Each week, GOOD Morning Wilton will run news of weekend results and scores from Wilton youth sports teams and athletes. Please send all stories and updates, along with a photo, to editor@goodmorningwilton.com by noon on Monday of each week.

Soccer

CT Rush Girls Soccer—Taylor Floyd Saves Five PKs to Lead Team to Victory

Taylor Floyd, goalkeeper for CT Rush GU15 out of Wilton, helped lead her team to victory in the 2016 NEFC Showcase Tournament in MA last weekend. The team, coached by Ernest Bego, and comprised of players from Wilton, Ridgefield, Brookfield, New Fairfield and Lewisboro, NY, took on teams from New England in the two-day soccer tournament. CT Rush won the division to kick-off their spring season.

During tournament play, the team went un-scored upon with Floyd making over 30 saves, including stopping 3-of-3 PKs. In a shootout to advance to the finals, she came up big again stopping, 2-of-5 shots, while adding a goal of her own.

Ally Dejana, also of Wilton, led the team in scoring with three goals. She also added a goal in the shootout. Both Dejana and Floyd play for Wilton High School.

CT Rush GU15: (back row): Coach Ernest Bego, Mackenzie Robson(Ridgefield), Katie King(Ridgefield), Hayden Turk(Danbury), Gracie Girvalo(Ridgefield), Anna Landler(Ridgefield), Taylor Floyd(Wilton), Lucy Tuthill(New Fairfield), Shaye McGee(Brookfield), Carinna Dabroi(Ridgefield), Coach Ernest Bego. front row: Ally Dejana(Wilton), Elizabeth Labriola(Lewisboro), Dominique Valentine(Danbury), Anna Kuhn(Ridgefield), Sadie Smith(Brookfield) and Katie King(Ridgefield). (not pictured: Mackenzie Robson(Ridgefield), Izzy King(Wilton), Lauren Gherna and Olivia Turk(Danbury.))
CT Rush GU15: (back row): Coach Ernest Bego, Mackenzie Robson (Ridgefield), Katie King (Ridgefield), Hayden Turk (Danbury), Gracie Girvalo (Ridgefield), Anna Landler (Ridgefield), Taylor Floyd (Wilton), Lucy Tuthill (New Fairfield), Shaye McGee (Brookfield), Carinna Dabro i(Ridgefield), Coach Ernest Bego.
(front row): Ally Dejana (Wilton), Elizabeth Labriola (Lewisboro), Dominique Valentine (Danbury), Anna Kuhn (Ridgefield), Sadie Smith (Brookfield) and Katie King (Ridgefield). (not pictured):  Mackenzie Robson (Ridgefield), Izzy King (Wilton), Lauren Gherna and Olivia Turk (Danbury).
girls rush floyd

Wilton Boys Celebrate After Winning the 2016 NYCFC Coliseum Kick-Off Cup

Three Wilton boys are celebrating their soccer team’s championship in the U13 division of the 2016 NYCFC Coliseum Kick-Off Cup tournament in Teaneck, NJ on March 12.

Finnegan Bergin, Yasin Choukri and Nathan Bennett (pictured below, L-R) all played for FC Rossanese, which won this exciting tournament 4-3 on penalty kicks against LS Select FC Scorpions. FC Rossanese finished the NYCFC tournament with 4 wins, 1 tie, 0 losses and scored 20 goals while conceding only 8 goals during their 5-game championship run.

By winning the tournament, the FC Rossanese team will be paraded on the field and announced for recognition at Yankee Stadium during an upcoming NYCFC game.

boys soccer wilton_nycfc_championship

Fencing

WHS Fencers Sweep Silver at State Fencing Championship, Named All State Athletes

Foil fencer Liam Smith, a senior at WHS, and epee fencer Ian Sanders, a junior, competed in the CT High School Individual State Fencing Championship held in Fairfield the weekend of March 5-6. Both boys earned silver medals in their events.

Fencer Ian Sanders
Wilton High School’s Ian Sanders (left) and Liam Smith win silver in Men’s Epee and Men’s Foil respectively at the 2016 CT High School Fencing Championships

Over 370 fencers came from 75 schools across the state. Participants ranged from seasoned competitors with “A” United States Fencing Association (USFA) ratings to those who are “unrated.” The top eight finishers from six events were named CT All State Athletes in fencing by the Connecticut High School Fencing Association (CTHSFA).

Smith placed second out of 94 competitors in the Men’s Foil event; Sanders also placed second out of 80 fencers in Men’s Epee. Coming off the Junior Olympics held in Cleveland in February, they were pleased to make the CT All State team. Smith finished 7th in States last year, 28th in 2014 and 34th in 2013.

This was Sanders’ first States high school championship. In January, he won a gold medal at one of the largest national cadet men’s epee tournaments, the Capitol Clash in Washington DC.

Smith was awarded one of two inaugural CTHSFA Scholarships. Presented before competition began, the scholarship is awarded to graduating seniors who have consistently promoted and grown the sport of fencing through teaching, mentoring and directing. Smith founded the Wilton High School Fencing Club as a freshman.

Fencing is a growing sport that sees relatively low representation in Fairfield County schools although Connecticut places second overall in the country behind New Jersey in number of high school teams. It is notable that through hard work and determination, both Smith and Sanders have succeeded even though they attend a school where fencing is not a varsity sport.

Ian Sanders trains with Andrey Chushko at Stamford Fencing Center. Liam Smith trains with Jeremy Goun at Candlewood Fencing Center.

fencer