By Michael Letendre
The Bristol Central 2021 Virtual Spring Sports Awards Banquet was a tremendous way for the school to cap off the scholastic campaign.
And numerous players earned postseason awards due to their play on the field and commitment in the classroom.
Two students from Central earned the 2021 Scholar Athlete Awards as Chris Osuch and Emma Quintero were both honored.
Also handed out were ‘The Varsity 8 Awards’ that went to Bella Crandall and Natalia Popielarz.
Now, to the individual sports:
Girls lacrosse had several award winners from its ranks as the program finished the regular season at an outstanding 8-4 under the guidance of head coach Kyle Phelan.
Here’s a look at each grade level and the awards won by each athlete in girls lacrosse:
Grade 12
Sayde Kowalczyk: Captain, All-Conference, All-Academic
Jenna Lowe: Captain, All-Conference, All-Academic
Emma Quintero: Captain, All-Academic
Ella Ward: Captain, All-Academic
Lily Hansen: All-Conference, All-Academic
Lexi Michaud: All-Conference, All-Academic
Grade 11
Sydney Rodriguez: All-Academic
Alyah Rodriguez Warren: All-Conference, All-Academic
Madeleine Ross: All-Academic
Madison Secor: All-Academic
Gabriella Watson: All-Academic
Grade 10
Ava Bouchard: All-Academic
Abby Duval: All-Academic
Emily Lowe: All-Academic
Abigail Quintero: All-Academic
Rachel Wygant: All-Academic
Grade 9
Kaylynn Lapointe: All-Academic
Brooke Watson: All-Academic
Boys Tennis had a young crew this season under coach Jeremy Sloate, a senior-less crew, but the squad managed a few big wins along the way – ending the season at 3-10.
The tennis program had the following boys honored:
Grade 11
Leighton Phillips: Captain, All-Academic
Awsaf Hashem: All-Academic
Beckett Hennessey: All-Conference, All-Academic
Aidan Willette: All-Academic
Grade 10
Colin Cavallari: All-Academic
Tyler LeVasseur: All-Academic
Grade 9
Joseph Niek: All-Academic
The boys golf team was successful campaign this spring under Tim Barrette with more than a few of his golfers earning postseason honors:
Grade 12
Richard Aubin: Captain, All-Academic
Domenic Rinaldi: Captain
Grade 11
Tyler D’Agostino: All-Academic
William Hamilton: All-Academic
Umar Malick: All-Academic
Carson Rivoira: All-Academic
Tyler Wilson: All-Academic
Grade 10
Scott Petrosky: All-Academic
Grade 9
Jacob Wilson: All-Academic
And then there was the outstanding softball squad (16-5) led by senior captain Gwen Torreso who took home All-Conference, Class L All-State, and All-Academic honors.
Captain Emily Ericson also helped lead the charge this past season as head coach Monica Hayes had her best season to date – seeing several of her players excel in the classroom and on the field as well.
Grade 12
Janessa Bartell: All-Academic
Kayleigh Dionne: All-Academic
Brooke Soucy: All-Academic
Kayla St. Onge: All-Academic
Grade 11
Gabriella Buonafede: All-Academic
Ryleigh Hall: All-Academic
Sarah Romano: All-Academic
Grade 10
Kaley Laird: All-Conference, All-Academic
Alex Sciarretto: All-Conference, All-Academic
Samantha Sklenka: All-Academic
Lorelei Stancavage: All-Academic
Sophia Torreso: All-Academic
Grade 9
Leah Sklenka: All-Academic
The girls track & field squad was more than a competitive group in 2021 as coach Kiara Bonilla-Jusino had several CCC South All-Conference performers and All-Academic achievers.
Here’s the list:
Grade 12
Christine Attle: Captain, All-Academic
Bella Bosco: Captain, All-Conference, All-Academic
Isabella Crandall: All-Conference, All-Academic
Natalia Popielarz: All-Conference, All-Academic
Marisa Heller: All-Academic
Krystal Rodriguez: All-Academic
Grade 11
Kaiya Yuschak: All-Academic
Grade 10
Emily Blanchette: All-Academic
Christina Browne: All-Academic
Rebecca Litwinczyk: All-Academic
Grade 9
Kylee Barnes: All- Conference, All-Academic
Sophia Stark: All-Conference, All-Academic
And in boys track & field, there was senior Nate DeAngelo who checked off so many boxes in terms of accomplishments as the program had more than a few All-Conference standouts than the average school under head coach Tamara Stafford-Kirk.
DeAngelo ended his final season as captain, CCC South All-Conference, All-State, and All-Academic while fellow senior, captain Jack Salinas, was also All-Academic.
Here’s the rest of the team…
Grade 12
Xavier Browne: All-Conference, All-Academic
Austin Freve: All-Conference, All-Academic
Jesse Johnson: All-Academic
Nicholas Jones: All-Conference
Noah Morrison: All-Academic
Jovan Paloka: All-Academic
Ramon Peters: All-Conference
Casey Quirion: All-Academic
Grade 11
Noah Conrod: All-Conference, All-Academic
Eric Facey: All-Academic
Mitchell Peterson: All-Conference, All-Academic
Victor Rosa: All-Conference, All-State, All-Academic
Ryan Sarmiento: All-Academic
Grade 10
Frankie Porrini: All-Conference
Christopher Roy: All-Academic
Grade 9
Cassias Breland: All-Conference
In boys lacrosse, the boys from both Bristol Central and Bristol Eastern went 7-4 overall – qualifying for postseason play.
It was a tremendous season for the young program with several award winners:
Grade 12
Alexander Brand: All-Academic
Aidan Kowalczyk: All-Academic
Somaneen Kheav: All-Academic
Grade 11
Mason Coco: All-Academic
Christopher Sirois: All-Academic
Grade 10
Jakub Warszawik: All-Academic
Grade 9
Dylan Brown: All-Academic
Senior Melaney Dan led the girls tennis team in 2021, seizing All-Academic honors for the Matt Wayton coached squad.
Central was a credible 6-9 and qualified for the postseason as the 18th seed in the Class L bracket.
Several members of the team were also All-Academic:
Grade 11
Ava McCann: Captain, All-Academic,
Samantha Chapman: All-Conference, All-Academic
Hannah Krueger: All-Academic
Sidney LaRosa: All-Academic
Elizabeth Martin: All-Academic
Emely Sosa Requena: All-Academic
Grade 10
Alexa Rinaldi: All-Conference, All-Academic
Brooke Rinaldi: All-Conference, All-Academic
Grade 9
Alexandra Rivera: All-Academic
Finally in baseball, the Rams had to survive COVID quarantines, injuries, tomfoolery and the like but finished the season at 10-7 overall under long time mentor Bunty Ray.
Central was the 16th ranked seed in the Class L field – losing to eventual state champion Daniel Hand by a 9-3 final.
Several of his players earned various postseason awards in 2021:
Grade 12
Adam Caron: Captain, All-Academic
Mike Lorenzetti, Captain, All-Conference
Sean Wininger: Captain, All-Conference, All-Academic
Matt Beaucar: All-Academic
Chris Osuch: All-Academic
Grade 11
Bryan Capezzone: All-Academic
JT Clark: All-Conference, All-Academic
Grade 10
Michael Allan: All-Academic
Ryan Ring: All-Academic
Christian Stafford: All-Academic
