North Haven Courier

Geoff Brown’s Dedication Leads to Athletic and Academic Success

2008-11-19T18:59:30Z

By Chris Piccirillo, Courier Senior Sports Writer:

North Haven boys’ soccer coach Federico Fiondella says that Geoff Brown “does everything 100 percent,” and if you look at the senior’s achievements in both the athletic and academic arenas, you’ll be certain to agree. Fiondella and Indians’ outdoor track coach Steve Celmer each cite Geoff’s natural athleticism, coupled with his strong work ethic and willingness to learn, as primary factors behind his success, which has thereby contributed to the prosperity of his teams.

Geoff recently capped his final season with the soccer squad by aiding North Haven’s run to the Southern Connecticut Conference Oronoque Division title. Furthermore, Geoff, who plays the defensive sweeper position, earned All-Oronoque honors and was chosen to play in the Senior Bowl.

Geoff’s also seen his share of success on the track as the highly versatile athlete—who does everything from hurdles to jumps to the javelin—has helped the indoor squad win one division title and the outdoor team earn a share of two Oronoque crowns. He additionally has a pair of individual postseason titles, having won the 55 hurdles at last winter’s indoor Oronoque’s championship and the 110 hurdles at the outdoor championship this spring.

But perhaps the best aspect of Geoff’s success is that the energy he expends in athletics doesn’t detract from his pursuit of academic excellence as the member of the National, Latin, Spanish, and Math Honor Societies is ranked eighth in his class and has been named the Scholar Athlete for his team seven times.

“Geoff is an intelligent athlete who always asks questions to try and figure out things and was also one of my top students in advanced U.S. history who gave everything he had in the classroom just like he does on the field,” Fiondella says. “Geoff is one of the best sweepers I’ve coached here and was the leader of our defense this season. Not only is Geoff quick and agile, which helped him win head balls, but he always stayed composed whenever a dangerous player came his way and was often there to save the day.”

Some athletes might be apprehensive about playing sweeper, which is the last line of defense before the goalkeeper, but for Geoff, the challenge of playing such a pressure-packed position was something he relished.

“I actually feel I thrive under that type of pressure,” says Geoff, who along with Jim McGrath, Andrew Timothy, Joe Sorrentino, and Mike Swanson formed a defensive unit that called themselves ‘The Iron Curtain’. “I’m a real competitive kid who wants to win and if something has to be done to help us win, I figure that it might as well be me. I’m always willing to sacrifice for the good of my team.”

Geoff says that learning self-sacrifice to help the greater good has been the most valuable lesson he’s absorbed through his time with North Haven soccer, a program he appreciates for its “family atmosphere” in which “everyone is always there to support you.”

The Indians were certainly there to support each other this fall throughout their run to the Oronoque title as North Haven posted the best record in division history at 9-1. The Indians then posted two shutouts in winning two Class L Tournament games, followed by a 1-0 loss to RHAM-Hebron that was decided in penalty kicks.

“We were a blue-collar bunch of guys who worked hard and had played together for several years so we felt we could win the division and go far in states,” Geoff says. “Even though the RHAM loss was tough, we still exceeded our expectations. We won more games than any team ever has in the Oronoque, made the SCC Tournament, and won two games in states for the first time with Coach Fiondella. This was a great season and I’m very happy about it.”

Geoff is now looking forward to another season in indoor track as the Indians will look to reclaim the Oronoque title they last won when he was a freshman. Geoff’s personal goals include repeating as the Oronoque’s 55 hurdles champion and then winning the event at SCCs and the state meet, the further at which he placed second last season.

Steve Celmer, who’s an assistant in indoor track and head coach of outdoor track, feels that Geoff has a good chance to achieve those goals.

“It was immediately apparent that Geoff would make an impact because of his natural ability and the fact that he has both long legs and speed,” says Celmer of Geoff, who besides his success in the hurdles, finished second in the triple jump at last spring’s outdoor Oronoque Championship. “But another reason why Geoff has had such success is that he’s a very coachable. Geoff is mature enough to realize that if he listens to his coaches and does what we tell him, that good things are going to happen and they definitely have for him. He and his brother have been two of the biggest building blocks of our program.”

Indeed, Geoff’s twin brother, Steve, has also had a major impact on North Haven’s success, having been part of every division title to which Geoff has contributed. Coincidentally, Steve has twice finished right behind Geoff in his postseason victories by placing second in the hurdles each time his sibling has prevailed.

But the Brown brothers—who will captain North Haven’s indoor and outdoor teams—wouldn’t have it any other way as they both feel that their competitive natures bring out the best in themselves and thus lends to the success of their teams.

“It’s a mixture of feelings because my first priority is for us to always get the top two spots in any event we do, but I also want to win because I don’t want him to talk smack to me about him winning,” jokes Geoff, who plans on studying pharmacy in college and also volunteers at Benhaven, a home for autistic people. “But no matter who wins, it helps to have each other there because it makes us push ourselves and we become better athletes because of it.”

Pictured: Geoff Brown aided Indians’ boys’ soccer to a division title this fall.

Photo courtesy of Geoff Brown

Field Hockey Squad Fares Well in Krajewski’s First Year

2008-11-19T18:47:51Z

By Chris Piccirillo, Courier Senior Sports Writer:

Cori Krajewski entered her first season as head coach of the North Haven field hockey team looking for her Indians to achieve a handful of goals. For one, Krajewski wanted to squad to earn a winning record, something the Indians fell just shy of last season. She also wanted her team to not only return to the state tournament, but also advance past the first round, something North Haven had only done once in the past decade.

Despite graduating nine athletes from last year’s team, the Indians were able to achieve those goals, first posting an 8-5-0-2 mark for the regular season, followed by a 2-1 Class M first-round win versus E.O. Smith—Storrs, thus making for a season about which Krajewski was quite pleased.

“This was a great year for my first with the program and I really couldn’t have asked for much more,” said Krajewski, whose team nearly defeated top-seeded Darien in the Class M Quarterfinals before dropping a 2-1 overtime decision to finish 9-6-0-2. “Our kids did a phenomenal job on the field and really made it a point to work together and communicate with each other during games, which helped us tremendously. It was amazing to see what high school kids can do when they put their heart into something and to finish with a winning record was a great accomplishment as it gives us something to build off of because now we know we’re a competitive team.”

One of the reasons why North Haven was so competitive was the contributions of its six seniors, who were forward Nicolle Ceneri and goalkeeper Rachel Green; plus captains Kristina DeFilippo and Christina Kim, who were both midfielders; Sheila Huggins and Hope Nataro, who were defenders.

“Our seniors all have different personalities but worked well together towards the same goal, which was nice to see,” said Krajewski, who was assisted by program alum Casey Sanford. “They helped established good camaraderie on this team, starting with our captains’ practices through our games to our pasta parties. Everyone was included on this team.”

Some of North Haven’s athletes were also included on the All-Southern Connecticut Conference squad as Huggins made the First Team and junior forward Allie Doheny earned Second Team honors, recording nine goals with eight assists. Huggins additionally made All-State First Team, will play in the Senior All-Star game, and was named Most Valuable Player for the Indians, whose Most Improved Player was the goalkeeper Green, and who also saw junior right back Desiree Fredericks win the Sportsmanship Award.

“Sheila was the anchor of our defense. She’s a smart player who always knew what to do with the ball and how to get it to her teammates,” Krajewski said. “Rachel did a great job by starting every game in the cage in her first year on the varsity team and Desiree is just a great kid who’s always willing to help, never questions anything, and who tries hard to apply what she learns in practice to her play in games.”

Pictured: Shelia Huggins recently completed her senior season as a member of the North Haven field hockey team, which went 9-6-0-2 this fall.

Photo by John Vanacore

Fishing the Curl at Season’s End

2008-11-19T17:58:51Z

Constant wind and wave action made for extremely difficult holding of ground tackle–no matter the scope. It was one of those “should we or shouldn’t we” types of decisions that was pondered over. Although safety is always first concern, it really didn’t figure in here as much as knowing that the trip was going to be wet, bouncy, and very salty.

If the season wasn’t waning so quickly and holiday gears weren’t forcibly meshing, the day would’ve been chalked off in favor of a pigskin game. But there were still blues lingering in the mid-50 degree water, stripers just aching to be caught, and togs, although deeper, still well within reach. A somewhat reluctant decision was made to uncleat and head out. And so we did.

Normally this time of year, mooring lines have already begun to stiffen while outboards begin to develop that early morning cough and shake. Soon that will be the case but not just yet. Knowing that in one week this could all change, we loaded hot thermoses to offset the gloomy day and ice chests optimistically reserved for the tide’s catch on board.

A little bit of this bait and a little more of that, we steamed ahead with the thought of letting Mother Nature dictate our game plan. Other than fishing, there was none. If conditions allowed for tautog then we’d drop a hook but if drifting or trolling seemed more productive, we had that covered as well.

When a couple of old salts get together, there can either be non-stop conversation or few words spoken. Often though, it’s an expressive glance that tells the story. That was the case here. With limited options, trolling and rolling the rips was the only logical choice–going with the flow, so to speak. Somehow the fish didn’t mind as much as, quite honestly, we did.

In the curls, as port and starboard gunwales slapped the water, fish could be seen. There was a mix of striped bass and bluefish chasing heavy chromed spoons. Wiping spray and the occasional peak wave from our brows was effort enough but cranking in line while maintaining sound footing was the absolute chore–let alone de-hooking and releasing fish. A few fish were kept for the cooler. The hot thermoses? They weren’t even touched until the vessel was once again secured to the dock. And, that’s the way one of the last trips of a season can take place.

On the Water

Warm water temperatures have somewhat stalled the fall migration of blues and bass, giving us plenty of fishing but unfortunately winds and subsequent wave action have closed many windows of opportunity. When the weather chose to cooperate, fishing proved to be fantastic with schools of both bass and blues becoming seasonally aggressive.

With little time left before Thanksgiving and anglers beginning to focus on year-end events, precious bonus days have been few and far between. Nevertheless, striped bass are here in numbers, schools of blues continue to linger and blackfish/tautog are heading for deeper water beckoning ‘toggers to follow. In fact, bluefish blitzes have occurred within casting distance from shore just a few short days ago.

With cows either moving in from the Rhode Island coast or splitting ranks to follow the Atlantic coast, anglers are looking for that 50- to 60-pounder that’s been eluding them–in some cases, for a lifetime. Now is prime time to try for that record-buster as the big gals cruise the inshore reefs, move across Long Sand Shoal, linger around Southwest Reef, and head west and, in a few cases, move up along tidal rivers to hang out for the winter season.

Hints are that we’re in line for impending cold front(s), which ought to tighten the window on remaining blues. But look for striper action to continue a bit longer and, if another bonus day or two were to materialize, there should follow an arm-weary top water session or two. For those surf casters, jetties, some beaches, and a few of the wharves are producing fish on plugs, chunks, and eels. For these guys and gals, the season will continue–longer if you follow the striper coast.

As water temperatures continue to drop, Atlantic broodstock salmon in the twelve-pound range are becoming more active. Single hook spoons and small spinners have been connecting along with mixed-colored and dark streamers. These, along with trout in CT’s stocked rivers, have been offering decent fall fishing when the winds beg off.

Largemouths have not been very active but ‘smallie’ fishing has been hot, joining the good pre-front bite for northerns and black crappie. Carp are being caught in the main rivers while both river/lake catfish taking bottom baits. It seems that certain labrador retrievers have taken a liking to cheese/blood baits so watch your frisky outdoors pal. Tom Megargee (DEP fishing instructor, avid freshwater angler and excellent fish chowder creator) landed this colorful CT River cove 40½” 15.7Lb northern pike using live bait.

Wherever fishing, think Captain Morgan’s for all things fishy including the latest gear, bait, flies/flyfishing, rod/reel repair, clam/crabbing supplies and licenses. Swing by the shop (203-245-8665) open seven days, located on 21 Boston Post Road, Madison. Until next time, from your Connecticut shoreline’s full-service fishing outfitter where we don't make the fisherman, we make the fisherman better...

Tight Lines,

Captain Morgan

Play on

2008-11-13T21:04:20Z

The North Haven High School (NHHS) Drama Club kicks off its production of Arsenic and Old Lace under the direction of Kathy Grassi tonight, Thursday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m. in the NHHS auditorium. There are two other performances, both at 7 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 14 and Saturday, Nov. 15. Tickets are $7. Pictured rehearsing scenes from the play are (from left) Channelle Roach, Courtney Llarnes, and Katelyn Fung.

Photo by John Vanacore

Big Sister and Youth Mentor

2008-11-13T21:01:42Z

By Jason J. Marchi, Courier Correspondent:

When Liz Davis left the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization six years ago after 15 years of dedicated service to head up the educational services program at the Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce, she brought with her a love of helping and inspiring young people.

Chamber President and CEO Robin Wilson saw Liz as a perfect fit for her own plans to get local businesspeople more involved in the North Haven school system and the experience Liz brought to the table has greatly enhanced the presence of Big Brothers Big Sisters in town while helping the local business community connect with future generations at the same time.

“Six years ago we started a partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters where I originally was working,” Liz recalls. “Robin and I met to discuss how we could offer this program to the business members here at the chamber. We’ve always needed mentors [at Big Brothers Big Sisters] so it was a great way to introduce the business community to this type of a program.”

Unlike the typical Big Brothers Big Sisters situation in which a mentor meets with a student in settings outside of school, the Chamber’s program involves mentors from local businesses meeting with students for one hour each week right at the schools.

Before a mentor and a student are paired up, according to Liz, “the mentor has to be interviewed and the child has to be interviewed and that’s how you make the process work, so they are equally matched. We look at interests, what needs the child has, and we try to match the best person with that need.”

That match most often results in same-gender mentor/student matching, Liz notes.

“The mentor stays with the child for one year, working on a different bunch of things like going over homework, working on social skills, having an extra friend for those students without many friends, or whatever that student was in need of is what we gear the mentor toward,” Liz says.

“It allows the community to get involved without putting a ton of time into it. Members often meet with the kids during their lunch hour,” Liz notes.

And while an hour might not seem like a lot of time, that little bit of weekly attention means a great deal to the children.

“Some kids say the only reason they come into school is so they can meet with their mentor,” she says.

While the bulk of the Chamber’s mentoring program is focused on the school setting, “at times the relationship is so good they wanted to see each other over the summer, and then [the mentor] has to [go through] some extra steps in order to be qualified to do that,” Liz explains.

“The program has been very successful over the years and we’ve gotten quite a few [North Haven] businesses to match up,” she continues. “They come and go but most of the time they last pretty long. We have a couple of people in our own office who mentor kids within the North Haven and Wallingford school systems.”

Mentoring usually begins at the elementary school level, though many mentoring relationships occur right up into the high school level.

“Some matches have gotten into seeing each other all the time, and at that point Big Brothers Big Sisters monitors the relationship,” Liz states.

Although mentoring might be something one imagines a child missing a parent might need, “sometimes it’s just the fact that they student doesn’t have any social skills and mom and dad really aren’t any good at that either,” Liz explains. “The teachers will know the students need just a little something extra to help them along and it’s not an authoritative figure trying to direct them how to do it, it’s a friend.

“When we monitor this program we have found, statistically, that kids have done a lot better in school, a lot better at their social skills, and that special friend coming to see them gives them a reason to go to school and to do well,” Liz continues. “Not only does the student want to show the mentor his or her improvement, but the fact they are doing that thing the mentor has helped them with builds their self esteem.”

And that, Liz knows, is when the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program operated through the Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce is working at its best.

Pictured: In addition to the Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce’s partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters in North Haven, Liz Davis also oversees the annual Read Aloud Day Program each May and the Career Connection Online Program that gives students firsthand exposure to the world of business.

Photo by Jason J. Marchi

To nominate a person of the week, email Jason Marchi at j.marchi@shorepublishing.com or call 203-245-1877 x 6166.

Police Incident Report: Oct. 29 to Nov. 4

2008-11-13T21:00:08Z

The North Haven Courier publishes a Police Incident Report to inform residents of incidents, criminal activities, and police responses occurring in town. As those charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty, the report does not include names.

Wednesday, Oct. 29

No arrests were made.

• A 20-year-old Wallingford woman was issued a misdemeanor summons at 8:07 p.m. for reckless driving.

Thursday, Oct. 30

• A 21-year-old man of Blossom Drive was arrested at 6 a.m. and charged with reckless burning and reckless endangerment in the first degree.

• An 18-year-old Hamden man was arrested at 12:20 p.m. and charged with disorderly conduct.

• A 46-year-old Hamden man was arrested at 9:28 p.m. and charged with theft of a number plate/insert, use and/or possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of narcotics.

Friday, Oct. 31

• A 42-year-old Hamden man was arrested at 11:30 a.m. and charged with disorderly conduct and assault in the second degree.

• A 34-year-old Hamden man was arrested at 1:30 p.m. and charged with disorderly conduct and assault in the second degree.

• A 31-year-old New Haven man was arrested at 6 p.m. and charged with burglary in the third degree and larceny in the fourth degree.

• A 48-year-old Hamden man was arrested at 10:44 p.m. and charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and failure to drive in the proper lane of a multiple-lane highway.

• An 81-year-old Hamden man was issued a misdemeanor summons at 3:22 p.m. for misuse of plate, failure to have insurance, operating a motor vehicle while under license suspension, and operating an unregistered motor vehicle.

Saturday, Nov. 1

No arrests were made.

Sunday, Nov. 2

• A 39-year-old West Haven woman was arrested at 1 a.m. and charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, failure to drive in the proper lane of a multiple-lane highway, and failure to wear a seat belt in the front seat.

• A 49-year-old Hamden man was arrested at 11:20 a.m. and charged with use and/or possession of drug paraphernalia; illegal manufacture, distribution, or sale of prescription drugs; possession of less than four ounces of marijuana; illegal possession near a school; risk of injury to minors; criminal trespass in the first degree; breach of peace; loitering in/about school grounds; and public indecency. The accused was found to be looking into a school classroom at the middle school while exposing himself.

• A 20-year-old New Haven woman was issued a misdemeanor summons at 4:40 p.m. for misuse of plate, failure to have insurance, operating a motor vehicle without a license, and operating an unregistered motor vehicle.

Monday, Nov. 3

• A 25-year-old New Haven man was arrested at 6 p.m. on a warrant charging him with breach of peace, reckless endangerment in the second degree, aiding and abetting, and conspiracy.

Tuesday, Nov. 4

• A 48-year-old Northford woman was arrested at 10 a.m. on a warrant charging her with larceny in the fourth degree, larceny in the fifth degree, larceny in the sixth degree, and robbery in the third degree.

• A 68-year-old woman of Randall Drive was arrested at 10:30 a.m. and charged with harassment in the second degree.

• A 20-year-old New Haven man was arrested at 2:59 p.m. and charged with breach of peace.

From Oct. 29 to Nov. 4, North Haven police also issued six citations for traveling unreasonably fast, four citations for speeding, three citations for failure to obey a control signal, two citations for failure to wear a seat belt in the front seat, two citations for operating an unregistered motor vehicle, one citation for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart, one citation for using a hand held cell phone while driving, and one citation for failure to signal a turn.

Police correspondent Jason J. Marchi compiles the Police Incident Report

Friends Focus on Library Fun

2008-11-13T20:59:06Z

By Sean Fogarty, Courier Staff Writer:

Cooler weather and trying economic times only highlight the strengths of the North Haven Memorial Library, where families can find all sorts of activities–and they aren’t just within the library’s walls.

The library offers museum passes that can be checked out just like books, according to Head of Children’s Services Pat Laterza.

“Each museum has a certain fee they charge libraries and we get one pass. You get it for two days, then you have to return it, like a book,” said Laterza.

The library has passes for 15 outside venues, including Beardsley Zoo, Maritime Aquarium, and state parks. While some passes, such as the one to Beardsley, provide entirely free entry, others provide discounted rates.

Laterza said the museum passes are just one of the many programs the Friends of the Library funds.

“The Friends basically provide funding for all the extras that happen at the library,” said Friends Co-President Bernadette Laudach. “We fund all the programs, whether for children or adults. We also provide large-print books and help with the infrastructure of the library.”

Laudach also said that the Friends just purchased an LCD projector and screen so families can watch Saturday afternoon movies.

“We like to think of ourselves as the grandparents of the library; we pay for all the fun extras the town doesn’t provide,” she added.

According to Laudach, the Friends, established in the 1960s, raises all of its money from donations–no town funds are used.

“We have two main ways to raise funds,” said Laudach. “One is our membership drive and the other is a used bookstore we opened in November of last year.”

Laudach said the bookstore has books of all classifications, DVDs, VHS, and CDs–some of which, she said, arrive still in shrink-wrap. Most cost less than $5.

The money raised from the store goes to provide programs such as Dads and Donuts, offered on Wednesday, Nov. 19 for children between 6 and 10. Participants will learn to do tricks with everyday objects with magician Chuck Kelman.

One of the library’s newest programs, “Art That Makes You Look Twice,” focuses on a variety of unorthodox art, including massive sculptures, surrealist works, and optical illusions. The program is offered on Saturdays, Nov. 15, 22, and 26 at 10:30 a.m. and on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 2:30 p.m. The hour-long program is appropriate for ages six to nine.

Also on the schedule is a Toy Tag Sale on Saturday, Nov. 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Library Community Room. All the proceeds from the tag sale will go to the Friends of the Library.

History Moves Forward

2008-11-13T20:58:10Z

By Sean Fogarty, Courier Staff Writer:

The North Haven Historical Society (NHHS) is turning a new page in its own history. With a new website planned for release soon and many upcoming activities, the society has never had more opportunities for locals to learn about their town.

NHHS President Bruce Dumelin said the website is an important piece of the society’s move toward change.

“We are in the process,” said Dumelin. “We have a prototype ready to launch and once we get some photographs to add, it’ll be up.”

The website will replace the society’s 2001 static website with a slew of new features, including a blogging tool the society’s members can use to post facts about the local history, upcoming events, and their reactions to them.

Because the society has many plans, it should be an active site–as NHHS Program Committee Chairman Mary Lou Stamp said, “We’ve got a lot coming down the pipe.”

Coming up on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 1 p.m. at the Masonic Lodge, 30 Church Street, the society will sponsor a production of They Called Me Lizzy…From Slavery to the White House, the story of Elizabeth Keckly, the dressmaker for Mary Todd Lincoln. The program follows Keckly’s duties as a dressmaker as she puts the finishing touches on one of her works. The program lasts one hour, is free to the public, and is appropriate for ages 12 and older.

Stamp said the society is also working with the police department to go over historical crimes in the town, such as famous murders and robberies.

But while the society can look through records, files, folders, and books, some of North Haven’s history is right beneath its residents’ feet.

One of those places is Peter’s Rock. According to Dumelin, the society is planning an upcoming tour of Peter’s Rock, the largest piece of land in North Haven at 182 acres. While families used to climb the mountain Sundays to draw water from the man-made well, now families can climb for views of the surrounding towns and a view of The Hermitage, a hunting lodge built in 1901.

Bendel Runs to Outstanding Rookie Season with NH Cross-Country

2008-11-13T17:33:40Z

By Chris Piccirillo, Courier Senior Sports Writer:

Brittany Bendel wasn’t part of North Haven cross-country as a freshman, but after hearing some positive things about the program and then running a lot during the summer, the sophomore decided to give it a shot this season.

Though her initial goal was to simply earn a varsity spot, Brittany exceeded her expectations by a country mile, establishing herself as the Indians’ No. 2 runner and seeing her season culminate with strong performances at the Southern Connecticut Conference and Class L Championships.

“I was nervous coming into the season because I hadn’t run a lot before this year so to go from where I started to where I am now is satisfying because it means that all the hard work paid off,” Brittany says. “I’m happy with how the season went and the growth of our team.”

Indeed, Brittany had nothing but compliments for her teammates’ effort and the warm way in which they welcomed her to the squad. In turn, Coach Carl Jackson was extremely pleased with Brittany’s season as he praised her tremendous work ethic and the way she learned to pace herself during races throughout the campaign.

By the time the regular season finished, Brittany had played a major role in helping the young North Haven squad withstand numerous injuries to maintain its second-place standing in the Oronoque Division. Her regular season actually proved to be a setup for her crowning achievement as she was North Haven’s top finisher at the SCC Championship, placing 38th with a time of 22:19 to earn All-Oronoque distinction.

“My goal was to not hold back so I set a quicker pace for myself than I had at previous meets,” says Brittany, who’s also a member of North Haven fencing, plays flute in the school’s marching band, and plays guitar in the jazz band. “I started to feel fatigued around the two-mile mark but just tried to say close to the person nearest to me, then got an adrenaline rush and did a full-out sprint towards the end.”

Brittany then finished her season in equally impressive fashion as she placed 53rd with a mark of 22:31 at the Class L Championship, a time about which she was very happy, especially considering the hilly terrain she successfully navigated at Wickham Park.

That race was similar to SCCs as Brittany established a steady pace and then turned on the burners towards the end. And though fatigue was again taking its toll, she found a way to push to a swift finish, one of the most important things she learned through running cross-country this season.

“It’s a euphoric feeling when you push yourself as hard as you can to finish a race because you know you exceeded what you originally thought you could do,” says Brittany, who plans on running outdoor track this spring. “That’s what happened at the two postseason meets and those were both experiences that I know I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

Pictured: Brittany Bendel had a successful debut season for Indians’ girls’ cross-country.

Photo by Nancy Dionne

Indians’ Football Blanks East Haven 47-0

2008-11-13T17:16:47Z

By Chris Piccirillo, Courier Senior Sports Writer:

After dropping their last four games, the only thing the Indians’ football squad wanted to do was earn a home victory against a rival East Haven team that’s had its fair share of struggles this season.

Well, not only did North Haven accomplish that, but Tony Sagnella’s squad did so in resounding fashion as its offensive line created holes early and often, which resulted in a ton of rushing yards for the Indians in their 47-0 triumph at Vanacore Field.

North Haven, which led by 28 halftime, was sparked by three touchdown runs and 83 rushing yards from quarterback Mike Friello, who also found fellow senior captain Dan Oakes on a 20-yard passing TD in the first half. Nick Melillo added 83 yards and two scores on the ground, fellow junior Ryan Criscio rushed for 79 yards, and sophomore Nate Alleyne also ran one in for the Indians, who improved to 3-6 overall and 2-2 in Southern Connecticut Conference Division II East.

“The strength of our team is our play at the line of scrimmage and that was East Haven’s weakness,” said Sagnella, whose squad was bolstered by 10 tackles apiece from Oakes and Brian Wolfe, plus five extra-point kicks from Rob Carbone. “So it was a good match-up for us as we were able to run the ball well and then pick and choose where we wanted to throw it.”

Indeed, the Indians’ offensive line set the tone for this game and Sagnella was quick to extend praise to that entire unit, the starting lineup which consists of tight ends Oakes and Adam Iskra and linemen Ken Okwuosa, John Proto, Matt DeMarco, Dan Sardilli, and Bruce Devlin, the latter two who are senior captains. Sagnella also extended credit to four other linemen who saw considerable time in David Anderson, Conner Early, Anthony Chiaia, and Tim Dzialo.

“It’s a good feeling to get a win, especially at home,” Sagnella added. “They’ve been hard to come by for us this season, but the kids have worked extremely hard and kept their chins up with a positive attitude and I’m happy that they took care of business.”

North Haven first got on the board when Friello rushed one in from 29 yards out, after which East Haven fumbled the ensuing kickoff, thus putting the Indians in prime scoring position. They then took advantage of the position as Melillo’s 13-yard run made it 14-0 after the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Friello had the 20-yard scoring pass to Oakes, then a six-yard run for a 28-point halftime advantage. The second half saw Friello score on a 15-yard run and Alleyne and Melillo score on rushes of two and 75 yards, respectively.

Pictured: Senior captain quarterback Mike Friello accounted for four touchdowns as the North Haven football team beat East Haven 47-0.

Photo by John Vanacore

Boys’ Soccer Squad’s Great Season Ends in Class L Quarters

2008-11-13T17:13:55Z

By Chris Piccirillo, Courier Senior Sports Writer:

The North Haven boys’ soccer squad had a great finish to its regular season as the Indians won five of their last six games to claim the Southern Connecticut Conference Oronoque Division title. Federico Fiondella’s squad then carried that momentum into the postseason by winning its two Class L Tournament contests against Wilton (3-0) and Platt-Tech Milford (1-0).

Unfortunately, North Haven’s quest towards the title came up a few wins short as the Indians’ season ended with a 1-0 defeat to RHAM-Hebron. After a scoreless regulation and two overtimes, the contest came down to penalty kicks, and though senior Jimmy Albert scored to keep North Haven alive after falling behind 2-0, RHAM’s next shooter scored to end it at 3-1.

Still, despite the loss, Coach Fiondella had nothing but positive things to say about his Indians.

“It was hard to lose in penalty kicks, especially because we completely dominated this game,” said Fiondella, whose team outshot RHAM 17-9 and was aided by seven saves from senior goalkeeper Mike Swanson. “RHAM had about five minutes worth of play in our end, but the rest of the time we just kept attacking and were the better team. I couldn’t have asked anything more of our athletes. They didn’t deserve to go out this way.”

In the RHAM contest, the Player of the Game for North Haven, which finished 11-9, was the entire team.

Against Wilton, there were two Players of the Game in seniors Steve Brown and Will Woodruff as Brown scored two goals with Woodruff assisting on each. Senior captain Joe Sorrentino also assisted on the latter score and the Indians’ other goal was recorded by Keegan Hanlon on an assist by Zoli Kanyo. Swanson made 11 saves.

“Our boys played a physical game, won nearly every 50-50 ball, and had possession on Wilton’s zone quite a lot,” said Fiondella.

Then against Platt Tech, the Indians broke a scoreless tie when Brown scored from Antonio Russo with 21 minutes to play.

“Antonio had just come into the game,” Fiondella said. “With Platt Tech packing everyone in, he beat both his midfielder and defender and then released the ball to Steve, who tapped it in.”

The Indians’ defense was named as Players of the Game in this contest with keeper Swanson, who made five saves, plus senior defenders Geoff Brown, Jim McGrath, Andrew Timothy, and Sorrentino, the latter two who are captains, earning the honor.

“This group helped our program achieve some great things,” Fiondella said. “Not only did they win the division, but had the best record in Oronoque history at 9-1. We played very well down the stretch and improved every time we faced a team for a second time. And perhaps the best thing is that this is a mature group of men who are as successful in the classroom as they are on the soccer field. I want to thank them for their loyalty and let our senior class know that they’ll be missed.”

Pictured: Marquis Goodwin is a junior on the North Haven boys’ soccer squad, which won two state tournament games before dropping a 1-0 decision to RHAM-Hebron in penalty kicks.

Photo by John Vanacore

Fall’s Telltale Signature

2008-11-06T19:45:49Z

After the splendor of the fall foliage comes the inevitable clean up. Last weekend, Brendon Clark and his dad Don were among the many North Haveners busy getting the yard ready for the winter.

Photo by John Vanacore

E-ducation for Ridge Road

2008-11-06T19:45:09Z

By Sean Fogarty, Courier Staff Writer:

Ridge Road Elementary School (RRES) librarian Lydia Westerberg doesn’t just help the students navigate the library’s stacks–she also helps them safely navigate the Internet through a variety of new lessons the school is hosting about Internet safety.

Westerberg said parents had asked for a long time for an Internet safety course at the school.

“We teach kids how to find information and they are using the Internet all the time anyway, so it’s a natural thing to be teaching about Internet safety,” said Westerberg.

The school has gotten assistance from the Paul and Lisa Program, a Connecticut-based, non-profit group established in 1982 that was originally founded to warn children about the dangers of the streets and sexual exploitation. The foundation has expanded its program to address youth Internet safety.

Westerberg, aided by the Paul and Lisa Program, embarked on a variety of courses with the students to teach them about not only protecting themselves on the Internet, but also about computer ethics, etiquette, and protecting their identity.

“I didn’t just want to dole out information, I wanted the kids to process it, so I developed scenarios. They would be role playing and those scenarios were extremely powerful,” said Westerberg.

Westerberg said the lessons were conducted in small classes that included interactive presentations, role playing, and a 45-minute question and answer session.

Part of the presentations focused on adults luring children to physical meetings, something of which Westerberg wants children to be aware.

“We balanced all that–this is important–we balanced this with the fact that these are things we need to be aware of, but it doesn’t mean you don’t use the Internet,” said Westerberg.

One of the presentation topics was cyber bullying, a recent phenomenon whereby a school-day bully can follow a child home–not physically, but by continuing to antagonize via the Internet after the school day has ended.

“We did a program called ‘Shrink the Cyber-Bully.’ It’s a self-monitoring game on one of the Internet sites. You can handle it one way and shrink the cyber-bully without taking a gun to the kid, without violence, just with your smarts.”

Westerberg said parents were very receptive to the program and some are asking for the program to start with younger students.

“Parents are asking. They are asking because they are trying to teach the child at home,“ she said. “It’s good for the kids to hear from different voices, from each other.

“Some kids are really using the Internet a lot–their chat rooms, their own websites–but by bringing this to the forefront, I was teaching them how to keep two feet on the ground and keep focused,” said Westerberg.

The Glider Barron

2008-11-06T19:43:02Z

By Jason J. Marchi, Courier Correspondent:

To soar with eagles while standing on the ground might sound like something that’s only done with one’s imagination, but catching a thermal and riding the currents without having to flap your wings is something Timothy Barron experiences through his hobby of flying free flight glider airplanes—called aeromodeling—and he’s winning top awards to boot.

Timothy, a North Haven resident, was one of four area youth to participate in the nine-person U.S. Junior Free Flight Team that competed in Kiev, Ukraine at the 2008 Junior World Free Flight Championship, July 28 to Aug. 3. While Timothy’s team came in second, individually Timothy placed third in the world championship.

That makes Timothy’s father, Andrew Barron, a professor of statistics at Yale, very proud since he, and his father, were the inspiration for Timothy taking up the hobby.

The aeromodeling movement among young people in Connecticut is already sizeable, making Connecticut home to the largest group of youthful glider flyers in the country, according to Timothy, and he’d love to have more kids come and fly with him and his friends.

Another aspect of areomodeling that Timothy enjoys, especially during the winter months, is building the models from balsa wood and carbon kits. Timothy has built nine rubber band-powered gliders to date, although he has yet to build his own free flight plane like the one he used to win in Kiev.

Each Friday evening, a group aged 8 to 18 gather at the Eli Whitney Museum in Hamden for hands-on, how-to glider model building sessions with experienced adult volunteers.

Come spring, the group (known as the Wilbur and Orville Society) gather at fields large enough to handle gliders in Rocky Hill or Durham to experiment with different airplane models and discover which models they can handle best. They can then move up to the bigger fields available to them in New York State, where Timothy often flies his gliders, along with his entire family: mom, dad, and siblings included.

To launch his glider, Timothy runs in large circles in the fly field with the plane in tow on a 50 meter line (called circle towing). Once he feels the air is right (which can take up to 30 minutes for him since he admits he loves towing the plane more than letting it go), the conversion of energy from his sprint into height-gain on the launch adds to how long the glider will stay in flight in what’s called “still air time.”

But even if you have a plane that can do 4 1/2 minutes in still air, as does Timothy, “if you don’t put it into a thermal you can be down in a minute,” he notes.

That thermal (or updraft of warm air), Timothy knows, is the same thing that the soaring birds are looking for. This sometimes means that Timothy and his free flight team members will jog over to where they see eagles or hawks soaring on thermals.

“Sometimes the bird is too high and the plane can’t reach [that thermal],” Timothy points out.

While 4 of the 10 flyers who competed in the 2008 Junior World Championship are from the New Haven area—and two additional Connecticut youths just missed the top 10 cut—Timothy knows he has only a few years ahead of him before he must leave the group. Once these junior flyers head off to college and follow other pursuits, many of them will be inspired into subjects like engineering and aviation, although Timothy admits he has yet to decide on a career track.

Meanwhile, keep an eye up in the skies overhead and watch for that soaring eagle that just might turn out to be a free flight glider recently launched from a tow line pulled by Timothy Barron.

The Wilbur and Orville Society of young gliders meet every Friday, 7 to 9 p.m., at the Eli Whitney Museum, 915 Whitney Avenue, Hamden. For info, 203-777-1833 or visit www.eliwhitney.org.

Pictured: Timothy Barron, 15, holds the free flight glider he used in the nine competition flights that earned him third place in the individual category of the 2008 FAI World Champion Free Flight event this past summer in Kiev, Ukraine. To win, Timothy kept his glider in the free flight for 4 minutes, 15 seconds. He also used this plane to help his teammates come in second in the World Championship.

Photo by Jason J. Marchi

To nominate a person of the week, email Jason Marchi at j.marchi@shorepublishing.com or call 203-245-1877 x 6166.

Police Incident Report: Oct. 22 to 28

2008-11-06T19:31:35Z

Wednesday, Oct. 22

• A 27-year-old Waterbury man was arrested at 3:59 p.m. on a warrant charging him with failure to appear in the second degree.

Thursday, Oct. 23

• A 44-year-old man of Manor Drive was arrested at 9:50 a.m. and charged with interfering with an officer, breach of peace, and reckless endangerment in the second degree.

• A 22-year-old Hamden woman was arrested at 4:38 p.m. and charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and failure to maintain the proper lane of a multiple-lane highway.

• An 18-year-old Hamden man was arrested at 11:30 p.m. and charged with possession of less than four ounces of marijuana, use and/or possession of drug paraphernalia, and failure to obey a stop sign.

Friday, Oct. 24

• A 21-year-old Cheshire man was arrested at 3:25 a.m. and charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

• A 33-year-old East Haven man was arrested at 6:15 p.m. and charged with violation of probation. While in custody he was also charged with two counts of failure to appear in the second degree and one count of failure to respond to a citation.

• A 39-year-old woman of Curtis Court was arrested at 9:38 p.m. and charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, criminal mischief in the fourth degree, interfering with a police officer, assault on a peace officer, escape from custody, disorderly conduct, criminal attempt, and assault on a person age 60 or older.

Saturday, Oct. 25

No arrests were made and no significant incidents were reported.

Sunday, Oct. 26

• A 20-year-old woman of Mill Road was arrested between 10 and 10:20 p.m. on warrants charging her with one count of failure to appear in the first degree and three counts of failure to appear in the second degree.

Monday, Oct. 27

• A 38-year-old man of Quinnipiac Avenue was arrested at 7 a.m. and charged with disorderly conduct.

• A 28-year-old East Haven woman was arrested at 10:30 a.m. on a warrant charging her with failure to appear in the first degree.

• A 36-year-old man of Middletown Avenue was arrested at 7:16 p.m. and charged with larceny in the sixth degree and conspiracy to commit larceny in the sixth degree. In the same incident a 42-year-old East Haven man was arrested and charged with the same and additionally with use and/or possession of drug paraphernalia.

Tuesday, Oct. 28

• A 33-year-old man of Barton Drive was arrested at 12:30 p.m. and charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, failure to have insurance, operating an unregistered motor vehicle, and improper license classification for vehicle driven.

• A 24-year-old man of Bassett Road as arrested at 12:33 p.m. and charged with burglary in the first degree, criminal trespass in the first degree, criminal mischief in the first degree, disorderly conduct, threatening, reckless endangerment, and interfering with an emergency call.

• A 50-year-old New Haven man was arrested at 1:15 p.m. and charged with criminal trespass in the first degree and larceny in the fifth degree.

• A 28-year-old woman of Middletown Avenue was arrested at 4:24 p.m. and charged with larceny in the sixth degree.

Police correspondent Jason J. Marchi compiles the Police Incident Report