Printer Friendly Version - Grizzlies’ Football Defeats East Haven; Girls’ Cross Country Places 2nd in States

Pictured are the 13 seniors on the Guilford football team in Jake Jahnige, Brady Hallihan, Joe Tafro, Vinny McGill, Jaco Corso, Buddy Gambardella, Grady Holabird, Tyler Hilgert, Trevor Ridley, Jake D'Amato, Min Jameson, Nate Shippy, and Timmy Hastings. All of them have helped lead the Grizzlies to a strong 6-1 record this season, and they are ready to celebrate their Senior Night on Friday, Nov. 3 in a home matchup vs. East Lyme at 7 p.m. Photo courtesy of Ashley Hillier

Pictured is the Guilford girls’ cross country team that placed second as a squad in the Class MM State Championship on Oct. 28. Photo courtesy of Dawn Jackson

Guilford football hosted East Haven on Oct. 27 and recorded a commanding 56-7 win. On the passing side, Tyler Hilgert went 10/10 with 248 yards and four touchdowns, and Alex Tafro went 1/1 with 16 yards and one touchdown. Caden Hillier led the team in rushing with six rushes for 50 yards and one touchdown. Hilgert (two rushes, 20 yards) and Tafro (one rush, 16 yards) also contributed.

Trevor Ridley had two catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Also adding value on the receiving side were Joe Tafro (three catches, 100 yards, one touchdown), Jake Jahnige (one catch, 18 yards, one touchdown), Hillier (four catches, 35 yards), and Braden Root (one catch, 16 yards, one touchdown). Jahnige and Aidan Routolo each returned an interception for a touchdown in the win.

Boys’ soccer hosted Fairfield Prep on Oct. 23 and lost 4-2. Andres Gutierrez scored both goals for the Grizzlies, one of them coming on a penalty kick. Jameson Benben and Anthony Malatesta each had two saves in net.

The Guilford girls’ soccer team hosted Sacred Heart Academy on Oct. 23 and won 3-2 in the final game of the regular season.

Field hockey hit the road to play Lyman Hall on Oct. 23 and won 6-0. Two days later, the Grizzlies traveled to Sheehan and won 4-0. On Oct. 28, Guilford played host to Sacred Heart Academy and took a 2-1 overtime loss.

The Guilford girls’ volleyball team hosted Amity on Oct. 23 and fell 3-1. On Oct. 25, Guilford played host to Northwestern and took a 3-2 defeat.

On Oct. 28, the Guilford girls’ cross country team competed in the Class MM State Championship at Wickham Park. The team finished as the runner-up on the hilly 5K course, finishing only behind champion New Milford. Clara Gahm took sixth place in the race (21:03) and Olivia Jackson took eighth (21:33). Finishing in 13th was Ciara Davenport (21:51) and Summer Mangan followed behind her in 31st place (23:49). Ana Sadlon finished in 40th place (24:16) and teammate Michaela Hogan claimed 54th (25:22). Paige Ponzio recorded a time of 27:03 for 84th place.

On Oct. 23, Guilford girls’ swimming and diving beat Lauralton Hall with a score of 94-82.

Two days later, the team finished the regular season with a win against Fitch High School Co-Op, with a score of 101-79. This made the Grizzlies’ final dual-meet record 10-1 for the season. Junior Isabel Torello won the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2:00.16 and the 500 freestyle with a 5:28.51. Both of them were in-season best times for her. Senior Sorina Cheng took first in the 200 individual medley (2:19.85) and in the 100 backstroke (1:04.71). Sophomore Aislin Cohen won the 50 freestyle (25.37) and the 100 freestyle (55.52).

Junior Jordyn Gould won the 1-meter diving with her highest in-season score of 263.60 in the six-dive contest. Cheng, freshman Muiriel Rader, Torello, and Cohen won the 200 freestyle relay with an in-season best time of 1:44.75. Junior Clara Matos da Cruz, junior Kate Young, Torello, and Cohen took first in the 400 freestyle relay with an in-season time of 3:52.72. Senior Isabella Blanco qualified for states in the 50 freestyle, swimming to a pace of 27.81.

Junior Evelyn Bertolini also qualified for states in the 500 freestyle, recording a time of 6:04.96. Several swimmers also earned in-season best times. Young had a best time in the 200 individual medley (2:26.25) and in the 100 butterfly (1:06.56). Freshman Abigail Fernandez had in-season best times in the 200 individual medley (2:31.92) and the 100 backstroke (1:08.39). Blanco had in-season best times in the 100 butterfly (1:09.82) and 50 freestyle (27.81). Senior Sofia Tian found an in-season best time in the 100 butterfly (1:10.18).

Junior Taylor Nowak added to the success with an in-season best time in the 100 freestyle (1:01.03). Matos da Cruz had an in-season best time in the 200 freestyle (2:11.92), while sophomore Liana Clune had an in-season best time in the 100 breaststroke (1:18.36). Junior Gina Dong had an in-season best time in the 100 breaststroke (1:26.19).

On Oct. 28, Gould competed in the SCC Diving Championship meet at Sheehan High School. She took second place overall with a score of 407.25 in the 11-dive contest, setting a new school record.