The Sporting Spirit

The Sporting

FALL 2020 SUMMARIES

The fall sports season was originally scheduled to begin on August 27 with full team practices and games scheduled to be played beginning on September 10. Due to COVID-19, the start date was moved to August 29 and the first three weeks of practice were limited in structure and length. Those practices were conducted in small cohorts of no more than 10 and were limited to thirty minutes of skill development and thirty minutes of conditioning.

Full team practices began on September 21 and games began on October 1. The number of regular season contests in each sport was reduced by approximately 25% and the schedules were adjusted to play only within regional divisions. All teams stayed within those regions/divisions throughout the season.

At the end of the regular season the Southern Connecticut Conference (SCC) held divisional playoffs. There were no conference or state tournaments. The fall season ended on Friday, October 13.

CHEERLEADING

Coaches: Kerri Duque ’09, Carol Cambareri Due to the cancellation of the Xavier football season, the cheerleading team cheered at home soccer games.

CROSS COUNTRY

Coach: Jacque Simpson Gilson ’93 Record: Varsity 4–6 Season: Finished 10th at SCC Championships Awards: Kylie Fordyce ’21—All Division, Second Team All-Conference

FIELD HOCKEY

Coaches: Allie Caruso, Madison DeRita ’15 Record: Varsity 2–9; Junior Varsity 2–8 Awards: Shaelyn Kelley ’21—SCC All Division Kaylie Zemke ’21—SCC All Division

SOCCER

Coaches: Marcus Harley, Paul Duncan, Roy Schmaling Record: Varsity 11–1; Junior Varsity 3–4 Season: SCC Division A Champions, 1-0 win over Cheshire in Championship Game Awards: Melina Ford ’23—SCC All Division, SCC Tournament Most Outstanding Player, New Haven Register All Area, GameTimeCT Second Team All-State, CGSCA All-State, CGSCA All New England Kaila Lujambio ’21—SCC All Division, CGSCA All-State, GameTimeCT Honorable Mention All-State Kathryn Menard ’21—SCC All Division Grace Riegler ’21—SCC All Division Marcus Harley—SCC Division A Coach of the Year, New Haven Register All Area Coach of the Year, CGSCA Coach of the Year, United Soccer Coaches High School Region Coach of the Year

SWIMMING

Coaches: Leandra Manos, Erica Naumann ’13 Record: Varsity 3–5 Season: Finished 12th at SCC Championships

VOLLEYBALL

Coaches: Naomi Rascati, Stacy Troiano ’04 Record: Varsity 4–9; Junior Varsity 7–5 Awards: Isabella Bartolomei ’21—SCC All Division Lilly Hedge ’21—SCC All Division

WINTER 2020–2021 SUMMARIES

The winter sports season was scheduled to begin on November 30, 2020. After a couple of delays and schedule changes, practices began on January 19 and games began on February 8, 2021. Due to restrictions placed on large gatherings, Cheerleading competitions and traditional Indoor Track meets were eliminated and Gymnastics meets were virtual. We did not have Cheerleading during the 2021 winter season. Our Indoor Track team started practicing on January 19. Dual meet indoor track events were allowed near the end of the winter season and our team participated in two events held at the Floyd Little Field House in New Haven. The team also ran one meet outdoors vs. Sacred Heart Academy. The number of games in Basketball, Ice Hockey, and Gymnastics were reduced approximately 25% and were regional as opposed to league and/or statewide. There were no CIAC State Tournaments in any winter sports.

BASKETBALL

Coaches: Tim Kohs, Tony Calcagni, Stacy Troiano ’04 Record: Varsity 8–5; Junior Varsity 3–7 Awards: Lilly Hedge ’21—All SCC, New Haven Register All Area Sophie Hedge ’23—Al SCC

GYMNASTICS

Coaches: Monica Bauer, Carl Cavrell Season: Finished 3rd at Virtual SCC Championship Meet Awards: Jessa Cappiello ’23—All SCC, New Haven Register All Area Tallulah Malz ’24—CHSCA All State, All SCC, New Haven Register All Area Lauren Turner ’21—All SCC Charlene Weaver ’22—All SCC

ICE HOCKEY

Coaches: Scott Kossbiel, Mikayla Castro Record: 0–13 Regular Season Awards: Kaylie Zemke ’21—All CCC

INDOOR TRACK

Coaches: Matt Conyers, Chris Stonier, Ben AuYeung, Keeley Moffitt, Chris Warren Season: Participated in two Indoor meets at FLAC, not scored; one outdoor meet at SHA vs. SHA and Southington, not scored Awards: Kaila Lujambio ’21—All SCC Julia Nadolski ’23—All SCC

Kathryn Menard ’21— New school record in 400 M—1:03.29

The Sporting

SPRING 2021 SUMMARIES

(as of June 17, 2021)

GOLF

Coaches: Gerry D’Amora, Rebekah Mizener Record: 0–12 Regular Season

LACROSSE

Coaches: Marcus Harley, Jacque Simpson Gilson ’93, Becca Corcoran Record: Varsity 5–9; Junior Varsity 1–11–1 Season: Qualified for SCC Tournament, lost to Hand in 1st Round Awards: Lily Schoonmaker ’23—All SCC 2nd Team

OUTDOOR TRACK

Athletes Playing in College 2021

First row: Shaelyn Kelley.................... Field Hockey at Union College Elisia Pagliuca.................Swimming at Providence College Alexandra Cosentino............Soccer at Fairfield University Abigail Kern...............................................Soccer at UCONN Coaches: Matt Conyers, Chris Stonier, Ben AuYeung, Keeley Moffitt, Chris Warren Record: 5–1 Regular Season Season: Finished 2nd at SCC West Sectional; finished 9th at SCC Championship; finished 9th at CIAC Class M Championship Awards: Megan Gallagher ’23— 4x400 Meter Relay All SCC Marie Kane ’24—CIAC Class M Champ 200 meters, 4x400 Meter Relay All SCC, plus…

Second row: Ashley Deluca.....................................Softball at Eastern CT Kathryn Menard.............Soccer and Track at Iona College

Third row: Alexa Boone........................................Softball at Eastern CT Kaylie Zemke............Ice Hockey at Assumption University Lilly Hedge.......................Basketball at Catholic University Natalie Tavana...................Soccer at Seton Hall University New school record in 200m—25.75

Kaila Lujambio ’21—CIAC Class M Champ 300 Hurdles, All SCC 2nd Team 300 Hurdles, 4x400 Meter Relay All SCC, plus…

New school record in Heptathlon—3,626 points New school record in 400 Hurdles—1:07.02

Kathryn Menard ’21— 4x400 Meter Relay All SCC

SOFTBALL

Coaches: Tony Calcagni, Madison DeRita ’15, Hank Hiller Record: 12–6 Regular Season Season: Qualified for SCC Tournament, lost to Shelton in 1st Round; qualified for CIAC Class L State Tournament, lost to #1 ranked Masuk in 2nd Round Awards: Alexa Boone ’21—All SCC 1st Team, CHSCA All State, CHSCA Academic All State Ashley DeLuca ’21—All SCC 1st Team Sophia Engels ’23—All SCC 2nd Team Nicole Saraceno ’21—All SCC 2nd Team

TENNIS

Coaches: Miguel Garcia, Mary Mesek Record: 3–13 Regular Season

SPORTS PARTICIPATION

Participation in the Fall 2020 Sports Program: •155 athletes and 8 managers = 163 students 46.4% % of students involved in Fall sports

% of students involved in Winter sports

% of students involved in Spring sports

Participation in the Winter 2020–2021 Sports Program: •68 athletes and 4 managers = 72 students •There usually are 18–22 cheerleaders competing during the winter

Participation in Spring 2021 Sports Program: •137 athletes and 3 managers = 140 students 21%

39%

Breaking Records, Passing of the Baton

In May, Marie Kane ’24 (below on left) broke the oldest record at Mercy by running the 200m with a time of 25.75. Laurie Sablak ’86 (below on right) held the record since 1986 with a time of 25.9.

“When I was running the 200 all I could think about was beating the record, I kept thinking to myself this record is mine. After the race when I heard my time was 25.75, I honestly didn’t think it was real. I felt so happy and proud. This is my first year running competitively. Previously I ran to train for soccer and that is all the training I had up until joining Mercy’s track team. Now, I am kind of just running and looking forward to seeing where it takes me,” explained Marie Kane.

When Laurie, a current member of the Mercy Board of Trustees, heard her record was broken, she knew she had to meet and congratulate Marie. After the two runners met at a team practice, Laurie explained, “I was thrilled to meet Marie—breaking a 35-year athletic record is quite an accomplishment, and particularly as a freshwoman! Marie has great plans for her future in track and field—including running in college—and I expect that she will break more records along the way. I look forward to seeing Marie and the Mercy Track and Field Team build on this year's successes. I am so #mercyproud!”

Laurie continued running after she graduated Mercy. She competed in track and field at Bowdoin College all four years, indoor and outdoor seasons. She coached high school track in New Jersey for a few years after college while teaching high school math.

Laurie stays active working with CT Special Olympics track and field and as snow shoeing/cross-country skiing coach for the LARC program in Litchfield County (Torrington). She has been involved in Special Olympics since high school in a variety of roles and has been a certified Special Olympics coach for 10 years. To learn more about Laurie Sablak see her spotlight on page 29.