The St. Bernard boys cross country team saw Justin Missey-Higgins win the Class S boys cross country individual state title today at Wickham Park in Manchester and right behind the junior in third place was senior teammate Joe Massad.
"I didn't really expect it, I thought we would go 2-3," Massad said about the pretty spectacular finish for the Saints."I thought the kid from East Hampton was going to win the race, but when I saw Justin pull ahead, I knew he had it all the way."
That was the good news for the Saints, the bad news came a bit later. Despite the first and third-place individual finishes for the Saints, St. Bernard placed third as a team, one spot out of automatically qualifying as a team for Friday's State Open.
"I thought it was between us and East Hampton (for second), so when I heard Thomaston was fourth, I was like 'Oh no'," St. Bernard coach Steve Moon said.
"It would be nice to get to the Open, that's our goal, but we ran our best and I can't ask for any more."
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Mirecki, LeClair finish in top ten
Brianne Mirecki of East Lyme was the top local finisher in the girls Class L race at the CIAC state championship cross country races today.
Mirecki finished seventh overall and qualified for the State Open championship next Friday.
"I'm happy with that, you can't ask any more from your first season (in cross country)," the junior said of the top ten finish.
Brandy LeClair of Fitch finished ninth overall.
Mirecki finished seventh overall and qualified for the State Open championship next Friday.
"I'm happy with that, you can't ask any more from your first season (in cross country)," the junior said of the top ten finish.
Brandy LeClair of Fitch finished ninth overall.
Chilly, raw day awaits cross country runners
They won't have any worries about overheating today.
An overcast, breezy and raw day has so far greeted high school cross country runners for today's state championship races at Wickham Park in Manchester.
The first race, featuring the Class L girls, is off on time at 9:30 a.m. this morning. East Lyme and Fitch are the only two local schools involved in the first race. One unusual event has already taken place, the Class L girls were recalled to the starting line as officials weren't happy with the start of the race.
Fitch runs in the Class L boys championship race at 10:05 a.m. with the NFA girls running in the Class LL race at 10:35 a.m.
An overcast, breezy and raw day has so far greeted high school cross country runners for today's state championship races at Wickham Park in Manchester.
The first race, featuring the Class L girls, is off on time at 9:30 a.m. this morning. East Lyme and Fitch are the only two local schools involved in the first race. One unusual event has already taken place, the Class L girls were recalled to the starting line as officials weren't happy with the start of the race.
Fitch runs in the Class L boys championship race at 10:05 a.m. with the NFA girls running in the Class LL race at 10:35 a.m.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Small school football lives
People stood on the sidelines talking shop.
The sidelines were cordial to one another.
And the game on the field was competitive.
Welcome to small school football which was on display Saturday at Ellis Tech in Danielson.
The Putnam Clippers and Tourtellotte/Ellis Tech Tigers won't win any championships this year so these are the games they cherish- the games against one another for bragging rights.
Putnam was coming off games against Montville, Stonington and defending state champion, Ledyard. Tourtellotte/Ellis Tech opened with Waterford, St. Bernard and Plainfield.
"We're having a tough time in Northeastern Connecticut," Tigers coach Tim Panteleakos said. "I know the youth leagues are working their (backsides) off, and we're getting better. Games like this give our kids a chance to work their butts off and to stretch their abilities and reach a little higher."
The Clippers are still undermanned, only 27 players, 12 of them on the varsity level. The Tigers have about double that number, but are overstocked with freshmen and sophomores.
It was their chance to shine on Saturday and several, like Putnam running back Brian Gardner, did. The senior scored three times and rushed for 116 yards in addition to doing just about everything else for the Clippers.
It was a fun day for these two small school programs, but those fun days are fewer in number than both would like.
Will Putnam, and for that matter, Tourtellotte stay in the ECC much longer?
That's a harder question to answer as Putnam's first-year athletic director Pat Devine continues to explore the possibilities for Putnam including a possible jump to the Constitution State Conference, one of the few conferences left on this side of the state to offer refuge to small school programs.
Consider one thing, if Putnam and Tourtellotte do join the CSC, it will almost re-create the old Quinebaug Valley Conference. Ellis Tech, Windham Tech, Grasso Tech, Norwich Tech, Parish Hill and Holy Family are all former QVC members.
It will be just like old times again, and that may be a good thing for these two schools.
The sidelines were cordial to one another.
And the game on the field was competitive.
Welcome to small school football which was on display Saturday at Ellis Tech in Danielson.
The Putnam Clippers and Tourtellotte/Ellis Tech Tigers won't win any championships this year so these are the games they cherish- the games against one another for bragging rights.
Putnam was coming off games against Montville, Stonington and defending state champion, Ledyard. Tourtellotte/Ellis Tech opened with Waterford, St. Bernard and Plainfield.
"We're having a tough time in Northeastern Connecticut," Tigers coach Tim Panteleakos said. "I know the youth leagues are working their (backsides) off, and we're getting better. Games like this give our kids a chance to work their butts off and to stretch their abilities and reach a little higher."
The Clippers are still undermanned, only 27 players, 12 of them on the varsity level. The Tigers have about double that number, but are overstocked with freshmen and sophomores.
It was their chance to shine on Saturday and several, like Putnam running back Brian Gardner, did. The senior scored three times and rushed for 116 yards in addition to doing just about everything else for the Clippers.
It was a fun day for these two small school programs, but those fun days are fewer in number than both would like.
Will Putnam, and for that matter, Tourtellotte stay in the ECC much longer?
That's a harder question to answer as Putnam's first-year athletic director Pat Devine continues to explore the possibilities for Putnam including a possible jump to the Constitution State Conference, one of the few conferences left on this side of the state to offer refuge to small school programs.
Consider one thing, if Putnam and Tourtellotte do join the CSC, it will almost re-create the old Quinebaug Valley Conference. Ellis Tech, Windham Tech, Grasso Tech, Norwich Tech, Parish Hill and Holy Family are all former QVC members.
It will be just like old times again, and that may be a good thing for these two schools.
Friday, October 17, 2008
ECC AD's try again
The Eastern Connecticut Conference athletic directors meet this morning to, once again, discuss next year's alignment for the league.
Let's give them a helping hand.
Let's concede that football is a different animal and that maybe, just maybe, we have to look at it a little differently.
I propose a one-year plan from now on, let's re-evaluate and re-align every season.
Crazy?
Not really.
By doing so, the league could insure parity and a bit of harmony. Not everyone will be happy, of course, but a little common sense injected into the arguments and a look at each other's roster for the upcoming season and the knowledge that it's just for one year might bring about consensus.
Here's my plan for 2009.
Large Division: NFA, East Lyme, Fitch, New London and Ledyard.
(Ledyard will argue that its now smaller, by enrollment, than Bacon Academy. But the Colonels program is much more suited for the Large Division.)
Medium Division: Waterford, Windham, Griswold, St. Bernard, Montville, Stonington
(The Saints have proven themselves and can play these Medium Division schools, they can also take on a Large school or two. Griswold is smaller than Plainfield but has a program better suited for the Medium Division. Stonington and Montville are not Small Division teams and shouldn't pass themselves off as one.)
Small Division: Plainfield, Putnam,Tourtellotte/Ellis Tech, Bacon Academy, Woodstock, Killingly
(Bacon Academy and Woodstock are Large Division schools but neither football program is ready for that kind of competition. Tourtellotte/Ellis Tech is a co-op but certainly is not capable of playing up right now. Plainfield will lose 20 seniors this year.)
Remember, this is a one-year deal. If Ledyard's program falls on hard times or if Bacon or Woodstock suddenly emerge as powerhouses, the order can change the following year.
Just my thoughts.
What are yours?
In any case, we'll find out when the league principals meet on October 28th.
Let's give them a helping hand.
Let's concede that football is a different animal and that maybe, just maybe, we have to look at it a little differently.
I propose a one-year plan from now on, let's re-evaluate and re-align every season.
Crazy?
Not really.
By doing so, the league could insure parity and a bit of harmony. Not everyone will be happy, of course, but a little common sense injected into the arguments and a look at each other's roster for the upcoming season and the knowledge that it's just for one year might bring about consensus.
Here's my plan for 2009.
Large Division: NFA, East Lyme, Fitch, New London and Ledyard.
(Ledyard will argue that its now smaller, by enrollment, than Bacon Academy. But the Colonels program is much more suited for the Large Division.)
Medium Division: Waterford, Windham, Griswold, St. Bernard, Montville, Stonington
(The Saints have proven themselves and can play these Medium Division schools, they can also take on a Large school or two. Griswold is smaller than Plainfield but has a program better suited for the Medium Division. Stonington and Montville are not Small Division teams and shouldn't pass themselves off as one.)
Small Division: Plainfield, Putnam,Tourtellotte/Ellis Tech, Bacon Academy, Woodstock, Killingly
(Bacon Academy and Woodstock are Large Division schools but neither football program is ready for that kind of competition. Tourtellotte/Ellis Tech is a co-op but certainly is not capable of playing up right now. Plainfield will lose 20 seniors this year.)
Remember, this is a one-year deal. If Ledyard's program falls on hard times or if Bacon or Woodstock suddenly emerge as powerhouses, the order can change the following year.
Just my thoughts.
What are yours?
In any case, we'll find out when the league principals meet on October 28th.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Woodstock now the team to beat
The Centaurs now own the target.
Woodstock's win over Bacon Academy Tuesday afternoon established them as the team that everyone else in the Eastern Connecticut Conference aspires to be this season in girls soccer.
Both the Bobcats and Centaurs went into the game riding nine-game win streaks, Woodstock's extended to 10 as it nipped Bacon in Colchester 2-1.
The problem for the Centaurs; It ain't over yet.
Woodstock has won plenty of respect around the league but still has some work to do before the ECC Large Division crown is theirs.
That work begins later on this week when the Centaurs meet Ledyard on Thursday and NFA on Friday night.
The one thing the Bacon win did bring was more in the way of confidence.
"It's a big win," junior Jess Little said. "We're all so excited that we won. We all knew that we could win, but we did win and that's all that matters."
Woodstock's win over Bacon Academy Tuesday afternoon established them as the team that everyone else in the Eastern Connecticut Conference aspires to be this season in girls soccer.
Both the Bobcats and Centaurs went into the game riding nine-game win streaks, Woodstock's extended to 10 as it nipped Bacon in Colchester 2-1.
The problem for the Centaurs; It ain't over yet.
Woodstock has won plenty of respect around the league but still has some work to do before the ECC Large Division crown is theirs.
That work begins later on this week when the Centaurs meet Ledyard on Thursday and NFA on Friday night.
The one thing the Bacon win did bring was more in the way of confidence.
"It's a big win," junior Jess Little said. "We're all so excited that we won. We all knew that we could win, but we did win and that's all that matters."
Thursday, October 9, 2008
ECC looks at changes
Jim O'Neill once said to me that he could put together the perfect schedule for everyone very easily.
O'Neill, the former New London and Waterford athletic director and one of the architects of the expanded Eastern Connecticut Conference, said it's simple really.
All you have to do is guarantee each high school nine football games, all of them guaranteed wins and eight of them on their home field.
Like he said; simple.
Tell that to the ECC principals, athletic directors and principals.
A conference re-alignment is always fun with everyone lobbying for what's in the best interest of their school, not necessarily the league.
Take the co-op question as an example. There are some that want to see the cooperatives placed based on their enrollment which catapults Tourtellotte/Ellis Tech and St. Bernard/Norwich Tech into either the Medium or Large Division.
I can't wait to see all those Tourtellotte/NFA or Tourtellotte/New London games, can you?
St.Bernard is in a different boat, the Saints are very competitive. The question will be can you look at two co-ops in separate ways?
That's just one of the questions, there are more.
The league football coaches voted for a two-division format. That didn't fly with the athletic directors who yesterday voted for a five (Large), five (Medium), six (Small) divisional breakdown.
I get the idea that will change by the time the principals decide things on October 28th.
After all this is the ECC where it's all for one, not one for all.
O'Neill, the former New London and Waterford athletic director and one of the architects of the expanded Eastern Connecticut Conference, said it's simple really.
All you have to do is guarantee each high school nine football games, all of them guaranteed wins and eight of them on their home field.
Like he said; simple.
Tell that to the ECC principals, athletic directors and principals.
A conference re-alignment is always fun with everyone lobbying for what's in the best interest of their school, not necessarily the league.
Take the co-op question as an example. There are some that want to see the cooperatives placed based on their enrollment which catapults Tourtellotte/Ellis Tech and St. Bernard/Norwich Tech into either the Medium or Large Division.
I can't wait to see all those Tourtellotte/NFA or Tourtellotte/New London games, can you?
St.Bernard is in a different boat, the Saints are very competitive. The question will be can you look at two co-ops in separate ways?
That's just one of the questions, there are more.
The league football coaches voted for a two-division format. That didn't fly with the athletic directors who yesterday voted for a five (Large), five (Medium), six (Small) divisional breakdown.
I get the idea that will change by the time the principals decide things on October 28th.
After all this is the ECC where it's all for one, not one for all.
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