The West Haven/Sacred Heart girls hockey team continues to impress, winning its seventh and eighth, straight games last week to improve to 8-1 before dropping only its second contest of the year in Hamden on Monday afternoon. On Tuesday evening, the Westie Sharks jumped on the Guilford Indians 1:42 into the game on a goal by Taylor Nowak on the way to building a 6-0 lead before allowing goals with 3:32 and 1.6 seconds left for a 6-2 final. Nowak finished with two goals and three assists, Mia Celentano scored two goals and added an assist, Megan Froehlich had a goal and an assist, Zoe DeFalco had a goal and Mackenzie Gardner contributed with two assists. Tatum Courtmanche held the Indians scoreless until the final minutes while making 16 saves between the pipes.
On Saturday night, the Westie Sharks traveled to take on the Amity/North Haven/Cheshire Blades. After a scoreless first period, the Westie Sharks got on the board first 4:05 into the second period when Brooke McNabola set up C.C. Condon, who found the back of the net for a 1-0 lead. The Blades would even things up with a goal with 5:46 left in the game to send the game into overtime. Taylor Nowak scored with 2:06 left in OT, assisted by Jenna Hunt to send the girls home with a 2-1 victory. Tatum Courtmanche made 28 saves in goal for the Westie Sharks.
On Monday afternoon, the girls visited perennial powerhouse Hamden Green Dragons. Hamden scored at 5:39 of the first period to take the early 1-0 lead. Taylor Nowak tied the game up with 51.3 seconds left in the period, assisted by Megan Froehlich and Mia Celentano. The Green Dragons scored twice in the second period to take a 3-1 lead. Jianna Cohrs would get the Westie Sharks to within one when she netted a goal 3:55 into the third period but Hamden responded with a goal on the power play 1:38 later to seal the 4-2 victory. Kyleen Crowe made 25 saves to keep the girls in the game with the Green Dragons applying pressure most of the game.
This week, the girls travel to Cromwell to face the Northwest Catholic/Mercy co-op team on Friday at 7:40 and then host the Amity/North Haven/Cheshire Blades on Sunday at 6 in a rematch of last week’s overtime classic.
The boys hockey team hosted the Amity Spartans on Wednesday evening at the Bennett Rink before a large crowd that came to see the Blue Devils retire the No. 8 jersey of Rob Fumiatti before the contest. Fumiatti was a member of the 1988 State Championship team and graduated in 1989. Fumiatti went on to join the New Haven Police Department and was wounded in a drug raid in 2002. He died unexpectedly in 2007 as a result of complications of the incident. It was fitting that the ceremony took place on the 11th anniversary of Fumiatti’s passing against the team, he was serving as an assistant coach at the time of his passing.
On this emotional night for both teams, the Spartans drew first blood on a Jamie Blum goal with 3:57 left in the first period. The Westies drew even when Kevin Moriarty snapped off a shot from the high slot that beat Tyler Cole just 1:27 into the second period. Amity got a goal from Connor Bath with 6:16 left in the period to take a 2-1 lead. The Blue Devils continued to put pressure on the Spartans in the third period but were stymied by the play of Tyler Cole in net for the Spartans, who finished with 35 saves. The Spartans sealed the victory with an empty net goal by Blum with eight seconds left for the 3-1 final. Logan Cole made 30 saves between the pipes for West Haven, keeping the boys in the game.
On Saturday morning, the boys were looking to get back into the win column when the East Haven/Old Lyme/Old Saybrook/East Hampton Yellow Jackets visited the Bennett Rink. After battling for two, scoreless periods, the Yellow Jackets took a 1-0 lead 2:39 into the third period. The Westies responded on the power play at 7:41 when EJ Pacapelli shoveled the puck past the sprawling East Haven goaltender to even the game. Both teams had several chances over the final seven minutes but this game would need overtime to determine a victor.
In overtime, the Blue Devils stormed the Yellow Jackets zone in the opening minute and came within an inch of victory when Collin Braziel’s wrap around attempt went straight through the crease but stayed out. The Yellow Jackets were able to gather in the puck and scored on a breakaway 1:04 into the OT and hand the Westies a 2-1 loss. Logan Cole turned aside 22 shots in goal for West Haven. Niko Kyle and Collin Braziel picked up assists on Pacapelli’s goal.
On Monday afternoon, the Blue Devils hosted the Harvey School (NY) Cavaliers at the Bennett Rink. The Cavaliers took a 1-0 lead with 50.3 seconds left in the first period. In the second period, Michael Kelly scored his first, career goal 7:39 into the period, assisted by Kaden Morgillo and Sean Dupre to pull the Westies even and then Niko Kyle picked the top corner through a crowd in front, assisted by Richie Greene with 47.4 seconds left in the period to give the boys a 2-1 lead.
The Westies tried to hold on in a penalty-filled third period but the Cavaliers were able to get one past Logan Cole with just 1:23 left in the game to force overtime. Both teams had chances in the extra session but this game would end in a 2-2 deadlock. Logan Cole finished with 26 saves in goal for the Blue Devils.
This week, the Westies traveled to play the Fairfield Prep Jesuits on Wednesday.
The boys basketball team visited the Branford Hornets on Monday night and after spotting the Hornets a 23-16 first quarter lead, the Blue Devils cut the lead to 30-27 at halftime and then dominated the second half, outscoring Branford 44-13 to grab a 71-43 victory. Josiah Steinman led the Westies with 27 points, six assists and seven rebounds while Josh Moncrieffe added 13 points in the win. Saban Richardson contributed with eight points and Jordan Berrios had seven points.
On Friday night, the Blue Devils hosted cross-town rival Notre Dame and the teams battled with the Green Knights taking a 28-25 halftime lead. Notre Dame increased the lead to 43-37 and pulled away in the fourth quarter after the Blue Devils made a run at the Knights to claim a 66-53 victory. Josh Moncrieffe led West Haven with 15 points while Josiah Steinman added 13 points in the loss.
This week, the Westies head to New Haven on Friday to take on the Career Panthers at 7.
The girls basketball team hosted the Branford Hornets on Monday evening and grabbed a 12-10 first quarter lead but watched the Hornets take a 24-21 halftime lead and hang on for a 47-42 defeat of the Westies. Amanda Carr led the Westies with 13 points while Ny’Aire Serrano added 10 points and Brianna Sebastian had six points in a losing effort.
On Wednesday night, the girls lost to the Foran Lions 62-50 and finished the week with a trip to face the Shelton Gaels on Friday evening. After an even first quarter and with the Gaels holding a 9-8 lead, they held the Westies to two points in the second quarter to grab a 19-10 halftime lead on the way to a 40-25 victory over West Haven. Diamond Dixon led the Blue Devils with six points while Amanda Carr and Ebonie Jones added five points each.
This week, the girls hosted Sheehan on Tuesday and then entertain the Cheshire Rams on Friday 7.