Glastonbury High School Winter Sport Preview

Junior Ben Jean will help charge the Guardians’ offense on the ice this winter. GHS ice hockey is entering year 27 under longtime head coach Ken Barse. 

Boys Basketball
Veteran head coach Jim Vaughan returns for his 23rd season on the bench, guiding a team that is looking to bounce back after a four-win season. Despite the struggles in the regular season, the Guardians nearly upset Manchester in the first round of the state tournament and have plenty of experience coming back this winter.   
           
Senior Adam Molusis and Jordyn Sams, along with junior Connor O’Leary will captain a roster that has four starters returning from a season ago. Molusis is entering his third year as a starter and O’Leary will give the team a big boost after missing last season with an injury.
           
Vaughan called O’Leary “as talented a wing player as anyone in the area.”
           
“We have high expectations for the year,” added Vaughn. “We should be a much faster paced team than last year and have multiple guys who can make plays “
           
Seniors Owen Peterson and Gage Haines, along with junior Drew Burns and sophomore David Smith, who scored 22 points as a freshman in the tourney game against Manchester, will also be major factors this season
           
Vaughan stated that a healthy, deep rotation will be the key this season, adding, “We want to develop our depth and be able to guard man-to-man all over the court.”
           
The Guardians open the season at home this Friday, Dec. 16 when they welcome Hall to GHS. Tip is 6:45 p.m.
           
Girls Basketball  
After losing only two seniors to graduation, head coach Chris Vozzolo has a slew of talent returning from a team that won 12 regular season games and a tournament game last winter.
           
Alyssa Healy, Lola Awofola, Gisel Astiasaran, Julen Astiasaran, and Justine Ross are the team’s five seniors and all return with varsity experience.
           
Sophomore Madison Handrahan is back to run the offense after leading the team in scoring as a freshman.
           
"This year's team comes back with great balance at all positions,” stated Vozzolo. “[We have] depth at each position and will look for different players to step up in several areas.  As always, the team's success will depend on being a defensively strong team."
           
The Guardians start with a pair of road games –– at Conard (12/16) and East Hartford (12/19) –– before debuting at home against Trumbull on Wednesday, Dec. 21 at 6:45 p.m.
           
Gymnastics 
First-year head coach Dana Jackson takes over a program that placed 4th at the Class L championships last winter.
           
Junior Macey Burns returns following an all-conference season a year ago and will be joined by senior Brianna Miclette and the sophomore duo of Anna Edwards and Sydney Salazar as the gymnasts to watch this winter.  
           
Jackson, who was a collegiate gymnast, said she looks forward to her first season at GHS as she guides the team with assistant coach Taylor Savage. 
           
“We’re excited to put together a competitive team this season,” added Jackson. “With the help of some key returners and freshmen, we think we can have a lot of success come competition time.”
           
The team’s home meets are held at Gymnastics Express Too (284 Eastern Blvd.). The Guardians host in their home opener on Friday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. 
           
Boys Indoor Track & Field
Following a top-ten finish at the Class LL meet last winter, head coach Mark Alexander has a deep group of runners returning that will lead the way this winter. 
           
Senior Harrison Krause is coming off an All-State cross-country season and will cover long distances, while all-conference standout Dominic Pena will specialize in mid-distances.  Joining the two gifted runners will be Jackson Boyd, Cameron Colletti, Ben Yalof, Kalym Richards, Jonathan Wihbey, Aiden Katzman, and Jace Lewis, who are all returning following state qualifying times last winter. 
           
Alexander added that the incoming freshmen class and the retuning sophomore class is robust in size and loaded with potential 
           
“Relays are usually a Glastonbury strength [and] this year will be no different,” stated Alexander, who added that the team should also be strong in many individual events as well. 
           
The Guardians first home meet this season is Thursday, Jan 5 at 4 p.m.
           
Girls Indoor Track & Field
The girls track & field program at GHS has set a standard of excellence, winning the State Open and Class LL championship in 2020 and repeating at Class LL champs a year ago.      With an abundance of top athletes coming back, the Guardians shoot for a “three-peat” performance at the class meet this year and aim to recapture the State Open. 
           
“We have a very good group of returning athletes and potentially some good new athletes for the winter season,” stated head coach Brian Collins, who guided the cross-country team to a State Open victory this fall.   
           
Many of Collins cross-country champion runner also run during the indoor track season, giving the Guardians a well-rounded group across the board. State champion Brooke Strauss (distance) leads the vast group of runners that includes Avery Olschefskie (sprints), Celina Rodrigues (sprints), Alissa Thompson-Webb (sprints), Alex Edwards (mid), Annika Paluska (mid), Jackie Caron (mid),  Mikayla Nedder (mid),  Maya Drelichowski (mid),  Jackie Dudus (distance), Lila Garbett (distance), Ava Gattinella (distance), Kelley MacElhiney (distance), Jocelyn Wolf (distance), Haley Evans (distance), and Lucy Bergin (distance).
           
In the field, 2021 standouts Sarah Christina (jumps) and Anna Morris (throws) head a group that also includes jumpers Cici Ryan, Anna Hilary, Maija Adams, Jenna Fradin, Allie Lips and Mackenzie Rinaldo. 
           
“We’re very fortunate to have many good leaders on the team to help the new and inexperienced girls learn from,” stated Collins. “Hopefully we’ll get better each day and each meet, but it starts each day at practice.”
           
Collins stated the team’s goals are to defend both the conference and class meets.   
           
“With the many good returners back this season, we should be able to cover most of the events in the different areas and be a complete team,” added Collins. “We have more strengths than weaknesses so it’s a great start.  Hopefully some of the new girls will be a great mix with the returning girls.  Potentially it could make us an even deeper team.  With the hard work, determination and dedication of these athletes, they have a great opportunity to have an outstanding season.  As always, one of the big keys is to stay healthy.”
           
The Guardians first home meet this season is Thursday, Jan 5 at 4 p.m.
           
Boys Ice Hockey
Entering year 27 leading the program, head coach Ken Barse said he is really excited about this year’s team. 
           
Barse has several key pieces returning that gained valuable experience during the team’s five-win campaign last winter. 
           
Juniors Michael Rodriguez and Ben Jean will be back to lead the offense, while senior Drew Hazard and junior Sean Huempfner will lead the defensive charge.
           
Sophomore goalie Patrick Sullivan will be back protecting the net after what Barse called a “great freshman season” where Sullivan started every game.  
           
Ben Howey is a senior and new additional who decided to leave his junior program to come play for GHS.
           
Barse said Howley is a nice complement to the first line, adding he is “very skilled and can find the net.”
           
Barse added that sophomore Jack Christina and freshman Liam Resto should make big impact on the ice this winter.   
           
The team also has championship pedigree as Rodriguez, Huempfner, and Howey all played together this fall for the Central Ct. Capitals U18 Midget team that won the state championship and will play in the National Tournament in April.
           
“I’ve been impressed with the overall work ethic and speed that this team brings each day to practice,” started Barse. “This group has also been very dedicated to their off-season workouts, which should pay off this long winter season. It is still early but we have a lot of potential this year.”
           
GHS plays their home games at the Koeppel Community Center Sports Center with a home conference game slated with Wethersfield on Friday, Dec. 23 at 7:30 p.m.
           
Girls Ice Hockey
The Storm, a co-op that includes players from Glastonbury, advanced to the state semifinals last winter before losing to the eventual state champs from New Canaan, who finished the season undefeated.  
           
Head coach Frank Usseglio returns three lines of forwards, five defenders and an experienced goaltender from a season ago.  He also has consecutive years of strong incoming underclasses, and he said he expects the team to be very deep in talent again.  
           
The challenge will be to replace departed all-state players Megan Croyle (forward) and Mary McKiernan (defender), who combined to net 39 goals as seniors last winter.  
           
Junior forward Lexi Pacheco (18 points in her sophomore season) headlines the returning forwards.  Senior captains Norah McCauliffe and Bella Pacheco will lead a stout defense in front of goalie Kelsey Kowal. Kowal, also a senior captain, posted a 1.46 goals against average and a .938 save percentage in 10 starts as a junior.
           
In the team’s season opener on Dec. 7, the Storm scored three goals in the opening period and defeated Mercy/NWC 6-1. A pair of sophomore shined in the opener as forward Lili Ficaro scored two goals and defender Kate McKiernan dished out two assists. Maya Fisher, Mallory Pierz, Charlie Laramee, and Maddie Archambault also scored goals. Kowal made 11 saves. 
           
The Storm play their home games at the Newington Ice Arena and next host Suffield on Wednesday, Dec. 21 at 4:05 p.m.
           
Boys Swimming & Diving
The Guardians are coming off another banner year in which they finished with a record of 13-1 in dual meets, finished undefeated (6-0) in conference to win the Central Connecticut Conference (CCC)-East, and took 1st place in the CCC Championships. They also placed 4th at the Class LL championships and 13th place at the State Open.
           
The team only graduated two athletes –– swimmer Brian Pawlowski and diver Jay Shah ––– that competed in the State Open. Key returning athletes that made it to the State Open last year are Campbell McFall, Sander Silverman, John Redfern, Lames Liao and Jack Watson.     

Other key contributors this season are diver Max McCurdy, Alex Wong, Ethan Hipsky, Leo Wong, Caleb Leon, Niall Easton and Nick Roberts.
           
The Guardians first home meet is Thursday, Jan. 5 against Hamden at 4 p.m.

Wrestling
Head coach Jacob Jones has a balanced team returning to the mat this winter. Andrew De La Rosa and Ryan Ouellette each had top-five finishes at the Class LL meet a year ago will lead a group that includes standouts Nathaniel Post, Andi Jano, Nazir Johnson, Michael Norman, and Chris Ouellette.
           
“We are looking forward to having a larger team this year, which will allow us to fill more weight classes,” said Jones. “Last year, we were giving up lots of forfeits which made winning team matches extremely difficult. This year we will have a much better chance at success.” 
           
The Guardians have five home meets slated this winter, and additionally Glastonbury High School will host the Central Connecticut Conference Tournament on February 3rd and February 4th.  
           
Ski Racing
Head coach Tom Zelek graduated a handful of top skiers a year ago, but says the returning group is brimming with talent.
           
Seniors Lauren Carlino and Kelsey Kirshen will captain the girls’ team that also includes juniors Eva Gilberto, Sydney Waltz and Lucca Cotthaus, and sophomore Ainsley Latz.
           
Nathan Zimbelman and Tim Kohlun will captain the boys’ squad that will also feature sophomore studs Alex Bulger and Ryan Sarni.
           
Zelek added that there are other experienced skiers that will add to the success on the slopes.
           
“We are also fortunate enough to have a number of first time racers this year that look like they will be having a strong positive impact on our teams,” stated Zelek.  

Alyssa Healy is one of five GHS girls’ basketball seniors that all return with varsity experience from a season ago. The Guardians are aiming to follow up on last season success when they won 13 games, including a game in the Class LL tourney.