Author: jeff

UNCASVILLE, CT — For much of the opening quarter of Saturday’s CIAC Div. III basketball championship game at the Mohegan Sun Arena, Bunnell High School looked nothing like the team that won the title last year, nor like the team that had posted double-digit victories in each of its first three tournament contests this winter.

The Bulldogs fell behind 5-0 to Fitch in the first few minutes, and did not score a field goal until nearly three and a half minutes had elapsed. Meanwhile, seventh-seeded Fitch played as if it had nothing to lose, opening up an 8-poout lead late in the quarter and entering the second period with a 21-15 advantage.

Bunnell looked like a completely different squad from the outset of the second quarter, holding the Falcons without a basket from the field until 2:43remained before intermission. By then, the Bulldogs had reversed the 8-point deficit into a 6-point lead, and a three-point field goal by JT Turnage at the buzzer sent them to the locker room with a 42-31 halftime edge.

The Bulldogs opened up a 13-poiint lead after the break, but Fitch hung tough, trimming the margin to eight late in the third quarter. In the final period, the Falcons twice closed within five points, but Bunnell held on for a 70-61 victory and its second straight state championship.

Both teams wound up with balanced scoring, with Bunnell sophomore Rody Ricketts claiming game-high honors with 21 points. Alex Munoz had 15 points, Turnage had 13 and Karell Brown chipped in with nine, while Jordan Pierce contributed eight points and a game-leading 10 rebounds.

For Fitch, four players scored in double figures: Xavier Goode (15), Si’kis Reels (14), Calvin Sebastian (12) and Luke Wenger (10).

(Photos: Michael Lemanski/Patch)

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Wilkes-Barre, PA — The front end was a good place to race Saturday (March 15) afternoon at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania despite it being a cool and windy day; that observation is perhaps best demonstrated by 11-1 shot Striking Impact, who won the $35,000 Championship of the Game Of Claims Pacing Series for horses starting out with a $25,000 tag.

Anthony Napolitano sent the Always B Miki gelding straight to engine command and yielded to no one in fractions of :27.3, :56.3, and 1:23.4 despite no fewer than four separate bids from horses challenging to claim the top spot in various points. Striking Impact had the lead turning for home, shook off first-over Real Surreal (Tyler Buter), then withstood a late charge from two-holer Belmont Major N (Matt Kakaley), who came clear between horses, by a half-length. Favored Lyons Surfing (George Napolitano Jr.), winner in all three Game of Claims prelims while beating :28 home each week, got a second-over trip but did not have as sharp a late kick this race, finishing another neck back in third.

Striking Impact makes his lead stand up to take his $35,000 Championship in the Game Of Claims Pacing Series Saturday at Pocono. Curtis Salonick Photo.

Striking Impact was claimed in the middle prelim of the series by trainer Marta Piotrow and owner Debbie Avery. He won his final prelim, then held his form nicely to triumph in the Championship. (And there is no claiming from the final, so Striking Impact will have the chance to add to the $26,000 he has already collected for his new connections.)

In the $25,000 fast-class pace, the Somebeachsomewhere gelding Spring Inhis Step A (Buter) again got a pocket trip behind Chase H Hanover (Anthony Napolitano…

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UNCASVILLE, CT — Fans in a nearly packed Mohegan Sun Arena were there to see future Division I college star Abdouramane Toure of Notre Dame-West Haven.

And they didn’t leave disappointed.

With silky smooth efficiency, Toure scored 27 points and the Green Knights soundly defeated the St. Bernard Saints (Montville) 68-55 to win the CIAC Division I boys basketball championship.

With 17 scholarship offers (including the University of Connecticut), Toure seemingly toyed with the Saints.

But Notre Dame coach Jason Shea said while Toure is the star, the rest of the group is a big reason why they’re champions.

“These guys spend a lot of time together. They really love each other, ” Shea said after celebrating the title. “They’re completely unselfish. They’re really a special group.”

Going into Saturday night’s title game rematch from 2024, The Notre Dame-West Haven Green Knights were seeking their second state title in a row and their second ever.

Meanwhile, St. Bernard — led by coach Mark Jones — was looking to win the program’s fourth championship and first since 2023.

The second-seed Green Knights, coached by Jason Shea, were 21-2, including the tourney, going into Saturday, while the fifth-seed Saints were 19-3.

Both teams battled early nerves in an electric atmosphere inside a near-packed Mohegan Sun Arena, and, though the pace was frenetic, the scoring was light.

The opening quarter ended with Notre Dame up 9-7.

Notre Dame poured it on in the second quarter, however, opening up an 18-9 lead after a pair of three pointers and an old-fashioned three-point play.

With Toure leading the way, the Green Knights threatened to blow out the Saints.

But that didn’t happen as tenacious defense and clutch shooting drew St. Bernard back in the game and they eventually cut it to 22-20.

When the half ended, Notre Dame and Toure’s 13…

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