Highlights 2011 Avon Fall Sports Season

There were some ups and downs in Avon fall sports, but much to celebrate.

Avon coaches highlighted the most memorable parts of the fall season, as submitted by Athletic Coordinator Newell Porch to Patch, and we added in a few of our own.

Here's how Avon sports fared this fall.

Football

• There were over 80 participants in the fall football program between junior varsity and varsity.
• Avon varsity ended the season with a 7-3 record.
• This is Avon's fifth-straight winning season, which has not been accomplished since 1967, according to Avon football coach Brett Quinion.
• Tyler Arnott, Will DiStefano, Colin Moore, Jimmy Murphy and Will Shiffrin received All-Pequot League honors.
• Martin Bulwid, Austin Curry, Peter Remigino, Mitch Gauthier, Joe Murphy and Steve Griffin received Honorable Mention All-Pequot League honors.

Boys Cross Country

• The boys had nine wins and four losses in its regular season.
• Overall, Avon's record was 16-9.
• Avon placed seventh in the NCCC.
• Avon finished eighth overall in the CIAC Class MM Championship
• Junior Jeffrey Demers made All-NCCC at the conference chamionship meet in Windsor Locks, placing 13th in the top 15.
• The boys placed second at the Bellringer Invitational and third at the Coginchaug and Nonnewaug invitationals.
• Senior co-captains Will Schroder, Matt Mascoli and Jeff Wang, who was injured this season, are graduating, but Avon coach Gene Macy wrote to Porch that he expects to have some strong runners returning in 2012.

Girls Cross Country

• The Falcons were undefeated this season, 13-0, the second time the team has gone undefeated in three years.
• The team also won the NCCC championship, with a 16-0 record overall.
• Coach Al Dadario wrote to Porch that this was the team's best season since 1994.
• In Class MM, the day the Oct. 29 snowstorm started, the girls placed second overall. Sophomore Sara Stokesbury finished fourth and Rachael Rosow won, both making All State. Molly Hamel finished 12th in that meet, Madi Zapatka was in 26th and Kate McIntyre was close behind in 27th. Those girls also earned All Conference honors.
• At State Opens, the team finished 22nd.

Field Hockey

• Avon concluded the season with a 15-2 record, as of the quarterfinals of the CIAC state tournament.
• Avon won the NCCC championship.
• The team will lose seven seniors who are graduating in 2012.
• The 2011 captains were Emily Arciero, Elle Crane, Rachel Neuhoff and Sammy Welch.
• Arciero was selected to the All Southern New England Field and was also named an All-American.

Boys Soccer

• Seniors Conor Lanahan and Drew Montano were named All Conference, All State and All-New England.
• The boys varsity team made it to the CIAC Class L Championship and lost 3-1 to Bunnel.

Girls Soccer

• This was the third year in a row that Avon varsity girls soccer has been in the Class L state tournament finals. Avon won for the first time since it joined the division, beating Farmington 2-1. The Falcons also beat Farmington two years ago in the semifinals of the state tournament. Avon was down 1-0 in the final, but senior leading scorer Erica Primovic netted two goals to take back the lead and win the game. 
• Primovic closed the season with 20 goals, the sixth-highest any player has scored in a season in Avon. In total she had 51 career goals, the fifth-highest for any Avon girls soccer player.
• Avon varsity goalkeeper Kaylan Conrad was credited with 10 shutouts this season, the fifth-most shutouts of any Avon goaltender.
• There were 22 girls on varsity, 19 on junior varsity and 20 on the developmental team. Eleven of the varsity players were seniors.
• Avon closed the season with a 12-1-2 NCCC record, placing second behind Granby in the conference. Avon's record overall was 16-1-2.
• Granby was the only team Avon lost against this season and it was close, with a 1-0 final score.
• The junior varsity squad was undefeated this season with a 12-0-1 record,  meaning the team's unbeaten streak is 39 games. The team's overall record is 35-0-4. The last time the girls lost was Oct. 31, 2008 against Suffield.
• The developmental team was also undefeated, recording a 11-0-0 season, one of the best seasons the girls have had.
• Avon varsity coach Jim Murray has recommended to Porch that the team move up to CCC "for improved competition" and is also vying for a turf field in Avon.

Volleyball

• The varsity girls volleyball team lost in the first round of the CIAC Class L State Tournament to Stratford, but hailed a 10-6 record this season. The team had an 8-4 conference record.
• Junior opposite hitter Ariel Lepito was voted All-NCCC by other teams' coaches.
• The team had a seven-match winning streak from Sept. 23 to Oct. 12.
• One of the most memorable games was a 3-2 comeback against Bolton High School, after being down two games, Coach Curt Burns wrote to Porch.
• Burns was nominated as National High School Coach's Association Coach of the Year.
• Forty players will return in 2012, 10 of which are at the varsity level.

Other Noteworthy Highlights

• The boys and girls soccer teams participated in "Kick Out Cancer" games under the lights at Avon High School and raised a total of $3,668.37 to donate to the American Cancer Society.
• Jonathan Rosow competed in the Head of the Charles in October, with the Maritime Rowing Club in collaboration with New Canaan High School, not through Avon. He is, however, a senior at Avon High School.
• Rachael Rosow finished first in her age group for the in the off-season.