New Britain Herald High School All-Stars

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All-Herald

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www.NewBritainHerald.com | Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Our All-Herald picks in baseball, softball, tennis, track, volleyball and golf

Stars of spring

Southington volleyball players celebrate during their state championship victory over Staples this past spring season. The Blue Knights ended Staples’ 101-game winning streak.

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2 | Wednesday, July 14, 2010

All-Herald Softball Team

Southington leads with four selections, Plainville next with three

By MATT STRAUB SPORTS EDITOR

It wasn’t as good a year on the softball diamond for the area’s teams as usual, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t great players who exhibited their talents to local fans this spring.

In fact, our staff had some trouble whittling our picks down to the 12 young ladies we will feature here as the 2010 Softball All-Herald team.

The list begins where the softball talk is usually centered locally, in Southington.

Junior pitcher Jessica Davenport led the Blue JULIA Knights to the BOCEK state semifinals SOUTHINGTON with dazzling pitching and remarkable poise.

She recorded 10 shutouts as the Knights finished the year at 21-2, getting knocked off in a thriller by eventual state champion BRITTANY Westhill.

LABBADIA Davenport BERLIN was an All-State and Junior Select team pick, and was recently chosen for the USA Junior Olympic travel team squad. She will be a co-captain for Southington next year like she is now for the U-18 Tradition team.

An honor student and class officer, Davenport is as hard-working off the field and she is on.

Davenport’s co-captain for what should be a stacked Southington team next year is Julia Bocek.

The junior first baseman was a Herald Athlete of the Week this year and had a walk-off hit in Southington’s quarterfinal victory over Glastonbury. An all-conference player and an Athletic Scholar, she is a member of the Key Club and an Honor Roll student who likes Jennie Finch and Arizona State.

With Southington bringing everyone back and Bocek having

a year’s experience under her belt, watch for the Blue Knights to make another run next year. The one player from this group leaving is senior Stephanie Johnson, a key member of the team in right field. Heading to Eastern, Johnson was an all-conference selection and won the team’s best offensive player award thanks to a team-high .366 average. She scored the game-winning run on

Brittany Labbadia was an All-State and All-CCC choice by the coaches in 2010 and was considered one of the best shortstops in the state. She was an offensive force with her .333 batting average and fielded the ball as well.

A member of the CT Shock AAU team, she won the school’s scholar-athlete award and made high honors this year.

Island next year.

A .485 hitter with a .514 on base percentage and a .951 fielding clip, Marquis is a two-time All-State pick and won the team’s offensive and defensive MVP awards this year to go with her four All-Academic team honors. Expect the Rams to be getting their next great all-around player.

The Blue Devils lose another ter-

year, but the right fielder didn’t. Also excelling in track, she made the AllState team and won the Bengston award. She’ll be a captain next year for the Indians, and already holds a team Silver Slugger honor.

In her spare time she works in a soup kitchen in Hartford and distributes food in New Britain, while finding time to make the honor roll.

The speedy outfielder stole 16 bases in 18 attempts and hit .410 for the season. Watch for her to run Newington back HONORABLE up the standings season.

MENTION nextNew Britain might have had SAM DEGROFF the best story of BERLIN any local team this year. Starting LINDSAY ERICKSON CALLYN JESS VICTORIA STEPHANIE BRIANA the year 0-7, BERLIN DALKE DAVENPORT GERMANO JOHNSON KINSEY the Hurricanes ASHLEY MILLAN PLAINVILLE SOUTHINGTON NEW BRITAIN SOUTHINGTON NEW BRITAIN rallied to win seven games, NEW BRITAIN nearly knocking CARA PERILLO off Southington NEWINGTON on the season’s DENA SALERNO final day to make the tournament.

NEW BRITAIN ProvidenceMONIQUE ST. JARRE bound Briana BERLIN Kinsey, a threetime All-Herald ASHLEY THIBEAULT STEPHANIE SHELBY NICOLE KATIE BRITTNEY pick, was a big NEW BRITAIN LAPIERRE MARQUIS ROSSITTO TREADO URCIUOLI part of that. The BERLIN PLAINVILLE SOUTHINGTON PLAINVILLE NEWINGTON shortstop was an all-conference Bocek’s hit that saved Southington’s Labbadia made an immedirific player in catcher Callyn Dalke, pick with a .403 average and 16 season. ate impression on Berlin, hitting a who also played third base. The steals to go with four doubles and Another honor roll student and home run in her first varsity game as captain went .349 at the plate with nine extra-base hits. a Red Sox fan, her hobbies include a freshman. She hasn’t looked back a .446 on base percentage and didn’t Kinsey received a full academic beach volleyball and drawing. since. With a little luck with her make an error all year. An all-CCC scholarship to Providence, so her The fourth Blue Knight on the health, she could be on the next two pick and a four-year letter winner, credentials in the classroom don’t team is Nicole Rossitto, the team’s All-Herald spring teams. this three-time honor roll student need to be listed. That fact says all sophomore shortstop and leadoff Her teammate Stephanie listed her favorite games as the you need to know about Kinsey, hitter. Twice an all-conference pick, Lapierre might be the best catcher Berlin ones, a tribute to how big the whose .514 on-base percentage and Rossitto hit a home run in the regu- around. A CHSCA All-Star, and rivalry is.

10 RBI deserve mention as well. lar season finale against archrival the team MVP, she was as good a Plainville’s two wins over Berlin Victoria Germano rounds out the New Britain, which knocked the backstop as there was in the state were keyed by pitcher Katie Treado, team, but that by no means makes Golden Hurricanes out of playoff this year and hit better than .300 to who was also one of the Blue Devils’ her the least impressive. She had 13 contention. She made high honors boot. Another honor roll member, best hitters with a .371 average steals while hitting nearly .400 and all year and should pick up many she will be back for the Redcoats in and a .453 on base percentage. The coach Mimi Parks noted all year more honors on the diamond next April and likely here again next July. CCSU-bound captain is now a that her defense was a big key to year for a Knight team that could be Berlin’s biggest rival, Plainville, two-time All-Herald pick with an New Britain’s turnaround down the the team to beat in the state. finished the year 11-10 and made honorable mention to her credit as stretch.

There were, of course, qualthe state tournament. Its best player well. The Blue Devils will miss her With so many great players comity players from other towns, too. was Shelby Marquis, a senior who leadership as much as her skills. ing back, these teams should have Berlin, which finished 13-8, put two split time between center field and Newington’s Brittney Urciuoli led some big turnarounds next year, players on our team. Sophomore shortstop and will play for Rhode an Indians’ team that struggled this going even further into June.

THE 2010 ALL-HERALD SOFTBALL TEAM

Wednesday, July 14, 2010 | 3

New Britain Herald| www.NewBritainHerald.com

All-Herald Baseball Team

UConn-bound Berlin ace Marzi leads the area’s baseball squad

By MATT STRAUB SPORTS EDITOR

NEW BRITAIN — It was certainly an eventful year for the region’s high school baseball teams. Traditional powers battled for postseason berths while teams on recent runs continued down the path to becoming storied programs.

Invidiually the Herald’s teams were led by a number of gifted players. So many, in fact that there will probably be arguments over the 12 we’ve selected for our 2010 All-Herald baseball team. All of our picks were certainly deserving, but there were probably another six or seven who easily could have made this list as well.

Our first choice was easy.

Berlin pitcher Anthony Marzi put up numbers that would be hard to replicate in a video game.

The left-hander who will pitch at UConn next year went 9-2 for a Berlin team that finished the season 13-8. But his value went far beyond that.

He ate up more than 71 innings for the Redcoats, taking the burden off of other pitchers, particularly the relievers. He struck out 129 hitters, nearly two per inning, frequently eliminating the need for fielders to make plays, limiting the number of potential errors. Not to mention preventing the opposing batters from getting hits.

When he did give up hits they didn’t lead to many runs, as evidenced by his 0.79 ERA this year. Surgery on his non-throwing shoulder this summer should not prevent him from giving the quickly-improving Huskies’ baseball team another fantastic player.

But Marzi wasn’t the only star on Berlin’s squad. Another lefty, Taylor Anderson, helped Berlin have another fine season, despite being knocked off in the state tournament earlier than the Redcoats would have liked.

Anderson, a solid pitcher in his own right, shined at the plate, hitting .388 for the season and driving in 14 runs.

Anderson and Zach Parsons have been teammates since their

THE 2010 ALL-HERALD BASEBALL TEAM

HONORABLE MENTION DYLAN DANKO SOUTHINGTON

MIKE DOWLING GOODWIN TECH

ERIK FLORES

TAYLOR ANDERSON

TYLER BARRETT

COLE BRYANT

RYAN GOVONI

CHRIS LINARES

ANTHONY MARZI

BERLIN

NEWINGTON

NEWINGTON

SOUTHINGTON

NEW BRITAIN

BERLIN

GOODWIN TECH

CHRISTIAN GARCIA GOOWIN TECH

JIMMY HEPPLE NEWINGTON

CONOR KANE

NEW BRITAIN

JORDAN LAMSON SOUTHINGTON

JUSTIN LEMANSKI GOODWIN TECH

ZACK NILES SOUTHINGTON

CONOR PHANEUF

JEFF MAZZAMURRO

COLIN MCLEOD

ZACH PARSONS

BRYAN RIVERA

SAL ROMANO

MIKE THOMAS

SOUTHINGTON

NEW BRITAIN

BERLIN

NEW BRITAIN

SOUTHINGTON

PLAINVILLE

Little League team made a run to the Northeast Regional and ending up one step short of the Little League World Series in Williamsport. They formed a dynamic duo in Berlin this year, with Parsons hitting .359 with five doubles despite missing a pair of games with an injury.

Berlin isn’t the only team to have multiple All-Herald picks.

Newington ended the season 16-6 and made the second round in a stacked Class LL tournament. The Indians were led by another ace pitcher, Cole Bryant.

The junior was an all-conference pick and the team MVP with his 9-1 record and 1.12 ERA and 81 strikeouts. He has tied the school’s career record with 16 wins for Newington, and avenged his only career loss this year by beating Southington at the end of the year. The win also ended Newington’s four-game skid at the time, making Bryant a stopper.

Of course, having a 16-1 record helps make that claim, too.

Bryant had help of course.

Tyler Barrett was the team’s offensive MVP and an All-State

choice. His .410 average and 27 RBI were backed by his 2009 Meuci Award, given for desire and hard work, and his honor roll recognition.

Southington has three players on this list. The first is pitcher Sal Romano, who will be a captain next year for his senior campaign after proving his mettle this year with his All-League and Junior All-Star game honors. A member of DECA and the Outreach Program, Romano was 7-3 with four complete games and a 2.12 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 12 games.

Jeff Mazzamurro had an incredible state tournament run for Southington (14-8), which won a game and nearly shocked Greenwich in the second round. In the win over Westhill, Mazzamurro had three hits, homered and stole home. But he was far from a one-game wonder, finishing the year with four homers, 16 RBI and 17 runs scored. He frequently does church missionary work and is an honor student.

Ryan Govoni had plenty of honors for the Blue Knights. The Western New England-bound

senior was the team’s batting champion with a .388 mark and 14 RBI. Like most of our picks, he’s an honor roll student to go with numerous other athletic awards earned in his four years.

Govoni had three hits against New Britain on senior night, but the Golden Hurricanes has plenty of stars themselves in 2010.

Start with Bryan Rivera, who hit a three-run homer against Southington and was an on the All-Conference team to go with numerous AAU awards. The slick fielder had a .352 average and 19 RBI for New Britain, which finished 15-7 and lost in the second round of the LL dance. Rivera will be a big part of New Britain’s success next season.

Another fantastic fielder was Chris Linares, but his speed on the bases was what made him a force to be reckoned with. He stole an amazing 26 bases in 22 games this year, a ratio not frequently seen in high school. The old adage is that you can’t steal first, but Linares didn’t need to, hitting .471 for the season.

New Britain’s third member of the team is Colin McLeod. The

PLAINVILLE

ALBERT PIENKOWSKI NEW BRITAIN

ARMANDO SOLER NEWINGTON

big bopper had a .450 batting average and drove in 19 runs for the New Britain offense.

Mike Thomas represents a Plainville team that won its last four games to earn 11 wins on the season against just eight losses.

The senior made his biggest mark two years ago, getting the game-winning hit in the Class M state championship game, giving Plainville another title.

But Thomas had a season’s worth of highlights in 2010.

The four-year starter made the All-Conference team this time, playing mostly corner infield for the Blue Devils. Thomas has even more off-field awards, including a spot in the National Honor Society and the Student-Athlete Leadership team. Everything you’d want in a captain, Thomas helped a Plainville team that some thought would miss the state tournament for the first time in nearly 30 years make another postseason appearance.

These 12 players were a joy to watch during the 2010 season, making the pain-staking process of singling them out worth the trouble.

New Britain Herald | www.NewBritainHerald.com

4 | Wednesday, July 14, 2010

All-Herald Girls Tennis Team Top area selections all about doubles play this spring season

By RYAN PIPKE

THE 2010 ALL-HERALD GIRLS TENNIS TEAM

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

In girls tennis, it was a year in which local doubles teams had plenty of success while it was tougher going for singles players.

All of our All-Herald selections except one managed to make it to the State Open, while the other just missed the cut due to a difficult schedule of opponents.

New Britain enjoyed its best season, and first postseason berth as a team, in many years. A big part of that was the leadership and winning of first doubles team Ann Marie Brojek and Paulina Achramowicz. The pair managed a 14-4 record and qualified for the State Open, losing 8-5 in a close match. Their regular season highlight was a three-set win against Southington’s top team.

Achramowicz, who will head across the pond to the University of East London, is a National Honor Society and National Art Honor Society member in the top 10 percent of her class. Brojek, who is going to Lincoln Technical Institute, is a Math National Honor Society member and did four years for the Jr. ROTC program. Also in the top 10 percent of her class, she was a member of the color guard and drill team.

HONORABLE MENTION DESIREE BUMANGLAG NEW BRITAIN

GOSIA CHWATKO NEW BRITAIN

ACHRAMOWICZ

PAULINA

ANN MARIE BROJEK

SAM GARFI

ALYSSA HAYES

NEW BRITAIN

NEW BRITAIN

BERLIN

BERLIN

PAULINA CHYLINSKA NEW BRITAIN

JENN FLANNERY BERLIN

ALEJANDRA GIMENEZ SOUTHINGTON

JASMINE GIMENEZ SOUTHINGTON

ASHLEY LEFFARD NEWINGTON

BAYLEY LEFFARD NEWINGTON

VICTORIA MARKOW NEW BRITAIN

ASHLEY RAYNOCK

JEN RULKA

ABBY SZACH

KIM TETREAULT

PLAINVILLE

BERLIN

PLAINVILLE

NEWINGTON

Plainville pinned its doubles hopes on senior Ashley Raynock and junior Abby Szach, who went 12-5 and lost 8-5 in the first round of the State Open. The pair were

all-conference and all-academic selections for their performance.

Raynock, who was also allconference for volleyball, is an honor roll student and National

NICOLE MARZIARZ SOUTHINGTON

EMILY SHERWILL SOUTHINGTON

Honor Society member. She also is a member of Plainville’s HOPE program and will attend UConn.

Szach is a silver honor roll student, a class officer and member

of Future Business Leaders of America.

Jen Rulka and Sam Garfi were the top doubles team at Berlin, qualifying for the State Open before falling 8-6 in their first match there. The pair nearly rallied from a 0-4 deficit in that pro-set match, pulling to within 6-7.

Both seniors are honor roll students and all-academic team selections, Rulka for four straight years. Garfi will attend Bryant University while Rulka will head to UMass.

Berlin’s Alyssa Hayes was the only area singles player to qualify for the State Open. The captain went 10-3 on the year and earned the team’s Coach’s Award. She also was named to the all-conference team and is the secretary of Berlin’s National Honor Society chapter.

She volunteers her time with St. Maurice Church. Hayes will play tennis at Bentley College.

Kim Tetreault went 11-8 overall for Newington and missed qualifying for the State Open despite wins against players from Hall, Fairfield Ludlowe, Pomperaug, New Britain and Southington. She earned her third all-conference selection and was a four-year honor roll student and member of the Athletic Leadership Council. Tetreault will attend the University of Hartford.

All-Herald Boys Tennis Team

By RYAN PIPKE

Newington sophomore Dean shines as top singles player

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Many of this year’s All-Herald selections for boys tennis found a way not only to get into their respective state class tournament, but to advance once there. That is no easy feat when facing the best Connecticut has to offer.

No local singles player was better than Newington’s Matt Dean, and there is still plenty of time for

improvement from the sophomore, already a two-time all-conference choice. It took Dean several weeks to even lose a match, including a close win over fellow All-Herald pick Ryan Klem. Dean earned the No. 12 seed in the Class L tournament and advanced to the second round with a 6-0, 6-0 win.

Klem spent much of the season in a battle for the top spot at Southington with teammate James DiNello, but did well once he got

there. He qualified for the state tournament and despite a firstround loss put up a good fight.

Coach Tony Mauro said that Klem and DiNello were almost perfectly even on the court, although Klem held a slight edge in challenge matches.

DiNello also made the state tournament and advanced to the second round in LL with a 6-1, 6-3 victory before falling to the No. 7 seed. DiNello has been

all-conference for three seasons and also will be a captain for next season. He was inducted into the National Honor Society and is Vice President of the Class of 2011 at Southington High. He is also a youth minister and Vice President of the Future Business Leaders of America chapter.

At Berlin, Alex Chyra held down the No. 1 singles spot and advanced to the second round of the Class M tournament with a

7-6, 6-3 victory. He posted a 6-6 record on the year in the top spot and with his first state tournament under his belt is poised to do even better in his junior year.

Chyra’s teammates Andrew Thurston and Rich Conway teamed up at doubles for one final season. A pair of stars in swimming and basketball respectively, they advanced to the third round of the Class M tournament, first

Continued on Page 4

Wednesday, July 14, 2010 | 5

New Britain Herald| www.NewBritainHerald.com

All-Herald Golf Team

5 boys, 3 girls make up area’s golf squad

THE 2010 ALL-HERALD GOLF TEAM

HONORABLE MENTION

By RYAN PIPKE ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

While it wasn’t a great season for local golf teams, that doesn’t mean there weren’t great individual performances. Several players carried on the tradition of low scores and all-state play, and five boys and three girls make up our all-star team.

Leading the way among local golfers was Berlin’s Kevin Jud, a three-time All-Herald selection who helped his team to a 14-0 record in the CCC South by posting a 3.31 average scoring differential (subtracting the course rating from his score).

The captain also shot a 74 in the Division II championship match, tying for fourth place. Jud was named to the all-state and all-conference teams and won the Berlin Coach’s Award as team MVP. Newington’s J.P. Avenoso had a very good season as well, posting a 2.74 differential in his top 10 matches to qualify for the Division I championship where he shot a 79. Avenoso’s low round came at Farmington Country Club with a 35 and he won seven medals on the season. He was named team MVP and captain and was an all-conference selection.

Southington’s Dan Baker was a senior co-captain and finished with

VICTORIA FAGAN

GINA GRANT

ALYSSA SCHEYD

J.P. AVENOSO

BERLIN

NEWINGTON

BERLIN

NEWINGTON

DAN BAKER

JAMES DUDGEON

KEVIN JUD

AUSTIN PROVOST

SOUTHINGTON

NEW BRITAIN

BERLIN

PLAINVILLE

a 4.28 overall differential, including 2.76 in his 10 best matches. In conference play he was solid posting a 3.29 differential and being named to the all-conference team.

Baker shot 36 four different times on the season and had a low round of 35 at Hawk’s Landing, the team’s home course. He shot a 78 in the CCC Championship match at Stanley and at the Division I championship at Crestbrook Park. Baker

will attend Bryant University.

James Dudgeon is a repeat AllHerald selection from New Britain who posted a 38.3 scoring average and 3.8 differential in his best 10 matches. Dudgeon was consistent, shooting under 40 in every home match for the Hurricanes, but ironically had his best match with a 37 at Newington’s Indian Hill. He medaled six times and qualified as an individual for the D-I championship.

LINDSAY BUCKWELL NEW BRITAIN EMILY DEUTSCH BERLIN KRISTA ELLIS NEWINGTON SARA SIVISKI NEWINGTON EMILY STICKEL BERLIN PAT BOSTROM BERLIN CONNOR BOWEN BERLIN ANDREW CARRIER NEWINGTON JOE COOPER BERLIN JEFF DIVINERE SOUTHINGTON ETHAN FALLA GOODWIN TECH AARON FORINO PLAINVILLE BRENDAN HULL BERLIN DARREN MALICKI GOODWIN TECH TYLER MCALOOON NEWINGTON KEVIN TWERAGO SOUTHINGTON

Austin Provost led Plainville to a spot in the Division III championship by posting a differential of 4.9 in his top 10 matches. He earned all-conference honors as well as all-academic for the CCC after doing the same in the Northwest Conference last year. He will play golf at Western New England.

Provost said his season highlight was shooting a 71 with teammate Aaron Forino in the Chappa two-

ball tournament. He personally shot a career-low 72 on that day.

Fresh faces led the girls side this year but the results were similar to years past.

Junior Alyssa Scheyd was Berlin’s top performer, posting an 8.4 differential in her top 10 matches and a 6.9 mark in conference matches.

She led her team in medals won, shot her season-best 41 four times, and is a three-year all-academic team selection. She is a two-time all-conference choice and saved her best on the course for last. Scheyd tied for seventh at the New England Championships by shooting an 81.

Victoria Fagan also rose to the challenge for Berlin, shooting her way to a 9.8 top 10 differential and 9.1 in conference play. Her best day came against Conard, posting a 40 at Timberlin. That was the secondlowest round score for a Berlin player all year, and the best against par. Fagan was an all-conference and all-academic selection and was co-medalist at the Stan Pisk Tournament at Stanley Golf Course.

She shot her career low at the CCC tournament on the same course.

Newington senior Gina Grant plans to play golf at CCSU next year after posting a 9.92 top-10 differential this season. Grant was named to the all-conference team and shot 91 at the CCC Conference championship to place just outside the Top 10.

Grant was a leader by example for the young Newington team in her first year in the No. 1 spot.

All-Herald Boys Tennis Team

Continued from Page 4

with a relatively easy win and then in a three-set thriller. They succumbed to the No. 2 seeded team from Guilford in three tough sets.

Thurston was a captain this season and will potentially be swimming at UMass next year. He was an all-academic team selection.

Conway, a junior this past year, is expected to transfer to a private school for his senior year, but has been a star for the Berlin basketball team for three seasons.

THE 2010 ALL-HERALD BOYS TENNIS TEAM

HONORABLE MENTION No photo available

ALEX CHYRA

RICH CONWAY

MATT DEAN

JAMES DINELLO

ANDREW THURSTON

RYAN KLEM

BERLIN

BERLIN

NEWINGTON

SOUTHINGTON

BERLIN

SOUTHINGTON

SHEHRYAR AMIR NEWINGTON NATHAN BEAUMONT SOUTHINGTON TYLER BOUCHARD NEWINGTON JOE ENRIGHT SOUTHINGTON AXEL GONZALEZ NEW BRITAIN KEITH LEBEL SOUTHINGTON STEVEN MURPHY SOUTHINGTON MIKE RABIEJ SOUTHINGTON ADAM SALWOCKI BERLIN MIKE VOELPEL BERLIN AREK WALCZYSZYN NEW BRITAIN GREG ZMARLICKI SOUTHINGTON

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6 | Wednesday, July 14, 2010

All-Herald Girls Track Team Mills ties record with 8th overall selection — and she’s got a year to go

By RYAN PIPKE

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

It was a record-setting year for girls track athletes, but not just on the oval. One local athlete matched the all-time record for All-Herald selections by being named to her eighth team.

Plainville’s Alyssa “Millie” Mills earns that mark of distinction, tying her with New Britain basketball and track standout Symone Roberts and Southington runner and soccer player Konrad Stefanek.

The remarkable thing is that it took Mills’ predecessors an extra year to get there, while she will return for her senior year in September.

Mills placed 2nd in Class M in the discus (98-4) and was also 11th at the State Open (97-10).

She had an 11th-place finish in the Class M javelin (96-0).

Mills showed her versatility by finishing 18th in the heptathlon as well. She is an honor roll student and all-academic team and National Honor Society member who takes part in the Student Athletic Leadership Team.

Lauren Bauchiero was also versatile with an 8th-place finish in the Class LL triple jump (339.5) and 11th place in the javelin (90-1).

Berlin’s Alex Carbonell placed 6th in Class MM in the 800-meter race with a time of 2:25.61.

Alexa Cox was Southington’s top sprinter, placing 7th in Class LL in the 100-meters (12.77) and 10th in the 200-meters (27.28).

THE 2010 ALL-HERALD GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD TEAM

LAUREN BAUCHIERO

NIKKI KURECZKA

NICOLE LULEVITCH

MILLIE MILLS

KATE PIOTROWICZ

SOUTHINGTON

BERLIN

SOUTHINGTON

PLAINVILLE

BERLIN

HONORABLE MENTION

No photo available

ALLIE CAPONIGRO PLAINVILLE

JORDAN DAGATA

NEWINGTON

DANIELLE FORREST

KIM RASMUSSEN

ERIN SAUCIER

TANAYE WHITE

MITZIE MARTIN

BERLIN

SOUTHINGTON

SOUTHINGTON

NEWINGTON

NEWINGTON

MADDIE HAYES NEWINGTON

RHIANNON JACOBS SOUTHINGTON

ALEXIS JONES NEW BRITAIN

CAMILE LAWSON NEWINGTON

No photo available

No photo available

No photo available

CARLA MANGIAFICO

No photo available

BERLIN

MAGGIE REISS NEWINGTON

TIANA SARACENO

PLAINVILLE

KAYLENE SYLVAIN

ALEX CARBONELL

ALEXA COX

VALERIE KNAPP

CATHERINE VOELPEL

BERLIN

SOUTHINGTON

PLAINVILLE

BERLIN

Valerie Knapp was the Class M champion in the 300-meter

Alyssa “Millie” Mills earns her record-tying 8th All-Herald selection.

hurdles for Plainville (47.39). She was almost equally impressive placing 12th at the Open (47.82).

Berlin senior Nikki Kureczka earns her seventh all-Herald selection including all three seasons this year.

That ties her for fourth all time. She placed fifth in Class MM in the 100-meter dash (12.88) and qualified but did not participate in the event at the Open. She also was 16th in MM

BERLIN

ALISHA WALKER SOUTHINGTON

ASHLEY WESTMAN NEWINGTON

in the 400-meter dash.

Southington junior Nicole Lulevitch placed 9th in Class LL in the triple jump (33-5.25) to earn her all-Herald spot.

Mitzie Martin was 9th in the Class L high jump for Newington, clearing a height of 4-8.

Kate Piotrowicz broke the Berlin school record in the hammer throw and also holds several swimming records.

The sophomore placed 8th in the Class MM shot put with a distance of 31-10 and was 11th in the discus (98-5). She was allacademic in both of her sports and is a member of Upbeat and Service League.

Kim Rasmussen earned her fifth total all-Herald selection in soccer, basketball and track by placing in the top 11 in three events in Class MM. She was 9th in the triple jump (33-3), 10th in the long jump (15-1) and 11th in the high jump (4-8).

Rasmussen won the Redcoat Award for track two years in a row and earned 12 varsity letters. She is a nine-time allacademic selection and won the Superintendent’s Award.

She will attend Springfield College and hopes to play soccer and basketball.

Erin Saucier placed 4th in the Class LL pole vault (10-6) and cleared six inches higher at the State Open, placing third with a height of 11-feet for Southington.

Catherine Voelpel of Berlin placed 4th in Class MM in the 400-meter race (59.15) and was 20th at the State Open (1:00.86).

She also had a 12th-place finish in the MM 100-meter dash (13.48) and 13th-place in the 200-meters (27.63).

Tanaye White, who will attend Southern Connecticut after graduating from Southington, placed 6th in Class LL in two events: the long jump (16-7.75) and triple jump (34-0.25).

White was all-conference and broke school records four times, including twice in the indoor long jump.

She competed at the Nike Indoor Nationals the past two years and is a member of several organizations including Key Club, DECA and Students for Global Awareness.

White, the Features Editor of the school newspaper, also played for the powderpuff football team.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010 | 7

New Britain Herald| www.NewBritainHerald.com

All-Herald Boys Track Team 10 of 13 selections took part in the State Open this spring

By RYAN PIPKE

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

There was no shortage of toplevel boys track and field talent with 10 local athletes qualifying for the State Open in at least one event. They and three others who had excellent performances at the class meets make up the AllHerald team.

David Coleman placed fifth in Class M in the 200-meter dash for Plainville with a time of 23.61. He ran almost as well at the State Open, placing 21st against the stiffer competition with a time of 23.88 seconds.

Teammate Adam Foster edged out Coleman in both races, placing 2nd in Class M in a time of 23.49 and 17th at the Open in a time of 23.26. It was Foster’s second year qualifying for the Open as only a sophomore. He was an all-academic team selection.

Berlin’s Connor Hilbie favors distance running, placing 3rd in Class MM in the longest race, the 3200-meters. He improved on that time (9:50.52) at the Open, placing 12th in 9:44.90. The sophomore already holds the school record in both the 3200 and 4x800 relay and is a two-time all-conference pick.

He also plays soccer.

Fellow Redcoat Mark Jolley qualified for the State Open in the high jump after clearing 6-2 at the Class MM meet, good for 2nd place. He was unable to clear a height at the Open however.

His 6-2 jump tied the Berlin record and he was an all-academic team selection. He will attend Tunxis Community College.

Nick LaBella was one more excellent sprinter for Plainville, making the Open in both hurdles events. He was third in Class M in the 300-meter hurdles (39.92) and placed sixth at the Open (40.34). In the shorter 110-meter race he was fifth in M (15.51) and did not participate at the Open. LaBella went on the place 15th in the 300-meter race at New Englands and holds the Plainville record. He will attend UConn-West Hartford.

Nick Lebron, a basketball standout, took his athleticism

outside, placing 2nd in Class L in the high jump (6-6) and breaking a decades-old school record.

Though he did not have quite as good a day at the Open, he still

in the Open with a distance of 135-10.

Southington’s Mike Rhodd placed 4th in Class LL in the 110meter hurdles with a best time of

Southington, placing 6th in Class LL in the discus (129-8) and 8th in LL in the shot put (41-5).

Both of those throws left him just short of the cut for Open quali-

THE 2010 ALL-HERALD BOYS TRACK AND FIELD TEAM

ADAM FOSTER

CONNOR HILBIE

MARK JOLLEY

NICK LABELLA

NICK LEBRON

PLAINVILLE

BERLIN

BERLIN

PLAINVILLE

NEWINGTON

No photo available

HONORABLE MENTION ZACHARY ALBERT SOUTHINGTON

RYAN BISSON

BERLIN

DAVID CAMPAGNA

ROBERT WHITE

BRYAN WILCOX

ALEX WILGOOS

DAVID COLEMAN

NEW BRITAIN

SOUTHINGTON

NEWINGTON

PLAINVILLE

BERLIN

NATHAN EMERY SOUTHINGTON

JOSHUA FOSTER PLAINVILLE

ZACK GIACCONE BERLIN

DASHAUN HIGHTOWER No photo available

No photo available

No photo available

No photo available

NEW BRITAIN

JOHN KILPATRICK NEWINGTON

RYAN MARTEL

PLAINVILLE

ADAM MOCARSKI

STEVE NELSON

MIKE RHODD

JAKE RODRIQUES

RAVIN WALTERS

BERLIN

SOUTHINGTON

SOUTHINGTON

SOUTHINGTON

NEW BRITAIN

JIMMY NOLAN BERLIN

JOE PESCE NEWINGTON

GARRETT SHAW NEW BRITAIN

IAN VANDERGULICK BERLIN

MAURICE WOODBURY NEW BRITAIN

cleared 6-4 and tied for second place. He qualified for the New England championship.

Steve Nelson placed 4th in Class MM in the discus throw for Berlin with a best throw of 136-7. He went on to place 11th

15.68 seconds. He was 20th in the Open, slowing down slightly to a time of 16.73. Rhodd also placed 21st in the 200-meter sprint in the Class LL meet (24.17).

Jake Rodriques was one of two excellent throwers for

fication.

On most teams Rodriques would be the top thrower, but Southington also had Ravin Walters, the only local athlete to qualify for the Open in three events. Walters was the Class LL

champion in the javelin (177-9) and placed 10th in the Open (159-0). He was 3rd in the LL shot put (48-0.5) and 11th at the Open (48-10.25). He also was 4th in the LL discus (133-8) and 19th at the Open (122-8).

New Britain’s Rob White was the outstanding track athlete of the year. After being named The Herald’s winter athlete of the season he was injured for much of the spring, but bounced back to be Class LL champion in both the 200-meters and 400-meters.

He placed second at the Open in each event, running times of 22.14 and 48.98 seconds.

White also competed at the New England championship, winning another medal there. White is a two-time all-state choice and was the indoor New England champion in the 400-meters. He is deciding between SCSU and CCSU to continue his career and is a member of New Britain’s Science Club.

Bryan Wilcox completed a three-season sweep of the allHerald teams by making the spring squad. He also made it for cross country and indoor track.

Wilcox was 7th in Class LL in the 3200-meters (9:55.64) but narrowly missed making the Open. He holds school records in both indoor and outdoor track at Southington and has been on the honor roll for 12 straight quarters.

Wilcox was inducted into the National Honor Society and volunteers at St. Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury.

Alex Wilgoos had strong showings in two events in Class L. He was 7th in the 300-meter hurdles (42.47) and 13th in the triple jump (39-11). But Wilgoos had his best day placing 4th in the decathlon, setting a school record with 5,466 points. He was named team MVP for the second straight year and was a two-time captain. Wilgoos is a two-time all-academic team, National Honor Society and Tri-M Music Honor Society member. He was a school representative at Boys State and took part in the Appalachian Service Project. He will attend Stonehill College.

New Britain Herald | www.NewBritainHerald.com

8 | Wednesday, July 14, 2010

All-Herald Volleyball Team

3 Knights, 3 Indians make list of stars

THE 2010 ALL-HERALD BOYS VOLLEYBALL TEAM

By RYAN PIPKE

HONORABLE MENTION

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Some championships are made sweeter by the opponent.

Southington’s victory in the Class L boys volleyball tournament certainly fit that bill. When Southington defeated Staples it not only claimed its first ever state title in the sport, it ended a 101-game win streak for the Wreckers, the four-time defending champs.

It also cemented the legacies of Southington’s players, who will, for the time being, go down as the greatest team in school history.

Three of those players, as well as three players from the very successful Newington team, make up our all-star squad.

Leading the way for the Blue Knights was Connecticut Player of the Year Brendan Charamut. The outside hitter was arguably the best shot maker the Knights have ever had and collected 23 kills, including

BRENDAN CHARAMUT

NICK DEFEO

REED FEERY

ITHIER-VICENTY

VICENTE

GLENN JOHNSON

MITCH OSHANA

SOUTHINGTON

SOUTHINGTON

NEWINGTON

NEWINGTON

NEWINGTON

SOUTHINGTON

the game winner, and three blocks in the championship game. That earned him MVP honors.

He was named to the CHSCA all-star team and earned all-state honors. The honor roll student is choosing between Albertus Magnus College and ECSU to continue his academic and athletic career.

No team would be successful without a good setter, and Nick DeFeo controlled the court well all year. A three-sport athlete, DeFeo was an all-state and all-conference selection and was also named to

the CHSCA all-star game. DeFeo’s biggest game was a 54-assist, sevenkill night against Lewis Mills in a 3-1 victory. He is planning on playing at Albertus Magnus.

Liberos may not get the glory, but without Mitch Oshana the Knights would not have been such a defensive force. Oshana was praised by coach Lou Gianacopolous for his unique ability to see the ball off an opponent’s hand, and shots rarely touched the floor. He was an allconference selection as well as being an honor roll student. Oshana will

attend Purdue University to focus on academics.

Newington had a great year prior to an upset loss in the Class M tournament. Leading the way was Vicente Ithier-Vicenty, an all-state hitter. Ithier-Vicenty collected 270 kills and 210 digs on the season and was as versatile a player as they come. That earned him a spot in the CHSCA all-star game.

Albertus Magnus will claim his services next season.

Glenn Johnson led the Indians with 306 kills this year and also had

NEAL AYOTTE SOUTHINGTON MIKE CANNATA SOUTHINGTON MIKE CONNOLLY SOUTHINGTON DEREK DEMPSEY NEWINGTON JEFF DROGOSEK SOUTHINGTON CALEB HETHERINGTON NEWINGTON

34 aces and 116 digs. He was an all-state and all-conference selection. Among his best matches was a 19-kill, eight-dig performance in a surprising win over Southington during the regular season. Johnson will return to Newington next season.

Reed Feery will also be back at setter with the team, and could get even better than he was this year when he totaled 684 assists and 25 aces. He was named all-conference and all-academic and had 53 assists in a win over Glastonbury.

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Starting September 2010, will be honoring the

Every Tuesday in your local newspaper.

We will share the inspiring stories of our gifted local athletes.