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02/18/2024 11:52 PM

Boys’ Ice Hockey Takes a Loss, Wrestling Shines at State Championship


Ben Gilbert scored on a Power Play for North Haven boys’ ice hockey as the team fell 7-1 vs. East Haven Co-op on Feb. 17. Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Courier

Boys’ Ice Hockey

The North Haven boys’ ice hockey team hosted East Haven Co-op on Feb. 17 and lost 7-1. Ben Gilbert scored a Power Play goal in the second period, and it was assisted by Chris Consorte. Joey Solzano manned the net for the Nighthawks, and he allowed seven goals on 34 saves.

Wrestling

The North Haven wrestling team competed in the Class M State Championships at Guilford High School on Feb. 16 and 17, and the Nighthawks were hoping to build upon their first winning season. At last year's state tournament, North Haven finished in 26th place, with 23 total points and three wrestlers advancing to Day 2 and no place finishers. This year, the team showed improvement by moving up to 21st place and amassing 43.5 points, with five wrestlers advancing to the second day. More importantly, the team had its first individual All-State wrestler in junior Jace Iamunno. Iamunno, who competed at 150 pounds, finished in fourth place overall to earn All-State honors, and had a 4-2 record over the two-day tournament.

Iamunno opened the tournament with a technical fall over his opponent from Jonathan Law. In the quarterfinal round, he lost to the eventual runner-up from Foran. This moved Iamunno into the consolation round on day 2. He was able to win three straight matches, including a pin and a major decision, before falling in a tight match for third place. Iamunno (32 wins) will move on to the State Open at Hillhouse High School in New Haven, which features the best wrestlers from across the state in every class division (LL, L, M, and S).

Sophomore Hayden Minns (132 pounds) was one of the five wrestlers to advance to Day 2, and came one match away from becoming All-State. Minns lost a close 9-6 decision to a wrestler from Guilford, and finished just outside of the top 6. Minns ends a very successful second season with 26 victories.

Other wrestlers that qualified for Day 2 of the state tournament included junior Luke Asbury at 144 pounds, junior Eli Ellis at 175 pounds, and junior captain Tyler DiMauro at 190 pounds. All three had great seasons for North Haven, and will return in 2024-25 for a team that had its first winning season this year.

Freshman Anthony Tseperkas (120 pounds) picked up one win at the Class M State Tournament, and the coaching staff was very impressed with the efforts of sophomore Anthony Purchio (106 pounds), and junior captain Mike Moran (165 pounds), in their matches.