H.S. CREW, SAILING, VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW CAPSULES
Following are the 2024 high school preview capsules for crew, sailing and boys' volleyball:
Boys’ crew East Lyme Coach: Mike Shugrue
Key returnees: Sr. Darius Kirvelevicius, Jr. Kai
Jolly-Ballantine.
Top newcomers: So. Everett Trusler, So. Justin Northcott.
Outlook: East Lyme's varsity A boat was second in the Connecticut Public School championships last season, finishing 1.9 seconds behind Simsbury, with the novice A boat also finishing in the runner-up spot. The Vikings maintain momentum headed into 2024 with Kirvelevicius and Jolly-Ballantine using their role as captains to direct team training, while former novice rowers Trusler and Northcott are poised to make an immediate impact on the varsity.
Stonington
Coach: Sally Machin
Key returnees: Sr. Jesse Hinkle, Sr. Ahmed Salha, Sr. Ethan King, Sr. Peter Wronowski, Sr. Max McGugan, Sr. Jack Flaherty, Sr. Roan Schaffer, Sr. Mitch Bury, Sr. Matt Drago.
Outlook: The Bears boast a robust nine-man senior class, all of whom are capable of executing under pressure, as well as sharing their knowledge with younger teammates. Stonington earned three medals at the 2023 Connecticut Public Schools championship, taking the bronze in first varsity eight, gold in second varsity eight and gold in boys' novice eight.
Girls’ crew
East Lyme
Coach: Scott Mahon
Key returnees: Sr. Fiona Samuelson, Sr. Olivia Granatek, Sr. Cecile Horst.
Outlook: Mahon enters his 30th year as coach with the Vikings having graduated 15 seniors, including all but one member of the varsity eight which won the Connecticut Public Schools championship. Returning to the boat is Samuelson, the Vikings' senior captain, who has signed to row beginning next year at Division I Saint Mary's in California. Granatek and Horst will also serve as captains, while East Lyme will fill its vacant roster spots with 16 freshmen. Still, the expectations haven't changed for the Vikings. Said Mahon: “While we are a young team this year, we expect to be on the podium at state championships.”
Stonington
Coach: John Thornell
Key returnees: Sr. Emory Anderson, Sr. Mia Bottone, Sr. Sydney Plant, Sr. Cate Statchen.
Outlook: Anderson, Bottone, Plant and Statchen have rowed together since freshman year and lead a varsity eight which lost only two members to graduation. There are 15 novice girls, the largest squad in some time, Thornell said, which will allow the Bears to have four crews: a varsity four, varsity eight, novice four and novice eight. The coach said that Plant, in particular, set the school record at 2,000 meters on the rowing machine over the winter. The Bears begin the spring Sunday with Farmington and Fairfield Prep visiting Mystic.
Sailing Williams
Coach: Prescott Littlefield
Key returnees: Sr. Tyler Boissevain (skipper), Sr. Henry Ginz (skipper), So. Gus Van Berkel (skipper), Jr. Sven Ericsson (crew), Sr. Yiannis Liras (crew), Sr. Sophia Liras (crew).
Top newcomers: So. Mack Rodgers, Fr. Carlie Burke.
Outlook: As a member of the New England Schools Sailing Association (NESSA) and one of the more competitive teams within the Connecticut League (12 schools), Williams should have a successful spring season, Littlefield said. The Blues graduated only one senior from a year ago in Ryan Tedeschi.
Volleyball
NFA
Coach: Raleighe Orsuzlak-Borecki
Key returnees: Jr. OH Keegan Johnston, Sr. OH Gage Hinkley, Sr. opposite hitter Tyler McDermott, Sr. MH Rhys Surprenant, Sr. DS-libero Bryan Contreras.
Top newcomers: So. OH Mason Stolhammer, Jr. OH Mackenzie Peterson, Jr. S Alec Ferland, Jr. S Brock Nowakowski, Sr. MH Dean Bonin.
Outlook: The Wildcats lost several key members of a team which finished 14-8 a year ago with berths in the Connecticut Volleyball League and Class L state tournaments, including The Day's All-Area Player of the Year in setter Paul Ericson (385 assists). Orsuzlak-Borecki thinks NFA can maintain the standard it set a year ago and even improve on that, continuing to draw a number of the school's top athletes.
Norwich Tech
Coach: Tim Krodel
Key returnees: Sr. S Angel Garcia, Jr. OH Bradley Martell, Jr. OH Mason Matthews, So. S Emerson Avery.
Top newcomers: Jr. DS Landon O'Brien, Jr. MH Ryan Lowell.
Outlook: The Warriors are hoping to qualify for the postseason in the Connecticut Volleyball League and state tournaments.