Senior members of the Cromwell/Portland football team pose before the Panthers’ Senior Night victory over Valley Regional/Old Lyme on Oct. 28.
In what turned out to be a game for the ages, Cromwell/Portland football held off Valley Regional/Old Lyme 28-27 on Senior Night on last Friday. Late in regulation, senior defensive back Johnny Beltran deflected a pass in the end zone on a two-point conversion attempt and the Panthers recovered the ensuing onside kick to preserve the team’s 21st straight win, a streak that dates back to Nov. 27, 2019. Both Class SS teams entered the contest with undefeated records and the conference bout more than lived up to the hype. Head coach Randell Bennett credited his senior class, featuring 14 players, for defending home field on the special night. “They just dug deep, I’m happy for those guys” added Bennett. “Those guys were here as freshmen before this [streak] started and they had to take their lumps, and now they’re on top.” Playing in front of a packed house full of frenzied fans at Pierson Park, the Panthers marched 61-yards in nine plays to take a 7-0 lead on a one-yard scoring run from Alex McKiernan. The visiting Warriors then reeled off 21 straight points behind a pair of touchdown passes from Grady Lacourciere and an electrifying 55-yard punt return house call from DiAngelo Jean-Pierre. Down 14 points, Bennett reminded his team about the double-digit deficit they faced against Rocky Hill a season ago, a game they rallied to win 33-21 “Being down didn’t really rattle us,” said Bennett. “These guys just went out and executed. My hat goes off to them; their backs where against the wall.” C/P shifted momentum back in their favor with a nearly seven-minute drive capped by a touchdown from freshman Tyler Cipolla, who scooted down the right sideline to score from 21 yards out, cutting the deficit to 21-14 at the break The Panthers then recover a pair of onside kicks in the third quarter, capitalizing on both recoveries with touchdown tosses from senior quarterback Cole Brisson. Brisson connected with McKiernan on fourth down from four yards out to tie the game and then found Machi Campbell down the seam for a 23-yard scoring strike, giving the Panthers a 28-21 lead late in third quarter. Thanks to the onside kick recoveries and a punishing run game, the home Panthers dominated time of possession in the second half with the Warriors running only three plays through the first 22 minutes of the second half. After going three-and-out on their first possession of the second half, VR/OL capitalized on their second and final possession of the game when Jean-Pierre hit Jacob Rand from 32-yard out to trim the deficit to a single point with 1:08 to play in regulation. Following the score, the Warriors opted for the potential go-ahead two-point conversion rather than tie the game with an extra point. Beltran, who was playing cornerback, then came up with the play of the game, diving to break up a pass in the end zone that was thrown by Jean Pierre and intended for Michael Galbreath. Beltran said he read Pierre’s eyes on the crucial play, adding, “I knew he was going to throw it when he bailed out to my side. I knew he wasn’t going to rush and I knew he needed to throw it.” The diving deflection saved the winning streak and provided the seniors even more reason to celebrate. “That earned him a lot of respect with his teammates tonight,” Bennett said of Beltran’s heroics. Brisson called the back-and-forth battle “the best game I’ve been part of” but quickly noted that the win is only the latest achievement in the Panthers quest to repeat as state champions. Next up is a game against the co-op of Coginchaug/Hale Ray/East Hampton, who happens to be the last team to defeat the Panthers. By the time the game kicks off at Coginchaug High School on Nov. 4, it will have been nearly three years (1,084 days) since the Panthers last loss.
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Maya Kozlowski - Newington High School (Volleyball): Kozlowski was named the Player of the Match as the Nor’easters defeated Wethersfield in three sets (25-13, 25-13, 25-16) on Oct. 27. Kozlowski, a senior, tallied a team-high nine kills, three digs, a pair of aces, and a block for a Newington team that won the final seven games of the regular season. Kozlowski finished top-five on the team statistically in kills, aces, and blocks.
Sarah Roberts - Mercy High School (Cross Country): Roberts placed 7th overall at the Class M championships, running a 20:35 at Wickham Park on Oct. 29. Roberts, a freshman, led a Tigers team that finished at the runner-ups at the championships as Leilani Duong-Vazquez (20th), Beatrice Perrault (22nd), Caroline Phillips (27th), and Calista Nephew (37th) rounded out the top five Mercy runners. Brynn Kovac - Cromwell High School (Volleyball): Kovac, a senior captain, had a team-high 14 digs as the Panthers beat New London in three sets (25-20, 25-11, 25-18) to win their first games of the season on Oct. 22. Kovac is the team-leader in aces, digs, and assists—along with having the second most kills—this fall. Kovac’s younger sister, Piper Kovac, added five kills and a pair of aces in the win over New London. Frankie Guerrera - Rocky Hill High School (Football): Guerrera had one of the greatest games in the history of Rocky Hill football, scoring six touchdowns and making all six of his extra point attempts at the Terriers destroyed Lewis Mills 42-7 on Oct. 28. The senior captain ran for 169 yards on 15 carries, scoring five times on the ground, and added five catches for 94 yards and another score through the air. Guerrera and the rest of the Rocky Hill seniors will be recognized on Senior Night this Friday, Nov. 4 when they host East Catholic at 7 p.m. Owen Martin – Xavier High School (Cross Country): Martin won a state championship, running a time of 16:08, at the Class L state meet at Wickham Park on Oct. 29. The sophomore held off runner-up Collin Walsh of New Milford by six seconds as the Falcons finished first overall as a team thanks to Martin and a balanced team that had four top-ten finishes. Following a solid season on the links as a sophomore, Glastonbury High School junior Gavin Kvadus took his game to another level this fall.
Head coach Tom Zelek said Kvadus returned as a more polished golfer and seasoned leader, calling him a “student of the game.” “He’s improved in all aspects of his game. He’s at a whole different level than most players out there, both mentally and physically,” added Zelek, who named Kvadus a team captain. “We needed someone that could take that leadership role and he has a rapport with the other kids. He is now a role model for the other kids to look up to.” With an extra year of golf under his belt, Kvadus produced outstanding results from day one. He finished the 2022 regular season as a top-ten golfer statistically in the state and then tied atop the leaderboard at the Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) championships on Oct. 20. Assuming the team’s lead role as both a player and a captain was something that Kvadus learned from 2022-graduates Conner Goode and Charlie Dolan, who are currently playing golf collegiately at the University of Connecticut and McDaniel College in Maryland, respectively. “They showed me what it really means to be a leader. You could see how much older and more mature they were than me at the time and now I’ve really tried to mold myself into that role,” stated Kvadus, who also leaned on current seniors Jared D’Angelo and Sean Sullivan this fall. “As a junior I’m held to a higher standard when it comes to maturity. Now I’m trying to set a standard on how we act out on the course.” Consistency is one of Kvadus’ strengths. He finished as the medalist or co-medalist in 12 of the team’s 16 meets this fall, shooting a season-best 33 against New Britain on Oct. 11 and posted a round of 34 three other times. Kvadus also was the co-medalist in the team’s upset victory over Fairfield Prep on Sept. 29, tying the state’s no. 4 ranked golfer, Robbie Rosati, atop the leaderboard. Fairfield, who would finish as the top-ranked team in the regular season, was undefeated before hosting the Guardians the Patterson Club. “None of our kids had ever played there before,” recalled Zelek. “The kids went in there with the right attitude and the course was gorgeous.” Despite playing the course for the first time, Kvadus shot a 38 as the Guardians defeated the Jesuits on their home course by two strokes. “I was proud of myself, but I was more proud at how the team played,” recalled Kvadus. “It showed us that we can play at the high level and beat the better teams in the state.” Zelek said it is Kvadus’ dedication in the offseason that has contributed to his success. “He has improved steadily every year. He plays summer golf and puts the time and effort into his game. He takes it very seriously,” said. Zelek At the CCC finals, Kvadus battled cold and windy conditions to tie with three other golfers, posting a (+2) 73 over the 18 holes at Stanley Golf Course in New Britain. The highlight was an eagle that Kvadus sank on the 6th hole when he chipped in his second shot on a par-four. Zelek stated that playing in the adverse conditions made Kvadus’ score even more impressive, adding, “Gavin proved himself once again as one of the best high school golfers in the state.” The Guardians finished in 5th place out of 15 teams involved. D’Angelo, Zachary Durant, and sophomore Thomas Derek completed the team scoring for in the conference finals. “I’m proud of how we represented Glastonbury as all scores were higher under the challenging conditions,” added Zelek. “The team gained a lot of experience as they played with very talented players from throughout our conference.” For Kvadus, the success has been great. But it’s his expanded mentorship role that he’s embraced. That role will only increase next year when he will head a strong senior class that will include Durant, Dylan Goode, Michael Litke, and Stephan Crouse. “Gavin knows a lot of thing and I’ve heard on a numerous of occasions helping the kids out and the kids are receptive because they know how good he is and how knowledgeable he is,” said Zelek. Kvadus added, “It’s been fun for me to help them out with whatever they need on the course. To see them execute that and see their scores go lower, that’s really cool for me.” Maya Kozlowski - Newington High School (Volleyball): Kozlowski was named the Player of the Match as the Nor’easters defeated Wethersfield in three sets (25-13, 25-13, 25-16) on Oct. 27. Kozlowski, a senior, tallied a team-high nine kills, three digs, a pair of aces, and a block for a Newington team that won the final seven games of the regular season. Kozlowski finished top-five on the team statistically in kills, aces, and blocks.
Sarah Roberts - Mercy High School (Cross Country): Roberts placed 7th overall at the Class M championships, running a 20:35 at Wickham Park on Oct. 29. Roberts, a freshman, led a Tigers team that finished at the runner-ups at the championships as Leilani Duong-Vazquez (20th), Beatrice Perrault (22nd), Caroline Phillips (27th), and Calista Nephew (37th) rounded out the top five Mercy runners. Brynn Kovac - Cromwell High School (Volleyball): Kovac, a senior captain, had a team-high 14 digs as the Panthers beat New London in three sets (25-20, 25-11, 25-18) to win their first games of the season on Oct. 22. Kovac is the team-leader in aces, digs, and assists—along with having the second most kills—this fall. Kovac’s younger sister, Piper Kovac, added five kills and a pair of aces in the win over New London. Frankie Guerrera - Rocky Hill High School (Football): Guerrera had one of the greatest games in the history of Rocky Hill football, scoring six touchdowns and making all six of his extra point attempts at the Terriers destroyed Lewis Mills 42-7 on Oct. 28. The senior captain ran for 169 yards on 15 carries, scoring five times on the ground, and added five catches for 94 yards and another score through the air. Guerrera and the rest of the Rocky Hill seniors will be recognized on Senior Night this Friday, Nov. 4 when they host East Catholic at 7 p.m. Owen Martin – Xavier High School (Cross Country): Martin won a state championship, running a time of 16:08, at the Class L state meet at Wickham Park on Oct. 29. The sophomore held off runner-up Collin Walsh of New Milford by six seconds as the Falcons finished first overall as a team thanks to Martin and a balanced team that had four top-ten finishes. GHS seniors Evelyn Brenton (left) and Meghan Cegielski get ready for a serve against Coventry on Oct. 25. Brenton and Cegielski were two of seven seniors celebrated on Senior Night against East Hartford on Oct. 27.
Following a head coaching change and a loss to Simsbury, Glastonbury High School volleyball responded with a victory over Coventry on Oct. 25 and then closed the regular season with a Senior Night triumph over East Hartford on Oct. 27. In a four-set win (25-21, 24-26, 25-21, 25-11) over Coventry, senior captain Evelyn Brenton had 12 kills and four blocks to propel the Guardians to victory. The win came on the heels of a disappointing three-set home loss to Simsbury the previous night. Brenton said the team entered the game against Coventry with a little extra motivation. “We weren’t in the right mindset. If we had a chance to replay them we would do a lot better,” Brenton said of the Simsbury loss. “We just tried to keep our confidence up.” Melissa Reynolds, who took over the head coaching duties prior to the Simsbury game, said the team didn’t respond well defensively against Simsbury and tweaked a few things before to the bout with Coventry. “Coventry is a ridiculously good serving team too and we wanted to respond better than we did against Simsbury,” said Reynoldd, who previously coached the varsity program from 2000-2009. “Instead of shutting down and letting it get into our heads, we stayed positive and I felt like we improved on that.” Reynolds started the season as the junior varsity coach before recently taking over the varsity duties as well, replacing Tony Sanith, who departed for personal reasons. Benton, who is one of seven seniors, said it took a few days for the team to get used to the coaching translation before they turned the page by remaining positive. “We just came together as a team and we thought of what we could do to make everything okay for us. We stuck together,” added Brenton. “Melissa was a really good big help with that. She tried to keep us calm and stable, and wanted to keep everyone happy and upbeat.” Coventry entered GHS on a six-match winning streak and it took some time for the Guardians to find their footing against the visiting Patriots. After dropping the first four points in the opening set and then falling behind 16-10, Glastonbury responded by reeling off nine of the next 11 points to take a lead they would not relinquish. Benton started the scoring spree with a block and senior Meghan Cegielski had a pair of kills during the run. Kayla Valenches ended the set with a soft tap over the net. Reynolds credited the 6’2” Benton for her leadership and adaptability, saying she was naturally a middle hitter but has moved to the outside so the team could utilize her skills on both levels. “She has really stepped into the role. She’s learning a whole new position while being a leader,” said Reynolds. “She has shown tremendous growth. I’m proud of how well she’s responded.” After dropping the second set and falling behind early in the third set, the Guardians again responded by closing the set on an 11-3 run midway through the set, which was highlighted by a block by Benton. Cegielski, who finished the match with 10 digs and nine kills, ended the set with a spike after junior libero Rebecca Lavoie had two diving digs, including a nifty one-hander. With the momentum firmly on their side, Glastonbury jumped out to a quick lead in the decisive fourth set and never looked back. Benton had a thunderous spike during an eight-point run and then had a kill to seal the match. Reynold’s daughter, freshman setter McKenna Reynold, came off the bench to spark the team in the win, dishing up a team-high 21 assists. Benton said she liked how the team responded to the loss to Simsbury and during the adversity against Coventry, adding, “When everyone is positive and we move a lot and we talk a lot, we can be really good.” Two nights later, the Guardians celebrated the celebrated the seven seniors on Senior Night. Benton, Cegielski, Valenches, Jordyn Mik, Emily Wallace, Sarah Wild, and Anna Morris were honored prior to the team beating the Hornet of East Hartford in three-sets. The win wrapped up a 13-6 regular season for Glastonbury. Reynolds, who knew most of the seniors prior to the season from coaching club volleyball, said the seasoned seven have welcomed her in with open arms. “They’re great; they are all leaders,” Reynolds said of her seniors, “Some of them I’ve known for a really long time; they really helped lead the whole transition.” With the Class LL state tournament staring next week, Benton said the seniors are cherishing each game on the court, adding, “We want to do our best every game. We want to end with a bang and leave our mark at Glastonbury.” |
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April 2024
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