Printer Friendly Version - Three Branford Squads Qualify for State Tournament

Sophie Spencer (left), Erin O’Brien (right), and the Branford girls’ lacrosse squad improved to 9-2 after posting three victories in last week’s action, while sealing a spot in the Class M State Tournament in the process. Photo by Kelley Fryer/The Sound

The Hornets’ girls’ lacrosse squad recorded three more victories last week to improve to 9-2 and qualify for the Class M State Tournament. Branford has won six games in a row.

Branford punched its playoff ticket by posting a 19-7 home win over Old Saybrook on May 2. Sophie Spencer had five goals with an assist, Sabrina Torcellini netted four goals, LanLe Crotty scored three goals to go with an assist, while Autumn McHenry scored two goals and had three assists. Ashlee Smestad had three assists with a goal for the Hornets, who also received goals from Charlee Grady, Brianna Shaw, Katie Parker, and Erin O’Brien. Parker and O’Brien also had assists, plus Jill Ciarleglio made 12 saves in net.

Spencer had another big game by scoring six goals in the Hornets’ 20-6 home win versus Mercy on May 4. Smestad scored three goals and also handed out a trio of assists. Parker and Crotty both had two goals with an assist, McHenry scored a goal and had two assists, and Shaw found the back of the net twice. The Hornets were further spurred by goals from Haley Maerckelin, Britney Bunbanlu, O’Brien, and Grace Paleski, as well as an assist from Torcellini. Ciarlegio had five saves.

Branford closed the week with a 7-4 win at Barlow on May 6. Spencer and Crotty both scored two goals, while Morgan Gilman, Parker, and McHenry each scored one. McHenry and Smestad both had an assist for Branford, which saw Ciarleglio stop four shots in goal.

Branford recorded its seventh win in its last eight games and also qualified for the Class M State Tournament with a 17-8 victory at Hamden on May 1. The Hornets improved to 7-3 with the win.

Noah Pantani scored two goals and had four assists, while Robbie Lionetti and Brian Nichols both scored three goals to go with an assist for Branford. Harry Smith scored a goal and had four assists, Jack Manware scored twice with an assist, Will Riggs and Webb Templeton both netted a pair of goals, Mike White had a goal and an assist, and Jay Dering added a goal. Nick Cordero made 14 saves in net.

Branford qualified for the Class L State Tournament with a record of 8-5 by winning both of its games last week. The Hornets recorded an 11-3 victory at Foran on May 1 and followed that up with an 11-4 win at Hand on May 3.

DJ Caron got the start on the mound and Jack Spencer closed it out for the Hornets when they won big at Foran. Caron was the winning pitcher for Branford, which trailed 3-1 before exploding for six runs in the third inning. Zach Withington homered for the Hornets.

Against Hand, Alphonse Suppa threw six innings for his third win and Zane Kmietek worked the seventh to finish off the victory. Withington had four hits, including a two-run home run and a double; Jordan Botte doubled twice and singled, and Nikko Liguori singled and doubled for Branford. Withington, Robbie Barbash, and Kmietek had two RBI apiece.

Branford took three defeats last week and is now 1-10 this year. The Hornets lost a 15-0 home game against Amity on May 1, lost a 9-0 road game against Guilford two days later, and lost in Shelton by a 7-1 final on May 4.

The Hornets continued their solid season by earning four wins and a tie to put their record at 7-1-1.

On May 1, Branford claimed a 178-185 victory over Lyman Hall at Wallingford Country Club. Branford’s Jason Brennan and Lyman Hall’s Pat Doherty both shot low scores of 42 and were co-medalists. Liam Deane scored a 43, Ryan Sember shot a 44, and Max Bunton had a score of 49 for the Hornets.

The following day, Branford played a tri-match at Alling Memorial Golf Club and totaled a 157 to defeat Career (226) and Hillhouse (241).

Then on May 4, the Hornets hosted a match at Pine Orchard County, where they shot a 186 to tie Hamden (186) and defeat North Haven (191). Deane and Brennan were co-medalists with their tidy scorecards of 41, while Sember had a 44 and EJ Lee posted a score of 60.

Branford evened its record at 6-6 after winning three of its four matches last week. The Hornets defeated Career, Law, and Sheehan to go with a loss against Fairfield Prep.

Branford opened the week with a 7-0 victory at Career. Parneeth Ganedi (6-1, 6-1), Bradley Stutzman (6-0, 6-4), Aedan Spaar (6-0, 6-0), and Darsh Patel (6-1, 6-1) were straight-sets winners in singles play. For doubles, Branford’s tandem’s of Will Benni and Eli Hanlon, Chris DeLise and Charles Hall, and Justin Veilleux and Paul Riccio were awarded victories via forfeit.

In Branford’s loss to Fairfield Prep at Fairfield University, Spaar posted a 6-1, 6-1 victory in the No. 3 singles match for the Hornets.

Branford came back to dispatch Law 6-1 at Guilford Racquet Club the day after that. Ganedi, Stutzman, and Spaar all claimed 6-0, 6-0 victories, while Patel was a 6-2, 6-2 victor. DeLise and Riccio prevailed 6-0, 6-2 at No. 2 doubles, plus Branford’s No. 3 team of Daniel Pagliaro and Rich Lofits earned a 6-0, 6-4 win.

The Hornets capped their week with a 7-0 win at Sheehan on May 4. Ganedi outlasted his opponent for a 5-7, 7-5, 10-7 victory in the No. 1 singles match. Stutzman (6-0, 6-0), Spaar (6-2, 6-0), and Patel (6-3, 6-0) were also victorious. In the doubles matches, Benni and Hall (6-0, 6-0), Riccio and DeLise (6-1, 7-6), and Veilleux and Daniel McGuire (6-3, 6-1) came out on top for the Hornets.

The Hornets competed at a tri-meet in New Haven and gained a split by edging Mercy (76-73) and losing to host Wilbur Cross (86.5-59.5) on May 3. The Hornets are now 4-7 this year.

Liante Claude took first place in both the 200 (27.53) and 400 (61.64), while Bridget Wirtz won the pole vault (11-0) and Keira Integlia was first for the javelin (92-0). Integlia also took second in the shot put (31-3.5), with Wirtz placing third in the 100 (13.69). Kiersten Bjork finished second in the discus (84-7), Amanda Acquarulo was second for the high jump (4-8), plus Diana Karosas finished third in the pole vault (8-6). Head Coach Kevin Connell also noted Rose Lockery’s big improvement to 14 feet-3 inches in the long jump.

On May 6, Wirtz again cleared 11 feet to capture first place in the pole vault at the Middletown Invitational. Karosas was third for the vault (9-0), Integlia took fifth in the javelin (102-8), Claude finished sixth in the 400 (60.27), and Acquarulo came in seventh for the high jump at 4-10. As a team, the Hornets scored 95.5 points and finished in 13th place.

Branford was at Bowen Field in New Haven for a meet last week, and the Hornets took an 80-70 defeat against Oronoque Division opponent Wilbur Cross on May 3. Branford moved to 4-3 with the loss.

Marzio Mastroianni took first place in both the 800 (2:08.2) and the 1,600 (4:47.6) for the Hornets. Matt Alexander finished first in the long jump (20 feet-9.5 inches), Nolan Scott won the 300 intermediate hurdles (49.7 seconds), Giancarlo Giannini won the discus (101-5), Sam Roach was first for the shot put (37-10.5), Alec Solomine took top honors in the javelin (106-3), and Kosta Gionteris won the high jump at 5-6.

Later in the week at the Middletown Invitational, Mastroianni won the 1,600 by recording a time of 4:22.14.

Senior captain Jordan Botte and the Hornets are on their way to states after posting lopsided victories on the road against Foran and Hand last week. Photo by Kelley Fryer/The Sound