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Going Up High Kyle Hammond of the A’s reaches to make the play as the Stafford Little League baseball season gets underway. Photo by Andre Garant, The Sports Department, www.ajgphotoguy. smugmug.com
Inside The Sports Department Jon Buzby discusses how to decide which child’s game to go to. See page 3. Check out who made the All TSD Teams, beginning on page 6.
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Stafford Looking Strong Down The Stretch
By Danny Atkinson The Sports Department
upgrade in a simple context. “The players have worked hard every day in practice and are buying into what we’re doing as a team,” he said. “As long as we continue to focus on working hard as a team, I can see us continuing to improve and going deep in states.“ Enfield It is only two runs that separate the Enfield Raiders from perfection. The 11-2 Raiders have so far met their goal of being a contender and are in a fierce fight with Ellington for the NCCC
Despite playing in the shadow of two of the top teams in the state, the Stafford baseball team has emerged as a team to be reckoned with come state tournament time. The Bulldogs two losse came at the hands of NCCC rivals Ellington and Enfield. But with an 11-2 record and what should be an easier portion of their schedule ahead, the Bulldogs will likely be a high seed in the post-season. Stafford is averaging nearly 12 runs a game, led at the top of the order by Zach Rollins (.500, 14 runs) and Evan Theroux (.389, 15 runs). Rollins has also proven himself to be an ace, going 6-0 with a 1.97 ERA. “For him take leadership of our pitching staff has been a huge boost,” said head coach Scott Martin. Stafford is currently third in the NCCC standings and fourth in the Class S rankings after going 6-14 last season. Though a number Tom Jacobsen takes the throw for the 11-2 of elements obviously go Bulldogs. Photo by Lifetouch Photography. into such a significant improvement, Martin casts that See “Stafford Making Run,” Page 4
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The Sports Department
2
Casagrande Sizzling In Season Opener At Stafford
Kyle Casagrande of Stafford is auto racing’s version of a power hitter. He likes to swing for the fences. When everything is clicking, Casagrande hits more than his share of homers. His five victories in 2011 tied him for the lead in the DARE Stock division at Stafford Motor Speedway. When things aren’t clicking, however, he’s been known to rack up a few strikeouts. He finished sixth in the point standings last year, despite his five wins. He knows what he has to do to move up the points ladder. “I have to be more consistent, and I wasn’t last year” Casagrande said. “My ultimate goal is to win the championship.” Casagrande is off to a good start. He had the dominant car in the opening race of the season, the 15-lap DARE Stock Spring Sizzler April 28. Casagrande started sixth and smoothly worked his way into the lead. “We did a lot of work on this car over the winter, to get it to where it was last year,” Casagrande said. “And the car was ready. It was perfect.” Casagrande knows one week’s worth of perfection isn’t enough. He has to do it for the long haul, something he failed to do last year.” “I just want to keep it up,” Casagrande said. “and eliminate the bad weeks.” After the first week of the season, Casagrande is on target - collecting a peak performance while eliminating the valleys. He’ll just need to do it for 20 more weeks so he can celebrate at the end of the season. Probing the pits When you’ve been hanging around the sport of auto racing for more than 30 years, you’re going to be exposed to almost every type of situation. So early season mechanical issues is nothing new to Dan Avery of Somers. That doesn’t mean, however, that he has to like it. “We’re off to a rough start,” Avery said, “But it’s nothing I haven’t been through before.” Avery headed into the season opening event at Stafford Motor Speedway with expectations higher than the debt ceiling. He had a new car, a new motor and new enthusiasm for 2012. His weekend, however, never got up to full speed. Motor woes limited him to a 29th place finish in the 30-car SK Modified feature. “We just had a lot of minor problems,” Avery said. “Everybody has put in a great effort to get this new car going, from the car builder, to the transmission builder to the engine builder. But when you put together something new, you have to get the glitches out.”
Those glitches started to haunt Avery before the season even started. A valve let go on his motor during the opening practice session. The motor was repaired in time for the opening weekend, but in the early laps of the SK Spring Sizzler, another valve called it quits, sending Avery to the sidelines. “If there is any salvation, we’re real happy with the speed that’s in the new car,” Avery said. “We were fast in every practice. We just didn’t get as much time in the car as we wanted.” Avery said his practice laps, which were in the 18.7 second range were as quick as the track’s frontrunners, Ryan Preece and Ted Christopher, who was the opening week winner. “I really had to manhandle the old car, in order to keep up at the front of the field,” Avery said. “With this new car, I can do it with comfort.” The comfort zone, however, was almost non-existent on opening weekend. The motor has been repaired, however, and it’s ready to go. So is Avery. “Maybe this will be the turnaround year,” said Avery, one of he original SK Modified drivers when the division started in 1982. “In the past, I’ve started well and had trouble at the end of the season. Maybe this year the bad start will put us on the road to some good finishes.” He feels he has the car to do it, as long as it stays on the track, and not in sick bay. Another Somers driver also had some motor issues on opening weekend, resulting in some early-season frustration. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a worse Sizzler weekend,” said Todd Owen, who finished 27th in the SK feature. “I blew a motor in practice, and I spent the rest of the weekend catching up.” He borrowed a motor from Christopher and was competitive during the opening laps of the 40-lap feature, fighting for third place. He was involved in an accident, however, ending his race early. “I was just biding my time before that happened and I was still running right with the leaders,” Owen said. “I think the car has a llot of potential.” Owen completely revamped his car over the winter, teamming up with a new crew chief, Butch Shea. “I used to work for Butch years ago right after I graduated high school,” Owen said, “back when used to work on Eddy Carroll’s Pro Stock at Riverside Park. He taught me a lot of the basics.” Owen is hoping to put those lessons to good use in 2012, even after a rocky start. “The motor is fixed and back in the car,” Owen said. “I just hope I get the chance to test it more.” The small sample that’s he’s experienced, however, makes Owen optimistic for the rest of the 2012 season.
May 2012
The Sports Department
P.O. Box 746, Ellington, CT 06029 860-872-0TSD (0873) • 860-614-5866 • thesportsdept.com Publisher: Kevin Hayes • kevin@thesportsdept.com Editor: Brendan Faherty Production Manager: Patty Hunter
Contributing Writers: Jon Buzby • Tom Ainsworth • Steve Smith Reid L. Walmark • Damian Frasinelli • Nate Owen • Steve Krajewski David Heuschkel • Amy Locandro • Tim Larew • Erin Quinlan Robert Tedford • Brendon Willis • Katy Sprout • Katie Powers Steve Krajewski • Matt Lebel • Ryan Kane • Bruce Watt • Mike Bidwell Jennifer Charette • Melissa Green-Maltese Photography: Steve Palmer • Andre Dumais • Rich Tanguay Bernie Sheridan • Sherrene Wells • Alan Bastarache • Robert Pospisil Steve Smith • Andre Garant • Melanie Oliveria The Sports Department is published monthly, and is available free of charge, at display stands in approved private and public establishments, and through authorized distributors only. No part of this paper may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. The Sports Department is not responsible for any editorial comment (other than its own), typographical errors from advertisements submitted as camera ready or any reproductions of advertisements submitted as camera ready. If an advertisement does not meet our standards of acceptance, we may revise or cancel it at any time, whether or not it has been already acknowledged and/ or previously published. The advertiser assumes sole responsibility for all statements contained in submitted copy and will protect and indemnify The Sports Department, it owners, publishers, and
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The Sports Department
May 2012
3
Choosing One Child's Game Over Another
By Jon Buzby The Sports Department
Any parent with more than one child has faced the dilemma of having to choose one activity over another. And for many, those two activities — or often more — often mean choosing one child’s game over another. So, how do you do it without hurting one child’s feelings, or missing the big at-bat of the other? I listened to a grandmother talk about how she was going to both of her grandsons’ games in one night, at two different fields, and it got me thinking that next year I’ll be faced with a similar dilemma when my two younger boys are both playing sports. My oldest son, now 20, was an only child when he played youth sports and so although I occasionally missed a game — I actually took a red-eye flight home from the West Coast one time so as not to miss one — it was never because I was somewhere else watching a sibling play.
This grandmother’s plan was to watch the first half of one game and then travel to the next. The positive thing about this is each grandson will see her in the bleachers. But the fact is she might not get to see both play if one gets taken out of the lineup by the time she gets there. Or she might miss one of their “big plays.” In my situation, when game times conflict, my wife and I can take turns and alternate which boy we watch. During baseball season, both games will take place at the same complex so we could even take turns and swap games after so many innings. There is risk in both situations. For the first, the game I am at to see the oldest boy play might be the one game he plays the least, while at the same time his younger brother hits a homerun that I don’t see. Same thing could happen in the second scenario. By the time one of us arrives to the other boy’s game, playing time could already be over for that child. He might have already played his time and be on the bench or had his last at-bat. Or maybe worse, I might arrive and my wife will be holding the ball in her hand from the homerun he hit the inning before. So our noble attempt in either scenario to see both kids play could be a failure despite our best intentions. I have no easy answer, other than to explain the situation to your children.
It’s important for kids to realize that as wonderful as youth sports games are, occasionally parents have to miss them. Regardless of the reason, the most important thing is to make sure the child knows that although the game will be missed, the parent wishes he/she could be there and can’t wait to hear about it afterwards. And one other thing: Be sure not to gender stereotype when attending, or missing, your kids’ events. Mom should attend a football game over a cheerleading competition once in a while and Dad should do the opposite. And remember, to a child, a recreation-league soccer game
is just as important as his older brother’s varsity game. As parents we don’t want to miss a second of our kids’ lives, but inevitably we do. Youth sports games will be missed, and teaching kids this at a young age is just as important as showing them how to swing a bat. Reach Jon Buzby at JonBuzby@hotmail. com and follow him @JonBuzby on Twitter.
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The Sports Department
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May 2012
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Enfield Continues To Roll Through NCCC
Continued from Page 1
monster, hitting .548 and driving in 15 runs. Avery Boissy leads the team in runs crown. Their two losses to Ellington and with 16 and Cerrato is hitting .471. Fermi were each by one run. Head coach Jay Gaucher strongly beEnfield has performed impressively both lieves the improvement of his defense has on the mound and at the plate this season. given a big lift to the Raiders in other parts Justin Thomas and John Cerrato have of their game. anchored a staff which has permitted only “This year, we haven’t given away extra 43 runs. Thomas has been a two-headed outs and it’s given confidence to our pitchers, obviously, and the team as a whole,” he said. Enfield has a good shot at being one of the top five seeds in the Class M tournament. With a dangerous top of the order and the tandem of Thomas and Cerrato, no team will be eager to face the Raiders going forward. Fermi The young Falcons are 6-4 under head coach Connell Clark and third in the CCC East. Fermi has improved considerably since going 1-3 and being outscored 54-14 in its first Chris Letorra reaches out and connects for the four games. Fermi Falcons. Photo by: Rich Tanguay, The The Falcons have already Sports Department, www.video-grams.biz scored notable victories over New Britain, E.O.
Smith and Enfield. Fermi is the only team outside of Ellington to defeat Enfield this season. We’ve had some very important wins,” Clark said. “That win against Enfield was huge as far as demonstrating how good we can be as a team.” Captains Alex Zachary and Chaz Millett have both performed well on the field and demonstrated strong leadership ability for the Falcons. A very pleasant surprise has been freshman Greg Kraucunas. He is hitting .385. The Falcons are putting themselves in position to make a strong run in the tournament. Clark’s goal for his team may just become a reality. “Our goal has always been to win a championship, and if continue to improve and play aggressively then it can become a reality,” said Clark. Somers Somers is a young team, as evidenced by their scores. The team has five doubledigit victories, but it has also lost 17-4, 14-3 and 15-6. The young offensive talent on the team is staggering. Mike Casciano is hitting .533 as a sophomore, junior Ryan Connor is hitting .450 with 16 RBI and sophomore Austin Ficara is hitting .367. Somers’ defense has been shaky, though,
with 45 errors and 37 unearned runs through 10 games. “Our team gets mentally fatigued quickly,” said head coach Eric Sharon. “With experience, we won’t be the type of team where one error leads to three. I think as we improve we can win one or two games in the playoffs. That would be a huge step.”
Justin Thomas is king of the hill once again for the Raiders. Courtesy of: Lifetouch Photography
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Softball
Notebook
Somers In An Unfamiliar Spot One player who hasn’t had trouble offensively is Kylen O'Hearn, who’s batting close to .500 and playing a steady third base after spending last year in center field. “I wouldn’t count us out yet,” Zamorski said.
By Nate Owen The Sports Department
It has been a different season for the Somers softball team. Five of its nine losses have been by three or fewer runs — something unfamiliar to the Spartans. Fermi Looking to “We’re not used to losing so many close Make Playoff Push games,” head coach Melanie Zamorski Fermi head coach said. Sean Sweeney called In the past, the Spartans relied on ace his team’s 3-6 record JoJo Meunier to provide the differentering the weekend ence when it came down to the wire. But “deceiving.” Meunier graduated last season and took With five games in her 0.87 career ERA to the University of four days this week, Rhode Island. he might have an As a result, the Spartans have just one answer as to where the player playing the same position as last Falcons stand come year, as they’ve seen their lineup reFriday. shuffled. Samantha Urbon, who played “We have yet to play shortstop last year, has spent most of this our best softball,” season on the mound. Sweeney said. “By the “Sammy’s been pitching great but she’s end of [this] week, we’ll only getting five strikeouts as opposed to see where we are.” 10 or 13 [that Meunier would get],” ZamorLiz Rogers and Lisa ski said. Lusardi have been an As a result, the Somers defense has effective duo on the been tested more frequently. It’s starting mound for the Falcons, to come around, but Zamorski said she’s while Melissa Urbon looking to push across more runs and be hitting smarter the bases. HOS Lifeon Publications 4.875x6 10/7/11 10:33 AM “is Page 3 the heck out
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of the ball,” and Sam Delconte has been steady both at shortstop and with the bat, Sweeney said. The Falcons can hang with the best of them, as last week’s 4-3 loss in eight innings to undefeated Rockville proved, but Sweeney is looking for a few more close games to go Fermi’s way. “We haven’t been routed,” he said. “We need to learn how to win close games.”
East Windsor’s Melody Alford delivers a pitch in a game against Ellington.
Stafford In Familiar Territory One more win will make it five seasons in a row for Stafford in the state tournament. It has received solid leadership and production from each of its eight seniors, including Dani Clark, Jess Simpson, Tori Utter and Emilie Pierolo. The Bulldogs got off to a good start with Simpson’s opening-day
perfect game against Enfield, and have played close against some of the NCCC’s top teams. “The girls really responded from that point,” head coach Steve Budaj said. “I’m excited to see what happens in the last eight games and in the Class S tournament.” Others With one win apiece entering the weekend, Enfield and East Windsor will need a strong second half to make the tournament.
Alison Dubanoski has been vital behind the plate for Somers. Photo by Alan Bastarache, The Sports Department, www. bastarachephotos.com
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The Sports Department
Enfield, SR.
Hugh Lino
Stats: 12.2 ppg, 12.4 rpg “Hugh’s progress has been a key to our success.” Coach Cory O’Connell
East Windsor, SO.
Jordon Butler
Kevin Mocadlo
Stats: Avg. 18 ppg, 9 rpg and 4 bpg. “Jordan is our best player on both sides of the ball.” Coach Jim Vaughan
Stats: 14 ppg, 7rpg “Kevin is exactly who you want to build around, and it’s our responsibility as a team to do that.” Coach Mike Cessario
Stafford, JR.
Photo by: Steve Palmer, The Sports Department, www.stevepalmerphotography.com
Glastonbury, JR.
Photo by: Steve Palmer, The Sports Department, www.stevepalmerphotography.com
Photo by: Melanie Oliveira, The Sports Department, www.photosfromthesidelines.com
The All-TSD Teams are comprised of top players from throughout the nine towns and 10 high schools that are within The Sports Department’s circulation area. Players are nominated and voted upon by the area coaches.
Photo by: Steve Palmer, The Sports Department, www.stevepalmerphotography.com
Boys Basketball
Photo by: Elizabeth Taylor, The Sports Department, www.ebtaylorphotography.com
All-TSD Winter Sports 2011-12 Enfield, JR.
Paul Lima
“Paul is our steady guard that is unassuming on both the offensive and defensive end.” Coach Cory O’Connell
Enfield, SR.
Tolland, JR.
Zach Rollins
Trechone Preston
Taylor Fortin
Stats: 16.6 ppg, 8 rpg “I’m very proud of Zach for making this team.” Coach Mike Morhardt
Stats: Averaged 24.3 ppg and 4.2 apg and led Enfield to the NCCC regular season and tournament crowns; scored 1,819 points in high school career.
Stats: 19.6 ppg, 4.8 apg “If there ever was a player that lives the mantra ‘the harder I work, the luckier I am’ it would be Taylor.” Coach Mike Lewis
Stats: 14.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 4.2 apg; spearheaded Tomahawks run to Class LL semifinals. “Courtney is one of the hardest working players I’ve ever coached.” Coach Brian Fleming
Stats: 20.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 5.3 spg, 4.4 apg. “Diandra became one of the best guards in the NCCC this season. ” Coach Alan Walker
Ellington, SR.
Photo by: Andre Dumais, The Sports Department, www.imagingbyandre.com
Diandra Darosa
Photo by: Steve Palmer, The Sports Department, www.stevepalmerphotography. com
Courtney Latham
Tolland, SR.
Kelly Conley
Kristin Schatzlein
Stats: 23.2 ppg, 11 rpg; 1,736 career points; team record during her career was 85-20.
Stats: Averaged nearly 19 ppg and 9 rpg for a squad that lost in the Class M title game; was named Conn. Gatorade Player of the Year.
Photo by: Andre Dumais, The Sports Department, www.imagingbyandre.com
Somers, SO.
Tolland, SR.
Jess Olson
Stats: 4.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.3 spg. 2.7 apg, 78% from the line “Jess is one of the top three defensive players I have ever coached. ” Coach Roco Sansone Photo by: Elizabeth Taylor, The Sports Department, www.ebtaylorphotography.com
Glastonbury, JR.
Photo by: Alan Bastarache, The Sports Department, www.bastarachephotos.com
Photo by: Elizabeth Taylor, The Sports Department, www.ebtaylorphotography. com
Girls Basketball
Glastonbury, SR.
Liza Otto
Stats: 13.8 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.7 apg “Liza had the most successful career of anyone who’s ever played here.” Coach Brian Fleming
The Sports Department
May 2012
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All-TSD Winter Sports 2011-12 Photo Courtesy of: Deane Family
Photo Courtesy of: Lemire Family
Photo by: Steve Palmer, The Sports Department, www.stevepalmerphotography.com
Hockey
Rockville/Manchester/Stafford, SR.
Fermi/Enfield, SR.
Stats: 28 goals, 26 assists “Angus was one of the major components of the team this year.” Coach Chris Stevenson
Stats: 9 goals, 16 assists “You always know what you’re going to get with Brendan. He gives the team everything he has.” Coach Frank Genovese
David Ouellette Stats: 14 goals, 13 assists “David was our best scorer, and competed extremely hard every night.” Coach Neil Rodman
Photo by: Andre Dumais, The Sports Department, www.imagingbyandre.com
Photo by: Steve Palmer, The Sports Department, www.stevepalmerphotography.com
Brendan Lemire
Photo by: Andre Dumais, The Sports Department, www.imagingbyandre.com
Angus Deane
South Windsor, SR.
South Windsor, SR.
Glastonbury, SR.
Glastonbury, SR.
TriTown, JR.
Joe Bonazelli
Drew Mozzer
Ethan Holdaway
Zach Palmer
Stats: 33 goals and 26 assists while leading Glastonbury to Division I state championship game. “Ethan is the ultimate hockey player. His quickness is second to none, and he is a great scorer. Everything is a competition for him. He never lets up, whether we’re in practice or a big game.” Coach Ken Barse
Stats: 21 goals, 16 assists “Zach made an impact in all areas of the game for us. The nice thing about him is that he’s not only a leader on the ice but also in the locker room. There aren’t many kids like him these days. Zach is a special player.” Coach Paul Dowe
Stats: 8 goals, 17 assists “Joe is a very dynamic offensive player. He experienced a tough injury this year that a lot of guys wouldn’t come back from, and the fact that he came back strong at the end shows the determination he has. He was the heart and soul of our team.” Coach Neil Rodman
Stats: 25 goals, 22 assists “Drew is the ultimate warrior. Of the players I’ve coached, he is one of the best at seeing the ice. He’s been a great captain and leader for our players. Him and Ethan are the perfect one-two punch.” Coach Ken Barse
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Somers Notebook
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May 2012
sse Lacro
Lacrosse
Notebook
Somers Boys Not Missing A Beat
Somers (8-2), 28th in the state in the laxpower.com boys’ rankings, is seeking its 10th NCCC title in the last 12 years. Somers, seeded first, was a Class S semifinalist a year ago and replaced 12 starters. The Spartans’ losses were by 5-4 to Granby and by 9-4 to Avon, both teams 9-1. For the 19th straight year, Somers has qualified for the CIAC state tournament. “We did not win a preseason scrimmage but the boys kept working hard everyday and we adopted the motto ‘getting better
every day,’ and so far it has seemed to work,” coach Ken McCarthy said. “So far, all season we have been strong defensively and that starts with Pat Tynan in goal. He had 26 saves in a 5-4 victory against Avon early this season and has since had one other 20-plus save game.” The Spartans’ defense of seniors Chris Hamilton, Jason Moustafa and Kiernan Wyllie and junior Kyle Foster has been reliable. Senior Alex Geas, with 10 goals and six assists, has placed the offensive contributions among the midfielders. Ju-
nior Sean Tynan has scored 13 goals with nine assists, including the game-winner with 36 seconds remaining in a 5-4 win over Avon, McCarthy said.
Getting Close The Somers girls, who are 5-5 overall, need one more victory to surpass last season’s win total when they went 5-11 and another two after that to qualify for the Class S tournament. “We did not play to our potential and were able to recognize what our weakness
was and build as a team from there. Our following game against Suffield, we came out fired up and ready and had our best game of the season [23-5 win],” coach Tara Cushman said. Sophomore midfielder Kristen Steidler leads the Spartans in scoring with 40 goals and eight assists. Junior midfielder Katie Morrell (26 goals, three assists), junior attacker Jessie Olynciw (23 goals), and junior attacker Karen Trescott (14 goals, nine assists) have been major contributors to the attack.
When the Smoke clears
there will only be one left stading
DBC Smoke
May 2012
Sports Notebook
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Falcons Track Team Looking Strong By Brendon Willis The Sports Department
the team’s own stood out in the meet, with Amanda Jacobsen winning the pole vault, Kianna Woods taking second in triple jump, and Jasmine Murray crossing the line in third place in the 200m. The Enfield Raiders are excited for shot putter Ryan Sadosky, who recently broke the school record(which has been held since 1972) with a throw of 46’8”. He and teammate Kyle Casey have each qualified for states in three individual events. On the girls side, Riley Branda, Jen Novak, Rachel Kayliss, and Patience Bearse have all qualified for states, as well as two separate 4x100m relays. The Raiders’ volleyball team has great chemistry and has meshed well behind captains Kevin Camidge and Tyler deMontigny. If they can continue getting the ball to middle hitter Hugh Lindo, the Raiders will be in very good shape as they take the rest of the season.
The Fermi boys track team is having a great season, finding a balance between individual performances and team success overall. Sean Bridges has been shot putting better and better each meet, and he improved his personal best by over a foot recently. Anthony O’Connell has dominated jumping events, and teammates Steve Rabida-Smith, Garrett Guimond, Manny Colon, and Max Partyka have led the way on the track. The boys look forward to the JI Invitational because they feel they have a good “big meet” team and can score in most events. The Falcons have also dominated the links in the CCC East as the golf team has posted an 8-0 record thus far. Sophomore Mike Sweeney, who turned in a low score of 33 this season. In East Windsor, the Panthers’ boys track team has enjoyed some success this season, beginning the year at 4-3, and turning in a 4th place finish at the Stafford Invitational. Matt Graham (pole vault) and Rick Reilly (shot put) have qualified for the state open. The Stafford track program just recently hosted the 19th Annual Stafford Rotary Invitational, where over 1,000 Stafford’s Evan Cummins gets over the athletes participated. Some of
hurdle during a recent race.
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Youth
May 2012
Photos Jandon Archer rips past third in an effort to score another run in an Enfield Little League Game. Photo by Andre Garant, The Sports Department, www. ajgphotoguy.smugmug.com
Somers’ Jacob Graham rushes in for the scoop to beat Jacob Beaulieu of South Windsor during the Annual Bobcat Lacrosse Tournament in South Windsor. Photo by Andre Garant, The Sports Department, www. ajgphotoguy.smugmug.com
It’s a stressful situation as Mason Dumas slides into home plate during an Enfield Little League game. Photo by Andre Garant, The Sports Department, www. ajgphotoguy.smugmug.com.
East Windsor’s Lauren Keel makes the play at second base in a youth softball game against Ellington. Photo by Andre Garant, The Sports Department, www. ajgphotoguy.smugmug.com
Aiden Goodwin applies the tag at second base for the A’s during opening day in Stafford. Photo by Andre Garant, The Sports Department, www.ajgphotoguy.smugmug.com.
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The Sports Department
TSD LOCAL DIGEST
COLLEGE NOTEBOOK
Local Kids Lead CT Roughriders To "Team Mass" AAU Tournament Title
Somers Lacrosse Players Excel At Next Level
The Connecticut Roughriders U-15 boys basketball team won the Team Mass Spring Blast AAU tournament on April 28-29. Eight of the 10 players on
the team are local high school players from Ellington, Rockville and East Windsor.
Brewster Knowlton, a 2008 graduate of Somers High School, is 6-3 with a 7.81 goals against average and .564 saver percentage as a senior goaltender at Western New England. Knowlton’s senior teammate, midfielder Nick Jez (Somers 2008), has seven goals and nine assists. Their high school teammate, Kevin MacFeat (Somers 2008) is a senior attackman/ midfielder at AIC. Casey Bordeaux (Somers 2010) is a sophomore defender at AIC. Dan Bell, a goaltender, and Zach Thresher, an attackman, are freshmen at Eastern Connecticut. Both graduated from Somers in 2011. Junior Brandon Marszalek, from Somers, is a defender at Western Connecticut.
The CT Roughriders U-15 Team won the Team Mass AAU boys basketball tournament on April 28-29. Pictured front (l-r): Brian Fitzsimons (Ellington High School), Davin Ware (East Windsor High School); Back row (l-r): Danny Hayes (Ellington High School), Bobby Brisson (Ellington High School); Alix Perry (Rockville High School); Chris DeSousa (East Windsor High School); Josh Aquino (Suffield High School); Kyle Wesley (Ellington High School) and Gezim Ramadani (Suffield High School). Missing from photo - Tyler Moriarty (Ellington High School). Courtesy of: Anita Wesley
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Mike Hanna (Somers 2011) is a freshman midfielder at Salisbury in Maryland. He has a goal and an assist in nine games. Freshman Garrett Ficara (Somers 2011) is long-stick midfielder
at Roger Williams, having played in 14 games with two goals and 28 ground balls. Freshman Melissa Perry (Somers 2011) was a reserve goalie for Western New England. She compiled a 14.92 goals against average and a .377 save percentage while playing in nine games. Freshman JoJo Meunier (Somers 2011) started two games and relieved in four for the University of Rhode Island. She went 1-1 with a 5.25 ERA in 12 innings pitched. She walked five and struck out three. Her victory on April 10 was over Harvard. Cabral Seeks Three-Peat Donn Cabral, a 2009 graduate of Glastonbury, was seeking a three-peat at the Heptagonals (the Ivy League Championships) in the 10,000 meters and steeplechase while running for Princeton on May 5-6 at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. Cabral was the NCAA Division I championships runner-up in the steeplechase in 2010 and 2011. Cabral has earned All-America honors seven times total in indoor and outdoor track. He was the Ivy League champion in cross country in 2010.
The Sports Department
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Enfield
Student Athlete of the Month Nickname: Dan, Danny, Critzy Accomplishments: NCCC Soccer and American Legion All-star game selection. RPI medal scholarship. Starting varsity all 4 years for soccer and baseball. GPA: 3.75 How do you prepare for a game? Drinking as much water as I can, cleaning off and putting my gear on, then sitting on the bench collecting my thoughts before its time to warm up the starting pitcher. Expectations for the season/Thoughts on the season. Expecting to win conference and go deep into the state tournament. We’ve had two tough, 1 run losses against Fermi and Ellington, but the team rebounded well with wins against Somers and Canton this week. Our lineup can hit well throughout so I think that will be a key to keeping up a good season. Favorite Career Momen: 2 hits and an RBI in my first varsity game against Fermi my freshman year. Also, I hit my first homerun ever at Bolton last year. What area were you strongest in? What area did you improve the most in over your career? I’ve always been a strong defensive catcher. Blocking and fielding the ball came somewhat natural to me. Areas I’ve most improved would be hitting and arm strength. Looking back, what are you going to miss the most about playing for Enfield? Overall, what are you going to miss the most about high school?I’m going to miss all my teammates and putting on that jersey to represent a program that has a history of very competitive baseball teams. I’m going to miss how easy life is. Right now kids are anxious to go off to college, but you can never get these times back. I want to make them last as long as I can. What is the toughest challenge you’ve
Dan Critz Baseball overcome: My temper was a tough challenge to overcome. I may not be able to control it all the time, but I have been able to a lot more than I used too. I strive for perfection in myself and when I don’t meet my expectations I tend to get frustrated. Favorite athlete? Which athlete do you most model your game after?Jorge Posada, even though he retired last year. I model my game after Yogi Berra. He was a small, scrappy player and I try to play like that. Red Sox or Yankees? UConn men or UConn women? Yankees. UConn men Favorite band, movie, TV show? Andy Grammer, Saving Private Ryan, Tosh.O What is your favorite sports website to follow? Espn.com and Yankees.com. I like to catch up on all sports, but mostly baseball. How do you believe sites like Twitter and Facebook have changed how you watch and follow sports? It keeps you informed and much more up to date. Nowadays if I have a question about what happened during the game I can find it somewhere on one of those sites. Plans after high school: I’m headed off to RPI to pursue a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering. I’m going to try and walk on to their baseball team and I guess we’ll see how it goes.
Plaques for the Student Athlete of The Month are courtesy of Awards and More, 492 Enfield Street, Enfield.
May 2012
Fermi
Student Athlete of the Month Name: Cody Brown Sport: Volleyball, Basketball, Football Nickname: Downtown Accomplishments: Football All Conference, Volleyball All Conference, Volleyball All State Honorable Mention, Volleyball CCC East Champions GPA: 9.06 (12.0 Scale) How do you prepare for a game? Just relax and listen to music or joke around with the guys on the bus. Expectations for the season/Thoughts on the season: We have a strong team and have set our sights on a state title. It won’t be easy but we have the talent and motivation to get there. Favorite Career Moment: Making it to state semi-finals with the volleyball team last year. We had a lot of fun along the way and played hard throughout the season and tournament. What area were you strongest in? What area did you improve the most in over your career? My strength as a player is in getting to every pass, good or bad. I improved the most on not getting down on myself or teammates when we make mistakes. Looking back, what are you going to miss the most about playing for Fermi?Overall, what are you going to miss the most about high school? I am going to miss the competitive games along with the times with the team. We have a lot of fun hanging out before and after games and I will miss that moving forward. What is the toughest challenge you’ve overcome? Coming from Fermi, we always see ourselves as underdogs. Other
Cody Brown Volleyball schools expect us to not be good, and it feels great when we prove them wrong. Favorite athlete? Which athlete do you most model your game after? Chris Paul Red Sox or Yankees? Red Sox. UConn men or UConn women? UConn men Favorite band, movie, TV show? Band: Wiz Khalifa Movie: Coach Carter TV Show: Walking Dead What is your favorite sports website to follow-elaborate? Maxpreps.com, because it allows me to check on stats and rankings within the state and conference. How do you believe sites like Twitter and Facebook have changed how you watch and follow sports? They have allowed people to feel more personally connected with famous athletes because they can see posts and photos from their daily lives. Plans after high school: Attend Eastern Connecticut State University with an undeclared major.
Plaques for the Student Athlete of The Month are courtesy of Awards and More, 492 Enfield Street, Enfield.
May 2012
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The Sports Department
ASK THE TRAINER
By Becky MacEwen, ATC Eastern Rehabilitation Network
Fueling The Body For Sports
Certified Athletic Trainers (ATCs) are allied health care providers trained in the prevention, evaluation and rehabilitation of sports injuries. They work under the direction of a physician and they are board certified nationally and licensed in CT. Visit www.NATA.org for more information. Certified athletic trainers at Enfield High School and Enrico Fermi High School are provided by Eastern Rehabilitation Network (www.easternrehab.net ), a department of Hartford Hospital (www.harthosp. org). Eastern Rehabilitation Network (ERN) and The Sports Department have partnered to bring readers a monthly column on sports medicine topics. Readers may submit questions related to injuries, training advice, rehabilitation or any other sports medicine topic. Submit questions to: Ben Stralka, ATC (Enrico Fermi High School) bstralka@harthosp.org; Kyle Hicks, ATC (Enfield High School) khicks@ harthosp.org; Wendy Nichols, Physical Therapist (ERN Enfield) wnichols@ harthosp.org
Today’s gameday, the day you’ve been waiting for. You’re physically prepared. You’re mentally prepared. The last thing you’ve got to do is decide what to eat. And almost as important, perhaps, is when you’re going to eat. If you eat too early,
carbohydrates needed increases because they are used for intense exercise and prolonged endurance events. If the competition is four or more hours away, you should be taking in all the macronutrients, meaning your carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Complex carbohydrates, like whole wheat, should be used over its counterpart (highly refined, processed foods). A good meal would be a turkey sandwich on wheat bread, fruit, and a dairy product. If you’re down to only two hours before the competition, focus on complex carbohydrates and proteins and limit the amount of fat. A mixture of yogurt and cereal or a peanut butter sandwich on wheat bread would make for a good snack. If you’re down to less than an hour, or even while you’re participating, stick with whole grain crackers, fruits, and sports drinks. Bananas and pretzels, for example, would be a great snack because it contains the electrolytes potassium and sodium. Both are very important in cellular function, and the balance of water inside the body.
“Water is necessary for many body functions including energy production, cellular function, and temperature control.” you get hungry in the middle of the competition. If you eat too late, you’re running around on a full stomach, and no one likes that feeling. For the average adult, daily calories should be composed of approximately 50% carbohydrates, 30% fat, and 20% protein. The athlete, on the other hand, has different needs due to the amount of activity during the course of the day. The athlete’s daily calories should be made up of approximately 65% carbohydrates, 20% fat, and 15% protein. The amount of
Once you’ve finished the competition, try to eat something within one half hour and have a balanced meal within three hours to replace the stores that you have depleted. The best thing immediately after activity is a mixture of protein and carbohydrates. The carbohydrates will help replace the energy stores, and the protein will help repair muscle tissue that was damaged during activity. An after-competition snack that meets these requirements to replace these stores is chocolate milk. One of the most important keys to success is hydration. Water is necessary for many body functions including energy production, cellular function, and temperature control. The average adult requires 10 glasses a day. For athletic participation, try drinking three glasses every three hours before competition, then another eight ounces 20 minutes before. Drinking eight ounces of water every 20 minutes during competition will help to avoid the cramping and fatigue of dehydration. Once the competition is over, it’s important to replace what you’ve lost. For every pound of weight that is lost, it’s recommended that you replace it with 16 ounces of water. This is especially important in the summer when temperature and humidity are high and the body is most susceptible to heat illness.
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May 2012
The Sports Department
Motorsports
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Driving Hard For A Wounded Soldier
Friends helping a friend. That is what Ron Midford Jr. of Tolland and his race crew plan to do on June 30th when they compete in the annual Carquest Champions For Charities Event at Stafford Motor Speedway. Midford, a two-time Wild Thing Kart Senior Champion (2010, 2011) will participate in the event to help support the Greg Caron Family Fund. Last November, Caron — an Ellington native serving a second tour of duty with his Marine Corps unit - lost both of his legs, the tip of his finger, and broke his collar bone after stepping on an IED in Afghanistan. The Greg Caron Family Fund was established to help Greg adjust to a new lifestyle. Midford, Jr. will be representing the Greg Caron Family Fund in his Carquest Champions For Charities effort. The Champions For Charities is a 15-lap event featuring invited champions from different divisions. The drivers compete in an effort to raise money for their various charities and will drive in the Senior Outlaw Karts during the event. By the end of April, the drivers had already raised more than $12,000 for their charities. For Midford, the event has a bit more of a personal flavor this year. "My parents are good friends with Greg's parents, they ride motorcycles and play golf together, so there's a family connection," said Midford. "Greg Hurlburt, who owns the kart I'll be driving, is also friends with the Caron family. We were both in the stands last year for the Carquest Champions For Charities event and enjoyed watching the race. When we heard about what happened to Greg Caron, Greg Hurlburt and I were motivated to get in this race to help raise money for he and his family.” Greg Hurlburt’s son Cole races in the Tiger A division on Monday nights in Stafford. “Greg (Hurlburt) bought a Sr. Outlaw kart and motor that I will run in the Champions for Charities Race and Cole will use when he moves to the Jr. Outlaw division. “I feel we take for granted what our soldiers do for us on a daily basis. They protect our freedoms and allow us to live our lives the way we do. We are all extremely fortunate to have soldiers like Greg Caron defending our country and it’s nice to be able to give something back.” As part of Midford's fundraising efforts, there will be a Greg Caron Poker Run on June 30th, the morning of the Carquest
Tolland’s Ron Midford Jr. will drive in the Champions For Charity at Stafford Motor Speedway on June 30 in an effort to raise money for the Greg Caron Family Fund. Courtesy of: Stafford Motor Speedway Champions For Charities event. The Poker Run will begin at TSI Harley-Davidson in Ellington and run to Stafford Motor Speedway. Registration is from 9-11:30 am at TSI Harley-Davidson, which is located at 398 Somers Road in Ellington. The cost for the Poker Run is $30 per bike and proceeds will benefit the Greg Caron Foundation. "This poker run is great way to be able to raise some money for Greg," said Midford. "We have some great sponsors in TSI Harley-Davidson, Trantolo and Trantolo, Kar Kare Auto Body, a Division of Bolles Motors, and Stafford Motor Speedway that all pitched in to help put this Poker Run together. I wanted to especially thank Lisa Arute for allowing us to be in the race and organizing the Poker Run. We hope to have a big turnout of riders for the Poker Run to help raise money for Greg."
May 2012
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Somers
Somers Parks and Recreation
Apply To Be A Camp 'Counselor In Training'
By Amy Saada The Sports Department
We are now accepting applications for those who would like to volunteer at the Somers Day Camps as a "Counselor In Training." Must be responsible, willing to learn, have creativity and love kids! Counselors In Training shadow camp counselors and learn the duties to become a successful camp counselor in the future. If you would like to apply, please complete the Volunteer Form (located under “Forms and Documents”) and email to asaada@ somersct.gov or stop by the Somers Senior Center to fill out a volunteer form. TOT Tee Ball There are still a few spots open for Tot Tee Ball! Starts this Saturday! Bring the
little ones out for some All American Fun! Registration for Tot Tee Ball has begun and space is limited. Participants receive a T-shirt and medal! New Spring/Summer Programs We have added new summer programs to the Recreation Guide! The 2012 Spring/ Summer Somers Recreation Guide is proudly presented by the Town of Somers Recreation Department. We hope this guide will help your family and friends engage with unlimited recreation opportunities. Somers is a great place to live and play! Our goal is simple: We want to help you make recreation and fitness a priority in your life and in our community. We will see you here! Click on the Recreation Guide on the right or you can find the guide under "Forms and Documents" on the left menu.
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Somers
Student Athlete of the Month
Nickname: Powerhouse Accomplishments: Cross Country: Coaches Award as sophomore, senior, Athlete of the Month October 2010. Academic: Rensselaer Medalist as a junior, Scholar-Athlete fall all four years, CIAC Female Scholar-Athlete Class of 2012 for Somers GPA: 11.5 Other sports: Cross Country How do you prepare for a game: I listen to rap music to get me pumped and wear my lucky great bear necklace Toughest team to play against: Granby. Favorite sports memory: My favorite memory from lacrosse is probably when I got my first shutout. I was still on JV at the time. Favorite memory of high school: My last states meet for cross country. It happened to be the first day of the October snow storm. We didn’t expect giant snowflakes, mud and 3 inches of snow on the course. Officials announced the race would be postponed. We ran back to the tent yelling and screaming and told our coach, who didn’t believe us at first. Role model or inspirational person in your life: My role model is Michael Faraday. He was a scientist and mathematician in the 1800s who revolutionized the theory of electric fields. Toughest challenge I’ve overcome:
Heather MacLauchlan Lacrosse Overcoming my stage fright to be in my school’s variety show. Favorite athlete: Roger Federer. Most famous (or near famous) person I ever met: I met the lady from the Bob’s Discount Furniture commercials. Person I’d like most to meet: Author John Green Favorite class: AP Chem. Favorite band: Weezer Favorite restaurant: Chili’s Favorite movie: West Side Story Favorite television show: Arrested Development. Plans after high school: i’m going to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to study Biomedical Engineering. I’m planning on working with prosthetics.
Plaques for the Student Athlete of The Month are courtesy of Awards and More, 492 Enfield Street, Enfield.
“Support Coverage Of Local Youth Sports...Become A Sports Department Sponsor Today!” Call 860-872-0TSD (0873)
16
The Sports Department
NOW OPEN! Our NEW Office at: 53 Mountain Road, Suffield, CT
May 2012