Tennis State Champions, Lacrosse Semifinalists and Avon Sports Results

Many sports teams had successful seasons, whether on the books or through the hard work of the athletes.

Read about how the Falcons flew through the spring season with full Avon spirit:

Boys Tennis

Not only did doubles duo Jason Sittambalam, now an Avon graduate, and sophomore John Burdick win the Class M finals against Tolland and make All-NCCC and All State, but the entire tennis team won the state championship for the second year in a row.  

Junior Sam Aronson, senior Michael Van Dusen and freshman Evan Selzer were also All Conference athletes. Aronson and Van Dusen earned All State honors.

Avon Patch chose Sittambalam and Burdick as Saturday's , so follow the link provided to read about how they won a tough finals match.

Boys Lacrosse

The Avon boys lacrosse team made it as far as the state semifinals for Class M, losing 16-7 against New Canaan, according to results posted on the CIAC website. 

But the boys were also champions this year in the NCCC tournament, going 16-3 during the season, according to records provided by the high school's athletic department.

Senior captains Nick Guarino, Nick Weiler and Anthony Gruttadauria were honored as All-NCCC athletes this year, as well as junior Colin Moore. Moore and Gruttaduaria were also named to the All State First Team. Weiler and Hartigan made All State Second Team.

Girls Lacrosse

The girls also won their conference, claiming the championship title after a 13-5 season, 10-0 in the conference. 

The Falcons lost to Brookfield in the first round of the Class M state tournament, according to results posted on the CIAC website. Last year, the team was prevented from competing in the state tournament because of a violation that forced the Falcons to forfeit two of its wins, according to The Hartford Courant.

The junior varsity and developmental teams also had strong seasons, both finishing with 12-2-2 records.

"As a coach who believes in one program with three parts, I was pleased overall. We are very young and only graduate two kids off the team!" head coach Sean Cole, who coached the lacrosse team for his first season this spring, wrote in an email to Patch. "There is a ton of talent from freshman, sophomores, up to the junior class. We are fairly stacked for a good run!"

Cole, who has resigned from his coaching post in the high school's field hockey program, said that one of the most memorable parts of the season was "a huge comeback win over Granby," coached by Terri Ziemincki, former Avon lacrosse coach and current Avon field hockey varsity head coach. After the 12-11 win in April, Avon defeated Granby again at Avon High School 16-8 on May 4, according to results posted on the CIAC website.

Sophomores Britt Douglass, defenders Emily Wright and Kaylan Conrad and goalie Paige Hammick, as well as NCCC tournament Most Valuable Player Riley Hagan, a junior, earned All Conference honors. Douglass was also named to the All State First Team.

Sophomore Hunter McCarthy qualified and played in Super Junior All Star game at Wesleyan on June 13, Cole said.

Junior Riley Hagan will return as captain next year, and Hailey Graff, a junior, has been appointed as her co-captain. 

Boys Golf

Avon boys varsity golf shot 311 to win the NCCC tournament for the second year in a row, finishing the season with a 24-4 record.

Junior Alex Stekler, who earned All-NCCC honors this year, shot 74 in the league tournament, which is a school record, according to head coach Josh Glick. Junior Ryan Karbowicz (77), named All-NCCC and All State this year, freshman Matt Bergman (78) and junior Justin Hufsmith 82 also led the team to the victory. 

"I thought we had a real good year this year. The kids worked hard and improved during the course of the year individually and as a team," head coach Josh Glick said. 

The team finished 13th in the state tournament. Karbowicz (75) tied for fourth place. He set a school record this season after he was a medalist in 10 matches. His career total is 10.

Five of Avon athletes with varsity experience will return next year.

Girls Golf

The girls varsity golf team went 20-2 this season, undefeated in league play, and won the league tournament, according to head coach Patrick Welkley.

The Falcons also broke many team records, Welkley wrote in an email.

• The lowest match score (175)
• The lowest team differential (43.4)
• The lowest league tournament score (348)
• The best overall regular season record (20-2)
• The lowest team score for an Avon team at the state tournament (393)

The girls placed seventh at the state tournament, Welkley said.

At states, the team scored 393 with the help of sophomore (86) and senior Alexa Gentile (89), both All League athletes, according to Welkley. Grillo, earning All State for her second year, competed in the New England tournament Monday for her second year in a row.

"I'm most proud of the way this team work together and played for each other all year," Welkley said. "They were truly a team this season.... We hope to improve, we will have some big shoes to fill without Alexa [Gentile] in the lineup, but we have some good young girls that I know love the game and will work hard this off season to help us get back to the state tournament again."

Junior Alana Pulling was named to the All League First Team, sophomore Catherine Ponziani made All-League Second Team and sophomore Leezy Laurova earned All League Honorable Mention honors.

Girls Tennis

Only three Avon tennis starters returned this year, but the girls varsity tennis team remained strong, making it as far as the state quarterfinals, seeded fourth in Class M.

Sophomore Pamela Fetzer advanced to the second round, losing to Caroline Kelly, who became the state runner-up, head coach Joel Ziff wrote in an email to Avon Patch. Freshman Kendall Held was knocked out in the first round. However, Ziff said "it was a good experience for both of them."

Overall, Avon closed the season with an 18-2 record, winning the NCCC conference and tournament.

"With five of the 14 roster players never playing tennis before, this young team with only three seniors and zero juniors was able to do very well in the conference," said Ziff, who is resigning from his coaching post to focus on teaching commitments in the district. "Kendall Held, Freshman singles player showed she is a future leader of the program and a top level player in central Connecticut. Pam Fetzer made a nice transition from doubles to a singles player this year."

Senior Captain Mary Pearce, senior Shivani Sinham, Fetzer, Held and sophomores Madeline Clark and Hannah Clark were All-NCCC athletes this spring.

Despite it being a "rebuilding year," Ziff was impressed with how the new and returning players worked together to continue the legacy of "our past great teams."

"I wish the team the best of luck in the future and will miss coaching them," Ziff said. "There have been some unbelievable student athletes that have gone on to great things at AHS girls tennis. I am sure our new younger leaders will be able to continue the amazing success of the past seven years that the girls tennis team has achieved (112-5 record)."

Baseball

While the Avon varsity baseball team had a 9-11 season record, head coach Mary deLivron was pleased with the improvements his team achieved and his athletes' work ethic.

"We did not quit when we got behind," deLivron wrote in an email to Patch.

A perfect example of that was qualifying for the Class L state tournament thanks to a comeback win over Canton. The boys rallied from a 5-0 deficit to close the game with a 6-5 victory.

The Falcons lost 17-9 against RHAM in the first round on May 29, according to the CIAC website.

Senior Liam O’Connor earned All-NCCC recognition this season.

Girls Track and Field

The girls track team placed third at the NCCC championship on May 22. 

Here are some highlights from the meet.

• The 4-by-800 relay won, 10:04.83 (sophomore , freshman Ally Kolb, sophomore Sarah Katherine Mascoli and freshman Maddi McHugh).
• The 4-by-100 relay placed second, 52.35 (freshman Alex Johnson, freshman Tara Schayler, junior Stephanie Koo and freshmanEmma Schweitzer).
• Junior Alannah Noonan placed second in the 100-meter high hurdles, 17.18
• Freshman Chamiyah Rowland won the 100-meter dash, 13.25
• Koo placed third in the 100, 13.58.
• Freshman Molly Hamel finished fifth in the mile and won the two-mile (11:39.06)
• Sophomore Maeve Reiss placed third in the 300-meter hurdles, 49.87
• Stokesbury came in fourth for the 800, 2:26.76.
• Rowland ran the 200-meter dash in 28.06
• The 4-by-400 relay took second, 4.15.74 (Maddie McHugh, Sarah Hudak, Maeve Reiss and Collen Norton)

Kolb, Rowland, McHugh, Hamel, Stokesbury, Mascoli, Koo, Noonan and Reiss made All-NCCC.

Boys Track and Field

The Avon boys track team placed sixth at the NCCC Championship meet on May 22.

Here are some highlights of the results:

• Junior Cory Dibacco finished the 400-meter dash in 52.75.
• Junior Colin Ponzani took second in the 800, 2.01.39.
• Senior Ethan Buyse placed third in the 200-meter dash, 24.06.
• The boys 4-by-400 relay claimed second, 3.33.03 (junior Mitch Gauthier, senior Harrison Stewart, Dibacco and Ponzani).

Buyse, Dibacco and Ponzani made All-NCCC.

Softball

The Avon varsity softball team concluded the season with a 4-16 record.

Rowing

Jonathan Rosow, who graduated from Avon High Friday, does not row with the Avon crew team, but, as a member of the New Canaan Crew Club, on June 10.

He competed in the quadruple skulls on Lake Melton in Oak Ridge, TN.