Printer Friendly Version - Warriors Ready to Compete in Shoreline and States

Junior Colin Carver tossed a no-hitter to lead the Valley baseball team to a 15-0 win versus East Hampton on May 16. The Warriors went on to notch three more victories to complete their regular season with a record of 18-2.File photo by Kelley Fryer/The Courier

The Valley Regional baseball team completed the 2022 regular season with an overall record of 18-2 after claiming victory in all four of its games last week. The Warriors have clinched the top seed in Shoreline Conference Tournament after finishing with the best record in league play during the regular season and will also compete in the Class S State Tournament following Shorelines.

Valley solidified the No. 1 seed in the Shoreline tourney by claiming a 15-0 home victory against East Hampton in 5 innings on May 16. Junior Colin Carver pitched a no-hitter with 9 strikeouts for Valley in the mercy-rule win. Junior Sam Hutchinson went 3-for-3 with 2 triples and 5 RBI at the dish. Senior James Marsden had a single and a double with 2 RBI, while Jack Finnegan was 1-for-2 with 2 RBI for Head Coach Brian Drinkard’s club.

Then on May 20, Valley was on the road to face Waterford and notched a 4-1 win in the contest. Marsden pitched 6 innings of no-hit ball to earn the win, walking 2 and striking out 10. Junior Braeden Sparaco pitched the seventh inning to get the save and finish off the victory.

Valley jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning. Junior Mason Erwin led off with a single, stole second, and then scored on a line drive up the middle by Marsden. Carver then ripped a ball over the left fielder’s head to score Marsden and give the Warriors a 2-run lead.

In the top of the seventh, Hutchinson and Marsden drew walks to start the inning. Junior Brayden Shea then lined a ball to left-center field, scoring Hutchinson and allowing Marsden to reach third. Marsden later came home on a passed ball for Valley’s fourth run of the game.

The Warriors wrapped up regular-season play by hosting two games on May 21. Valley earned an 11-1 win versus Putnam in its first game and then claimed a 10-0 victory over Portland to finish off a long day at the ballpark. Senior Jack Guthrie picked up the win on the hill when Valley defeated Putnam. Senior Kyle Ghilani and senior Kevin Willetts-Johnson both had RBI in the victory. Junior Henry Breckenfeld was the winning pitcher for the Warriors when they blanked Portland in their regular-season finale.

As the No. 1 seed in the Shoreline Conference Tournament, Valley hosted No. 8 seed East Hampton for a quarterfinal contest on May 22 (after press time). With a victory, Valley would have hosted the winner of No. 4 Haddam-Killingworth and No. 5 North Branford in the semis on May 24 (after press time). The Shoreline final is at Palmer Field on Friday, May 27 at 7 p.m.

The Valley Regional boys’ tennis team put the exclamation point on a perfect regular season by shutting out Cromwell in its final contest on May 16. The Warriors, who had already clinched the regular-season Shoreline Conference title, netted a 7-0 home win over Cromwell to finish the regular season with a record of 13-0 and take a head of steam into the Class S State Tournament.

Sophomore Tomas Dahl notched a 6-0, 7-6 (8-6) win for Valley in the No. 1 singles match versus Cromwell. Senior Hayden Lombardi claimed a 6-2, 6-4 victory at No. 2 singles; senior Kaid Matesky gutted out a 6-2, 6-7 (6-8), 12-10 win at No. 3 singles; and junior Aidan Garrity won his No. 4 singles contest by a 6-2, 6-0 score.

Valley’s No. 1 doubles team of senior Sawyer Joy and senior Peter Fitton outlasted their opponents for a 6-4, 4-6, 10-8 victory. The No. 2 duo of sophomore Charlie Whelan and freshman Shep Whitney triumphed by the final tally of 6-2, 6-4.

The Valley Regional girls’ tennis team finished the regular season with a record 12-3 after scoring a victory versus East Hampton in a home match last week. On May 17, the Warriors hosted East Hampton and defeated the Bellringers by the score of 6-1 in their regular-season finale. Valley Regional will be competing in the Class M State Tournament this week.

The Valley Regional boys’ lacrosse team clinched a berth in the Class S State Tournament by winning its final two games of the regular season last week. The Warriors, who have also qualified for Shorelines, posted an overall record of 7-9 for regular-season play this spring.

Valley kicked off its week by claiming a 15-9 victory at North Branford on May 17. Junior Michael Kollmer scored 6 goals to go with 2 assists in the win, while senior Cooper Strecker had 3 goals and 4 assists. Sophomore Sullivan Rock scored 2 goals and had 2 assists, and freshman Drew Delrouchry had 2 goals with 1 assist for the Warriors. Junior Ben Costanzo and junior Mason Soboleski both scored a goal, while senior James Beckman and junior Dylan Ingram each chipped in with an assist. Sophomore goalie Noah Santangelo made 14 saves to get the win in net.

Two days later, the Warriors hosted Old Saybrook and notched a 12-8 win over the Rams to punch their ticket into the state tourney. Kollmer had another big game with 3 goals and 3 assists in the victory. Strecker netted 4 goals and also contributed 1 assist. Soboleski had 2 goals with 2 assists, while senior Jake Burdick and Delrouchry both had 1 goal and 1 assist. Junior Jackson DeFelice scored a goal, and Costanzo, Beckman, and senior Reece Whitney recorded 1 assist apiece for Head Coach Colby Hawkins’s squad. Santangelo stopped 11 shots in goal.

Valley has the No. 4 seed in the Shoreline Conference Tournament and played at No. 1 seed Haddam- Killingworth in the semifinals on May 24 (after press time). With a win, Valley would face the winner of No. 2 Old Lyme and No. 3 Morgan for the title at the Indian River Complex on Thursday, May 26 at 7 p.m.

The Valley Regional girls’ lacrosse team played three games to close out the 2022 regular season last week. The Warriors came away with victories in one of those contests to complete their regular season with an overall record of 14-2. Valley is competing in the Shoreline Conference Tournament this week and then has the Class S State Tournament coming up after that.

Valley took its first loss of the year when the Warriors dropped a 20-13 decision to North Branford in a home game on May 17. Senior Emi Bisson scored 3 goals to go with 3 assists for Valley Regional in the contest. Freshman Lilly Lavigne netted 4 goals for the Warriors, while sophomore Rowan Pilon had 2 goals with 3 assists. Senior Salmi Miller scored 2 goals, and fellow senior Madison Neviaser and Grace Haskins added 1 goal apiece.

Then on May 19, Valley was on the road to face Old Saybrook and took a 12-11 defeat against the Rams. Bisson scored 4 goals to go with 5 assists in the matchup. Miller scored 2 goals with 1 assist, and senior Grace Haskins had 2 goals for the Warriors. Senior Leah Frantz, Neviaser, and sophomore Rowan Pilon all scored 1 goal, while Lavgine had 1 assist in the game.

The next day, the Warriors netted a 21-7 victory at Rockville in their last game of the regular season. Bisson tallied 8 goals for Valley in the win. Pilon had 2 goals and 5 assists, while Miller and Lavigne both scored 3 goals to go with 1 assist. Senior Sage Lepore and Haskins both scored 2 goals, and Frantz had 1 goal with 1 assist for the Warriors. Junior goalie Regan Doyon made 8 saves in net.

Valley played North Branford in the Shoreline Conference Tournament semifinals on May 24 (after press time). If the Warriors won that game, they will face the winner of Old Saybrook and Haddam-Killingworth for the title at 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 26.

The Valley Regional boys’ golf team took defeats while competing in a pair of road meets last week.

Valley started off its week by taking on Wheeler in a match at Stonington Country Club on May 17. The Warriors posted a team score of 211 to take a loss versus Wheeler (194) at the meet.

Two days later, Valley was back on the road to face Coginchaug and took a 181-202 defeat against the Blue Devils at Lyman Orchards Golf Course.