The West Haven/Sacred Heart girls’ hockey team wrapped up its regular season with two wins over Branford and Hall/Conard to finish the season 17-2 and climb to No. 2 in the playoff rankings. On Wednesday evening, the Westie Sharks defeated the Branford/North Branford/Sheehan/Lyman Hall Wings, 5-2. Mia Celentano gave the girls a 1-0 lead with 2:44 left in the first period assisted by Brooke McNabola and Francesca Criscuolo. The Westie Sharks increased the lead to 2-0 when Jenna Hunt scored with 30 seconds left in the period assisted by McNabola and CC Condon. After the Wings cut the lead to 2-1, Criscuolo reestablished the two-goal lead assisted by Condon and Celetano. Condon made it 4-1 assisted by Hunt and then Megan Froehlich capped the scoring for the girls with 1:14 left in the second period, assisted by Taylor Nowak to make it 5-1. The Wings got one back in the third period for the 5-2 final. Kyleen Crowe made 17 saves in goal for the victory.
On Friday evening, the Westie Sharks celebrated Senior Night and then went out and sent a message with a 4-0 victory over the 17-2 and 4th-ranked Hall/Conard War Chiefs. The girls struck early when Jenna Hunt found the back of the net 3:01 into the game to make it 1-0. Then it was the Taylor Nowak show. Nowak scored with 6:03 left in the period and then again from her knees in the slot with 3:30 left in the first period to increase the lead to 3-0. Nowak completed her hat trick when she tallied with 3:16 left in the game for the 4-0 final. Kyleen Crowe made 27 saves in perhaps her best game of the year, making numerous, spectacular saves to preserve the shutout.
The Westie Sharks opened the SCC playoffs on Wednesday evening, hosting the winner of the Notre Dame of Fairfield vs Branford winner. If victorious, the girls will play in the SCC Championship game on Friday at 7:15.
The boys’ hockey team had a tough week dropping its two games to Notre Dame of West Haven and Glastonbury. On Wednesday evening, the Westies hosted the Green Knights and couldn’t get the offense going in a 4-0 loss to Notre Dame. Jared Pliszka stopped 34 shots between the pipes for West Haven.
On Saturday afternoon at the Bennett Rink, the Blue Devils fared no better in a 5-1 loss to the Tomahawks. After Glastonbury scored just 19 seconds into the game, the Westies were able to tie the game with 2:21 left in the first period when Kevin Moriarty took a pass from Kaden Morgillo and found the back of the net. But that would be the extent of the West Haven offense on the day while the Tomahawks struck four times in the second period for a 5-1 victory. Jared Plaszka made 30 saves in goal for the Westies.
This week, the boys finish up their regular season schedule. The Blue Devils traveled to Hamden to renew their rivalry with the Green Dragons on Wednesday and then head to the campus of Wesleyan University to take on the Xavier Falcons on Saturday at 10am.
The boys’ basketball team also celebrated its seniors and then went out and grabbed a 58-41 victory over the Guilford Indians on Wednesday evening at the WHHS Gym. Tyrese Hargrove led the Blue Devils with 14 points, Shea Sheffield and Malcolm Duncanson each had nine points while Mufee Cooper, Quannel Straughter and Jamel Lowey all had seven points in the win. The Westies trailed 23-19 at halftime but took control in the second half to pull away from the Indians for the victory.
On Saturday afternoon, the Westies were defeated by the Weaver Beavers 71-65 in Hartford. This week, the Blue Devils concluded their regular season with a road game at Cheshire on Monday and will wait to see who they draw in the CIAC playoffs, when the pairings are announced on Wednesday.
The girls’ basketball team finished up its season with a 6-14 record. On Monday evening, the Blue Devils lost 85-48 at Jonathan Law but rebounded with a 68-48 victory to end the season.