Overtime with Kyle Brennan

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Kyle Brennan
Kyle Brennan

Round of Applause

Your weekly Quinnipiac men’s hockey update is here to tell you that the Bobcats are the best collegiate team in Connecticut (that includes all you clingers-on to UConn basketball, men’s and women’s) and the best college hockey team in the United States of America. Quinnipiac is still sitting at No. 2 in the national polls for some stupid reason even though we (yes, we, alumni are allowed to use such a pronoun) lead every computer ranking and haven’t lost since Election Day. That’s correct: We’re now into the fourth month of Quinnipiac’s unbeaten reign, which stretched to 19 last Saturday with a 6-2 thrashing of Yale. For those of you who haven’t given hockey a chance, there is no better time than now (hurry, tickets are hot). Hockey is the best sport to watch in person and you’ll never know until you try it (I didn’t think so until I went to college, either). Get used to the Bobcats appearing in this space. They’ll be here until further notice.

Chorus of Boos

New Orleans really put its best foot forward at a time in which more people than ever before were looking at what was happening in the Superdome. I’ve never cared for New Orleans. It makes no sense to me that people decide that it’s a good idea to live below sea level. I’m sure there are some very nice people and delicious food there — beside the point. But the people running that joint couldn’t even make sure the electricity would work for the entire night. I was pretty glad to see the blackout when it happened. It gave me a great laugh at New Orleans’ expense and gave MetLife Stadium — home of next year’s Super Bowl — the chance to poke fun at the inept handling of this year’s event, claiming that the power will stay on through the snow at the next big game. The whole mess was much funnier than most of the commercials, except Taco Bell’s wild seniors, Hyundai’s destructive pickup football team, the M&M torture and GoDaddy’s most awkward spot of all time.

Word from the Woods

Boys Swimming

Woodland dropped all three of its Naugatuck Valley League meets over the last week to drop to 1-6 in the conference. Last Wednesday the Hawks fell to Torrington, 88-72. Event winners for Woodland included Steve McCusker (diving), Andy O’Dell (100-yard freestyle), the 200 free relay team (O’Dell, Aidan Music, Jimmy Jensen, JD Dyckman), Alan Katrenya (100 breaststroke) and the 400 free relay team (Dyckman, Jensen, Pat Dietz, Katrenya). The Hawks followed up last Friday with a 91-80 loss to Holy Cross. Event winners for Woodland included Music (200 IM), O’Dell (50 free, 500 free), McCusker (diving), Lauren Tompkins (100 backstroke), Katrenya (100 breast) and the 400 free relay team (Jensen, Dyckman, Tompkins, Katrenya). The Hawks finished the stretch Tuesday with a 92-84 loss to Seymour. Event winners for Woodland included the 200 medley relay team (O’Dell, Dietz, Music, Jensen), Music (200 IM), McCusker (diving) and O’Dell (100 fly, 100 back). The Hawks will host their senior night Monday against Wilby (the meet was postponed from Friday due to the storm) before two final regular-season meets next week at Oxford and Kennedy.

Indoor Track

After a strong showing — including a girls title — at the NVL championships last month, the Hawks will compete at the Class S state meets scheduled for Monday at 4 p.m. (the meet was postponed from Saturday due to the storm) at New Haven’s Floyd Little Athletic Center. In addition to relay teams, the following individuals have qualified for competition: Nick LaPerriere (55, 300), Anthony Scirpo (55), Hunter Watford (55), Brett Fowler (55 hurdles), Andy Hale (300, 1,000), Mike Lang (300, long and high jumps), Kyle Beynor (600), Nick Hebert (1,000), Ian Chamenko (1,600), Levi Fancher (shot put), Steph Dumond (55, 300), Jiye Park (55), Tayler Boncal (300), Jazmyn Menzies (300, high jump), Clara Drozdowski (1,000), Steph Kiley (1,600, 3,200), Sydney Corneau (long jump), Becca Moscato (high jump), Megan Lynch (pole vault) and Nikole Tyrrell (shot put).

Naugy Notes

Boys Swimming

Naugatuck ventured out of the NVL last Friday to visit one of the state’s premier swimming programs in Cheshire. The Rams pulled away with a 102-83 victory over the Greyhounds. Event winners for Naugy included Eric Hanley (50 free, 100 breast), Ryan Lewis (diving), Mitchell Santos (100 free) and the 200 free relay team (Jake Morrissey, Marcus Cruz, Scott Sill, Hanley). The Greyhounds were scheduled to return to NVL competition Friday at Torrington but the meet was postponed due to the storm and has not been rescheduled as of this post.

Indoor Track

The ‘Hounds, coming off a boys title and girls third-place finish at last month’s NVL championships, will compete in the Class L state meet scheduled for Tuesday at 4 p.m. (the meet was postponed from Saturday due to the storm) at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven. In addition to relay teams, the following athletes have qualified for competition: Nathaniel Buie (55, 300), Justin Jimenez (300), Collin Reilly (300, 600, 1000, 1,600), Isaque Monteiro (300, long jump), Patrick Alves (600), Dan Schumacher (1,600, 3,200), Jack Reardon (shot put), James SanAngelo (shot put), Ariana Alvarado (55, 55 hurdles, 300), Melisa Goja (300), Harmony Sturdivant (300, 600, long jump), Jordyn Allen (1,000, 1,600), Brianna Ritter (shot put) and Quiana Stanley (shot put).