Cheshire Hockey in the State Spotlight

Jim Riccitelli described his team as young and lacking in experience at the beginning of the season. Two years removed from a Division II state championship, the Cheshire boys hockey team had just two seniors.

The Rams did a lot of growing up during the course of the season, completing their maturation with their second title in three years in a 3-1 victory over Guilford in the CIAC Division II title game Friday night at Yale's Ingalls Rink in New Haven.

It was the third meeting with Guilford this season and until Friday the Rams never held a lead in either of the first two games, a 3-3 tie in December and a 4-2 loss in February.

Cheshire (16-6-2) fell behind again in the final 1-0 but scored two second-period goals, the first from junior Tyler Violano and the game-winner from freshman Matt Muzyka, before putting it away with a Violano empty-netter with 27.5 seconds left in the game.

The Rams received big contributions from its defense, including juniors John Cunningham, Spencer Hackett and sophomore Jake Nesdale, and probably none bigger than from junior goalie Tyler Carbone (19 saves), who repeatedly held off Guilford's attack in the second and third periods.

"It feels great," Carbone said. "This was the goal in the beginning of the season. Come out, 100 percent. We knew we were the best team in DII, so it was a great win. It feels fantastic.

"We knew this third game was going to be a tough one. We tied them once, lost to them before. We wanted this one real bad, so everyone had the same thing going through their head before this game. Guilford did a great job. But, love this team, love this team."

Carbone received help from sophomore forward Tom Dupont early in the third when the goalie hit the ice on a save attempt but the puck went past him toward the goal mouth and Dupont blocked what would have been a game-tying score.

"Tom Dupont saved the game," Carbone said. "That was a great play. I got knocked out of the net. I had no idea where the puck was. I looked back and Tom was in the middle of the air, so I hit his hand and I just laid on the puck."

Cheshire loses captains Matt Dupont and Ryan Powers to graduation but returns a lot of talent, including sophomore forward Owen Powers, who scored all four goals in the state quarterfinal and semifinal victories, junior defenseman William Devine, junior forwards Alex Vendetto and Kyle Murgo, sophomore forward Tyler Lima and freshmen Joe D'Errico and Luke Vendetto, among many others.

Cheshire won its third state championship in six years (Division III, 2006, Division II 2009) and fourth overall (Division I, 1978). Riccitelli, who took over as head coach in 2006, said the future looks good.

"Very young group," Riccitelli said. "Two seniors. I'm sure they'll come back next year and work just as hard. We will certainly love to have every one of them back."

Boys Swimming

Greg Han won the 200-yard individual medley in 1 minute, 54.51 seconds at the CIAC Class LL Boys Swimming Championship meet at Wesleyan University in Middletown Tuesday. Han also placed second in the 100 breaststroke (57.85).

Cheshire placed fourth in the team competition with 403 points. Pomperaug won the meet with 777.

Ray Chen finished second in the 100 backstroke in 52.96, Hevin Na was 11th (58.65) and Erin Willliams 16th (1:01.39).

Cheshire's 200-yard medley relay of Na, Han, Chen and Justin Go finished third in 1:42.83.

Brendan Smalec was sixth in the 500 freestyle (4:56.02), Daniel Mongillo eighth (5:02.10), Tyler Steskla 17th (5:05.78) and Andrew Davison 22nd (5:14.99). Smalec was also 10th (1:50.69) in the 200 freestyle, Mongillo 16th (1:54.00) Steskla 22nd (1:55.56) and Erin Williams 24th (1:58.38). Matthew Richardson placed 16th in the 50 freestyle in 24.15, and Matthew Annenberg finished ninth in the 1-meter diving event with 288.10 points.

Chen placed ninth in the 100 butterfly (55.75), Go 16th (59.88) and Na 17th (58.47). In the 100 freestyle Richardson was 20th (52.65) and Peter Broadbridge 23rd (53.66).

Patrick Morley was 15th in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.15) and Go 16th (1:09.53). Morley was also 22nd in the 200 IM (2:14.45).

In the other relays, Cheshire was sixth in the 100 freestyle with Richardson, Broadbridge, Smalec and Go in 1:34.90, and eighth in the 400 freestyle, consisting of Smalec, Na, Mongillo and Han, which finished in 3:26.89.

At the State Open Saturday at Yale's Kiphuth Pool, Han placed third in the 100 breaststroke in 58.66 and was sixth in the 200 IM in 1:56.86 as Cheshire placed 26th with 57 points. Greenwich won the meet with 388.

Cheshire was also 19th in the 200 medley relay of Na, Han, Chen and Go in 1:43.51.

Parks & Rec Basketball

Oregon State completed a perfect season with a 60-51 victory over Villanova in the championship game of the George Welch High School Basketball League on March 12.

Dom Severino scored a game-high 44 points for Oregon State (12-0). Adam Strider was also in double figures for Oregon State with 11 points.

Villanova, which finished 10-2, was led by Matt Jefferis (18 points), Nathan Thomas (11), Parker Barnell (11) and Tom Wellspeak (10).

Hometown News

Mike Jordan (2010) scored two goals and Mike Devine (2010) one in Eastern Connecticut State's 22-4 men's lacrosse victory over Becker College Tuesday. On Saturday, Jordan scored a hat trick and Devine added a goal in a 19-4 win over Mount Ida College. For the season Devine has six goals and one assist and Jordan five goals. Eastern is 4-1.

Junior Elaina Heiple (2007) scored a hat trick for Southern Connecticut State's women's lacrosse team in a 20-7 loss to Queens Thursday. Heiple scored four goals in the Owls' season opening loss to Mercy. Southern is 0-3.

Third baseman Kim Silva (2009) is hitting .303, third on the team with nine runs scored and three RBI, for the University of Connecticut softball team (9-10), and Kathleen Brenneman (2008) is hitting .286.

Bryan Dorsey (2007) had two hits in the second game of a doubleheader sweep for the No. 13 Southern Connecticut State baseball team over American International 3-2 Saturday. The Owls, who are 15-0, won the first game 10-1. Through March 18, Dorsey is hitting .347 with two home runs, 12 RBI and 14 runs scored.

Todd Heritage (2010) had an assist for the Bucknell men's lacrosse team (6-1) in an 11-8 victory over Lafayette Saturday. On Wednesday, Heritage scored once in a 7-6 victory over Hartford. Heritage has nine goals and five assists for 14 points for the season.