It’s a day of firsts for area fall sports team.
Obviously, it’s opening day for many teams, but there are other significant items to point out.
Here are a bunch:
Alumni Field, Holy Cross — The Crusaders open their new home field with boys soccer against Torrington at 3:30.
Welcome to the party, WCA — The Spartans play their first varsity matches/games. Boys soccer is at Derby at 4 p.m., football is under the lights of Municipal Stadium against Wilby at 7 o’clock.
New turf at Crosby — The Bulldog boys soccer team gets first dibs during the regular season on the new turf at Jimmy Lee Stadium. Crosby, led by new head coach Victor Gonzalez, hosts Oxford at 6 p.m. Longtime head man Mike Sullivan retired.
New coaches — Here’s a list of coaches who will coach their first game today (for some, it’s the first game with a new team after being somewhere else)
BRISTOL: Joe Abele (St. Paul boys soccer); Ginny Godbout (Bristol Central girls soccer); Holly Willette (Bristol Central girls volleyball); Ashley Blumenthal (St. Paul girls volleyball)
WATERBURY: Gonzalez (Crosby boys soccer); Dave Vecca (WCA boys soccer); Gabriel Goga (Holy Cross boys soccer); Phillip A. Mongelluzzo, Jr. (Holy Cross girls soccer); Mike Mentone (Sacred Heart girls soccer); Pete Flammia (WCA football)
These coaches are what I could find combing through local newspaper websites, plus my own knowledge of coaching changes. Hopefully I didn’t forget anyone for opening day.
Regional notes — Chris Moffo coaches his first game tonight for Woodland Regional football at home against Crosby. Moffo is a graduate of Wolcott High School.
Also, Steve Croce makes his Coginchaug Regional debut against Cromwell/Portland today. Croce was an offensive coordinator at Holy Cross.
