Al Carbone, the commissioner of the Southern Connecticut Conference, will be a Gold Ring Award recipient Monday night, courtesy of the New Haven Boys & Girls Club alumni.

The awards are given out each year to those who volunteer their services in the community. In addition to being commissioner, Carbone serves on the Walter Camp Football Foundation committee, which raises funds for several local charities.

WOODBRIDGE — The numbers defining the success of the Amity boys outdoor track and field team are startling.

Eight straight Southern Connecticut Conference Housatonic Division titles. One more division win will make it nine.

A dual-meet winning streak of 93 matches.

No dual-meet losses since April of 2004.
The program may be a few years away from being mentioned in the same breath with the Cheshire girls swim team (281-match winning streak), but Amity, voted the Register’s Team of the Week, seems properly motivated to keep it alive for quite awhile.


Read more on Amity's successful run.

Vote for three more candidates for the next Team of the Week.

The NH Register All-Stare boys hockey team will run in Sunday's edition.

The NH Register All-Area  boys indoor track team will run in Monday's edition.

The East Haven boys hockey team will hear its appeal with the CIAC today in an effort to move from Division I to Division II next season. Last month, when the CIAC had its post-season meeting to determine the 2013-14 divisions, East Haven petitioned to move down to Division II and the CIAC denied the move.
CIAC Ice Hockey Committee chairman Tom Neagle confirmed that East Haven's appeal will be heard today at 3 p.m. Neagle could not comment on the appeal only to say that East Haven deserves an opportunity to make its case and have it heard by the Ice Hockey Committee.
“After researching several different areas of concern, we have very interesting facts that certainly show a bias toward our team when it comes to the CIAC's decision to keep us in Division I,” East Haven coach Lou Pane said. “These areas are in population of boys in school compared to other schools, records against Division I opponents, teams with their own rink and percentage of winning state championships. “There are also youth hockey numbers, safety concerns, roster numbers, tryout numbers, teams that won Division II after us and have already gone down.”
Pane gave Amity as an example, a Division II team that went 5-1 against Division I opponents last season, winning a Division II title in 2010 and having 856 boys enrolled compared to East Haven, which has 450. Pane also cited the number of East Haven residents going to private schools.

The NH Register's All-Area girls indoor track team will run in Tuesday's editions.

The MVP story, plus a slideshow of all of the team members, will also be found at www.nhregister.com/sports/high_school.

Soccer player Bryan Amaris of West Haven will continue his career at UMass-Lowell next season.

Amaris, 18, played for Notre Dame-West Haven for his first three seasons. But when the U.S. Soccer Development Academy made the landmark decision nationwide to have players in the Academy commit 10 months a year to them, players had to make a decision and Amaris chose to play just for his U17/18 Academy team in South Central Premier, an organization he has played with since he was 12.

Amaris is a 5-foot-10 honors student at Notre Dame. Check out his full profile on the U.S. Soccer Development Academy website.

NEW HAVEN — The math was pretty simple.

Entering this week, the Hand softball team stood at 4-1, halfway to the eight victories necessary to qualify for the state tournament.

With four games on the docket, the Tigers knew they controlled their own destiny.

“We’ve been talking about it this past week and we knew we had the potential to qualify for the state tournament,” senior left fielder Kate Boudreau said. “It was discussed. We knew it was a possibility.”
The Tigers knocked off Foran, Branford, Guilford and then Hillhouse on Friday to clinch a return to the postseason after a one-year absence.

A week prior, Hand defeated Mercy and Law to earn Register Team of the Week honors.

CHECK OUT MORE ABOUT THE HAND SOFTBALL TEAM.

Vote for the next Team of the Week. Three finalists.

In a prepared statement, Marist women's volleyball coach Tom Hanna announced today that outside hitter Amanda Bradley of East Haven High is one of four players nationwide to commit to play for the Red Foxes this fall.
Bradley is a four year starter on the Easties volleyball, basketball and softball teams. This past fall, Bradley was named to the 2012 All-State, All-Area and All-Division Team. She was also named to the All-Division team in 2010 and 2011. Off the court, Bradley was named to the Southern Connecticut Conference All-Academic Team and acts as her school’s Secretary of the National Honor Society.
“Amanda is a great athlete whose best volleyball is in front of her," Hanna said in the statement. "In her first season of club ball with the Connecticut Juniors, she is already starting to show glimpses of the player that she can become. I am excited to work with her over the next few years and see how great a player she becomes during her career as a Red Fox.”

We have our first three candidates of the spring season for the Team of the Week:

Hand softball: Defeated Mercy 3-2 and Law 2-1 to improve to 4-1.
Guilford baseball: Defeated Lyman Hall, fell to Hand and bounced back with a win over Law in which two pitchers combined for a no-hitter.
Lyman Hall boys’ tennis: Defeated Law and North Haven to improve to 4-0.


Vote for one of the three candidates. Winner gets a story in next Sunday's editions and at www.nhregister.com.

For the 23rd straight season, members of the Wilbur Cross boys golf team will leave get the chance to work on their games this week in Kissimmee, Fla. The New Haven public high schools are on spring vacation.

This season, six players will make the trip Monday. Senior Elhadji Kourouma, senior captains Stephen Hannon and Milton Calderon, sophomore Mohamed Salah Mohamed, and freshmen Bridget Steele, the daughter of longtime head coach Joe Steele and Kayla Ewing will make the four-day trip.

The four-day excursion includes a match against Gateway High School and a multicultural trip to Epcot in Walt Disney World.

“The team becomes very close when we eat, travel, and do things together. It makes us like a family,” Joe Steele said, “The kids get to know each other’s habits, likes and dislikes.” 

The NH Register's Girls Basketball All-State team is scheduled to be published in Sunday's editions.

The State Player of the Year and the lineup should be posted online later on Saturday at www.nhregister.com.

The boys basketball all-area and all-state teams have run previously.

After dipping its toe into the waters of boys lacrosse as a club team the past two years, Haddam-Killingworth will dive in head-first this season.

The Cougars will compete at the varsity level this spring and the outlook for the “newbies” is a modest one.

“I don’t recall a single team at H-K that started out the chute being good, except for baseball,” said H-K athletic director Dick Dupuis. “It’s a process. My expectations are that the team and the players will develop. I’m very comfortable with Mark (Richard) as the head coach and the feeder program is going to be there now.”

Read Jimmy Zanor's complete story in the Middletown Press

Here's a look at five Connecticut high school girls lacrosse games you don't want to miss this season:

Cheshire at Greenwich, Friday, 4 p.m.: Rematch of the 2012 Class L championship game where Greenwich defeated Cheshire 9-8 for the title.

Guilford at Hand, April 12, 6 p.m.: Two fierce SCC rivals on the Shoreline face off.

Hamden at Sacred Heart Academy, April 15, 3:45 p.m.: Two longtime cross-town rivals face off in their first of two regular-season meetings.

Hopkins at Hamden Hall, April 22, 4:30 p.m.: A fierce rivalry resumes as two local prep schools face off.

Greenwich at Hand, May 13, 6 p.m.: Tigers face North Carolina-bound midfielder Carolyn Paletta.

Are there other games that deserve to be on this list? Please feel free to add below in comments.

A look at our selections for the Top 10 preseason Connecticut girls high school lacrosse players:

Carolyn Paletta (Greenwich), M, Jr.: One word describes this scoring phenom: fast. She had the game-winning goal in a 9-8 win over Cheshire in the Class L final last season and the winner in an 11-10 win over Newtown in the Class L semifinals. She has already committed to North Carolina.

Kathleen Kalbian (Cheshire), M, Sr.: She has developed into one of the best face-off specialists in the state. Contributing on both ends of the field, she ended up with 49 goals and 26 assists last season.

Taylor Hardison (Darien), A, Sr.: The 2012 U.S. Lacrosse All-American leads a potent offensive attack for the Blue Wave. She had three goals and two assists in a 17-14 win over Greenwich in the FCIAC tournament championship last season. She set a single-season school record with 46 assists last year.
Jena Fritts (Darien), A, Sr.: Fritts is another prolific scorer for the Blue Wave and had four goals and an assist in the team’s win over Greenwich in the FCIAC tournament championship last season. She was named MVP of the FCIAC tournament, selected an honorable mention All-American and has committed to play at California.

Dillon Schoen (Darien), M, Jr.: Schoen contributes in just about every phase of the game for the Blue Wave and is a key player in the transition game. She has committed to play at Stanford.

Caylee Waters (Darien), G, Sr.: One of the top goalies in the state who routinely makes spectacular saves. Known for her ability to quickly clear the ball away, she quickly developed national recognition and was heavily recruited. She will play at North Carolina.

Liz O’Sullivan (New Canaan), G, Sr.: Another elite goalie in the state who typically posts a .600 to .700 percent save percentage. Originally committed to Stanford, last fall she changed her commitment to Notre Dame.

Olivia Hompe (New Canaan), A, Sr.: She had a team-high 84 goals and 50 draw controls for the Rams last season. She had nine goals in the Rams’ 17-9 win over Wilton in last season’s Class M championship game. She will play at Princeton.

Tegan Helms (Wilton), M, Sr.: A strong and aggressive midfielder who contributes in every phase of the game. She will play at Columbia. 

Riley Smith (Guilford), A, Sr.: A versatile player who also contributes at midfield, she was one of the top scorers in the state last season with 83 goals and 27 assists. She also had 16 interceptions and 60 ground balls.

Everything you need to know about high school girls lacrosse in the area can be found in our team by team preview capsules

Who will win the Southern Connecticut Conference boys lacrosse title? Two-time defending SCC tournament champion Fairfield Prep is expected to take no priosoners in the SCC this season with its depth and experience. Cheshire, Hand and Guilford are the challengers.

Who will win the SCC girls title? Two-time defending tournament champion Cheshire has the edge with its experience. But this is the most wide open the league has been in years. The Rams, Hand, Guilford, Branford and Amity have standouts who can lead their team to victory on any given day in any given matchup.

Who are the favorites to win the boys’ class tournaments? Like the Jesuits’ Division I champion hockey team last season, it’s hard to believe anyone in Connecticut will be able to beat Fairfield Prep in lacrosse. The Class L title is the Jesuits’ to lose with Greenwich, Ridgefield and Glastonbury the distant challengers. Darien, Wilton, Barlow and New Canaan will compete for the M title and St. Joseph and Weston are the ones to beat in Class S.

Who are the favorites to win the girls’ class tournaments? Darien moves to Class L and has the depth and talent to be targeted as the team to beat. Defending champion Greenwich, Staples and Cheshire will challenge in L. New Canaan and Wilton are the teams to beat in Class M and Weston, Granby and Northwest Catholic are the top challengers in a wide-open Class S.

Who has the milestones to follow this season? Ageless wonder Sandy MacMullen enters his 35th season as the Hopkins boys coach. Fairfield Prep coach Chris Smalkais is seven wins shy of 350 career wins.

Everything you need to know about high school boys lacrosse teams in the area is in our team by team preview capsules.

Here's a look at five games we think you should circle on your calender if you are a high school boys lacrosse fan in Connecticut:

Cheshire at No. 1 Fairfield Prep, April 6, 10 a.m.: Cheshire gets tested early this season against a very talented Jesuits team.

Foran at Law, April 13, 3 p.m.: Milford cross-town rivals face off.

Hand at No. 7 Simsbury, April 20, noon: The Tigers face off with one of the strongest teams in northern Connecticut.

No. 1 Fairfield Prep at No. 5 Greenwich, April 24, 5 p.m.: Duke-bound defender Jack Harrington and the Cardinals host the Jesuits and 2012 All-Americans Kevin Brown and Andrew Hatton.

Cheshire at No. 8 Glastonbury, May 4, 3 p.m.: Tim Covel and the Rams face Quinnipiac-bound attackman Zach Malsky and the Tomahawks.

Are there other games that belong on this list? Feel free to comment below.

The Register's Top 10 boys high school lacrosse players:

Phil Huffard (Darien), G, Jr.: Huffard, one of the premier goalies in Connecticut, is a big reason why defense is a strength for the Blue Wave. Yale is the lucky college to get his services next season.

Peter Lindley (Darien), A, Jr.: An outstanding scorer, he played only nine games after returning from an injury last season but still ended up with 32 goals. He has committed to play at UMass.

Peter Gesualdi (Darien), M, Sr.: This short-stick defensive middie initiates the transition game with a nose for the ball on the defensive side. He has committed to Hobart.

Jack Harrington (Greenwich), D, Jr.: One of the strongest, tenacious defenders in the state who routinely limits opponents’ shots on goal. He has made an early commitment to play at Duke.

Kevin Brown (Fairfield Prep), A, Sr.: Coming off winning the Division I boys hockey championship with the Jesuits, he had 66 goals and 28 assists last season and should match those numbers this year. He was selected a first-team U.S. Lacrosse All-American last season. He will play at Pennsylvania.

Andrew Hatton (Fairfield Prep), D, Sr.: One of the top defensemen for the Jesuits’ state championships team, his tenacity makes him one of the top lacrosse defenders in the state as well. The U.S. Lacrosse All-American will play lacrosse at Michigan.

Austin Sims (Fairfield Prep), A-M, Jr.: His strength is at midfield, but his quickness and hard shot will have him contribute on the attack as well. Committed to play at Princeton.

Will Bonaparte (Ridgefield), M, Jr.: The versatile midfielder helps on the attack, on defense and is one of the top face-off specialists in the state. Recruited early and often, he made an early commitment in 2012 to take his talents to Maryland.

Erick Persky (New Canaan) D, Sr.: The U.S. Lacrosse All-American is one of the toughest 1-on-1 defenders in the state, using quick footwork and tight coverage to disrupt opponents. He has committed to play at Penn.

Andrew D’Antonio (McMahon), A, Sr.: The U.S. Lacrosse All-American uses speed and stick skills to contribute on offense. He ended up with 33 goals and 27 assists despite being hampered by injuries last season. He will play at Bryant.

Fairfield Prep, Darien and Greenwich each received first place votes in the preseason Top 10 poll for boys lacrosse.

Here's a look at the Top 10

1	Fairfield Prep (7)	19-3	123	2
2	Darien (5)	20-2	117	1
3	Ridgefield	18-5	94	4
4	New Canaan	19-4	78	3
5	Greenwich (1)	9-9	69	NR
6	Wilton	15-6	67	6
7	Simsbury	18-2	38	T7
8	Glastonbury	13-5	35	T7
9	Barlow	18-3	28	5
10	McMahon	11-7	26	NR