Some top games involving the Hounds and Hawks this fall

CITIZEN’S NEWS

The fall high school sports season got underway Sept. 3 — a bit earlier than usual thanks to a slightly modified state tournament schedule — and over the next two months, Woodland and Naugatuck will compete for Naugatuck Valley League championships before turning their attention to the state postseason.

Here are some of the most notable contests on the fall regular-season schedule.

Naugatuck girls soccer at Woodland (Sept. 19): The rivals will take the field for the first of their two meetings in Beacon Falls, and the Hawks will feature some new looks with All-State stars Dani Celotto and Casey Mulligan gone but goal-scorers in Michaela Gasparri and Meg Hartnett back. It’ll also be an early-season test for the young Greyhounds.

Woodland boys soccer at Naugatuck (Sept. 20): This rivalry is always worth watching, especially as Naugy looks to retake its traditional spot atop the NVL after a few years off.

The ‘Hounds have plenty of talent, especially All-State defender Jordan Francis, back from last year’s league finalist squad, while the Hawks will have a new look amid a bit of a rebuild.

Naugatuck boys soccer at Brookfield (Sept. 30): The Greyhounds will test themselves in the nonconference schedule with an early-season game at Newtown and this game against Brookfield, a 2023 Class L quarterfinalist. That says something about the high expectations Naugy has this fall.

Woodland and Naugatuck cross country in quad-meet (Oct. 1): This meet in Beacon Falls about two weeks before the league championships will be a good barometer for contenders.

Plenty of All-NVL runners return, including Woodland’s Gabe Diamante, Trevor Genthe, Leah Zainc, and Faye Carnemolla and Naugatuck’s Eddie Dalton, Lily Dalton, and Gwen Marenghi.

Naugatuck volleyball at Woodland (Oct. 4): Five-setters seem to be the norm when the ‘Hounds and Hawks meet at the net, but Woodland could be hard to knock off this year with All-State attackers Ava Bianchini and Lindsay Koliani both returning as seniors. Leah Chatfield will lead the Greyhounds.

Naugatuck girls swimming at Woodland (Oct. 4): The Hawks have been unstoppable in NVL waters over the past few years, winning five of the last six league titles, and they should be as talented as ever this year with All-State freestyler Laura DeGennaro leading the way. It should be a good test for a young Naugy squad that surprised everyone with a third-place NVL finish last year.

Woodland volleyball vs. Seymour (Oct. 10): In an unusual scheduling quirk, the Hawks and Wildcats, who seem to always meet in the NVL final, don’t square off for the first time until the second week of October. Then, a week later, they play again. And it wouldn’t shock anyone to see them encounter each other a third time the following week in the league tournament.

Woodland girls soccer at Watertown (Oct. 17): A rematch of the last two NVL championship games will close out the regular season for both teams, and it wouldn’t surprise anyone if this match were yet another preview of the following week’s league final. The teams have split the last two NVL crowns.

Naugatuck football at Woodland (Oct. 25): Emotions will run high in the annual George Pinho Trophy game, and not just because of the rivalry. The Hawks will honor the 20-year anniversary of their 2004 state championship team, which was coached by none other than current Greyhounds head man Chris Anderson.

Woodland football at Seymour (Nov. 27): Last year’s Thanksgiving eve matchup, a 34-14 win by Seymour, was only the fifth game in the 20-year holiday series in which neither team advanced to the state playoffs. Both teams will hope that second-year starting quarterbacks will be enough to get a win on Valley New Year.

Naugatuck football vs. Ansonia (Nov. 28): The Greyhounds have two Thanksgiving victories in the last three years to sew up NVL championships. But Naugy’s hero in those games, Jett Hall, has moved on, and the ‘Hounds will have to find a new formula if they want to beat Ansonia at home for the first time since 2001.