rare reminder Starting Five: Athletes of the Week

Cromwell High School seniors Lily Kenney and Grace McFarlin each connected on career hit #100 in the Panthers’ quarterfinals victory over Notre Dame-Fairfield on June 3. 

Lily Kenney - Cromwell High School (Softball): Kenney turned in a trio of outstanding outings in the first three rounds of the Class S state tournament, combining to strike out 43 batters and allow only one run as the Panthers eliminated Hale Ray (10-1), Lyman Memorial (7-0), and Notre Dame-Fairfield (2-0). Kenney, a senior, also had a pair of hits and drove in four runs in the opening round win and scored runs in each of the next two games. In the win over Notre-Dame, Kenney registered her 700th career strikeout from the mound and connected on her 100th hit from the plate. Senior teammate Grace McFarlin also picked up her 100th hit in the quarterfinals victory at CHS, driving home the game-deciding runs on a single in the bottom of the sixth to send the Panthers to the state semifinals.   
           
Nick Kelley - Newington High School (Baseball): Kelley connected on a pair of hits, including a home run, and pitched six solid innings as the Nor’easters downed Danbury 5-2 in the second round of the Class LL tournament on May 31. Three days later, the Nor’easters defeated New Canaan, 4-2, in the quarterfinals behind eight strikeouts from pitcher Sam Drozd and a home run from Josiah Ross.     
           
Daniel DiTunno - Rocky Hill High School (Track and Field): DiTunno placed third in the 3200 meters at the Class M championships at Willow Brook Park in New Britain on May 30. DiTunno, a sophomore, finished in 9:55.27 to qualify for the State Open and senior teammate Joshua Fletcher also qualified for the State Open after finishing fourth in the 100 meter dash, running a time of 11.38.   
           
Christian Morales - Wethersfield High School (Baseball): Morales, a sophomore, connected on a walk-off hit down the right field line, sending home Ethan Lemos for the game-winning run as the Eagles defeated E.O. Smith 4-3 in the second round of the Class L tournament on May 31. Wethersfield, who entered the state tourney as the No. 22 seed, upset No. 11 Avon 13-1 on the road in the opening round before returning to WHS to eliminate the visiting Panthers from Storrs.       
           
Jacob Lawless - Newington High School (Volleyball): Lawless dished out 36 assists, registered a dozen digs, and had 10 kills as the No. 15 Nor’easters upset No. 2 Windsor in the first round of the Class M state tournament. The 10 kills were a season-high for Lawless, a senior setter who averaged 7.5 assists per set this spring.