This space has been reserved for the state’s high schools and small colleges. But, of course, the big news in the state Sunday was UConn’s 60-54 victory over Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament’s East Regional final in New York to give the Huskies men their fifth Final Four berth since 1999. And Monday night, the UConn women will try to reach their 15th Final Four when the Huskies take on Texas A&M in the Lincoln Regional final in Nebraska. One topic sure to come up in the next week is why UConn is not in one of the five “power conferences”. The New London Day’s Mike DiMauro, a regular on CPTV Sports’ Beyond The Beat, addressed the issue in his Sunday column. The Hartford Courant’s Jeff Jacobs, our other Beyond The Beat regular, wrote about UConn men’s coach Kevin Ollie’s whirlwind two yearsafter succeeding Jim Calhoun.
Matt Harvey of the New York Mets, the National League’s starting pitcher in the 2013 MLB All-Star Game, and McKenzie Hollenbaugh, a standout soccer player at Boston University and with the New England Mutiny, were named the state’s athletes of the year by the Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance. Harvey, a graduate of Fitch High in Groton will receive the Bill Lee Male Athlete of the Year Award. Hollenbaugh, a former all-state player at Glastonbury High, is the recipient of this year’s Hank O’Donnell Female Athlete of the Year Award. They will be honored at the 73rd Gold Key Dinner on Sunday,April 27 at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington. For more information on the event, go to the CSWA’s Facebook page.
Quinnipiac lost to Providence 4-0 in the NCAA Division I men’s hockey East Regional semifinals Friday in Bridgeport. The Bobcats finished 24-10-6 a year after reaching the national championship game . . . GameTimeCT.com reported that longtime Torrington coach Lou Moscaritolo died Friday. He was 86.
Quinnipiac meets Providence Friday night in Bridgeport in the NCAA Division I men’s hockey East Regional semifinal . . . .Connecticut Wrestling Online reported Danbury 126-pounder Kevin Jack was named the state wrestler of the year by the CHSCA . . .The Connecicut Post reported Chris Pace will be the new football coach at Weston High.
CIAC Division I champion Fairfield Prep was No. 1 in the final GameTimeCT.com boys hockey poll of the season released Wednesday. Runnerup Darien was second, followed by Notre Dame-Fairifield and ND-West Haven, which both reached the semifinals. Division II champion Hand-Madison was ninth. . .Southern Connecticut’s men’s basketball team lost in the Elite 8 of the NCAA Division II tournament, falling to Central Missouri State 98-88 in Evansville, Ind. The Owls finished 30-3, their best record ever.
No surprise as Class LL champion Bridgeport Central was a unanimous No. 1 in the final GameTimeCT.com state media boys basketball poll. Fairfield Prep was No. 2; Class L champ Windsor was No. 3. Central handed Prep its first loss of the season in Saturday’s memorable Class LL championship game seen LIVE on CPTV Sports. Class S champ Sacred Heart was fourth; Class M champ East Catholic was sixth.
Unbeaten Class L champion Capital Prep-Hartford was a unanimous No. 1 in the final GameTimeCT.com state media/coaches girls basketball poll released Monday. Class LL champion Lauralton Hall was second, Class L runnerup Weaver third. Class M champion New London was sixth, Class S champ Thomaston 10th. . .Sarah Veilleux of RHAM-Hebron was the MVP as the East beat the West 94-66 in the Class LL/L CHSCA girls basketball senior all-star game at North Branford High. Lauren McCann of Haddam-Killingworth was the MVP of the Class S/M game won by the East, 83-48.
Freshman Scott McLean scored 11:27 into overtime to give Newtown a 2-1 victory over E.O. Smith/Tolland in the CIAC Division III boys hockey championship game March 22 at Yale’s Ingalls Rink. CPTV Sports was there and will show replays in upcoming days (check broadcast schedule). Read the game story by the Danbury News-Times’ Richard Gregory here.
Sunday’s CIAC championship results at Mohegan Sun Arena, all seen LIVE on CPTV Sports:
BOYS CLASS S: Sacred Heart 65, Valley Regional 56: Favored Hearts overcome hot-shooting Valley
Hometown wrapup: The Waterbury Republican CLASS L: Windsor 63, Career 59: Warriors’ guard Rowe difference in close game
Hometown wrapup: The Hartford Courant
GIRLS CLASS M: New London 57, Morgan 52: Whalers hold on for first state title
Hometown wrapup: The New London Day
Fairfield Prep junior Vinny D’Amore scored 6:09 into overtime to give the Jesuits a 2-1 victory over Darien in the CIAC Division I boys hockey state final March 22 at Yale’s Ingalls Rink. CPTV Sports was there and will show the broadcast premiere Monday March 22 at 7:00pm.
It was Prep’s second straight state hockey title and 16th overall. Darien goalie Michael Colon had 34 saves as Prep outshot the Blue Wave, 36-9. Read the game story from the Connecticut Post’s Andrew Callahan here.
