Evelyn Brenton, a volleyball player at Glastonbury High School, was named to the Connecticut High School Coaches Association (CHSCA) All-State first team.
“It’s something that I wanted and I worked towards it, but it was honestly something that I didn’t expect at all,” Brenton said of the recognition, “The hard work really paid off.” Brenton, a junior, led the Guardians in both kills (239) and blocks (50) this fall, protecting the net for a Guardians team that posted a 17-7 record, including a victory in the first round of the Class LL state tournament. “We started out a little bit rocky, all of us in general, but the thing is that we are all close friends so it helped us mesh really well together and by our second game we had a pretty solid lineup,” recalled Brenton. “We managed to keep our own energy up and by the end of the season we were rock solid.” Brenton exceeded expectations this season, teaming with seniors Anastasiya Andriyashko and Kiley Feeney to create a powerful front line. “It was amazing,” Brenton said of the trio’s chemistry, “I know there were a couple of times that I just missed but Ana would be right there or Kiley would be right there. They were always helpful.” Brenton added that she felt Andriyashko deserved All-State recognition as well, calling her teammate “absolutely amazing.” This fall, she also enhanced an already strong bond with setter Sara Wild, who is also a junior. “We’ve played with each other in the past, so we already had that connection but we just built it stronger,” Brenton said of her connection with Wild, who led the team with 544 assists. “We’ll be going into our third year together. She knows what I like and I know what she likes.” With each passing match, Brenton and the team improved. She registered season-high 17 kills in an Oct. 7 win over Farmington and then matched that total and tied her season-high in blocks (5) in a five-set victory over Bristol Central in the opening round of the Central Connecticut Conference tournament on Nov. 1. Following a 3-4 start, the Guardians won 13 of their next 14. “We were really good friends which made it easier to play with them and trust them. You need that trust on the count,” stated Brenton. Brenton will now compete with her 17 National club volleyball team based in Windsor, where she hopes to improve her passing skills. Off the court, Brenton is part of the GHS Key Club and a new member of Letters to Elders, which is a group of students that write letters to residents of nursing homes, creating a pen pal relationship. In her downtime Brenton enjoys boating, both motor and sail, with her family in the Long Island Sound. She is also an avid paddle boarder, heading out on the open waters with her Dobermann, Scooby.
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Glastonbury High School senior Sophia Haussmann signed her commitment letter to The University of Connecticut at the GHS National Letter of Intent ceremony on Nov. 10.
Haussmann always dreamed of playing for the Division I Huskies, so when the opportunity arose she didn’t waste any time. “It was my #1 pick and once I got an offer from them I knew I was taking it,” said Haussmann, who welcomes the challenges of college soccer. “I’m looking forward to being around players that are going to push me and make me the best player that I could be. To see the atmosphere and energy of the team is exciting.” Haussmann added that she’s excited to continue her passion at the collegiate level while staying in Connecticut. At Storrs, she’ll be playing under head coach Margaret Rodriguez, who has been with the program as a head coach or assistant coach for 15 years. Haussmann will join a team that is coming off an appearance in the Big East tournament following an upset win over Georgetown, who was ranked #21 in the country, in the regular season finale on Oct. 28. Haussmann, who also plays Oakwood Club soccer, has enjoyed some memorable moments at GHS. She was a sophomore on the team that won the Class LL championship in 2019 and a this fall she was a star midfielder for a Guardians team that won a dozen regular season games during the program’s first year under head coach Mark Landers. Landers said of Haussmann, “Sophia was a fantastic player for us. However, her greatest strength was her selflessness. She put her teammates ahead of everything else and was always looking for ways to challenge them to become better people. We are confident she will be a great addition to the culture and tradition of UConn Women's Soccer.” Haussmann said her positive experience in Glastonbury has gone beyond the soccer fields, “You become a family with your team and I became really close with girls that I never expected to become close with. I’ll never forget my experience here.” Prior to graduating this spring, Haussmann will hone her skills during club soccer, focusing on getting into the best shape possible, saying, “The girls in college are going to be big and strong and I want to be able to compete with them.” On Nov. 29, the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) released updated guidelines for the winter high school sports season.
The CIAC collaborated closely with the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH) and the Connecticut State Medical Society Sports Medicine Committee (CSMS) to develop a revised set of guidelines, which includes permitting vaccinated student-athletes to participate in all competition without a mask. In a joint statement, between the CIAC, CT DPH, and the CSMS, the organizations stated, “Vaccination of all eligible athletes, coaches, and officials is currently the most important mitigation strategy we have available for preventing COVID-19 and flu outbreaks on youth sports teams, and in the surrounding communities that support them.” Additionally, one of the major perks for getting vaccinated is that individuals who are vaccinated and symptom-free do not need to quarantine if exposed to a COVID-19 case. Vaccinated individuals with symptoms must quarantine for 14 days or a minimum of 10 days with a negative test on the eighth day. Unvaccinated athletes, with or without symptoms, must quarantine for 14 days or a minimum of 10 days with a negative test on the eighth day. The new guidelines will go into effect on Dec. 23 when schools are released for winter break. As of now, all winter sports will play a full schedule, including multi-team events and interstate competition, and culminate in CIAC State Championships. Basketball, ice hockey, indoor track, and cheerleading/dance will not require masks for fully vaccinated participants when competing, but masks must be worn in all other settings (practice, sidelines, bench, locker rooms, etc.). Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated participants must wear a mask at all times. For wrestling, swimming/diving, and gymnastics, masks should not be worn during competition, but must be worn in all other settings, regardless of vaccination status. During the 2020-2021 winter sports season, all student-athletes were required to wear masks in-and-out of competition. Each sport had an abbreviated schedule with limited postseason play and state tournaments were not held. Wrestling was considered a high-risk/close contact sport and was limited to practice/conditioning only. The CIAC added that, until the winter break, schools should use the existing fall guidelines in place, which includes masking indoors. After Dec. 23, schools can implement the new masking guidelines at their discretion. Schools can also continue to determine the spectator/fan attendance policy on a case-by-case basis. Currently, all winter sports have begun try-outs/practicing and games are slated to begin on Dec. 13. As they have done since modified guidelines were introduced, the CIAC emphasized that “the current plan is fluid and in a perpetual state of evaluation.” For more information see the CICA’s full guidelines at ciacsports.com The Cromwell/Portland football team rallied to beat Rocky Hill, 33-21, in the sixth annual Shunpike Showdown on Nov. 24 at McVicar Field in Rocky Hill.
Trailing 21-7 in the third quarter, senior captain Owen Brunk returned a kick return 88 yards for a touchdown, igniting a scoring surge for the Panthers, who scored 26 unanswered. It marked the third straight time the Panthers have defeated the Terriers in the annual game, which dates back to 2015. “It definitely changed the momentum,” Panthers head coach Randell Bennett said of Brunk’s return, “The biggest thing was these guys just put it on themselves. We dropped three passes right before the half and it was up to them if they wanted to play. We can talk about the game plan all we want, but these guys had to want to play. Once we ran that kick back I guess their minds were right.” The come-from-behind also secured only the third undefeated regular season in the history of the program. “Two years ago we were 2-8 and we put in a lot of work to get to this point,” said Brunk. “This was a goal. Step one is going 10-0 and we did that.” C/P scored on the game’s opening possession when lefty quarterback Cole Brisson hit Teddy Williams down the right sideline for a 47-yard scoring strike. It looked like the Panthers, who had beaten their previous nine opponents by an average of 35 points per game, would cruise to yet another victory. But Rocky Hill responded in a big way. On the home team’s first offensive possession, Tyreice Dominique scored from eight out on a quarterback sweep. Two possessions later, Brody Troiano steamrolled in from two yards out and M.J. Torres ran in the ensuing two-point conversion, giving the Terriers a 14-7 advantage at the break. The Terriers then marched 61 yards in 12 plays on the opening possession of the second half, which ended with a Dominique four-yard touchdown run. “I thought our guys played, especially in the first half, the hardest they have played all year,” said Rocky Hill head coach Rich Dance. “You have to play a perfect game against this team to win and we knew that.” Following Dominique's second score, Brunk took the ensuing kickoff back to the house following a couple of key blocks. “We were playing soft in the first half. [Rocky Hill] came out and they wanted it more than us. We knew we had to come out and be more aggressive in the second half,” recalled Brunk, who was named the MVP of the game. Brunk’s jaw-dropping return reenergized the Panthers on both sides of the ball. Following a three-and-out by Rocky Hill, running back Alex Hair scored when he took a 4th-and-1 handoff and burst up the middle for a 14 yard touchdown with 9:16 left in regulation. Williams then scored twice more on the ground in the fourth quarter to secure the victory. Special teams ended up playing a major role in the rivalry game. Rocky Hill blocked two kicks; Dominic Catania blocked a field goal and Ryan Bozzi blocked an extra point. Cromwell/Portland also blocked an extra point and Williams blocked a punt. Yet it was Brunk’s kickoff return that changed the complexion of the game. “We could look at a lot of different plays that could have gone differently but I just thought these kids played hard and I’m proud of them,” said Dance, whose Terriers finished the season 5-5. “We’ve seen improvements and I’m proud of their effort and everything they have done.” The win over Rocky Hill earned the Panthers a home playoff game and they took advantage of home field by defeating Notre Dame-Fairfield, 29-20, on Tues, Nov. 30 at Pierson Park in Cromwell. The Panthers led from start to finish, but had to hold off a pesky Lancers team that entered the game with a 7-2 record. Williams upped his gaudy touchdown total to 22 on the season by running one in from 32-yards out with 11:05 to play in the second quarter. Ben Fagan caught a touchdown from Brisson in the third quarter, putting the Panthers up 19-7 with 4:21 to play in the third, and Hair seal with a 4-yard touchdown run in the fourth. Fagan, who also starred defensively by intercepting a pass in the first quarter and recovering a fumble late in regulation, said, “We always have a 100% effort. We just never stopped; we never let off the gas pedal.” Kicker Allen Cohen made all three of his field goals (35, 17, and 33 yards), giving the home team an extra advantage on special teams. Bennett joked, “We don’t have goal posts on our practice field so I don’t know how he is able to be accurate on his kicks, but we needed all three of those tonight.” Next is a semifinal showdown with Ansonia who have won 20 state championships, including eight titles since 2002. Bennett said the Panthers must win the battle in the trenches if they expect to beat the powerhouse Chargers. “We are going to have to prepare and have better practices this week,” said Fagan. “We have to come out with the same intensity or even more.” Williams added, “We just have to execute. I think we can beat anyone in the state.” The semifinal game is set for Sunday, Dec. 5 at Pierson Park in Cromwell. Kickoff is slated for 12:30 p.m. RHAM football had their 2021 season finale against Bacon Academy canceled. Pictured are captains (l-r) Max Nylen, Colton Bass, Gino Deliseo, and Nick Pace.
High school football in the state of Connecticut was wiped away in the fall of 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The football team at RHAM High School had to endure yet another setback this season when their annual Thanksgiving game was cancelled following alleged Title IX misconduct involving the football program at Bacon Academy. The 15th annual holiday game, known as “The Battle of the Rail”, was set to take place on Thanksgiving morning before news of the cancellation broke on Nov. 19. It was yet another punch to the gut for the Raptors, who were primed to recapture bragging rights following a 2019 loss to Bacon Academy. “Personally I’m not surprised but it was really disappointing, I felt bad for the team,” senior captain Colton Bass said after finding out of the abrupt end, “We were coming into this game thinking we were going to destroy these guys and retake ‘The Rail’.” Following a slow start to the season, RHAM football had won three of five games prior to the scheduled game against the Colchester-based Bobcats, who finished the season without a win (0-10). Junior Max Nylen said the team was playing the best football they had all year heading into the finale, “We started playing more as a team and our chemistry was better. Coach gave us individual talks, which was beneficial, and we were playing much better as a team.” Nylen powered an offense that averaged over 20 points per game. The versatile running back amassed 1228 yards from scrimmage and 14 touchdowns over nine games this fall. He was instrumental in the team’s most impressive win of the year, a 25-21 win over Plainville on Oct. 30. Nylen ran for a season-high 216 yards and four touchdowns in the home victory over the Blue Devils, who lost only two other games all season. Nylen said the game was a reflection of the season, “We were down at half and in the second half we played better as a team and came back even though it was pouring and bad conditions, we were able to come back at the last minute. That was the best win we had as a team.” Senior captain Gino Deliseo pointed to a season-opening win over Farmington as the highlight of the season. “We knew everyone thought Farmington would win so we wanted to prove everyone wrong and we were all just excited to get back on the field,” Deliseo said of the team’s first game back on the field after a 652-day layoff. In the opener, senior quarterback Ryan McLaughlin threw for 142 yards and a pair of touchdowns, one each to James Hulland and Nick Pace in a 42-21 victory. Pace, a senior captain, played receiver and led the team in tackles as a steady linebacker. He said the defense came together as the season progressed, which culminated with a 28-0 win over E.O. Smith on Nov. 12. . “Our secondary got a lot better throughout the year. The entire defense got better and we have a lot of kids step up. We had different kids making plays,” said Pace. In the shutout victory over the Panthers of E.O. Smith, Nylen powered the offense with 196 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns. Boden Landers led the defensive charge with eight tackles and two of the team’s season-high five sacks. Exactly a week later, Pace and the team found out that the win at Storrs would be their last. “It was such an unexpected end to the season,” stated Pace. “We were ready to take ‘The Rail’ again. We’re still going to get it because it’s a forfeit, but it’s not the same.” With the forfeited win, RHAM finished the season 5-5 and gave them an 8-7 edge in the series against Bacon Academy, which dates back to 2006. Instead of the Thanksgiving game, which was set to take place at RHAM HS, the Raptors had an intrasquad scrimmage on their home field one last time on Nov. 19, before eventually handing in their gear and heading home for the Thanksgiving break. It wasn’t an ideal ending for Bass, Deliseo, Pace, and the team’s fourth senior captain, Owen Riley. Nylen, who will be one of the returning starters next season, said the seniors and the difficult situations have made him more resilient. “Their experience has taught me to not take anything for granted,” said Nylen. “[The seniors] never knew when their last game was going to be. Now I understand that I need to take each game one at a time and leave it on the field.” If the RHAM vs Bacon Academy football game is played next Thanksgiving, it will be 1093 days between games for the neighboring rivals. For now, The Rail trophy is back at RHAM. Matthew Rayner with his fathers, Jay Rayner
Matthew Rayner, of Colchester, finished first in the 250 C and as the runner-up in the Youth C at the New Capeway Sports Committee (NCSC) Fall Series. The 12-year-old motocross virtuoso accumulated the most points in the 250 C class, securing the 2021 championship, and finished just 44 points shy of the leader in the Youth C class over the 9-race competition at Capeway Rovers in Middleboro, Ma. The competition wrapped up in early November with Rayner holding a commanding 73-point lead entering the final race in 250 C. He held off runner-up Christopher Burr, of Pembroke, Ma, (197-112). Rayner started riding at the age of three and began racing at 10, training for competition on the 100+ acres of forested land that surrounds the family home in Colchester. He said that the rough conditions of the woods makes it easier once the races start on the well-groomed courses used during competition. The family even built a small track on their property for additional practice. Over the years he’s upgraded his bike multiple times and now rides a 2015 Yamaha YZ 125. In the 250 C class, Rayner is competing against much older, more experienced riders but the calm, cool, collected rider said, “It’s not that intimidating.” He credits his “seat time” and his love for riding as the main reason for his early success. His father, Jay Rayner, said he’s seen tremendous improvement from his son over the last couple of years and credited him with being a steady rider that is consistently top-five against more seasoned riders. The motocross season has wrapped up in the New England region, but the young Rayner is already preparing for next season where he will move up and compete in the 250 B class after maxing out his points in 250 C. Eventually he will move his way up to the 250 A class and he hopes to compete at Thor Mini O’s in Florida next fall. Newington defeated Wethersfield 28-20 in the 45th Thanksgiving Classic at Alumni Field on Nov. 26.
The Nor’easters jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead on a pair of touchdowns from Austyn Howe. Howe’s first was a nine-yard touchdown run and the second a 36-yard touchdown reception from Paddy Brown off a flea-flicker. Wethersfield’s T.J. Smith scored on an 11-yard run with 6:06 left in the second quarter before Newington countered with a pair of rushing touchdowns from Shakir Smith. Smith scored from 3 yards out late in the first half and from 15 yards away with 7:55 remaining in regulation. Eagles freshman quarterback Cam Righi threw a pair of touchdowns in the closing minute. Righi found Ethan Lemos from 10 yards out with .58 seconds remaining and then, following an onside kick, connected with Lemos on a 41-yard Hail Mary. Wethersfield recovered a second onside kick as time expired on the game and the season. Wethersfield, who battled key injuries all season, finished 6-4. Newington now holds a 24-20-1 advantage in the annual holiday game against their rivals. It ended one of the most successful offensive seasons in the program’s history as the Nor’easters averaged 38.3 points per game, second only to the 1979 team (41.3) which won the state championship. Brown, a junior, set a new program benchmark with 30 touchdown passes and Josiah Ross set a new mark with 61 receptions, also scoring 12 total touchdowns. Howe should get serious consideration for Gatorade Player of the Year after scoring 21 touchdowns (14 receiving, 6 rushing, and a kickoff return) and throwing three more. Howe also converted a team-high 13 two-point conversions and intercepted six passes on defense. Newington finished the season 7-3. Rocky Hill's Tyreice Dominique cuts back against the Panthers in the 6th Annual Shunpike Showdown on Nov. 24 at McVicar Field
Trailing 21-7 in the third quarter, Owen Brunk made sure that his team wouldn’t relinquish the Shunpike Showdown trophy without a fight by returning a kickoff 88 yards to shift momentum as Cromwell/Portland came from behind to beat Rocky Hill 33-21 on Nov 24. Brunk’s jaw-dropping kick return ignited a scoring surge for the Panthers, who scored 26 unanswered to retain the trophy, winning their third straight in the annual rivalry game at McVicar Field. “It definitely changed the momentum,” Panthers head coach Randell Bennett said of Brunk’s return, “The biggest thing was these guys just put it on themselves. We dropped three passes right before the half and it was up to them if they wanted to play. We can talk about the game plan all we want, but these guys had to want to play. Once we ran that kick back I guess their minds were right.” The come-from-behind victory evened the annual series (3-3) between the Panthers and the Terriers, and secured only the third undefeated regular season in the history of the program. “Two years ago we were 2-8 and we put in a lot of work to get to this point,” said Brunk. “This was a goal. Step one is going 10-0 and we did that.” C/P scored on the game’s opening possession when lefty quarterback Cole Brisson hit Teddy Williams down the right sideline for a 47-yard scoring strike. It looked like the Panthers, who had beaten their previous nine opponents by an average of 35 points per game, would cruise to yet another victory. But Rocky Hill responded in a big way. On the home team’s first offensive possession, Tyreice Dominique scored from eight out on a quarterback sweep. Two possessions later, Brody Troiano steamrolled in from two yards out and M.J. Torres ran in the ensuing two-point conversion, giving the Terriers a 14-7 advantage at the break. The Terriers then marched 61 yards in 12 plays on the opening possession of the second half, which ended with a Dominique four-yard touchdown run. “I thought these guys played, especially in the first half, the hardest they have played all year,” said Rocky Hill head coach Rich Dance. “You have to play a perfect game against this team to win and we knew that.” Following Dominique's second score, Brunk took the ensuing kickoff back to the house following a couple of key blocks before finding a crease and sprinting to the end zone. “We were playing soft in the first half. [Rocky Hill] came out and they wanted it more than us. We knew we had to come out and be more aggressive in the second half,” recalled Brunk, who was named the MVP of the game. Brunk’s return reenergized the Panthers on both sides of the ball. Following a three-and-out by Rocky Hill, running back Alex Hair scored a dozen plays later when he took a 4th-and-1 handoff and burst up the middle for a 14 yard touchdown with 9:16 left in regulation. Williams then scored twice more on the ground in the fourth quarter to secure the victory. Special teams ended up playing a major role in the rivalry game. Rocky Hill blocked two kicks; Dominic Catania blocked a field goal and Ryan Bozzi blocked an extra point. Cromwell/Portland also blocked an extra point and Williams blocked a punt. Yet it was Brunk’s kickoff return that changed the complexion of the game. “We could look at a lot of different plays that could have gone differently but I just thought these kids played hard and I’m proud of them,” said Dance. “We’ve seen improvements and I’m proud of their effort and everything they have done.” Dance’s team ended the season 5-5, including a perfect 3-0 record away from RHHS. Dominique, who was a first-year starter, wrapped up an incredible senior season under center, finishing with 1,200 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground, adding four more through the air. He also led the team with five interceptions on defense, solidifying a secondary that was a strength of the team. Junior Alex Peruta led the team with 72 tackles, also causing two forced fumbles. Troiano, a senior, had a team-high six sacks and handled the team’s kicking duties this fall. “I’m proud of their effort, not only tonight but the entire season,” added Dance, who took over the program three years ago. “This senior class bought in. They came to practice ready every day and they made it a joy to come to work. I told them we are sad to see it end because it has been a joy coming out here with these guys, but all good things come to an end. We’re a family and we’ll always be a family.” For Cromwell, the 10-0 mark earned them the #2-seed in the Class S playoffs. Williams' three touchdowns against Rocky Hill upped his season total to 21. Through ten games, Williams and Brunk combined for 162 tackles and six interceptions to head a defensive unit that hadn’t allowed more than eight points in any game prior to Rocky Hill. Bennett thinks the Shunpike Showdown could be a great test for the postseason, “It lets us know that we have that ability to come back. We were down two scores and we see that we can come back from that. These are things to learn from and build on. These guys did a great job this week.” Wethersfield girls swimming and diving took eighth place at the Class L championship.
Senior Alanna DePinto finished second in the 50 freestyle and sophomore Sabrina Schuster placed right behind her in third. The duo repeated the second and third place finishes in the 100 freestyle, and teamed with Jaime Condon and Olivia Krout for a 4th place finishing in the 400 freestyle relay team. During the event, DePinto broke her own varsity record in the 100 free, swimming an all-time best 52.62. Head coach Lee Schwartzman stated, “This meet was incredibly fast and I’m very proud of all the girls for stepping up big time. It was so nice to be back at a big meet with 20 teams. It takes experience to thrive in meets like this and many of my young team gained valuable experience early in their careers.” The Eagles went on to place 15th at the State Open. DePinto had a fifth-place finish in the 100 freestyle and top-ten finish in the 50 freestyle. Schwartzman added that this year’s squad wasn’t necessarily built for the postseason, yet excelled in dual meets this year because of their depth. The veteran coach stated that this year’s group was a pleasure to coach, saying, “Every single day of practice this year was a dream. Being a school teacher in 2021 is not an easy thing some days. But to be able to go to the pool, expect high expectations and have a group absolutely deliver every single day is probably going to be my lasting memory.” GHS baseball coach Dennis Accomando (far left) with recent college commits (l-r) Daniel Cantafi, Elliot Hamilton, and Dan Beagle at NLI ceromony on Nov 11 at GHS
Three Glastonbury High School baseball players made their college commits at a National Letter of Intent ceremony on Nov. 11. Seniors Dan Beagle, Daniel Cantafi, and Elliot Hamilton all signed their commitments in front of family and friends at GHS. “They are all hard-working, talented guys,” GHS baseball coach Dennis Accomando said of the three players, “They’ve earned this.” Beagle has committed to Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Muhlenberg was where former major leaguer Bill Kern played in college prior to his days with the Kansas City Athletics in 1962. It will be a homecoming for Beagle, who will pitch for the Mules in the Centennial Conference. “I’m originally from Pennsylvania so I am closer to family,” Beagle said of his decision. “It was a good balance between academics and sports, and I can be competitive and still do well in the classroom.” Beagle recently wrapped up his senior season on the gridiron, where he played linebacker for the Guardians this fall. Coach Accomando commended Beagle for carrying the pitching staff at the beginning of the last season, “We had some guys hurt and he pitched in some really big games, including four scoreless innings against Southington. He’s shown a potential where we can roll him out with the best.” Beagle said he is excited for one last time of the GHS diamond, “Glastonbury is super supportive and super competitive and I love going to battle with them every single day.” He added, “I look forward to the competition in college. I want to go and compete at a higher level.” Cantafi will pitch at Keene State College in the Little Big East Conference. He’ll be joining an Owls team in New Hampshire led by head coach Justin Blood, who will make his managerial debut at the college this spring after a decade coaching at the University of Hartford. “It felt like family right off the bat. [Coach Blood] reached out to me and I had a visit the next week,” Cantafi said of his decision to join the university, “It has a great atmosphere. It’s a perfect school for me academically and athletically.” Accomando described Cantafi as “a strike thrower, who is a quiet kid but super competitive and an extremely hard worker.” Cantafi is currently preparing for final basketball season at GHS, which he said he loves just as much as baseball. “We’re a big school but we all know each other. The community is cool and everybody is supportive,” Cantafi said of GHS. He too looks forward to the competition at the next level, “When you get to college it’s a job, but you still have to have fun. Whenever you can play the game at the next level it’s awesome.” Hamilton will attend Salve Regina University on the beautiful coast of Newport, Rhode Island. He’ll be joining a Seahawks team that is an 11x champion of the Commonwealth Coast Conference, which includes a conference crown in the spring of ‘21. “It was a combination of things,” Hamilton said of his decision, “I love the coaching staff and everyone’s attitude, and I really like the area.” Hamilton battled injuries last spring but came back to play a pivotal role down the stretch. He said the best part about playing at GHS is, “Getting to play with my best friends. I love all of my teammates, especially my senior buddies, they are my best friends.” Accomando said Hamilton’s talent is boundless, “I don’t think he knows how good he can be. He was hurt most of the year and we were really cautious with him last year, but he’s had a really successful, healthy offseason and he’ll be a main contributor this year.” . At Salve, Hamilton looks forward to the grind, “Everybody there clearly wants to be there because they chose to play baseball. I like working and everybody there wants to work just as hard.” Accomando added that they might have another player or two commit to play collegiately before the spring. For now, the veteran manager is preparing the team to follow up on last season’s 14-6 campaign. |
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