CHECKING IN WITH ... LYDIA TINNERELLO
(Editor's note: The Day will be publishing a profile of a spring athlete for each day of the canceled h.s. athletic season.) School: Old Lyme High School Class: Senior Sport: Girls' lacrosse Position: Midfield College choice: Merrimack College (will continue playing lacrosse) Chosen major: Business Athlete you grew up admiring: Serena Williams, she is an amazing female athlete who always works hard and never gives up.
Favorite high school class: AP statistics Checking in with Lydia: "I always have had a passion for soccer and basketball, but lacrosse is not just a sport to me. I always look forward to practice and games and anything lacrosse related. When you find something that you truly love, you'll work hard when doing it. For me, that is lacrosse."
What you need to know about Lydia:
Lacrosse has been in Tinnerello's blood from the first time she picked up a stick in the second grade. "I would go to my siblings' sporting events and you would always see me with a lax stick," she said. "Lacrosse has brought me friends from all around Connecticut through my travel team (Nor'easter Lacrosse). The hype that comes with lacrosse is amazing." The hype surrounding Tinnerello's high school career culminated in a Class S all-state selection last season as she finished with 71 goals and 29 assists for a career-high 100 points. She lists a 15-10 upset over North Branford in last season's Class S state tournament — after losing to the Shoreline Conference champion Thunderbirds twice during the regular season — as the highlight of her lacrosse career. Tinnerello was also part of an Old Lyme girls' soccer program which reached the Class S state championship all four seasons of her career, winning three. Last season's appearance in the state final was somewhat unexpected for the Wildcats, seeded eighth. It was Tinnerello who scored both Old Lyme goals in a 2-0 victory over Northwest Catholic in the semifinals. "It's an unbelievable feeling to have been part of a soccer program with such great success for so many years," she said. "Getting the chance to play in a state championship is not something everyone gets to experience, so I am very fortunate to have had those opportunities." Tinnerello was one of Old Lyme's CIAC scholar-athletes, enjoys skiing, surfing, going to the gym and the lasagna at La Scarpetta Pizzeria in Old Lyme. Said Tinnerello: "To my fellow lacrosse seniors, Sammy, Olivia, Brenna, Bella, Leah, I wish so badly we could've had the opportunity to play together for one last season, but you guys have made my experience so great and I'm so thankful that I got to play with each of you the past three seasons."