Thursday, May 17, 2012
First installment on former great athletes from our area and what they're doing in their second careers.
[Note: Want your photos and/or write-ups from Greenwich youth or recreational sports featured on Greenwich Patch? Here's how!] MO VAUGHN (Norwalk) Known as "The Hit Dog" during his 12-year career in the Major Leagues, Vaughn lives in Solon, Ohio, where he owns and operates "Mo Vaughn Transport," which is a trucking company. The former first-round pick of the Boston Red Sox and the 1995 American League MVP also owns and operates OMNI New York LLC, which bought and rehabilitated more than 1,100 units of distressed housing in the New York metropolitan area. The company manages these properties to provide low-cost housing using government tax credits. RICH DIANA (Hamden) A graduate of Hamden High School, Diana was an All-American football and …
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
I'm thinking about all the great accomplishments by players and teams from our southwestern CT Patch towns.
[Note: Want your photos and/or write-ups from Greenwich youth or recreational sports featured on Greenwich Patch? Here's how!] I'm thinking the Cheshire boys volleyball team realizes they're on the verge of doing something special. A year ago, they had a perfect season, going 22-0 in route to a state championship. Behind 6'10" senior Nate Howard, the Rams haven't lost this year, increasing their winning streak to a remarkable 34 straight games. I'm thinking that Shayna Delaney of Pomperaug is authoring one of the best seasons of any player in the history of girls lacrosse in Connecticut. She scored a total of 20 goals in her first two games and still hasn't been stopped. Delaney has ripped the back of the net an incredible 96 times for …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Area players go after the NCAA Lacrosse championship.
[Note: Want your photos and/or write-ups from Greenwich youth or recreational sports featured on Greenwich Patch? Here's how!] The field of 16 has been reduced to eight teams after the first weekend of the NCAA men's lacrosse tournament. Several athletes from our Fairfield and New Haven County Patch towns are playing key roles in pursuit of a championship. ROBERT ROTANZ (Westport) Rotanz went to Fairfield Prep before heading south to Duke. The senior midfielder scored three goals in Saturday's win over Syracuse in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. Rotanz ranks third on the team with 36 goals and 43 total points. He was an All-ACC Academic selection after his junior year. MATT WHITE (Ridgefield) A two-time All-American at …
Monday, May 14, 2012
Eyes of Connecticut are on Jonathan Quick as he tries to lead the LA Kings to the Stanley Cup.
[Note: Want your photos and/or write-ups from Greenwich youth or recreational sports featured on Greenwich Patch? Here's how!] Jonathan Quick was born in Milford and played scholastically in Hamden and Avon, but the eyes of the entire state of Connecticut are now squarely focused on the 25-year old goalie of the Los Angeles Kings. Quick has led his team to the Western Conference finals and on the brink of playing for the Stanley Cup. "We are so proud so of Jonathan," said Bill Verneris, head coach of the Hamden High School hockey team. "I get so mad when the announcers talk about him being from Milford and Avon and don't mention us. We're really proud of him and helped steer his career in the right direction." Verneris took over as head …
Friday, May 11, 2012
Matt Barnes of Bethel earns promotion with Red Sox and several other players from the area continue to make major gains in the minor leagues.
[Note: Want your photos and/or write-ups from Greenwich youth or recreational sports featured on Greenwich Patch? Here's how!] Matt Barnes of Bethel appears to be on the fast track to Boston. The first-round pick of the Red Sox in last summer's MLB draft has earned a promotion to the team's Class A affiliate of the Carolina League. Barnes, who received a $1.5 million dollar signing bonus, made five starts for Greenville (S.C) in the South Atlantic League, going 2-0 with a 0.34 ERA. The right-handed pitcher out of UConn told the Boston Globe that he was elated with the promotion. “I was extremely happy and, obviously, it happened pretty quick, so I can’t complain about that,’’ said Barnes.“Everybody wants to move up as fast as possible. I …
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Former NFL players from the area talk about Junior Seau's death and life after football.
[Note: Want your photos and/or write-ups from Greenwich youth or recreational sports featured on Greenwich Patch? Here's how!] The death of Junior Seau, a former All-Pro linebacker who spent 20 years in the NFL, sent shockwaves through the football world, from Pop Warner leagues to the professional ranks. Seau appeared to be to too young, too wealthy and just too happy to take his own life. "It's sad and shocking," said Todd Philcox, a 1984 graduate of Norwalk High School who was a back-up quarterback in the NFL for three teams during a career that lasted five years. "I played with Junior for two months when I was in San Diego. He was a great leader and had an infectious personality. It's really sad what happened." What happened to Seau …
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
The most dynamic duos who give opponents a double dose of trouble.
[Note: Want your photos and/or write-ups from Greenwich youth or recreational sports featured on Greenwich Patch? Here's how!] 10. KYLE HART-MIKE FORGIONE (North Branford) Hart and Forgione are the thunder and lightning of the Thunderbirds line-up. Hart is hitting a blistering .543 while Forgione is right behind his teammate with a .522 average. This dynamic duo is a big reason why North Branford is 13-2 in 2012. 9. KYLE DUNSTER-CASEY GAYNOR (Greenwich) There are many reasons why Greenwich is the number one team in the state in baseball and Dunster and Gaynor are two of them. Gaynor, the ace of the Cardinals staff, is 6-0 with a minuscule 1.65 ERA. Dunster, who is just a sophomore, is usually the pitcher who puts the exclamation point on …
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Some of the best pitching performances by girls in Patch area.
[Note: Want your photos and/or write-ups from Greenwich youth or recreational sports featured on Greenwich Patch? Here's how!] 10. LAUREN REILLY (Pomperaug) Ace of the Panthers staff fired a 2-hit shutout and struck out eight hitters in a key 5-0 victory over Bunnell High School. 9. JENNA BRAND (Law) Brand has been brilliant for the Milford-based school this season, but she was never better than she was on April 28. Brand twirled a no-hitter on April 28 over Career High School. 8. JESSICA DEMAIO (Darien) On April 18, the senior pitcher extinguished rival New Canaan's five-game winning streak when she fired a no-hitter. She struck out 10 and just missed the perfect game when she walked a batter in the sixth inning. Demaio also had …
Monday, May 7, 2012
The top five pitching performances in the area — tell us if you agree or disagree in the comments.
[Note: Want your photos and/or write-ups from Greenwich youth or recreational sports featured on Greenwich Patch? Here's how!] 5. Casey Gaynor (Greenwich) Making his first start since missing last season with an arm injury, Gaynor was spectacular in a 3-0 win over Norwalk. Gaynor struck out nine hitters and allowed just two batters to reach base. (walk, hit batter) Gaynor did not allow a hit before being lifted after six innings and 74 pitches. 4. Mike Davis (Newtown) Only a sophomore, Davis took on Bethel on Friday the 13th in April. Luck was on his side as he shut down everybody in the 9-0 victory. Davis struck out nine hitters and walked four batters in the dominate performance. 3. Andrew Reel (Pomperaug) Followed up the no-no by …
Friday, May 4, 2012
Patch looks at more of the top triathletes in the area.
[Note: Want your photos and/or write-ups from Fairfield youth or recreational sports featured on Fairfield Patch? Here's how!] TIM STEISKAL (Naugatuck) Just 21-years old, Steiskal has already made a name for himself on the triathlon circuit. Last summer, he won the Mossman Triathlon in Norwalk with a time of 1:00:14. Steiskal also captured the Smith Point Sprint Triathlon in Shirley, New York and took fourth place in his age group (20-24) in the Rev3 Half-Ironman (1.2 swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1) with a time of 4:48:31. Steiskal, who is a swimmer at Southern Connecticut State University, competed in the USA Triathlon Age Group Championships in Vermont and placed 56th. PASCALE BUTCHER (Southport) An 11-time All-American, Butcher is a triathlon…
