Rams Football Uses Run Game To Rout Hillhouse

The Cheshire football team improved to 2-0 with a 30-6 romp past Hillhouse-New Haven Friday afternoon in a Southern Connecticut Conference interdivision game in the rain and slippery conditions at Bowen Field.

The Rams, ranked No. 10 in the state, gave up a touchdown on a kickoff return after taking a 6-0 lead, but forced four turnovers for the second consecutive week and didn't yield a score from the line of scrimmage.

Senior captain Sebastian Little (48 yards, 10 carries) scored twice on short running plays (5 and 4 yards) and senior quarterback Michael Ecke (109 yards, 18 carries) also had two rushing TDs (7 and 9 yards). Kyle Pulek kicked a 26-yard field goal.

Cheshire kept the ball on the ground for much of the game with running back Sam Pascale adding 46 yards on 20 carries.

Cheshire travels to Middletown for a matchup with Coaches poll No. 1 and defending Class LL champion Xavier Friday at 7 p.m.

Boys Soccer

A promising week for The Rams (2-1-2) started with a victory but ended with two unsatisfying home ties.

After Cheshire defeated Daniel Hand 1-0 on Monday, the Rams controlled possession and forced the attack throughout its SCC Housatonic match with Amity-Woodbridge Wednesday at home, but settled for a 1-1 tie. Cheshire ended the week with another tie, 4-4 at home vs. Branford.

Trailing 1-0 with under 2 minutes to play in the Amity game, Cheshire got the equalizer from junior Nick Berardi on a long shot from the right corner with no angle into the left side of the net at the goal post.

"We possessed the ball but with no purpose," Cheshire head coach Artur Branco said. "When we had the ball we never executed our attacking patterns. We never played our style of game. We never had a flow to the game. Therefore the effectiveness wasn't there.

"We never had the composure where we settle the ball, go for the extra, easy pass and move the ball the way we usually do and that will create chances for us and we didn't do that. Too much running and very little effectiveness."

Cheshire played without its key midfielder Arman Karbassioon, who was out for medical reasons.

"(Amity) was well-positioned," Branco said. "You need to break them down with movement and catch them off-balance. When that happens you get there with quality and you will create chances that will create goals.

"We were playing into their game. Their defense didn't have to move. They were in the position where we were playing the ball. It was too predictable, too easy to defend."

On Saturday, Branford scored two late goals in the second half to earn the tie after Cheshire held a 2-0 halftime lead.

Berardi scored twice and Ravi Shaqiri and Michael Ranando each added a goal. Karbassioon, who returned to play, assisted Shaqiri's goal, and Ranando earned the assists on both of Berardi's scores. Ian Clark had two saves and Nick Velleca one in goal.

On Monday, Michael Carbone scored the game's only goal in the 71st minute to lift Cheshire. Berardi earned the assist. Velleca made six saves for the Rams.

Field Hockey

Cheshire (3-1) avenged a loss to New Canaan last year with a 2-1 victory Saturday. Emma Farrel scored with 28.5 seconds left in overtime on as assist from Anna Marcucilli to secure the non-conference road victory.

Alexis Sansone tied the game on a goal with 20:04 left. She was assisted by Farrel and Lauren Anderson. Keeper Maria Blois made four saves.

Anderson scored the game-winner with an assist from Farrel in a 2-1 home-opening victory over Guilford Tuesday. Miranda Garcia also scored for the Rams (2-1). Blois made four saves.

Girls Volleyball

Cheshire made it five consecutive sweeps  with a 25-8, 25-6, 25-22 victory over Lyman Hall-Wallingford in the Rams' first SCC Housatonic Division match at home Friday.

Gina Buzzelli had 24 assists and three kills, Gabby Dorman 10 kills and four service aces and Amanda Palladino seven kills and two blocks as the Rams improved to 5-0.

Cheshire defeated Wilbur Cross in New Haven Wednesday by game scores of 25-20, 25-10, 25-16. Buzzelli had 26 assists and seven service aces, and Kelley Gunneson made eight kills and two saves.

On Monday, Cheshire swept Mercy-Middletown by game scores of 25-15, 25-17, 25-15 at home.

Cross Country

The boys and girls cross country teams each came away with three victories in a quad meet at Branford Tuesday.

The Cheshire boys defeated Branford 20-43, Lyman Hall 15-50 and Career-New Haven 15-50. Sam Brown was the Rams' top overall finisher with a second place in 18 minutes, 39 seconds. Trey Phillips was third (18:49), Drew Henderson fourth (18:51) and Dalton Bassett fifth (19:05) for the Rams.

The girls defeated Branford and Lyman Hall by 16-47 margins and Career 19-44. Kathleen Kalbian was first overall in 21:49, Amanda Chang third (22:29, Tori Wickenheisser fourth (23:14) and Nicole Adam fifth (23:18).

The girls team also won its second invite of the young season, taking the team title of the Bethel Invitational with 66 points over nearest competitor New Milford (104).

Kalbian won the 5K race in 20:39, Change was fifth (21:06), Adam 10th (21:27), Tesni Phillips 24th (22:26) and Wickenheisser 26th (22:30).

Girls Soccer

Cheshire improved to 4-0 with a 3-1 SCC Housatonic Division victory over Lyman Hall Wednesday in Wallingford. Elena Manke and Nikki Iadarola each scored in the first half, and Kelsey Carlette added a goal in the second half. Rams' goalie Natalie Reynolds made four saves.

The Rams shut out Daniel Hand 3-0 Monday in Madison.

Girls Swimming

Cheshire (4-0) extended its national dual-meet record to 280 with victories over West Haven (113-65) and Daniel Hand (112-68) on Friday at West Haven.

Haley Payne and Jessica Liu each won two individual events. Payne won the 50-yard freestyle in 26.45, and the 100 backstroke (1:04.62), Liu the 200 individual medley (2:19.59) and 100 butterfly (1:04.63).

Cheshire also received victories from Taylor Duebel, 100 breaststroke (1:13.58) and Koukos, 500 freestyle (5:26.93). The Rams also won all three relays: the 200 medley with a team of Lindsay Smalec, Alexandria Koukos, Payne and Liu in 2:02.90; the 200 freestyle with Jenna Cannata, Maggie Ptszyanski, Denise Costello and Laura Mongillo (1:48.67); and the 400 freestyle made up of Cannata, Ptszyanski, Molly Condron and Koukos (3:55.77).

On Monday at home, Cheshire defeated North Haven 104-74. The Rams received first-place finishes from Duebel in the 200-yard individual medley in 2:21.62, Liu, 500 freestyle (5:27.64), Payne, 100 freestyle (57.53) and Ptaszynski, 100 butterfly (1:05.38).

Freshman Sara Barlok captured firsts in the 50 freestyle (26.68) and as part of the 200 IM relay (2:01.38) with Deubel, Liu and Condron. Cheshire also took the 200 freestyle relay (1:05.86) with a team of Becca Alvarez-Petit, Payne, Ptaszynski and Smalec.

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