The doors open at 10 a.m. and the competition begins at 11 a.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students and free for children under 5 years old.

For more information, call the Woodland Athletic Department at (203) 881-5551.

Kyle Brennan

Boys Basketball

The Woodland boys are still searching for their eighth win to clinch a state tournament bid after losing both of their games in the last week to fall to 7-8. Last Friday, the Hawks lost to Wilby, 71-49, without point guard Tanner Kingsley. Ryan Angeloszek led the Hawks with 22 points, but he was the only Woodland player in double figures. Billy Alfiere added nine while Dave Uhl scored six. On Monday, a third-quarter letdown cost the Hawks a 67-57 loss to St. Paul. Woodland was outscored by nine points in that period after trailing by just five at the half. Kingsley scored a game-high 26 points in his return while Angeloszek contributed 17, but the rest of the team combined for just 14 points. Another tough game awaits on Friday with a trip to Watertown before a return back home to face Seymour on Tuesday, with the Hawks’ next victory clinching a third straight state tournament berth.

Girls Basketball

The Hawks snapped a five-game losing streak last Friday with a 56-36 win over Wilby. Carli Mariotti turned in a career-high 23 points to pace Woodland, which outscored the Wildcats, 27-8, in the third quarter to pull away after a tied halftime score. Shannon Meany added 12 points while Alma Rizvani had seven and Andrea Piccolo had six. On Monday, the Hawks fell to St. Paul, 47-28. Piccolo was the only Hawk in double figures with 10 points, while Brianna Pacileo had eight and Meany and Mariotti had four each. Woodland, which is 4-12, enters the final two weeks of the season on Friday with a home matchup against Watertown before visiting Seymour on Tuesday.

Boys Swimming

Woodland lost a pair of meets in the last week against two of the better teams in the league to fall to 3-7 on the season. Last Friday, the Hawks suffered a 91-73 loss to Torrington. Event winners for Woodland included the 200 medley relay (Jimmy Tompkins, Andrew Cullen, Pat O’Dell, Eric Dietz), Andy O’Dell (100 free, 200 free), Pat O’Dell (200 IM), and Eric Dietz (50 free). On Tuesday, Woodland fell to Watertown, 92-80. Event winners for the Hawks included Mike Christiano (diving), Pat O’Dell (100 fly, 100 breast), Andy O’Dell (500 free), Tompkins (100 back), and the 400 free relay (Eric Dietz, Aidan Music, Andy O’Dell, Pat O’Dell). Woodland’s next two meets are at home against Holy Cross on Friday and Northwestern on Wednesday.

Naugy Notes

Boys Basketball

The Naugatuck boys clinched their first state tournament bid since 2009 with a 71-67 victory against Derby last Friday. The Greyhounds held off the Red Raiders’ fourth-quarter comeback to improve to 8-6 on the season. Naugatuck’s offensive balance came through again as four players scored in double figures. Husani Foote led the team with 18 points while Mick Pernell had 15, Gabe Pulliam added 14, and Adam Neveski contributed 12. Pernell and Neveski also each hit three 3-pointers and Brandon Kuczenski finished with nine points. After enjoying a week off, Naugy returns to action on Friday at Holy Cross before returning home to face Sacred Heart on Tuesday.

Girls Basketball

The Greyhounds coasted to a 64-20 victory over Derby in their only game last week to improve to 9-6 on the season. Lauren Piroscafo posted her usual strong effort with 23 points, including two 3-pointers, while Amy Dietz contributed 17 points and Steph Lima had 10. Nine players scored in the game for the ‘Hounds, who led, 38-7, at the half and 54-8 after three quarters. After a rescheduled game against Ansonia on Wednesday, Naugy will host Holy Cross on Friday before hitting the road for the final time in the regular season on Tuesday at Sacred Heart.

Boys Swimming

Naugatuck lost its fourth straight meet last Friday in a 99-87 decision against Sacred Heart. Event winners for the Greyhounds included William Wright (200 free, 500 free), Eric Hanley (100 breast), and the 400 free relay (Matt Hall, Josh Deptula, Chris Branco, Wright). Results from Naugy’s scheduled Tuesday meet against Wilby were unavailable as of press time. The ‘Hounds will take the week off before returning to competition at home on Feb. 10 against Torrington.

Jessica Weber, a member of the 1,000-point club at Naugatuck High School, is a sophomore at Post University. -POST UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

Woodland’s former point guard Lindsay Feducia averages 15.1 minutes per game for St. Joseph College. - ST. JOSEPH COLLEGE ATHLETICS

Lindsay Feducia, a former All-Naugatuck Valley League Brass Division point guard at Woodland, is in her freshman year at St. Joseph College. - ST. JOSEPH COLLEGE ATHLETICS

Former Woodland star Heather Framski is averaging 13.6 points per game for St. Joseph College. - ST. JOSEPH COLLEGE ATHLETICS

Woodland’s all-time leading scorer Heather Framski has started every game for St. Joseph College in her freshman year. - ST. JOSEPH COLLEGE ATHLETICS

Former Woodland star Sam LaCroce is the second-leading scorer and rebounder for Wesleyan University. -WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

Sam LaCroce of Prospect averages 10.5 points per game and 6.9 rebounds per game for Wesleyan University. -WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

Former Woodland basketball player Sam LaCroce is a senior at Wesleyan University. -WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

Anthony Mariano of Naugatuck is averaging 8.8 points per game for the Keene State College Owls. -COURTESY JESSE FERREIRA

Former Woodland star Yahmad Rountree, right, has started 10 games for Becker College as a freshman. -MANZELLO PHOTOGRAPHY

As a freshman, Yahmad Rountree, right, is fifth on the team at Becker College with 8.1 points per game. -MANZELLO PHOTOGRAPHY

Jessica Weber of Naugatuck averages 2.2 points per game and 1.1 assists per game for Post University. -POST UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

Former Naugatuck standout Jessica Weber averages 9.7 minutes per game as a sophomore at Post University. -POST UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

Former Woodland star Heather Framski is averaging 13.6 points per game for St. Joseph College. - ST. JOSEPH COLLEGE ATHLETICS

At least seven former Hawks and Greyhounds are enjoying successful basketball seasons at colleges and universities throughout New England. These players, who were all parts of strong teams at Woodland and Naugatuck, have all seen time on the floor this winter.

Sam LaCroce (Sr., Wesleyan University) is the second-leading scorer and rebounder for the Cardinals, which were 12-6 as of Wednesday. LaCroce, who was the second player in Woodland history to score 1,000 points, averages 10.5 points per game and 6.9 rebounds per game. The 6-foot forward from Prospect has played more than any player on the roster, averaging 29.1 minutes per night.

Anthony Mariano (Jr., Keene State College) is a key part of the Little East Conference-leading Owls, who were 15-4 as of Wednesday. The former Naugatuck star has started all but one game and averages 8.8 points per game, good for fifth on the team. Mariano is second in the team in minutes per game (23.6) and assists per game (2.2), and leads the team in steals (27).

Jen Fredericks (So., Daniel Webster College) has started all but one game for the Eagles, who are third in the New England Collegiate Conference with a 12-6 record as of Wednesday. Fredericks, who was a three-year varsity player at Woodland, averages the third-most minutes per game (30.1) while sitting fifth in assists per game (1.9) and sixth in scoring per game (4.9) and rebounds per game (3.4).

Jessica Webber (So., Post University) has appeared in 15 of 18 games for the Eagles, who have struggled to a 4-14 record as of Wednesday. Webber, who was Naugatuck’s most recent addition to the 1,000-point club, averages 9.7 minutes per game, 2.2 points per game, and 1.1 assists per game.

Yahmad Rountree (Fr., Becker College) has made an immediate impact for the Hawks, who lead the New England Collegiate Conference with a 14-4 record as of Wednesday. Rountree, a 6-foot-6 forward who last season led Woodland to its first postseason win in six years, has started 10 games and is fifth on the team with 8.1 points per game and third with 5.7 rebounds per game. Rountree also earned NECC Rookie of the Week honors on Jan. 23.

Heather Framski (Fr., St. Joseph College) is in the midst of an outstanding first season in West Hartford for the Blue Jays, which are fifth in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference with a 12-6 record as of Wednesday. Framski, who is Woodland’s all-time leading scorer, has started all 18 games and is second on the team in scoring (13.6 ppg) and leads the squad in rebounding (6.4 rpg). The 5-foot-10 forward also leads the team in field-goal percentage at 57.1 percent, which is also good for 14^th in all of Division III. Earlier in January, Framski led the country with a 66.7 shot percentage en route to earning GNAC Rookie of the Week honors.

Lindsay Feducia (Fr., St. Joseph College) has also seen playing time for the Blue Jays and is one of seven players to appear in every game. Feducia, a former All-Naugatuck Valley League Brass Division point guard at Woodland, averages 15.1 minutes per game and 3.2 points per game. She has also averaged 2.0 rebounds per game and 1.7 assists per night.

Former Woodland star Heather Framski is averaging 13.6 points per game for St. Joseph College. - ST. JOSEPH COLLEGE ATHLETICS

Registration will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Portuguese Club, 110 Rubber Ave. Registration forms are available at the Parks and Recreation Department on Rubber Avenue or the YMCA on Church Street. Completed registration forms can be mailed to: NYS, P.O. Box 772, Naugatuck, CT, 06770.

Registration can also be completed online at www.naugatucksoccer.org. A $15 late fee applies for registration received after March 1 and late registrations will go on waiting list.

Registration will be held Feb. 4, Feb. 11, Feb. 18, and Feb. 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Feb. 9, Feb. 16. and Feb. 23 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Peter J. Foley Clubhouse, 299 Scott St.

Registration is open to all boys and girls ages 5 to 12 as of April 30, 2012. First time players need to bring a copy of their birth certificate and proof of residency on the west side of Naugatuck. The registration fee is $85 per player for minor and major divisions of baseball, and $60 for the Junior and Farm Divisions. The family maximum registration fee is $125, and all players have a mandatory fundraiser as well.

Girls between the ages 7 and 12 as of April 30, 2012 who want to play softball should register with Union City Little League.

For more information, call at (203) 729-1002 or visit www.peterjfoley.com.

By Kyle Brennan, Citizen’s News

Woodland's Tayler Bonca, left, races against Seymour's Katie Petroski in the girls 55m during the NVL Indoor Track and Field Championships Tuesday at the Floyd Little Athletic Center at Hillhouse High School in New Haven. RA ARCHIVE

NEW HAVEN — Track and field — especially the indoor variety — isn’t much of a spectator sport. But on Tuesday at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven, the Naugatuck Valley League indoor track championships became just that.

With the boys and girls championships hinging on the final event, the Hawks’ 4-by-400-meter relay squads both pulled out victories to clinch the first titles of 2012.

The Woodland boys led Naugatuck by just two points heading into the final relay with the higher-finishing squad likely winning the championship. Through the first three legs of the race — run by Marc Beaulieu, Adam Baz, and Brett Fowler — Naugatuck held a commanding lead in the race.

But Woodland anchor Nick LaPerriere stormed back to close a six-second deficit, according to Woodland coach Tim Shea, and finished the race in 3:42.35, just better than the Greyhounds’ time of 3:42.90.

“I knew it was going to come down to the 4-by-4,” Shea said. “When the anchor legs touched off, it was like, ‘Oh, great.’ I was actually about to go congratulate [Naugatuck coach] Ralph Roper on the tied championship. The Naugy kid was six seconds ahead of Nick LaPerriere at the start, and Nick took it at the end and the place went nuts. I don’t know how he did it.”

The 10 points earned in the relay gave the boys 103 points, just better than Naugatuck’s 99.

The girls 4-by-400 relay was equally as important but far less dramatic. The team of Amber Tolboe, Jazmine Menzies, Sydney Corneau, and Alaina Neddermann won the event in 4:28.68, ahead of Watertown’s second-place time of 4:34.64. Naugatuck was fourth in 4:43.51.

Woodland finished with 97 points while Naugatuck earned 92 points to place second.

Both meets were tight the entire night, as Woodland and Naugatuck traded leads with nearly every event.

“It was a back and forth night for the boys and girls,” Shea said. “We went up, Naugy would go ahead, and we would go back ahead. It was like a boxing match.”

The championships were won chiefly by the Hawks’ dominance in the relays. The boys won the 4-by-200 relay in 1:35.88 with the team of Mike Lang, LaPerriere, Tim Madormo, and Anthony Scirpo, as well as the decisive 4-by-400 race. They also finished second in the 4-by-800 with Baz, Beaulieu, Nick Hebert, and Andrew Hale and second in the sprint medley with Jon Alarcon, Connor Chura, Fowler, and Hale.

The girls won three of the four relays. In addition to the 4-by-400 race, the girls won the 4-by-200 in 1:52.42 with Tolboe, Steph Dumond, Jiye Park, and Tayler Boncal. They also won the sprint medley relay in 4:51.42 with Tolboe, Menzies, Neddermann, and Miranda Moffat, and finished second in the 4-by-800 relay with Corneau, Audra Blewitt, Steph Kiley, and Neddermann.

The relay victories were crucial because only Madormo won an individual event in the 55-meter hurdles, winning easily in 8.40 seconds.

But depth and quality places in most events helped the Hawks pick up points almost the entire night.

Scirpo (third in 55), LaPerriere (second in 300), Madormo (fourth in 300), Beaulieu (fourth in 600), and Lang (second in high jump, second in long jump) gained much-needed points throughout the meet.

On the girls side, Boncal (second in 55, third in 300), Park (third in 55), Dumond (fifth in 55, fifth in 300), Blewitt (fifth in 600), Moffat (sixth in 1,000), and Steph Kiley (sixth in 3,200) did the same thing.

Shea gave special credit to a few field athletes. For the girls, Claire Burke finished second in pole vault while Kim Thrasher was third in high jump and fourth in pole vault. Ashley Riley also placed second in long jump after injuring her heel while Park was fourth in the event. Nikki Tyrrell also earned a point with a sixth-place finish in the shot put.

For the boys, Mike Torselli and Joe Laliberte finished third and fourth, respectively, in the pole vault while Levi Fancher set a new personal best in the shot put by about five feet to finish third.

The quality places in the track events and a few surprises in the field helped both teams exceed expectations and earned the boys their second NVL indoor championship and the girls their first.

“We actually improved our score from what we had on paper,” Shea said. “We thought we would have in the 80s, but we both ended up way higher. It was a big team effort. The kids didn’t get down. We kept scoring points because we had athletes in the top six. We didn’t have a bunch of standout guys, but we had a strong team.”

‘Hounds come in close second

By Ken Morse, Citizen’s News

Naugatuck's Muad Hrezi, left, edges out Wolcott's Dave Scheibenpflug to win the boys 1,600 meters during the NVL Indoor Track and Field Championships Tuesday at the Floyd Little Athletic Center at Hillhouse High School in New Haven. RA ARCHIVE

NEW HAVEN — The Naugatuck Valley League indoor track championships ended just the way championships are to be decided: In one frantic, fascinating, finish.

The Naugatuck girls team was leading by one point over Woodland heading into the final event of the meet. But the Hawks came on strong to win the 4-by-400-meter relay and Naugatuck finished fourth as the Woodland girls took the NVL title.

The Greyhounds’ foursome of Georgette Nixon, Madison Kloc, Regina Roper and Alexis Simmons went all out trying to hold off the Hawks as Naugatuck finished as the NVL runner-up with a team total of 92 points.

Woodland was crowned the NVL champs with a team total of 97 points with Seymour (80) taking third place.

The Naugatuck boys headed into the final event of the meet trailing Woodland by two points. As the teams lined up for the 4-by-400 relay that would decide the championship, the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven was rocking.

The Greyhounds (Colin Reilly, Patrick Alves, Jake Simons and Giovanni Gonzalez) took the final handoff holding a 60-meter lead going down the stretch. But the Hawks pulled off a miraculous, come-from-behind win taking the lead with just five feet to go at the wire.

Woodland claimed the league championship with 103 points and Naugatuck was the runner-up with 99 points. Watertown (57) and Wolcott (55) were a distant third and fourth.

“It doesn’t get any more exciting than that,” said Naugatuck head coach Ralph Roper, who along with assistant coach Bill Hanley, were exhausted from the emotional finish. “The place was going bonkers in those last two relays. It was extremely loud with people cheering. Both teams turned in a great effort.”

The Naugatuck girls fell behind early with Woodland taking second, third and fifth in the 55-meter dash. Third- and fifth-place finishes in the 300 gave the Hawks a comfortable 20-point advantage over the Greyhounds.

Then Jordyn Allen turned it up a notch, racing to three victories in the 1,000, 1,600 and 3,200 to give Naugatuck the lead. It was a back-and-forth affair the rest of the meet with Woodland staying close with victories in the 4-by-200 and sprint medley relay along with a second place in the 4-by-800.

Shannon Hale turned in a crucial performance by winning the pole vault, taking second in the 55 hurdles and a third-place showing in the shot put. Brianna Ritter took second in the shot put with a throw of 31 feet, 2 inches.

Keeping Naugatuck in the hunt was Nixon with a third-place effort in the 600, Simmons with a fourth-place showing in the high jump, and Abby Karbowicz with a fifth-place finish in the long jump. Kaitlyn Barry and Carla Soares finished seventh and ninth, respectively, in the 600.

“Not much was expected from our girls since we had a very young squad,” Roper said. “Woodland, Seymour, and Watertown were the teams to beat. But the girls turned in a tremendous effort.”

The boys team was led by Nick Moriello with three wins. He posted an NVL record time of 1:26.71 in the 600, along with victories in the 4-by-800 and sprint medley relay.

Muad Hrezi raced to victory in the 1,600 and finished second in the 1,000 and fourth in the 3,200.

Colton Wagner was first in the pole vault with Reilly taking second in the 600. Simons took third in the 300 and Nathaniel Buie took third in the long jump.

Other top finishers for the Greyhounds were Kevin Ugalde (fifth in shot put), Kyle Johnson (sixth in long jump), Dan Schumacher (sixth in 1,600), Mike Uva (sixth in 3,200, seventh in 1,000), and James SanAngelo (10th in high jump).

“The bottom line is Woodland put themselves in position to win it in the last event,” Roper said. “They came here ready to compete. Maybe we just didn’t have the same kind of intensity or focus. Hopefully this will serve as a wake-up call for us heading into the states.”

Registration for the Prospect recreational league will be held at the Prospect Firehouse on Feb. 4, Feb. 11 and Feb. 18 from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tee ball is for girls in grades kindergarten through second, minors is for girls in grades third through fifth and majors is for girls in grades sixth through eighth. The registration fee is $50 for the first child and $40 for each additional child.

Kyle Brennan

Round of Applause

Local basketball teams are having strong seasons. The Naugatuck girls clinched their first state tournament berth since 2010 with a 51-38 win over St. Paul on Tuesday as they improved to 8-6 on the season. Lauren Piroscafo and Steph Lima have teamed to form one of the top one-two tandems in the NVL, and their inside-outside combination has benefitted the Greyhounds over the last month. Meanwhile, the Naugy boys sit on the brink of making the postseason for the first time since 2009 after a five-game winning streak. The ‘Hounds have a starting five that spreads the ball around pretty evenly and makes every player a potential scorer. In Beacon Falls, the Woodland boys are closing in on a program-record third-straight state tournament appearance after an overtime win against Kennedy on Tuesday. Ryan Angeloszek has been on fire of late, including a 26-point performance in the win over the Eagles, while Billy Alfiere and Tanner Kingsley continue to provide much-needed scoring. It looks like we’ll have three local teams battling it out in the postseason—no complaints there.

The American League is going to be so good this season. As if AL lineups couldn’t get much better, the Angels added Albert Pujols earlier this offseason before the Tigers attracted Prince Fielder on Tuesday (we won’t get into the huge contract figures because it will make both of us feel bad). The AL has a ton of legitimate contenders — the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays, Tigers, Rangers, and Angels — and only four of them can make the playoffs. With the offenses these teams boast, it’s a wonder that every game doesn’t wind up with somebody scoring in double digits. But somehow, AL pitchers always find a way to make good things happen (well, unless you’re wearing red socks in September) so games don’t turn into barnburners. Regardless, it’s going to be a blast in the American League this spring, summer, and fall. As for the National League, it will be much more exciting to watch the plight of the Mets and its laughable ownership situation than most of the NL on-field stuff.

My last semester of college started this week. By this time, you’re thinking: 1) Wow, that went fast; 2) Kyle’s still in school?; or 3) Who cares? I’m probably a mix of the three options. I’m going to end up graduating in three years thanks to the ton of Advanced Placement credits I racked up in high school (it’s worth it, children) and a few summer online classes. Plus, I sort of had a leg up in most of my journalism classes because, well, it’s kind of what I do. Where I’ll wind up after the folks at Quinnipiac fork over my degree, I’m not sure. I’m not great at planning things out for much longer than a week.

Chorus of Boos

The next week or so is going to be absolutely awful. I mean, come on, football gods. Are you serious? Again? I can’t deal with a) seeing Giants and Patriots jerseys worn everywhere, b) seeing them worn by people who don’t know the player on the back of it, c) watching the endless, repetitive coverage and flashbacks on ESPN, and d) hearing from bandwagon fans who keep saying that “we” are going to win the Super Bowl. It’s time to clear up a few things. First, bandwagon fans are the absolute worst, and no sport has more bandwagon fans than football. To make the problem worse, no region has more bandwagon fans than New England and the New York metro area. Put that combination together and it’s worse than Taco Bell and the Boston Marathon. I’m a lover of Facebook and Twitter, but I almost had to exit both on Sunday after the ridiculous things I saw posted about the Patriots and Giants from people who I didn’t even know liked sports. I’m glad (not really) your team did well, but you really ought to stop with the “we’re the best” and “we’re going to win.” No, you’re not. Are you playing in the Super Bowl? Are you employed by either team? Then no, “we’re” not going to win anything. “We’re” going to watch the football game with so much food that “we’re” going to look like Vince Wilfork after downing two of his Big Y Superbirds for lunch. Goodness gracious, stop it.

The State of the Union is so frustrating. I usually like (by like, I mean feel obligated) to watch the speech just so I know what issues I’m supposed to be occasionally paying attention to for the next year. But that thing is the most ridiculous event in government, and that’s saying something. (Having said that, it has been less ridiculous recently now that Nancy Pelosi isn’t positioned behind the president to serve as his personal cheerleader.) The State of the Union is just a popularity contest with President Barack Obama trying to induce as much applause as possible over issues that sound great but ones that will never be resolved. It’s such a pie-in-the-sky hope toward the future, it’s impossible for us average citizens to not tune it out. I’m all for supporting American auto makers (to whoever was booing that remark, I hope your foreign car explodes while you’re inside), and rewarding companies for making their products in the USA, and fixing up the tax code, and all that pretty jazz, but we all know that it’s not going to happen these days. Congress is full of egotistical people who cling too hard to party lines that they probably don’t even understand and who have no idea how to use common sense or compromise. Let’s be honest, the amount of applause they shelled out on Tuesday night is the most work they’ll get done all year.

Word from the Woods

Girls Basketball

The Hawks’ recent losing streak reached five games this week after losses to Holy Cross, Sacred Heart, and Kennedy. Last Wednesday, Woodland lost to the Crusaders, 63-38, before falling to Sacred Heart, 48-43, on Friday in a game that the Hawks led after three quarters. The Black and Gold also succumbed to Kennedy, 55-28, on Tuesday. Sophomore center Andrea Piccolo has been the strong point for the Hawks all season and had a string of solid performances despite the losses. She scored 13 points with 15 rebounds against Holy Cross before pouring in 21 against Sacred Heart and netting 10 points against Kennedy. Carli Mariotti, Shannon Meany, and Nicole Fowler also made impactful scoring contributions over the last week. Woodland (3-11) concludes its stretch against Copper Division opponents on Friday when it hosts Wilby. The Hawks will finish the season with five Brass games, beginning Monday at St. Paul.

Naugy Notes

Girls Basketball

The Naugatuck girls won their eighth game of the season on Tuesday, clinching a return berth to the Class L state tournament for the first time since 2010. The Greyhounds defeated St. Paul, 51-38, on Tuesday in Naugatuck to reach the milestone. Lauren Piroscafo scored 20 points in the game, including 10 in the fourth quarter, while Steph Lima had 12 points (six in the fourth), 10 rebounds, and four blocks. Piroscafo added four steals and two assists while Amber Kuczenski, Amy Dietz, and Ang Piccirillo scored five points each. The state-tournament-clinching win came in Naugy’s second attempt to do so following a 44-38 loss to Watertown last Wednesday. In that game, Piroscafo led the ‘Hounds with 17 points while Lima tacked on seven. The rest of the way, Naugy (8-6) will look to improve its seeding in Class L and work toward earning a strong position in next month’s NVL tournament. The Greyhounds will visit Derby on Friday before hosting four of their last five games, starting with a game against Ansonia on Wednesday.

Lips to CN’s Ear

“My goal is for everybody to get personal bests. If everyone gets their fastest times, it’s a successful season to me. For the team, with the smaller numbers, I’m not stressing that. Our relays should break some school records. That should be fabulous. I think that we should have some individuals—the O’Dells and Eric Dietz—that will be competing for medals.”

Woodland boys swim coach Tom Currier on his goals for the Hawks as they enter the last month of the season. Despite a team lacking in depth, the Hawks have won three of their last five meets thanks to strong, first-place finishes in many events. Those efforts have been led by Pat and Andy O’Dell and Eric Dietz, who Currier projects should contend for medals at the Naugatuck Valley League championships at the beginning of March.

“That has been our goal coming into this season: Trying to make the NVL tournament and get back to states. We have put in a lot of hard work and have renewed our effort on the defensive end. That has led to this turnaround as we are playing as a team.”

Naugatuck boys basketball senior Brandon Kuczenski on the Greyhounds’ recent five-game winning streak. Naugy rebounded from a 2-5 start to win five in a row and now sits within one win of returning to the Class L state tournament for the first time since 2009.

WATERBURY — Ryan Angeloszek scored a game-high 26 points, including the go-ahead basket in overtime, to lead Woodland to a 63-55 victory over Kennedy on Tuesday night.

Woodland improved to 7-6 on the season, while Kennedy fell to 5-7.

After racing out to a 16-point lead late in the first half, the Hawks held off the upstart Eagles in a tale of two halves. While Angelosek led the team in scoring, it took multiple big plays from several players to win the game.

It culminated in overtime with Billy Alfiere (16 points, six rebounds), who drew a foul and made one of two free throws 17 seconds into the extra session. On their next possession, the Hawks’ David Uhl scored in transition to give the Hawks a 55-52 lead.

Kennedy’s Gabriel Cabrera hit his third and final 3-pointer of the game to tie it at 55 with 2:24 left. Then Angeloszek provided the difference.

Angeloszek received the ball on the low block, created space, then sped along the baseline to score a bucket, draw a foul and break the deadlock with 2:11 left. He hit the ensuing free throw to give Woodland a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.

“We have a number of players who are willing to step up,” Woodland coach Tom Hunt said.

Woodland needed every boost it could get, especially in the second half when a 16-point lead evaporated and Kennedy grabbed a one-point edge with less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter. David Alves and Tanner Kingsley offered the response for Woodland.

Down 48-47 with 2 ½ minutes left, Alves grabbed an offensive rebound off an Angeloszek miss and scored. On the next possession, Kingsley (11 points, six steals) drained a 3 from the left arc to give Woodland a 52-48 lead with 1:40 remaining.

“David is a very physical player and Tanner hits big shots every game,” Angeloszek said.

Cabrera and Cyrise Davis scored back-to-back baskets for Kennedy to tie the game.

Alfiere missed two free throws with 12.9 seconds left — either would have broken the tie.  Kennedy missed two shots as time expired in regulation to send the game to overtime.

Once back in the huddle prior to overtime, Alfiere didn’t sulk. He showed leadership.

“As a senior captain on this team, Billy never put his head down,” Hunt said. “He got right back into the huddle and said. ‘We’re going to win this.’”

Alfiere put Woodland on the board first in overtime, produced two steals and two rebounds in the extra session and provided the spark the Hawks needed in OT. His efforts helped the Hawks find the same spark they showed in the first half.

Woodland used stingy defense and controlled the glass to dominate the first 16 minutes of the game. Kennedy received few second-chance opportunities and the Hawks used crisp ball movement to set up shots.

In the second quarter, Woodland scored the first 13 points and didn’t allow a basket for the first 4:50. Angeloszek scored the team’s first eight of the quarter in a variety of ways — under the hoop, in the lane and with a mid-range jumper.

Kennedy regained momentum in the third quarter and most of the fourth and wiped out a 14-point halftime deficit.

“We played the defense we wanted to play in the first half,” Hunt said. “We let them adjust and we didn’t adjust with them.”

The Hawks kept their composure and now stand one win away from a program-record third straight state tournament berth. Angelozsek credited the Hawks’ approach.

“We’re showing a lot of chemistry,” Angeloszek said. “We work together as a team.”

The Hawks travel to Wilby this Friday and host St. Paul on Monday.

Alan Katrenya and the Hawks have won three of their last four meets after starting the season 0-4 overall and 0-2 in the Naugatuck Valley League. –FILE PHOTO

Woodland swimming with current

The Woodland boys swim team is starting to gain momentum.

After starting the season 0-4 overall and 0-2 in the Naugatuck Valley League, the Hawks have rallied to win three of their last four meets, including two in the league to improve to 3-5 and 2-2 in the NVL.

Meanwhile, all of this is happening with one of the smallest teams in school history. But the size of the team hasn’t affected the squad too much, other than making top finishes in each race a little more important.

“Individually, I don’t think it’s much different,” Woodland coach Tom Currier said. “All the kids are used to swimming four events a meet, so it’s not that I’m putting any more workload on them.”

The Hawks’ winless start to the season was deceiving, Currier said. The team’s solid showings of late are much more representative.

“We started off the season with some of the best teams in the area,” Currier said. “Sacred Heart is a potential state champion, Naugatuck is one of the best teams in the league, Haddam-Killingworth is strong, and Pomperaug is a State Open champion. We started off with the toughest parts of the schedule and now everyone is finally getting in swimming shape.”

On Tuesday, Woodland evened its league record with an 81-73 win at Seymour in a meet that wasn’t as close as the score would indicate. The Hawks swept the first eight events, gaining enough points to pull up in the final three events.

The 200 medley relay team of Eric Dietz, Alan Katrenya, Steve McCusker, and Andy O’Dell started the meet with a victory in 1:59.50 while the 200 freestyle relay squad of Patrick Dietz, Ryan Greenwood, Aidan Music, and Patrick O’Dell provided the Hawks’ final victory of the day in 1:48.28.

In between, Woodland’s best individual swimmers racked up their own victories. Patrick O’Dell won the 200 free in 1:55.53 and the 100 free in 53.68 seconds while younger brother Andy took the 100 fly in 59.33 seconds. Those two, along with freestyle sprinter Eric Dietz, have made up the backbone for the team throughout the season.

“Pat O’Dell, Andy O’Dell, and Eric Dietz have definitely been the standouts,” Currier said. “Those are my big dogs. They’re very important. They’re the three that I try to spread around if I need someone in a different event to race against the other team’s fastest kids.”

But production has gone beyond the top three.

“Everybody else has been pulling their weight,” Currier said. “Mike Christiano and Steve McCusker have been gaining valuable points for us in diving. Alan Katrenya has been great in breaststroke, Jimmy Tompkins has been good in backstroke, and Aidan Music is a good all-around swimmer. I’m putting him in events where I can use a good body.”

Music won the 500 free in 5:50.84 against the Wildcats for Woodland’s final event win of the night. Patrick Dietz earlier won the 50 free in 26.69 seconds while Andrew Cullen took the 200 IM in 2:28.32.

“Andrew Cullen has been huge,” Currier said. “He’s been my guy to fill in for a lot of events this year.”

Lacking depth, Currier isn’t as concerned with where the team will finish in the league championships at the end of February and beginning of March. Individual records and successes are much more important.

“My goal is for everybody to get personal bests,” Currier said. “If everyone gets their fastest times, it’s a successful season to me. For the team, with the smaller numbers, I’m not stressing that. Our relays should break some school records. That should be fabulous. I think that we should have some individuals — the O’Dells and Eric Dietz — that will be competing for medals.”

Woodland continues NVL competition with two more road meets this week, at Torrington on Friday and at Watertown on Tuesday.

Naugatuck on rare losing streak

After the Greyhounds suffered their first dual-meet loss to Holy Cross since 1983 on Jan. 13, they were unable to rebound last Friday in a tri-meet against Conard and Pomperaug, two of the state’s most powerful programs.

Conard defeated Naugatuck, 116-70, while Pomperaug beat the ‘Hounds, 117-69, in the borough. Only Naugy’s Isabelle Moody earned an event victory when she won the diving portion with 197.40 points.

Pomperaug and Conard battled for the rest of the points in a meet that the Panthers ended up winning, 97-89.

The losses sent the Greyhounds to 2-4 on the season while they sit at 2-1 in the NVL. Naugatuck will finish the regular season against league competition with six dual meets over the next month. An important NVL meet against potential favorite Sacred Heart is set for Friday night at Kennedy.