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05/15/2022 12:00 AMSoftball
Senior Marzia Johnson pitched a perfect game for the Branford softball team when the Hornets claimed a 17-0 victory against Career last week. The Hornets also posted a pair of wins versus Wilbur Cross to go with a couple of defeats on the week to put their overall record at 4-13 this year.
Branford took a 3-0 defeat at Guilford in its first game of the week on May 9. Sophomore Madison Lawler had a double for the Hornets in the contest.
The next day, Branford hosted Career and defeated the Panthers by a 17-0 score as Johnson threw a perfect game. Johnson struck out 11 batters in her perfect performance. She also hit an inside-the-park home run and had 3 RBI on the day. Senior Hailey Seay had 4 RBI for the Hornets, courtesy of an inside-the-park grand slam.
Branford went on to notch an 11-6 home victory against Wilbur Cross on May 11. The day after that, the Hornets took a 16-4 defeat at Sheehan. Then on May 13, Branford faced Wilbur Cross on the road and posted a 13-1 win over the Governors.
Baseball
The Branford baseball team played four games last week and came away with one win to move to 4-13 on the season.
On May 9, Branford took a 4-3 road loss versus Jonathan Law. Senior Dylan Sachs hit a triple for the Hornets in the contest.
The following day, the Hornets hosted Lyman Hall and dropped a 7-3 decision. Branford came back to grab a 7-5 home victory over Foran on May 11. Sachs drove home the go-ahead run on a 2-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning to lift the Hornets to the win. Senior Sam Smith had a triple for Branford in the victory. Freshman Antonio Lynk picked up the win in relief.
In their last game of the week, the Hornets took a 7-5 defeat versus North Haven in a home game on May 14.
Boys’ Golf
The Branford boys’ golf team took its first loss of the season last week, but the Hornets also claimed three victories to improve their overall record to 13-1 this spring.
Branford started off its week by notching a 173-287 home win versus Lyman Hall at Pine Orchard Country Club on May 9. Senior Justin Acquarulo earned medalist recognition by shooting a low score of 40 on the afternoon. Juniors Keegan LaLonde and Colin Deane both shot a 44, while fellow junior Matt Morgan finished with a 45. Sophomore Patrick LaLonde scored a 47, and junior Mike Farricielli posted a score of 50.
The next day, the Hornets hosted Sheehan and won the contest by the score of 172-195. LaLonde was the match medalist with his low score of 39 for the round. Acquarulo shot a 40 for the Hornets, who saw Morgan and Patrick LaLonde both turn in a scorecard of 46. Deane and Farricielli finished with scores of 47 and 48, respectively.
On May 11, Branford played a road match against Amity and was edged out by the final score of 174-175. Acquarulo garnered medalist honors by recording a score of 40 for Branford. Keegan LaLonde (42), Deane (46), Farricielli (47), Patrick LaLonde (48), and Morgan (49) also competed at the match.
The day after that, the Hornets picked up a 159-179 win over Jonathan Law in a home match. Acquarulo came as the medalist again with his low total of 35 on the day. Keegan LaLonde shot a 37, Farricielli carded 43, Morgan scored a 44, and junior Andrew Verzella shot a 54 for the Hornets.
Boys’ Outdoor Track
The Branford boys’ outdoor track team completed its regular season by recording a home victory over Foran last week. On May 11, the Hornets hosted Foran and defeated the Lions by the score of 89-60 to finish with a record of 6-4 for the regular season.
Junior Nathan Chieffo took first place in the 100 (11.3) and the 200 (23.4) for the Hornets in the win. Senior Peyton Moriarty finished first in the 800 (2:12.1) and the 1,600 (4:54.4), while sophomore Enaji Muhammad won the high jump (5-6) and the long jump (19-1).
Junior Avery Atkinson claimed first place in the javelin (147-11), and junior Massimo Corrick ran his way to first place in the 3,200 (11:10.6).
Branford’s 4x100 relay of senior Cheng Wu, junior Ryder Kropiwnicki, freshman Akiel Lomotey, and Chieffo finished in first place (45.5). The 4x800 quartet of sophomore Sam Coppola, junior Harrison Smith, junior Colin Donahoe, and Moriarty also earned top honors (9:50.5).
Girls’ Outdoor Track
The Branford girls’ outdoor track squad hosted Foran for its regular-season finale on May 11. Branford claimed an 83-65 win versus Foran to finish the regular season with a record of 3-7.
Sophomore Tess Wasiolek took first place in the 800 (2:36.9), the 1,600 (5:48.3), and the 3,200 (12:16) to help the Hornets defeat the Lions. Freshman Ella Stone finished first in the long jump (15-4), the triple jump (31-1), and the high jump (4-2). Branford also received first-place performances from sophomore Joelle Budz in the 100 (12.9), junior Sarah Nwagboli in the 200 (27.0), and senior Julia Duffy in the 400 (63.6).
Branford’s 4x100 relay of Duffy, Nwagboli, senior Sam Burzynski, and Budz claimed first place (52.5) at the meet. The 4x400 relay featuring junior Lila Wasiolek, sophomore Aamarrah Streater, freshman Glorianna Buckley, and Duffy also came in first place (4:40).
Nwagboli and Burzynski finished in a tie for second in the 100 with their times of 13.2. Budz finished second (27.3) in the 200 with Streater placing third (30.2) in the event. Junior Hannah Jackson finished second in the 100 hurdles (21.2), placed second in the javelin (71-0), and was third in the 300 hurdles (57.3) for the Hornets.
Junior Gianna Piscitelli finished second in the shot put (23-9) and took third place in the discus (70-6). Senior Svea Lundgren finished in third place for the long jump (13-3) in the victory.
Boys’ Tennis
The Branford boys’ tennis team played five matches in a five-day span last week and came away from the stretch with four victories to improve its record to 9-5 on the season.
Branford began its week with a 7-0 road win over East Haven on May 10. The following day, the Hornets hosted Lyman Hall and posted a 7-0 shutout. Senior Josh Berdon notched a 6-1, 6-2 victory for Branford at No. 1 singles. Senior William Mollow netted a 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 2 singles; senior Matt Gaudioso was a 6-2, 6-0 winner at No. 3 singles; and senior Aidan Shamas earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 4 singles.
On the doubles court, Branford’s No. 1 tandem of sophomore Luke Baylis and sophomore Matt Law won their contest by a 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 score. The Hornets’ No. 2 duo of sophomore James Heier and sophomore Nirvan Paudyal claimed a victory in their match; while the No. 3 team of senior Edmund Bassett and senior Cole Graver prevailed by a 6-1, 6-1 final.
On May 12, Branford took a 6-1 loss to Hand in a home match. Shamas gutted out a 3-6, 6-2, 3-6 victory at No. 4 singles for the Hornets.
The Hornets came back to grab a road 7-0 road win versus Career the following afternoon. Berdon (6-0, 6-0), Mollow (6-2, 6-1), and Shamas (6-0, 6-0) all won their singles matches in straight sets to lead Branford to the victory.
Branford wrapped up its week by posting a 7-0 home win over Foran on May 14.
Girls’ Lacrosse
The Branford girls’ lacrosse team moved to 6-8 on the year after winning one of its three matchups last week.
The Hornets started off their week by earning a 12-11 home victory versus Lauralton Hall on May 10. The next day, Branford played a road game against Barlow and lost the contest by a 16-5 score. Then on May 13, Branford traveled to Wallingford to face Sheehan and took an 18-10 defeat against the Titans.