It took seven overtimes, but a champion in the CONNY Senior Boys Division was finally decided when the Connecticut River Ticks – taking advantage of a controversial tripping call – slipped past Newtown Gold, 5-4.

It is believed to be the longest championship game in CONNY history.

Newtown controlled most of the game and out-shot the River Ticks, 28-7. The locals jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first half on goals from Ryan Manning and Dan Lawrence. But the River Ticks came back and knotted the score at two just before halftime.

Newtown took the lead on a goal by Brian Kirk (assisted from Coner Martin) but the Ticks stormed back and scored two quick goals to take a 4-3 lead deep into the final quarter. Colin Babbage then tied it up with a late goal assisted by Brett Mauro.

The game then entered into sudden death overtime and took on another life. The Gold pummeled the River Ticks’ goalie with shot after shot, to no avail. Babbage hit one squarely off the post during the fifth overtime.

The crowd swelled as news of this marathon game spread across the Yale University and Hopkins School field complex. After a scoreless sixth overtime, the officials summoned both head coaches to the center of the field, informing them that the seventh overtime would be the last. If neither team scored, co-champions would be declared.

During the final overtime, Newtown was whistled for a questionable tripping call providing the River Ticks with a man advantage for one minute. Goalie Matthew (Teddy) Schniel stopped the first shot, but the second shot hit the nets as the opposition effectively screened Teddy, thus ending a physically and emotionally draining divisional championship game.

The Gold ended its season at 10-5.

In other action –

Gold 5, Brookfield 2 – Brett Mauro scored three goals and had an assist to lead the Gold. Seth Anderson and Ryan Manning each added a single goal while Colin Babbage and Coner Martin each chipped in with an assist. Teddy Schniel thwarted a third-period breakaway to spark the D. Ryan Diluoffo, Kevin Read, Mike Locorotondo, Harrison Gillis and CJ Donahue all played well.

Senior A

 

Newtown 10, New Canaan 3 – Ned Emerson, Tim Wheeler and Blake Bell scored two goals apiece to lead Newtown past New Canaan in the semi-finals of the Senior A Silver Division. Will Mahony, Eric Dreher, Brendam Martin and Jason Smith also scored. Paul Tropsa, Derek Flynn, Jacob Dauz and Emerson all had assists while Martin had two. Ryan Golankiewicz, Mario Roehrs, John Grimaldi and Alex DiVico played well on D.

Trumbull 7, Newtown 5 – The locals fought back from a 6-1 deficit, but fell short in the championship game to finish the 2004 season at 12-3. Paul Tropsa had two goals and two assists while Ned Emerson had two goals. Will Mahony added a goal and an assist. Ryan Golankiewicz scooped up 10 ground balls and Joe Bannon made 12 saves in the cage.

Senior Girls

Gold 12, Brookfield 8 – Jenna Ruddock had three goals and an assist and Lisa Isabella stopped six shots in cage in the win over Brookfield. Becky Trosan, Meagan Kelly, Sarah Cioffoletti, and Jackie Isabella scored two goals apiece with Keegan Frobey adding a goal. Madeline Graham dished off two assists.

Gold 11, Southbury 10 – Renee Solheim and Lisa Vendel scored four goals apiece and Lisa Isabella stopped seven shots in goal in the comeback win for the Senior Gold. Jenna Ruddock and Marnie Thompson had a goal and an assist each with Meagan Kelly scoring a goal.

Blue 14, Weston 2 – Stephanie Soder scored three goals and Molly Murtha dished off three assists in the win over Weston. Courtney Gleason and Jackie Isabella scored two goals apiece, Lauren Clark had a goal and an assist, and single goals were scored by Libby Feltch, Hannah Tenenbaum, Lauren Sudbey, Lucy Remitz, Bethany Morin, and Betsy Vendel.

Blue 13, Brookfield 2 – Courtney Gleason scored five goals and Lisa Isabella made five saves in the win over Brookfield. Stephanie Soder had two goals and an assist and Lauren Clark scored twice. Libby Feltch had a goal and an assist with single goals from Carolyn Gingras, Hannah Tenenbaum, and Betsy Vendel. Molly Murtha, Jenn O’Connell, and Hanah Glasrud assisted on goals.

With a 10-6 win over Southbury last Friday, the Junior Girls team completed its season undefeated at 13-0.

Lisa Vendel (4), Caitlyn Brophy (3), Annie Fletcher, Meghan Bridges and Sam Dinnan scored the goals to lead the way. Nicole Waterhouse had four saves in the cage while Rachel Fatse and Steph Suhoza anchored the defense.

In other action –

At the Ridgefield Jamboree, the girls defeated Westport (10-3), Ridgefield (11-5) and Norwalk (8-4). Suhoza at third man was dominating on defense along with Rachel Fatse, Morgan Schick, Megan Rockwell and Marissa Cucuo.

Midfielders Bridges, Brophy and Vendel continually gained possession for Newtown as the offense was anchored by Annie Fletcher, Katie Canavan, Sam Dinnan and Kara Brown. Alyssa Buda, Maggie Korth, Liz Emersen, Lilly Rodriguez and Waterhouse had strong games. On the day, Vendel scored eight times while Fletcher, Brown and Brophy scored four times each. Bridges had three goals, Dinnan two, and Canavan, Emersen, Buda and Korth scored one apiece.

Ben Mahony had a goal and two assists and Lewis Thompson had two goals to lead the Junior Boys A squad to a 6-2 win over Pomperaug in a CONNY Championship game on Sunday at Yale University.

The rematch against Pomperaug (Newtown had won 10-5 on June 2) had all the makings of a dogfight and the early going saw the team from across the Housatonic doing all the kicking and biting. Pomperaug was consistently winning the ground balls and when the first quarter ended, with Newtown down 1-0, the wakeup call was delivered.

And apparently received.

Tyler Davenport got things started in the second quarter when he scooped up a loose ball outside his wing position and beat the goalie with a perfect shot between the legs. Mahony then drove past his defender and with a slide blasted home a scoring shot that put Newtown ahead to stay.

Kevin Curry, Colby Summerlin and Dylan Heubner were solid in the midfield while Andrew Hyland was a stonewall in the cage. The defensive trio of Max Naciewicz, Andrew Golankiewicz, and Conor McNamara shut off each and every Pomperaug offensive threat.

A Tim Dalton goal gave the locals a two-goal advantage at the half. Lewis Thompson (2) and Bowers added goals in the second half to seal the win.

In a 4-3 win over Amity that sent the Juniors to the finals, Paynter had a pair of goals while Thompson and Curry had one apiece.

Junior Boys

Gold 9, Hamden 1 – Will Northrop scored three goals and Colin Morris and Tyler Reszoly combined to make 14 saves in the goal to lead the Junior Gold over Hamden at the CONNY Tournament. Single goals were scored by John Johnson, Kevin Brown, Connor Ryan, Tom DiLuoffo, Billy Thursland, and Cameron Gehrman. Austin Bonadio and Michael Gould anchored the strong defensive effort.

Weston 2, Gold 1 – Trey Trudell and Tyler Reszoly were terrific in goal, combining to make 14 saves, but the Junior Gold came up short in the CONNY Tournament championship game against Weston. Connor Ryan scored for the Gold with outstanding midfield play from Scott Wexler, Conor Halloran, and Andrew McGrath. Michael Shevlin, Liam Ferguson, and Patrick Binio combined to grab 11 ground balls.

Bantam Boys

Sea Gulls 14, Falcons 7 – Michael Lord had five goals and two assists and Will Fletcher and Wyatt Depuy each scored three times to lead the Sea Gulls over the Falcons. Jack Wilson had a goal and an assist, Andrew Cebry and Tim Ciavara had single goals, and Charlie Feltch dished off an assist to round out the scoring. James Marusi scored four goals for the Falcons with Brian Kriger adding two and Brennen Merrick scoring once. Jack Curry had two assists and Nick Fatse conrtibuted one. Michael Cascone had a strong game on defense and Evan Issacs made six saves in goal.

Blue Devils 7, Lightning 4 – Daniel Hebert scored a pair of goals and Ted Benoit added a goal and an assist in the win over the Lightning. The Blue Devils got single goals from Roland Stephen, Zach Carfi, Anders Folgelberg, and Justin Spath. Brendan McNamara led the Lightning with 3 goals with Connor Quinn scoring once.

Green Machine 9, Eagles 7 – Tom Bauer scored four goals and Stefan Dullinger added a pair for the Green Machine. Corey Fisher, Gabe Ruiz and Matt White also scored.