The West Haven football has three losses on the season, two of those coming by a combined two yards. The Westies first loss of the season came at the hands of the North Haven Indians, when the Blue Devils were stopped inches from the goal line in a 20-19 loss.
On Friday night at Ken Strong Stadium, the Westies were stopped a yard short of the endzone as time expired in a 21-14 loss to the Cheshire Rams.
The Rams drew first blood when they capped their opening possession with a 1-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead with 6:59 left in the first quarter. The Westies responded with a drive of their own and after Juan Gutierrez plunged over the top from a yard out the boys were on the board with 58 seconds left in the quarter. A missed extra point left the Westies behind 7-6 heading into the second quarter.
Cheshire mounted another drive and increased its lead to 14-6 on a 27-yard TD run 52 seconds into the second quarter. The Blue Devils were able to respond again with a drive capped by a Jordan Berrios 1-yard touchdown run. Jaden Grant ran in the 2-point conversion to even the game 14-14 with 1:55 left in the half.
The Rams struck for a 42-yard touchdown run to take a 21-14 with 5:19 left in the third quarter. The Westies were driving but were forced to turn over the ball on downs with three minutes left in the game. A huge defensive stand by the Blue Devils’ defense allowed West Haven to get the ball back with under two minutes remaining. Jordan Berrios hit both Jaden Grant and Demerick Blackford with passes to get the Westies down to the Rams’ 4-yard line. The Blue Devils pounded the ball down to the 1-yard line but on fourth down, Jordan Berrios was stopped before reaching the endzone as time expired, sending the Rams into a frenzied celebration on a 21-14 victory.
Things don’t get any easier for the Westies when they travel to Shelton on Friday for a matchup with the undefeated Gaels at 7.
The boys soccer team began its week with a 4-2 victory over the Sheehan Titans at Ken Strong Stadium on Monday night. The Blue Devils took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Matt Ffrench 8:33 into the game, when he chipped the ball over the Titans’ keeper and into the goal. Nash Noble kept the score 1-0 when he made a spectacular, diving save that ricocheted off the crossbar with 15:50 left in the half. Aldo Barragan then extended the West Haven lead to 2-0 with 6:08 left in the first half on a set piece from 20 yards out. After the Titans cut the lead to 2-1 in the second half, Matt Ffrench made sure the Westies would come out on top when he tacked on two, more goals to complete his hat trick and lead the boys to the triumph. Nash Noble made eight saves in goal for West Haven.
On Wednesday afternoon, the boys visited the Career/Hillhouse team. Javier Yanez picked up a goal and the Westies were the beneficiary of an own goal to register a 2-0 victory. Joey Buestan-Lojano made seven saves between the pipes for West Haven. With the victory, the Blue Devils secured a spot in the CIAC playoffs.
On Saturday evening, the Blue Devils hosted the Xavier Falcons on their Senior Night. The Westies played an aggressive, high-energy first half and had numerous opportunities in the first 40 minutes. A crossing pass from the right corner eluded the feet of Javier Yanez and Massour Ourobode in the box 6:38 into the game. Yanez had another chance three minutes later but was denied from ten yards out and then Aldo Barragan made a beautiful lead pass to Derick Meza, who was denied by the Falcons’ keeper with 16:33 left in the half to keep the game scoreless. Xavier took advantage of an opportunity with 6:55 left in the half, when a bullet of a shot deflected off Nash Noble’s hands and trickled into the net just inside the far post giving the Falcons a 1-0 lead. Xavier tacked on an insurance goal in the second half for a 2-0 final. Noble made eight saves between the pipes.
The boys finished their regular season schedule with road games at Lyman Hall on Monday and at Shelton on Wednesday.
The girls soccer team started the week facing the Hand Tigers in Madison on Tuesday. The Blue Devils were unable to get the offense on track in the contest and were defeated 5-0.
On Wednesday night, the Westies hosted the Lyman Hall Trojans and picked up a 3-0 victory to help them qualify for the CIAC playoffs. After a scoreless first half, the Blue Devils got on the board in the 50th minute on a goal by Keegan Riccio. Riccio then scored her second goal of the game in the 59th minute to make it 2-0 and Kelsey Gilmore got an insurance goal in the 62nd minute for the 3-0 final. Riccio, Gilmore and Cori Severino all had assists in the win while Mackenzie Gardner stopped three Trojan shots to post her fifth shutout of the season.
The girls finished the week with a trip to East Haven to face the Yellow Jackets on Friday afternoon. The Easties scored 16:40 into the game to take a 1-0 lead and held that lead going into halftime. The second half was all Westies though and they were able to get the equalizer from Keegan Riccio for a 1-1 final. Mackenzie Gardner made seven saves in goal for the Blue Devils.
The Westies finished up their regular season when they hosted the Foran Lions on Tuesday and will prepare for the CIAC playoffs. Pairings for the tournament will be announced on Friday, Nov. 2.
The volleyball team came into last week needing two wins to qualify for postseason play. After a promising start, the Westies dropped their match against the Lauralton Hall Crusaders, 25-22, 22-25, 18-25, 18-15. Nancy Tapia had 17 digs and five kills, Irene Ronan had 10 kills and five aces, Jennifer Ortiz had eight assists and six digs while Noelle Noble had nine digs and four kills to lead the Blue Devils. Also contributing in the loss were Giliana Santaniellio with 15 assists, seven digs and four kills, Bria Stanley with six kills, four blocks and three digs and Celina Condon with eight digs.
The Westies got a step closer to the playoffs with a dominating 3-0 sweep (25-10, 25-3, 25-11) over the Platt Tech Panthers. After taking the first game, senior Veronica Lynn entered the game to a rousing ovation, for her first appearance of the season after an ACL injury last softball season. Lynn proceeded to serve the Blue Devils to an early 12-1 lead, picking up nine aces along the way. Jennifer Ortiz had nine assists and four kills, Nancy Tapia had eight aces, five kills and three digs, Irene Ronan had six aces and six kills while Noelle Noble had five aces to lead West Haven to victory.
On Thursday evening, the Westies hosted the Shelton Gaels on their Senior Night, hoping to clinch a spot in the playoffs. That would have to wait after the Gaels swept the Blue Devils, 3-0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-19). The Westies were led by Nancy Tapia (eight kills, seven digs), Noelle Noble (five kills, five digs, four aces, two assists), Jennifer Ortiz (eight assists, two digs), Giliana Santaniello (eight assists, two kills), and Irene Ronan (four aces, three kills).
This week, the girls wrap up their regular season schedule. They finished with three road matches at Career on Monday, Platt Tech on Tuesday and at Hamden on Wednesday.
The girls swim team defeated the Guilford Indians, 96-74, on Thursday afternoon. Freshman Kaelyn Falanga led the Blue Devils with victories in the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle, while Madison Hobart took the 100 backstroke and Anya Celmer won the 100 breaststroke. The Westies also got victories from the 200 medley, 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay teams.
The girls wrapped up their season with a home meet against East Haven/Wilbur Cross on Tuesday and a road meet at Foran on Wednesday.