Cheshire girls' swim coach Dan Mascolo (Register file photo)

The 2013 girls' swimming season kicks off today and while the Cheshire girls’ swim team lost some key swimmers from last season, including Jenna Cannata, Sara Barlok, Kenzie Keddy, Molly Condron and Taylor Deubel, coach Dan Mascolo is confident the Rams have a good shot to defend their Southern Connecticut Conference title.
The Rams used their talent and depth to win the 2012 SCC swim meet with 1,314 points and continue to have the talent and depth in 2013 despite the losses from last season.
Among the top returners are Lindsay Smalec (butterfly, individual medley), Laura Mongillo (backstroke, IM), Denise Costello (freestyles, breaststroke), Delaney Molnar (butterfly, freestyles), Taylor Plumley (distance freestyles) and Erin Mostoller (diving).
“We have a very deep team once again and we should be pretty strong in the odd stroke events this season,” Mascolo said. “We are looking to build on last year’s success in the SCC and are looking forward to a very competitive (CIAC) Class L meet this season.”
Among the newcomers expected to make an impact this season are freshmen Lily Kurtz (IM, breaststroke), Kristen Reid (freestyles), Emily Murphy (backstroke, freestyles) and Danielle Dietrich (butterfly, breaststroke).

It’s been a busy time for Tim Belcher, named new Notre Dame-West Haven boys hockey coach on Friday.
Emotions have been running high, he has been deluged with emails, texts and calls from well-wishers and he is already looking ahead to the challenge of taking on his ultimate dream job.
“I’ve been swamped,” said Belcher, a former Notre Dame player who coached the Lyman Hall boys hockey team the last 13 seasons. “This experience the last few days, getting your dream coaching job, it’s been an unbelievable feeling, I’ll tell you that.
“I am looking forward to the challenge. Fortunately I was at Lyman Hall and experienced each level of competition going from Division I to Division II and then last season in Division III. This is definitely a jump up for me. I go from a team of 14 total roster players last season to an elite Notre Dame team where 50-60 kids try out every year.”
Belcher said the entire interview process took about a month. After sending in his initial application and resume, he had his first interview on Monday, a second interview Wednesday and was offered the position on Thursday.
“I signed the contract right then and there on Thursday,” Belcher said. “Being an alumnus likely helped me. But I was upfront during the interview. I told them I was an intense person, I was passionate about being successful but also with having fun in the sport. I also have a disciplinary philosophy.”
Belcher graduated from Notre Dame-West Haven in 1993 and during the 1992-93 season helped the Green Knights win a CIAC Division I title. He went on to play at Quinnipiac University where graduated in 1997 and that fall became an assistant boys hockey coach at Lyman Hall. He became the head coach at Lyman Hall for the 2000-01 season.
Belcher becomes the first Notre Dame boys hockey coach to be a former Green Knights player and he also sees that as a positive in taking over the program.
“I’m going to be able to relate to the players on a more personal level,” Belcher said. “I actually went through what they are going through. I know about the stresses at Notre Dame when it comes to balancing academic success and success on the hockey team.
“Academic success is very important and I am well versed in the ways to help players fall in line faster to make that balancing act work and be a positive experience.”
Belcher replaces Bill Gerosa who retired after last season after coaching the team the last 15 seasons.
“I haven’t had a chance to talk with coach Gerosa yet,” Belcher said. “But he was a great teacher in the classroom and on the ice. He gave a lot to the sport of hockey.”
Belcher has volunteered to help Lyman Hall officials in their search for a new coach but there is no specific timetable to make that selection. There will likely be an in-house search and then candidates outside the Lyman Hall school system will be considered.
“I’ve been out of Notre Dame for 20 years and I’ve been coaching 16 of those years at Lyman Hall,” Belcher said. “It was a great experience with great support from the people there. Their program is going to grow the next few years and it will be a great place for someone to coach boys hockey.
“I always said the only way I would leave Lyman Hall is if my dream job at Notre Dame ever became available, and it did. I’m a very fortunate person.”

Hurricane Sandy certainly had its impact on New Haven area high school sports teams, including girls’ swimming and field hockey, forcing cancelations and postponements of practices and games.
One of the hardest hit programs is the Seymour girls’ swim team, which is in the process of preparing for the upcoming Naugatuck Valley League swim and diving championships.
“Most of Seymour is out of power,” Seymour girls’ swim coach Missy Orosz said. “A lot of my team is still stuck in their neighborhoods because several trees are still blocking roads.
The high school is out of power (as of noon Tuesday) so we haven't been in the water since Saturday."
The NVL swim trials are tentatively scheduled to be held on Thursday at Kennedy High in Waterbury at 4 p.m. The diving competition is scheduled for Friday at either Kennedy or Woodland (to be determined Wednesday) at 4 p.m. The NVL swim finals are at Kennedy on Saturday at 4 p.m.
“I am hoping that power is restored soon,” Orosz said. “We might look into our local Ansonia YMCA to snag pool time, but they have no power right now."
Orosz also said NVL League commissioners will update the status of league tournament schedules for all sports on Wednesday.
Like most teams, the Branford girls’ swim team has missed practice time on Monday and today (Tuesday).
“We have missed opportunities to swim yesterday and today but I am hopeful that we can squeeze in a practice tomorrow (Wednesday),” Branford girls’ swim coach Scott Butler said. “I hope that the missed workouts will minimally affect those of us training for states (CIAC Class L-M-S and State Open meets)."
Amity girls’ swim coach Todd Rainey said, “We missed practice on Monday and Tuesday. I do believe that the pool at Orange (Orange Community Pool) does have power. We hope to be back in the water tomorrow but we'll have to wait and see about any school closure.
“The timing of this storm was not ideal in terms of SCC Championship preparation, but we'll do the best we can. It certainly could have been much worse."
The Lauralton Hall field hockey team has been trying to reschedule its last regular season game with Amity since it has seeding implications for the post season.
“We are still trying to play our regular season game versus Amity,” Lauralton Hall coach Theresa Napolitano said. “We need to schedule this before either team plays a league playoff game. Thursday is the last day to get it in (for the CIAC to count it toward postseason seeding).
“The SWC (South-West Conference) tournament starts with the semifinal round Thursday but if we end up with a conflict and play Amity that day, then that semifinal game may be pushed to another day. Barring any field or school issues we will try to schedule the Amity game for tomorrow (Wednesday)."

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

Southern Connecticut Conference Winter Sports All-Conference Teams:

Cheerleading

Taylor Ardito (Hand), Maggie Bruno (Mercy), Alehsia Ceste (Sacred Heart Academy), Jenay Coleman (West Haven), Angelica Coppola (East Haven), Angelina DeMarco (East Haven), Hayley DiGianni (Sacred Heart Academy), Cassie Franco (Branford), Kelli Gibson (Hillhouse), Jeannie Holst (Foran), Tiffany Kaufmann (Daniel Hand), Alicia Knox (West Haven), Nicholas Markus (Shelton), Jessica Marvel (Hamden), Ashley Mauro (Shelton), Cassie Murillo (West Haven), Alicia Predom (Hamden), Kristine Pakalnis (Sacred Heart Academy), Maddy Sharretto (Branford), Briana Quintiliano (Shelton)

Gymnastics

Kimmy Megargee (Hand), Meghan French (Shelton), Stefani Taschner (Hand), Yarden Tepper (Shelton), Kendall Jerzyk (Hand), Maia Smith (Hand), Cynthia Lerman (Branford), Val Coleman (Law), Maggie Naclerio (Hand), Kayla Gyger (Foran), Abby McGuirk (Hand), Danielle Novak (Law), Maria Iennaco (Hand), Marie Facin (North Haven), Brittany Webb (Hamden).

Boys Basketball

All-Hammonasset: Andre Anderson (Hillhouse), Bobby Bynum (Hillhouse), Rich Bronson (Hillhouse), Ryan Florentine (Hand), James Richetelli (Foran), Austin Woods (Foran)

All-Housatonic: Zac Campbell (Amity), Nate Howard (Cheshire),Jack McCarthy (Lyman Hall), Brian Murphy (Sheehan), Christian Pierre (Shelton), Kevin Ruys (Lyman Hall)

All-Oronoque: Kenny Armstead (Career), Nick Dummar (Branford), Kyle Holmes (Wilbur Cross), Billy McDonald (North Haven), Treyvon Moore (Career), Dylan Palluzzi (Branford)

All-Quinnipiac: Tim Butala (Fairfield Prep), Jovan Santos-Knox (Xavier), Tieron Jackson (West Haven), Mike Jennings (West Haven), Wesley Johnson (Hamden), Terry Tarpey (Fairfield Prep)

Girls Basketball

All-Hammonasset: Bria Holmes (Hillhouse), Kelsey Cuddy (Hand), Kim Legen (Law), Colleene Smith (Hillhouse), Jasmin Rodriguez (Foran), Teneya Mclaughlin (Foran)

All-Quinnipiac: Natalie Bastian (Sacred Heart Academy), McKenzie Farquharson (West Haven), Jayva Johnson, West Haven, Jordyn Nappi (Mercy), Morgan Rams (Hamden), Maria Weselyj (Mercy)

All-Housatonic: Missy Bailey (Cheshire), Sam Smith (Sheehan), Chloe Brinton (Amity), Kelsey Pendagast (Shelton)

Maria Blois (Cheshire), Olivia Sutherland (Lyman Hall)

All-Oronoque: Aaliyah Robinson (Wilbur Cross), Tanaya Atkinson (Career), Alyssa Alston (Career), Danielle Polvan (East Haven), Amanda Bradley, East Haven), Ashley Franklin (Career)

Wrestling

First Team: Mark Failla (Shelton), Will Chowanec (Xavier), Will Crisco (Hand), Sean Kellett (Shelton), Ed Hunt (Shelton), Brendan Butler (Xavier), Jake Savoca (Hand), Nishan Valentini (Xavier), Tyler Cunningham (Xavier), Elliott Antler (Xavier), Ray Sherwood (Guilford), Mark Lisitano (Guilford), Sean Marinan (Xavier), Joe Demichele (Hand)

Second Team: Matt Elias (Hand), Jonah Lewis (Hand), Brian Manes (Law), C.J. Luth (Foran), Justin Elias (Hand), Nick Litwin (Amity), Ryan Butler (Xavier), Conor Ward (Fairfield Prep), Tim Homan (Cheshire), Kevin Wivell (Daniel Hand), Shane Dempsey (Fairfield Prep), Jake Whelan (Xavier), Nick Crowle (Fairfield Prep), Daykwion Aleman (New Haven)

Boys Ice Hockey

Division I First Team: Colby Cretella (Notre Dame), Joe Bianchi (Amity), Mike Troiano (West Haven), David White (Fairfield Prep), Tom Worsford (Fairfield Prep), Kyle Leyerzapf (West Haven), Andy Varga (Hamden)

Division I Second Team: Jeremy Germain (Hamden), Stephen Marsico (East Haven), AJ Unker (Fairfield Prep), Dan Dupont (Xavier), Johnny Johnson (North Haven), Mike Lee (Hamden), Tyler Carbone (Cheshire)

Division II First Team: Craig Wargo (Milford), Rob Celentano (Branford), Jarrett Rennie (Hand), Jack Fitzgerald (Guilford), Ryan Kiernan (Sheehan), Ryan Moore (Guilford), Kenny Cairns (Lyman Hall)

Division II Second Team: Cody Albert (Sheehan), Billy Ring (Guilford), Mitch Brown (Hand), Kaden Batzinger (Lyman Hall), Mike Deane (Hand), John McLenithan (Milford), Dan Tagliarini (Hand)

Girls Ice Hockey

First Team: Abigail Lange (North Haven/Amity/Cheshire), Laura Yablecki (Simsbury), Jess Werle (Simsbury), Bailey Amenbar (West Hartford), Savanna Reilly (Hamden), Jordan Ruocco (North Haven/Amity/Cheshire), Jordan D’Aurio (Notre Dame of Fairfield)

Second Team: Nicki Pierne (Hamden), Alyssa Maddern (West Haven), Kate Ullman (Lauralton Hall), Kelly D’Ancicco (Daniel Hand), Julianna Molloy (Guilford), Alyson Alissi (West Hartford), Allie Zarillo (Guilford)

Boys Swimming

200 yard Medley Relay: Notre Dame (Anthony DeFilippo, Paul Monaco, Nicholas Celestin, Tyler Dietter); Fairfield Prep (Edward Stolarski, Keith Dougherty, Bryce Keblish, Bjorn Davis)

200 yard freestyle: Dylan Swanepoel (Amity), Nicholas Wargo (Fairfield Prep), Matthew Hellauer (Shelton)

200 yard IM: Eric Holden (Amity), Alan Pite (Amity), Bryce Keblish (Fairfield Prep)

50 yard freestyle: Tyler Dietter (Fairfield Prep), Kyle Neri (Lyman Hall), Bjorn Davis (Fairfield Prep)

100 yard butterfly: Nicholas Celestin (Notre Dame), Bryce Keblish (Fairfield Prep), Richard Enders (Foran)

100 yard freestyle: Kyle Neri (Lyman Hall), Tyler Dietter (Notre Dame), Bjorn Davis (Fairfield Prep)

500 yard freestyle: Dylan Swanepoel (Amity), Matthew Hellauer (Shelton), Brandon Cole (Fairfield Prep)

200 yard Freestyle Relay: Fairfield Prep (Nicholas Wargo, Keith Dougherty, Bryce Keblish, Bjorn Davis); Amity (Jacob Laser, Charles Pite, Kyle Lemere, Alan Pite)

100 yard backstroke: Nicholas Celestin (Notre Dame), Edward Stolarski (Fairfield Prep), Richard Enders (Foran)

100 yard breaststroke: Eric Holden (Amity), Joshua Bjornberg (Sheehan), Alan Pite (Amity)

400 yard Freestyle Relay: Notre Dame (Alexander Tubis, Paul Monaco, Nicholas Celestin, Tyler Dietter); Fairfield Prep (Nicholas Wargo, Keith Dougherty, Bryce Keblish, Bjorn Davis)

Diving: Paul Cyr (Hamden), Conor Makepeace (Lyman Hall), Jake Bowtell (Fairfield Prep)

Girls Indoor Track

Joya Helander (Hand), 55 meters; Precious Holmes (Hillhouse), 300 and 600 meters; Kellie Davis (Hillhouse), 1000, 1600 and 3200 meters; Brianna Sims (Hillhouse), 55 meter hurdles; Hamden (Erin Harpe, Adriana Carrasco, Devone Pommils, Ashley Moxom), 4 x 200 relay; Hillhouse (Johnnesse Peterson, Sydney Curtis, Precious Holmes, Jayvona McDaniels), 4 x 400 relay; Hillhouse (Whitney Curtis, Johnesse Peterson, Jayvona McDaniels, Sydney Curtis), 4 x 800 relay; Hillhouse (Alethia Moore, Jaliyah White, Lanaja Carr, Nia Ruth), 1600 sprint medley Relay; Becki Golia (Sacred Heart Academy), high jump; Selina Sampieri (Cheshire), pole vault

Alexa Eldracher (Amity), long jump; Katherine Simon (Amity), shot put

Boys Indoor Track

Darryn Horner (Hillhouse), 55 meters; Anthony Genovese (Shelton), 300 meters; Alexander Neumann (Amity), 600 meters; Tom Lupoli (Sheehan), 100 meters; Clark Shurtleff (Amity), 1600 meters; Connor Rog (Fairfield Prep), 3200 meters; Danny Lewis (Hillhouse), 55 meter hurdles; Notre Dame (Earl McCoy, Mike Miranda, Anthony Denos, Andrew Madsen), 4 x 200 relay; Amity (James Bonvicini, Clark Shurtleff, Sean Beaulieu, Alexander Neumann), 4 x 400 relay; Xavier (Russell Stevens, Mitchell Brown, Sebastion Herrera, David Pugliese), 4 x 800 relay; Xavier (Graham Gilarde, Casey Blank, Dillon McCarthy, David Pugliese), 1600 sprint medley relay; Jake Scinto (Cheshire), high jump, long jump; David Gomes (Cheshire), pole vault; Matthew Marcarelli (North Haven), shot put

Quarterfinals - Monday, May 23 @Higher Seeds

No. 8 West Haven at  No. 1 Hand - 5 p.m.

No. 5 Hamden at No. 4 Guilford - 7 p.m.

No,. 7 Sacred Heart Academy at No. 2 Cheshire - 5 p.m.

No. 6 Amity at No. 3 Branford - 7 p.m.

Semifinals
Wednesday, May 25
@Hamden HS - 4 and 6 p.m.

Championship Game 
Friday, May 27
@Branford HS - 4 p.m.

In boys' cross country, Guilford took the top five places in a tri-meet with Hand and Foran and went on to clinch the SCC Hammonasset Division title with a 4-0 record (10-1 overall). Guilford’s Jeff Maretti won the meet in 16:23 as the Indians defeated Hand 15-48 and Foran 15-50.
In girls' cross country, the Cheshire defeated Shelton 19-36 and defeated Amity 15-41 in a tri meet at Shelton to clinch the Southern Connecticut Conference Housatonic Division title. The Rams took four of the top five places in the meet including first place by Kathleen Kalbian in 20:05.

http://www.southernconnecticutconference.org

http://www.southernconnecticutconference.org/

Persistence certainly pays off.
For years Southern Connecticut Conference commissioner Al Carbone and some SCC athletic directors, including SCC field hockey chairman Todd Petronio of North Haven, have been pushing for an SCC field hockey postseason tournament.
The SCC coaches, athletic directors and the league’s Board of Governors have finally all got on the same page to approve the first SCC field hockey tournament in the 17 years the SCC has been around.
“I think this is great,” Carbone said. “It aligns the SCC with the other strong field hockey leagues (FCIAC, SWC, CCC) that also have postseason tournaments.
“As a result, hopefully this tournament will gives our teams a little burst in order to regian some of the prominence we’ve seen our teams have in the past in the state tournament. The SCC hasn’t won a state title in field hockey since 2005 (Branford, Class M).”
The sport becomes the 24th SCC sport to host a postseason tournament with football and Division I ice hockey the only sports that don’t have an SCC tournament (there is a D-II SCC tournament).
“I was a little surprised the coaches went with an eight-team field for the tournament,” Carbone said. “But we’re all set with the scheduling with the last week of the regular season blocked off.”
There are 11 field hockey teams in the SCC and top eight teams will advance to the tournament. Quarterfinals are scheduled for Nov. 2, semifinals on Nov. 4 and the championship game on Nov. 6. Hand, coached by Sue Leckey, is the defending SCC regular-season champ and has won or shared the title three of the last four years. Branford, coached by Cathy McGuirk, has won the most regular season titles with nine with the last coming in 2008.

http://www.southernconnecticutconference.org
The championship games have been set for the boys' and girls Southern Connecticut Conference tournament to be held Friday at Branford High.
In the boys' tournament, No. 1 seed Cheshire (16-2) faces No. 2 Fairfield Prep (14-4) at 3 p.m. The game was originally scheduled for 7 p.m. but has been moved to 3 p.m. because the Prep seniors have their prom on Friday night.
In the girls' tournament, No. 1 seed Hand (16-2) will face No. 2 Cheshire (14-4) at 5 p.m.
Awards ceremonies will take place at the end of each game.