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.
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.
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
BASKETBALL: FIVE TITLES DECIDED; THREE FINALS SUNDAY
Saturday’s CIAC championship results at Mohegan Sun Arena, all seen LIVE on CPTV Sports:
BOYS CLASS LL: ,Bridgeport Central 76, Fairfield Prep 73: Hilltopper press wipes out 18-pt halftime deficit
Hometown wrapup: The Connecticut Post CLASS M: East Catholic 87, Weaver 60: East wins 1st title since 1972
Hometown wrapup: The Hartford Courant
GIRLS CLASS L: Capital Prep 67, Weaver 53: No. 1 Prep finishes unbeaten
Hometown wrapup: The Hartford Courant CLASS LL: Lauralton Hall 68, South Windsor 53: LH gets redemption for ’13 loss in final
Hometown wrapups: The Connecticut Post, GameTimeCT.com CLASS S: Thomaston 61, St. Paul-Bristol 57 (2OT): Never-say-die Bears take it
Hometown wrapup: The Waterbury Republican
Sunday’s Finals (all LIVE on CPTV Sports)
GIRLS CLASS M: New London 57, Morgan 52 BOYS CLASS S: Sacred Heart 65, Valley Regional 56 BOYS CLASS L: Windsor 63, Career 59
BOYS HOCKEY: DARIEN WINS DIVISION I, NEWTOWN TAKES D-III
Saturday’s championship results at Ingalls Rink, New Haven
DIVISION I: Fairfield Prep 2, Darien 1 (OT): D’Amore wins it for Jesuits
Hometown wrapup: Connecticut Post DIVISION III: Newtown 2, E.O. Smith 1 (OT): Freshman hero for Nighthawks
Hometown wrapup: Danbury News-Times
ELSEWHERE: Greenwich won the team title at the State Open swimming meet at Yale. . .Southington senior quarterback Stephen Barmore, who led Southington to the Class LL title, and Staples sophomore distance runner Hannah DeBalsi, who shined on the national stage in both track and cross country, were named the Hal Levy High School Athletes of the Year by the Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance. They’ll be honored at the organization’s Gold Key Banquet April 27.
BASKETBALL: 5 STATE FINALS AT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA LIVE ON CPTV SPORTS
GIRLS CLASS L: No. 1 seed Capital Prep 69, No. 3 Weaver 53 BOYS CLASS M: No. 3 East Catholic 87, No. 12 Weaver 60 3:00pm: GIRLS CLASS S: No. 3 Thomaston 61, No. 1 St. Paul 57 (2OT)
6:00pm: GIRLS CLASS LL: No. 2 Lauralton Hall 68, No. 4 South Windsor 53 8:15pm: BOYS CLASS LL: No. 2 Bridgeport Central 73
BOYS HOCKEY: FAIRFIELD PREP, NEWTOWN, HAND WIN TITLES
In a game seen LIVE on CPTV Sports, Ben Solin completed his hat trick with 3:15 left to lead Hand-Madison to a 5-4 win over Amity-Woodbridge in the CIAC Division II final Friday at Yale’s Ingalls Rink. Two more titles game Saturday at Yale:
10:00am: DIVISION III: No. 2 Newtown 2, No. 1 E.O. Smith/Tolland 1 (OT) CPTV Sports broadcast premiere Monday March 24 7:00pm
2:00pm: DIVISION I: No. 3 Fairfield Prep 2, No. 4 Darien 1 (OT)
Broadcast premiere Monday March 24 9:00pm
A quiet day Thursday as basketball and boys hockey teams prepared for this weekend’s CIAC championship games. The action gets started Friday night with the Division II hockey final between Amity-Woodbridge and Hand-Madison that will be LIVE on CPTV Sports Friday at 7:30pm. . . .Pete Paguaga of GameTimeCT.com told the story of the tie between Class S girls basketball finalists Thomaston and St. Paul-Bristol. They meet Saturday at 3:00pm at Mohegan Sun Arena, the third of five CIAC championships that day that will be LIVE on CPTV Sports. . .@NHRJoeMorelli reported coach Barry McLeod of Class LL boys basketball finalist Bridgeport Central will have double-hip replacement surgery after the season. No. 2 seed Central meets No. 1 Fairfield Prep at 8:15pm Saturday.
