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12/25/2017 11:00 PMThe spring of 2017 saw the Indians' baseball squad play all the way to the state final, while the softball team also had a ton of success by collecting 20 wins. Several track athletes, including senior Omar Gebril, earned postseason victories for North Haven. On top of that, Julia Migliorini had a smashing sophomore season on the tennis court.
Baseball
The North Haven baseball team continued its long and storied tradition of success during the 2017 spring season. Head Coach Bob DeMayo's squad won 18 games, earned a share of the SCC Quinnipiac Division title, and embarked on a run to the championship game of the
Class L State Tournament.
The Indians won their last five regular-season games to go 14-6, including a 4-3, 11-inning victory versus Xavier for a share of the division. In the SCC Tournament, the Indians lost 7-6 against East Haven in the quarterfinals. Then in the Class M State Tournament, North Haven defeated Platt (3-2), Avon (3-2 in 9 innings), Notre Dame-West Haven (5-2), and Fitch (1-0) before taking an 8-2 defeat to Foran in the final.
Senior captain pitcher/third baseman Brendan Clark went 9-2 with three saves, a 1.91 earned-run average, and 68 strikeouts. All nine of Clark's wins came in relief, including four in the State Tournament. In the semifinal victory against Fitch, Clark came in during the third inning and escaped a bases-loaded, nobody-out jam on his way to throwing five hitless innings. He also doubled home the lone run of the game. For the year, Clark batted .391 with 20 RBI. He was North Haven's Most Valuable Player, earned spots on the All-Quinnipiac Team, the Connecticut High School Coaches Association All-State Team, the
New Haven Register All-Area Team, and was selected to play in the Connecticut Senior All-Star Game. Clark captained the Indians with fellow senior Dom Onofrio, who played second and third base. Onofrio received the No 'I' in Team Award from the Southern Connecticut Diamond Club, as well as North Haven's Rocci Ruggerio Award.
Junior center fielder Peyton Farina hit .412 to earn All-Quinnipiac, All-State, and a spot in the state's Junior Select All-Star Game. Junior catcher Kevin Lucey batted .338 and singled in the winning run when North Haven notched its walk-off win versus Avon in states. Lucey was presented with the Indians' Most Improved Player Award. Junior Luca Lawrence posted a 2.06 ERA and made the All-Quinnipiac Team. Lawrence pitched all 11 innings when North Haven beat Xavier on a hit by senior Craig Somma. Sophomore Matt Solomon drove in the winning run when the Indians recorded their 3-2, walk-off win against Platt in states.
Senior utility infielder Matt Iovanne received the Indians' Sportsmanship Award, senior pitcher/outfielder Tom Myjak was presented with the DeMayo Scholarship, senior infielder Alphonse Fusco won the John Calamita Scholarship, and senior catcher Jake Tantorski earned the Max Sinoway Little League Scholarship.
Coach DeMayo finished his 59th season as head coach with 884 career victories.
Softball
The Indians put together an excellent season that saw them go 20-5 overall, win the SCC Oronoque Division title, advance to the SCC Tournament semifinals, and then reach the quarterfinals of the Class L State Tournament.
North Haven's regular season featured a 13-game winning streak that included a 3-2 walk-off win versus Foran on a single by sophomore Olivia Peterson. Later in the year, the Indians posted a 2-1 walk-off victory against Lyman Hall when sophomore Caitlin Ranciato singled home the winning run. North Haven then edged Amity 6-5 on a walk-off hit by senior Carly VanDuesen. Head Coach Sally Maher's team went 17-3 overall and 7-1 in the Oronoque Division for the regular season.
The Indians opened the SCC Tournament by posting a 7-5 win over West Haven in the quarterfinals, before taking a 6-3, eight-inning loss to Guilford in the semis. Then in the Class L State Tournament, North Haven blanked Bunnell 15-0 in the first round as pitchers Lauren Card and freshman Eryn Sheeley combined to throw a no-hitter. The Indians then defeated Farmington 7-4 in the second round with Card earning her 17th win of the season. After that, North Haven lost a 2-0 contest versus Torrington in the quarterfinals.
Card made the All-SCC First Team. North Haven's senior captains were second baseman Ariana DelVecchio and first baseman/outfielder Anna Stowe.
Boys' Outdoor Track
Senior Omar Gebril finished his track career at North Haven High School like a champion by winning the 800 at the SCC Championship and taking first place in the 400 at the Class MM State Championship for the second year in a row.
Gebril placed first (2:01.84) in the 800 at the SCC West Sectional Championship, where he also finished second in the triple jump. Gebril then won the 800 at the SCC Championship with a time of 1:59.99. The following week, Gebril took first place in the 400 at the Class MM state meet for the second straight campaign by clocking in at 49.45. He went on to take 10th in the event at the State Open. Gebril's final competition as a member of the Indians was the CIAC Decathlon, where he racked up 4,995 points to finish in ninth place. As part of the decathlon, Gebril won the 400 in 51.25, marking the 12th postseason victory of his high school career between the indoor and outdoor seasons. He was selected to the
New Haven Register's All-Area Team.
Additionally for North Haven in the postseason, senior Josh Bryson claimed first place (16.07) in the 110 high hurdles at the Sectional Championship.
During the regular season, the Indians hit double-digit victories and won all four of their Oronoque Division contests to take the division title. Head Coach Steve Celmer's team then finished third at the sectional meet, 13th in SCCs, and 13th at states.
Girls' Outdoor Track
Sophomore Erica Marriott won the long jump at the West Sectional, SCC, and Class MM State championships this spring. Marriott advanced to the New England Championship in the event, with senior Sarah Vanacore doing so in the shot put. As a team, the Indians finished 11-2 overall and went 4-0 in the Oronoque Division to win the division title.
Marriott won both the 100 (12.36) and the long jump (17-0.75) at the SCC West Sectional Championship to help the Indians place third. Marriott followed that up by taking first (16-7) in the long jump at the SCC Championship, where North Haven finished fifth. Then the Class MM State Championship, Marriott reached 18-0.75 in the long jump to win the event at states for the second straight spring as North Haven finished in eighth. Marriott went on to finish fourth in the long jump at the State Open and New Englands.
Senior Sarah Vanacore won the shot put at sectionals for the second year in a row with a throw of 36-7. Vanacore then placed third at SCCs, second at states, and fourth at the State Open to qualify the New England Championship, where she came in 18th place.
Senior Elise Symon finished second in the 1,600 at the sectional meet for Head Coach Carl Jackson's team. At the SCC meet, sophomore Camille Sahirul placed third in the long jump.
Boys' Lacrosse
The Indians had another great year in which they posted a record of 13-2 during the regular season and then competed in the semifinals of both the SCC and Class M State tournaments. Head Coach Eric Bailey's team finished with an overall mark of 15-4.
North Haven pulled off a 12-11 win versus Cheshire by scoring twice in the last 13 seconds, getting the tying goal from junior Zack Orth and the winner from senior Bowen Brennan. Shortly after that, North Haven rattled off an eight-game win streak that included 6-5 victories over Southington and Notre Dame-West Haven.
In the SCC Tournament, the Indians dropped a 10-9 decision against Cheshire in the semifinals. Then in the Class M State Tournament, defeated Brookfield (9-4) and Pomperaug (14-7), before losing to Hand 7-4 in the semis.
The Indians' senior captains were midfielder Brennan, attacker PJ Saracino, and defenders Kyle Melillo and Max Sullivan. Senior Dustin Byrnes was North Haven's starting goalkeeper. Sullivan and Brennan earned All-SCC First Team accolades, while Saracino and junior midfielders Orth and Pecora made the Second Team. Saracino and Sullivan were selected to the Connecticut High School Coaches Association (CHSCA) Class M All-State First Team. Brennan was an Academic All-American who earned spots on the
New Haven Register All-Area Team and the CHSCA Class M All-State Second Team, while Pecora also made Register All-Area and Second Team All-State.
Girls' Lacrosse
North Haven went 9-6 for the regular season to earn a berth in the Class M State Tournament for the third consecutive year.
One of the biggest highlights came when the Indians defeated West Haven 10-9 in overtime on a goal by junior attacker Kylie Brandt after sophomore attacker Annie Uyeki had scored to tie the game. In the State Tournament, North Haven took a 20-5 loss to Lauralton Hall to finish 9-7.
North Haven's senior captains were Haley Murray and defenders Jess McInnis and Kiley Degrand. Senior Samantha Langner was the Indians' goalie. Brandt and Uyeki both made the All-SCC Second Team, while Uyeki also earned All-State Second Team honors for Head Coach Lois Frankforter's squad.
Girls' Tennis
North Haven enjoyed one of its best seasons in recent years by recording an overall mark of 18-5.
North Haven went 17-3 for the regular season to qualify for the playoffs for the eighth straight year with Head Coach Bob Migliorini. The Indians then earned a 4-3 win over Lauralton Hall in the SCC Tournament quarterfinals, before losing to Hand in the semis. In the Class M State Tournament, North Haven dropped a 4-3 decision against Guilford in the first round.
No. 1 singles player Julia Migliorini followed her fantastic freshman year with a sensational sophomore season by going 26-1 and winning every set until taking her lone defeat in the quarterfinals of the State Open. For the second straight year, Migliorini was named North Haven's Most Valuable Player, made the All-SCC Team, was chosen as the SCC Girls' Tennis Player of the Year, garnered All-State honors, and sealed a spot on the
New Haven Register All-Area Team. Migliorini was also selected as the Register's All-Area MVP.
No. 2 singles player Olivia Hoyt went 18-8 and qualified for the State Open. She also received Indians' Sportsmanship Award. Hoyt's sister and fellow senior Hillary Hoyt finished with a record of 22-1. Junior Rachel Petry went 18-3 at No. 4 singles and was selected as North Haven's Most Improved Player. The Indians' senior captains were Olivia Hoyt, No. 1 doubles player Nina Padro, and No. 2 doubles player Sejal Atluru.
Boys' Tennis
The Indians notched a record of 10-7 to qualify for the Class L State Championship for the fourth year in a row with Head Coach Don Hurley.
At the Class L meet, the tandem of senior captains Johannes Eisenberg and Jack Steinman won their first two matches of the doubles bracket. North Haven's duo of sophomore Quinn Dallai and senior Mike Gagliardi also posted a victory. Sophomore Nick Cristante netted a first-round win in the singles bracket, while junior Ryan Griffiths won a qualifying-round contest. Senior captain Billy Sgro and sophomore Max Petruzziello also played singles, and the team of juniors Matt Carroll and Riley Powell competed in doubles at states.
Eisenberg, who played both No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles throughout the season, was selected as North Haven's Most Valuable Player. Cristante was named the Indians' Most Improved Player, and Sgro received the team's Sportsmanship Award. Eisenberg also made the All-SCC
Division II Team for singles, with Carroll and Powell making it for doubles. Coach Hurley was selected as the SCC Coach of the Year.
Golf
North Haven finished with a record of 6-9-1 in its second season with Head Coach Daria Cummings, after which the Indians competed at the Division II State Championship.
Senior Matt Mezzano turned in North Haven's best showing at states by taking 41st place with a score of 84 that included two birdies. Sophomore Alex Kirtland and seniors Gianni Abate, Kameron DeMartin, and Steven Pugliese also hit the links for the Indians as the state meet, where North Haven placed 20th as a team. Senior Noah Garrison also competed for North Haven during the season.