Avon Athletes Win Big in the Fall Season

Every month, Avon Athletic Director Newell Porch kicks off the Booster Club meeting with a review of the prior month’s accomplishments.  He had a lot to say at the club’s December meeting.  Avon athletes won big in both team and individual performances this fall with an aggregate record of 91 wins and 25 losses.

Leading the way again was Avon’s Girls Cross-Country team which was undefeated in the regular season (26-0) and produced four All-Conference winners, Molly Hamel, Cristina Martin, Maddie McHugh and Sara Stokesbury, and one All-State winner (Hamel). The Boys Cross-Country team finished 16-9, with junior Colin Pritchard winning All-Conference honors.

The Field Hockey team, led by award-winning coach Terry Zemnicki, had its best season ever (13-3) advancing to the state semi-finals and producing five All-Conference winners, Kelsey Burton, Sarah Katherine Mascoli, Rachel Moore, Caroline Schaefer and Emily Stross.  Schaefer, a stand-out midfielder, made the All-State and All-Region teams, while Burton and Mascoli made second team All-State.

Avon’s Soccer program, always a powerhouse, returned to the field this year with both the girls and boys teams eying the state championship title.  While no titles were won, the teams still delivered stellar performances.  Led by co-captain and All-State defender, YounJae Baek, the girls finished 15-3, with juniors Hannah Davey, Amanda Holtzman and Michaela Marcus joining senior Baek on the All-Conference team.  The boys finished 14-4 with defender Stephen Dorney, and forwards Riley Strassner and Bobby Zaino, winning All-Conference Honors.  Dorney was also nominated to the All-State team.

The football team, which saw many of its 2012 star players graduate, and was playing its first season under the leadership of new coach James Caouette, delivered a strong 8-3 season.  Seven seniors were nominated to the All-Conference team: John Burdick, Stephen Griffin, Noah Hahn, Dylan Marquis, Jimmy Murphy, Ryan Rogers and Avik Vimal.  Murphy was named the Pequot League’s western division MVP.

All-Conference Volleyball players, sophomore Abby Laszewski and junior Sammy Maniatty, led their team in a solid 13-7 season, while the Boys Crew 4+ boat finished as New England Champions.  The rowers included Frank Campanelli, Jack Kostal, Calum Milligan and Alec Whipple.  Megan Boos was their coxswain.

In total, thirty-one Avon High School athletes achieved regional honors this fall – at least two per team.  “We continue to feel great pride in our athletes for their outstanding efforts on and off the field,” said Porch.