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12/26/2021 11:00 PMThere some significant achievements in the Killingworth sports world during 2021. The Haddam-Killingworth track and cross country programs continued their runs of dominance in the spring and fall seasons, respectively, while the Cougars’ boys’ lacrosse squad also claimed its conference title in the springtime. Here’s a recap of the biggest moments from Killingworth sports from the past year.
Winter
The 2020-’21 winter season was an abbreviated one that featured no state tournaments or state championship meets. Instead, conference competitions served as the culmination of the season. There were no wrestling or cheerleading seasons held, and indoor track teams competed on a limited basis, if at all. Several teams around the state missed portions of their seasons after going into quarantine due to exposure to COVID-19.
The Haddam-Killingworth/Morgan/Hale-Ray co-op gymnastics team brought home the Shoreline Conference Championship during the 2021 winter campaign. The Cougars earned first place in every event on their way to winning the league title.
The H-K students on the team were sophomore captain Juliana Gagliardi, sophomore Rebecca Rosenblum-Jones, and freshman Abby Watkins. Gagliardi finished first for the all-around at the Shoreline meet.
The H-K boys’ basketball team went 7-7 and made it to the Shoreline Conference Tournament quarterfinals. The Cougars earned a 78-28 win versus Coginchaug before taking a 55-46 loss to Cromwell in the tournament.
Senior captain Jimmy McGoey garnered All-Shoreline Conference Honorable Mention. McGoey guided H-K alongside fellow senior captains Chase O’Linn and Alec Erskine.
The H-K girls’ basketball team posted a record of 4-8. The Cougars were scheduled to face Cromwell in the Shoreline Conference Tournament quarterfinals, but the game was canceled after the Cougars withdrew from the tournament due to potential exposure to COVID-19.
The Haddam-Killingworth/Morgan/Valley Regional (H-K/M/VR) boys’ swimming team completed its first season with Head Coach Steve Cusano. The H-K students on the team were senior captain Kyle Mazziotti, junior Colby Kish, and sophomores Jack Ferguson, Nolan Braren, and Conor Schipritt.
The Rocky Hill/Middletown/Plainville/H-K boys’ ice hockey team played nine games during its shortened season. The team finished with an overall record of 2-7.
Spring
Following the cancellation of the 2020 season, spring sports came back to play in Connecticut this year. Teams played full seasons, and state tournaments were completed for the first time since the fall of 2019.
The H-K boys’ outdoor track team earned its second-straight Shoreline Conference title and then claimed first place at the Class M State Championship this spring.
Senior captains John Bruder, Eamon Sweeney, Matt Jennings, and John Kowal were All-Shoreline Conference honorees for H-K, as were senior Max Cozean, juniors Aidan Law and Caleb Freeman, and sophomore Alex Lara, Orion Inkel, and Zenon Kolcio.
At the state meet, Sweeney took first place in the javelin and the 300 hurdles, Jennings won the 800, and Bruder finished first in the shot put. Sweeney went on to finish first in the 110 hurdles at the State Open, helping H-K place fourth as a squad. After that, Sweeney finished first in the CIAC Decathlon and then claimed sixth place in the decathlon at Outdoor Nationals.
The H-K girls’ outdoor track team captured its league crown with a first-place finish at the Shoreline Conference Championship. The Cougars went on to place eighth at the Class M State Championship.
Senior Kedarjah Lewis took first place in the 100, the 200, the long jump, and the triple jump at Shorelines. Lewis went on to win the long jump at both the Class M meet and the State Open. Senior captains Meara Bodak, Morgan Schultz, and Gabby Lester also garnered All-Shoreline Conference recognition for the Cougars.
The H-K boys’ lacrosse team won its first Shoreline Conference title in school history with first-year Head Coach Lauren Braren. H-K earned wins against North Branford (9-8) and Valley (11-9) to take the Shoreline title. The Cougars went on to defeat Tolland (10-9) in the Class S State Tournament before losing to St. Joseph (18-8) in the quarterfinals to finish at 14-6 overall.
Senior captain Cal Braren was named the Shoreline Conference Player of the Year, while Coach Braren was selected as the Shoreline Conference Coach of the Year. Senior Aidan Coleman, junior Matteo Piacenti, and sophomore Jack Insalaco were named to the All-Shoreline Conference First Team, and freshman Cooper Savoy made the All-Shoreline Conference Second Team.
Head Coach Mark Brookes led the H-K baseball team to another strong season in 2021, earning his 700th career victory when the Cougars claimed a 2-0 win at Old Saybrook on May 3. H-K finished the year with an overall record of 16-7.
H-K qualified for the Shoreline Conference Tournament and took a 2-1 loss to Morgan in the quarterfinals. H-K opened up the Class M State Tournament with an 11-0 victory against Grasso Tech in a first-round contest. The Cougars went on to take a 6-5 defeat versus Rockville in the second round.
Senior captains Alec Erskine and Luke DiMauro earned All-Shoreline Conference First Team recognition for their performances on the year.
The H-K softball team tallied an overall record of 16-4 for the spring season. The Cougars defeated Old Saybrook 8-0 in the quarterfinals of the Shoreline Conference Tournament before taking a 1-0 defeat to Old Lyme in the semis. H-K also qualified for the Class S State Tournament and took a 7-1 loss to Jonathan Law in the second round.
Head Coach Jeff Talbott’s squad was led by senior captain Ella McGlynn and junior shortstop Katherine McQueeney. Freshman Bella Richwine and Ivy McNeil made the All-Shoreline Conference First Team, senior Ella McGlynn earned All-Shoreline Conference Second Team honors, and sophomore Kaleigh Bodak received All-Shoreline Conference Honorable Mention.
The H-K girls’ tennis team finished its campaign with a record of 7-10. The Cougars stayed in contention to qualify for states through the final week of the season.
The H-K boys’ tennis team posted a mark of 6-11 on the season. Freshman Eddie White was named to the All-Shoreline Conference Second Team for the Cougars.
The H-K girls’ lacrosse team went 4-10 this spring. Senior Sophie Gromala and junior Yumi Imai both earned All-Shoreline Conference First Team honors. Senior Morgan Madore was an All-Shoreline Conference Second Team honoree.
The H-K boys’ golf team finished with a record of 1-11-1, after which the Cougars placed eighth at the Shoreline Conference Championship and 17th in the Division III State Championship. Senior Greg Lynskey turned in H-K’s top performance at states by finishing in a tie for 43rd place. Junior Andrew Fleig finished in 13th place at Shorelines.
Fall
After no state competitions were held last fall, the 2021 fall season was played in full this year. Football teams also returned to the field to play a season for the first time in two years.
The Haddam-Killingworth boys’ cross country team went 15-0 for the regular season and then took first place both the Shoreline Conference Championship and the Class SS State Championship this fall. This marked H-K’s eighth-straight conference title.
Senior captain Caleb Freeman finished in second for the Cougars in Shorelines and then took first place at the state meet. Junior Alex Lara and freshman Jack Cozean also earned All-Shoreline Conference First Team accolades. Senior Andrew Hedges, freshman Colton Merola, and senior Evan Baird made the All-SCC Second Team.
The H-K girls’ cross country team put together a 13-2 regular season and went on to finish first at both the Shoreline Conference Championship and Class SS State Championship. The Cougars defended the state crown that they had won in 2019 with their victory at this year’s state meet.
Junior Isabel Berardino turned in a first-place performance for H-K at the Shoreline meet, after which she finished in fourth place in states. Senior captains Brianna Minervino and Ava DiMatteo earned All-Shoreline Conference First Team honors with Berardino and sophomore Sydney Adelberg. Junior Chloe Lacoss was named to the All-Shoreline Conference Second Team.
The Haddam-Killingworth girls’ volleyball team claimed its second-straight Shoreline Conference title and then advanced to the Class M state quarterfinals on its way to an overall record of 19-5.
The Cougars earned claimed a 3-2 win over Coginchaug in the semifinals of the Shoreline Conference Tournament and notched a 3-0 victory versus Hale-Ray in the final. Then in states, H-K defeated Branford by a 3-0 score in its opening contest before taking a 3-1 loss against Seymour in the quarterfinal round.
Senior captains Jessica Timothy and Audrey Snyder earned All-Shoreline Conference First Team accolades, and Timothy was additionally named the Shoreline Conference Player of the Year. Senior Carly Rettberg and junior Payton Yazmer garnered All-Shoreline Conference Second Team honors. Junior Kaleigh Bodak received All-Shoreline Conference Honorable Mention on behalf of Head Coach Robin Callender’s squad. Callender was selected as the Shoreline Conference Coach of the Year.
The H-K boys’ soccer team finished its campaign with a record of 7-10-1. The Cougars took a 1-0 loss to Portland in the Shoreline Conference Tournament quarterfinals and a 9-1 loss against Ledyard in the first round of the Class M State Tournament. Senior captain Ben Williams and sophomore Cole Merriam were both named to the All-Shoreline Conference First Team. Senior Jayden Zaitoun was an All-SCC Second Team selection.
The H-K girls’ soccer team posted an overall record of 6-7-3. The Cougars qualified for the Class M State Tournament and took a 2-1 loss to Granby in the first round. Senior Yumi Imai was an All-Shoreline Conference First Team selection for the Cougars, while junior Leah Chester was named to the All-Shoreline Conference Second Team.
The H-K girls’ swimming team was represented by several athletes at the Class S State Championship, where the Cougars finished in 11th place. Senior Jackie Flaherty finished seventh in the 200 individual medley and took 10th place in the 100 butterfly at the meet.
The H-K field hockey team posted a record 4-10-1-1 record during its fall campaign. Senior Kami Narducci was named to the All-Shoreline Conference First Team for H-K.
The H-K football team finished with a record of 2-8 in its first season with Head Coach Tyler Wilcox. Senior kicker Kevin Cavrell made the All-Pequot Conference Sassacus Division Team as a punter for the Cougars.