The West Haven/Sacred Heart Girls hockey team swept its last three games of the season the finish 15-4-1 with victories over Masuk, Branford and a thrilling overtime victory over East Catholic. On Tuesday evening the Westie Sharks celebrated Senior Night and then went out and dominated the Masuk/Barlow/Newtown/Oxford/Bethel Panthers 5-0. The game would have been a lot worse, if not for the efforts of the Panthers’ goaltender, who faced 61 shots.
The Westie Sharks took a 1-0 lead at 7:40 of the first period on a goal by Francesca Criscuolo assisted by CC Condon. The girls went up 2-0 when Megan Froehlich took a pass from Veronica Lynn and found the back of the net 8:06 into the second period. Froehlich then set up Condon, who scored at 12:01 to extend the lead to 3-0. Froehlich made it 4-0 with her second goal of the game with 3:41 left in the game assisted by Taylor Nowak and then Lynn iced the game 54 seconds later for the 5-0 final. Tatum Courtmanche turned aside eight Panther shots to record the shutout between the pipes.
On Thursday, the Westie Sharks visited the Patsy Dilungo Rink in East Haven to face the Branford/East Haven/North Branford Wings. The girls struck first when Megan Froehlich’s shot was stopped but Mia Celentano jammed home the rebound for a 1-0 lead 5:44 into the game. Francesca Criscuolo made it 2-0, assisted by CC Condon at 8:48 of the second period and then Froehlich made it 3-0 with a goal at 1:55 of the third period assisted by Taylor Nowak and Jianna Cohrs. Tatum Courtmanche was outstanding between the pipes, making 17 saves, many, spectacular to record her second, straight shutout.
The girls wrapped up their regular season with a tune-up for the playoffs with East Catholic/Glastonbury/South Windsor. East Catholic got on the board first with a goal 1:45 into the game. The Westie Sharks got even with a goal 6:12 into the second period when Jianna Cohrs scored, assisted by Mia Celentano and Brooke McNabola. East Catholic took the lead back 4:23 later but Veronica Lynn got the girls even again with a tally 1:12 after that.
The Westie Sharks would take their first lead of the game 6:47 into the third period on an unassisted Taylor Nowak goal but 45 minutes would not be enough to finish this game when East Catholic got the equalizer with 1:15 left in the game. Veronica Lynn made sure that the bus ride home would be a happy one when she scored her second of the game 1:55 into overtime for the 4-3 victory. Kyleen Crowe made 25 saves in net for the Westie Sharks.
This week, the girls will participate in the SCC playoffs. On Wednesday, the Westie Sharks faced the winner of the Notre Dame of Fairfield/Branford game and if victorious will face the winner of the Hamden vs Amity/North Haven/Cheshire winner on Saturday at the Bennett Rink at 6.
The girls basketball team wrapped up its season with a 46-42 victory over the Sacred Heart Academy Sharks on Senior Night, Monday evening at the WHHS Gym. Amanda Carr dominated the boards, pulling down 20 rebounds while scoring 10 points and blocking five shots. Natalia Frazier led West Haven with 11 points while Ebonie Jones scored nine points in the win.
The boys hockey team hosted the North Rockland, NY Red Raiders on Monday evening. Collin Braziel put the Blue Devils up 1-0 just 3:39 into the game. The Red Raiders responded with two goals of their own to take a 2-1 lead before EJ Pacapelli and Robbie Forleo scored to give the boys a 3-2 lead at the end of one period.
Pacapelli extended the West Haven lead to 4-2 early in the second period but then the Red Raiders exploded for the next, seven goals to take a 9-4 lead. Niko Kyle scored with 2:41 left in the game to cut the lead to 9-5 but North Rockland tacked on one more 56 seconds later for the 10-5 final. Logan Cole made 35 saves before giving away to Charles Miller, who made seven saves in net for the Westies.
The boys celebrated their Senior Night by posting a 6-2 victory over the Milford Indians on Wednesday night at the Bennett Rink. Niko Kyle scored four goals and added an assist to help the Blue Devils win. The three West Haven seniors also shined with EJ Pacapelli picking up two goals and an assist, Collin Braziel contributed with three assists and Logan Cole made 29 saves between the pipes.
On Saturday, the Westies traveled to Enfield to take on Suffield/Granby/Windsor Locks. The Blue Devils got a goal from Kevin Moriarty in the first period and Robbie Forleo in the second to take a 2-1 lead over the Wildcats but, Suffield scored four, unanswered goals to defeat West Haven, 5-2. Logan Cole made 41 saves in goal for the Westies.
This week, the boys traveled to face the Cheshire Rams on Monday, head north to face the Glastonbury Tomahawks on Saturday at 7:30 and then finish the regular season with a game at Hamden on Wednesday at 7.
The boys basketball team concluded its season with losses to the Wilbur Cross Governors, 85-52, on Monday night and the Amity Spartans, 71-49, on Friday night in West Haven. On Monday night, the Westies were defeated by the Governors despite 18 points by Josiah Steinman.