The Law and Foran boys' and girls' teams will be hosting the first annual Tennis Night in Milford on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Eisenhower Park. The Mlford rivals will square off at the same time.
The event will showcase all four Milford tennis teams at the same venue on the same night for the first time. For more information, contact Law girls tennis coach Chris Kulenych at ckulenych@milforded.org or at 203-606-1134.

By Chris Hunn, Register Staff
chunn@nhregister.com / Twitter: @Chris_Hunn

SEYMOUR — Head coach Missy Orosz admits it. The bar wasn’t set too high for the Seymour girls’ tennis team heading into this season.

“To be honest, I was just hoping to get into the Naugatuck Valley League tournament and get into states again,” said the second-year head coach. “And just make sure everyone is having fun and just trying to build the program.”

Well it’s safe to say it’s been a pleasantly surprising first half of the season for the Wildcats, who own an 8-2 mark, sit in second place in the NVL Brass Division and were selected as the Register Team of the Week.

Check out more about Seymour's fine season in the NVL.

Brianna Rigsbee and Edgar Machicote are members of the Wilbur Cross outdoor track and field team. And both competitors are blind.

Yer they both compete. Read more on how they manage to do so.

Ten student-athletes from five high schools have been named The SportsCenter of Connecticut/Southern Connecticut Conference Scholar Athletes of the Month for March.
Student athletes who are selected must be a varsity letterwinner and have a 3.0/B average while demonstrating leadership qualities such as: being a positive role model; helping teammates overcome adversity; showing a commitment to self-improvement; or putting the needs of the team before themselves.
The student-athletes are: Chris Stachurski of Fairfield Prep (track and field), Ben Morrison of Fairfield Prep (golf), Mark Beretta of West Haven (cross country and outdoor track and field), Alyssa Perez of West Haven (volleyball, swimming and tennis), Jacquelin Ferraiolo of Amity (softball), Alex Marieb of Amity (golf), Rick Spencer of Hand (basketball and baseball), Will Crisco of Hand (wrestling), Valerie Hiller of Law (cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field) and Matt Ferraiolo of Law (baseball).

Two senior student athletes – Lily Laster of Hamden and Nick Pisanelli of Sheehan – are the recipients of the 2012 “Comeback Player of the Year” scholarship award. Both students overcame severe injuries during their high school careers, yet were able to overcome them to become outstanding role models in their respective schools.
Connecticut Orthopaedic Specialists P.C. offered a Comeback Player of the Year Scholarship for one male and one female athlete who participated in an interscholastic sport during the 2011-12 season and showed great leadership both on and off the field after their severe injury. Laster and Pisanelli both received a $1,000 scholarship.
A soccer player Laster suffered a devastating knee injury in the fall of 2010, tearing her ACL, MCL and PCL. After successful surgery, she remained active with the team offering support and advice to her teammates.
She returned to the Green Dragons’ squad and she was named a captain for the 2011 season. Laster played in all 16 games and was a recipient of the Coaches Award by the Connecticut Girls Soccer Coaches Association. She will attend Eastern Connecticut State University in the fall.
In the middle of his sophomore year, Pisanelli, a golfer was diagnosed with Burkitt’s Lymphoma, which is an rare aggressive cancer that was attacking his abdominal area. He was unable to play competitive golf for two years.
He has since recovered, returned to school, and was elected golf captain for the 2012 season.
In addition, Pisanelli is a member of the Italian Club and has served as a student athletic trainer during the football season. He will attend Central Connecticut State University this fall.

southernconnecticutconference.org

Since the Southern Connecticut Conference had only 15 boys' hockey teams the last two seasons, commissioner Al Carbone has been looking for another team to make it an even 16.
Carbone added that team on Thursday when North Branford agreed to join boys' hockey in the SCC.
"Ever since we lost Derby a couple years ago to the NVL we've been looking for a replacement and North Branford was one of the teams we reached out to," Carbone said. "We've had ongoing discussions for a couple years now at the coach's level about associate membership for hockey and the timing is right to make the addition a perfect fit.
"Another reason this makes sense is North Branford already plays a number of our SCC teams in the regular season plus five of our SCC teams call the same rink home as North Branford (Northford Ice Pavilion)."
From a numbers angle, there is a big reason the addition of North Branford to the SCC makes a right fit. On Wednesday, the CIAC boys' hockey committee agreed to allow the Amity to move from Division I to II for next season and Lyman Hall moves from Division II to III.
"With Amity moving to Division II and Lyman Hall to Division III, the addition of North Branford gives us eight Division II/III teams and eight Division I teams," Carbone said. "This makes sense for everyone. North Branford will also be eligible for our SCC Division II tournament next season as well."
Carbone also added North Branford's move to the SCC is only for boys' hockey at this time. Although nothing is planned now, Carbone did not rule out future discussions to add other sports as well.

Male Athlete of the Week: Steve O'Neiil, Wilbur Cross golf

Female Athlete of the Week: Brooke Phelan, Foran softball

Yes, the teams are going to run in a special section again.

The section is scheduled to come out on Friday, May 4.

It will include each of the all-area and three all-state teams, and the area MVP stories.

The Sheehan boys' track team won a Southern Connecticut Conference tri-meet over Cheshire and Notre Dame-West Haven Tuesday.

Check out the results of all of Tuesday's area boys' track meets

Fairfield Prep 13, Notre Dame-West Haven 0: Kevin Brown had four goals and an assist for Fairfield Prep in a SCC home win. Tim Edmonds and Austin Simms each added a goal and two assists for the Jesuits.



Hamden 12, Wilbur Cross 2: Tyler Stevens, Nick Tafuto and Eli Bonaides each scored three times for the visiting Green Dragons in this SCC win at New Haven.


CHECK OUT MORE OF THE SCC BOYS' LACROSSE ACTION FROM MONDAY.

Dan Mascolo has been named the new head girls' swim coach at Cheshire, replacing the legendary Ed Aston.
Mascolo is currently an assistant with Cheshire's boys'swim team.
Aston coached the Rams for 37 seasons, winning 29 league championships, 26 CIAC state championships and 13 State Open titles with 12 runner-up finishes. Cheshire won a national record 281 consecutive dual-meet matches. The streak started in 1986 and Glastonbury ended it on Oct. 5, 2011.
Aston also coached the boys' team for 33 years, retiring from that position in 2005.

Here are today's postponements on the area schedule:

BASEBALL
FCIAC
St. Joseph at Danbury, ppd. to Tuesday, 4:15 p.m.
CSC
Kaynor Tech at O’Brien Tech, ppd. to Thursday, 3:30 p.m.
Abbott Tech at Whitney Tech, ppd. to Tuesday, 4 p.m.
Goodwin Tech at Platt Tech, ppd. to Tuesday, 4 p.m.
NVL
Holy Cross at Seymour (French Park), ppd. to Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.
Ansonia at Crosby (Washington Park), ppd. to Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.
Shoreline
Westbrook at Haddam-Killingworth, ppd. to Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.
East Hampton at North Branford, ppd. to Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.
Old Saybrook at Hyde/Hillhouse, ppd. to Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.
Morgan at Portland, ppd. to Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.
SCC Hammonasset
Guilford at Hand, ppd. to Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.
SCC Quinnipiac
Xavier at Hamden, ppd. to Thursday, 3:45 p.m.
West Haven at Fairfield Prep, ppd. to Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.
SCC Housatonic
Cheshire at Lyman Hall, ppd. to Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.
Shelton at Sheehan, ppd. to Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.
SCC Oronoque
North Haven at Wilbur Cross, ppd. to Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.
Career at East Haven, ppd. to Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.
SCC interdivision
Law at Notre Dame-West Haven, ppd. to Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.
Amity at Branford, ppd. to Tuesday, 4 p.m.
SWC
Stratford at Bethel, ppd. to Tuesday, 4:15 p.m.
Barlow at Bunnell, ppd. to Tuesday, 4:15 p.m.
SOFTBALL
FCIAC
Danbury at St. Joseph, ppd. to Tuesday, 4 p.m.
CSC
O’Brien Tech at Kaynor Tech, ppd. to Thursday, 3:30 p.m.
Whitney Tech at Abbott Tech, ppd. to May 1, 3:30 p.m.
NVL
Crosby at Ansonia, ppd. to Tuesday, 3:30 p.m.
Woodland at Naugatuck, ppd. to Tuesday, 3:30 p.m.
Seymour at Holy Cross, ppd. to Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.
Kennedy at Derby, ppd. to Tuesday, 4 p.m.
Shoreline
Coginchaug at Old Lyme, ppd., TBA
East Hampton at North Branford, ppd., TBA
Morgan at Portland, ppd. to Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.
SCC Quinnipiac
Hamden at Sacred Heart Academy, ppd. to Thursday, 3;45 p.m.
SCC Housatonic
Amity at Sheehan, ppd. to Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.
SCC Oronoque
Wilbur Cross at North Haven, ppd. to Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.
Branford at Career (East Shore Athletic Complex), ppd. to Tuesday. 4 p.m.
SCC Hammonasset
Hillhouse at Foran, ppd. to Tuesday, 4 p.m.
Guilford at Law, ppd. to Thursday, 4 p.m.
SCC interdivision
East Haven at Cheshire, ppd. to Tuesday, 4 p.m.
SWC
Kolbe Cathedral at Stratford (DeLuca Field), ppd. to May 3, 3:30 p.m.
Barlow at Bunnell, ppd. to Tuesday, 4:15 p.m.
GIRLS’ LACROSSE
SCC
Guilford at North Haven, ppd. to Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.
Shelton at Amity, ppd. to Tuesday, 4 p.m.
Preps
Hamden Hall at Hopkins, ppd., TBA
BOYS’ TENNIS
SWC
Stratford at Bunnell, ppd. to Friday, 3:45 p.m.
SCC
Branford at Career (Edgewood Park), ppd. to Tuesday, 3:45 p.m.
Sheehan at Hand, ppd. to Thursday, 3:45 p.m.
GIRLS’ TENNIS
NVL
Crosby at Ansonia (Nolan Field), ppd. to Tuesday, 3:30 p.m.
Seymour at Holy Cross, ppd. to Thursday, 3:30 p.m.
SWC
Lauralton Hall at Barlow, ppd., TBA
Bunnell at Stratford (Short Beach), ppd. to Friday, 3:45 p.m.

BOYS’ GOLF
SCC
Law at Lyman Hall (Wallingford CC), ppd., TBA
Non-league
Cheshire at Wolcott (Farmingbury CC), ppd., TBA
Shoreline
Coginchaug at Valley Regional (Fox Hopyard CC), ppd., TBA

By Joe Morelli, Schools Sports Editor


jmorelli@nhregister.com / Twitter: @nhrJoeMorelli



GUILFORD — Here’s a high school tennis trivia question: Which school is the smallest enrollment-wise among Southern Connecticut Conference Division I tennis programs?


If you answered Guilford, you’re correct. If you said the currently undefeated Guilford team, you receive extra credit.

CHECK OUT MORE ON WHY GUILFORD BOYS' TENNIS IS THE TEAM OF THE WEEK.



You can also vote for the next Team of the Week right here

Saturday's tripleheader scheduled for the Ballpark at Harbor yard in Bridgeport was postponed Friday due to possible inclement weather. Two have already been rescheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday: Shelton at Amity and Xavier at Foran. The Seymour-St. Joseph game is ppd. indefinitely.

For all your up-to-date high school baseball news, follow Henry Chisholm at http://nhrbaseball.blogspot.com/.

You can do the same on all your softball updates by following Mike Pucci at http://nhrsoftball.blogspot.com/.

Isiah Barnes won the high jump and Jared Kech won the long jump to help Branford sweep Xavier, Hillhouse and host Shelton at a Southern Connecticut Conference meet on Tuesday.


Barnes cleared 5 feet, 10 inches and Kech jumped 18-3 for Branford. Anthony Genovese won the 100-meter dash and was a part of the victorious 4x400 relay team for Shelton. And Danny Lewis won the 110 hurdles for Hillhouse.

CHECK OUT THE REST OF TUESDAY'S OTHER SCC BOYS' TRACK ACTION

The 20th Annual Bunnell High School Athletics Hall of Fame & Senior Athlete Recognition Banquet will be held on May 11 at 6 p.m. at Vazzano’s Four Season’s Banquets in Stratford.
Two individuals will be inducted into the Hall of Fame: David Johnson and Becky Corb (2002). Johnson has been the school’s athletic director since 1981 and has coached boys' and girls' basketball, boys' outdoor track and girls' country. Corb was a key player on Bunnell’s first state championship volleyball team in 2001 and went on to a stellar collegiate career at Loyola University of Maryland.
Two special awards will also be presented. Sal Parisi, a teacher at Bunnell, will be presented with the Walter Wright “Community Spirit Award” in recognition of his continued support of Bunnell athletics and his volunteer efforts. Kathleen Hubler, Bunnell’s library media center specialist, will be presented with the Bunnell Athletic Association “Distinguished Service Award” in recognition of her service to the school's athletics program.
Anyone else wishing to attend may purchase a ticket for $30. For more information about the banquet or to purchase tickets, contact Bunnell athletic director Dave Johnson at 203-385-4260 or johnsond@stratfordk12.org.

Nolan Paige, Sayer Paige, Peter Conklin and Noah Rennert all won their singles matches for the Hopkins’ boys’ tennis team, which shut out Hamden Hall 7-0 Saturday in a Fairchester League match at New Haven.


READ MORE ABOUT HOPKINS' CONVINCING VICTORY

Foran 6, North Haven 1

Singles

Bradley Orban (F) def. Andrew Amamorne 6-0, 6-0

Kyle Lockwood (F) def. Owen Evans 7-5, 6-0

Julian Yuhawan (F) def. David King 6-2, 6-0

Kyle Nicholson (F) def. Zack Tabak 2-6, 7-6, 6-4

Pat Legates (NH) def. Ethhan Hannon 6-1, 6-0

Doubles

Zach Taylor-Brandon Cary (F) def. Sam Dzialo-Reese Camp 5-7, 6-4, 12-5

Kevin Vargas-Chris Kyek (F) def. Mike Iovanne-Evan Manemeit 6-2, 6-4.

Here's a link to a photo slideshow of the match.

Alex Cartier scored twice, including the game-winner in the second overtime, as the host Notre Dame boys’ lacrosse team defeated Branford 7-6 in this Southern Connecticut Conference contest Thursday in West Haven.

Check out a photo gallery for the Notre Dame-Branford game and read more about Thursday's area boys' lacrosse results.

yes that is correct...Amity's Brent Marieb aced the 337-yard par-4 hole at Portland Golf Course Wednesday afternoon. Amity lost the dual-match to Xavier, but you can vote for Marieb as the the Register's Star of the Day until 9 p.m. tonight.

So go to the polls and vote!

By Mike Madera
Elm City Sports Writer

The Jonathan Law softball team entered Wednesday afternoon’s game against North Haven having outscored its first three opponents 36-1.
Playing a North Haven team that had just picked up its first victory, the Eagles were looking to win their fourth straight game to start the season.
North Haven did not cooperate.
Scoring five unanswered runs, including two in the sixth and three in the seventh, the Indians defeated Law 7-2 in Milford.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY

By Chris Hunn, Register Staff
chunn@nhregister.com / Twitter: @Chris_Hunn

The CIAC is exploring the idea of adding another sport.

The CIAC announced Thursday it will be sponsoring a co-ed bowling tournament for member-school students on May 19 at Bradley Bowl in Windsor Locks. The event will help gauge if there is an interest or not.

“If it’s popular and kids are involved, we’re hoping to make it a CIAC sport in two years,” said Bob Lehr, a CIAC executive staff member.

Read more about next month's event.

NEW HAVEN — Hillhouse’s Brianna Sims and Career’s Paris Taft began their track careers by running for the New Haven Age Group Track Club.
On Wednesday, the two city student-athletes signed their national letters of intent together to continue both their academic and athletic endeavors.
 
READ MORE TO FIND OUT WHERE SIMS AND TAFT ARE GOING.

The February list of 15 scholar-athletes from the Southern Connecticut Conference has been announced.

Shelton's Kathleen O’Brien has been named the winner of the ninth annual Bohdan Kolinsky Memorial Journalism Scholarship, given by the Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance.

O'Brien will receive the award at the Alliance’s 71st annual Gold Key Dinner, scheduled for 4 p.m. April 29 at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington.

Check out more information on the award and the dinner.

Heading into last season, the Cheshire boys’ lacrosse team knew the season would be a work in progress with 22 players lost to graduation from the Rams’ CIAC Class L championship squad of 2010. The losses included standouts Todd Heritage (attack), Nate Gaudio (goalie) and Hank Carisio (defense) and the result was at best an up-and-down season.


The Rams lost in the first round of the Class L tournament and ended up 12-10 overall.

Read more about Cheshire here

More lacrosse preview information

The Register Preseason Top 10 poll

Top 10 Boys players to watch

Top 10 Girls players to watch

Boys team by team capsules

Girls team by team capsules


5 Boys Games Not To Miss This Season

No. 8 Cheshire at No. 2 Fairfield Prep, April 10, 4 p.m.: An early key matchup of the top two SCC teams that also happen to be ranked in the Register’s Top 10 preseason poll.


Amity vs. Hingham (Mass.) at Quinnipiac University, April 14, 4 p.m.: The first of two out-of-state games for the talented Spartans.

No. 9 Simsbury at No. 8 Cheshire, April 19, 11 a.m.: The experienced and talented Rams host one of the top teams from northern Connecticut.

No. 1 Darien at St. Joseph, April 21, 1 p.m.: The defending CIAC Class S champion Cadets take on the top-ranked team in the state.

No. 6 Greenwich at No. 2 Fairfield Prep, May 7, 4:30 p.m.: The Jesuits, who boast one of the toughest schedules in the state, face off against one of the favorites to challenge for the Class L title.


5 Girls Games Not To Be Missed This Season

Hand at Cheshire, April 10, 7 p.m.: The two top teams in the SCC face off in the first of two regular-season meetings.


Greenwich at Cheshire, April 14, 6 p.m.: The Rams take on one of the state’s top attackers (Greenwich’s Claire Feeney) and top midfielders (Greenwich’s Tori Dunster).

Hamden at Sacred Heart Academy, April 14, 10 a.m.: Two longtime cross-town rivals face off in the first of two regular-season meetings.

Greenwich at Hand, April 21, Noon: The high-scoring Cardinals face Hand goalie Christy Forrest, one of the top goalies in the state.

Glastonbury at Cheshire, May 17, 7 p.m.: A pair of top players committed to play at Quinnipiac meet with Glastonbury attacker Katie DeVito facing Cheshire midfielder Maria Blois.

Perhaps only someone with the disarmingly friendly, infectious personality of Katherine Simon could consider tearing up their knee a blessing in disguise.


But that’s exactly how the Amity junior shot put star views the injury she suffered a little over two years ago, and she’s got a good point.

Had she not torn her meniscus, ACL and MCL while playing indoor soccer in March, 2010, Simon, who was a strong sprinter as a freshman, may not have shifted her full focus to the shot put and emerged as one of the best in not only Connecticut, but all of New England.

“Initially, I thought it was a huge setback for track,” she said. “But it turned out well and allowed me to focus more on shot put, which I realized was my best event.”

Read more about Simon here

See other track athletes to watch in the area

Have a track feature story? Please email high school sports editor Joe Morelli

The cream of the crop among Southern Connecticut Conference boys’ tennis teams normally starts with either Fairfield Prep or Amity and includes Cheshire, Hand and Guilford.


Foran isn’t a team normally considered, but the Lions have a very special player who is already one of the best in the area — and the state. And sophomore Bradley Orban is not even 16 yet.

“I believe I am the best player in the state,” Orban said. “Nobody else has as strong of a game and as strong of a mental game. I’m a bigger fighter and better competitor, I believe.”

Read more about Orban here

And read about other top players in the area

Have a story idea for boys and girls tennis? Please email Joe Morelli

Coaches are encouraged to report game results in the following fashion between 5:30-10 p.m.:

— Our web exchange system: Used for baseball, softball and lacrosse. Please email the following staff members for directions, a user name and a password to access the site:

Henry Chisholm at hchisholm@journalregister.com for baseball

Mike Pucci at mpucci@nhregister.com for softball

Dan Nowak at dnowak@nhregister.com for lacrosse

Coaches, or those designated by coaches can report scores:

— By email to localsports@nhregister.com

— By fax to 203-789-5253.

—By phone at 203-789-5657. We ask that phone calls are a last resort and for afternoon games we ask that you please make every attempt to email in or use the web exchange system. This will enable us to get more reporters to events.

Please direct any further questions to High School Sports Editor Joe Morelli at jmorelli@nhregister.com.

Also, nominations for athlete of the week are encouraged. Please nominate before 8 p.m. Saturday.

Nominations are accepted by all at http://nhregister.com/sports/athletes_of_the_week

Thank you and good luck this season.

—The New Haven Register sports department.