Wrestling
Gendler take fourth to quality for State Open
WINDHAM, Feb. 20 – The Avon High wrestling team was built for the dual meet season. With nine new wrestlers in the lineup this year, the Falcons built a lineup that was able to win consistently this season. Few wrestlers were spectacular but they picked up victories on a steady pace.
The Falcons posted a record of 23-6 and won their fifth NCCC league championship in the last six years. They won the NCCC Tournament with 11 wrestlers in the finals and three individual champions.
But in the Class M championships, the Falcons couldn’t get by a stellar Bacon Academy program that captured its first-ever state championship. Three Avon wrestlers fell in the quarterfinals to Bacon wrestlers while a fourth lost to a wrestler from Ledyard, one of Bacon’s Eastern Connecticut Conference rivals. In fact, five of the top six teams in the tournament were from the ECC.
Avon had two wrestlers fight their way onto the podium at the end of the meet with juniors James Gendler (135) finishing fourth and Ryan Pearson (160) taking fifth. With his fourth place finish, Gendler earned the opportunity to compete at the State Open tournament.
Gendler (25-7) actually dropped his first match in the second round, falling to Clayton Johnston, the 12th seed from Bacon Academy, by pin in 5:30. But Gendler kept his head high and won four straight bouts in the consolation round to earn a spot in the consolation final. He finished fourth after a 10-7 loss to William Durant of Holy Cross.
Pearson (22-10) dropped his quarterfinal match to Danny Thompson of Bacon by a 6-3 score. Pearson won three of four consolation round matches to finish fifth. Pearson outlasted Corey Cinamella of Rockville, 2-1 in the consolation quarterfinals before dropping a 3-1 decision to Weaver’s James Cole. Pearson took fifth with an 8-4 decision over Platt’s Michael Carrero.
Jessica McCamish (103), Jason Lybeck (112), Joe Murphy (145) and Mike Hogan (152) each went 2-2 in the tournament. Hogan finished with a team-high 36 wins and seven losses. Avon finished 12th in the field with 72.5 points.
Falcon roundup
Avon wrestlers capture fifth NCCC title in 6 years
AVON, Feb. 15 -- It’s hard to call a team with nine seniors inexperienced but when the Avon High wrestling team hit the mat this winter, they didn’t have a lot of varsity experience. The Falcons returned only four starters.
But the Falcons matured and turned in another championship season. Avon clinched its fifth NCCC championship in the last six years with a dominating performance at last weekend’s NCCC Tournament at Granby High. Avon put 11 wrestlers in the finals and came away with three champions to win the tournament by nearly 50 points over Somers, 214.5 to 155.
For the fifth year in a row, Avon (23-6) swept through the NCCC’s dual meet campaign with a 7-0 record. Teams earn points for dual meet victories and teams they beat at the league tournament.
Freshman Joe Murphy (145 pounds), junior Leo Hebert (171) and senior Joel Proffitt (285) won championships. Jessica McCamish (103), Jason Lybeck (112), Eric Remigino (130), James Gendler (135), Mike Hogan (152), Ryan Pearson (160), Alex Hodgson (189) and Sonny Portelance (215) each finished second. Lybeck and Hodgson lost in overtime.
“We had a great day,” Avon coach John McLaughlin said. “I was really proud of the kids. We really brought it together in the semifinals, getting 11 into the finals.”
Only three weight classes didn’t have an Avon wrestler in the championship bout. “The finals were a little tougher for us,” McLaughlin said, “but it was still a good day.”
Murphy (28-5) and Ellington’s Matt Janiga found themselves in a high-scoring affair in the finals at 145 pounds but it was Murphy who was able to pull away in the third period of a 20-15 victory.
Hebert (18-9) was the third seed at 171 pounds but he prevailed in a 2-1 semifinal victory over No. 2 seed Kyle Sheridan of Suffield. In the final, he trailed by three points to Somers’ Kyle Foster but he threw Foster to the mat in the third period and rallied for a 5-3 victory.
Proffitt (25-9) is a senior and a first-year wrestler. But he was still able to earn a pair of victories including pinning Stafford’s Garth Gilligan in 5:59 to win his first NCCC championship.
Lybeck lost to Somers’ Anthony Andrade, 4-2 in OT while Hodgson fell in OT by a 5-3 score. Hodgson entered the tournament as a junior varsity wrestler but in the quarterfinals, he upset the top seed, teammate David St. Onge, 4-3. Hodgson continued by pinning Stafford’s Nick Lerch in the semifinals in 2:58. St. Onge won three matches in the consolation round to finish third.
The Falcons will compete in the CIAC Class M tournament this weekend at Windham High.
Boys basketball
Avon takes command in win over rival Canton
By GERRY deSIMAS, JR.
Collinsville Press.com
AVON, Dec. 22 – Canton High coach Eric Deegan hoped to upgrade his team’s schedule to get them ready for challenging games in February and March. Among the upgrades was a second game with Avon.
The Falcons gave the Canton plenty of items to work on in a 66-55 non-conference victory Tuesday night. Avon (2-1, 0-0 NCCC) received a balanced effort from Robert Carver (16 points), Andrew McGee (15 points) and Jack O’Brien (14) as the Falcons erased a six-point second quarter deficit with a 19-6 run to take command of the contest.
Canton cut the lead to four twice in the third quarter but the Falcons were able to pull away, building a lead as large as 16 points. Andrew Crowley led Canton (1-1, 0-0) with 22 points while Connor Smyth added 12.
“We wanted to control the rebounding. We wanted to get our big guy the ball (Carver) and we wanted to control tempo of the game,” Avon’s first-year coach Chris Vozzolo said. “I think we did all three tonight.
“One thing we stressed was being patient and smart with the basketball. We picked our spots. We’re a transition team but we knew we had to be patient and not force the ball down low,” he said.
Avon had countless drives to the basket and layups that pierced the heart of the Canton defense. It wasn’t the same tenacious Canton defense that challenged Avon in two thrilling games a year ago. Of course, it is just game two for Canton in a 20-game campaign and they were hardly tested defensively last week in an easy victoryover Portland.
“The effort was there and we played hard,” Canton coach Eric Deegan said. “We just didn’t play very good. Avon killed us on the boards. They got the high-low play nearly every time they wanted.”
A three-pointer and two nice drives to the basket from Crowley helped Canton grab an 18-13 lead in the first quarter. They extended the lead to six, 26-20 midway through the second quarter. But the Falcons used a 19-6 run to close out the second quarter and take a 39-32 halftime lead.
The Falcons had a two-point lead, 32-30, with a minute left in the second quarter before Stevens grabbed a loose rebound and popped it back in. After a Canton miss, Avon raced back downcourt and O’Brien drained his first three-pointer of the game for a seven-point lead, 37-30. Crowley hit a jumper in the lane to cut the lead to five but Telfer drove through the heart of the Warrior defense less than 10 seconds later to extend the lead to seven.
“They’re a quick team. A deep team,” Deegan said. “We have to pick our spots. We can’t run and gun with them and expect it to work out. We have to play more disciplined offensively.”
Canton cut the lead to four twice in the third quarter but couldn’t make a key defensive stop. At one point, Avon scored 10 straight points in the paint to turn a four-point lead into a 14-point bulge.
The challenges continue for both teams in the non-conference portion of the schedule. Avon hosts Northwest Catholic next Tuesday at home while Canton hosts Class M finalist Bloomfield at home, also on Tuesday.
Avon 66, Canton 55
At Avon
Canton (55) Andrew Crowley 10-0-22, Mike Pepin 3-0-6, Evan Camporeale 0-0-0, James Rosshirt 2-0-4, Tim Gavin 0-0-0, Nick Quattro 3-1-9, Connor Smyth 5-2-12, Chad Huff 1-0-2. Totals 23-3-55
Avon (66) Eric Stevens 5-1-11, Jack O’Brien 5-3-14, Andrew McGee 7-1-15, Brendan Telfer 3-0-6, Tyler D’Onofrio 0-2-2, Chris Carlson 1-0-2, Robert Carver 6-4-16. Totals 27-11-66.
Halftime: Avon 39-32
Three-point goals: Crowley (C) 2, Quattro (C) 2; O’Brien (A); Records: Avon 2-1, 0-0 NCCC: Canton 1-1, 0-0 NCCC
