Scores from Conard and Hall high school varsity competition, Sept. 11 – Sept. 12, 2015.

By Ronni Newton

The fall high school sports season is underway!

As hard as it is to say goodbye to summer, there’s always something special about the start of the high school sports season. This year there is no lack of eager student-athletes ready to hit the playing fields, trails, gyms, and pools and test their efforts against other schools from the area. Many of the teams are facing some different opponents. Click here for some information about the conference realignment.

Virtually every sport got underway on either Friday or Saturday. However, since several coaches had sent We-Ha.com their prospectuses, and since the seasons are just getting started, that information has been included along with summaries, and a few photos, of the initial contests.

Please note that is impossible to be at every game or meet, or even to find out the results online for every event. We love to get input from parents, other students, random fans and welcome whatever information you provide. Please send details and/or photos from future contests to Ronni Newton at [email protected].

Below is a round-up of the first few days of action.

Conard football:

A big win for the Chieftains in the opening game of the season. Conard defeated Hartford Public by a score of 49-21 under the lights at home at McKee Stadium, with a trio of touchdowns scored by both Nate Richam and Jordan Dorfman and another on a Declan Flaherty pass to Torrie Green.

Coming off a 4-6 season, second year Coach Matt Cersosimo said before the first game that the team’s key players include: Richam (5’11, 185, RB); Bobby Iwerson (5;11, 185, FS); Jack Ryan (6’0, 175, WR); Byron Jones (5’9, 165, WR); Phil Simplicio (6’3, 270, OL); Zach Reed (5’10, 190, LB); Lucas Decelles (5’9, 215, LB); Kyle Pena-Green (5’10, 185, DB); Dorfman (5’11, 175, RB); and Sequan Small (5’7, 165, DB).

Hall football:

Hall had to face Glastonbury as its first opponent of the season, a formidable foe with its UConn-bound quarterback Keyion Dixon. The Warriors fell 27-7 at Home at Chalmers Field. Hall scored on its first possession, but the rest of the points belonged to Glastonbury. Click here to read the game summary in the Hartford Courant.

Coming off an 8-3 season, Hall graduated 18 starters. In his prospectus, Head Coach Frank Robinson said the team’s biggest obstacle would be inexperience. He said key players will include: Amari Bartley (5’9″, 170, RB/FS); John Wells (6’5″, 215, WR/DE); Tyler Strickling (6’0″, 193, RB/LB); Harrison Newman (6’4″, 285, OL/DL); Jordan Weinstock (6’0″, 175, (WR/CB); Matt Wilcox (6’3″, 190, QB); Kyle Conlon (5’9″, 304, OL/DL); Theo Blaschinski (5’11”, 168, RB/FS); Evan Duzan (6’2″, 202, OL/LB); and Mike Verrengia (6’5″, 210, TE/DE).

Conard boys cross country:

The season kicked off for the Conard and Hall boys and girls cross country teams with a large meet – the Haddad Windham Invitational. Prior to the season, Conard Head Coach John Provencher said his team is “young, with lots of growth potential). The top returning runner is sophomore Matt Remigno, who placed no. 31 in the Class LL meet as a freshman. Other key runners include team captains Matt Fernandez, Mike Sisti, and Gabe Turco. Conard placed 15th at Windham.

Hall boys cross country:

“Our boys xc team has 101 kids, a huge range of ability, and a developing camaraderie that is pretty awesome,” Hall Head Coach Jeff Billing said in an email. Hall’s senior-heavy 2014 team was incredible, with two runners (Ari Klau and Grant O’Connor) earning All New England honors, so naturally this had to be a rebuilding year. But here’s the report from Billing – who was an assistant coach last year to Tom Butterfield but takes over the head job this year – following the team’s performance at the Windham Invitational: “With six of the seven runners new to varsity, the goal was to run solid, feel happy with our progress, and be excited to keep improving. Check, check and check! The boys placed 7th overall (out of 21 teams), behind some of the best teams in the state, led by junior Jon Kaback in 25th place. Close behind him were senior captain Grant Bannister (81 second PR), junior Kory Powell (44 second PR), sophomore Miles Aronow (59 sec converted PR), and sophomore Jake Rocheleau (61 sec converted PR). Senior captain Noah Schulman and junior Brennan Mitchell rounded out the varsity squad. Brennan ran a huge PR of 19:16. Once again – the guys who put in the work over the summer are just taking off.”

Conard girls cross country:

Conard’s top four runners – Gwen Geisler, Lindsey Chen, Nora Dynowski, and Emma Oriol – are all now juniors and are returning after a highly successful sophomore season. Coach Leslie Hadra said that most of the veterans have worked very hard over the summer, and that the team will continue to build strength through the younger, less experienced runners. The Conard girls took fourth place at Windham, led by a fourth place finish for Chen and Geisler in 13th place.

Hall girls cross country:

Finished in 14th place at Windham.

 

Scores for other sports are listed below and have been compiled from the CIAC website.

Conard field hockey:

Sept. 11, vs. Newington, won 3-1

Hall field hockey:

First game is Sept. 18 vs. Windsor

Conard boys soccer:

Sept. 12 vs. Farmington, lost 0-2

Hall boys soccer:

Sept. 11 vs. Bulkeley, won 5-1

Conard girls soccer:

Sept. 11 vs. Farmington, lost 4-5

Hall girls soccer:

Sept. 11 vs. Bulkeley, won 4-0

Conard girls swimming and diving:

First meet is Sept. 16 vs. Glastonbury

Hall girls swimming and diving:

No scores available

Conard girls volleyball:

Sept. 11 vs. Farmington, lost 0-3

Hall girls volleyball:

Sept. 11 vs. Bulkeley, won 3-0

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