Girls soccer
Precision passing lifts Avon into Class L finals for 2nd year in a row
WATERBURY, Nov. 16 – The Avon High girls soccer team hasn’t been shy about sharing the ball this season. The Falcons won 13 of 16 regular season games with 12 different players scoring goals. That unselfishness and ability to work together as a team helped the Falcons earn a spot in the CIAC’s Class L championship game for the second straight year.
With precision passing, No. 4 Avon was able to control the ball in its 1-0 semifinal victory over No. 8 Bunnell-Monroe on the synthetic turf at Waterbury’s Municipal Stadium.
“That is our game,” Avon coach Jim Murray said. “We love to pass the ball. On the turf, we just had to adjust for the quickness of the turf. I thought we did a good job of doing what we needed to do, move the ball and keep possession as best as we could.”
Four teams in tournament action in one day
Emotional day of wins and losses for Falcons
By GERRY deSIMAS, JR.
Collinsville Press.com
AVON, Nov. 11 – Even though it has been 12 months, the loss that the New Canaan field hockey team handed Avon in last year’s Class M semifinals still stung. The Rams scored an early goal and held off a desperate Falcon team, 1-0.
This November, only three starters from that 2009 squad were back on the field for the Falcons as No. 4 Avon hosted No. 12 New Canaan in a quarterfinal match on Veteran’s Day. “This has been a rebuilding year,” Avon coach Terri Ziemnicki said.
It took some time but the Falcons were able to keep the visiting Rams at bay until they could score to earn a berth in the Class M semifinals for the third time in the last four years with a 1-0 victory. Avon will face No. 8 Daniel Hand-Madison in the semifinals next week. Hand upset top-seeded Nonnewaug, 1-0 in overtime.
Junior Emily Arciero scored on a penalty stroke with 25:07 remaining in the second half. From that point on, the Falcons played with more confidence.
“After we scored, I think the girls began to believe in themselves,” Ziemnicki said. “I don’t think we were sure of what we could do.
“This team was playing for last year’s team,” she said. “They won for last year’s girls.”
The Rams (9-4-1-1), who were playing on grass for the first time this year, were able to move the ball but they struggled to get shots off on Avon goalie Nicole Andrew, who earned her 11th shutout of the season.
Defenders Rachel Neuhoff, Julia Plourde and Samatha Welch did a good job of challenging the Ram players. Midfielders Cassie Sahl, Arciero, Sydney Hagan and Mary Margaret Stoll were able to harass the New Canaan players and move the ball upfield.
Forwards Elle Crane, Olivia Mason and Maddy Riccardi were able to keep enough pressure on goal. The Falcons (13-1-1-2) had nine shots on net. Avon earned its penalty shot when a New Canaan defender stepped on the ball to keep it out of the net.
For Arciero, it was her team-leading 14th goal of the season. Arciero, Mason and Crane each had goals in Avon’s second round victory over East Lyme, 3-0.
Avon is seeking its first trip to the state finals since 1998 when they fell in the Class S finals to Canton. Avon last won a state title when they won back-to-back Class S titles in 1983-84.
GIRLS SOCCER beats Farmington in tournament: Catherine Martin scored off a volley from Sarah Geraldi with 18:48 gone in the second half to help lift the No. 4 Falcons to a 2-0 victory over No. 20 Farmington in a Class L second round game at Fisher Meadows. Jenna Donahue added an insurance goal for the Falcons about 10 minutes later. Avon goalie Kaylan Conrad made one save to earn the shutout. Avon (14-2-1) outshot the visiting Indians, 9-2. The Falcons will face either Berlin or Hand on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. at Fisher Meadows in the quarterfinals.
BOYS SOCCER eliminated on penalty kicks: For the Falcons, it was another agonizing defeat in the CIAC’s Class L tournament. In 2008, Wethersfield ousted Avon in the semifinals by a 1-0 score. A year ago, Brookfield sent the Falcons home after a 4-1 quarterfinal defeat that was much closer than the final score indicated.
This year, New Canaan rallied with a goal with 14 minutes left in regulation and then prevailed in a shootout, 3-2 to eliminate the NCCC champion Falcons in a game at Fisher Meadows. After giving up goals on Avon’s first two penalty kicks, Ram goalie Scott Levene made three consecutive saves to secure the victory.
“We kept pounding away at them but if you don’t put in your chances, you can’t win,” Avon coach Patrick Mulligan said. “They had two opportunities in the second half and scored on one. Soccer is a cruel, cruel game.
Drew Montano gave Avon the 1-0 lead on a pretty goal with 29 minutes left in the game off a pass from Max Leopold. Montano, a junior, finished the season with a team-leading 14 goals.
But despite outshooting the Rams, 18-10, Avon couldn’t add another score. “I think we did what we had to do except for kicking the ball into the back of the net. We were creative and we played some good soccer,” Mulligan said. “But you have to kick them in.”
New Canaan tied the game at 1-1 on a goal by Steve Valentz with 14 minutes left.
In the shootout, Montano and Kevin Janson each scored but the first two Rams shooters also connected leaving the score at 2-2 after two rounds. In round three, Levene deflected the shot by Avon’s Conor Lanahan into the air and New Canaan’s shot by Jon-Luke Ferrandino was hard enough to deflect off the hands of Falcon goalie Alex Andrews and into the net for a 3-2 lead.
In round four, Levene got two hands on a shot from Avon’s Jon Hla and Levene scored with a shot into the right corner to give the Rams a 3-2 lead. In the fifth and final round, Levene deflected away the shot from Jameson Neserella to secure the victory for New Canaan.
“We didn’t anticipate going out this early. We were prepared. We controlled the possession,” Mulligan said. “All of that work you put in…and to have it end like this is sad and frustrating.
VOLLEYBALL advances to quarters: No. 9 Avon advanced into the Class L quarterfinals with a thrilling 3-2 win over Platt-Meriden. After winning the first two games, the Falcons dropped two straight before rallying for a 15-10 win in game five. Avon won 25-22, 25-16, 12-25, 19-25, 15-10. The Falcons (14-5) get to face No. 1 Darien in the quarterfinals on Saturday at 7 p.m. in Darien.
Avon roundup
Avon field hockey tops Hall for 2nd straight win
AVON, Sept. 25 – Olivia Mason, Emily Arciero and Maddy Riccardi had individual goals as the Avon High field hockey team won its second straight game with a 3-0 win over Hall-West Hartford on Saturday. Sophomore goalie Nicole Andrew earned the shutout in net for Avon.
“We played with much more intensity than the last two games which is something I was pleased about,” Avon coach Terri Ziemnicki said. After dropping a 3-2 decision in overtime on opening day, the Falcons beat Suffield, 2-0 earlier this week.
It’s a young team for the Falcons (2-0-0-1) with just four starters returning from last year’s NCCC championship squad. Arciero and Sidney Hagan returned at midfield with defenders Julia Plourd and forward Elle Crane.
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY: Avon freshman Rachael Rosow finished ninth in the Large School race at the 30th annual Puma/Stratton Brook Invitational in Simsbury on Saturday with a time of 21:44 on the 3.1 mile course. Junior Sarah Cotton of Hand (19:46) easily defended her championship, beating Hall’s Elena Jay (20:37) by nearly a minute. Avon Senior Emily Kelly was 28th in 23:22 while freshman Madison Zapakta was 31st in 23:44. Avon took sixth in the Large Division race.
In dual meet action this week, the Avon girls improved to 5-0 with 15-50 shutout wins over East Windsor and Stafford at East Windsor Reservoir. Roscow won her third straight dual meet with a convincing win in 19:13. Kelly, Sam Silverman, Zapatka and Emily Hebb rounded out the top five. Avon had the first nine runners in the race.
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY: Chris Carlson was 21st to lead Avon at the Stratton Brook Invitational on Saturday. Carlson ran a time of 18:29 over 3.1 miles to lead the Falcons, who finished eighth. In dual meet action during the week, the Falcons took the top seven spots to sweep East Windsor and Stafford, 15-50 at East Windsor Reservoir and improve to 5-0 in the league. Jeff Demers won the race in 17:10, nipping Carlson by a second. Jeff Wang, Matt Mascoli and Mike Oberhausen rounded out the top five.
Cross country
After honoring Andrew, Avon runners have
a perfect afternoon
AVON, Sept. 15 – It was a beautiful day for the season opening meet for the Avon High cross country team at Fisher Meadows. The sun was shining, there was a cool breeze and there were wisps of white clouds streaking through the deep, blue sky.
And there were a few tears. Before the meet with Granby, Coventry and Windsor Locks, Avon High girls cross country coach Al Daddario gathered the Falcons around him. Each of the nearly 60 runners had a purple balloon in their hands and Daddario said a few words to remember Mellisa Andrew, one of the team’s senior co-captains, who died in an August car crash in Burlington.
Daddario’s voice was soft and his message was meant for the team. When he finished, the runners raised their hands and let their purple balloons sail up into the air. At the start line, a small bouquet of flowers was left in Andrew’s memory.
When the race began, the Avon boys and girls teams came away with impressive opening day victories. Each team came away with three victories.
Last fall, the Avon girls earned a share of the league championship with Granby and Suffield. But five of the top seven runners graduated including Class M champion Claire Smith. Still, Avon (3-0, 3-0 NCCC) was able to come away with a 24-33 win over Granby and dominating wins over Windsor Locks and Coventry. Granby (2-1, 2-1) beat Locks and Coventry.
With three freshmen finishing among the top seven, Avon had six runners in the top 10. Freshman Rachael Rosow set a new course record beating Granby’s defending Class SS champion Desiree Piette by 31 seconds with a time of 18:46 over 3.1 miles, snapping Smith’s record set a year ago at 19:53.
Avon senior Emily Kelly was third in 20:11 followed by Granby’s Ashley Piccirillo-Horan and Avon freshman Madi Zapatka and Granby’s Alexa Cipka. But Avon won with Sarah Stokesbury, Tara Molson and Sam Silverman taking three of the next four places.
In the boys race, Chris Carlson and Jeff Demurs placed first and second, respectively, as Avon (3-0, 3-0 NCCC) put five runners in the top 10. The Falcons beat Granby, 23-36, topped Coventry, 20-39 and whipped Windsor Locks, 15-50. Granby (2-1, 2-1) beat Coventry and Locks, too.
Carlson won his 3.1 mile race in 17:26 with Demurs 14 seconds off the pace. Granby’s Dave Bugbee was third and Chris Cutler finished fifth. Jeff Wang (sixth), Mike Oberhausen (ninth) and Will Schroeder (tenth) rounded out the top 10 for Avon.
The two teams also participated in the 32nd annual Haddad Windham Invitational on Saturday in Willimantic. The girls were sixth in the Varsity 2 race with Roscow taking third in 19:24 followed by Kelly (31, 22:10) and Zapatka (32, 22:15). On the boys side, Avon was fifth in the Varsity 2 race led by Peter Suter (15th, 17:27), Matt Reagan (27, 17:54) and Carlson (28, 17:58).
