Round of Applause
Beacon Hose softball begins an 18-game season of what we hope will be mediocrity on Monday evening. The company decided to enter a slowpitch softball team into the Valley Firemen’s Softball League this spring, and I’ve taken on the massive challenge of being the team’s head coach. We very well may be the only team of the 10 in the league that is actively practicing, and boy, do we need it. We’ve got a whole lot of years of not playing to catch up on, and I’ll say that most of the team is trying its hardest. For those of you with nothing to do this Monday evening, we’ll be hosting our first game of the season at 8 p.m. at the main softball field at the Rec. That’s right: PRIMETIME SOFTBALL. If nothing else, it’s going to be thoroughly entertaining. Come join and support your local fire department.
Chorus of Boos
Two backpacks were left near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Tuesday, the one-year anniversary of the bombings. A bomb squad came in and detonated the backpacks after the whole area was cleared, so no harm was done. But come on. I’m pretty good at finding the humor in almost everything, but there is absolutely nothing funny about pulling a prank like that — especially on a day like that. It’s not a funny prank; it’s not going to get you any Twitter followers; it’s not cool. Hopefully the authorities come down as hard as possible on the perpetrator so as to discourage all the would-be pranksters from doing something as stupid in the future.
Word from the Woods
Boys Tennis
The Hawks finally saw their 54-match Naugatuck Valley League winning streak come to an end in the season opener last week against Sacred Heart. Woodland is off to an 0-4 start with a young team and a new coach. The Hawks also fell in 9-0 losses to Naugatuck last Friday and Wolcott on Monday. In the season opener against the Hearts, Woodland earned three match victories. Mike Roulanaitis and Jack Walsh combined to post all three wins with a pair of singles wins and their doubles win. The Hawks fell 6-3 versus Naugatuck on Thursday. Woodland will visit Holy Cross on Monday and Watertown next Wednesday.
Girls Tennis
Woodland is enjoying a perfect start to the new season after earning three victories in the first week of action. The Hawks gained matching 7-0 wins over Sacred Heart last Wednesday and Crosby last Friday before pulling out a 5-2 win over Wolcott on Monday. Hope Gavigan, Ally Mayne, Katie Rioux and Daphne Cianciolo all earned singles victories against the Bulldogs while the squads of Lauren Tompkins-Erica Boccuzzi, Ayah Galal-Paige Gainey and Angelina Padilla-Chloe Ariola gained doubles wins. Gavigan, Rachel Mariano, Mayne and Salma Shitia helped the Hawks sweep the singles competition against the Eagles, and the Galal-Rioux duo earned a doubles victory. Woodland stayed perfect with a slim 4-3 victory at Naugatuck on Thursday. The Hawks will return home Monday to host Ansonia.
Track and Field
The defending NVL champions got off to strong starts last Wednesday in nonconference competition against Kaynor Tech and Bullard Havens Tech. The Woodland boys earned a 121-29 win over Kaynor and a 134-16 win over Bullard Havens, while the Hawks girls posted wins of 136-14 over Bullard Havens and 127-23 over Kaynor. Event winners for the boys included the 4-by-800-meter relay team (Jimmy Jensen, Dean Conway, Paul Jones, Zach Noreika), the 4-by-100 relay squad (Jason Rodrigues, Sean McAllen, Tyler Collodel, Taylor Tucciarone), the 4-by-400 relay team (Conway, Patrick Hale, James Yacavone, Jack Pinho), Mike Lang (110 hurdles, high jump, long jump, triple jump), James Giacomazzi (300 hurdles), McAllen (100, 200), Thomas Bethin (400), Pinho (800, 1,600), Jeff Giusto (3,200), Shane Classey (pole vault), Levi Fancher (javelin, shot put) and Alik Bures (discus). Event winners for the girls included the 4-by-800 relay team (Ava Capuano, Lisa Thrasher, Val Vinca, Emma Poryanda), the 4-by-400 relay team (Adrianne Yacavone, Jenna Boncal, Sydney Patterson, Erin Machado), Michelle Angrand (100 hurdles), Audra Blewitt (300 hurdles, triple jump), Ashley Michie (100, 200), Haleigh Resnick (400), Clara Drozdowski (800, 3,200), Kelsey Mitchell (1,600), Jazmyn Menzies (high jump, long jump), Megan Lynch (pole vault), Abbey Rosato (javelin, shot put) and Erika Tyrrell (discus). The Hawks swept a quad-meet Thursday against Seymour, Kennedy and Wilby. Woodland will visit Naugatuck on Tuesday.
Naugy Notes
Boys Tennis
The Greyhounds, one of the favorites in the Naugatuck Valley League race, tore through their first two meets without dropping a single match. Naugy shut out Woodland last Friday and Kennedy on Monday to start off 2-0. Mike Popescu, Yun Chao Chen, Jake Morrissey, Jake Gingold, Jeff Hensley and Yun Yue Chen all earned singles victories at both meets, while the doubles team of Nick Hernandez-Tyler Posser earned a pair of doubles wins. Nate Lindsley gained doubles victories with PJ Morrissey and Matt Triscritti, while Popescu, Chao Chen, and Marco Rebelo also earned wins in the doubles column. The Greyhounds defeated Woodland again Thursday, 6-3, in Beacon Falls. Watertown will come to the borough on Monday and Naugy will visit Sacred Heart on Tuesday.
Girls Tennis
The ‘Hounds have torn out to a 3-1 start. Naugy boasts wins over Crosby (7-0 last Wednesday), Holy Cross (6-1 last Thursday) and Kennedy (7-0 on Monday). Kayla Gallant, Mikaela Santo and Sarah Cook all have three singles wins while Hannah Kim has two. The Greyhounds have also swept the doubles ranks in all three matches with the teams of Liz Perez-Kayla Rotatori, Tathiana Serrano-Ashley Burkman and Chelsea Iglesias-Crystal Wooster all earning victories. The Greyhounds fell 4-3 in a tight match with Woodland in Naugatuck on Thursday. The Greyhounds will hit the road to face Watertown on Monday and Wilby on Tuesday.
Track and Field
Naugatuck got the season started Wednesday at Watertown against the Indians, Derby and Torrington. The Greyhounds fell to Watertown. Results of the other matches were not reported. The Greyhounds will host Woodland on Tuesday.
