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12/30/2013 11:00 PMThe Indians made their mark in the SCC again this fall season, including a state champion girls' soccer team and a football squad that won the program's first outright division title.
Girls' Soccer
After compiling an impressive 14-2 regular season mark, the Indians then went 7-0 in postseason play, allowing only three goals in that playoff run, to defeat Branford for both the SCC and Class L state titles-the program's eighth state crown overall and first since 2003.
Guilford had 16 seniors, led off by co-captains in central defender Emma Smith and left midfielder Gabi Sejourne. Rounding out the class were Liz Rubbo, Bridget Hackett, defenders Tori Loukakes, Lauren Renz, Maya Morduch-Toubman, and Shauna McLaughlin; midfielders Rachel Winer, Julia McMahon, and Stephanie Maiorino; forwards Nikki Basilicato, Kyera Bryant, Grace Wagner, and Lindsey Updyke, along with reserve goaltender Claire Weil.
Junior midfielder Julia Carr was named to the All-New England Team, while she, Basilicato, and Loukakes (who made the Senior Bowl) made the New Haven Register's All-Area squad, as McMahon was named Head Coach of that same area team. Basilicato (also earning a spot in the Senior Bowl) and McMahon were named MVPs of the SCC and state tournaments, receptively.
For All-State Team membership, those honors went to Carr, Basilicato, and Loukakes, and the Indians boasted six athletes on the SCC All-Hammonasset Division squad in Carr, Basilicato, Loukakes, junior forward Allison Stephens, Bryant, and Smith. Sejourne also notched an Academic All-State Team nomination.
Boys' Soccer
After a 9-5-2 regular season (2nd ; 4-2 in the SCC Hammonasset Division), Joe Maher's group earned two one-goal decisions of SCC Hammonasset Division champion Hand and Housatonic winner Amity (on penalty kicks) before a double-overtime defeat to Xavier in the SCC Tournament final. Guilford then suffered a second round loss to eventual state co-champion Ridgefield.
Seniors for the Indians were Nate Wilson, T.J. Williams, Wyatt Vilaseca, Shane Gallimore, Keegan Fiala, Noah Elmeleki, Brian DaCorte, Colin Brady, and Kyle Bianchi.
Football
Finishing 5-6, Head Coach Tom Unger's squad earned a 35-20 triumph over Hillhouse on Nov.8 that gave the Indians the SCC Division II West crown-Guilford's first outright division title in the program's history.
Seniors were co-captains Joe Nault (All-SCC Team; team MVP) and Ian Robinson (Bo Mooradian Award), along with Ford Linell (All-SCC Team; defensive MVP), Dane Lawrence (All-SCC Team; Iron Man Award), Aaron Cowee (Most Improved Player), Eric Zergiebel , David Knapp (All-SCC Team; offensive MVP), Carson Sperry, Fred Trotta, Derek Battick, K.C. Horton, Zach Soffer, and Jake Smith.
Boys' Cross Country
Jon Faitsch's squad finished 9-0 in the regular season (4-0 in the SCC Hammonasset Division) to claim its sixth straight divisional title. After a fourth-place showing at the SCC Championship, the Indians were one point shy of repeating as Class MM state champions, collecting 48 points to New Fairfield's 47. Despite losing the close decision, the Indians sent seven athletes to the State Open (coming in 11th as a unit) in senior co-captains Salvatore Siciliano (All-State Team; First Team All-SCC) and Timothy Kenefick (All-State Team; First Team All-SCC; Team MVP), freshman Corey Gambardella (Best Freshman Award), seniors Ian Connell (Second Team All-SCC), Benjamin Moskow, and Austin Sattler, along with sophomore Josh Crampton (Most Improved Player).
Guilford's additional seniors were Anthony Benoit, Zachary Ligham, Lee Owens, and Sam Wong.
Girls' Cross Country
While the Indians finished 8-1 (3-1 in the SCC Hammonasset Division) for their dual-meet campaign, losing out on the division crown by a mere point to Hand, Head Coach Jim Ford's squad had a sixth-place showing at the SCC Championship on Oct. 17 before seeing fifth for the Class MM State Championship on Oct. 26.
Guilford was captained by a strong upperclassmen trio of seniors Olivia Schultes and Katie Nolan, along with junior Kirsten Morro. Schultes was named a Second Team All-SCC athlete, as was sophomore Evelyn Ferrall. Guilford featured additional senior presence with Megan Burke, Samantha Minatti, and Rachel Sanacora.
Field Hockey
The Indians finished 11-4-1 in regular season play thanks in large part to a stretch of 11 wins in 14 games to again qualify for both the SCC and state tournaments. Once there, Guilford blanked Hamden, 3-0, in the SCC quarterfinal round on Oct. 26 before a 5-0 loss to Hand in the semifinals two days later prior to losing to those same Tigers in the quarterfinals of the state bracket in double-overtime on Nov. 7.
The Indians certainly didn't lack veteran leadership with their 16 seniors, led off by co-captains Claudia DesPres and Katy Jankura with Caroline Napoli, Jenna Moscarelli, Marnie Jacobs, Alissa Rams, Maddy Blank, Kayleigh Congdon, Megan O'Connor, Sara Amble, Alex Becker, Caitlin Leese, Clara Pinchbeck, Kayla Rook, and Charlotte O'Buck.
Ireland and Napoli each earned both First Team All-State and All-SCC honors with Napoli finishing fourth in the conference for scoring. Furthermore, Jankura was Second Team All-State and First Team All-SCC, while finishing up the all-conference selections was Moscarelli being named to the Second Team.
Volleyball
Head Coach Rachel Martinich's squad finished the regular season 8-12 before SCC and state tournament losses to Foran and Platt, respectively. Despite dropping nine of 12 after its 4-1 start to the campaign, Guilford rebounded with a 3-1 victory over East Haven on Senior Night to clinch a return trip to the postseason, showing the Indians are competitive fighters among the conference's ranks.
The Indians were led by senior co-captains in outside hitter Presley Altieri and libero Lynn Guibbory, while they held additional senior leadership thanks to outside hitter Sam Grinold (All-SCC Team), middle blocker Katherine Triebel, setter Kristen Urban, defensive setters Morgan King and Annie Casley, along with middle blocker Elena Pensa.