The Top 10 local sports stories of 2019
Waterford H.S.’s dominance both locally and throughout Connecticut is The Day’s pick as top 2019 story
O ur sporting perch — incorporating high schools, local colleges, UConn and the world class venue known as Mohegan Sun — keeps us plenty busy here in The Day sports department.
And it makes end of the year voting for the top stories we've covered quite the challenge. Lots going on here in our corner of the world.
Once again, our staff has voted for its end of the year Top 10. This was a year when many emotions — all the way to the death of an iconic coach — played a role in dotting our list.
So here it is, The Day's Top 10 sports stories of 2019. It includes only stories we covered as a staff, consisting of Chuck Banning, Dave Davis, Vickie Fulkerson, Gavin Keefe, Ned Griffen and yours truly.
No. 1: On Dasher and Dancer ... and Lancers
Waterford High's dominance of high school sports both locally and throughout Connecticut was a near unanimous choice as the top story.
From mid-March to early December, Waterford won the following:
Second straight state championship in boys' basketball, second baseball state title in three years, third softball state championship of the decade, its first boys' lacrosse league championship (dethroning rival East Lyme in overtime) and a record 10-win football season featuring the program's first state playoff win. Waterford came two football wins short of becoming the first school in CIAC history to win football, boys' basketball and baseball championships in the same calendar year.
No. 2: Go East, young men (and women)
In early summer, school officials announced that UConn sports would be delivered from the wilderness known as the American Athletic Conference and back to the Big East, beginning in July 2020.
It means that the football program will become classified as an independent but moves the basketball programs back to more natural
with Providence, Villanova and Georgetown.
No. 3: Death of a legend
Bill Mignault, one of the legendary high school football coaches in state history, passed away in early October at 90.
Mignault, who coached Ledyard High School to four state football championships during his 42-year career, was one of only three coaches in Connecticut history with more than 300 wins. "The Colonel" finished with 321 career victories, third most in state history.
"Ledyard High School is sad to announce the passing of an icon: William F. Mignault," Ledyard athletic director and assistant principal Jim Buonocore said the day Mignault passed. "He was a hall of fame educator, coach and administrator. He will be deeply missed by generations of Colonels."
No. 4: Here comes the Sun
The Connecticut Sun returned to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2005 under third-year coach Curt Miller. The Sun lost an entertaining five-game series to the Washington Mystics, coached by Mike Thibault, who led the Sun to their first two championship appearances.
Large crowds returned to Mohegan Sun Arena, which was full for both games in the WNBA Finals.
No. 5: Menhart a Washington monument
Former Fitch High School and New London American Legion great Paul Menhart earned a World Series ring as pitching coach of the champion Washington Nationals.
Menhart, named as the team's pitching coach during the season, called his strategy "get them feeling good about themselves and get out of the way." He led Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer, among others, helping the Nats win their first title.
No. 6: Here's Stonington to old
Stonington High's boys' soccer team, a perpetual ECC tournament and state tournament contender, won its first outright state title in mid-November, 1-0 over Ellington.
The Bears' only other title came in 1993 when they shared the championship with RHAM.
Sophomore Wynn Hammond scored the decisive goal for the unbeaten Bears, who finished 19-0-3, before Ty Fidrych was later named The
Day's 2019 Player of the Year.
No. 7: Not bad for a "hockey guy"
Bill Scarlata, a self-proclaimed "hockey guy," retired as Norwich Free Academy's girls' basketball coach with one of the great resumes in state history.
Scarlata's teams went 7-2 in state championship games, winning in 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2010. He finished his distinguished 27-year career with a record of 576-113 and 18 ECC titles. He also left with one of the great senses of humor in (or out) of his fraternity.
No. 8: They got to play The Big Room
A year after the ECC set an attendance record in the boys' basketball championship game (1,800 at Waterford's Francis X. Sweeney Fieldhouse), the league got a chance to play The Big Room, otherwise known as Mohegan Sun Arena.
League and casino officials worked an agreement allowing the Div. I and II title games to be played at the arena. Waterford defeated NFA and St. Bernard defeated Stonington before more than 3,000 fans.
The Sun will host both the ECC boys' and girls' tournaments in 2020.
No. 9: The fifth dimension
Old Lyme's girls' soccer program was denied a fifth straight Class S state title, but the Wildcats made it to the finals anyway.
Despite the loss to Holy Cross, Old Lyme made the finals after having bid adieu to 2018 Day Female Athlete of the Year Maya Johnson. Coach Paul Gleason and company lost to Holy Cross 1-0 at Willow Brook Park.
No. 10: An even dozen
The UConn women made their 12th consecutive NCAA Final Four, enduring a tough loss to Notre Dame in the national semifinals in Tampa.
Despite the loss, though, the Huskies made it there thanks to Napheesa Collier and Katie Lou Samuelson, among others, as they engineered a victory over Louisville in the regional finals. Louisville defeated UConn during the regular season.
Also receiving votes (in no order): Connecticut College's men's soccer team made the Elite Eight of the NCAA Div. III
Tournament for the first time in program history; East Lyme's girls' lacrosse team won the Class M title; East Lyme won its third straight Class MM boys' cross country championship; New London High's girls' basketball team made the state finals for the fourth time of the decade, losing a heartbreaker to Norwalk; the Waterford Speedbowl did not feature live racing and its future is in doubt; Waterford native Claire Hurley of Coast Guard Academy finishes her soccer career with program records for assists (20) and points (86) while tying the record for goals (33); and CGA's Joe Rodriguez becomes the first swimmer in program history to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials (in the 50-meter freestyle). m.dimauro@theday.com