By Bridget Kinross – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law volleyball team recently finished a historic fall season.

Law finished the regular season with a record of 15-5 and advanced all the way to the Class M semifinals before falling to Weston in four games.

“The team has worked so hard this season to make this a reality,” head coach Ms. Loch said. “The coaches are very proud.”

The volleyball team had not made it to the semifinals since 2009 so this was their biggest accomplishment as a team.

“I think we went farther than any of us could have ever imagined,” junior Emily Morey said.

The team has three coaches – Loch, Coach Johnston, and Coach Jaques – who helped prepare the girls for states.

These coaches all had different drills to teach the girls so they were prepared for anything that could be thrown at them in a states game.

“Having the three coaches be able to watch and observe each game helped make it easier to assist the girls during practices and games,” Loch said.

The team has been consistently been getting stronger but unfortunately they will say goodbye to three seniors – Pam Ellison, Katie Eighmy, and Erin Goodwin – who were a huge part of this team.

Ellison said she couldn’t have been happier with the way her senior season played out.

“It’s very memorable to end my career at Law going that far with a great group of girls,” senior captain Pam Ellison said.

The team also brought up sophomore Laura Ellison from JV to varsity to go to the states with them. She was a great help to the team.

“Being brought to states was such a great experience,” Laura Ellison said. “Our team worked so hard at practice and brought us so much closer.”

The girls who will be returning next year have a collective goal of making it back to semis or even further. They got to see what it was like to be a huge success and they are determined to do it again.  

“When we play with our hearts and dedicate ourselves it truly shows,” Morey said.

With a successful end to the girls season they are even more excited to start back up again next year.

The girls have learned so much from the seniors who are leaving and they plan to carry on all they have been taught them.

By Michael Loschiavo – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s girls cross country team ended its season with a boom.

Senior captain Samantha Franzman said the team had high expectations this season and she thinks the team has reached them.

“With high expectations this season, we definitely reached our goals,” Franzman said. “(Head coach) Mr. Schulte wanted us to have a really good showing at SCCs which we definitely accomplished as well as a good showing at states.”

Franzman had a great end to her high school cross country career and hopes the best for her team’s future.

“As a captain, I will miss the girls,” Franzman said.” This year our team was really close and we had such a strong bond which I will definitely miss.”

Senior captain Laura Dennigan feels like her high school cross country career ended on a good note.

“We did so good at states this year because everyone had such great times and really pushed themselves,” Dennigan said.

The team competed October 26 at Wickham Park for the Class M State Championship and placed 11th out of 18 teams. The top five girls for Law were Katie Konareski – 21:21, Kaylee Brotherton – 22:54, Laura Dennigan – 23:00, Jenna Wasserman – 23:23, Lindsay Konlian – 24:02, Jordyn Konlian – 24:30.

Freshman Lindsay Konlian plans to be one of Law’s top runners next year. She ended her season well with her best time being a 22:46.

“I think I did reach my goals ,” Konlian said. “I worked as hard as I could and tried to get a good time every race.”

On October 19, the team competed at East Shore Park. The top five girls results for Law were Katie Konareski –  21:20, Kaylee Brotherton – 21:57, Jenna Wasserman – 23:13, Laura Dennigan – 23:24, and Jordyn Konlian at 23:50.

The results from the race ended with Law placing 9th out of 18 teams.

Sophomore Katie Konareski hopes to be  the top runners for Law next year.

“In the beginning of the season my goal was to get a 20:30,” said Konareski. “I pushed myself as much as I could and my teammates and Schulte also pushed me to do my best throughout the season.”

Konareski hopes next year that she can hit her personal goal, which she wasn’t able to do this year because she battled shin splints.

Franzman is sad to see the season end.

“Cross country taught me hard work, teamwork, and dedication,” Franzman said. “As a captain it also taught me to be a role model for the underclassmen as well as taking on responsibilities.”

By Jordyn Wirth – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law football team is off to an amazing start this season.

The Lawmen are 2-2 through their first four games and are optimistic for the rest of their year. In their most recent game against Cheshire, the Lawmen won 33-30 in overtime. It was the second win of the year for Law, who also defeated Bassick 50-26 on September 21.

“As we start to improve and start to get some guys back who are injured we will start to improve as a team each week,” head coach Eric Larka said.

Senior captain Ethan Saley, who starts as a wide receiver, said that he’s really looking forward to continuing his season.

“The season can only go up from here,” Saley said.

Junior Zach Merchant, who plays both middle linebacker and tight end, is also optimistic.

“I think it will go pretty good and I think we should win some games,” Merchant said.

Freshman Spencer Hannon, who plays running back and safety, is enjoying his first year of high school football.

“I love it because we all act like a family,” Hannon said.

This season’s football captains for Law this year are Mike Plaskon, Saley, Austin Danville, and Sheldon Gorgano. Plaskon was injured and missed the team’s first three games of the season, but was back and was a major contributor in their win against Cheshire.

“It’s good to be back on the team contributing to Law’s second win,” Plaskon said.

Law’s next game is at home against Stratford on October 12. They play Branford the following week at home as well.

Law will finish its season with the annual Thanksgiving Day game at Foran. Last year, Law defeated Foran for the first time in 10 years in a thrilling comeback win that clinched the Lawmen a state playoff berth for the first time in school history.

By Alexis Broderick – Staff Reporter

The girls swim team at Jonathan Law is off to an amazing start this season.

As of October 2, the swim record is 5-1, and they’re only expecting it to get better.  They have beaten Branford, Sacred Heart Academy, West Haven, Sheehan, and Bunnell.

“We expect this season to be better because we have been working extremely hard at practice,”  senior captain Cali Jolley said. “At our meets girls have been setting new times which helps and improves us as a team.”

Junior Brooke Nabors qualified for states in the 100 fly and 100 back. Nabors’ time for the 100 fly is 105.61 and her time for the 100 back is 109.04

“It’s the best feeling knowing that all the hard work pays off,” Nabors said.

The 2018 girl swim captains are Bella Carroll, Mary Lonergan, Julie Myers, and Jolley. These girls work extremely hard before and during the season with head coach Mrs. Anderson.

“I meet with my captains before the season and we come up with some goals for the team together,” Anderson said. “I know we have great leadership, so I trust the captains to organize fun team bonding experiences, and act as liaisons between the coaches and the rest of the team.”

Carroll and Lonergan have been captains for their junior and senior years.

“I was excited knowing that I was captain again,” said Lonergan. “I know the other captains and I are going to lead the team to success and develop more skills.”

The captains enjoy setting up pasta parties and other recreational team building activities. It builds cohesion as a team and nurtures friendships between underclassmen and upperclassmen.

“Swim has built friendships because we are surrounded by each other every day so we get to know each other very well,” Carroll said. “We see each other in different circumstances than you usually would if you weren’t on a team with someone.”

The captains have been swimming for all four years of their high school swim career.  They all have been inspired to swim for very diverse reasons and will never regret their choice.

“What inspired me to swim was having a sibling who swam, but mostly that all my friends were planning on swimming and I knew how swim was very welcoming and accepting,” Myers said. “I knew as a freshman coming into a new school playing a new sport,  swim was my place to get away from things and enjoy the time I had with my teammates.”

By Thea Ryan – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s girls soccer team is thrilled to kick off this year’s season.

Currently,  the team’s record is 1-4-1 and they rank 26th in their division, Class M. The team is putting in great effort to improve within this season.

“We’ve  put in some great performances against some of the best teams in larger state divisions,” head coach Mr. Rhode said.

So far, they have won one game against Sacred Heart Academy. They have tied for games against Shelton, Guilford, Amity, and North Branford.

“I am very proud of the team and looking forward to the rest of the season,” senior captain Jocelyn Wirth said.

Freshmen Shelby Green and Ashley Regina start varsity and play full time.

“Playing on varsity as freshman feels pretty good because I am able to play with people who are older,” Green said. “ When playing against different team, you get to see a lot of good competition.”

Regina agreed and said that playing varsity full time makes her feel very accomplished as a player.

“The past few years, the team has been able to bring in strong underclassman,” Rhode said. “I am looking forward to seeing how they develop and the role they play in our team’s success.”

In an effort to improve this season, a different system has been put into effect to strengthen the offensive and defensive structures on the team. This new system helps to combat any obstacles the team may face, such as injuries, for a successful season.

“We are playing much more difficult teams this year compared to last season,” Rhode said. “With the help of our captains, we have to be supportive and ensure we are at our best.”

The senior captains for this season are Abby Bernstein, Grace Wootton, Jocelyn Wirth, and Samara Thacker. They are essential for the success of the team on and off the field.

“I am really close with all of my teammates, and just being with them everyday and practicing with them has really built relationships,” Wooton said.

The strong relationships and work ethic this team has is the key for a successful season.

“We know when we can have fun, and we know when we have to focus and put the work in,” sophomore Isabella Renz said.

Each player’s role on the team helps fulfill personal and team goals for this season.

“My goal is to make states,” Renz said.

Green has set team and personal goals.

“My goal is to end up with a lot of assists, and maybe even a goal,” Green said.

By Michael Loschiavo – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s girls cross country team has already made an impact on the fall season.

Senior captain Amira Samih believes that the team is prepared to have a great season.

“The team is much more competitive because we have so many girls which I think has helped to motivate all of us,” Samih said. “Every year the girls xc team is full of great people and we use our positive energy to help motivate each other during long runs and help each other succeed in meets.”

Senior captain Samantha Franzman has run cross country for the past three years and plans to improve on her times in her final season.

“The goals for the season are for everyone to run their personal bests, and for us to beat Foran at all of our meets,” Franzman said.

Freshman Lindsay Konlian set some goals for herself for the beginning of the season.

“My goal for the cross country season is to become a better runner and to improve my 5k time,” Konlian said.  

The team competed September 8 at Windham Invitational and placed 15th out of 21 teams. The top five girls results for Law were Katelyn Konareski – 22:44, Samantha Franzman – 24:48 , Jordyn Konlian – 24:55 , and  Phoebe Fiore – 24:57.

Sophomore Katelyn Konareski plans to be a key asset to the team.

”My goal for the season is to get a 20:30 and i will achieve it by going to practice and working hard everyday,” Konareski said.

On September 22, the team competed at Winding Trails. The top five girls results for Law were Kaylee Brotherton – 21:35, Laura Dennigan – 22:34, Jenna Wasserman – 22:49, Jordyn Konlian – 23:04, and Lindsay Konlian at 23:34.

The results in the race consisted of personal bests for the first five athletes.

Freshman Jenna Wasserman believes that she can make a difference on the team.

“My goal is to get under a 22:00 5k,” said Wasserman.

Wasserman also hopes to make states this year and to compete on a higher level.

The team competed on September 17  in a meet against Cheshire, and Foran. The results from the top three runners in the race for law  were , Kaylee Brotherton – 21:43, Jenna Wasserman – 23:23 , and Laura Dennigan – 23:25.

“Our captains are very good this year and set a great example for the team,” girls cross country coach Mr. Schulte said. “Our goals are to be the best in the city and to beat Foran by the state meet.”

By Ethan Harrigan – Staff Reporter

 

Jonathan Law’s boys cross country team is ready to take on the challenges of this year and run competitively against top tier schools this fall.

 

Senior captains Tyler McKenna-Hansen and Dan Wasserman lead the team with the guidance of coach Mr. Phillips. The team has less new runners than it had last year but that has not stopped them from making an impact at the Haddad Windham and Winding Trails Invitationals, a meet in Hamden and a home meet against three opponents.

 

“Our top guys are running even better than they had last year,” Phillips said.

 

The Lawmen ran back to back meets on September 27 and 28, one home and one away.

 

At Hamden’s meet on September 27, Law defeated West Haven and Hillhouse, but narrowly lost to Hamden by one point. On September 28, Law bested Lyman Hall and North Branford but lost to North Haven, at both meets four of Law’s runners had times under 20 minutes.

 

“I expect myself and the rest of the team to continue to run faster times, and as a result we should be able to beat the teams that we had close losses to earlier in the season,” Wasserman said.

 

At Winding Trails Invitational on September 22, a compilation of two seniors, three sophomores and a junior, managed to best 20 minutes. Junior Mike Loschiavo is this year’s best runner, running a 16:58 at the meet.

 

“I want to at least break 16, or get low 16 because if you get down there you’ll be top in the state,” Loschiavo said.

 

A change the team has been addressing is the loss of their strong senior runners from last year. As newer runners fit in and older runners gain momentum they hope to fill the gap.

 

“We don’t have as much of a nucleus as we had last year of faster runners, so there’s a lot of room to improve,” McKenna-Hansen said.

 

There are fewer freshman than there have been in previous years and many of them have just started to begin their running careers at Law, but they have accustomed themselves to the cross country environment.

 

”The team is really supporting and helping out,” freshman Dan McCullough said. “There are only three freshman so I have to make friends with everybody.”

 

Wasserman said the new runners have learned very quickly.

 

“It is very hard to run the distance that we run if you haven’t done it before, but they have continued to improve and are able to compete against experienced runners with no problem,” Wasserman said.

By Bridget Kinross – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law volleyball team is off to a great start this season.

The team’s record is 5-4 as of October 2. Law welcomed 10 new players this season which is an advantage to the team.

“They are working hard all the time to become a team playing as one on the court,” head coach Ms. Loch said.

The team has a collective goal to to make it to the state tournament  this season, just like last year.

“Our goal for this season is to make states and SCC’s and go farther than the first round,” junior Eryn Mower said.

Loch has the same goals for the season.

“Our goal each year is to make the conference and state tournament,” Loch said.

The beginning of the teams season had a bit of a rough start. Due to the weather practices had been shortened and games had been canceled which made getting into a routine difficult.

Now the team is a cohesive group and got back on their feet very quickly.

This season 10 new freshman have made the team. They have been welcomed to the team very quickly.

“All the upperclassmen are welcoming to the freshman so it feels like we’ve been on it for a while,” freshman Kari Boyle said.

The girls have a “Big Sis and Little Sis” program so each upperclassmen got a lowerclassmen to mentor and help teach which helped all new girls feel apart of the team.   

Earlier this season, the team beat Lauralton Hall 3-1, which is one of their biggest rivals. This was a huge win for the team.

There are two captains for the team this year: seniors Katie Eighmy and Pam Ellison. Eighmy is their outside hitter and Ellison is the libero.

“We learned from our mistakes last year and will prevent it from happening this year,’’ Ellison said.

The team has two games against rival Foran coming up. The girls hope to win those matches and work as a team to achieve this goal.

“(We want to) pick each other up when an individual is off or the team itself,’’ Eighmy said. “We can’t let let conflict get in the way of playing.”

By Molly Mercaldo – Entertainment Editor

Monica Pydipati is a junior captain on the Jonathan Law girls tennis team.

Pydipati has been on the team since her freshman year, but has been playing tennis for almost 13 years overall. She is the team’s No. 1 singles players and recently qualified for the State Open Individual Tennis Tournament for the second year in a row.

“My favorite part would have to be the adrenaline rush that comes after winning a particularly difficult match,” Pydipati said.

Pydipati has been a valuable asset to the team and is continuing to practice and improve for the rest of the season. Her record is 6-4 so far this season.

“Monica has worked so hard the last three years and is now one of the best kids in our league,” head coach Mr. Kulenych said. “She’s too humble to call herself a star, but she’s a star. She’s someone we can always count on to compete against the best players and win big matches for us.”

Last year, Pydipati made it to states in singles and her goal was to qualify again this season.

“I wanted to make states individually again, as well as be named to the All-SCC team this year,” Pydipati said.

Pydipati also aspires to break career record for wins which is currently held by Victoria Contaxis and Emma Shea with 49.

She is currently a co-captain and she hopes to be a team captain next year as well.

“Monica is very dedicated and she’s funny and a really good friend to the team,” freshman Umnia Rahman said.

Pydipati started her high school career off playing doubles before moving to singles halfway through her freshman year.

She believes that the team has improved over the course of the season and said it has been visible during matches.

Pydipati believes that in tennis, “Success is about learning from your mistakes. Only by knowing what you did wrong will you be able to fix it.”

Kulenych said that Pydipati never shies away from the pressure of being the team’s top player.

“Playing 1 singles is a grind, but Monica is so mentally tough,” Kulenych said. “It’s not easy knowing that people expect you to win a lot of your matches, but the pressure never gets to her. She always steps up when we need her most.”

By Cassandra Soda – News Editor

Senior captain Nicholas Dostal stands out on the tennis court when up against other players.

Dostal is captain with his fellow teammate Kenny Fields, and he plays doubles with his partner freshman Brian Zirkel.

“My favorite thing about tennis is that each point is its own unique battle so it never gets boring,” Dostal said.

In order to make states a person needs 10 wins individually or with one partner. Dostal’s record is currently 3-5 and he is on pace to make states.

“Nick knows a lot about the game that I don’t and teaches me as we go through the season,” freshman Brian Zirkel said. “He has been really understanding this season when I mess up and he tries to help me with it.”

To make states as a team, 10 wins is required, and to make the SCC Tournament the team needs to place in the top 8. The team’s current record is 4-8.

Ever since he was a kid, Dostal has always enjoyed tennis – both the aspects of watching and playing the sport.

“I’ve always loved watching Wimbledon and the U.S. Open as a kid and I wanted to improve my own skills after being inspired by watching legends like Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal,” Dostal said.

Dostal has been playing tennis for years and plans on continuing to play after high school – not competitively, but as a hobby.

“I started doing tennis camps during the summers at Eisenhower and Milford Indoor as a kid,” Dostal said. “I began playing competitively my freshman year.”

Zirkel said that Dostal is a great addition to the team and always tries to contribute in every way.
“Nick gets us all excited for out games and even when we have a tough loss he still makes us feel good,” Zirkel said.

The team has already improved immensely since last year, which is shown by their current record.

Some other key players on the team include Zirkel, Fields, who plays third singles, and first singles player Sanskar Shah.

By Nick Owens – Sports Editor

The Jonathan Law softball team is ready to start fresh this season and exceed the level of play from last year – even with a few changes.

Captain Kacy O’Connor said the changes will affect the team’s performance.

“Our pitching rotation looks a little different this year,” O’Connor said. “We also have good freshmen coming up that have played well so far.”

Junior Gina Boccamazzo is also excited about some of the team’s newest members.

“We lost a few valuable players last year because they were seniors,” Boccamazo said. “But we do have really good freshman in Maddie Lula and Sarah Paulus.”

So far this season, the Lady Lawmen are 2-1 with wins over Lyman Hall and Platt Tech and a loss to West Haven.

Captain Skylar Bender says the hitting rotation looks better this year compared to last year.

“We have been batting every single practice,” Bender said. “We have put a lot of emphasis on it.”

Head coach Ms. Blude said the team has higher expectations this year.

“This year we have higher expectations because we have a great group of girls that like to play together,” Blude said. “This is a great group of girls.”

Law plays Foran on Monday as the team gets ready for its big rivalry game of the year.

By Nick Owens – Sports Editor

After a rebuilding year last season, the Jonathan Law baseball team is hoping to bounce back this spring.

With nine returning seniors and a young core right behind, senior captains Nate Merchant, David Flynn, Dillon LaRoche, and Conor Creane are excited to get back on the field.

“Last year we had a bad year because we were rebuilding,” Merchant said. “ his year I think we can win half our games and make a run for states.”

Members of the team believe this year feels different than any year in the past.

“Last year we didn’t have that much leadership,” LaRoche said. “This year we turned things around and the vibe and the attitude around the program has really changed this year.”

The team’s main goal this year is to make states.

“We’re definitely looking to go for that states this year and were looking to make a big impact in it,” senior Matt Boath said. “We got a lot of players that are hungry for a win.”

Creane says the defense and the pitching rotation will see an upgrade this season.

“Our defense is a lot better so it’s easier to get outs,” Creane said. “This year we have a pitching rotation of all seniors compared to last years all juniors.”

Senior Carl Maxwell said the team has put more emphasis on the hitting in practice this year.

“I know this year we spent a lot more time focusing on hitting in practice,” Maxwell said. “We spent a lot of time in the cages and working with the coaching staff I think that’s going to be the biggest difference this year.”

The Lawmen opened their season with a 2-0 win over North Haven on March 31. They  have 12 games remaining in the month of April and then they begin the final run at states starting May 2 against East Haven.

By Molly Mercaldo – Entertainment Editor

The Jonathan Law boys lacrosse season is starting up led by head coach Mike Forget and assisted by coach Matt McCloskey.

This season’s team features junior Austin Danville, senior James Boyle, and senior captain Cole Egersheim, who was also captain last year.

“I think if we all play to our full potential every game we can have a great season,” Egersheim said.

Last season the team went 5-11 in the regular season.

“We are looking very strong this year,” senior defender Bobby Fisk said. “Our starting team has been playing since their sophomore year.”

Egersheim had 39 goals last season and hopes to score more this year. He is approaching 100 career goals.

“We hope to make the playoffs and keep as many goals out of the net as possible,” junior defender Matt Evanko said.

Boyle led the team with 18 assists last year and is currently starting varsity again this year.

Sophomore Brett Pisani is starting in goal. 

Law opened its season with a 15-7 win over Lyman Hall on Saturday, March 31. The team’s next game is Tuesday, April 3, at 4:30 p.m. against Notre Dame-West Haven.

***

The Jonathan Law girls lacrosse team is also getting ready to start its spring season.

The girls lacrosse team has been in existence at Law for five years and went 13-5 last season.

Leading the team this year are senior captains Stella Patrick, Colleen Goodwin, Olivia Keator, and Andria Torres.

To be even more successful this season my captains and I are going to work really hard to bring the team close together and keep a competitive attitude,” Goodwin said.

The team had its first scrimmage of the year on Thursday, March 29, at 6 p.m. at home against Stamford which ended in a victory for Law.

Last year, the team advanced to the quarterfinals of the Class M State Tournament and the second round of the SCC Tournament.

“I think our program will be stronger than last year,” senior Chloe McCullough said. “We have determined players and we are working hard everyday.”

The head coach of the girls lacrosse team is Lynette Martinez and the assistant coach is Nicole Healy.

“I am definitely looking forward to the Foran game,” Keator said. “It is always a great rivalry between us.”

This year, the girls team will be giving out pamphlets before the games consisting of advertisements, team shout-outs, and a roster to raise money for team apparel.

By Cole Egersheim – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law indoor track team had a very successful 2017-2018 season.

The senior class paved the way for a great season. In all, 27 athletes made states, 28 athletes competed at SCC championships, and one member competed in the New Balance Nationals.

“We had a very successful season,” head coach Mr. Beler said. “We had a strong group of senior leadership and a great group of young freshman energy that continued our programs high level expectations both now and in the future.”

Senior Matt Marino set a school record with a time of 125.96 in the 600 meters.

“Even though the team was lacking important members, major components on the team stepped up and broke many records,” Marino said.

Senior Jordan Beck set a new school record in pole vault with a 11-6.0 and set a new school record in the 55 high hurdles with a time of 7.89.

“With so many disciplines in the decathlon, I wanted to use the indoor season as an opportunity to build upon some of my weaker events,” Beck said. “ But to my surprise, I went All-State in the 55 hurdles, which adds huge depth to our already versatile squad.”

Freshman Nahiem Washington helped break the school record in the 4×200 meters with a time of 1:35.77. Nahiem also competed in the New Balance Nationals.

Freshman Alexis Voytek won the team’s mid- and long-distance runners award thanks to her performances in the 600 meter and 4×800 meter relay. She qualified for the SCC Championships as a freshman.

Junior Jocelyn Wirth had a year full of personal bests. She set a new personal best in every meet and finished with a time of 7.87 in the 55 meter.

“My season went great,” Wirth said. “I improved on my time for almost every race in the 55 meter and I’m excited to be captain next year and to continue to improve.”

 

By Morgan Taylor – Staff Reporter

Here is a recap of all of Law’s fall sports teams. A stand-alone football article can be found on jlawadvocate.wordpress.com)

Boys Soccer

The season for Law boys soccer was one for the books.

The team has had one of their best records in years, finishing 9-7. The Lawmen managed to get a home game for states as one of the top 16 teams in Class L.

“All the players did their best and worked so hard in practice and on the pitch,” head coach Mr. Gruber said.  “I couldn’t be more prouder as a coach and I am happy I got to coach this team.”

Junior Kevin Linn scored over 20 goals and had six assists this season. Senior Jack Pincus-Coyle recorded the most saves for a goalkeeper at Law in decades.

“We had a great group of young men that strived for certain goals and each and every day we worked hard to achieve them,” said Gruber, who was named SCC Coach of the Year.

Girls Soccer

This season for the Law girls soccer team was not only record-breaking, but it created a statement for the future of the program.

The team ended the season 13-4-3 which was the best record in school history. The team made it to the SCC finals and to the Class L state tournament achieved almost all of their team goals.

“I think the season went great,” said junior Grace Wooton.  “It was one of our best records and the furthest we’ve ever been.”

Thanks to all their supporters, girls soccer was able to beat Cheshire, Amity, and Foran throughout their season which was one of their many goals.

“Coming in as a freshman the record was never that good,” said freshman Ashley Shaw. “This year we had the mindset to change that and we totally accomplished it.”

Head coach Mr. Rhode, who was named the SCC and New Haven Register Coach of the Year, continuously instilled in the girls the idea of deserving to be placed as far up as they were. Taking this message into each game, the girls always played their hardest.

Girls Swimming & Diving

It was also a record-breaking season for the girls swim team this season. In the regular season, the team went 6-8. Their key players include Hannah Savoie, who became the first ever girls swimmer in school history to be named All-State, Christina Gleason, Athena Homorodean, Lily Baldieri, Hennessey Shane, and Brooke Nabors.

“We have met all of our team goals including having more team members qualify for states (we have 10) and winning at least four meets (we won six),” head coach Ms. Rosner said.

The team broke dozens of records during the regular season and several swimmers advanced to SCCs and states.

“Now that we are in post-season the girls who made it to states are practicing hard to try and beat their times, break records, and place high,” Baldieri said.

Volleyball

The Law volleyball team had another amazing season this fall.

The team finished 13-7 in the regular season and qualified for the SCC and state tournaments. Pam Ellison, Shawna Winters, Colleen Goodwin, Katie Eighmy, and Stephanie Felag took key roles in the success of the team.

“We didn’t meet all, but definitely met many of our goals,” head coach Ms. Loch said.

Ellison, the team’s libero, made Second Team All-SCC and was dominant on defense with 226 digs and 23 aces.

“This season was a successful season,” said Loch.

Girls Cross Country

The Law girls cross country team had one of its best seasons in years.

Freshmen members and returning runners were all great assets to the team.

“We reached most of our goals for the season, one of them being having everyone on varsity under 26,” said junior Amira Samih.

The team was able to beat teams such as Hillhouse and improve their personal times.

“I did very well and had a consistent time throughout the season,” said junior Laura Dennigan.

Boys Cross Country

This season was a positive one for the Law boys cross country team.

The team got new personal records this season as well as achieved some of their goals.

“This was probably the best team in a long time,” senior captain Matt Marino said. “We worked well together.”

Many members of the team made states as well.

“I had a time of 23 minutes which is a personal best,” said junior Alex Lazar.

By Molly Mercaldo – Entertainment Editor

It was a historic year for the Jonathan Law football team.

The Lawmen ended their regular season with a 34-28 win over crosstown rival Foran in the annual Thanksgiving Day game. They also advanced to the Class M State Tournament for the first time in school history, falling 57-21 to top-seeded Killingly in the quarterfinals.

“The Thanksgiving game had a different meaning to it,” senior captain Dean Pettway said. “Milford gives us the motivation to come out and show we have what it takes.”

The win was Law’s first over Foran on Thanksgiving since 2007.

Junior Mike Plaskon was named the Offensive Player of the Game, and Pettway was awarded Defensive Player of the Game.

“I couldn’t have done it without any of my linemen, receivers, and everybody else,” Plaskon said. 

Plaskon scored the first and last touchdown for Law against Foran in a game that the Lawmen trailed by eight in the fourth quarter. Plaskon also scored the first touchdown for Law against Killingly.

Law went into the playoffs seeded 8th and played at undefeated Killingly. Law scored first, but Killingly’s rushing attack was too much for the Lawmen to contain.  

“To get there we had to all work tremendously hard which involved many hours in the weight room in the off season,” senior captain Andrew Paulus said. “We achieved the goal… states.” 

Law students, faculty, and alumni supported the football team all season long and into the playoffs. Law’s Sports Booster Club provided a Fan Bus to students who wanted to attend the game at Killingly.

“This is why I took the job,” head coach Erik Larka said. “When I was playing, I wanted to go to the playoffs. As an assistant coach, I wanted to go to the playoffs.”

Jonathan Law athletic director Mr. Sarullo was thrilled with how the season unfolded.

“We had good individual performances and a great team performances and I think it got the school excited,” Sarullo said. “It made the fall season pretty awesome.”

By Nick Owens – Sports Editor

The Jonathan Law girls swim team hit this season with a splash and broke multiple records in the pool this year. The team finished with six wins and broke several individual school records, the medley relay record, and the 400m freestyle relay record, which they broke multiple times. Freshman swimmer Hennessey Shane sat down with Advocate Sports Editor Nick Owens to talk about the team’s season and what’s to come.

Nick Owens: What do you think the key to your team’s success in the pool was this year?

Hennessey Shane: I think the key to success was that we all worked very hard everyday and always did our best even during practice.

NO: Your team broke the medley relay record and 400 freestyle relay record. What’s the plan to break more records?

HS: Our plan is pushing ourselves to the limit and always swim our fastest in every meet.

NO: What can we expect from the team as the post-season continues?

HS: We expect to break more records.

NO: What can we expect from the team next year?

HS: We will do even better than last year.

NO: What impact does head coach Ms. Rosner have on the team?

HS: She encourages us when we swim and we always want to do our best for her in practices and meets.

By Morgan Taylor – Staff Reporter

The fall sports season at Jonathan Law is underway. Here is a look at how the teams are doing:

Girls Soccer

With an amazing start to the year, the Law girls soccer team might be on its way to its best regular season ever.

As of October 2,  the team has a record of 7-0-1. Their captains, Madi Butts, Taylor Kandrach and Morgan Macey, as well as key players Samara Thacker and Gia Edwards have helped the team get wins against Cheshire, Hamden, and North Haven.

“Compared to last year, our output for goals scored is significantly higher,” head coach Mr. Rhode said. “Also, our familiarity of the system we play is much better as well.”

The team goals are to get 10 wins, qualify for SCCs and to make it to at least the second round of the state tournament.

“I think we are going to do really well this season,” senior captain Morgan Macey said. “ We need to keep it up and stay mentally tough.”

Boys Soccer

The Law boys soccer team has had a great start to the season.

With a record of 4-2 as of October 2, the team shows a lot of potential. Captains Matt Tournas, Jack Pincus-Coyle, and Will Contaxis, along with key players Kevin Linn, Jon Vitale, and Troy Anderson have helped to try and achieve their goal of making states.

“With the games we have in front of us our goal is to make the state tournament again and I see no reason why we can’t achieve the goal,” said head coach Mr. Gruber. “The players are starting to believe in themselves more and we tend to get better as the year goes on.”

The team is working on becoming more technical in their playing as well as playing a lot of small sided games during practice.

“We have a tough conference this year, but our team is looking really good this season,” Tournas said.

Volleyball

After a successful season last year, fans of volleyball at Law have a lot to look forward to this fall.

Their record as of October 2 is 6-4. Captains Shawna Winters and Stephanie Felag, as well as key players Pam Ellison and Colleen Goodwin, have helped to create these wins for the team.

“Our rotation is very new and we are running a new type of rotation this year to be able to have six hitters a match rather than four or five,” head coach Ms. Loch said. “This is really beneficial and once we start getting used to this rotation, we will really make our opponents work for their points.”

With the girls working hard with communicating with each other and their overall teamwork, this season looks to be turning out great.

“We are starting off slow because we are still learning how to work together,” sophomore Livi Kowalski said. “Once we get there, we will be successful.”

Girls Swim

Law girls swimmimg and diving already has many team and individual highlights this season.

They have twice broken the school 4×400 relay record, and won three meets in a row against East Haven, Sheehan, and Bunnell. Captains Bella Carroll, Hannah Savoie, and Mary Lonergan along with key players Christina Gleason, Athena Homorodean, Lily Baldieri, Brooke Nabors, Tess Rosato, Hennessey Shane, Olivia Franzman, and Hannah Rascoll have helped the team get to these wins.

“Every team member set a goal at the beginning of the season,” said head coach Ms. Rosner. “Some of these goals include breaking a specific time in certain events, mastering challenging dives or swimming difficult events, qualifying for SCCs and states, and breaking a school record.”

Their team goals include winning at least four meets and having more girls qualify for the post-season. They work really hard in practice to achieve these goals.

“I’m off to a rough start personally, but I see my team improving and people trying harder,” said sophomore Tess Rosato. “We have all been trying our best at practices to help improve our times.”

Boys Cross Country

The boys cross country team at Law is starting off right.

With a win against Notre Dame of West Haven and a close loss to Daniel Hand, the team’s lead runners, Mike Loschiavo and Tyler McKenna-Hansen, and their captains, John Fowler, Matt Marino, and Nelson Gomes have helped to improve the team from last year.

“I expect our season to go pretty well,” Loschiavo said. “I want to get my times down into the low 17’s.”

Each individual has goals for themselves whether it’s lower times or finishing in the top 10 during each race.

“Our team got 3rd at an invitational this season,” Marino said. “This is a lot better than last year.”

Girls Cross Country

Girls cross country at Jonathan Law High School is looking toward a great season.

With meets against teams such as Daniel Hand and Laurelton Hall the team has already had a tough season. Captains Irmina Chrzastek, Chloe McCullough, and Cassandra Soda as well as lead runners Kaylee Brotherton, Laura Dennigan, and Samantha Franzman have helped their team.

“Our season is going really well,” McCullough said. “We have not won any meets but we have not placed last either.”

Overall, each individual has set goals for themselves to help their team try to achieve at least one win.

“We think we have a chance to really do well,” Soda said. “We worked really hard this summer and when we started the season, everyone was ready to go.”

Football

The Law football team has started off strong and has its sights set on the state tournament.

Captains Dean Pettway, Jimmy Boyle, Justin Abe, and Andrew Paulus, quarterback Zach Smith and running back Mike Plaskon led the team to wins against Bethel and Bassick.

“I think our season is going to go really well,” said sophomore Zach Merchant. “I believe we are going to win more games than last year.”

The team continues to work hard even against the best teams in the state. They hung with a ranked Cheshire team until late in the game.

“Hopefully we will make it to states this year,” senior Cole Egersheim said.

By Cassandra Soda – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law boys and girls tennis teams just finished their spring seasons.

For the girls, it was a historic year. The team finished the regular season with a record of 12-8, which tied the school record for wins. They also qualified for the SCC Tournament and the Class M State Tournament. 

“It’s been an unforgettable year,” head coach Mr. Kulenych said. “We came into the season wanting to make this a perfect send-off for our seniors who have worked so hard for four years and, in that end, thanks to the girls’ drive and determination, that’s exactly what happened. It was a total team effort.”

Law won seven straight matches to end the season and qualify for SCCs and states, beating rivals Foran and Shelton in close matches along the way.

“Especially because we played a few teams more than once, we made sure to practice things that would help us play better against them the second time around and that’s exactly what we did against teams like Shelton and Foran,” senior captain Victoria Contaxis said.

Individually, Contaxis and the #1 doubles team of Trisha Brady and Brianna Arnold were named to the All-SCC team. Contaxis finished with 11 wins at #1 singles and Brady and Arnold finished 13-0 at #1 doubles. Contaxis also tied the school record with 49 career wins.

Senior Maeve Rourke and freshman Clarissa Sawatzky won more than half their singles matches and the trio of sophomore Bridget Sanchez, senior Daniella Berg, and freshman Amelia Mower won 10 matches from the #3 doubles spot

“Some teams rely on a couple of kids to carry them, but what was special about our team this year was that everyone contributed,” Kulenych said. “There was a different hero every match for us and it made everything that much more exciting.”

At the send of the season, Law sent six players to the State Open Individual Tournament. Contaxis qualified at #1 singles and sophomore Monica Pydipati qualified at #2 singles, while Brady and Arnold qualified at #1 doubles and Deepika Senthilnathan and Meghana Jaladanki qualified at #2 doubles.

“It was an amazing season for me,” Arnold said. ” I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”

The team’s doubles partners have to know each other very well in order to try and win their matches. That teamwork was evident this season.

“We also know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, which is essential for us to know if we want to win,” Jaladanki said. “I take the shots that are tough for her, and she does the same for me every match.”

The team has high hopes for next year even with all of the departing seniors.

“The kids who come back are going to work hard in the offseason and if they do that I think we have a shot at having another really good season,” Kulenych said.

Boys tennis, meanwhile, finished off the season with a 4-16 record and has high hopes of improving next year.

The boys put much of their time and energy into working to improve in their weak areas so they could win their individual matches and help the team.

“I worked really hard through the season and played in my free time to try and get better,” junior Ronald Spangler said.

The members of the team know that even if their losing in a match they should never give up.

“What I learned this season is to not give up when losing early into a match,” senior Donovan Johnson said.

The boys are losing some valuable seniors, but they hope to add some freshman next season. The team plans on working extremely hard in the offseason to prepare for next year.

By Kiana Walker – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Laws girls lacrosse team recently completed the best season in program history.

The Lady Lawmen finished the regular season with a record of 12-4 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Class M State Tournament. They defeated Sheehan 16-7 in the first round before losing to Pomperaug 18-5 in the quarters.

The team also qualified for the SCC Tournament for the first time in program history. 

“It’s been great to see all of their hard work pay off,” head coach Lynette Martinez said.  

Senior captain Stella Patrick believed this season could be a special one from the start.

“I’ve noticed a drive in my team ever since our first win which excites me,” Patrick said.

Members of the team said that they owe most of their success to their coach.

“Coach Lynette’s style of coaching pushes us in practice, which is channeled to our game performance,” said junior Olivia Keator, who was named to the All-SCC team.

Another possible contributor to the team’s success may be their camaraderie off the field.

“The atmosphere on our team is very fun and welcoming,” senior captain Angela Scuito said.

With the season now over, the team’s seniors are looking back fondly at their experience.

“Playing lacrosse opened me up to something different considering I’ve only played soccer ever,” senior captain Bethany Edwards said.

Despite the fact that the Lady Lawmen are losing many seniors, the team is still optimistic going forward.

“We will look to make the conference tournament again and to advance further than this year,” Martinez said.

 

As the team’s successful season reaches it end, there is no doubt in players’ minds that next year will be successful

“I know that next year my team will do great, and do better than this year,” Edwards said.

By Chloe McCullough – Staff Reporter

From SCCs to states to nationals, the Law boys track team had a remarkable season this spring.

The Lawmen lost only one meet during the regular season and posted victories over teams such as Hillhouse, Guilford, and Hamden.

Junior Alex Pratcher went All-State in the 200m and the 800m medley relay team of Mike Plaskon, Charlie Fonck, Pratcher, and Joe Mugford qualified for nationals.

Freshman also Mike Loschiavo had an outstanding season. He improved his personal best in the mile from a 5:15 minute to a 5:07 minute mile by the end of the season.

“I think my first year on the team was an awakening, because the season started off fast so I struggled a bit to succeed,” Loschiavo said. “However, my first year was great and I set personal goals for this season that I achieved, therefore there is a lot of room for improvement.”

Loschiavo had a great first year on the team and is excited to participate for years to come.

Senior captain Ryan Wasserman had a great season as well. He achieved two personal bests in his event, the mile. He had some words of advice for those returning next season.

“Keep working hard and give it your all at every practice and every meet,” Wasserman said. “You can always push yourself more than you feel you can.”

Junior Matt Marino set some goals for himself in the beginning of the season. Throughout the season, he worked hard to achieve them.

Marino’s beat his personal best time in the 800m with a time of 2:04.80. 

“My goal at the start of the season was to be the first to make states since Jeremy Doucette did my freshman year,” Marino said. “The qualifying time is 2:06.9 to do so. Therefore, I have done more than achieved my goal with my personal best this season as a 2:04.80.”

Marino also mentioned the achievements of Mike DiBlase, a standout freshman this season. He ran a 2:09 800m, which compares to Marino’s best time as a freshman, which was a 2:15.

“My first year on the track team was honestly one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” DiBlase said. “I get amazing amounts of support from my coaches and teammates and I definitely plan on participating not only next year, but until I graduate.”

Junior Matt Tournas was also a key player on the team, running the distance events. 

“I had a great first year on the team,” Tournas said. “It felt like one big family and I had a great time. I’m excited to continue on the team next year.”

By Irmina Chrzastek – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law senior Lauren Paredes recently completed a very successful outdoor track season.

Paredes has been doing outdoor track since her freshman year and was a captain her senior year. She is also a cross country and indoor track captain.

“My goals for the season were to PR in the 1600m and to qualify for states in the 4x800m,” Paredes said. “I achieved both of them.”

Track coach Mr. Rhode set goals for Paredes this season.

“The main goal for Lauren this year was getting her mile time under six minutes,”  Rhode said. “Although she didn’t achieve that, she still ran a PR this year in the mile.”

Paredes’ best events are the 4x800m and the mile.

“She’s a good addition to the team because she scores many points since she is the top distance runner,” junior teammate Cassandra Soda said. “She helps everyone  improve by encouraging them and giving advice.”

Other runners look up to Paredes and she pushes them to get better.

“She is a good addition to the team because she works her hardest to improve her times and always gives it to her all when competing no matter how tired she is,” junior Salma Samih said.

Paredes has also had countless improvements since freshman year and got better and better every year.

“Freshman year I didn’t qualify for states of SCCs and I was running almost a seven minute mile,” Paredes said. “Sophomore, junior, and senior year I went to states and SCCs and dropped a minute in my mile time.”

Paredes’ teammates are proud to have her as a captain and see her as a great leader.

“Lauren is a good leader because she always encourages everyone to do their best and pushes people to try harder,” Soda said. “Seeing her work hard encourages everyone else to work as hard as she does to improve.”

Paredes is also a very well-rounded student seeing as she is fourth in her class. She will attend Boston College in the fall.

“Lauren is the epitome of ‘lead by example,’” Rhode said. “Every girl on the team respects her work ethic and determination at both practices (definitely during ‘Rhode World’ workouts) and during meets.”

Paredes uses running as a stress reliever for her busy schedule as well.

“No matter what’s going on with school and work I know that running will get my mind off of everything,” Paredes said.

Paredes set an example as a runner, captain, and student throughout her four years at Law.

By Nick Owens – Staff Reporter

The Law softball team had the bats swinging in full force this season.

The Lady Lawmen finished with a record of 9-11, which qualified them for states. They lost to Berlin in the first round 11-1.

“This year, I think our team chemistry was amazing,” senior captain Cassidy Boath said. “I’m just glad I was able to go out there and do my best to be the best captain and player I could be this season.”

The team had many memorable wins this season, including victories over Sacred Heart Academy, Lyman Hall, and Hale Ray.

Senior Maddie Murphy led the team with a .545 batting average, collecting 36 hits in 66 at-bats. Boath batted .427 with 11 RBI. 

On the mound, junior Erin Harrigan  had 61 strikeouts and a 4.08 ERA.

“I think we did a good job this season of showing everybody who we can be,” Harrigan said. “We had a good defense this year to back me up.”

The Lady Lawmen defense was impressive this year. Junior Skylar Bender had 49 putouts to lead the team.

“We worked really well as a team this year,” Bender said. “We worked on our game offensively and defensively and I think it paid off well this season.”

Head coach Mrs. Blude was determined to help this team succeed this season. 

“The goal at the start of the year was to make states and we did that,” Blude said.

By Molly Mercaldo – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law baseball team, coached by Greg Simler, recently wrapped up its spring season.

Although the team struggled to win games in the beginning of the season, they improved as the year went on.

“We came together as a team to finish strong,” junior infielder David Flynn said.

The team finished the regular season with a record of 3-17.

“We spent this season getting better at playing together and next year, hopefully, we’ll make a run at states,” sophomore Bryan Reed said.

Law’s three wins came against Platt Tech, Valley Regional, and Career, which came on Senior Night. 

“We finished off the year strong and we’re going to carry it over to next year and have a successful year,” junior pitcher Nate Merchant said.

This year, three seniors – Jeremiah Bravo, Mitchell Smith, and Ethan Ferguson – will be graduating.

Bravo was a standout pitcher for the Lawmen and hit the most home runs on the team with three. He was named All-SCC at the end of the season.

There were many assistant coaches that helped the team improve as well, including Justin Thomas, Zach Thomas, and Edward Shea.

Justin Thomas hopes that “the experience helps the juniors and sophomores from this year” so that the team will be able to improve for next season.

Thomas said that the team’s best game was against Amity despite a losing by score of 15-10.

“We had a close game with many chances, but were unable to hit with runners in a scoring position which lost is the game,” junior outfielder Dillon LaRoche said.

Next season, Law hopes to make it back to the SCC and state tournaments.

“Our team chemistry is strong right now and we’ve been playing together for a long time,” LaRoche said.

By Emma Caserta – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law boys tennis team has hit the courts.

The team currently has an 0-5 record, but is hoping to turn things around for the better by the end of the season.

There are many new players this season who joined the team in hopes of finding a new sport to love and meet new friends.

Junior Ronnie Spangle has recently joined the tennis team.

“We all work together really well as a team,” Spangler said. “We always find time to be together even outside of matches.”

 

The team has set many goals for the upcoming season.

“Our team is in good shape to make SCCs for the second year in a row,” junior captain Nick Dostal said. “It is looking to be very achievable.”

The team is looking forward to upcoming matches against West Haven and Shelton.

Each player on the team not only has hopes for the entire team, but also holds their own personal goals as well.

“My personal goal is to make state tournament as a doubles team with Fassih Sherazi and help our team make it to SCCs,” Dostal said.

Their personal goals allow them to have something to work towards and make the team more successful.

Junior Jack Pincus-Coyle has similar goals to his teammates.

“What I hope for this upcoming season is to become close to the team, develop new friendships and win as many matches as possible,” Pincus-Coyle said.

All players on the team are working their hardest to achieve goals and they all deserve recognition for their commitment.

Their dedication allows them to further themselves and become a united team.

“I hope we make states again,” senior captain Sean Ancheta said. “I am seeing my teammates improve everyday, so hopefully we can make it happen.”

By Chloe McCullough – Staff Reporter

The boys track team is off to a perfect start this season.

The Lawmen are 6-0 to start the spring, including a win over rival Foran.

Junior Matt Marino, a key runner on the team, has big plans for himself and the team this year.

Marino competes in the 800m, 4×400 meter, and the 4×800 meter. His personal goal is to get accepted to a Division I college and run track. As a junior, he is one of the leaders on the team and helps set a high standard for the underclassmen.

“It’s more of a job and responsibility to teach the freshman the right things to do,” Marino said. “You also have to act appropriately, so you are not setting bad standards.”

Junior Alex Pratcher has many personal goals for the season. He also wants to be a leader and win states in the 100m and 200m races, which are his main events.

“I can influence the younger people on the team by helping to fix things in their races, such as helping them with the block since that is an important part of sprinting,” Pratcher said.

Senior Charlie Fonck plans to help his teammates “win everyday” by showing them that he can be a leader, as a senior on the team. He runs the 4×100, 400m, and 4×400 meter.

“I’m not really looking to try anything new just because the events I run can take a lot of my energy already,” Fonck said.

Senior captain Ryan Wasserman believes that he can encourage the younger people on the team to improve, while improving his own times.

“Making it past states would be a tremendous accomplishment,” Wasserman said. “I must put my heart and soul out on the track. I think that if all of us goes by Coach Beler’s slogan, ‘win everyday,’ I’m confident some of our athletes can make it past states.”

Freshman Mike Loschiavo is excited for the upcoming season. He runs the 4×800, 1600m, and 3200m. He hopes to bring his skills from cross country and indoor track into the outdoor season.

“I believe I can make it past states this year because as long as I run faster in every event, I can make my way up to states and win,” Loschiavo said.

The boys’ track team hopes to have many participants make it to states this year.

By Amelia Trapp – Staff Reporter

With the start of a new spring season comes the start of a new outdoor track season.

Track season officially started March 18, but many athletes started off-season training beforehand.

Head coach Mr. Schulte is looking forward to another great indoor track season. Both he and the team have big plans for this year.

Some of his other goals include winning another Hammonassett Division championship and finishing in the top of SCC League.

Among the 45 athletes on the team, two are All-State athletes – seniors Kiki Smith and Olivia Steiner.

Smith has done track all four years of high school and she plans to go to college and run on a Division I track team.

Smith runs 55 meter dash, long jump, and is part of the 4×100 team. This year her goals include break her own personal records in the 100 meter and 200 meter, and for her 4×100 team to go to New Englands.

“I will push myself at practice, even when the workout is tough,” Smith said. “I will keep a positive attitude and continue to have confidence I can win.”

Smith speaking about what she plans on doing to achieve her goals this year.

Smith competes in four events for outdoor track – the 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash, long jump, and the 4×100 relay.

Along with these events, she holds the school records for the 55 meter dash and the 100 meter dash.

Assistant coach Mr. Rhode has some of his own goals for the team which include getting as many athletes to states as possible. He has a plan to make this happen.

Rhode plans to work hard from the beginning to the end of the season to achieve his main goal of winning the Hammonasset Division for the third time in a row.

“I love coaching and I love getting to know the girls,” Rhode said. “My workout is one of the hardest in the program.”

One of the captains this year, senior Melanie Coleman, has done track all four years of high school.

“Track is not my main sport, but it is something I love to participate in,” Coleman said, “I’m going to miss it and all my teammates, but I’ve made so many great memories the past four years.”

Jonathan Law’s indoor track coaches and athletes have big aspirations for this season and plan to do whatever it takes to make them happen.

By Molly Mercaldo – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law girls lacrosse season started on March 18.

The Lady Lawmen still haven’t lost.

At 6-0, the team is off to the best start in school history. Law has already posted wins over Lyman Hall, Sheehan, Wolcott, Hamden, Notre Dame-Farifield, and West Haven.

For the 2017 season, the team’s captains are senior Bethany Edwards, senior Angela Sciuto, and junior Stella Patrick.

“I’m really excited to be captain because I think we have a good chance at being really successful,” Patrick said.

The team’s record has improved each of the last few years and has included wins over rival Foran.

“It is a great feeling to beat Foran,” junior Olivia Keator said. “It is always one of our goals through the year.”

The girls lacrosse team is being coached by head coach Lynette Martinez and assistant coach Nicole Healy.

“The coaches really push everyone to become better players and athletes,” freshman Jane Iwanicki said.

The team has been competing for four years and has been coached by Martinez every year.

This season, Healy will be joining the coaching staff of the girls lacrosse team for the first time. This will be her first time ever coaching a lacrosse team.

The team has set several goals for this season, including winning a round in the state tournament.

“I hope that we can make it past the first round of states and have a winning record again this season,” junior Chloe McCullough said.

In the 2016 season, Law’s Lacrosse team went 8-8 in their regular season. The team made it into the state tournament and was able to win their first game.

“I think our team will be more successful or just as successful because we have a lot of girls returning from last year,” Patrick said.

The girls lacrosse team has only been at Jonathan Law for four seasons so far and it going on its fifth season this year.

“The team is young but we have many experienced players,” McCullough said.

During this spring season, Law girls lacrosse will be playing 16 games with the hopes of playing more in the state tournament. They also have their sights set on beating Foran.

“Foran is always competitive, but I trust the process at Law and believe we’ll come out on top,” junior Colleen Goodwin said.

By Cassandra Soda – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law junior Chloe McCullough is a key player to the girls lacrosse team.

McCullough has been playing the sport for six years. Freshman year she was a swinger, playing both junior and varsity. Her sophomore and junior year she played strictly varsity.

“She is a fast runner and can move the ball quickly and is a good goal scorer,” sophomore Laura Dennigan said.

McCullough has worked hard throughout her high school career to improve.

“I have worked hard to improve my stick skills and my knowledge of the game,” McCullough said. “I have improved in areas I was once weak in, such as defense.”

She is always willing to put others needs before hers while playing.

“Chloe gets along great with the girls and is a great teammate,” head coach Ms. Martinez said. “She’s always willing to sacrifice her own wants and needs in order to do what is best for the team to succeed.”

McCullough works on improving herself as well as working to help others improve.

“Seeing Chloe play has made me want to push myself to get better from start,” sophomore Amira Samih said. “I came in freshman year not knowing anything about lacrosse and she reached out to me to try and help me learn the sport.”

Working together with the other players is not something that she struggles doing.

“Chloe works very well with other players,” junior Irmina Chrzastek. “She helps them if they are struggling and makes them become better players.”

Her will to succeed in the sport pushes others to try to work harder.

“I see her accomplish things that I wish I could,” Samih said. “This makes me want to get better each and  everyday and seeing her accomplish what she does and become a versatile player is one of the things that made me want to come back and play this year.”

The expectations for her are high this year, with many people predicting she will succeed.

“I’m hoping that Chloe is a big piece to the puzzle on the lacrosse field this season,” Martinez said. “I really see her thriving in the midfield and on defense.”

Lacrosse is not the only sport that McCullough plays. She also does cross country in the fall in which she will be a captain for next year.

McCullough wants to play club lacrosse in college and possibly play at a Division III school.

By Kristin Frank – Sports Editor

Jonathan Law’s baseball team has reassembled in search of a successful spring season.

The seniors on the team are Jeremiah Bravo, Mitchell Smith, Ethan Ferguson, Sean Ahrens, and Joseph Prizio. These players have been teammates with each other for the past four years.

“The thing I’m going to miss most is the new friends I made and sports make everyone closer,” Bravo said. “The players become a mini family to you.”

Bravo is attending Salve Regina University next fall and will be playing Division III baseball. He will contribute to his new team next fall by being a pitcher.

The underclassmen that are expected to have a breakout season this spring include a handful of dedicated sophomores.

“Garrett Tutlis, Colby Primavera, Bryan Reed, and Nick Hudak should have a breakout season,” Bravo said. “Even as sophomores when they get their shot to help the team I think they will contribute in a big way.”

The players are excited to unite as a team again this spring and work together.

“I’m excited to see us all come together again like we do every year,” junior Matt Boath said. “We’ve put in a lot of work on and off the field as a unit and it’s great finally knowing we’re back on the field.”

Some seniors on the team said they will miss both their teammates and coaches next year.

“I will miss the coaching staff the most,” Prizio said. “Especially our head coach Simler. He is a good guy and has a lot of heart for the sport.”

The boys realize there are some holes to fill with the loss of six valuable graduates from last year.

“We’ve moved a lot of players with the loss of most of our starters from last year,” Boath said. “We’re still figuring out where we are all going to end up but everyone gives their best and we now work as a team.”

The players have explained their progress as looking like a brand new team from two weeks ago, to today.

“I think if we work day in and day out I don’t see why we can’t make it to the state tournament,” junior Jack Lawless said.

These boys plan to work hard during practices and stay dedicated during the season.

“I am most excited for the potential our team has and how far we have come along in such a short period of time,” Prizio said.

The baseball team has many games to look forward to this season to try and secure their spot in states.

“I am most determined to beat Foran High School because they are the school’s crosstown rival,” Lawless said.

By Irmina Chrzastek – Staff Reporter

The young Jonathan Law boys basketball team recently finished its winter season.

The team posted a 2-18 record, but took many positives away from the season.

“Our biggest goal was to win back-to-back game this year, which we did against Lyman Hall and Platt Tech,” sophomore William Contaxis said.

The team has improved as a whole since last year.

“The team has very much improved,” senior captain Thomas Gambardella said. “We lost most seniors, but obtained a lot of talent from the junior class and underclassmen.”

Head coach Mr. Dooley also believes the team has improved since last season.

“I think we improved on offense, especially in our transition game and press defense,” Dooley said.

Not only did the team get along well on the court, but off the court they had great chemistry as well.

“We actually had a good chemistry because most of us have been playing for a while,” junior Dean Pettway said.

The team is proud of their improvements from last season and their achievements from this season.

“Our goals were to win eight games, beat Foran, East Haven, and Lyman Hall,” Dooley said. “We did beat Lyman Hall but fell short of those other goals.”

The team is also happy with how the incoming freshmen looked and their potential for the seasons to come.

“The incoming freshmen looked talented and full of potential and they need to work hard in the offseason to possibly contribute on the varsity level next year,” junior Conor Creane said.

Gambardella also has advice for next year’s captains.

“Be a role model on and off the court,” said Gambardella. “Just because you’re not playing doesn’t mean that younger players won’t watch the way you act.”

Returning players are very excited for next season.

“I’m very hopeful,” Contaxis said. “Next season we are hoping to get more wins and maybe make states as our ultimate goal.”

By Arianna Goenaga – Staff Reporter

The Law gymnastics team has completed its final routine of the season.

Law had many personal and team accomplishments this year, including posting its highest score – a 130 – in a win over rival Foran. The team placed third in SCCs this year and finished the year in seventh place at the Class S state tournament.

All of the girls on the team are close with one another and love to spend time together at meets and practices.

“I am sad this is my last year, but I am thankful that I have been a part of this team and have gotten to learn a lot from my coaches and peers,” senior Madison Sosa said.

Senior captain Kristin Frank has done gymnastics for 14 years and has been a part of a gym outside of high school as well. Being a part of another team has helped her tremendously when it comes to increasing her strength and improving her skills.

She is sad to see her high school career come to a close.

“I was actually very emotional my last week of high school gymnastics because this is my last season in sports,” Frank said. “The girls on the team have been so supportive and showed how much the seniors meant to them on senior night and at states.”

Senior Melanie Coleman set a school record this year in the beam and floor scores of 9.5. She beat the previous record of 9.4 for both events.

“Being my last year I am sad to go, but it was fun while it lasted,” Coleman said. “My teammates helped me get through a lot of things and I am glad I got the opportunity to help some of them as well.”

Coleman suggested that the team continue to work on trying to save their falls next year.

“A lot of points could be gained back just by practicing our skills and that repetition will lead to less mistakes,” said Coleman.

The girls help one another all of the time, whether it is making routines, spotting, or sharing knowledge and teaching new skills.

As the seniors this year leave, they all hope that the girls continue to support and help each other be successful.

By Nick Owens – Staff Reporter

It was a record-breaking year for the Law indoor track team.

The team broke a total of 15 school records this season, had multiple athletes make the state tournament, and even had one member make to the New England Indoor Track Championships and Nationals this year.

That member was senior Kiki Smith, who broke the school record in the 55 and 300 meter dashes and qualified for Nationals in the long jump.

“I had to put in a lot of work when I was training,” Smith said. “My coaches definitely helped by motivating me to do better. They made me want to be better as an athlete.”

Junior Matt Marino also turned heads this season, breaking the school record for the 600 meter by beating the previous record by a full four seconds.

“(It was) a lot of hard work from the guys,” Marino said. “I was on two of the relay teams that broke the record this year. It’s all thanks to Coach Beler and Coach Rhode.”

Junior Jordan Beck broke the school long jump record this season.

“I’d like to try to jump 22 feet (now),” Beck said. “It’s the coaches, the captains, the leaders who inspire me to be great and I think also it’s just people who realize we can be a part of something great on this team.”

Junior Rhea Grant was recently announced as a co-captain for next year’s track team. This year, she put up the second-best 55 meter time in school history.

“Our motto is win everyday; everybody works hard and shows up to practice each day giving 100% effort,” Grant said. “It’s just a mindset that you always have to work hard.”

Beler has the love, trust and respect of all his athletes. Track team members said that he is the most enthusiastic man on the track.

“We have a great group of kids who have bought into the system,” Beler said. “We have a great senior class that has shown leadership and is committed to the program for four years and have been a role model for the young (kids) to go through. We are cultivating a program here where the students feel part of the Program it’s not a coach vs player kind of relationship it’s a one team one family kind of message.”

By Chloe McCullough – Staff Reporter

The Law boys swim team ended its season on a high note.

This year, the boys swim team finished off with an overall record of 2-12 but many individual members qualified for states.

In addition, almost all team members competed in the SCC meet at Southern Connecticut State University.

Senior captain Sean Ancheta had a successful final season with the team. He posted personal bests in all of his events and was one of the qualifiers for SCCs.

“I think the season was great for the team,” Ancheta said. “Everyone did their best in making personal records and motivating each other during the meets.”

Senior captain Manar Almidani also had a great final season. 

“Individually this season, I got a best time for all events and I also qualified for SCC trials in the 50 free and 100 breast,” Almidani said.

Both Ancheta and Almidani really enjoyed being captain this season.

“Being captain of the team was a somewhat challenging job to keep the team close and be a model for the captains next year,” Almidani said.

Ancheta had similar thoughts about being a captain of the team.

“I was helping out my coaches and teammates,” Ancheta said. “I felt like I got to understand everyone a little more as a captain.”

Junior Molly Mercaldo also had a successful season with the team. She made it to both states and SCCs, and also set many new personal records for herself.

“I achieved my personal goals in my main event in swim. As a team we have done well and are happy with our successes,” Mercaldo said.

Along with Mercaldo, Junior Jake Gwirtz made it to both states and SCCs for the third season in a row. 

Bobby Fisk, a junior on the team, improved greatly this season and accomplished some of his personal goals this season, such as making states in one of the relays.

“This year was a successful year for me,” Fisk said. “I feel like I’ve gotten so much better and I’m already looking forward to next season. This season, I made SCCs for the first time, and I made it to states in my relay team.”

Assistant coach Ms. Bolcer had a great time coaching the boys team this year.

“It was such a pleasure coaching the boys this season,” Bolcer said. “They all worked so hard and it showed many of the swimmers dropping time and beating personal bests throughout the season. Some swimmers who come to mind are Manar Almidani, Bobby Fisk, and Jake Gwirtz, for achieving their goals this season.”

By Cassandra Soda – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law freshman Michael Loschiavo shines brightest when he is in the middle of a race on the track.

Loschiavo has run cross country and indoor track where he was on varsity and he will be running outdoor track in the spring.

“He is only a freshman and he qualified for states and he runs with all of the seniors,” senior captain Lauren Paredes said.

Loschiavo stands out from other runners his age because of the amount of work he puts in. He practices when it is not mandatory and asks his coach for workouts beforehand.

“He is so kind and hardworking,” sophomore Samantha Franzman said. “He tries his best so he can improve each meet.”

The races Loschiavo runs during indoor track are the mile, the two mile and the 4×800 meter “A” team relay.

“My favorite race probably to run is the 1600 meter because it is so much fun, you start out slow and then increase your pace,” Loschiavo said.

Before coming to high school, Loschiavo worked to improve his times by running in running clubs. 

“I expect Mike to lead the distance crew as both a captain and as an example of what hard work and determination can do for an athlete,” indoor track coach Mr. Rhode said. “He has the potential to be one of the better distance runners that Law has had.”

The work that Loschiavo puts in on the track shows others what they can do to become better and inspires them.

“Mike’s running does inspire me to push myself in track to become better,” junior Irmina Chrzastek said. “Seeing how hard he worked as a freshman makes me want to try harder and I can’t wait to see all of the great things he’s going to accomplish within the next three years.”

Loschiavo is always trying to figure out and plan ways to better his times at meets.

“Mike always runs with better and experienced athletes during training,” Rhode said. “This shows that he’s not afraid to push himself everyday in training.”

Even though he plays three sports during school, Loschiavo still finds the time to play other sports such as recreation basketball and lacrosse.

Loschiavo looks forward to the upcoming outdoor track season and is expected to succeed most in his individual races which are the 1600 meter and 3200 meter.

By Kiana Walker – Staff Reporter

Last year, Jonathan Law gained a new, talented wrestler.

This year Kevin Brocksom went All-State.

Brocksom was a key member this season of the wrestling team, which went 17-15 with five State Open qualifiers.

Teammates said Brocksom’s hospitable attitude made him a great fit for the team.

“Kevin is always there to cheer us on during our matches,” junior Ronnie Spangler said.

Law’s wrestling team is a way for boys to explore their strengths and form a brotherhood that lasts forever. Brocksom was an important part of that.

“If I ever need help with my techniques during practice I can count on Kevin to help me out,’” junior Jack Pincus-Coyle said.

Brocksom’s leadership is recognized by not only his teammates, but by his coach as well.

“Kevin is a good leader because he works very hard on and off the mat,” assistant coach Mr. Ruzbarsky said.

The team fell short of their overall goal of 20 wins, but are still optimistic for their upcoming season.

“Despite our record, our team is thankful that we have Kevin for next season,” sophomore Aisaiah Rodriguez said.

Brocksom’s teammates were excited when they found out he went All-State.

“Since we are so close, Kevin making All-State is also our victory,” junior Cole Egersheim said.

Rodriguez believes that Brocksom is a great fit for captain, and hopes to have many more victories with him.

“He’s a great leader and I’m very lucky to be co-captains with him,” Rodriguez said.

Regardless of his victories this season, Kevin’s humble personality has him wanting to excel further.

“I plan on taking first or seconds at Opens and placing at New Englands,” Brocksom said.

By Amelia Trapp – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law wrestling team has had a very successful season this year.

With a 17-15 record, assistant coach Mr. Ruzbarsky is happy with the season the Lawmen had.

Ruzbarsky had many goals for this past season, which included 20 wins and five open qualifiers. While they didn’t quite reach the 20 wins, the team did have five boys go on to State Opens.

The five that made it to Opens were sophomore Troy Anderson, sophomore Aisiah Rodriguez, sophomore, sophomore Shane McCourt, junior Alexi Giantomidis, and junior Kevin Brocksom.

Brocksom not only made Opens; he also went All-State. He is the first to do this at Law in four years.

Brocksom has been wrestling for eight years, and his goal for this year was to go All-State. Brocksom said he is happy with the season he had.

Brocksom plans to “hit better shots” next year in hopes to improve on his wrestling.

Ruzbarsky has been coaching for nine years and began coaching because he was previously a wrestler at Jonathan Law. He wanted to coach students going through the same path that he did. Ruzbarsky plans to have an even more successful season next year.

“We will work on a lot more technique and will have longer practices along with strength training,” Ruzbarsky said.

Junior Jack Pincus-Coyle decided to join the wrestling team this past season. Before he wrestled for Law, his winter season was occupied by swimming.

Pincus-Coyle said he has always wanted to wrestle, and he is glad he decided to do it this year. “

Ever since I joined the wrestling team this year I feel that I am part of a close group of kids that I can call family,” Pincus-Coyle said.

Junior Cole Egersheim has been on the wrestling team since he was a freshman. This past season he had a few personal goals, one of which was to get 25 wins.

Egersheim reached this goal, and finished with a total of 26 wins. Next year, he wants to beat his record from this year, and plans on doing this by, “taking practice time more serious and working hard throughout the season.”

By Kristin Frank – Sports Editor

The Law girls basketball team strived for four months to qualify for the state tournament at the end of the season.

In the season’s final week, the team’s hard work paid off.

Law’s 5-15 record earned the team the 31st seed in the Class L state tournament. They fell to second-ranked Hand in the first round.

“To prepare ourselves for states this year we conditioned well and made sure we all worked together to have a successful season,” sophomore Pam Ellison said. “We are a young team but we are all willing to work together and go through the ups and downs.”

Some of the key players on this year’s basketball team were underclassmen. The sophomores included Fallon Andriolas, Samara Thacker, Ellison, and Cali Jolley.

Head coach Mr. Young said that the team also gained support from junior Colleen Goodwin and seniors Melissa Chodziutko and Kennedy Kopazna.

“Everyone contributed by working hard and practicing everyday,” Young said.

The seniors this year have been playing with each other for the past four years. They hope to leave an impact on the rest of the team.

“A piece of advice I can leave for all returning players is to goals for yourself and work the hardest you can to reach those goals because the season is not as long as it seems, Kopazna said. “All four years will go by quicker than you think.”

Many of the underclassmen are expected to have a breakout season next year.

“Next season I think the juniors will have a great year specifically Samira, Cali, and Fallon,” senior Maggie Sullivan said. “As well as our incoming seniors like Colleen and Olivia. They all have so much potential and I can’t wait to see what they put into next year’s season.”

The captains for next year’s team are Taylor Haase, Thacker, and Goodwin.

“I contribute to my team by being captain on and off the court and being a leader,” Thacker said. “Also by being a point guard and communicating on the court and making the right passes when taking the ball up the court.”

Andriolas was named Second Team All-SCC at the end of the season.

“I’m honored to have been chosen to be part of the All SCC second team,” Andriola said. “I practiced a lot and worked hard during the regular season and off season.”

The girls knew they had to prepare themselves for states when they snuck into a spot in the tournament.

“Defense wins games for us it is not just shooting,” Ellison said. “Defense is a big part of the game as well as transitioning and having our hands up the whole time helps us as a team to run the ball.”

Young described the season as very challenging, but said there were many great memories and more opportunities ahead.

His players were also sad to see the season end.

“The thing that I will miss the most about Law basketball is spending time with all my teammates everyday and having fun with each other while still managing to work hard in practice and games,” Kopazna said.

UPDATE: For a complete list of Law track athletes who have qualified for states, follow head coach Mr. Beler on Twitter (@JLHSTrack)!

By Amelia Trapp – Staff Reporter

With the start of a new winter season comes the start of a new indoor track season.

Track season officially started in early December, but many athletes started off-season training much beforehand.

Head coach Mr. Beler is looking forward to another great indoor track season. Both Beler and the team have big plans for this year.

This year, Law’s indoor track team has 110 students participating. Beler said he hopes for at least 30 of those athletes to make states.

Some of his other goals include getting more All-State banners hung in the gym, making New Englands, and making Nationals.

Among the 110 athletes, two are returning All-Staters: Kiki Smith and Olivia Steiner.

Smith, a senior, has done track all four years of high school and plans to go to college and run on a Division I track team.

Smith runs the 55 meter dash, long jump, and is part of the 4×200 team. This year her goals include making it to Nationals in New York City with her 4×200 team and for the 55m dash.

“The most difficult thing about track are handoffs,” Smith said. “It makes a huge difference with time, and if a handoff is bad it adds on to our time.”

Over her high school track career, Smith has gone All-State three times in the 55 meter dash, 200 meter dash, and as a member of the 4×200 team.

She was awarded MVP last year and she qualified and competed at Nationals with her relay team.

Along with these accomplishments, she holds the school records for the 55 meter dash, and the 100 meter dash.

On the boys side, Jordan Beck, Charlie Fonck, and Alex Pratcher will be some of standout competitors. All three compete in sprints and Beck competes in the long jump. Ryan Wasserman will also be a runner to watch in the mid-distance and relay events.

Assistant coach Mr. Rhode has some of his own goals for the team which include getting as many athletes to states as possible. He has a plan to make this happen.

“(We will be) training like we want to accomplish these goals,” Rhode said.

Rhode has enjoyed his time as a member of the coaching staff.

“It has been one of the most satisfying and unique experiences as a coach,” Rhode said.

One of the captains this year, senior Maddie Murphy, has done track all four years of high school.

“It’s like being apart of a family and I love being apart of that,” Murphy said. “I will miss indoor track, and all the great friendships I have made when the season is over.”

Law’s indoor track coaches and athletes have big aspirations for this season and plan to do whatever it takes to make them happen.

By Kiana Walker – Staff Reporter

The Law gymnastics team has high hopes for this year’s season.

After finishing last year’s season with a record of 17-9, the team has its eyes set on the state tournament.

So far this season, Law is 3-2, with wins over Hamden, Valley Regional, and Morgan.

The gymnastics team is made up of two separate varsity and junior varsity teams. Head coach Mr. Simon wants as many individuals from the team to make it to the state Tournament.

“Law gymnastics provides the opportunity for every girl on the team to compete,” Simon said.

Team members said that the gymnastics team is a way for girls to demonstrate their individual talents and cheer on their fellow teammates as they compete.

“Here I get to cheer for everyone and help out everyone,” senior captain Melanie Coleman said.

The team believes that this season will be as productive as last season based on their practices so far.

“We are constantly practicing which I believe will contribute to this season’s success,” said Amelia Trapp.

Law gymnastics provides an optimistic environment for all of the participants.

“It’s never intimidating to compete because my teammates are constantly cheering me on,” senior captain Kristen Frank said.

The girls seek results for their personal goals and their team goals.

“My personal goal is to beat my best all around score,” senior captain Madison Sosa said.

Although Simon doesn’t teach at Jonathan Law, he has felt very honored and welcomed to have been a part of the staff.

“It has been a pleasure being the team’s coach, and we have a very supportive administration,” Simon said.

This season conjures very mixed emotions for the seniors who will competing for Law for the last time.

“I am so happy I was able to be a part of such an amazing team and be able to be captain of it,” Frank said.

By Irmina Chrzastek – Staff Reporter

The boys and girls ice hockey teams are looking forward to their winter seasons.

Last season, the girls team finished with a record of 9-13-1. The boys finished with a record of 4-15-1.

The girls coach, Ms. Rowland, is very hopeful for the upcoming season.

“My prediction is that we will work hard enough to make the playoffs,” Rowland said. “From there my hope is that we will have developed enough individually and as a team to win.”

Law sophomore Laura Dennigan said that despite the girls team being made up of three schools – Notre Dame-Fairfield, Foran, and Law – the players still get along very well both on and off the ice.

“Off the ice we get along very well,” Dennigan said. “Most of us hang out with each other and there is no drama with one another.”

One of the girls team’s goals is to make playoffs.

“My team’s goals for the season are going to states and winning,” freshman Desiree Sleath said.

Another one of their goals is to improve their record from last year.

“Our team goals for the season are to have a better record and to work better as a whole on and off the ice,” Dennigan said.

A final goal for the team is to not only make the playoffs, but to win a round.

The boys team has similar goals set in place for this season.

“The team’s goals for the season is to make it to playoffs and to improve last year’s record,” junior Santiago Palacio said.

The boys coach, Mr. Follo, has high hopes for the team this season.

“My prediction for the season is if we get consistent play from everyone, we should do well and make the state tournament,” Follo said.

The players also have high hopes for this season and are excited to play the best that they can.

“The team looks good this year we definitely ready for this year we are definitely ready for this season,” junior Trevor Morlando said.

The girls and boys coaches both enjoy watching their teams develop throughout the season.

“My favorite part of coaching hockey is to see the players improve from their freshman year to their senior year and when they graduate, they still want to come around and skate with the team when they are on break from college,” Follo said.

By Mike Dattilo – Staff Reporter

The girls basketball team is gearing up to make states once again.

Last season, the girls finished with a 10-10 record, qualified for the state tournament, and won an SCC Tournament game against Amity.  

“Our team definitely has the potential to make states again this year,” junior Olivia Keator said. “We still have many strong players and our record will reflect the hard work we put in practice.”

As of January 11, the team is 2-7, with wins coming against Branford and Hillhouse.

This season the team has three captains from three different grade levels: sophomore Samara Thacker, junior Colleen Goodwin, and senior Taylor Haase.

“It has been a good mix with captains from each of the three grades,” head coach Mr. Young said. “It allows all the captains to have a connection with girls from each class.”

Players said the age range between captains helps team chemistry.

“The young leadership helps the younger kids have a voice,” senior Melissa Chodziutko said. “Instead of [the team] just being ruled by seniors, now there are differing opinions from other grades, and it’s been positively impacting our team.”

During the offseason the Lady Lawmen lost many key players to graduation, including Erin Saley, Kailee Frank, Laura Dulin, and Jessica Centore.

“It is a big adjustment,” Young said. “I was lucky to have Jess, Erin, Laura, and Kailee over the past four years. We are completely a new team and finding our identity.”

The departure of seniors from the Class of 2016 has created opportunities for the younger players to gain more minutes on the court.

“We mix in different players into different positions than they have previously played,” senior Lexi Fisk said. “I think it is better for the team because we are all becoming better at every position and learning how to play well with each other.”

So far, the sophomores and juniors look like they are ready to make a difference.

“While we are taking a bit of a hit by losing our seniors from last year, our sophomores and juniors  are stepping up and accepting the challenge,” Chodziutko said.

Both the freshman and junior varsity teams look prepared for this upcoming season.

“The freshmen and junior varsity players are working very hard to become varsity players,” freshman coach Mr. Robinson said.

Law has upcoming home games against North Haven, Sacred Heart Academy, and Cheshire. Their Senior Night is scheduled for February 13 against rival Foran.

By Chloe McCullough – Staff Reporter

The boy’s swim team is excited to dive into its winter season.

With many meets upcoming throughout January and February, the team has many goals that they are hoping to achieve.

There are a total of 14 meets this season, including two meets against crosstown rival Foran. Members of the team are excited by what they have seen so far.

“I believe our team will be very strong in SCCs because of the returning players that swim offseason and the new swimmers that are getting better everyday at practice,” senior captain Manar Almidani said.

Almidani and the rest of the swim team hope to have more wins than losses this year and to have everyone on the team individually make states.

Head coach Ms. Kizavul also has aspirations for this upcoming season.

“Last year we went 4-8, which is the most wins that we have had in a long time,” Kizavul said. “Our swimmers are doing very well and most are reaching or beating their best times in practice”

Kizavul pointed out that there are many swimmers who stand out this year, and hopes that they will lead the team to victory. Those swimmers include Molly Mercaldo, Jake Gwirtz, Daniel Dormez, and Drew Ancheta.

“Last year we lost a few valuable members to our team, and I believe that this year if we train hard, and everyone is put in the right events, that we will be able to succeed,” Mercaldo said.

Mercaldo and Gwirtz are three-year members of the team. There are some new swimmers who are hoping to help the team win meets as well. Those swimmers include juniors Kyle Shugrue and Carson Carr, as well as freshmen Andrew Frenzel, Carson Carr, and Daniel Dormez.

Frenzel is enjoying his time on the team so far, and hopes to help the team break records and win races.

“I hope that I can win a race this year, and I hope for the team to exceed some standards that were set beforehand,” Frenzel said.

The swim team is very enthusiastic about the upcoming season, and the promising success that will come with it.  

By Arianna Goenaga – Staff Reporter

Seniors Olivia Steiner and Kiki Smith have been competing in track since middle school.

Over the years, they both have excelled tremendously in their track careers.

Steiner and Smith also share a friendship that drives them both to success.

“They are a dynamic duo and sometimes share a brain, but their willingness to push each other has lead them to success,” indoor and outdoor track coach Mr. Beler said.

The girls’ desire to motivate one another has also pushed other athletes on the team to success.

“Olivia and Kiki are really good role models for the team,” senior teammate Kristen Passaro said.

Beler agreed.

“Having two athletes like that, that bond and really push each other, is a really special thing,” Beler said.

Smith went All-State last year for indoor track in the 55 meter dash. For outdoor, Smith competed all state for the 200 meter, 4×100, and even made it to nationals with the 4×100 team.  

Smith also holds the indoor 55 meter record with a time of 7.51 seconds. She also broke the outdoor track records for the 4×100 with a time of 49.3 seconds and the 100 meter with 12.4 seconds.

“I hope to keep breaking more records this year and to go nationals for indoor track,” Smith said.  

Steiner went All-State in the long jump in both indoor and outdoor track. She broke the school’s indoor long jump record with a jump of 16 feet, 7.5 inches and holds the 4×200 record with a time of one 1:53.89 seconds.

“I have had a lot of individual successes throughout the track seasons, so my goal is focused more on the team’s success this year to make it to nationals,” Steiner said.

Along with their own successes, the girls’ continue to bring positivity and encouragement to their team as a whole.

“Kiki and Olivia are two people to look up to on the team,” teammate Kiana Walker said. “They are very committed to the team and even on their offseason.”

As they complete their last track seasons this year, Smith and Steiner will continue to try make a difference and rewrite the record books.

By Kristin Frank – Sports Editor

Jonathan Law’s swimming and diving team stayed optimistic throughout the season and supported each other at every meet.

The swimming and diving team has completed their regular season after their Senior Night meet against Foran High School.

“The energy from our team and the crowd made it feel like we were neck and neck the whole meet,” senior captain Maggie Sullivan said. “It was a great night.”

Sullivan also shared that her favorite meet happened to be the one against Foran. Even though Law did not win, she explained it as a great night and was filled with energy.

The team’s freshmen felt an ample amount of support by the upperclassman by guiding them to success throughout the season.

“My favorite part about the swim team was definitely meeting a bunch of new people and becoming really close with them,” freshman Lily Baldieri said. “Everybody would cheer for one another and we would all congratulate each other.”

Baldieri went on to explain that she had grown to love all of her teammates over the course of the season and she is very excited for next year.

The senior captains of the swimming and diving team were Sullivan, Madison Murphy, and Abby Williamson.

“As captain, I believe I as well as my co-captains and the rest of the seniors were a positive influence on the girl’s,” Sullivan said. “We made sure we all had a great few months together as a team.

Although the girls did not win as many meets as they wished, they practiced to the best of their ability and cheered each other on while competing.

“Our team worked well together this year,” senior Arielle Eighmy said. “ We were constantly cheering each other on even when we would win or lose.”

Many of the underclassmen and juniors set goals to accomplish within next year’s season.

“Some personal goals were to keep up with the really competitive swimmers on my team throughout the year so i could swim some of my best races,” sophomore Bella Caroll said.

Baldieri has already broken many records and school times this season. She does not plan to stop here; she has another list of goals for next year.

“I really want to make it to states again and just improve my times overall,” Baldieri said. “I also really want to beat my time in the 100 freestyle.”

The team had an overall goal to win at least one meet this year. At the end of the season, they had won three meets.

A lot of the underclassmen helped out the team a lot this year as they stepped up to be the key swimmers.

“Our most valuable swimmers are Brooke Nabors, Lilly Baldieri, Tess Rosato, Hannah Savoie, Bella Caroll, Julie Myers,” senior Maeve Rourke said.”

The girls believe they have improved a substantial amount since the beginning of the season.

“Our team improved throughout the season by working hard at practice,” Rourke said. “Everyday we would push ourselves to complete hard sets, practice our dives and do flip turns, and do a lot of sprints.”

The athletes returning for next year’s season are excited to be back together as a team and improve for record from this season.

“I am looking forward to meet all the new swimmers coming in,” Baldieri said. “I am also looking forward to breaking new times and becoming even closer with my teammates.”

 

By Mike Dattilo – Staff Reporter

The Law Powderpuff team has kicked off its 2016 season with expectations of beating Foran the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

After defeating Foran the previous two years, the team has been training hard to accomplish the three-peat, something that has not been done since 2010.

“There’s definitely added pressure this year only because we really want to push ourselves to have a three-peat and beat Foran,” senior Keala Hoff said.

Since last season, the Lawmen have made key additions to both their coaching staff and player roster.

“Standouts should be Arielle Eighmy at (defensive end), and the defensive line should be dominated by Keala Hoff and Madison Murphy,” assistant defensive coach Mr. Nigretti said.

The team is very excited to face Foran on Tuesday, November 22.

“The large attendance really gets me hyped up for the game, playing in front of that many people gives an adrenaline rush that not many other sports do,” Murphy said.

Senior quarterback and running back Anna Lynch agreed.

“This game is a one shot deal at year long glory,” Lynch said. “There’s definitely a lot of hype and pressure.”

Both Mr. Dietch and Mr. Beler have joined the coaching staff this year. Between Beler and head coach Mr. Robinson, the coaching staff has 20 years of experience.

“It goes without question that coaching defense under Mr. Beler was the best experiences I could have ever had when it comes to coaching defense,” Nigretti said.

Before becoming a head coach for Powderpuff and football, Robinson was an offensive lineman in high school and college.

“I think being an offensive lineman helped me develop a complete understanding of offensive philosophy and learning what works when,” Robinson said.  “Receivers and running backs rotate when on offense and they specialize in one aspect of the offense. Offensive linemen are like quarterbacks are on the field all the time.”

Robinson and offensive coordinators Mr. Kulenych and Mr. Dietch will call the offensive plays, and Nigretti will call the defensive plays.

Mr. Ruzbarsky, Mr. Barcello, Mr. Rhode, and Jonathan Law graduate Jimmy Davenport are also coaching Powderpuff.

Kulenych said that the offense will try to capitalize the team’s speed and will be led by seniors Melanie Coleman, Kiki Smith, Olivia Steiner, Lauren Paredes, and Angela Sciuto.

“We have a lot of playmakers on offense,” Kulenych said. “We need to use our speed to our advantage. If we can do that, I like our chances.”

The players recommend that all female students join Powderpuff when they become juniors and seniors.

“Powderpuff teaches you so much and creates memories you’ll take with you forever,” Murphy said.   

Lynch agreed.

“Everyone should join,” Lynch said. “It’s a lot of fun. We feel like we’re preparing for the Super Bowl.”

The game will be played at Jonathan Law this year.

“Everyone needs to come out and support,” Murphy said. “The game is at home so we need the student section to be huge.”

Hoff said, “The student section affects us in a very big way because we love the Jonathan Law community so much, and it means a lot for all of us to have the support behind us.”