Wethersfield Wins Thriller over Newington

Senior Austin Stefano nailed a 19-yard field goal in the final seconds as Wethersfield edged Newington 20-19.

Wide receiver Tevin Walker set up the game-winning field goal when he made a spectacular one-handed catch on 4th and 18 to extend the drive.

It was the fourth straight season that Wethersfield has defeated their rival and the victory was the Eagles second in a row, finishing the season with a record of 5-5. 

The loss ended an up and down season for Newington, who lost their final three games to finish a 3-7 campaign. The Indians crowning moment of the season was upsetting Middletown 27-24 back on Oct 28.

The team will lose leading tackler Luke Pappalardo, multidimensional quarterback Isaac Ortiz, leading receiver Jared Simmons, and defensive studs Nate Alleyne and Matthew McKinnon to graduation.

Leading rusher Aveontae Frazier, along with Roberto Sanchez, Brandon Kamansky, and Connor Brennan will all be returning next season.
 
Middletown Falls to Windsor in Finale

Middletown lost in heartbreaking fashion last Wednesday night, falling to undefeated Windsor 21-17.

It was team’s sixth straight loss to Warriors of Windsor, dating back to 2009.

The Blue Dragons drove for the potential game-winning score, but quarterback Tyshaun James was stopped just short of the goal line on fourth down. 

James, who finished with 149 yards on the ground, ran for two first-half scores and Middletown led 17-9 at the break, but Windsor scored the games final dozen points, including the go-ahead score on a 90-yard fumble return.

Despite the loss, Middletown (8-2) qualified for the Class L playoffs.

Newington native Karley Welles grew up on the soccer field, idolizing footballers Mia Hamm and David Beckham.

However when high school rolled around, Welles decided to change course and join the field hockey program at Newington High.

“I always played soccer when I was younger, but I had previous ankle injuries and it got to the point that it wasn’t going to help my ankles,” said Welles, “So my freshman year I decided to try something new and I ended up falling in love with it.”

Little did she know back then that the sports swap would ultimately lead her to Southern Connecticut State University, as she continue her educational and field hockey journey.

Last Tuesday, the senior signed her letter of intent to join the Owls field hockey program at SCSU.

“I was looking at a lot of schools, but I wanted something that wasn’t too big but not too small, and something that was still close,” she reflected, “It was all about academics first. I toured the campus a couple of times and I went to games and I fell in love with it.”

Earlier this month, the Southern-bound star finished her senior season on the field for an Indians team that won nine of 15 contests and reached the postseason tournament for the third consecutive season.

The rise of the team’s success has correlated with the improvement and development of Welles, who had never played the sport prior to high school.

“I started my freshman year not knowing much about the sport and a bunch of us played on both JV and varsity. We kind of got thrown into games and I picked it up as I played. It has a lot of the same things as lacrosse or soccer,” added Welles, who has also played lacrosse since grade school, “Our freshman year we didn’t win many games, but this year we had a great record and we were in every game. We really improved as a team, so that’s a good accomplishment.”

The transition to the new sport wasn’t easy, but the natural athlete quickly picked up the nuances of the game and her skills allowed her to flourish on the field. She finished her high school career as the program’s all-time leader in goals (34), assists (35), and points scored (103).

Despite having productive sophomore and junior season, Welles again had to learn on the fly this past fall. She played forward for her first three years, but changed to center midfielder for the betterment of the team in 2016.  

“We lost a lot of people last year, so I knew I was going to have to change positions. At first it was hard because I wasn’t fully conditioned and it was a lot of running, but I got used to it and I really enjoyed it,” said the three-time all-conference honoree, “At the beginning of the season I had 71 points and to be honest I thought it would be a stretch to get to 100, especially with the new position. I was really excited to get it.”

Her ability to adapt to a new sports and a new position is not surprising for an athlete that was raised surrounded by sports. Her older brother, Tim, was an all-conference golfer at NHS and her parents, Neil and Liz, have supported her throughout her sports odyssey.

“We’ve always been a sports family. My parents have been great, giving me the opportunities to do things like HTC (Field Hockey Club). For the last year and a half we’ve been doing tournaments all over the region. They’ve put a lot of time and effort into it and I really appreciate that,” said Welles, “My dad and I would go down to the field during the summer and he would help me become a better player.”

The Welles family also helps out with the Special Olympics during the summer, which coincidentally takes place at Southern Connecticut State University.

Welles commitment to the Special Olympics isn’t limited to the summer. She has been very involved with the school’s Unified Sports program, which is sponsored by the Special Olympics and allows students with physical and intellectual disability a chance to compete and train on school-sponsored sports teams.

“That’s something I’ve really enjoyed doing,” the young volunteer added.

The soon-to-be graduate is not done competing at a high school level and is unsure if she will play lacrosse this spring or if she will follow in her brother’s footstep and give golf a try.

Either way, she’s excited about the prospect of college life and playing field hockey at the next level.

At Southern she will be playing under the guidance of head coach Kelley Frassinelli, who is entering her 23rd season on the sidelines, and assistant coach Ann Farrier, who coached Welles during club field hockey.

“I’m excited to play for coach Frassinelli and coach Ann because they’re going to help me improve my skills and help make me the best that I can be,” added Welles, who will study either education or physical therapy, “I think Southern will be a great fit for me.”

Kyle Vasquez had a Senior Night that he will not soon forget, scoring three touchdowns in Wethersfield’s 27-6 victory over Manchester last Friday night.

The win snapped a three-game losing skid for the Eagles and improved their record to 4-5.

Vasquez, who is a hardnosed running back, rushed for 116 yards and scored two of his touchdowns on the ground.

But it was his first score that was less traditional and ultimately the difference maker.

With Wethersfield leading 3-0 in the third quarter, Manchester punter Dakhari Huggins had a snap sail over his head. Huggins was able to pick up the errant ball, but Wethersfield senior Stevenson Paul jarred the ball loose again and Vazquez pounced on it in the back of the end zone.

“It feels great,” said Vasquez, “It’s big because it was our last game here and everyone was doubting us because they score a lot of point, but we stopped them on defense.”

The senior captain also led the defensive charge, tallying a pair of sacks and a handful of other quarterback hurries.

“He’s extremely quick coming off the ball and he’s hard to block,” Wethersfield head coach John Campanello said of Vasquez, “He’s done a great job on both sides of the ball and he’s having a really nice year.”

Due to high winds and bitter cold temperatures, it took a while for Eagles offense to take flight, but the special teams and defense carried the load for the first two and a half quarters.

Kicking specialist Austin Stefano provide the only first-half points when he split the uprights from 25-yard out. The senior, who is better known as ‘Stin The Kicker’, also helped the Eagles win the field position battle, pinning his first two punts inside the 10-yard line.

“He adds a whole other dimension. I’ve even attempted a 55-yard this year, which I’ve never done before,” Campanello said of Stefano, who is also one of the team’s starting wide receivers, “It’s great to have that other dimension.”

Following Vasquez special teams-score, the offense began to exert their will against the visiting Indians, who came into the game with a record of 4-4.

Converted wide receiver Brendan Dowd played the entire game at quarterback for the Eagles. The junior ignited the offense with several clock-churning quarterback draws, including five in a row to set up the second score for Vasquez, who plunged in the final yard to extend the lead to 17-0 with 4:49 left in the third quarter.

The duo was able to grind out chunks of yards on the ground thanks to the play of the guys up front. Austin Harnish, John Tine, Conor Keane, Jonathan McAlister, and Avishek Das opened sizeable holes for the backs to run through. 

Stefano added another 25-yard field goal and Vasquez polished off the scoring from four yards out with his final rushing touchdown.
Vasquez’ final touchdown was also set up by Dowd, who intercepted a pass after Manchester had cut the deficit to 20-6 on a touchdown run from Edison Galan.

On the play, the Indians were marching downfield in an effort to narrow the gap to a single score, but Dowd, who starts at middle linebacker, stepped in front of a pass from Galan and returned it 71 yards to the Manchester 14-yard line.

Dowd has done a little of everything this year and is the team’s third starting quarterback during a roller coaster season in Wethersfield. The team lost two-dozen seniors in the offseason to graduation and has battled injuries and hardship all season. Quarterbacks Tim Blaisdell and Craig Elliott, along with team captain Jamal Bagley, have missed a majority of the season due to injuries.  

“They keep on competing and they keep on battling. It hasn’t been easy, but they’re hanging in and they keep on working hard and believing,” Campanello said of the resilient team, “I was glad that they got such a nice reward by playing such a good game. I thought it was the best overall game that we’ve played all year. This was a good club, they’ve been averaging over 30 points per game and I thought in all three aspect of the game we did a really nice job tonight.”

It was the third time this season that the Eagles defense has held to opposition under ten points and their best performance since shutting out Bristol Eastern back on Sept 23. Vasquez and Dowd made the biggest impact plays, but McAlister also registered two sacks and sophomore David Colon recovered a fumble in the first half. 

The team and their 13 seniors have a chance to finish the season with as many wins as losses, if they can win their annual holiday bowl at Newington on the eve of Thanksgiving. The Eagles have won the last three contests against Newington, who will host the game and enter with a record of 3-6 following a zany 48-41 overtime loss to Conard last Friday.

“We need to practice hard all week and we need to be focused going into that game,” Vasquez said of the impending Newington game, which kicks off at 6 p.m.

“We’ve had a bit of an up and down year. To finish off winning the last two games would be a nice way to end the year,” added Campanello.

Wethersfield field hockey lost the first 13 games of the season, but won two of their final three contests to end the regular season on a high note.  The Eagles defeated Windsor 2-1 on Oct 28 behind goals from Emma Zaleski and Odalys DeJesus and then shutout Litchfield 3-0 on Senior Night thanks to a hat trick from Kaitlyn O’Brien.

Rocky Hill girls’ soccer upset Wolcott 1-0 in double overtime during the first round of the Class M tourney.  Allison Grover set up the game-winning goal with a perfect corner kick and Grace Moore finished off the point with eight minutes remaining in the second overtime. Shutdown defender Marisa Anderson and goalie Samantha Steinman help preserve the tourney shutout.

Lukas Szymecki scored with 1:25 left in double overtime, helping Wethersfield boys’ soccer defeat Maloney 1-0 in the first round of the Class L tournament. Szymecki added two more goals and an assist in a 4-1 victory at Torrington in the second-round, which advanced the Eagles to the quarterfinals.    

Cromwell girls’ volleyball was victorious in straight sets during their opening-round Class S tourney match against Two Rivers (25-8, 25-12, 25-9). Amaya Feitel had a postseason game to remember, serving up 14 aces and dishing out 13 assists.  Ashley DellaRatta added seven aces, three kills, and a block shot in the victory. The Panthers then defeated the Academy of Science and Innovation in straight sets in the second round, behind 12 kills and five aces from Victoria Cholodecki.

Middletown girls’ soccer blanked Conard 4-0 in the opening-round of the Class LL finals. Amalia Sessoms scored a pair of goals and goalie Jillian Gordon stopped every shot.  Alex Giardina and Courtney Vogel added the other two Blue Dragon goals.

Before each home game Ricky Montalvo leads the Rocky Hill football team onto the field carrying an American Flag.

“We started it this year,” said Montalvo, who offered a simple explanation for the new tradition, “It’s America.”

The middleclass may be the heartbeat of American, but Rocky Hill’s tenacious middle linebacker is the heart and soul of one of the hardest working units in the state.

Montalvo’s productivity and consistent play has earned him the respect of his opponents, teammates, and the coaching staff.

“Ricky's love for the game of football is evident in the way he plays the game.  He is passionate and energetic, always playing with emotion,” Rocky Hill head coach Mark Fritz said about his senior captain, “Ricky has that special gift that makes others he plays with better.”

The Rocky Hill native is a three-year defensive starter and was a freshman when the Terriers last reached the postseason in 2013.

“This is best senior class that we’ve had since we were freshman and I think we’ll be remembered as one of the best classes that have come through Rocky Hill,” said Montalvo, who is one of nine seniors on team’s roster, “All of our seniors start and it’s a really close group.”

As juniors, the group came within a technicality of earning a playoff berth after defeating Cromwell/Portland in the regular season finale last Thanksgiving. Montalvo was the most valuable player of that game and is hoping for similar game results, but would love a chance to compete for a state title in December.

“That would mean so much to us, because we’ve been grinding every day since sophomore year,” Montalvo said of a potential postseason berth, “We had so many sophomore starters and we’ve been talking about this ever since youth football when we won the 8th grade championship.”

The team is off to their best start since the 2013 season, winning seven of eight games. Montalvo and his defensive mates have been instrumental in the success, shutting out three opponents and holding two others to a single score.

The 5’9”, 190 pounder is the perfect leader for a defensive corps that lacks size, but more than makes up for it with speed and tenacity. Some opponents may overlook Montalvo, but soon realize that he’s a heat-seeking missile that is capable of punishing ball carriers and quarterbacks with explosive hits.

The sure-tackling middleman has led the team in solo stops for the past three seasons and his production speaks for itself, but his coach believes that it’s his sixth sense which separates him from most other defenders.

“Ricky's best attributes on the field are his instincts.  [He] has a natural feel for the game, combined with his in-depth preparation every week, “added Fritz, “Ricky plays fast, utilizing his athleticism to make up for his lack of size.  [He] has a nose for the ball and often plays on the opponent’s side of the line of scrimmage.”

His incredible instincts have allowed him to flourish and he plays the game of football with a single mindset.

“You have to be able to read your reads, watch the guards and the hips of the quarterback,” he said, “But most of all you have to be aggressive and you can’t be scared to tackle.”

Montalvo comes from an athletic family. He has three sisters, one of whom is playing soccer at Conn College and his youngest sister, Isabella Montalvo, is a freshman on the Terriers’ soccer team. 

Ricky too played soccer when he was younger, but switched to American football thanks to the influence of his father, who also played in high school.

He was instantly drawn to the contact sport and was primarily used as a running back, wearing #24 because of Marshawn Lynch, but he soon discovered that his aggressive nature was better suited on the defensive side of the ball.

Despite his tireless work as a linebacker, Montalvo often stays on the field for special teams and as a versatile weapon for Fritz and his offensive coaching staff to utilize.

“Ricky worked tremendously hard in the offseason.  It's safe to say that no one was happy with how last season ended, especially Ricky. He spent a lot of time in the weight room getting stronger and faster,” Fritz said about Montalvo’s development, “He also took more ownership of the team, and expressed his willingness to do anything it takes to help the team win.  This has been evident this season with his expanded role in the offense, playing tight end, receiver, and running back.”

Rocky Hill’s Swiss army knife would like to continue his football career in college, but he still has at least two more games remaining before he permanently unlaces his high school cleats. 

The Terriers have a road game against Berlin this Friday at Sage Park (6:30) and then the highly anticipated rematch against Cromwell/Portland at Pierson Park on the eve of Thanksgiving at 6:00 p.m.

If all goes according to plan, the flag-wielding Montalvo may have some unfinished business on the gridiron beyond Thanksgiving.

“We came into the year with a lot of motivation because of what happened last year. I feel like we have so much momentum on our side,” added Montalvo, “I feel like this is the year.”