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10/03/2016 12:00 AMFootball
The Hornets’ football team faced non-conference opponent East Lyme in a home game at Guilford High School on Oct. 1 and notched a 14-0 victory to run its mark to 3-1 this season.
Following a scoreless first quarter, Branford broke the ice when quarterback Griffin Lynch plunged in from a yard out for the game’s first touchdown with 5:42 to play in the opening half. James Dering kicked the extra point and the Hornets held a 7-0 lead at halftime. Branford had started the drive at its own 12-yard line, but used a 72-yard completion from Lynch to Noah Lordan to set up Lynch’s TD.
The third quarter was also scoreless and so Branford brought its 7-0 advantage into the fourth. With just 1:48 to play in the game, Jackson Seward ran in a 3-yard touchdown and the Hornets led 14-0 after Dering’s second kick. Seward had broken off a 32-yard run earlier on the drive, which started at the East Lyme 42 following Brian Nichols’s 13-yard punt return.
Seward was Branford’s leading rusher by gaining 95 yards on 17 carries and Lynch connected on 10 passes for 167 yards. Lordan had three receptions for 101 yards, Nichols had four catches for 36 yards, and Daniel Thomas caught three passes for 30 yards.
Neil Clyne played a tremendous game on defense by recording 10 tackles with 2.5 sacks. Lordan had an interception, contributed to a sack, and made 10 tackles. Seward also had 10 tackles, while Spencer Berty and Dalton Carden both chipped in with eight.
Next week, Branford will host fellow SCC Tier squad Sheehan on Friday, Oct. 7. The game is scheduled to take place on the Hornets’ new turf field at Branford High School with a 7 p.m. kickoff. Sheehan is 1-3 this year and is coming off a 40-13 win against Guilford.
Girls’ Soccer
After taking a 1-0 loss at Foran in a Hammonasset Division game on Sept. 26, Branford came back to record a 3-0 home shutout over East Haven at Veteran’s Park on Sept. 29. At week’s end, Branford had a record of 2-6 on the year.
Head Coach Jen Kohut said that Maggie Oumov was a standout on defense in the Foran loss.
For the East Haven victory, Melissa Beatty scored Branford’s first goal eight minutes into the game. Wyntre Fries netted the second goal and Morgan Ashby later scored to give Branford a commanding 3-0 advantage. Nine Grabowiecki played an excellent game in net and came up with two huge saves.
Boys’ Soccer
Branford played two games last week and lost both of them to stand with a record of 3-5 this fall. The Hornets took a 2-1 home loss to Hand at Flax Mill Field on Sept. 26 and then lost 4-1 at Cheshire on Sept. 30. The Hand loss put Branford at 2-2 in the Housatonic Division.
Head Coach Paul Hunter felt that Branford played a great game versus Hand. The Hornets took a 1-0 lead in the 51st minute when Marzio Mastroianni scored on Trey Duval’s assist. Branford did a fabulous job of absorbing Hand’s pressure, although the Tigers were awarded what Coach Hunter called a questionable penalty kick and converted it to tie the score with 10 minutes left. Hand followed by scoring the game-winning goal just five minutes later.
In the Cheshire game, Branford allowed three goals in an 11-minute span in the first half and took a 4-1 defeat. Duval scored on penalty kick in the 65th minute to make it 3-1 before the Rams scored one more to put the game away.
Field Hockey
The Hornets had one game last week and came away with a 5-1 home win over Amity on Sept. 27 to improve to 5-0.
Branford scored four goals in 11 minutes in the first half of the victory. Brianna Shaw scored from Kiersten Bjork, Bjork scored on a Molly Zaffino assist, and then Bjork scored again unassisted on a great reverse shot. Shaw tallied the final goal of the half on assists from LanLe Crotty and Autumn McHenry. Nine minutes into the second half, the Hornets made it 5-0 on Zaffino’s goal from Crotty. Keira Integlia made three saves for Branford, including one on a diving scramble when the ball got through the defenders.
“The team played another strong game with good ball movement up and down the field. Overall, the team was playing good defense and keeping the ball away from Amity,” Head Coach Cathy McGuirk said. “LanLe was doing some great ball movement and quick dribbling. Alanna [Grimm] made some great defensive moves to get the ball through, as well as Sabrina [Torcellini] with her quick strong movement to the ball and hits. Autumn picked up many balls and Carol [Frye] had some strong hits, Molly showed her usual hustle, Kiersten strong dribbling, Brianna defense, Britney [Bunbanlu] played wherever we needed her, Carly [Shea] was on top of play, Leah [Pendl-Robinson] good stops, as well as Emily Sachs.”
“The team was also helped by the play of Liante [Claude], Abby [Robinson], Karly [King], and Maddie [Acquarulo],” McGuirk continued. “As coaches, we are very pleased with the improved play of the entire team. We tell all of them that they make each other better by their improved skill, aggressiveness, and hustle.”
Volleyball
Branford is 5-3 this year after splitting a pair of matchups last week. Branford began the week by squeaking out a 3-2 win at Oronoque Division opponent Foran on Sept. 26 to move to 3-1 in divisional play. Two days after that, the Hornets took a 3-1 home loss to Sheehan.
In the Foran win, Branford prevailed behind scores of 25-10, 16-25, 28-26, and 15-11. Haley Maercklein had 11 digs, 14 digs, and 12 blocks; Marisa Minore went 18-for-18 serving to go with eight kills, and Jenn Hwang had 15 digs and six kills for the Hornets.
Against Sheehan, Branford took a 26-24, 25-11, 26-28, 25-21 defeat. Adrienne DiGioia had 14 digs with seven kills, Minore had 10 kills and 12 digs, and Maercklein recorded nine kills, 14 digs, and six blocks.
Girls’ Swimming and Diving
The Hornets had two meets last week and lost a pair of decisions. On Sept. 26, Branford faced Amity and dropped a 101-76 contest. Three days later, the Hornets hosted Lauralton Hall and lost 99-85.
Boys’ Cross Country
Branford competed in a quad-meet at Wharton Brook State Park on Sept. 27 and lost against two of its three opponents for a record of 4-3. The Hornets defeated East Haven 16-46, while losing to Shelton (15-46) and host Lyman Hall (21-36). The East Haven win put Branford at 2-0 in the Oronoque Division.
Spencer Mariotti turned in the Hornets’ best showing by finishing in 10th place with a time of 18:22 and was followed by Harry Troidle in 11th at 18:23. Andrew Byrne finished in 13th place at 18:45 and Ryan McCarthy’s mark of 18:57 put him in 14th place. Also for Branford, Matt Daley finished 23rd (19:52), Andrew DeBenedictis was 30th (20:17), and Ed Pascale placed 39th in 21:49.
“Harry Troidle has really been putting in the work and it is paying big dividends,” Head Coach Kevin Connell said. “He ran an exceptionally strong race to finish right behind Spencer. He was locked in early and finished well.”
Girls’ Cross Country
The Hornets took three losses in a quad-meet at Wharton Brook State Park last week and are now 2-5 this season. Branford lost by 15-50 finals to Shelton, host Lyman Hall, and Oronoque Division opponent East Haven.
Courtney Cosgrove ran to a first-place finish at the competition by crossing the finish line with a time of 20 minutes and 52 seconds. Sophie Spencer was Branford’s next finisher by taking 10th place in a time of 23:28. Emily Borst finished in 12th place at 23:48 and Omaima Nasry came in 26th place behind a time of 26:44.
“For the girls, Courtney Cosgrove has overcome some leg problems and ran the kind of race she is capable of,” said Head Coach Kevin Connell. “She went out after the Shelton lead pack and came out of the first loop with a good lead. She is motivated to have an excellent season.”