Printer Friendly Version - H-K Boys’ Cross Country Posts Undefeated Season; Girls’ Team Goes 13-2

The H-K boys’ cross country team capped of a 15-0 regular season by sweeping the Shoreline Conference Mega Meet. Pictured running down the final straightaway for the Cougars are Alex Lara, Caleb Freeman, Tyler Robinson, and Andrew Hedges. Photo courtesy of Yvette and John Minervino

The Haddam-Killingworth boys’ cross country team completed a perfect regular season after taking first place at the Shoreline Conference Mega Meet at East Hampton High School on Oct. 14. With the victory, H-K finished with a record of 15-0 on the campaign, marking its eighth-straight undefeated season, and improved its record in dual meets to 107-0 since 2014.

The Cougars defeated Hale Ray (15-50), Cromwell (15-50), East Hampton (20-43), Portland (21-40), and Old Saybrook (20-43) on its way to sweeping the Mega Meet. Junior Alex Lara, senior Caleb Freeman, senior Tyler Robinson, and senior Andrew Hedges ran as a pack for the entirety of the race and finished in fourth through seventh place, respectively, with their times of 19:07. Freshmen Jack Cozean and Colton Merola finished in ninth and 10th place for H-K.

The H-K girls’ cross-country team competed at the Shoreline Conference Mega Meet on Oct. 14 and defeated four out of its five opponents on the day. The Cougars completed their regular season with a record of 13-2.

H-K earned wins versus Morgan (15-50), Coginchaug (15-48), Old Saybrook (22-38), and Portland (24-33) at the meet, while also taking a 27-28 loss against East Hampton. Junior Izzy Berardino, senior Ava DiMatteo, and senior Brianna Minervino all crossed the finished line together with a time of 23:24, finishing in fourth through sixth place, respectively. Junior Chloe Lacoss posted a 14th-place finish (24:43), sophomore Sydney Adelberg took 15th place (24:46), and senior Charlotte Selmer finished in 16th place (24:47) for the Cougars.

The Haddam-Killingworth girls’ swimming and diving team picked up its fourth win of the year when the Cougars claimed a road victory over Ledyard on Oct. 8. The Cougars defeated Ledyard by the final score of 94.5-68.5 in an outdoor meet at Vitale Aquatic in Ledyard, boosting their record to 4-0 on the season.

Senior captain Jackie Flaherty took first place in the 50 freestyle and also qualified for states in the event by swimming a time of 27.41 for the Cougars in the victory. She also took first place in the 100 butterfly. Junior Erin Marica improved her state-qualifying time in the 500 freestyle by winning the event with a personal-best mark of 5:58.31, in addition to placing first in the 100 breaststroke.

Freshman Olivia Macaluso won the 100 backstroke, qualifying for states in the process, to go with a first-place performance in the 100 freestyle. H-K also received victories from junior Aleia Goodison in the 200 freestyle and fellow junior Johanna Houska in the 200 individual medley.

All three of H-K’s relays took first place against Ledyard. The 200 medley relay featured junior Kristen Thebeau, Marica, Flaherty, and Macaluso; the 200 freestyle relay consisted of Houska, sophomore Peyton Tyler, and freshman Sofia Campo, and Flaherty; and the 400 freestyle relay featured Houska, Goodison, Tyler, and Macaluso.

The H-K girls’ soccer squad notched a win and a tie last week to improve its record to 6-4-2 on the year. The Cougars defeated Hale-Ray before playing Valley Regional to a draw in recent action.

In its first game of the week, H-K claimed a 6-1 home victory against Hale-Ray on Oct. 12. The Cougars grabbed a 4-0 halftime advantage in the game. Sophomore Emmy Kehlenbach, junior Leah Chester, senior Hadley Commerford, and junior Favalora scored H-K’s goals during the first half. Sophomore Tu-Lanh Criscuolo had the assist on Chester’s goal.

Criscuolo scored a goal for H-K in the second half. Kehlenbach netted her second goal of the game on an assist by Chester to finish off the victory. Senior goalie Rhianna Phipps made three saves for the Cougars.

Two days later, the Cougars battled Valley Regional to a 1-1 tie in a road game. Following a scoreless first half, Valley scored a goal 14 minutes into the second half to take a 1-0 lead. However, Chester scored on a breakaway about six minutes later to tie the game at 1-1, which held up as the final score. Senior Sophia Torello made five saves in net for H-K.

The H-K boys’ soccer team lost two of its three games last week to move to 7-7-1 on the season.

H-K took an 8-0 defeat versus Bacon Academy in a home game on Oct. 11. The following day, the Cougars hosted Hale-Ray and won the contest by a 1-0 final. Then on Oct. 15, H-K took a 4-1 home loss against Valley Regional.

The H-K girls’ volleyball squad took its first loss of the season last week by dropping a decision versus Coginchaug. The Cougars also earned a five-set win versus East Hampton to put their overall record at 13-1 for the year.

H-K took its first defeat of 2021 with a 3-1 (25-14, 25-13, 24-26, 25-22) road loss against Coginchaug on Oct. 12. Three days later, H-K hosted East Hampton and claimed a 3-2 (22-25, 25-18, 24-26, 25-13, 15-13) victory over the Bellringers to get back in the win column.

Junior Kaleigh Bodak had 27 assists with 17 service points, eight kills, and three aces in the win versus East Hampton. Senior Audrey Snyder finished with 21 service points, 16 kills, and five aces, while fellow senior Jessica Timothy had 25 kills, 10 service points, two assists, and one block.

The H-K field hockey team took two defeats last week and is now 1-9-1-1 on the season.

On Oct. 12, the Cougars took a 1-0 road loss against Westbrook-Old Lyme at Westbrook High School. Two days later, H-K hosted North Branford and lost the contest by a 4-0 score.