Boys’ Indoor Track

Marzio Mastroianni set a school record for the Branford boys’ indoor track team in the 600-meter run when he took first place in the event at a Southern Connecticut Conference Developmental Meet. Mastroianni, a senior, also ran on the Hornets’ victorious 4x800 relay at the meet, which was held at Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven on Dec. 17.

Mastroianni ran a time of 1:26.64 for his school record performance in the 600. The senior defeated runner-up Elliot Faulkner of Wilbur Cross (1:27.61) by a little less than a second to win it, while also qualifying for the Class M State Championship. In the 4x800 relay, Branford’s team of senior Aidan Kropiwnicki, junior Andrew Betzig, Mastroianni, and senior Matt Daley claimed first place with a time of 8:36.22 to defeat second-place Lyman Hall (8:41.48) and also qualify for states.

Senior Matt Alexander had a nice meet in the jumping events for the Hornets. Alexander finished fourth in the long jump with a distance of 19 feet-0.5 inches to go with a fifth-place finish in the high jump by clearing 5 feet-8 inches, making states in both events. Kropiwnicki qualified for the Class M meet in the pole vault with a height of 10 feet, earning him a fourth-place finish. He also took 10th place in the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 9.06 seconds.

In the 4x200 relay, Branford’s unit of Alexander, senior Carlos McCaay, junior Andrew Wirtz, and senior Brandon Perez finished in 11th place with a time of 1:41.07 to qualify for states. McCaay also made states in the 55-meter dash by finishing 21st with a time of 7.05 for Head Coach Rich Biondi’s team

“There were many positives to take away from this early season meet. Marzio had an impressive night, earning two first places and breaking the school record. He has set high expectations, and he is working hard to accomplish his goals,” Biondi said. “This senior class—led by captains Justin Dombrowski, Aidan Kropiwnicki, Brandon Perez, and Marzio—have provided great leadership, and it is a tight group. They want to perform well in the championship meets and are focusing on peaking in early February.”

Additionally at the meet, Daley raced to seventh place in the 1,000 behind a time of 2:53.09. Dombrowski cleared 9-6 to take seventh in the pole vault, an event in which Borst (15th, 8-0), junior Joe Youn (16th, 8-0), and sophomore Julian DiLauro (18th, 7-6) also competed for the Hornets. In the high jump, Perez finished in 11th place by clearing 5-4, while freshman Tyler Jarvis finished 25th (5-0). Senior Scott Nolan finished 16th (1:34.51) in the 600 with Betzig taking 22nd place (1:35.86). Senior Hunter Giordano came in 27th place in the shot put with a throw of 35-2.25.

Girls’ Indoor Track

The Hornets were represented by several athletes when they competed at last week’s SCC Developmental Meet at Floyd Little Athletic Center on Dec. 18.

Branford saw a pair of relays finish in 15th place at the meet. The Hornets’ 4x200 relay of junior Rose Lockery, freshman Katie Laska, senior Liante Claude, and sophomore Alisa Gueco posted a time of 1:59.52 to take 15th place. The 4x800 relay of junior Juli Dillon, senior Khusbu Shrestha, freshman Bella Finta, and freshman Alayna Boileau finished 15th by running a time of 11:55.19.

Lockery turned in Branford’s top individual performance by finishing 17th in the 55-meter dash with a time of 7.96 seconds. Finta took 35th place in the 1,000 (3:52.99), junior Hailey Brunner finished 40th in the 55 hurdles (12.14), and junior Mia DuPuis came in 40th for the shot put with a throw of 23 feet-8.25 inches.

Girls’ Ice Hockey

The Wings hosted Hand-Coginchaug-Old Lyme for a Southern Connecticut Conference game last week. Branford-North Branford-Sheehan-Lyman Hall (B-NB-S-LH) prevailed 9-2 against the Tigers at DiLungo Rink to move to 3-1 on the season.

Junior Sophia Caturano scored three goals for a hat trick to lead the Wings. Freshman Meagan Montenaro and sophomore Molly Donegan each scored two goals, while junior Emma Sheehan and sophomore Ashleen Keating both had an assist. Junior Christina Meadows turned in a solid performance in goal for Head Coach Jack Norton’s squad, keeping the game scoreless through the first period, before the Wings’ offense broke loose.

Boys’ Ice Hockey

Branford hosted Southern Connecticut Conference rival North Haven at Northford Ice Pavilion on Dec. 29. The Hornets played the Indians to a 2-2 draw and are now 0-1-1 on the year.

Branford took an early 1-0 lead when Jack Manware scored a goal on an assist from fellow junior Spencer Engstrom a little more than a minute into the game. North Haven scored a goal to tie the game 1-1 in the final seconds of the period. About five minutes into the second, Rob Lionetti scored from fellow senior Max Bunton to give the Hornets a 2-1 advantage entering the third. North Haven scored with about nine minutes left to play to make it 2-2, which held up as the final score after neither team was able to net the go-ahead goal during the remainder of regulation or in the overtime period. Sophomore Jared Yakimoff made 18 saves in goal for Head Coach Jim DiNapoli’s club.

Girls’ Basketball

Branford split a pair of matchups in last week’s action. The Hornets posted a victory versus Sacred Heart Academy, before losing to East Haven later in the week. Branford stands with a record of 2-1 in the early goings of its first campaign with new Head Coach Rob Manghnani.

On the heels of defeating North Haven in its first game of the season, the Hornets squared off against Sacred Heart Academy for their home opener and prevailed 47-32 against the Sharks at Branford High School on Dec. 18. Two nights later, Branford played a road game at East Haven and took a 60-41 defeat versus the Yellowjackets.

Boys’ Basketball

The Hornets opened up a new season by facing Amistad in a non-conference game last week. Branford took an 85-51 loss against the Wolves in New Haven on Dec. 17. The Hornets are entering their second year with Chris Burnham as head coach.