Wethersfield High School swimming head coach Lee Schwartzman pictured with his Class M record-breaking 200 Freestyle Relay team of Milena Brodowicz, Morgan Tracy, Jilian Pitchell, and Sabrina Schuster.

Wethersfield High School’s girls swimming and diving recently wrapped up the program’s “most accomplished” season under longtime head coach Lee Schwartzman

Along with setting numerous high marks as a team, the Eagles’ 200 Freestyle Relay team created history on Nov. 14 by breaking the Class M state record.

The foursome of Milena Brodowicz, Morgan Tracy, Jilian Pitchell, and Sabrina Schuster combined to swim a 1:37.60, besting the previous mark of 1:38.08 – held by New Canaan since 2009.

Schwartzman stated that, along with being individual standout swimmers, the members of the record-breaking relay worked harmoniously together to create the memorable moment at Southern Connecticut State University. 

It is also noteworthy that each member of the relay team represents a different grade level — spanning the Class of 2024 to the
Class of 2027. 

Brodowicz, a sophomore, was first in the water for the historic swim, saying, “I think it’s important to get a good start for the team. Once we have a lead, we don’t want to lose it.”

Tracy, a freshman, entered the pool second. She admitted to being a bit nervous waiting on the starting blocks, but once she was in the water the nerves melted away.

“We were ahead and I had to keep it going,” stated Tracy, who added that she never envisioned being part of any state records in her first season at WHS

In the third position was Pitchell, who echoed Tracy’s sentiments.

“I just had to keep up with the lead — that is all I was thinking,” stated Pitchell, a junior.  

Once Pitchell finished up, it was Schuster’s turn to bring home the record. 

Schuster, a senior, had won both the 50 Freestyle and 100 Freestyle earlier in the meet and wasn’t about to let the opportunity slip away

 “We all had goal times going into the meet; we all knew what we had to do to get the record,” added Schuster. “We were on pace, now I just had to hold up my end and go as fast as I can to get the record.”

Once Schuster touched, she immediately looked up and saw the record-breaking time on the board as the celebration began.

“With all four of us it made it so much more fun,” stated Pitchell. “It’s something we all did together.”

The idea of breaking the record came about in late-October – in the week leading up to the conference championships – when Brodowicz and Schuster approached Schwartzman about the possibility. 

Schwartzman went to work, figuring out all the possible paths to the record and sending the four detailed ways to achieve it. 
“I obsessed over it for two and a half weeks.” Schwartzman said with a smile.

Once the state championships arrive, not only did the 200 Free Relay deliver a record-breaking performance, but the entire team delivered. The Eagles placed second overall at the Class M championship, matching the 2014 team that also placed second at the class meet. 

Along with taking home individual state titles in the 50 and 100 Freestyle, Schuster broke the varsity record in the 100 Free, finishing with a time of 52.52 at the class meet.

Schuster, Brodowicz, Pitchell, and Maddison Kelly closed the meet by winning the 400 Freestyle relay.  

“I feel like we all worked really hard leading up to the class meet and we all had a huge goal in mind,” stated Schuster. “I have never been part of a team so motivated to get goals, so it was pretty awesome to fulfill those goals.”

The team carried over the momentum from their Class M finish to the State Open where they finished 6th overall as a team. The program’s previous high at the State Open was 9th. 

At the State Open, Pitchell set an individual record of her own by swimming a 24.15 to break the program record in the 50 Freestyle. 

Pitchell noted it’s the competiveness and the closeness of the team that allows the swimmers to have success in the big moments.

“My teammates were even more excited than I was,” Pitchell said of her record. “Everyone is so supportive.”

The success at the State Open wrapped an unforgettable fall for the Eagles, who finished officially undefeated for the first time since 2017 (also posting an unbeaten record during the Covid-19 restricted season in 2020). They also captured another conference title, the team’s 15th in a row.

Outside of Schuster, who is headed to Bryan University to swim, most of the Eagles top swimmers are slated to return in 2024. 
After having statistically the best year in program history, Schwartzman noted, “There’s only a couple of ways we can go up from here.”

The WHS swimming and diving team after taking second place in the Class M championships at Southern Connecticut State University.

Newington High School senior Akari Rosemond made the most of his last game on Alumni Field, scoring three touchdowns as the Nor’easters defeated Wethersfield 39-13 on Nov. 22. 

“I’m doing it for the family,” said Rosemond, who had 127 total yards from scrimmage. “It’s my senior year and I had to make something happen, something to remember.”

The win marked the Nor’easters third straight victory over Wethersfield in the annual game dubbed the ‘Thanksgiving Classic’, which dates back to 1976. Newington now holds a 26-19-1 lead in the all-time series.

Newington head coach John Acquavita praised his team for playing a “complete game” on both sides of the ball.

The 39 points were a season-high for the Nor’easters offense and the 13 points allowed were a season-best for the defense.

“The kids played hard, there’s nothing more that you can ask for,” added Acquavita. “Today they played a full football game.”

It hadn’t been an easy year for either team heading into the annual rivalry game. Wethersfield entered Newington winless and, following a season-opening win, the Nor’easters had lost eight straight.   

But it was Newington who took control early thanks to a defensive score by lineman Kuba Gaska, who picked off a pass inside Wethersfield the five-yard line and returned it for a touchdown with 6:10 to play in the first quarter. 

“It was special, really special,” Gaska said of the pick-six.

Acquavita said it was fitting that Gaska, a senior captain, would score in the finale.

“You couldn’t have asked [for that to happen] to a better dude in his last game,” added Acquavita.

The defensive score energized the home team’s offense, which scored touchdowns on four of their next six possessions. 
With just under two minutes to play in the first quarter, sophomore Josiah Sims blasted up the middle for a 25-yard touchdown run to make it 12-0.

Rosemond then scored the team’s next three touchdowns, hauling in a 12-yard scoring strike from junior quarterback Enzo Corvino with 9:48 to play in the second quarter before rushing for a three-yard score on fourth down with 3:10 to play in the first half. 

The dynamic athlete, who switched between playing outside as a receiver and in the backfield behind center, then ran the ball in from 33-yards out of the team’s first possession of the second half, increasing Newington’s lead to 32-7. 

Senior Nathan Clark put the finishing touches on the victory by catching a 13-yard touchdown from Corvino, who scrambled around before finding Clark up the left sideline. 

Corvino, who completed 9 of 16 passes for 139 yards and the two scores, credited the team’s offensive line for allowing him to spread the ball around, adding that it “felt amazing” to close the season with a victory. 

Acquavito added, “The turkey always tastes better with a ‘W’.”

For Wethersfield, the loss wrapped up a season in which they lost all ten games as they battled both a brutal schedule and injuries this fall.

In the 26-point loss in Newington, junior quarterback Cam Righi, who missed a portion of the season with a shoulder injury, tossed a touchdown to senior captain Jova’n Hill in the first half. Dhallas Morgan added a touchdown on the ground in the second half. 

Wethersfield head coach Matt McKinnon, who had led the program to two playoff appearances in the previous three seasons, thanked his seniors following the game.   

“It’s not easy going out this way, especially after the seasons we’ve had. But they showed up every day and led by example,”
McKinnon said of his departing players. “The message to the returners is to remember this feeling. So in January when we are in
the squat rack you can think about this and let it drive you and fuel you.” 

Newington finished with a record of 2-8, bookending the season with victories in the program’s first year under Acquavito. 

​*For a detailed look at the Nor’easters entire 2023 season, check out next week’s Rare Reminder* 

Bacon Academy girls soccer pose after winning the program’s first state championship, defeating top-seed Suffield in the Class M state championship game in Hartford. 

In what turned out to be a championship match for the ages, Bacon Academy girls soccer outlasted previously undefeated Suffield 2-1 on penalty kicks (11-10) to win a state championship on Nov. 18 at Trinity Health Stadium in Hartford. 

Once the dust had settled on the epic match, the Bobcats had earned the program’s first state title, leaving the Capital City as the Class M state champions,  

Junior goalie Liz Glover earned the Most Valuable Player award after scoring on a pair of penalty kicks, including the championship-clincher, and stopping four of Suffield’s penalty kicks. 

Glover said that it was a surreal feeling once she netted the final kick to cement the title. 

“I was so happy that I even made it in, and turning around to see my entire team rush the field and hearing all of our fans cheering was just incredible,” stated Glover. “This being the first year Bacon Academy girls soccer has ever made an appearance at the state finals was already such a huge accomplishment for us and our program, but winning was something else entirely.”

Midway through the first half, sophomore Alyssa Blanchette provided Bacon Academy a 1-0 lead after getting an assist from junior Katherine Novak.

Suffield’s Hazel Qua knotted the match late in regulation to send it into extras. 

After 100 minutes of game play — including a pair of 10-minute overtime periods — the sun had set on the stadium and the game remained tied before going into PKs.

That’s when Glover went to work and delivered her MVP-moment. 

“Being named the MVP of the match was something I truly never thought was possible about nine months ago,” stated Glover, who suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tear earlier this year.  

She called the grueling recovery “one of the hardest things I’ve had to do, but being here now it is definitely all worth it. I could not be prouder of the team, the coaches, and everyone who put in so much work to get us here.”

Head coach Matt Rafala said that Glover put in “extraordinary” hard work while rehabbing, saying she had a “calming effect” on the team when she returned from injury this season.  

Similar to Glover’s recovery, The Bobcats journey to the state title match was also a roller coaster. 

Following an 11-4-1 regular season, the team was ousted in the first round of the Eastern Connecticut Conference (ECC) tourney.
But once the state tourney began, Bacon began to sizzle, starting with a pair of convincing home win over Oxford (5-1) in the first round and Windham (3-0) in round two. 

The Bobcats, who entered the state tourney as the No 11 seed, then went on the road for the quarterfinals round and upset No. 3
Granby Memorial 3-2, winning on penalty kicks (4-2) to advance to the semifinals. 

It was the team’s second straight trip to the semifinals, losing to Mercy High School at Willow Brook Park in New Britain a year ago.
This fall, they made the most of their return trip to the turf at Willow Brook, defeating No. 2 seed and unbeaten Woodland 1-0 on Nov. 14.  

With 5:02 left in regulation, sophomore Mia Hageman scored a goal that proved to be the difference when she sent home a shot after receiving a perfect lead pass from Blanchette. 

“I was running as hard as I could because I wanted to get a goal, and I saw open space,” recalled Hageman.

Glover and the Bobcats defense, led by senior captains Emily Ferrigno and Cara Shea, blanked the Hawks from Beacon Falls, who had scored eight goals over their first three tourney games.  

“We all have such good defensive chemistry; we all talk a lot” Glover said of the defensive unit. “It makes it easy when I have these girls in front of me.”

Rafala believed the experience the team gained in the semifinals a year ago paid dividends. 

“Most of the players that played in that game last year, played in that game tonight,” Rafala said after the team advance to their first state title match. “They’ve played in big moments before and they’ve been on a mission this year.”

But it wasn’t ‘mission accomplished’ until after the Bobcats beat Suffield, who had won their previous 20 games this fall, in the state championship match.  

Now, the 2023 Bobcats will officially go down in history.  

“Being a part of this team will always hold a special place in my heart,” stated Glover. “The girls are like my second family, and this was a year I will never ever forget.”

From left; sophomore standouts Alyssa Blanchette and Mia Hageman, along with senior captains Emily Ferrigno and Cara Shea celebrate the Bobcats thrilling state title victory.  

RHAM High School girls volleyball team won a third straight CIAC state title, defeating Joel Barlow in the championship match on Nov. 18.  The win was the program’s 10th state championship overall. 

For the third straight season, girls volleyball at RHAM High School has been crowed state champions. 

The Raptors defeated Joel Barlow in four sets (25-22, 16-25, 25-22, 25-18) in the Class M title match on Nov. 18 at East Haven High School, capturing the program’s 10th state championship –– with five of those titles coming in the last seven seasons.

In the latest title triumph, Lani Fecho led the way with 27 kills and a dozen digs. Fecho, who was named the Class M tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), is one of a half dozen seniors that will be graduating having never lost a state tournament match. 

When the current seniors entered the high school as freshman in 2020, volleyball was restricted because of the Covid-19 pandemic and there was no postseason or state tournament play. The Raptors still finished undefeated (13-0) in the regular season during the shortened season. 

“Winning this year is the best possible way we could have ended our high school careers. None of the seniors are playing in college, so for us to end this way was incredible,” stated Fecho. “To say that we won a state title every year we could is amazing.”

RHAM’s journey to their latest state title was a little more unique than the previous two seasons because the team had to battle their way through a loaded state tournament bracket, featuring an undefeated team and three teams with only one loss.  

In 2021 the Raptors were the No. 1 seed in the state tourney, breezing through the bracket before beating Simsbury in three sets in the Class L championship match. A year ago, they didn’t lose a single set in the 2022 Class M tourney, which culminated with a sweep of Woodland in the title match. 

After graduating a pair of all-conference players from the 2022 team, RHAM dropped three regular season matches and entered the 2023 state tourney in an unfamiliar territory as a No. 6 seed. One of the Raptors regular season losses was to Joel Barlow, who finished 18-1 and earned the No. 1 seed.    

In order to hang banner No. 10, RHAM needed to beat the top three ranked teams in Class M .

“Last year we lost a bunch of strong seniors, and the underclassmen really had to step up this year,” stated Fecho. “We were super close as a team, and I think it really paid off in the end.”

Once the tourney started, RHAM had to grind out wins over No. 3 Suffield in the quarterfinals, No. 2 Northwestern in the semifinals, before eventually avenging the regular season loss to Joel Barlow in the title tilt. 

In the quarterfinals victory over Suffield, the Raptors dropped the first two sets before rallying to win the last three (14-25, 22-25, 25-21, 25-13, 17-15).

Fecho had career-highs in kills (35) and digs (39) in the marathon match, while freshman Rian Calhoun served up a career-high 36 assists. 

In the semifinals win over Northwestern, junior setter Nina Jobes shined, dishing up a career-high 48 assists as the Raptors dominated the final two sets (25-11, 25-12) after splitting the first two frames.  

Jobes continued to spread the wealth in the title match, tallying 46 assists against Joel Barlow. Helping Fecho near the net in the championship match was sophomores Meredith Weir and Cecelia Zito. Weir registered 21 kills and Zito had a game-high eight blocks to lead a defensive charge that also got a team-high 22 digs from junior Neve Tyler. 

Along with a third straight team title, the Raptors also had six players selected All- Central Connecticut Conference (CCC).  Of the all-conference players, only Fecho and Marina McLaughlin will be graduating 

​Jobes, Weir, Tyler, and Caitlin Rydel will all return following all-conference seasons as the team eyes a fourth straight title, which
would duplicate the program’s run from 2007-2010 when RHAM won four consecutive state championships.    

No. 13 Connor Finnerty celebrates a touchdown catch in the second quarter with No. 20 Joshua Smith as No. 79 Jayden Tenney comes over to join the celebration. Photo credit – Glastonbury Sports Photography.  
​
After losing 27 seniors and 10 offensive starters from the 2022 playoff team, the Glastonbury High School football team had a lot of unknowns coming into what looked like a rebuilding year this fall.

But the Guardians exceeded expectations, closing the regular season by winning three of their final four games to finish with a 5-5 record. 

Last Friday night they put an exclamation point on the regular season, defeating Simsbury 21-7 at GHS. 

“All week we talked about 5-5 sounding a lot better than 4-6,” head coach Eric Hennessy said following the 14-point victory. “It may not be the record we dreamed of or aspire for around here, but with this young group it’s actually huge.” 

Freshman running back Dante Casdia was a workhorse, rushing for 186 yards and scoring two touchdowns on 34 carries to lead an efficient offense that put together three long-sustaining drives. 

Casdia said it was important for the team to give the seniors the proper sendoff at home. 

“It feels great, we dedicated this game to them,” added Casdia. “I left it all out on the field for them.”

After the Guardians defense forced the visiting Trojans into a three-and-out on the game’s opening possession, the Guardians offense marched 47 yards in six plays to take the lead on five-yard touchdown from Casdia, who scampered around the right end for the game’s opening score with 7:39 to play in the first quarter. 

The Guardians then marched 78 yards on a dozen plays on their second possession, which culminated with an 11-yard scoring blast up the middle from Casdia. 

Casdia credited the guys up front, saying of the team’s offensive line, “They are the reason why I could do that and get those yards and touchdowns – it’s all them.”

Hennessy said they knew they had something special in Casdia in training camp, adding that he showed the “instincts” which began to translate onto the field about midway through the season.

“He does things you can’t coach,” added Hennessy. “There’s a bright, bright future for that young man.” 

Late in the first half, Glastonbury used a little razzle-dazzle to add a third touchdown. 

 Sophomore quarterback Connor Finnerty handed the ball to Luke Shannon who rolled to his right before firing a pass towards the left sideline which Finnerty hauled in for a 25-yard touchdown, putting the home team up 21-0 with 1:40 left in the second quarter.

Shannon was the team’s quarterback for a majority of the season, but Hennessy said that Finnerty has grown into the position after excelling at the junior varsity level, earning the start for the finale. 

“It allows us to get the ball in Luke’s hands more and keep defenses honest,” stated Hennessy.  “You saw a little of the blueprint for the future.”

Finnerty and Shannon rotated behind center throughout the game and combined to complete 11 or 12 passes as the Guardians were nearly flawless through the air. 

But it was the Guardians defense that closed the door. The seven points were the fewest the team allowed in a game all season. 
Luke Lavery led the charge with 13 tackles and also intercepted a pass. Lavery, a junior, finished with a team-high 91 tackles this season. 

Middle linebacker Nick Filiault had 10 tackles and two sacks, while Luke Barran also posted 10 tackles. 

Senior captain Sean Stebbins said the team talked about protecting home field prior to the finale. 

“It’s special, real special. It’s always good to leave on a win,” added Stebbins. “We came out and here and showed what we could do.”

Stebbins is one of six seniors that leave the turf at GHS on a high note. Five of the six seniors have been with the team since their freshman year in 2020, which was the year canceled because of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Hennessy called his seniors “a tight group” that approached each practice with a workman-like attitude.  

After starting the season with a 21-7 loss in Danbury, the Guardians quickly grew up as a team, winning a thrilling game in week two in Middletown when Camden Combs scored a strip-six when he ripped the ball out of Zy'Kie Askew hands late in regulation before scoring a touchdown. A two-point conversion run by Shannon secured the team’s first victory of the season (14-13). 
Glastonbury also defeated rival East Hartford (26-8) in the team’s home opener on Sept. 28 and earned back-to-back victories over New Britain (22-20) and Conard (37-10) in weeks seven and eight. 

“We took some stumbles along the way and took out lumps, but we continued to come back and continued that process of getting 1% better every day, and it shows,” said Hennessy. “We are truly a better football team now than when we started the season and as a coach that is really the only thing that you can ask for.”

Seven GHS girls cross-country runners finished the 2023 season by competing in Maine earlier this month. From left: Maya Drelichowski, Ava Gattinella, Lila Garbett, Brooke Strauss, Olivia McKay, Jackie Dudus, and Abby Mathew represented the Guardians at the New England Championship in Belfast, ME.  Assistant coach Brian Gaudreau is pictured with the runners.
 
After four illustrious years on the local trails, seniors Jackie Dudus and Ava Gattinella wrapped up their cross-country careers at Glastonbury High School by helping the Guardians to a fourth-place finish at the New England Championship in Maine on Nov. 11.

The team’s finish was the highest of any Connecticut team at the six-state event, which also featured high school teams from Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. 

Junior Brooke Strauss was the first runner from Connecticut to cross the finish line, placing third with a time of 17:49.72, earning her All-New England honors. 

For Dudus and Gattinella, who also run together during indoor and outdoor track seasons, it was their last chance to help a Guardians cross-country program that has been a consistent force since their arrivals.  

“I’m honored, it’s been so great to be part of such a good team,” said Dudus. “There is a lot of competition between ourselves and each one of us pushes each other to do better. I don’t think a lot of people get that chance to be with such a competitive team, so I am grateful to be part of it.”

Gattinella added, “Running three seasons in a row makes us a lot closer [and] we’ve all become super close.”

The current group of seniors entered the high school when the Covid-19 pandemic was still limiting competition. 
As freshmen in 2020, they now-senior runners experienced a restricted fall season with only a few regular season meets and no postseason races in the state.

But over the past three years, the team has made up for the lost time by winning a pair of Class LL titles (2021 and 2022), along with bringing home the State Open title last fall – the program’s first since 2017.

In the State Open victory a year ago, Strauss won the event overall, while Dudus (16th) and Gattinella (21st) rounded out the returning Guardians runners that scored at the meet. 

Head coach Brian Collins commended Dudus and Gattinella for continuing to compete this season despite injury and illness setbacks. 

“They both put a lot of time and effort into it,” added Collins, “Every single sport, every single team goes through sickness and injuries and you hope and pray that it’s not at the wrong time and it was our turn. It’s part of it and you have to live with it.”

Despite the obstacles this season, the team still finished as the runner-up at the Class LL meets and third overall at the State Open. 

Prior to the trip to Maine, Gattinella said the team was going to make the most of their final road trip, while Dudus reflected on the last four years, referring to the team a “second family.”

“We’ve been lucky to have this experience.” Dudus added. “It’s really hard to see a future without the team, but eventually it has to end.”

The team made the most of their time in Maine as the Guardians got revenge on the two teams that edged them at states, besting both Greenwich and Cheshire, who finished one and two in the State Open. 

GHS runners scoring behind Strauss were junior Lila Garbett (58th / 19:17.23), sophomore Abby Mathew (97th / 19:59), Dudus (107th / 20:06), and Gattinella (116th / 20:11). Olivia McKay (20:52) and Maya Drelichowski (22:02) also competed in the event in Belfast, ME.

Drelichowski, a senior who ran cross-country for the first time this fall, said she has enjoyed her experience during her first season on the trails.

“It’s been a lot of fun and you get to push yourself and see how far you can get,” she added. “Everyone is so nice and we all support each other and work off each other to get better,” she added.

Following the class meet, Strauss credited the seniors for having a big influence on her, adding, “I will miss them a lot. They were a year older than me when I came in, but some of them were kind of the reason I joined cross-country.”

“It’s really awesome how friendly everyone is,” added Strauss. “We practice six days a week for two hours, so we spend a lot of time
with each other and have gotten super close”

With Strauss again leading the pack next fall, the team will again be in position to compete against the best teams in the state and regionally. 

Collins said that losing three seniors in his top seven runners this year will be hard to replace, but added that the departing seniors are leaving after having set a positive example. 

​“We appreciate what each of these girls have done and the effort they put in,” added Collins. “To see them keep improving from one season to the next has been special.” 

Mckenna Reynolds (#3) gives junior Alexis Wolf a double high-five as Reynolds is introduced at GHS last Tuesday night. Reynolds, a sophomore setter, surpassed 1,000 career assists during the Guardians second round win on Nov. 9.   

Prior to the team’s opening state tournament game last Tuesday, the three seniors on the Glastonbury High School volleyball team talked about making sure they defend home court. 

Amanda LeClair, Becca Lavoie, and Sam Edelheit did exactly that, each doing their part in a three set win (25-9, 25-10, 25-5), sweeping Enfield in the first round Class LL tournament victory on Nov. 7 at GHS. 

“We just really wanted to do our best and leave it all on the court,” LeClair said following the victory. 

LeClair led a balanced group up front with seven kills, while juniors Lauren Mosca, Kara Shea, and Peighton Snyder each added five.
After winning the first two sets handily, the Guardians put an exclamation point on the victory with a nearly flawless finishing set. 

Glastonbury used a 16-1 run early in the third set to build an insurmountable lead. The run was highlighted by a one-handed diving save by Lavoie that set up a kill by Shea. 

Edelheit came off the bench in the third set to spark the team, registering all three of her kills in the final frame before LeClair ended the set with a kill to put the finishing touches on the tourney win.

“We did a drill in practice about finishing strong,” noted Edelheit. “Our coach told us how we play here will set the stage for states. We wanted to come out strong and finish strong.”

Lavoie added that the seniors have tried to soak in these final matches as much as possible, adding that the trio has enjoyed mentoring the next generation of Guardians  

“I love the up and coming [players]. They are all super talented,” added Lavoie. “I’m absolutely thrilled to play with all of them; they make me want to be better and do the best I can.”

Coming into the first round match, head coach Melissa Reynolds stressed “keeping it business as usual” after the team wrapped up a 16-4 regular season, which included a sweep of Enfield on Senior Night (Oct. 27). 

“We practiced as if we would win,” added Reynolds. “We didn’t want to make too much of it. It didn’t matter if it’s a state game or not, we were going to show up and do our job, and we did.”

Glastonbury carried the momentum over into the next round, sweeping Norwich Free Academy (25-8, 25-12, 25-17) at GHS in round two of the state tourney on Nov. 9.

Lavoie ignited the team in the first set by serving 13 points in a row, which included six aces.

It was also a memorable night for sophomore setter Mckenna Reynolds, who served up 27 assists and surpassed the 1000-assist career mark. In the second set, Reynolds served 10 points in a row during a 10-0 Guardians’ run.

Once again, it was a balanced all-around performance for an offense that produced 31 kills by seven different hitters. Shea led the team with 12 kills and fellow junior Ally Edgington added seven kills. 

Melissa Reynolds said that the combination of Shea and Edgington give the team a “formidable” duo upfront for this season and beyond.  

Mosca and Lavoie led the defense with 13 and 12 digs, respectively. Edgington was also a force at the net, registering three solo blocks at key points in the match. 

The second round victory marked the final time that that Glastonbury’s three senior players would play together at GHS.

The seniors all agreed that it’s “the people” that have made their time with the program special. 

“I love our team,” stated Edelheit.  “I’m amazed everyday how kind everyone is and how uplifting and how fun it is to play with people like that.”

LeClair added “When I look back I will mainly think back about the connections I’ve made because that is what really drives me.”

​Following the pair of home wins, the team proved to be just as good on the road, defeating Amity in Woodbridge last Saturday to advance to the state semifinals.  

Glastonbury High School senior Samantha Cole settles the ball while being defended by Newtown’s Jamie Rowan at GHS during the Guardians 2-1 loss in the first round of the state tourney last Monday. 

Despite controlling the ball for a vast majority of the game and significantly outshooting Newtown, the girls soccer team from Glastonbury High School was eliminated in the first round of the state tourney on Nov. 6 at GHS. 

Newtown’s Lola Kessler scored a pair of goals and Glastonbury’s offense was unable to capitalize on several scoring opportunities, particularly in the second half, as the Guardians season ended with a 2-1 loss to the Nighthawks from Sandy Hook. 

GHS head coach Mark Landers stated that the team’s effort was there, yet it didn’t materialize into points.  

“We threw everything we possibly could at it,” added Landers. “But we’ve been struggling to score goals down the stretch and you have to score goals in November to advance.”

It was a completely didn’t story on the other side of the field as the Nighthawks made the most of their limited scoring chances.
Kessler netted her first in the 23rd minute, sending home a shot from close range. 

For the next 57 minutes of gameplay the Guardians completely dominated possession, shooting shots at will against Newtown standout goalie Grace Newsom, who made a handful of spectacular saves.

Glastonbury almost had the equalizer midway through the second half when Samantha Cole sent home a corner kick from Corey Anderson, yet the official determined that Newsom had possession of the ball with both hands when Cole kicked it, negating the score. 

With 4:57 left in regulation, Kessler scored her second on Newtown’s only attack in the second half. 

Down two scores with time dwindling down, the Guardians cut the deficit in half when senior Hailey Moriarty fired a laser shot from the deep right corner, which she netted in the left corner with 4:04 to play. 

Glastonbury continued to attack until the bitter end, but Newsom made jump save on a shot from Caleigh Sullivan to end the Guardians last threat with a minute left in regulation. 

Newsom, a sophomore, finished the match with 12 saves in total. 

“We had good runs, we had good combinations, we won 50/50 balls, but we didn’t get it done,” stated Landers.

The game was the last for seven seniors, including Moriarty (University of Albany) and Angela Chavez (University of Hartford), who have committed to play in college. Cole, Sullivan, Chloe Griffin, Jenna Fradin, and Emily Smith also played their last game at GHS. 
Landers said that the team possesses a fighting spirit this fall, crediting the seniors for leaving it all out on the field.

“That is the mentality we’ve had all season long. That work ethic and that culture have been absolutely off the charts,” added Landers. “Our willingness not to give up, even down two goals, and get right back in the game showed that. It just wasn’t going to happen today.”

The loss ended a tremendous streak for the program, which had made at least the second round of the state tournament in every season since 1988. 

Landers noted that the playoff loss can be used as a teaching tool for the returning players –– a talented group that features all-state midfielder Corey Anderson and starting goalie Faith-Anne Grunwald.

​“The younger players probably learned a lot about what this program is about,” added Landers “We feel collectively that we let our fan base and alumni down, but we worked hard and that is the most important part.”

To say it’s been a fruitful fall for Newington High School’s Katie Bohlke would be an understatement. 

Bohlke, a senior, officially committed to run collegiately at Virginia Tech in early October and then wrapped up her cross-country career in Connecticut by winning a pair of state championships. 

After crossing the finish line first at the Class L championships at Wickham Park on Oct. 28, Bohlke returned to the challenging course in Manchester on Nov. 6 for the final time and ran a personal-best 18:16, taking home the State Open title. Her time at the State Open was 44 seconds faster than her class time and 20 seconds faster the Open’s runner-up, Brooke Strauss of Glastonbury High School. 

“It was unbelievable,” stated Bohlke. “I was super excited, I was happy to be done with Wickham.”

Newington High School cross-country head coach Jennifer Deschenes-Emord referred to Bohlke as a “once in a lifetime athlete.” 

“I’m so thrilled for her and proud of her,” added Deschenes-Emord. “It’s been an honor to coach her. She works so hard, she’s incredibly coachable, and her teammates all look up to her and admire all that she has done.”

Bohlke’s path to first-place finishes has been swift since she became a three-season runner. Her first love was gymnastics, but once
in high school she began to take competitive running more seriously after seeing the success that her older brothers, Joe and Mike Bohlke, had running at NHS. 

“My brothers were a big part of it because they had so much success,” recalled Bohlke. “I wanted to follow in their footsteps.” 
Along with following her brother’s lead, she also created her own path to the front of the pack. 

Over the past four years, Bohlke methotically climbed her way to the top of the leaderboards before breaking through with the State Open title as a senior. 

As a sophomore in the fall of 2021, she finished 6th overall at the Class L championships and 18th overall at the State Open.

A year ago as a junior, she was the fourth finisher during both the Class L and State Open races.

The three girls that finished ahead of her at the 2022 State Open were all returning and Bohlke continued to tirelessly grind during the indoor and outdoor track seasons a year ago to erase that gap for her final cross-country season. 

After placing as the runner-up at the Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) Championship at Wickham on Oct. 17, Bohlke leap-frogged CCC winner Tess Sherry of Conard to win the Class L race with a time of 19:00 — Sherry (19:43) finished as the runner-up.

For her State Open race, Bohlke’s NHS teammates showed up at Wickham Park with t-shirts donning her name and cheered her on throughout the grueling 3.1 course. 

Bohlke credited her supportive teammates for “the energy I had around me” during the State Open. She also noted that the nearly 40 degree cooler temperatures from the class championship to the State Open allowed her to run a faster pace of 5:54 per mile. 

She also had help through the season from the competition within the conference. The top-five finishers at the State Open were all from the Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) and Bohlke noted the local races throughout the season are great preparation for championship season.  

“It definitely helps a lot, because we have so many fast girls in the [conference]”, added Bohlke. “I’m racing them all year and it’s not a surprise when I get to the Open”.

Deschenes-Emord noted that Bohlke and her conference competitors “support each other and that’s what is so great about cross country.”

With the cross-country season wrapping up, Bohlke will next focus on the indoor and outdoor track and field seasons before starting her new journey at Virginia Tech. 

Bohlke said that the Division I school in Blacksburg, VA checked all the boxes and added the close proximity to her brother, Mike,
who is currently running for George Washington University, also went into the decision –– which she called “extremely hard.”. 

“I was picking from a lot of great schools that I loved,” Bohlke said of her collegiate choice. “But the academics are good there and so are there athletics, and that’s what I was looking for.”

Bohlke added that, over the last handful of years, running has become a part of her identity that she’ll take long beyond competition.   

“It’s taught me so much and shaped me as a person,” she added. “It’s the reason for most of my relationships.” 

Deschenes-Emord believes that Bohlke’s work ethic will help her at the highest level of collegiate competition, adding “Katie is always pushing herself to the upper limit. She does whatever it is she has to do –– there are no days off for her.” 

But before the speedster jets off to Virginia to join the Hokies, Bohlke has two more athletic seasons left at NHS where she wants to enjoy the rest of her senior year with her friends locally.

As for goals, Bohlke has a simple approach.

​“Of course I’d like to get PRs, but I just want to finish out my last year running as hard as I can,” she noted. 

Cameryn Hickey and Taylor Ursin - Cromwell High School (Soccer): Hickey, a senior, and Ursin, a freshman, each netted a hat trick as the Panthers advanced through the first two rounds of the Class S state tournament. Hickey scored her three goals as Cromwell defeated Montville in the first round of Nov. 6. Katrina Barber added a pair of goals, while Haley Savoir and Olivia Fortenback each netted a goal in the opening round victory. In round two, Ursin tallied her three goals as the Panthers eliminated Windham Tech 6-1 on Nov. 8.

Ciaran Bailey - Wethersfield High School (Soccer): Bailey, a junior, scored the game-winning goal in overtime as the Eagles beat Pomperaug 2-1 in the first round of the Class L state tournament on Nov. 7. Bailey’s decisive goal came with an assist from senior goalie Nate Morris in the extra session and Julian Kuye scored the Eagles goal in regulation as the team left Cottone Field on a high note. 

Anthony Jr Napoletano and Colin Alemany - Newington High School (Soccer): Napoletano and Alemany each scored a goal during the Nor’easters 2-1 win over Bassick in the opening round of the Class L tournament on Nov. 7. The Nor’easters entered the state tourney as the No. 24 seed before traveling to Bridgeport to knock off the No. 9-seeded Lions. 

Kyle Demarest - Rocky Hill High School (Soccer): Demarest registered his ninth shutout of the season as the Terriers blanked Nonnewaug 2-0 in the Class M quarterfinals on Nov. 11. Demarest, a senior, led the defensive charge as Noah Kazmierczak and Ziam Guster provided the goals on offense. Kazmierczak’s goal was assisted by Jason Nadeau and Guster’s goal was assisted by Robert Bush as the No. 7-seeded Terriers upset the No. 2-seeded Chiefs in Woodbury. 

​Kayla Ward - Wethersfield High School (Soccer): Ward scored the decisive goal as the Eagles edged Bristol Central 2-1 in the first round of the Class L tournament on Nov. 6 at Cottone Field. Ward, a senior, scored the game-winner and Alana Burnell scored the other goal as Wethersfield advanced to round two. 
To nominate an athlete for The Starting Five or with sports-related comments, email [email protected]
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