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12/22/2016 11:00 PMThe Old Saybrook outdoor track program put forth another excellent season as the boys’ and girls’ squads were each victorious at their respective Shoreline Conference Championships. Lucas Sumby, a senior for the boys, turned in a historic postseason showing that saw him win multiple events and ultimately earn a spot on the All-New England Team. In other news, both Old Saybrook tennis teams had great years, while girls’ lacrosse returned to its conference final.
Boys’ Outdoor Track
Once again, the Rams’ boys’ outdoor track squad bested the competition at the Shoreline Conference Championship to claim the crown for the third consecutive campaign.
Senior captain Lucas Sumby had another dominant postseason for Old Saybrook. At the Shoreline meet, Sumby won the 110 high hurdles (14.95), the 300 hurdles (43.23), and the pole vault (13-6). Sumby then prevailed in all three events at the Class S State Championship to help Old Saybrook finish second, posting a height of 14-1 for the pole vault with times of 14.69 and 39.83, respectively, in the 100 and 300 hurdles. Sumby wasn’t done as he took first in the 100 hurdles at the State Open with a time of 14.74 and was second in the pole vault. Sumby went on to compete in those two events at the New England Championship, where he was eighth in the vault and second in the 110 hurdles for All-New England honors. To top off his remarkable run, Sumby finished third at the CIAC Decathlon, where he won the 110 hurdles and the pole vault. Sumby was a member of the New Haven Register’s All-Area Team and also the Register’s All-Area MVP.
There were plenty of other success stories for Old Saybrook. Senior captain Alex Van Vliet won the long jump (20-9) and the triple jump (41-11.25) at the Shoreline Championship, while sophomore Eric Sultini grabbed first in the 800 (2:00.19), senior Will Babbidge was tops in the shot put at 43-6.25, senior Carl Anderson grabbed top honors in the javelin (150-8), and senior Austin Goodhue won the discus (125-5). Anderson ultimately advanced to New Englands in the javelin. Additionally, Hunter Stuart set the school record in the steeplechase with a time of 11:42.85. First-year Head Coach Jan Merrill-Morin, a former U.S. Olympian, gold medal winner at the Pan Am Games, and a world record holder in multiple distance events, was selected as the Register’s All-Area Coach of the Year.
Girls’ Outdoor Track
Old Saybrook claimed first place at the Shoreline Conference Championship and finished fourth at the Class S State Championship.
The Rams were trailing Coginchaug entering the last event of Shoreline meet, but senior captain Katie Seegert won the pole vault (with a height of 10-6), while sophomore Tyra Finkleday placed third to put Old Saybrook into first place. Also at the meet, junior Devyn King, junior Holly Coppes, sophomore Vika Stoltz, and Finkleday took first in the 4x100 relay with a school record time of 50.76. King was also first in the long jump at 17-1.5, which was another school record for Head Coach Pete Capezzone’s squad. Seegert went on to win the pole vault at the state meet by again reaching 10-6.
Boys’ Tennis
Old Saybrook finished with a record of 19-1 and tied with Old Lyme for the Shoreline Conference title for the second year in a row.
Old Saybrook took that momentum to the Class S State Championship, where Head Coach Gerry Carlone’s club finished second. The Rams won 17-straight matches at point during the year, including a 4-3 revenge win against Old Lyme, which had defeated Old Saybrook earlier in the season. No. 1 singles player Saba Cecunjanin went 21-2 in his junior year and was named First Team All-Shoreline after making it to the final of the conference tournament, after which he reached the quarterfinals in states. Senior captain Danny Capuano was the No. 2 singles player and earned Second Team All-Shoreline honors at 18-1. No. 3 player Scott Cabral, a senior captain, finished at 15-1 and made First Team All-Shoreline by winning the conference’s 3-4-5 singles tournament. At No. 4 was senior Peter Blank, who went 16-2 to garner Second Team All-Shoreline accolades. In doubles, the No. 1 team of senior Tenzing Kunchok and freshman Jason Rothman went 12-4 to grab a Second Team All-Shoreline bid. The team’s Coaches Award went to senior Kyle Jackson, who went 7-0 between No. 1 and 2 doubles.
Girls’ Tennis
The Rams won their last eight regular season matches to go 17-3 and take second place in the Shoreline Conference. Old Saybrook then beat New London (7-0) and Wolcott (6-1) in the Class S State Tournament to reach the quarterfinals, where the Rams lost to Stonington for a final record of 18-5.
In between the regular season and states, junior Erin Stangel topped Westbrook’s Sara Farnoli 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) to win the Shoreline Conference No. 3-4 singles championship and gain selection to the All-Shoreline Conference First Team. Juniors Isabella Luciani and Rosie Rothman both collected Second Team All-Conference honors. Rothman and sophomore Tanya Gianitsos later competed at the State Open Championship and Gianitsos won her first match. All totaled, No. 1 singles player Rothman went 12-8, No. 2 Gianitsos was 15-5, No. 3 Stangel finished at 19-1 and won the Rams’ Coaches Award, and No. 4 player Luciani had a record of 18-2 for Head Coach Ruthanne Rothman’s squad.
Girls’ Lacrosse
Kendra Gerrish took the helm from longtime Head Coach Al Mortali and, one year after winning the inaugural Shoreline Conference Tournament, Old Saybrook once again played its way to the title game.
The Rams edged Haddam-Killingworth 10-9 in the semifinals to advance to a championship matchup against Old Lyme, which defeated Old Saybrook 16-6 to win the Shoreline title. Then in the Class S State Tournament, the Rams took a 9-7 loss to Ellington to finish the year at 11-8.
Boys’ Lacrosse
The Rams finished the spring season with a record of 0-16.
Old Saybrook’s two closest games both came against Cromwell. The Rams lost a 5-3 contest at home against the Panthers in April and took a 10-8 defeat at Cromwell in May.
Golf
Old Saybrook compiled a record of 13-8 and then finished in 11th place at the Division IV State Championship. T
he Rams’ golfers at the state meet were Kyle Savino, James DePalermo, Anthony Karg, Dean Nobile, and Nick Malinconico. Old Saybrook’s head coach was Tim Payne.
Baseball
Old Saybrook got hot late in the season and won six-straight ballgames to qualify for the Class S State Tournament, clinching its berth with a 14-1 victory versus Hyde-Hillhouse. As the No. 33 seed in the state bracket, the Rams took a 5-4 loss at Tourtellotte in the qualifying round to finish the spring with a mark of 8-13.
Old Saybrook’s head coach was Dan Driscoll. Clay Duffy and James Henderson were the team’s senior captains.
Softball
Old Saybrook went 2-17 this year, earning home victories versus Portland (10-9) and Old Lyme (29-17).
Junior catcher Megan Schulmeister was an Honorable Mention selection for the All-Shoreline Conference Team. The Rams’ head coach was Laura Westner.