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12/29/2019 11:00 PMThere were plenty of success stories on the Valley sports scene throughout the past year. The Warriors’ softball and girls’ tennis squads went on great postseason runs in the spring season, while the volleyball team captured a conference crown during the fall campaign. Let’s take a look at the highlights from 2019 in the Valley.
Winter
The Valley Regional boys’ basketball team had a sensational winter season that included semifinal appearances in both the Shoreline Conference Tournament and the Division V State Tournament. The Warriors finished with an overall record of 18-7 on the campaign.
In the Shoreline Conference Tournament, Valley Regional notched a 47-25 win over East Hampton in the quarterfinals and then lost to Old Lyme in the semis. In states, the Warriors earned a first-round bye, defeated Kaynor Tech (55-49) in the second round, beat Nonnewaug (58-56) in the quarterfinals, and then lost to Innovation (42-38) in the semis.
Senior captain Kevin Fasulo made clutch shots throughout the season for Valley Regional. Juniors Cade Ensinger and Gavin Grabowski were also key contributors for the Warriors. Ensinger averaged 10.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 4.6 steals per game, while Grabowski scored 15.5 points a game.
The Warriors’ girls’ basketball team had a solid year in the final campaign for one of best players in program history: senior captain Lexie Finnerty. Valley finished with a record of 10-13 in a season that saw Finnerty score her 1,000th career point with the Warriors. Valley also qualified for the Class M State Tournament and notched a 43-15 victory over Westbrook in the play-in round of the Shoreline Conference Tournament in Geoff Konstan’s final year as head coach.
Annie Cooper, Finnerty, Heather Jones, and Sadie Konstan led Valley as the team’ senior captains. Finnerty averaged 18.2 points, 3.6 assists, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.1 steals per game on her way to finishing with 1,159 career points. Sophomore Alena Crosby scored nine points per game, while Addi Marchese averaged seven points and 4.3 assists.
Senior Ben Falivene finished his high school wrestling career in 2019. Falivene claimed second place in the 285-pound division at the Class S State Championship. That performance earned Falivene a spot at the State Open, where he picked up a victory. Falivene finished with a record of 23-10, winning 22 of his bouts via pinfall.
Andrew Ferguson and Nick Braga competed at the Class S State Championship for the Warriors’ boys’ indoor track squad. Braga took fifth place in the 55-meter dash (6.72), while Ferguson placed fourth in the 300 (36.43) and sixth for the 55 (6.73).
Braga also finished first in the 55 at the Shoreline Conference Championship by running a time of 6.73 seconds. Ferguson took second place with an identical time of 6.73. Ferguson also posted a fourth-place finish in the 300 with a time of 38.03.
The Valley girls’ indoor track team received a second-place finish from sophomore Madelyn Costello in the high jump at the Shoreline Conference Championship. Costello cleared 4 feet-6 inches in the event.
Spring
The Valley Regional softball team put together an outstanding season that saw the Warriors go 21-3 and advance to the championship game of the Shoreline Conference Tournament. The Warriors defeated Old Saybrook (12-0) and Old Lyme (6-0) before taking a 5-3 loss to North Branford in the Shoreline final. Valley later took a 3-2 defeat to Law in the second round of states. Allyson Pitney was in her first season as the Warriors’ head coach.
Junior pitcher Addy Bullis went 21-2 with a 0.75 earned-run average and 290 strikeouts on the season. Bullis also posted a .672 batting average with two home runs and 28 RBI at the plate. Junior catcher Carlee Kirla had a .423 average and 28 RBI. Third baseman Lexi Ross (.645 batting, 39 runs, 14 RBI, 23 stolen bases) and shortstop Lauren Allen (.430, 30 runs, 17 RBI) also had big years for the Warriors.
The Valley Regional girls’ tennis team had an incredible run that included a trip to the Class S State Tournament final. Valley defeated Windsor Locks (6-1) in the first round, Bolton (5-2) in the quarterfinals, and Litchfield (5-2) in the semifinals before losing to Weston in the state final. The Warriors finished the year with an overall record of 22-2.
Valley was led by senior captain Jessica Weinstein, who claimed the title in the Shoreline Conference Tournament No. 3-4 Singles Tournament. Allie Champion and Ada Ramos claimed the doubles crown for Valley.
The Valley Regional baseball team had a solid season by notching 12 wins and picking up a victory in the Class M State Tournament for the first time in 13 years. In states, the Warriors grabbed a 4-2 win against Killingly in the first round and then lost to Wolcott in the second round. The Warriors also qualified for the Shoreline Conference Tournament, where they lost a 2-1 quarterfinal contest against North Branford.
Senior captain catcher Josh Ross set the pace for Valley with a .420 batting average and 16 RBI. Freshman pitcher James Marsden had four wins with two saves and 51 strikeouts. Senior second baseman Jeff Sypher also had a big year with a .490 batting average.
The Valley Regional boys’ lacrosse team went 8-9 overall and earned a berth in the Class S State Tournament in its first year with Head Coach Mike Orfao. The Warriors were led by senior captains Sean Cole, Charlie Haughton, and Dylan LaPlace. Cole scored 41 goals to go with 40 assists, Haughton played lockdown defense, and LaPlace posted a .622 save percentage on the year. Junior Cam Frazier scored 29 goals to go with 16 assists, and Duncan Rider (60 goals, 26 assists) set the school record for most points as a freshman with 86.
The Valley Regional boys’ outdoor track team recorded a fourth-place finish at the Shoreline Conference Championship. Valley’s 4x100 relay of junior Andrew Ferguson, senior Nick Braga, junior Arick Outama, and senior Jason O’Brien took first place with a school-record time of 43.75 seconds. Braga and O’Brien led the team as senior captains with Jason Montecalvo and Jake Ramage.
The Valley Regional crew completed its third year as a full-fledged independent program. The Warriors turned in a solid showing at the Connecticut Public Schools Rowing Association’s championship regatta. Valley’s first boat of senior captains Emily Hutchinson and Tessa LeMay, junior Emma Carey, sophomore Aurora Coursey, and senior coxswain Courtlin Sicignano claimed second place with a time of 5:40.60.
The John Winthrop Middle School baseball team accomplished the rare feat of completing an undefeated season in 2019. The Chargers earned victories in all 13 games they played with first-year Head Coach Jason Foor.
Summer
The Astros were crowned as champions of the Deep River Horseshoe League this summer. The Astros took the title by defeating the White Sox in a best-of seven championship series.
Cris Christensen, Damin Roberts, and Karen Perna led the Astros to the title. Joe Heery, Cody Layton, and Dave Atkinson competed for White Sox.
Mike Zanelli, Sr., tallied the highest game of the season with a score of 51. The highest series score was recorded by Mark Goodale with a 165. Kris Toohey had the most ringers during the season with 16; Christiansen matched that total in the playoffs. Toohey also had the most ringers in a series with 48.
Fall
The Valley Regional volleyball team claimed its first Shoreline Conference Tournament title in 32 years in 2019, sending out Head Coach Kathy Scott as a champion in her final year with the program. As the No. 6 seed in Shorelines, Valley defeated Cromwell (3-2) in the quarterfinals and Coginchaug (3-1) in the semis before rallying for a 3-2 win against top-seeded Hale-Ray in the final.
Valley was led by senior captains Mackenzie Neviaser and Carlee Kirla. Neviaser had 61 kills, 22 aces, 84 digs, 88 receptions, while Kirla supplied 107 kills, 226 receptions, 190 digs, and 58 aces. Junior setter Alena Crosby finished the year with 545 assists, 154 digs, 58 aces, and 37 kills. Fellow junior Emma Counter provided 393 digs with 379 receptions. Junior Ava Boyles collected 191 receptions, 101 digs, 39 aces, and 178 kills.
The Valley Regional girls’ soccer team posted a record of 11-7-3, which marked a five-win improvement from the previous season. The Warriors also advanced to the Shoreline Conference Tournament final and notched a win in the Class M State Tournament during Lauren MacDonald’s first campaign as head coach.
In the Shoreline Conference Tournament, Valley took down Coginchaug (1-0) in the quarterfinals and Portland (3-1) in the semifinals. In the championship game, the Warriors took a 3-2 loss to Haddam-Killingworth after battling back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the score. In the Class M State Tournament, Valley defeated No. 17 seed Oxford by a 4-0 score in the first round before losing in the second round.
Caroline Baldwin and Sam Calamari served as senior captain for the Warriors. Calamari tallied nine goals and 24 assists on the season. Fellow senior Ava Duval posted 25 goals and with eight assists.
The Warriors’ boys’ soccer squad qualified for the Class M State Tournament and finished the year with an overall record of 7-7-3. Senior captain Cameron Frazier (10 goals, 6 assists) and sophomore Jake Burdick (13 goals, 8 assists) were among Valley’s key contributors. Senior vice captain Ryan Shasha also had a nice year with seven goals and five assists.
The Valley Regional field hockey team earned a Class S State Tournament berth and ended up with a final record of 10-8. The Warriors also made the Shoreline Conference Tournament, where they took a 3-1 loss to North Branford. Valley was led by senior captains Kate O’Brien, Riley Millburne, Elena Peterlik, and Grace Proctor.
Macklin Miezejeski had a solid senior season for Valley Regional boys’ cross country squad. Miezejeski qualified for the State Open Championship after finishing in 12th place with a time of 17 minutes and 36 seconds at the Class SS State Championship, where the Warriors finished in seventh place as a team. Miezejeski also came in 10th place in the Shoreline Conference Championship with a time of 16:48.
The Valley girls’ cross country team claimed fifth place at the Shoreline Conference Championship and earned sixth place at the Class SS State Championship this fall.
The Valley Regional-Old Lyme football team posted an overall record of 5-5 and went 4-2 in the Pequot Conference Sassacus Division to come in third place. The Warriors’ finished up their campaign by notching a 20-2 victory against Haddam-Killingworth in the 33rd annual battle for the Principal’s Cup.