Woodland fall sports have had some great moments so far this season, and the Hawks celebrated two Naugatuck Valley League girls team championships this past week.
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The Woodland girls soccer team defeated Holy Cross, 2-0, on Tuesday night at Ray Snyder Sr. Field to capture its third NVL title in the past four seasons. The Hawks got a measure of payback after last year’s difficult overtime loss to Watertown in the final. Guiliana Celotto and Michaela Gasparri scored the goals. Celotto scored less than 11 minutes into the game on an assist by Meghan Hartnett. Gasparri scored with just over nine minutes to play off Celotto’s assist.
Goalkeeper Ava Naclerio was named the tournament’s most outstanding player. The Hawk defense didn’t allow a goal over three games. Naclerio made 11 saves in the final.
In case you missed them, here are my photos from Woodland’s 6-0 win over Seymour in the semifinal round at Wolcott High School.
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On Friday at Kennedy High School’s John Reardon Pool, Woodland girls swimming defeated all challengers to win its fifth straight league crown. The Hawks totaled 499 points to second place finisher Seymour’s 450. Laura DeGennaro and Abby Miko were double winners for Woodland, and senior Maddie Harte had a key silver medal performance in diving on Wednesday night. The Wildcats don’t have divers (no diving board at the high school), so Harte’s 19 team points were important to the Hawks. DeGennaro won gold in the 200-yard freestyle (1:56.67) and 500 freestyle (5:21.22) while Miko claimed gold in the 50 freestyle (24.44 seconds) and 100 breaststroke (1:10.76). DeGennaro and Miko swam on the gold medal-winning 200 freestyle relay with teammates Josie Nesta and Eva Lynn (1:42.84). Nesta earned individual silver medals in the 200 IM and 100 butterfly while Lynn took bronze in the 50 freestyle. The Woodland 400 freestyle relay earned silver while the 200 medley relay took bronze. Other medalists for the Hawks included: Molly Stead (fifth in 200 free); Colby Sizer (fourth in 200 IM and 100 breast); Molly Mays (sixth in 200 IM, fifth in 100 fly); Kailee Howley (sixth in 100 fly and 100 back); Lynn (fourth in 100 free); and Sophia DeGennaro (fourth in 100 back).
GALLERY: Here are my photos from Friday’s championship meet.
