rivereast Standout Athletes of the Week

Bacon Academy girls lacrosse team after winning the program’s first state tournament game last Tuesday. Senior Katie Graham scored four goals during the historic victory, earning a Standout of the Week recognition. 
 
It’s a double dose of Rivereast Standouts of the Week for the week of May 29 - June 4:
           
Katie Graham - Bacon Academy (Lacrosse): Graham, a senior, scored four goals as the Bobcats defeated Tolland 13-11 at Bacon Academy in the first round of the Class S state tournament on May 30. It marked the program’s first state tournament victory in program history. Marissa Nudd also scored four goals, while Maddox Burton netted a pair of goals and had three assists and Anna LeGault scored a goal and dished out a team-high four assists in the historic win.    
           
Josh Ambrose - Bacon Academy (Baseball): Ambrose, a senior, pitched a gem in the opening round of the Class M state tournament, striking nine and shutting out Seymour 3-0 on May 30 at French Park. Ambrose’s effort from the mound propelled the No. 21 ranked Bobcats to an upset over the No. 12 ranked Wildcats. To provide support for Ambrose, Mason Pingree connected on a pair of hits and scored a run, while Steven Laliberte also had two hits for the Bobcats.   
           
Aubrey Brainard - RHAM High School (Softball): Brainard, a freshman, drove in what turned out to be the game-winning run in extra innings when she doubled on an 0-2 count, driving home Abigail Pace as the Raptors defeated Tolland 3-2 in the second round of the Class M state tournament on May 31. Brainard’s RBI cemented the Raptors second upset victory of the tourney, also defeating Stonington (6-0) in the opening round. Senior pitcher Hadley Marchand was spectacular in the two tourney wins, combining to strike out 26 batters and allow only seven hits and two runs.       
           
Rachel Bartolucci - RHAM High School (Track and Field): Bartolucci won a state championship, finishing first in the 800 meters with a time of 2:18.99. Bartolucci, a senior, soundly defeated runner-up Ripley Penney of New Fairfield by more than three seconds to capture the event’s crown at Willow Brook Park in New Britain on May 30. The soon-to-be graduate will run cross-country and track at Central Connecticut State University.    
           
Emily Jovel - East Hampton High School (Softball): Jovel, a sophomore, had three hits, driving in a run and scoring another as the No. 29 Bellringers upset No. 4 ranked Wilcox Tech 7-3 in the opening round of the Class S state tourney on May 30. Jovel connected on a single, double, and triple as the Bellringers scattered 11 total hits, including three from freshman Jocelyn Gustavsen, who also scored two runs.     
           
Brian Collisson - East Hampton High School (Track and Field): Collisson won a state championship in the pole vault, taking first place at the Class S state finals at Willow Brook Park in New Britain on May 30. Collisson, a junior, also won the Shoreline Conference Championship the previous week, clearing a personal-best height of 12’ 00”.  
           
Andrew Johnson - Portland High School (Track and Field): Johnson won a state championship in the javelin, finishing with a meet-best toss of 151‘04” at the Class S state finals at Willow Brook Park in New Britain on May 30. Johnson, a senior, also teamed with Parker Thompson, Sam LaMalfa, and Cole Bates for a runner-up finish in the 4x400 meter relay. The foursome would later break the school record in the 4x4 relay at the State Open, running a time of 3:29.29 on June 5.  
 
           
​Lillian Tabellione - Portland High School (Track and Field): Tabellione won a state championship in the 1600 meters and was the runner-up in the 3200 meters at the Class S state finals at Willow Brook Park in New Britain on May 30. Tabellione, a junior, ran a time of 5:19.36 to defeat Stephanie Burzynski of Somers by more than two seconds to capture the 1600 meters crown. Fellow junior Meghan McPhee also took home a state championship, winning the 800 meters with a time of 2:21.08.