Football

The North Branford football team was on the road to face Nonnewaug in a Pequot League Sassacus Division contest at Oxford High School last week. The Thunderbirds routed Nonnewaug by the final score of 41-14 to improve to 2-1 overall with a record of 1-1 in the division.

The Thunderbirds stormed Nonnewaug (0-3, 0-2) by rushing for 283 yards and three touchdowns in the victory. Junior Nick Mancini scored two of those touchdowns to help the T-Birds build a 21-13 lead before North Branford scored the last three TDs to win it going way. Mancini gained 142 yards on 16 carries for the T-Birds.

North Branford put up the game’s first points in the opening quarter when senior Jeff Jablonski threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to freshman Tyler Dinapoli. Senior Jarrett Cacopardo kicked the extra point and it was 7-0. Mancini broke off a 15-yard TD run in the second quarter to extend the lead to 14-0. After Nonnewaug got on the board with a 50-yard touchdown run, Mancini’s 1-yard TD rush made it 21-7 at halftime.

In the third quarter, Nonnewaug used a 1-yard touchdown run to draw within 21-13, but senior Sydney Franklin’s 40-yard punt return gave the T-Birds some insurance with a 27-13 advantage entering the final frame. In the fourth, Dinapoli picked off a pass and returned it 34 yards for his second touchdown of the game and a 34-13 lead. Later on, junior Lou Raffone crossed the goal line from 12 yards out for North Branford’s final TD of the night. Cacopardo booted his fifth extra point and the T-Birds left town with a 41-14 blowout.

In addition to Mancini’s big game on the ground, Jablonski rushed six times for 38 yards, while Franklin gained 47 yards on just two carries. Jablonski also went 4-of-8 passing for 32 yards and the TD to Dinapoli, who caught six passes for 64 yards.

On defense, Dinapoli had the pick-six, and Franklin also intercepted a pass for North Branford. Dinapoli and Mancini recorded two sacks apiece, while Franklin and juniors Erich Fruin and Nick DeNegre both had one sack in the win. North Branford’s leading tacklers were Mancini (12), freshman Jamison O’Brien (10), and Franklin (9).

North Branford’s next game is on its home turf of Colafati Field on Friday, Sept. 29, when Sassacus Division rival Morgan (0-3, 0-2) comes to town for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

Girls’ Soccer

North Branford netted a 4-1 victory at Westbrook on Sept. 19, after which the T-Birds prevailed 3-0 in a home game against East Hampton on Sept. 23.

During the previous week, North Branford beat Old Saybrook 1-0 behind a goal from Lexie Rosado. Later that week, North Branford defeated Morgan 2-1 as Ava Pavic scored a goal from Rosado, after which Amanda Bouffard found the back of the net for the Thunderbirds.

Boys’ Soccer

The Thunderbirds notched a win that was sandwiched in between a loss and a tie last week. North Branford now has a record of 2-3-1 for the year.

North Branford began last week by taking a 3-0 defeat in Westbrook on Sept. 18. On Sept. 20, the T-Birds had a road game against Innovation and won by the score of 3-0. Two days after that, North Branford hosted East Hampton, the two clubs played to a 1-1 draw.

Field Hockey

North Branford picked up a few more victories and a tie to remain undefeated with a record of 6-0-1 in the 2017 campaign. The T-Birds defeated East Lyme, Westbrook, and Old Saybrook to go with a tie versus Sacred Heart Academy in their most recent contests.

After blanking East Lyme 4-0 at home on Sept. 16, the Thunderbirds played to a 2-2 with Sacred Heart Academy on Sept. 18 in another non-conference contest. Emmy Norton and Ava Galdenzi scored North Branford’s goals in this game. Galdenzi had an assist, as did Angelina Ramada.

Two days later, North Branford had a game at Westbrook and prevailed 5-0 against the defending Shoreline Conference and Class S state co-champions.

Then on Sept. 22, the T-Birds posted a 3-2 home victory over Old Saybrook.

Volleyball

The T-Birds hit the court for a trio of home contests in last week’s action. North Branford took three defeats to stand with a record of 1-6 on the season.

On Sept. 18, North Branford lost a 3-0 home match against Cromwell. Two days later, the T-Birds faced Ansonia at home and lost by a 3-0 score. North Branford closed out the week by dropping a 3-0 decision versus Haddam-Killingworth.