Printer Friendly Version - Cecunjanin Reaches Class S Singles Final for Old Saybrook; Stangel Defends Singles Title at Shorelines

Old Saybrook senior Saba Cecunjanin made it to both the Shoreline Conference Tournament 1-2 singles final and the Class S State Championship final on his way to earning All-Conference First Team and All-State honors. Photo by Kelley Fryer/Harbor News

Senior Saba Cecunjanin won five matches to make it to the final of the singles tournament at the Class S State Championship on behalf of the Old Saybrook boys’ tennis team last week. Cecunjanin took a 6-2, 6-2 loss to Alexander Zuczek of St. Bernard in the championship match. He earned Class S All-State honors by virtue of his run to the final.

In the first round, Cecunjanin defeated Sam Pontolilo of Shepaug Valley, 6-3, 6-1. He then won 6-2, 6-0 against Zachary Kwelick of Litchfield in the second round. In the third round, Cecunjanin grabbed a 6-3, 6-1 win against Owen Harter of Granby Memorial. After that, Cecunjanin defeated Andrew Ray of Nonnewaug, 6-2, 6-3, in the quarterfinals before beating Charles Shanks of Litchfield, 6-4, 6-3, in the semis. Following the Class S meeet, Cecunjanin competed at the State Open Tournament and lost 6-2, 6-1 against Darien’s Bobby Neuner in the first round.

Also in the singles bracket at the Class S State Championship, senior Aiden Reid won his first round match, 6-0, 6-0, after which he lost 6-2, 6-0 in the second round. Junior Jonah Nucci took a 6-4, 6-0 loss in his first round match.

In the doubles bracket, the Rams’ tandem of Mac Coppes and Ben VanVliet won two matches to advance to the third round. They won a 6-1, 6-0 contest for their opener and then defeated Valley Regional’s 15th-seeded team of Nate Gagnon and Jack Liggett, 6-2, 6-2, Coppes and VanVliet took a 6-1, 6-0 loss against the No. 2 seed team from East Catholic in their next match. Old Saybrook’s 4th-seeded team of Enes Cecunjanin and Bailey Noack received a first round bye and then took a 2-6, 6-0, 10-8 loss in the second round. Timothy Reid and Luke Brodeur lost 6-2, 6-3 in their first round contest. As a team, Rams finished in fifth place at the state meet.

Previously, on May 26, Saba Cecunjanin dropped a 6-4, 6-4 decision against Giacomo Volpicelli of Haddam-Killingworth in the final of the 1-2 singles bracket at the Shoreline Conference Tournament. Coppes, VanVliet, Noack, and Cecunjanin were all named All-Shoreline Conference First Team.

After Erin Stangel won her second straight 3-4 singles title at the Shoreline Conference Tournament, Old Saybrook claimed victory in its first two matches of the Class S State Tournament before losing in the quarterfinals. The Rams finished their season at 19-4.

Stangel defeated teammate Isabella Luciani, 7-5, 6-3, to defend her 3-4 singles title from last season. Stangel had won her semifinal matchup, 6-0, 6-0, against Shannon Carey of Coginchaug, while Luciani defeated Jenn Arling of Cromwell, 6-1, 7-5, to earn her way to the final. The Rams’ Rosie Rothman lost to eventual Shoreline Conference champion Casey Burns in her semifinal. Rothman, Stangel, and Luciani all took home All-Shoreline Conference First Team honors.

Then on May 27, the Rams began play in the Class S State Tournament and beat Northwestern 7-0 in the qualifying round. In singles play, Rothman won 6-0, 6-2 at No. 1, Tanya Gianitsos won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2, Stangel won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3, and Luciani prevailed 6-1, 6-1 at No. 4. In doubles, Lucy Marinelli and Sam Fucci won 6-2, 7-5 at No. 1, Jill Hirst and Amy Young were 6-2, 6-2 winners at No. 2, and Emma Rogan and Arina Jiang won 6-1, 6-0 at No. 3.

Then in the first round, Old Saybrook defeated East Catholic 6-1. Rothman (6-4, 6-0), Gianitsos (6-0, 6-0), Stangel (6-0, 6-1), and Luciani (6-0, 6-4) won their singles matches. Hirst and Young won 6-3, 6-1, while and Rogan and Jiang claimed a 6-2, 6-2 victory.

On May 30, the Rams took a 4-3 defeat to Northwest Catholic in the quarterfinal round. Stangel won 6-2, 6-1, Hirst and Young won 6-3, 6-3, and Rogan and Jiang won 6-4, 6-2 for Old Saybrook.

Later, at the State Open Tournament, Rotham beat Naugatuck’s Floraine Evarado, 8-3, in the qualifying round before taking an 8-1 loss in the first round. Gianitsos lost an 8-4 decision in her qualifying round contest.

One week after winning its second straight Shoreline Conference title, Old Saybrook took third place with 49 points at the Class S State Championship at Willow Brook Park.

The Rams’ 4x800-meter relay sophomore Jessica Stratton, senior Alyssa Diaz, sophomore Tehra Givehand, and freshman Grace Hanratty earned first-place honors with a time of 9:47.81. Junior Tyra Finkeldey finished first in the pole vault as she cleared 10 feet-6 inches.

Old Saybrook’s 4x400 relay of senior Devyn King, senior Holly Coppes, freshman Allison Cody, and junior Tyra Finkeldey placed third (4:13.71), while 4x100 relay of junior Annea Thaci, Holly Coppes, Finkeldey, and Cody placed eighth at 52.44. Also in the pole vault, freshman Cate Coppes (8-0) tied for sixth place and freshman Grace McLaughlin (7-6) finished eighth. King took fourth place in the long jump (16-6.5). In the 100 hurdles, sophomore Isabella Donahue (16.80) took sixth, Thaci (16.89) placed seventh, and Holly Coppes (17.34) took eighth. In the 1,600, Hanratty placed sixth (5:28.25), while Jael Givehand was seventh at 5:38.98. Sophomore Rachel Vigorita tied for sixth place in the high jump (4-8). Stratton earned eighth with a time of 2:33.08 in the 800-meter run.

Old Saybrook sent a handful of other athletes to states, including juniors Alyssa Layte, Ingrid Boland, and Alyssa Parker, as well as sophomore Julia Ludwiszewski and freshmen Julia Sultini and Ally Castro.

The Rams finished in eighth place with 27 points at the Class S State Championship on June 1.

Junior Eric Sultini placed fourth in the 800 with a time of 2:01.39 for Old Saybrook. In the 1,600, sophomore Shane Henderson grabbed fourth by running 4:29.08. The Rams’ 4x100 relay team junior Jalen Johnson, sophomore Carlos Chacon, senior Austin Reynolds, and sophomore Devon Moshier earned sixth with their time of 45.39; Old Saybrook’s 4x400 relay of Johnson, Reynolds, Xavier Rios, and Sultini took fourth place at 3:32.89; and the 4x800 relay of senior Josh Change, Henderson, senior Dan Baldi, and Sultini claimed second place at 8:16.72. Reynolds took eighth place in the triple jump (40-5.25).

The Rams sent several other athletes to the state competition, including seniors Anthony Jones and Josh Change; juniors Austin Parker, Austin Hilger, Galvin Stuart, and James Vukovinsky; sophomores Lance Sigersmith and John Gableman, and freshmen Cody DeAngelo and Cooper Luciani.

Old Saybrook was victorious in its Class S State Tournament qualifying round contest before losing in the first round. The Rams finished with a record of 8-10 this spring.

On May 27, Old Saybrook faced off against Holy Cross in the qualifying round of states and won 15-4. The Rams led 7-2 at halftime and scored eight more goals in the second half. Senior Christos Ellinas scored five goals and had three assists. Freshman Cameron Grillo had three goals and added six assists. Senior Jack Olivieri netted four goals, while fellow senior John Guarnaccia scored two goals and assisted on two others. Senior Jefferson Yanza had a goal and an assist. In net, junior Keaton Roarick made 12 saves on 16 shots for the Rams.

On May 31, the Rams were defeated 20-3 by Somers in the first round of tournament.

Old Saybrook took an 18-8 loss against Weston in the first round of the Class S State Tournament on May 30. The Rams finished the year with a record of 9-9.

Previously, Old Saybrook had dropped a 12-11 decision to North Branford in the semifinals of the Shoreline Conference Tournament on May 23.

The Rams ended their 2017 season with a 5-4 loss in 11 innings against Canton in the first round of the Class S State Tournament on May 30. Old Saybrook finished with record of 10-12 for the year.

The Rams lost to Westbrook 14-10 in the qualifying round of the Class S State Tournament on May 30. Old Saybrook concluded the year with a mark of 8-14.

Old Saybrook plated six runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 6-1 lead against Westbrook. The Knights went ahead 7-6 by scoring six runs in the second inning. Old Saybrook responded with a four-spot in the fourth for a 10-7 advantage, but Westbrook scored the game’s last seven runs.

Senior Anna Joseph was 3-for-3 with two walks, a RBI, and a run scored for the Rams. Fellow senior Kirsten King went 2-for-3 with two RBI, two runs, and two walks. Junior Chloe Root went 2-for-5 with three RBI and a run, while sophomore Maeve Foley was 3-for-5 with a RBI and a run.

The Rams finished their regular season with a record of 7-6 following a pair of matchups last week.

On May 30, Old Saybrook defeated Portland 172-178 at Fenwick Golf Course. The Rams’ Kyle Savino and Ben O’Dell shared medalist honors with Drew Tammaro of Portland as all three golfers shot a score of 41. Jack Walsh shot a 44 and Dean Nobile shot a 46 for the Rams. Jason Rothman finished with a score of 52.

On May 31, Old Saybrook squared off against Old Lyme and Farmington. The Rams scored a 193 and took defeats to both Old Lyme (168) and Farmington (160).

Rams’ senior Erin Stangel recently took first place in the 3-4 singles bracket at the Shoreline Conference Tournament for the second season in a row. Photo by Kelley Fryer/Harbor News

Junior Keaton Roarick stood tall in net for the Rams by making 12 saves during their 15-4 win against Holy Cross in the qualifying round of the Class S State Tournament on May 27. Photo by Wesley Bunnell/Harbor News