rivereast Standout Athletes of the Week

Here is a ‘double dip’ version of the Rivereast Standouts of the Week. There were so many terrific performances over the last couple of weeks that each school has two representatives.    
           
Spencer Rosado - Portland High School (Wrestling): Rosado was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler as the Highlanders made history by winning back-to-back conference titles, winning the North Central Connecticut Conference (NCCC) for the second straight season. Rosado, a senior captain who wrestles at 138 lbs., then placed 3rd at the Class S state championship on Feb. 18, defeating John Maroney of St. Joseph in the 3rd-place match at Killingly High School.
           
Joe Ruszcyk - Portland High School (Basketball): Ruszcyk scored 24 points as the Highlanders wrapped up the regular season with a 67-40 victory over Hale Ray, earning the top-seed in the Shoreline Conference (SLC). Harrison Collins added 18 points in the victory and junior Tyler Wydo drained five 3-pointers, adding 15 points. The Highlanders will host Old Lyme in the opening round of the SLC tourney this Saturday, Feb. 25 at 6 p.m.   
           
Jackie Russell - East Hampton High School (Basketball): Russell scored a game-high 20 points, canning a handful of three-pointers, as the Bellringers avenged their only loss of the season and beat Cromwell 44-37 on Feb. 10. The Bellringers finished the regular season with a record of 19-1, winning the final 14 games following a loss to their conference rivals from Cromwell on Jan. 3.  
           
Alexis Pettine - East Hampton High School (Cheerleading): Pettine was named first-team All-Shoreline Conference (SLC) for a second straight season. Pettine, a senior, was joined on the all-conference first-team by three fellow Bellringers in senior Isabella Bafumi, sophomore Samantha Yorker and freshman Madelyn Daniels. Freshman Sydney Vicino was named to the all-conference second-team. 
           
Isabella Mondo - RHAM High School (Track & Field): Mondo won both the Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) and Class M championship in the 3,200 meters. Mondo, a senior, broke a 25-year old school record by running an 11:47.02 at the conference championships and then defeated runner-up Laura Funderburk by over eight seconds to win a state championship on Feb. 11.    
           
Sarah West - RHAM High School (Basketball): West had back-to-back monster games last week, scoring 28 points in a 55-54 overtime victory at South Windsor and then dumping in 22 points in the team’s regular season home finale, a 66-39 victory over East Catholic. West, a senior captain, helped the Raptors win 13 of 20 regular season games and now the team is prepping for the Class MM state tournament, starting Monday, Feb 27.   
           
Ryan Moores - Bacon Academy High School (Track & Field): Moores placed third in the 1,600 meters at the Class S championships, running a personal-best 4:24.99, on Feb. 9. Moores, a senior, qualified and compete at the State Open the following week. Both events were held at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven.   
           
​Marissa Nudd - Bacon Academy High School (Basketball): Nudd became the third all-time scoring leader in the history of the program during the Bobcats’ 52-40 victory over East Lyme in the quarterfinals of Eastern Connecticut Conference (ECC) tournament. Nudd finished with a team-high 15 points on a night when she passed 2013-graduate Taylor McLaughlin, who finished her career at Bacon Academy with 1,312 points.