Printer Friendly Version - Russell Earns 100th Win with East Haven Girls’ Hoops; Hockey Squads Both Take Two

Alexis Pendziwater was on from three-point range last week as the Easties won two games to improve to 7-1 this year. On Jan. 6, Anthony Russell picked up win No. 100 as head coach of the program when East Haven defeated Branford 67-39. Photo by Kelley Fryer/The Courier

The East Haven girls’ basketball team had a big week last week as the Yellowjackets won two of their three contests to improve to 7-1, while Head Coach Anthony Russell earned his 100th career victory with the program. The Easties, who defeated Foran, lost to New London, and then beat Branford, are already just one win away from qualifying for the SCC and State tournaments this year.

East Haven started the week against Foran on Jan. 2 and came away with a 73-40 victory. East Haven connected on 12 three-pointers in the win. Makenzie Helms scored a game-high 17 points, Alexis Pendziwater scored 16, and Kylie Schlottman finished with 14 points. Haley Montesanto added nine points, Marley Herard scored eight, and Taylor Salato scored seven in the lopsided win.

The next day, East Haven took its first loss of the season with a 69-55 defeat against defending Class LL champion New London. Pendziwater hit five three-pointers on her way to a team-high 17 points, while Schlottman and Helms scored 14 points apiece.

On Jan. 6, East Haven took on Branford and sailed to a 67-39 victory to give Coach Russell his 100th victory on the bench. Pendziwater connected on seven three-pointers to score 21 points, and Schlottman added 19 for the Yellowjackets. Helms added 12 points to help Russell get his milestone victory.

East Haven played a pair of tight games last week, winning one and losing to put its record at 3-2 this season. The Yellowjackets took a tough loss to Guilford, before rebounding with a victory versus rival Branford.

East Haven faced Guilford on Jan. 2 and took a 73-70 defeat in double overtime. In the second overtime period, the teams were knotted at 70 when Guilford’s Ian Slattery drilled a three-pointer at the buzzer to win it for the Indians. East Haven held an early lead after scoring 19 first-quarter points, but allowed the Indians to claw their way back. Guilford outscored East Haven 18-9 in the fourth quarter to force overtime with a score of 60-60. Both teams scored six points in the first overtime period and then seemed destined for a third OT until Slattery hit the game game-winning basket. Ed Popolizio led all scorers with 28 points, while Ryan Spano scored 18 points for the Yellowjackets. East Haven made three-point field goals on the night.

East Haven came back by earning a narrow 43-41 victory at Branford on Jan. 6. After Popolizio hit a pair of free throws to give the Easties the lead in the final seconds, Damien Maniscalco’s three-point attempt was no good for Branford, and the Yellowjackets hung on for the win. Popolizio led the way in this one with 16 points.

The Yellowjackets’ boys’ ice hockey team posted its first two victories as a co-op squad, while improving its record to 2-2-1 for the season. East Haven-Old Lyme-Old Saybrook-East Hampton shut out Staples and then defeated Cheshire in overtime to even its record this season.

In their home opener, the Easties powered to a 4-0 victory against Staples on Jan. 3. After a scoreless first period, Matt Henderson scored the game’s first goal late in the second period to give East Haven the lead heading into the third. In the final frame, CJ Teto scored a pair of goals, while Henderson netted his second of the game to give the Yellowjackets the win. Matt Twarowski recorded 27 saves in a shutout effort in net for East Haven.

The Yellowjackets followed that up by notching a 3-2 overtime victory over Cheshire on their home ice at DiLungo Rink on Jan. 6. Zach Paquin and Dave Amatruda scored in regulation for the Easties, and then Alec Speirs found the back of the net in overtime to give the team the victory. Twarowski made 21 saves.

The Branford-East Haven-North Branford (Bfd-EH-NB) girls’ ice hockey squad was on the ice for two home recent contests and won both of them to stand with a record of 5-2. The Wings defeated Guilford and Hand-Coginchaug-Old Lyme (H-C-OL) in its last two games.

On Jan. 3, Bfd-EH-NB hosted Guilford for a SCC South Division game at DiLungo Rink in East Haven and recorded a 6-3 victory. East Haven resident Julianna Constantinople had a huge night by netting five goals, while North Branford’s Emmy Norton also found the back of the net for the Wings.

Three nights after that, the Wings were back home to face another divisional opponent and in H-C-OL and won by a 2-1 score. North Branford student Emilie Wilkinson scored the Wings’ first goal in the second period, and then Constantinople broke a 1-1 tie by netting the game-winner in the third on an assist by Norton. East Haven’s Julia SanGiovanni made 31 saves to pick up the win in net for the Wings.

The Yellowjackets hosted the East Haven Duals on Jan. 6 and finished in second place at the meet, losing in the championship match to Foran by a 46-26 score.

For East Haven, Victor Garcia won by a 16-1 technical fall in the 113-pound weight class, Connor Gontarz won via pin at 4:53 at 138, Josh Rao won by pin at 27 seconds in the 182 class, and Armando Cascandella won via pin in 36 seconds at 285.

In the other matchups at the duals, East Haven topped St. Bernard (66-16), Newton (57-15), and Waterford 38-35 on its way to reaching the final.

Matt Henderson scored a pair of goals when the Yellowjackets netted their first win of the winter by blanking Staples 4-0. Photo by Kelley Fryer/The Courier