Each week, GOOD Morning Wilton will run news of weekend sports results from Wilton Sports Teams. Please send all stories and updates, along with a photo, to editor@goodmorningwilton.comby noon on Monday of each week.

WHS Men’s Swimming and Diving

The first win of the season for the Wilton High School Men’s Swim and Dive Team on Friday night, Jan. 8 against Trumbull High School was particularly important. It marked coach Todd Stevens‘ 100th victory as head coach of the Warrior men’s swim team.

Stevens, who is also head coach for the WHS Women’s Swim and Dive Team, has led the Warrior swim program since 1998.

To celebrate this personal best, Stevens and the team gathered at the Wilton YMCA for pizza and cake after returning from Trumbull High School. In addition to current team members and parents, former swimmers coached by Stevens—including Meg Lattimer, Callum Breen and Chris Hume—stopped by the Y to extend best wishes, along with Y executive director Bob McDowell and others.

“I’m very happy,” Stevens said. “But this is not only a reflection of me but of the swimmers over the years. They’re the ones on the blocks and in the races.”

Wilton beat Trumbull 102-60, with great swims by all team members. The Warriors next take on the Norwalk High-Brien McMahon co-op swim team on Friday, Jan. 15 at Norwalk High.

Stevens is also head senior coach of the WiltonYMCA Wahoos swim team.

Wilton Basketball

Wilton 7th/8th Grade Boys Lose Two

The Wilton 7th/8th grade boys’ team, sponsored by GOOD Morning Wilton, came back from the holiday vacation and played two games this past weekend. In the first game on Saturday, Jan. 9, a non-league game against New Milford, Sam Strazza was active from behind the 3-point line, hitting his first shot. Andrew Travers scored a few buckets in the paint and contributed with three steals. John McMahon added to the score with free throws and a nice assist. Ryan Kauffman played hard and ended up adding points from the free throw line. EJ Fasano added four points and two rebounds but the effects of the layoff were evident as they boys went down quietly 44-25.

Sunday’s (Jan. 10) league game against an unbeaten Darien team started out badly as Wilton turned over the ball multiple times. However, after a time out, the energy picked up and the nine point deficit shrunk to just three at halftime. Maden Herve lead the charge, scoring 14 points along with six blocked shots. Davis Cote added a three-pointer and a nice assist while Niko Kouvaris and Ben Wiener controlled the floor from the point guard positions. Sean Sullivan played hard and added a late bucket but Wilton was outsized by a bigger Darien team and in the end could not overcome the size differential, losing 52-34.

Wilton 5th Grade Girls: 2 Wins, 1 Loss

The Wilton 5th grade girls’ team, sponsored by Little Pub, played three contests this weekend, winning two and losing one.

On Saturday, Jan. 9, facing a spirited Westport team at home, Wilton owned the boards with 39 rebounds. Kelly Holmgren (5 points, 5 rebounds), Ava Fasano (2 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals) and Mary Scally (2 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal) sparked the offense, and Heather Plowright (9 rebounds, 4 steals), Isabel DiNanno (3 rebounds, 4 steals) and Anna Joy (2 points, 1 rebound, 4 steals) shut down Westport’s offense to seal the 13-9 victory.

On Sunday, Jan. 10, the girls were truly road Warriors. First at Newtown, Molly Snow (6 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals) and Lucy Corry (2 points, 1 steal) helped Wilton jump to an early lead, but Newtown responded to lead at the half. Switching to a smothering 2-3 zone, the girls fought their way back, spurred on by Emerson Pattillo’s relentless defense (2 rebounds, 3 steals) but came up just short, losing 17-14.

Heading on to Southbury, they kept up the intensity against a tall and physical opponent. In true team effort at both ends of the court, Wilton kept their focus and intensity to win, 19-16.

Wilton 6th Grade Boys:  2 Wins

An all around team effort propelled the Pinocchio Pizza Wilton 6th grade boys to a 47-30 win against Greenwich Select on Saturday, Jan 9. The first half was tightly contested with both teams trading baskets each possession. Jack Lynch (7 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals), Grant Masterson (2 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists) and Craig Hyzy (8 points, 4 rebounds) helped Wilton stay within two at the end of the first quarter 13-11. Greenwich Select mounted a nine point lead early in the second quarter but Wilton’s hustling effort by Max Andrews (6 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists), Parker Woodring (2 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals) and Kevin Hyzy (5 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals) closed the gap to 21-20 at the half. A trapping defensive, high energy output by Max Silva (3 steals) and Dillon Mannix (3 steals) led to transition baskets throughout the second half as Wilton pulled away to a 15 point lead. At one point the Warriors went on a 28-6 run with Zarius Eusebe (12 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals) and Matt Giller (6 points, 2 rebounds) filling up the bucket consecutively in the third quarter. Wilton led 41-27 at the end of three and closed out the victory 47-30.

In their second game, the 6th graders capped off a 2-0 weekend with another double digit victory on Sunday, Jan. 10. The Warriors defeated St. Theresa’s 49-37 in a balanced scoring attack. In the first quarter Wilton came out firing from three point land hitting four in a row with Craig Hyzy (9 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals) and Giller (5 points, 3 steals) leading the way. The Warriors claimed an early 9-point lead and held that in check by the play of Lynch (4 points, 7 rebounds) and Andrews (2 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks) at the end of the first quarter. Wilton led 18-10. With the transition game working very well to start the second quarter Eusebe (8 points, 2 steals, 5 assists) and Masterson (2 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists) found multiple teammates for easy buckets to keep a 20-14 lead at the half. The Warriors increased the lead to double digits in the third quarter with crisp passing and trapping defense. Woodring (11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals) and Kevin Hyzy (6 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals) took control as Wilton led 37-23 heading into the fourth quarter. St. Theresa’s hit four three pointers in the fourth but the high intensity play of Silva (2 points, 3 steals, 2 rebounds) and Mannix (3 steals) frustrated their opponent into numerous turnovers to seal the win for Wilton 49-37.

Wilton 5th/6th Grade Girls:  1 Win, 1 Loss

The 5th/6th grade girls team, sponsored by the Wilton Deli, came away with a split in this weekend’s games.

On Saturday, Jan. 9, the girls used a fierce second-half rally to erase a 10-point deficit and beat Greenwich 21-18. Grace Williams led all scorers with 10 points, including 8 in the pivotal fouth quarter while Kathleen Lamanna added another 7 points due to strong rebounding. Jaime Leventhal and Meghan Hanny contributed two points each, and a spirited defensive effort by Georgia Russnock and Charlotte Casiraghi helped spur the second half rally.

On Sunday, Jan. 10, the girls lost a tough game to Amity Force 15-14. Sawyer Pendergast (4 points) and Kathryn Cronin (2 points) helped give Wilton an early lead. Strong defense and rebounding from Madison Ratcliffe and Ally Giller and tough defense from Natasha Dinshaw helped keep the game close late in game. A last second shot fell just short keeping the girls on the losing side of a well fought game. Katie Umphred wasn’t able to play either game due to injury, but joined the team at home and on the road.

Wilton 7th Grade Boys:  3 Wins, 1 Loss

Wilton’s 7th grade boys’ basketball team, sponsored by Ackerly and Ward, was victorious in three out of four games this past weekend.

The team had a solid victory over the Milford Magic, 56-43 in the second round of the Bridgeport McGivney Center tournament. Wilton was led by Michael Coffey’s 12 rebounds and 8 points, Jimmy McKiernan’s 10 points, Alex Cocoros’ 10 points and 3 steals, Matt Gulbin’s 10 points and 5 boards, Matt Murphy’s 9 boards and 6 points, and Owen Lillis’ 6 points and 2 assists.

On Friday night, Jan. 8, Wilton lost to New Canaan 46-39. Six minutes into the game Wilton was down 10-0 before Cocoros hit two 3-pointers to kick start the offense. Wilton settled in to trail by only two points at halftime and then went on to take a 4-point lead early in the fourth quarter. However, Wilton again went cold from the field, with New Canaan scoring the final 11 points of the game to secure the victory.

On Saturday, Jan. 9, Wilton defeated a talented Trumbull Select team, 58-47. Cocoros’ four 3-pointers (12 points) and Kyle Burns’ two 3-pointers (12 points) fueled Wilton’s offense. Mack Kepner (6 points, 3 assists) stole the ball late in the game and then converted the lay up to help seal the win. Other key contributors included Coffey (11 boards, 9 points); Trevor Martines (8 points, 2 assists); Gulbin (2 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals); and Chase Autore (2 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal).

On Sunday, Jan. 10, Wilton defeated Newtown, 44-33. Wilton’s best defensive game of the season was ignited by Autore’s 4 steals (plus 2 points, 1 assist and zero turnovers). Wilton shared ball effectively, which resulted in balanced scoring:  Murphy 8 points (and 8 boards and 4 blocked shots); Coffey 7 points (and 10 boards); Kepner 6 points; McKiernan 6 points; Burns 6 points; Martines 6 points; and Lillis 1 point (and 2 assists).

Wilton is now 4-3 in FCBL league play and 15-4 overall.

Wilton 8th Grade Girls

The Wilton 8th grade girls basketball team’s weekend was highlighted by a tough 52-49 loss at league-leading Milford. Wilton was led by the incredible shooting of Zoe Rappaport (27 points), along with Fran Goncalves (6 points, 5 rebounds) and Nancy Lynch (6 points). The girls held on to the lead in the third quarter behind baskets by Caitlin Greef, Grace Cahill (4 points) and Fiona O’Brien (4 points).

The weekend started with a 40-23 loss to a strong Ridgefield team. Paula Perez (7 points), Rappaport (7 points) and O’Brien (6 points) led Wilton.

In Saturday’s loss to Fairfield, Wilton was led by the all-around play of Zara Wiest (6 points, 6 rebounds) and Perez (6 points). Rounding out the action was a tight loss on Sunday to Weston. Wilton was led by the perimeter play of Lynch and the inside presence of Goncalves and Wiest.