GOOD Morning Wilton is fortunate to feature Wilton High School sports photos taken by Gretchen McMahon Photography, who shot all images unless otherwise noted. GMW is now teaming up with the WHS Athletic Department for results and updates, including write-ups from coaches, teams and boosters, below (special thanks to Chris MacDougal and Lynne Prescott). Additional materials of interest can be submitted to GMW for consideration submitted via our “Submit a Story” link. Scores and results are also compiled from CIAC and FCIAC when available.
News/Updates Summary of the Week
The WHS fall athletic season continues with the advancement of Girls Soccer and Field Hockey to the CIAC State Final games. Swimming will compete at the State Open meet. Field Hockey will play on Saturday, Nov. 20 at noon at Weathersfield High School; Girls Soccer will play Saturday at Dillon Stadium in Hartford at 4 p.m.; and Swimming will compete on Sunday, Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. at Cornerstone Aquatic Center in West Hartford. Football plays Pomperaug on Friday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. at home. It has been a very exciting week for Wilton Athletics.
Message from the Athletic Director
Hello Warrior Nation! We had a fantastic season and we are still going strong. This weekend is the Championship Weekend for the CIAC tournaments. Before we get to the weekend, our Football team has its final regular-season game, Friday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. against Pomperaug. There is still a chance for Wilton to make the state playoffs with a win. Friday night is also Senior Night for the football team. Please come and show your support.
Championship weekend is upon us. We have three teams competing for state titles. Field Hockey will be in Wethersfield High School Saturday, Nov. 20 against New Canaan starting at 12 p.m. Girls Soccer will be at Dillon Stadium in Hartford also on Saturday, Nov. 20, at 4 p.m., and the Girls Swimming and Dive Team will be in West Hartford at the Cornerstone Pool, on Sunday, Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. We wish them all the best.
For ticket information please go to the CIAC Go Fan ticket website. Only online purchased tickets will be accepted at each of the championship venues.
Go Warriors!
Boys and Girls Cross Country
On Saturday, Nov. 13, Wilton’s own Emily Mrakovcic competed in the New England Cross Country Championships held in Thetford, VT. She placed 36th in a field of 259 runners with a time of 20:53 for the 5K course, held on the Thetford Academy campus and nearby state park.
Field Hockey
On Friday, Nov. 12, the Wilton Field Hockey team headed to Hall High School for the State Quarterfinal game. The Warriors were feeling confident after the upset win against Staples in the first round. The Warriors knew that they could take over the game but it required focus and hard work. The first quarter involved back and forth possession, with both teams earning corners. The second quarter brought more corners for the Warriors, which led to the first goal of the game, scored by Lizzie Kendra. A few minutes later, another corner was earned. The Warriors capitalized on the opportunity with a shot by Nola Ryder. The third quarter involved more tough play and key possessions for Wilton. Heading into the final quarter, up two goals, the Warriors were ready to end the game with an exclamation. Starting from a defensive free hit pass by Ashleigh Masterson, Kendra worked the ball up and across the field to Hannah Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald chased down the pass, outrunning the Hall defender, allowing her to send the ball to teammate Sammy Slough for a solid third goal. The Warriors outplayed and outpaced the Hall Warriors, winning 3-0 in another State Tournament upset.
Two upsets down and the Warriors were ready for another. On Tuesday, Nov. 16, Wilton traveled to Norwalk High School for the Semifinal game against Darien High School. Darien, the second seed, was the first team the Warriors played in the 2021 season. They lost that game 5-0. The Warrior team that showed up for the semifinal game was not the same team. They were ready to continue to prove the doubters wrong. After a rocky first five minutes of the game, Wilton got in its rhythm and challenged Darien during every possession. The game was as tough as the Warriors anticipated, but not because Darien was dominating. On the contrary, the game was even. Despite multiple cards and player-down/player-up situations throughout, there was no score after regulation. Shoutout to Wilton defenders Masterson and Megan Hanny, for their two saves on the goal line as well as goalkeeper Eva Filipponi for her saves that shut down the Darien offensive opportunities. In the tournament playoffs, after a tie during regulation, play goes into overtime. The Warriors were ready. Wilton played hard but couldn’t earn the calls. Strong defensive plays on both ends of the field kept the game scoreless. Onto the second overtime period, and the Darien Wave was tired. Just when the Warriors thought they could take the game, Wilton was carded. It was now seven players against six. The Warriors tried to make the connections in the circle but it was tough playing down for a couple of minutes. With another scoreless overtime, it was time for shootouts. Five players from each team, one at a time, had 8 seconds to go one-on-one with the goalie. First round, no goal for either team. Second round, Darien missed, and Wilton’s Abby Dolan sent in the first goal with a spin move around the Darien goalie. Third round Darien scored, Wilton answered back with a dodge elimination move and goal by Hannah Fitzgerald. Fourth round, Darien tied it up. Fifth, and final round, Wilton’s goalie Filipponi forced Darien away from the goal, causing the ball to be sent over the end line. Wilton’s Charlotte Casiraghi was the final player to go, so she was the tiebreaker. With speed and a simple strategy, Casiraghi dribbled the ball around the goalie and sent it into the goal. The Wilton Warriors defeated the Darien Wave in the semifinal game 3-2 after regulation, double OT and 1-v-1 shootouts. Another upset by the Warriors and they are ready to carry that energy to the State Finals on Saturday, Nov. 20, against New Canaan in Wethersfield at 12 noon.
Football Program
Wilton Varsity Football played Norwalk High School on Friday, Nov. 12, and ended in a heartbreaking loss. Norwalk jumped off to a quick 7-0 lead. The Warriors bounced back and held the lead going into halftime, 21-15. Norwalk pulled away with its running game in the second half with over 200 yards and 4 touchdowns. Wilton was held scoreless in the second half with a final score of 21-41. The game didn’t end how the Warriors hoped it would, but they showed heart and perseverance throughout.
The Junior Varsity team came in with two straight wins and didn’t skip a beat, handily beating Norwalk with a score of 43-6.
The Freshmen won by a thunderous score of 56-14 with great play all around.
Coach EJ Dinunzio will have the Warriors prepared to take on Pomperaug High School on Friday, Nov. 19 at home for Senior Night.
Girls Soccer
The Wilton Girls Varsity Soccer team made history this week, fighting relentlessly to earn a spot in the Class LL CIAC State Championship game this upcoming weekend. After beating a very physical Danbury Hatters last Friday, Nov. 12, with the support of the Warriors’ home crowd, the team faced Fairfield Ludlowe for the third time this season. The CIAC Semifinal game ended both regulation and overtime tied, just as the FCIAC tournament semifinal game had, with the Wilton Warriors winning, again, in Penalty Kicks. As all semifinal teams in the CIAC State Tournament are the exact same FCIAC teams that Wilton faced in three rounds of the FCIAC tournament, the Final (re)match against Staples High School this weekend will inevitably be a hard-fought game to end the 14-2-6 Warriors’ season. The players, coaches and administration welcome and encourage fans to travel to Hartford and enjoy the game at Dillon Stadium.
Girls Swim and Dive
Congratulations to the Wilton Girls Swim and Dive Team for their sixth place finish at the Class L Swim Meet at SCSU on Tuesday, Nov. 16.
Earning All-State honors — Virginia Hastings, 500 freestyle, second place!
Qualifying for the State Open:
- 200 medley relay: Sophia Gimby, Avery Newcomer, Sydney Lillis and Caroline Hastings.
- 200/500 freestyle: Virginia Hastings
- 100 butterfly: Lillis
- 200 freestyle relay: Carolyn Hendricks, Aanya Kongettira, Newcomer and Virginia Hastings
- 400 freestyle relay: Newcomer, Kongettira, Abbey Gardner and Virginia Hastings