Fall 2009
Pequot Uncas champions
Class M semifinals: Berlin 35, Avon 28
Class L quarterfinals:Brookfield 4, Avon 1
Class L 2nd round: Avon 2, ND-West Haven 1
(3-2 PK)
Class L final: New Canaan 1, Avon 0
Class L semifinals: Avon 2, RHAM 1
Class L quarterfinals: Avon 2, Berlin 1
Class L 2nd round: Avon 1, Joel Barlow 0
Class L 1st round: Avon 3, Wilton 2
NCCC champions
Class M semifinals: New Canaan 1, Avon 0
Class M quarterfinals: Avon 2, Joel Barlow 1, 3 OT
(3-1 PS)
Class M 2nd round: Avon 4, Wethersfield 1
Volleyball
2R: Joel Barlow 3, Avon 2
1R: Avon 3, Lauralton Hall 0
NCCC
9th Class MM
NCCC tri-champions
6th Class MM
Boy's Varsity 8: 20th Head of Connecticut Regatta
Girls Varsity 8: 12th Head of Connecticut Regatta
All-State
Claire Smith, cross country
Ross McDonald, football
Austin Kick, football
Kelsey Hebert, field hockey
Jess Portal, field hockey
Coach of the year
Terri Ziemnicki, field hockey (Class M)
Scholar Athlete
Libby Shea, field hockey
All-NCCC
Claire Smith, cross country
Titi Vanriel, cross country
Kalli Veldman, cross country
Emily Kelly, cross country
Ryan Coyle, cross country
Michael Vallen, cross country
Kelsey Herbert, field hockey
Jess Portal, field hockey
Morgan Collings, field hockey
Emily Arciero, field hockey
All-Pequot Conference
Ross McDonald, football
Tyler D'Onofrio, football
Dan Matthews, football
Mike Burton, football
Andrew Livingstone, football
Sonny Portelance, football
Vince Savarese, football
Chris Rogers, football
Austin Kick, football
Colin Pavano, football
Football
Avon rallies for thrilling win over Cromwell
AVON, Oct. 10 – They’ve been playing football for 50 years in Avon and there probably haven’t been many games like this. Facing defending Class S champion Cromwell, the Falcons scored two touchdowns in the final 1:15 including the game-winning score, a 57-yard run from Ross McDonald with no time left in regulation to earn a thrilling 37-31 victory.
The Falcons (4-0) never led until the final gun. But they tied the game four times, including on a 64-yard touchdown pass to Vince Savarese from QB Andrew Livingstone with 56 seconds left in the fourth quarter. McDonald finished with 208 yards and 3 TDs on 26 carries. He also threw a 56-yard TD pass to Tyler D’Onofrio in the third quarter. “Cromwell didn’t make errors. We made plays,” Avon coach Brett Quinion said. “The kids decided this game.”
In final game, Tech player with cancer scores TD against Avon
TORRINGTON, Sept. 26 – In the first-ever meeting between Avon and Wolcott Tech in football, the Falcons easily rolled to a 49-6 victory. Receiver Vince Savarese set a new school record with a 92-yard touchdown pass from John Cianci.
But the most memorable part of this game was a 83-yard touchdown run by Wolcott Tech senior Nick Reardon, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer last week and begins chemotherapy treatments on Monday. Doctors allowed Reardon, Tech’s punter and a linebacker, to play one final game but said he couldn’t get hit.
Fall campaign underway for Avon
By GERRY deSIMAS, JR.
Collinsville Press
AVON, Sept. 19 – Last fall, Avon High’s field hockey and girls soccer teams earned shares of NCCC championships while the football team won its second straight Pequot Uncas Division championship. All seven sports participated in CIAC championship play with the girls soccer and boys soccer teams getting to the doorstep of the state finals before being eliminated in the semifinals.
Another season began earlier this week. Here is a look at early results for the Falcons.
BOYS SOCCER: Even with the loss to rival Tolland to the Central Connecticut Conference, the road to an NCCC championship will still be a challenge. The Falcons will have to adjust to the graduation of All-State midfielder Jon Hope. Avon returns some veteran players in Ben Applefield (17 goals, 10 assists), Aaron Leopold (12 goals, 7 assists) and Jack O’Brien (5 goals, 2 assists) along with goalie Sean Lanahan, who saw limited playing time a year ago. The Falcon offense struggled on opening day in a 0-0 tie with Suffield.
GIRLS SOCCER: It might take some time for a new group of Falcons to come together. Only four starters return from last year’s squad that won an NCCC championship and advanced to the Class L semifinals before falling to Joel Barlow in overtime. Seniors J.J. Gower (6 goals, 13 assists) and Kaylie Auger (3 goals, 1 assist) return along with midfielder Katie Zambrano (3 goals, 2 assists) and sophomore forward Erica Primovic (2 goals, 2 assists). Senior goalie Rachel Bentivegna returns along with senior defender Hannah Zabel.
Avon’s lessons began early in a shocking 5-0 defeat to Suffield on opening day. Not only was it Avon’s first defeat in the league since 2005, it was the most lopsided loss for the Falcons since dropping a 6-1 decision to Suffield, also in 2005. But it was a non-league contest so it won’t hurt Avon’s chances to contend for a league championship. Avon plays two games each with Suffield, Granby, Enfield and Ellington and Enfield. It is the second game that will count toward the league standings.
FOOTBALL: Junior running back Ross McDonald rushed for 3 TDs and a career-high 226 yards to lead the Falcons to a season-opening victory over Coventry/Windham Tech, 44-29. The Falcons rallied from a 21-13 deficit with 31 unanswered points in the second half to earn its first opening day victory since 2004.
Tyler D’Onofrio scored the game’s first TD, with a school record 45-yard fumble return. The old mark for fumble recovery for a TD, which was 42 yards by Kevin Bourque against Foran-Milford in 1983.D’Onofrio also caught a 5-yard TD pass from McDonald.
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY: The Falcons took the top seven spots in an easy 15-50 win over Enfield to start the season. Junior Chris Carlson won the race in 17:47 followed by Ryan Coyle (18:55), Tim Buell (18:56), Bobby Davies (19:03), Mike Vallen (19:05), Geoff Kuhn (19:26) and Matt Mascoli (19:27).
At the Haddad Windham Invitational, Avon was seventh in the Varsity II race, led by Carlson, who finished sixth in 16:26. Ryan Coyle (21, 17:48) and Bob Davies (24, 17:49) were Avon’s other runners in the top 25.
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY: The Falcons were an impressive second in the Varsity II race at the Haddad Windham Invitational in Manchester. Claire Smith was second in the race with a time of 18:51, about 30 seconds behind Naugatuck’s Rose Moriello. RHAM won the race with 60 points while earned 72.
Emily Kelly finished 10th in 20:53 over the 3.1 mile course followed by Titi Vanriel (12th, 20:58) and Kalli Veldman (15th, 21:21). Tara Molson rounded out the top five in 33rd place in 23:13. It was the first serious race of the year for Avon, which easily beat Enfield in its first meet. Enfield had just one runner in the race, which was won by Smith in 20:04.
VOLLEYBALL: The biggest challenge for the Falcons this year in the quest for a league championship will be four-time Class S champion Coventry. The only team in the league to beat Avon over the past three years has been the Patriots. Avon began the season with a pair of victories.
Melissa Crichton had six kills and three aces in Avon’s 3-0 sweep of Lewis Mills, 25-17, 25-13 and 25-5 while setter Grace Kucharsky had 33 assists in a 3-1 victory over host Woodstock Academy, 25-18, 17-15, 25-18 and 25-18. Natalie Martinez had eight aces in the victory over Mills, which struggled to receive Avon's serves.
FIELD HOCKEY: The Falcons have an experienced core of players returning as they attempt to defend its NCCC championship and make a run in the Class M tournament. Avon returns a pair of All-State midfielders Kelsey Herbert and Jess Portal (9 goals) along with All-NCCC forward Meg Pulling (10 goals). Senior defender Alex Riccardi, Danielle Neagle (3 goals) and Morgan Collins (3 goals) return along with sophomore Emily Arciero (8 goals).
Avon shared the league championship with Granby a year ago and the Bears also return a veteran squad. Canton and Enfield also expect to field strong teams. The Falcons began the season on a strong note last week with goalie Julie Plourd making two saves and earning the shutout in a 2-0 win over Suffield. Pulling and Arciero each had goals.
CIAC girls soccer
WATERBURY, Nov. 21 – No. 6 New Canaan gave up just seven goals this year in 22 games and in game 23, they pitched another shutout. The Rams won their first state championship since 2004 with a 1-0 victory over Avon Saturday at Municipal Stadium.
Senior Liz Bruno scored on a head ball near the post that Falcon goalie Kaylan Conrad had no chance on with 19:51 left in the game off a tremendous cross from Caroline Murray in the right corner. Rams goalie Holly Burwick made five saves and the New Canaan defense limited Avon to just five shots while taking 15 of their own.
Avon outlasts Barlow, 1-0
AVON, Nov. 11 – There are no more easy matches left on the schedule for the Avon High girls soccer team. The No. 8 Falcons (14-3-1) moved into the Class L quarterfinals with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over No. 9 Joel Barlow at Fisher Meadow on Wednesday. Sophomore Erica Primovic had the game-winning goal with 9:05 left in the first half. Her left-footed shot from just inside the top of the penalty box slipped to the right of Barlow goalie Jessica Khamarji.
Avon goalie Kaylan Conrad made a game-saving save with 24 minutes left in the game. Barlow’s Taylor Auger ripped a rising shot that Conrad tipped up in the air. The ball hit the top of the cross bar and bounced into the air. Conrad caught the ball for the save.
Field hockey
Rams end Avon's season
WALLINGFORD, Nov. 17 -- New Canaan scored with 5:34 left in the first half to eliminate the Avon field hockey team with a 1-0 victory in the Class M semifinals Tuesday night at Sheehan High. Left, Senior Jessica Portal battles for the ball. No. 2 Avon (16-2) outshot New Canaan 12-3 in the second half.
CIAC boys soccer
Brookfield gets too big of a lead in quarterfinal win
AVON, Nov. 16 – The Avon High boys soccer team made No. 5 Brookfield sweat Monday in the Class L quarterfinals at Fisher Meadow but a three-goal lead was too much to overcome in a 4-1 defeat. Despite playing with 10 men for the final 26 minutes of the game, No. 4 Avon (13-2-3) was able to keep the pressure on the Bobcats.
Defender Jack O’Brien received a red card and was thrown out of the game after using his hand to stop a head ball from Brookfield’s A.J. Stueck from going into the goal. Stueck converted on the penalty kick for a 3-0 lead and his 36th goal of the season.
Less than four minutes later, Avon’s Kevin Janson popped in a corner kick that cut the lead to two goals and energized the Falcons, who were outshot 12-5 in the first half. But Brookfield goalie Matthew Bonn was up to the task and stopped 12 of Avon’s 13 shots in the second half. Avon had a 9-2 edge on corner kicks in the second half. "Matthew really has an innate ability to excel in the dark moments of the game and he's done that for us for three years now," Brookfield coach Jared Sheikh told the Danbury News Times. "I couldn't be more proud of him."
Brookfield took a 1-0 lead just 4:56 into the game when Brian Grisell’s head ball pass to Stueck, who deflected the ball off his chest and past Falcon goalie Sean Lanahan (11 saves). They made it 2-0 when Luke Niarhos ripped a shot that just snuck under the crossbar with 53 seconds left in the first half. They added a final goal in the last five minutes with the Falcons pressing forward.
"I was very happy with the way my guys played," Avon coach Patrick Mulligan told The News Times. "We possessed the ball well. We knocked the ball around well. I think we created a lot more chances than they did. When they had theirs, they just put them away and we didn't."
BOYS SOCCER
Avon 2, Notre Dame-West Haven 1 (3-2 PK)
AVON, Nov. 12 – Aaron Leopold scored for the Falcons, who outlasted ND-WH by a 3-2 score on penalty kicks. Goalie Sean Lanahan made two big diving saves in penalty kicks to help the Falcons prevail. Leopold gave the Falcons a 1-0 when his shot slipped past Notre Dame keeper Anthony Simone with 36:03 left in regulation. ND tied the game tied the game with 17:16 remaining. Avon hit the crossbar three times in the final 15 minutes to no avail and the teams played through a pair of overtimes before getting to PKs.
CIAC volleball
Barlow eliminates Avon in 5
AVON, Nov. 10 – Playing for the second straight night, No. 11 Joel Barlow was able to eliminate the Falcons in a second round Class L match on Wednesday, 28-26, 23-25, 20-25, 25-16, 15-11. Grace Kucharski had 37 assists for Avon (18-4). Barlow (19-4) has been on a roll, beating the top three seeds to win the Southwest Conference tournament over the weekend and eliminating Tolland on Monday.
Avon 3, Lauralton Hall 0
AVON, Nov. 9 – The No. 6 Falcons swept Lauralton Hall in a first round Class M bout, 25-7, 25-19, 25-14 on Monday night.
