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12/26/2017 11:00 PMThe 2017 fall season was an eventful one at Valley Regional. The Warriors’ football team made a return trip to the playoffs, the volleyball squad had its most successful season in decades, while the field hockey team reached the league final for the second consecutive season. In other news, both Warriors’ soccer squads clinched playoff berths this fall.
Football
The Valley Regional-Old Lyme football team won its last six regular-season games to go 9-1 and earn its sixth postseason berth in eight years by placing sixth in the Class S State Playoff rankings. The Warriors then took a 34-21 loss to Rocky Hill in the Class S quarterfinals to finish with an overall record of 9-2. Head Coach Tim King’s squad also went 7-1 in the Pequot League’s Sassacus Division to win the title.
After losing to Old Saybrook-Westbrook on Oct. 6, the Warriors’ backs were against the wall for the rest of the season, knowing that another loss would cost them a playoff spot. Valley-Old Lyme won out the rest of the season, including a wild 34-28 overtime victory against an undefeated Cromwell-Portland team to remain in the playoff hunt, winning it when senior quarterback Mike Cullina threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to junior Jason O’Brien. The Warriors sealed their playoff berth by earning a 22-7 win over Haddam-Killingworth in the teams’ annual battle for the Principal’s Cup.
Several players had standout years for the Warriors, including Cullina, who passed for 2,279 yards and 22 touchdowns to make the All-Pequot Sassacus Team at quarterback. One of Cullina’s chief targets was Ernest Jean-Pierre, who led the team with 683 receiving yards and received All-Division honors as a receiver, in addition to Connecticut High School Coaches Association (CHSCA) All-State Class S honors at defensive back. The offensive line provided Cullina with time to operate, including Ian Neviaser, who made the All-Division team and the CHSCA All-State Class S Team. Additionally, Cole Hamparian was named All-Division First Team as a member of the defensive line, while Blair Allen went All-Sassacus as a flex player. Jacob Kruszewski earned All-Pequot Sassacus Division honors at defensive back and also received the Teddy Netcoh Award from the Pequot League.
The Warriors’ wins this year came against Ellington (33-7), Morgan (48-7), Coginchaug/Hale-Ray (41-13), Nonnewaug (48-0), North Branford (23-0), Cromwell-Portland (34-28 in overtime), Rockville (28-6), Lewis Mills (35-3), and Haddam-Killingworth (22-7). With the exception of Rockville and Lewis Mills, these were all Pequot League Sassacus Division games.
Volleyball
The Valley Regional volleyball squad netted an overall record of 20-5 this year, while earning berths in both the Shoreline Conference and Class M State tournaments.
In the Shoreline Tournament, Valley defeated Hale-Ray 3-0 in the semifinals before dropping a 3-1 decision to Haddam-Killingworth in the championship game. For states, Valley opened with a 3-0 win over Bulkeley and then edged out Waterford by a 3-2 score in the second round. The Warriors faced H-K in the quarterfinals and took a 3-1 defeat. Still, the 2017 season marked one of the most successful campaigns for Warriors’ volleyball in recent memory.
Senior captain hitter Jessica Paholski had 301 kills on the year, was selected as the Shoreline Conference co-Player of the Year, and was named Valley’s first CIAC Senior All-Star in volleyball. Electra Cassells supplied 179 kills on the season, fellow senior captain Hannah Clark had 635 assists, and senior libero Alex Figuenick led the team in digs with 340.
Girls’ Cross Country
The Valley girls’ cross country squad finished in ninth place at the Shoreline Conference Championship, led by the strong showing of Addie Byars, who finished in sixth place with a time of 21 minutes and 30 seconds to garner All-Shoreline Conference First Team honors. The rest of the Warriors’ pack featured Caitlyn Bogan, Lacey Hall, Audrey Lenda, Charlotte Norling, and Hanna Babek.
Boys’ Cross Country
The Warriors’ boys’ cross country team finished in seventh place at the Shoreline Conference Championship. Jason Montecalvo recorded the highest place for Valley by finishing 10th with a time of 18 minutes and 30 seconds, and he received All-Shoreline Conference First Team as a result. Also running for Valley were Macklin Miezejeski, Peter Halsey, Josh Arnum, Liam Miller, Sean Davis, and Marcus SantaMaria.
Girls’ Swimming and Diving
Old Lyme-Valley Regional (OL-VR) girls’ swimming and diving sent several athletes to the Class M State Championship and finished in 15th place at the meet.
OL-VR’s 200 medley relay of Kim Berardis, Kayleigh O’Donnell, Lily Cox, and Connie Pan swam a time of 2:04.36 to take fifth place. Pan also finished sixth in the 500 freestyle (25.71) and was seventh for the 100 freestyle (56.09). O’Donnell posted a 10th-place showing in the 100 breaststroke behind a time of 1:12.16. She also finished 15th in the 200 individual medley at 2:25.71.
OL-VR’s 400 freestyle relay of Cox, Berardis, O’Donnell, and Pan placed 14th with a mark of 4:05.97. Berardis also finished 19th in the 100 backstroke at 1:08.05 for VR-OL. Cox placed 20th in the 200 freestyle (2:07.54) and was 21st for the 500 freestyle with a 5:43.93.
Britney Detuzzi competed for VR-OL at the Class M Diving State Championship and finished in 24th place by scoring 181.40 points.
Field Hockey
The Warriors’ field hockey team finished the fall season with an overall record of 10-4-3-1 after making it to the Shoreline Conference Tournament final for the second straight year and qualifying for the Class S State Tournament.
In Shorelines, Head Coach Beth Powers’s squad earned a 2-1 win in overtime against the Knights when Riley Millburne tipped in a shot from senior captain Emily Peterson off a penalty corner. Facing North Branford in the final, the Warriors scored the first goal of the game before the Thunderbirds tied it and went on to win by a 2-1 score in overtime. The Warriors later took a 2-0 loss to Canton in the first round of states. Among the other key contributors for Valley this year were Annie Cooper, Olivia Kohlmer, and goalie Mia Cost.
Boys’ Soccer
The Warriors’ boys’ soccer team posted a solid 2017 season that saw the team finish in a three-way tie for second place in the Shoreline Conference and ultimately post an overall record of 11-6-2. Head Coach Mick Fearon’s squad went on to defeat Coginchaug 6-3 in the Shoreline quarterfinals before losing to eventual co-champion Haddam-Killingworth in the semis. The Warriors also qualified for the Class M State Tournament this year, where they took a first-round loss to Tolland.
Looming large in the Warriors’ success this season was the play of senior captain Adrian Sperzel, who scored nine goals and had four assists en route to an All-Shoreline Conference First Team selection. Additionally, Chris Cook earned All-Shoreline Second Team honors, along with Valley’s Coach’s Award, and sophomore Cameron Frazier was named an All-Shoreline Honorable Mention. Other players who garnered All-Conference honors were Michael Dilger (Second Team) with his 10 goals and six assists and Sean Cole (Honorable Mention). Fellow key contributors included senior Charlie Ferrucci with seven goals and five assists, plus Dan Hearn, who received the Warriors’ Most Improved Player Award. Goalie Charles Haughton received the Warrior Award this year, while vice captain Kevin Baldwin was presented with Valley’s Sportsmanship Award.
Girls’ Soccer
Despite dealing with injuries to several key players, the Valley Regional girls’ soccer squad put together a respectable season that featured four wins, six ties, and a berth in the Class M State Tournament in Head Coach Lloyd Warren’s second year at the helm. Valley earned victories against Fitch, Westbrook, Coginchaug, and Plainfield. The Warriors tied Cromwell twice and also gained ties against Haddam-Killingworth, Old Saybrook, Morgan, Portland, and North Branford.
Senior captain Sydney Suedemier netted three goals in three games late in the season and was named to the All-Shoreline Conference Second Team. Junior Lauren Salbinski also put together a solid year on her way to earning All-Shoreline Conference Honorable Mention.