Educational Excellence Since 1912
Hamden Hall Country Day School
Educating students in PreSchool through Grade 12

On to the Finals! Baseball & Boys Lax Advance to Title Games

Bud Kohler

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.
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Hamden Hall Country Day School

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Hamden Hall Country Day School is a nurturing and inclusive community with a dynamic learning environment that promotes academic excellence by understanding each child and fostering their individual growth.