Thank you for saying you saw it in The Rare Reminder 8/16/12

Check us out at www.RareReminder.com

WWW.RRSPORTSCORNER.WORDPRESS.COM

Looking Back, Looking Forward

By Dave Burnham Staff Writer With the fall high school sports programs just around the corner, this is the ideal time to take a look back at our spring sports state champions. Lets start with the Newington Indians, the 2012 boys Class M volleyball champions. The Indians had been so close in 2011 when they lost to Darien. But this year they would not be denied. On June 9 at Shelton High School, number-one seeded NHS beat Oxford 3-1 to take the programs first state title. Newington ended the season with a 19-2 record. The Indians only defeats came during the regular season at the hands of the Class L title-winning Cheshire Rams. The next day at Stratfords DeLuca Field, the Jim Ferris-coached Rocky Hill softball team looked to win its first state championship. The Granby Bears stood in the Terriers way. Led by a superb pitching performance by Megan Ruonavaara, Rocky Hill met token resistance from the Bears on its way to a 6-0 victory. Ruonavaara allowed just five hits throughout the game. She also knocked in three RBI. At the same time that the Rocky Hill girls were making school history, the Cromwell Panthers baseball team was treading the Palmer Field turf in search of the Class S title. The fifth-seeded Panthers brought a 22-5 record into the game. When the dust had settled, a five-run fifth and another five runs in the sixth had propelled Cromwell to its first state title since 1967, 12-4. With a full program of football, soccer, volleyball, field hockey and cross country to look forward to, who will be the next champions? The Rare Reminder Sports Corner will be at a field near you covering all of the action. Stay tuned. Its going to be great!

The Terriers celebrate their 3-2 quarter-final win over Jonathan Law HS.

Christian Budzik (left) and pitcher Doug Davenport (right) confer on the mound.

Tyler Allen (28) is congratulated by his teammates after hitting a home run in a regular-season game against Valley Regional.

Newingtons Peter Feeney (3) sets the ball for Bryan Smith (18) during the Indians 3-0 defeat of the Maloney Spartans.

Jorge Premto unleashes his jump serve.

B.J. McNaughton celebrates the Panthers first state title since 1967.

All photos by Dave Burnham www.esnapsport.wordpress.com

Be SURe TO CHeCK OUT SPORTS CORNeR ONLINe AT WWW.RRSPORTSCORNeR.WORDPReSS.COM
Pitcher Megan Ruonavaara followed up a state championship in volleyball with a title in softball.