CHS Sports

April 11, 2025

Cromwell Signing Day

Lucas Witkowski

On March 12th, 2025, Cromwell High School hosted their signing day ceremony. The ceremony was hosted for CHS athletes that are playing a sport in college, allowing coaches, athletes, and parents to cherish this special moment and achievement together. The library was decorated with custom posters for each of the athletes, recognizing them for their sport and college they are going to. They were also given these posters to take home, with a copy set up outside the Athletic Director's office. Additionally, snacks and water were provided to all participants for them to enjoy.

The event was hosted by Cromwell’s Athletic Director, Mr. LaMay. He provided a speech about each of the athletes and their accomplishments throughout Cromwell. Then, each of the athletes gave their own speech. Many reflected on their first ever time participating in the sport, then moved towards those who helped them achieve their goals, such as parents and coaches. Mr. LaMay made sure to recognize all the guests who came to celebrate with the athletes, appreciating everything parents have done for the athletes. The key takeaways were the influence that parents have on their athlete's success and how much they inspired them to improve and grow.

The athletes recognized were Dylan Bathrick, going to Central Connecticut State University for Track and Field; Vaughn Payne, going to American International College for Football; Matthew Gish, going to Roger Williams University for Wrestling; Alexa Spaniotis, going to Bridgewater State University for Lacrosse, Paul Wimbish-Sperrazza, going to Springfield College for Track and Field; Lucas Witkowski, going to University of Maine at Farmington for Track and Field; and James Vinchetti, going to Norwich University for Baseball. Congratulations to all of these athletes for everything they’ve accomplished during their four years at Cromwell High School, and good luck to all of them for the next four years as they open up a new chapter in their lives!

February 20, 2025

Shoreline Track Championship

Lucas Witkowski

On Friday, February 7th, the Cromwell Track Team competed in the Shoreline Championship. Every athlete has worked extremely hard to come this far, working their hardest to score points and bring the team to the top. The boys were working to become back-to-back champions this year as well. As they worked hard throughout the day, the boys proved their hard work and strength as they strove to an outstanding victory. Cromwell was able to win with 142 points, coming in first by an astonishing 60 points.

The team knew who they had to face, having been preparing for the competition for the entire season. With this, many athletes obtained first-team and second-team all-conference, as well as honorable mentions! For the boys, the First Team was: Dylan Bathrick, Patrick Monahan, Colin Monahan, Colin Early, Andrew Mercieri, Lucas Witkowski, Paul-Wimbish-Sperrazza, and Nassyr Andrade. The Second Team athletes were: Kason Lamb, Julien Strachan, John Drew, and Rafael Mendez. On top of this, we had Honorable Mention: Brodie Day.

The Boys had points scored in nearly every event, with first places being in the 4x200 relay, with Lucas Witkowski, Paul Wimbish-Sperrazza, Andrew Mercieri, and Nassyr Andrade. The 4x800 team also came in first, with Colin Monahan, Colin Early, Patrick Monahan, and Dylan Bathrick. All of these athletes were recognized as first-team all-conference!

The girl's track team also did phenomenal, placing third with 73 points. They have been working hard all season to compete, proving how far they have come as a team. The girls also had many first-team and second-team all-conference athletes. The girl's first team was: Lynn Hall, Taylor Mooney, Brianna Jones, Jenelis Viera, and Rory Monahan. They came in first in 4x800, with the team of Jenelis Viera, Brianna Jones, Rory Monahan, and Taylor Mooney. Lynn Hall also placed first in the pole vault! The second-team all-conference athletes were: Ayana Bennett, Bethel Tanga, Kennadi Merchese, and Bryanna Marfella.

Congratulations to everyone who competed, the all-conference athletes, and the boys for becoming Indoor Track Shoreline Champions for the second year in a row!

November 21, 2024

CT Sports in Full Swing

Nolan Del Valle

With fall sports heading into their last stretch, winter sports also get ready for the exciting 2024-2025 season here in Connecticut, and New England as a whole. Certainly, the boy's Football team for our very own Cromwell Panthers, are enjoying themselves. With an 10-3 winning record, the Cromwell/Portland team makes an impact with new Head Coach Sal Morello leading the charge. The team's senior players have also played an integral role by leading the team and creating a strong offense; impact players include Linebacker Matthew Gish, Wide Receiver Tyler Cipolla, and Defensive Tackle Austin Visone. Unfortunately, the team lost in the playoff game against Woodland Regional.

Soccer proves to be even more riveting in Cromwell High than ever before, with the boy's team accomplishing a winning record of 12-6. An unfortunate defeat against Ellington ends the boy's season, one of their best in some time. All-conference players include 1st team Nick Gorski, 2nd team Julian Tuminski, and Logan Coite/Paxton Edwards for 3rd team. The girl's team was recently knocked out of the playoffs as well by Coginchaug, with a 13-6 record. The girls, who won last year's state championship title, still had their fair share of All-Conference players, including 1st team Audrey Dana, April LeBlanc and Alyssa Bathrick, 2nd team Hayden Vandersloot and Taylor Ursin, and honorable mention Ellie Sbriglio.

Cross Country also had its fair share of high notes, with a long and impressive season. Runners Dylan Bathrick, Colin Monahan, and Taylor Mooney made names for themselves making it in for first team All-Shoreline as well as Patrick Monahan and Briana Jones for second team All-Shoreline. A big thanks goes out to Coach McGough and Asmus for guiding the team. Recently, Dylan Bathrick committed to CCSU for Division 1. Dylan Bathrick, Colin Monahan, Taylor Mooney, and Briana Jones made all-state.

Volleyball also had a 2nd team All-Conference player with Victoria Nawrot, as well as an honorable mention being Ania Mockalis. Victoria had 1.7 k/s, and Ania had 1.3 k/s. The girls unfortunately had a losing record, with 6-14 overall, and 4-14 within their conference, ranking 9th in the shoreline.

Now on the NCAA level for CT sports, UConn Football is having what may be its best season in over a decade. After a rebuilding period in the 2022-2023 season, Head Coach Jim Mora keeps the team strong in his third year of coaching. With an 8-4 record, UConn Football continues to impress and make a name for itself, proving it’s not just a University for Basketball. Quarterback Nick Evers and Running Back Victor Rosa continue to be standout offensive players. The team has just come off a bye week to lose out on a tough game against Syracuse, rivals in both football and basketball. This Saturday, November 30th, the Huskies take a trip for an away game against conference rivals, the UMass Minutemen.

Even more importantly, NCAA Basketball has just tipped off. UConn, coming off of not one but two National Championships, continue a strong start to the season coached by Dan Hurley once more. During the off-season, Hurley reportedly turned down a six-year $70 million dollar contract to coach the Los Angeles Lakers at the professional level. While they’re not expected to be the top team this year, it wouldn’t be a surprise for the Huskies to pull off a victorious season once again and dominate the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament during this year's March Madness. The Huskies are currently 6-3.

On the professional level, the New England Patriots are well into their season with a disappointing 3-9 record. It’s hard to believe only a few years ago, they were a dynasty unmatched by any other NFL team, but in the Post-Tom Brady era, all bets are off. After a bold move firing Bill Belichick, who helped the Patriots win 6 championships, the Patriots are now led by Jared Mayo. They seem to be off to a better, but still poor start than with Belichick’s final year. But only time will tell as the NFL continues. The current top power rankings in week 11 are the Detroit Lions (11-1), Buffalo Bills (9-2), and the Kansas City Chiefs (10-1), as Jared Goff and Josh Allen lead teams that could end Patrick Mahome’ and the Chiefs’ growing legacy in a couple of swift playoff games later in this season.

February 15, 2024

Indoor Track Champions

Lucas Witkowski

The track team has had a fantastic indoor season, competing well and moving their way to the All-State Championship. Each and every member has been competing hard this season, working to make improvements and being as competitive as they can be.

Many meets have been at Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven, Connecticut. They have an indoor track, meaning a full lap is only 200 total meters. The track provides much sharper turns due to this, but many athletes have adapted to the change in environment. On top of this, Floyd Little Athletic Center provides a nice concession stand for their athletes. Even though it’s a long drive, the team has managed to compete at as many meets as possible and consistently stay determined.

The Cromwell Track team has also been able to compete at the 2nd Northeast Challenge, at Moore Field House (SCSU) in New Haven, Connecticut. It was the first team the Panthers had competed there, each giving many top performances with the new environment. Many of the Panthers also had the opportunity to race at a college track for the first time, giving a brand new and exciting experience for all.

As the Shoreline conference meet and competition rapidly approached, the Panthers prepared for a very close battle for the victory. Other teams were after the trophy, such as Hadam-Killingworth and Coginchaug, and provided a very close score between all the teams. The Panthers needed to come prepared and determined to win, coming back after the upsetting, but very close, loss from the previous year. 

Tickets for the Shoreline competition are purchased online, using GOFAN.CO and searching for the shoreline conference and takes place in Floyd Little Athletic Center. There are different events in the indoor season compared to the outdoor season. The order is the 4x200 meter relay followed by the 4x800 meter relay. Up next is the 55 meter hurdles and 55 meter dash, then the 1000 meter, 600 meters, and 1600 meter races. Followed by the Sprint Medley Relay, a 1600 meter relay with two 200 runners, a 400 runner, and an 800 runner. Following that is the 300 meter and the 3200 meter. Finally, the runners compete in the 4x400 meter relay.

Following the Indoor Track boys’ first place score at Shorelines, the State Championship took place on Febuary 9th, with the Cromwell Athletes moving on with their season and preparing for the massive competition. Cromwell, despite being a small school, was still able to compete for the state championship, with the boys placing 5th overall in all Class S teams.

On top of this, many athletes are getting ready for the outdoor season of track. As the indoor season comes to a close, outdoor is right around the corner. The Panthers must be getting excited about all the competition coming their way, doing excellent in the past seasons. Despite the graduation of many seniors, the team is still strong and talented.

December 10, 2023

CHS Girls Soccer

Caroline Voccio

On November 19, the CHS Girls’ soccer team played in the CIAC Class S State Championship at Trinity Health Stadium in Hartford. After 100 minutes of play, the girls defeated Thomaston 2-1 and emerged State Champions. The first goal was scored off of a beautiful corner kick from Katie Barber, and was finished by Cameryn Hickey. Unfortunately, Thomaston responded with a goal of their own in the second half, and regulation time ended in a 1-1 tie. 

In the second half of overtime, CHS freshman Taylor Ursin was able to tap in a goal off of a shot from Cameryn Hickey, giving Cromwell the lead once again. After the 20 minute overtime, the girls officially put the game away to win their first state championship in 16 years.

This was the perfect ending to a great season for the team. They finished the season with an overall record of 11-3-6, and a league record of 4-2-4. It was also a historical season for the girls’ soccer program, as Katie Barber and Cameryn Hickey closed out their high school soccer careers with record-setting performances. Both girls landed themselves in the top 5 of most games ever played, as well as most games ever started.

These girls, as well as as the entire team of soccer players, were commemorated for their phenomenal season with a school-wide assembly of recognition during the Monday which followed the championship game.

October 20, 2023

CHS Fall Sport Accomplishments

Brodie Young, Lucas Witkowski & Matthew Sawicki 

During the fall season at CHS, many student athletes work to bring success and pride to our school through the various athletic activities during this time of the year, such as football, volleyball, soccer, cross country, swimming, and more.

Currently, the Cromwell-Portland Panthers Football Team is making a great run this season. Their record currently stands at five wins and one loss, amassing an 83% win rate. As of October 23rd, the team occupies the number one spot in the Pequot-Sassacus Conference, and 44th in the whole state! The next game to be played will take place on Friday, November 3rd. Make sure to come and support your Panthers, as they compete for another win!

In a similar fashion, the Cromwell High School Boys’ Soccer team has demonstrated strength and success this year, with a winning record of 9 wins, 4 losses and 2 ties. The boys will be playing their first game of the Shoreline tournament in the upcoming weeks, with the exact date still being finalized. Be sure to come support your fellow Panthers in their pursuit of, yet another, victory.

Many of Cromwell’s other fall sports are also having a wonderful season so far. The Cromwell Girls’ Soccer team has a record of 6-3-6, and a 60% win rate. On top of this, the Cromwell Volleyball team has been working hard this season, and are strongly representing the Panthers. Finally, the Cromwell Cross Country team demonstrated success in the Shoreline Championships on October 19th, with many individual high placements and awards. Each team has had a great season, and we wish them luck as their seasons come to a close.

September 30, 2022

Cromwell High School Fall Sports Season

Arianna Bishop & Elyssa Efici

As the 2022 school year progresses into October, the fall sports season at Cromwell High School is well underway. Athletes participating in a variety of sports, including Cross Country, Girls Swimming, Soccer, Volleyball, Football, and Cheerleading have been training and competing for the first half of their sports season. 

The current fall season is extremely important because it is the first season free of most COVID-19 restrictions since 2019. This year, student athletes are able to experience their true seasons without heavy restrictions weighing them down. Julia Tkachuk-Kyrychenko, a Junior at CHS and a Varsity volleyball player explains, “It’s definitely different, you can feel it on the court. There’s actually [a] student section and it really pushes and motivates you to play better”. The fall sports teams are allowed more freedom and opportunities without the COVID restrictions previously inflicted upon them.

Many of the CHS teams are working towards competing in state championships or competitions this season, although these systems are very different from one another. For example, the swimmers at CHS, on a co-op team with Rocky Hill High School, have all qualified for Class S State Championships in multiple events. The system of qualification in swimming relies on the best times of individual swimmers, rather than entire teams. 

The athletes at CHS rely on their supporters to cheer them on as they compete. Cromwell High School emphasizes the importance of school spirit, especially in relation to school sports. CHS students are always encouraged to attend sports events to support their peers and display their school spirit. For example, on September 30, the student body at CHS was encouraged to wear red in correspondence with the football game that evening, which had a “Red Out” theme. The school spirit mixed with sporting events helps immerse all students, both athletes and non-athletes, in the after school activities of Cromwell High School. Additionally, a fall pep rally will be held in the school gymnasium on October 21st. This exciting event helps to unite the school community.

During the beginning of the fall season, many CHS athletes have faced challenges and setbacks, however these students have been pushing through their difficulties to be the best athletes they can be. These students are working hard to better themselves and create life-long memories. But most importantly, the sports at CHS create a unified student body, filled with students that root for the success of one another. The current positive atmosphere is a demonstration of the growth that occurs as a result of team sports in our school.

February 6, 2022

CHS Indoor Track

Kenzie Gardner

One of the active sports teams during the winter season at Cromwell High School is Indoor Track. Their season, along with many others, is coming to an end as the spring season approaches. This sport involves many different activities that allows each individual to play to their strengths and compete to showcase what they are capable of. Such activities include the 4x200, 4x400, and 4x800 relay, 55m hurdles, 55m, and 300m dash, 600m, 1000m, 1600m, and 3200m run, high jump, long jump, pole vault, and shot put. Most of the events mentioned that include specific distances such as the 55m, 300m, 600m, and so on are for runners. Aside from the jumping events which are each summarized in their titles, shot put is the act of “putting” a heavy ball known as ‘the shot’ as far as possible.

As for a typical day in practice, each athlete participates in workouts specific to the event that they partake in. On certain days the team may utilize the weightlifting room. They practice 5 days a week, typically until 4:00 p.m. 

Similar to many sports at CHS, Indoor Track participates in a competition, in which teams from the shoreline conference compete for the shoreline title. The Shoreline Indoor Championship took place on February 5th, and 9 athletes from Cromwell High competed. These athletes all met certain standards that were required to participate in the meet.

This year at Shorelines one CHS student Jaden Wynn broke the school record for the 55m dash with 6.75 seconds. He also took home first place for the 55m dash and the 300m. 

Looking forward, there will be a Class “S” State meet on February 12th. Similar to Shorelines, athletes must reach certain requirements for their event to participate, however this meet holds a more demanding criteria. Only two athletes met this requirement and will be moving on to States this year. 

Even beyond States, there is a State Open Meet and the New England Championships which are all increasingly more competitive. 

The spring season holds another sport like Indoor Track, which is Outdoor Track. This includes many similar events to the Indoor season, however the outdoor setting opens up the possibility for even more events an athlete can participate in such as javelin, discus, and triple jump.

Aside from the upcoming Outdoor Track season, Indoor Track is nearing the end of their successful season with all of their new titles and accomplishments. All of the graduating athletes are going out strong and the returning athletes are looking forward to next year!

January 31, 2022

Coach Maher’s 300th Win

Arianna Bishop

On December 23, 2022 during a girls Varsity basketball game, Coach Maher reached her 300th win at CHS. After teaching at Cromwell for 22 ½ years, and holding the position of Athletic Director for 5 years, Maher is currently coaching her 15th season of varsity and her 6th season of Junior Varsity.  

Before coaching, Maher was an all season athlete in high school, participating in soccer, basketball, and track. In college, she ran track and then competed in lacrosse. All of coach Maher’s experience helped her to become the amazing coach she is today that accomplished 300 game wins.

Coach Maher’s favorite part of coaching is, “being with the players and seeing them excel in different ways.” She loves “watching them be able to grow as individuals on and off the court,” and “seeing them overcome obstacles and working together to achieve a common goal”.

Maher’s most memorable games include her first varsity win, Shoreline Championship games, and State Championship games (both wins and losses). She specifically remembers the Shoreline Championship in 2012 which was a win for the team.  

Sophia Santangelo, a sophomore on the basketball team, explains how she feels about having Coach Maher as her coach. She states, “Coach Maher has helped me build my confidence as a player. At times she can be tough but it is only because she knows that we are capable of so much. She is supportive and knows how to make us all feel like we are a part of the team and are a family. Coach Maher along with Coach Morello push us to be the best players we can be every single day. I have learned a lot on and off the court and I look forward to what the rest of each season holds. I am proud to be a part of the team surrounded by such amazing people. CongratulationsCoach Maher on your 300th win”.

In order to be successful, Coach Maher tries to instill hard work, effort, and teamwork during every moment that she coaches.  She also builds on the strengths of the team. All of these strategies have led Coach Maher to reach many achievements, including her 300th game win.

March 25, 2021  

CHS Tennis Exclusive

Arianna Bishop and Kelly McTeague 

As the spring sports season is beginning at CHS, girls and boys tennis practices and matches are starting up once again. This season is not only the first freshman season, but the first sophomore season as well. The 2020 tennis season was negatively impacted by the COVID pandemic, so this year’s season is a new experience for many players. 

The practices during this season will be held for eight weeks, Monday through Friday, whenever matches are not taking place.  They will be held at alternating times, one slot from 2:45 to 4:15, and a second slot from 4:30 to 6:00.  This change in times helps both the boys and girls tennis teams have equal opportunities to practice. 

During the week of March 21 to March 26th, pre-season practices were held, directed by the team captains.  These practices give the players an opportunity to practice their skills before the season officially begins.  Although these practices were not mandatory, they were helpful to those who were new to the sport. 

As of now, the girls tennis team has about twenty girls trying out. This is a perfect number, as a usually varsity and JV team will have about twenty in total. The varsity team is made up of four people playing singles (or playing by themselves,) and four doubles spots, each doubles spot consisting of two people. This leaves an even split between JV and Varsity.  

This year, the captains of the girls tennis team are Daniella Buccheri and Jessica Bevacqua. These players are both Seniors at CHS. The coach of the girls tennis team is Ms. Murphy, who is currently a math teacher.  Ms. Murphy played tennis throughout her high school career and her team even went on to win the Class S championships during her sophomore year.  

The team merchandise offered for this year’s players includes a red windbreaker for $37.22 and a pair of gray sweatpants for $26.59.  Although the merchandise is optional, this gear helps the students bond as a team and look like a united group before their matches.

The dates that the matches will be held range from April 10th to May 19th. Matches are scheduled every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for most of April and May. Although this season is only a short month, as many as 17 games are packed in! Nine of these games are away games, while the other eight are home. These games normally last from 3:45 to 6:30 on away games.  

The girls tennis team will be playing a variety of different towns in the S division. These towns include Westbrook, North Branford, Old Lyme, East Hampton, Coginchaug, Valley Regional, Old Saybrook, Morgan, Haddam/Killingworth, and Portland. Every team will be played twice besides Morgan, Portland, and Haddam/Killingworth. 

Although practices are at the Cromwell High courts, the games are at Waterous Park instead. Waterous park has six courts to play on. This also allows for the boys and girls teams to alternate when it comes to practicing and games, as the boys can use the CHS courts while the girls are playing at Waterous Park.  

Sophia Santangelo, a freshman at CHS, is very excited for the start of this season.  She explains her feelings by saying, “Sports are a great opportunity for students that enjoy playing to engage in a physical activity, to meet new peers and be a part of a team. I feel these are all important especially during these trying times that we are all faced with. I am pleased how CHS has taken all precautions to keep students safe and has been successful by providing us with another season of sports activities.  I look forward to the spring and playing with the CHS tennis team.”  Sophia Santangelo speaks for the whole tennis team, as all of the girls are excited for their season to begin!

The spring tennis season is one that’s sure to bring many memories to the players. Students at CHS are encouraged to come and safely watch the games and support the team!