Ah, spring in New England.
Today, the final day of practice before high school spring sports start, and it’s supposed to be 65 degrees here in Wolcott with a chance of thunderstorms, according to Weaterbug. Tomorrow (Saturday), 56 with a 50 percent chance of showers.
Sunday and Monday, snow. Enough said. It’s New England. Blink, and the weather just might change.
Our area teams kick off the regular season tomorrow against that topsy-turvy backdrop, weather permitting of course.
The game of the day comes on the softball diamond, where Holy Cross hosts Seymour at 1 p.m. in a battle of state championship contenders. The Crusaders, who won Class S, are ranked ninth in the preseason GameTimeCT / (New Haven) Register Top 10 poll. The Wildcats, who lost to state champion St. Joseph of Trumbull in the Class M semifinals, are ranked fifth. It should be a battle of star pitchers. For Holy Cross, it’s junior Sarah Lawton, who proved herself to be one of the league’s best pitchers last season. For Seymour, it’s senior Raeanne Geffert, another in a line of quality pitchers from the Wildcat program.
Here are the other area softball games: Derby at Wolcott, 10 a.m.; Ansonia at Wilby, 10:30 a.m.; Crosby at Oxford, 10:30 a.m.; Kennedy at St. Paul Catholic, 11 a.m.; O’Brien Tech at Waterbury Career, noon.
Several other softball teams are scheduled to open Monday, but that may not happen if it snows (ugh). Here are those scheduled games: Bristol Central at Maloney, 3:45 p.m.; St. Paul at Sacred Heart, 3:45 p.m.; Kaynor Tech at Wilcox Tech, 3:45 p.m.; Bristol Eastern at Rocky Hill, 6:30 p.m.
NOTE: Many of these games are not played at the host school. Check the CIAC website for the location of the game. You have been warned.
Baseball also starts Saturday, with defending NVL champion Wolcott taking a ride to Derby for a game at noon. Other area baseball games are: Oxford at Crosby, 11 a.m.; St. Paul at Kennedy, 11 a.m.; O’Brien Tech at Waterbury Career, noon; Holy Cross at Seymour, 3 p.m.
Like softball, several area baseball teams wait until Monday (hopefully) to being their seasons. Bristol Eastern, which received votes in the preseason GameTimeCT / Register Top 10 poll, hosts Rocky Hill at 3:45 p.m. Here are the other scheduled games: Derby at Wilby, 3:30 p.m.; Sacred Heart at St. Paul, 3:45 p.m.; Immaculate at Kaynor Tech, 3:45 p.m.; Maloney at Bristol Central, 3:45 p.m.
NOTE: Again, some of these games are not played at the host school. Check the CIAC website for the location.
Boys golf starts Monday. The lone local match of the day pits Bristol Central against Maloney at Pequabuck Golf Club at 3 p.m. On Tuesday, Bristol Eastern hosts Rocky Hill at Chippanee Country Club at 3 p.m. NVL teams won’t begin until the following week. The same goes for Kaynor Tech.
In boys lacrosse, St. Paul hosts Housatonic at 11 a.m. Saturday in the first match of the Chris Kennedy era for the Falcons. Bristol Central goes to West Haven for a 3 p.m. matchup.
Bristol Eastern opens at home Wednesday against Wamogo at 3:45 p.m. It’s the second varsity season for the Lancers. On Friday, it’s an all local matchup as Eastern hosts Holy Cross at 6 p.m.
A new era opens in girls lacrosse as St. Paul takes the field at the varsity level for the first time. The Falcons open Thursday with a tough challenge against Lewis Mills at home at 3:45 p.m. The Bristol Co-op (Central and Eastern) also begins Thursday, at Southington at 4 p.m. Holy Cross opens Thursday at Notre Dame-Fairfield at 4 p.m.
In outdoor track, Kaynor Tech starts Tuesday with a 3:30 p.m. meet at Woodland against the Hawks and Bullard Havens Tech. Bristol Central is at Newington at 3:45 p.m.
All other track teams begin their non-invitational seasons the following week.
Boys tennis starts Monday, and here are the matchups: Kennedy at Watertown, 3:30 p.m.; Torrington at Wilby, 3:30 p.m. Others begin on Tuesday, and they are: Grasso Tech at Kaynor Tech (conflicting times listed — one school has it at 2:30, other at 4:30); Crosby at Wolcott, 3:30 p.m. On Wednesday, the following matches are scheduled: Naugatuck at Kennedy, 3:30 p.m.; Watertown at Crosby, 3:30 p.m.; Wilby at Sacred Heart, 3:30 p.m.; Southington at Bristol Central, 3:45 p.m. On Thursday, we have: Wolcott at Holy Cross, 3:30 p.m.
Bristol Eastern begins play the following week.
Girls tennis also starts Monday, with these matchups: Holy Cross at Ansonia, 3:30 p.m.; Wilby at Torrington, 3:30 p.m.; Wolcott at Crosby, 3:30 p.m.; Bristol Eastern at Glastonbury, 3:45 p.m.; St. Paul at Sacred Heart, 3:45 p.m. On Tuesday, Bristol Central hosts Bristol Eastern at 3:45 p.m. to begin its season. Kennedy starts Wednesday at Holy Cross at 3:30 p.m. St. Paul is also starting Wednesday, with a 3:45 p.m. match at Woodland.
That’s it for now. Stay tuned for posts throughout the spring.
