The Southern Connecticut Conference girls' hockey tournament begins Monday with semifinals at the home of the higher seeds.
No. 4 seed Amity/North Haven/Cheshire is at No. 1 West Harttford (Hall/Conard) at 7 p.m. and No. 3 Hamden is at No. 2 Simsbury at 5 p.m.
The chamnpionshjip game is Tuesday at Quinnipiac's High Point Solutions Arena in Hamden at 5 p.m.
Unfortunately SCC standings and updated team records have been unavailable this season.
The tournament shapes up as an exciting, wide open affair with defending champion West Hartford a slight favorite.
Amity/North Haven/Cheshire and Hamden have as good a chance as any of the teams to win the title with their exceptional goaltending and high-scoring forwards.

By Joe Morelli, Schools Sports Editor


jmorelli@nhregister.com / Twitter: @nhrJoeMorelli


The Hamden girls’ soccer team didn’t win any postseason titles this year, but it was a memorable season nonetheless — for one reason in particular.

Rachel Ugolik did some serious scoring.

Ugolik scored 31 goals this season, including two matches where she scored five times. She finished with a school-record 91 goals for her stellar career and has been named the Register’s Area MVP for the second time.

“She put us on the map,” Hamden coach Gary Collins said. “I probably won’t see anything like her for at least the next 10 years.”


Check out more on Ugolik's spectacular season and future plans.

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.

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.

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

Quinnipiac University's TD Bank Sports Center will host "Neighborhood Night" on Wednesday (Jan. 4) with a boys' and girls' hockey tripleheader. The Cheshire boys' hockey team will face SCC foe No. 3 Notre Dame-West Haven at 3 p.m., followed by the Hamden girls' hockey team against SCC foe Guilford at 5 p.m. The No. 2 Hamden boys' hockey team concludes the event with a game against No. 1 Fairfield Prep at 7 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased by calling the TD Bank Sports Center ticket office at 203-582-3905 or by visiting the arena at 305 Sherman Ave., Hamden, CT.

The Amity boys' hockey team was scheduled to host No. 2 Hamden on Wednesday at the Bennett Rink in West Haven at 8:15 p.m. following the Trinity Catholic at West Haven game scheduled to start at 6.
But a lengthy traffic backup on I-95 north delayed Trinity Catholic's trip from Stamford, forcing a later start to the West Haven game. This would have moved the start of the Amity-Hamden game to after 9 p.m.
As a result, the Amity-Hamden game has been rescheduled for today (Thursday) at Bennett Rink at 5:15 p.m.

Sacred Heart Academy could be just hours away from clinching its first SCC Quinnipiac Division title in school history. The Pacers can do so by winning, or tying, Hamden, the defending champion, at home at 3:45 p.m.

North Haven wrapped up the SCC Oronoque last night. Guilord can clinch the SCC Hammonasset outright with a win or tie against Foran tonight. That leaves the SCC Housatonic with Amity, Shelton and Cheshire all still in the hunt.

A huge game in girls' soccer this evening as Amity travels to Finn Stadium to take on Shelton at 7:30 p.m. The two teams tied earlier this season. The game could go a long way in determining the SCC Housatonic Division champion.

To read more about unbeaten Amity click here


Also tonight, defending Quinnipiac Division winner Hamden invades West Haven, also at 7:30 p.m. West Haven won at Hamden earlier this season.

It's not just about football this evening - there happens to be a very big rematch in girls' soccer.
Defending champion Shelton hosts Hamden at 7:30 p.m. Shelton not only won the SCC for the first time last year, but also its first Class LL state championship. Shelton won its season opener 4-0 at Hand on Wednesday and features Angie Ferro and Megan Manzo, along with Mary Hunter.
Hamden returns Rachel Ugolik, the reigning Register Area MVP. The Green Dragons edged Wilbur Cross 3-2 in its opener on Tuesday.

If you are looking for an alternative to football, head out to Shelton for this prime-time matchup.
One piece of advice - dress warmly!

The Hamden Rotary Club recently honored a member of each athletic team at Hamden High School.  The honoree was selected by members of his/her team as the best representative of good sportsmanship among the group. This criteria is in line with the Rotary Club's motto of Service Above Self. 

The banquet and award ceremony have been celebrated for many years and organized by Reverend Owen Sanderson. 

Jean Cooper from Hamden High School helped to plan this year's event as well.

Coaches were present to tell the audience about the generous traits displayed by the athletes.

The group consists of:

Mareesa Graf

Thomas Rapini

Gabriella Benitez

Samantha Eberg (in two sports)

Joshua Flores-Vitti

Carolyn Williams

Bridget O'Neill

Michael Gonzalez

Abigail Davidson

James Burt

Jennifer Morgan

Reginald Mayo

Justin Ahn

Amber Kountz

Matthew Dinnan

Mara Lieberman

Abdul-Aziz Bunyaminu

Sarah Vaughan

Tanner Givens

Aimee Mirto

Sarah Baker

Alexander Winnick

Patrick Lynch

Michael Diaz.

The Shelton girls soccer team advanced to its first state championship final in school history Wednesday night, eliminating Fairfield Ludlowe 3-2 at Norwalk. Angie Ferro had two goals and Megan Manzo added another for the Gaelettes. You can read the game story here.
The fourth-seeded Gaelettes will now try to win the LL title Friday night against No. 10 Westhill. Chck out Friday's Register for a capsule on the game at Norwalk High at 7 p.m.

Westhill eliminated No. 3 Hamden, the only other remaining Southern Connecticut Conference team in either boys or girls soccer, 3-0 in the semifinals Wednesday. You can read the story on that game here.

Hamden beat Wilbur Cross 56-39 Thursday night, for the Green Dragons' first win over the Governors in three years. Cara Deroy, who talks about Thursday's win, led Hamden with 22 points. The Green Dragons outscored the Governors 18-6 in the final quarter.

Hamden guard Lianna Carrero talks the Green Dragons' season-opening win, point guard Cara Deroy and Hamden chances to knock Mercy from the top of the SCC Quinnipiac Division.

Hamden senior Cara Deroy has given an oral commitment to play basketball at St. Michael's College (Vt.).
Deroy, a point guard, averaged 15.5 points, six assists and three steals per game for the Green Dragons last season.

Former Hamden girls' basketball players Takerra Williams and Trinity Barnes have both transferred, Green Dragons coach John Ceneri confirmed.
Barnes, a junior, is now at Career. Williams, also a junior, is at Hillhouse.