New Canaan Advertiser Sports Spring Preview 20112

SPORTS PREVIEWNEW CANAAN HIGH SCHOOL SPRING 2012

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By Dave StewartSports Editor

It wasn’t that long ago that the New Canaan Rams were little more than afterthoughts in the world of FCIAC softball.

Of course, the Rams came close to qualifying for the State playoffs a few times, typ-ically falling short by a win or two, but being an annual contender seemed like a distant dream.

Then a heralded group of young freshmen joined the team, taking New Canaan by “Storm” and the Rams have taken on a different tone. And despite the hype surrounding their arrival, the Rams have respond-ed perfectly.

“It’s a lot of pressure,” New Canaan head coach Danielle Simoneau said. “There was a lot of build-up from when they were young and for the most part, they’ve handled it well. They don’t let it get to them and once they cross the lines, they’re just out to play and enjoy the game.

“They’ve stayed mellow and they haven’t let the pressure go to their heads, and that says a lot about them. They just keep going in the same direction as a team.”

Staying mellow might be diffi-cult for opposing teams, however, as the Rams return starters at nearly every position after going 17-7 and winning a pair of State tournament games last spring. Putting that in per-spective, the last time a New Canaan softball team won more than eight

games in a season was 2001.The Rams lost just two players

from last season’s team: co-captains Tory Rusch, a first baseman who is now at Bowdoin College, and Lindsey Schmid, a centerfielder who is playing at Babson College.

This season, Simoneau chose not to designate team cap-tains, instead allowing the leaders to rise to the top on the field.

“My theory is softball is a team sport and the leaders are the nine players on the field,” Simoneau said. “For me personally, I don’t feel you have to be a captain to be a leader. I’d rather see the natural lead-ers come out while they’re playing, than the ones who are forced into that role because they’re captains.

“We’re going to evenly distrib-ute the responsibilities that captains have, so everyone has a chance to step up and be a leader.”

Simoneau’s team is blessed with two talented pitchers who are com-ing off solid campaigns.

Junior Cydney Ventura has been the primary starter for two years and was an All-FCIAC Second Team selection last spring. As a sopho-more, Ventura had a 2.58 ERA in 103 innings, while striking out 75. She has a great feel for the plate and walked just 23, or fewer than two per game, last year.

Sophomore Ali Reilly was a new-comer to the roster last year and was also solid, throwing 55 innings and posting an ERA of 1.27. Reilly struck out 64 and walked 23.

Both pitchers have put in time to improve, Simoneau said, and looked solid in the preseason.

“We have two and we’re lucky to have both of them,” the coach said. “Ali’s been working hard, Cyd’s been working hard and they’re neck-and-neck. Cydney’s got the advantage because she’s got the experience, but Ali’s doing a nice job too.

“The way we look at it is they’re going to share time. Until one of them proves they belong there lon-ger, we’re going in with the idea that they’re equal and we’re going to equally distribute the time. That could change, but we want to see how the both of them do.”

Both pitchers will be throwing from a different spot this year, as the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has moved the pitching circle back from 40 feet to 43 feet.

The rule change was made in 2009 to bring members in line with college and Olympic standards, but didn’t become mandatory until this spring.

Those three feet will make a strong infield defense even more important and the Rams have an edge on that count with three quarters of their starting infield returning.

That trio includes Marlee Ready at third base, Brittany Overacker at shortstop and Courtney Rogers at second base. All three are juniors and were named to the All-FCIAC Second Team last year. Ready was also an All-FCIAC Second Team selection at second base during her freshman season.

“It’s a solid infield,” Simoneau said. “Last year, defensively, we played extremely well. With the pitchers being back three feet, that’s key. We need to be able to play defense. When they gel and they play together, they’re one of the best groups of middle infielders and a third baseman that I’ve seen in a while in the FCIAC.”

Taking over for Rusch at first base is Katie Krueger, a senior who saw some time at first base and desig-nated hitter the last two years.

The outfield will have senior Jamie Kuhn in center, replacing Schmid. Kuhn started in right last spring and Simoneau said she’s been swinging the bat well this preseason.

Junior Anna Von Oehsen, who platooned in leftfield last season, is now the full-time rightfielder. Juniors Abby Jenkins and Steph Torromeo will platoon in left.

The Rams also picked up three

newcomers in sophomore Collette Pelligrini de Paur and freshmen Grace Wagner and Charlotte Henson. All three are utility players, with de Pelligrini fitting in at several spots.

“Collette can play pretty much wherever you put her, so she’s going to be a huge asset,” Simoneau said. “She can play first, she can play third, she can play the outfield and she can get some hits.”

The lineup hadn’t been set late in the preseason, as Simoneau and the coaching staff were looking at a few different settings from top to bottom.

One thing for certain, however, is that the Rams have plenty of hit-ting, as they batted .358 as a team and have five returning players who boasted batting averages of .350 or better.

Cydney Ventura led the group at .469 with 10 doubles, 21 RBIs and 16 runs. Jordan Ventura was next at .408 with 19 RBIs and 17 runs; followed by Rogers at .405 with 23 RBIs and 29 runs; Ready at .393 with

a team-high 24 RBIs and 19 runs; and Overacker at .355.

“It helps that we’ve been outside in this weather and I’m impressed with the way they’re swinging the bats,” Simoneau said. “They’re com-ing together.

“We’re still tweaking (the lineup) a little. We haven’t finalized it yet.”

The Rams opened the season by hosting another annual contender, St. Joseph, yesterday, April 4, with road games at Ludlowe and Norwalk also scheduled in the first week.

The FCIAC playoff races will feature many of the usual suspects, including defending conference champion Darien and Westhill, the top seed from the regular season, in the hunt.

Whoever the opponent is on a given day, Simoneau said the key is to take it one inning at a time.

“You take each game as it comes,” the coach said. “You can’t worry about who the team is or what they have, you just worry about pitch by pitch and play by play.”

Softball

Rams at a glanceHead Coach Danielle Simoneau (2nd year)

2011 Record: 17-7, FCIAC and Class L quarterfinalistsPlayers to watch: Marlee Ready, Cydney Ventura,

Jordan Ventura, Brittany Overacker, Courtney Rogers,Jamie Kuhn, and Ali Reilly

The Big GamesApril 5 at Fairfield-Ludlowe; April 18 vs. Darien at Waveny Park — This game should have the best of everything: Two talented teams and historic rivals who are expected to be contenders for league and State titles in an early-season battle. They met twice last spring with the Rams winning 5-4 on opening day and FCIAC champ Darien winning 7-2 in the Class L quarterfinals; May 5 at Stamford; May 9 vs. Ludlowe at Waveny Park; May 11 vs. Westhill at Waveny Park.

After a 17-win season, Rams look for moreWith 11 varsity veterans, NCHS is ready to contend again

Dave Stewart

Junior Courtney Rogers, who hit .405 last spring, returns at second base this year.

Dave Stewart

Junior Jordan Ventura, who hit .408 as a sophomore, will be back behind the plate for the Rams in 2012.

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Each spring, there are whispers about the “team to beat” in FCIAC baseball.

While the sport is one of the most difficult to predict, the fact that New Canaan is now clearly mentioned in some of those whispers as a contender speaks volumes about the ris-ing talent level of the Rams.

“The predictions mean nothing, but it is nice to be recognized,” head coach Mitch Hoffman, now in his third year at the helm, said. “What I want is for the kids to recognize that too and realize how good they can be. We used to show up to games and look at players on the other teams and say ‘that kid’s good.’ Now, I want people to show up to play us and say that about our kids. It’s start-ing to happen.

“It’s very, very humbling to hear that people think so much of us.”

There’s good reason for the praise.

New Canaan is coming off a strong season in which it went 16-8, qualified for the FCIAC and State playoffs, and won three games in the Class L tournament before falling to Farmington in the semis.

While the Rams did graduate a

number of key cogs, including ace starter Alex Farina, No. 2 pitcher Peter Meadows, outfielder Cameron Armstrong, and first baseman Will Karl, enough budding stars are returning to give the team plenty of pop in the lineup and depth on the mound.

“Everybody’s got expectations based on what hap-pened last year but people have to realize, I could roll out a line-up without a senior,”

Hoffman said. “That says to me the future is very, very bright. This is turning into a baseball town already. It reminds me of Texas football — we’ve got parents and people com-ing to watch practice and enjoying what’s going on.”

The Rams boast a trio of top-flight hitters in juniors Andrew Casali and Casey Ouellette and sophomore Willie Burger.

During his freshman campaign, Burger started at third base and led the team in batting with a .420 aver-age (29-for-69). He slugged .507 and had an on-base percentage of .474.

Casali was second on the team with a .359 batting average (28-for-78), a .487 slugging percentage and a .409 on-base percentage. Casali also scored 19 runs and drove in 16.

Ouellette batted .315 while hitting in the leadoff spot and scored a team-

best 23 runs.Even better for the Rams, the

trio is experienced at several levels, having played for several teams and in numerous tournaments over the years.

“The experience that they have is great,” Hoffman said. “Willie led the team in hitting as a freshman last year, Andrew was our ultimate athlete by playing shortstop last year and centerfield this year, and Casey’s just worked on his game and is a tre-mendous catcher. Having them with experience makes them even better. They’re sophomores and juniors and they’re playing like seniors.”

Ouellette and Casali will take on even more of a leadership role this season as team captains, alongside senior Doug Reilly.

Reilly, who wasn’t even on the radar for playing time during the preseason last spring, became the full-time varsity second baseman and had numerous key hits during the Rams’ stretch run.

This year, Reilly’s coach has been impressed enough to give him a captain’s job.

“Doug Reilly has earned every-body’s respect and he’s doing a fan-tastic job for us thus far,” Hoffman said. “He fought his way to this spot. He started last year on the J.V. and he ended up really helping us down the road, and now he’s a captain. He earned his spot.”

Ouellette, a three-year starting catcher, and Casali, who will shift from shortstop to centerfield, are natural fits as captains.

“Casey is a captain because he’s had the experience, he’s been around the team for a while, and he’s vocal,” Hoffman said. “He’s also a catcher, which is even better for a captain. And Andrew is a captain because people respect him both on and off the field.”

Ouellette will be handling a pitch-ing staff which returns just one play-er from last year and will have to replace Farina, one of the best aces New Canaan has seen in years.

Farina became the unquestioned ace of the staff last spring, posting a 0.72 ERA while allowing seven earned runs in 68.1 innings. He gave up just 45 hits and 11 walks while striking out 80.

Hoffman said he’s hoping that performance by Farina will carry over to some of the other players this year, despite his departure.

“Nobody saw that coming,” Hoffman said. “The last game he pitched for us he threw 59 pitches and didn’t let a kid get past first base. Alex set a precedent and a tone for these younger kids to understand. It’s helped Casey a lot because he understands how to call a game dif-ferently now.”

The lone returning pitcher this season is senior Mike Keshin, who

had some strong outings last year. The rest of the staff will feature Casali as a starter, along with sopho-more Dan Rajkowski and Burger.

Sophomores J.R. Anderson and Erik Jager will also see time on the mound.

“This year, we have a little more depth but not as much experience,” Hoffman said. “The top four guys are Keshin, Casali, Rajkowski and Burger and all are very good pitch-ers. Keshin is a crafty, come-at-you guy with a bunch of different pitches. He’ll throw a curve ball or change-up on a 3-1 count, while the other guys are little bit more power on the second and third pitch. They’re like ‘Farinas in waiting,’ and it’s great to have three of them.”

One of the more interesting devel-opments this season is the incorpora-tion of the new BBCOR bats, com-posite bats with aluminum exteriors, into high school baseball.

The letters BBCOR stand for “Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution,” and the new bats will be taking the place of the BESR bats, known as “Ball Exit Speed Ratio” bats. The change was made so that high schools are in line with colleges, which switched to BBCOR last spring.

The National Federation of High Schools is hoping the bats, which have the action of wooden bats, will help promote better mechanics and fundamentals in its players both offensively, defensively and on the mound.

“With the BBCORE bats, the exit velocity is restricted,” Hoffman said, “In our first couple of scrimmages, you can tell, the ball just doesn’t come off the bat like it used to, which is a good thing. It’s actually turning it into a baseball game now. You’ve got to pick the ball up, you’ve got to run the bases and you’ve got to field. We like that. We want to be a complete

team and this will help.”The Rams will have new faces

at many positions around the infield and outfield.

Ouellette is back behind the plate for a third year as catcher, with junior C.J. Altman as the back-up. Altman, a lefty hitter, has made an impression and will likely see a good amount of playing time.

“C.J. is a very good catcher but unfortunately he’s behind an All-State kid,” Hoffman said. “We’re trying to find a spot on the field for C.J. because he’s a left-handed bat and a good player.”

At first base, Hoffman has several candidates, including senior Gogo Jones, junior Henry Lavieri, sopho-more Matt Toth, and freshman Alex LaPolice.

Second base belongs to Reilly, with junior Grady Amrhein as a back-up, with Rajkowski at shortstop and Burger at third base.

The versatile Toth will be all over the infield, spelling Rajkowski and Burger when they pitch, and also serving as a back-up at second and first.

In the outfield, Casali will be in center, with junior Brian Moran earning the starting job in left. The rightfield battle includes sophomore Nick Cascione, juniors Alex Curto, and Ned Galluzzo and LaPolice.

“It’s great to have kids that really want to play,” Hoffman said. “A lot of the kids play summer or fall baseball and they’re also multi-sport athletes. I strongly encourage them to play other sports because it helps them overall as athletes.

“What we’ve tried to build is a commitment to taking the sport seriously. The program’s been sec-ond-fiddle to lacrosse for so many years and we’ve put it in their heads that we can be equal to lacrosse, if not better. There’s no reason New Canaan can’t be a baseball town.”

Rams at a glanceHead Coach Mitch Hoffman (3rd year)

2011 Record: 16-8, FCIAC quarterfinalists; Class L semifinalistsCaptains: Doug Reilly, Andrew Casali and Casey Ouellette

Others to watch: Willie Burger, Mike Keshin,Dan Rajkowski, Brian Moran and Matt Toth

The Big GamesApril 13 vs. Trumbull at Mead Park; April 18 at Darien; April 20 vs. Staples at Mead Park — One of the best games in the FCIAC last spring had New Canaan rallying from an early deficit to beat the Wreckers 8-7 in Westport. Unfortunately for the Rams, Staples got its revenge in the FCIAC quarterfinals. This time around, the Rams get Staples on their home diamond; April 30 at Norwalk; May 4 vs. Stamford at Mead Park; May 7 at Greenwich.

Baseball

Dave Stewart

Senior Mike Keshin is one of several strong arms for the New Canaan Rams’ baseball team this season.

Rams ready to play hardball with FCIAC

Dave Stewart

Willie Burger led the Rams’ in hit-ting with a .420 average during his freshman season. Burger returns at third base and will also pitch for New Canaan this season.

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Few girls tennis program in the State of Connecticut can match the success of the New Canaan Rams over the past decade.

Eight consecutive CIAC cham-pionships, nine straight appearances in the FCIAC final s and three conference crowns are certainly a testament to the Rams’ prowess on the court.

That being said, head coach Erin Gildea isn’t letting the Rams take anything as a given.

“It’s important that they under-stand that it’s a tough league, it’s deeper than ever and we can’t take anything for granted this year,” Gildea told the Advertiser. “We grad-uated some key players at the top of the lineup, they were four-year play-ers, so we’re young. There are a lot

of players returning, but every single player will be in a new spot this year and every doubles team is new.

“They’ve all worked very hard in the offseason and they look good so far. The key is going to be coming together as a team.”

Gildea is taking over the head coaching reins from Gail Overbeck,

who stepped down in March after 17 years as the leader of the program. Gildea, a former player at

NCHS, was the J.V. tennis coach for three seasons and has been the head coach of the varsity field hockey team since 2009.

The Rams carry a 51-match win-ning streak into this season and were 23-0 in 2011. They will be looking to overcome the graduations of three top-notch players: Kate Mannelly and Caitlin Gallagher in singles and Kimmy Glerum and in doubles.

Leading the charge in 2012 are

the senior co-captains Courtney Gallagher and Phoebe Wilks, both key contributors the last couple of seasons.

Gallagher, who has committed to play at Bowdoin, was unbeaten at No. 2 singles last year and will be sliding up to the No. 1 spot vacated by Mannelly.

“Courtney is probably the stron-gest player on the team,” Gildea said. “The girls really look up to her and her ability. She hits one of the heaviest balls of any of the girls I’ve seen play in high school, so I’ll think she’ll be very effective playing No. 1.

“There’s a lot of pressure on her because she’s playing in that No. 1 spot and we’ve got a history of winning in that position. But she can handle that. She was undefeated last year at No. 2 so I think she’ll be able to take over for Kate and be successful.”

Wilks was a captain on Gildea’s field hockey team in the fall and was a prime-time player for New Canaan tennis last year, when she and team-mate Kate Howard played No. 3 dou-bles and won the clinching matches in the FCIAC and State finals.

“Phoebe is a tremendous leader,” Gildea said. “She’s a very hard work-er, I have experience working with her as a captain in field hockey and I’m impressed with how mature and how much of a team player she is.

“She’s great at making sure all the new girls feel included. You can tell they look up to her. She has a lot of experience in pressure situations and she’s someone I’ll look to when we have a tight match to step up and pull it out. She never gets stressed out and never cracks under pressure.”

The graduation of Mannelly and Caitlin Gallagher, who played No. 3 singles, has necessitated big changes in the Rams’ singles lineup.

After Courtney Gallagher at No. 1, New Canaan will feature junior Jensen Lee in the No. 2 position. Lee has excelled in the fourth spot the last two seasons and seems ready to make the move up.

“Jensen Lee is moving up from No. 4 and that’s a huge difference in the level of play,” Gildea said. “She’s going to be up against girls who have been there and have experience and those are tournament- or college-level players, so that’s a challenge. She’s extremely hard-working and you’ll see here out her every day for a couple of hours practicing.”

While Gildea said the singles

lineup wasn’t written in stone this early in the season, the Rams will have two new players in the No. 3 and 4 slots.

Howard, a junior, will be making the move from doubles and will play at No. 3.

“She’s obviously a great doubles player, but she stepped up when we needed some singles players,” Gildea said. “I really respect her willing-ness to be a team player and do that. She’ll be great. She’s a steady player and a smart player.”

A sophomore, Emily Brand, a doubles alternate last season, has impressed enough to earn a place as the No. 4 singles player.

“Emily Brand worked really hard on her game over the winter,” Gildea said. “She expressed an interest in singles and so far, she looks great. She’s steady and since she’s only a sophomore, I think she’ll only con-tinue to improve her game.”

In doubles, the situation has almost been finalized, as Gildea had the pairs she felt comfortable with and was attempting to figure out the correct spots for each.

“Doubles is a strength,” the coach said. “The difference from past years is that they’ll have to step up and be the ones we rely on this year. In the past, we’ve had such strong singles players with experience, but this year, there are some people in new spots. Right now we’re just trying to find the chemistry.”

The top two pairs will feature Wilks with junior Amanda Merjian, and classmates Kristin Laub and Sara Greene, both juniors. All four are

battle-tested and either team could end up at No. 1 or 2.

The No. 3 doubles spot will go to a pair of sophomores: Jackie Millisits and Tyler Kendall.

Gildea said the lineup could be changed as she watches how the pairs perform in terms of tennis play, sportsmanship, footwork, and endur-ance.

“I’ve tried to pair the girls so they complement each other in their playing style and personality-wise,” Gildea said. “Experience will help, it’s just a matter of getting used to new partners. Once they get a few matches under their belts, they’ll be great.”

Also making the varsity squad as alternates are three newcomers in juniors Giuliana Savini and Emma Gruber and sophomore Caroline Pratt.

The Rams will open the spring season after the school vacation week with matches at Fairfield-Warde on Tuesday, April 10, and home against Norwalk on Wednesday, April 11.

The clash of titans will come early this season, as New Canaan plays at Greenwich on Thursday, April 19 at 4 p.m. The two rivals have meet in the last six FCIAC finals, with Greenwich winning from 2007 to 2009 and New Canaan winning in 2006, 2010 and 2011.

In what is the Rams’ toughest stretch of the schedule, the show-down with Greenwich will be fol-lowed by back-to-back home match-es against Darien and Wilton, both FCIAC tournament qualifiers last season.

Girls Tennis

Rams at a glanceHead Coach Erin Gildea (1st year)

2011 Record: 23-0, FCIAC and Class L ChampionsCaptains: Phoebe Wilks and Courtney Gallagher

Others to watch: Jensen Lee, Katie Howard, Emily Brand,Sara Greene, Kristin Laub and Amanda Merjian

The Big MatchesApril 10 at Fairfield-Warde; April 19 at Greenwich — This annual battle has all the build-up it needs as the two titans of the FCIAC have met in each of the last six conference finals, with each team winning three times. This match will set an early tone for the league and will give the winner the leg up for the No. 1 seed in the tournament; April 23 vs. Darien at NCHS; April 24 vs. Wilton at NCHS; May 16 vs. Darien at NCHS; May 15 vs. Staples at NCHS.

Rams riding high with eight State titles

Dave Stewart

After two great seasons at No. 4 singles, junior Jensen Lee will be moving up to the No. 2 position this spring.

Coach Gildea takes over program looking to continue the success of recent years

Dave Stewart

Courtney Gallagher, who played at No. 2 singles last season, will step into the role of ace this year at No. 1. She’ll also be a senior co-captain alongside teammate Phoebe Wilks.

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In picking the captains for his girls outdoor track and field team this spring, New Canaan head coach Art Brown looked for athletes who could lead the Rams both in and out of the competitive arena.

He found four per-fect candidates in seniors Stephanie Benko, Cristina Konstantinovic, Alexis Najarian and Rebecca Evensen.

“They’ve all been on the team for a few years, they get along with the kids well and they’re good role mod-els,” Brown said. “I have a good relationship with all of them and I know I can turn to them in any situation. I feel confident dealing with them and they’re respected by their peers. That’s what you want in captains.”

The four captains will be leading a New Canaan roster which is heavy on underclass-men, including a sophomore class loaded with talent. The development of that group will be key for the Rams’ fortunes this season and for the next few years.

“We were 7-4 last year and I think we have a better overall team, but our league is really tough now and there are seven

or eight solid teams, so it’s a pretty demanding schedule,” Brown said. “Looking at our lineup, we’re really depending on quite a few sophomores,

and they have a lot of talent, but we have to see how they’ll progress this year. They did well indoors and they do

have ability.”New Canaan will be look-

ing to replace two major stars from last spring, as the Rams lost distance runner Caroline Murray and sprinter Melanie Escalante to graduation.

“We lost Caroline Murray and Melanie Escalante and they were two major scorers last year, so they’ll be pretty hard to replace,” Brown said. “But we do have Stephanie Benko back and she was one of our top three and I’m expecting another great year from her. She had a very good season indoors.”

Benko won the 3,200-meter championship at this winter’s Class L meet and will be look-ing to continue her success in the spring. She’s already committed to run at Lafayette College next year and Brown said she has tremendous potential.

“She’s very self-motivated, very humble and very, very coachable,” Brown said. “She’s also a very smart run-ner. When you’re a distance

runner, it’s not all pure tal-ent. There’s a lot of strategy involved and Stephanie really has it figured out and knows how to run the race. She also has a lot of upside. She doesn’t do a lot of mileage for a high school runner so her best days are coming up.”

Brown also expects big points from Evensen, Konstantinovic and Najarian.

Evensen is a thrower who finished third in the discus at last year’s FCIAC champion-ships. She’ll also compete in the shot put.

Konstantinovic gives the Rams a powerful force across several events, including the long jump, triple jump and hurdles, while Najarian, anoth-er solid all-around athlete, will be a contender in the high and triple jumps as well as the hurdles.

Brown also has a pair of veteran pole vaulters in Emily Lambdin and Abby Wasden,

“two seniors who have done well in the pole vault and I expect them to have really good seasons,” the coach said.

Also from the senior class, Kellianne Hickey will com-pete in the triple jump as well as other events, and Abbey Buckenheimer will be in the pole vault.

Senior Holly Burwick has also joined the team this spring and Brown is trying to find the best spot for her.

The junior class features several big track threats, including Katie DiFazio in the 400- and 800-meter runs, and Julie Spindel and Maureen Dinnie in the sprints.

Junior Isabelle Herde returns as a thrower, after finishing fifth in the shot put at the State Class L indoor track and field finals. She’ll team with classmates Molly Joyce and Sydney Czech to give New Canaan a triple of throwing threats.

Also back in New Canaan’s varsity ranks are distance run-ners Brooke Decker and Lana Delvecchio, both of whom will compete at 3,200 meters, and Jackie McCurdy, a high jumper.

New to the roster this spring is junior Alex Yuditski, who will compete in the javelin throw and the sprints.

The 10th-graders feature a number of strong perform-ers and many more emerging stars.

“The sophomore class is really strong and if they prog-ress as I think they will, by their senior year, we’ll have a really strong nucleus,” Brown said.

Middle distance runner Isabel Hetherington is among the strongest track athletes in that group, having just fin-ished third in the State Class L 1,600-meter run this winter.

Emily Wood and Liz Gordon are also back in the middle

distance races, with Maureen Schott in the 400-meter run as well as the sprints.

Two strong all-around ath-letes from the sophomore class are Alex Naughton, who will be in the high jump and hur-dles as well as other events, and Allie Bel Bruno, who will compete in the hurdles, pole vault and javelin.

Virgina Farley, Sara Musicco, Liz Perry and Jenna Sachs will compete in the distance races, with Audrey Weber in the throws, Elizabeth Kelly in the pole vault, and Azadeh Amir-Aslani in the jumps and sprints.

Brown also has return-ing sophomores with Keaton McAuliffe, Kit Mallozzi, Page Jones and Bridget Kelly.

Among the freshmen new-comers, the Rams will have sprinters Marina Braccio and Samantha Santoni, as well as milers Lily Baer and Corinne Vietorisz.


Two years ago, Zach Edwards and Nick White began talking about the possibilities of a New Canaan Rams’ boys volleyball team play-ing varsity matches in the FCIAC.

This week, the talk becomes a reality.

With Edwards and White as senior co-captains, the Rams are finally experiencing var-sity volleyball and will host their home opener against Danbury at 4 p.m., Monday, April 9.

Head coach Katie Bakes said the two captains deserve a lot of credit for getting the program going.

“Zach Edwards and Nick White are the ones who really rallied up the interest last year and the year before,” Bakes said. “They’ve been working hard to see who would be willing to start up a team and what needed to be done. They had meetings with (Athletic Director) Jay Egan, they got parental support and really ral-lied to put the team together.

“Once that happened and there was interest, then we got the green light to start a team.”

Bakes and assistant coach Amy Warren will lead a team of 11 players into their first varsity season, with another 11 players competing on the junior varsity team.

Both coaches have been with the NCHS girls volleyball program for several years now and know that the landscape of the FCIAC is an impos-ing one.

“This year, starting a varsity team for the first time, we know it’s an uphill battle,” Bakes said. “We have a lot of challenges. The FCIAC is a very strong league for vol-

leyball. There’s a lot of great athletes and great teams, but that’s a positive for us because it will push us to raise our level of play. The guys are pick-ing up the game pretty fast — there’s a very big learning curve.”

The Rams seem to be willing to take on the challenges without hesitation. After one season playing a junior varsity schedule, New Canaan made the leap to the next level and impressed some FCIAC coaches dur-ing the preseason.

“They’re the most positive and motivated kids,” Bakes said. “They’re like the 13-going-on-30 type of kids. They’re very mature, very positive and they have a great sense of humor. They’re very motivated to do their best and they understand where they are right now. Whatever comes their way, they’re ready to face it.”

Much of that attitude is an out-growth of Edwards and White.

“As captains, they’re positive role models for the younger players and

they make sure everyone’s on board with things,” Bakes said. “They have natural leadership abilities and we’re very lucky to have them.”

The 11 players on the varsity roster includes a core of six seniors to go along with three juniors, one sophomore and one freshman.

Bakes said the starting lineup isn’t set heading into the season, as the Rams have been trying different combinations of people to see what works best.

“We’re still figuring that out but they’re pretty open to being thrown into different positions,” Bakes said.

Edwards is the starting setter, with White starting as a right side hitter.

The Rams’ outside hitters include

sophomore Isaac Fishman, who will also see time as a setter, senior Matt Kinney and junior Keith Griffin.

The middle backs are juniors Kevin Hall and Chris Gutierrez, and Bakes said she’s been impressed with their play thus far.

“They’ve really stepped up to the plate,” the coach said. “Chris played right side last year, but he’s stepped in as really great middle back this year. He and Kevin are really owning the position and taking the abuse back there. They’re all over the place.”

Joining White as a right side hitter is senior Zach Wodjula, and the middle fronts are sophomore Tyler Edwards and seniors Connor Allsteadt and Nick Depuy, a 6-4

captain from the NCHS basketball team.

New Canaan played in a tourna-ment at Fairfield-Warde High School and got a chance to get everyone into action.

“At the tournament, they really got to see what varsity volleyball looks like and they want to be able to compete with that,” Bakes said. “It’s like David and Goliath. They know they have this big challenge in front of them, but they don’t care. They want to be able to not only compete but actually do well and accomplish their goals.”

The Rams also opened the regular season against the Warde/Ludlowe co-op team yesterday, Wednesday, before getting set for their first home match on Monday.

Bakes said she’s hoping to see a few things as her Rams get into action.

“I want to see them apply what we’ve gone over in practice,” the coach said. “I want to see them be able to stay consistent with talking and covering each other. The basic fundamentals that we’ve been work-ing on the last two weeks — I want to see them apply that. And I want to see them stay positive no matter what.

“I’ve told them it doesn’t matter what the scoreboard says at the end of a match, it’s how well you played and were you able to accomplish your goals that matters.”

Rams at a glanceHead Coach Katie Bakes (1st year)

Captains: Zach Edwards and Nick WhiteOthers to watch: Kevin Hall, Isaac Fishman, Chris Gutierrez,

Connor Alsteadt, Nick Depuy, Matt Kinney and Tyler EdwardsThe Big Matches

April 9 vs. Danbury at NCHS — After a season as a junior varsity team, the Rams will be hosting their first home match as a varsity squad. It’s the first of seven games in the NCHS gym this season, with many more to come in the future.; April 20 vs. Greenwich at NCHS; April 23 vs. Fairfield at NCHS; May 16 vs. Darien at NCHS.

Boys volleyball steps into varsity spotlight

BoysVolleyball

GirlsTrack & Field

Rams at a glanceHead Coach Art Brown (2nd year)

2011 Record: 7-4Captains: Stephanie Benko, Cristina Konstantinovic,

Alexis Najarian and Rebbeca EvensenOthers to watch: Isabel Hetherington, Emily Lambdin,

Kellianne Hickey, Katie DiFazio, Maureen Dinnie, Isabelle Herde, Alex Naughton, Allie Bel Bruno,

Emily Wood and Liz GordonThe Big Meets

April 9 vs. Stamford and Ludlowe at NCHS; April 12 at Darien — An early-season rivalry clash with the Blue Wave at DHS will help get the schedule started for the Rams. Darien has the edge in terms of experience, but New Canaan could surprise with its young talent; April 18 O’Grady Relays at Danbury.

Captains’ quartet leads New Canaan trackRoster features veteran talent

and deep sophomore class

Scott Mullin

New Canaan senior Cristina Konstantinovic competes in the long jump at last year’s FCIAC championship meet in Danbury. Konstantinovic returns as a co-captain this spring, alongside teammates Stephanie Benko, Rebecca Evensen and Alexis Najarian.

Captains Edwards and White pave way for New Canaan’s newest athletic program

Follow all the Rams’ action this spring at Twitter.com/NCAdvertiser



Swinging into the spring sports season last year, Krissy Parrett, Chloe Davis and Amanda Chin were dubbed “captains in training” by Dave Fine, head coach of the New Canaan girls golf team. The trio of juniors were on their way up, but hadn’t quite reached the pinnacle of leadership yet.

It didn’t take long for things to change.

“We called them captains in training last year and by the end of the season, they were captains,” Fine said. “They got their honors because they really led the team in every way that we had wanted them to.”

As the 2012 season dawns for the Rams, Parrett, Davis and Chin, now seniors, are again carrying the title of team captains, and have been joined in that role by fellow senior Kate Gilhool, who joined the program last year and quickly became a mainstay in the var-sity lineup.

The quartet of captains will lead the team into a campaign which is looking pretty bright.

“We have everybody return-ing and we’re in a good posi-tion,” Fine said. “Last year, I sat down with the girls and said we have a two-year plan. We discussed what we could do at the end of this year, not

what we could do at the end of last year because we felt that was really

the halfway point for us.“Now, they look great to

start and we were able to actu-ally play and work on the full game early in the season. I’m optimistic about our chances.”

While the No. 5 spot in the lineup is still up in the air, the top four spots will be filled by the senior co-captains, with Parrett, an All-FCIAC honor-able mention last spring, in the No. 1 position.

“Krissy is our No. 1 play-er,” Fine said. “She might not have our best score every time, but she is definitely our best player. That No. 1 spot is a difficult spot to play in. You might feel like you’ve got the whole team on your shoulders even though it’s just your own game. Krissy played with the best of them last year so she’s battle-tested.

“She’s going to go out there, do her part and lead us

in the right direction on the course.”

Davis and Chin are right behind Parrett on the depth chart after each had a solid junior season.

“Chloe and Amanda are a little quieter but they work hard and they’re role models,” Fine said. “They’re the ones who lead by example. Each one of them has the poten-

tial to bring great things to the team. They both played at States last year and did a great job and we expect them to return shooting even better scores.”

All four players add some-thing to the team dynamic and have grown in terms of their ability to lead.

“What they learned last year was that even if some-

one isn’t the best golfer on the team, they still have that leadership ability. Each one of them learned who they are and I think we’ll see great leader-ship out of them this year,” Fine said.

After the four seniors is a group of four juniors who could make an impact.

Leading that rising group is Bridget Falcone, who deliv-ered strong performances, as well as solid scores, in both the FCIAC and State tourna-ments last spring.

“Bridget is a solid junior player,” Fine said. “She played all summer the last two years and she’s got the head on her shoulders to be very, very competitive. Out of the entire team, she shot one of the best rounds of the season. Even on a bad day, she’ll score in the low 50s, but she has the ability to really put some low scores there. I think her average will be much lower this year.”

Also in the mix are Ember Parker and Michelle Paturzo, two more 11th-graders.

“Ember Parker showed a lot of potential last year and was right on the border of our top five, and Michelle Paturzo was another one who start-ed to come alive,” Fine said. “Michelle has a lot of potential

and is a definite possibility as that No. 5.”

Gabby Balzano, another junior, has plenty of ability, but lacks the experience of the other Rams, at least for the time being.

“Gabby has a really, real-ly great game,” Fine said. “She’s probably the most tal-ented person on the team, but doesn’t have the experience of the other girls. She’s going to have to get that experi-ence.”

In all, the Rams had 16 girls come out for the team this season, including a few fresh-men who have bright futures, according to the coach.

New Canaan will carry eight varsity and eight junior varsity golfers, allowing all the girls to get some varsity playing time.

“That’s a perfect number,” Fine said. “That’s exactly what we want. There’s eight varsity and eight J.V., which allows for a few rollovers here and there. It’s a good group of girls. We had a talk last Thursday and the aura there is very positive.

“When it comes down to it, I think New Canaan’s going to make a little more noise than we have in the last couple of years.”

Rams at a glanceHead Coach Dave Fine (7th year)

2011 Record: 6-10Captains: Krissy Parrett, Chloe Davis,

Amanda Chin and Kate GilhoolOthers to watch: Bridget Falcone, Michelle Paturzo,

Ember Parker and Gabby Balzano,The Big Matches

April 18 vs. Greenwich at Country Club of New Canaan’ April 19 vs. Greenwich at Griffith E Harris GC; April 23 vs. Darien at Country Club of New Canaan — The Rams grew a lot as a team last season and with four experienced seniors in the starting lineup, this first meeting with the rival Blue Wave should be a good one; May 22 vs. Darien at Country Club of Darien.

Girls Golf

New Canaan girls driving into contentionWith a year of experience under their belts, rising Rams look to take the next step


Filling out a lineup card for the New Canaan boys golf team last spring was an obvious home run for Rams’ head coach Bill Brown.

The Rams had returned their start-ing varsity five and responded by com-piling a 15-3 record and winning FCIAC and State Div. II championships.

This year, it’s a different story. With only senior captain Ben Katz back in the lineup, Brown is attempt-ing to find the right fit for four of the five varsity spots.

But as the head coach points out, even the revamped roster won’t change the ultimate goals.

“Our focus is the same as every year,” Brown told the Advertiser. “We’re going to try and defend our titles in both FCIAC and States. Obviously, people will be gunning for us because we had such a great finish last year, but that’s OK.”

Brown is entering his 13th season as the head coach of the NCHS pro-gram and during that time, he’s built a dynasty.

The Rams are perennial powers with two FCIAC championships and State titles in eight of the last 10 years, including a current streak of three straight.

One thing Brown hasn’t seen until this year, however, is the kind of weather that has allowed his players to get on the course at the Country Club of New Canaan on the first day of the preseason.

“We’ve been very fortunate with the weather,” the coach said. “Monday the 19th, when we started,

we had the tees and greens in and that’s the first time ever. They’re a month ahead of last year. We’ve been able to watch some of the younger kids play and get an idea of what we have.

“We have a lot of talent, but not a lot of experi-ence in matches, so I’ve been able to see what these kids can do.”

With Katz at the helm as New Canaan’s lone captain, Brown has a player he described as the “perfect No. 1.”

“His improvement at the end of last year was unbelievable,” Brown said of Katz. “He’s going to be a very solid No. 1 and I’m looking forward to big things from him. He worked very hard last year and it showed.”

Katz was one of the Rams’ top performers in the postseason last year. His 74 in the FCIAC champion-ship ranked second for New Canaan, which scored 300 to win the title by eight strokes.

The following week, Katz shot a 75, again second-best on the Rams, as New Canaan scored 304 and won the DII championship by 18 strokes.

Katz’s best attribute is his consis-tency, according to his coach.

“He doesn’t get too far off the fairways and he never gets out of his game mentally,” Brown said. “He keeps it in play and never gets flus-tered after a bad shot. He’s worked and worked and worked and made himself a good golfer in all aspects of the game. He always gives us a good consistent score and he’s really a perfect No. 1.”

Also looking strong is Will Essigs, a junior who played J.V. last year. Blocked by the veteran group while

he was a sophomore, Essigs will likely slot in at No. 2 this spring.

“I expect some good things out of Will Essigs the next two years,” Brown said. “He worked hard over the winter and played a lot of junior tournaments, so he’s got the experi-ence. He’s got an excellent game.

“I told him last year, ‘Will, I’m going to need you to play well these next two years,’ and he’s taken it and run with it. He’s going to be a solid player for us.”

Sophomore Connor Miller is also moving up the charts this spring.

When the Rams got out on the course for 18 holes on March 20, Miller opened some eyes by shooting a 68 with 33 on the front nine and 35

on the back nine.All he needs, Brown said, is to

improve his focus and the sky’s the limit.

“This kid is really, really good and he’s got an unbelievable amount of talent,” Brown said. “That being said, he played the wrong ball a couple of times last year so he just needs to get a little more focus. He’s probably the most talented of any of the kids on the team. He just needs to concentrate a little bit more and stay within himself. He’s an excel-lent golfer.”

While Katz, Essigs and Miller are at the forefront right now, the Rams are blessed with eight players who could fit into the varsity team’s start-

ing five.New Canaan has just three seniors,

with Katz joined by Ryan Christie and Parker Dennis. Both Christie and Dennis have been playing well in the preseason and figure into the starting mix.

The Rams also have a quartet of solid juniors, led by Essigs and including Michael Swift, Mike Slattery and Tyler Sands.

Essigs, Swift and Slattery improved their games when they worked together at an indoor facility during the winter.

“All three of those guys have really worked hard, they’re serious about it and they want to do well,” Brown said.

The coach is also pleased with what he’s seen from Sands, a strong player who is working on being more consistent in his play.

“Tyler Sands is a big, strong kid and all he needs is a little more experience,” Brown said. “He hits the ball well but he’s just a little bit inconsistent right now. He’s working on it and he’s another one who is get-ting better and better.”

The Rams will open the season with a couple of away matches, playing Trinity Catholic at Sterling Farms on Wednesday, April 11, and Norwalk and McMahon at Oak Hills on Monday, April 23.

Until the official tee-off to the season, Brown will be working on solidifying the final lineup.

“We have a good, solid, eight golfers.” the coach said. “Ben is going to be a terrific No. 1 and Will is starting to show how good he can play. I have a few other pieces and I just have to figure out how they fit.

“We have some time to develop this group and we’ll be ready to go.”

Rams at a glanceHead Coach Bill Brown (12th year)

2011 Record: 15-3, FCIAC and State D2 championsCaptain: Ben Katz

Others to watch: Will Essigs, Connor Miller,Ryan Christie, Parker Dennis, Michael Swift,

Mike Slattery and Tyler SandsThe Big Matches

April 26 vs. Wilton at Country Club of New Canaan; May 7 vs. Trumbull at Country Club of New Canaan; May 9 vs.Ridgefield at Country Club of New Canaan; May 14 vs. Darien at Weeburn CC — One of New Canaan’s three losses last season came at the hands of the rival Darien Blue Wave, who had a remarkable unbeaten regular season. The Rams got revenge when they won the FCIAC title, but a head-to-head victory over Darien at Weeburn would be another nice measure; May 15 vs. Greenwich at Griffith E. Harris GC; May 17 vs. Staples at Country Club of New Canaan.

Boys Golf

Keep up to date on the Rams’ spring sports teams with daily updates at NCAdvertiser.com

Different lineup, same goals for Ram golfers

Dave Stewart

Ben Katz follows the flight of the ball during last season’s

FCIAC championship match. Katz is the lone returning golfer

from last year starting lineup and will lead the Rams as team

captain in 2012.



When Nick Laub was a sophomore on the New Canaan boys tennis team back in 2010, the spotlight suddenly found him at a key moment in the Rams’ FCIAC final match with Staples.

Laub responded, winning the No. 4 singles contest for the clinching point as the Rams claimed their first FCIAC championship since 1995.

This season, Laub, a senior co-captain, is in the spot-light for a different reason, according to head coach Dan Borgman.

“He takes over our workout program, which for me can be like pulling teeth,” Borgman said with a smile. “He makes it as though the workout is a much a part of the drills as the drills themselves. I’ve seen him over at the Y all winter — he’s working out on his own, running and keeping in good shape. He’s someone everyone can look up to as they develop this season.”

Laub will be the Rams’

singles ace as they begin their hunt for a State championship “four-peat” this spring. New Canaan was a solid 17-4 last year and reached the semifi-nals of the FCIAC tournament before winning the CIAC Class

L crown with 25 points, seven ahead of the Daniel Hand Tigers.

That marked the 27th State championship for Borgman, who is entering his 41st as the head coach of New Canaan’s tennis team. His Rams have also won 11 FCIAC titles for the former National High School Coach of the Year award-winner.

Laub and fellow senior Patrick Newton will headline the 2012 Rams as team co-captains.

Newton will be part of New Canaan’s No. 1 doubles team for the third consecutive sea-son, and Borgman had noth-ing but praise for his style of play.

“Patrick Newton has been a stellar No. 1 doubles player for a couple of years now,” the coach said. “He’s an aggres-sive player and everyone can

learn something about doubles by watching him. He’s always moving, which is a big thing in doubles. You don’t want to just stand there and watch the other person hit. You want to move along with them and Patrick does that. He also has good hands at the net — he’s like a hockey goalie.”

Newton is also ambidex-trous, serving as a righty and hitting ground stokes as a lefty, something Borgman said “confuses opponents for a few moments.”

Newton will again join forces with senior Jacob Reiss, his doubles partner from last season. The pair was undefeat-ed during the regular season, earning All-FCIAC First Team honors. They also reached the semifinals of the State Class L playoffs.

“Jacob seemed to com-plement Patrick the best,” Borgman said. “They’re both lefties, which can confuse opponents because they’re not used to seeing two lefties play-ing together.”

The Rams also have return-ing varsity starters at the top three singles positions.

Laub will be taking over the No. 1 spot from the steady Chase Urban, who graduated last spring. Borgman called Laub an exceptional player with exceptional enthusiasm. He’s also able to remain cool under fire.

“He’s competitive, but he’s even-handed about it,” Borgman said. “He doesn’t get overly excited and he’s very direct.”

The No. 2 spot will go to junior Will Burger, who is sliding up from the third spot. Burger is a three-year varsity singles player who is becom-ing stronger each season.

“Another solid spot is No. 2 singles with Will coming on strong,” Borgman said. “He was always steady, but his problem was getting the ball deep and hard which he’s doing now. He’s playing with Nick almost on a par in terms of the velocity and depth of the ball.”

The No. 3 singles posi-tion belongs to junior Tommy

Worcester, who starred in the fifth spot last year.

“Tommy Worcester is going to be good too,” Borgman said. “He’s come along strong-ly over the summer and with the matches he’s been playing with Will.”

The final two singles spots, as well as No. 2 doubles, were still up in the air during the preseason, although Borgman was sure about one thing.

“Luke McDermott will

be at No. 2 doubles and he’s doing very well,” Borgman said. “The only question is who will be his partner.”

McDermott, a senior, was exceptional with Connor Hedley in the No. 2 tandem last season and with Hedley’s graduation, Borgman has a few possible partners he’s considering.

In the mix are juniors Devin McVeigh and Tim Casavant, along with sophomore Andrew

Penchuck.McVeigh is a program

veteran who has seen good time at the varsity level, while Casavant and Penchuck played mostly JV last year.

All three will be in the line-up at either No. 4 or 5 singles, or No. 2 doubles.

Also making the varsity cut in reserve roles are junior Jack Howard and sophomores Spencer Lambdin and Digby Philpott.

Rams at a glanceHead Coach Dan Borgman (41st year)

2011 Record: 17-4, FCIAC semifinalists,Class L Champions

Captains: Nick Laub and Patrick NewtonOthers to watch: Will Burger, Jacob Reiss,

Tom Worcester, Luke McDermott, Devin McVeigh,Tim Casavant and Andrew Penchuck.

The Big MatchesApril 4 vs. Weston at NCHS; April 13 at Fox Lane, N.Y.,; April 19 vs. Greenwich at NCHS; April 23 at Darien; May 3 vs. Fairfield-Ludlowe at NCHS; May 15 at Staples — New Canaan and Staples have had some great battles over the past couple of seasons, with each team having its winning moment. The Rams beat Staples for the FCIAC crown in 2010, while the Wreckers got a revenge with a 4-3 decision on the NCHS courts in 2011. Staples will host this showdown in the regular season finale — a perfect springboard to the playoffs.

Boys Tennis

New Canaan tennis hunts four-peat in 2012

Dave Stewart

Nick Laub keeps his eyes on the ball during a match at NCHS last season. Laub will be the Rams’ No. 1 singles player and a co-captain this spring.

With several top players back on the court, Rams again have the look of champions

Dave Stewart

Junior Will Burger returns a shot during New Canaan’s

match with Staples last spring. Burger will be moving up from

No. 3 to No., 2 singles for the 2012 season.



In the eight years since Steve Bedard took over as head coach of the New Canaan Rams’ boys track and field program, the one constant has been con-sistency.

Bedard’s athletes don’t necessarily come at you with guns blaz-ing, but when the smoke clears, it’s a pretty good bet that they’ll be at

or near the top of the championship meet rankings.

For Bedard, the key is simple: Work hard and improvement tends to follow.

“Most seasons are about developing and evolving,” Bedard said. “It’s one of those things where we don’t have kids who start off at a young age with the sport, so you’ve

got to try to draw them in and get them hooked. Then they start to work

hard and improve. That’s why we tend to have our better performances toward the end of the season.”

New Canaan delivered yet again this winter, finishing fourth in a stacked FCIAC championship meet and moving up to third place in the team standings at the CIAC Class L meet a week later. At the State Open, the Rams cracked the top 10 and fin-ished eighth.

As the team turns the page on the winter chapter and heads into spring, the Rams are featuring some of the key performers from the indoor ros-ter.

“There’s quite a bit of carryover — quite a few of the same kids more so than in other years,” Bedard said. “We’ve still lost some pretty big con-tributors from the indoor season, but we have a good amount back. We’ve got a lot of young kids and they’re willing to work hard and that’s a positive.”

Leading the way will be the senior co-captains: Alex Spinu, Rami Hamdan, Henson Orser, Isaiah Maisonette, all of whom were impact performers indoors, as well as Dylan Kavookjian, who was a captain of the wrestling team this winter.

Spinu, a middle distance run-ner, is a versatile runner who has committed to Wheaton College in Massachusetts.

He’ll be key for the Rams in sev-eral track events, including the relays. He’s also the defending FCIAC 800-meter champion.

“Alex Spinu will do his usual thing — pretty much anything over 400 meters and he’ll compete and have a shot at winning any event he’s in,” Bedard said. “He’s a very consistent performer. You know what you’re going to get from him, which is a good thing as a coach because you can count on him.”

Hamdan, who had a stellar winter season in the shot put, returns and will add the discus for the spring. During the indoor season, Hamdan was the FCIAC and Class L shot put champion, also finishing second at the State Open when he hit 50 feet, 3.5 inches.

He’s no stranger to the discus either, having finished second in the event at last year’s FCIAC meet when he posted a throw of 120 feet, 4 inches.

“We’ll have Rami in the shot put and he’ll add the discus to that as well,” Bedard said. “That’s another positive — having a State champion in two events always helps. He did a good job during the indoor sea-son and hopefully, he can build on

that momentum and that success. The competition will probably be a little better outdoors because you get some kids who did either wrestling or basketball coming back out.”

Kavookjian, Orser and Maisonette are all track runners, with Kavookjian running distance races and Orser and Maisonette figuring in the middle distances and relays.

Orser has been a key cog in the Rams’ machine for the past four years and has had as much of an impact on the program as anyone on the roster.

“He’s a consistent performer,” Bedard said. “Henson is along the same lines as Alex — you know you’re going to get a good perfor-mance every time he steps on the track. That’s especially valuable in the relays.”

Maisonette emerged as a strong middle distance runner this year and has improved every step along the way.

“Isaiah’s continued success will be determined by his willingness to work at the level he was working at,” Bedard said. “If he makes that deci-sion to continue to work hard, he’ll continue to improve.”

Orser, Maisonette and Spinu gave the Rams a formidable relay attack this winter while running on three relays.

At he Class L finals, that trio teamed with junior George Bennett to win the sprint medley relay in 3:42.36, and the 4x400 relay in 3:33.19.

They also joined forces with

junior Kalan Lysenko to take second place in the Class L 4x800 relay competition

Lysenko and Bennett, two more veterans with middle distance and relay experience are back in the fold this spring, giving the Rams even more depth on the track.

Junior Devaun Bovell is also in the ranks again, and will look to build upon his stellar winter in the 55-meter hurdles.

Bovell was third in the FCIAC, second in Class L and eighth in the State Open.

After that strong postseason, Bovell will compete in two hur-dling events, as the spring campaign includes 110- and 300-meter compe-titions.

Also representing the junior class are Kevin McEneaney, a middle dis-tance runner, and thrower George Harvey, who will look to team up with Hamdan for a solid one-two punch in the shot put and discus.

A pair of sophomores will lead a strong pole vault contingent, as FCIAC East champion Cameron Haines and Cole Harris return.

New Canaan also features a large group of underclassmen and typi-cally several emerge as threats as the season progresses.

The Rams will open the season after the school vacation week with two meets in three days.

New Canaan will host Stamford and Ludlowe on Tuesday, April 10, before competing against the rival Darien Blue Wave at NCHS on Thursday, April 12.

Rams at a glanceHead Coach Steve Bedard (8th year)

2011 Record: 11-1Captains: Alex Spinu, Rami Hamdan, Henson Orser,

Isaiah Maisonette and Dylan KavookjianOthers to watch: Kalan Lysenko, Kalin Killinger,Devun Bovell, George Harvey, George Bennett,

Cameron Haines and Cole HarrisThe Big Meets

April 12 at Darien — New Canaan has two meets in the first week after school vacation and this one is a head-to-head match-up with their rivals, the Darien Blue Wave. It’s both a good launching point for the spring, as well as a chance for bragging rights; April 24 vs. Warde and Wilton at NCHS; May 8 vs. Staples and Harding at NCHS.

BoysTrack & Field

New Canaan boys on the blocks for title run

Dave Stewart

Alex Spinu, a senior co-captain, gets the baton from Patrick Daly, a 2011 graduate, last spring at the NCHS track. NCHS will open the season with a home meet at 4 p.m., Tuesday, April 10.

Dave Stewart

Isaiah Maisonette takes the baton from teammate Henson Orser during a relay race at NCHS last spring. The two athletes are back as senior co-captains for the Rams this season.

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Sarah Mannelly had just finished her freshman basketball season at New Canaan High School when girls lacrosse head coach Kristin Wood approached her with a suggestion.

“I gave her a stick and said ‘You should really try this sport,’” Wood said.

The rest of the FCIAC likely wishes that moment never happened.

An All-conference First Teamer for two years running, Mannelly has been simply magical for the Rams, who have compiled a 33-10 record during the past two seasons and will be looking for even more this spring.

Mannelly and Julia Tuttle, the team’s senior co-captains, will lead a veteran squad which is locked and loaded for another bid for the FCIAC and State championships in 2012.

The Rams’ varsity roster of 20 fea-tures 14 returning players, including starting goalie Elizabeth O’Sullivan and the dynamic midfielder Olivia Hompe, both juniors who were named to the All-FCIAC First Team last year. Hompe has committed to play at Princeton in college, while O’Sullivan will head to Stanford.

While the stars are bright for the Rams, Wood said one of the keys to the season will be how everyone fits together.

“We have a lot of very good indi-viduals, we just have to see how they come together as a team,” the coach

said. “That’s going to be the theme of our season: How we can play as a team and how the supporting players step up.”

An added benefit to the experi-enced roster has been how quick-ly things have run during the pre-

season.“Practices and try-

outs have gone a lot smoother this year because a lot of the stuff we’re doing, the kids already know,” Wood said. “They know the

drills, they know the practices and things I usually have to explain at the beginning of the year, I haven’t had to this year, which is a great bonus.”

Mannelly will be the focal point of the offense, as the midfielder has remarkable vision and manages to utilize the Rams’ many weapons. That’s even more incredible con-sidering she hadn’t played lacrosse before getting to NCHS.

“Sarah is Sarah,” Wood said. “She’s an amazing athlete and offen-sively, defensively, she gets it done. I don’t know if I’ll ever have a player quite like her again.

“The underclassmen are really learning a lot from her offensively and defensively and hopefully it will carry over the years.”

Mannelly will be taking her tal-ents to Boston College next spring as she suits up for the Eagles.

“I think it’ll be a really good fit,” Wood said. “The coach there is a really great person and the team is up and coming. It’ll be a great place for her not only because her brother and sister are there, but because she’ll

have that group of lacrosse players with her right away. I think she’ll definitely make an impact.”

On the defensive end of the field, the situation has done a 180 from this time last year, when New Canaan was looking at a nearly completely revamped lineup.

This year, Tuttle will lead a strong defense which features five returning starters. Tuttle has started since her sophomore season and last year, took on a leadership role while helping younger players develop.

“Julia is the quarterback on the defensive end,” Wood said. “She really knows what’s going on, she’s a smart player, and she directs every-body back there. She really is our go-to girl on defense.”

In goal, O’Sullivan returns with a year of experience under her belt. She has had an air of confidence since taking over the starting job, and the hard work she’s put in paid off with her All-FCIAC First Team selection last season.

New Canaan’s defense also fea-tures returning starters in juniors Wheatley Raabe, Kelly Armstrong and Brianna McEwan, with McEwan playing as a defensive midfielder.

Junior Abigail Sawabini also returns with varsity experience on the defensive end, while sophomore Lizzy Burke adds even more depth.

“That (defensive) group is solid and it’s really going to come down to when we stop them, we’ve got to take care of the ball and get the ball out,” Wood said. “My theme every year is if we have the ball, they can’t score. It’s just a matter of getting the good stops and being able to clear the ball.”

The midfield ranks are formidable with Mannelly, Hompe, junior Lily Citrin and senior Annie Horstmeyer.

Hompe and Mannelly teamed up for the Rams’ biggest highlight last spring — the game-winning goal — with five seconds remaining as New Canaan topped Wilton 16-15 before a packed house at Dunning Field.

Hompe won possession on a mad scramble during a draw with a minute and a half remaining. The Rams then ran down the clock before Mannelly, in motion behind the Wilton cage, hit a cutting Hompe with a rocket pass and Hompe one-timed it into the net for the victory.

“Olivia’s got a knack for scoring,” Wood said. “She really has great moves one on one, but she also cuts well. She sees the cuts and knows what the defense is trying to do and she gets to that goal.”

Hompe is also in the mix to take some of the Rams’ draws, alongside

Mannelly and McEwan. “Sarah, Olivia and Brianna have

been rotating so far. It all depends on the opponent, too. I’ll probably rotate in the games and try a few different people in practice,” Wood said.

The Rams’ will also feature a few huge weapons on attack, as junior Bea Eppler and seniors Kristine Ryan, Devon Calhoun and Carolina Lizzio look to score. Freshman Isabel Taben is also in the mix.

“Bea’s going to be a strong scorer for us, and also the seniors, Kristine, Devon and Carolina,” Wood said. “I’m looking for some veteran lead-ership from them on the offense.”

New Canaan’s roster also features four new players, with juniors Eloise Somerby, Georgia Hunsinger, Alexa Ozimek and Jess Karl on the squad. Somerby will likely play midfield, while the other three figure into the defensive picture.

New Canaan’s chief competi-tion figures to come from the usual

suspects, as Darien, Wilton and Greenwich are all strong again.

“It’s the same group of strong teams that are going to duke it out,” Wood said. “It’s going to all come down to who shows up on the day they play. Darien and Wilton really didn’t graduate anyone. Out of the three of us, we graduated the most and that was only five.”

New Canaan will face rival Darien on Wednesday, April 18, with Greenwich visiting Dunning Field on Tuesday, May 8. The Rams will wrap the regular season with an evening showdown at Wilton on the Warriors’ Senior Night, Tuesday, May 15.

The non-league schedule is a strong one for the Rams, who host Class L runner-up Glastonbury on Saturday, April 7, and Class L quarterfinalist Newtown on Monday, April 16. New Canaan has its annual battle with Fox Lane, N.Y., on Saturday, April 21, before hosting Loomis Chafee on Saturday, April 28.

Rams at a glance

Head Coach Kristin Wood (6th year)

2011 Record: 14-7, FCIAC and Class M semifinalistsCaptains: Sarah Mannelly and Julia Tuttle

Others to watch: Olivia Hompe, Elizabeth O’Sullivan,Wheatley Raabe, Kelly Armstrong, Lily Citrin, and Bea Eppler.

The Big GamesApril 7 vs. Glastonbury at Dunning Field; April 16 vs. Newtown at Dunning Field; April 18 at Darien — New Canaan lost both meet-ings with the rival Darien Blue Wave last year. Each game was decided by a mere two goals — 9-7 during the regular season and then 13-11 in the State semifinals. This clash comes seven games into the schedule, which means both teams should be in midsea-son form as the Rams look for revenge; April 26 at Fox Lane, N.Y.; May 8 vs. Greenwich at Dunning Field; May 12 vs.Yorktown, N.Y., at Dunning Field; May 15 at Wilton.

GirlsLacrosse

Deep Rams take aim at FCIAC, State crowns

Dave Stewart

Senior midfielder Sarah Mannelly, who has

committed to Boston College, will lead the

Rams into action as a co-captain alongside

defender Julia Tuttle this spring.

Dave Stewart

Junior Olivia Hompe, who will play for Princeton lacrosse, will be one of the Rams’ top offensive weapons this season.

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The haters came out in full force early last spring, ready to stick a fork in the New Canaan boys lacrosse team when it started the year with consecutive losses to Somers and Greenwich.

The Rams, how-ever, had other ideas and eventually found their footing, compiling an overall record of 13-8 and finishing as the runners-up in the CIAC Class M tournament.

That may be great for other peo-ple, but as far as the Rams are con-cerned, it wasn’t enough.

“These guys have put in the work, the time and the effort and they want it,” head coach Alex Whitten told the Advertiser this preseason. “We went 13-8 last year and I don’t think any-body was overly excited about that record. That’s not to say we didn’t have a great year because I thought we did, but guys expect more of themselves this year.”

That desire is a good thing, espe-cially considering New Canaan is deep with talent all over the field. The players have paid their dues and are ready to reap some rewards.

“Each team has a different per-sonality,” Whitten said. “This group of seniors was thrown into the fire

last year and they were tested early and tested through-out the course of the season. A lot of

the guys who played last year had zero varsity experience coming into the season. We took our lumps, but those guys gained a lot of experi-ence.”

Leading the way are the team’s four senior co-captains, who are spread out across the field from goal-ie to attack. They include Thomas Carey in goal, Kevin McDonough on defense, Bobby Distler at midfield and Peter Kraus on attack.

Carey will be taking on the goal-tending duties full time after sharing the job with Jimmy Joe Granito for the last two seasons. Carey emerged

as a sophomore, after Granito was sidelined with an injury, and came through with some outstanding play in the postseason.

Carey has already committed to Bryant College and its head coach Mike Pressler, a Wilton graduate who coached at Duke.

“Tom Carey is probably the best goalie in the state of Connecticut this year,” Whitten said. “Athletically, he’s one of our best athletes. He really knows the sport and knows how to play the game at a high level. Hopefully, he’s going to have a phe-nomenal year for us and it’s going to be awesome to see what he can do.”

Also on the defensive end is McDonough, who had an great sea-son as a linebacker and running back with the Rams’ football team last fall, earning All-State honors. McDonough has committed to Penn and will take a PG year at Deerfield Academy. He was an All-FCIAC Second Teamer in lacrosse as a junior.

“Kevin McDonough is a known entity in the football world and he had great junior and senior cam-paigns,” Whitten said. “He brings a physical presence to our defense which we want to see even more of this year.”

Distler will be a big weapon for the Rams, as he’ll take faceoffs and play defensive midfield. His lacrosse season never got started last year, as he went down with an ACL injury in the first few minutes of the opener at Somers.

“Bobby Distler was the one guy we couldn’t afford to lose last year and we lost him three minutes into our first game,” Whitten said. “It was a tough injury for us because the faceoff is so crucial in this game and he does such a great job at it.”

This season, Distler, who had a fine football campaign, is healthy and ready to get the ball to the offense.

“His role is going be huge for us,” Whitten said. “He’s more of a defensive-minded midfielder and he excels at that role. Having him finally being healthy will be a huge asset for us this year. He’s a great leader and great kid.”

Leading the attack up top is Kraus, who is bound for the Michigan Wolverines next fall. He’ll lead the offense and get the Rams’ many weapons in synch.

“Peter Kraus is one of our best offensive guys and he’s the quar-terback on offense,” Whitten said. “He can dodge from anywhere on the field, he’s up to 195 pounds right now and he looks great physically. He brings a great calming presence on the offensive side of the ball. He’s a great finisher and a great athlete.”

Despite losing All-Stater Joe Costigan, a four-year midfielder, to North Carolina, the Rams’ offense

should be able to fill the gap with a deep lineup.

The attack boasts four solid shoot-ers in seniors Kraus, Matt Bossidy, John Brainard and Matt Blasco.

“John Brainard is probably our most formidable athlete on the offen-sive side of the ball,” Whitten said. “He can shoot the ball well and physically he looks great right now.”

Whitten also said Bossidy is “lethal inside. He just finds the back of the net,” while Blasco is a sharp-shooter who scored a number of big goals last season.

Joining Distler at midfield will be junior Duke Repko, “one of the fast-est guys in the FCIAC,” according to Whitten. Junior Puck Richardson is a versatile player, while junior Ryan Minaglia adds some size to the midfield.

Also in the midfield picture are seniors Jake Miller, Jared Meichner, Jack Stanton and Christian Atherton, along with junior Matt Bruch.

Seniors Jack Bratches and Wes Rhudy will have key roles as defen-sive midfielders.

“Midfield-wise we’ve got guys who can play offense and defense which is huge,” Whitten said. “If that pans out for us, we’ll be able to play a faster pace and a higher-temp offense with hopefully more transi-tion. Tom Carey is one of the best outlet passers in the nation, so we’re hoping to generate a lot of offense coming out of our defensive end.”

On the defensive end, the Rams feature a tough group of veterans who passed their trial by fire last spring.

That includes Carey and McDonough, along with seniors Hunter Budd and Paul Clemente, and juniors Eric Persky and John Rhudy. Persky and Rhudy have already com-

mitted to two D1 programs, as Persky will play with McDonough at Penn, and Rhudy will head to West Point.

Also in the mix for playing time will be long pole defensemen Zack Demauro, a senior, and Tom Costigan, a junior, and long stick middies Matt Fallon and Patrick Burke, both seniors.

New Canaan even has depth at goaltender, with senior Chris Green, junior Griffin Falvey and sophomore Jake Galluzzo backing up Carey.

“This team has worked harder in the offeseason than any other team I’ve had,” Whitten said. “We’ve done some things in the fall and win-ter playing more box lacrosse and doing some physical training here in school. So our guys are in shape, we look good and we’re a formidable team this year.

“On paper, I think we’re as good as anybody. It’s just going to be a matter of how committed these guys are to playing together as a group and as a team.”

The best sign of continued improvement may not be on the turf, but in the commitment to play at another level, as the Rams are send-ing at least 14 players on to college lacrosse teams.

“If you look at the best programs in high school, typically they have a large number of kids playing in college,” Whitten said. “They don’t look at their senior year as their swan song and they take their senior years seriously. As a coach, it’s exciting because you want kids to be afforded the opportunity to play at another level. So looking all the way down to the sixth and seventh graders, with a large group of kids, they see that 14 or 15 of their classmates can go on and play in college and that’s awesome.”

Boys Lacrosse

Rams at a glanceHead Coach Alex Whitten (5th year)

2011 Record: 13-8, Class M finalistsCaptains: Tom Carey, Peter Kraus,

Kevin McDonough and Bobby DistlerOthers to watch: John Brainard, Mike Bossidy, Matt Blasco,

Hunter Budd, Eric Persky, Duke Repko, Wes Rhudy,Jack Bratches, Jake Miller, John Rhudy and Paul Clemente

The Big GamesApril 5 at Wilton — New Canaan’s season came to an ignominious end in the State Class M final last year as the Rams were pounded by Wilton by the score of 12-2. New Canaan now gets a quick chance to avenge that loss, as they play under the lights in Wilton at 7 p.m. on opening night; April 7 vs. Somers, N.Y., at Dunning Field.; April 11 vs. Lawrenceville, N.J. at Dunning Field; April 17 at Darien; April 26 at Greenwich; May 10 vs. Ridgefield at Dunning Field.

Dave Stewart

Matt Blasco celebrates the game-winning goal in the Rams’ victory over Brien McMahon last season.

Dave Stewart

Senior Mike Bossidy battles for a shot

against Darien last spring. Bossidy is one

of many weapons in the Rams’ offensive arsenal this season.

Laxmen are loaded for another title shot

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