All-Press www.BristolPress.com | Sunday, April 17, 2011
Celebration Time Special All-Press pullout section highlights area’s best
Mike Orazzi | Staff
A special All-Press 8-page pullout section highlighting the best of the best from the winter sports season starts right here. Above, fans of the St. Paul boys basketball team this season. 009559
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2 | Sunday, April 17, 2011
ALLPRESS SPECIAL
The Herald Press
All-Press Boys Basketball Team First Team
Borea, Rodriguez, Holmes, Siemiatkoski, Jacquo lead way as first-team selections By JOHNNY J. BURNHAM STAFF WRITER
Eli Rodriguez, Eastern
First Team
For the third consecutive year an area boys basketball team took the hardwood in March with a chance to earn a spot in a state championship contest. For the second time in that three-year stretch, that team hailed from St. Paul Catholic. The Falcons, led by their guard play, racked up a total of 19 wins and made a run deep into this year’s Division S State Tournament Chris before bowing out to top-seeded and eventual champion Valley Regional in the Borea, semifinals. While St. Paul coach Steve Phelps had St. Paul several solid players to man the Falcons backcourt, more often than not Chris Borea and Jacob Jacquo were the ones who held the keys that started the St. Paul engine. That same set of keys also opens the door to the All-Press First Team. Borea averaged 14.7 points per game, connected on 66 3-point field goals, shot 76 percent from the charity stripe, accumulated 102 steals, brought down nearly three rebounds and dished out three assists per game. The senior guard had 15 points, sevens steals, six rebounds and two assists in a second-round state tournament victory. Borea, an All-NVL Brass and All-NVL Suburban team pick, tallied as many as 28 points in a game over the course of the winter. Countless Borea baskets came off feeds from Jacquo. The Falcons point guard had seven or more assists three times on the year, averaging four per game along with 2.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals. Jacquo, a senior, had little trouble scoring in his own right. The speedy guard averaged 13.5 points per game and played some of his best ball in the postseason, putting up 15.7 per game, including a career-best 26 in St. Paul’s tournament win over Wamogo. Jacquo was an All-NVL Brass selection. But the Falcons weren’t the only area team led by their backcourt. Borea and Jacquo are joined on the All-Press First Team by Bristol Central guard Dan Siemiatkoski and Bristol Eastern’s multifunctional guard/forwards Eli Rodriguez and Tyrell Holmes. Two Falcons and a Kangaroo, a Lancer and a Ram were selected for All-Press Second Team honors. St. Paul guard David Shaw and forward Justin Gonazlaez, Eastern center Andre Brooks, Rams guard Sinclair Lewis and Terryville forward Matt Sterner form the Second Team. In a season that began with relatively low expectations after it had graduated nearly all of its players who contributed at the varsity level the previous year, Eastern found a way to put together another quality campaign. Both Holmes and Rodriguez certainly had a lot to do with that. Holmes consistently provided the Lancers with a big performance in big games — none of which was more memorable than his heroics in East Hartford. The Eastern senior knocked down the game-winner with just four seconds to play to provide his club the slim 70-68 win over the Hornets. That wasn’t his only clutch act. Holmes tallied 25 points to pace the Lancers past Bulkeley in mid-January, went for 16 against rival Bristol Central, put up 21 to beat Platt and punch his team’s ticket to the state tournament, and went for 18 in the opening-round win over Fitch.
ALLPRESS SPECIAL
The Herald Press
First Team
First Team
First Team
Jacob Jacquo, St. Paul
Tyrell Holmes, Eastern
Dan Siemiatkoski, Central
In all, Holmes, an All-CCC South pick, averaged 14 points and four rebounds per game. After joining the team a few games into the season, as each game passed it became more and more clear that Rodriguez had a stellar ability to put the ball in the basket. The versatile junior posted multiple 15 point or higher games, including going for 21 on the road against East Hartford. But he saved his best performance for the state tournament. Rodriguez tallied exactly half of the Lancers’ 62 point output in their first-round Division L win in Groton over Fitch. He averaged 22 points per game in the tournament. For the year, Rodriguez averaged 15 points and five rebounds. Siemiatkoski also had a knack
for coming up with his biggest performances in some of the Rams biggest affairs. He paced Central in scoring in both showdowns with Bristol Eastern — once leading the Rams past their archrival thanks to a 15-point output. He also came up with 15 points in a crucial win over South Windsor that, at the time, kept the Rams hopes of qualifying for the postseason alive, as well scoring 17 in the previous game in a come-from-behind victory over Middletown. Siemiatkoski averaged 12 points and three steals per game and shot 41 percent from 3-point land for the year. He was an All-CCC South selection. His backcourt mate blossomed into a quality all-around point
Sunday, April 17, 2011 | 3
Mike Orazzi photos
guard. Lewis led the Rams in scoring in two of the final three games of the season. While he put up nine points a game over the course of the winter, maybe more importantly he dished out 4.2 assists each time out. Sterner averaged 13.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game for Terryville. He put up those numbers while also serving as the Kangaroos best defender, leading the young team on both ends of the floor. His season was highlighted by a career-high 27-point night
All-Press Boys Basketball Second Team
against Northwestern. Brooks was a force in the middle for the Lancers. In a game against Plainville, the senior blocked six shots (changing countless others), grabbed 14 rebounds and chipped in with 12 points. He averaged 10 rebounds per game for the year to go along with eight points. Shaw fought through a midseason injury that kept him out five games to play a significant role in the Falcons’ memorable season. The senior guard paced St. Paul with 14
points in his final high school game. It was far from his season-high. Shaw posted an area-best 37 points against Ansonia. He averaged 11.5 points per game. Gonzalez posted an impressive 11 double-doubles over the winter and had a total of 15 double-digit rebounding games, corralling as many as 17 in a single contest. He fell just shy of averaging a doubledouble for the season. He finished his junior campaign averaging 10 points, nine rebounds, 2.3 assists and three steals a game.
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4 | Sunday, April 17, 2011
The Herald Press
All-Press Girls Basketball Team Bristol Eastern’s Shianne Walker
St. Paul’s Rebecca Ferland
Bristol Eastern’s Mallory Kloss
Terryville’s Kaitlyn Natzke
Eastern’s Walker, St. Paul’s Litwinko highlight selections First Team
First Team
First Team
First Team
First Team
Shianne Walker, Eastern
Amber Litwinko, St. Paul
Kaitlyn Natzke, Terryville
Rebecca Ferland, St. Paul
Mallory Kloss, Eastern
for postseason play — were knocked out in the second round of the Class M bracket. When it comes to team success Despite that, each team was in girls basketball, the 2010-11 able to put an All-State player on season will not be remembered as the court along with some other one of this area’s best. players deemed worthy of indiThe only major highlights were vidual honors, including all-league Bristol Eastern (14-7) winning accolades. the CCC South league title for Even Terryville, which struggled the first time since 1990 and St. to a 6-14 finish, had two players Paul (18-6) winning its second average more than 10 points a straight NVL Brass Division title. game and Bristol Central, which But the Lancers were defeated in just missed the state tournament the first round of the Class L state cut at 7-13, one of its best seasons tournament and the Falcons — in recent memory, had an honorthe only other area team to qualify able mention all-league player. By PAUL ANGILLY STAFF WRITER
ALLPRESS SPECIAL
The Herald Press
really done a great job for us,” he said. Litwinko, who lives in Kensington, was right behind Walker with 16.58 points per game to go with averages of about five rebounds and four assists. She finished her high school career third all-time in scoring at St. Paul with 829 points. She led the team in scoring during the championship game as St. Paul captured the Class S state title last season. “She had to carry us a lot of times offensively,” he said. “She’s worked extremely hard to be the player that she is.” Litwinko will join former teammate and fellow AllStater Chelsea Mone when she goes on to play college basketball next year at Western Connecticut State University. “I’m excited about this new adventure, playing with a new team and the atmosphere,” she said. “It’ll be exciting to play with
St. Paul’s Amber Litwinko
Leading the way on the All-Press First Team are the area’s All-State selections, who also ranked as the top two by far among area scorers: Bristol Eastern senior Shianne Walker and St. Paul senior Amber Litwinko. Walker, among the Lancers’ captains, was tops in the area with 16.85 points per game. An all-around solid player, Walker has developed into a great point guard and has done an excellent job since her freshman year, according to Lancers coach Tony Floyd. “I’ve been very pleased about how she’s
Chelsea again.” Walker and Litwinko are each joined by a teammate on the All-Press First Team. Lancers junior Mallory Kloss was a first team All-CCC South performer this season, averaging 9.29 points per game. After a tough start to the season, she was focused on the team and played a major role in the squad’s winning the league title. “We started out 3-3 and I think the whole team was disappointed at that point,” Kloss said. “We just knew we had to prosper men-
tally and physically and I’m pleased [we got to] that place.” Falcons senior Rebecca Ferland earned Academic All-State honors this season after averaging 9.71 points per game, along with about four rebounds and two assists per contest. She was also an All-Brass Division in the NVL. Referred to by Mone as the team’s “silent assassin,” he said she successfully made the tough transition from forward to guard this year and worked extremely hard to get better. “She’s had a terrific year,” St. Paul coach Joe Mone said late in the season. “She’s had to make an adjustment going from small forward to guard this year and she’s made the transition well. She’s one of our unheralded players and deserves more credit than she’s received.” Ferland, who had offers to play at the next level but elected to go to UConn instead and focus on her studies, said she was pleased with how the season went for the Falcons. “This year we went into the season not knowing what to expect,” she said. “We lost a lot of seniors. A lot of us didn’t have big roles last year and had to step up.” While the season didn’t go so well for the Kangaroos of Terryville, senior Kaitlyn Natzke helped keep the team in the tournament hunt until the last game with her average of 12.40 points per contest, as earns the final spot on our All-Press First Team. In one week during the past season she scored 19 or more points in three straight games, although the team won just one of those contests. “I think of myself as a go-to [player] when we need to score,” Natzke said during the season. She hopes to continue playing next year at the college level. “Coming into this season, I hadn’t planned on playing in college, but I need to. I can’t stop playing. I cannot see myself not playing,” she said. Natzke was part of a senior class that squeaked into the state tournament with an 8-12 record after a dramatic season-ending upset victory over Thomaston two years ago before returning to Class S play with an 11-9 regular season record last year, but the ’Roos fell a couple wins short this season. The area talent doesn’t stop with those five players, as Bristol Central senior Amber Spidell, Terryville senior Jessica Albino, St.
All-Press Girls Basketball Second Team
Amber Spidell, BC
Jessica Albino, TV
Karissa Smith, BE
Kirby MaddenHennessy, BE
Courtney Lobo, SP
Sunday, April 17, 2011 | 5 Paul senior Courtney Lobo and Bristol Eastern’s Kirby Madden-Hennessy, a senior, and Karissa Smith, a sophomore, were all selected for the All-Press Second Team. Spidell averaged 9.26 points and 7.26 rebounds per game, shot 51.6 percent from 3-point range and was an honorable mention all-league selection this past season. She had a season-high 21 points and 18 rebounds against a tough Middletown team on Jan. 31, after scoring 19 points against the Blue Dragons the first time the teams met. “The development of her game over the [past] four years is remarkable,” Rams coach Steve Gaudet said. “She just became a complete defensive and offensive player.” Albino ranked fourth among Bristol and Terryville scorers this past season with 10.45 points per game, including some key big nights that helped keep the Kangaroos in the state tournament hunt until late in the season. Lobo was an All-Brass Division pick in the NVL this past season after averaging about six points and six rebounds per game. Aside from being a cousin to UConn hoops legend Rebecca Lobo, Courtney Lobo will long be remembered as the player who hit the winning shot in St. Paul’s state championship game victory last season. This year, she had a tough time while playing with a sprained ankle. “She sucked it up and threw on a brace and played,” Mone said. Smith earned first team all-league honors this past season despite being just a sophomore, and will likely play an even bigger role with the Lancers over the next two seasons. A leader on the Bristol Eastern squad, Madden-Hennessy earned second team allleague honors. “Kirby has really done a great job as a floor general with us,” Floyd said. “Her and Shianne have been the glue of the team. They both have done an excellent job this year,” he added. “When we needed some big plays … Shianne and Kirby have been able to rally [their teammates].” Madden-Hennessey said she was proud to be part of the Bristol Eastern team. “I’m glad we were able to at least get a home game [in the state tournament], and even though we weren’t able to win, we were able to play as a team and not give up,” she said. “Even though it wasn’t the ending we wanted, we were able to do well.”
Shianne, “Continue to soar, reaching your star.” Focus on your passion for the game! Have fun, remember “Na-Na” T.T.S. God’s Blessings. Love, Your Family
Congrats
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ALLPRESS SPECIAL
6 | Sunday, April 17, 2011
The Herald Press
103 pounds
112 pounds
119 pounds
119 pounds
119 pounds
125 pounds
130 pounds
135 pounds
Peyton Soucy, Eastern
Andrew Chase, Eastern
Josh Dess, Eastern
Mike Pokorny, Central
D.J. Russo, Terryville
Hayden Joeckel, Eastern
Tyler Burrow, Central
Craig Sassu, Eastern
All-Press Wrestling Team Seven Lancers, four Rams, three Kangaroos, one Falcon make list
By JOHNNY J. BURNHAM STAFF WRITER
Through the years, wrestling has firmly set its roots deep into the Greater Bristol area. There’s a tradition of excellence inside the circle as the local squads fight for league titles, consistently crown individual state champions and send several to the State Open and beyond each season. That tradition continued this past winter. Two state champions were crowned, three others reached the Class finals, a total of nine wrestlers qualified for the State Open, one went onto the New England event and a team ended a six-year league title drought. And now, a combined 15 grapplers from the likes of Bristol Eastern, Bristol Central, Terryville and St. Paul Catholic can add All-Press honors to their list of accomplishments this season. On the strength of capturing the school’s first CCC Southern Division title since 2004, seven Lancers are situated on the AllPress team. Andrew Chase, Josh Dess, Craig Sassu, Matt Piazza, Peyton Soucy, Hayden Joeckel and Dan Parker account for nearly half of the squad’s picks. They’re joined by four from Central (D.J. Sanderson, Mike
Mike Orazzi | Staff
Bristol Eastern’s Andrew Chase was one of two state champions that make up our All-Press wrestling team.
Pokorny, Chris Dionne and Tyler Burrow), three Kangaroos (Scott LaMarre, D.J. Russo and Dom Folino) and one Falcon, Tucker
Bachand. The selection of both Chase and LaMarre comes on the heels of each staking claim to a state
championship. Chase, after completing the regular season with an impressive 29-1 mark took home the
112-pound Class L title. He went on to place second in his weight class at the State Open and earned a sixth-place finish at the New England event the following week. In doing so, Chase became the first-ever two-time New England place-winner in Eastern history. In addition, the senior won the 112-pound CCC South Tournament championship and was named All-CCC South for the third consecutive year. LaMarre, after winning nearly 92 percent of his bouts during the regular season, put on a show at the Class S State Tournament. The Kangaroos junior 145-pounder took out the field’s No. 19, No. 6, No. 2 and No. 1 seeds en route to the championship. LaMarre knocked off two-time defending state champion Zachary Cooke of Killingly in the finals. He was unanimously selected as the Class S Most Outstanding Wrestler. The Class S crown came after LaMarre won the Berkshire League title for the second year in a row. That all happened after being sidelined for the beginning of the season after suffering a significant injury. He finished the year with an overall 30-3 record. Sanderson earned the distinction as one of the state’s elite heavyweights. The Central
ALLPRESS SPECIAL
The Herald Press
145 pounds
152 pounds
171 pounds
189 pounds
215 pounds
Sunday, April 17, 2011 | 7
285 pounds
285 pounds No picture available
Scott LaMarre, Terryville
Dom Folino, Terryville
Chris Dionne, Central
Tucker Bachand, St. Paul
Matt Piazza, Eastern
D.J. Sanderson, Central
Terryville’s Scott LaMarre won a state championship this season.
Mike Orazzi | Staff
Bristol Central’s D.J. Sanderson celebrates after beating Bristol Eastern’s Dan Parker.
captain earned the No. 2 seed in the Class L tournament, claimed the CCC South Tournament title and advanced to the state finals. The senior captain advanced to the semifinals of the State Open and eventually took home fifth-place. Sanderson is joined on the team by the Lancers’ 285-pounder. In his first year wrestling at the varsity level, Parker consistently progressed into a top heavyweight. The Eastern senior won 23 regular season matches and had a good showing in the state tournament.
But even deeper than the heavyweight division was the area’s 119 pound weight class. Each school had a standout 119-pounder and as a result, all three (Dess, Pokorny and Russo) were named to the AllPress squad. Russo and Dess were each the top overall seed in their respective state tournaments. Dess advanced to the Class L championship and qualified for the State Open for the third straight year. He was 21-7 in the regular season. Russo lost just three times in the dual
meet season, winning 88 percent of his bouts. The Kangaroos senior made it the Class S semifinals. He placed fifth overall. Pokorny secured the most wins of any of the three 119-pounders, winning a total of 23 matches, including a victory over his Eastern counterpart in the annual EasternCentral showdown. Pokorny brought home the CCC South Tournament championship. Coming off a spectacular freshman season that earned him All-American status, Sassu was impressive once again as a sophomore at 135. Sassu posted a 26-6 record, reached the quarterfinals of the state tournament and placed fourth (outscoring his opposition 38-10 in the consolation bracket) to punch a ticket to the State Open. Joeckel, a 125 pound junior, joined Sassu at the Open with a fine run at the Class L event. Joeckel, as the tournament’s No. 9 seed, worked his way through the field to place fourth overall. Soucy, one of the state’s premier lightweights, walked off the mat victorious 86.2 percent of the time during a dual meet match. He earned the distinction as the Southern Division’s top 103-pounder. The sophomore reached the semifinals of the Class L tournament and advanced to the Open. His teammate, Piazza, did the same at 215. Coming off a 26-win campaign, the Lancers senior reached the Class L final
Dan Parker, Eastern
Johnny Burnham | Staff
four before bowing out to the state’s top 215 pound grappler, Dean Tsopanides of Torrington. Piazza wrestled his way back to finish third. Bachand, at 189 pounds, represented St. Paul well all season, particularly in both postseason tournaments. Bachand placed fifth at the Class S event. A week earlier he placed third at the Tournament of Independents, winning all three of his bouts by pin. The junior went 20-9 during the regular season. Terryville’s Folino capped off a stellar winter with a third-place finish in the Class S 152-pound bracket. Folino, a senior, was the field’s No. 3 overall seed after going 25-4 in the regular season. Those 25 wins were the second most of any 152-pounder in Class S. Dionne was solid for Central all season, winning a total of 21 bouts over the course of the season. The Rams 171-pound senior walked off the mat victorious 70 percent of the time. He placed second at the inaugural CCC South Championships to earn AllSouthern Division accolades. Burrow stands as the youngest member of the All-Press squad and is just the second freshman ever selected to the team. Burrow placed sixth overall in a highly competitive 130 pound Class L tournament field. That performance came just one week after he claimed the CCC South tournament title.
8 | Sunday, April 17, 2011
ALLPRESS SPECIAL
The Herald Press
All-Press Indoor Track Team Terryville state champ Scharpf leads area’s best
1:24.76 at the Class L meet, less than one second short of the school mark. He went on to finish fifth in the State Open (1:24.93) before recording his best time of the year at the New England meet, coming in 12th out of 27 entrants with a time of 1:24.42. By PAUL ANGILLY “He’s a hard worker and a very, STAFF WRITER very competitive individual who Connor Connor Cody does not like to get beat,” Covino While there was just one state said. “He has that internal motivaKelley, BC McCarthy, BC Varkal, BE championship to be claimed by tion.” area indoor track performers this Rams senior Mike Duprey had past season, several other athletes the best State Open finish among did have excellent performances in area runners, placing fourth after Special Note: state-level competition and beyond running a 4.26.61, breaking his Mike Duprey, Connor Kelley, and have earned spots on our third own school indoor mark by 1.5 Alyssa Brandt and Aubrey annual All-Press indoor track seconds. Palmquist each made their second teams. That came after also finishAll-Press indoor track While Bristol Central again ing fourth at the Class L meet team this season. dominated most of our picks for (4:33.73) and before going on to both the boys and girls teams, the the New England meet, where he Mike Jacob Jake best state-level performance turned placed 11th out of 26 competitors Duprey, BC Eschner, BC Mancini, BC in by an area athlete this past seain the one-mile run with a time of son actually came from Terryville 4:29.02. junior Corie Scharpf, who won the “Mike is an outstanding athlete Class S state title in the high jump and student,” Covino said. “He with a leap of 5-feet-3. comes every day prepared to work She later tied for second place at hard and has been a leader on and the State Open in the event with off the track. As a captain, Mike a leap of 5-2, the best finish of has done an excellent job of proany area athlete, then placed 13th viding leadership and guidance to among 23 entrants in the New the younger athletes. He is a great England Championships with a athlete to coach and his work ethic jump of 5-1. will be missed.” Corie Alyssa Aubrey “It’s kind of exciting for us. It’s Bristol Central senior Connor our first year of indoor track at Kelley earned a spot on our AllScharpf, TV Brandt, BC Palmquist, BC Terryville,” Terryville coach Jeff Press team with his ninth-place Foulds said. finish at the Class L meet in the Senior Alyssa Brandt led the 3,200 meters, finishing in 10:17.50. Bristol Central contingent on our He was also joined by Eschner, All-Press team, with her secondDuprey and Jake Mancini on place finish in the 1,600 meters Bristol Central’s 4x800 meter relay (5:24.51) at the Class L meet, the team, which earns All-Press status best finish among Bristol girls, folafter placing third in the Class L lowed by a ninth-place finish in the meet (8:23.33) before recording its event at the State Open over the season-best time of 8:21.24 to finweekend, running a personal indoor ish 11th at the State Open. Angela Amanda D. EverettMelissa best of 5:17.55. Also earning a spot from Bosco, BC Martin, BC O’Neill, BE Cummings, BC “Alyssa is a wonderful athlete Bristol Central is senior Connor who comes to practice every day McCarthy, who placed seventh in ready to compete at the highest the 55 hurdles at the Class L meet level,” Bristol Central coach Larry Also earning All-Press honors in the Class L meet, followed by “[She] worked hard. Danyelle with a time of 8.67 seconds. Covino said. “She always has a from Bristol Central is senior a ninth-place finish at the State really improved from last year,” Bristol Eastern senior Cody smile and is a positive motivator for Amanda Martin, who was seventh Open in 9:55.64, their best time of Lancers coach Bob Rottler said. Varkal slipped into the final spot the entire team.” at the Class L meet in the long the season. The All-Press boys team for on our All-Press team by finishing Joining her on the All-Press jump with a leap of 15-9, followed Rounding out the girls’ squad is indoor track includes four individu- 13th in the preliminaries of the 55 Team is fellow Ram Aubrey by a 15th place finish at the State junior Danyelle Everett-O’Neill of als and a relay from Bristol Central, hurdles at the Class L meet with a Palmquist, a junior who placed Open with a mark of 15-4. Bristol Eastern, who placed second with a Bristol Eastern hurdler slip- time of 8.83. fourth at the Class L meet in Earning All-Press honors as a in the 55-meter hurdles in the ping into the final spot. Duprey, Kelley, Brandt and the 3,200 meters with a time of team is the Rams’ 4x800 relay of Class L meet with a time of 9.43. Among the boys, Rams junior Palmquist were all part of last year’s 11:39.54, then came in ninth in Melissa Cummings, Palmquist, At the State Open, she placed 11th Jacob Eschner came the closest to All-Press indoor track selections, the event at the State Open with a Angela Bosco and Brandt, which in the preliminary round with a claiming a state title, placing second making them the first two-time season-best time of 11:32.86. had a third-place finish of 10:00.10 time of 9.36. in the 600 meters with a time of members of the honorary team.
The Boys Team
The Girls Team