Printer Friendly Version - Branford Boys’ Hockey Posts Two Blowouts; Dance Team Wins Big at Quinnipiac

Freshman Matt Morgan and the Hornets skated to a pair of one-sided wins last week and are now sporting a record of 10-1-1 on the year. Morgan deposited two goals when Branford defeated Woodstock Academy by an 8-1 score on Jan. 25. File photo by Susan Lambert/The Sound

The Branford boys’ ice hockey team notched a pair of victories last week to boost their record to 10-1-1 on the campaign. Branford defeated North Branford and Woodstock Academy by lopsided margins in recent action.

On Jan. 22, Branford shut out North Branford by a 7-0 score at Northford Ice Pavilion. Senior Blake Kustra scored from fellow senior Zach Jones and freshman Matt Morgan to give Branford a 1-0 lead five minutes into the game. Just 26 seconds later, Kustra netted a second goal from Jones and Morgan to make it 2-0. Then just 31 seconds after that, junior Dan Farricelli scored from senior Jack Manware to give Branford a 3-0 lead through one.

Jones, Morgan, and Farricelli all scored unassisted goals in the second period to extend Branford’s lead to 6-0 entering the third. In the final frame, junior Declan Ross scored a goal on Jones’s third assist of the night to put the final touches on the 7-0 victory.

Three days later, the Hornets claimed an 8-1 road win against Woodstock Academy for their 10th victory of the year. Branford scored five goals during the first period and never looked back on its way to the win.

Morgan scored two goals, and senior Blake Kustra had two goals with an assist in the victory. Manware, Farricelli, and senior Spencer Engstrom each had a goal with an assist, while Jones and senior Chris Donadio contributed two assists apiece. Junior Connor Erickson and freshman Colin Deane also scored goals for the Hornets. Juniors Billy Linder, Finnegan Thompson, and Sawyer Moriarty each had one assist.

The Branford-North Branford-East Haven (B-NB-EH) girls’ ice hockey team split a pair of contests in last week’s action and is now 3-9-1 on the year.

On Jan. 22, the Wings took a 5-3 road loss to Hand-Coginchaug-Valley Regional-Old Lyme at Northford Ice Pavilion. Three days later, B-NB-EH earned a 2-1 win against Masuk-Barlow-Newtown-Lauralton Hall-Shelton in a home game at Patsy DiLungo Ice Rink.

The Branford dance team participated in a meet at Quinnipiac University on Jan. 25 and took first place in both the hip-hop and jazz competitions. The Hornets were also named the grand champion for their jazz routine by virtue of recording the highest score at the entire competition.

Branford is led by senior captains Bella Petrosino, Johnna Palmese, and Sammi Esposito, along with fellow seniors Olivia Vitale and Juliana Robinson this season. Layla Redente is the only junior on the squad.

The Hornets’ sophomores are Emma Angelo, Anna Perricone, and Mallory Baughman. Branford’s roster also includes freshmen Jillian Vandale, Olivia Torello, Isabella Kopczuk, Isabella Brancati, Bryanna Lye, Kylie Butler, and Ava Demilo.

Jacqui Montano and Megan Palluzzi are once again serving as the Hornets’ coaches.

Branford is coming off a campaign that saw the team take first place in the Small Varsity Hip-Hop Division and the Small Varsity Jazz Division at the State Championship for the fifth-straight season. The Hornets also claimed first place in the Hip-Hop Division and finished second in the Jazz Division at New England Championship last year.

Junior Brooke Kustra competed on behalf of Branford gymnastics in a meet at Polson Middle School in Madison last week. Kustra trains with the gymnastics team at Daniel Hand High School and then represents Branford when she competes during the Tigers’ meets. On Jan. 20, Kustra took first place on the bars by posting a score of 8.5 when Hand competed against Nonnewaug and Pomperaug in a home meet.

The Hornets picked up their second win of the season with a resounding victory versus Career last week. On Jan. 21, Branford was on the road to play the Panthers and prevailed by the score of 69-35 in New Haven.

Later in the week, Branford took a 55-33 home loss against East Haven on Jan. 24. The Hornets moved to 2-10 on the season with the defeat.

On Jan. 21, Branford hosted Shelton and lost to the Gaels by a 71-51 final. Then on Jan. 24, the Hornets dropped a 55-50 overtime decision against North Haven in a road game.