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04/15/2017 12:00 AMOne year after putting together its best season in program history, the Branford girls’ lacrosse team wants to continue its climb up the SCC and state ranks by making 2017 its best year in program history.
The Hornets’ 2016 campaign is one that will be talked about for years to come in Branford lacrosse circles as Head Coach Jackie Ceccolini’s squad compiled an impressive résumé of achievements. Branford finished with a record of 16-4, reeled off a 12-game win streak, qualified for the SCC Tournament, and won two games in the Class M State Tournament to reach the quarterfinals. With her team having gotten a taste of life in the big time, Coach Ceccolini said that everyone is more eager than ever to make this season another one to remember.
“Our goals every single year are to make it to and win SCCs and win states and, last year, the girls got a good taste of what that feels like and have come back hungry to do even better. We have a lot of returning players, but also new faces on the field, and we’re looking for everyone to contribute,” said Ceccolini. “We did a lot of work in the offseason with the youth program, and those girls saw what we did last year and it just inspired the town. We have fans and people in the community that are rooting for us. We want to succeed for ourselves, but also for them, and just keep building the program and put Branford on the map in terms of girls’ lacrosse. It definitely makes you hungrier. It’s always a letdown to lose at the end of the season. The only way to not feel a letdown is to win a championship, and that’s what we’re looking for.”
Branford owns a record of 1-1 on the season, having dropped an 11-9 decision at SCC newcomer East Lyme in its opener April 11, followed by an 18-6 home win over non-conference opponent Haddam-Killingworth two days later. Branford trailed East Lyme 5-3 at halftime and was never able to draw even during the second half of its loss to the Vikings. Autumn McHenry scored four goals and had two assists, Sophie Spencer scored three goals, midfielder Sabrina Torcellini had a goal with an assist, and Haley Maercklein added a goal for the Hornets. All four of those athletes are junior midfielders.
Coach Ceccolini said that Branford had some difficulty finding its groove against East Lyme after the team’s originally scheduled opener had been rained out the previous week.
“Unfortunately, after three weeks of practice, our stick skills just weren’t ready for the game, and they got the best of us that night,” she said. “We have new people in new positions, we’re trying to figure out our way as a team, and it just took a little bit to come into it. The effort by everyone was good. That night, it just wasn’t clicking.”
However, just about everything was clicking for the Hornets on April 13, when they blew out Haddam-Killingworth 18-6 at Branford High School. Ceccolini’s club scored the game’s first two goals, the Cougars came back to get the next two, but Branford dominated from that point on by netting six of the last eight goals in the first half for a 9-4 lead at the break. The Hornets put the game away by scoring the first five of the second half for a 14-4 advantage.
Torcellini turned in a gargantuan effort by recording eight goals with one assist in the victory. McHenry scored twice and handed out two assists, Britney Bunbanlu had two goals with an assist, fellow junior attacker LanLe Crotty scored a pair of goals, and senior captain attacker Ashlee Smestad had a goal with two assists. Junior attacker Erin O’Brien, freshman defender Karly King, and Spencer scored a goal apiece, senior captain defender Morgan Gilman had an assist, and sophomore goalie Jill Ciarleglio made five saves for the Hornets, who outshot H-K 38-11.
“We pretty much had control of the game from the very start. We kind of dominated the draws and the ball during transition. Our transition game looked a lot better and, as a whole, we seemed to be connecting more with our sticks. It was a huge improvement from the East Lyme game,” Coach Ceccolini said. “Sabrina was locked in from the second she stepped on the field. They tried to shut her off and she just turned it on and kept going. She was hot off the draw and, as soon as the ball got into her stick, she was determined to make the most of her opportunities, whether she was cutting to get open, dodging through the middle of the field, or looking for a pass.”
Torcellini, McHenry, and Spencer are all returning starters in the Hornets’ midfielder’s corps this spring. Maercklein and freshman Brianna Shaw round out a unit that expects to be a strength for Coach Ceccolini’s squad. McHenry made the All-SCC First Team last year, while Spencer was a Second Team selection.
On the attack, Branford graduated All-SCC First Team senior captain Carolyn Caminear, but still brings back its share of goal-scorers with Smestad, Crotty, Bunbanlu, and O’Brien. Senior Katie Parker missed the team’s two first games with an injury, although Coach Ceccolini expects her to be back on the attack this week.
Smestad captains the Hornets with All-SCC First Team defender Morgan Gilman, and Ceccolini said the tandem has been “leading the team since the moment they were given captain last spring and done a great job through the offseason of getting the girls all involved in the indoor league and with conditioning.” Joining Gilman on defense are returning starter Caroline Erickson, a junior; along with junior Emma Pierson, sophomore Grace Paleski, and the freshman King. The Hornets’ graduated senior captains Sophie Angelo and Kendall Simmons from its defensive unit.
Branford also features a new starting goalie this year in Ciarleglio, who takes over in the varsity net after serving as the JV team’s keeper during her freshman year.
“Jill has done an unbelievable job. She’s fun, has such a great attitude toward learning, and is extremely coachable. She shows up every day looking to improvement and I can’t ask anything more from her in the net,” said Ceccolini, whose team has two other seniors in Charlee Grady and Gabby Piscitelli, the latter who is currently injured. “She’s done great. The biggest thing for her is to gain confidence and know she belongs in there and, after every game, she’s feeling like that’s her spot.”
From the Sidelines
This is Jackie’s Ceccolini’s ninth year as the head coach of the Branford girls’ lacrosse team. Ceccolini is assisted by JV Head Coach Melissa Carney, along with her brother Billy Alessi and her father Joe Alessi.
The Hornets play in Division I of the SCC with Hand, Cheshire, Guilford, Lauralton Hall, East Lyme, Mercy, and Amity. The teams in SCC Division II are Shelton, North Haven, Sheehan, Law, West Haven, Sacred Heart Academy, Hamden, Foran, and Lyman Hall.
For the rest of its regular season schedule, Branford has home games against Sheehan, Masuk, Old Saybrook, Mercy, Hand, and Amity this year. The Hornets will also be on the road to face Haddam-Killingworth, Cheshire, Old Lyme, Barlow, Lauralton Hall, Law, and Pomperaug.