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04/17/2022 12:00 AMGirls’ Lacrosse
The North Branford girls’ lacrosse team improved to 4-1 after notching a pair of road victories last week. The Thunderbirds claimed wins over Haddam-Killingworth and Old Lyme in recent action.
The T-Birds started off their week by earning a 14-9 win versus Haddam-Killingworth in a home game on April 12. Sophomore Keana Criscuolo scored 5 goals for North Branford. Senior Olivia Toto had 2 goals with 2 assists, and fellow seniors Braedan LeBeau and Marissa Raffone scored 2 goals apiece. Senior Grace Marra had 1 goal with 1 assist, while junior Mia Park and sophomore Sophia Toto both added a goal for North Branford. Junior Ava Candelora made 7 saves in net.
Two days later, North Branford was on the road to face Old Lyme and defeated the Wildcats by the score of 22-12. LeBeau scored 6 goals to go with 5 assists, and Olivia Toto netted 7 goals with 1 assist in the victory. Criscuolo had 4 goals and 1 assist, while Raffone scored 2 goals with 3 assists. Marra scored 2 goals, Sofia Toto had a goal and an assist, and junior Mea Riordan scored a goal for the Thunderbirds. Candelora and junior Victoria McDermott both made 5 saves in goal.
Boys’ Lacrosse
The North Branford boys’ lacrosse team played three games last week and came away with two victories to improve its record to 4-1 on the season.
On April 13, the T-Birds claimed a 6-2 road victory over Haddam-Killingworth. Senior Jake Saldutti had 5 goals with 1 assist, and fellow senior Joey Marra scored 3 goals for North Branford. Senior Jake Palumbo scored a goal, while junior Nate Tranquilli and sophomore Luke Blomster each had an assist in the win. Junior goalie Dradon Brindisi made 16 saves in net.
The next day, North Branford hosted Old Lyme and won the contest by the score of 14-5. Senior Jake Saldutti scored 5 goals and had 2 assists for the T-Birds. Marra scored 2 goals to go with 3 assists. Blomster scored 3 goals, and junior Ian Kamenski had 2 assists.
Senior Eli Defaranos had a goal with an assist, while Palumbo, Tranquilli, and junior Jace Kamienski added 1 goal apiece. Brindisi made 10 saves for North Branford.
The T-Birds finished the week by taking an 8-5 loss to the Branford-East Haven co-op squad in a road game at Branford High School. Blomster scored 3 goals in the game. Saldutti had 1 goal and 1 assist, Deferanos recorded 2 assists, Marra scored a goal, and Ian Kamienski had an assist. Brindisi stopped 13 shots in goal.
Softball
The North Branford softball team posted a pair of convincing wins last week to raise its record to 2-3 in the 2022 season.
North Branford claimed a 14-1, 5-inning home win versus Morgan on April 11. Senior Hannah Senerchia had 2 doubles with a run scored and 4 RBI in the victory. Sophomore Lindsey Onofrio had 2 hits with 2 runs scored and an RBI, senior Gianna Depino had 2 hits with 2 runs, and freshman Lexi Falcioni had 2 hits with a run scored for the T-Birds.
Senior Bella Hills had 2 hits with an RBI, freshman Adriana Hills had a double with a run and an RBI, and junior Tessa Juniver had a run scored with an RBI in the victory. Bella Hills also pitched all 5 innings on the mound for North Branford, allowing no earned runs on 4 hits and no walks with 2 strikeouts.
On April 14, North Branford hit the road to face East Hampton and posted a 14-0 shutout over the Bellringers.
Baseball
The North Branford baseball team squad played four games last week and came away from the stretch with two victories to put its record at 2-4 on the year.
North Branford began the week by earning a 6-2 win versus Morgan in a road game on April 11. Two days later, the T-Birds were back on the road to face Portland and defeated the Highlanders by a 5-1 score.
On April 15, North Branford took a 6-1 defeat at Old Saybrook. The day after that, the Thunderbirds hosted East Hampton and lost a 10-4 decision at North Branford High School.
Boys’ Golf
The North Branford boys’ golf team saw a little bit of everything during the opening week of its 2022 season. The T-Birds came away from the slate with a win, a loss, and a draw for an early record of 1-1-1 this spring.
North Branford notched a 183-307 home victory against East Hampton in its first match of the year at Indian Springs Country Club on April 11. Senior Dakota Cooper shot a low score of 41 to collect medalist honors for the T-Birds. Freshman Robert Cappella shot a 45, senior Blake Pearson scored a 46, sophomore Jack O’Brien scored a 51, and senior Jalen Rossicone finished with a score of 54 for Head Coach Andrew DaCorte’s squad.
The next day, North Branford faced Old Saybrook on the road and played the Rams to a 184-184 tie at Fenwick Golf Course. O’Brien and Cappella both shot a 43 for the T-Birds. Pearson and Cooper finished with scores of 48 and 50, respectively.
On April 14, North Branford took a 167-196 road loss against Portland at Portland Golf Course.
Girls’ Tennis
The North Branford girls’ tennis team split a pair of matchups last week to move to 1-2 on the year.
North Branford earned its first win of the season by claiming a 4-3 home victory versus East Hampton on April 11. Two days later, the T-Birds took a 7-0 loss to Old Lyme in a road match.