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10/29/2018 12:00 AMFootball
The East Haven football team bounced back from its first loss of the season by posting a convincing 51-30 home victory versus Wilbur Cross on Oct. 26. The Yellowjackets boosted their record to 6-1 on the year with the win.
Senior captain Ryan Cordova had a huge game for East Haven by rushing for 220 yards and five touchdowns on 23 carries. Junior quarterback Tanner DiVito also scored a touchdown on the ground for the Yellowjackets, who saw senior Evan Damian kick three field goals to go with six extra points.
Damian booted a 27-yard field goal to give the Easties a 3-0 lead after the first quarter and then hit one from 21 yards out to make it 6-0 early in the second. The two teams then traded touchdowns throughout the rest of the first half. After Cross tied the game on a 78-yard touchdown run by Jasiah Barnes, Cordova ran in a 3-yard score for East Haven. Barnes followed with a 76-TD run, but the Yellowjackets responded by going on a drive that culminated with Cordova’s 1-yard touchdown plunge for a 20-12 advantage. Damian kicked a 39-yard field goal for East Haven, after which Cross’s Tony Coleman sprinted for a touchdown on a 94-yard kickoff return to cut the deficit to 23-18 at the half.
Barnes scored on an 80-yard run shortly after halftime, but the Yellowjackets came back with four straight TDs to break the game open. Cordova rushed for a 1-yard touchdown, a 46-yard touchdown, and another 1-yard touchdown, before DiVito’s 1-yard TD run put the game away.
East Haven will hit the road for a non-conference matchup against Coginchaug/Hale-Ray/East Hampton (3-4) at Coginchaug High School in Durham at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3. The Yellowjackets are currently in the No. 7 spot for the Class M State Playoff rankings in which the top eight teams qualify.
Volleyball
After finishing its regular season with a pair of wins, East Haven kicked off the SCC Tournament by claiming a first-round victory versus Lauralton Hall last week.
East Haven earned the No. 6 seed in the SCC Tournament and hosted No. 11 Lauralton Hall on Oct. 27. The Yellowjackets defeated the Crusaders 3-0 (25-7, 25-19, 25-14) to advance to face Amity in the quarterfinal round. Diana Kalman had 12 kills, while fellow senior captain Megan Roberts finished with eight digs and three aces. Junior Samantha Schlottman added four kills and two blocks to help East Haven improve its record to 13-6.
Previously, the Yellowjackets wrapped up their regular season by notching victories over Branford and Woodland. East Haven beat Branford by a 3-0 final on Oct. 22, before topping Woodland 3-0 (20-25, 25-16, 19-25, 27-25, 19-17) two days later. In the win against Woodland, Kalman finished with 15 kills and five aces, Roberts had 13 digs and three aces, and junior Bella Ragaini handed out 38 assists to go with six digs.
The Yellowjackets will play at No. 3 seed Amity in the SCC Tournament quarterfinals at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 30. With a win, East Haven would face the winner of No. 2 Shelton and No. 10 Hamden in the SCC semis on Thursday, Nov. 1. The SCC final takes place at East Haven High School at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3. After SCCs, Head Coach Craig Brown’s squad will compete in the Class L State Tournament that begins on Monday, Nov. 5.
Girls’ Soccer
The Yellowjackets split their final two games of the regular season to finish it with a record of 7-6-3. East Haven opens play in states this week.
East Haven hosted Career-Hillhouse on Senior Night and posted a 4-0 victory on Oct. 23. Senior Jenna Pane turned in a memorable performance by recording a hat trick in the victory. Senior Ali Szewz also found the back of the net to go with an assist. Sophomore Isabella Pilato and senior Victoria Meeker had one assist apiece for the Yellowjackets, who saw senior Kelly Wysocki make six saves to record the shutout.
The next day, East Haven dropped a 3-1 decision in North Branford. Freshman Emma Szewc netted the Yellowjackets’ goal on an assist from Pane.
Head Coach Jake Hackett’s squad will next compete in the Class L State Tournament that begins on Monday, Nov. 5.
Boys’ Soccer
East Haven completed its 2018 season by taking a pair of losses last week.
On Oct. 22, the Yellowjackets hosted Sheehan on Senior Night and took an 11-1 defeat. Junior Alejandro Sanchez scored East Haven’s goal in the contest.
Following that game, the Easties dropped a 7-0 decision at Amity on Oct. 25. East Haven finished the year with a record of 0-15-1.
Girls’ Swimming and Diving
The Yellowjackets finished their regular season last week and saw several swimmers post personal-best marks as the postseason approaches.
On Oct. 23, East Haven-Wilbur Cross took a 97-81 defeat at West Haven. Freshman Norah Rome and sophomore JJ Kim both won a pair of events for the Easties. Rome took first in the 200 freestyle at 2:01.87 and also won the 500 freestyle in 5:17.99. Kim was victorious in the 100 butterfly (1:04.15) and the 100 backstroke (1:05.46). East Haven’s other individual victory came from sophomore Alora McCarroll in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:20.13.
The Yellowjackets also won a pair of relay events at the meet. The 400 freestyle relay of junior Syreena Melendez, Rome, McCarroll, and Kim took first place in 4:04.53. The 200 medley relay team featuring those same four athletes was victorious with a time of 2:04.41.
Other solid results for the Easties came from McCarroll in the 200 individual medley (2nd, 2:33.02), Melendez in the 200 individual medley (3rd, 2:39.44) and 500 freestyle (4th, 6:19.27), senior Krissa Flores in the 50 freestyle (3rd, 34.23), junior Becca Flynn in the 50 freestyle (5th, 35.48) and 100 freestyle (3rd, 1:18.12), and freshman Sophia Cumelar in the 200 freestyle (5th, 2:42.39).
The team also received quality performances junior Alaiana Robert in the 100 butterfly (5th, 1:34.27), freshman Shea McNamera in the 100 freestyle (5th, 1:23.93), sophomore Angelica Blaze in the 100 backstroke (3rd, 1:19.14), freshman Mackenzie Noyes in the 100 breaststroke (2nd, 1:37.22), and freshman Erin Molster in the 100 breaststroke (3rd, 2:03.02).
This week, the Yellowjackets will be competing in the SCC Championship that takes place at Southern Connecticut State University on Thursday, Nov. 1 at 6 p.m.
Girls’ Cross Country
The Yellowjackets competed at the Class MM State Championship and finished in 21st place at Wickham Park on Oct. 26.
East Haven’s five runners at the state meet were senior Caitlin Brockett (95th, 24:34), sophomore Nicole Pendziwater (100th, 24:42), junior Rebecca Albert (139th, 30:01), junior Andreina Magana (143rd, 30:37), and junior Riya Patel (145th, 31:20).
Boys’ Cross Country
East Haven sent three runners to last week’s Class MM State Championship.
Senior Zach Valles (138th, 21:07), sophomore Jeff Maffeo (152nd, 21:40), and senior Giro Esposito (164th, 23:32) competed for the Yellowjackets at the meet.