What team ever wants to face a No. 22 seed that's caught fire at the end of the regular season? Guilford softball wore its ranking like a badge of honor all the way to the Class L semifinals, scaring teams silly as it went. Add in a boys' lacrosse squad that competed with the state's elite teams and a boys' tennis team that was runner-up in the Class MM State Tournament (with no seniors) and Guilford was a juggernaut last spring.

Softball

Guilford softball cast off every label that could be applied to its magic season-Cinderella, sleeper, underdog. When it came to the Class L state playoffs, the Indians' 13-11 record meant nothing as they scared the daylights out of some of the state's most highly touted teams. Not since 1993 (when the Indians lost to Ledyard 1-0 in the state championship) had Guilford done so well on the softball diamond.

After a slow start, Coach Steve Zajac's crew found its groove at just the right time-the Class L tournament. The No. 22 seed, Guilford beat No. 11 Bethel on the road, got on the bus to beat No. 6 Bristol Eastern the next day, and then recorded a stunning 3-0 shutout of No. 3 Daniel Hand in the quarterfinals. Only when Guilford faced Darien in the semifinals did it falter, losing 3-1.

Senior Katie Hobson pitched the corners with skill, earning Team MVP and All-SCC honors, as well as a spot on the Class L/LL Senior All-Star Game and the Umpires' Senior All-Star Game. Classmates Ali Kennedy (also an Umpires' Senior All-Star Game selection) and Shannon Page rounded out a strong senior class that had help from a team that improved with experience, including freshman Leah Torre (3B) who led the team with a .391 batting average; sophomore Tory Brinkley (SS), an All-SCC Hammonasset selection; and freshman Jordyn Panicali (OF), who hit .358 in the second half of the season and earned Most Improved Player honors. The team Sportsmanship Award went to Kennedy, while Chelsea Nault received the Coaches' Award.

Baseball

Its 6-14 record kept Guilford baseball out of the SCC and state playoffs, but the Indians' focus was on the future. Class L state champions just two years ago, Guilford continued to feel the ripples of that status; a tough schedule gave the young squad a baptism of fire courtesy of the state's toughest teams. Quality wins against Foran and Notre Dame-West Haven showed the Indians' promise, but a series of one- and two-run losses took their toll.

Senior captains Dustin Miconi, Matt Anthonis, and Dennis McGinley gave the Indians experience along with seniors Jameson Altieri and Jonathan Christoff. McGinley, always steady at first base and at the plate in his fine career at Guilford, earned All-SCC Hammonasset honors and was selected to the Senior All-Star team.

Girls' Lacrosse

A disappointing 4-11-1 season for Guilford girls' lacrosse didn't diminish their achievements and growth as a team. A one-goal triumph over Amity and a close to a powerful Daniel Hand squad showed the Indians' potential.

Senior tri-captains Holly Davis, Eliza Summerlin, and Rachel Hoey blazed the trail, aided by classmates Samantha Poccia, Katherine Bogue, and Erica Drake. Guilford had no trouble scoring (six games were in double-digits), but the talented teams of the SCC also found Guilford's net, creating for high-scoring contests the Indians lost late in the game. But a hard-fought 14-13 win over Amity broke that mold and showed a glimpse of Guilford's future.

Coach Jodi Rebhun graduates just three key players (Davis, Summerlin, and Hoey) so the 2010 season should be fun. Davis was a First Team All-SCC selection this season, while Summerlin was named to the All-SCC Second Team and was an All-State Academic selection. Hoey-whose absence due to injury was a big gap for the Indians all season-was an All-SCC first team selection as a junior in 2008.

Boys' Lacrosse

Long a program on the cusp of greatness, Guilford took bold strides in 2009 and no step was bigger than the Indians' battle with powerhouse Fairfield Prep. The Jesuits claimed a one-goal win, but Guilford claimed its place with the state's elite teams-four of its six losses were to the eventual Class L and Class M state champions.

The Indians' 12-4 regular-season record (14-6 overall) was guided by Coach Brian White and fueled by offensive juggernauts AJ Leary and brother Kevin Leary (co-captains and attack linemates). Game-savvy seniors Aaron Davis, Brian Duggan, Carl Jeppesen, Nick Colonese, Stewart Lamberton, Tom LoRicco, Nick Faulkner-Filosa, and Stephen D'Addio gave the team valuable experience essential to winning the close games that had eluded Guilford in the past.

AJ Leary was named First Team All-SCC and First Team All-State, while Kevin Leary was tapped for Second Team All-SCC and Second Team All-State.

Joining Leary on the All-SCC Second Team were Aaron Davis, Stewart Lamberton, and goaltender Adam Dear, who was a key factor in many of Guilford's wins.

Golf

The Indians had another solid year on the links in 2009, going 16-6 and sharing the SCC Hammonasset division title. Captains Eric Hedberg and Parker Sulkowsky (the team's only senior) were aided by Kevin Ricker, Dom Golia (voted the team's Most Improved Player), and Zach Gilhuly.

In addition to the division co-championship, the Indians placed ninth in the state tournament. Hedberg was named to the All-SCC team and Ricker was a State Medalist, going on to finish eighth in the New England competition. With his top golfers returning in 2010, Coach Art Fonicello said he hopes to "carry the mojo into next year."

Girls' Tennis

The graduation of Aubrey Brookes in 2008 (an All-State selection and the New Haven Register girls' tennis MVP) made 2009 a question mark for veteran Coach Frank Kelley, but Guilford girls' tennis still had its No. 2, 3, and 4 singles players returning, as well as players with doubles experience, including the top combo of Annie Snedegar and Annie Goodrich. The Indians did just fine, led by senior tri-captains (Anne Ulles, Emily Fisher, and Alex Bohner) and classmate Sara North. Other key players (Annie Snedegar, Caroline Snedegar, Anne Goodrich, Lindsay Ruotolo, Kristen Colberg, Angelise Musterer, Demi Chen, and Kierstyn Levy) helped the Indians earn a 13-6 (7-4 SCC) and the SCC Division II title.

Boys' Tennis

Guilford boys' tennis finished as the runner-up for the Class M title in 2009 and did it without any senior starters. It's a safe bet that Coach Andy Raucci will use that as a motivator in 2010, as well as the Indians' state doubles championship the year before. But Guilford (10-7) still had a fine season, winning its sixth consecutive Hammonasset Division title and qualifying for its third consecutive SCC Conference Tournament.

Nick Hyzak, at No. 1 singles, lost in the state quarterfinals to top-seeded Darien, while the doubles combo of Leon Zhang/David Chen advanced all the way to the quarterfinals before losing, like Hyzak, to Darien. But Guilford's 13 points were enough for second place out of 30 teams. Hyzak, Jeff Zhang, Kyle Gaboury, and Al Lluberes were All-SCC Hammonasset selections.

Crew

Guilford competed in the 10th annual Connecticut Public Schools Rowing Championships in May, joining 11 other teams in the regatta held at Lake Waramaug in New Preston. Started in 2000 by Simsbury High School, the regatta crowns state champions in four- and eight-person boats in both boys' and girls' divisions.

Guilford's Lake Quonnipaug-based program medaled for the fourth year in the girls' 4 championship, finishing third for the bronze medal. On the boys' side, Coach Will Thompson's squads were very competitive, racing particularly well in the Varsity 2nd boat event where Guilford missed the final by a matter of feet. The boys' 1st boat ran well in the heats, but did not qualify for the final round.

Boys' Track and Field

Guilford boys' outdoor track was in rebuilding mode and although the young team finished 0-8, the learning curve will help in 2010. Coach Jon Faitsch augmented the Indians' strength in distance events by training athletes for throwing events. One of them, senior Mike Ficorilli, in just his first year of competition in the shot put and discus, established himself as one of the better throwers in the SCC and was named the team's Most Improved Athlete.

Captains Mike Heinemann and John Landock led the way for Guilford, aided by Ficorilli and Jeff Moretti, a long-distance specialist who won both the 1,600 and 3,200 against Jonathan Law and qualified for the state tournament in both events.

Girls' Track and Field

Coach Jon Rivera's squad took ninth place at both the SCC Tournament and the Class MM State Championships with seniors Katherine Crabtree, Kelsey Proctor, and Kathleen Elliott leading the way in the distance events. The 4x800 relay combo of Courtney Miller, Stephanie Sulkowski, Elliott, Lauren Villano, Valerie Williams, and Kelsey Proctor was especially strong, placing third at the Class MM meet, and senior Janel Haggerty also had yet another excellent season in both the hurdles and high jump. Crabtree and Proctor closed their stellar high school careers in fine form at the New England Track and Field Championships where Crabtree had a 13th-place finish in the 1,600, while Proctor set a school record in the steeplechase with a time of 7:22.64, good enough for fifth place out of 47 competitors.