WHHS Sports

By Mike Madera

Special to the Voice

With the end of a sports season also comes the end of the careers for senior players. For the West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy girls’ hockey team, the bitter end came in an opening round loss of the state tournament.

Each player and coach pondered what could have been on the long bus ride home from Newington. What many may have also wondered was the question of what life would be like without two of the most heralded players in the program’s history as seniors Taylor Nowak and Megan Froehlich played in their last contest for the Westie Sharks.

“Taylor has made her mark on Connecticut girls’ high school hockey far beyond the West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy team,” head coach Erin Blake said. “She recorded 159 career points. She set records, broke records, and was a leader. Those are just a few things she has accomplished in her short four years of high school. Taylor has been the leading scorer and point holder for the past four years. She has played forward, defense, and wishes she could have played in goal too!” 

How good was Nowak? The senior became the first player since Gabi Prisco to be named All-State for three consecutive years with her third selection coming after this season.

Nowak, who will need to make a post-grad decision between Vermont Academy, Kent, and Choate, starred for the Westie Sharks for four years and finished her career with 114 goals, reaching 100 this year in a loss to New Canaan. Not only did Nowak score in triple digits, she finished her career as West Haven’s all-time points leader with 159.

“Anyone who watches Taylor play can tell that she puts her heart and soul into the game,” West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy assistant coach Jocey Morrell said. “She’s worked on and off the ice for many years to get where she is today and it shows. All of her hard work will pay off and I’m excited to see what’s next for her.”

“Taylor’s work ethic is admirable,” Blake added. “She always strives to be better than the day before. She has so many deserving accolades to go along with her tremendous career, but she is humble. That is what impresses me most about her. We can count on Taylor’s hockey intelligence, speed, and drive to help win games. She gives 100% when she touches the ice for practice and games. Taylor respects the game of hockey. From her coaches to her teammates, from officials to opponents, that is something that I will miss most. But, I feel lucky to have had the honor to coach such an incredible player and young lady like Taylor.”

Froehlich, who was named to the All-SCC/SWC first team and All-State first team following this season, entered her senior campaign needing 37 points to reach the 100-point mark. The senior accomplished this mark in a late season win over Hamden and finished the season with 23 goals and 27 assists for 50 points.

“I really did not know if it was possible,” Froehlich said. “Coach (Blake) said I may reach it in my senior year, but I did not really know.”

“Gritty. That’s one word I would use to describe Megan,” Morrell added of Froehlich. “She went out there every game for four years and gave it her all. Whether she was hurt, tired, or sick, she pushed herself to the limit for the success of the team.”

Both Nowak and Froehlich came on to the scene as highly-touted freshmen and neither disappointed in their rookie campaigns. Nowak helped ignite the offense of the Westie Sharks with 24 goals and 6 assists in her inaugural campaign, while Froehlich was just as impressive with nine goals and 10 assists as the duo combined for 49 points.

“Since it was a new program, I was a little nervous coming in,” Froehlich said of her freshman year. “I knew it had done well as a first-year combined team. I wanted to be part of it. We were able to win the SCC championship. I was glad to be part of it and be able to put some numbers on the board.”

Sophomore season saw the duo combine for 58 points as Nowak had 35 points on 25 goals and 10 assists, and Froehlich continued the balanced attack which would define her career with 12 goals and 11 assists for 23 points.

“Megan just goes out and she pushes herself to win and that passion is what makes her successful,” Blake said of Froehlich. “She is a playmaker. Megan isn’t in it for herself as she sees the ice extremely well and makes plays happen each shift. She communicates well on the ice and her drive to succeed is what makes her such a strong player. Whether setting up the pass with 62 assists or putting the puck in the net with 56 career goals, she has been such an asset to the team. Megan has been a huge part of the West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy growth and success for the past four years. She is a versatile player. I have used her on defense if need be throughout each season. She doesn’t complain, she listens, and she wants to do whatever is best for her team. As a coach, what more could you ask for? She has grown into a tremendous leader both on and off the ice. It has been a pleasure and honor to coach such a stand-up player and person like Megan.”

The wins continued to pile up for the Westie Sharks as junior year saw the Westies win 20 games, before falling in the state semifinals. Both Nowak and Froehlich, who played on a line which also included Jianna Cohrs, were a big part, combining for 62 points.

“We have been together the past three years,” Nowak said of the line. “We always talk on the ice and we have a really good bond off the ice.”

Nowak, who also plays soccer and lacrosse, reached 80 goals and 100 points with 31 goals and 41 points for 106 career points. She reached over 100 goals and 159 points with 34 goals and 53 points her senior campaign.

“I would not have gotten those without my teammates,” Nowak said. “It was an exciting four years. It is sad this is it and I will never put that jersey on again.”

Froehlich, who is still deciding her collegiate plans on where she will study psychology, continued her stellar senior season in fine fashion, finishing with 23 goals and 27 assists for 50 points as a senior and 113 points in her career.

“I felt like I had an off year my junior year,” Froehlich said. “I did not play my best. Before I went to captains’ practice, I knew I really needed to work hard this year. I set some goals I wanted to accomplish, and just went out there doing the best I can.”

While the points and honors will add up, it was the way which both Nowak and Froehlich competed which will long be remembered. Not only did both play hard each shift, but they avoided penalties.

In four seasons, the duo combined for just 34 penalty minutes, with Nowak having just 12 penalty minutes against her, including none her sophomore year and just two her senior year.

“It is just a lot of clean play,” Nowak said. “I just kept my feet moving and backchecked. When you stop moving your feet, that is when you get called for penalties. I always kept my head up and went for the puck.”

After 14 penalty minutes her freshman campaign, Froehlich had just four penalty minutes her sophomore year, and two each in her junior and senior campaigns.

Accounting for the duo’s 272 combined career points will be hard to figure out for the Westie Sharks. Replacing the student-athletes in Froehlich and Nowak will be even tougher.

The streak is finally over. After seven consecutive attempts to qualify for the state tournament, the West Haven girls basketball team is now in.

With an 86-22 victory over Harding Tuesday afternoon, West Haven advanced to the postseason for the first time since 2017. West Haven finishes the regular season at 8-12.

West Haven had 10 different players in the scoring column and was led by Amani Abuhatab with 23 points. Kassidy Carrano scored 12 points, Davina Mendez had 10, and Tenique Gates and Dealyce Howard each scored nine.

After the first quarter, in which West Haven took a 13-4 lead, the game was never in question as a 28-3 second quarter run by the Westies increased the lead to 41-7 at the half. A 25-4 run in the third quarter gave West Haven a 66-11 lead and ensured the trip to the postseason for the first time in three years.

Abuhatab, who also recorded 13 rebounds and four steals in the contest, had five of her team’s points in the opening quarter, then led the second quarter explosion with seven points. Carrano had six points in the quarter, and Howard added five.

West Haven held Harding to single digits in points in each of the first three quarters and allowed just seven points in the first half.

The run in the state tournament was a short one for the 28th-seeded Westies as they fell to fifth-seeded Trumbull, 52-34, in the opening round of the Class LL state tournament. West Haven converted on just 8-of-24 free throws in the contest.

Abuhatab led West Haven with 14 points, Carrano had nine points, and Howard added six points in the season-ending loss.

The goal of any team in the regular season is to be peaking at the right time. The West Haven boys basketball team is doing exactly that.

With an 82-50 victory over North Haven Tuesday evening, the Westies won their seventh straight contest and improved to 13-5 on the year.

As has been the case throughout the season, the Westies received a complete team effort and were led by Malcolm Duncanson with 22 points. Shea Sheffield added 15 points, Marlin Walker had 11, and Laron Holmes scored nine in the victory.

While the Westies struggled at the free throw line, hitting on just 11-of-23 shots, they connected for 11 3-pointers, led by Sheffield with four, and Duncanson, Walker and Allen Meyers with two apiece.

West Haven team advanced to the quarterfinals of the Southern Connecticut Conference tournament with a 50-34 victory over North Haven Thursday evening at West Haven High.

Duncanson led the way with 17 points, while Khalel Francis added 12 points, and Sheffield had 10 points.

Behind eight first quarter points from Duncanson, West Haven jumped out to a 16-10 lead. Buckets by Duncanson, Walker, and Javon Calhoun had West Haven out to a 6-0 lead.

The Westies pulled away in the second quarter when a basket by Francis had the Westies up 23-17. The Indians pulled within five points in the third quarter, but a basket by Duncanson, and a 3-pointer by Francis had the Westies up 34-24 in the third quarter.

Sheffield hit a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter for a 45-31 advantage.

West Haven boys basketball team was hoping to make a run to the Southern Connecticut Conference finals. A tough team in Hamden stood in the way.

West Haven trailed early and had to fight back from a 15-point deficit to even the game in the fourth quarter. West Haven never took the lead, and the battle back from a 21-7 deficit could not be completed.

Sheffield led the Westies with 22 points, including five 3-pointers, while Duncanson added 17 points, and Manny Belcher had 10.

Having lost two straight and four of five entering last Tuesday night’s contest with Amity, the West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy girls hockey team knew the game was coming at the right time.

Looking to get going in the right direction once again, the Westie Sharks rallied from an early deficit, then scored twice in the third period to defeat Amity 7-5 at the Edward L. Bennnett Rink.

Brooke McNabola led the way with three goals, Taylor Nowak and Jenna Hunt each had a goal and two assists, and Hannah Davey made 24 saves to help WH/SHA improve to 12-6 on the season.

The last time Guilford and West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy met was a classic affair which did not end in the favor of the Westie Sharks at Webster Bank Arena.
While Guilford rallied for an overtime victory in the first meeting, it was the Westie Sharks who rallied to force overtime last Friday evening. The result, however, again belonged in favor of the Indians.
Despite WH/SHA scoring twice in the final 1:56 of regulation, Guilford used an overtime tally to top WH/SHA 7-6 at the Edward L. Bennett Rink in West Haven. With the loss, WH/SHA fell to 12-7 on the year.
Megan Froehlich led the offense with two goals, while Nowak had one goal and four assists. Davey was outstanding in goal with 43 saves.
West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy opened the Southern Connecticut Conference tournament with a 7-0 victory over Hand at the Edward L. Bennett Rink in West Haven.

Nine different players were in the scoring column as WH/SHA advanced to play Guilford in the semifinals of the tournament.

Jenna Hunt led the offense with three goals and one assist, Jianna Cohrs had a goal and two assists, and Meghan Dupre finished with a pair of assists. Hailey Alfano and Davey combined to make 10 saves.

There will be no Southern Connecticut Conference championship for the WH/SHA girls hockey team. Looking to top Guilford after a pair of gut-wrenching losses to the Indians, the Westie Sharks did not have to worry about any last-minute defeat.

Trailing early and never having the lead, third-seeded WH/SHA fell to second-seeded Guilford 8-3 in the SCC semifinals in East Haven last Wednesday evening.

Froehlich led the offense with a goal and an assist, Mackenzie Gardner had two assists, and Davey made 15 saves, but it was not enough in the lop-sided loss.

Guilford scored the first three goals of the game, including taking a 2-0 lead after one period of play. WH/SHA finally got back into the contest in a span of 3:06, scoring twice, and cutting the deficit to 3-2 with 3:07 left in the second period.

The Indians rebounded by scoring twice in the final 1:27 of the middle period for a 5-2 lead, and increased the margin to 7-2 in the third.

Nowak scored off assists from Gardner and Froehlich to get within 7-3.

The season came to a crushing end for the Westie Sharks Monday evening in a heart-breaking 1-0 loss to seventh-seeded East Catholic. The tenth-seeded Westie Sharks dominated play with 49 shots on goal, but could not get one to find the back of the net.

Davey played well in goal for the Westie Sharks with 20 saves, but East Catholic scored the winner with 33 seconds to go on a rush by Mary McKiernan.

This one may sting a little bit. After returning to game action for the first time in eleven days, the West Haven boys’ hockey team played a thriller against Xavier.

Unfortunately for the Westies, they could not bury several glorious opportunities and played to a 1-1 tie with the Falcons. Despite everything which felt good about the contest, including 50 saves from Jared Pliszka, the tie pretty much sealed West Haven’s fate as the ninth seed in the Division I state tournament.

In all likelihood, West Haven will open the tournament with a road contest at Greenwich. A victory over the Falcons would have put the Westies in a position where a home contest in the tournament would have been a possibility.

After a scoreless first period in which Pliszka made 14 saves, Pliszka denied a 2-on-1 just 3:33 in, then made another stop in front with 7:38 left in the second.

While Pliszka was doing his thing, the Westies could not capitalize offensively as D.J. Carfora was denied on a 2-on-1 with Ben Carfora.

West Haven finally took a 1-0 lead when Ben Carfora created in front, then took the initial shot which was tapped in by Colin Hines for a 1-0 lead with 6:29 left in the second.

Both teams put the pressure on in the third, but the only goal belonged to Xavier as a short-handed tally evened the contest with 4:35 gone by.

The Westies then had three breakaway opportunities to either take the lead or win the game, but could not convert.

Nick Boanno was stopped with 9:40 remaining by a pad save, as was Kaden Morgillo with 3:05 left. Morgillo was then turned aside in overtime with 2:50 remaining.

The time for the West Haven girls basketball team to qualify for the postseason is dwindling away. The Westies now have one game to play to qualify for bonus basketball.

After the Westies lost their seventh straight contest, 59-37, in Guilford Friday evening, West Haven must now win Tuesday afternoon at Harding to secure a playoff bid. The loss dropped West Haven to 7-12 on the year. 

The Westies hit on just four field goals in the first quarter, and saw Abuhatab score five points in the second quarter. With the game out of reach, West Haven battled in the fourth quarter as Abuhatab scored seven points.

With a 45-42 loss to Foran Friday evening at West Haven High, the Westies lost their fifth straight contest and fell to 7-10 on the year.

West Haven struggled from the field in the opening quarter, draining just 3-pointers from Kassidy Carrano and Brianna Sebastian. West Haven could not get going in the second quarter as only Sarah Evangelista hit a 3-pointer and Jayden Steinman hit from the field.

Abuhatab and Evangelista each had nine points, Howard scored eight and Carrano added seven in the loss.

Looking to get that eighth win on Senior Night at West Haven High, West Haven could not do so in a 67-54 loss to Sheehan Monday evening. The loss dropped the Westies to 7-11 on the year.

Despite 16 points apiece from Howard and Abuhatab, West Haven could not clinch the playoff bid.

As has been the case in games during this losing streak, West Haven fell behind early and struggled to catch up. Sheehan jumped out to a 21-10 first quarter lead and never looked back.

Howard helped keep West Haven in the contest with seven points in the second quarter as West Haven trailed 35-25 at the half.

Carrano drained a pair of 3-pointers and had eight points in the third quarter, and Abuhatab had four points, but the Westies fell behind 52-39. Abuhatab and Howard combined for all 15 of West Haven’s points in the fourth quarter, but it was not enough in the loss.

Every team wants to be peaking as the postseason approaches. The West Haven boys basketball team is doing exactly that.

With a 55-44 victory over Hamden, the Westies won their sixth in a row and improved to 12-4 on the year. Malcolm Duncanson led the way with 17 points, while Khalel Francis had 12.

West Haven set the tone of the game early, taking a 21-11 lead in the first quarter as Duncanson scored seven points, Shea Sheffield drained a pair of 3-pointers and Manny Belcher scored four points.

Hamden rallied to get within 29-25 at the half, but the Westies were up 11 at the end of the third quarter as Francis scored six and Duncanson drained eight of the team’s 16 points in the quarter.

West Haven won its fifth game in a row and improved to 11-4 on the year with a 55-52 overtime win over Career Tuesday evening in West Haven.

Duncanson and Sheffield led the way with 20 and 14 points, respectively.

After a prolonged slump, the West Haven boys hockey team looks as if it has righted the ship. Playing better hockey as of late, the Westies won their second in a row with a 7-4 victory over Simsbury last Saturday afternoon at the Edward L. Bennett Rink in West Haven.

With the win, West Haven improved to 9-7 on the year.

Kaden Morgillo led the way with three goals and an assist, Kevin Moriarty had a goal and three assists, and Jared Pliszka made 21 saves in the win. Sean Dupre, Nick Boanno, and Ben Carfora also scored for the Westies.

For 45 minutes, both the West Haven and Notre Dame-West Haven hockey teams played in a classic high school contest.

In the end, it was a West Haven native, Connor Faughnan, who proved to be the difference-maker for the Green Knights.

Taking a pass from Joe DeLucia from behind the net, Faughnan roofed a shot from in front past Pliszka with 1 minute, 21 seconds remaining as the Green Knights topped the Blue Devils 2-0 in a Division I contest at the Edward L. Bennett Rink in West Haven Wednesday evening.

The goal by Faughnan spoiled what was a magnificent effort by Pliszka in goal as the West Haven goaltender finished with 38 saves, several in outstanding fashion. Pliszka single-handedly kept the Blue Devils in the contest in the second period as well with 20 saves.

After a gut-wrenching loss against cross-town rival Notre Dame Wednesday evening, the team was eager to get back on the ice.

Saturday could not come soon enough and the Westies took advantage with a 7-4 road victory over Glastonbury. The win was West Haven’s third in four games and helped the Westies improve to 10-8.

Senior Kevin Moriarty led the way with three goals and two assists, while Boanno had two goals, and Greene and Robbie Forleo each had a pair of assists. Greene and Morgillo also scored for West Haven. Pliszka finished the contest with 24 saves.

With the postseason approaching, the West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy girls hockey team is looking to find its stride once again. Unfortunately for the Westie Sharks, they have hit a bit of a rut.

The Westie Sharks dropped their second in a row and fourth in five contests with a 7-4 loss at Simsbury Saturday evening. West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy scored first, but trailed 3-1 after one period and never caught up.

Mia Celentano gave the Westie Sharks a 1-0 lead at the 7:29 mark off assists from Emilee DeGrand and Jenna Hunt, but Simsbury took a 3-1 lead.

Jianna Cohrs got West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy within 3-2 at the 2:57 mark of the second, but Simsbury scored the next three for a 6-2 lead. Brooke McNabola got the Westie Sharks within 6-3 in the second, and Taylor Nowak scored off assists from Hunt and Megan Froehlich in the third, but it was not enough.

The West Haven boys swimming team fell to Greater New Haven 102-80 last Friday evening. The Westies had four first place finishes in the meet. 

The 200 free relay won in 1 minute, 43.66 seconds with a team of Issac Gorske, Chris D’Inzeo, John Barrington, and Luis Lopez. The 100 back was won in 1:13.80 by John Barrington, and the 

100 breast was won in 1:10.25 by D’Inzeo.

The 400 free relay posted a win in 4:29.47 with a team of Luis Lopez, Anthony Castillo, Bradford Hatjopoulos, and Robert Vets.

The team had six second place finishes as the 50 free saw Gorske in 24.33, while the 100 free had Bryan Barrington second in 55.77.

The 200 free relay finished second in 2:01.56 with a team of Brandon Paucar, Vets, Liam Weir, and Brian Carew. 

The 100 back with Paucar was second in 1:18.32, Vets was second in the 100 breast in 1:26.83, and the 400 free relay was second in 4:40.37 with a team of Angel Perez, Obyda Charachfi, Walter Dalton, Max Leatherman

West Haven then topped Sheehan 102-84 in Wallingford Monday evening. The Westies had five first place finishes and eight second place finishes in the victory.

The 200 medley relay team of John Barrington, D’Inzeo, Lopez, and Gorske won in 1 minute, 54.73 seconds. The 500 free was won by Anthony Castillo in 6:01.42, the 100 Back was won by D’Inzeo in 1:07.56, Lopez took home the 100 breast in 1:13.27, and the 400 free relay of Bryan Barrington, John Barrington, D’Inzeo, and Castillo won in 3:58.73.

Lopez was second in the 200 individual medley in 2:24.72, Gorske placed second in the 50 free in 24.21, while the 100 fly saw Jacob Eairheart second in 1:06.93.

Gorske was the runner-up in the 100 free in 55.46, while Bryan Barrington followed suit in the 500 free in 6:05.56. The 200 free relay team of Gorske, Lopez, Castillo, and Mustansir Jamalee placed second in 1:43.45, while the 100 back saw Paucar second in 1:14.13, and the 100 breast had Brendan Carew second in 1:21.73.

West Haven fell to Lyman Hall/Coginchaug, 96-89, Thursday evening at West Haven High. The Westies had six first place finishes and five second place positions in the close loss.

West Haven’s first place finishes came in the 50 freestyle in 24.28 seconds by Gorske, and also the 100 freestyle in 55.28, also by Gorske. The 100 butterfly was won in 1:04.03 by Eairheart, while the 100 breast was won in 1:08.52 by D’Inzeo.

The 200 medley relay won in 1:53.76 with a team of Bryan Barrington, D’Inzeo, Lopez, and Gorske. The 400 free relay was victorious in 4:00.63 with a team of Bryan Barrington, John Barrington, D’Inzeo, and Castillo.

West Haven’s second place finishes came from the 200 freestyle with D’Inzeo in 2:03.88, while the 200 yard IM had Lopez second in 2:20.84. Castillo was second in the 500 freestyle in 5:55.11, John Barrington placed second in the 100 back in 1:08.60, and the 200 free relay was second in 1:43.41 with a team of Gorske, Youssef Ossama, Jamalee, and Lopez.

The West Haven boys basketball team won two of three contests this week. West Haven is now 6-3 on the year.

With its third straight victory, the West Haven boys’ basketball team improved to 5-2 on the season Monday evening. West Haven’s latest victory came at Hall, where the Westies posted a 57-51 victory.

The Westies had three players in double figures, led by Marlin Walker with 18 points. Malcolm Duncanson and Laron Holmes each scored 15 points, with Walker draining four 3-pointers. Shea Sheffield finished with eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers.

West Haven trailed 14-12 after one quarter despite six points on a pair of 3-pointers by Marlin Walker, and 23-22 at the half.

West Haven got things going in the third quarter to take a 41-38 lead with a 19-15 advantage. Duncanson had nine of his points in the quarter. West Haven hit seven free throws in the final quarter to pull out the six-point victory.

West Haven has won four of its last five contests. The fourth win came Friday evening in a 58-43 home victory over Jonathan Law. The Westies took the lead in the second quarter, expanded it in the third, and closed the contest in the fourth.

Duncanson led West Haven with 17 points. Sheffield and Holmes scored 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Westies.

The West Haven girls’ basketball team won two of three games this week. With the victories, West Haven improved to 6-4 on the year.

West Haven lost its third straight contest Monday evening, with a 52-41 defeat to Mercy at West Haven.

Amani Abuhatab led the Westies with 16 points. Kassidy Carrano had seven points, while Tenique Gates and Sarah Evangelista finished with five points.

West Haven trailed 15-11 in the first quarter despite four points from Abuhatab and three from Evangelista. Mercy pulled away with a 14-7 second quarter run for a 29-18 lead as the Westies connected on just a pair of field goals in the second quarter.

The Westies finally got going offensively in the third quarter with 13 points as six different players were in the scoring column, but West Haven could not get closer as each team scored 23 points in the second half.

West Haven ended a three-game losing streak with a 36-32 victory over Foran Wednesday evening.

Elena Petrie led the way with seven points, including five in the fourth quarter to help the Westies to the four-point win. Abuhatab had seven points, while Evangelista added five in the win.

The Westies came back to win their second game in a row and improved to 6-4 on the year with a thorough 52-41 victory over Lauralton Hall in Milford Friday evening.

A balanced scoring attack saw Carrano lead the way with 14 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Gates added 10 points, Abuhatab had nine points and Brianna Sebastian and Jayden Steinman each scored six.

Leading by one point, West Haven put the game away with a 21-14 run in the second quarter. West Haven never looked back, leading 40-28 after three quarters of play.

The winning streak has reached nine games to start the season for the West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy girls hockey team.

The Westie Sharks produced their eighth victory in emphatic fashion with an 8-2 victory over Masuk Tuesday evening at the Edward L. Bennett Rink in West Haven.

Ten different players were in the scoring column, led by Taylor Nowak who had three goals and one assist. For Nowak, the goal total is now at 99 in her memorable high school career.

Jianna Cohrs scored twice and added an assist, while Hailey Alfano and Hannah Davey combined to make 12 saves. Alfano finished the contest with seven saves and Davey added five in the victory.

The Westie Sharks took control of the game in the opening period, scoring four times for a 4-0 advantage. Megan Froehlich, who had a goal and an assist, got things going 33 seconds into the contest with a tally off an assist from Cohrs.

Less than five minutes later, the lead was 2-0 when Melissa Tsakonas scored off an assist from Mackenzie Gardner. Cohrs made the score 3-0 off an assist from Nowak 2:10 later, then scored again off an assist from Emilee DeGrand with six seconds remaining in the period for a 4-0 advantage.

Leading 4-1 in the second, the Westie Sharks increased the margin to 5-1 when Caitlin Welch scored off assists from Maya Boyhen and Jenn Hunt. Nowak scored twice in 35 seconds in the second. Then finished her hat trick at the 12:16 mark off an assist from Froehlich.

West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy improved to 9-0 with a 6-2 victory over Branford Thursday evening at the Edward L. Bennett Rink in West Haven.

Nine different players were in the scoring column, led by Jenna Hunt and Jianna Cohrs with two goals and an assist apiece. Maya Boyhen finished with a pair of assists. Hailey Alfano finished with 12 saves, including five in the second period.

The Westie Sharks trailed 1-0 until Megan Froehlich scored off assists from Cohrs and Brooke McNabola with 20 seconds remaining in the opening period.

West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy scored the first three goals of the second period for a 4-1 advantage.

Hunt gave the Westie Sharks the lead for good with an unassisted goal at the 10:20 mark, before she scored again 1:06 later off assists from Mia Celentano and Boyhen. When Cohrs scored an unassisted goal 48 seconds later, WH/SHA led 4-1.

With a 4-2 advantage, the Westie Sharks put the contest away with two third period goals. Mackenzie Gardner scored at the 6:39 mark off assists from Hunt and Anne Plunkett, before Cohrs scored her second of the game with 1:12 left off assists from Taylor Nowak and Boyhen.

After starting the season in feel-good fashion, the West Haven boys’ hockey team has seen adversity cross its way. The battle to get through a three-game losing streak was up for a tall test against Fairfield Prep Wednesday evening.

Despite a scoreless first period, the Westies watched as the Jesuits scored three times in each of the second and third periods to top West Haven 6-0 at the Wonderland of Ice.

The Westies were outshot, 41-17, in the contest with Jared Pliszka making 35 saves.

With inclement weather approaching, Saturday morning’s contest between Cheshire and West Haven was moved to an earlier start time. The Westies were hoping such a change could lead to a different result as they were in the midst of a four-game skid.

While West Haven got on the board first, Cheshire scored the last three and topped West Haven 3-1 to send the Westies to their fifth straight loss.

Kaden Morgillo got the Westies going in the contest when he scored 9 minutes, 44 seconds into the game off an assist from Robbie Forleo.

Morgillo’s goal was West Haven’s only lead of the game and it was short-lived as Cheshire scored 1:59 later.

After a scoreless second period, Cheshire took a 2-1 lead 50 seconds into the third. West Haven never got the equalizer and the Rams iced the contest with an insurance tally with 27 seconds remaining.

Pliszka made 17 saves in the loss for West Haven.

The West Haven boys swim team used solid team work to pull out an 88-84 victory over Sacred Heart Tuesday evening at West Haven High. The Westies had seven first place finishes and eight second place finishes.

The 200 yard medley relay team of Bryan Barrington, Christopher D’Inzio, Luis Lopez, and Shane Taulty won in 1 minute, 58.01 seconds, while the 200 yard free relay team of Issac Gorske, Lopez, Anthony Castillo, and Mustansir Jamalee won in 1:47.33.

Luis Lopez was victorious in the 200 yard IM in 2:21.50, while the 50 yard free was won by Gorske in 23.59 seconds. Vincent Militrano was victorious in the diving event with 135.75 points, and Gorske won the 100 yard free in 56.02 seconds. The 100 yard breaststroke was won by Christopher D’Inzio in 1:10.98.

West Haven also had eight second place finishes. The 400 yard free relay of Bryan Barrington, John Barrington, D’Inzio, and Shane Taulty was second in 4:16.77, while the 200 yard free had a second place finish with Mustansir Jamalee in 2:26.42.

Bryan Barrington was second in the 50 yard free in 25.68, the 1 M diving had Youssef Ossama with 118.20 points, and the 100 yard butterfly saw Taulty second in 1:07.17. D’Inzio was second in the 100 yard free in 56.43, Anthony Castillo was second in the 500 yard free in 6:21.20. The 100 breaststroke saw Lopez place second in 1:12.32.

The West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy girls hockey team continues to roll along, winning seven straight to open the 2019/2020 season.

Behind 19 saves from Hailey Alfano, two goals and an assist from Taylor Nowak, and a goal and an assist each from Brooke McNabola and Jianna Cohrs, the Westie Sharks improved to 5-0 with a 6-1 victory over Fairfield Warde/Ludlowe at the Edward L. Bennett Rink Monday evening.

Alfano was stellar in goal, making five saves in the first and four more in the second with the Westie Sharks in a tight contest. Alfano was at her best in the third period with 10 saves, and the rest of the team responded with four goals to put the game away.

The Westie Sharks took a 1-0 lead on an unassisted goal by McNabola 2 minutes, 56 seconds into the game and held that lead until the second period. With the game even at one, Cohrs scored off an assist from Anne Plunkett at the 9:24 mark of the second to give West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy a lead it never relinquished.

The Westie Sharks scored four times in the third as Emilee DeGrand opened the scoring at the 6:10 mark off assists from Mia Celentano and Jenna Hunt for a 3-1 lead. Mackenzie Gardner increased the lead to 4-1 just 4:22 later off an assist from Nowak, before Nowak put the game away.

The senior gave West Haven / Sacred Heart Academy a 5-1 lead with 1:57 left off assist from Cohrs and McNabola, before scoring an unassisted tally with 12 seconds remaining.

The West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy girls hockey team continues to find different ways to win. Through six games, the Westie Sharks are a perfect 6-0.

The latest victory for the Westie Sharks came Wednesday evening against rival Hamden. Scoring six times in the second period, West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy posted a 10-8 victory at the Lou Astorino Rink in Hamden.

Megan Froehlich led the way for the Westie Sharks with three goals and two assists, Jianna Cohrs added two goals and three assists, while Taylor Nowak had three goals and one assist in the win.

Trailing 4-2 in the second period, the Westie Sharks scored five straight times to take a lead they never relinquished.

Froehlich scored off an assist from Cohrs to get West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy within 4-3 5:04 into the second, before an unassisted goal by Nowak evened the contest at four just 54 seconds later.

Cohrs scored an unassisted goal 1:34 later for a 5-4 advantage, before Nowak set up Froehlich for a 6-4 lead 41 seconds later. Froehlich made it a 7-4 contest off an assist from Anne Plunkett with 4:31 left in the second.

The Westie Sharks increased the margin to 8-5 with 18 seconds remaining in the middle period when Nowak scored her third of the game off assists from Cohrs and Froehlich.

With the lead at 8-6, the Westie Sharks increased the margin to three goals on a tally by Hunt with 6:54 to go. Hamden got with 9-8 on a pair of goals in 1:05, but Brooke McNabola iced the contest with 32 seconds to go.

Cohrs gave West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy a quick lead in the contest, scoring 5:36 in, before Hamden scored the next two goals. Nowak evened the contest at two with her first of the game off assists from Cohrs and Froehlich with 2:57 left in the opening period.

Hailey Alfano made 15 saves in the win for the Westie Sharks.

The winning streak to start the season reached seven games for the West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy girls hockey team. Behind four goals from Taylor Nowak, including the game-winner with 11 seconds remaining in the third period, the Westie Sharks topped Notre Dame-Fairfield 6-5 at the Edward L. Bennett Rink Saturday afternoon.

Leading 5-3 heading into the third period, WH/SHA watched as the Lancers evened the contest with a short-handed goal with 1:09 remaining.

Nowak was there to bail her team out. Off an assist from Mackenzie Gardner, Nowak found the back of the net in the final seconds for a 6-5 advantage.

Notre Dame took a 2-0 lead in the first period before the Westie Sharks got within 2-1 when Nowak scored off an assist from Hunt with 15 seconds to go in the opening period.

Off an assist from Brooke McNabola, Megan Froehlich evened the game at two 1:11 into the second.

Trailing 3-2, WH/SHA closed the period with three consecutive goals. Nowak evened the contest off an assist from Froehlich at the 8:21 mark, and an unassisted goal by Nowak put the Westie Sharks on top 4-3 with 4:20 remaining in the period. Jenna Hunt increased the lead to 5-3 with 40 seconds to go in the period off an assist from Mia Celentano.

Hailey Alfano made 17 saves in the win as the Westie Sharks held a 45-22 shot advantage in the game.

After cruising through the first five games of the season, the West Haven boys hockey team is faced with some adversity. Fresh off its initial loss of the season against Branford, the Westies were looking to regroup against Fairfield Warde/Ludlowe Monday evening at the Wonderland of Ice.

Despite winning the first meeting of the two teams earlier in the year, West Haven could not match that effort and fell, 5-2.

The two teams played to a scoreless game through two periods, before Fairfield Warde/Ludlowe scored three times in the first 5 minutes, 51 seconds of the final period, including the initial goal just 1:02 into the third.

Trailing 3-0, the Westies tried to rally, scoring twice in a span of 2:10 to get within a goal. Ben Carfora opened the West Haven scoring with 7:25 remaining off an assist from Sean Dupre, before D.J. Carfora scored off an assist from Robbie Forleo with 5:15 to go to get West Haven close at 3-2.

The Westies got no closer as Fairfield Warde/Ludlowe scored twice in the final 3:10, including goals 39 seconds apart, to pull away for the win.

The losing streak reached three games for the Westies. Despite putting 49 shots on goal, West Haven fell to East Haven 2-1 Saturday afternoon on Sammy Hotchkiss Day at the Edward L. Bennett Rink.

East Haven goaltender Logan Hamilton made 48 saves, several in spectacular fashion as the Yellowjackets sent the Blue Devils to their third straight defeat.

West Haven took a 1-0 lead in the opening period when Kaden Morgillo skated in from the slot area, went to the backhand and beat Hamilton. Richie Greene and Kevin Moriarty assisted on the goal which came 5 minutes, 45 seconds into the contest.

Morgillo’s tally was the lone goal for the Blue Devils as Hamilton was on his game, including making stellar stops on Forleo, D.J. Carfora, Ben Carfora, Kevin Moriarty and Joe D’Aurio in the middle period in which West Haven held a 16-4 shot advantage.

While West Haven was held off the scoreboard, East Haven’s Parker Sprankle won the battle to a loose puck and beat West Haven goaltender Jared Pliszka at the 2:49 mark.

West Haven then held a 19-9 shot advantage in the third period, but again was denied by Hamilton. DJ Carfora was turned aside by a blocker save with 11:10 remaining, Forleo was denied in front and Carfora was turned aside from the slot within seconds with 8:10 to go.

East Haven scored the go-ahead goal with 5:07 remaining when Alec Speirs knocked in a rebound of a Dave Amatruda shot,

West Haven put the pressure on in the final minutes, but Hamilton was not to be beaten as he denied Morgillo in front with a pad save with 3:12 to go. Moriarty then had a pair of opportunities in front, but saw his initial shot deflected over the goal, and his second sail just over the crossbar.

The four-game win streak came to an end for the West Haven girls basketball team this week. Unable to get in a groove, the Westies fell at North Haven 57-43 Tuesday evening.

The Westies were hurt at the free throw line where they connected on just 8-of-17 shots, and on the outside, where they did not drain a 3-point shot. With the loss, West Haven dropped to 4-2 on the year.

Despite 10 points from freshman Amani Abuhatab in the opening quarter, the Westies trailed 14-13. Abuhatab continued her string of scoring in double figures in all six games with 26 points.

West Haven remained in the game in the second quarter with 10 points, four each from Abuhatab and Dealyce Howard, but trailed 26-23 at the break. The Indians pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring the Westies 16-8, and holding West Haven to just four field goals in the quarter.

Abuhatab added eight more points in the final eight minutes, but it was not enough in the road loss.

Howard finished with six points in the loss, while Tenique Gates and Elena Petrie each scored four.

First-year Sacred Heart Academy head coach Jason Kirck has a young squad. Youth does not matter when a team is poised.

For Kirck and his team, that poise came through down the stretch Friday evening as the Sharks held off a feisty West Haven squad in a 43-35 Southern Connecticut Conference interdivision victory at West Haven High.

Behind 12 points from Rosa Rizzitelli, including three 3-pointers, and 10 points apiece from senior Elena Farquharson and freshman Emma Kirck, the Sharks had a balanced attack which came through with clutch shots throughout the contest.

Farquharson led the key run in the game as she scored the last eight points of the third quarter to give Sacred Heart Academy a 37-29 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

West Haven held an 18-17 lead in the final seconds of the opening half, before Emma Kirck drained a 3-ponter to give Sacred Heart Academy the lead at the half.

After Ally Kirck put the Sharks in the third quarter, the Westies (4-3) took a 27-25 lead on a 3-pointer by Sarah Evangelista and a pair of buckets by Elena Petrie. When the Westies had the chance to expand the lead, rushed shots hurt them.

Rizzitelli evened the game at 27, and after a bucket by West Haven’s Petrie tied the game at 29, Farquharson went on a run to give Sacred Heart Academy a lead it never relinquished.

The Sharks hit only one 3-poiter in the final quarter, that from Rizzitelli, while scoring the remaining points from the free throw line to seal the victory.

The Westies took a 10-7 lead after one quarter of play as freshman Amani Abuhatab gave her team a 6-4 lead with a bucket and free throw. Petrie increased the margin to 10-5 with 15 seconds left in the quarter, but a key bucket by Gianna Pye got the Sharks within three as the quarter expired.

Rizzitelli opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer, then hit another for a 13-10 lead for the Sharks with 5:40 remaining in the first half. Baskets by West Haven’s Dea Howard and Petrie, along with a pair of buckets from Abuhatab had West Haven on top 18-17.

Abuhatab, who has scored in double digits in all seven of West Haven’s games, led the Westies with 13 points. Petrie finished with 10 and Evangelista had five in the loss.

The West Haven boys basketball team got back to its winning ways with a 60-56 victory over Cheshire Tuesday evening at West Haven High. With the win, West Haven improved to 3-2 on the year.

West Haven had four players in double figures, led by Malcolm Duncanson and Marlin Walker with 14 points each. Shea Sheffield scored 13 points and Laron Holmes scored 10.

Cheshire jumped out to an early 19-9 lead after one quarter, but the Westies held the Rams to just 16 points over the next two quarters. West Haven hit on only three field goals in the opening quarter, before going on an 18-7 run in the second quarter for a 27-26 lead at the half.

Walker and Sheffield each scored five points in the quarter, while Duncanson added four to help turn the game around.

West Haven pulled away with another big run, this one 19-9 in the third quarter for a 46-35 lead. Holmes drained three field goals, Duncanson had five points, and Sheffield drained a big 3-pointer.

The Westies were outscored 21-14 in the final quarter, with all but five points coming from the free throw line.

West Haven won its second straight contest and improved to 4-2 on the year with a 70-61 road victory over Fairfield Prep Thursday evening.

Holmes led three players in double figures with 15 points, while Duncanson added 11, and Walker had 10.

Despite leading after one quarter of play, led by Duncanson’s five points, the Westies trailed at the half by six.

West Haven’s offense awakened in the second half, including the third quarter when Walker drained a pair of key 3-pointers and Duncanson and Tyrese Hargrove each scored four points.

The Westies closed out the game in the fourth quarter draining ten free throws, getting a big 3-pointer from Sheffield, and nine points from Holmes.

The West Haven boys swimming team fell to Xavier Friday evening. Xavier came in and placed in the top three in every individual event except for the 200 IM and breaststroke. 

Luis Lopez scored third in 2 minutes, 27.04 seconds in the 200 IM and third with a 1:13.96 in the breaststroke. Issac Gorske was third in the 50 free in 24.45 seconds and third in the 100 free with a 57.41.  Chris D’Inzio scored third in the 100 Butterfly in 1:08.89.

West Haven was third in the 200 medley relay with a team of Shane Taulty, D’Inzio, Lopez, and Christopher Olsen in 2:03.36.

The West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy girls hockey team is off to an impressive start with all facets of the game clicking, the Westie Sharks are undefeated early on.

West Haven / Sacred Heart Academy improved to 3-0 with an 8-5 victory over Hall-Conard Monday evening in West Hartford.

Jenna Hunt led the offense with two goals and two assists, Emilee DeGrand had one goal and three assists, Mia Celentano added two goals and an assist, while Megan Froehlich and Taylor Nowak each had a goal and an assist as seven players were in the scoring column. Hailey Alfano made 13 saves in the victory, including six in the middle period.

“Hall/Conard got on the board early first, but what makes me proud is our girls didn’t hang their heads,” West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy coach Erin Blake said. “They fired right back and kept the momentum up the rest of game. It was a whole team effort.”

Trailing 1-0, the Westie Sharks evened the contest with 1 minute, 59 seconds remaining in the opening period when Mia Celentano scored off assists from DeGrand and Hunt.

West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy put the game away with five goals in the second period. Hunt gave the Westie Sharks a 2-1 lead off an assist from Mackenzie Gardner 1:22 into the second, before Hunt’s second of the period, off an assist from DeGrand with 10:25 remaining gave West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy a 3-1 lead.

“Jenna’s (Hunt) line had 11 points total between the three of them,” Blake said. “(Jenna) started the scoring and Emilee (DeGrand), as a freshman, had her first goal and added in four points. Taylor’s (Nowak) line all scored so each player on our top two lines scored. Brooke (McNabola) played her best game yet, holding down the defensive with Mackenzie (Gardner).”

Leading 3-2, DeGrand scored off an assist from Celentano, and Celentano scored 1:59 later off assists from DeGrand and Hunt for a 5-2 advantage. Froehlich added a tally with 33 seconds remaining in the period for a 6-2 lead.

The Westie Sharks took a 7-2 lead 2:43 into the third when Nowak scored an unassisted goal, before Nowak and Froehlich set up Cohrs with 8:18 remaining for an 8-3 lead.

The West Haven/Sacred Heart girls hockey team improved to 4-0 with its second consecutive 8-5 victory over Hall-Conard Saturday afternoon at the Edward L. Bennett Rink in West Haven.

Nine players were in the scoring column, including Froehlich with three goals and two assists, and Celentano and Nowak with two goals apiece. Jianna Cohrs and Meghan Dupre each had a pair of assists in the win for the Westie Sharks.

West Haven / Sacred Heart Academy took a 4-0 lead in the opening period. Jenna Hunt got things going 2:06 into the contest off assists from Froehlich and Dupre, before Froehlich scored off assists from DeGrand and Brooke McNabola 5:48 later.

Froehlich scored again 26 seconds later off an assist from Cohrs for a 3-0 lead, before Celentano scored off and assist from Dupre for a 4-0 advantage.

Hannah Davey made nine saves, including five in the opening period, and Hailey Alfano made four in the win for the Westie Sharks.

Five games into the regular season, West Haven coach Steve Harris loves the way his team is playing. Five wins in five games is a great start.

The Westies showed plenty of grit in their latest victory. Playing without some key players due to injury and illness, West Haven improved to 5-0 with a 6-1 victory over North Haven Thursday evening at the Northford Ice Pavilion.

Seven different players were in the scoring column and Jared Pliszka continued his hot start with 15 saves as the Westies were in control from the start. Mike Alfano and Ben Carfora led the offense with two goals apiece, Nick Boanno and Richie Greene each had a goal and an assist, while Kevin Moriarty added two assists in the victory.

“Tonight, we had to use our depth,” Harris said. “Everyone contributed. We had guys out with injuries and sickness, and everyone stepped up.”

The Westies took a 2-0 lead in the opening period and never looked back. Carfora took advantage of a North Haven turnover and scored an unassisted goal 6 minutes, 31 seconds in.

Pliszka needed to make just three saves in the period, before Greene fed Boanno in front with 3:46 remaining for a 2-0 lead. Moriarty also picked up an assist on the goal.

After Carfora gave the Westies a 3-0 advantage 2:24 into the second off a scramble in front, Pliszka kept the lead at three with nine saves in the middle period, including a point blank shot with 6:17 remaining.

“The biggest thing for us is keeping the shots wide,” Harris said. “We want to keep them at the perimeter. Jared (Pliszka) is playing really well. We want to keep the shots to the perimeter and contain the middle.”

The Westies put the game away in the third period with three more tallies. Alfano had the biggest goals, scoring twice in 33 seconds for a 5-0 advantage.

After a North Haven turnover off the boards, Alfano picked up the loose puck and roofed a shot to the top corner for a 4-0 advantage 2:47 into the third. Alfano then took a pass from Ryan Bernardi and went to the lower right corner for a 5-0 lead.

“The big thing was, after the St. Joe’s game, we wanted to keep the pressure on for three periods,” Harris said. “We wanted to take advantage of the power play and put pressure on. In the last seven minutes of the second period, we got a little sloppy. We regrouped between the second and third periods, and got three in the third.”

Greene capped West Haven’s scoring off assists from Boanno and Moriarty with 11:12 remaining for a 6-0 lead. North Haven scored with 5:49 remaining to spoil Pliszka’s shutout bid.

The win streak to open the season came to an end for the West Haven boys hockey team. Facing a big and fast Branford hockey team, the Westies were defeated 4-2 Saturday afternoon at the Northford Ice Pavilion.

Despite each team taking 34 shots in the contest, Branford was in control from the start, taking a 2-0 lead in the first, and extending the margin to 4-1 after two periods of play.

“We came out flat,” Harris said. “We could feel it even in warmups. We did not see any pep. But, Branford played a great game. They took it to us all three periods. You have to give them a lot of credit.”

Goals by Jack Manware and Blake Kustra gave Branford a 2-0 lead after one period of play, before Kustra and Daniel Farricelli scored in the second for a 4-0 advantage.

Branford goalie Jared Yakimoff was solid in goal for the Hornets, denying 19 West Haven shots in the first two periods, including D.J. Carfora in front with 4:13 left in the first, and Robbie Forleo’s point blast with 7:31 remaining in the second.

Off a perfect pass from Kaden Morgillo, Moriarty was turned aside 14 seconds before he found the back of the net for West Haven’s first goal of the game.

West Haven finally got on the scoreboard with 1:36 remaining in the period when Moriarty scored a power play goal in front off assists from Greene and Morgillo.

Boanno scored off an assist from Ben Carfora in the third, but it was not enough. Pliszka and the Westies suffered their first loss of the season, despite Pliszka making 30 saves.

“It is not easy to take a loss, but a loss like this could help us,” Harris said. “We will see how we regroup from this on Monday.”

The West Haven boys basketball team felt as if it was up to the test entering Friday evening’s contest with cross-town rival Notre Dame. Unfortunately for the Westies, Notre Dame was too much to handle in a 76-66 Notre Dame victory at Alumni Hall at Notre Dame. 

The Westies trailed from the first quarter on, falling behind by 10 points after one quarter of play. The Green Knights led 34-24 at the half, and 58-43 after three quarters of play.

Laron Holmes led West Haven with 15 points, Shea Sheffield added 14, and Malcolm Duncanson had 10 points in the loss for West Haven. Zach Laput led Notre Dame with 26 points, Ben Carroll had 13, Kairon Hooks added 11, and Marquise McDuffie scored 10 for the Green Knights.

The West Haven girls basketball team improved to 4-1 on the year with a 49-43 victory over Cheshire Friday evening at West Haven High. After a season-opening loss to Bunnell, the Westies have rolled off four straight victories.

Freshman Amani Abuhatab led the Westies with 20 points, including 4-of-5 from the free throw line. Tenique Gates scored eight points, Sarah Evangelista scored seven, and Jayden Steinman added six in the victory.

The Westies, who drained just a pair of 3-pointers in the contest, trailed 11-7 after one quarter, before rallying to take a 21-18 lead at the half with a 14-7 run.

The Westies were just 1-of-4 from the charity stripe in the first quarter and hit just three field goals, two by Abuhatab and one by Evangelista. In a 14-7 second quarter run, Abuhatab scored eight points, including three field goals. Steinman also hit a pair of field goals in the quarter.

Evangelista drained a 3 in the third quarter and had five points, while Abuhatab scored four points from the field. Gates helped close out the contest with six points in the fourth quarter.

The West Haven/Platt Tech boys swim team fell to Shelton on the road Friday afternoon 103-65. Issac Gorske won the 50 freestyle in 23.90 seconds and Christopher D’Inzio was first in the 100 backstroke in 1 minute, 8.72 seconds.

“The Shelton meet was a challenge for West Haven/Platt with many of our swimmers sick or away on vacation, but the seniors and captains from West Haven and Platt stepped up to the challenge and swam their hardest with Westie Pride,” West Haven coach Kevin Dickson said. “The team will be back together and ready for our next meet this Friday.”

The Westies had five second place finishes. The 200 medley relay team of Brendon Paucar, D’Inzio, Jacob Eairheart, and Shane Taulty was second in 2:04.08, while Eairheart was second in the 200 IM in 2:35.64.

The 500 freestyle saw Anthony Catillo place second in 6:16.30, while the 200 freestyle relay of Gorske, Castillo, Christopher Olsen, and Mustansir Jamalee was second in 1:49.35. The 400 freestyle relay team of Eairheart, Jamalee, D’Inzio, and Gorske also placed second in 4:02.43.

Throw away the records when the West Haven and Notre Dame football teams meet. Friday night was no exception.

Using a late score, Notre Dame rallied to defeat the Westies 41-35 in the Soderman Bowl at Veterans Field.

With the game even at 35, Notre Dame quarterback Jackson Zelinsky hit Aiden Stankiewicz for a 32-yard touchdown. Zalinsky threw for 288 yards and four touchdowns in the contest.

In the high-scoring affair, West Haven got on the scoreboard first when Andre Rentas scored from 1-yard out with 7:14 left in the opening quarter. The Green Knights responded with 11 ticks left in the quarter to take a 7-6 lead as Zalinsky hit Austin Pieck from six yards out.

Rentas hit Justin Medina for a 33-yard scoring strike 2:09 into the second for a 14-7 advantage, but the Green Knights evened the game with 5:57 left in the first half on a 9-yard touchdown run by Damian Blount.

The game continued its fast pace in the third quarter as Zalinsky hit Robbie Oliverio from six yards out, but the Westies took a 27-21 lead to the fourth quarter after Rentas scored on a 53-yard run 1:19 later, then ran in from 56 yards with 1:27 to go in the quarter.

Bliount ran in from 26 yards out 47 seconds into the fourth for a 28-27 Notre Dame lead, before the Green Knights increased their lead to 35-27 when Zalinsky hit Tommy Candelora from 51 yards out with 7:20 to go.

When Jaden Grant ran in from nine yards out and Rentas and Jordan Berrios connected on the conversion, West Haven evened the game at 35,

Rentas ran for 147 yards in the contest.

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