The West Haven/Sacred Heart girls hockey team started its season hosting powerhouse Darien on Monday evening at the Bennett Rink. The Blue Wave jumped out to an early 1-0 lead just 1:17 into the game and then extended the lead at 11:43 to make it 2-0. The Westie Sharks were able to cut the lead in half when Mia Celentano hit Taylor Nowak with a pass and Nowak found the back of the net at 6:39 of the second period to make it 2-1.
That would be as close as the girls would get as the Blue Wave had an answer 42 seconds later and then iced the game with a goal in the third period for the 4-1 victory. Tatum Courtmanche made 23 saves between the pipes for the Westie Sharks.
The girls had a chance to bounce back and get in the win column with a trip to the DiLungo Rink in East Haven and a matchup with the Guilford Indians on Wednesday. The Westie Sharks left no doubt in this one, shutting down the Indians in a 5-0 shutout win. The girls took the lead on Taylor Nowak’s second goal of the season with two minutes left in the first period, assisted by Francesca Criscuolo and Shannon Siclari. Criscuolo then added a goal in the second period assisted by Nowak and Mackenzie Gardner to make it 2-0. C.C. Condon and Megan Froehlich each added second period goals, assisted by Veronica Lynn to increase the lead to 4-0 and then Lynn put the game away with a tally with 2:39 left in the game, assisted by Jenna Hunt for the 5-0 final. Kyleen Crowe made eight saves to record the shutout for the Westie Sharks.
On Saturday evening the Westie Sharks were locked in a scoreless tie with the Hand Tigers until Taylor Nowak took a pass from Megan Froehlich, streaked down the right side of the rink past the Tigers’ defense and picked the top corner just 1:45 into the third period to lift the girls to a 1-0 shutout victory. The Westie Sharks dominated the play during most of the game, outshooting Hand 36-15 but were kept off the board until Nowak’s tally. Tatum Courtmanche turned aside all 15 shots she faced to record her first shutout of the season and the Westie Sharks second, consecutive shutout.
This week, the girls hosted Branford/East Haven/North Branford on Wednesday and travel to take on the Lauralton Hall Crusaders on Saturday at 4:45 in Bridgeport.
The West Haven girls’ basketball team opened its season with a trip to New Haven to face the Career Panthers on Monday night. The Panthers set the tone early grabbing a 30-19 first half lead on the way to a 72-34 defeat of the Blue Devils. Amanda Carr led the Westies with ten points while Ebonie Jones had seven points and Ny’Aire Serrano and Diamond Dixon added five points each in the loss.
On Saturday evening, the Westies hosted the Wilbur Cross Governors and after a 65-26 loss, the girls are still in search of their first victory of the season.
This week, the Blue Devils traveled to Bridgeport to take on the Harding Presidents on Tuesday and will travel to North Haven on Friday for a battle with the Indians at 7.
The boys’ winter sports teams all got under way this week when the boys hockey team hosted the Greenwich Cardinals on Wednesday and host the Fairfield Warde/Ludlowe Mustangs on Saturday at 1 at the Bennett Rink. The boys’ basketball team hosted the Cheshire Rams on Monday and host the Xavier Falcons on Friday at 7 while the boys’ swim team hosted the Shelton Gaels on Tuesday and host the Hand Tigers on Friday at 4.