Friday night brought the first boys basketball game between Bristol Central and Bristol Eastern, and it was a thriller.
The Lancers led 53-50 in the final minute inside Thomas M. Monahan Gymnasium at Bristol Eastern, but Aaron Collins drained a 3-pointer with 16 seconds left to tie the game. Eastern’s Roderick Jenkins brought the ball down the court, wound down the clock, then drove into the lane. As he got near the basket, Jenkins dished off to Tom Gonzales, who laid the ball in at the buzzer, giving the Lancers a stunning 55-53 win in overtime.
Jenkins went off for 28 points, while Gonzales had six and 15 rebounds, according to Eastern stats guru and Bristol Observer writer Michael Letendre. Central was led by Isaiah Miller, who had 14 points. Jaekwon Spencer added 13 points.
Eastern improved to 4-8 with the win while Central fell to 5-6.
Arbuckle makes his return: The last time Tyler Arbuckle stepped onto the hardwood, he was wearing a Bristol Eastern uniform.
An injury, a transfer and 53 weeks later, and Arbuckle suited up for St. Paul on the road Saturday at University. Arbuckle scored 19 points in a 71-62 win at University.
Balanced St. Paul attack: The Falcons have had plenty of different people lead the way in scoring.
Darek Wiecki led St. Paul on Saturday with 20 points, followed by Arbuckle’s 19. Austin Jones had 10 points and 11 rebounds in that game.
On Friday’s 57-40 loss to Holy Cross, Matt Garry tallied 12 points. In Wednesday’s 76-66 win over Ansonia, it was the reliable duo of Jones and Mike Palmieri. Jones put up 19 points, 10 rebounds and three assists while Palmieri added a team-high 21 points, plus seven rebounds and three assists. Wiecki also had a good night with 11 points and eight rebounds.
Bristol Central: The Rams started their week with a 77-56 road win over Platt before the tough overtime loss at Bristol Eastern.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Thursday night brought the first game of the season between Bristol Eastern and Bristol Central.
The Lancers have dominated the series, and the trend continued with a 64-38 win over the Rams. Eastern’s balanced attack was helped along by Diana Wnuk, Hannah Maghini, Miranda Janick, Miya Laprise, Meredith Forman and Paige McLaughlin. The Lancers are 9-4.
Central: Meg Hamel, Ashley Watson, Raven Rodriguez and Zoe Sinclair led the way for the Rams in the loss to the Lancers.
Central lost at home to Platt on Saturday and is 1-11 on the season.
St. Paul: The Falcons were undefeated until Friday night, when the Holy Cross Crusaders clipped them by a score of 59-50 in Waterbury.
St. Paul started the week with a win over Ansonia to get to 10-0. The Falcons are now 10-1 entering a week with games against Derby (home), Wolcott (road) and Pomperaug (home).
INDOOR TRACK
Bristol Central: The Ram boys brought home a winning relay Saturday from the SCC Coaches Invitational at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven.
Central won the boys 4×200-meter relay, which consisted of Kaynan Conrod, Sean Fitzgerald, Nigel West and Luis Medina. The Ram quartet ran the relay in 1:36.21.
Conrod also broke the school record in the 300 meters by running it in 36.73 seconds.
Bristol Eastern: At the same meet, Chris LeBeau claimed fifth place in the 600.
St. Paul: Addison Davis finished first in the high jump at Monday’s Frosh & Soph Meet at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven.
WRESTLING
Bristol Central: After finishing third at its own invitational on Monday, the Rams smacked Plainville 46-18 at home on Wednesday. Heavyweight John Duncan was named “Animal” of the match and had a pin. Chris Trelli (113), Travis Parsons (126), Nevin Anderson (138), Isaiah Garcia (152), Connor Feeney (160) and Mike Paloka (182) also won matches on the mat. John Cavanaugh (106), Damian Mahaffy (195) and Mike Guzman (220) took forfeits.
The Rams took part in dual meets at Fairfield Warde on Saturday and went 1-2. Central beat Westhill and lost to Foran and Warde. The animals of the meets were Chris Trelli (Westhill) Leo Kavanaugh (Foran) and Mike Guzman (Warde).
Bristol Eastern: The Lancers went to the 35th Annual New Milford Wrestling Tournament on Saturday.
Eastern finished second by champion New Milford, one of the state’s best programs. Jordon Champagne (113) and Mikey Barrett (160) collected individual titles for the Lancers, according to results from Jon Chik, who reported for the Danbury News-Times. Also placing for Eastern were Bryce Beebe (second at 106), Carson Sassu (second at 120), Anthony Lozier (third at 145), Trinidad Gonzalez (fourth at 170) and Keegan Bartis (third at 195).
St. Paul: The Falcons claimed a dual meet road win over Thomaston/Litchfield/Holy Cross on Wednesday.
St. Paul went 3-1 at the Mt. Everett Duals in Massachusetts on Saturday. The Falcons defeated Southwick, Granby and Mt. Everett, all from Massachusetts. St. Paul’s lone loss was to Sabis Charter, also from Massachusetts.
BOYS SWIMMING AND DIVING
After a loss on the road Friday at the co-op of E.O. Smith/Tolland, Bristol’s tri-op of Central, Eastern and St. Paul opens up its CCC South Blue Division slate Tuesday at Plainville.
Bristol has a record of 1-4 entering that meet.
