enfield editon october 2012

October 2012

Inside The Sports Department

Jon Buzby discusses what to do when it gets dark earlier. See page 3.

Check out how your football team did in our notebook on page 9.

ALWAYS FREE!

Enfield • East Windsor • Somers • StaffordAlso Serving Ellington • South Windsor • Tolland • Vernon Enfield Edition

See “Raiders” Page 4

A Mad Dash For

The Finish

Named Media Outlet Of The Year By Connecticut Soccer Coaches Association

The Sp rts Department

Caitlyn Sutherland of Somersand Anthony Leno of Enfield cross the finish line during the Somers Great Escape

Road Race.

Somers Boys Soccer Picking Up Where It

Left OffBy Nate OwenThe Sports Department

The results might be starting to become similar, but first-year Somers head coach Rick Kelley was quick to note that the Spartans are not last year’s Class S cham-pionship team. “This match was a great reminder that the 2012 team is not the 2011 team,” Kel-ley said after the Spartans’ 3-1 win over Stafford last Monday. “They will have to fight for every inch of success this sea-son.” Somers posted back-to-back wins over Stafford and Enfield and moved back over .500 after dropping three in a row entering the week of October 1. Luke Alvaro scored five goals against Enfield, including four in the first half, to give him 12 through seven games.While Alvaro has been providing much of the offensive punch for Somers, Kelley’s been happy with his depth so far, as Kyle

Foster, Joe Pantuosco, Matt Kopec, and Nick Elia have all contributed this season.

Luke Alvaro has been a man on a mission, scoring 12 goals in sev-en games, including five against Enfield. Photo by: Alan Basta-rache, The Sports Department, www.bastarachephotos.com

October 20122 The Sports Department

The Sports DepartmentP.O. Box 746, Ellington, CT 06029

860-872-0TSD (0873) • 860-614-5866 • thesportsdept.comPublisher: Kevin Hayes • [email protected]

Editor: Brendan FahertyProduction Manager: Patty Hunter

Contributing Writers: Jon Buzby • Tom Ainsworth • Steve SmithReid L. Walmark • Damian Frasinelli • Nate Owen • Steve Krajewski

David Heuschkel • Amy Locandro • Tim Larew • Erin QuinlanRobert Tedford • Brendon Willis • Katy Sprout • Katie Powers

Steve Krajewski • Matt Lebel • Ryan Kane • Bruce Watt • Mike Bidwell Jennifer Charette • Melissa Green-Maltese

Photography: Steve Palmer • Andre Dumais • Rich Tanguay Bernie Sheridan • Sherrene Wells • Alan Bastarache • Robert Pospisil

Steve Smith • Andre Garant • Melanie Oliveria

The Sports Department invites you to take our trivia challenge. Get the most answers correct and you have a shot at winning a hoodie, courtesy of The Sports Department. Enter online at www.thesportsdept.com

[email protected]

1) Before Miguel Cabrera recently won the Triple Crown in baseball, who was the last player to win it?A) Carl YazstremskiB) Babe RuthC) Nomar GarciaparraD) Ted Williams 2) Which 2012 first round NBA draft pick recently had accommodations made for him due to his fear of flying?A) Jeremy LambB) Royce WhiteC) Anthony DavisD) Andre Drummond

3) Which team did Ray Allen break the all-time career three point mark against?A) PacersB) TimberwolvesC) HeatD) Lakers 4) Who caught the now infamous “Fail Mary” pass in Week 3 of the 2012 NFL season where replacement refs missed a call on the final play of the game?A) Golden TateB) Sidney RiceC) Mike WilliamsD) Kellen Winslow 5) Which NBA player has the highest career point per game average?A) Wilt ChamberlainB) Kobe BryantC) Michael JordanD) Shaquille O’Neal

6) What is the nickname given to the final player selected in the NFL Draft?A) Mr. Who CaresB) Mr. IrrelevantC) Mr. What’s Your Name Again?D) Mr. Unrecognizable 7) How many touchdowns did quarter-back Dan Orlovsky throw in his junior season at UConn in which he lead Division I-A?A) 40B) 30C) 33D) 56 8) Who was recently named UConn Men’s Basketball coach, replacing legend Jim Calhoun?A) Kemba WalkerB) George BlaneyC) Kevin OllieD) Cliff Robinson 9) Which former great Boston Celt-ics player did Jim Calhoun coach at Northeastern?A) Paul PierceB) Reggie LewisC) Antoine WalkerD) Larry Bird

10) Who is the last player to hit over .400 in MLB?A) Ted WilliamsB) Derek JeterC) Alex RodriguezD) Mo Vaughn

Each week TheSportsDept.com honors two area athletes as our

“High School Player Of the Week.’

Each of the winners receives a “Player Of The Week” T-Shirt from

TheSportsDept.com.

The September winners were:Week One: Luke Alvaro, Somers boys soccer; Courtney Petersen,

Glastonbury field hockey

Week Two: Sarah Provencher, Rock-ville girls soccer; Ben Berey,

Glastonbury football

Week Three: Christian Schneider, El-lington football; Makinsey Carolus,

East Windsor girls soccer.

If you would like to nominate a high school athlete for "Player of The

Week" honors please send an email to "[email protected]."Nominations must be received by

Sunday at 6 p.m.

We are happy to announce that Robyn Needham of Glaston-bury is our September Win-ner for TheSportsDept.com

Trivia Contest. Robyn’s entry was drawn at random from a

pool of entrants with the most number of correct answers.

All monthly winners receive a SportsDept.com T-Shirt. Be

sure to enter this month’s con-test for your chance to win!

October 2012 3The Sports Department

“Support Coverage Of Local Youth Sports...Become A Sports Department Sponsor Today!” Call 860-872-0TSD (0873)

By Jon BuzbyThe Sports Department

Don’t Let Your Teams Be Left Out In The Dark

Fall is here. The leaves are beginning to turn colors, we awake to morning dew on the lawns, and some even feel the heat kick on inside their homes. We also notice more and more — even with the extended daylight saving time — that darkness comes earlier each night. And while some welcome this change, like parents who now can more easily keep their children in after dinner to do homework, youth sports coaches find the disappearing sun also means less practice time. Most youth sports teams don’t practice on fields with lights; and the thought that lining up cars with headlights turned on might provide a safe and efficient form of lighting, is an incorrect one.With parents’ work schedules and kids’ other after-school activities, it’s nearly impossible to get your team together any

earlier. So what do you do? My first suggestion would be to try and schedule an extra practice during the week. Even if you can’t use your usual practice space, look for another one. Parks, churches and maybe even high school fields not already being used for sports are possibilities. Even if the area you find is not ideal (with lines and goals, etc.), use the space to get the team together and work on skills you can do in your new, less-than-ideal practice spot.If a second practice during the week is out of the question, how about the weekend on the day you don’t play? Not ideal, I know, but maybe better than nothing. You could make the practice optional so that parents who already have weekend plans don’t have to cancel them. My guess is you’ll quickly find out most of your play-ers are glad to have something to do, and their parents happy to make it happen for them. You just might want to schedule the practice around the local NFL team’s big game. Lastly, if it’s impossible to get a second practice in, it becomes even more impor-tant to use your practice time efficiently. Before, you might have let the kids just “goof around” for the first 10 minutes — my son and his flag football teammates chase each other around trying to rip flags off each other, getting more of a workout than if the coach had them run sprints — and there’s nothing wrong with that when

you have plenty of time. But if you are only going to have daylight for 45 minutes, it’s vital that you start immediately and accom-plish your practice goals before dark. Reiterate to your parents the importance of arriving early if possible, or at the very least, on time. And don’t wait for the entire team to get there. If you say practice is starting at 6, when Joey arrives at 6:05, practice should already be five minutes old. I’m not suggesting you punish Joey for being late — remember it was probably his dad’s fault — but by doing this you will only reinforce to parents you need them

there on time. Hopefully you’ve had a great fall season so far. You can keep the momentum going by making sure the shorter days don’t af-fect your team’s performance at practice, which ultimately means it won’t be affected at game time. Jon Buzby’s columns appear in newspa-pers and magazines around the country as well as numerous websites. Contact him at [email protected] and follow him @JonBuzby on Twitter.


Continued from Page 1

Bulldogs Improving Stafford head coach Rob Schadt thought this could be the year that the Bulldogs, winners of four games the past two years, might finally start to show some improve-ment. While they’ve been a bit streaky so far, Stafford entered its October 5th game against Bolton just one win shy of their total from 2010 and 2011.Senior Evan Theroux scored all four of the team’s goals in a win against Canton last on September 14, and has been an offensive stalwart for Stafford (3-3) all season.

Enfield Enfield had its shutout streak snapped at three games last week by NCCC rival Ellington. The Raiders had lost three in a row entering Friday after winning their previous three games. Enfield has been on both sides of lop-sided shutouts, beating SMSA 6-0 before losing to Ellington by the same count. The Raiders defense has been inconsistent overall. Along with their three shutouts on the season, twice they have given up six goals in a game as well as four in a 4-1 loss to East Granby. Home games against Bolton and Suffield are next on the docket for the Raiders. Fermi Fermi has been a bit up and down this season, but has received consistent goal scoring from Connor Glettenberg.The good news is, the Falcons have not

Raiders Snap Three Game Losing Streaklost consecutive games. The bad news is, they have not won consecutive games either, as the team is 4-4 entering its Oc-tober 9 matchup at home against Tolland. If things hold true to form, Fermi will win the game as they dropped its most recent game, a 3-1 loss to East Catholic. The Fal-

cons dropped their first game to Tolland, 4-1 on September 14. East Windsor East Windsor put together a modest 2-1-1 streak after starting the season 0-3. The team currently stands at 2-5-1 after

a lopsided loss at East Granby, 9-4 on October 3. The Panthers upcoming schedule only gets tougher as they play at Ellington on October 9 before hosting defending Class S champion, Somers on October 12.

Dominick Fiaschetti of East Windsor prepares for the corner kick. Photo by: Melanie Oliveira, The Sports Department, www.photosfromthesidelines.com

Jacob Fitzgerald shows off his dribbling skills as he goes down the field for Stafford. Photo courtesy of Lifetouch Pho-tography



Wild Ride For SomersBy Reid L. WalmarkThe Sports Department

It has been quite the roller coaster ride for the Somers girls soccer team as it opened 2012 with a pair of victories before losing four of five matches for first-year coach Mike Pantuosco. The Spartans reached .500, at 4-4-0, with a 3-2 win at SMSA on Oct. 5 that left them with a two-game winning streak. A three-game losing streak ended on Oct. 1 with a 2-0 win over Stafford (2-3-2). Jaclyn O’Grady’s steal and blast from 30 yards out broke the scoreless deadlock midway through the second half against Stafford. The insurance goal came when Lisa Lorenzi fed Kathryn O’Connor, who sent a one-timer into the goal. Hailee Statson record nine saves to earn the shutout. Kathryn Lavallee has fueled the Spar-tans’ offense. Other reliable contributions this season have come from Tori Laires, Kelsey Sloan, Kelsey Charette, Kylen O’Hearn and Erin Pfeifer. Enfield

The Raiders started with five straight wins - including victories over East Wind-sor, East Granby and SMSA - before back-to-back losses against Ellington and Avon. The Raiders were able to bounce back with a vengeance, however, defeating Somers, 4-3, then thrashing Canton 6-1 on Oct. 5. Kaylee Palmatier and Olivia Carrona each had two goals in the win over Somers. In a 4-0 loss to Ellington, Enfield goalie Sydney Ballou stopped 16 shots. Enfield’s Sept. 28 3-2 loss against conference power Avon (4-1) can only be described as an absolutely thrilling match. The Raiders lost in overtime after hold-ing a 2-0 lead with 26 minutes left in the second half. Sierra Trzepacz and Carrona scored for Enfield’s lead but Michaela Marcus scored with 3:21 remaining in overtime to lift Avon. Ballou made 13 saves for the Raiders. East Windsor East Windsor (1-8-0) has lost three in a row after the Panthers ended their five-game losing streak to start the season with

a 2-1 overtime victory over SMSA on Sept. 27. Sam Couture supplied assists on both goals. Molly Gallant’s goal in the first 40 seconds of the second half tied the score, then Ashley Gallant scored the eventual game-winning goal in the first minute of overtime. “They played like the team they’re capable of,” coach Bill Arzt sad. In the win over SMSA, Makinsey Carolus made 18 saves. Her performance was enough to earn her the honor of being selected The-SportsDept.com's Girls High School

Girls’ Soccer NotebookGirls’ S

occer

"Player Of The Week" for Sept 24-29. “I still feel we have a great chance of stringing together some victories,” Arzt said. “I expected this to be a good year for us.”

Kathryn LaVallee is the key that starts the Somers' of-fense. Photo by: Alan Bastarache, The Sports Department, www.bastarachephotos.com

See “East Windsor” Page 7


Somers Parks and Recreation

Student Athlete of the MonthSomerS

Plaques for the Student Athlete of The Month are cour-tesy of Awards and More, 492 Enfield Street, Enfield.

Luke AlvaroSoccer

To Advertise in The Sports DepartmentCall 860-872-0TSD (0873)

Motorsports pagE

Sport: SoccerAccomplishments: Being on back-to-back state championship teams, being named captainGPA 9.2How do you prepare for a game? I either listen to music or a podcast on my iPodExpectations for the next season/Thoughts on the season: To win a state championship, win the conference, and help my team in any way I can.Favorite Career Moment: When my brother and I both started in the state championship games. It was really spe-cial because not many people can say that they’ve won one let alone two state championships with their sibling.What area were you strongest in? What area did you improve the most in over your career? I am strongest in my dribbling and ball skills as well as my speed. The area that I most improved in throughout my career is my shooting.Looking back, what are you going to miss the most about playing for your team? Overall, what are you going to miss the most about high school? What I’m going to miss the most playing for Somers is that I’m playing with all my friends that I have been friends with since we were little kids. We’ve always had success as well as fun and that’s what I’m really going to miss. What I’m going to miss about high school is my friends the relationships that we’ve made.What is the toughest challenge you’ve

overcome? Learning to play the part that you’ve been given on a team. If you’re a leader, then example and execution of certain things is key. If you are a solid player but not a leader, humility and learn-ing your place and part on the team is the key. I’ve been on both sides of those, and I still believe I’ll have to go through both throughout my life.Favorite athlete? Which athlete do you most model your game after? Cristiano Ronaldo, and I attempt to model my game after his play.Red Sox or Yankees? UConn men or UConn women? Yankees, UConn womenFavorite band, movie, TV show? Panic! At the Disco, Dark Night Rises, ChoppedWhat is your favorite sports website to follow? UMass Athletics to see how my brother played.How do you believe sites like Twitter and Facebook have changed how you watch and follow sports? They allow you to see scores faster and stir up conversa-tion online.Plans after high school: Get into college and hopefully play soccer in college.

Kara Wolters To Host Basketball Clinic

By Amy SaadaThe Sports Department

We are pleased to offer a basketball clinic instructed by UConn's great and Olympic Gold Medalist, Kara Wolters. This clinic will stress the fundamentals, teamwork, sportsmanship and individual skill improve-ment. Kara will tell her story and speak about commitment, leadership and team-work, both on and off the court. Don't miss the opportunity to improve your basketball skills while learning key concepts vital to the game right before your basketball season starts. The fee is $50. Participants will receive a Kara Wolters Dream Big T-shirt and bag along with an autograph. Two sessions, 5th and 6th graders on Nov. 3 from 8:30 a.m. - noon. Seventh and 8th graders on Nov. 3 from 1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. at MBA Gym, Somers. Zumbatonic Designed exclusively for kids (ages 4-12), Zumbatomic classes are rocking, high-energy fitness-parties packed with specially choreographed, kid-friendly rou-tines and all the music kids love, like hip-hop, reggaeton, cumbia and more. Parents love Zumbatomic because of the effects it has on kids, increasing their focus and self-confidence, boosting metabolism and enhancing coordination. Zumbatomic rounds out family fitness goals by giv-ing parents a great reason to head to the gym - for themselves, for their kids, for a totally fun family experience. Classes are

ongoing. Zumba Gold Zumba Gold targets the largest growing segment of the population: baby boomers. It takes the Zumba formula and modifies the moves and pacing to suit the needs of the active older participant, as well as those just starting their journey to a fit and healthy lifestyle. What stays the same are all the elements the Zumba Fitness-Party is known for: the zesty Latin music, like salsa, meringue, cumbia and reggaeton; the exhilarating, easy-to-follow moves; and the invigorating, party-like atmosphere. Active older adults want camaraderie, excitement and fitness as a regular part of their weekly schedule. Zumba Gold is the perfect fit. It's a dance-fitness class that feels friendly, and most of all, fun. Classes are ongoing.

Other programs available, please visit our website at http://somers.recdesk.com/recdeskportal/

Enfield Parks and Recreation

Come See The Celtics Play

By Alison Alberghini-DurlerThe Sports Department

Join the Enfield Recreation Department as we travel to Boston for the evening to see the Boston Celtics take on the Atlanta Hawks on March 8, 2013. The game will start at 7:30 p.m. Trip includes round trip motor coach transportation and tickets in balcony section of the TD Garden. The bus will arrive in Boston around 4 p.m. allowing time for dinner or shopping before the game. Bus departs Enfield Town Hall parking lot at 2 p.m. Fee is $85 per person. Pre-Registration is required and tickets are limited.Playgroup Ages 5 & under This program is a great chance for you and your child to meet other families in Enfield and share experiences and secrets of raising children. Your child will be able to explore and play with educational toys and games while moms, dads or caregiv-ers have a chance to talk. Playgroup is an ongoing program, so registration is not necessary, however you must be an Enfield resident to participate. Playgroup is held at the Angelo Lamagna Activity Cen-ter in the Gym on Wednesdays, through June 5, 2013 from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.Youth Open Gym Basketball

T here will be open gym for youth at En-field Street School. Children 10 and under must be accompanied by an adult. No more than 3 children per adult. Open gym will run through November 29, no program Nov. 6, Nov. 13 and Nov. 22.10 Years & Under: Tuesdays, 6 p.m. – 7:25 p.m., 11 - 14 Years Old: Tuesdays 7:35 p.m. – 9 p.m.15 - 18 Years Old: Thursdays, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Fee: $1.50 per night. This is a drop in program, no pre-registration is required.Enfield Youth BasketballThe 2012-2013 EYBL information is now available online for viewing at www.enfield-ct.gov on the Recreation Department homepage. Registration is open. This program is for residents only.Adult Over 40 Basketball League Information on the Adult Over 40 Basket-ball League is now online at www.enfield-ct.gov. Registration deadline for teams is October 19 at 5 p.m.. Individuals who are interested in joining a team can contact the Recreation Department at 860-253-6420 to add their name to an interest list. New teams are also welcome to join the league. Space in the league is limited.

Vote For The High School Game

of the WeekDo you want to put your high school in the Friday night/Saturday Spotlight? You can do just that by voting for The-SportsDept.com Game Of The Week. Each week TheSportsDept.com gives readers a chance to select our High School Game of The Week. Vot-ing begins on Monday and runs through Thursday at 6 p.m. TheSportsDept.com will send a reporter and photographer to the game which receives the most votes by 6 p.m on Thursday.



Continued from Page 5

Fermi Fermi (3-6-0) defeated Rockville (2-6-0) by 3-2 on Oct. 3. The Falcons got goals from Stephanie Wence, Ashley Kennedy and Kiley Vermette in the win, with Kaley Kennedy making four saves. Morgan Skoly and Michelle Correia had the goals for the Rams, and goalie Shelby Barnes stopped nine Fermi shots. Stafford As tough as the Stafford Bulldogs have played, their record of 2-3-2 isn't showing all the work they have been putting into their season. The team has had a little bad luck, dropping its opener in OT to Enfield, 2-1, then tying SMSA, 2-2. Stafford has received some strong play from goalie Amber Pierce as well as Lau-ren Webb, Kiana Woods and Jordan Si-erra. Pierce had 16 saves against Somers

East Windsor Snaps Losing StreakKianna Woods is the focal point on offense for Stafford. Courtesy of: Lifetouch Photography

in a 2-0, and Woods and Sierra have led the offense. The Bulldogs got victories over East Windsor and Canton.

Fermi's Allie Griffin tries to maneuver the ball by her defender. Photo by: Rich Tanguay, The Sports Department, http://www.video-grams.photoreflect.com

Seniors Making Difference For Somers Field Hockey

By Danny AtkinsonThe Sports Department

Somers' field hockey team's success this season demonstrates just how much of a difference a talented senior class can make. The Spartans have been competitive in the NCCC because of the leadership and talent a quartet of seniors provides. Somers is 4-5 but has been competitive in its losses. Coach Amy Cunningham is pleased with the Spartans play and gives much of the credit to seniors Kayla Ren-aud, Emma Panto, Jennifer Jablonski and Katelyn Fawthrop. “The four of them are great leaders and extremely focused,” Cunningham said. “They have done a great job on the field and with motivating our young guys to work harder.”Fermi Fermi's field hockey team has had little on field success if you are going by wins and losses. It is 1-6, with the one win com-ing against Newington on September 21st. But dig a little deeper and you will find an inexperienced team that has gotten much better as the season has gone along. “It helps that we have been learning from our mistakes and have been able to work on correcting them in practice,” coach Amy Bartholomew said Goalie Jillian Lapponese has been the anchor of a solid defense. She is allowing an average of two goals per game. In volleyball, Fermi is in a rebuilding year, and their 1-8 record reflects this. The only upperclassmen it has been able to rely on are Hannah Combs and Emily Quail. Despite the poor record, coach Alexandra Pyznar could not be more pleases with her team’s effort. “The girls have a great attitude and do everything they can to get better,” she stated. On the trails Fermi's cross country team has struggled in 2012 and lost 15-50 to E.O. Smith early on in the season. It raced in the Harry Geraghty Invite September 29 and finished fourth. Leading runner Rob-bie Macon-Wells placed ninth in 17:05. The girls team has also struggled and

lost by the same score to E.O. Smith. However, they performed well at the Geraghty Invitational, finishing fourth. Kate Saltzgiver and Gabrielle Slopotnik led the way for Fermi. Saltzgiver finished second with a time of 19:44, and Slopotnik was ninth in 20:37. The Fermi/Enfield Somers co-op team is 0-3 this season. The team experienced an-other close loss in its September 28 meet when the team was out touched by Bristol Central at the wall and fell 81-88. Coach Janet Fitzsimmons has seen steady improvement from her swimmers, even if it may not be apparent from the win-loss column. She said that their effort has been outstanding and that times are constantly improving. Rebecca Kalif, Erika Bushey, and Em-ily Roche have been Fermi’s top swim-mers.Enfield The record may not show it but Enfield's 2-6 field hockey team features a very strong defense, and has been competitive in nearly every game. If Enfield can turn around its offense, a state tournament ap-pearance could be in its grasp. Coach Cookie Bromage is proud of her team’s attitude and effort and believes Enfield’s record does not reflect how it has played. “The girls are working very hard and constantly improving,” she stated.In volleyball, Coach Albina Belisle is very disappointed by Enfield’s 1-7 start. It only victory came against Canton on Septem-ber 12th. “The girls are not communicating well on the court,” she said. Belisle did praise Morgan Doiron and Macy Peach for their setting and attacking skills. Enfield’s boys and girls cross country teams are both 2-8. The squads both lost to Granby Memorial and Suffield in late September. Rob Barnes is the coach of both teams. He stated that both teams are rebuilding and that their biggest issue is confidence. Enfield’s top male runner is KeJuan Williams and its top female run-ner is Stephanie Malicki.

Stafford Stafford's field hockey team is looking like one of the top teams in the state as it is undefeated at 8-0. The Bulldogs have been a big surprise after losing 12 seniors from last year. They have outscored op-ponents 43-5. Jasmine Murray has been electric on offense for Stafford, scoring 11 goals in seven September games. Mark Dunn's boys and girls cross country teams are having an up and down season as the girl are 4-7, while the boys squad is 2-9. Dunn is pleased with the improvements his teams have made.

Rachel Gallison is the girls top runner. She finished first in the Bulldogs most recent meet with SMSA and Canton. The boys team has seen solid performers from a number of runners. Brendan Goodwin and Matt Moore have been its most con-sistent performers.East Windsor The Panthers' cross country team fin-ished second in the Geraghty Invitational on September 29th. Clayton Odell, Dylan Costa and Dan Guagni each finished in the top ten. Odell was runner-up in 16:36.

Kayla Renaud has been one of the seniors that have made Somers a surprise conference contender this season. Photo by: Alan Bastarache, The Sports Department, www.bastarach-ephotos.com

Kristen Steidler of Somers escapes a defender. Photos by: Alan Bastarache, The Sports Department, www.basta-rachephotos.com

See more photos at

www.TheSports-Dept.com


ASK THE TRAINER

NOW OPEN! Our NEW Office at: 53 Mountain Road, Suffield, CT

Learn How To Strengthen Your Ankle After A Sprain

Certified Athletic Trainers (ATC’s) are allied health care providers trained in the preven-tion, evaluation and rehabilitation of sports injuries. They work under the direction of a physician and they are board certified na-tionally and licensed in CT. Visit www.NATA.org for more information. Certified athletic trainers at Enfield High School and Enrico Fermi High School are provided by Eastern Rehabilitation Network (www.easternrehab.net ), a department of Hartford Hospital (www.harthosp.org).Eastern Rehabilitation Network (ERN) and The Sports Department have partnered to bring readers a monthly column on sports medicine topics. Readers may submit questions related to injuries, training advice, rehabilitation or any other sports medicine topic. Submit questions to:Ben Stralka, ATC, (Enrico Fermi High School) – [email protected]; Kyle Hicks, ATC, (Enfield High School) – [email protected]; Wendy Nichols, Physi-cal Therapist, (ERN Enfield) – [email protected]

Many athletes report spraining their ankles during sports and will then try wearing ankle braces. Anyone having an ankle sprain has an increased rate of re-injury, so although taping and wearing ankle braces provide good for protection while returning from an ankle sprain, the best prevention from re-injury is to strengthen the muscles sur-rounding the ankle. An ankle sprain occurs when the foot is forced past its normal limits of movement. Two common ankle sprains are inversion sprains (when the foot is turned inwards) and eversion sprains (when the foot is

turned outwards). As with any injury, an evaluation by a health care provider is recommended. “Closed kinetic chain exercises,” those which involve standing on the involved limb, are most commonly used to incorporate the functional demands of a sport or activity. Common daily exercises used for strength-ening the ankle are: Heel Raises: Standing on both feet raise your heels off the floor, keeping all your weight in your toes. Slowly lower back down and repeat up to 30 times. Raise your heels at the count of two seconds and lower at the count of four seconds. Toe Raises: Standing on both feet rock back on your heels raising your toes off the floor. Slowly lower back down. Raise your toes at the count of two seconds and lower at the count of four seconds. Single Leg Balance: Stand on one leg for 30-60 seconds using as little support from the upper body as possible. Anterior Reaches: Start with feet together and your weight on left or right leg. Bend the knee as if you were sitting back into a chair and reach the opposite foot out in front of you. Touch the heel as far forward as you can. Make sure your knee does not go past your toes or folds in towards your opposite knee. Lower for four seconds and return at two seconds. Step downs: Stand with both feet on the bottom step of a staircase. Bend the left or right knee and lower the opposite foot to the ground. Do not allow the knee to fold in to-wards the opposite knee. Lower at a count of four seconds and tap the toe on the ground. Return at a count of two seconds without push off from the ground.


Football NotebookFootbal

l

Ellington/Somers Back In Midseason Form It took a little bit of time to regain the poise they had from taking home the Uncas Division title last season, but the Ellington/Somers Knights are back in mid-season form after they opened at Canton with an unimpressive 21-7 victory. Canton is a young team that Ellington/Somers beat easily (53-16) to open last season. The Knights looked revived in impressive victories against SMSA (47-7) and Gilbert (21-17). Neal Janiga is off to a strong start at fullback. He has five rushing touchdowns and one passing touchdown (the game winner versus Gilbert). Brendan Coverdill has three receiving touchdowns and a 100 yard receiving game on his resume this season. Although the offensive stats are strong, the Knights have been led by a stingy defense.Keith Tautkus’ unit, which returned only three starters (two who are injured), has picked up right where they left off last year. They have been paced by strong efforts from linebacker Christian Schneider and safety Austin Tautkus. “We have continued to improve as a team. The team has benefited from the hard work of everyone, in particular a couple of players who have worked their way from the bench into significant play-ing time,” Tautkus said. “Andrew Pearce (junior linebacker) got his first start against Gilbert and recorded 11 tackles with 2 sacks. Shane McGowan (sophomore safety) has had valuable minutes in the secondary. The success of our team this year is dependent on getting more players, like Andrew and Shane, to develop their skills so that they can play a role in making us a better team.” Enfield Enfield High School started off strong, defeating Granby, 34-0 before losing

to Gilbert, 41-26. The team rebounded, defeat-ing Stafford, 42-30. The Raiders have shown an explosive offense through-out the first three games. Avery Boissy has led the charge and has estab-lished himself as one of the toughest backs in the Pequot Conference. Enfield has also received a strong contribution from quarterback Kyle May-nard. Maynard had his strongest performance against Gilbert in week 2 when he threw for three touchdowns in a loss. The Raiders have played three very exciting games so far. Their explosive offense has made them a threat to score from anywhere on the field, but their defense has been giving up too many points. “The season has been a season of ups and downs,” head coach Jay Gaucher said. “As a team we need to try to get more consistent. Our offense has been led by Boissy, sophomore receiver Tyrik Henry, and the two headed QB play of Maynard and Mike Crowley. Defensive-ly, we are still trying to figure it out.” Fermi The Falcons continue to struggle under first year head coach Joe Tata Jr. as he searches for his first win. The Falcons have scored just six points through three games. The Falcons fell to Middletown (49-0), Bulkeley (22-6), and Wethersfield (34-0). Junior quarterback Andrew Wilcox

has shown growth and had a breakout performance versus Bulkeley as he threw for 145 yards. The Falcons continue to struggle in the running game and defen-sively in the first month. Bryan Ortiz has given the team strong contributions at run-ning back and linebacker, and sophomore receiver Bailey Raymond has played well. Stafford/East Windsor The Bulldogs played extremely tough football during the first month of the season, but only have one win to show for their efforts. Zach Rollins has led the Bulldogs offensive attack by scoring seven touchdowns and rushing for close to 400

Brendan Coverdill looks back to haul in a pass for Ellington/Somers. Coverdill has three receiving touchdowns and a 100 yard receiving game on his resume this season

yards. The Bulldogs’ double wing attack, which is usually a ball control offense, has played like a spread passing attack thus far, having scored 52, and 30 points in strong efforts. The team's lone win was a dominating 52-20 win over Housatonic Regional/Wamogo. The Bulldogs were in a dog fight 16-14 game in the first quarter, but exploded the remaining three quarters behind Rollins and a strong offensive line.

Jake Watts scampers past the Windsor Locks defender. Photo by Joe Oliveira Jr., The Sports Department, www.photosfromthesidelines.com

Andrew Wilcox of Fermi eyes his receiver down as he makes the throw. Photo by Rich Tanguay, The Sports Department, www.video-grams.biz

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Somers 1992 Class S champions enjoying the fruits of their labor. Somers won an 82-81 nail-biter in the state final against Haddam-Killing-worth. Courtesy of: Somers High School

East Windsor’s 1999 cheerleading team were runners up to Wolcott for the co-ed title. Photo by: East Windsor High School


The teams and players from our past are a huge part of what shapes our memories and overall appreciation for sports. And nothing can cause memories to come rushing back quite like an old team photograph or an action shot from someone’s “glory days.”

Despite being hooked by his opponent's hockey stick, senior Brett Pellegrini carefully watches the game. Pelligrini was a vital member of Fermi's 1990 team. Fermi defeated Stamford Catholic 7-6 that sea-son in the Division II title game. Courtesy of: Fermi High School

Enfield's Don Kamm is prepared to stop the puck by any means necessary. Kamm was a captain on En-field's 1983 championship team. The Raiders won the Division I championship 5-4 over Notre Dame-West Haven. Courtesy of: Enfield High School

If you have a photo you would like to see in next month’s edition of The Sports Department you may email it to us at [email protected] or mail it to us at The Sports Department, PO Box 746, Ellington, CT 06029. Mailed photos MUST be accompanied by a paid return postage envelope in order to be re-turned to sender.

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COLLEGE NOTEBOOK

Youth Photos

Somers Soccer Shining On The Next Level

By Reid L. WalmarkThe Sports Department

On Oct. 3, Nichols college freshman for-ward Donny Whittle (Somers 2012) was named ECAC Division III New England Men’s Soccer Offen-sive Player of The Week. Two days earlier, he was named the Commonwealth Coast Confer-ence’s Offensive Player and Rookie of The Week. He has three game-winning goals for Nichols (6-5-0) and shares in the team lead with seven goals. His former Somers High School teammate, freshman goalkeep-er Alex Geas, made 14 saves in a 3-1 win over Curry College on Sept. 15. Geas has started all 11 matches and has a 1.28 goals against average with a 77.6 save percentage. Fresh-man midfielder Jake Alvaro (Somers 2012) has played in all nine matches as a reserve at the University of Massachusetts (3-4-2). He is logging almost 21 minutes a game.Junior midfielder Lucia Pantu-osco (Somers 2010) is playing

Jake Alvaro was MVP of the Class S boys soccer tournament last sea-son. Now he is earning his stripes at UMass. TSD File photo.

on the Clark University women’s soccer team (4-7-1). She has started in nine of 11 matches, missing one, and ranks second in scoring with two goals and two assists.

Morgan Remington (19) kicks the ball downfield as Danielle Delano (13) watches from afar. Photo by: Max Delano, The Sports Department, www.flickr.com/pho-tos/myfotomax

Regina Leblanc (18) rears back to boot the ball as Alex Capodicasa (21) watches closely. Photo by: Max Delano, The Sports Depart-ment, www.flickr.com/photos/myfotomax

The Enfield Ramblers A team gets some instructions from the coaching staff before its game against Cromwell.

Emma Blinn of JFK Middle School brings the ball up during a game against Tolland. Photo by: Max Delano, The Sports De-partment, www.flickr.com/photos/myfotomax


Motorsports pagEOh, Brother: Casagrande Siblings Shining

Like many young drivers, Cory Casa-grande of Stafford started his Stafford Motor Speedway in the DARE Stock divi-sion. After one season, however, Casa-grande moved up into the Limited Late Model ranks for an unusual reason - his older brother Kyle was also in the DARE Stocks. "Whenever we race together, we always end up taking each other out," Cory Casa-grande said, "so we decided we'd have to race in different divisions so we both could survive." It turned out to be perfect strategy. Not only did the Casagrande brothers survive in 2012, they thrived. Kyle Casagrade became the all-time win leader in the DARE Stock division this year with 17 victories and set a record for most wins in the season with six. He finished third in the point standings. Cory, meanwhile, did even better. By win-ning the final Limited Late Model feature of the season on Fall Final weekend, Casagrande was able to put a padlock on the track championship. "This means a lot," Casagrande said. "My family has been coming to Stafford for a long time and it's nice to finally win a championship." It almost didn't happen. Casagrande was nearly involved in two altercations early in the race, but had the car control to wriggle out of trouble.

"I have to thanks all the crew men who stood by me all season long," Casagrande said. "They did a great job."Casagrande did a great job as well. He wound up the season with five wins and was able to edge Josh Wood by 12 points to prevail in Stafford's closest point battle. Wounded Woody He ended the season with a whimper in-stead of a bang. Woody Pitkat of Stafford finished 19th in the final Late Model race of the season and his car was so badly damaged that the entire left side of the car was torn off. Pitkat, however, received something to ease the pain - a Stafford championship. Even though the final race of the season was Pitkat's worst of the season - it was the only time he finished out of the Top 10 all season -Pitkat was able to top Mike Quintiliano of Shelton by 36 points to clinch his second Late Model champion-ship. Since competing for the Snow family of New Haven, Pitkat had finished second in the points in 2010 and 2011 before mak-ing his major breakthrough this season. "I could easily be a three or four time champion, but the way things transpired, it wasn't meant to be," Pitkat said. "I guess the third time was the charm for us." Saunders Success Cliff Saunders of Stafford would be the

first to say that he didn't have the fastest car during the DARE Stock season. "But we had the most consistent car every week," Saunders said.Saunders finished third in the season's final race, but it was enough to lift him to the title. "We've finished second before, so this year I really wanted to win the title," Saun-ders said. Austin Bessette of Stafford won the final race and said he may be moving up to the Limited Late Model division next year.

Last laps Bob Charland of Stafford had a rough 2012 season, but ended it with a silver lin-ing with a win at the Fall Final. "It was a long, long road," Charland said. "The crew worked hard on the car and we finally nailed it." Kris Fluckinger of Enfield was able to turn the corner this season in the DARE Stocks. He grabbed the first two wins of his career, including a victory in the presti-gious Paradiso-Muska Shootout at the Fall Final.

Cory Casagrande (red car) won the Limited Late Model feature in the Fall Final weekend. Here he battles with Albert Saunders.


Student Athlete of the MontheaSt WindSor

Plaques for the Student Athlete of The Month are cour-tesy of Awards and More, 492 Enfield Street, Enfield.

Clayton OdellCross Country


East Windsor Parks and Recreation

Mad Science Returns To East Windsor

By Lori TitusThe Sports Department

Mad Science is back. This is a 10-week program for kids in grades K-4. Classes will be held at the Broad Brook School on Wednesdays from 3:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m., October 24th to January 9th. No classes on November 21st and December 26th. Fee for the 10-week program is $149. Checks to be made payable to "Mad Science." Registration through the Parks and Recreation Office must be received by October 19th. Space is limited to the first 21 students. A parent volunteer is needed for each class.

Men's Open Gym Men's open gym will be held at the East Windsor High School, Monday nights October 15, 22, 29 and November 5, 19, 26 from 8 p.m. – 9:45 p.m. Fee is $2 per week.

2012 Scarecrow Contest Show off your fall spirit and join East Windsor Parks and Recreation and the East Windsor Senior Center for our free, fun, family town wide Scarecrow Contest. Decorate your scarecrow at home in any

theme: patriotic, Halloween, school colors, etc. Pre-register at the parks and recre-ation office by October 29th. Judging will take place on October 30th. Entries must be visible from the road to ensure easy judging. Cash Prizes will be awarded to the top three scarecrows. Call (860) 627-6662 to register today.

2012 Haunted Happenings Come out for some spooky fun

at East Windsor Park. Prizes will be awarded for best costume in each age group. Hay rides,

refreshments, and music will be there to entertain, as

well as games for kids to enjoy. The event will be held on October

26th at 7 p.m. If there is rain, the event will be moved to Broad Brook School. The fee is $3. Candy Hunt begins at 7:30 p.m. It is for children up to 12 years old. No need to preregister. Please bring your own candy bags.

Free Design Magazine. comFree Design Magazine. com

Sport: Cross-CountryNickname: ClateAccomplishments: As a freshman, I qualified for the Tennessee cross country state meet. I just recently set a new PR of 16:35 at The Harry Geraghty Invita-tional.GPA: 2.5How do you prepare for a game? I usually listen to music on the way to the meet. Other than that, I just practice hard with the team.Expectations for the next season/Thoughts on the season: This year, I am having an awesome season so far & I’m hoping to get in the top 10 in the NCCC conference meet and also to do well at states.Favorite Career Moment: When I ran at the Harry Geraghty meet and got my PR with a time of 16:35. I have also enjoyed winning the meets against 1) Enfield, SMSA & Avon 2) Coventry & Somers.What area were you strongest in and what did you improve in? Distance running seems to be my strongest area. I feel like my biggest improvement was learning how to pace myself over 3.1 miles.Looking back, what are you going to miss the most about playing for your team? Overall, what are you going to miss the most about high school? I will miss my coach and all of the friends

that I have made.What is the toughest challenge you’ve overcome? That would probably be moving up to Connecticut and starting a new life with my dad, also starting at a new school and not knowing anyone.Favorite athlete? Which athlete do you most model your game after? Justin Gatlin from Tennnesse because he was a local athlete that I knew of that went on to get a bronze in the Olympics.Red Sox or Yankees? UConn men or UConn women? Red Sox. UConn menFavorite band, movie, TV show? Band-The Black Keys. Movie- Step Brothers. TV show- South ParkWhat is your favorite sports website to follow? ESPN.com. It is very informa-tive and up to date, it also tells about all different types of sports.How do you believe sites like Twitter and Facebook have changed how you watch and follow sports? I am not that much into either one.Plans after high school: I would like to go to college at the University of Tennes-see. I am hoping to get a scholarship in cross-country and track.


enfield fermiStudent Athlete of the Month Student Athlete of the Month

Beginning in 2011, Awards & More in Enfield will provide commemorative plaques for The Sports Department Student Athletes of The Month.

Awards & More is located at 492 Enfield Street, Enfield.

Beginning in 2011, Awards & More in Enfield will provide commemorative plaques for The Sports Department Student Athletes of The Month.

Awards & More is located at 492 Enfield Street, Enfield.

Sport: FootballAccomplishments: All State Baseball 2012 – All Conf. Baseball 2012 – Hon-orable Mention All Conf. Football 2011 – State Junior All Star Hockey Game – Saint Michaels Collage Book Award - High Honor’s.GPA: 3.76Class Rank: 4thHow do you prepare for a game? I put in my head phones and drown out the rest of the world to get focused.Expectations for the season / Thoughts on the season. I expect to have a successful season. We have a lot of seniors that have the experience to compete at a high level.Favorite Career Moment: My sopho-more year when we played an undefeat-ed Gilbert for Homecoming and we were expected to lose. We won the game and I had a one handed interception and a fumble recovery.What area were you strongest in? What area did you improve the most in over your career? I have always lacked size when playing sports, but I make up for it by being aggressive. I have improved my speed significantly while in high school and now it is one of the best parts of my game.Looking back, what are you going to miss the most about playing for your team? Overall, what are you going to miss the most about high school? I am going to miss all of our gameday football rituals and the team bonding experiences. Also I will miss most about high school is playing the sports I love

Avery Boissy

Footballwith some of my best friends.What is the toughest challenge you’ve overcome? Keeping up with school work as far as being a high honors student and being a three sport athlete.Favorite athlete? Which athlete do you most model your game after? Alex OvechkinRed Sox or Yankees? UConn men or UConn women? Red SoxFavorite band, movie, TV show? Artist is Eminem, movie is Miracle, TV show is Two and A Half Men.What is your favorite sports website to follow? ESPN.com It keeps me up on all of the scores and stats from games I miss. It is also on my iPhone.How do you believe sites like Twitter and Facebook have changed how you watch and follow sports? It is so much easier to follow sports especially when you are unable to watch certain games.Plans after high school: Plan to go to college and major in Accounting. I also intend to play baseball in college. I have a few colleges interested in me for baseball.

Sport: Field Hockey and SoftballNickname: HalestormAccomplishments: Co-Captain of Varsity Field Hockey, Council Member for DECA and FBLA, Co-Captain of Relay for LifeGPA: 9.4How do you prepare for a game? I usually like to listen to music to get me pumped up.Expectations for the next season/Thoughts on the season: We have the potential to be great. We are working hard as a team as we have graduated many experienced seniors.Favorite Career Moment: Last fall, our field hockey team won the CCC East Conference for the first time in 26 years.What area were you strongest in? What area did you improve the most in over your career? My strongest skill is the ability to communicate with others. I am an outspoken person with a lot of passion for athletics. The area that I im-proved most on was learning how to be a leader on and off the field.Looking back, what are you going to miss the most about playing for your team? Overall, what are you going to miss the most about high school? I am going to miss the family environment that my team has. I am going to miss seeing the people I grew up with when I walk down the hallways.What is the toughest challenge you’ve overcome? Playing up to three sports at once while juggling school. In the winter I’ve played indoor softball, field hockey, and lacrosse all during the same month.

This taught me how to manage my time.Favorite athlete? Dustin Pedroia Which athlete do you most model your game after? I admired former Red Sox catcher, Jason Varitek, as an athlete and as a leader on and off the field. Red Sox or Yankees? UConn men or UConn women? Red Sox. UConn WomenFavorite band, movie, TV show? Jason Aldean, Mean Girls Pretty Little Liars What is your favorite sports website to follow? NESN.com. I love to be able to keep up with the Red Sox even if I’m not able to watch the game.How do you believe sites like Twit-ter and Facebook have changed how you watch and follow sports? If I see someone tweeting about a game that is on TV, I will turn the game on. I’m also able to keep up with the game by seeing people post the scores of the games.Plans after high school: I plan to attend a four year college down south with a major in Business Marketing.

Haley Cotnoir

Field Hockey


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com


LOCAL DIGEST

Enfield Dolphins Compete Against VernonThe Enfield Dolphins faced off in a swim meet against the Vernon Gators recently. Our Andre Garant was there to shoot the action. The Enfield Dolphins have swimmers from throughout the

The Enfield Dolphins Swim Team Photo by: Andre Garant, The Sports Department, www.ajgphotoguy.com

Ezra Audet is poised for action Photo by: Andre Garant, The Sports Department, www.ajgphotoguy.com

Swimmers Marguerite Johnson & Meghan Baker are ready to compete. Photo by: Andre Garant, The Sports Department, www.ajgphotoguy.com

The 2012 edition of the Somers Great Escape 5K Road Race was held this past Saturday in Somers. A number of local runners had impressive results.Mikael Kashay of the Bronx, 24, was the overall race winner and the top male finisher with a time of 24:35. Fellow Bronx native Mekdes Bekez, 25, was the top female finisher with a time of 28:57. Bekez placed seventh overall.Bria Nelson of Rockville, 32, was the top local finisher. He placed fourth with a time

Somers Great Escape 5K Road Race Features a Number of Impressive

Performances From Local Runners

of 26:19. South Windsor native James Guerin, 29, finshed 12th with a time of 32:02. Ken Clark, 50, of Somers finished right behind Guerin with a time of 32:07. Clark was the oldest runner to finish in the top twenty. Fellow Somers native Donna Kay-Ness, 49, placed 14th with a time of 32:22. Kay-Ness was the top local female, and was the oldest female finisher in the top 20. Jonathan Morales of East Wind-sor,36, finished 15th in 33:04. .

John Rockett (left) and Christy Czerwinski cross the finish line.

The champ, Abiyut Endale of the Bronx, NY crosses the finish line.

And they're off. Runners take off during the 5K event.

region including but not limited to Enfield, Somers, Suffield, Ellington, East Wind-sor/Broad Brook, Longmeadow and East Longmeadow, among others.


SPORT AND MEDICAL SCIENCES ACADEMY

2 8 0 H u y s h o p e A v e n u e , H a r t f o r d , C T 0 6 1 0 6 8 6 0 - 6 9 5 - 6 9 3 8 w w w. s p o r t a n d m e d i c a l s c i e n c e s . o r gOPEN HOUSE Thursday, November 15 at 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, January 12 at 9:00 a.m.

2012 U.S. News & World Report - One of America's Best High Schools

2012 Magnet School of Distinction - Magnet Schools of America

2012 Global Young Entrepreneur of The Year

Class of 2012 - 100% - 100% College Acceptance Rate $3.7 Scholarships

95% Proociency or Better In Writing - 2012 CAPT

90% Proociency or Better in Writing - 2012 CMT - Grade 6

North Central Connecticut Conference (NCCC) - High School Athletics

Middle Middle School - Honors Program, Athletics & Pep Band

Grades 6-12 College Preparatory Magnet School

enfield editon october 2012

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