By Hal Levy, Shore Line Newspapers
Special to MaxPreps.com
The Branford High swim team will honor retired Hall of Fame coach John O'Connor Wednesday, Dec. 27, as part of its annual Alumni Meet. There will be an informal gathering at 11:30 a.m. at the Walsh Intermediate School Dining Commons with the Alumni Meet to follow at the Walsh pool.
"All former swimmers, parents, friends and coaches are invited," noted boys' swim coach Rich Thompson. "Although he has been recognized by various swimming organizations on the local, state and national level, we would like to have the opportunity to gather everyone together to thank him for his years of service and the impact he has made on us as individuals."
O'Connor coached the Branford girls for 27 years and the boys for 18. His last girls' team stunned the state with a victory in the Class L championships.
The New Haven Gridiron Club has honored its 2006 Levi Jackson High School all-star team made up of players from Hillhouse, Wilbur Cross, Notre Dame, West Haven, East Haven, Hamden, Amity and North Haven.
Players include, from Amity, Dam Hemperly (offensive line), Nick Fedor (defensive line) and Brandon Basso (linebacker); from East Haven, Nick Child (linebacker) and Rob Belevich (secondary); from Hamden, Will Ball (running back) and Maurice Moody (linebacker); from Hillhouse, Keerome Lawrence (quarterback), Danny Williams (running back), and receivers Terrell Wilks and Marvin Batts;l from North Haven, Dan Fleming (running back), Lou Ciarleglio (linebacker) and Aaron Melendez (secondary); from Notre Dame, Jeff Lombardo (tight end), Steve Cappello (lineman) and Brendan McDonough (defensive line); from West Haven, Maurice Wearing (quarterback), James Alford (running back), Eric Matos (lineman), Mike Brockenberry (linebacker) and Charlie Kelly (secondary) and from Cross, Landon Osborne (tight end), Curtis Smith (defensive line), Jawan Hagans (linebacker) and Enrico Jones (secondary).
Also honored were longtime official Larry Griffin, who got the David Holdwright Profiles in Courage award and Yale running back Mike McLeod, who received the Harry Jacunski outstanding local college player award.
Bunnell quarterback Steve Smith, one of the MVP's in the CIAC Class L state championship game, was selected to the MSG Network's High School Heisman team.
He threw for over 2300 yards and 34 touchdowns this season and ran for 18 more scores for the 12-1 Bulldogs.
The only other state player selected was The Brunswick School-Greenwich quarterback Kevin Decker, whose career totals included 5749 yards and 76 touchdowns.
New Canaan coach Lou Marinelli, who led the Rams to the Class M state championship, was selected as the "Legendary Coach of the Year".
Tom McCarthy of Tolland was the lone Connecticut golfer selected to the HP Scholastic Junior All-America team.
The team includes 12 boys and 12 girls nationally. Criteria include placing in the top 10 of an American Junior Golf Association event (top five for girls), plus a combination of scholastic accomplishments including grade point average, class rank, SAT or ACT scores, community service and a 400-word essay on golf.
McCarthy, a senior, ranks 10th in his class.
There are a spate of high school holiday basketball tournaments for both boys and girls, including such venerable ones as those at Morgan, Hand and Coginchaug plus the Branford Lions Festival.
One of the enjoyable ones is in Middletown, where Xavier hosts the Art Kohs scholarship tourney. Kohs is the former Xavier coach who is now the scheduling guru for the Southern Connecticut Conference and funds from the tourney go toward scholarships in his name.
Xavier hosts Ledyard the first night (Wednesday, Dec. 27) while the other game pits Farmington and Notre Dame-bound Tim Abromaitis against Glastonbury.