If there's one thing Bolton-Coventry-Lyman didn't want to do, it was fall behind early.
That's exactly the situation the Whalers find themselves in, however, after one period of play in the Division III hockey state championship at the Ingalls Rink at Yale University in New Haven on this Saturday.
The Whalers were a man down late in the first period and Rockville-Manchester made them pay for the mistake. Sean Stoneman found Richard Bidwell coming down the center of the ice, slipped a pass to the senior, and Bidwell beat B-C-L goalie Shane Hickey from about 15-feet out to give RMU the 1-0 lead.
B-C-L was the early aggressor but "Man-ville" took control late in the period. B-C-L's Tim Lebreux went down after getting hit in the left thigh but left the ice under his own power. He has come out on the ice to start the second period.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
It was an early wake up call for the Bolton-Coventry-Lyman Whalers hockey team on this Saturday morning.
But it came with much anticipation.
The Whalers will be playing in their first Division III state championship game at the Ingalls Rink on the campus of Yale University at 11 a.m.
On the other side of the ice, the team that shares the same home rink with the Whalers, Rockville-Manchester United.
The two teams have split the two-game regular season games with Rockville-Manchester winning 3-2 in overtime and the Whalers taking a 2-0 win in the rematch.
This one, however, is for much larger stakes.
As far as early crowd indications are concerned at the always loud Ingalls Rink, Rockville-Manchester's student section is already here in force and asking across the ice where the B-C-L fans are.
You get the idea that they are in route.
But it came with much anticipation.
The Whalers will be playing in their first Division III state championship game at the Ingalls Rink on the campus of Yale University at 11 a.m.
On the other side of the ice, the team that shares the same home rink with the Whalers, Rockville-Manchester United.
The two teams have split the two-game regular season games with Rockville-Manchester winning 3-2 in overtime and the Whalers taking a 2-0 win in the rematch.
This one, however, is for much larger stakes.
As far as early crowd indications are concerned at the always loud Ingalls Rink, Rockville-Manchester's student section is already here in force and asking across the ice where the B-C-L fans are.
You get the idea that they are in route.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
The last of the area's future Division-I college basketball players has joined Killingly's Shane Gibson and NFA's R.J. Evans on the sidelines.
New London's Allan Chaney and his Whalers teammates found the end of the road in New Haven Tuesday night as Maloney of Meriden downed them in the Class L semifinals, 72-50.
To a man, including coach Craig Parker, the Whalers felt they were outworked by Maloney. That the Spartans just wanted it more as evidenced by their work off the boards and a tremendous third-quarter run that, essentially, put the game away.
The 6-foot, 8-inch Chaney finished with 28 points and left the high school game with a promise for his new coach, the University of Florida's Billy Donovan.
"There are things that are going to come out of my game next year that I guarantee you, people have never seen," Chaney said. "That's how hard I'm going to work."
That statement doesn't surprise New London senior Eli Braboy.
"I will see him next year on the TV, but that's my big man," Braboy said. "I wish him the best of luck wherever he goes, whatever he does."
That's a sentiment that will be echoed by many.
Tonight, the last team from the area that has a chance to make a state championship game, Stonington, is on the court. The Bears take on the Hartford Public Owls at 7 p.m. at Eastern Connecticut State University in a Class M semifinal.
New London's Allan Chaney and his Whalers teammates found the end of the road in New Haven Tuesday night as Maloney of Meriden downed them in the Class L semifinals, 72-50.
To a man, including coach Craig Parker, the Whalers felt they were outworked by Maloney. That the Spartans just wanted it more as evidenced by their work off the boards and a tremendous third-quarter run that, essentially, put the game away.
The 6-foot, 8-inch Chaney finished with 28 points and left the high school game with a promise for his new coach, the University of Florida's Billy Donovan.
"There are things that are going to come out of my game next year that I guarantee you, people have never seen," Chaney said. "That's how hard I'm going to work."
That statement doesn't surprise New London senior Eli Braboy.
"I will see him next year on the TV, but that's my big man," Braboy said. "I wish him the best of luck wherever he goes, whatever he does."
That's a sentiment that will be echoed by many.
Tonight, the last team from the area that has a chance to make a state championship game, Stonington, is on the court. The Bears take on the Hartford Public Owls at 7 p.m. at Eastern Connecticut State University in a Class M semifinal.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
You had to guess this one was going to be close and the Windham-Stonington Class M boys basketball quarterfinal didn't disappoint.
14 3-pointers went up in the first half, Stonington had two more than Windham did and enjoyed an 11-point halftime lead.
But Stonington coach Michael Reyes knew one thing, the Whippets were not done and he was right.
Windham closed to within two in the final minute before Tim Sartor finally sent the Bears to their first state semifinal with a pair of free throws with 10 seconds left for the 77-75 win.
"Every time we play them, it brings out the best in each team," Stonington guard kevin Donahue said. "We played them four times this year and, in fact, every time I have played them over the last four years that has been the case. Even though it doesn't seem like it, this really is a rivalry."
Something interesting that occurred off the court, the two student cheering sections some how wound up side-by-each in the same set of bleachers across from the Windham bench. The nice thing about that, besides just a beach ball being tossed between the two, there were no incidents.
14 3-pointers went up in the first half, Stonington had two more than Windham did and enjoyed an 11-point halftime lead.
But Stonington coach Michael Reyes knew one thing, the Whippets were not done and he was right.
Windham closed to within two in the final minute before Tim Sartor finally sent the Bears to their first state semifinal with a pair of free throws with 10 seconds left for the 77-75 win.
"Every time we play them, it brings out the best in each team," Stonington guard kevin Donahue said. "We played them four times this year and, in fact, every time I have played them over the last four years that has been the case. Even though it doesn't seem like it, this really is a rivalry."
Something interesting that occurred off the court, the two student cheering sections some how wound up side-by-each in the same set of bleachers across from the Windham bench. The nice thing about that, besides just a beach ball being tossed between the two, there were no incidents.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Al Lewis must be smiling.
The East Lyme basketball coach has his team in the thick of things at halftime of the Class L state championship game with Kolbe Cathedral. The Vikings only trail 24-21 after the first half.
East Lyme's Emily Walker has been a force inside as she has put down 13 first half points, the only player with more than two points for the Vikings.
East Lyme has settled back into a 2-3 zone defensively as the Cougars have not shown the ability to hit the outside shot. Kolbe Cathedral is just 9-of-38 from the floor and is 0-for-9 beyond the 3-point arc. Ashley Prim is the only Cougar player in double figures with 10 points.
The turnout for the game is one of the smallest in the four games played at CCSU today.
The East Lyme basketball coach has his team in the thick of things at halftime of the Class L state championship game with Kolbe Cathedral. The Vikings only trail 24-21 after the first half.
East Lyme's Emily Walker has been a force inside as she has put down 13 first half points, the only player with more than two points for the Vikings.
East Lyme has settled back into a 2-3 zone defensively as the Cougars have not shown the ability to hit the outside shot. Kolbe Cathedral is just 9-of-38 from the floor and is 0-for-9 beyond the 3-point arc. Ashley Prim is the only Cougar player in double figures with 10 points.
The turnout for the game is one of the smallest in the four games played at CCSU today.
If you think the East Lyme girls are coming into tonight's Class L girls basketball championship game tight- think again.
Just about 20 minutes from game time, the Vikings have been smiling and laughing as they warm up for their showdown with the Kolbe-Cathedral Cougars at Central Connecticut State University.
It's the first time an East Lyme girls basketball team will get a shot at a state championship, something that three other schools have already claimed this Saturday.
Former Tourtellotte High School head coach took his new team, Bloomfield, to a state title as it won the Class S championship. The team that took out Montville in the Class M semifinals, Avon, captured the title with a win over Morgan. The surprise of the day came in the Class LL final when Career Magnet bested the team that was playing in its hometown, New Britain, 71-66.
That Career-New Britain game, not surprisingly, also drew the largest crowd of the day. Although people are still filing in to the gym, the crowd will not be as impressive as it was for the LL final.
Just about 20 minutes from game time, the Vikings have been smiling and laughing as they warm up for their showdown with the Kolbe-Cathedral Cougars at Central Connecticut State University.
It's the first time an East Lyme girls basketball team will get a shot at a state championship, something that three other schools have already claimed this Saturday.
Former Tourtellotte High School head coach took his new team, Bloomfield, to a state title as it won the Class S championship. The team that took out Montville in the Class M semifinals, Avon, captured the title with a win over Morgan. The surprise of the day came in the Class LL final when Career Magnet bested the team that was playing in its hometown, New Britain, 71-66.
That Career-New Britain game, not surprisingly, also drew the largest crowd of the day. Although people are still filing in to the gym, the crowd will not be as impressive as it was for the LL final.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
This is a tough time of year to be a high school senior athlete.
Take, for instance, the Montville girls basketball team Wednesday night.
"I was trying to hold it in, but I came over here (where her team was) and some of the young girls are crying and saying they're going to miss us," Montville guard Caitlin Quinn said.
That was after the Indians lost to the Avon Falcons 47-35 in a Class M girls basketball semifinal game at Norwich Free Academy. The furthest Montville had ever advanced in the girls basketball tournament.
"It's tough having them leave," Montville coach Derek Wainwright said of Quinn and Lindsay Stergio.
"I have never coached without them and, from day one, it was supposed to be a four-year process with the goal being a state title this year.I watched those kids grow from freshman, getting the (heck) beaten out of them by teams every single day. They stuck with it and they're going to leave a legacy here. This is the best girls team Montville has had."
Montville's loss leaves just one local girls basketball team in the hunt for a state championship. East Lyme will battle Kolbe Cathedral at 8 p.m. Saturday at Central Connecticut State University.
Take, for instance, the Montville girls basketball team Wednesday night.
"I was trying to hold it in, but I came over here (where her team was) and some of the young girls are crying and saying they're going to miss us," Montville guard Caitlin Quinn said.
That was after the Indians lost to the Avon Falcons 47-35 in a Class M girls basketball semifinal game at Norwich Free Academy. The furthest Montville had ever advanced in the girls basketball tournament.
"It's tough having them leave," Montville coach Derek Wainwright said of Quinn and Lindsay Stergio.
"I have never coached without them and, from day one, it was supposed to be a four-year process with the goal being a state title this year.I watched those kids grow from freshman, getting the (heck) beaten out of them by teams every single day. They stuck with it and they're going to leave a legacy here. This is the best girls team Montville has had."
Montville's loss leaves just one local girls basketball team in the hunt for a state championship. East Lyme will battle Kolbe Cathedral at 8 p.m. Saturday at Central Connecticut State University.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Everyone knew how many points R.J. Evans needed to reach 2,000 for his career Tuesday night but was the NFA senior forward counting?
Evans put down 14 of the 16 points that he needed in the first quarter and scored the first basket of the second quarter to reach the milestone rather quickly in a 74-49 win over Staples in the first round of the Class LL state tournament.
"I was just playing, I wasn't thinking about points or anything," Evans said. "I just came out playing and my team played did well."
"So happy," fellow guard Wes Murphy said. "He's one of my greatest friends and one of the best basketball players I have ever seen. I love playing with him."
2,000 points in a high school career may seem more commonplace now that both Evans and Stonington's Heather Buck reached that number this season. But both were the first in the history of their respective programs and both were only the second player ever to score 2,000 points in their schools. Alex Jensen reached the mark for Stonington, Krista Rappahahn for NFA.
"Tremendous accomplishment," NFA coach Neal Curland said. "Four years of hard work and he can score, there's no question about that. That's a lot of points."
Evans put down 14 of the 16 points that he needed in the first quarter and scored the first basket of the second quarter to reach the milestone rather quickly in a 74-49 win over Staples in the first round of the Class LL state tournament.
"I was just playing, I wasn't thinking about points or anything," Evans said. "I just came out playing and my team played did well."
"So happy," fellow guard Wes Murphy said. "He's one of my greatest friends and one of the best basketball players I have ever seen. I love playing with him."
2,000 points in a high school career may seem more commonplace now that both Evans and Stonington's Heather Buck reached that number this season. But both were the first in the history of their respective programs and both were only the second player ever to score 2,000 points in their schools. Alex Jensen reached the mark for Stonington, Krista Rappahahn for NFA.
"Tremendous accomplishment," NFA coach Neal Curland said. "Four years of hard work and he can score, there's no question about that. That's a lot of points."
Monday, March 3, 2008
Reaching 1,000 points in a career is a great achievement for any high school basketball player and is, fittingly, celebrated.
Hitting 2,000 points in a career is another thing entirely.
That's 500 points a season or about 25 points a game in a 20-game season. Some, if they're lucky enough to play for teams who qualify for post-season play might see 24 or 25 games in a season, but few achieve the milestone.
That's what makes it so special.
Stonington's Heather Buck did so earlier this season, but it looks like she will be joined by another special player on Tuesday.
Norwich Free Academy senior R.J. Evans needs only 16 points at home against Staples in a Class LL first-round state tournament game to also eclipse the 2,000 point mark.
It just goes to show how special this high school basketball season has truly been. Three future Division-I boys basketball players in the Eastern Connecticut Conference, unheard of.
The crowd at New London on Friday night to watch NFA play the Whalers for the ECC Championship- spectacular.
The end of Heather Buck's high school career- why so soon?
Hope you enjoyed it, it may be awhile before it happens again.
Hitting 2,000 points in a career is another thing entirely.
That's 500 points a season or about 25 points a game in a 20-game season. Some, if they're lucky enough to play for teams who qualify for post-season play might see 24 or 25 games in a season, but few achieve the milestone.
That's what makes it so special.
Stonington's Heather Buck did so earlier this season, but it looks like she will be joined by another special player on Tuesday.
Norwich Free Academy senior R.J. Evans needs only 16 points at home against Staples in a Class LL first-round state tournament game to also eclipse the 2,000 point mark.
It just goes to show how special this high school basketball season has truly been. Three future Division-I boys basketball players in the Eastern Connecticut Conference, unheard of.
The crowd at New London on Friday night to watch NFA play the Whalers for the ECC Championship- spectacular.
The end of Heather Buck's high school career- why so soon?
Hope you enjoyed it, it may be awhile before it happens again.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
It was the last hurrah for Heather on Saturday night although, clearly, she didn't want it to be.
Heather Buck, the Stonington center who is bound for UConn next year, did everything she could to keep her Stonington Bears in the Class L state tournament. She scored 39 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and played defense wherever she was needed.
In the end, East Lyme just found too many weapons as the Vikings scored from where ever Buck was not present; beyond the 3-point arc, driving the back door, getting rebounds on the weak side.
Buck held back the tears afterward as she realized her storied, four-year high school career had come to an end.
But she will have plenty to look fondly back on, a state championship, 2000-plus career points and just about every award conceived.
The nice thing for those who have followed her career, they won't have to go far to continue to watch her progress as she takes her show to UConn to play for the best women's college team in the nation.
She may have been a little saddened last night, but Heather Buck has plenty to be happy about too.
Just a little aside, the state semifinal sites have been set. East Lyme will play Pomperaug at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Branford High School in Class L. Also on Tuesday, the Wheeler Lions meet Bloomfield at 6 p.m. in Manchester. On Wednesday, Montville stays close to home as it meets Avon in a Class M semifinal at 6 p.m. at NFA.
Heather Buck, the Stonington center who is bound for UConn next year, did everything she could to keep her Stonington Bears in the Class L state tournament. She scored 39 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and played defense wherever she was needed.
In the end, East Lyme just found too many weapons as the Vikings scored from where ever Buck was not present; beyond the 3-point arc, driving the back door, getting rebounds on the weak side.
Buck held back the tears afterward as she realized her storied, four-year high school career had come to an end.
But she will have plenty to look fondly back on, a state championship, 2000-plus career points and just about every award conceived.
The nice thing for those who have followed her career, they won't have to go far to continue to watch her progress as she takes her show to UConn to play for the best women's college team in the nation.
She may have been a little saddened last night, but Heather Buck has plenty to be happy about too.
Just a little aside, the state semifinal sites have been set. East Lyme will play Pomperaug at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Branford High School in Class L. Also on Tuesday, the Wheeler Lions meet Bloomfield at 6 p.m. in Manchester. On Wednesday, Montville stays close to home as it meets Avon in a Class M semifinal at 6 p.m. at NFA.
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