It was a tale of two halves. The #1 seed Hornets dominated the first frame against Rye Country Day in the FAA Final played on Friday at Skiff St. However, the visiting Wildcats hung in and capitalized on a number of Hornet errors to remain within reach throughout the second half to create a fitting nailbiter final. 

As the first half unfolded, the Hornets seemed to score at will and cruised into halftime with a 12-7 lead, thanks in large part to junior Chase "Chili" Lilly who had 2 goals and 2 assists, and sophomore Kai Bruneau with a goal and assist. Rye, however, made sure that the contest was far from over, and dominated the third quarter, outscoring HH 5-1 to end the period with the Hall clinging to a slim 13-12 lead. Things got no better early in the final quarter when Rye tied it up. The offense sputtered a bit, but made the clutch plays when it counted to regain the lead and stifle any final Wildcat comback. Alex DiVincentis was the go-to guy down the stretch and came up big with 6 goals, while also putting in key minutes at midfield on the counter. Fellow juinor Jeff Nugent added two goals and 5 assists, while Sam Tomak found the back of the net twice. Faceoff specialist Jackson Lalonde, despite hindered by a foot injury, won over 50% of the faceoffs, while the defense bent, but refused to break. Goalie Sam Jewett overcame a few setbacks, but still came up big when it counted to help cement the win.

With the victory, the Hornets earned a Championship repeat title. But there is little time to savor the win as they now prepare for the New England Prep Tournament. The Hornets host Rocky Hill School of Rhode Island on Monday in the quarterfinals.

Congratulations to the team, Coach Warnock, and all the coaching staff, as well as the faithful fans and parents for a terrific season!

Christian Montano, Class of 2014, has a lot to celebrate in his young life.

Meatloaf likely did not have sports in mind as he crafted his songs, but to sing "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" hits the target when assessing the performance of the Hornet teams in Wednesday's Fairchester League tournament semifinal contests, as Boys Baseball and Lax advanced, while Girls Lax fought bravely but came up short.

Boys Lax might have been looking in the rearview mirror at their previous trouncing of Hopkins, as they found themselves struggling throughout its matchup against the crosstown rival. But they emerged 14-9 winners with a solid 4th quarter that finally saw the Hornets display their talents. After an early 2-0 lead, Hamden went flat and the Hilltoppers dug in at the defensive end and countered with a balanced and patient attack. By halftime, the teams had continued to exchange goals with the Hop clinging to a slim 6-5 lead. A major challenge for the Hornets developed because FoGo specialist, Jackson Lalonde, who had previously dominated the Hilltoppers, was saddled with a foot injury, and this made every faceoff look like a rugby scrum. Both Lalonde and the Hornets made the necessary adjustments, however, and finally regained the lead, yet still could not edge out ahead by more than two goals throughout the 3rd quarter. The Hornets finally put it all together in the last frame to put the game away and reassert their dominance over the Hop. Jeff Nugent came up big and led the Hornets with 6 goals overall, including a number of cannon blasts. Zach Giugno, Chase Lilly, and Alex DeVincentis all found the back of the net as well. The defense leaked a few goals to give Hilltopper fans false hopes, but Sam Jewett was stellar between the pipes, and a total team effort made the difference down the stretch. With the win, the team advances to their third consecutive final appearance. They will host the Wildcats of Rye Country Day on Friday at 4:30 in an attempt to achieve the "Repeat".

Just across the way from the lax field, #2 seeded Varsity Baseball squared off against #3 seed Brunswick, and the drama was no less intense as they emerged with a thrilling 2-1 victory. The Hornets yielded a soft early run, but senior ace, Ryan Doherty, did his best Chris Sale imitation as he dazzled the visiting Bruins with a 7 strikeout gem with no walks. Doherty gave up 7 hits in total, but kept battling back each inning to stifle some very potent Bruin bats. Fellow senior Billy Gioulos provided the key hit, lacing a run scoring triple, and Doherty's batterymate, Dennis Gamester, had the other RBI. Joe Liucci and Cam Maldanato scored the two Hornet runs. With the victory the Hornets advance to the FAA Final against #1 seed Hopkins on Friday at 4:30 up on the hill.

Regardless of final results, both programs are virtually assured of bids to the upcoming New England tournaments next week.

Kudos to Coach Emily Anderson and the Girls Varsity Lacrosse team for their excellent run of victories this season. Having defeated St. Luke's in a Fairchester quarterfinal matchup, the #4 seed Hornets lost 20-4 on Wednesday in a semifinal match-up against a formidable #1 seed Sacred Heart down in Greenwich. The Hornets never quit while battling a team with a 16-1 record and a roster full of college bound players. 

So winning two out of three certainly was not bad in the semifinals. Here's hoping that Friday's games produce some gold for the boys in green.

Hilary Sievers, Class of 2007, recently visited our PreSchool to surprise her nephew, Matthew Fee, and read to his class.

Hamden Hamden Country Day School is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of alumnus Jerry Olson, Class of 1955, on March 27, 2019. 

Joseph Barba, grandfather of Ethan Fuoco, Class of 2019, Jack Fuoco, Class of 2022, and Max Fuoco, Class of 2022, died on April 28, 2019. Hamden Hall extends condolences to the Barba / Fuoco family.

To read full obituary, click here.

Alumni sisters who are former Hornet athletes are back on the Hamden Hall playing field.

As the season heats up, even if the weather doesn't, every FAA league game is hotly contested. With a split of their last two games, the Hornet Baseball team finds itself smack in the middle of the race for the Fairchester League title. On Saturday, Billy Gioulos took the mound against Greens Farms down ay Westport. The Hornets had handled the Dragons fairly easily in the previous match up; however, this time hits were tough to come by. Danny Carbone had 2 hits including a double, and CXJ Kuselias had two hits as the Hornets carved out a slim 2-1 lead, thanks, as well, to Gioulos striking out 8. But the Dragons put one across in the bottom of the 6th to tie it. The Hornets responded by bringing in Ryan Doherty to shut down GFA, and the game went into extra frames. The Hornets finally managed to punch one home in the top of the 8th to go home with the 3-2 win.

Earlier in the season, the Hornets recorded their best win, downing FAA power Brunswick 5-0 at Skiff St. Unfortunately on Tuesday, the host Bruins returned the favor and topped the Hornets 5-1 down in Greenwich. The Green & White clung to a 1-0 lead through great innings thrown by ace Ryan Doherty. But the Bruins roared back with 3 in the 5th and 2 more in the 6th to seal the victory. Doherty pitched a complete game but took the loss, and now holds a 4-2 record. Cam Maldonato had a pair of hits, and catcher Dennis Gamester had the only RBI. With the loss, the Hornets fall to 7-2 in the league and tied with the Wick for 2nd place. Wednesday, the Hornets will host the Hopkins Hilltoppers, who currently sit atop the league with a single loss.

Dr. Caitlin Farrell, Class of 2005, recently reflected on her career and life in an article published by the American Medical Association (AMA).

Who knows the outcome for the characters in Game of Thrones, but the Hornets certainly were fearless and resilient this winter. Congrats to all the team members and coaches.

Gabriel “Gabe” Rhys Simerson, Class of 2016, has been named communications director for Students for Free Expression. 

Our annual plant sale returns May 9-10 during the school day (8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.) under the tent in front of Lender Refectory. 

Longtime Hamden Hall Board of Trustees member and dedicated community leader and activist Kyle Ballou-Johns has been selected as the 2019 Commencement keynote speaker.

Richard LoRicco Sr. died on April 17, 2019. Richard was the grandfather of Richard LoRicco, Class of 2011, Jacqueline LoRicco, Class of 2012, Alexandra LoRicco, Class of 2013, Ronald LoRicco, Class of 2016, Gabriella LoRicco, Class of 2017, and Juliana LoRicco, Class of 2020. The Hamden Hall Community extends condolences to the Loricco Family.

Alessandro “Sandro” Gasparro, Class of 2008, is going at a clip with his new job in Los Angeles.

Congratulations to alumnus Len Fasano, Class of 1977, who was honored along with Hamden Hall senior Billy Porto (soon to be alumnus Class of 2019!) at the 59th anniversary of the Casey-O'Brien chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Scholar Athlete awards on March 29.

Stop by the Library to celebrate 20 years of Harry Potter! Check out Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone; the first book in the magical and mysterious series by J.K. Rowling. Check out the newly published paperbacks with awe-inspiring book covers by Brian Selznick.

Hamden Hall Country Day School was pleased to welcome Betty Lou Blumberg “back home” for the English Department’s annual Visiting Writers program on April 5.

Many fans would say that ideally a game against the crosstown foe should take place at the end of the season when the hype and intensity are at an all time high. However, an early showdown gives the winner bragging rights for the season with an anticipation of a potential match-up in the playoffs later on. On Saturday, with two non-league wins under their belts, the Hornets opened the defense of their Fairchester League crown with a convincing 21-10 victory over rival Hopkins on their home turf.

Varsity Baseball got off to a solid start in league competition, defeating FAA foes Greens Farms Academy 10-3 on Tuesday and Rye Country Day 15-1 on Wednesday. The team rebounded with complete efforts after struggling in their non-league season openers the week before. Sophomore Danny Carbone went the distance against the Dragons on Tuesday and looked sharp while recording 12 strikeouts. The game was tight throughout the early frames, with the Hornets holding a 4-3 edge through four innings. But in the bottom of the fifth, the Hornets exploded for 6 more runs to which the Dragons had no response. Ryan Doherty had a two hits including a double. CJ Kuselias, Joe Liucci, Dennis Gamester and Billy Gioulis  had 2 RBIs and scored two runs apiece, while Carbone added two hits to help his own cause.

Hamden Hall alumna Rolan Joni Young, Class of 1978, right, is with fellow alumna Lindy Lee Gold, Class of 1962, at the New Haven Biz WOMEN WHO MEAN BUSINESS luncheon on April 2 held at Anthony’s Ocean View.

A group of Middle School students created a podcast debating the hot-button topic of technology and social media in our classrooms and entered the audio broadcast into the first-ever National Public Radio Student Podcast Challenge.

An engaging virtual field trip today ferried our fifth-graders back in time to 1770 for the trial of the Boston Massacre.

One of America’s most celebrated poets discussed her craft during a recent Upper School Assembly as the next installment of the English Department’s annual Visiting Writers program.

Is it spring yet? The temperature and field conditions aren't ideal but the spring season has officially begun for the Hornets. Varsity Softball drew a tough opener, facing off against a powerful Choate squad and losing 24-2 in 3 innings. Pitcher Callie Silvey took the loss. Kelly Thomas walked and hit a solid triple to score one and drive in the other Hornet run.

Mario Dottori Sr. died on March 22, 2019. Mario was the father of alumni siblings, Mario Dottori Jr., Class of 1980, Maria Dottori, Class of 1987, and the late Jodi Dottori, Class of 1983. The Hamden Hall Community extends condolences to the Dottori Family.

To read the obituary, please click here.

Tricia Richardi Vaillancourt, Class of 2007, and her husband, Jeff, shared a photo of baby Evelyn, now 7 months old.

Since graduating from Vanderbilt University in 2016, Sylvana Lewin, Hamden Hall Class of 2012, has been living in Accra, Ghana.

Karen Lacourciere Bertoni, Class of 1980, recently shared some reflections upon her time at Hamden Hall.

Chris Bruno, Class of 1984, and his wife, Cindy, recently celebrated their first wedding anniversary.

Caron Shutan, Class of 1975, has announced her engagement to Jay Yospe.

Budding scientists – 74 in all! – displayed their ingenuity and creativity during the recent Lower School Science Fair for students in Grades 4 through 6.

A river is flowing through the hallways of Whitson with waves made of words versus water.

Hamden Hall expresses sympathy to the family of Trustee Emeritus Richard Epstein and his wife, Debbie, and their three Hamden Hall alumni children, on the passing of Debbie's father, Lester E. Margolis.

 

Mr. Margolis died on March 5, 2019. Funeral services will be held tomorrow, Friday, March 8 at 11 a.m. at Temple Beth Shalom, 1809 Whitney Ave., Hamden. The period of mourning will be held following the service at 200 Leeder Hill Dr., Hamden until 5 p.m. and 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Saturday, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Sunday and Monday at 18 Woodstock Rd., Hamden, 1 - 3 p.m. and 7 - 9 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 1 - 3 p.m. and 7- 9 p.m.

 

Mr. Margolis was grandfather to Rick and Debbie's children, Kate Fierman, Class of 2000, Emily Epstein, Class of 2002, and Herbert "Herbie" Epstein 2005.

The Boys Varsity Basketball team staged a frantic comeback to defeat Brooks School of North Andover, Mass., 65-62 in a New England Tournament Semifinal match up at Beckerman Center on Saturday.

Fresh from their thrilling double overtime victory to capture the Fairchester League title, Boys Varsity Basketball swarmed into action on Wednesday evening and stung Beaver Country Day from Chestnut Hill, Mass. 81-71 in a New England Tournament Quarterfinal. 

     Over the years, Hamden Hall has seen a good number of wrestlers travel down to Lehigh University to compete in the annual National Prep Tourmament. However, this is arguably the best finish the Hornets have ever recorded at the event. Ranked #12, senior Klyde Auba won 3 and lost 2 matches, falling to the #5 seed in the round of 16. Likewise, 8th grader Pearson Hill, seeded #10, won 3 and lost 2, including a win over the #7 seed, before falling to the #5 seed in the round of 16. Unseeded Connor Massey had 3 matches and eventually lost to the #11 seed, while Aiden Hebert bowed out after two rounds. Congratulations to all four wrtestlers and their coaches for a fantastic season and strong showing at the national level.

     "We will, we will Rock You!" The St. Luke's crowd did not want to hear that tune, but that's exactly what they got on Saturday evening when the Boys Varsity basketball team defeated the host Storm 88-82 in double overtime in front of a rowdy and hostile crowd to repeat as Fairchester League champions.
     The Hornets and Storm finished at 13-1 apiece, earning a share of the FAA regular season crown. The Hornets lost the ensuing coin toss and had to battle a tough #3 seed Greens Farms squad 65-56 on Thursday, to earn a trip to the tournament final. In traveling down to New Canaan, the Hornets felt good about their chances, after quelling the Storm on their home court not long ago. Sure enough, the Hornets came out with their patented high tempo offense and smothering defense to establish a 38-31 lead at the break. However, to no one's surprise, the hosts stormed back to tie the game at 69-69 at the end of regulation. But the first OT resolved nothing, as the Hornets kept it tied at 79-79. In the second OT, Tre Breland made a pair of free throws and Jackson Benigni threw up a reverse layup, while Jakhai Pettway hit two clutch free throws to give HH an 85-79 lead to finally pull away and secure the victory, while holding Luke's to just 3 points in the final frame. Benigni scored a game high 34 points and Breland tossed in 24 to lead the Hornets, while seniors Tim Dawson and Christian Adames each added 13. 
     Hamden Hall coach Sean Doherty said. “I was worried about us keeping our composure and our guys did a great job of doing just that. Jackson was phenomenal, he is such a workhorse. He is such a well-rounded kid and leader."  Breland added, “Jackson scoring so much opened the floor for me. Thanks to my teammates for passing the ball to me.”
     While the Hornets will savor this repeat of capturing the FAA crown, the team has to quickly get back to business and focus on the upcoming New England prep tournament. Congratulations to the entire team and coaching staff. Can't you just hear that Bohemian Rhapsody and Freddie Mercury and Queen singing "We Are the Champions!"

Dr. Rich Joseph, Class of 2005, is finishing up his last year of an internal medicine residency at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

Hamden Hall’s famed football program has joined the Evergreen Football League beginning with the 2019 season.

Dr. Charles Garner died February 2019. He was the father of Darchelle Garner, Class of 1979, and Kevin Garner, Class of 1979. The Hamden Hall Community extends sincere condolences to the Garner family,

To read Charles' obituary, please visit:

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/toledoblade/obituary.aspx?n=charles-garner&pid=191632331

Former faculty member Dr. Barbara Beitch honors her daughter’s memory each year by generously supporting an initiative that enhances the educational experience of Lower School students.

The passing of a beloved Class of 1987 alumnus has led to a scholarship initiative in our community.

Lewis "Lew" Rashmir, Hamden Hall Class of 1943, died on February 13, 2019. The Hamden Hall Community extends condolences to Lewis' family.

To read full obituary, please click here.

Sarah Foster, Hamden Hall Class of 2010, died on February 15, 2019. Sarah was the sister of Leah Foster, Class of 2013. Hamden Hall extends deepest condolences to the Foster family.

Click here to read Sarah's obituary.

     So often we hear the phrase, "Get a grip on it!" without considering just how tough that challenge is. Over the weekeknd, the Varsity Wrestling team indeed proved just how resilient they were in finishing 7th at the New England Prep Wrestling Tournment held at Greens Farms Academy on Saturday. Not limited or defined by size of enrollment, the wrestlers did an outstanding job against much bigger schools. 
     The highlight was, of course, the electrifying effort of 8th grader Pearson Hill at 152 lbs. He quickly dispatched of his opponent from Chauncey Hill, and then ran the gamut against foes from Portsmouth Abbey, Nobles, and Philips Andover before dominating his opponent  16-4 from Northfield-Mt. Hermon to take home the gold!
     In addition, junior Connor Massey of Branford took home the bronze, edged out by the eventual winner from Pomfret, as did senior Klyde Aube who rebounded to decision his opponent from Trinity-Pawling 8-2. Aiden Hebert finished 4th, and together the four qualified for the National Tournament that will take place next week at Lehigh University. Wyn Veiga and Dylan McNamara also wrestled strong for the Hornets.
     Congratulations to the coaches and team on their accomplishments and go luck on the final tournament.

     Having dispatched FAA rival Greens Farms on Wednesday, the Boys Varsity Basketball team turned right around on Thursday and defeated King School 77-55 down in Stamford. In doing so, the team finished 13-1 in the league and earned a share of the regular season Fairchester Athletic Association title.
     The Hornets came out strong and remained that way throughout the game. Picking up where they had left off the night before, the Hornets torched the host Vikings from three point country in the first half. Junior Jackson Benigni had the hot hand, sinking six deep treys to break the game wide open, and led all scorers with 26, Chrstian Adams added 18, including two more threes, and Tre Breland had 11. Coming off the bench, senior Brendan Palmer got in the scorebook with 5 points, Chris Cahill had 6, and Ethan Doherty and Tony Zhou added a bucket each. “ We got off to a great start in our last regular season game today'," said Benigni. "So now with conference and NEPSAC tournaments coming up in next few weeks, it is vital we play with the same type energy and heart that we showed tonight! “  Coach Doherty added, “So proud of the way our guys played tonight; we talked about treating it as a business trip and needing to be focused all game and that’s what we did. Great to win the regular season Fairchester League championship for the 2nd year in a row!  Now onto the playoffs, and we hope to get some great fan support for those games." 
     The Hornets and co-champs St. Luke's will now await a coin toss to determine top seeding for the FAA tournament that begins next week.

"Cry 'Havoc!,' and let slip the dogs of war!" On Wednesday night, Coach Sean Doherty might just as well have used Shakespeare's classic line in his pregame pep talk, as the Hornets blitzed Greens Farms Academy 81-50, and it really could have been by an even greater margin. This game was billed to be a close one, with the talented Dragon squad just behind the first place Hornets in the Fairchester League standings. Sure enough, the early game was a seesaw battle till the Hornets kicked it up a notch and went on a 26-6 tear midway through the first frame to take a 41-21 advantage into the lockerroom at halftime. The break provided no respite for the visitors as Coach Doherty released the hounds again for a 35-10 rampage to put the game away early in the second frame. In all, the Hornets recorded 14 three pointers; and the constant deep threat helped open up the paint for successful drives to the hoop.The Hornets not only dominated through their run and gun up tempo offense; they also smothered the Dragons' ability to stage any comeback with high press defense throughout.

     What made the victory even sweeter was that it was Senior Night, with Coach Doherty honoring seniors Tre Breland, Christian Adams, Tim Dawson, and Brendan Palmer, along with manager Cara Samson, and their families, before the game. And it was the senior trio of Dawson, Breland, and Adams that did most of the second half damage. Inside threat Christian Adams led all scorers with 26 points, but threw down an amazing 6 treys from beyond the arc, (reminiscent of a big man playing out in Los Angeles?) Dawson slashed through the Dragons for 20, Breland and junior Jackson Benigni each hit for 12, Ethan Doherty added 5, and Jakhai Pettway and Chris Cahill added 3 each. 

     The Hornets can claim a share of the FAA regular season title with a win down in Stamford against King School. If they win, there will be a coin toss with co-champ St. Luke's for top seeding in the upcoming league tournament. In eagerness for the post season tournaments, we might again look to the Bard, who reflected, "Well could I curse away a winter's night...and think it but a minute spent in sport."

Call it a tidal wave, a tsunami, or even as the surfers might say " gnarly barrels, bro", the boys varsity swim team rolled over the competition yesterday at the annual CISAC Swim Meet at the Beckerman Center. The final tally was Hamden Hall 702.50 2. Williams 444.50 3. Christian Heritage 183 4. MacDuffie 175
The boys squad is led by a core of outstanding swimmers in Sam Lovejoy, Duncan Farquharson, Michael Ferneini, Steven Zhang, Ronnie Khanuja, and Joe Tenedine. But the Hornets also have the depth to not only win today, but to go deep at the Fairchester League Meet and New Englands. Demir Uslu, Spencer McCleery, Liam Kohler, John Bazaar, Connor Blackwood, and Nathan Thomas are just some of the swimmers who also pick up points on a regular basis.

200 Medley Relay HH 1:45.51 Duncan Farquharson, Michael Fernieni, Sam Lovejoy, Joe Tenedine
200 Free Frenieni HH 1:54.49
200 IM Lovejoy HH 2:08.13
50 Free Spencer McClerry HH 24.37
100 Fly Farquharson HH 56.61
100 Free Tenendine HH 53.04
500 Free Fernieni HH 5:09.97
200 Free Relay HH 1:39.09 Ronnie Khanuja, Steven Zhang, McCleery, Lovejoy
100 Back Farquharson HH 54.90
100 Breast Zhang HH 1:04.17
400 Free Relay HH 3:32.93 Farquharson, Fernieni, Tenedine, Zhang

The girls squad also battled hard yesterday and finished a very respectabkle third place, barely edged out from taking the silver. 
1. Williams 530   2, Westover 417   3. Hamden Hall 405   4. MacDuffie 154   5. Christian Heritage 112

200 Medley Relay Wil 2:00.80
200 Free Bella Fernieni HH 2:17.89
200 IM Mason MCD 2:27.27
50 Free Pernerewski WO 25.72
100 Fly Pino WO 1:03.40
100 Free Perneresski WO 56.52
500 Free Cassineri Wil 5:35.95
200 Free Relay HH 2:01.16 Ila Sundstrom, Gaileen Andal, Bella Fernieni, Julia Pandolfi
100 Back D'Arcy Wil 1:05.56
100 Breast Sinead Masterson 1:17.74
400 Free Relay 4:02.30 WO

Stephanie Stiefel Williams, Class of 1983, and Jill Brewer, Class of 1982, recently got together in L.A.

Ali Aceto, Class of 2006, got engaged to John Patrick “JP” Ryan at Adare Manor in Limerick, Ireland, on Dec. 29, 2018. 

     While much of the country was focused on the Superbowl and all the Haters having to come to grips with the GOAT earning yet another ring, the HH Boys Varsity Basketball team cruised through a week of proving why they are, at present, the power of the Fairchester Athletic Association.

Ross Douthat, Class of 1998, spoke at Fairfield University on Feb. 5. 

After spending their entire academic careers under the pines, 11 seniors will be “shirted” during the annual Lifers’ Shirting Ceremony.

While Hamden Hall celebrates its diversity every day, the month of February is especially enhanced with experiences for students to learn about different cultures, traditions, and observances. From the Chinese New Year to Black History Month, students will engage in programming designed to increase their global awareness.

Look who’s got the Hornet pride!

On Saturday, members of the middle school swim team competed in the annual CT Middle School State Tournament.

On Saturday, the Hornet Swim team hosted Marianapolis and MacDuffie and came away with solid wins for both the Girls and Boys squads.

Congratulations to wrestlers Klyde Auba and Pearson Hill for winning the Fairchester League Tournament in their weight categories. 

We have seen some crazy weather lately, and unfortunately, the Boys Varsity Basketball team went cold and lost their first Fairchester League game to The Storm of St. Luke's School last Tuesday 72-68. However, just like typical changing New England weather, they rebounded quickly to record three straight FAA wins. The following Thursday, the Hornets traveled down to Greenwich and ground out a solid road win against Brunswick 83-74.

T.J. Linta, Class of 2014, is making headline news after his performance in the Tropical Bowl on Jan. 13.

It’s Official! Christian Montano, Class of 2014, is playing center for Tulane University. 

The brand new Hand album, Breakers Cafe and Other Stories, is just now released. 

Surrounded by rows of students in folding chairs on all four sides – sort of a theater in the square configuration – Upper School actors took to the gymnasium to perform the provocative play Six Degrees of Separation for their peers in Middle and Upper School.

Jordan Webber, Class of 1974, died on Jan. 14, 2019. Hamden Hall extends condolences to the Webber family. 

A memorial gathering has been organized by Jordan's family for Wednesday, Feb. 6 from 5-8pm at the Lyric Hall, 827 Whalley Ave., New Haven, CT 06515. All are welcome to attend and reflect on their friendship with Jordan. 

To read full obituary, please click here.

 

 

Broadway has nothing on Hamden Hall in terms of original theater productions as Lower School faculty – led by theater teacher-extraordinaire Lisa Daly – have created six in-house performances, one more innovative and inspired than the next.

Thanks to the Kramer Brothers, Dylan, Class of 2008, and Matt, Class of 2010, for speaking at the Upper School Assembly on Jan. 4 at our annual Young Alumni Event. 

Ross Douthat, Class of 1998, will speak at Fairfield University on Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Boys Varsity Basketball (12-1) got a huge road victory over Marianapolis 68-67. 

The Boys and Girls Swim teams enjoyed a solid week in their first action since the return from break. 

The Varsity Wrestling team has been sweeping the mat with the competition. 

        TJ Linta, HH Class of 2014, continues to extend his football playing career. After graduating from Brown University, where he was a two year starter at quarterback, Linta began his graduate studies at Wagner this fall. At Wagner, Linta started 8 games and threw for 1,400 yards and 13 touchdowns. This success has led to him being named to play in the 2019 Tropical Bowl on Sunday at Daytona Beach in Florida. 
        Last night, Linta was featured on the local news where it was reported that virtually every NFL team has taken a look at TJ in advance of the upcoming draft. Who knows what the future will bring, but TJ is optimistic that his football days are far from over. Congratulations to both TJ and Coach Joe Linta, his dad; and good luck on Sunday!

        Congratulations to junior football standout Jordan Benoit, who was just recognized as Max Prep's "Semper Fidelis" Athlete of the Month! Jordan was presented with his award at school by both former NY Giants star, Brandon Jacobs, as well as Sgt. Rory O'Connor of the U.S. Marines, who sponsor the award. Jordan was recognized not only for his football excellence, but for his fine character, as well as his outstanding achievements as a national competitor in Tae Kwon Do.
  
        Click on this link to view a terrific video of Brandon's story on Max Preps.

        Congratulations to senior Elise Parnoff for being named to the 2018 New Haven Register All Area team. Parnoff was an outstanding goalie for Field Hockey. She anchored a stingy Hornet defense and helped the team earn a record of 7-5-1. Parnoff had already been named to the Western New England All Star squad as well. In her three seasons between the pipes, Elise made an impressive 275 saves. 

As the Boys team squared off against the King School at the Beckerman Center, the Girls varsity tapped off against KIng down in Stamford. Both teams enjoyed convincing victories, with the Boys winning 87-60 and the Girls topping the hosts 65-45. In both match-ups, the ball was tapped off at center court, and before you could shout, "Hail Ragnar" (from the Kirk Douglas classic The Vikings, for those of you too young), the Hornets buzzed out to early leads against King's Vikings and never looked back.
        In the Girls game, the Hornets' press and their drive and dish offense helped earn them a 32-24 lead at halftime. They extended the lead to 54-34 with still six minutes left, thanks to a 16-5 blitz. Senior Jenna Behrens and Kelly Thomas dominated the inside game with 11 and 8 points respctively. Eight grade standout, Jayda Johnson, led the Hornets with 19 points, while Shannon Rhone added another 10, including two baskets from the 3 point arc. First year coach Amanda Russo was very pleased with the effort and the chance to get all 11 players into the game, with Kendra Hill scoring 6, Destinee Gabriel 4, Madiyn D'Errico 3, and Alex Blaise and Ellie Moffat 2. Despite injuries to several key starters, the Hornets have posted a 6-5 record thus far. They are back in action at home on Saturday against Watkinson.
        Back in Hamden, the Boys got back on track, recovering from their only setback of the season, while squelching any thoughts the visitors had of keeping the battle close. Like the Girls, the Boys also applied heavy pressure from one end of the court to the other to build their 41-28 halftime lead. Jackson Benigni had the hot hand all game and led all scorers with 30 points, draining 7 trifectas!  Ignoring his individual stats, Jackson commented, “It was great to get a win tonight after a tough loss Sunday. Everyone played their role tonight, and we saw what we can do when everyone plays together. Can’t wait to play again." Coach Sean Doherty added, “I thought our top group came into tonight’s game extremely focused on the task at hand. They built a huge lead from defense and some hot shooting!” Seniors Tre Breland and Christian Adams added 15 apiece. Junior Chris Cahill had 12, including 3 threes; Tony Zhou added 6, and Tim Dawson and Jahkai Pettway had 3 each. The Hornets are right back at it Wednesday vs Gunnery 4:30, whom they had already beaten earlier in the year. 

Jenn Highsmith Brooks, Class of 1999, and her husband, Larry, welcomed twin girls, Felicity and Mariah, on January 2, 2018.

We were happy to update news from Lewis Rashmir, Class of 1943, in the 2018 Hamden Hall Magazine, where he said it has been “a long journey” since his graduation under the pines.

        After going undefeated heading into the winter break, the high flying Hornets finally came back down to earth when they were defeated by Canterbury School 75-65 on Sunday. After a three week hiatus, the Hornets were understandably a bit inconsistent, though they managed to go into the lockerroom at halftime with a three point lead. However, the Hornets came out flat in the second half, and the three point shots, normally a strength in the team arsenal, just didn’t find the net throughout the rest of the game. The Hornets were led by Bryon Breland's 21 points. “We played a tough team today who took advantage of our poor shooting, and our defense which is usually there for us, just didn’t show up in the second half," said Coach Doherty in his post-game analysis. Though it was a non-league setback, the loss was still frustrating as it had been the visiting Saints who eliminated HH in the New England Tournament last year.

        The Hornets  ( 9-1) are back in action at home, first on Tuesday vs. King, and then again Wednesday when they face off against Gunnery; both games are at 4:30. The team would love to get some great student support for these home games !

Hamden Hall alum Joan Kelly Burket, Class of 1944, died on March 12, 2018. 

Hamden Hall sends condolences to the Burket family. 

To read Joan's obituary, please click here.

Class of 1963 alum Louis J. Sirico Jr. died on December 26, 2018. Hamden Hall extends sincere condolences to the Sirico Family.