By Hal Levy, Shore Line Newspapers
Special to MaxPreps.com
The Connecticut High School Coaches Association has selected its 2007 coach of the year award winners. They will be presented at the annual Coaches Recognition Dinner Thursday, May 15, at the AquaTurf Club in Southington at 7 p.m.
The CHSCA also announced its major award winners, who also will be feted at the dinner. They are retired New Britain coach Ken Kezer, who will get the Tom Monahan Service Award given to those within the ranks of the CHSCA; retired UConn baseball coach Andy Baylock, who will get the Joe Fontana Distinguished Service Award given to those outside the CHSCA; Joe Madaffari of Brien McMahon-Norwalk, who will get the Past President’s Award and Mark Valenti and Diane DelRosso of the Connecticut Student Loan Foundation, who will receive the Joseph Calvanese Sponsorship Award.
Coach of the Year winners include: Larry Anderson, Tolland (baseball), Al Arrington, Wilton (boys’ tennis); George Crouse, Stonington (girls’ tennis); Arleigh Duff, Nonnewaug-Woodbury (girls’ cross country); Ed Faulkner, Brien McMahon-Norwalk (softball); Judith Gentile, Holy Cross-Waterbury (cheerleading); Pam Hammersmith, Simsbury (girls’ lacrosse); Lee Hunt, Weaver-Hartford (indoor track); John Iovino, Norwich Free Academy (baseball); Judith Joslin, Enfield (boys’ volleyball); Dave McOmber, Wethersfield (boys’ swimming); Gary Moore, Hillhouse-New Haven (girls’ track); Robert Murray, Danbury (boys’ cross country); John Novakowski, Bristol Schools (athletic director); Arthur Nunes, Naugatuck (boys’ soccer); Ted Oczkowski, Trumbull (wrestling); Tom O’Donnell, Darien (golf); Bill Pacelia, Rocky Hill (girls’ soccer); Maureen Perkins, Glastonbury (field hockey); Marce Petroccio, Staples-Westport (football); Thayer Redman, Manchester (boys’ track); Bill Scarlatta, Norwich Free Academy (softball); Jack Stabach, East Lyme (girls’ swimming); Ben Trowbridge, Plainfield (unified sports); George Vargo, Middletown (girls’ volleyball); Bill Verneris, Hamden (boys’ ice hockey) and Gary Wright, East Lyme (boys’ lacrosse).
The CHSCA also announced its candidates for national coach of the year honors. They include Don Desautels, Lyme-Old Lyme (girls’ soccer); Lynn Fenn, Bethel (softball); Dennis Lobo, Granby Memorial (boys’ cross country) – and yes, he is the father of iconic UConn women’s basketball player Rebecca Lobo – Tom Malin, East Catholic-Manchester (boys’ soccer); Gary Moore, Hillhouse-New Haven (girls’ track); Patrick Risley, Windham (wrestling); Maribeth Sarnacki, Cromwell (special sports); Dan Spinner, Joel Barlow-Redding (girls’ cross country) and Barb Startup, Glastonbury (athletic director). They will be in line for honors at the National High School Athletic Coaches Association convention in Colorado Springs this June.
Zazuri at it Again
Earlier this year, Steve Zazuri of Masuk-Monroe had back-to-back 40-point nights.
The 6-foot-2, Sacred Heart-bound guard did it again last week. He scored 37, including the 1,000th of his career in a 66-54 win over Bethel, and followed that up with a 49-point night as Masuk beat Immaculate-Danbury, 68-53. In the two games, Zazuri was an incredible 42-of-46 at the foul line.
Wilbur Cross-New Haven finished an undefeated regular season with a 52-49, overtime win over cross-town rival Hillhouse and remains in the top spot in the New Haven Register media poll. Windsor also finished unbeaten (20-0) and is second. Crosby-Waterbury, 18-1, is third with New London, 18-1, fourth and Norwich Free Academy, 19-1, fifth.
The second five includes Xavier-Middletown (then 16-3, now 16-5), St. Joseph-Trumbull, Trinity Catholic-Stamford, Notre Dame-West Haven and Hillhouse.
Girls Basketball
Holy Cross-Waterbury finished the regular season 20-0 and atop the Register’s coach/media poll. Holy Cross also won the Naugatuck Valley League postseason tournament.
Bulkeley-Hartford, was second in the poll with Mercy-Middletown third, Trinity Catholic-Stamford fourth and New Britain fifth. New Britain beat Bulkeley for the Central Connecticut Conference tourney title while Mercy was upset by Branford in the semi-finals of the Southern Connecticut Conference tournament.
Sixth is Career-New Haven which went on to beat Branford for the SCC tournament title. Lauralton Hall-Milford is seventh with Kolbe Cathedral-Bridgeport eighth. East Hampton is ninth and Notre Dame-Fairfield is 10th.
