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12/22/2016 11:00 PMThe spring of 2016 in Branford saw the boys’ tennis squad make history on both the team and individual fronts at the Class M State Championship, while girls’ lacrosse put together a historic campaign in its own right. Meanwhile, the Hornets’ golf and outdoor track teams recorded some great postseason performances and the baseball team reigned atop the Oronoque Division.
Boys’ Tennis
The Branford boys’ tennis team went 10-7 for the regular season and then matched its all-time best showing at states by finishing second in the Class M State Championship.
The state meet featured Branford’s tandem of senior captains Miles Conlin and Dan O’Neill taking the title in the doubles bracket by winning every match in straight sets and ultimately defeating Weston’s Eric Benninghoff and Ishan Mirchandani 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 to capture the crown. Also at the Class M meet, fellow senior captain Matt Sachs played his way to final of the singles competition before taking a 6-3, 6-1 defeat to Guilford’s Evan Powell. Sachs also made the All-SCC Division Team for Head Coach Matt Fraenza’s squad.
Girls' Tennis
Branford went 8-9 in its first season with Head coach Jim Cole, who was named the SCC Division I Coach of the Year. The Hornets' campaign was highlighted by a pair of 4-3 wins versus Shelton.
Girls’ Lacrosse
Branford put together a 14-2 regular season record that featured a 12-game winning streak.
After taking a 14-4 loss to Cheshire in the semifinals of the SCC Tournament, the Hornets won two games in the Class M State Tournament on their way to the semifinal round. Branford defeated Brookfield (18-8) and East Lyme (15-6) in the first two rounds before losing to New Canaan, 15-6, for a final mark of 16-4.
Branford’s senior captains were attacker Carolyn Caminear and defenders Sophie Angelo and Kendall Simmons. Caminear, Simmons, sophomore midfielder Autumn McHenry, and junior defender Morgan Gilman were All-SCC First Team selections, while sophomore midfielder Sophie Spencer made the Second Team. Caminear and McHenry also made the New Haven Register’s All-Area Team, plus Head Coach Jackie Ceccolini was the All-Area Coach of the Year.
Boys’ Lacrosse
The Hornets went 8-8 for the regular season and clinched their spot in the Class M State Tournament by recording a 14-2 home rout of Sheehan. Then in the state tourney, Branford hosted Pomperaug and took a 4-3 loss to finish at 8-9.
Senior captain defender Noah DeGoursey was an All-SCC First Team selection for Head Coach Jim May’s club.
Golf
Branford posted a 14-6 record in its first season with Head Coach Jen Kohut.
The Hornets were led by senior captains Joe Reilly and Mike Annunziata, plus junior captain Ryan Sember. Sember and sophomore Liam Deane competed on behalf of Branford at the Chappa Tournament and the SCC Championship. Then at the Division II State Championship, Branford finished in 12th place as a team, led by Sember’s score of 79 that put him in ninth place out of 101 golfers.
Girls’ Outdoor Track
Branford went 10-1 in the regular season and then finished fourth at the SCC West Sectional Championship on the strength of two individual victories.
Claira Janover prevailed in the triple jump with a distance of 34-11.5, while fellow senior Etta Hanlon was tops in the long jump at 16-2. Head Coach Kevin Connell’s team later placed seventh at the SCC Championship and fifth for the Class MM State Championship. Janover took first in the triple jump at 35-5 for the state meet and then finished in the top four of three events at the CIAC Heptathlon en route to an overall fifth-place performance. Senior Issy Bysiewicz placed in the top four of two events and finished 10th overall for the heptathlon. Janover was Branford’s MVP for the field events and senior long-distance runner Cyrene Nicholas earned MVP honors in the track events. Nicholas took third in the 1,600 and fifth for the 800 at states.
Boys’ Outdoor Track
The Hornets posted a record of 4-7-1 for the regular season in their final year with Head Coach Rich Biondi. Then at the SCC West Sectional Championship, senior Kory King won the 110 high hurdles in 16.01 seconds to help the Hornets finish sixth.
The Hornets later placed 17th at the SCC Championship, where King took fourth place in the hurdles, after which he was second in the event at the Class MM State Championship. King would later compete at the CIAC Decathlon and place in the top 10 of four events on his way to a 10th-place overall finish. King was named Branford’s MVP for the season for the track events, while senior shot put/discus thrower won that award for the field events.
Baseball
The Hornets captured the Oronoque title with an unblemished divisional record of 8-0 in their first season with Head Coach Steve Malafronte. B
ranford clinched the crown when sophomore Zane Kmietek pitched a no-hitter in a 3-0 victory versus North Haven on May 2. The Hornets wound up going 9-11 overall for the regular season, after which they lost 9-3 to Hamden in the quarterfinals of the SCC Tournament and then took a 3-2 defeat to Wilcox Tech in the first round of the Class L State Tournament.
Branford’s senior captains were first baseman Devin DeRenzo and third baseman Bryce Baker. DeRenzo, Kmietek, and junior shortstop Nikko Liguori made the All-Oronoque Team for the Hornets.
Softball
Branford won its last four games of the season and finished with a record of 6-14.
The Hornets’ senior captains were catcher Matilda Kreider and second baseman Katie Massey. Sophomore shortstop Marisa Minore had a stretch where she went 17-for-20 at the plate on her way to batting .537 and earning All-Oronoque honors. Freshman third baseman Lexi Falcigno hit for the cycle in a victory versus Cross. On the mound, Head Coach Chuck Reale’s club was led by freshman Sophia Araneo, who pitched the Hornets to victory in all six of their wins.