Best of the Bunch 2020

CELEBRATING LOCAL ATHLETES

2018 – 2019

Celebrating

LOCAL ATHLETES 2019-2020 CHESHIRE • LYMAN HALL • MALONEY • PLATT SHEEHAN • SOUTHINGTON • WILCOX TECH To view the full Best of the Bunch 2020 Awards Video announcing the winners, visit

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Kids, do me a favor. Take this special section and stash it away for safekeeping.

When the pandemic hit and stole away your sports at the end of winter and for all of spring, chances are your view was narrow. You may have felt victimized. You may have felt cheated. You just wanted to play.

Fair enough. Your call. My hunch is most of you started thinking more seriously about the big world around you and what you could do to fix something that suddenly seemed to have gone so haywire.

I have a hunch that sooner, later, it will bear testimony to a significant moment in time.

By the start of summer, you likely saw with wider eyes. Maybe you saw work that needs to be done.

These are urgent times, and they are your times, yours to change, yours to shape.

Not just to the pandemic of 2020 that stole away your sports seasons and school year, maybe even the job of a parent or the life of a loved one.

Sports? A small piece of a bigger picture. And yet sports can be more than just games to play. They can be a means, an example, to a better world. In some respects, sports are already ahead of the curve.

I offer you heady stuff, Class of 2020, not the typical, “Congratulations, grads.” You should be used to it by now. You had to go without rites of passage your predecessors may have taken for granted and you have to grow up quicker than most.

By Bryant Carpenter Record-Journal sports editor

Not just to the quarantining and the social distancing and the masks. Not just to the death of a man in Minneapolis and the daily protests and calls for justice and equality that followed. Not just to the 2020 national election, which loomed as the most monumental in generations, if not the history of the republic, and the one in which you were first eligible to vote. These pages will bear testimony to all of that, and they will remind you that you were alive and young and shaped by those events.

Which will call to mind the curve of the coronavirus, which needed to be flattened, and the curve of social, racial and economic inequality, which so many demanded be flattened, too.

We at the Record-Journal, unable to stage our annual awards event, still wanted to give you these pages to chronicle your athletic achievements. They may seem a bit quaint in light of all that we’ve gone through and what may lie ahead.

People were in the streets, day after day, in big cities, in small towns. Maybe you marched. Maybe you just For that reason, they should be cherished even more -- to remember watched and read and took it all in. the innocence, the challenges, the Either way, it shaped you. History triumphs and defeats. was no longer just something in a They have helped prepare you, and book. Distance learning was more you take them with you when you go. than just a session on Zoom. Now go on to bigger deeds. Or maybe you just wanted to play and not bother with the rest of it.

Table of Contents 6 Cheshire

16 Maloney

24 Sheehan

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Wilcox Technical

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20 Platt

30 Southington

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Thank you to our local coaches

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Best of the Bunch Winners 29

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Register at Middlesex Community College today and learn from home! Are you thinking about college this fall and don’t want to spend the full price for an online four-year university experience? Or maybe you’re not sure if your fall on-campus experience will even happen. For much less cost, you can take required courses and get ahead with transfer credits or even a degree or certificate from Middlesex Community College! In these uncertain times, MxCC’s affordable and flexible programs not only prepare students for transfer to four-year degrees or transition into the workforce, but 97% of students graduate debt-free. Register now for fall classes which begin on Wednesday, August 26, 2020, in Middletown, Meriden and online. Choose from more than 70 degree and certificate programs in fields such as accounting, computer information technology, criminal justice, digital media production, human services, ophthalmic design and dispensing, veterinary technology and more. “I see things as a single mom. Pursue your goals and don’t give up. Stay determined and focused and keep trying even when it’s gets hard,” says Brenda Vera of New Haven, who enrolled at MxCC as a pathway toward earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Perhaps you are unsure about what to study. The liberal arts and general studies associate degree programs help you discover many subjects and career fields. Our faculty is committed to adaptable and flexible learning in many dynamic ways.

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“Have no fear; do what’s expected of you and reach out when you need it. You’ll be well taken care of,” is the advice to new students from Abigail Ingalls of Ledyard, who graduated from the veterinary technology program in Spring 2020. She’s also the class valedictorian. Academic enrichment through the honors program Honors students at Middlesex Community College hone their leadership, academic and professional skills for transfer to a four-year institution or future academic and career success. Eligible students receive special faculty mentoring, programming, independent study opportunities and early entrance to the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Currently, the program features an option to enroll in a course at neighboring Wesleyan University in Middletown at no additional charge. Honors students have transferred to competitive schools such as Boston University, Yale University, University of Connecticut as well as Wesleyan. “I nearly failed out of high school and lacked the confidence to attend college,” said Mukshud Ahamed, a 2017 Middlesex graduate originally from Westbrook. But as a Middlesex student, he discovered a love for biology and with encouragement from his professors, he gained the confidence to apply to a prestigious internship at Yale. For more information about Middlesex Community College or to speak with an advisor, please call 860343-5719 or toll-free at 866-526-6008. We invite you to visit mxcc.edu/you and get started today. MxCC is ready for you!

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LINDSEY ABRAMSON All-Record-Journal / Scholar-Athlete VOLLEYBALL Lindsey Abramson returned to the All-RJ and All-SCC volleyball teams for a third straight year after helping the 14-4 Rams win a fourth straight divisional championship with team-high 194 kills and 71 aces. She was also named All-State First Team and invited to play in the Senior All-Star Game. Abramson is going to Kenyon College in Ohio, where she’ll major in Biomedical Engineering and play volleyball.

THOMAS BONITZ Athlete of Distinction / Scholar-Athlete SOCCER An All-SCC Second Team selection, Thomas Bonitz played a pivotal role for the Rams last fall as they went 11-6-1. He was also invited to play in the Senior Bowl. An AP Scholar with Honor with a 4.773 GPA, Bonitz was a member of the National, Science and Mu Alpha honor societies. He was a viola player in the Cheshire High School, New England Music Festival and Connecticut Southern Region orchestras.

RAEGAN BAILEY All-Record-Journal FIELD HOCKEY

ZACK BATES Scholar-Athlete SKIING

WILL BERGIN All-Record-Journal FOOTBALL

NORA BERGSTROM All-Record-Journal SWIMMING

This junior made the All-Record-Journal Field Hockey team after scoring 10 goals and registering four assists for the 11-8 Rams. Also a standout lacrosse player, Raegan Bailey didn’t get a chance to follow up on her All-State sophomore season, when she scored 53 goals.

Senior Zack Bates found a groove on the slopes as well as in the music room while at Cheshire. He was a regular top-10 finisher in ski competitions last winter and was a member of Cheshire High’s marching band and school orchestra, the Cheshire Symphony Orchestra and the Greater Hartford Wind Ensemble. He’ll pursue a degree in Music Education in college.

Will Bergin was a two-way lineman for the Cheshire Rams football team that went 8-2 and returned the program to the state playoffs for the first time since the 2009 Class LL state championship season. The 6-foot3, 260-pound Bergin was named All-SCC Tier 2 and selected to the Walter Camp All-Connecticut First Team. He’ll be putting in a prep year at Cheshire Academy.

A key contributor in Cheshire’s Class LL and State Open team championships, junior Nora Bergstrom made All-State in both distance freestyles by finishing fourth in the 200 and third in the 500 at the State Open. She was third in both events in Class LL. Bergstrom also swam on the Class LL champion 400 free relay that was second at the Open. She was on the 200 free relay that was second in Class LL and third at the Open.

CAROLINE CAMPION Athlete of the Week SOCCER

SEAN CANGIANO All-Record-Journal FOOTBALL

EDWARD CHEN Athlete of Distinction SWIMMING

SARAH CHEN All-Record-Journal SWIMMING

As good as the Cheshire girls soccer story got in 2019 -- 14-4-2 record, SCC Housatonic Division champs -- a major piece was missing because this young lady lost her senior season to a torn ACL. Happily, Caroline Campion’s career is not over. She is going on to play Division I soccer at Marist College.

After an All-SCC Tier 2 season for the Rams, Sean Cangiano will continue his football career in the NESCAC at Trinity. The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Cangiano played on both sides of the line and, on occasion, lined up in the backfield. One highlight: a 4-yard touchdown on Nov. 1 against East Haven. Cangiano was also among Cheshire’s tackling leaders with 54 total and 12 for lost yardage.

Although only a sophomore, Edward Chen had the area’s best time this year in the 100-yard breaststroke. Chen swam a 1:00.80 in placing fourth in the SCC Championships. The state meets were cancelled before Chen got the chance to build on that performance. Fortunately, he does have two more years to go.

Senior captain Sarah Chen led a magical Cheshire swim season that culminated with the Class LL and State Open team titles. Chen was part of a senior class that never lost a dual meet and extended the program’s win streak to 67. She swam on the 200 freestyle relay that was first in the SCC, second in Class LL and third at the Open. She was also on the medley relay that was second in the SCC and Class LL. Chen will swim at NYU.

MEGAN DALY All-Record-Journal FIELD HOCKEY

RUTH DELVECCHIO Scholar-Athlete TRACK

NATALIE DEMATTEO Athlete of Distinction DIVING

MIA DENHART Scholar-Athlete CHEERLEADING

AVERY DEPODESTA Athlete of the Week ICE HOCKEY

Senior Megan Daly earned spots on the All-SCC Second Team and All-Record-Journal Team in field hockey after a six-assist season for the 11-8 Rams. Daly, who also played lacrosse, will continue her field hockey career at Division II Southern Connecticut State.

A sprinter and hurdler, Ruth DelVecchio was a perennial state qualifier in the 55 dash and hurdles in the indoor season, in the 100 and 200 dashes and 100 hurdles in the outdoor season, and with relay teams in both. She was diligent in helping train younger sprinters and hurdlers, and now heads to college to pursue studies in Pre-Law.

Junior Natalie DeMatteo wound up as the leading area diver of the girls swim season after scoring a 369.10 to place sixth in Class LL. She was the only area diver to qualify for the State Open. There, DeMatteo raised her 11-dive score to 395.70 and placed 18th.

On the long list of student-athletes honored this year, Mia Denhart is easily one of the most diverse. Cheshire’s senior cheerleading captain also competed with the school’s rugby team and in its new fencing program. Denhart also volunteered with Cheshire Youth Cheerleading.

Sophomore Avery DePodesta came out for the first time this winter for the Connecticut Blades, the girls hockey co-op of Amity, North Haven and Cheshire, and she established herself as a major factor on offense. Her rookie season featured a hat trick against Fairfield. The Blades went 13-9-1, won the SCC regular-season champs and were SCC Tournament runner-ups to Guilford.

NADIA DINATALE Athlete of the Week / Scholar-Athlete ICE HOCKEY

NOAH DUNCAN All-Record-Journal DIVING

IZZY DZUIRA Scholar-Athlete SOCCER

COLE FEINAUER Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL

In his junior season, Noah Duncan put himself in Cheshire diving’s all-time Top 10 with a 246.75 scored against Xavier on Feb. 4. That ranks No. 8 on the program’s six-dive list. In 11-dive competition, Duncan compiled a 377.65 to place second in the 2020 SCC Championships.

Asked to fill a new position in her second season of varsity soccer, Izzy Dzuira stepped up and helped Cheshire go 14-42 and win the SCC Housatonic Division. And she’s only a sophomore. Dzuira played defense and was also a factor on offense with seven goals and two assists. She earned her team’s Scholar-Athlete nomination with a 4.19 GPA.

RYAN FARRELL All-Record-Journal CROSS COUNTRY / INDOOR TRACK Athlete of the Week INDOOR TRACK

Another key contributor from Cheshire on the Connecticut Blades was veteran Nadia DiNatale. The senior finished the season with 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points. DiNatale and the Blades came away at 13-9-1 after falling to Guilford 5-3 in the opening round of the Connecticut High School Girls Hockey Association state tournament.

This was a breakout year for junior Ryan Farrell. It started in cross country. Farrell made AllSCC First Team by finishing sixth in the conference championship and later qualified for the State Open with a 12th-place finish in Class L. Then came the indoor track season, when Farrell blossomed as State Open champ in the 600 meters after placing second in the SCC and third in Class L. His winning time of 1:23.54 at the Open is the school record.

Cheshire’s big man stepped into the spotlight in 201920 as a junior. The 6-foot-4 forward led the Rams in scoring with a 12.4 average. Feinauer hit for a season-high 21 points in back-to-back games against Guilford and Amity during a month-long stretch in January in which he scored in double figures in nine games straight.

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OLIVIA FERRARO Athlete of Distinction CROSS COUNTRY With the graduation of last year’s seniors, Olivia Ferraro and fellow sophomore Meghan Georgescu moved into leadership roles for the Rams in the fall of 2019. They project as the team cornerstones through 2021. Ferraro led Cheshire this year at the SCC Championship meet at East Shore Park (11th, 21:46) and the Class L state meet at Wickham Park (38th, 21:55). Ferraro made All-SCC First Team.

JUSTIN FINKEL All-Record-Journal SWIMMING Breaking out as a junior, Justin Finkel was a frequent double-winner in Cheshire swimming’s drive to a 10-3 dual-meet season. In the abbreviated postseason, Finkel was second in the 500 freestyle and third in the 100 butterfly at the SCC Championships. His times of 4:48.78 in the 500 and 53.35 in the fly that night at SCSU were the area’s best in those events on the year.

OWEN FIORE Scholar-Athlete CROSS COUNTRY

ALEC FRIONE Athlete of the Week FOOTBALL

This young man put up fast times on the track and cross country course and high marks in the classroom. His 4.45 GPA earned him the cross country team’s Scholar-Athlete nod in the fall. Fiore helped that team finish fourth in the SCC Championships and fourth again in the Class L state meet. The senior was an AP Scholar with Honor, a National German Exam silver medalist and a member of Mu Alpha Theta.

Alec Frione was a Cheshire athlete for all seasons throughout his high school career. This year, as a senior, Frione was Cheshire’s leading receiver in football with 24 catches for 579 yards. He also had 38 tackles and four interceptions as a defensive back. In the winter, Frione shifted to basketball and returned to his role as starting point guard, finishing strong with 79 points in Cheshire’s last five games.

MEGHAN GEORGESCU Athlete of Distinction CROSS COUNTRY

EMMA GLOVER Athlete of Distinction SWIMMING

COLBY GRIFFIN All-Record-Journal FOOTBALL

Stepping into the team leadership role with classmate Olivia Ferraro in the fall of 2019, Meghan Georgescu opened her sophomore season winning a quad meet at Cheshire Park. By the end of the year, Georgescu had earned All-SCC First Team status by placing 12th at the conference championship meet at East Shore Park in 21:48. Georgescu ran a 22:03 at Wickham Park to place 41st in the Class L state meet.

Cheshire’s specialist in the 100-yard breaststroke, junior Emma Glover did her part in helping the Rams reel in team state championships by placing fourth in Class LL breaststroke and combining with Jillian Stevens, Julia Stevens and Sarah Chen on the 200 medley relay that was fifth at the State Open. Glover opened the postseason placing second in the breaststroke in the SCC championship meet.

Colby Griffin may go just 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, but he plays a lot bigger than that no matter what the sport. In football, Griffin was an AllSCC Tier 2 wide receiver and defensive back for the Class LL quarterfinalist Rams. He caught 15 passes for 199 yards and was second on the team in tackles with 70. In basketball, Griffin was a key defensive player while also averaging 7.5 points a game.

SAM HANKE All-Record-Journal / Scholar-Athlete SWIMMING Sam Hanke is heading off to the University of South Carolina to continue a swim career that, scholastically, was cut short in his senior year by the coronavirus. A state contender, Hanke had to be content with a second straight SCC championship in the 100 backstroke. He holds the Cheshire school record in that event at 51.56. He’ll major in Business at South Carolina.

DENYS FUENTES All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week SOCCER Senior forward Denys Fuentes was a sparkplug on offense on Cheshire’s 11-6-1 squad of 2019. He scored nine goals and assisted on six others. At season’s end, he was named to both the All-SCC First Team and the All-Record-Journal Team.

HARRISON HUA All-Record-Journal SWIMMING Harrison Hua recorded the area’s best time this winter in the 200-yard individual medley when he placed third in the SCC Championships in 1:59.83. At that same meet, the junior swam legs on Cheshire’s second-place 400 freestyle relay and third-place 200 free relay.

KILEY JACKSON All-Record-Journal FIELD HOCKEY

GRACE KEAVENEY Athlete of the Week FIELD HOCKEY

KYLE KEMP Scholar-Athlete INDOOR TRACK

AUDREY KIESLING Scholar-Athlete CROSS COUNTRY

One of the few returning players from Cheshire’s Class L state runner-up team of 2018, senior Kiley Jackson assumed a leadership role while also scoring nine goals and assisting on four for the 2019 squad. She was named to the All-SCC First Team as well as All-Record-Journal. Jackson will continue playing at Southern Connecticut State University.

In her first full season of varsity field hockey, Grace Keaveney emerged as a viable scoring option for Cheshire. The senior knocked in five goals and assisted on three others to help the Rams go 11-8 on the season.

Kyle Kemp competed in both indoor and outdoor track in his time at Cheshire High and was All-SCC Academic in both. This past winter, in what proved to be his final scholastic season, Kemp qualified for the state Class L meet in the 300 meters and long jump. Kemp’s also got the beat. He was a drum major in the Cheshire Marching Band. Kemp is now off to Springfield College to study Physical Therapy.

Audrey Kiesling’s cross country career was undermined quite often by health issues. Finally, as a senior, she found traction and, with her no-quit work ethic, wound up as one of the team’s three senior captains. She maintained a rigorous academic pace as well, posting a GPA of 4.826.

JACK LOURA All-Record-Journal SOCCER

NICK MARINGOLA All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week ICE HOCKEY

JAKE MCALINDEN All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week FOOTBALL

BRENDAN MELLITT All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week CROSS COUNTRY / INDOOR TRACK

Once in a generation: That’s the sort of season Nick Maringola had this winter. The senior goaltender was named the state’s Division II Player of the Year and the SCC/SWC Division II Player of the Year after making saves on 718 of the 765 shots in 20 regular-season games. Maringola was the first Cheshire hockey player ever named a state player of the year. He is going on to play with the New Hampshire Avalanche in the Eastern Hockey League.

You could never miss Jake McAlinden on the football field. A three-year cornerstone of the Cheshire program, the running back/linebacker played with pure passion. He was a 1,000-yard rusher as a senior, putting up 1,102 yards and scoring 20 touchdowns to lead the 8-2 Rams back into the postseason for the first time since 2009. McAlinden was named All-State Class LL and All-SCC Tier 2. He is going on to play at SCSU.

Jack Loura’s got game, and in 2019 everyone noticed. The Greater New Haven Soccer Officials named him their Male Player of the Year. Selection to the All-State Class LL, AllSCC First Team and All-Record-Journal teams followed soon after. Loura was chosen to play in the Senior Bowl. He finished his senior year with 12 goals and five assists.

Brendan Mellitt is the reigning R-J Runner of the Year and he did nothing to lose his grip on the title in 2019-20. In cross country, Mellitt opened the season lowering the course record at Cheshire Park to 16:16 and ended it at the New England Championships. In the winter, he won the SCC championship in the 3200 and placed second in Class L. He is going on to run at Bucknell University.

OLIVIA KOCHOL Scholar-Athlete SKIING Olivia Kochol tore up the slopes and her schoolwork during her senior year. She maintained a 3.9 GPA and, in her final season of skiing, finished in the top five in each varsity race.

SOPHIE MURPHY All-Record-Journal SWIMMING Another year, another set of state titles for Sophie Murphy. The junior defended all her crowns in the freestyle sprints as a junior. She won the 50 at Class LL in 23.88 and lowered her time to 23.68 at the Open. Ditto for the 100. Her Class LL 51.11 was cut to 51.08 at the Open. Murphy was also SCC champ in the 200 free and swam on both SCC-champion freestyle relays. The 400 free went on to win gold in Class LL and silver at the Open.

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MAX NOVICELLI Scholar-Athlete ICE HOCKEY

CHISOM OKORO All-Record-Journal FOOTBALL

ELLIE PERGOLATTI All-Record-Journal SOCCER

Junior Chisom Okoro was a two-way staple of the Cheshire line in 2019. As a guard, he blocked for an offense that averaged 38 points and 322 yards a game. As a defensive end, he led the Rams in tackles with 75, including 16 for lost yardage. Okoro was named All-State Class LL and All-SCC Tier 2 along with All-RJ.

In her second varsity season, sophomore Ellie Pergolatti took on a new defensive position while also contributing mightily to the offense. She was part of a defense that allowed just 14 goals. Offensively, she scored seven goals and set up three others. Three of her seven goals were game-winners. The Rams won the SCC Housatonic Division and finished 14-4-2. Pergolatti was named All-SCC Second Team.

AVERY POTYRALA Athlete of Distinction SWIMMING

AVA PULISCIANO All-Record-Journal FIELD HOCKEY

SEYMONE ROSENBERG All-Record-Journal SOCCER

Freshman Avery Potyrala joined a swim team that had won 55 dual meets in a row and did more than her part in running that streak to 67. She was also on board for Class LL and State Open championships. In the postseason, Potyrala was a fixture on the 400 and 200 freestyle relays that won SCC titles and, respectively, went 1-2 at the Class LL meet and 2-3 at the State Open. Individually, Potyrala qualified for the State Open in the 200 freestyle.

Ava Pulisiciano had the tall task of following in the footsteps and pads of some checkered Cheshire field hockey goalies -- Alyssa Stevens, Lexie Hemstock. And, for good measure, her older sister Mia was an AllStater in her days as a Ram. Kid sister held her own. Ava accumulated seven shutouts in back-stopping Cheshire’s 11-8 season and earned the starting nod as the 2019 All-Record-Journal goalie.

Senior defenseman Max Novicelli wrapped a fouryear career on ice with the Rams. Novicelli also played lacrosse and was All-SCC Academic in both sports with a 4.5 GPA. He was a silver medalist on the National German Exam. A four-year member of DECA, Novicelli will study Accounting and Business Analytics in college.

Junior goalkeeper and captain Seymone Rosenberg was the backbone of a Cheshire squad that won the SCC Housatonic Division at 7-0-1 and finished 14-4-2 overall after 1-1 showings in the SCC and Class LL tournaments. Rosenberg racked up 10 shutouts and posted a 0.70 goals-against average allowing just 14 goals on the year. She was named to the All-SCC First Team.

ARIANA PERLINI All-Record-Journal VOLLEYBALL Scholar-Athlete BASKETBALL Ariana Perlini was a finalist for the Record-Journal Female Athlete of the Year award. Here’s why: She was a standout out throughout her Cheshire career in volleyball, basketball and softball. A libero in volleyball, Perlini was named All-SCC First Team last fall and selected to play in CHSCA Senior All-Star game after compiling 166 digs and 48 aces. Perlini is going to Fairfield University, where she will major in Psychology.

MATT PISANI All-Record-Journal SOCCER Senior Matt Pisani was the goalkeeper on Cheshire’s 11-6-1 team. In the face of a grueling schedule, Pisani pitched seven shutouts and allowed just 11 goals during the regular season. That worked landed Pisani on the All-SCC Second Team and made him the man in net for the All-Record-Journal Team

OLIVIA SALAMONE All-Record-Journal FIELD HOCKEY

CHRIS SCAFFONE Scholar-Athlete WRESTLING

This senior was named to the All-State and All-SCC First Teams and made a second straight appearance on the All-Record-Journal Team. A steady play-maker, Olivia Salamone scored four goals and assisted on six others as the Rams went 11-8 in 2019.

Junior Chris Scaffone has been the Cheshire wrestling team’s Scholar-Athlete since his freshman year. He wrestled at 152 pounds this past winter and qualified for the Class L state tournament.

EMMA SHALAGAN Scholar-Athlete FIELD HOCKEY An All-SCC Academic and national All-Academic, Emma Shalagan will pursue a degree in Speech Pathology in college. She was a chief assistant at Cheshire’s Kumon Math & Reading Center. She also sang in the V.I.P. choir and participated in the YMCA Leaders Club.

JASON SHUMILLA Scholar-Athlete FOOTBALL / BASKETBALL Multi-sport athletes were a hallmark of Cheshire’s Class of 2020. Here’s another one. Jason Shumilla played four years of football, basketball and lacrosse in Ramland. Football is what he’ll be playing as he heads off to Western New England University. Last fall, Shumilla quarterbacked Cheshire to its first postseason appearance in 10 years, throwing for 1,253 yards during the regular season.

JILLIAN STEVENS All-Record-Journal / Scholar-Athlete SWIMMING Here’s what Jillian Stevens did in her four-year CHS career: amassed a 4.93 GPA and, in swimming, helped the Rams extend their dual-meet winning streak to 67, ring up three state class championships and capture the 2019 State Open. She was All-State in the 100 backstroke with a fourth-place finish at the Open. Stevens will continue her career at Bryant University. She’ll be majoring in Managerial Accounting and Finance.

Dear Athletes, It has been our privilege to cover your progress through the years! The RJ Media Group is proud to celebrate your accomplishments and wish you further momentum in years ahead. Congratulations to the Class of 2020! To see:“Bryant Carpenter’s Best of the Bunch” video, go to: myrecordjournal.com/best2020

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T.J. ARDUINI All-Record-Journal ICE HOCKEY T.J. Arduini signed off on his four-year scholastic career with 13 goals and 19 assists in his senior season, piling up 15 points in the Lyman Hall Co-op’s final six games. That made him the second-leading scorer for the Trojans, who went 11-9-1 in Division II after winning the Division III state title in Arduini’s junior year.

HAILEY BRUNEAU All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL Scholar-Athlete BASKETBALL / VOLLEYBALL An LH standout for multiple seasons, Hailey Bruneau was a key volleyball player with 146 digs, 114 service points and 79 kills. Then she went to basketball and made it to the All-SCC Second Team averaging 8.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.3 steals. Basketball is the sport Bruneau will be playing at the University of Rochester, where she’ll major in Biology on a Pre-Med track. Bruneau was Lyman Hall’s CIAC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

KYRA BENZING-PLOURDE All-Record-Journal FIELD HOCKEY Senior forward Kyra Benzing-Plourde was among the top play-makers for the 2019 field hockey Trojans. She scored four goals and set up five others. For her production, Benzing-Plourde earned a spot on the All-Record-Journal team.

ELENA BIELESZ Athlete of Distinction SWIMMING Sophomore Elena Bielesz was one of the “core four” on Lyman Hall’s 2019 girls swim team. She wound up qualifying for the Class L state meet in two individual events, the 200 IM and 100 backstroke. She was also on the 200 medley relay that placed sixth in Class L as well as the 400 freestyle relay that finished eighth. Bielesz went on to the State Open with the medley relay.

ELLERY CAMPBELL Scholar-Athlete INDOOR TRACK

JULIA CAPELLO Athlete of Distinction BASKETBALL

A standout in both volleyball and track, junior Ellery Campbell earned Scholar-Athlete recognition in the latter sport with a 4.48 GPA that ranks her No. 2 in Lyman Hall’s Class of 2021. She’s an outside hitter on the volleyball team and the leading jumper/ hurdler on the track team.

One of Lyman Hall’s senior leaders, Julia Capello was a big piece of the Trojans’ 11-9 march into the postseason. The senior forward hit for 6.6 points a game and knocked down 29 shots from beyond the 3-point circle. She also pulled down 4.3 rebounds a night.

JAIME BLOIS Scholar-Athlete SWIMMING An accomplished musician, Jaime Blois is a member of the Cheshire Symphony and the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. She’ll pursue a degree in Music Performance in college – starting next fall. Blois is president of Lyman Hall’s Class of 2021 and, as a junior, was one of the captains of the 2019 swim team. She swam on the 200 freestyle relay that qualified for the Class L state meet.

ALYSSA CERVERO Athlete of the Week DIVING Lyman Hall junior diver Alyssa Cervero was unbeaten for much of the regular season, even against the SCC’s Division I teams. Her success continued in the postseason at the SCC Girls Diving Championships. With a score of 342.72, Cervero took the silver medal. She was 15th in Class L with a score of 328.60.

ELYSE BOOTHROYD All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week DIVING Elyse Boothroyd continued her record-breaking ways in her junior season with the Lyman Hall/Coginchaug Co-op. She broke her own Coginchaug six-dive record with a 241.0 in the rivalry meet with Sheehan on Feb. 26. Five days later, she compiled an 11-dive 347.0 to place third at the SCC Championships. She holds the Coginchaug 11-dive mark at 383.45.

GRACE CHAPPELL Athlete of the Week FIELD HOCKEY Coming off a 12-goal JV season as a sophomore, Grace Chappell was expected to be a leading scorer when she joined Lyman Hall varsity field hockey in the fall of 2019. It took the junior exactly two minutes and 23 seconds to prove she came as advertised. Chappell scored two goals in the season opener and finished with a team-high seven. She was also Lyman Hall’s SCC Fall Scholar-Athlete.

BRYANT CARPENTER’S BEST OF THE BUNCH

Lyman Hall’s senior soccer captain graduated No. 2 in the Class of 2020 with a resume as impressive as her GPA. Eaton was president of Lyman Hall’s Environmental Club and attended the Youth Summit on Environment. She will major in either Environmental Engineering or Environmental Science in college.

IN HWA FERRETTI Scholar-Athlete DIVING

MARK FRANCO All-Record-Journal FOOTBALL

TUCKER FREDRICKSEN Scholar-Athlete CROSS COUNTRY

ZOE GALLO Athlete of Distinction SWIMMING

In Hwa Ferretti played field hockey in the fall, which means she dove with the boys swim team in the winter. At this year’s SCC Championship meet, Ferretti finished 13th with an 11dive score of 266.80.

Lyman Hall’s senior guard and defensive end made the All-SCC Tier 3 and All-Record-Journal teams as an offensive lineman. Mark Franco, checking in at 221 pounds, was part of the protection that enabled Sean Patrick Pragano and wide receiver Shakespeare Rodriguez to break school passing/receiving records during the 2019 season.

Tyler Fredricksen played tennis and ran indoor track and cross country during his Lyman Hall career. He was senior captain of the cross country team. The High Honor student compiled a 4.0 GPA. He will attend the University of New Haven to study Engineering.

This sophomore was part of the Lyman Hall 200 medley relay that swam a 1:53.64 to finish sixth at the Class L meet and advance to the State Open. Zoe Gallo teamed with Elena Bielesz, Caroline Krawec and Elise Richardson and garnered All-Record-Journal Honorable Mention.

GRACE GAGLIARDI Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL

MACKENZIE GRADY All-Record-Journal VOLLEYBALL

CAITLYN HUGHES Scholar-Athlete CROSS COUNTRY

CAROLINE KRAWEC All-Record-Journal SWIMMING

KENDRICK LAGAMAO All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week SWIMMING

Junior point guard Grace Gagliardi had her hands on the wheel for the Lyman Hall girls basketball team in a 12-11 season that featured a trip to the SCC quarterfinals via a first-round upset of Wilbur Cross. Gagliardi did a little bit of everything for LH, averaging 4.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.8 steals per game. She connected on 16 3-pointers.

Outside hitter Mackenzie Grady earned her spot on the All-Record-Journal Team and the All-SCC Second Team by hammering down a team-high 182 kills for the Trojans. Grady was also a key component of the defense. Her 205 digs and 337 serve receives were second-best on the squad. Remember the name: Mackenzie Grady. She’s only a sophomore.

Junior Caitlyn Hughes is a year-round runner for the Trojans. She missed the 2019 cross country season to injury, but will be back this coming fall as a senior captain. Academically, Hughes carries a 3.77 GPA with a concentration in math and science. After Lyman Hall, she will pursue a medical career.

Sophomore Caroline Krawec followed up a fantastic freshman debut by earning All-State in the breaststroke and breaking a school record in the 100 backstroke. Krawec got All-State by placing eighth in the breaststroke at the State Open after a second-place showing in Class L. The backstroke record -1:00.25 -- came at the SCC meet, where Krawec placed fifth. Krawec also did well in the IM. She was second in the SCC and fifth in Class L.

Only a freshman, Kenny Lagamao was the leading swimmer this season for the Lyman Hall/Coginchaug Co-op. Capable of swimming all four strokes, Lagamao posted 10 combined individual victories in the 200 IM, 100 backstroke, 100 breaststroke, 100 butterfly and 500 freestyle while contributing to victories in all three relays, often as the anchor leg.

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ALEXIS EATON Scholar-Athlete SOCCER

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ERIN LAMB Scholar-Athlete FIELD HOCKEY A staple of the Lyman Hall field hockey defense, Erin Lamb was touted by coach Stephanie Lavado-Berghorn as a calming influence and a natural friend and leader, which should serve her well in the profession she’ll pursue: nursing. With a 4.1581 GPA, Lamb was twice named to the SCC and National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-Academic teams.

MICHAEL O’TOOLE All-Record-Journal ICE HOCKEY Mike O’Toole was Lyman Hall’s leading blue-liner on defense. He was a key piece of the Co-op’s 2019 Division III state title team and then on the 2020 team that made the transition to Division II. O’Toole was named to the AllSCC/SWC Division II Second Team and then to the AllState Division II Second Team.

BRIANNA MIK All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL Brianna Mik made the All-SCC Second Team as a junior leading the Trojans with 10.5 points a game. She had range, hitting from 3-point range 24 times. Mik was also solid on the boards as well as on defense, pulling down 4.3 rebounds and snaring 2.2 steals a game. Mik scored In double figures 16 different times, including a season-high 18 vs. Career on Feb. 5.

NATALIE PANAGROSSO Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL This 5-foot-10 center enjoyed a breakout season as a junior. With an early 12-point, seven-rebound outing vs. Coginchaug, followed by 14 points and six boards against Career, Natalie Panagrosso was off and running. The first-year starter finished the season averaging 6.6 points and 4.3 rebounds. She also hit for 29 3-pointers for the 12-11 Trojans.

JACK MURPHY Athlete of Distinction CROSS COUNTRY Scholar-Athlete INDOOR TRACK As he was in 2018 as a sophomore, Jack Murphy was Lyman Hall’s leading cross country running in 2019 as a junior. Murphy had his team’s best times in the annual Wallingford meet at Wharton Brook (17:38), the SCC Championships at East Shore Park (18:59) and the Class MM state meet at Wickham Park (18:27). He earned his Scholar-Athlete nod with a 4.05 GPA.

TYLER PARENTE Scholar-Athlete BASKETBALL A two-sport athlete in basketball and baseball, Tyler Parente ranked No. 14 in Lyman Hall’s Class of 2020 with a 4.46 GPA. Parent earned the coveted Trojan Award in basketball, played violin in the school orchestra and earned a Connecticut Seal of Biliteracy for Spanish.

KAITLYN NOLAN All-Record-Journal FIELD HOCKEY

LUCAS O’REARDON All-Record-Journal FOOTBALL

Senior center-back Kaitlyn “K.K.” Nolan was the anchor of the Lyman Hall field hockey defense. The rock, actually: She played with a broken finger, even after it was surgically repaired. Conference coaches took note of her skill and fortitude (she was named All-SCC Second Team) and so did we. Nolan was on the All-Record-Journal squad and a finalist for our 201920 Perseverance Award.

All signs pointed to a monster season for Lucas O’Reardon and the rugged 6-foot-2, 225-pound junior delivered on both sides of the ball. O’Reardon caught 46 passes for 631 yards as a tight end/ slot receiver. At linebacker, he had a team-high 87 tackles despite missing the last two games to injury. O’Reardon also intercepted three passes and forced three fumbles. He was named All-SCC Tier 3 as well as All-RJ.

MATT PETTIT All-Record-Journal / Scholar-Athlete ICE HOCKEY

SEAN PATRICK PRAGANO Athlete of the Week / Scholar-Athlete FOOTBALL

Four-year standout Matt Pettit compiled a 150-point hockey career that featured a Division III state championship in his junior season, two AllSCC recognitions and two AllRJ nods. Pettit led the Trojans this year with 18 goals and 17 assists and was named to the All-State Division II Second Team. He was also the Co-op’s Hobey Baker Award winner and Lyman Hall’s CIAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He is going to UConn.

In his second year as starting quarterback, senior Sean Patrick Pragano rewrote the Lyman Hall record book for passing. He set single-game marks for TD passes with five on opening night against Jonathan Law and for yards with 382 in Week 2 against Bethel. By season’s end, Pragano owned the LH single-season marks with 21 TD passes and 2,184 yards. His 29 career TD passes also stand No. 1 on the school’s all-time list. He is going to play at WCSU.

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JACK ROBERTS All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week ICE HOCKEY

SHAKESPEARE RODRIGUEZ All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week FOOTBALL

Elise Richardson was one of the area’s top rookies in any sport. The freshman swimmer qualified for the State Open in both the 50 and 100 freestyles. She twice broke the school record in the 50, signing off with a 24.80 at the Open. In the 100, she was second in the SCC and fourth in Class L, with her best time (53.61) coming at the class meet. Richardson also swam on the 200 medley relay that advanced to the State Open.

Sophomore Jack Roberts returned to the All-RJ hockey team after notching 12 goals and 18 assists to help the Lyman Hall Co-op make a successful jump to Division II after the Division III state championship season of 2019. Roberts had a trio of two-goal games and torched the twine in the Trojans’ first-round playoff win over Woodstock Academy.

JORDAN SMITH All-Record-Journal SOCCER

DECLAN TURBETT All-Record-Journal SOCCER

AIDAN WEIR Athlete of Distinction CROSS COUNTRY / ICE HOCKEY

In a tough season for Lyman Hall girls soccer, Jordan Smith was a shining light for the Trojans. The senior defender was named both All-Record-Journal and All-SCC First Team. A TWIST Scholarship winner, Smith will attend Monmouth University in New Jersey.

Junior forward Declan Turbett was the driving force on offense for the Trojans in the fall of 2019. He scored 15 goals and came away with AllSCC First-Team and All-Record-Journal recognition. A true team leader, Turbett was a captain as a junior.

A returning All-Record-Journal hockey player from the state Division III title team of 201819. Aidan Weir also continued to thrive as a cross country runner. He capped his junior season with a time of 18:31 in the Class MM state meet at Wickham Park. On the ice this winter, he scored four goals and assisted on 14 others as the Trojans went 11-9-1 in Division II.

Shakespeare Rodrgiuez had a classic game to go with his classic name. The third-year veteran finished as Lyman Hall’s top receiver of all-time with 89 receptions, 1,686 receiving yards and 19 receiving touchdowns. The 1,054 receiving yards he amassed in 2019 are Lyman Hall’s single-season record. Rodriguez will join his quarterback, S.P. Pragano, at WCSU.

GIANNA SCOPETTO Athlete of the Week VOLLEYBALL

LUCA SENSINI Scholar-Athlete SOCCER

Down the homestretch of the 2019 season, junior setter Gianna Scopetto provided a glimpse of what’s to come for Lyman Hall volleyball in 2020. Scopetto was in the middle of a 5-1 closing run and finished with 236 assists on the season. She also collected 42 digs, 25 aces and served at an 88-percent success rate.

Born in Italy before moving to Wallingford at age 2, Luca Sensini never really left his home country behind. He speaks fluent Italian, is a soccer standout in the midfield and a skilled videographer. A future Fellini? Sensini does want to pursue a career in film/video. He finished up his Lyman Hall soccer career making All-SCC Second Team in his senior season.

OLIVIA WEIR Athlete of Distinction CROSS COUNTRY Olivia Weir was Lyman Hall’s top female cross country runner in the fall of 2019. The junior had her team’s top times at the Wallingford rivalry meet at Wharton Brook (22:00), the SCC Championships at East Shore Park (22:22) and the Class L state meet at Wickham Park (23:03).

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ELISE RICHARDSON All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week SWIMMING

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LIV AITKEN All-Record-Jounal SOCCER Scholar-Athlete BASKETBALL

ANGEL ARCE All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week FOOTBALL

JOSUE ARRAEZ Scholar-Athlete BOYS SOCCER

EVAN AVERY All-Record-Journal / Scholar-Athlete INDOOR TRACK

Liv Aitken was one of the more veteran and versatile Lady Spartans in the Class of 2020. She was a soccer and basketball player throughout her Maloney career and senior captain in both sports. She earned All-RJ and All-Conference status in soccer as a defender who helped the Spartans return to the state tournament for the first time since 2012. She was point guard for the basketball team. Aitken will study Physical Therapy in college.

What a rookie season for Angel Arce. Taking over at quarterback as a sophomore, Arce led the Spartans to a 10-2 season that saw them win the CCC Division II West crown, romp in the Stoddard Bowl and reach the Class L state semifinals. Arce completed 145 of 255 passes for 2,003 yards and 26 TDs. He twice tied a school record with five TD passes in a single game. He was named All-Conference and All-RJ.

How much can a young person grow in a new environment? Consider this Maloney senior. When Josue Arraez moved from Venezuela to Meriden as a sophomore, he spoke no English. He not only mastered the language over the next three years, he rose to the top 15 percent of his class with a 3.91 GPA. A midfielder and forward in soccer, Arraez played on Maloney’s 2018 Class L state runner-up team and was a senior captain in 2019.

Junior Evan Avery was part of the 4x800 indoor relay that continually raised the bar in the postseason. Make that “lowered” the bar. Avery & Co. broke the Maloney record finishing fifth in the CCC Championships at 8:33.29, then did it again placing third in Class L in 8:27.22 and 10th at the State Open in 8:22.50. Avery was also on the sprint medley relay that set a program record with a 3:50.32 at the Class L meet.

SANFORD BRUCE All-Record-Journal SOCCER

ONIL CARRION Scholar-Athlete WRESTLING

MATT DESIMONE Scholar-Athlete SWIMMING

KIA HULL Scholar-Athlete CHEERLEADING

Still only a sophomore, Onil Carrion is putting up some serious numbers for the Spartans. He’s got a 4.50 GPA and went 30-10 this season on the mat in his second year as a varsity starter. He wrestled at 120 pounds.

Senior Matt Desimone was one of the key performers on a Meriden Co-op swim team that racked up a program-record eight dual-meet victories this past season. He qualified for the Class LL meet in the 100 butterfly. Academically, Desimone compiled a 4.5 GPA that ranked him No. 4 in Maloney’s Class of 2020. He was Maloney’s CIAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year and will study Biology in college.

Kia Hull cheers for her fellow Spartans in the fall and winter, then hits the field of competition herself in spring in track. (Well, she’ll be back out there next year.) The junior holds a 3.9 GPA and volunteers with LIttle Spartans and at the YMCA.

Sanford Bruce is called “Ivan” because he’s the fourth Sanford Bruce -Sanford Bruce IV. On the soccer field, though, he is one of a kind. Capable of playing any position, Bruce stepped in at sweeper as a junior in 2019 to anchor Maloney’s defense. Coach Dave Parness called him a cerebral player, one of the smartest he’s even coached. Bruce earned All-Conference along with All-Record-Journal recognition.

AVERY BENIGNI Athlete of Distinction SWIMMING Sophomore Avery Benigni was the leading swimmer on the 2019 Meriden Co-op girls squad. She was one of the best in the CCC South, too. Benigni was division champion in the 50 freestyle and the 100 butterfly, and advanced to the Class L state meet in both events. Benigni also anchored the 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams that qualified for the Class L state meet.

SAM HURLBURT All-Record-Journal SWIMMING With a time of 1:03.98 in the 100-yard breaststroke during the CCC South Championship, sophomore Sam Hurlburt broke a Maloney record that had stood for 20 years. He placed second in the CCC South that night and qualified for the Class LL state meet. Hurlburt was a key performer for a team that won a program-best eight dual meets this winter.

A varsity standout in soccer and volleyball since he was a freshman, Devin Juan kept it rolling in his third year in Maloney green. The junior was named an All-Conference goalkeeper in soccer and garnered All-RJ Honorable Mention.

VINCENT MARTINEZ All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL Maloney’s junior point guard capped the 2019-20 season on an absolute tear, going over 30 points on three occasions, including a season-high 35 on Feb. 8 against New Milford. Martinez led the Spartans with 18.4 points a game, which was also the area high. He was named All-CCC South and All-Record-Journal for a second straight year.

MORGAN KICKLIGHTER Athlete of the Week CROSS COUNTRY Morgan Kicklighter’s reign as the top female cross country runner in Meriden continued in 2019, and she still has one year to go. Last Oct. 11, Kicklighter won the girls race at the Meriden City Championships for a third straight year. She covered the 3.1-mile course at Hubbard Park in 22:28, one second faster than her winning time in 2018. The Spartans swept Platt and Wilcox Tech to take the team title.

GRACEY MASSICOTTE Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL This sophomore sharp-shooter was Maloney’s leading scorer and 3-point threat for the 2019-20 season. Massicotte connected 37 times from beyond the arc and finished the season with a 7.5 scoring average. She signed off with 12 points in the rivalry game with Platt.

GARRISON KUNST Scholar-Athlete BASKETBALL A second-year varsity player as a junior this season, Garrison Kunst averaged 8.6 points and 6.4 rebounds and was just shy of two blocks and steals a game. He’s also a consummate team player -- ready to work, quick to pick up a struggling teammate, unafraid to accept responsibility, according to coach Dave Parness. Academically, he ranks No. 2 in Maloney’s Class of 2021 with a 4.6 GPA.

MACKENIZE MCCORMACK All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week SOCCER Mackenzie McCormack was the whirlwind in the middle of the Maloney soccer offense. The sophomore scored 10 of her team’s 25 goals and assisted on six others in an 8-7-1 regular season that brought the Spartans back to the Class L state tournament. McCormack was named All-RJ and All-Conference.

BROOKE LATHE All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week / Scholar-Athlete VOLLEYBALL Brooke Lathe was the top player in Maloney volleyball in the fall of 2019. The senior led the Spartans with 160 kills and was second in with 150 digs. She earned a spot on the All-RJ team and was named All-Conference for a second straight season. A 4.0 Distinguished Honors student, Lathe was heavily involved in theater, music and other clubs outside of volleyball. She will major in English in college.

DASIA MONGILLO Scholar-Athlete INDOOR TRACK Dasia Mongillo earned her Scholar-Athlete designation with a 4.0 GPA. The senior is a speedster. She competed in the 55 meters and with the 4x200 and 4x400 relay teams. Mongillo also played softball during her time at Maloney.

ABBY LESPIER Athlete of Distinction SOCCER We were looking forward to what Abby Lespier and her twin sister Haley would do in tennis this spring but, alas, it was not to be. Abby Lespier did earn recognition for her work in the fall as the goalkeeper for the soccer team, which went 8-7-1 and returned to the state tournament for the first time since 2012. Along the way, Lespier recorded seven shutouts in net.

KAMRON MORENO All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week / Scholar-Athlete FOOTBALL The numbers show why senior wide receiver Kamron Moreno made All-State Class L and the Walter Camp All-Connecticut Second Team. Moreno twice tied the school record for touchdown receptions in a game with four against Bristol Eastern and again against Berlin in the Class L quarterfinals. He had 65 receptions for 994 yards and 15 TDs for the season. He’ll put in a prep year at Capital Harbor.

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DEVIN JUAN Athlete of Distinction SOCCER

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ANNELISE MONTOURI Scholar-Athlete CROSS COUNTRY

SERGIO MUNIZ All-Record-Journal FOOTBALL

DOMINIC OLIVERI All-Record-Journal INDOOR TRACK

JULIA OWEN Scholar-Athlete SWIMMING

JOE PERALTA Athlete of the Week SWIMMING

Maloney girls cross country rebuilt itself around this young lady. Annelise Montouri was a four-year runner for the Spartans and capped her career by joining the team at the Nike Cross Country Northeast Regionals in Wappinger Falls, N.Y. Montouri also ranked No. 1 in Maloney’s Class of 2020. She was Class Treasurer and will major in Finance, Economics and/or Actuarial Science in college.

The monster of the Maloney secondary, Sergio Muniz earned All-Conference and All-Record-Journal recognition by picking off a school-record seven passes in 2019. That included two in the Stoddard Bowl victory over Platt and one in the Class L state quarterfinal victory over Berlin. Muniz returned one interception and one fumble for touchdowns. He finished with 13 career interceptions, which is also a school record.

After a so-so cross country season by his standards, Dominic Oliveri re-emerged in the winter as part of the 4x800 relay team that finished fifth in the CCC and third in Class L. In each meet, Oliveri and his running mates set a new school 4x800 record, signing off with the 8:22.50 that placed them 10th at the State Open.

A Scholar-Athlete since her sophomore season, Julia Owen graduated No. 3 in Maloney’s Class of 2020. Owen played viola in the school orchestra and participated in dance. In the pool, she was a four-year swimmer and senior captain. She went to this year’s Class L state meet with all three Meriden Co-op relays. Individually, she placed second in the CCC South in the 100-yard freestyle. Owen will major in Psychology in college.

Joe Peralta established himself as the Meriden Co-op’s top distance freestyler in his sophomore season. He wound up qualifying for the Class LL meet in the 500 freestyle after placing fourth in the CCC South Championships with a time of 5:14.25.

ROBERT PLUMBERG All-Record-Journal WRESTLING

JORDAN RIOTTE Scholar-Athlete CHEERLEADING

DAREL RIVERA All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week WRESTLING

ISABELLA ROBISON Scholar-Athlete SOCCER

TREVOR SANTIAGO All-Record-Journal FOOTBALL

This junior 152-pounder was in the midst of a stellar season when a shoulder injury cut it short before the postseason tournaments. Robert Plumberg had to be content with a record of 24-7 and a spot on the All-Record-Journal team. He finished first at the Wethersfield Invitational and will be a cornerstone of next year’s squad.

Jordan Riotte was senior captain and flyer on Maloney’s fall cheerleading squad. She volunteered with the Wallingford Parks and Recreation Department and earned Scholar-Athlete status with a 3.7 GPA. Riotte is going on to study Nursing at Goodwin College.

Third-year varsity player Isabella Robison was a senior captain and outside midfielder on the 2019 Maloney squad that went 8-7-1 and put Maloney back in the Class L girls soccer state tournament for the first time since 2012. Robison also ranked in the top 20 of her class and was a three-time All-CCC Academic. She’s a Certified Nursing Assistant and would like to pursue a career as a Physician’s Assistant.

It was never hard to spot Trevor Santiago on the football field. The 6-foot-6, 300-pounder was the cornerstone of the Maloney line on both sides of the ball and helped the Spartans reach the postseason for three straight years. As a senior, he was among the Top 26 vote-getters in the Connecticut High School Coaches Association’s All-State balloting. He is going on to play Division I football at Central Connecticut State.

Darel Rivera’s All-Record-Journal junior season culminated with a trip to the State Open and a final record of 38-7. Along the way, the 220-pounder finished first at the Eagle Classic at East Catholic and at the Wethersfield Invitational. He placed second in the CCC Small School Tournament and sixth in Class L.

Despite frequently facing double teams, senior striker Zechariah Smith led the Spartans back to the Class L state tournament with a team-high 13 goals. He was named All-Record-Journal and All-Conference and, as an All-State Class L player, received an invitation to play in the Senior Bowl. Smith wound up taking home the game’s MVP Award.

COURTNEY UBAIKE Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL Courtney Ubaike was a yearround athlete throughout her Maloney career. She went from volleyball in the fall to basketball in the winter to track in the spring. She was senior captain in basketball and was the team’s force of the front court, a reliable scorer who also led the team in rebounding.

KODY TALENTO All-Record-Journal FOOTBALL / WRESTLING Athlete of Week WRESTLING

JAMES TARVER All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week FOOTBALL

All-Record-Journal in two sports, Kody Talento was Maloney’s leading tackler as a linebacker for a second straight season and a 160-pound wrestler who recorded 108 victories over the span of a four-year career. He earned career win No. 100 in the Platt match, won his weight class at the CCC Small School Tournament and placed third in Class L. He’s going on to wrestle at Division III Plymouth State.

Since 1998, the Maloney record for rushing yards in a season was 1,868. It belonged to Edwin Roman and it stood until James Tarver cranked out 1,955 in 2019. With five TDs and 287 yards on Thanksgiving, the junior was MVP of the Stoddard Bowl. His single-game high was 320 yards in a pivotal Nov. 8 win over Wethersfield. Tarver was named Walter Camp All-Connecticut Second Team and All-State Class L.

RASHAWN WILSON Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL

XAVIER ZALER All-Record-Journal INDOOR TRACK

Senior guard Rashawn Wilson was a key piece of the puzzle for this year’s Maloney basketball team, averaging double figures for a squad that went 11-9 to qualify for the Division III state tournament. Among Wilson’s top games were a season-high 22 points against both Platt and Berlin, 21 against Middletown and 19 in the regular-season finale against Platt.

This junior was a member of the relay team that broke Maloney’s indoor 4x800 record multiple times during the postseason. Xavier Zaler and his crew ran a fifth-place time of 8:33.29 at the CCC Championships and a third-place time of 8:27.22 at the Class L state meet to advance to the State Open, where they placed 10th in 8:22.50.

REYNALDO TORRES All-Record-Journal CROSS COUNTRY / INDOOR TRACK Athlete of the Week CROSS COUNTRY Reynaldo Torres broke out as Meriden’s top distance runner in his junior year. In cross country, he set the Hubbard Park course record (17:20), won the Neubauer Invitational and Meriden City Championship, and ran a season-best 17:18 in the Class L meet at Wickham Park. In indoor track, Torres was part of two relays that set new school records -- the 4x800 (8:22.50) and the sprint medley (3:50.32).

ZACHARY TROWBRIDGE Scholar-Athlete CROSS COUNTRY Four-year runner Zach Trowbridge wrapped up his cross country career trekking up to Wappinger Falls, N.Y. with his teammates to compete in the Open Division of Nike Cross Country Northeast Regional. Trowbridge also ran indoor track and, with a 4.49 GPA, was All-CCC Academic in both sports. He’ll major in Cybersecurity in college.

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ZECHARIAH SMITH All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week SOCCER

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BRYANT CARPENTER’S BEST OF THE BUNCH

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BRYANT CARPENTER’S BEST OF THE BUNCH

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AIDEN ANNINO Scholar-Athlete CROSS COUNTRY / TRACK Year-round runner Aiden Annino ran multiple laps around the Scholar-Athlete block. He got it in cross country and indoor track in his junior year and did it again as a senior. The National Honor Society student and George Eastman Young Leader award-winner will major in Marketing in college at Johnson & Wales.

WALLICA BAILEY Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL Wallica Bailey lost all of the 2018-19 season to injury. Back to full health as a junior in 2019-20, she led the Panthers in scoring and earned a spot on the All-Conference Team in the CCC South. Bailey averaged a team-high 11.8 points per game. She had a season-high 20 points against both Middletown and New Britain

CRISTIAN CALERO All-Record-Journal FOOTBALL / WRESTLING

TRE CARTER Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL

Cristian Calero returned to the All-RJ team in football as an offensive tackle and outside linebacker and also made the grade in wrestling at 170 pounds. In football, Calero helped pave the way for Roberto Salas’ 2,000-yard season and was named All-Conference. In wrestling, Calero placed third in the Class M and went 38-8 on the season.

Platt senior Tre Carter scored 40 points at Hartford Public the night of Feb. 3. He connected 16 times from the field, including on five 3-pointers. He went 3-for-4 at the line. It added up to 40 points, and those 40 points go in the books as the area’s single-game high for the 2019-20 basketball season. Carter led Platt with 15.6 points a game and was named All-CCC South.

SEAN BELL JR. Athlete of the Week FOOTBALL Sean Bell Jr. was the first Athlete of the Week of the 2019-20 school year. He got the nod on the first Friday night of the football season when he collared a deflected pass and returned it 85 yards for a touchdown against RHAM. The senior cornerback went on to record 50 tackles on the season, 38 of them solo.

TRENT D’ANIELLO All-Record-Journal FOOTBALL Sophomore Trent D’Aniello initially made his mark in football last fall kicking extra points and field goals. He was 21-for-25 on PATs and 6-for-6 on field goals, including a long of 34 yards. Then, with his team in need of a quarterback, D’Aniello stepped into that role late in his season and threw for 246 yards in two starts.

AALIYAH BURNLEY All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week VOLLEYBALL Scholar-Athlete BASKETBALL The decision Aaliyah Burnley made two years ago as a freshman to switch from soccer to volleyball paid major dividends last fall. The All-Conference middle blocker put down a team-high 217 kills and 34 blocks to help the Panthers reach the Class L state quarterfinals. In basketball, Burnley averaged 8.2 rebounds. She’s carrying a GPA of 4.1.

ANTHONY BUSCEMI Scholar-Athlete SOCCER Anthony Buscemi put in his third season with the Platt soccer program last fall and earned his second varsity letter as a right defensive back. The junior will be back for another season – and perhaps another term. Buscemi is the vice president of Platt’s Class of 2021.

ALEX FLYNN Athlete of the Week / Scholar-Athlete SWIMMING

LUKE FUERSTENBERG All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week WRESTLING

Alex Flynn entered high school with no competitive swimming experience and exited as a senior captain of the Meriden Co-op who challenged for the program record in the 100-yard butterfly. Flynn qualified for the Class LL state meet in the event with a time of 57.01. He’ll major in Computer Science/Computer Engineering in college.

What a senior season for Luke Fuerstenberg. The heavyweight captured the CCC Small School and Class M championships and went an area-best 48-3. Blessed with remarkable speed for a heavyweight, Fuerstenberg was a pinning machine. His 34 pins on the season go in the books as a new Platt record. He’s now bound for the U.S. Navy as a Machinist Mate-Nuclear.

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PLATT HIGH SCHOOL

MADELINE GERME Scholar-Athlete VOLLEYBALL Junior Madeline Germe had recorded 68 serve receives and 35 digs in her third year as a defensive specialist when her 2019 season was cut short by injury. Germe stuck with the team in its march to the Class L state quarterfinals and maintained her high GPA, coming away with a 4.69.

JAZMIR HUDSON Athlete of the Week VOLLEYBALL Platt went 14-8 in volleyball and advanced to the Class L quarterfinals in large part due to the versatile contributions of junior outside hitter Jazmir Hudson. A standout in all phases of the game, Hudson collected 161 kills, 130 digs and 58 aces. She was an All-RJ Honorable Mention.

ANAHI GUTIERREZ Scholar-Athlete SOCCER

CAITLYN HART All-Record-Journal VOLLEYBALL

EMILY HART Athlete of Distinction VOLLEYBALL

DANNY HERNANDEZ Scholar-Athlete FOOTBALL

A four-year varsity soccer player, Anahi Gutierrez was a team captain for the Panthers as a junior and senior. She also played tennis. Academically, the National Honor Society student served up a GPA of 4.86 and graduated No 2 in the Class of 2020. She will attend UConn.

Platt’s most decorated female athlete in the Class of 2020, Caitlyn Hart returned to the All-RJ team in volleyball, but never got the chance in softball. In volleyball, the four-year starter dished 488 assists to lead the Panthers to the 2019 Class L quarterfinals. She also had 157 digs and 87 aces and was a shoo-in for All-Conference. She will play volleyball at Sacred Heart University.

We say goodbye to one Hart and welcome another. While her older sister Caitlyn put in her final year at Platt, Emily Hart arrived and made an instant mark in volleyball by leading the Panthers in digs (219) and in aces (101). Also a softball player, Emily is expected to fill Caitlyn’s shoes as Platt’s pitcher.

The kind of program player who is the backbone of any team, Danny Hernandez was senior co-captain for the 2019 football Panthers and, as an outside linebacker, was in on 33 tackles, 25 of them solo. Hernandez also competed in track and field. He’ll be majoring in Physical Education at Central Connecticut State.

NADIA JAMES Scholar-Athlete CHEERLEADING

JAYLEN JOHN All-Record-Journal FOOTBALL

ANDREW MCCARTY Athlete of Distinction / Scholar-Athlete BASEBALL

MATHEW MERRIGAN All-Record-Journal / Scholar-Athlete WRESTLING

While the 2020 spring season never got off the ground, Andrew McCarty was a finalist for the R-J Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award. With a 4.3 GPA, he was an Academic All-American with the National High School Coaches Association and Platt’s CIAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. His 12 doubles last year were a school record. McCarty will play at Springfield College.

After two years of wrestling, sophomore Mathew Merigan stands at 64-15 for his career. This past season, he went 37-5 at 152 pounds, including 33-1 in the regular season. Merrigan was second in the CCC Small School tourney and placed sixth in the Class M state tournament. His GPA stands at a robust 4.63.

An All-Conference cheerleader as well as a track and field athlete, Nadia James is heading to Central Connecticut to major in Political Science. She had a GPA of 3.78. James participated in the Concert Choir and volunteered with Girls Inc. She was a senior captain of the cheerleading squad.

The anchor of both lines for Platt football, Jaylen John wrapped up an exceptional career by returning to the Walter Camp All-Connecticut, CHSCA All-State, All-Conference and All-Record-Journal teams. Among the coaches, John was among the Top 26 vote-getters. John collected 60 tackles, including 17½ for lost yardage. He will continue his career at SCSU.

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MEHDI MOUMEN Athlete of Distinction SWIMMING Mehdi Moumen hit the varsity pool this winter as a freshman and took the lead in the freestyle sprints as the Meriden Co-op racked up a program-record eight wins. Moumen qualified for his first Class LL state meet in the 100 freestyle. His personal best in that event was 52.76 seconds.

JAEL RIVERA All-Record-Journal FOOTBALL Defensive end Jael Rivera was a two-year force off the edge for the Panthers. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder collected 48 tackles last season, including 11 for lost yardage. He caused two fumbles and recovered three. Rivera was named All-Conference in the CCC for a second straight year and made his first appearance on the All-RJ squad.

ELIAN NAVA All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week SOCCER

ANTHONY NIMANI Athlete of the Week / Scholar-Athlete BASKETBALL

Elian Nava was an absolute diamond in a rough season for the 2019 Panthers. The junior center midfielder had the ability to control a game. He factored into every Platt goal on the year, scoring eight and assisting on three. At season’s end, Nava came away with his first All-Conference and All-Record-Journal selections.

Platt basketball put down a solid cornerstone in 201920 with Anthony Nimani, who broke into the starting lineup as only a freshman. He played in all 20 games and finished with a scoring average of 11.3 points a game. Nimani put up a single-game high of 30 points against Farmington on Jan. 16.

JAMES RONDINI All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week WRESTLING

ISAIAH ROSS All-Record-Journal WRESTLING

Put simply, James Rondini was one of the best wrestlers ever at Platt. Unbeaten as a senior at 34-0 until he dislocated his elbow, Rondini returned for states and placed second in Class M at 132 pounds. His career record of 144-32 is the third best in Platt history behind only West Johnson (163-19) and Luis Murillo Jr. (15318). Rondini will wrestle at New England College.

Wrestling at 126 pounds his senior year, Isaiah Ross went 36-2 before a knee injury ended his season just before the state tournaments. Ross was first at the Wethersfield Invitational, a spotless 4-0 at the Southland Duals and second in the CCC Small School Tournament. Ross was All-Record-Journal for a second straight season.

HALEY PEACOCK Scholar-Athlete SWIMMING

GABRIELLA RAMOS Scholar-Athlete TRACK

Congratulations to Haley Peacock. valedictorian of Platt’s Class of 2020. She was also a senior captain of the 2019 Meriden Co-op swim team and capped her four-year career in the pool by going to the Class L state meet with the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays. She will major in Biomedical Engineering.

Senior Gabriella Ramos -- the lone senior on Platt’s indoor track team this winter -- took up the reins and led the 4x200 relay team to its first state-qualifying time since 2010. She carried a 3.7 GPA and will major in Allied Health in college.

ROBERTO SALAS All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week FOOTBALL

JA’LEXIA WEST All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL

Roberto Salas did not just rack up a second straight 1,000-yard season in 2019. He rolled up 2,062 yards, second only in the Platt and city record books to Tyzhan Leatherwood’s 2,134 in 2014. Salas set single-game Platt records with six TDs and 36 points on Nov. 15 at Manchester. The junior was named Walter Camp All-Connecticut Second Team and All-State Class L.

Junior Ja’lexia West was a front-court force for the Panthers. She was the team’s second-leading scorer at 9.7 points a game and its leading rebounder at 8.3. She also blocked a teamhigh 14 shots and deflected 19. On six occasions, West notched a double-double, tops being a 17-point, 17-rebound performance vs. Bristol Central and a 17-point, 15-rebound night vs. Conard.

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CLARISSE AMINAWUNG All-Record-Journal / Scholar-Athlete INDOOR TRACK This postseason, junior Clarisse Aminawung was asked to forego the hurdling events to lend her speed to the relays. With Aminawung aboard, Sheehan won the 4x200 and 4x400 en route to its first SCC indoor girls team title. Aminawung was also on the sprint medley. All three relays placed in the top four in Class M. Aminawung holds the school record in the 300 hurdles and with the 4x400. She is No. 6 in her class with a 4.0 GPA.

ARIANA AMODIO All-Record-Journal INDOOR TRACK Athlete of Distinction CROSS COUNTRY Ariana Amodio established herself as a 1-2 punch with cross country teammate Liz Brown in 2019. Although only a sophomore, Amodio was Sheehan’s consistent No. 2 runner and earned a spot on the All-SCC Second Team. During the indoor track season, Amodio ran the anchor leg on the sprint medley relay team that placed third in Class M and advanced to the State Open.

DERRICK ARNOLD Athlete of Distinction / Scholar-Athlete CROSS COUNTRY

MICHAEL BARBERINO All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week CROSS COUNTRY

Derrick Arnold signed off on his cross country career with a spot on the All-SCC Second Team after placing 21st in the SCC Championships at East Shore Park in 17:55. (His best-ever 5K time was 17:05.) Sheehan’s CIAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Arnold will major in Actuarial Science at Southern Connecticut State, where he’ll also continue his running career.

After coming on strong as a junior at the end of 2018, Michael Barberino blossomed as a senior in 2019. He rose to the occasion for his first varsity win with a 16:54 at Wharton Brook to lead Sheehan over Lyman Hall in the Wallingford meet. It was the start of a run that led to All-SCC Second Team status (15th in 17:42) and a 14th-place finish in 17:21 at the Class M state meet. Both times were team-bests.

RILEY BJORNBERG All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week INDOOR TRACK

TERRENCE BOGAN All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week FOOTBALL

ERIN BRENNAN All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week INDOOR TRACK

ELISABETH BROWN All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week CROSS COUNTRY

Riley Bjornberg was a dual-champ as a senior. He was a wide receiver/defensive back on Sheehan’s Class S championship football team and the SCC East Sectional champ in the long jump in indoor track, where he went on to place fourth in Class M and advance to the State Open. In football, Bjornberg had 15 catches for 355 yards and four TDs. Bjornberg is now off to SCSU, where he’ll compete in track.

Simply one of the best. Period. Terrence Bogan was the state’s rushing leader in 2018 and 2019, and finished as Sheehan’s top rusher of alltime with 5,731 yards. He was a two-time SCC Tier Player of the Year and CHSCA All-State Top 26 player. Walter Camp twice named him All-Connecticut First Team and a Player of the Year finalist. There was also that New England Championship in the 100 meters. Bogan will play football at Trinity.

Erin Brennan pulled an upset when she won the 2019 SCC indoor crown in the pole vault as a freshman. Not so in 2020. Brennan was the No 1 seed after winning the SCC East Sectional at 8 feet, 6 inches and she raised the bar to 9 feet at the SCC Championship, a title defense that sealed Sheehan’s team title. Brennan also claimed the SCC East Sectional crown in the long jump at 16 feet, 5½ inches.

One of the area’s top runners since she was a freshman, Lizzie Brown maintained the pace this year as a junior. She was undefeated during the regular season. That included winning the Neubauer Invitational and the Wallingford rivalry meet. She made AllSCC First Team placing second in the conference meet (20:23). By placing ninth in 20:17 in Class M, Brown qualified for the State Open.

NOAH BECKER Athlete of the Week SOCCER Noah Becker wrapped up his Sheehan soccer career with a senior season in which he scored 11 goals and assisted on six others to help the Titans go 9-5-2 and qualify for the Class M state tournament. One highlight reel game for Becker came on Oct. 30, when he scored four goals and assisted on the fifth in Sheehan’s 5-1 rivalry win over Lyman Hall.

LEXI CARIM Athlete of Distinction SOCCER Junior Lexi Carim was one of the leading defenders on a Sheehan girls soccer team that went 13-5-3 and reached its first state semifinal since 1998. She knocked home two goals, to boot. Carim was an All-SCC Second Team selection and an All-Record-Journal Honorable Mention,

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LYDIA DELLIPAOLI Athlete of the Week VOLLEYBALL

MICKEY DEMING All-Record-Journal FOOTBALL

Lydia Dellipaoli was a major player in all phases of the game for Sheehan volleyball in 2019. The junior piled up 107 digs, knocked down 82 kills and served up 70 aces to help the Titans return to the Class M state tournament.

As a guard on offense and an end on defense, senior Mickey Deming was in the trenches on both sides of the ball in Sheehan’s march to the Class S state championship. A three-year starter, Deming was named All-SCC Tier 2. He blocked for an offense that averaged 42 points a game and racked up 44 tackles on defense, including 15 for lost yardage. He’s going on to play in college at Salve Regina in Newport, R.I.

TOM DIPASQUALE All-Record-Journal FOOTBALL

KAYLEE DROBISH All-Record-Journal FIELD HOCKEY

Tom DiPasquale was part of the class that entered Sheehan coming off a youth football championship and signed off by winning the Class S state championship. The All-SCC Tier 2 player was a guard on offense and linebacker on defense, where he was among the team leaders with 79 tackles, including 12 for lost yardage and 5½ sacks. DiPasquale is going on to play at Springfield College.

Kaylee Drobish was a catalyst for Sheehan in both field hockey and lacrosse. The senior scored four goals and assisted on seven others to help the field hockey team land a spot in the Class M state tournament. Drobish will play field hockey as well as lacrosse at Eastern Connecticut State.

OLIVIA DUBUC All-Record-Journal SOCCER / INDOOR TRACK Athlete of the Week INDOOR TRACK

Jordan Davis was a driving force in Sheehan’s Class S state football championship with 944 receiving yards, 827 rushing yards and 34 TDs, including four in the state final. Davis was one of the Top 26 vote-getters in the All-State balloting and was selected to the Walter Camp All-Connecticut First Team. He was also named team MVP. The state javelin champion in 2019, Davis will compete in both football and track at SCSU.

We bid a fond farewell to Olivia Dubuc, a track and soccer standout since her freshman year. In soccer, the two-time AllStater led the Titans in scoring in each of her four years and finished with 71 career goals, second most in program history. In track, Dubuc holds school records in the 300 (42.83) and 600 (1:35.81) and was this year’s SCC and Class M champ in the 600. She will play soccer at Division II University of Tampa.

CAROLINE DIGHELLO Scholar-Athlete BASKETBALL Caroline Dighello played both basketball and tennis for the Titans. She had the outside touch, shooting 42 percent from 3-point range for her four-year hoop career, and was also one of Sheehan’s leading defensive players. Dighello is heading to Penn State, where she’ll be in the Honors Program majoring in Accounting and Computer Science.

MARLEY ESCH All-Record-Journal / Scholar-Athlete SOCCER This senior was an All-SCC Second Team defender and team captain for the Sheehan soccer squad that went 13-5-3 and advanced to the semifinals of the Class L state tournament. A R-J Scholar-Athlete in multiple sports (she also swam and ran track), Esch was Sheehan’s CIAC Female Scholar-Athlete of the year. She is going to UConn to pursue a career in orthodontics.

ADAM DIDOMENICO All-Record-Journal / Scholar-Athlete SWIMMING Senior captain Adam DiDomenico wrapped up his excellent four-year Sheehan swim career earning All-SCC recognition with a third-place finish in the 50 freestyle at the conference championship meet. His time: 22.67 seconds. DiDomenico was a key piece of Sheehan’s back-to-back SCC Division II title teams and a two-time All-RJ selection.

LUKE FESTA All-Record-Journal ICE HOCKEY A major player in the 19-3-1 Sheehan hockey team’s 150-goal season, Luke Festa rang up 18 goals and a team-high 31 assists. Festa went over 100 career points and he’s still got a year to go. An All-SCC/SWC Second Team selection, Festa helped raise Sheehan’s third SCC/SWC Division III banner in as many years.

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JORDAN DAVIS All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week FOOTBALL

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MARISSA GALICIA Scholar-Athlete FIELD HOCKEY Marissa Galicia was a threesport athlete throughout her Sheehan career, playing four years of field hockey and lacrosse and running indoor track. She earned multiple Record-Journal Scholar-Athlete and All-SCC Academic nods with a 4.05 GPA. The National Honor Society member and Student Council president will major in Pharmacy in college.

DEMPSEY LAJOIE All-Record-Journal FIELD HOCKEY Junior Dempsey Lejoie was at the heart of Sheehan’s defense in field hockey. She helped the Titans twice shut out rival Lyman Hall en route to a 6-8-2 regular season that sent them on to the Class M state tournament. That earned her a spot on the All-Record-Journal squad. She also played basketball, contributing to a 20-4 season that took the Titans to the Class MM quarterfinals before the postseason was halted.

CAITLYN HUNT All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL & VOLLEYBALL Caitlyn Hunt was named AllRJ in both basketball and volleyball for a second straight year. The junior was also the lone area girls basketball player to be designated All-State. Hunt averaged an area-high 16.5 points a game and had the 20-4 Titans in the Class MM quarterfinals when the winter tournaments were canceled. In volleyball, Hunt cranked out 164 kills, 63 aces, 34 digs and 20 blocks.

MADDI LARKIN All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL After her performance in last year’s Class M state championship game, there was no question Maddi Larkin would be a cornerstone of the 201920 Sheehan girls basketball team. The senior forward delivered, averaging just shy of 10 points a game. Larkin was also a leading rebounder. She had a career-high 15 rebounds in the 51-37 rivalry win over Lyman Hall on Jan. 24. At season’s end, Larkin was named All-SCC Second Team.

KRIS JACKSON All-Record-Journal BASKETBALL An All-SCC Second Team and first-time All-RJ selection, Kris Jackson enjoyed an outstanding senior season. The 6-foot-4 big man averaged 15.2 points a game and also pulled down 6.4 rebounds a night. He put up 36 points against North Haven on Feb. 4, Sheehan’ single-game high on the season.

MICAH LEE Scholar-Athlete SOCCER Micah Lee played soccer throughout his Sheehan career and played club ball with South Central Premier. He also ran track and played tennis. In all three sports, he earned All-SCC Academic recognition. His GPA of 4.15 ranked him No. 9 in Sheehan’s Class of 2020.

TYLER JASINSKI All-Record-Journal SOCCER Tyler Jasinski returned to the All-RJ soccer team after a senior season in which he led the Titans defensively in their 9-5-2 march to the Class M state tournament. The center-defender could also score. Jasinski had six goals in 2019 and finished his career with 11. He was named All-State Class M and All-SCC First Team.

HAYLEIGH LAGASE Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL A key returning player from Sheehan’s run to the 2019 Class M state final, Hayleigh Lagase continued to thrive this year as a junior. She made the All-Tournament Team at the North Haven Holiday Tournament and scored a season-high 21 points against Daniel Hand in helping the Titans compile a record of 20-4 and advance to the Class MM state quarterfinals.

AMELIA MANSFIELD Scholar-Athlete CROSS COUNTRY

PATRICE MANSFIELD All-Record-Journal INDOOR TRACK

This junior earned the cross country team’s Scholar-Athlete nod with a 4.03 GPA. Amelia Mansfield was also the team’s No. 3 runner. Mansfield went on to run indoor track and was a member of Sheehan’s SCC championship team. She led off the sprint medley relay, which placed third at the SCC finals.

Sophomore Patrice Mansfield played on Sheehan’s Class L semifinal soccer team and ran on both the 4x200 and 4x400 relays that finished first at the SCC Championship meet, victories that propelled the Lady Titans to their first team title in indoor track. Manfield was also on the sprint medley relay. All three teams placed in top four in the Class M meet and advanced to the State Open.

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BRAEDON MCCARTHY All-Record-Journal FOOTBALL

Like fellow senior captain Tyler Jasinski, center-midfielder Matthew Marquis was back on the All-RJ boys soccer team for a second straight year. Marquis was also named to the All-SCC Second Team after playing a leading role in Sheehan’s 9-5-2 run to the Class M state tournament. For his career, Marquis registered nine goals and 13 assists.

A starter since his sophomore year, Braedon McCarthy was a two-way force who helped propel the Titans to the Class S championship. As a tight end/H-back on offense and an end on defense, McCarthy pulled off the trifecta. He was named All-State Class S, Walter Camp All-Connecticut Second Team and All-SCC Tier 2. He was All-RJ in both football and lacrosse. McCarthy will play football at Stonehill.

LILA PICKERIGN Scholar-Athlete SWIMMING

ALICEA PISCITELLI All-Record-Journal INDOOR TRACK

Still only a junior, Lila Pickerign was a captain and diver for the Sheehan swim team. In the winter, she shifts over to cheerleading. In that department, Pickerign is paying it forward. She works with Wallingford Cheerleading and volunteers with the Wallingford Parks and Recreation Department.

In combination with fellow sophomore Erin Brennan, pole vaulter Alicea Piscitelli literally put the Lady Titans over the top in their SCC team championship during the indoor track season. Piscitelli placed third in the SCC, eighth in Class M and qualified for the State Open.

JACK MCDONNELL All-Record-Journal / Scholar-Athlete BASKETBALL An All-SEC Second Team selection, Jack McDonnell returned to the All-RJ team as a junior. McDonnell averaged 15.3 points this year. He scored 20 or more on six occasions, including a season-high 29 against the North Haven. The 6-foot-2 guard supplemented his scoring with a teamhigh 7.1 rebounds a game. He was also good for three assists and steals per outing. McDonell takes 905 career points into his senior season.

DYLAN POET Scholar-Athlete TRACK & FIELD Sheehan track coach Charles Farley considers Dylan Poet a de facto assistant coach. The senior thrower, who ranked No. 2 in Sheehan’s Class of 2020, knows his events and how to convey that information to his teammates. Poet threw for 42-7½ and finished eighth in Class M in his final indoor season. He’ll major in accounting at Providence College.

GARRETT MOLAMPY All-Record-Journal BASKETBALL

DEVIN NAPOLI All-Record-Journal ICE HOCKEY

In his senior year, Garrett Molampy capped a stellar four-year career in basketball and rejoined football to help the Titans win a state title. Molampy was a receiver/DB in football and also handled the kicking, connecting on 59 of 67 PATs. In basketball, Molampy returned to the All-RJ team for a third straight year and was named All-SCC First Team. He led the Titans with a 16.8 scoring average and finished with 1,137 career points.

Devin Napoli was this season’s SCC/SWC Division III co-Hockey Player of the Year for a reason. The senior scored 26 goals and assisted on 19 as the Titans won their third straight conference crown. Napoli also earned a spot on the All-State Division III First Team after the Titans grabbed the top seed in the state tournament and finished 19-3-1. Napoli is going on to play lacrosse at North Greenville University in South Carolina.

ANTHONY ROMANO All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week / Scholar-Athlete ICE HOCKEY

JOE ROMANO All-Record-Journal ICE HOCKEY

Anthony Romano will enter his senior year of hockey with a shot at 200 career points after scoring 25 goals and assisting on 30 others for a team-high 55 points this past winter as a junior. Romano was named All-SCC/SWC Division III First Team the night the Titans won their third straight conference crown. He was also named to the AllState Division III First Team.

Joe Romano knows how to find the back of the net. At one point this year, the junior recorded three straight hat tricks -- in the last two games of regular season, then in SCC/SWC Division III semifinals. Romano finished with a team-high 35 goals for a squad that scored 150. Like his twin brother Anthony, Joe Romano was selected to the All-State Division III First Team.

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MATTHEW MARQUIS All-Record-Journal SOCCER

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SYDNEY ROSSACCI Athlete of the Week FIELD HOCKEY

KYLE SIMMONS Athlete of the Week FOOTBALL

LEILA SOFIANE Athlete of the Week SWIMMING

ELIANA TOLENTINO Scholar-Athlete VOLLEYBALL

CAITLYN VELEZ All-Record-Journal BASKETBALL

Sophomore Sydney Rossacci was Sheehan’s leading field hockey scorer in 2019 before transferring to Sacred Heart Academy. Rossacci banged home 10 goals, including both game-winners in matching 1-0 rivalry victories over Lyman Hall.

Kyle Simmons took up the starting reins at quarterback as a senior and was a steady hand in Shehan’s run to the Class S championship. While the Titans relied on their run game, they also had a tremendously effective passing game with Simmons, who completed 70 of 111 passes for 1,607 yards and 20 TDs. He threw only three interceptions and had a QB rating of 135.0. In the state final, Simmons threw for three TDs and ran for three.

Leila Sofiane continued to make a major splash in the Sheehan pool in her sophomore year. Sofiane won two individual events and anchored a first-place relay in the rivalry meet against Lyman Hall. In the postseason, at the CIAC Class S meet, she qualified for the championship heats in the 500 freestyle and with the 200 and 400 freestyle relays.

Eliana Tolentino was senior captain for a Sheehan volleyball team that returned to the postseason in 2019 after a one-year absence. She’s used to performing with the bright lights on. A regular in dramatic productions, Tolentino earned a CT Halo Award for Best Upcoming Actress and a Director’s Award for Choir and Theater. She will major in Child Psychology and minor in Art and Music in college.

Junior Caitlyn Velez was back directing the Sheehan girls basketball offense in her second season as starting point guard. She had the Titans at 20-4 and in the Class MM quarterfinals when the state tournament was halted. Velez was named to the All-SCC First Team.

ETHAN VENOIT All-Record-Journal CROSS COUNTRY

ALLISON VILLANO All-Record-Journal INDOOR TRACK

JASON VILLANO Scholar-Athlete FOOTBALL

KATIE WEBB Athlete of Distinction SWIMMING

AVERY WINTERS All-Record-Journal INDOOR TRACK

Ethan Venoit made his second straight appearance on the AllRJ team after a senior season that saw him place second in the Neubauer Invitational at Sheehan (17:31) and second in the Wallingford rivalry meet at Wharton Brook (16:56). In the postseason, Venoit ran an 18:03 at the SCC Championships at East Shore Park and a 17:51 in the Class M state meet at Wickham Park.

Another member of the SCC champion Sheehan girls track squad to be selected All-RJ, junior Allison Villano ran on both the 4x200 and sprint medley relays that ultimately advanced to the State Open. The 4x200 finished first in the SCC and fourth in Class M. The sprint medley was third in both meets.

As an outside linebacker, junior Jason Villano was among the leading tacklers in Sheehan’s Class S state championship season. He finished with 84 on the season -- 63 of them solo. Villano also intercepted two passes and broke up 15 others. He earned his team’s Scholar-Athlete nod with a 3.86 GPA.

Sophomore Katie Webb has already established herself as a cornerstone of Sheehan swimming for the next few years. Webb qualified for the championship heats in the 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley at the CIAC Class S meet and placed sixth in each event. Webb also swam on the sixthplace 200 freestyle relay.

Avery Winters got her sophomore season rolling by running a program-record 27.38 in the indoor 200 at the Hispanic Games at the New York City Armory on Jan. 3. She later ran on the SCC champion 4x200 and 4x400 relays to help Titans win their first indoor conference crown. Winters advanced to the State Open with both relays. This was her second year making the All-RJ team.

A second straight championship in the SCC got Joey Zellner right back on the Al-RJ swim team. The junior won a dramatic 100-yard freestyle race, touching in 48.82 to win by 3/100ths of a second. That time would have made Zellner a leading contender in the Class S state meet.

SHEEHAN HIGH SCHOOL

JOEY ZELLNER All-Record-Journal SWIMMING

WINNERS OVERALL

ACADEMIC

MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Billy Carr, Southington

MALE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Matt Pettit, Lyman Hall

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Olivia Dubuc, Sheehan

FEMALE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Chloe LaBissoniere, Wilcox Tech

TEAM OF THE YEAR

BONGIOVANNI SCHOLARSHIP Annelise Montouri, Maloney

COACH OF THE YEAR Charles Farley, Sheehan track & field

WENDI J. KEMP SCHOLARSHIP Haley Peacock, Platt

FALL SEASON

WINTER SEASON

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY Runner of the Year Brendan Mellitt, Cheshire

BOYS BASKETBALL Player of the Year

Sheehan football

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY

Runner of the Year

Jackie Izzo, Southington FIELD HOCKEY

Player of the Year

Jenna Sheehan Southington FOOTBALL

Players of the Year

Terrence Bogan & Jordan Davis Sheehan

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Garrett Molampy Sheehan GIRLS BASKETBALL Player of the Year Caitlyn Hunt Sheehan ICE HOCKEY Player of the Year

Nick Maringola Cheshire BOYS INDOOR TRACK Athlete of the Year

Ryan Farrell

BOYS SOCCER

Cheshire

Zechariah Smith, Maloney

GIRLS INDOOR TRACK Athletes of the Year

Player of the Year GIRLS SOCCER

Player of the Year

Trinity Cardillo & Sydney Garrison,

Abigail Sowa, Southington

Southington

GIRLS SWIMMERS OF THE YEAR

BOYS SWIMMER OF THE YEAR

Sophie Murphy & Julia Stevens , Cheshire

Sam Hanke, Cheshire

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

Luke Fuerstenberg, Platt

Player of the Year:

Lindsey Abramson Cheshire

WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

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RYAN ANDREWS Athlete of Distinction FOOTBALL / INDOOR TRACK

LIZY BEAULIEU Athlete of the Week GYMNASTICS

Watch for Ryan Andrews in 2020-21. You can’t miss him. Andrews goes 6-foot-2, 300 pounds and, this past year, as a junior, established himself as the anchor of the Southington offensive line at left tackle with an All-Conference season. Also a thrower in track, Andrews launched a fifth-place toss of 45-9¾ at the Class LL indoor meet and qualified for the State Open. He just got a D-I football offer from CCSU.

A third-year competitor, junior Liz Beaulieu was a major contributor in the Southington gymnastics team’s undefeated run to the Class L and State Open team championships. At the Class LL meet, Beaulieu scored 8.525 on vault, 7.6 bars, 7.875 beam and 8.375 on floor. She had an 8.7 in vault and an 8.350 on floor at the State Open.

ALLISON CARR All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week SOCCER

BILLY CARR All-Record-Journal / Scholar-Athlete FOOTBALL / WRESTLING

Allison Carr continued to build her impressive Southington resume in her junior year. Now we’re hoping she’ll stay injury-free her senior year. Carr led Southington girls soccer to the Class LL state final with a team-high 16 goals. She was named All-State and All-Conference. Carr was also a catalyst in girls basketball. She was averaging 7.6 points a game when a knee injury ended her season after Game 9.

Simply one of the state’s best athletes. Billy Carr was All-State Top 26 in football, a State Open champion in wrestling and a clutch performer in Southington baseball’s run to the 2019 Class LL final. As a linebacker, Billy Carr led the Blue Knights with 121 tackles. In wrestling, he swept the182pound championships in the CCC, Class LL and State Open and finished his career at 10729. Carr is going to Springfield College to play football.

CALEB BRICK All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week WRESTLING Brick by brick, Caleb Brick built a 25-7 senior season that featured career win No. 100 and second-place finishes at both the CCC Large School and Class LL tournaments. He qualified for the State Open and signed off with a final career record of 120-43. With a 4.0 GPA, Brick was an Academic-All-American. He will wrestle at the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

KYLE BUCHANAN Athlete of Distinction SWIMMING Senior Kyle Buchanan was part of the 400-yard freestyle relay that put the exclamation point on Southington’s team title at this year’s CCC West championship meet. Buchanan combined with Landon Colby, Tyler Heidgerd and Derek Melanson on a first-place time of 3:23.64. He is going on to swim at Eastern Connecticut State.

TRINITY CARDILLO All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week INDOOR TRACK Trinity Cardillo is on her way to Division I track and field at Northeastern University after extending Southington’s legacy in girls throwing events. Roll the thread: Cardillo was a two-time Class LL indoor shot put champion, the 2019 Class LL outdoor discus champion and the 2019 state hammer champion. She threw for a Southington record 44-3¼ in winning the 2020 New England indoor shot put championship in Boston.

JESSICA CARR All-Record-Journal SOCCER

JOHNNY CARREIRO All-Record-Journal FOOTBALL

MAX CASELLA All-Record-Journal FOOTBALL

Get used to hearing this name. Only a freshman, Jessica Carr made her Southington High sports debut by scoring nine goals and setting up nine others in the soccer team’s run to the Class LL state final. That work made her a rare All-CCC and All-RJ selection as a freshman. In basketball, Carr was a key player on both ends of the floor with 5.8 points and 5.1 rebounds a game and 53 total steals.

In his senior year, Johnny Carreiro made the All-State grade as a defensive back in football, both with the Connecticut High School Coaches Association (Class LL) and the Walter Camp Foundation (Second Team). Carreiro helped the 10-2 Blue Knights reach the Class LL state semifinals with two interceptions, 10 pass break-ups and 47 tackles. He’s going on to play at Endicott College.

Senior linebacker Max Casella was at the heart of a defense that fueled Southington’s run to a sixth straight CCC Division I West crown and, ultimately, to the Class LL state semifinals. Casella racked up 96 tackles, 7½ sacks and three fumble recoveries for a unit that allowed just 719 rushing yards on the season and an average of 11.8 points a game. Casella was named to the All-Conference and All-Record-Journal teams.

CHRIS CHAPLINSKY Scholar-Athlete SOCCER Chris Chaplinsky capped his four-year soccer career with the Blue Knights serving as a senior captain. He heads to college to major in Mechanical Engineering after ranking No. 5 in Southington’s Class of 2020 with a 111.62 academic average.

JON COCCHIOLA Athlete of Distinction / Scholar-Athlete SWIMMING This senior has left the Southington YMCA, but his name remains on the Southington boys swimming record board. Jon Cocchiola teamed with Landon Colby, Tyler Heidgerd and Derek Melanson to win the 200 medley relay at this year’s CCC West Championships. Their time of 1:40.93 was the fastest ever in that event at the divisional finals. Academically, Cocchiola ranked No. 15 in the Class of 2020 with a 109.107.

EMMA DORAN All-Record-Journal / Scholar-Athlete FIELD HOCKEY

KATHERINE DRECHSLER Athlete of the Week / Scholar-Athlete GYMNASTICS

Emma Doran capped her fouryear field hockey career returning to the All-Conference and All-Record-Journal teams for a second straight season. With the spring season canceled, she didn’t get a chance to do the same in lacrosse, her other sport. Doran had three goals and five assists in her final season of field hockey. She was Secretary of Southington’s Class of 2020.

A Level 8 club gymnast who did not compete with the Blue Knights until this year, Katherine “Kat” Drechsler was a major force in Southington’s undefeated Class L and State Open championship season. She put up some big numbers in the Class L meet, including a 9.1 on vault and 9.075 on beam, then placed ninth individually at the State Open. Drechsler will compete in Acrobatics and Tumbling at Quinnipiac University.

LANDON COLBY All-Record-Journal SWIMMING

BROOKE COONEY Athlete of Distinction VOLLEYBALL

KATHERINE CROUSE Athlete of Distinction SOCCER

Landon Colby continued to build his resume in his second season. No sophomore slump here. Colby won the 100 butterfly in 54.74 at the CCC West championship meet and combined with Tyler Heidgerd, Derek Melanson and Jon Cocchiola on a meet-record 1:40.93 in winning the 200 medley. Colby was also part of the first-place 400 freestyle relay at the divisional meet.

Senior Brooke Cooney did a little bit of everything for Southington on the volleyball court last fall. She hit, she set, she served, she played defense. Cooney collected 140 kills, 155 digs and earned All-Conference recognition and All-Record-Journal Honorable Mention.

Katherine Crouse was a cornerstone of Southington’s 2019 Class LL state runner-up season as a senior captain and defender. She was center-back on a defense that yielded just six goals and recorded 16 shutouts during Southington’s 17-1-2 campaign. The All-Conference player will continue her soccer career at Division I Central Connecticut State University.

EMILY EIGO Athlete of Distinction SOCCER

JENNA FAMIGLIETTI Athlete of Distinction SWIMMING

SYDNEY GARRISON All-Record-Journal INDOOR TRACK

Junior goalkeeper Emily Eigo nearly earned Southington a share of the 2019 Class LL girls soccer state championship. She held the fort against an increasingly strong Glastonbury onslaught until the Tomahawks scored with just under six minutes to play. For the season, Eigo and senior Lexi Almeida combined on 16 shutouts in 20 games.

Jenna Famiglietti, a junior, teamed with Sarah Meade, Maddie Symecko and Meghan Hammarlund to reach the State Open in the 200 medley relay. The quartet opened the postseason winning the CCC West conference championship. At the same meet, Famiglietti placed second in the 100 breaststroke.

Sydney Garrison took her game to new heights in her final season of high jumping at Southington. Upping her program record throughout the indoor season, Garrison won the State Open at 5-6½ and followed with a 5-7 that earned her gold at the New England Championships. Garrison will continue her track career at the University of Hartford.

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BEN GORR All-Record-Journal WRESTLING Coming off a solid rookie season as a freshman, Ben Gorr compiled a sophomore campaign at 126 pounds that saw him go 36-12. Gorr won the CCC Large School crown, placed sixth in Class LL and went 3-2 at the State Open. For a second straight year, he was named an Academic All-American. With two more seasons still ahead, Gorr already has 75 career victories.

MEGHAN HAMMARLUND All-Record-Journal SWIMMING Meghan Hammarlund did considerable rewriting of the SHS record book in 2019. While competing at the State Open, the junior cut her 100 butterfly record to 58:19 and her 100 backstroke standard to 58.90. Hammarlund was All-State in the fly and CCC West champ in the backstroke. On top of that, she was on the CCC West champion 200 and 400 free relays. The 400 broke a school record at the Open.

JARED KELLY All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL

DILLON KOHL All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week FOOTBALL

Jared Kelly was named All-Conference in the CCC West and returned to the All-Record-Journal team for a second year with a senior season that saw the sharp-shooter score at a 15.5 points-a-game clip. Kelly hit for a team-high 55 3-pointers on 139 attempts. That’s just shy of 40 percent. Kelly also led the 10-10 Blue Knights with 57 assists and 31 steals. He is going on to play basketball at Dean College.

Despite missing several games to injury, senior Dillon Kohl was a 1,251-yard rusher in 2019 and his 15 touchdowns led the team. He had 200-yard games against Hall (219) and Manchester (247). He returned from injury and ran for 148 yards on Thanksgiving, 122 in the Class LL quarterfinals and 138 in the semifinals. Southington’s Offensive MVP in the Apple Classic, Kohl will play at Western New England.

TYLER HEIDGERD All-Record-Journal SWIMMING Tyler Heidgerd returned to the All-RJ team after a senior season that saw him win 19 individual races to fuel Southington’s 10-1 dual-meet season. Heidgerd went on to defend his CCC West divisional crown in the 100 backstroke and win a new one in the 200 freestyle. He was also part of the CCC West champion 200 medley and 400 free relays. He will study Construction Engineering at CCSU.

JACKIE IZZO All-Record-Journal CROSS COUNTRY / INDOOR TRACK Athlete of the Week CROSS COUNTRY Breaking the course record at Camp Sloper was prelude to sophomore Jackie Izzo’s stellar cross country season, which culminated with a 19:03 in the New England Championship, the fastest 5K time ever run by a SHS girl. Izzo also broke three program records during the indoor track season -- 1000 (3:01.40), 1600 (5:12.82) and 3200 (11:16.83) -- and was on the record-setting 4x800 team that qualified for New Balance Nationals.

MAREK KRYZANSKI All-Record-Journal SOCCER

BRADY LAFFERTY Athlete of the Week FOOTBALL

Southington soccer coach Dave Yanosy called Marek Kryzanski his team’s “unsung hero,” its most skilled player whose work didn’t always show up on the stat sheet. Marek was also the last of three Kryzanski brothers to go through the Southington soccer and tennis programs. He was All-Record-Journal in tennis in 2019.

Junior Brady Lafferty steadily gained traction in his first season as Southington’s starting quarterback. He went over 2,000 yards passing on the season (2,083) by completing 170 of 291 passes, with 25 going for touchdowns. Lafferty was named overall MVP of the Apple Classic against Cheshire on Thanksgiving after completing 23 of 40 passes for 241 yards.

EMMA JEKUBOVICH Athlete of Distinction SWIMMING

Freshman Emma Jekubovich made a rookie splash by swimming legs on the 200 and 400 freestyles that earned Southington conference championships in the CCC West. The 400 freestyle went on to place seventh in Class LL and set a new program record of 3:41.41 at the State Open.

JACKSON LANDINO Athlete of Distinction CROSS COUNTRY Jackson Landino was a solid top-five runner throughout the cross country season and, consequently, played a big role in Southington’s return to the State Open as a full team. With a time of 17:28, the junior was one of four Blue Knights to go under 17½ minutes in the Class LL meet at Wickham Park. Landino signed off with a 17:40 at the State Open.

KAYLIN LEIFERT Athlete of Distinction GYMNASTICS

SHANNON LITCHFIELD All-Record-Journal SOCCER

Junior Kaylin Leifert’s third year with Southington gymnastics was her best yet -- and the team’s, too. Leiftert factored into Southington’s championships at both the Class L meet and the State Open. In Class L, Leifert scored 8.25 on vault, 7.35 on the uneven bars and 8.425 on both the balance beam and floor exercise. At the Open, Leifert earned an 8.5 on floor and an 8.225 on the beam.

Following up on a 15-goal sophomore campaign, Shannon Litchfield was at nine goals and counting when misfortune struck on the night of Oct. 22 with a season-ending injury. The Blue Knights felt her loss down the stretch and into the postseason. For what she means to the team when she’s there -- and not there -- Shannon Litchfield was named All-Conference and also took a spot on the All-Record-Journal squad.

JACK MCMANUS Athlete of the Week FOOTBALL

SARAH MEADE Athlete of Distinction / Scholar-Athlete SWIMMING

Jack McManus mostly made his mark on defense in his junior season of football. He was fourth on the team with 59 tackles. McManus, though, also established himself as a wide receiver with 22 catches for 296 yards. His breakout game came in Week 7 against unbeaten Simsbury. Due to injuries, McManus got more looks than usual and responded with seven catches, 154 yards and three TDs..

Sarah Meade earned Evan Tuttle’s Coach’s Award for 2019 -- not for any specific performance, but for sheer example. A senior captain, Meade swam through a shoulder injury and wound up going to the State Open with the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays. She is part of program records in both events and, as a junior, was CCC West champ in the freestyle sprints. She graduated as valedictorian of Southington’s Class of 2020.

KELLEY MARSHALL All-Record-Journal / Scholar-Athlete BASKETBALL Averaging 9.7 points a game, 6-foot-1 Kelley Marshall was Southington’s leading scorer until injury ended her junior season after Game 17. The Lady Knights struggled without her, losing five of their last six games. Marshall was named to the All-CCC West and All-RJ teams. With a GPA of 4.19, Marshall was also named the Lady Knights’ Scholar-Athlete.

JACKSON MALSHESKE All-Record-Journal SWIMMING A consistent scorer for the Blue Knights in a 10-1 regular season that included a 5-0 run in the CCC West, Jackson Malsheske did his part in Southington’s team championship at the divisional meet at Cornerstone Aquatics Center. The junior brought home the 500-yard freestyle, out-distancing the field with a time of 5:03.97.

DEREK MELANSON All-Record-Journal SWIMMING

GRACE MICHAUD All-Record-Journal CROSS COUNTRY

Derek Melanson is heading off to swim in Southern Connecticut’s checkered Division II program after a stellar senior season in which he won 20 of 21 dual-meet races and captured the CCC West championship in the 200 individual medley. At that same meet, Melanson swam legs on the first-place 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays to fuel Southington’s run to the team title.

Grace Michaud returned to cross country in her junior season and emerged as the area’s second-leading female runner. She placed 10th in Class LL and advanced all the way to the New England Championships. Michaud went on to run indoor track and set a Southington girls program record of 10:53.50 in the 3000 meters at the Yale Invitational.

LILI MCKINSTRY Scholar-Athlete CROSS COUNTRY Lili McKinstry was a four-year runner for the Lady Knights who also played lacrosse. She earned her Scholar-Athlete award in cross country with her 103.9 academic average. She was a member of both the National Honor Society and World Language Honor Society, Unified Theater and Southington STEPS Youth Council.

ANNY MOQUETE-VOLQUEZ All-Record-Journal INDOOR TRACK The elder stateswoman on Southington’s record-breaking 4x800 relay team, Anny Moquete-Volquez was the lone senior on the squad that rewrote the program’s indoor record in qualifying for the New Balance Nationals and broke it again placing seventh in the New England Championships at 9:36.72. She’s now off to Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts, where she’ll compete in swimming, track and cross country.

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ANDIE NADEAU All-Record-Journal SWIMMING

DREW NAFIS Athlete of Distinction CROSS COUNTRY

JAKE NAFIS All-Record-Journal CROSS COUNTRY

Name it and junior distance freestyler Andie Nadeau did it in 2019. She was CCC West champion in the 200 and 500 freestyles, breaking her own school record in the 200 and rewriting the school record in the 500 that had stood since 1982. She was part of the conference-champion 200 and 400 free relays. The latter went to the State Open and signed off with another school record.

A few years back, Southington cross country benefited from the services of the Leone twins. Now the Blue Knights have the Nafis brothers. Making a tremendous splash as freshmen, Drew Nafis and his brother Jake helped return the Southington boys to the State Open as a team. Drew ran a 17:31 in the Class LL meet and a 17:36 at the State Open.

Jake Nafis started running some pretty fast times right out of the gate in his rookie year of 2019. That included a 16:35 at the Wild Safari Invitational in New Jersey. By the time the postseason arrived, the freshman was tearing it up at Wickham Park with times of 17:27 at the CCC Championships, 17:20 in the Class LL meet and 17:34 at the State Open.

ERA PASHA Scholar-Athlete GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

MATTHEW PENNA All-Record-Journal CROSS COUNTRY / INDOOR TRACK Scholar-Athlete CROSS COUNTRY

KELLY PERROTTI Athlete of Distinction GYMNASTICS

GIANNA PERUGINI All-Record-Journal SWIMMING

A Level 8 club gymnast who competed with the Blue Knights for the first time this year, Kelly Perrotti was a key factor in the undefeated equation that added up to the Class L and State Open championships. Perrotti had the top all-around score among all competitors at the Class L meet with a 9.1 on vault, 9.0 on bars, 8.8 on floor and 8.675 on beam. At the Open, Perrotti was once again in the 9’s -- 9.15 on bars, 9.025 on vault.

It’s hard to believe Gianna Perugini did not start swimming competitively until her sophomore year. In the fall of 2019, as a senior, she swept the CCC West crowns in the 50 and 100 freestyles and swam legs on the conference-champion 200 and 400 freestyle relays. The 400 free relay signed off at the State Open with a time of 3:41.41, a new school record.

Era Pasha led the 2019 Blue Knights as both a team captain and senior libero. Her 280 digs and 473 serve receptions were both team highs. On the night of Sept. 12, in Monroe, Pasha recorded a career-high 32 digs against Masuk. A volunteer at Bristol Hospital, Pasha will major in Biology in college on the Pre-Med track.

Matt Penna is on his way to run cross country and track at Iona College after a distinguished high school career in both sports. The 16:41 Penna ran at Wickham Park in the CCC Championships last fall was Southington’s third-fastest time ever on the state’s championship course. Penna led the Blue Knights to the cross country State Open as a team and, in indoor track, qualified for the State Open in the 3200.

JAKE NAPOLI All-Record-Journal / Scholar-Athlete BASKETBALL Senior captain Jake Napoli led Southington basketball on the floor with a 16.8 scoring average and in the classroom with a 96 academic average that ranked him No. 19 in the Class of 2020. Napoli shot better than 45 percent from the floor, including 39 percent from 3-point range, and grabbed 5.3 rebounds a game. Also an All-Record-Journal golfer, Napoli is going to Bentley University.

EMMA PANARELLA All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week / Scholar-Athlete SOCCER Emma Panarella once described herself as a “behind-thescenes” player, but it’s impossible to miss the contributions she has made to Southington girls soccer over the last four years. A starting midfielder since her freshman year, Panarella was part of a program that compiled a record of 54-13-5 between 2016-2019. She was an All-Conference senior captain on this year’s Class LL state runner-up team.

DIANE PILLSBURY All-Record-Journal INDOOR TRACK Athlete of Distinction CROSS COUNTRY Junior Diane Pillsbury was a consistent top-five scorer and All-Conference runner for the Lady Knights in cross country and the anchor of the 4x800 indoor track relay team that qualified for the New Balance Nationals. The 4x800 set a school record of 9:36.72 in placing seventh at the New England Championships in Boston.

LIVVY PIZZITOLA All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL Junior point guard Livvy Pizzitola had a flair for the dramatic. Her steal and layup in the waning seconds gave the Blue Knights a victory over Glastonbury on Feb. 7. Several weeks later, in the opening round of the Class LL tournament, she hit a base-line jumper in the closing seconds to beat Middletown. Pizzitola led Southington in minutes played (24½), steals (78) and assists (54). She averaged eight points a game.

RACHEL POSSIDENTO All-Record-Journal VOLLEYBALL This junior landed on the All-Conference and All-Record-Journal teams after a solid season in the middle for the Blue Knights. Hitting at a 36.3 success rate, Rachel Possidento put down 103 kills, 28 aces and 21 blocks. Her 10 kills helped Southington upset Newington in the first round of the Class LL state tournament.

ASHLEY REED All-Record-Journal WRESTLING

NATALIE REEVES Athlete of Distinction GYMNASTICS

LUCCA RICCIO All-Record-Journal CROSS COUNTRY

Ashley Reed was all about blazing new ground this year. The junior was among the first wave of champions at the CIAC’s inaugural Girls Invitational Wrestling Tournament, taking the 160-pound division by pinning to win in three of her four matches, including the championship. Ashley Reed is the first girl to be named to an All-Record-Journal Wrestling Team.

A Blue Knight standout since her freshman year, Natalie Reeves enjoyed an undefeated regular season and the Class L and State Open championships as a junior. At the Class L meet, Reeves earned scores of 8.55 on vault and bars, 8.8 on beam, 8.7 on floor. She remained consistent at the Open, scoring 8.375 on vault, 8.5 on bars, 8.350 on beam and 8.675 on floor.

Like fellow senior Matt Penna, Lucca Riccio returned to the All-Record-Journal Team for a second straight year. Running consistent 17-minute 5Ks, Riccio was instrumental in the Blue Knights qualifying for the State Open as a team. Individually, Riccio ran a 17:03 in the Class LL meet and a 17:09 in the State Open. His season low was a 16:42 at the Wild Safari Invitational in New Jersey.

EMERSON SUSKI All-Record-Journal DIVING

AUTUMN SWAIN All-Record-Journal FIELD HOCKEY

MAGGIE RITCHIE All-Record-Journal FIELD HOCKEY

JENNA SHEEHAN All-Record-Journal FIELD HOCKEY

ABBY SOWA All-Record-Journal SOCCER

Junior Maggie Ritchie was a 1-2 scoring punch up top with senior Jenna Sheehan during the 2019 field hockey season. Jenna often got Maggie the ball and Maggie knew how to put it away. Ritchie scored a team-high 11 goals for Southington and earned a spot on her first All-Conference and All-Record-Journal teams.

Jenna Sheehan may not have been Southington field hockey’s leading scorer of all time, but she certainly is its most decorated. Sheehan was All-State Honorable Mention as a sophomore, then All-State First Team as a junior and again a senior. Sheehan signed off with seven goals and eight assists in her final season. She is going on to play at Division I Coastal Carolina in Conway, S.C.

One of the best players on the field no matter who the opponent, Southington center-midfielder Abby Sowa was instrumental in helping the Class LL state runner-up Blue Knights score 58 goals while limiting opponents to six. Sowa scored 12 goals and assisted on three others in her junior season and was named All-State and All-Conference. She has verbally committed to Division I East Carolina University.

Senior Emerson “E.J” Suski returned to the All-RJ squad for a second straight year by recording the area’s best six-dive score of the season, a 257.95. Suski went on to place third in the CCC West Championships. He’ll be attending Central Connecticut State.

Like fellow senior midfielder Emma Doran, Autumn Swain was the hub of Southington field hockey. The game pretty much flowed through them. And, like Emma Doran, Autumn Swain was named to the All-Conference and All-Record-Journal teams.

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MADDIE SYMECKO Athlete of Distinction SWIMMING Junior Maddie Symecko was part of the Southington 200 medley relay that captured the CCC West championship and advanced all the way to the State Open. Symecko also took an individual silver at the CCC West championship meet. She was second in the 100 backstroke.

JOSH VITTI All-Record-Journal FOOTBALL Athlete of Distinction WRESTLING A leading two-sport player for the Blue Knights, senior Josh Vitti was Southington football’s top receiver with 61 receptions for 680 yards and eight TDs. As a defensive back, Vitti was in on 42 tackles and nine pass breakups. He was named All-Conference. Wrestling at 160 pounds, Vitti was CCC Large School champ and fourth in Class LL, finishing with a record of 34-11. He will play football at Nichols College in Dudley, Mass.

JOE TELLERICO All-Record-Journal SOCCER

CARTER UHLMAN All-Record-Journal FOOTBALL

JACOB VECCHIO All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week / Scholar-Athlete WRESTLING

Joe Tellerico was one of Southington’s three senior soccer captains and the lone Blue Knight to make All-Conference. He also scored one of the season’s most impressive goals: a 65-yarder on the fly, into the upper corner, on a direct kick. It was one of five goals Tellerico scored to cap his Southington career.

Carter Uhlman made the grade as an All-State Class LLwide receiver by pulling down 57 passes for 640 yards and seven touchdowns in his senior season. He twice caught eight passes in a single game -- first against Darien, then against Manchester. He also had seven against East Hartford. Uhlman is going on to play Division II football at St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H.

DAWSEN WELCH All-Record-Journal WRESTLING

ALEXAH ZACZYNSKI All-Record-Journal INDOOR TRACK

ZACH ZEMBRZUSKI Athlete of Distinction FOOTBALL

Junior Dawsen Welch went 30-9 in the regular season and punctuated it with a postseason that saw him place second at 152 pounds in both the CCC Large School and Class LL tournaments. Welch walked away with a final mark of 34-13.

Junior Alexah Zaczynski recorded the top height among area girl pole vaulters during the 2019-20 indoor track season when she cleared 10 feet. In the postseason meets, Zaczynski placed second in the CCC at 9-6 and fifth in Class LL at 9-0, which qualified her for the State Open.

Here’s the best Southington High School athlete you might not have heard about simply because injury deprived him of virtually his entire scholastic career. At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Zach Zembrzuski is a player, both in the front court in basketball and on the defensive line in football. After recovering from multiple knee and ankle injuries, he returned to action in both sports as a senior. He will play football at Western New England.

Jacob Vecchio earned All-Conference stripes in football as an offensive lineman and All-RJ laurels in wrestling. He placed second in the CCC Large School Tournament at 220 pounds and wrestled back to take third in Class LL and at the State Open to qualify for the New England Championships. Vecchio was 41-11 as a senior, which put him at 105-35 for his career. Vecchio will play football at the Coast Guard Academy.

LAUREN VERRILLI All-Record-Journal INDOOR TRACK This junior ran on the 4x800 indoor relay team that broke a Southington record in placing seventh at the New England Championships with a time of 9:36.72. Lauren Verrilli and relay mates Jackie Izzo, Diana Pillsbury and Anny Moquete-Volquez also qualified for the New Balance Nationals Indoor meet.

BRYANT CARPENTER’S BEST OF THE BUNCH

This sophomore has been a two-year starting defender for Wilcox Tech soccer and ranks high in the Class of 2022 with an academic average above 102. Esmeralda Aguirre is also an accomplished violinist. She’s a member of the Mariachi Academy of New England and plays in the band “Mariachi Colonial.”

NATHAN DEMAIO Scholar-Athlete BASKETBALL The son of a coach, senior Nate DeMaio brought keen insights to the game. As point guard, he averaged 7.5 points and dished 50 assists to help the Indians return to the Division III state tournament. A high point? The regular-season finale. Nate’s team took on his dad’s Guilford team with grandfather George “The Coach” DeMaio calling the game on radio. Nate was Wilcox Tech’s CIAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

BRANDON ARMSTRONG Scholar-Athlete CROSS COUNTRY Brandon Armstrong was All-Conference during his Wilcox running career and, academically, ranked in the top 10 of the Class of 2020 with a 4.0 GPA. He was a National Honor Society member and chalked up a second-place performance in electronics in a state Skills USA competition.

SEBASTIAN DOMINGUEZ Athlete of the Week SOCCER As goalkeeper, Sebastian Dominguez’s job was to keep opposing shots out of the Wilcox net. The senior could also turn the table and put a ball or two in opposition nets. Against Vinal Tech on Sept. 24, Dominguez had the unique stat line of two goals scored and three saves in net, where he split time with Giovanni Bautista in a 6-0 shutout. Dominguez and the Indians had eight total shutouts in going 11-6-1 on the season.

MARY CAIRES Scholar-Athlete CHEERLEADING Sophomore Mary Caires added her fluid moves to the Wilcox Tech cheerleading squad for a second year. She was also fairly fearless. “Mary is always willing to attempt new stunts with a smile, but without hesitation,” said coach Felicia Wlliams. “She makes cheerleading stunts appear seamless. She generates so much excitement for the team just watching her move flawlessly.”

CHLOE LABISSONIERE All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week / Scholar-Athlete VOLLEYBALL You couldn’t miss Chloe LaBissoniere on the volleyball court. We didn’t. LaBissoniere returned to the All-Record-Journal Team with an MVP season that saw her lead Wilcox to a 17-6 record with 187 kills and 113 aces. Opposing coaches in the CTC took note, voting her All-Conference. LaBissoniere was Wilcox Tech’s CIAC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year with an average above 104.

YARELIS CARRERO Scholar-Athlete BASKETBALL Though only a junior, Yarelis Carrero was already a team captain this past year. Carrero, coach Rob Janiga noted, had a way of settling a young, inexperienced team. She played multiple positions and was also one of the team’s top defenders. Carrero is carrying a 3.5 GPA and hopes to pursue a career in the Air Force.

SACARIA COOPER Athlete of the Week VOLLEYBALL Wilcox volleyball coach Sue Planinshek said going into the 2019 season that junior Sacaria Cooper would be a player to watch. She was spot-on. Cooper started modestly, then absolutely took off. Her breakout game was a 22-kill performance in a 3-2 win at Kaynor Tech on Oct. 2. With Cooper’s contributions, Wilcox went 17-6 on the season. Cooper finished with 136 kills and a team-high 20 blocks.

VICTORIA LOGODICIO Athlete of the Week VOLLEYBALL

ISAAC MARKS Scholar-Athlete SOCCER

Junior Victoria Logodicio was a deft play-maker for the Wilcox Tech volleyball team in the fall of 2019. As setter, she dished 173 assists. As a strong server, she dropped in 57 aces. Logodicio and the Indians went 17-6 and qualified for the CIAC Class M tournament.

A four-year player, Isaac Marks notched 12 goals and nine assists during his time on the Wilcox pitch. He was part of two CTC conference championship teams as a forward and midfielder. With a 104.65 academic average, Marks ranked among the top students in the Class of 2020. He plans on majoring in Psychology in college.

WILCOX TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL

ESMERALDA AGUIRRE Scholar-Athlete SOCCER

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WILCOX TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL

BRYANT CARPENTER’S BEST OF THE BUNCH

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LESLIE MELANCIANO Scholar-Athlete RIFLERY

CRISTIAN PAGAN Scholar-Athlete FOOTBALL

TATIANA ROBLES Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL

MADISON SAGE Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL

KATE SANTILLAN Scholar-Athlete CROSS COUNTRY

Senior Leslie Melanciano was the catalyst for this year’s rifle team at Wilcox. She was a team leader and she was consistently among the top five shooters in every match. It was a follow up on her junior year, when Melanciano was named the Tribe’s Most Improved Shooter. Melanciano also played volleyball and was active in Skills USA.

Junior Cristian Pagan earned the Wilcox Tech football team’s Scholar-Athlete nod with a 4.07 GPA. He also earned Wilcox Tech’s Defensive Player of the Year award as an outside linebacker. In a Nov. 16 road game in Norwich against Thames River, Pagan piled up 24 tackles -- 13 of them solo. He finished the year with 47 tackles.

Arguably the best victory of the 2019-20 season for the Wilcox Tech girls basketball team came on Feb. 7. Down by 17 points at halftime, the Indians stormed back and forced overtime to defeat Whitney Tech 57-54. The leading scorer that night for the Tribe was Tatiana Robles. The sophomore found the range for six 3-pointers and finished with 24 points.

Sophomore Madison Sage established herself as a cornerstone player in her first season with the Wilcox Tech girls basketball team. Her 14-point performance against Holy Family propelled the Tribe to its opening win of the season.

Kate Santillan came out for cross country for the first time in the fall of 2019 and rose to the No. 3-4 slot in the Wilcox pecking order. She was in Wilcox Tech’s Culinary Arts program and, coming out of cross country season was choosing between majoring in Government at the Coast Guard Academy or majoring in CAD at Southern University.

JOE SCALA Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL

GIOVANNY SOLIS All-Record-Journal / Athlete of the Week SOCCER

ISAIAH THOMAS Athlete of the Week BASKETBALL

A broken wrist slowed Joe Scala at the start of the basketball season. Once the senior was back to full health, he showed his capabilities virtually every night. Scala enjoyed one of the area’s best games of the campaign on Feb. 27 when he scored 20 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and snagged 11 steals in a triple-double against Whitney Tech. Scala averaged 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds. He also had 40 steals and 36 assists.

Giovanny Solis kept Wilcox Tech’s string of All-State and All-Record-Journal selections going, following on the heels of immediate predecessor Kelvin Cortez. Solis also helped fill the scoring void. The senior knocked home 15 goals in 2019 and assisted on eight others. He and the Indians went 11-6-1 and qualified for the Class L state tournament. Solis was a finalist for R-J Boys Soccer Player of the Year.

Junior Isaiah Thomas was the driving force on offense this season as the Indians entered the post-D.J. Ransom Era. Thomas got rolling with a pair of 22-point performances against O’Brien Tech and Whitney Tech and finished the season with a team-high 275 points, good for a 13.1 average. Thomas also led the Indians in steals with 60. He was second-best with 48 assists.

A special thank you to all our local coaches Cheshire High School Steve Trifone, Athletic Director Mike Devine, Boys Lacrosse Kylee McIntosh, Girls Lacrosse Kristine Drust, Softball Don Drust, Football Pam Gunneson, Boys Cross Country Rob Schaefer, Girls Cross Country Eileen Wildermann, Field Hockey Artur Branco, Boys Soccer James Luis, Girls Soccer Kevin Reeder, Boys Swimming Dave Modzelewski, Girls Swimming Sue Bavone, Boys & Girls Volleyball Dan Lee, Boys Basketball & Boys Golf Michelle Vieira, Girls Basketball Anthony Guisto, Ice Hockey Barbara Hedden, Indoor & Outdoor Track Allen Dvarskas, Indoor & Outdoor Track Nan Cunningham, Boys Tennis Bruce Levine, Girls Tennis John Williams, Girls Golf Duane Bass, Skiing Drew Pichnarcik, Wrestling Mike Lussier, Baseball

Lyman Hall High School Steve Baker, Athletic Director Arnie Jandreau, Boys Soccer Tony Crane, Girls Soccer Marion Kish, Volleyball Mike Addorisio, Cross Country Stephanie Lavado, Field Hockey & Softball Donna Neary, Boys & Girls Swimming Rob Ruys, Boys Basketball Tom Lipka, Girls Basketball Dave Palmer, Indoor Track & Girls Lacrosse Dave Sagnella, Ice Hockey Bill Rich, Baseball Ed Neilander, Outdoor Track Dan Battapaglia, Boys Tennis Stephanie Provenzano, Girls Tennis Mike Blake, Golf Tim Castelli, Boys Lacrosse

Sheehan High School Chris Dailey, Athletic Director John Ferrazzi, Football Lou Rodriguez, Boys Soccer Robert Hueslman, Girls Soccer Victoria Sperrazza, Girls Volleyball Dan Wostbrock, Girls Swimming & Boys Lacrosse Charissa Zbikowski, Girls Lacrosse Frank Mohr, Cross Country Katie Gill, Field Hockey Joe Gaetano, Boys Basketball Keith Cargan, Boys Swimming Mike Busillo, Girls Basketball Charles Farley, Indoor & Outdoor Track Dave Festa, Ice Hockey Dom Lombardozzi, Baseball Jamie Canny, Boys Tennis Doug Sime, Girls Tennis Sarah Wyant, Softball Kevin Ainsworth, Golf

Southington High School Steve Risser, Athletic Director Mike Drury, Football Dan Dachelet, Cross Country, Indoor Track, Outdoor Track Erin Luddy, Field Hockey Dave Yanosy, Boys Soccer Mike Linehan, Girls Soccer Evan Tuttle, Girls & Boys Swimming Rich Heitz, Girls Volleyball John Cessario, Boys Basketball Howie Hewitt, Girls Basketball Cassidy Chamberland, Gymnastics Brian Cannon, Ice Hockey Derek Dion, Wrestling Charlie Lembo, Baseball Jim DiNello, Golf Ron Chase, Boys Lacrosse Davina Hernandez, Softball Dave Sargent, Girls Lacrosse Steven Jasulavic, Boys Tennis Robin Thompson, Girls Tennis Connor Green, Girls Outdoor Track Lou Gianacopolos, Boys Volleyball

Maloney High School John Vieira, Girls Basketball Dave Parness, Boys Soccer & Boys Basketball Don Askew, Indoor & Outdoor Track Ed Heath, Meriden Co-Op Swimming Eoin McClure, Girls Soccer Derek DeStefano, Cross Country Joe Winoski, Wrestling Kevin Frederick, Football Kevin Savejs, Girls & Boys Volleyball Ricky Marrero, Baseball Scott Aresco, Softball Steve Page, Golf Tim Sweigard, Girls Tennis

COACHES

BRYANT CARPENTER’S BEST OF THE BUNCH

Platt High School Rich Katz, Athletic Director Jason Bruenn, Football Tim Redican, Boys Soccer/Baseball Daniel Guiterrez, Girls Soccer Lou Gianacopolos, Volleyball Samantha Randall, Cross Country Shawon Moncrief, Boys Basketball Tina Gonyea, Girls Basketball Ed Heath, Meriden Co-Op Swimming Bryan McCarty, Wrestling Jen Duell, Softball Bob Angiletta, Boys Track Chantel Ridlon, Girls Track Kevin Cook, Boys Tennis Jen Lehner, Girls Tennis Jim Siebert Golf

Wilcox Technical High School Steve Wodarski, Athletic Director Trevor Jones, Football Joe Testa, Boys Soccer Chuck Ubaldi , Girls Soccer Dave Cronin, Boys Cross Country & Baseball Randy Farkas, Boys Basketball Jim Ferraro, Girls Basketball Steve Wodarski, Golf Bruce Haney, Softball Sue Planinshek, Boys Tennis & Girls Volleyball Rob Janiga, Cross Country, Girls Basketball & Girls Tennis

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