New London rises to No. 1 in state girls' basketball poll
New London girls' basketball coach Holly Misto hasn't paid much attention to the team's ranking in the GameTimeCT/New Haven Register Top 10 poll.
The Whalers moved up to No. 1 in this week's poll, and while Misto is pleased that her players are getting recognized, their focus is on bigger things.
“Our goal remains the same, and the state championship is all that really matters to us,” Misto said. “It's nice that people think that we should be number one.”
New London (10-0) overtook Hartford Capital (6-2) for the No. 1 ranking after the latter lost two out-of-state games last week. The second of those losses was to Long Island Lutheran of Brookville, N.Y. on Saturday, 70-45. Long Island Lutheran is ranked 25th in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 national rankings.
The Whalers received eight of 15 first-place votes. Six voters continued to vote Capital No. 1, and fourthranked Trumbull (10-0) received the other first-place vote.
New London has succeeded playing one of the state's more difficult schedules. It beat No. 9 Bacon Academy (39-34, Jan. 3), and has non-conference wins over No. 11 Hand (45-42, Dec. 27), No. 12 Notre Dame of Fairfield (61-39, Dec. 29), and defending CIAC Class M champion Cromwell (66-46, Dec. 15).
Capital (6-2) has won four straight CIAC state titles, including topping New London in last season's Class L final.
It hasn't lost an in-state game since March 17, 2012 when Coginchaug beat it for the Class S title (58-48, March 17).
The Whalers play host to East Lyme on Tuesday this week and also have games at Montville (Friday) and Waterford (Saturday).
Women's hockey
• Wesleyan scored twice in the third period to rally for a 2-1 win over Connecticut College in a New England Small College Athletic Conference game. Conn (8-4-2, 5-3) took the lead when Kate Kohl scored 17:36 into the first period. Katlyn Paiva and Julie Beattie assisted on the goal and Katherine Chester made 23 saves for Conn.
H.S. wrestling
• New London tied host Gilbert with a 3-1 record to share the title at the Gilbert Duals on Saturday. New London (5-3) beat Southwick, Mass. 43-42, Amity 45-33 and Plainville 4236 and lost to Gilbert 36-33. Renelson Michel (220 pounds), Auggie Cornish (285), Luis Rodriguez (170) and Jacob Commander (152) each went 4-0 for the Whalers and teammates Hiram Soto (106) and Christian Lozada (152) went 3-1.
H.S. hockey
• Woodstock Academy broke the game open with a seven-goal third period and beat the Eastern Eagles 10-1 on Saturday night.
Ryan Huta scored for the Eagles (28) with Larry Nolan and Trent Hughson assisting.
Road racing
• Colchester's Russ Stevens won the Kelley's Pace Frostbite 5-mile race on Saturday in Mystic. Stevens finished in 27:48 and Sherry Schwarm of Marlborough was the top women's finisher, coming in 30th at 36:42.
Rounding out the top 10 were Michael Stadolnik of Plainfield (29:11), Michael Daniels of Barrington, R.I. (30:17), Josh Snow of Gales Ferry (30:35), Stanley Mickus of Mystic (31:24), Peter Zelken of Mystic (31:27), Seth Kruger of Mystic (32:20), Justin Madry of Waterford (34:02), Brian Anderson of Pawcatuck (34:06) and Stonington's Michael Allen (34:08).
Men's indoor track
• Ben Bosworth of Connecticut College won the one-mile run on Saturday as the Camels finished third at the Bowdoin College Invitational. Bosworth won in 4:16.85. Conn also got wins from Scott Mason in the 3,000 with a personal-best 8:53.08 and freshman Danny Aschale in the 1,000 with a personal-best 2:34.19.
Conn's 4x800 relay team of Bosworth, Aschale, Christian CarrLocke and Price Day finished second (3:40.39) and Conn got thirds from Day (1000, 2:36.08), Jake Beloin (triple jump, 37-4) and the 4x400 team of Blake O'Neal, Andrew Peterson, Geoff Pendergast and Austin DiMartino.
Women's indoor track
• Bella Franz of Connecticut College won the one-mile run in 5:10.03 on Saturday as the Camels finished third at the Bowdoin College Invitational. Taryn Gangi was also a winner for Conn, taking the triple jump (347). Gangi was also second in the 60 in a personal-best 8.08.
Second-place finishes for Conn included Shannon Kennedy (60 hurdles, 9.75), Lauren Kennedy (shot put, 39.5 1/4), Alicia Palmer (400, 1:03.46) and the 4x400 team of Palmer, Shannon Kennedy, Leila Alfaro and Franz (4:24.44). Taking thirds for Conn were Ashley Bjorkman (400, 1:04.83), Kaitlyn Thomas (triple jump, 28-2 1/4), Koko Mensah (shot, 38-11), Emily Senatore (weight throw, 42-8) and the 4x800 team of Caitlin Teare, Anna Guay, Micaela Nee and Eva Brydson (10:38.47).