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12/27/2020 11:00 PMThere were some notable stories for Clinton sports during a tumultuous 2020. Morgan’s basketball teams impressed the Shoreline Conference, while Louis Bradley had an outstanding year on the wrestling mat during the winter. The Huskies’ boys’ soccer squad continued to be among the class of the Shoreline in the fall. Here is a recap of the year in Clinton sports.
Winter
While most of Morgan’s teams were able to complete their seasons before COVID-19 caused tournament cancellations, Huskies’ boys’ hoops wouldn’t get the chance to see how far it could go in the Division V State Tournament.
The Morgan boys’ basketball team advanced to the Shoreline Conference final and then won its only game in the states before the tournament was canceled. The Huskies finished the year with a record of 16-8.
In Shorelines, the Huskies defeated Hale-Ray 82-73 in the quarterfinals, claimed a 70-62 overtime victory versus Valley Regional, and then lost to Old Lyme by a 72-50 score in the final.
In states, Morgan claimed a 65-52 win over Parish Hill in the first round before the tournament was canceled.
Head Coach Frank Rossi’s squad was led by senior captains Jon Fiorillo and Nic Colebank. Junior Rob Zirlis earned All-Shoreline Conference Second Team honors alongside fellow junior Zach Johnson.
The Morgan girls’ basketball team put together a strong season by posting an overall record of 18-5. The Huskies reached the championship game of the Shoreline Conference Tournament and also notched a win in the Class M State Tournament.
In Shorelines, Head Coach Caitlin Woods’s squad defeated Portland 52-25 in the quarterfinals and edged out Cromwell by a 41-40 score in the semis. The Huskies then took a 32-16 loss to East Hampton in the final.
In states, Morgan grabbed a 52-47 win over Immaculate in the first round, then dropped a 59-50 decision against Stonington in the second round.
The Huskies were led by senior captain Leah McComiskey and junior captain Catie Donadio, who both earned All-Shoreline Conference First Team honors. Donadio also earned All-State Second Team. Freshman Caeley Ayer received All-Shoreline Conference Honorable Mention.
The Morgan wrestling team had an overall record of 12-7 and earned a share of the SCC Division 2 title with a 5-1 mark in the division.
Junior Louis Bradley took first place in the 138-pound weight class at the SCC Championship and then finished in second place at states. Ethan Reemsnyder earned a fifth-place finish at states.
The Morgan girls’ indoor track team sent several athletes to the Shoreline Conference Championship.
The Huskies’ best performance came from their 4x200 relay quartet of Logan Pernal, Kayla Pollard, Colleen Edwards, and Carley Schmidt, which took third place. Senior Maura Kelly finished fifth in the 1,000.
The Huskies’ boys’ indoor track team had some athletes compete at the Shoreline Conference Championship this year.
Morgan’s 1,600 sprint medley relay of Fabio Siliveira, Alex Gallardo, Ryan Warner, and Chayse Lofgren took fourth place. Siliveira, Gallardo, Warner, and Lofgren also teamed up for the 4x200 relay and came in fifth place.
Summer
The East Shore Travel Baseball League managed to put together a plan for a season this summer, and the Clinton Huskies 16-U AAU baseball team competed in the league. The Huskies finished the year with a record of 8-10-1, including a couple of victories in the East Shore Postseason Tournament.
Clinton earned a 3-2 win against The Boys of Summer, then lost a 3-2 contest against the Copperheads to start off the double-elimination tournament. The Huskies claimed a 3-1 victory over the Clippers, but then took a 6-2 defeat against the Technique Tigers in their final game of the tournament.
Standout players for Head Coach Willie Fritz’s squad included Garret Garbiniski, Ryan Inglis, Brady Fritz, Ethan Reemsnyder, Dominic Carpenter, Declan Christopher, and Lucas Kamoen.
Fall
After a long preseason, student-athletes at the Morgan School saw their respective seasons commence at the beginning of October. Teams were prepared to play about half of normal season’s schedule and, although state tournaments were off the table, all teams would have an opportunity to play in conference tournaments.
Unfortunately for the Huskies’ student-athletes, all fall sports were canceled just before the beginning of the postseason due to an uptick in positive COVID-19 tests at Morgan, causing school closures. The Huskies’ soccer, volleyball, and field hockey squads were unable to play the final week of their regular seasons and could not participate in their respective Shoreline Conference tournaments.
The Morgan boys’ soccer team turned in an excellent season in 2020, earning the top seed in the Shoreline Conference Tournament. However, the Huskies were unable to compete in the postseason after Morgan was temporarily closed due to a spike in positive COVID-19 tests at the school. Head Coach Ross Demay’s squad finished the year with a mark of 8-2.
Morgan was led by a quartet of captains in senior Sean Cafferty, senior Max Skidmore, junior Tyler Mucha, and junior Sebastian Salgar. Cafferty made the All-Shoreline Conference First Team, was named the Shoreline Conference Player of the Year, and also received All-State Honorable Mention. Mucha earned All-Shoreline Conference First Team honors for the Huskies.
Junior goalkeeper Bailey Goss garnered All-Shoreline Conference Second Team recognition, as did sophomore midfielder Sebastian Kadlof. Skidmore and sophomore defender Matt Lopez both earned All-Shoreline Conference Honorable Mention.
The Morgan girls’ soccer squad posted an overall record of 5-2-3. Due to a rise in positive COVID cases at Morgan, the Huskies were unable to play their last regular-season game or compete in the Shoreline Conference Tournament.
Head Coach Steve Sullivan’s club was led by senior captains Catie Donadio, Olivia Riccio, and Carley Schmidt. Schmidt and Riccio earned All-Shoreline Conference First Team honors, and Schmidt also received All-State Honorable Mention. Senior Genna Rauccio garnered All-Shoreline Conference Second Team recognition. Senior Emma Lindsay earned All-Shoreline Conference Honorable Mention.
The Morgan field hockey team finished the year with a record of 4-5. The Huskies were slated to take part in the Shoreline Conference Tournament, but the rise in COVID cases at Morgan resulted in the cancellation of the team’s final two games of the regular season, along with all postseason activity.
Senior forward Alexandra Wolf earned All-Shoreline Conference First Team honors, as well as All-State Honorable Mention for Morgan. Senior goalkeeper Abigail Gordon also garnered All-Shoreline Conference First Team recognition. Senior forward Nori Lopez-Velazquez and junior midfielder Maggie O’Donnell earned All-Shoreline Conference Second Team honors.
The Morgan girls’ volleyball squad finished the year with a record of 2-7. The Huskies’ last two games of the regular season were canceled due to the spike of COVID cases at Morgan. The Huskies also were unable to take part in the Shoreline Conference Tournament as a result of the school cancellation.
Senior Alexandra Kelly earned All-Shoreline Conference Second Team honors, while junior Rachael Pellegrini claimed All-Shoreline Conference Honorable Mention for Morgan this year.