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05/13/2017 12:00 AMThe Guilford High School Athletics Hall of Fame committee is pleased to announce the members of its 15th annual induction class. Catie Canetti (Class of 1996), Joe McKnight (‘97), Kitty Palmer (coach), Matt Renola (‘87), and Megan Rooney Borelli (‘99) will be honored at the induction banquet on Sunday, June 11 at 1 p.m. at Woodwinds on 29 School Ground Road in Branford. Tickets for the dinner can be purchased in advance for $45 by contacting Lecia Scranton in the high school athletic office at 203-453-2741, Ext. 4103. The last day to purchase tickets is Monday, June 5. No tickets will be sold at the door.
Catie Canetti (Class of 1996)
Catie Canetti started out at Guilford High School as a three-sport athlete, playing field hockey, basketball, and softball. After her freshman year, however, she decided to focus on field hockey and softball. As a field hockey player, Canetti earned All-Conference, All-Area, and All-State recognition her junior and senior years. Despite her squad’s tough loss to Greenwich in the 1994 Class L State Tournament final, Canetti was named Class L Tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Canetti also helped lead the Indians to the state semifinals in 1995 and was invited to play in the Connecticut Versus Massachusetts All-Star Game. Canetti was a three-year varsity starter for Guilford and also a captain in her senior year. She finished with 31 career goals and 13 assists.
Cantetti was also a three-year starter on the varsity softball team and earned All-SCC Hammonasset honors.
“Catie was the quiet lead-by-example student-athlete with the attributes of exemplary work ethic, great athletic skills, self-discipline, and personal standards that served as a model to others,” said former Guilford softball Head Coach John Sessa. “She was a driving force behind the success of Guilford softball in the 1990s. I was fortunate to have coached her.”
Canetti is the daughter of Joe and Nancy Canetti of Guilford. She has a brother Chris and a sister Lori who were both athletes at Guilford High School. She currently resides in New York City and works for an investment company in Madison.
Joe McKnight (Class of ‘97)
Joe McKnight graduated from Guilford with 10 varsity letters as a member of the cross country, indoor, and outdoor track and field teams. McKnight was a six-time team captain, a seven-time All-State athlete, and a six-time team MVP. He later spent two years in Guilford as an assistant distance running coach, during which time the girls’ cross country team won the 2002 State Open championship. Competing in cross country, McKnight made All-New England in 1994, and was a three-time All-SCC, three-time All-State, four-time All-Class L, four-time New Haven Register All-Area, and four-time All-League (1993 Shoreline, 1994-’96 for the SCC Hammonasset Division) athlete. McKnight was the 1996 individual SCC champion in cross country.
Racing on the indoor track circuit, McKnight was the 1995 SCC champion in the 1,600 and the 1996 Class L state champion for that same event. He was also the 1997 indoor track Class L state champion in both the 800 and 1,000. Additionally, McKnight was the 1997 indoor track State Open champion in the 1,000, while finishing second in the 800.
During the 1994 outdoor track season, McKnight set a freshman school, league, and meet record by winning the 1,600 Shoreline Conference title in a time of 4:34. He was a member of the 1995 outdoor 4x400 relay Class L state champion squad and later earned All-State honors in the 3,200 for outdoor track in 1996.
Kitty Palmer (Coach)
Kitty Palmer was born and grew up in Long Island, where she started playing field hockey in the 3rd grade. While at Foxcroft Prep School in Middleburg, Virginia, Palmer was chosen for Sports Illustrated’s ‘Faces in the Crowd’ for the amount of goals she scored in the fall of 1971.
Palmer moved to Guilford in 1978 and coached field hockey at Baldwin Middle School for three years. In 1982, she took over the field hockey team at Guilford High School and has coached there for the past 35 years, compiling a record of 371-194-72-11. During Palmer’s tenure, Guilford has won league championships in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, and 2003, along with state championships in 1991 and 1997.
Palmer has received a plethora of Coach of the Year awards, including Class M Coach of the Year (COY) in 1989 and 2016, Class L COY in 2002, Guilford Sideliner’s COY in 1992 and 2002, New Haven Register COY in 1998, and was also named the Connecticut High School Coaches Association (CHSCA) Outstanding Coach in 2003. In addition, Palmer was inducted into the Connecticut Field Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010, the CHSCA Hall of Fame in 2011, and the New Agenda Northeast Hall of Fame in 2009.
Matt Renola (Class of ‘87)
Matt Renola graduated from Guilford High School in 1987, excelling on both the soccer field and at the hockey rink. In soccer, Renola was a goalkeeper for the Indians, a four-year varsity letterman, and was also named team captain in 1986. Renola made All-Shoreline in 1984, 1985, and 1986, New Haven Register All-Area in 1986, All-State from 1984-’86, and National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-New England in 1986.
In addition to his outstanding soccer career, Renola also excelled in ice hockey as a defenseman. He was named a three-time All-State Honorable Mention by the Hartford Courant and was as All-State Second Team in the 1985-’86 season.
Renola is the son of Ed and Karen Renola. He currently resides in Longmeadow, Massachusetts with his wife Beth and daughters, Sarah and Charlotte.
Megan Rooney Borelli (Class of ‘99)
Megan Rooney Borelli grew up playing sports in Guilford. Whether she was on the field or the court, athletics was always a significant part of her life. During her high school years from 1995 through 1999, Rooney Borelli earned 11 varsity letters in soccer, basketball, and softball, captaining each team during her senior seasons.
In soccer, she was a four-year starter and was chosen as an All-SCC, All-State, and New Haven Register All-Area player during her junior and senior seasons. On the basketball court, Rooney Borelli was a 1,000-point scorer and was selected as All-SCC, All-State, and New Haven Register All-Area as a senior. She was also awarded the opportunity to play in the JCC All-Star Game.
As a softball player, Borelli played center field for longtime coach John Sessa, earning All-SCC and All-State honors her senior year, as well as being chosen as New Haven Register All-Area.
Rooney Borelli is a high school science teacher and a mother of three boys, Brayden, Max, and Caeson. She is married to Chris Borelli, who is also a high school teacher and coach.
Photos courtesy of Lorri Hahn