Holm, who placed 5th overall on Senior Day with a time of 23:21, said she got a little emotional after running the trails behind RHAM High School for the final time. She added that having a large senior class has enhanced the overall experience. “Knowing we have so many people there to support you is very helpful,” said Holm. “We’ve grown so much closer throughout the years.” On top of being five of the team’s top seven finishers at Senior Day, the seniors have also laid the groundwork for the next generation. “The seniors are setting that example,” said Martin. “They are doing things after school and working hard in practice, and I think it’s trickling down to the younger girls. From a coaching perspective that is what you want to see.” Martin said that the seniors have reinitiated pasta parties and other team outings, which were lost over the past couple of seasons because of the pandemic. Mondo agreed that the gatherings, along with the meet in Rhode Island and the most recent road trip to Vermont for a meet, have made for an unforgettable senior season. The future is also bright as sophomores Danielle Lynch, Juliet McShane, and Belle Kelly power a young group that are learning from the seniors. On Senior Day, the younger runners gave speeches to the seniors to showcase their appreciation. “Since it’s our senior year, we wanted it to be more special,” added Holm. “As a senior, we’re just trying to help other people enjoy running and for it to be a lifelong sport.” Bartolucci added, “We’ve grown so close to each other. I don’t think I’ll ever be on a team like this again.” The Raptors finished 7th at the Class MM finals a year ago and will look for another strong finish. The team is competing at a Class M level this fall after years of competing in MM. On Saturday, the team will run at the Wickham Invitational as they prepare for the Class M championship (Oct. 29) and State Open (Nov. 4), which will also take place at Wickham Park in Manchester. Boys’ cross-country at RHAM High School celebrated Senior Day by defeating East Hartford (15-50) and South Windsor (15-47) on Sept. 27.
It was the team’s third win in four meets and a positive sign for a program that is trending in the right direction. Following the graduation of 2021-standout Liam Calhoun—who is now running at Wesleyan University— head coach Paul Steiner knew he had an uphill battle this fall. “It’s a different story this year. We don’t have that ace at the top like Liam last year, so we have to run in packs,” said Steiner, who is in his sixth year with the program and fourth as the head coach. What Steiner does have is a solid squad from top to bottom that he called a “really gritty group.” Leading the pack is junior Troy Miller, who won the Senior Day meet by posting a time of 18:10 and crossing the finishing line over a minute ahead of the runner-up. Miller’s victory marked the first time in over three years that someone other than Calhoun had won a race for the program. “Since I was a freshman I have been the second runner behind Liam, so for the past two years I’ve been watching and learning from him,” said Miller, who also excels at soccer and is a standout basketball player for the school. “I knew it was my time to step up.” The Raptors took the top five spots at the home meet. Following Miller were Konrad Jandzinski (19:13), Samuel Fortin (19:31), Jack Olbrias (19:31), and Ryan Heneghan (19:43). Heneghan is the team’s captain and one of four seniors on the roster. He is the only one of the seniors who has run cross-country all four years in high school and Steiner referred to him as an “exceptional leader.” “We have to be more of a team this year. Everyone plays a role,” said Heneghan. “We’re starting to pick it up going into the championship season.” Joining Heneghan in the senior mentorship role are Jandzinski, Josh Gauthier, and Matthew Bogdan. Jandzinski only joined the team last fall and has improved significantly over the past 12 months, knocking nearly four minutes off of his race times. He credited last year’s graduating class, calling them “great role models”, and said the entire program is welcoming. “We are all very supportive and we all try to get each other to do better,” added Jandzinski, who improved his cardio over the summer by joining a swim team. Gauthier is in his third year with the program and finished 9th at the Senior Day race, running a time of 20:28. “I’ve come to call all of my teammates friends rather than teammates,” said Gauthier. “When we come out here we compete as a team and I always want to push them as hard as I can, because I want my friends to succeed and my team to succeed.” Bogdan, a first-year cross country runner, ran a 21:37 to finish 15th overall out of 60 runners between the three schools. Prior to this fall, Bogdan had participated in track at the school and wanted to give cross-country a whirl. “Since it’s my last year of high school I decided to go out. Plus my friends influenced me to do it and I’ve enjoyed it ever since,” Bogdan said of his decision to join the program. “It’s the team experience that has allowed us to do so well.” Miller, Fortin, Olbrias, Jacob Coates (7th), Eli Spinelli (14th), and freshman Brayden Kelly (17th) were the non-seniors that shined during Senior Day. Olbrias, a sophomore, is a fast rushing star that Steiner said the team calls “Lion Heart” because of his never give up attitude. Steiner also credited his assistant coaches Mark Logan and Ethan Spinelli with helping train the runners, who he said have taken the coaching and ran with it. “It’s an enjoyable group of kids. They work hard every single day. They give their best every day and I can’t ask for anything more,” said Steiner. “If we work hard between now and then and run to our capabilities we could make some noise in the state tournament.” The Class MM championship will take place at Wickham Park on Saturday, Oct. 29. For Heneghan, the next month will put a wrap on a four year cross-country journey at RHAM. “It’s crazy how fast it has gone by,” said Heneghan. “I’m going to miss it and I’m going to miss being with these guys.” Rocky Hill girls’ soccer is finding their stride.
After starting the season with a home loss, the Terriers have reeled off five straight games without a blemish. On Sept. 26, the Terriers defeated Portland 3-1 in an out-of-conference bout at Portland High School. Head coach Annmarie Catania said her team, which features several young players in the starting line-up, is quickly becoming a solidified bunch. “It takes a good amount of time to feel each other out and for the younger ones to get more confidence,” said Catania. “I think they are getting there.” Senior captain Gianna Nanci, who is captaining the team with Sofia Scalise, Sarah Whelan, and Kate Oostendorp, said that the handful of games on the field has sharpened the team’s skills and help them communicate better on the field. “I think there is a lot more chemistry. We’ve become better friends, so we’ve become a lot more comfortable on the field,” added Nanci. “We had problems in the beginning finishing, but now we’re finding our sweet spot.” In the win over the Highlanders, three of the team’s rising stars found the back of the net. Sophomore Kaitlyn Pereau dropped in a free kick over the head of Portland goal Lauren Eckert in the 23rd minute. Eight minutes later, Olivia DiBiase booted in a rebound, putting the Terriers up 2-0. The Highlanders narrowed the deficit on a goal from Camryn DiMauro in the closing minute of the first half before Rocky Hill’s standout goalie Emelia Pacheco-Hager shut the door in the second half, stopping all seven shots he faced. The sophomore goalie finished with 10 total saves. Pacheco-Hager is getting support from a stout, experienced defense. Freshman Hannah Corraro also shined defensively, thwarting a handful of attacks from the Highlanders. Catania called Corraro “a stud” and said she has a bright future. Entering the week, the Terriers stands at 3-1-2 and haven’t loss since the season opener, a 1-0 defeat to Wethersfield. The team’s other two wins are a pair of 8-0 victories over Hartford Public and Bloomfield. Next up is a road game at Windsor this Friday, Oct. 7 at 3:45 p.m. The Terriers return home on Tuesday, Oct. 11 to welcome Middletown to McVicar Field for a game under the light at 6 p.m. Kayla Ward - Wethersfield High School (Soccer): Ward scored an equalizer on a penalty kick with eight second remaining in regulation as the Eagles tied Glastonbury 1-1 on Sept. 30. The junior snuck the game-tying kick past goalie Marla Radikas as the home crowd at Cottone Field went wild.
Ward and Radikas play together on the same club soccer team, so the two shook hands and exchanged pleasantries prior to the penalty kick. . “I knew she would go to the left anyways but I knew it was better not to change up my PK because I have better power on that side,” said Ward, who added she loves close games. “These ones are the most fun.” Despite trailing 1-0 at the half, head coach Tony Leone imploded his team to keep fighting until the final whistle and was proud how his team matched Glastonbury physically. He also credited Ward for sticking to what she does best on the penalty kick. “Kudos to her,” said Leone. “I would have been trying to play mind games and go the other way, but Kayla just stuck to what she always does and that is what you should do when you take a PK.” Penelope Basile - Rocky Hill High School (Volleyball): Basile served up six aces to go along with five kills and multiple digs as the Terriers earned their first win of the season by beating Hartford Public in three sets. Basile is the team’s setter this season and one of a seven seniors that aim for a strong finish. Rocky Hill hosts a big conference match against Wethersfield on Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 5 p.m. Charlie Lechowicz - Xavier High School (Cross Country): Lechowicz had a top-ten finish, running a team-best 16:47, as Xavier finished third overall in the SCC Divisional Championships at the Guilford Fairgrounds on Sept. 29. The Falcons finished ahead of Notre Dame-Fairfield to claim the division title and earn head coach Chris Stonier his 100th win in an illustrious 12-year career, which features five state titles. Katie Bohlke - Newington (Cross-Country): Bohlke finished 5th overall and the was first runner from the state of Connecticut to cross the finish line at the Ocean State Invitational at Goddard Memorial Stadium in East Greenwich, RI. The junior ran a time of 18:53, finishing ahead of 55 other runners at the eight-school event. Frankie Guerrera - Rocky Hill High School (Football): Guerrera nailed a 31-yard field goal with a minute remaining as the Terriers overcame a 21-6 halftime deficit to defeat E.O. Smith 23-21 on Sept. 30. The senior captain also ran for 190 yards on 19 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. Rocky Hill (2-2) welcomes Stonington (1-3) to RHHS on Friday, Oct 7 for a 7 p.m. kickoff. Newington senior field hockey captain Hailey Gaydos (right) and Glastonbury senior captain Alicia Choquette during a game on Sept. 27.
Newington head coach Veronica Grubin and her team set an offseason goal to make it to the state tournament this fall. So far they are on pace to meet that goal after winning three of their first six games to start the season. Despite suffering a 9-1 loss to powerhouse Glastonbury on Sept. 27, Grubin liked the fight in her team, which she said has been the case in every game this fall. “This group has been with me a long time, both from the youth level up until now. They have just been working hard and marking the right connections,” stated Grubin, who has coached the varsity program since 2017. “We have a bunch of talented players and moving forward it’s just about figuring out how to put those pieces together.” Mackenzie Hillman tallied the Nor’easters only goal, scoring early in the second half to narrow the deficit to 4-1 before the home team pulled away in the second half. Glastonbury, who is a perennial Class L contender, was a great test for a program with aspirations of a state tourney trip. Last fall, the team finished with six wins and was just on the outside looking in of the Class M state tournament. Over the previous four seasons the team combined for seven wins, so the arrow is definitely pointing upwards. Seniors Hailey Gaydos, Juliette Corriveau, and Riley Sullivan are in the captain’s chair. Gaydos was a team captain a season ago, making all-conference as a junior, and Grubin said her returning star has been invaluable, both on and off the field. “She has done it with style and grace and been that connection between me and the rest of the players,” Grubin said of Gaydos, who said all of her captains have stepped into the role without hesitation. “There are all different personality types and they make it work. They are hard workers, dedicated, and have a team-first mentality.” Manning the backend is goalie Carly Leonard, a junior who started as a sophomore a season ago. Leonard faced an onslaught of shots against Glastonbury and made several impressive saves that kept the team in the game during the first half. “She has worked extremely hard, here and in the offseason,” Grubin said of her second-year goalie. “I expect great things from her the rest of the season and next season.” After allowing nine goals to Glastonbury, Leonard and the defense emphatically rebounded by shutting out Haddam-Killingworth (2-0) on Sept. 29. Hillman and Gaydos tallied the goals in the win. Entering the week, the Nor’easters stand at 3-3 and have scored quality wins over E.O. Smith (4-0) and Lewis Mills (5-3). In the win over E.O. Smith, Hillman and Gaydos each tallied two goals and Hillman added two more in the win over Lewis Mills. Grubin, who is in her sixth season at NHS, is optimistic that the program can get over the hump this fall and return to postseason play for the first time since 2016. “We’re contenders this year. The goal is to make it to states and I think we can do it,” added Grubin. “We have really great, fundamentally good players. We just have to figure out how to put all the pieces together and generate offense because generating offense means winning games.” The Nor’easters have a pivotal home game against Farmington this Friday, Oct. 7 at Clem Lemire Field Turf on New Britain Avenue. Action starts at 3:45 p.m. GHS senior Anna Shaheen gets ready to kick the ball at Cottone Field in Wethersfield on Sept. 30. The Guardians and Eagles settled to a 1-1 tie.
Glastonbury girls’ soccer came to a stalemate with Wethersfield during a physical game on Cottone Field at Wethersfield High School on Sept. 30, settling to a 1-1 tie. For 79 minutes and 52 seconds, the Guardians held the host Eagles without a goal, but in the closing seconds of the game Glastonbury was called for a penalty in front of their own goal. Wethersfield’s Kayla Ward capitalized on the controversial call by hammering home the penalty shot with eight second remaining as the Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) rivals finished deadlocked Glastonbury head coach Mark Landers said the official told him that one of his players pulled Ward down in front of the goal, prompting the penalty. “We can’t spend too much time on this one, we have to turn the page,” added Landers. “We were a little confused about some of the defensive stuff we’ve been working on and that confusion showed a lot today on the field. We have to learn and get better from it.” Senior Riley Carroll provided the offensive for the Guardians, scoring a goal in the 25th minute. Each team came up empty of several second half chances and it looked like Carroll’s goal would be the game-winner until the late penalty. Landers stated the team started to find some combinations on offense, which prompted shots on goal, yet attacks weren’t consistent enough throughout the entire game. Both teams entered the conference clash without a loss and both left with identical records of 5-0-2. Goalie Marla Radikas a half dozen saves in the tie, including three shots she dove to deflect away. “She’s been outstanding,” Landers said of Radikas. “Both of our ties have basically come on the last plays of the game and you learn lessons from these games.” Earlier in the week, the Guardians defeated Avon 3-0 on Sept. 27, which was the team’s third straight shutout and fourth shutout overall. Glastonbury next welcomes Lewis Mills to GHS this Friday, Oct. 7 for a game at 3:45 GHS Sports News & Notes
Busy Week for GHS Golf Glastonbury High School boys’ golf played four matches last week, winning three and improving their overall record to 10-4. On Sept 27, the Guardians beat Bloomfield (160-288) on a cool, windy day at Glastonbury Hill Country Club. Juniors Gavin Kvadus and Mike Litke were the co-medalists, each posting a 39. Kvadus had six pars in his round and Litke only needed 14 putts to complete his round. Junior Zachary Durant and senior Jared D’Angelo contributed to the team score to notch another win. The following day, GHS played in a rare quad match held at Rockledge Golf Course in West Hartford. The Guardians (168) finished third overall as a team, trailing Hall (160) and Conard (168), while defeating Newington (174). Kvadus posted a (-2) 34 to finish as the medalist, hitting six of seven greens and only needing 13 putts. Durant, D’Angelo, and Thomas rounded out the team’s scoring in the multi-school meet. “It was great to have an opportunity to play against so many teams and Rockledge is normally a course where we score very well at,” said GHS head coach Tom Zelek, who added that some of the players struggled throughout on certain holes. On Sept. 29, the Guardians rebounded with a quality win after taking their longest road trip ever for a regular season match. The team traveled to Fairfield and played at the Patterson Club Golf Course to compete against Fairfield Prep, the No. 1 ranked team in Division 1 golf, and came away with the win (157-159). Kvadus once again was a match medalist (sharing the honor with a Fairfield Prep golfer), scoring a (+2) 38 at the unfamiliar course behind a pair of birdies. Thomas finished with a 39, while D’Angelo and Durant both posted 40 to secure this victory. “We are always trying to fill out our schedule with strong competition so we secured a date to make the trip,” stated Zelek. “I couldn’t be happier with how the entire team responded when faced with an unknown course and playing with some of the most skilled players in the state.” The following day, GHS closed the hectic week with a victory over Bloomfield/International (145-263) at Wintonbury Hills Golf Course in Bloomfield. The 145 team total was the best score posted by the Guardians this fall, as the top four Guardians combined for a (+5) under ideal weather conditions for golf. Kvadus was again the match medalist, posting a 34, shooting three birdies and hitting six of nine greens. Thomas (36) had six pars and hit six greens in regulation. D’Angelo (37) and Durant (38) rounded out our scoring for the Guardians. “This is a busy week with four matches on four consecutive days, so we will have ample opportunity to work on what we need to,” said Zelek. The Guardians have consecutive home matches next week, welcoming New Britain (Oct. 11) and Wethersfield (Oct. 12) to Glastonbury Hills Country Club. Both matches start at 3 p.m. GHS Boys Soccer Remains Unbeaten Glastonbury High School boys’ soccer came to a draw with Avon before beating Conard last week, improving their record to 7-0-1 On Sept. 27, the Guardians settled for a 1-1 tie with the visiting Falcons from Avon at GHS. The game was scoreless for the first 66 minutes of the game until Vihaan Shah broke the ice when he scored with 14 minutes remaining in regulation. On the scoring play, Ben Pavano had a pretty pass to Jack Shaheen, who shot on goal and Shah followed the shot to make it 1-0. But the lead did not last for long as Avon had a cross that was initially stopped by goalie Patrick Butler and then put in to tie the game. The game remained tied for the final ten minutes of the game. In the first half, the Guardians dominated ball possession and shots on goal, including an amazing nine corner kicks, but could not put one in net. Leading the offensive attack was Pavano, Will Greelish, and Nathan Infante. Besides the late goal, Avon also couldn’t get anything going thanks to the defense of Jony Haxhi, Aiden Crean and Collin Martin. On Sept. 29, the Guardians again were spectacular on defense in a 1-0 win over Conard at GHS. It was the second meeting between the team this year, with Glastonbury also defeating the Red Wolves in West Hartford by the same 1-0 score on Sept. 8. Alex Szalkiewicz provided the only scoring when he found the back of the net after receiving a nice pass from Collin Martin with six minutes left in the first half. In the win, Grayson Haskins, Mateo Greco and Griffin Szalkiewicz made a nice addition to the starting line-up. The first half highlights included a nice shot on goal by Pavano and multiple key defensive tackles Aiden Crean. GHS next hosts Newington Thursday, Oct. 6 (today) at GHS, starting at 3:45 p.m. GHS Girls XC Wins Regional Invite On September 24, the Glastonbury girls’ cross-country won the Ocean State Invitational at Goddard Park in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. On a flatter course, right on the water, the Guardians secured first place with a score of 61 points. The held off runner-up Cornwall Central of New York by over 10 points. Competing against only eight teams from states in the New England area, all the GHS girls placed in the top 40 finishers. Lucy Bergin placed 15th and ran the team’s fastest time (19:50), followed by Kelley MacElhiney (19:56), Ava Gattinella (20:05), Jackie Dudus (20:09), Lila Garbett (20:17), and Mikayla Nedder (21:19). |
AuthorSports Editor for the Rare Reminder, Glastonbury Citizen, and Rivereast News Bulletin Archives
April 2024
Categories |