We had questions about which soccer teams could rise in the SCC. Here are some of those answers:



Can anyone beat Fairfield Prep? Answer: Yes. Shelton did, on the road. The Gaels are for real, everyone.

Will someone new make a move into the top tier of the SCC? It’s been quite awhile since Lyman Hall has been among the upper echelon. The Trojans face Hamden on Tuesday.
Answer: Lyman Hall went to 3-0 by pounding Hamden 5-0.

West Haven and Sheehan would like to be division contenders. The two teams play one another in Wallingford Tuesday. Answer: Teams tied 2-2.

Can the North Haven girls start out 0-3? Last year’s tri-champs in the SCC Oronoque drew the toughest schedule and now hosts Hand on Tuesday.
Answer: Unfortunately for the Indians, the rough road continued with a 2-0 loss to Hand.

Are the Branford girls for real? The Hornets got an easier schedule than North Haven. One of its toughest tests, Amity, awaits in Woodbridge Tuesday.
Answer: Yes they are. Branford won 1-0. Check out that game and more on Tuesday's action in the area.

Matchup of the day? Sacred Heart Academy at Cheshire, 6 p.m. Both of these girls’ teams are likely ticketed to the SCC eight-team playoffs. One of them could be the top overall seed.

Answer: SHA wins on the road 3-2. A little bit of a surprise but there once again seems to be some parity at the top in the SCC.

The Branford girls soccer team remained undefeated with a first-half goal from Rachel Cholewinski. Amity is one of the toughest games on Branford's regular-season schedule. So far, defense if the league title is going smoothly for the Hornets. Here is the game's only goal. I apologize for the fuzziness from my I-phone, but even with that you can see by the angle how great a goal it was.

The first week of the regular season is over. Now we get to answer some questions beginning with Tuesday's action in the SCC:

Can anyone beat Fairfield Prep? Shelton gets a chance on Tuesday on the road at 3:45 p.m.

Will someone new make a move into the top tier of the SCC? It's been quite awhile since Lyman Hall has been among the upper echelon. The Trojans face Hamden on Tuesday.

West Haven and Sheehan would like to be division contenders. The two teams play one another in Wallingford Tuesday.

Could Hand really start out 0-3? The boys have faced Prep and Xavier so far. Now the Tigers get Branford on the road at 6:30 p.m.


Can the North Haven girls start out 0-3? Last year's tri-champs in the SCC Oronoque drew the toughest schedule and now hosts Hand on Tueday.

Are the Branford girls for real? The Hornets got an easier schedule than North Haven. One of its toughest tests, Amity, awaits in Woodbridge Tuesday.

Matchup of the day? Sacred Heart Academy at Cheshire, 6 p.m. Both of these girls' teams are likely ticketed to the SCC eight-team playoffs. One of them could be the top overall seed.

Guilford blanked Notre Dame-West Haven 2-0 in SCC interdivision action. Check out this game and the rest of Tuesday's soccer action in the area. Take a peek at Guilford's two goals:

The Amity girls, above, are getting ready for another successful season.

By Henry Chisholm

Cross country is no longer something athletes use to get in shape for other sports, at least not to Amity boys coach Bob Orgovan.

“We don’t get (other athletes) that much anymore,” he said. “Years ago it used to be like that.”

Orgovan said in the past he’s had players basketball players, hockey players and even wrestlers. However, the majority of his runners are focused on running. He said it is common for an athlete to use cross country for track, but no other sport.

Check out more of this story and the top area cross country runners to watch this season.

Above, Branford girls’ soccer captains Tanya Altrui, left, and Izzy Suppa are hoping to lead the Hornets on another SCC tournament title run. It won't be easy, but the Hornets will be a solid team in the SCC once again in 2013.



Check out our cross country preview in Monday's edition and field hockey on Tuesday, which is the opening day for the season.

 Tonight (online) and Friday (newspaper) begins our previews for the fall sports season.

Pictured above, captains Rebecca Ligi, left, and Eryn Dorsey will lead the Cheshire girls volleyball team in the Southern Connecticut Conference. Can the Rams win a state title? Henry Chisholm takes a look at Cheshire's title aspirations. After the article online, check out Henry's 10 area players to watch.

Up next:
Girls swimming - Saturday
Soccer - Sunday
Cross country - Monday
Field hockey - Tuesday.

The regular season begins on Tuesday. Good luck to all teams.

Hand High will induct 21 people into it inaugural Athletics Hall of Fame ceremony on Sept. 13 at the Madison Beach Hotel Wharf Restaurant.

The inductees are: Kirsten Anderson Rappleyea (1984), basketball; Bill Barker, who coached boys’ basketball; Jim Bell (1984), football and track and field; Larry Ciotti, who coached football, wrestling and track and field and also served as the school’s athletic director; Victoria Crompton, who coached tennis, girls’ basketball and softball; Bob Duncanson, who coached a number of sports and also served as AD; Jeff Farmer (1974), football and basketball; Rich Fasano, a teacher and district coordinator; Jennifer Fischer Mueller (1981), basketball, field hockey and softball; Kevin Flynn (1980), soccer; Jim Guzzio (1992), wrestling; Ellen Hartmann (1981), gymnastics; Jane Hesford, who coached gymnastics; Pat McCahill (1967), who coached lacrosse and tennis; Andy McConville (1995), soccer; Walter Polson, who was a teacher, coach, AD and principal at the school; Willie Roze (1972), field hockey, basketball and softball; Harold Strong, benefactor of the Strong Athletic Field (Surf Club); Ken Sweitzer (1978), football, basketball and baseball; Dick VanDeventer (1970), soccer, basketball and track and field; and Cory Wielgus (1977), basketball, cross country and soccer.

The $40 tickets are limited for the appetizers and cash bar only, no dinner. For ticket reservations, email cdlena63@gmail.com or mail the money to Christine Lena at 14 Governors Way, Madison, CT 06443.

DIVISION I BOYS TENNIS

Top 2 seeds (#1 Amity and #2 Daniel Hand) get byes to the semifinals

Quarterfinals – Monday, May 20

#3 Fairfield Prep 7, #6 Sheehan 0

#4 Guilford 4, #5 Branford 3

Semifinals – Tuesday, May 21 @Yale University Tennis Courts – 2 p.m.

#1 Amity vs. #4 Guilford

#2 Daniel Hand vs. #3 Fairfield Prep

Championship Match - Wednesday, May 22 @Yale University Tennis Courts – 3:30 p.m.

DIVISION II BOYS TENNIS

Top 2 seeds (#1 Xavier and #2 West Haven) get byes to the semifinals

Quarterfinals – Monday, May 20

#3 East Haven 4, #6 North Haven 3

#4 Notre Dame 5, #5 Lyman Hall 2

Semifinals – Tuesday, May 21 @Yale University Tennis Courts – 4 p.m.

#1 Xavier vs. #4 Notre Dame

#2 West Haven vs. #3 East Haven

Championship Match - Wednesday, May 22 @Yale University Tennis Courts – 3:30 p.m.

DIVISION I GIRLS TENNIS

Top 2 seeds (#1 Amity and #2 Daniel Hand) get byes to the semifinals

Quarterfinals – Monday, May 20 - All matches at 3:30 p.m.

#3 North Haven 6, #6 Shelton 1

#4 Guilford 6, #5 Sheehan 1

Semifinals – Tuesday, May 21 @Yale University Tennis Courts – 2 p.m.

#1 Amity vs. #4 Guilford

#2 Daniel Hand vs. #3 North Haven

Championship Match - Wednesday, May 22 @Yale University Tennis Courts – 3:30 p.m.

DIVISION II GIRLS TENNIS

Top 2 seeds (#1 Cheshire and #2 Branford) get byes to the semifinals

Quarterfinals – Monday, May 20 - All matches at 3:30 p.m.

#3 Sacred Heart Academy 5, #6 Hamden 2

#4 Lyman Hall 4, #5 Jonathan Law 3

Semifinals – Tuesday, May 21 @Yale University Tennis Courts – 4 p.m.

#1 Cheshire vs. #4 Lyman Hall

#2 Branford vs. #3 Sacred Heart Academy

Championship Match - Wednesday, May 22 @Yale University Tennis Courts – 3:30 p.m.

BOYS' LACROSSE

Semifinals

Tuesday at Hand, Madison

No. 1 Fairfield Prep at No. 4 Hand, 5 p.m.
No. 2 Guilford vs. No. 3 Xavier, 7 p.m.

Final

Thursday at Ken Strong Stadium, West Haven High

No. 1 Fairfield Prep-No. 4 Hand vs. No. 2 Guilford-No. 3 Xavier winners, 7:30 p.m.

GIRLS LACROSSE

Semifinals

Tuesday at Hamden

No. 1 Cheshire vs. No. 4 Branford, 4 p.m.
No. 2 Hand vs. No. 3 Guilford, 6 p.m.

Final

Thursday at Ken Strong Stadium, West Haven High

No.1 Cheshire-No. 4 Branford winner vs. No. 2 Hand-No. 3 Guilford winner, 5 p.m.

BOYS' VOLLEYBALL

Semifinals

Tuesday, 5 p.m.

No. 4 Shelton at No. 1 Cheshire
No. 3 Amity at No. 2 Xavier

Final

Thursday at site of higher seed

No. 1 Cheshire-No. 4 Shelton winner vs. No. 2 Xavier-No. 3 Amity winner, 6 p.m.

BOYS' TENNIS

DIVISION I

First round

Monday, 3:30 p.m.

No. 6 Sheehan at No. 3 Fairfield Prep
No. 5 Branford at No. 4 Guilford

Semifinals

Tuesday

at Yale University, 2 p.m.

No. 1 Amity vs. No. 5 Branford/No. 4 Guilford winner
No. 2 Hand vs. No. 3 Fairfield Prep/No. 6 Sheehan winner

Final

Wednesday, at Yale University, 3:30 p.m.

DIVISION II

Quarterfinals

Monday, 3:30 p.m.

No. 6 North Haven at No. 3 East Haven
No. 5 Lyman Hall at No. 4 Notre Dame-West Haven

Semifinals

Tuesday

at Yale University, 4 p.m.

No. 1 Xavier vs. No. Lyman Hall/No. 4 Notre Dame winner
No. 2 West Haven vs. No. 6 North Haven/No. 3 East Haven winner

Final

Wednesday, at Yale University, 3:30 p.m.

GIRLS' TENNIS

DIVISION I

Quarterfinals

Monday, 3:30 p.m.

No. 6 Shelton at No. 3 North Haven
No. 5 Sheehan at No. 4 Guilford

Semifinals

Tuesday

at Yale University, 2 p.m.

No. 1 Amity vs. No. 5 Sheehan/No. 4 Guilford winner
No. 2 Hand vs. No. 6 Shelton/No. 3 North Haven winner

Final

Wednesday, at Yale University, 3:30 p.m.

DIVISION II

Quarterfinals

Monday, 3:30 p.m.

No. 6 Hamden at No. 3 Sacred Heart Academy
No. 5 Law at No. 4 Lyman Hall

Semifinals

Tuesday

at Yale University, 4 p.m.

No. 1 Cheshire vs. No. Law/No. 4 Lyman Hall winner
No. 2 Branford vs. No. 6 Hamden/No. 3 Sacred Heart Academy winner

Final

Wednesday, at Yale University, 3:30 p.m.

The rematch between the Law and Foran baseball teams is Saturday, part of a doubleheader with St. Joseph and Trumbull at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport.

Law will try to sweep the season series beginning at 4:30 p.m., followed by St. Joes vs. Trumbull. All proceeds will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, which provides programs and services to severely injured members of our military service during the time between active duty and their transition to civilian life.

For more on the project, visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

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.

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.

The previews for the spring sports debut in Saturday's editions.

Could the CIAC golf season move to the fall? The state golf pros would like to see that. It may not be easy. Pictured above is Notre Dame-West Haven golfer Eric Austin.

On Sunday, check out Mary Albl's track story on phenoms Precious Holmes and Henry Wynne of Staples.

Lacrosse debuts on Monday, softball on Tuesday and baseball Wednesday, the day the spring season officially opens.

If you have a story idea for the spring season, email high school sports editor Joe Morelli at jmorelli@nhregister.com.

James Luis has been named the new Cheshire girls' soccer coach. He had been a former assistant at the high school and was the head coach at Cheshire Academy.
He replaces Andy Ashworth who resigned after two seasons. Ashworth was the Register's Area Coach of the year in 2011.

West Haven athletic director Jon Capone will receive a merit award from the CIAC at its annual dedication ceremony Friday at the Convention Center at the Mohegan Sun Casino at 4 p.m.
Capone has been the athletic director at West Haven since 1999. The school has hosted numerous
CIAC events at its various facilities. Capone was previously a recipient of the CIAC Unified Sports Service Award.
Paul Hoey, the assistant executive director of the CIAC, is receiving the Dedication Award for over 35 years of service as a school administrator and contributor to high school athletics.
Other merit award winners include: officials Lou Filippetti and Robert Bernier, who have 50 and 37 years of service to the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials (IAABO), respectively, and girls basketball coaches Jackie DiNardo (over 400 career wins) and Gregg Hunt (over 340 wins).

Several CIAC state tournament games were postponed Thursday to Friday due to inclement weather.
In boys' basketball, the Class L division game between No. 16 E.O. Smith at No. 1 Trinity Catholic will be at 6 p.m. while another L game, No. 15 Middletown at No. 2 Woodstock Academy, will be at 7 p.m. In Class S, No. 25 Weaver at No. 9 Woodland will be at 6 p.m. Friday while No. 13 Haddam-Killingworth at No. 4 Terryville and No. 14 East Hampton at No. 3 Granby are at 7.
The Class S second-round game featuring No. 10 Wamogo and No. 7 Kolbe Cathedral will be held Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Shehan Center in Bridgeport.
All other games tonight are still on as scheduled except for the Class S game between No. 12 Nonnewaug and No. 5 Old Lyme, which has been moved up to 5 p.m.
Friday's Class LL game featuring No. 10 Bridgeport Central and No. 2 Hillhouse will be held at Wilbur Cross due to the CIAC cheerleading state finals being held Friday and Saturday at the Floyd Little Athletic Center. Friday's game time is still to be determined.
In girls' basketball, today's Class LL quarterfinal between Danbury and Lauralton Hall has been moved up to 5 p.m., as has No. 11 Ansonia at No. 3 Haddam-Killingworth in Class S. All other Class LL and M games are still on for 7 p.m. as scheduled.
In boys' hockey, the CIAC Division III game between No. 1 Newington-Berlin-Manchester and No. 8 New Fairfield-Immaculate is now Friday at 6:30 p.m. at the Wonderland of Ice in Bridgeport. Also, No. 4 Hall-Southington vs. No. 5 Masuk is now Friday at 7:15 p.m. at the Northford Ice Pavilion.
The Class LL and S diving championships have been postponed. Class S will now be Friday at East Lyme while Class LL will be Monday at Middletown. Start time for both meets is 5:30 p.m.

What a rough night on Tuesday with my predictions in the first round for the CIAC Division II boys’ hockey tournament.
Three of my final four predictions –Amity, Hand and Milford - were eliminated.
Ouch!
Fortunately the team I picked to win the championship, Branford, is still alive and kicking. The Hornets ended up with a 4-0 win over Fermi/Enfield/East Granby/Stafford.
The biggest surprise was top seed Amity losing 2-1 to No. 17 Newtown. This win by Newtown certainly gives all lower seeds hope in all three divisions, showing us all that anything can happen, especially when you face a hot goalie.
It was a tough finish to the season overall for the Spartans who ended up 2-5 in their last seven games including the regular season. Scoring was an issue for the Spartans with three of the losses by one goal.
No. 10 Hand, with goalie Chase Briggs carrying the team on his back with over 40 saves in the game, looked like it was going to hold on to a slight 1-0 lead against a strong No. 7 Northwest Catholic in the first round . But a third period goal and another in OT gave Northwest Catholic a 2-1 win.
I’m not so surprised about No. 6 Guilford defeating No. 11 Milford 5-3. That was one game I figured could go either way. But I did predict that whoever won that game would at least advance to the D-II semifinals.
Lastly, apologies to North Branford who I failed to mention in my hockey predictions. Any time you have an outstanding, speedy scorer like Dylan Podbielski on your team you are always going to be competitive. The Thunderbirds actually have a lot more than that going for them with talent front to back.
I predicted the SCC would dominate Division II and I’m sticking to that prediction. My adjusted Final Four now has Branford, North Branford and Guilford with No. 2 East Catholic in the Final Four. I still think Branford has the motivation and talent to win the title.
Here is a link to my original tournament predictions - http://bit.ly/1012TiM.

Here are links to my other pre-tournament hockey stories/predictions/Top 10 Poll:
http://bit.ly/XKsWe3
http://bit.ly/XKm8Nv
http://bit.ly/14oyfjZ
http://bit.ly/14oNGsx

Fourteen student-athletes from seven high schools have been named The SportsCenter of Connecticut/Southern Connecticut Conference Scholar Athletes of the Month for January.

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 scholar-athletes are: Hunter Carden of Branford (field hockey, indoor track, outdoor track), Andrew Klarman of Branford (football and basketball), Kelsey Gibbons of Career (basketball), Lawrence McGill of Career (basketball), Lou Crisci of East Haven (hockey). Alissa Korwek of East Haven (basketball), Erin Aspinwall of Foran (soccer, indoor track, outdoor track), Wasim Khan of Foran (wrestling), Maria Weselyj of Mercy (basketball), Katherine Saia of Mercy (soccer, indoor track, outdoor track), Paul Sliwinski from Notre Dame-West Haven (ice hockey, lacrosse), Ryan Morgis from Notre Dame (basketball), Tim Maloney of Shelton (swimming) and Lauren Shearer of Shelton(cheerleading, lacrosse).