The West Haven boys’ hockey team got two, big wins last week with a 3-1 victory over East Catholic and a 2-1 win over the Amity Spartans. On Monday evening, the Blue Devils took a 1-0 lead on the Eagles with 4:16 left in the first period when Niko Kyle ripped a shot just under the crossbar, assisted by Kevin Moriarty and D.J. Carfora. After East Catholic even the game, Kaden Morgillo blasted a slap shot from the high slot on the power play to make it 2-1 just 48 seconds into the third period. Moriarty sealed the victory with an empty net goal with 53 seconds left in the game for a 3-1 final. Jared Pliszka made 21 saves in goal for West Haven.
On Thursday afternoon, the Westies battled with the Amity Spartans. The Blue Devils took advantage on a power play with 8:28 left in the first period when Conner Fowler tipped a Kaden Morgillo shot from the point for a 1-0 lead. Jared Pliszka, who made 38 saves in the game, came up with a huge save when he denied Colin Hughes, after Hughes intercepted an errant clearing pass in the slot. The Spartans pulled even with a power play goal by Jason Csejka 4:48 into the second period assisted by Cody White. The Blue Devils took a 2-1 lead when Kevin Moriarty and Niko Kyle started a two on one rush down the ice, finished by a short-handed goal on a nice move by Kyle with 7:47 left in the second period. Despite numerous chances by both teams the rest of the way, it was the goaltending that the made the 2-1 score stand.
This week, the boys hosted North Haven on Wednesday and host New Fairfield/Immaculate on Saturday at 1.
The West Haven/Sacred Heart girls’ hockey team picked up its twelfth and thirteenth victories last week. On Monday evening, the Westie Sharks defeated the Amity/North Haven/Cheshire Blades 5-1. The girls took an early lead when Taylor Nowak scored 4:20 into the game assisted by Jianna Cohrs and Megan Froehlich. The Westie Sharks got another goal just 1:15 later from Brooke McNabola, assisted by Jenna Hunt and the girls were on their way. Nowak gave the Westie Sharks a 3-0 lead assisted by Meghan Dupre. Mia Celentano made it 4-0 assisted by Hunt 3:56 into the third period and after the Blades made it 4-1, Celentano tallied again with 14 seconds left for the 5-1 final. Kyleen Crowe made 32 saves between the pipes for the girls.
On Saturday afternoon at the Bennett Rink, the Guilford Indians gave the Westie Sharks all they could handle before the girls put the Indians away late in the game for a 3-1 win. The girls took a 1-0 lead 6:03 into the game on a backhander by Taylor Nowak assisted by Megan Froehlich. The Indians continued to battle with the Westie Sharks and took advantage on the power play late in the game to tie the game at 1-1. The girls then kicked it into gear and put the pressure on Guilford, scoring a goal with 1:02 left to take a 2-1 lead and then Taylor Nowak scored an empty netter with .9 seconds left for the 3-1 final. Kyleen Crowe and the Westie Shark defense were outstanding, shutting down the Indian offense to preserve the victory.
This week, the girls hosted the Hamden Green Dragons on Tuesday and travel to The Rinks at Shelton on Saturday at 8:50 to face Notre Dame of Fairfield/Law/Foran/Weston/Pomperaug.
The boys’ swim team defeated Foran/Law, 96-84, on Tuesday afternoon at the WHHS Pool. Issac Gorske won the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle as well as being a member of the victorious 200 freestyle relay team with Shane Taulty, Chris Olsen and Joshua Carr. Chris D’Inzeo won the 100 breaststroke and Vincent Militrano took the diving completion.
On Friday afternoon, the boys lost to the North Haven Indians 94-87. Bryan Barrington took the 500 freestyle and Chris D’Inzeo was victorious in the 100 breaststroke while the 400 freestyle relay team of Issac Gorske, Barrington, Luis Lopez and Shane Taulty took the win.
The girls’ basketball team took two, lopsided losses before bouncing back with a victory to end the week. The Westies lost to the East Haven Yellow Jackets, 79-33, on Monday evening at the WHHS Gym. Ny’Aire Serrano led the Blue Devils with 15 points while Davina Mendez and Savannah Gray each had four points in a losing effort.
On Thursday evening the Westies fared no better in a 63-38 loss to the Amity Spartans. Ny’Aire Serrano again was the girls top scorer with 14 points, Dynastee Francis had seven points while Natalia Frazer added five points.
On Friday evening, the Blue Devils got back in the win column with a 44-32 victory over the Lauralton Hall Crusaders in Milford. Ny’Aire Serrano led the Westies with 18 points while Sarah Evangelista and Natalia Frazer each had six points.
This week, the girls hosted Lyman Hall in their final home game of the season on Tuesday and will finish the year with games at Sacred Heart on Thursday at 5:30, at Plainville on Saturday at 5:30, a trip to Milford to face Jonathan Law next Monday at 7 and a game with Harding next Tuesday at 5:30.
The boys’ basketball team got 32 points from Quannel Straughter and 20 from Mufee Cooper to defeat the Xavier Falcons 73-67 to win its fifth, straight victory. The Westies had to rally from nine points down at halftime to grab the win. Also helping the Blue Devils were Jamel Lowery with 10 points and Jordan Berrios with five points.
The Blue Devils saw their win streak come to an end with a 69-61 loss at Fairfield Prep on Thursday evening. This week, the boys traveled to Branford on Tuesday and finish the week hosting Jonathan Law on Friday at 7.