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12/25/2017 11:00 PMThe 2017 spring season at Valley Regional saw the boys’ lacrosse team win its first Shoreline Conference title in program history. The Warriors’ softball squad saw a seven-win improvement from the previous year, while Bunny Logan coached her last match with the boys tennis squad following a 12-season tenure.
Boys’ Lacrosse
The Valley Regional boys’ lacrosse team put together its best season in program history during the spring of 2017 by finishing with a 15-5 record and winning the Shoreline Conference Tournament championship.
After squeaking into states in the two previous years, the Warriors’ spring season marked a seven-win improvement for Head Coach George Hudson’s squad. Valley wanted to make history, and the team did so by bringing the Shoreline Conference championship banner home to Deep River with a 10-6 win over Haddam-Killingworth in the tournament final. Valley had reached the title game by virtue a 16-4 rout against Old Lyme in the semis. After Shorelines, Valley competed in the Class S State Tournament and earned a 9-7 win over Morgan in the first round before losing to Ellington in the second round.
Several Warriors’ displayed their prowess on the field this spring, including senior captains Jonathan Brophy and Hunter LaPlace. Brophy earned the Warriors’ Most Valuable Player Award and All-State First Team recognition behind 56 goals and 14 assists. LaPlace was named to the All-Shoreline Conference First Team, the All-State Second Team, and garnered the team’s Coach’s Award. Senior captain goalkeeper Jacob Azzinaro was named the Warriors’ Defensive Player of the Year Award with his 235 saves, while fellow senior captain Ryan Davis earned the Warrior Award. Other All-Shoreline Conference First Team Award winners included Charlie Ferrucci and Soren Frantz.
Girls’ Lacrosse
The Warriors’ girls lacrosse team posted a 5-11 record this spring. Head Coach Cory Needleman’s squad made a move in the right direction as Valley earned as many wins as the team had in the last four seasons combined. Senior captain Brianna O’Brien and junior captains Kathryn Burr and Jaime Jaillet played pivotal roles for the Warriors. In addition, Alexandra Ruel was one of four sophomores in all of New England selected to play in the Brine National Lacrosse Classic. Rhyan Nedobity was Valley’s starting goalkeeper.
Softball
The Valley Regional softball team’s 2017 started off a little slow as the Warriors lot three of their first seven games, but then they went on a five-game win streak to make states following 12 contests. The Warriors posted a seven-win improvement over 2016 with a record of 13-9 and qualified for the Shoreline Conference Tournament, as well as the Class M State Tournament for the first time since 2014.
Head Coach Ken Wilson earned Shoreline Conference Coach of the Year as his squad saw an influx of young talent with four of the Warriors’ nine starters being freshmen, including pitcher Addy Bullis, who earned All-Shoreline Conference First Team honors and the Warriors’ Most Valuable Player Award. She struck out 157 batters and had an opposing batting average of .194, in addition to hitting .407 on 33 hits with 12 RBI. First-year player Abby Cunningham made the All-Shoreline Conference Second Team and won the Warriors’ Most Improved Player award after batting .490 on the season.
Baseball
The Warriors’ baseball team had a solid spring season that saw the team win 10 ballgames and make an appearance in the Class M State Tournament.
Valley Regional earned a signature victory when the Warriors beat an undefeated Morgan team by a 10-3 final on May 3. One week later, Valley punched its postseason ticket by notching a 7-1 victory over Coginchaug. Colin Sparaco was the winning pitcher for the Warriors in both victories.
Boys’ Tennis
The Valley Regional boys’ tennis team put together a solid 2017 spring campaign with a four-win improvement over last year, while once again qualifying for the Class S State Championship. In Head Coach Bunny Logan’s final season with the club following a 12-season run, the Warriors finished the year with a record of 13-7. Along the way, the Warriors earned their first victory against Old Lyme since 2011 by beating the Wildcats 4-3 on April 5.
No. 1 singles player Jeff Riggio finished the year with an overall record of 17-7 and was named the team’s Most Valuable Player, while receiving All-Shoreline Conference First Team honors. Senior captain Hal Jones earned the Warriors’ Sportsmanship Award at the No. 3 singles position. Fellow senior captain Ben Kilby won the Warriors’ Coach’s Award.
Girls’ Tennis
The Valley girls’ tennis team went 11-9 on the regular season this year. The Warriors also a earned spot in the Class S State Tournament.
Valley notched two wins against Portland, Morgan, East Hampton, and North Branford, and Haddam-Killingworth, while also defeating Cromwell. Valley lost to Coginchaug 4-3 in the qualifying round of the Class S State Tournament.
Boys’ Outdoor Track
The Warriors’ boys’ outdoor track squad earned a fourth-place finish as a team at the Shoreline Conference Championship meet. Jason O’Brien claimed first place in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles by clocking in 42.10 seconds. He also finished first in the long jump at 20 feet-5.25 inches, took second in the triple jump with 40-4.5, and placed third in the 110-meter high hurdles with a mark of 16.38 seconds.
Nick Braga was first in the 100-meter dash at 11.48 and grabbed fourth in the 200 with a time of 24.08. Travis Baldwin placed first in the pole vault with a height of 13 feet. Valley’s 4x100 relay of Ryan Santos, Alex Lepore, Andrew Ferguson, and Braga finished second at 45.41 seconds. Lepore finished fourth in triple jump at 38-9. In the high jump, junior Josh Donahue placed fifth by clearing 5 feet-6 inches.
At the Class M State Championship, Baldwin cleared 12 feet and finished in second place for the Warriors. Head Coach Tim King’s team sent a 4x100 relay quartet of Alexander Lepore, Andrew Ferguson, Ryan Santos and Nick Braga that finished ninth with a time of 45.80 seconds.
Additionally, Baldwin represented the Warriors’ at the CIAC Decathlon, competing in the 100-meter dash, the high jump, the 400-meter run, the long jump, and the shot put.
Girls’ Outdoor Track
The Valley Regional girls’ outdoor track team finished in seventh place at the Shoreline Conference Championship this spring. Earning points for Head Coach Chris Allegretti’s squad were Maleena Frazier with second place in the 300-meter hurdles at 48.70 seconds. She also took fifth in the high jump at 4 feet-6 inches and was sixth in the 100 high hurdles with a time of 17.27. Libby Spitszchuh finished second in the 100-meter dash at 13.08, was fifth in the 200 at 28.10, and placed 10th in the long jump at 15-1.5. Sydney Suedemeier finished fourth in the long jump by leaping 15-9.5. In the 3,200, Addie Byars claimed fifth at 2:25.03. Haley Hammen finished sixth in the 300 hurdles at 51.04, while Bonnie Caulfield placed sixth in javelin with a throw of 92 feet. The quartet of Jillian Ockem, Maya Whitcomb, Francesca Daniels, and Spitzschuh finished eighth in the 4x100 relay at 54.04.
At the Class M State Championship, Valley was represented by Frazier, Spitzschuh, Byars, Caulfield, Hammen, and Seudmeier, as well as the 4x100 relay team of Ocken, Whitcomb, Daniels, and Spitzschuh.
Additionally, Frazier and Suedmeier competed on behalf of the Warriors at the CIAC Heptathlon. Frazier recorded top-10 finishes with sixth in the 800-meter run at 2:32.82 and sixth in the high jump with a height of 4 feet-10.25 inches. Frazier’s other events included the 100-meter hurdles, the long jump, the 200-meter run, and the shot put. Suedmeier competed in four events: the 100-meter hurdles, the high jump, the shot put, and the 200. Byars represented the Warriors by running in the 2,000-meter steeplechase.
Crew
Valley Regional crew competed in its first season as a full-fledged program this spring. With their own brand-new equipment in tow, Head Coach John Laundon and his crew finished fourth for the Perry Trophy in the Connecticut Public Schools Rowing Association’s championship. Valley also competed in several New England Interscholastic Rowing Association regattas this year. Liza Miezejeski was the senior captain for the Warriors.
Golf
The Warriors’ golf squad earned wins against Hale-Ray, East Hampton, and North Branford on the season. Valley then finished in 10th place in the Shoreline Conference after taking part in the Shoreline Conference Championship. The Warriors’ head coach was David Sparrow.