Printer Friendly Version - East Haven Girls’ Hoops Takes Two to Start Season

East Haven senior guard Makenzie Helms and the East Haven girls’ basketball team began their state title defense by notching lopsided victories against Hand and Career during the opening week of the season. Photo by Catherine Avalone/The Courier

The East Haven girls’ basketball team is coming off of its best season in program history after winning the Class M state championship a season ago. The Yellowjackets got out to the start they were looking for this winter by defeating a pair of difficult Southern Connecticut Conference opponents during the first week of action for an early mark of 2-0.

East Haven opened the season by posting a 59-37 victory over Hand at home on Dec. 11. The Yellowjackets turned in an excellent defensive performance to defeat the Tigers. East Haven led 43-35 entering the fourth quarter, when the Yellowjackets bottled up Hand’s offense by holding the Tigers to just two points in the final frame. Senior Makenzie Helms, who recently signed to play Division I basketball at the University of Nebraska, had a big game for East Haven by scoring 12 points to go with 10 rebounds and eight assists. Sophomore forward Taylor Salato led the Easties in scoring with 19 points, and she also grabbed seven rebounds. Senior forward Alannah Doheny added 11 points, sophomore guard Erin Curran finished with six points and seven assists, while junior guard Alexis Pendziwater had three points and five assists.

The Yellowjackets followed up their win against Hand by notching a decisive 53-33 victory over Career on Dec. 14. The game marked the first time these two teams met since East Haven defeated Career 49-47 in last year’s Class M state final. In this game, the Yellowjackets and Panthers were knotted in a 6-6 tie after the first quarter, before East Haven went off for 19 points in the second to take a 25-14 lead into the break. The Easties kept the momentum on their side the rest of the way en route to the 20-point victory. Helms finished with 20 points, while Pendziwater added 10 points for the Yellowjackets. Sophomore forward Angelina Munoz scored six points, junior guard Bella Ragaini had five points, and freshman guard Kate Pycela also scored five in the victory.

East Haven started off its season by earning a 57-40 home win versus Foran on Dec. 15. Sophomore guard Ian Reynolds led the charge for the Yellowjackets by scoring 18 points, including five three-point shots. Senior forward Nate Furino recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while fellow senior forward Jason Gieparda scored 11 points in the victory.

The Yellowjackets’ boys’ ice hockey team is once again joining forces with a few local high schools to form a co-op squad this winter. East Haven is teaming up with Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, East Hampton, Morgan, and Valley Regional for the 2018-’19 campaign. The team split its first two games of the year to start off 1-1.

On Dec. 12, the Yellowjackets defeated New Milford by a 3-2 score. Sophomore Dave Amatruda had a hand in all three goals for East Haven, including the game-winning goal in the third period. East Haven had netted a pair of scores during the second period as Amatruda assisted goals by sophomore Cori Benni and junior Alec Speirs. Junior goalie Logan Hamilton had the assist on Amatruda’s goal in the third period and finished the game with 25 saves to earn the victory in net.

Three days later, the Yellowjackets took a 7-3 loss against Farmington Valley. Amatruda, Benni, and freshman Mike Robert scored goals for the Easties, who finished the game with 36 shots on goal.

East Haven earned a 41-24 road win against Hand in their season opener on Dec. 12. The Yellowjackets picked up points in nine of the 14 bouts on the night.

Sophomore Dominic Milano won via pin at the 1:55 mark of his match in the 103-pound weight class to score six points for East Haven. Senior Victor Garcia earned a 17-2 technical fall decision at 113 to score five points. Sophomore Matt DiVito scored three points by winning a 4-3 decision at 120, while junior Tanner DiVito picked up three points with an 8-2 decision in the 138 weight class. At 152, junior Fabricio Bugatti earned a 4-3 decision to score three points for East Haven. Senior Danny Jarrin won a 5-3 decision to score three points in the 170-pound division. Junior Vincenzo Bunce won via pin at the 1:48 mark of his 182-pound bout to score six points. Josh Rao scored six points by pinning his opponent at the 5:14 mark of his 195-pound matchup, and fellow senior Armando Castaneda prevailed by pin at the 3:25 mark of his 285-pound bout, also scoring six points.

Other athletes who wrestled for the Yellowjackets at the meet included junior Hugo Ortiz at 126, junior Alec DiVito at 132, senior Albert Doheny at 145, junior Jessie Borchert at 160, and sophomore Gunner Horton at 220.

Dave Amatruda and the Yellowjackets’ ice hockey squad are 1-1 to start the year after splitting their first two games of the campaign. Photo by Kelley Fryer/The Courier