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02/05/2017 11:00 PMBoys’ Basketball
The North Branford boys’ basketball team split its two games last week, but still earned win No. 8 for the season to secure a spot in the State Tournament. The T-Birds’ record now stands at 8-6 for the season.
On Feb. 1, North Branford lost to Old Saybrook 50-37. Brett Lequire did much of the offensive damage for North Branford by scoring 26 points in the defeat.
Two days later, the Thunderbirds topped Metropolitan Learning Center 68-60 to qualify for states. Lequire once again led the charge in the victory by netting 28 points. The T-Birds were also bolstered by Gianni Lavorgna with 17 points, plus Jake Haeckel, who chipped in with 15.
Girls’ Basketball
The Thunderbirds clinched their spot in the Shoreline Conference and State tournaments last week by posting victories over Old Saybrook and Amistad to improve to 8-7.
On Feb. 1, North Branford finished a come-from-behind win against Old Saybrook by a 44-41 score on the road. Trailing 37-29 heading into the final quarter, the Thunderbirds stormed back to outscore the Rams 15-4 to claim victory. Morgan Violette poured in a game-high 17 points, while Danielle Ramada scored 12 and Jess Kilburn added 11.
The next night, North Branford solidified its postseason bid by dominating Amistad to the tune of a 57-20 final score. Kilburn recorded a double-double with 13 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks, plus Marie Zampano finished with 13 points and six assists. Danielle Ramada scored 11 points and Violette added eight in the win.
Boys’ Ice Hockey
North Branford won both of its contests last week to move within a game of clinching its place in the Division II State Tournament. After winning three straight, North Branford’s record currently rests at 7-7.
On Feb. 1, the T-Birds topped rival North Haven 6-5 in overtime. Brian McKee recorded a hat trick in the win, including the game-winning goal in the extra session. Other goals for North Branford came courtesy of Marc Daddio, Scott Clinton, and Jack Curran. Sean McKee finished with three assists, Nick Mancini had two, and John Lovelace earned the victory between the pipes.
Then on Feb. 3, North Branford topped Lyman Hall/Haddam-Killingworth/Coginchaug 4-0. Sean McKee scored twice, while Daddio and Curran netted North Branford’s other goals. Mancini, Curran, and Brian McKee each had one assist. Lovelace made 20 saves to record the shutout.
Girls’ Indoor Track
The Thunderbirds recently competed at Shoreline League meet No. 2 in their final tuneup for the Shoreline Conference Championship.
Grace Little took first place in the 55-meter dash with a time of 7.58 seconds and she also won the 300 at 44.64 for North Branford. Winnie Chan claimed first place in the high jump by clearing 4 feet-10 inches. Other top performances came from Jenna Bryden in the 55 (6th, 7.72) and 300 (2nd, 44.98); Chan in the 55-meter hurdles (10th, 10.34); Joselyn Streeto in the high jump (8th, 4-2); Deanna Sgambato in the high jump (8th, 4-2) and pole vault (5th, 6-6); Jessica Tang in the 55 hurdles (15th, 10.61); Erika Roof in the 600 (9th, 1:57.75); Caitlin May in the 600 (11th, 2:00.26); and Jillian Damiani in the 1,600 (15th, 6:23.86).
In relays, the 4x200 of Bryden, Little, Lydia Mattson, and Sarah Criscuolo placed seventh at 1:58.34; plus the 1,600 sprint medley relay of May, Criscuolo, Gabbie Sarmento, and Jordyn Franco finished eighth at 5:12.80.
The T-Birds then competed at the Shoreline Conference Championship and finished second with 66 points. Little and Bryden were dominant in the speed events, scoring a total of 32 points between the 55 and 300. Little won the 55 with a time of 7.68 and finished third in the 300 behind a mark of 44.96. Bryden placed second in both events, clocking in at 7.73 in the 55 and 44.64 for the 300. Other big point performances came from Chan and Emily Muzyka. Chan finished second in the high jump with a leap of 4-10, while Muzyka’s shot put toss of 30-6 was also good for second place.
Other individual points were scored by Chan in the long jump as she finished sixth at 14-11.75, Streeto in the high jump as she placed sixth at 4-4, Sgambato in the pole vault as she reached 6-6 to finish in fourth; plus Carly Monge, who placed seventh in the shot put with a toss of 27-1.5. All four relay teams also scored points for the T-Birds. The 4x200 of Bryden, Little, Criscuolo, and Mattson finished fifth at 1:55.01; the 4x800 of Damiani, Mackenzie Glenn, Sarah Sullivan, and took eighth at 11:49.54; the 1,600 sprint medley of Criscuolo, Franco, Mattson, and Glenn finished eighth at 5:02.35; and the 4x400 of Glenn, Erika Roof, Mattson, and Criscuolo placed eighth at 4:43.81.
Other individual competitors for North Branford included Sgambato in the long jump (28th, 12-6) and high jump (12th, 4-2); Franco in the 55 (38th, 9.03) and long jump (31st, 12-5); Chan in the 55 hurdles (18th, 10.58); Jessica Tang in the 55 hurdles (22nd, 11.18); Tatyana Allgood in the 55 (22nd, 8.52); Gabbie Sarmento in the 55 (24th, 8.59); May in the 600 (23rd, 2:01.37); Damiani in the 1,600 (23rd, 6:40.77); Sullivan in the 1,600 (24th, 6:44.94); Roof in the 300 (10th, 47.87); and Streeto in the long jump (11th, 13-11).
Boys’ Indoor Track
North Branford recently took part in Shoreline League Meet No. 2 on Jan. 27.
The top individual places for the T-Birds included Michael Rabuffo in the high jump (4th, 5 feet-1 inch) and 300-meter dash (4th, 39.78 seconds); Michael Madoule in the 300 (5th, 40.00); Jacob Marshall in the 55-meter dash (6th, 6.92); Bryce Sweetapple in the 55 (10th, 7.00); Parker Nadeau in the 1,600-meter run (11th, 5:28.58); Nick Ash in the shot put (11th, 32 feet-3.5 inches); and Tony Pavic in the 600 (15th, 1:44.11).
In the relays, the 4x200 of Marshall, Pat Miconi, Aaron Beisaw, and Sweetapple took seventh at 1:47.30; and the 4x400 of Austin Gibilisco, Madoule, Rabuffo, and Nadeau placed third in 3:56.85.
North Branford then competed in the Shoreline Conference Championship at Floyd Little Athletic Center on Feb. 4, finishing in eighth place with 26 points scored. Rabuffo, Madoule, and Marshall earned points in their respective events, while the 4x400 relay team also scored points. Madoule took fifth in the 600 at 1:32.67 and sixth in the 300 at 39.87. Rabuffo placed fourth in the 300 at 39.55 and was third in the high jump at 5-6. Marshall placed fourth in the 55 with a time of 6.98. The 4x400 of Austin Gibilisco, Madoule, Parker Nadeau, and Rabuffo finished in sixth at 3:56.02.
Other individuals at the meet included Aaron Biewsaw in the 55 (30th, 7.74); Gibilisco in the 600 (12th, 1:36.50); Jason Ash in the 600 (27th, 1:45.04); Nick Ash in the long jump (17th, 31-7.5); and AJ Fiondella in the long jump (22nd, 29-8).