Rams Boys Volleyball Stays Undefeated

In its toughest match of the season, the undefeated Cheshire boys volleyball team lost its first two games for the first time but came back to win at Newington 3-2 (15-25, 22-25, 25-20, 30-28, 15-13) on April 25, handing the Indians their first loss of the season.

"We had to be patient. Nothing was really working the first two games for us," senior captain Joe Bahgat said. "Mostly, we weren't really talking, our defense wasn't working, our sets weren't good or our hitting. So nothing was really working, but third game we regrouped and we just came back. It was a really good win."

Against Newington, junior Nate Howard had 29 kills, Bahgat 21 kills and three blocks, Ryan Cuppernull 14 kills and five blocks and setter Ray Brumleve a career-high 58 assists.

"When we beat Newington, that was a real turning point for us because we were down 2-0. We weren't expecting that pressure and we responded really well," Cheshire head coach Sue Bavone said. "We fought back and won that game in five. It was a big-time game in a hostile environment and we did well with that.

"We played with so much emotion at the end of that game to come back and win it and that's the kind of emotion I want them to harness from the start to the finish of the game. We just haven't got there yet. A huge step."

The Rams (9-0) defeated Lewis Mills-Burlington 3-0 Wednesday at home for their seventh sweep in eight games with scores of 25-11, 25-19, 25-15. Howard had 12 kills, Bahgat 10 kills, K.C. Philcox 12 kills and four digs, Cuppernull nine kills and Brumleve 35 assists.

"Getting our middles, getting K.C. going is our focus right now, so I'm really pleased that we were able to get K.C. a lot of sets," Bavone said after the Mills win.

The Rams performance was dominant at times, particularly in the first game, but they had some moments of seeming complacent after the big Game One win.

"When we got slower in that second game, when we started sending over free balls and let them get into their offense a little bit, they kind of put us back on our heels," Bavone said. "We just need to keep applying pressure. We have enough offensive weapons to apply pressure all the time. We need to get into that mindset."

Cheshire, which won its third match of the week 3-0 Friday vs. Maloney at home, has another tough match coming up on Monday at Xavier-Middletown, the team it lost to in last season's Southern Connecticut Conference tournament final in five games.

"We're in pretty good shape in the SCC," Bavone said. "We battled tough with Xavier last year. They're always a very strong team. That will be the next test to see how we do against a team that will really take it to us emotionally."

"We're doing a good job (of developing)," Bahgat said. "We haven't played our toughest (competition) really,  but we had a really good match against Newington. We gave them a good game and wound up winning."

Baseball

Dom Severino had three hits, including a double, and one RBI to help Cheshire (8-3, 3-1 SCC Housatonic) top Sheehan 8-1 Monday at home.

Ryan Rougeot improved to 4-1, going five innings for the win.

On Tuesday, the Rams traveled to East Haven and came away with a 10-5 victory as starter Ryan Fowler picked up the win. Connor David had two hits and two RBI.

The busy week continued when Cheshire thumped Lyman Hall 13-5 Wednesday at home as David had a double, triple and drove in three runs. Matt Croteau added three hits and three RBI. Tyler Robertson also had three hits and drove in two, and Max Slade struck out seven in earning the win.

The Rams fell to West Haven for the second time this season 6-5 Friday as the host Westies rallied for five runs in the fifth inning. David hit two doubles and drove in two runs.

Softball

The ninth-ranked Rams (7-3, 2-1 Housatonic) dropped a 4-3 decision at North Haven Monday. Anna Marcucilli hit a two-run home run in the first inning and pitcher Nicole D'Amato (7-3) struck out 10 in the loss.

Cheshire lost its second game of the week 2-0 at Lyman Hall. The Rams' Caroline Kushner  broke up Lauren Zambrano's no-hit big in the seventh but Cheshire couldn't score.

The Rams got back on the winning path with a 1-0 victory over Mercy at home Friday. Marcucilli scored on a passed ball in the fourth for the winning run.

Boys Tennis

Tuesday, Cheshire (6-2) picked up a victory with a 5-2 decision over East Haven at home Tuesday.  Singles winners were Dan Grove, Jeremy Reichenthal and Tanner Barros, all in straight sets.

The doubles teams of Nate Trumbo-Drew Henderson (6-0, 6-0) and Andrew Carroll-Sigi Lin also won in straight sets.

The Rams swept Shelton Wednesday at home with Grove, Tyler Hajjar, Reichenthal and Brendan Pier winning in straight sets, and Ryan Tartaglia winning in three. Bryan Adams-Henderson (6-0, 6-0) and Trumbo-Casey Berry provided the doubles wins in straight sets.

Cheshire made it a perfect week with its third win, a 7-0 sweep of Sheehan. Bryan Adams, Grove, Hajjar, Pier and Tartaglia completed the singles shuout, all in straight sets.

The combinations of Trumbo-Berry and Henderson-Barros won in straight sets in doubles.

Girls Tennis

Cheshire swept Foran-Milford 7-0 Monday at home. The Rams (5-2) received singles victories from Olivia Amato, Katie Seggerman, Erica Larsen and Taylor Strange, all in straight sets.

Doubles victories were by the teams of Alyssa Carafano-Alex Hirt, Anna Toscano-Maggie McGee and Lea Seeger-Lindsay Garibaldi, again in straight sets.

The Rams won 6-1 at Sacred Heart-Hamden on Wednesday. Seggerman, Larsen (6-0, 6-0) and Strange (6-0, 6-0) picked up singles victories, all in straight sets. Carafano-Hirt, Toscano-McGee and Seeger-Garibaldi (6-0, 6-0) took the doubles matches in straight sets.

Track & Field

The girls team (5-2) split a tri-meet, defeating Sheehan 105-44 and losing to Hamden 74-72 at home Tuesday.

Ashia Wright took the 100  (12.6) and 200 (26.2) meters, Sarah Fusco the 400 (1:00.5) and Tori Wickenheisser the 3,200 (12:31.11). The 4x800 relay of Jenna Hart, Sharon Turret, Theresa Cashore and Kim Grove won in 11:25.7.

In the field  events, Ariel Greene won the discus (98 feet, 5 1/2 inches).

The boys (4-2) also split in a tri-meet at Lyman Hall, defeating the Trojans 87-63 and losing to Hand 83-67 Wednesday.

Jake Scinto broke his own school record in the high jump with a leap of 6-9. He also won the long jump (21-11 1/2) and triple jump (43-9 3/4). Eric Zdanowski took the 110 hurdles in 15.9, and Phil Caldwell won the 800 (1:59.6). Sean Mueller finished in a tie  in the 3,200 (9:50.3). Ethan Rozak won the pole vault (9-0).

Boys Lacrosse

Kevin Adams scored six times and Tom Dupont three to lead the Rams (5-3) past Branford Monday at home.

Jon Bronke added two goals and Matt Dupont, Matt Samuelson and Spencer Hackett each scored once in a game that was tied at 5 at halftime.

The Rams scored five times in the third period. Adams and John Cunningham each added two assists and Bronke, Matt Dupont and John Kelmenz had one apiece. Will Devine made 12 saves and Marco Iovanna two.

Cheshire came back from a 5-4 deficit at halftime to score four goals in the third and three in the fourth for an 11-9 victory over Daniel Hand Friday at home.

Adams had a hat trick and Bronke, Hackett and Tom Dupont each added two goals. Matt Dupont and Samuelson had one goal apiece. Devine made 14 saves.

Girls Lacrosse

Jess Sudock, Alyssa Hague and Kathleen Kalbian each scored four goals to help Cheshire (8-2) defeat Sacred Heart Academy 17-6 Monday in Hamden.

Alyssa Hoynes and Maria Blois added two goals apiece and Christy Myjack scored once. Kalbian and Blois each added two assists and Myjack and Alexis Sansone had one apiece. Goalie Ashley Zane made eight saves.

The Rams made it six in a row with a 16-8 victory at Hamden Wednesday. Sudock, Blois and Hague each scored three goals, Kalbian and Myjack had two apiece and Sansone and Alison Hoynes each scored once. Emma Farrel had a goal and five assists.

The streak came to an end Saturday morning at Barlem Park as Daniel Hand defeated the Rams for the second time this season, 11-9.

Cheshire scored five straight goals to tie it at 9 in the second half, but the Tigers scored twice in the final 1:57.

Hague had three goals, Kalbian and Kelsie Carlette two apiece and Sudock and Blois each scored once.

Boys Golf

Cheshire defeated Sheehan 161-198 and Wolcott 161-164 Monday at The Farms Country Club. The Rams' Gil Lassen was medalist with a 36. Other Cheshire scorers included Eric Detrich (39), Jacob Ecke (42) and Tom Wellspeak (44).

The Rams defeated Shelton Tuesday 161-166 at The Farms CC as Ecke tied with Shelton's Connor Howard for medalist with a 39. Dietrich shot 40, followed by Lassen and Wellspeak (41).

The Rams (4-1) won again Wednesday 161-166 over Guilford at Madison CC with Lassen shooting 37, Dietrich 39, Ecke 41 and Abe Siliman 43.

Girls Golf

Cheshire and Avon played to a 200-200 tie at Southington CC Tuesday. Andra Frappier was medalist for the seventh consecutive time for the Rams (6-0-1) this season. Frappier shot a 41. Other Cheshire scorers were: Jess Rotell (55), Meg Aitro (57) and Kellie Brenton (47).

Honors

Cheshire's Barbara Hedden will be honored as Girls Track & Field Coach of the Year at the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Recognition Dinner May 12 at 7 p.m. at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington. Tickets ($45) can be purchased by contacting John Fontana at 860-628-4122.