Spring scene for Mercy, Vinal Tech

MIDDLETOWN >> This is one of a three-part series previewing the spring seasons for city teams. This is the Mercy and Vinal Tech preview.

MERCY Track

The team is the defending champion of the Southern Connecticut Conference and the hope on Randolph Road is the Tigers can make a run at another crown.

“While we lost some key athletes to graduation last year, this year’s team should be quite promising,” said coach Charles Kuhn. “There’s a nice complimentary mix of established athletes along with some very talented newcomers in all events from running and hurdling to jumping and throwing.

“Barring injuries and other unpredictable factors, the team has a very good chance of being a contender in the SCC sectionals and championship meets.” According to Kuhn, the key re-

turnees are Emma Ushchak (distance), Mae Grochowski (distance), Bridgid Selfors (distance), Elsie HalsteadWilliams (distance), Autumn Anderson (distance) and Maeve Williams (distance).

Also, Catie LoBianco (middle distance), Riley Moynihan (sprints), Olivia Martin (sprints), Jess Grodovich (sprints), Madison Webster (hurdles), Lauren Inglis (hurdles, long jump), Catryn Rhoden (high jump), Mary Pitruzzello (shot), Jocelyn Stearns (shot) , Megan Parker (javelin) and Adriana Kandro (pole vault).

Promising newcomers include Mary Sirois (sprints), Kaitlyn Leahy (sprints), Hannah Dauser (sprints), Grace Higgings (distance) Gabrielle Grant (middle distance) and Rachael Cippola (distance).

Softball

Mercy, 11-12 last season, looks to be a team of youth and, at the same time, experience.

The youth is found in the pitching staff and the veterans are position players.

“Our young pitching staff is backed by six experienced returning starters,” said coach Jenn Piazza-Laffin. “Five of the six are seniors.”

The returning players are seniors Michelle Theilgard (All-League catcher), Danielle Lajoie (All-League infielder), Blake Braman (center field), Ally Rosa (infield), Giana Pirolli (outfield) and sophomore Taylor Reardon (outfield).

The key newcomer is pitcher Natalie Scotto.

“Once again we have one of the most difficult schedules in the state competing against traditional top teams in Connecticut,” said Piazza-Laffin.

After a 9-11 regular season in 2016, the Tigers had an impressive state tourney run beating East Haven and RHAM before losing to No. 1-ranked Fitch of Groton.

Golf

Veteran coach Pete Golanski, now in his 23rd year, is “cautiously optimistic” about the prospects for this year’s golf team.

The Tigers were 13-1 last season, tied with Hand of Madison for first in the league.

The team returns four top-flight players in Preawa Treekul (All-League), Meghan DeVille (AllLeague), Christiana Bevilacqua (All-League, second team) and four-year player Taylor Tristine.

Lacrosse

Coach John Benchimol is looking for his team to make steady progress this spring.

“We hope to be a .500 team [Mercy was 7-10-1 in 2016] and qualify for states at a much higher rank than last year,” said Benchimol. “We would like to make it to the second round of states at a minimum, which is very possible if we can win some of our league crossover games.”

The key returning players are juniors Megan Buyak (defense) and Mary Sposito (midfield). Both are three-year starters. Also returning are sophomores Jordyn Masse (attack) and Mag McClellan (attack). Both started as freshmen and Masse led the team with 38 goals.

Benchimol also reported that his team is bolstered by a “few freshman with prior experience.”

Tennis

This might be Mercy’s best tennis team ever.

“We return our entire lineup minus one, and that was filled by Katie Schumann [injured in 2016],” said 14-year coach Miguel Garcia. “This lineup is stronger than the one that lost in the Division II final to Hand last year. This is one of my deepest teams in terms of talent and ability from the top of the lineup all the way down.”

Garcia said his top players are seniors Molly Garcia (No. 1 singles), Kathryn Hanly (doubles), juniors Juliette Piazza (No. 2 singles), Kate Hall (singles) and Schumann (doubles), sophomores Jenna Ireland (singles/doubles) and Katie Dougherty (singles/doubles) and freshman Lorenza Inserra (doubles).

Mercy was 11-11 in 2016. The challenge is that Mercy will play at the top level this year as Division II is no more. Garcia said a No. 4 finish in the SCC would be “impressive.”

VINAL TECH Baseball

Vinal will be young, but the feeling is upbeat.

“I have a very young team,” said coach Doug Curtis, whose club was 6-14 last year. “Most of our starting pitching will be freshmen, but we will be competitive and play hard every inning.”

The returning starters are Zach Drouin (pitch/ shortstop/third base), Dana Arnold (second base/shortstop/pitch), Kyle Tupay (first base/outfield), Devin Skoglund (outfield/pitch) and Ethan Gibson (catcher).

Curtis said his new players with promise are Toby Martineau (pitcher/ outfield), Tim Sampson (pitcher) and Marrick Lankarge (pitcher/third base).

Boys and girls track

Here’s another Vinal team that is very young.

“Being a young team hurts us with the lack of experience,” said coach Jason Coleman. “But a strength is we have numbers so it gives us an ability to put our athletes in almost every event with a chance to score points.”

Coleman said his leading boys are seniors Oliver Hale (distance) and Tristan Tran (distance), and sophomore sprinters Mark Francis, Jazer Lockhart and Zeke Burkes.

His leading girls are freshmen India Weston (sprints), Starr Dixon (sprints) Elizabeth Selwi (distance) and Nicole Zalewski (distance), and senior Diamond Gaines (shot).

Boys lacrosse

After starting as a club team, the Hawks are now a full varsity team.

“I am looking at my seniors to lead the team,” said coach RoseAnn Vaughn. “We also have some promising underclassmen.”

Vaughn pointed to seniors Connor McDuell, Brett Ballentoni, K.C. O’Connel and Kyle McCarthy as the most experienced players and the ones who will be expected to lead the team.

Golf

Coach Matt Noonan in his seventh season and is optimistic. He has reason to be. “We have our entire team returning this season plus the addition of two freshmen,” he said. “We are a young team that includes three seniors. I think we will be contenders for the team conference championship come May.”

The Hawks were a gaudy 12-4 last spring and had three players medal multiple times.