Printer Friendly Version - 2017 Branford Hornets Winter Year in Review

The Branford dance team had its best season in program history during the winter of 2017. The Hornets’ hip-hop and jazz squads both reached the finals at nationals and then claimed first place at states and the New England regionals. Pictured from the team are (front row) Coach Megan Palluzzi, Sophia Smith, Lauren Driscoll, Hailey LaBonte, and Coach Jacqui Montano; (middle row) Hannah Antonino, Melissa Brennan, Johnna Palmese, Samantha Esposito, Bella Petrosino, and Lily Milici; (back row) Casey Allen, Rachel LaBonte, Juliana Robinson, Jenna Juliana, Olivia Vitale, and Chloe Lourenco-Lang. Photo courtesy of Bruce Pantani

The winter of 2017 was filled with many milestones on the Hornets' sports circuit. The Branford dance team added to its stockpile of titles during its best season yet, and Corey Gambardella broke the state record in the 100 butterfly at the State Open Championship. Boys' basketball Head Coach Jake Palluzzi earned his 300th win in his last year, while Chris Bonagiuso finished his tenure as head coach of the wrestling team.

The Branford dance team carried on its championship legacy this winter, while also making program history. For the first time in the same season, the Hornets sent both their hip-hop and jazz teams to the finals at nationals and then saw each squad take first place at the State Championship, as well as the New England Championship.

Branford went up against 85 teams at the Universal Dance Association National Dance Team Championship in Orlando, Florida. The Hornets competed in the Small Varsity Division for jazz and hip-hop, posting a 12th-place finish in the hip-hop competition and 15th for jazz. It was the first time the Hornets made the finals for jazz in the Small Varsity Division at nationals and the second straight year they reached the finals for hip-hop.

Three weeks later, the Hornets hit the floor for the State Championship and claimed first place in the Hip-Hop and Jazz divisions for the third consecutive campaign. Branford's hip-hop title came in the Small Varsity Division, while jazz took first in the Large Varsity Division. Branford has now won a hip-hop title at states in 10 of the last 11 years and in jazz five times in the past eight years.

After that, the Hornets captured victory in the Hip-Hop and Jazz divisions for the first time at the New England Championship. The Hornets have now taken first for hip-hop in four of the last five years and won for jazz in two of the last three at regionals.

Branford's roster was comprised of senior captains Lauren Driscoll and Sophia Smith, along with fellow senior Hailey LaBonte; junior Melissa Brennan; sophomores Casey Allen, Hannah Antonino, Jenna Juliano, Rachel LaBonte, Chloe Lourenco-Lang, and Lily Milici; and freshmen Samantha Esposito, Johnna Palmese, Bella Petrosino, Juliana Robinson, and Olivia Vitale. The Hornets were coached by Jacqui Montano and Megan Palluzzi.

Corey Gambardella capped his career with the Branford-Guilford (Bfd-Gfd) boys' swimming and diving team by winning two events at the SCC Championship and then winning the 100-yard butterfly at both the Class LL and State Open championships, while recording the fastest time in state history at the Open. During the regular season, Head Coach Ray Beaulac's club picked up a victory when the Hornets defeated Foran 92-69.

Gambardella, a longtime member of the Soundview YMCA Stingrays who was a senior at Guilford High School, prevailed in the 200 individual medley (1:55.21) and the 100 freestyle (47.80) to earn two All-SCC nods and help Bfd-Gfd finish ninth at the SCC Championship. It was the second year in a row Gambardella won the 200 IM at SCCs and his fourth overall victory at the meet. Gambardella followed up that performance by taking first in the 100 butterfly (49.08) at the Class LL State Championship, and he also came in second for the 200 free to make All-State in both events, helping the Hornets place 12th.

Five days later, Gambardella swam both events at the State Open and prevailed in the butterfly with a state-record time of 48.14 seconds, eclipsing the mark of 48.32 for the fastest time in the history of Connecticut high school swimming in the event. He also finished third in the 200 freestyle. Additionally, Branford's 400 freestyle relay of senior Aleandro Hanaj, freshman Aidan Henry, senior Alek Karosas, and Gambardella qualified for the State Open and came in 16th place. Gambardella was named to the New Haven Register's All-Area Team.

Jake Palluzzi achieved a huge feat in his final campaign as head coach of the Branford boys' basketball team. On Feb. 7, Palluzzi earned his 300th victory with the Hornets when they defeated Foran 45-40 at home. Palluzzi, a program alum who coached Branford for 29 years, finished his tenure as Hornets' coach with 302 wins.

Branford went 9-11 for the regular season and qualified for the SCC and Class L State tournaments. In the SCC tourney, the Hornets took a 60-39 defeat at Amity. Then in states, Branford dropped a 66-43 contest at Bethel.

Senior captain Jake Sullivan earned All-SCC Second Team accolades and was also Honorable Mention for the New Haven Register's All-State Team.

Branford finished 5-15 for the regular season, after which Head Coach Justin Henry's club took a 76-57 loss at Pomperaug in the Class L State Tournament.

The Hornets' senior captains were Adrienne DiGioia and Gabriella Piscitelli. DiGioia earned spots on the All-SCC First Team, the

New Haven Register All-Area Team, and the Connecticut High School Coaches Association (CHSCA) Class L All-State Team, in addition to garnering Register All-State Honorable Mention.

Branford welcomed a new head coach in former assistant Jim DiNapoli, whose club finished with a record of 12-9-1. The Hornets earned a 3-1 win versus Westhill-Stamford in the first round of the Division II State Tournament before taking a 5-0 loss to Pomperaug.

Senior captain center Scott Klouda solidified spots on the All-SCC/SWC Division II First Team, the CHSCA All-State Division II Second Team, and the

New Haven Register All-State Third Team. Senior goalie Justin Edwards earned All-SCC/SWC Division II Second Team honors.

In the team's first season as the Wings, the Branford-East Haven-North Branford girls' ice hockey squad finished 8-11-1.

East Haven resident Julia SanGiovanni, a junior goalkeeper, made the All-SCC First Team and was also an All-State honoree for Head Coach Jack Norton's squad. Junior Emmy Norton, a North Branford resident, earned All-SCC Second Team distinction.

The Hornets recorded great several great finishes as a co-ed team and qualified for the New England Championship for the first time since 2011.

Branford began its postseason by finishing in second place in the Co-ed Division at the SCC championship. After that, Head Coach Melissa Mansi's squad notched a second-place finish at the Co-ed State Championship. As a result of their runner-up performance, the Hornets earned a berth to compete at the New England Championship, where they placed in the top 10.

Amanda Acquarulo and fellow senior captain Addison Ferrara both made the All-SCC Team, in addition to earning spots on the Class L All-State Team. Freshman Rachel Rustemeyer was also an All-SCC and All-State honoree, while junior Charles Longway made the All-SCC Team.

After coaching the team for 12 years, Chris Bonagiuso stepped down as head coach of the Hornets following the 2016-'17 season. Branford finished at 9-17, placed seventh at the SCC Championship, and 12th at the Class M State Championship.

Senior captain Noah Pantani picked up his 100th career victory when he defeated an opponent from Platt on Dec. 31. Pantani went on to finish third in the 120-pound weight class at the Class M meet to advance to the State Open, where he won a pair of bouts. Junior teammate Zach Cash earned All-SCC honors by taking second place in the 152 weight class at the Conference Championship. Cash then placed second at states and claimed two victories at the State Open.

Fellow junior Kyle Zalewski finished third in the 220 class at SCCs, fifth in Class M, an won two matches in the Open. Senior captain HyunJin Lim came in fourth place in the 195-pound weight class at the SCC Championship.

Junior Bridget Wirtz recorded a pair of postseason victories in the pole vault and also broke the school record in the event, while sophomore Liante Claude broke the school record in the 600.

Wirtz broke Branford's pole vault record by winning the event with a height of 11 feet-6 inches at the SCC West Sectional Championship to help Head Coach Kevin Connell's squad finish fifth. She later came back to clear 10-6 and win the vault at the SCC Championship to tie the meet record and make the All-SCC First Team. Wirtz went on to take second at the Class M State Championship and finish fifth at the State Open. She was a New Haven Register All-Area selection.

Claude broke the school record in the 600 by running a time of 1:42.61 with her second-place performance at the Sectional Championship, where she also placed second in the 300. Claude then re-broke her own record with a mark of 1:42.30 to finish second at the SCC Championship for All-SCC Second Team honors.

Head Coach Kevin Connell's squad finished fifth at the SCC West Sectional Championship, 10th at the SCC Championship, and 12th for the Class M State Championship.

The Hornets' season was highlighted by a couple of record-breaking performances from their 1,600-meter sprint medley relay team.

Branford's quartet of sophomores Matt Alexander, Carlos McCaay, Aidan Kropiwnicki, and Marzio Mastroianni ran a time of 3:48.72 at the SCC Championship to take third place and break the school record. One week later, the group broke their record behind a time of 3:48.36 for a fourth-place finish at the Class MM Championship. After that, they timed in at 3:47.17 at the State Open Championship to take fourth place and break their school record one final time.

As a team, Branford finished eight at sectionals, 14th in SCCs, and 23rd at states. Earlier in the postseason, Kropiwnicki claimed first place in the 600 at the SCC Novice Meet for Head Coach Rich Biondi's squad.

Corey Gambardella went out in style as a member of the Branford-Guilford boys’ swimming diving team this year. Gambardella won two events at the SCC Championship and then took first place in the 100 butterfly at the Class LL State Championship, after which the senior won the butterfly at the State Open, while setting the state record in the event. Photo by Kelley Fryer/The Sound

Jake Palluzzi recorded win No. 300 as head coach of the Hornets’ boys’ basketball squad in his final campaign at the helm of the team. Pictured celebrating after this historic win are Branford athletes Trevor Brown, Mike White, Matt Judd, and Damien Maniscalco, along with Palluzzi. Photo courtesy of Bill O’Brien

Adrienne DiGioia finished her career with the Branford girls’ basketball squad by having a great senior season that included a spot on the Connecticut High School Coaches Association’s Class L All-State Team. Photo by Kelley Fryer/The Sound