Ledyard H.S. names seven to Football Hall of Fame

Ledyard — Ledyard High School will induct seven new members into its Football Hall of Fame, athletic director Jim Buonocore announced Friday.

The Class of 2017 includes Bill Organek (1967 graduate), Chris Westfahl (1984), Tom Bingham (1994), Jon Paul (1999), Drew Roselle (2009), A.J. Wilcox (2010) and Guy Mendenhall (contributor). They will be honored at halftime of the Colonels' home football game against Fitch on Thanksgiving Day.

"It is an honor to announce the seventh class of inductees into our football hall of fame," Buonocore said in a release. "We are fortunate to have an outstanding group of individuals whom all contributed to Ledyard High School football as well as to our athletic program in general."

Following is a capsule look at each inductee:

• Bill Organek (1967) played quarterback for the 1966 QVC championship team and was a three-sport star who served as captain of the basketball and baseball teams. Organek attended the U.S. Naval Academy where he earned academic honors and served as his class company commander.

• Chris Westfahl (1984) was a wide receiver and defensive end who captained the 1983 team and was an AllECC selection, a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete award winner and CIAC scholar-athlete award winner during his senior year. He was also an all-state swimmer who went on to earn a varsity letter in swimming at Boston College, graduating with a degree in economics.

• Tom Bingham (1994) was the starting quarterback on the 1993 state championship team and a twoyear starter, earning All-ECC and allstate honors as a senior while serving as a team captain. He completed 52 percent of his pass attempts and threw for 29 touchdowns during his career and also played baseball for the Colonels.

• Jon Paul (1999) starred as a running back and linebacker for the Colonels, finishing his career with 2,640 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns while earning All-ECC honors as a senior. Paul also played baseball for the Colonels.

• Drew Roselle (2009) played tight end and defensive end for the Colonels, serving as a captain in 2008 when he was All-ECC, all-state and helped lead Ledyard to the state championship game. He also lettered in basketball and baseball before continuing his academic and football career at Husson University.

• A.J. Wilcox (2010) played offensive and defensive line for the Colonels, where he was the first Ledyard player named to the prestigious Walter Camp All-State team in 2009. He was a two-time All-ECC pick and the team's defensive player of the year in 2009. Wilcox was also a member of the indoor track and baseball teams.

• Guy Mendenhall (contributor) was a member of the coaching staff from 2005-13. He is a retired officer from the Navy, also working at Northeast Utilities and Computer Science Corporation. He and his wife Susan reside in Maine.

Zone 6 Legion baseball

• Following is a list of individual awards, all-stars and sportsmanship award winners for the 2017 American Legion Zone 6 baseball season:

Individual awards — MVP: Matt Malcom (Niantic); Outstanding Pitcher: Collin Bakken (Waterford); Coach of the Year: Chris Dumas (Willimantic).

First-team all-stars — Catcher: Matt Malcom (Niantic); First base: Zack Ziemba (Willimantic); Infielders: Kevin Johnson (Waterford), Mike Rocchetti (Waterford), Bennett Coe (Niantic); Outfielders: Brody Labbe (Willimantic), Nick Miner (Danielson), Jeremy Santos (New London); Utility: Jack Lefevre (Willimantic); Pitchers: Collin Bakken (Waterford), Trevor Delesdernier (Niantic), Hendrik Khoury (New London)

Reserve all-stars — Nick Ibrahim (Willimantic), Justin Keating (Waterford), Trevor Bolduc (New London), Bryan Albee (Danielson), Alex Petchark (Waterford).

Sportsmanship award — Harrison Basley (Danielson), Zach Christensen (Jewett City), Christopher Peasley (Moosup), Hunter Nadeau (New London), Robby Fusari (Niantic), Jack Espinoza (Norwich), Matt Driscoll (Waterford), Clay Tamburri (Willimantic).

Tigers fall 3-2

• The Connecticut Tigers scored a run in the top of the ninth inning on a sacrifice fly by Randel Alcantara, but had two runners thrown out on the bases to squash the potential rally, falling 3-2 to the Vermont Lake Monsters in a New York-Penn League game at Centennial Field.

The Tigers (20-21) also scored a run in the third on a home run to center field by Joey Morgan and got four scoreless innings in relief from Dane Myers.

Vermont, however, scored three times in the first to take the early lead and the Lake Monsters (24-20) had four pitchers combine for a five-hitter in the victory. Argenis Blanco earned the win with four scoreless innings and Wandisson Charles picked up his fifth save.

The Tigers return home Saturday for the first of a three-game series against the Staten Island Yankees beginning at 7:05 p.m.

NYPL honors Mishra

• The Connecticut Tigers announced that East Lyme's Akash Mishra is one of three winners of the New York-Penn League's $2,500 Charitable Foundation Scholarship's grand prize. Mishra is a recent graduate of East Lyme High and will attend Hofstra this fall. He has been active in the community, serving as president of the Shoreline Leos Club, a member of the East Lyme Public Library Board of Trustees, the founder of a non-profit tutoring service, an EMT, a youth assistant baseball coach and captain of the Niantic American Legion baseball team.