It was quite a fall season for the Hornet Nation with teams and individual athletes garnering plenty of distinction. Leading the way, of course, was the varsity Football team, which made school history in repeating as New England Prep Football Champions. Coach Joe Linta's team also repeated as Fairchester Athletic Association Champions, while coming up just one game short of a repeat undefeated season. Luke Schoonmaker, AJ Repollet, David Spitz, and Billy Porto were named FAA All League. Spitz, Porto, Repollet, and Schoonmaker were also named to the Western New England All Star team as was James Sansone. Nick Bailey, Jordan Benoit, and Klyde Aubu earned Honorable Mention. Michael Johnson was awarded the "Sonny Coughlin" Award by the New Haven Football Officials Association, and Luke Schoonmaker was also named Walter Camp 1st Team All State. Schoonmaker has signed to attend and play at D1 powerhouse Michigan, while David Spitz has also signed for Harvard.

        Despite being saddled with various injuries down the stretch, Girls Soccer reached the New England Tourment Championship Final. Senior goalkeeper Miranda Iannone, who will play at Cornell next year, was named to the CT All State Team and WWNEPSAA All Star squad. Top scorer Lexi Cornacchia was named to the Boston Globe All Scholastic Team. Cornacchia, Iannone, and May Cervone were named FAA All League, with Eve Brannin earning Honorable Mention.

        The much improved Field Hockey program made its first appearance in a New England tournament since 1994. Senior Justyna Breuler was named to the New England and Western New England All Star Teams.

        The winter athletic season has begun and the varsity Wrestling team has hit the mat with a powerful showing at the annual Derby High School Invitational Tournament. Coach Blair Tugman was quite proud of the squad's efforts, saying, " We might be small in numbers, but we are a tight knit group and eager to improve. Looking forward to the next competition."
       
        Junior Dylan McNamara led the way, going 3-0 on the day to capture the gold in the 132 lb. category! It is Dylan's first high school tournament championship, and he is already 12-0 on the season. Fellow juniors Wynn Veiga took 3rd Place at 145 lbs. and Gabe Vucelic-Frick took 4th place at 170 lbs. Senior Reese Perrone took home the bronze at 182 lbs, while senior Ethan Fuco did not place, but wrestled well at 152lbs.

Howad A. Nielson, Hamden Hall Class of 1943, died on September 21, 2017. Hamden Hall extends condolences to his wife Jean.

To read full obituary, please click here.

Alum Howard Lackman, Class of 1944, died on November 26, 2017. Howard was the brother of Elaine Lackman Smith, Class of 1946. Hamden Hall extends condolences to Howard's wife Annette.

To read Howard's obituary, click here.

After more than three decades in Hamden Hall’s College Counseling Office, beloved administrator Fred Richter will relinquish his full-time status as director of the department opting instead for a two-year part-time post.

The talent that resounds within Hamden Hall’s vocal and instrumental programs was on display as far south as Florida recently, while 29 students back home scooped up coveted spots in the state’s Regional Honor Choir.

Hot off the press! Michael Barbaro, Class of 1998, was featured in the Nov. 14, 2017, People magazine issue.

Dorothy B. Rich, grandmother of alumni Nolan Rich, Class of 2009, and Ellen Rich. died on November 29, 2017. Dorothy was also the mother of Hamden Hall faculty member Bruce (Claire) Rich. 

The Hamden Hall community extends condolences to the Rich family. To read full obituary, please click here.


 

Darren Payen, Hamden Hall Class of 2012, signed a contract to play professional basketball in Spain for Club Baloncesto Benidorm

In 2006, Bob Thompson’s doctors considered him a “medical anomaly” and since that time, they have come to agree with this 1967 Hamden Hall alumnus that a higher power has been watching over him.

        Though the varsity football team did not go undefeated, they rebounded with purpose from their lone defeat against Berkshire School and dominated previously unbeaten Proctor Academy to win the Wayne Sanborn Bowl on Friday evening at Worcester Academy by the score of 26-0. There was literally a swarm of Hornets on the field, as both schools claim the same mascot and both schools' colors are forest green and white. However, our Hornets stung their opponents early with a first quarter touchdown by Jordan Benoit on a 9 yard blast through the Proctor line aided by some great misdirection. That would be the only score of the first half in an initially tight contest. However, in the third quarter HH first cashed in on a Proctor fumble with Sal Rosa recovering and dashing for a 55 yard scoring run. Benoit then ran in another score from 12 yards out and finished the game with a total of 112 yards rushing. Senior David Spitz closed out the scoring with a 16 yard run. Meanwhile, the likes of Billy Porto, Mike Polansky, AJ Repollet, Tre Breland and Clyde Auba helped shut down the Proctor Hornets throughout the game. 
        Having repeated as Fairchester League champions, this victory to also repeat as New England champs is the perfect send off for an outstanding group of seniors. Congratulations to Paddy Cooper, Ryan Delfini, Mike Gulia, Michael Johnson, Reese Perrone, Mike Polansky, AJ Repollet, Andrew Rice, Sal Rosa, Luke and Jack Schoonmaker, Davis Spitz, Mike Wajdowicz, and Chris Wright, as well as manger extraordinairre, Marissa Consiglio. You will all be sorely missed next year. But do not assume it will be a rebuilding year in 2018. There is a talented core returning, and Coach Linta and the staff will likely be pushing them hard for the "threepeat".

Click here for a look at Jordan Benoit's first TD run.

Congratulations and best of luck to the Girls Soccer team who will be playing in the New England Class D championship game thanks to a gritty 1-0 win over Christian Heritage! The Hornets, seeded #3, had beaten Brimmer & May on Wednesday and earned a semifinal visit to the #2 seeded Kingsmen of Trumbull on Saturday. The Hornets had lost a close one to Heritage earlier in the year, and this game was not much different, as the Hornets made the slim one goal margin hold up. The girls play #4 seeded Vermont Academy, who dominated the #1 seed Watkinson, so expect a very physical match up. The final will be held on Sunday at 1:00 at Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor.

Twelve Upper School students recently attended the Amnesty International Regional Conference held at the Albany Law School in New York.

Hamden Hall will be well represented in the New England invitational tournaments this week. On Wednesday, Girls Soccer hosts Brimmer & May School at 2:00 at the Skiff St. fields. The Hornets are seeded #3 and hope to buzz past the #6 seeded Gators from Newton, Mass. If they advance, they would play on Saturday in a semifinal, with the championship final at Loomis Chaffee in Windsor on Sunday. Field Hockey, one of the most improved teams this fall, is seeded #7 and will play #2 seeded Holderness School from the New Hampshire Lakes Region. The Hornets will face off against the Blue Bulls at a neutral site, Cushing Acadmey, on Wednesday at 2:15 in north central Massachusetts. Finally, the Football team has been selected to play in the Wayne Sanborn Bowl. They will play Proctor Academy, also from the Lakes Region. Our Hornets, at 9-1, will face off against Proctor's undefeated (8-0) Hornets on Friday evening at 5:00 at Worcester Academy in Worcester, Mass. Both schools' colors are also forest green and white, so be sure you know who you are rooting for if you go to the game, as Hamden Hall tries to repeat as New England champions. But for now, it's still safe to say "Go Hornets!"

Our eighth-graders kept the mailman busy this month as students received personalized letters from their peers in Bangladesh.

Madeline “Mady” Gobrecht, Hamden Hall Class of 2007, reports that she and her husband, Greg Moviel, are expecting their first child at the end April.

Barbara Greenberg, mother of Hamden Hall alum Glen Greenberg, class of 1985, died on November 9, 2017. Hamden Hall remembers the Greenberg family during their time of sorrow.

To read full obituary, please click here.

Hamden Hall alum Peter Votto, Class of 1994, has died. Peter was the brother of Lisa Votto, Class of 1995. Hamden Hall extends deep condolences to the Votto family. To read full obituary, click here.

Hamden Hall faculty member Bud Kohler was at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, on Parents Weekend Oct. 28.

As a child, Dr. Lisa Hill says she was fascinated by museums and often spent time reading the accompanying plaques displayed at each exhibit.

In their first community service project of the school year, Lower Schoolers collected nearly 400 pairs of socks that will warmly cover the feet of those less fortunate in the Greater New Haven area.

Watered-down learning in the form of engineering, coding, and designing is taking place twice a week after school for members of the new Middle School Robotics Team.

Yvette Ferneini, grandparent of Christina Ferneini, Class of 2011, died on October 29, 2017. The Hamden Hall family extends deepest condolences to the Fernini family.

To read obituary, please click here.

Chris Colihan-Grillo, Hamden Hall Class of 2004, is living in Berkeley, Calif., and has joined the ranks of Google!

Veronica Coughlin, wife of the late Sonny Coughlin, Hamden Hall Coach, and mother of Lance Coughlin, Class of 1984, died on October 9. To read obituary, please click here. Hamden Hall extends deepest condolences to the Coughlin family.

Thanks to Herb Emanuelson, Class of 1982, for sharing photos of his classmates and friends who celebrated 2017 Reunion with a ride on the Elm City Party Bike.

Thanks to Hamden Hall alumnus Gary Greenberg, Class of 1982 (center), who is lead writer for Jimmy Kimmel Live, several Hamden Hall alumni went live Oct. 16 in Brooklyn with the taping of the show.

Three Hamden Hall alumni are showcasing their talents in Exchange, a Broken Umbrella Theatre production.

Teachers Alexis Harris and Emily Anderson envisioned actual robots descending upon their third-grade classroom when Librarian Kathy McNeiece reached out about computer science education via “Finch Robots.”

Enjoy snapshots from 2017 Reunion gatherings.

Larry Sowinski, father of Zach Sowinski, Class of 2012, died on August 21, 2017. The Hamden Hall community is sorry for the family's loss.  

To read obituary, please click here.

William "Bill" Keating, father of Claire Keating Rich and father-in-law of Bruce Rich, died on Friday, October 6. Bill was the grandfather of Nolan Rich, Class of 2009, and Ellen Rich, Class of 2010. The Hamden Hall family extends deepest condolences to the family.

To read obituary, please click here.

Click here to visit their Sideout campaign page today:

Classmates and pals of Gary Greenberg, Class of 1982, know he’s a funny guy—lead writer for Jimmy Kimmel Live. But did you also know he’s turned songwriter?

Empowering our Lower School teachers with knowledge is what Hamden Hall Literacy Consultant Christine Cohen says will best ensure that students become proficient, lifelong readers.

Michael Vlock died on September 29. He was the father of Allison Schwartz, class of 2004, and Dana Schwartz, class of 2007. The Hamden Hall community extends condolences to the family.

To read Michael's obituary, click here.

Victor Richer, Class of 1949, recently took a walk down memory lane at Hamden Hall.

Hamden Hall Country Day School celebrated excellence under the pines with the induction of 10 beloved educators into the Perennial Pines Society Sept. 10. The honorees, each retired with 30-plus years of service, were honored at a celebration brunch held in the Lender Refectory. Collectively, they taught at Hamden Hall for more than 300 years!

On Friday, September 15th, the ADL visited Hamden Hall to work with middle school boys and girls in separate sessions.

The Honorable William L. Hadden Jr. died on September 17, 2017. He was the father of Hamden Hall alum William Hadden III, class of 1977. To read full obituary, please click here.

The 2017 fall season is underway, and there is plenty of buzz about the Hornets thus far.

        The Football team has looked extremely solid in their first two contests. Despite having lost standouts such as Justice Antrum, Corey Millhouse, Cam Kranich, and Melvin Wells, Coach Linta and the team are not rebuilding; they are reloading! After cruising past Capitol Prep of Bridgeport 44-26 last week, the Hornets faced off against Poly Prep of Brooklyn, NY under the Skiff St. lights on Friday evening. Hamden Hall has not played Poly for decades; they had once been an opponent as part of the NY Ivy League. However, Poly outgrew the league to become a dominant prep school force in the region for years. Though they have dropped a notch or two, they still represented a serious early challenge for the Hornets in their quest to extend their record unbeaten run and repeat as champions.
        It took just one play from scrimmage for the Hornets to establish their dominance, with quarterback Nick Bailey hitting Mike Gulia for a 55 yard TD strike. Tre Breland, who just recently joined the squad as a kicker, wideout, and defensive back, made good on the point after attempt; he would notch 5 PATs and make a leaping interception on the evening. Next, Bailey scrambled out of the pocket to heave a 52 yard TD to Luke Schoonmaker. The junior QB was all poise when he then followed up with a 45 yard scoring pass, this time to senior David Spitz . The visiting Blue Devils did not crumble under the barrage, however, and went deep themselves to bring the score to 20-7 at the end of the first quarter. But Bailey countered with two drives and punched the ball in himself to extend the lead to 33-7 at the half. The two sides traded scores as the second half unfolded, including another Spitz TD pass, this time from Schoonmaker, who took a spell behind center.
        Toward the end, the crowd went wild on two electric plays that illustrated the impressive power and ruthless speed of the Hornet attack. First, on a kickoff return, the Hornets pulled some razzle-dazzle ball exchange on the run that completely fooled both the opponents as well as the fans, with Spitz dashing some 85 yards for his third TD. Then, just after the Hornets had been pushed back deep from a questionable offensive interference call, Luke Schoonmake demonstrated why the University of Michigan has recruited him, as he broke through the line and shifted into another gear en route to an 85 yard TD run of his own to finish the scoring at 52-27.
        Almost lost in the 657 total offensive yards was the superb work on both sides of the ball by the guys on the line. Billy Porto, Michael Johnson, AJ Repollet, and Michael Polansky, to name a few, were relentless. New junior Klyde Auba led the team with 10 tackles.
        The Hornets play their first Fairchester League contest when they face off against Rye Country Day. The game is away at 12:00 next Sunday because of no school on the religious holiday in the middle of the week.

        The Field Hockey squad is making plenty of noise of their own in the early stages of the season, as coach Emily Anderson has got the Hornets buzzing. They beat the St. Luke's Storm soundly 5-1 last week. On Wednesday they cruised past local rival Cheshire Academy 3-1, with senior Amanda Carroll, sophomore Molly Anderson, and junior Karis Curtis tallying the goals. On Saturday, the girls made a road trip to Rhode Island to play the Lincoln School, but came up just short in a 5-4 loss. The JV held the hosts to a 0-0 stalemate. After a recent rebuilding phase, the Hornets now enjoy solid contributions from a good number of experienced veterans such as Justyna Breuler, Maisa DellaValle, Kayleigh Giles, Cassie Delfini, and Alex Johnson. The team face another away trip, this time to Springfield, Mass. to play Wilbraham & Monson Academy next Saturday.

        Though neither soccer team has notched a win yet, they have both shown promise in their early games. The Girls Soccer is led by outstanding senior goalkeeper Miranda Iannone, who is off to play at Cornell next fall. Most of the rest of the defense also returns, including Eve Brannin, Gia and Danielle DiRuba, and Gabi Cervone. With the addition of Abby Malin, they have proven to be a resilient bunch in their first two contests. Lexi Cornacchia, who has dropped back to help the midfield, Adell Vann, May Cervone, and 8th grader Ellie Moffat form the core of the offense.  Last Saturday, they had the unenviable task of opening up at crosstown rival Hopkins. While the defense held strong, the Hornets managed to sneak one in off a scramble to take a 1-0 lead at halftime. However, the Hilltoppers eventually wore down the Hornets and also benefited from a few key mistakes to come out on top 3-1. On Wednesday, the girls hosted Rye Country Day, a squad they had lost to for five consecutive years. The game saw flashes of brilliance from both sides, with the Hornets getting perhaps the better chances. However, the two defenses refused to budge, resulting in a 0-0 draw. Though not a victory, new head coach Chuck Salvi appeared quite proud of the exhausting effort.

        Boys Soccer look to improve over last year, and have a nucleus of seniors that are working hard.  Senior Trevor Baer has proven himself to be brave netminder with quick reflexes. Other seniors like Ethan Springhorn, Kyle Horton, and Martin Pastor ramp up the energy on the field. Josh Torello and Max Sinoway, along with junior Joe Lucci and sophomore Timmy Neumeister, patrol the defense. The team does not quite have an identity yet; however, the influx of talented freshmen such as Johar Varma, Liam Kohler, Joe Tenedine, and Spencer McCleary, along with returning sophomomre Chase Lilly, give coach Doug Cunningham's team a chance to develop into a more cohesive unit. The boys dropped their opener 5-2 to Master's School before battling Christian Heritage to a 0-0 draw. On Saturday, the boys showed some flashes, but were dominated by Hopkins in a 4-0 loss.

        Volleyball is currently 1-2, having defeated Wooster 3-1, but falling to Holy Child and St. Luke's by a 3-0 margin in both contests. Cross Country ran well but came up short at Chase Collegiate. Details on both programs and further updates will be forthcoming.

Welcome to our 128 new students! As we embark on a new school year, we can’t help but marvel at many of the exciting initiatives and happenings on our campus that have come to fruition while our school community was on summer hiatus. Check out our Top 10!

Click here to view a pictorial of our Top 10!

Nobel laureates on hand at Hamden Hall Country Day School discussed science literacy in America’s classrooms as well as the ethics related to scientific discovery.

Please check the fall preseason schedule for the most updated times and locations.

Thank you.

Go Hornets!!

Fall Preseason Sports

With education a “top priority” in the Letizia family, John and Laurie Ann opted for the Hamden Hall Experience for all three of their children. 

Andrew Acquarulo Sr. died on August 8, 2017. He was the father of Hamden Hall Trustee and past parent, Andrew (Pam) Acquarulo Jr. He was also the grandfather of Hamden Hall alums Blake Acquarulo 2012 and Alex Acquarulo 2014. The Hamden Hall community is saddened by the family's loss.

To read Andrew's obituary, please click here.

Gayle Floyd Richter, Hamden Hall class of 1961, died on August 7, 2017. The Hamden Hall Community is saddened by the family's loss. 

To read the full obituary, please click here.

Robert L. Sandagata died on Monday, July 31. He was the father of Rob Sandagata, class of 1994 and the grandfather of Connor Sandagata, class of 2017. Hamden Hall Community extends sympathy to the Sandagata family.

To read full obituary, please click here.

Hamden Hall is pleased to announce that former Headmaster James “Jim” Maggart has remembered our school in his estate planning.

Donald "Dewey" Robert Worms died on Sunday, July 16. Dewey was the father of Katie Worms Donroe, class of 1998. The Hamden Hall Community is sad to learn of the family's loss.

To read full obituary, please click here.

Phyllis Moreau Carroll, mother of Bill Carroll, Hamden Hall class of 1979, died on May 10. The Hamden Hall community is sorry for the family's loss.  

To read full obituary, click here.

Hamden Hall alumnus Robert W. “Bucky” Buckingham, Dr.PH., Class of 1962, has published his 12^th book, Understanding Loss and Grief for Women: A New Perspective on Their Pain and Healing.

Science Department Chair Gina D’Angelo spent a week immersed in biology at a recent conference at Phillips Exeter Academy.

In an emotional message to seniors, former Lower School Director and Commencement 2017 keynote speaker Andrew Niblock advised students to “figure out what gives you hope,” especially during those times when life throws you a curveball.

Called the “fun” class, sixth-graders officially advanced to the Middle School on Tuesday, June 6, following commencement exercises in Taylor Performing Arts Center.

Josie Maynard, Hamden Hall Class of 2015, had an exciting time at the NCAA's this spring representing Williams College where Josie just completed her sophomore year.

Ben Fried, Hamden Hall Class of 2009, has received high recognition by NASA for his work on a space project.

Tricia Richardi, Hamden Hall Class of 2007, and Jeffrey Vaillancourt were married April 15, 2017, in Palmetto, Fla., at a little bed and breakfast.

Jonathan Mix and Bob Fischbach of the Hamden Hall Class of 1968 are teaming up to remind alumni that the Cecil and Mary Jane Beaupre Scholarship is ongoing...

        Austin DeMartino, Class of 2015 and a sophomore at Connecticut College, enjoyed a terrific spring as part of the Camels' track and field team. Austin placed 5th with 5,137 points in the decathlon at the New England DIII Championship, helping Conn finish 15th out of 32 colleges. This personal best earned Austin a selection to the All New England team. At the end of the season, Austin was also named to the 2017 NESCAC Spring All-Sportsmanship Team. The team is composed of one student-athlete from each institution for each sport that the conference sponsors. Honorees are selected by the players and coaches from their respective teams. 
Congratulations to Austin, who is also able to share success with younger brother, Michael, a freshman on the Camels' basketball team.

        Josie Maynard, Class of 2015, certainly carved quite a niche at Hamden Hall, excelling in the classroom, on stage, and on the athletic fields. Now a sophomore at Williams College, Josie has developed a passion for crew, and helped the Ephs capture second place last week at the NCAA DIII crew championships in West Windsor, New Jersey. In the number 2 position on the V2 boat, Josie helped the Ephs edge Ithaca College, while falling just short of top ranked Bates. Maynard had also helped power Williams to a 2nd place finish, just a half second behind Bates, at the National Invitational Rowing Championships the week before. Josie is standing second from the left at the medal presentation in the attached picture.

Click here to read more on Josie and the Williams crew.

From soap (one family donated 200 bars!) to toothbrushes, Lower School students embarked on a “Bathroom Brigade” for their final community service project of the year.

Richard Fitol, grandparent of student Abbey Catalano, Class of 2020, died on Friday, May 26. The Hamden Hall community is sorry for the family's loss.

Michael Barbaro, Hamden Hall Class of 1998, gives Hamden Hall and his 1998 classmate Ross Douthat a "shout out" in this interview about his podcast. Warning: It's a mention of the dynamic duo's "underground" writing days at Hamden Hall--ha ha!

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/06/01/insider/inside-the-daily-with-michael-barbaro.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur&referer=https://t.co/reMPXUt2lt?amp=1

Christopher Engstrom, Hamden Hall art teacher from 2006 thru 2008, died on May 7, 2017. The Hamden Hall community is sorry for the family's loss. To read Christopher's obituary, click here. 

Lindy Lee Gold, Hamden Hall Class of 1962, will be recognized by the Anti-Defamation League with a special award for a lifetime of community service on June 13 at the ADL’s Greater New Haven Torch of Liberty event. 

Austin DiMartino, Hamden Hall Class of 2015, was selected All-Sportsmanship for Connecticut College Men’s Track and Field.

       Congratulations to seventh grader Ben James, who finished 4th in the annual Kingswood-Oxford Invitational golf tournament, which is considered the New England tournament for prep schools. Ben shot an impressive 71, just two strokes from winning the tournament. Having already won the Fairchester and Fisher's Island tournaments, this finish marks one of the strongest season performances ever by a Hornet golfer. Just imagine how far he can go in the next five years! Congrats as well to Coach Kaliszewski and the entire squad on a fine season.

        The Hornets continued their quest for a first ever New England title, defeating a stubborn Cheshire Academy squad 13-10 in a semifinal matchup at home on Wednesday afternoon. The Cats entered the game with high hopes, having won in the quarterfinals against King School, the team that had recently edged the Hornets in the FAA tournament. Led by former HH coach, AJ Raccio, the Cats tried to make it a physical battle from the start. The Hornets, however, responded with a well balanced offensive display and pulled out to a 9-4 lead by halftime. The Cats responded in the third quarter to close the gap; however, the Hornets never relinquished the lead and secured the victory as the teams exchanged goals down the stretch. Sophomore Luke Tomak led all scorers with 6 goals. Senior Cam Kranich chipped in 4 more, while Corey Millhouse scored two and Griffin Elliott added one more. Each of those players also provided an assist. Freshman goalie, Sam Jewett, was once again solid between the pipes, making 11 saves.

        The Hornets, top seed in the West, now faces off against Pingree School from North Andover, Mass., the top seeded school from the East. The game will be hosted by Wrocester Academy on Friday at 2:00. Good luck to the team, Coach Warnock, and the rest of the coaching staff.

Six HH seniors were honored at last week's Senior Day down at the Skiff St. fields. Ed Xue was accompanied by his mom, Lan, and will be attending U Maryland in the fall, majoring in Physics. Tim Bradley was accompanied by parents Elizabeth and John. Tim will attend Yale University next fall and major in History. Ian Tolis was escorted by parents Julie and Ted; he will attend Fairfield next year, majoring in Finance. Captain Luke Wilcox walked with his parents Jodie and John. Luke will also be majoring in Finance and Quantitaive Methods at Babson College. Captain Dan Soliwoda was escorted by parents Donna and Andy, and intends to major in Finance at Quinnipiac U this fall. Finally, captain Ian Fagan was accompanied by parents Pauline and Kevin. Ian will be doing at post graduate year at Bridgton Academy next year.
         Included are a few shots taken from a drone overhead.

        It did not take too long for the Boys Lax team to rebound from their bitter 15-14 loss to King School in the FAA tournament semifinal last week. The Hornets unleashed a ferocious offensive display as they dispatched St. Luke's 21-13 in the first round of the New England Small School Tournament on Monday at home. The #1 seeded Hornets squelched the St. Luke's Storm with a gale force performance in which 8 different players scored. Unsurprisingly, cousins Corey Millhouse and Luke Tomak led the attack with 6 goals each. Matt Stapleton added 3, Cam Kranich 2, and Griffin Elliott, Miles Cogdell, Sal Rosa, and Sam Tomak scored 1 apiece. The Hornets also provided plenty of assists to demonstrate their well balanced team attack: Luke Tomak 5, Elliott 3, Kranich 2, Cogdell 1, Chase Lilly 1, and Jackson Lalonde 1. Standout freshman goalie, Sam Jewett, recorded 16 saves, and senior Melvin Wells also stepped in between the pipes and made a save as well.

        The Hornets now host the Cats of Cheshire Academy in the semifinal game on Wednesday at 5:00.

Lauren Hale, Hamden Hall Class of 2005, was awarded her Sixth-Year degree with a Master’s of Science in Educational Leadership and Administration at Fordham University in May.

Brendan Ruby, Class of 2008, was recently presented the Dr. Bernard E. Rudner Memorial Award at a ceremony at the NYU School of Dentistry in New York City. 

Hamden Hall’s 105th Commencement Exercises take place June 9 at 5 p.m. with Valedictorian Eylul Akman and Salutatorian Lauryn Aliwalas at the helm for the Class of 2017, which comprises 71 students.

The annual Mystic Festival featured student-led activities by our fourth- and fifth-graders showcasing the knowledge they’ve learned over the course of the school year. 

For two decades, Jim Craddock’s seventh-grade math students have been “raisin’ the roof” – along with a teacher or two.

        The Varsity Golf team is a very respectable 9-6 so far this season. The winning record reflects a solid team effort in a sport known for individual play. A number of individuals, such as juniors Max Sinoway and Chris Izzo, have made positive contributions throughout the season. Last week the team ventured out to Fishers Island where the team finished fourth in the annual tournament hosted by the local high school. But the day belonged to 7th grader Ben James, who was the tournament medalist, shooting a 75.  On Monday the Hornets played in the FAA Championship down in New Canaan.  The team finished 5th overall, but incredibly Ben won again, tying for 1st place with a 78 in really windy conditions. The team finishes the season off with the KIT, essentially the New England tournament, next Wednesday. Can Ben pull off a high school Grand Slam?! Good luck to Coach Kaliszewski and the entire team.

        The Girls Varsity Tennis Team is having its best season in many years.  The team is currently 6-4, with 2 very winnable matches remaining.  Singles players Christina LoRicco, Co-captain Hannah Flamm, and Shaw Metler all boast winning records, and have contributed to several dramatic come from behind victories against schools that the Hornets have usually lost to, such as Miss porter's. The number one doubles team of Alexa Smoko and senior co-captain Silverdew Shi has been together for 3 years, and both players have improved in all aspects of their game, recording impressive wins.  The other three seniors- Julie Tan, Jing Shi and Shelly Shi- have also improved, largely thanks to their dedication to the sport.  All have recorded significant wins, and Shelly and Jing have both had great wins at singles. Newcomers Ting Wei Pu, Olivia Calderella, Abby Catalono and Helen Liu are welcome additions, and have contributed to our success at # 2 and #3 doubles.

John King, father of Hamden Hall alum Lt. Commander Zachary S. King USN 1996, passed away on May 13. John was predeceased by his wife of 47 years, Maureen “Mo” King, just five weeks ago. The Hamden Hall community is sorry for the family's loss.

To read full obituary, please click here.

Alexandria "Alex" Wells, Hamden Hall Class of 2009, recently discussed her path to study medicine with students at an Upper School student assembly.

In April, Maria Kozdroy, Class of  2014, earned the Jean R. Beers Scholarship from the Society of Women Engineers Connecticut Section, Region F for excellence in scholastic achievement and extracurricular activities. 

The Hamden Hall community has lost one of its legendary retired staffers today.

Jay Moran, Class of 2015, was recognized at Trinity College’s 67th Honors Day Ceremony with an academic award for his outstanding achievement in organic chemistry. 

Charles Piasecki, grandfather of Vivian Vigliotti, Hamden Hall Class of 2012, and Alex Vigliotti, Hamden Hall Class of 2015, passed away on May 7, 2017. Charles is the father of Mary Rose Vigliotti, wife of Hamden Hall alum John Vigliotti, class of 1984.

To read full obituary, click here.

Nick Linta, Class of 2013, recently raised more than $2,000 for the children at St. Jude’s Hospital.

Hamden Hall’s fourth annual MayFest will be a cultural arts smorgasbord with live music, student-driven plays, and a chalk art exhibit on the blacktop outside of the Upper School Art Studio.

Cortina Duckenfield Orr, Past Parent of  Bradley Orr, Class of 2011, passed away on May 1, 2017. Please click here for full obituary.

Michael E. Wieziolowski, grandparent of Joseph Sapiente, class of 2013, and Spencer Sapiente, class of 2017, passed away on April 12. 2017.

To read full obituary, click here.

John Roche passed away on April 23. He was the parent of faculty member Ann Kohler, and grandfather of Braedon Kohler 2014, Riley Kohler 2020, and Liam Kohler, 2021.

To read full obituary, please click here.

“Coach Doherty has very large shoes to fill, but we are confident that Sean will do a great job coaching the varsity team and building the new basketball club. The Beckerman Athletic Center is such a wonderful facility, and to be able to offer top clinics and camps to Hamden Hall student-athletes as well as to non-Hamden Hall students of all ages by someone of Sean’s caliber will be truly unique for the Greater New Haven area,” said Head of School Bob Izzo.

Thomas "Tom" Sheridan, past parent of Scott Sheridan 1998 and Stacey Sheridan 2000, passed away on April 25. Tom was also a former Hamden Hall girls' lacrosse coach and substitute teacher.

To read Tom's obituary, click here:

After her performance at the Parents' Association's Broadway Over Easy on April 22, Stephanie Stiefel Williams, Class of 1983 (center), is all smiles with two BFFs from Hamden Hall, 1983 classmate Cynthia Gordon-Burns and Maria Esposito Prota, Class of 1982.

Hamden Hall’s 105th Commencement Exercises take place June 9 at 5 p.m. with Valedictorian Eylul Akman and Salutatorian Lauryn Aliwalas at the helm for the Class of 2017, which comprises 71 students.

Emily Perrins Chaffee, Class of 1947, passed away on July 1, 2016.

To read Emily's obituary, click here.

Zachary Bayer, Hamden Hall Class of 2013, was named a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, the international honorary society for business students.

Young people seemingly would find it difficult to work with potato chips and not have the urge to taste test a handful or two. Not so with our third- and sixth-graders, who recently underwent the Pringles Challenge and came away from the project without a single chip consumed.

Anthony Castellon Jr., Hamden Hall Class of 1984, passed away on April 12.

To read Anthony's obit, please click here.

Lucille Amatulli, mother of Hamden Hall Director of Development and Alumni Relations Jodi Amatulli and grandparent of 2007 alum Lucy Lavely, passed away on April 9.

To read Lucille's obituary, please click here.

http://www.gametimect.com/boys-basketball-beckerman-resigns-restoring-respectability-hamden-hall-program/

Ida Amato Luciani, grandparent of Lacy Luciani Zuffelato, Class of 2000 and Topper Luciani, Class of 2001, passed away on March 14, 2017 at the age of 103. Ida was the mother of Hamden Hall Past Trustee V. Topper Luciani. Click here to read full obituary. 

The English Department hosts noted writer Andre Dubus III for a reading of his work and a discussion of the writing process for the inaugural lecture of what will be an annual Visiting Writer program. The Visiting Writer program will coincide with our new Junior Writing Portfolio program.

Colin Caplan, Class of 1997, owner of Taste of New Haven, is at it again--offering a new twist on the streets of the Elm City. 
Click here:http://www.nhregister.com/general-news/20170401/seven-eager-pedalers-power-first-ever-tour-of-the-elm-city-party-bike-in-new-haven

The United States might have taken the title, but our own former Hornet baseball player, Josh Zeid, put on an impressive display while playing for Israel in the recent World Baseball Classic tournament. The New Haven Register wrote that "Zeid was a stud on the mound for Team Israel, working 10 innings of shutout ball, allowing just five hits while striking out 10."
        A highlight was Zeid's three inning closeout in Israel's opening win against South Korea. Israel went on to defeat Chinese Tapei, Holland, and Cuba before bowing out against Japan, a game in which Zeid again was virtually untouchable for 4 innings. 
        His outstanding pitching earned him plenty of notice. He was one of only three pitchers to gain a spot on the WBC All-Tournament team. In addition, Josh's gritty work on the mound resulted in a minor league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals, though he admitted that doing his best for Team Israel was his main focus. The contract offer was "icing on the cake", Zeid said. Josh currently lives in Houston where he last pitched for the Astros, but at the age of thirty, he is eager to extend his baeball career. He will start the season with the Cardinals' Triple-A club in Memphis, and we wish him all the best.

As their freshmen group members painted wooden body pieces and attached limbs to their DIY robots, Peer Leaders Julia “Jem” Marriott and Miles Cogdell initiated a discussion about the words each group had ascribed to their robot – from “Dream Big” to “Love,” “Hope,” and “Faith.”

Spackling and painting aren’t usually associated with spring break, but nine Upper School students and two faculty members picked up brush and putty knife as part of a volunteer effort with Habitat for Humanity.

Following his pitching success at the All-World Baseball Classic for Team Israel, alumnus Josh Zeid, Class of 2005, signed with the St. Louis Cardinals and is with the club at spring training in Jupiter. 

Rita Giammattei Notarfrancesco, grandparent of fellow alum Keron Incarnato class of 1991, passed away. To read Rita's obit, click here.

Many folks have a hankering for smoothies, but one Hamden Hall alumnus put his personal palate to a professional test.

The Hamden Hall Country Day School Alumni Association is pleased to welcome Lindy Lee Gold, Class of 1962, as an “official” member of the council.

Fellow alum Adolph Rosenblatt, class of 1951, passed away on February 16, 2017. To read Adolph's obituary, click here.

Hamden Hall alumni recently came together at the Baltimore Center Stage to catch the act of another alumna in a production of White Snake.

The swim season drew to a close with the New England Championships hosted this year on Saturday by Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts. Plagued by continuous illnesses, as well as the commitment to the winter musical, the team still managed to display a hearty spirit at the marathon meet. Kudos to the Boys team, which finished at an all time high. A good number of swimmers, in fact, recorded personal bests in many events. With a relatively small senior class, Coach Ken Pierson expects the program to be even stronger next year. 

Autumn Boyce (10), Eve Brannin (10), Aly Cooper-Ghee (10), Riley Kohler (9) Julia Aiello-Moore (10), Julia Pandolfi (9), Liam Kohler (8), Tim Bradley (12)

        Last Saturday, the varsity swim team competed in the Bud Erichs Invitational meet hosted annually by Hopkins. Unlike most regular season meets, in which HH swims against schools in the same division, the Hopkins meet includes all classes and some of the best prep talent in the state. Both boys and girls squads finished 10th, with plenty of quality individual results. Congratulations, in particular, to 8th grade standout, Duncan Farquharson and senior Elli Wargo, who finished near the top in several events. Coach Ken Pierson noted that many swimmers scored personal bests as their improvement continued.

Boys Highlights:
Aaron Ang: 11th 100 Fly & 21st (out of 78) 50 Free
John Bazaar: 15th  500 Free & 100 Breast
Duncan Farquharson: 4th 100 Back
Ronnie Khanuja: 11th 50 Free & 18th 100 Free 
Demir Uslu: 10th 500 Free & 11th 200 Free
200 Medley relay of Ang, Farquharson, Khanuja, & Michael Ferneini finished 6th
200 Free relay of Ang, Uslu, Tim Bradley, & Sage Giacomini finished 9th

Girls Highlights:
Liv Caldarella: 16th (out of 87!) 50 Free
Shaw Mettler: 26th 500 free
Julia Pandolphi 20th 500 Free
Natalie Pinela: 8th (out of 20) Diving
Jing Shi: 11th 50 Free & 18th 100 Free
Elli Wargo: 4th 200 Fly & 8th 200 Free
Shi, Caldarella, Wargo, & Maddy Malin also took 8th in the 200 Medley relay & 11th in the 400 Free relay.

The team finishes the season with the New England Meet at Deerfield on Saturday. Good luck to all the swimmers.

Avery Giorgio, Class of 2013, has recently achieved a little bit of visibility, both on the field and off. A senior at Holy Cross, Avery was recently elected one of the captains for the Crusaders' womens lacrosse team, where she features at center and on attack. Prior to the Superbowl, Sports Illustrated wrote a feature article on Amanda Belichick, the daughter of the famous Patriots' coach, and Avery's head coach at Holy Cross. Avery is quoted several times in the article, and appears in one of the photos (#17 with her back turned unfortunately, but with the telltale auburn hair). 
        While Avery plays with intensity on the field, she also shows an entirely different side, as she appears for Cortland Cashmeres in their clothing catalogue. You can click on the link below to see her on several pages. Search for items such as the "Mila" and "Vicki" (click a second time at each page for the full picture) to see our stylish alum.

Click here for the Sports Illustrated article.

Click here for the link to the Cortland Cashmeres catalogue.

        Congratulations to sophomore Ishmael Williams on a strong showing at the National Prep Wrestling Tournament that is annually held at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. Entered in the formidable 195 lb. category, Ish won one match with an impressive pin before falling in double elimination. Ish continues the tradition of outstanding wrestlers from our small HH program, such as Bun Lai, Mike Crocco, Brian and Ben Kerzner, Kiernan Griffin, Matt Piselli, and Will Lamb, who have competed with the best at the State, New England, and even National level.

A Yale epidemiologist’s presentation to eighth-grade science classes enhanced the lesson plan by putting in perspective students’ recent studies of chemical and biological water contamination.

Fellow Hamden Hall Alum Peter Vincent, class of 1958, passed away on November 18, 2016. To read Peter's obituary, click here.

Please note, playback volume is loud due to the crowd noise.

Donald Perlroth Passes Away

Past Parent Donald Perlroth passed away Feb. 11. He was the father of Marc Perlroth, Class of 1985. Click here to learn more.

Dr. Lawrence Solomon, father of David Solomon, Class of 1995, passed away in December 2016.
To read more, click here:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/nhregister/obituary.aspx?pid=183202537

        The girls basketball team ended the regular season on an up note with a home win over Holy Child by the score of 53-41. With senior Kimmy Goulbourne making her first start of the season, the Hornets quickly took full control right from the opening basket. The score at halftime was 25-17 in favor of the Hornets; and they continued to hold the feisty Gryphons at bay throughout the second half. In her final home game Courtney Joshua was a monster on the boards with 8 rebounds. Shannon Rhone finished with 9 points, 6 assist and 2 rebounds. Kai Clemons led all scorers with 21 points, 5 steals and 6 rebounds, while Jenna Berens added 11 points and 14 rebounds.  
        The team faces the Masters School away at Dobbs Ferry, NY on Tuesday in the opening round of the FAA tournament. Good luck to Coach Borelli and the squad.

Jennifer Highsmith Brooks, Class of 1999, and her husband, Larry, “welcomed a beautiful and healthy daughter named Savannah Alexis Brooks” on Feb. 10. 

Ursula Lawder passed away peacefully on Jan. 31, 2017, at 80 years of age. She taught art in the Lower School of Hamden Hall for many years.

        The swim team came within just a few points of sweeping the annual CISAC meet. Though they did not take any firsts in individual events, the boys team won out thanks to plenty of depth and a consistent performance from top to bottom. Congrats to Sage Giacommini, Demir Uslu, Aaron Ang, and Tim Bradley for winning the 200 free relay.
        The girls also swam well, taking the gold in six of the events, but came up just eleven points short to rival Westover. Congrats to Elli Wargo, Jing Shi, Maddy Malin, Julia Pandolfi for earning top spots, and a special shout out to seventh grader Sinead Masterson, who helped win one relay and won two individual events! The teams travel to Masters School in NY on Friday before preparing for the Bud Erich State meet at Hopkins next weekend.

Boys    1. Hamden Hall 130    2. Williams 84    3. MacDuffie 32
200Free Relay HH 1:47.93 Sage Giacomini, Tim Bradley, Aaron Ang,Demir Uslu

Girls  1. Westover 398  2. Hamden Hall 387  3. Williams 244  4. MacDuffie 100
200 Medley relay HH 2:05.23 Maddy Malin, Sinead Masterson, Elli Wargo, Jing Shi
200 Free Elli Wargo HH 2:03.99
200 IM Sinead Masterson HH 2:33.15
100 Fly Eli Wargo HH 1:02.72
100 Breast Sinead Masterson HH 1:19.05
400 Free Relay HH 4:09..99 Jing Shi, Julia Pandolfi, Maddy Malin, Eli Wargo

Dragons often represent a mighty opponent in the midst of a quest. On Tuesday evening, both the boys and the girls basketball squads took on the Dragons of rival Greens Farms Academy in search of advancing in league competition, and came out on the winning end.
        Having narrowly lost at GFA earlier in the year, the boys were out for revenge, as well as the chance to wrestle second place away from their FAA foes. The Hornets looked sharp in the early going and climbed out to a double digit lead, only to see the Dragons rain down three pointers to come back and seize a one point lead at halftime. The visitors were seemingly just as deadly in the second frame and ended up hitting 11 threes on the night! However, their inside game was just as powerful, and the Hornets could never seize true control of the contest. The two heavyweights traded punches throughout the remainder of the half, with neither team going very deep into their respective benches. The game went to overtime where the Hornets finally prevailed for the 72-69 victory. Dan Draffan led the team with 17 points, and was a huge presence under the basket to counter GFA's inside game. TJ Rountree added 14, Chris Wright had 13, and Andrew Rice 11.
        Meanwhile, down in Westport, the Lady Hornets repeatedly stung the host Dragons into submission, winning by the score of 47-39. The Hornets led at halftime by the score of 24-20, and continued to apply the pressure throughout the second half as well. With 5 minutes left and already up 14 points, the girls sealed the game with key defensive stops and clutch free throws. Kai Clemons led all scorers with 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 steals. Jenna Berens chipped in 13 points,14 rebounds and 3 blocked shots. Courtney Joshua had a huge game on the glass with 14 rebounds. Cassi Smith and Mimi Ramos played great defensive, denying GFA's tough point guard.

Click here for a quick highlight video from Channel 8.
       
A good night for the dragon slayers!
        

        Varsity ice hockey player, Mitchell Swick, also works as a hockey referee with the youth leagues. He was recently invited by the Shoreline Sharks to help run a clinic that taught the players about how referees look for various infractions. The clinic was filmed as part of the weekly web show Gotta Love CT Hockey. Though only a freshman, Mitchell looked very composed in front of the camera and adroitly handled all the questions put to him by the players. He also demonstrated his clear understanding of the rules while quizzing the players on various game situations. During the broadcast, Mitchell acknowledged that his favorite pro player is Bruins' defenseman, Zdeno Chara. So perhaps one day NESN, the Bruins television network, might come calling for Mitchell to replace their longtime commentator, Andy Brickley.

Click here to view Mitchell's episode called Official Revue.

         The swim team found itself deprived of many of its swimmers due to illness and the Model UN conference on Saturday. Nevertheless, the team drew upon its considerable depth to remain competitive in hosting Kingswoood-Oxford and Marianapolis Prep. Coach Ken Pierson's squad got some needed help from a number of middle school standouts including Duncan Farquharson, Daniel and Jacob Ostapenko, Eva Boyce, and Liam Kohler. 
Final Results:
Boys: Kingswood-Oxford  135  Hamden Hall 97  Marianapolis 43
Congrats to freshman John Bazaar who took the gold in the 100 breast at 1:15.20, and to Ronnie Khanuja, Demir Uslu, Jacob Ostapenko, and Duncan Farquharson for winning the 400 free relay at 4:03.69

Girls: Kingswood-Oxford 107  Hamden Hall 85  Marianapokis 45
Kudos to Elli Wargo who captured the 200 free at 2:03.53, and the 100 butterfly at 1:01.93, while she, Maddy Malin, Priscilla Kozdroy, and Julia Pandolfi won the 400 free relay at 4:31.66. Eva Boyce added a gold in the 200 IM at 2:49.45

The girls varsity hoops squad continued to battle till the end in every recent contest and demonstrated great character, win or lose. On Wednesday, the Hornets faced off against Kingswood-Oxford from West Hartford. They had lost earlier in the season by thirteen at the Wyverns' annual invitational tournament back in December. At home this time, the team went down 23-7 at one point early in the first half; however, the Hornets went on a 17-4 blitz to close out the first half. The second half remained close throughout as the girls gave it their all. Unfortunately, K-O scored a basket as time expired to pull out the win 56-55. Kai Clemons had 25 points and 6 rebounds. Cassi Smith added 15 points for the Hornets, and Alex Johnson added 11 rebounds. They still struggled again on another long road trip last week when visiting FAA foe Masters School of Dobbs Ferry, NY. The Hornets started well and enjoyed a brief lead, but eventually fell to the Panthers 42-31. Despite the drawbacks, the girls have continued to demonstrate the improvement they have made over the season.

        Regardless of season record, however, nothing is more arguably thrilling than the annual showdown with the crosstown rivals. This certainly applies to the Hamden Hall v. Hopkins rivalry. Last Wednesday, the Hornets traveled over to the Hill to top the Hop in their own building 43-41. Both teams dug deep on defense, and baskets were relatively few, resulting in a halftime score of 23-17 in favor of the Hornets. The Hilltoppers chipped away throughout the second frame to make it a one possession game. They had the ball under the basket with 6.8 seconds left with the chance to tie, but the Hornets got the stop to preserve the well deserved win. Jenna Berens led the Hornets with 19 points and 17 immense rebounds. Courtney Joshua also swept the glass, adding 12 rebounds. Kai Clemons had 10 points for the Hornets. It will take a little bit of digging round to find the last time the Lady Hornets have lost to Hopkins; Coach Borelli remains undefeated against them in her seven years at the helm. Congrats to all the coaches and the team for their terrific efforts.

As the outnumbered English bemoan their anticipated fate before the Battle of Agincourt, Shakespeare's young, confident Henry IV bolsters their confidence and pride when he declares, "We few; we happy few; we Band of Brothers..." Probably no phrase better fits the 2016-17 wrestling team, under the guidance of Coach Adam Arterbury, as they have proven themselves to be a fierce squad of only six sophomores and one junior.
        On Saturday, the team traveled to the Salisbury School in northwest CT for the annual WNEISWA prep State Meet and ended up taking home 4 medals! Junior Reece Perrone took sixth place at 182lbs. and Wyn Veiga did the same at 143lbs. Dylan McNamara took the 5th place medal at 126lbs. The Hornet standout, of course, was Ishy Williams who battled the 5 time champion from Trinity-Pawling in the final. Taking the champ to the limit, Ish finished second and took home the silver medal at 192 lbs. This feat, in addition to Ishy's title as Fairchester League Champion, marks him as one of the best, young prep wrestlers around. He will certainly get the opportunity to prove himself further when he, Reece, and Dylan, who also qualified, travel next weekend up to the Hyde School in Bath, Maine for the New England championships. For such a small team we did extremely well (finishing ahead of rival Hopkins on team points). And even if the numbers remain relatively few, this Band of Brothers will continue to go the distance in the years to come.

Blaire De Natale (who attended Hamden Hall in Lower School and we happily claim as a 2004 alumna!) married Rob Truitt on Sept. 24, 2016.

Ben Hogan

Two Hamden Hall students placed seventh in the Connecticut Middle School Debate League Winter Tournament out of 61 teams.

The Upper School Math Team completed its regular season last month, finishing second among the 18 teams. Post-season “play” commences April 6 when the team competes against other Connecticut small schools in the state competition.

Master’s of Dobbs Ferry NY, tied with Hamden Hall for third place in the League, came to play and that was evident in the first half as the Hornets tried to adjust to their taller opponent. Led by two foreign players (6’9 and 6’8 from Africa) Masters kept the Hornets off balance most of the first half as they altered several shots or blocked them with their height advantage and defensive effort led by Abdu Ndalge and Ugu Kaski. The Hornets had problems driving to the baskets and getting the ball inside, but kept driving hopefully to get fouled and force their big men to the bench. The strategy paid off as both players picked up their third foul with a minute to go in the first half. Masters had led by as many as 10 points in the first half of play as the Hornets scratched away at their lead with their big men in trouble. 6’7 Senior Dan Draffan began to make his presence known with 12 points (including 6 for 7 from the charity stripe) and 6’2 Senior TJ Rountree hitting for 10 points and managing the offense, ended the half with Masters Leading 33-32. In the Second half 6’3 Junior Andrew Rice who was the Spark Plug of the Defense and who had three fouls in the first half was back in action after sitting most of the first half . He was now creating havoc for Masters. Andrew had a steal and scored a three point play that put Hamden Hall in the lead 35 to 32 at the start of the secondhalf. Rice had 4 steals and scored 11 points in the second half and was a major problem for the team from the Hudson Valley NY. The game was close as both teams traded baskets. That kept the game at a score of 41 to 40. Then Hamden Hall went on a 12-0 run as one of the big men from Masters fouled out and the second one was to follow two minutes later. Vin Baker Jr. had a great night scoring a double/double for the first time in a HornetUniform with 23 points and 10 rebounds. The 6’7 Junior hit two key three’s (including 16 in the second half) during that run. That kept the pressure on the team from Dobbs Ferry and the score was now 53 to 40 Hornets. Hamden Hall kept the pressure on and increased their lead to 18 points with less than a minute to go and the game ended with the score- 71 52 Hamden Hall. TJ.Rountree in a race to break the School Record held by Assistant Coach Dan Olgesby for three’s in a Season was held Scoreless from the three point arc. He has 56 and the record still stands at 68. It was clear that the Hamden Hall Defense was the difference as they held their Opponent to just 19 points in the Second Half that earned them their 13th victory of the Season. The Hornets have now won eight consecutive games. Box Score: Baker-6-3-2/4-23pts.Draffan-5-0-8/9-18pts.TJ.Rountree-5-0-3/7-13 pts.Rice-5-0-2/4-12 pts.Villano-0-0-2/2-2 pts. Brown-0-0-2/2-2 pts. Wright-0-0-1/21pts. A.Rountree-0-0-0 Walters-0-0-0.M.Wright-0-0-0. Pettway-0-0-0.Schoonmaker-0-0-0 21-3-20/30-71 pts. Leading Scorer-Baker-23 pts. Leading Rebounder-Baker-10 and Draffan-10 Leading Assists-TJ-Rountree-9 Leading Steals-Rice-6 Record 13-4 (7-2) This is a difficult weekend playing Masters Friday Night and again facing the Undefeated St.Luke’s early Saturday afternoon the Next Day. Especially after a week layoff, but that is all part of the game. The Season Continues…………

Mark Porto, Hamden Hall Class of 1994, has been appointed general Counsel for EMCOR Building Services.

With two big wins last week, boys varsity basketball is on a roll of seven straight victories, and are poised to make a run in the Fairchester League. Nothing beats a Friday night showdown against crosstown rival Hopkins. And though the game might have lacked the drama associated with so many previous match ups with the Hilltoppers, the Hornets' explosive power provided plenty of enjoyment for the home crowd at the BAC. After a shaky start, the Hornets went on a 14-0 run and then shifted into an even higher gear as they raced to a 45-29 halftime lead. The visitors had no answer for the dominating inside play of senior Dan Draffan, who scored 17 of his career high 25 points in the first frame. The intermission provided no relief for the Hop, as Vin Baker (21 points) and TJ Rountree (21 points, 10 rebounds) helped pitch a shutout for the first two minutes while extending the lead to 53-29. Every team member then enjoyed some playing time, while savoring the year's sweep of Hopkins in front of a boisterous home crowd. The final score was 88-56. With this win, the Hornets are now 12-4, and third place in the FAA at 6-2.

        The confidence displayed on Friday likely was a result, in large part, of grinding out a hard fought 68-62 win on Wednesday when the Hornets faced off against Brunswick in Greenwich. The team has come up short for the last five years when playing on the Bruins' home court, but the Hornets were tenacious all night, led by junior Andrew Rice who recorded an impressive set of numbers: 21 points,15 rebounds, 6 steals and 3 assists, as well as a perfect 6 for 6 from the foul line. Utilizing their trapping defense, the Hornets enjoyed an early 12 point lead. However, Brunswick remained composed and responded with solid outside shooting, leaving the court at halftime trailing 35-27. The Hornets could not shake the hosts when play resumed, as the Bruins hit seven threes and pulled to within four points with just over two minutes to play. The teams traded scores (more threes by Wick) to make it 65-62 with 40 seconds remaining. But the Hornets finally put a bearhug of their own on the host's hot shooting, and Dan Draffan put it away with a score as time expired.

        The boys play two games this weekend; first on Friday when they host Masters School from NY. On Saturday they travel to New Canaan to play first place St. Luke's who is undefeated in the Fairchester League. A win there would throw the league championship wide open for the remainder of the regular season.

The Season Continues……..

April Amelin, Hamden Hall Class of 1996, and Colin Caplan, Hamden Hall Class of 1997, exchanged wedding vows Dec. 27, 2016. 

        On Saturday evening, the girls varsity basketball team defeated Miss Hall's School from Pittsfield, MA by a convincing 57-47 score. It was the Hornets who were the more powerful force, as they squelched the visiting Hurricanes with their smothering defense and up temp offense. Kai Clemons was a maelstrom all by herself, scoring 18 points, 5 rebounds and 9 steals. Jenna Berens was another standout, adding 18 points, 17 rebounds and 2 blocks. Shannon Rhone had 14 points and 8 assists. 

        Unfortunately, the girls were unable to come out on top Wednesday evening when they lost to FAA rival Greenwich Academy 65-58. After the visiting Gators clawed out a somewhat comfortable lead, the Hornets stormed back to pull within a basket late in the contest, before falling short at the end. Kai Clemons again led the Hornets with 18 points and 8 steals. Shannon Rhone had 13 points, and Miangela Ramos added 10 points.

        The girls travel across town to face off against archrival Hopkins next Tuesday at 4:30, and would love a swarm of fans to see them sting the Hilltoppers.

The swim team enjoyed a successful tri-meet on Wednesday at the BAC. The Girls defeated Wilbraham & Monson Academy, as well as Williams. The boys also came out on top over The Blues, but fell to a strong Titan squad. 

Girls
Hamden Hall 127  Wilbrham & Monson 123  Williams 65
Hornet 1st place finishers:
200 Medley Relay HH  2:06.49 Maddy Malin, Jing Shi, Elli Wargo, Olivia
Caldarella
200 IM Jing Shi HH 2:40.52
50 Free Olivia Caldarella HH 28.02
Diving Natalie Pinela HH 192.20
100 Fly Elli Wargo HH 1:10.32
500 Free Elli Wargo HH 5:30.94
400 Free Relay HH 4:12.24 Shi, Caldarella, Malin, Wargo

Boys
Wilbrham & Monson 112  Hamden Hall 96  Williams 89
Though the boys did not capture any golds, they scored well throughout the meet with the depth of the squad.

The establishment of an official Robotics Club is a first for the Hamden Hall community despite last year’s “unofficial” team, which finished in fourth place at an inaugural international competition.

Alison I. Stein, Hamden Hall Class of 1999, has been named a partner in Jenner & Block, a law firm of international reach with more than 500 lawyers.

Kristen Fasano Sharpe, Class of 2006, and her husband, Andrew, announce the birth of their first child, Griffin James Sharpe.

Alexis Highsmith Smith, Hamden Hall Class of 1997, has been named executive director of the New Haven Legal Assistance Association.

They say there's nothing like "home cooking" when it comes to enjoying the advantage of playing at home in an athletic contest. No long bus ride, plenty of cheering fans, and maybe even a few friendly calls from the officials. The typical meal served in the English orphanages of Dickens's time was an oatmeal called gruel; a very plain and unappealing entree. So pardon the pun, but the girls varsity basketball team's recent run of four straight away trips against Fairchester opponents was truly grueling.
        The unsavory start was a tough loss to a very good St Luke's team by the score of 67-31. Mimi Ramos had 10 points and 5 rebounds for the Hornets. Three days later, the girls traveled down to Rye where they held their own till the end in a 55-45 loss to the Wildcats. Shannon Rhone had 12 assists, while Jenna Berens added 17 points and 12 rebounds. Undaunted, they squared off last Tuesday in Stamford against King School. With Kai Clemons leading the way with an impressive 33 points, 8 steals, 5 blocks, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, the Hornets bested the Vikings 58-47. Jenna Berens added 12 points and 17 rebounds, and Courtney Joshua added 4 points and 8 rebounds. One more trip south to Greenwich on Friday evening saw another great effort, but the girls fell short against Convent of the Sacred Heart 56-51. Credit to the resilient squad and to Coach Borelli and her staff for their grit. But it is understandable if the girls do not emulate Oliver Twist and ask for more. 

Click here to see media coverage of the Hornets rebuilding this year after the departure of stars Naomi VanNes and Rachel Menze.

Congratulations to T.J. Rountree, who scored his 1,000 career point in a recent 82-54 win over Redemption Christian Academy. The senior co-captain needed just one minute to reach the millenium scoring mark and thereby become a member of the "Hornets' Nest". Rountree, Dan Draffan, and Vin Baker helped the Hornets secure a 40-30 halftime lead. In the second frame, Redemption's 6'10" center got into foul trouble and the Hornets pulled away. The Hornets shot an impressive 70% in the second half. Rountree was the top scorer with 19, while senior Pasquale Villano has a career high 11. Rountree now joins past greats like Danny Oglesby, Casey Hughes, Scott Draughn, Harry Stanley, Mike Massey, and BJ Davis in the elite scoring club.

        The varsity swim team enjoyed a successful week. On Wednesday, the girls defeated both Canterbury and Westover, while the boys swam well but were edged by the Saints. On Saturday they were hindered with a list of absences due to both various bugs going around, as well as the conflict with regional chorus, and fell just short of Westover, while beating MacDuffie in an exhibition.

Wednesday:
Girls
Hamden Hall 107 Canterbury 95 Westover 90
HH Firsts:
200 Medley Relay HH  2:07.03 Maddy Malin, Jing Shi, Ellie Wargo,
Olivia Caldarella
200 Free Wargo HH 2:04.23
200 IM Shi HH 2:36.43
Diving Natalie Pinela HH 174.65
100 Fly Wargo HH 1:01.32
100 Back Malin HH 1:14:76
400 Free Relay HH 4:13.00 Shi, Caldarella, Malin, Wargo

Boys: Canterbury 103 Hamden Hall 64
HH Firsts:
100 Fly Aaron Ang HH 1:03.45
100 Back Duncan Farqharson HH 1:03.83

Saturday
Westover 145  Hamden Hall 120  MacDuffie 13
Girls Firsts:
200 Free Julia Pandolfi HH 2:28.55
100 Fly Ellie Wargo HH 1:02.73
500 Free Wargo HH 5:38.65
100 Back Maddy Malin HH 1:15.17

Happy Birthday to Tom Geirin, Hamden Class of 1951, who turned 83 on Christmas Day, 2016. 

Broadway performer Keven Quillon showed off his dance moves and choreographed a number for Grease, the Upper School musical currently in production, during a guest appearance over the weekend. 

Young alums returned to campus last week and attended a typical Friday assembly followed by lunch – as was the norm when they were students on campus.

On Friday, the Middle School kicked off its Life is Delicious program. Three advisor groups prepared a large meal for the 65 clients of the Columbus House Overflow Shelter. After the cooking was over, the eight students slated to head to the shelter helped to prepare gift bags donated by 7th grader Michael Jones and his mother, Kiku Jones. The gift bags (100 of them!) contained socks, gloves, some food, and other thoughtful items needed by New Haven's homeless. Michael has collected the items each of the last five years; he started a program called "Bridge Socks" after witnessing as a seven year old the conditions the homeless people of his town faced. Although we won't be able to put together the special gift bags for every trip to the shelter, we will serve dinner on three more occasions this winter. We continue to be especially grateful to Christine Fontana, former co-president of the Parent's Association, for all she does to make this project a success.

Sahar Nowrouzzadeh, Class of 2001, has gone on to have a distinguished career in foreign policy and recently completed two years of service at the White House. 

        Coach David Beckerman assured his squad that the trip to Florida would include plenty of sun and fun, but he also warned them that they would be facing some elite competition at the Kreul Showcase Tournament. Unsurprisingly, the savvy coach was right on target on both counts. The team enjoyed a great vacation while facing off against three tough prep school programs. They opened the tournament with a well deserved 72-67 win over Rise Prep from Canada. It was a nip and tuck affair, with the teams tied at halftime. Gradually the Hornets assumed a slim lead that they managed to protect throughout the second half. TJ Rountree led the scoring with 20, and Vin Baker tossed in 18, while Dan Draffan grabbed a team high 9 rebounds.

        Playing their next opponent, Central Park Christian Academy from Birmingham, Alabama, seemed like matching up against a college team. The Hornets dug in and made it a tough low scoring battle throughout the first half. Both offenses opened up at the start of the second half, but as the Hornets got into foul trouble, the CPC big men took control of the boards at both ends of the court, pulling away for a 62-47 final result. In their final game, the Hornets faced TRC Academy, another Canadian powerhouse that boasted three post- grad players who had already declared to Division I programs. The Hornets never quit and kept the game close for three quarters. As TRC pulled away at the end, the younger bench players gained plenty of experience while holding their own down the stretch in the 62-42 loss. Though they had finished third in their bracket, the Hornets had given a good account of themselves. TJ Rountree was named to the All Tournament team.

        The Hornets hope to convert the Florida trip into an experience that will help the team gel as they dive full time into their FAA league competition. They are 5-4 overall and currently hold a 2-2 record in the league. Look for the Hornets to contend mightily throughout January and February.  

        As the rest of the school prepared for a return to school, the Girls Varsity Basketball team opened the new year with a thrilling 47-45 victory over the traveling Sandvika Basketball club of Norway on Monday afternoon at the BAC. Kai Clemons led the way with 17 points, scoring the game winner with 6.4 seconds left. Shannon Rhone added 15 points, while Jenna Berens added 7 points, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 5 steals for the Hornets. 
        The girls improved to 3-5 on the season, having come up short up against several bigger WNEPSAA squads to start the campaign, and finishing 1-2 in the annual Kingswood-Oxford Invitational at the start of winter break. They face a grueling four straight Fairchester games on the road in the coming two weeks, but the relatively young squad has quickly matured and begun to create a true team identity under the outstanding tutelage of Coach Megan Borelli and her staff. 

        Just in case you thought the winter sports scene at Hamden Hall was all about basketball, Coach Steve Harris's young hockey team has already begun to make noise, as they opened the season by winning the Milford Holiday Classic Jamboree over the break. The Hornets opened up with a convincing 10-0 win over the host Milford Indians. They then fell short to Wilton 2-1 before rebounding with a 3-2 win over Newtown and a 4-1 victory over SWS (Staples/Weston/Shelton) in the semifinal. In the final the team ground out a tough 1-0 win over Hand HS of Madison to capture the trophy. Congratulations to Coach Harris and the team. 

Hamden Hall has maintained a rich tradition of athletic excellence, reflected by the many league and New England trophies and banners on display. Our championship teams play schedules that include many opponents far larger than us, demonstrating our ability and willingness to compete with anyone. Another part of that tradition is the significant number of scholar-athletes who go on to play at the collegiate level. On average, ten percent of each graduating class has gone on to play in college. Last year's Class of 2016 (81 grads) has no fewer than 15 playing this year! We are proud that so many of our grads can earn both academic and athletic success at the highest level, a great reflection on the Hamden Hall experience. The accompanying photo was taken at the Hampton Inn West Springfield/Naismith Classic where Mike DiMartino ('16) from Conn College ran into Rachel Menze ('16) from Springfield.