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All-Press
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www.BristolPress.com | Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Our All-Press picks in baseball, softball, tennis, track and golf
Stars of spring
Mike Orazzi | Staff
Terryville softball players celebrate their Class S State Championship victory this past spring season. The Kangaroos placed three players on the 2010 All-Press Softball Team. Full team inside.
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2 | Wednesday, July 14, 2010
All-Press Softball Team
Four pitchers — Grimes, Boutin, Cintorino, O’Keefe — lead way even better at the bat,” Suffridge said. Vigeant earned All-State honors as a third baseman. Not only did she field her position well, Vigeant started all 24 games and compiled a .432 batting average with seven doubles, four triples, a home run and 27 RBI.
Class L field. On the mound, she pitched every game and had a 19-5 record with 230 strikeouts in 169 innings pitched, allowing 43 runs — just 12 earned — on 105 hits and 43 walks, with an ERA of 0.52. At the plate, Boutin had a .427 average, with 32 hits, 20 runs
strikeouts (7), walks (11) and stolen bases (5). She also had a .347 average with 10 RBI, three doubles, two triples, three home runs and a .434 on-base percentage. The only outfielder selected, Roche had an outstanding sophomore season for the Lancers, with a team-leading 25 RBI, a .312 avg.,
“She’s just a good, mentallytough kid that plays a total game,” he said. “Every at-bat with her, she’s Area teams enjoyed a great deal tough. She’s the one player in a of success during the 2010 seatough situation I would want at the son — including a state champion plate to drive in a run. I have a lot in Terryville, a state runner-up in of confidence in her.” Bristol Eastern and a state quarterPlantamuro, a junior shortstop, finalist in Bristol Central. All three, was a .307 hitter who reached base plus Class S final 16 team St. Paul, nearly half the time she stepped to were led by outstanding pitching. the plate. She led the team with 28 With all four starting pitchers runs and six stolen bases. from those teams well deserving of “She’s our igniter,” Pirog said. a spot on this year’s second annual “She’s also a natural leader. She goes All-Press softball team, the format out there and she wants to win. was changed a bit to accommodate She’ll motivate others, too.” the top 10 softball players among Fellow junior Ashley LaPenta the teams we cover, regardless of was the team’s starting second position. baseman, compiling a .329 batting So Terryville’s Beth Grimes, average with 20 runs scored and 11 Bristol Eastern’s Alyssa Boutin, successful sacrifice bunts. TARYN EMILY BETH JAMIE EMILY Bristol Central’s Emily Cintorino “She’s the most fundamentallyVIGEANT CINTORINO GRIMES BRIDGE O’KEEFE and St. Paul’s Emily O’Keefe all sound defensive second baseman TERRYVILLE CENTRAL TERRYVILLE TERRYVILLE ST. PAUL earned spots on this year’s team I’ve seen,” Pirog said. thanks to their outstanding efforts Although known for her defense, both on the mound and at the plate. she also contributed well on offense Joining them on our honorary this year, he added. LaPenta is such team are the Kangaroos’ Taryn a fierce competitor, he said, “The Vigeant and Jamie Bridge, the bigger the game, the dirtier Ashley’s Lancers’ Rachel Beaudoin and uniform is going to be.” Michaela Roche, and the Rams’ Representing St. Paul on the Taylor Plantamuro and Ashley team is graduating senior O’Keefe, LaPenta. the lone Falcon softball player to Every member of the All-Press earn All-NVL honors. MICHAELA TAYLOR ASHLEY ALYSSA RACHEL team earned all-conference hon“She’s been great to have for four ROCHE PLANTAMURO LAPENTA BOUTIN BEAUDOIN ors in their respective leagues this years. Softball’s her game. She’s EASTERN CENTRAL CENTRAL EASTERN EASTERN year, with Grimes, Vigeant and passionate about it,” St. Paul coach Beaudoin also being named AllGary Hovhanessian said. State selections. “She’s a great leader,” Suffridge scored, 18 RBI, three home runs, 16 runs scored, 24 hits, two doubles, O’Keefe had a 0.72 ERA during Earning All-State accolades for said. eight doubles, three triples, 14 walks five triples and six home runs. the regular season, allowing just 14 the third straight year, Grimes had Bridge made a great impact in and an on-base percentage over She led the team in extra-base earned runs in 135 innings. She the best season of any area softball her freshman season for the state .525, only striking out four times. hits, collecting more extra-base hits had a 10-9 record with 19 complete player. champion ’Roos. The team’s first She led the team in runs, hits, (13) than singles (11). games and 248 strikeouts. Calling her no less than the baseman, she started all 24 games, singles, doubles, walks and striking “She’s shown a lot of offensive At the plate, she had a .484 averbest pitcher in school history, batting .384 with 21 RBI, five dou- out the least times. power,” D’Amato said. “She was just age, .629 slugging percentage, .560 Terryville coach Angie Suffridge bles, six triples and a home run. “She’s been our most consistent extremely confident at the plate.” on-base percentage, 10 walks and was unreserved in her praise for the She was “a great find for us,” player offensively over the last three All three of Bristol Central’s rep- 30 hits, including six doubles and a graduating senior. Suffridge said. “She’s a very talented years,” Bristol Eastern coach Chris resentatives on the All-Press team home run. “She the best pitcher in the softball player.” D’Amato said. “She’s definitely will be back for another season next She was the winning pitcher as state,” Suffridge said. “It’s rare to get Offering a sneak peek into next someone you can count on.” year. Already, the trio has helped St. Paul beat Platt Tech 7-1 in the someone as talented as she is come year, the coach noted that Bridge is Coming off an All-State season the team improve from nine wins first round of the Class S tournathrough your system.” also a great pitcher, but she wasn’t as an outfielder last year, Beaudoin in 2008, to 12 victories last year and ment, then went 2-for-3 at the In a season capped by throwing needed in that role this year with moved to second base this year for 16 wins and a Class LL quarterfinal plate, collecting the Falcons’ only four straight shutouts in the Class S Grimes available. But Bridge is the her senior season and earned Allround appearance this season. two hits in a 1-0 loss to state finalist tournament to lead the Kangaroos likely starting pitcher next year. State status as an infielder. Sophomore pitcher Cintorino St. Bernard in the second round. to the state title, Grimes allowed “She’s going to surprise a lot of “To win All-State as an outfield- collected 14 of those wins, with 141 Hovhanessian said he was just just five earned runs in 22 games people in the league,” Suffridge said. er and an infielder as well says a lot strikeouts and a 1.40 ERA. disappointed the Falcons couldn’t for a 0.23 ERA, striking out 291 Bristol Eastern senior Boutin about her character,” D’Amato said. But Rams coach Phil Pirog said have done more to give O’Keefe a batters and walking just 27, while may have fallen short of the All“She works hard, is very energetic her contributions as a clutch hitter shot at success in the tournament batting .371 with 25 RBI. State status of Grimes, but she led every day.” should not be overlooked. A .280 over her four years with the team. “She’s an all-around great player. the Lancers to the verge of a state Beaudoin was second on the hitter, Cintorino led the team with “She pitched a lot of games that As good as she is pitching, she’s championship in a much tougher team in runs (18), hits (26), the least 19 RBI and eight extra-base hits. were gutsy games,” he said. By PAUL ANGILLY STAFF WRITER
THE ALL-PRESS SOFTBALL TEAM
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 | 3
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All-Press Baseball Team
Lejeune leads Bristol Central’s six players named to all-star team
By JOHNNY J. BURNHAM
THE ALL-PRESS BASEBALL TEAM
STAFF WRITER
CRAIG LEJEUNE
TYLER CYR
MATT GODBOUT
BRET CLARK
CHRIS BOREA
ALEX TOMASETTI
STEVE ADAMS
CENTRAL
CENTRAL
CENTRAL
CENTRAL
ST. PAUL
TERRYVILLE
EASTERN
ZACH PELLETIER
MATT DONOFRIO
AUSTIN HOWARD
MATT MAYNARD
JOE RANDALL
TYLER BUSH
TERRYVILLE
TERRYVILLE
CENTRAL
CENTRAL
ST. PAUL
EASTERN
Lejeune and Cyr are just two of six Rams — a team that was ranked as high as No. 3 in the state — selected to the All-Press squad. They’re joined by their battery mate Matt Godbout, first baseman Austin Howard, second baseman Matt Maynard and outfielder Bret Clark. St. Paul’s Joe Randall (shortstop) and Chris Borea (third base) form the left side of the infield while Terryville’s Alex Tomasetti and the Lancers’ Tyler Bush round out the outfield. Eastern’s Steve Adams was selected as the designated hitter. Led by Borea’s .444 batting average, six players hit at over a .350 clip this spring. To go along with his hefty batting average, Borea also scored 24 runs, had 16 runs batted in and a home in addition to eight doubles and three triples. He was a perfect 7-for-7 in stolen base attempts and posted a slugging percentage of .654. He struck out only five times all season. Maynard wasn’t far off Borea’s area-leading average. The Central second baseman hit .405 with 20 runs and 12 RBI.
In addition to handling the Ram pitching staff, Godbout was able to do plenty of damage at the plate as well. Godbout drove in 19 runs from the bottom of the Central order, scored 16 times and hit .384. Adams became a force in the middle of an Eastern lineup that scored 132 runs on the season. Adams posted the Lancers’ highest batting average (.377), led the team with 22 RBI and a .476 onbase percentage. He had a home run and six doubles to go along with 16 runs scored. After spending his previous time as a starting infielder for the Rams, Clark made the move to the outfield for his senior campaign and not only played impressively in the field, but held his own at the dish. The year came to an end with Clark batting .366, scoring 22 times and driving in an All-Press best 23. His teammate, Howard, equalled that RBI output. The Central first baseman put up gaudy numbers as well, batting .300 to go along with 20 runs and the 23 RBI.
Tomasetti found himself in a similar position as Clark as he too was asked to make the transition to the outfield after being a fixture in the middle of the Terryville infield over the past few seasons. He made the transition smoothly, pacing the Kangaroos with a number of multiple hit games, big steals and key defensive stabs. Many of those came in support of Donofrio on the mound. Donofrio provided the ‘Roos with a chance to win nearly every time he was handed the ball by going deep into games — including complete-game wins over Thomaston and Housatonic. The bulk of the runs scored off Donofrio over the course of the spring were of the unearned variety Big numbers followed the St. Paul shortstop all season. Randall tallied 29 total hits, a home run, drove in 15 of his teammates, touched the plate 14 times himself and boasted a .358 average all while anchoring the Falcon defense. While Bush’s batting average comes in as the lowest of any selection, his glove was simply a
valuable piece to Eastern’s winning formula. The speedy outfielder was able to track down balls with consistency all year. Bush did not commit a single fielding error while playing in every game. At the plate, Bush hit a respectable .273 with a home run, six doubles, a triple and 14 RBI. Pelletier certainly appreciated the defensive effort behind him. The Lancer junior right-hander posted a team-best 3.32 ERA while going 3-3 on the year. Pelletier allowed a total of just eight extra base hits to the 159 total batters that stepped into the box to face him.
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In an area of the state that has carried a fine baseball tradition through the years, the 2010 campaign was no different as it was a perfect 4-for-4 spring in terms of qualifying for postseason play for the local nines. Led by Bristol Central’s 20, all four (Central, Bristol Eastern, St. Paul and Terryville) picked up at least eight victories on the year. That success was once again paved by a number of strong arms as pitching propelled each over the top. With that, four hurlers earned All-Press accolades — Central’s Craig Lejeune and Tyler Cyr along with Eastern’s Zach Pelletier and the ‘Roos Matt Donofrio. Lejeune can not only stake claim to the top of the All-Press pitching staff, but quite possibly the state’s. The Ram senior posted a 10-1 record this season in which he picked up 71 strikeouts in 72 innings. His earned run average came in at a miniscule 1.15. It was the cap to a recordbreaking career for the All-State right-hander. Lejeune became the first pitcher at either Central or Eastern to accumulate 25 wins in their varsity career. He finished his three years as a varsity starter at 25-3. Possibly even more impressive was the fact that the Ram ace surrendered just 33 earned runs in over 190 innings pitched in his tenure on the hill. He walked only 34 compared to striking out 175 over the past three seasons. Central won the Central Connecticut Conference Southern Division Championship all three years. His teammate, Cyr, provided the Rams with a superb one-two pitching punch in 2010. Cyr lost just one regular season game and, including the Class LL State Tournament, went 6-2 overall. Two hundred and four outs were recorded when he had the ball in his hand this season. Cyr finished with a superb 1.63 ERA.
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4 | Wednesday, July 14, 2010
All-Press Boys Track Team
State champion Gonzalez leads star-studded track and field group
By PAUL ANGILLY STAFF WRITER
Among all the Bristol teams and Terryville’s squad, just five individuals and one relay team fared well enough in state class meet competition to advance to the State Open. For their efforts, all of them were selected to comprise our second annual All-Press boys track and field team for the 2010 season. Leading the way is Bristol Central senior Omar Gonzalez, the Class L state champion in the javelin with a modern school record throw of 185 feet, 7 inches at that meet, who followed that up with a second place finish in the State Open with a toss of 185-4. He then earned a medal at the New England Championships, placing fifth in the javelin with a throw of 185-3. Gonzalez was also eighth in the discus at the Class L meet with a throw of 113-3. Rams coach Matt Boissonneault said in just his second year with the team, Gonzalez was undefeated before the State Open — winning every event he entered in every dual meet and invitational held during the season. “He likes to win,” Boissonneault noted. “To be first place in all of those, wire to wire until the State Open I think is pretty impressive.” St. Paul senior Byron Jones also had a remarkable run through state and regional competition, equally impressive in both the 200 and 400 meter runs. He was second in both events at the Class S state meet, finishing the 200 in 22.31 seconds and the 400 in 48.79 seconds. At the State Open he was fourth in both events, with times of 22.49 in the 200 and 49.23 in the 400. Moving on to the New England Championships, he placed seventh in both events, with times of 22.96 and 50.14 seconds,
THE ALL-PRESS BOYS TRACK TEAM
OMAR GONZALEZ
BYRON JONES
TYLOR SINGLETON
MIKE DUPREY
CENTRAL
ST. PAUL
CENTRAL
CENTRAL
high jump at the State Open, but he got the chance to compete after finishing fourth at the Class S meet with a leap of 5-10, a bit off his season best of 6-0. He also placed 18th in the long jump at the Class S meet. “He is just an all-around great athlete,” Terryville coach Jeff Foulds said, adding that he could have qualified for the state meet in about eight events. Also a soccer and basketball player at the school, Bilodeau placed second in the decathlon at the Berkshire League meet. “He’s a coach’s dream, because he’s so versatile,” Foulds said.
The only area relay squad to compete in the State Open was Bristol Central’s 4x400 team of Duprey, sophomore Jacob Eschner, Singleton and junior Tyler Webber. After finishing tied for ninth in the Class L meet with a time of 3:29.91, the Rams placed 20th in the event at the State Open with a 3:31.21 finish. Seven different athletes competed as part of that relay throughout the year and all did well, Boissonneault said. “The four who ran it at states we thought were the strongest of the four,” he added.
No photo available
RONNY BILODEAU
JACOB ESCHNER
TYLER WEBBER
TERRYVILLE
CENTRAL
CENTRAL
respectively. “All in all, Byron had a really good senior year,” St. Paul coach Kyle Fuller said, although he added that Jones struggled through injuries at the start of the season. At the Naugatuck Valley League meet, Fuller said, Jones beat a 31-year-old record in the 400 meters. Also a top football and basketball player for the Falcons, “He’s just an all-around great athlete,” Fuller said. “Byron is one of those gems that come along every once so often.” After finishing fourth in the triple jump with a distance of 44-7½ and 13th in the long jump at 20-0 in the Class L meet, Bristol Central senior Tylor Singleton placed eighth at the State Open in the triple jump with a mark of 44-0½. A captain for the Rams, he was a “leader all year,” Boissonneault
said. Qualifying for state competition in five different events, “For him, the hardest thing was choosing which events to do,” Boissonneault said. Singleton’s mark of 44-7½ at the Class L meet set a school record. “That was pretty impressive,” Boissonneault said. Fellow Rams senior Mike Duprey placed 12th at the State Open in the 1,600 meters with a time of 4:28.28, a bit slower than the 4:23.53 mark he had to place sixth in the Class L meet, which set a school record. “He ran very strong times all year,” Boissonneault said. Duprey also ran great times all year in the 800 meters, he added. “He’s helped us a lot throughout the year and scored a lot of points for us,” Boissonneault said. Terryville senior Ronny Bilodeau failed to score in the Rob Heyl
Bristol Central’s Omar Gonzalez throws the discus during an event this season.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 | 5
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All-Press Girls Track Team
State champs Hendrickson, Scharpf lead way for area track stars
“[She’s] very coachable,” he added, “and she did a great job, stepped up to the plate there at the It was another great season for Class L meet.” area girls outdoor track and field The other area All-State honteams, with Bristol Central once oree is Terryville sophomore Corie again claiming the CCC South Scharpf, who won the high jump regular season and championevent at the Class S meet in clearship meet titles and several area ing five feet even. She went on to competitors faring well in state place ninth in the event at the State competition. Open with the same height. The best of those state competi“She had a really good year,” tors have earned selection for our Terryville coach Jeff Foulds said. second annual All-Press girls track “As a sophomore ... we’re expectteam, limited to the top five indiing to go even further with her viduals and best relay team among jumping,” he added. “She’s young, the three Bristol schools and she’s a hard-working athlete [and] Terryville High. she’s got a great attitude, so everyEvery member of this year’s hon- thing should just continue to grow.” orary squad had a top 10 finish in Earning the best finish among the State Open meet, but just two area participants at the State Open earned All-State honors by winwas Bristol Central senior Sam ning their events at the state class Webber, who placed fourth in the meets. javelin with a throw of 117-3. She One was Bristol Eastern senior was third in the event at the Class Maggie Hendrickson, who won the L meet with a throw of 118-1. She javelin event at the Class L state was also seventh in the shot put meet with a throw of 123 feet, 6 and 16th in the discus at the class inches, shattering her previous best meet. of 114 feet. Advancing to the New England At the State Open, she placed championships, Webber placed 21st seventh with a throw of 113-2. in the javelin with a toss of 99-11. “Maggie’s a great kid, works hard She had a throw of 118-3 during and listens, tries to perfect her tech- the season, establishing a school nique,” Bristol Eastern field coach record. Bob Rottler said. “[Webber] just did a great job By PAUL ANGILLY STAFF WRITER
THE ALL-PRESS GIRLS TRACK TEAM
PAIGE MAGGIE HENDRICKSON MCCARTHY EASTERN
CENTRAL
CORIE SCHARPF
SAM WEBBER
TERRYVILLE
CENTRAL
ALYSSA BRANDT
MELISSA CUMMINGS
AUBREY PALMQUIST
CENTRAL
CENTRAL
CENTRAL
for us,” in just her second season on the team, Bristol Central girls track coach Mike Forgione said. “She really, really worked hard and came out strong.”
Also for the Rams, junior Alyssa Brandt placed sixth in the 800 meters at the State Open with a time of 2:17.60. She was second in the Class L meet in the event with
a run of 2:17.09 and also placed eighth in the 1,600 meters at that meet in 5:13.02. But the state meets were just a warm-up for Brandt. She earned a medal by placing fourth in the 800 meters at the New England Championships with a school-record time of 2:16.85, just under ¾ of a second behind New England champion Sarah Gillespie, a freshman from Northwest Catholic. Joining the Rams as a transfer from Florida this season, “I could tell from day one that she was going to be a special runner for us,” Forgione said. “Her work ethic and dedication is the reason why she was so successful this year.” Sophomore Paige McCarthy from Bristol Central earned a spot on our All-Press team with mark of 35-1 in the triple jump at the State Open, after finishing sixth at the Class L meet with a mark of 35-1½. “She is just one of the most athletic kids we have,” Forgione said, adding that she can compete in just about any event from the 200 meters through the mile, along with the long and triple jumps. “You can put her anywhere and she’d be successful,” he said. The top relay team in the area this past season was Bristol Central’s 4x800 meter squad of Brandt, freshman Melissa Cummings, McCarthy and sophomore Aubrey Palmquist, which placed 10th in the State Open with a school-record time of 9:44.28. The same team placed fourth at the Class L meet with a time of 9:47.54. Palmquist, who also races in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters, “really helped push Alyssa [Brandt] to achieve the success she had,” Forgione said. Cummings joined the squad this year as a much-heralded freshman, he added. “She didn’t disappoint with her performance,” he said. Mike Orazzi | Staff
Central’s Alyssa Brandt (foreground) the eventual winner at the start of the girls 800 meter during a track meet between Bristol Eastern and Bristol Central.
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6 | Wednesday, July 14, 2010
All-Press Boys Tennis Team Six of seven tennis spots belong to Bristol Eastern this spring By JOHNNY J. BURNHAM STAFF WRITER
Mike Orazzi | Staff
Bristol Central’s John Holschlag is the lone representative for the Rams.
Coming off one of the most successful seasons in city tennis history as the spring came-andwent with Bristol Eastern having rolled through the CCC South to claim the championship in perfect fashion, all but one of the seven selections for the All-Press team sport Lancer blue. The Lancers lost only four matches over the course of the year Eastern’s top two singles players, Taylor Webster and Charles Constant, along with the doubles teams of Tom Tedesco and Nick Randles as well as Jake Wood and Joe Thomas each garnished the accolade after a standout spring. But although he is the only Ram surrounded by Lancers, Bristol Central’s John Holschlag highlights the 2010 All-Press squad. The Central senior was one of the top singles players in the Southern Division as well as the Central Connecticut Conference on the whole. Holschlag led the Rams to a 4-2 record in the Division, and, despite the team being well below the .500 mark overall, kept Central in contention for a seemingly improbably divisional title until it was defeated by Eastern late in the year. Holschlag was the Rams lone entrant into the Class LL State Tournament (which in boys tennis is played solely as an individual tournament), picking up two wins while there. He lost just one game in his first-round victory. The Class LL run turned out to not be the only successful postseason showing for Holschlag. He walked off the court victorious in his first-round bout at the State Open as well. His crosstown counterpart, Webster, was also a difficult out for the opposition’s top singles
THE ALL-PRESS BOYS TENNIS TEAM No photo available
JOHN HOLSCHLAG
TAYLOR WEBSTER
CHARLES CONSTANT
TOM TEDESCO
CENTRAL
EASTERN
EASTERN
EASTERN
No photo available
No photo available
JAKE WOOD
JOE THOMAS
NICK RANDLES
EASTERN
EASTERN
EASTERN
players, doing battle in the No. 1 slot for the Lancers. He was an All-CCC South selection for the third consecutive season. Webster was joined in the same realm by his teammate playing on the No. 2 singles court — Constant. The Lancers’ impressive one-two punch at singles, coincidentally, didn’t go after individual successes come the postseason. Webster and Constant joined forces as a doubles team in the Class L State Tournament. After receiving a first-round bye, Webster and Constant advanced to the tournament quarterfinals before being eliminated from title contention. But throughout the season it was the tandem of Tedesco and Randles that anchored Eastern in doubles play. Tedesco and Randles hit their stride heading down the stretch
of the regular season, reeling off a number of wins to help pace Eastern to a repeat Southern Division title. The No. 1 doubles team qualified for the state tournament and although they lost to Wilton’s top team of Parker McReynolds and Daniel Schott, the Lancers played them to 10 games in the second set. Randles was a versatile piece to the Eastern team as he filled in at singles for coach Bob Zysk on multiple occasions. Like Tedesco and Randles, Thomas and Wood quickly blossomed into a force in doubles play. Their win helped the Lancers get by the improved Rams late in the year, they were solid in wins over Fermi, Middletown and Bulkeley (among several others) and picked up a key three-set victory in a narrow 4-3 Eastern win over Wethersfield.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 | 7
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All-Press Girls Tennis Team Abdulsalam highlights talented group of area tennis stars
By JOHNNY J. BURNHAM STAFF WRITER
The 2010 girls tennis season was one of the best in the city’s history as both Bristol Eastern and Bristol Central combined for 29 wins as each team had its eye locked on the Southern Division crown from the get-go. The division title wasn’t decided until the Lancers defeated the Rams in their annual showdown at the end of the season. The St. Paul tennis program came out of nowhere to win 13 matches over the course of the spring, ending a prolonged Class S State Tournament drought. While the Falcons saw their impressive season come to an end at the hands of old foe Rocky Hill in the first round, both Central and Eastern advanced past round one of their respective postseason tournaments. In fact, the Lancers didn’t bow out until the quarterfinal round in the Class L pool. With a season like that, four Lady Lancers made their way onto the All-Press Girls Tennis Team. The squad is highlighted by Eastern’s No. 1 singles player Shahida Abdulsalam. The Lancer senior enjoyed a standout season that notched her the accolade of being the first player from Bristol Eastern to earn All-State status. She may very well be the first girls tennis player in city history to be garnished with the distinction. She advanced into the third round of the State Open, in which she was seeded No. 14 overall in the singles’ tournament. She finished a perfect 7-0 against her No. 1 singles competitors in the CCC South over the course of the spring. Abdulsalam is joined on the All-Press team by teammates Erin Rivers (singles) as well as Kilee Bayne and Amanda Woznicki (doubles). Central’s singles standout Amy Provost and doubles squad Christie Greenberg and Sara DeFillippi as well as the Falcons’ tandem
THE ALL-PRESS GIRLS TENNIS TEAM
SHAHIDA ABDULSALAM
AMY PROVOST
ERIN RIVERS
CHRISTIE GREENBERG
SARA DEFILLIPPI
EASTERN
CENTRAL
EASTERN
CENTRAL
CENTRAL
No photo available
AMANDA WOZNICKI
KILEE BAYNE
RACHEL KLAPHEKE
HILLARY BURNS
EASTERN
EASTERN
ST. PAUL
ST. PAUL
Bristol Central’s Amy Provost is one of three Rams on the 2010 All-Press girls tennis team.
of Rachel Klapheke and Hillary Burns round out the 2010 selections. Provost was no stranger to tallying wins heading into her senior season, and she only
became more acquainted with victory as it rolled along. Pitted against the top singles player that the other team had to offer, Provost walked off the court victorious far more often
Mike Orazzi | Staff
than not. She helped the Rams to a 15-3 regular season and a 7-0 win over Windsor in the Class LL State Tournament. But while Provost was busy taking care of things on the
singles court, Central coach Aram Bolduc knew that in order for his team to be successful things would have to go right in doubles action. The duo of Greenberg and DeFillippi made sure that happened. The tandem stuck out as not just the Rams top doubles teams but one of the best in the CCC South. They are certainly joined at the top of that list by their crosstown counterparts, Bayne and Woznicki. Both the Eastern and Central doubles’ teams enjoyed a stellar regular season and beyond. Bayne and Woznicki, whose No. 12 overall seed in the State Open was the highest in the school’s history, advanced into the third round of doubles play. The Eastern tandem downed Avon’s Mary Pearce and Cristine Parson in a 9-7 thriller before edging Michelle Warren and Laura D’Angelo of Amity, 8-6, in the second round. Greenberg and DeFillippi advanced to the second round with an 8-4 win over Jennifer Haven and Demetra Skenderis of Masuk High. Rivers was a steady force for the Lancers at No. 2 singles throughout the year — a spring that came with All-CCC South honors. Rivers had a knack for being able to rally in the face of adversity, including coming from a set down to help Eastern secure its fourth-straight Southern Division crown in the showdown with the Rams. She also had the best result of any Lancer in the team’s final match of the season in the Class L round of eight. Klapheke and Burns were named to the All-NVL squad. As a team, they won 12-of19 matches and won 57 percent of all games played this season. The Falcon duo was the fourthseed in the NVL Individual Tournament in addition to qualifying for the State Open. Klapheke and Burns were a big part in St. Paul enjoying its most successful season in quite some time.
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8 | Wednesday, July 14, 2010
All-Press Boys Golf Team
Three St. Paul golfers lead team
THE 2010 ALL-PRESS GOLF TEAM
By JOHNNY J. BURNHAM STAFF WRITER
In a game that takes the majority who play it years to reach a point of respectability, St. Paul’s Pat Donahue has learned to conquer in a relatively short amount of time. The Falcon senior, just seven years since he first hit the links, finished his scholastic career as the area’s top high school golfer. That was made overwhelmingly evident at the annual City Championship — which matches up St. Paul with Bristol Central and Bristol Eastern. The Pequabuck Golf Course was no match for Donahue as he posted an even-par 69. His 18-hole mark was 12 shots fewer than any other of the remaining 14 golfers competing. The low-round helped St. Paul claim the city title with plenty of room to spare as the Falcons defeated Central by 38 strokes and Eastern by a resounding 93.
PAT DONAHUE
MATT JANDREAU
BRANDON GERVICKAS
NICK SHEMKOVITZ
JOEY BENTZ
ST. PAUL
ST. PAUL
TERRYVILLE
ST. PAUL
CENTRAL
It was far from the only time that the player in which St. Paul coach John Odell described as the a “captain in the truest sense” posted a score around the par mark. Donahue put up numerous scores in the 30s, including a par 35 at Chippanee Golf Club against Holy Cross. Behind his leadership, St. Paul finished fifth in the Division IV Tournament. The Falcons were just one stroke off the pace of fourth place and only three from garnishing their second straight top 3 state tournament finish. Donahue shot a quality 81, the
10th lowest score of the day. He was joined at 81 by teammate Matt Jandreau. Fellow Falcon Nick Shemokovitz (a freshman) posted an 82 to accompany Donahue as AllPress selections. The St. Paul trio is joined by Terryville’s Brandon Gervickas and Central’s Joey Bentz. Jandreau put up some impressive scores over the spring. He took home medalist honors against Naugatuck Valley League rival Watertown and posted a 1-over 35 at Hawk’s Landing in a match up with Southington. He was sub-40 in a win over
Holy Cross and aided in the Falcons’ dominance over the Rams and Lancers with a quality 81 in the City Championship. Shemkovitz was a pleasant surprise over the course in his first go-around at the varsity level. The St. Paul freshman claimed medalist honors in a win over Wilby, posted a 39 at Racebrook Country Club in Orange and a solid 84 at Pequabuck in the City Championship to go along with the 82 in the state tournament. His 82 placed him 14th overall and the top freshman in Division IV.
Gervickas ended his three years as a varsity contributor at Terryville in style. The Kangaroo senior played in the No. 1 slot in every match this season, earning him the ‘Roos MVP award. He was the medalist in a driving rain storm at Hotchkiss Golf Club in a win over Housatonic and had low rounds throughout the season, notably against Gilbert and Northwestern. Gervickas played well in both the Berkshire League Tournament (10th place) and carried the ‘Roos in the BL Scramble. Terryville went 31-13 the last two seasons with Gervickas as a main contributor. Although just a sophomore, Bentz was the Rams most consistent player over the course of the spring — including putting up Central’s best mark at the Central Connecticut Conference Tournament with an 83. Bentz was able to complete 9-hole rounds in the 30s on multiple occasions. He took home medalist honors in both wins against Middletown, had the lowest round against Platt and was solid in both of his team’s wins over rival Eastern.
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