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04/22/2019 12:00 AMBoys’ Tennis
The Branford boys’ tennis team posted shutout victories versus Law and Cross last week to raise its record to 6-1 on the year.
The Hornets opened up their week by earning a 7-0 home win against Law on April 16. Praneeth Ganedi notched a 6-1, 6-2 victory in the No. 1 singles match for Branford. Junior Eli Hanlon won a 6-1, 6-2 decision at No. 2 singles, senior Dan McGuire prevailed by a 6-2, 6-3 score at No. 3 singles, and senior Paul Riccio claimed a 6-2, 6-3 win in the No. 4 singles match. In doubles, the Hornets’ No. 1 team of senior Dan Pagliaro and freshman Josh Berdon earned a 6-1, 6-2 victory; the No. 2 duo of senior Kurt Schalper and junior Jaden Andresen won by the score of 6-1, 6-3; and the No. 3 tandem of junior Jason Hackett and sophomore Nick Shoemaker won an 8-0 decision.
The following afternoon, Branford blanked Cross by a 7-0 final in a road match in New Haven. Ganedi (6-3, 6-1), Hanlon (6-2, 6-4), McGuire (6-0, 6-0), and Riccio (6-0, 6-0) won their singles contests for the Hornets. Branford’s No. 1 double team of Pagliaro and sophomore Alec Aceves-Acosta claimed a 6-0, 6-2 win; the No. 2 team of Schalper and Andresen prevailed 6-0, 6-0; and the team of Hackett and Shoemaker notched a 6-1, 6-0 win in the No. 3 doubles matchup.
Girls’ Tennis
The Hornets took a pair of road losses last week to move to 3-4 this season.
On April 17, Branford dropped a 7-0 decision at Hand. The next day, the Hornets traveled to Milford to face Lauralton Hall and lost a 7-0 contest at Eisenhower Park.
Girls’ Lacrosse
The Hornets split a pair of home games by taking a to East Lyme and posting a win against Sheehan last week. Branford now has a record of 3-3 this spring.
Branford hosted East Lyme on April 16 and dropped a 14-9 decision versus the Vikings.
Then on April 18, the Hornets earned a 14-9 home victory over Sheehan. Branford held a 6-4 advantage at halftime and then outscored the Titans 8-5 during the second half to come away with the win. Junior Brianna Shaw scored five goals, while junior Isabel Mannle had four goals for the Hornets. Junior Karly King and sophomore Nicola Colossale added two goals apiece. Junior goalie Brooke O’Leary made nine saves in the victory.
Boys’ Outdoor Track
Branford traveled to Woodbridge to square off against three teams in a quad-meet on April 16. The Hornets took two out of three in the meet by notching victories versus Fairfield Prep (100-45) and Foran (102-48) to go with a defeat versis Amity (90-60). With these results, Branford improved its record to 6-1 on the season.
Senior Aidan Kropiwnicki claimed first place in two events for the Hornets. Kropiwnicki took first place in the 400-meter run with a time of 53.47 and also won the pole vault by clearing a height of 12 feet. Fellow senior Marzio Mastroianni ran a time of 10:04.56 to finish first in the 3,200-meter run. Sophomore Mekhi Barnette placed first in the triple jump (37-2), while senior GianCarlo Giannini finished first in the discus (107-1) for Branford.
The Hornets’ 4x800 relay team of junior Nolan Scott, junior Andrew Betzig, freshman Cheng Wu, and freshman Wyatt Reynolds claimed first place with a time of 8:54.1. The 4x400 relay featuring those same four athletes came in first place by recording a mark of 3:47.41.
Head Coach Rich Biondi also noted outstanding performances from Scott in the 300 intermediate hurdles (45.81), senior Ricky Tratnyek in the 1,600 (4:38.60), and Giannini in the shot put (37-5).
“There were many positive performances to take away from this meet. GianCarlo Giannini had the best meet of his high school career. I am really proud of GianCarlo for winning the discus on his last attempt. He has been working hard, and he always helps to coach the younger athletes on the team,” Biondi said. “Mekhi Barnette won the triple jump on his last jump. Only a sophomore, Mekhi is an extremely talented athlete and has been the most consistent jumper for the team. Cheng Wu ran the last leg of the 4x400 and made up over 20 meters to defeat a runner from Prep in the final five meters. Cheng’s gutsy performance was an exciting way to end a good day for the team.”
Later in the week, Mastroianni ran the 1,600 at the Connecticut Distance River Festival that took place at Xavier High School. Mastroianni finished with a time of 4:19.22 to take third place at the meet, which featured top distance runners from the New England and New York.
Girls’ Outdoor Track
The Hornets moved to 3-4 on the year after losing two of three in a quad-meet at Branford High School on April 16. Branford defeated Guilford (83-27), while taking losses to Amity (108-37) and Lauralton Hall (95-44) on the afternoon.
Freshman Katie Laska finished second in the long jump (12-6) and took third place in the 400 (1:05.6) for the Hornets. Sophomore Maddie Seward came in second place in the pole vault by clearing 6-6. Junior JohnnaLynn Palmese took third place in the shot put (21-6), while Katelyn Robbins finished third for the discus (55-7.5). Senior Maryam Yasir finished fourth in the discus (55-3), and junior Julia Robbins placed fourth in the javelin (68-5).
Softball
Branford lost a pair of home games in SCC Housatonic Division action last week. The Hornets have a record of 3-5 this spring.
The Hornets took a 22-0 defeat against North Haven in a home game on April 16. The next day, Branford hosted Sacred Heart Academy and dropped a 10-0 decision.
Baseball
The Hornets took two defeats last week and are now 2-6 on the year.
On April 16, Branford dropped a 9-3 decision at Notre Dame-West Haven in an SCC Hammonasset Division game at Quigley Stadium. Junior Bennett Gentile had a single with a double and a run scored, senior Mason Traca had a single with three RBI, and senior Anthony Burzynski hit a single and scored a run for the Hornets.
The following day, the Hornets hosted Guilford and lost to the Indians by the final score of 6-0.