Another year of cheers for the Mountaineers

HVRHS soccer congratulated Ava Segalla for scoring against Thomaston soccer Oct. 17.
Riley Klein

HVRHS soccer congratulated Ava Segalla for scoring against Thomaston soccer Oct. 17.
FALLS VILLAGE — In 2024, Housatonic Valley Regional High School athletes succeeded in every season.
Girls basketball set the tone early. The junior varsity squad won a mid-season tournament against regional teams. HVRHS took down Dover High School, Northwestern High School and Indian Mountain School to claim victory.
The girls varsity basketball team carried the team’s success into the postseason with an upset victory over Nonnewaug High School in the quarterfinal round of the Berkshire League Tournament. HVRHS’s Kylie Leonard locked down Nonnewaug’s star Ireland Starziski from start to finish to help secure the win.


In the spring, girls varsity lacrosse continued with a championship appearance in the Western Connecticut Lacrosse Conference tournament. The Mountaineers lost a nailbiter 13-12 to St. Paul Catholic High School. Marissa Zinke, Lola Clayton, Lou Haemmerle and Sophie Nason were each selected to the All-Berkshire League team.


Track and field athletes took strides later in the spring at the Class S state meet. Kyle McCarron placed 3rd in the 1600-meter run and 4th in the 3200-meter run. Ava Segalla and Anthony Labbadia each placed in the high jump in 2nd and 5th respectively.
When summer rolled around, HVRHS swung in the off-season with a championship victory in the regional Babe Ruth League summer baseball tournament. The team, composed of Mountaineers aged 13 to 16, defeated Barkhamsted 6-5 at Veterans’ Field Aug. 1.
“I don’t care if we’re up by 10 or down by 10, they’ve got the same look on their face. That’s what distinguishes a champion from an ordinary player,” said Coach John Conklin after the win.
When school was back in session, the success kept coming.

Both boys and girls varsity soccer teams qualified for Class S postseason tournaments. The girls earned the best regular season record in the Berkshire League at 13-2-1. For the boys, Manny Matsudaira was selected All-Berkshire League and for the girls, Ava Segalla, Mia Dodge and Lola Clayton earned the league honors.
In cross country, HVRHS was well represented in the Class S meet in Manchester Saturday, Oct. 26. The Mountaineers had seven boys and six girls attend. HVRHS seniors Kyle McCarron and Gabi Titone both earned all-state status and qualified for the State Open Meet.

HVRHS volleyball qualified for the Class S state tournament this fall and sophomore Sydney Howe earned All-Berkshire League team recognition.
As winter sports get underway, hopes are high for varsity basketball. For the boys team, the full starting line up from last year is returning along with several newcomers. The girls will look to continue previous success despite the loss of senior captains Anne Moran and Haley Leonard.
A new sport was added for the winter season in 2025: indoor track. HVRHS’s running talent will stay active through the cold with several invitational meets during the season.

CORNWALL — At the recommendation of the Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department, on Jan. 20 the Board of Selectmen voted to move forward with the purchase of two new trucks.
Greenwood Emergency Vehicles, located in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, was chosen as the manufacturer. Of the three bids received, Greenwood was the lowest bidder on the desired mini pumper and a rescue pumper.
CVFD’s Ian Ridgway sat on the truck committee and said Greenwood was not just chosen for the price, but also for the design of each vehicle. He said their models had a shorter wheelbase and more ground clearance, as well as extra storage space on board, compared to the next best bid.
After $100,000 in discounts offered by Greenwood, the combined purchase price for both vehicles was shown to be $1,200,408. The delivery time was estimated at 15 months.
CVFD raised $600,000 during its recent fundraising campaign, of which $500,000 will be given to the town to buy the trucks. That figure will be paired with $720,000 in town truck fund reserves. The additional donated funds will be used to outfit the trucks with equipment and tools.
“I want to praise the town of Cornwall,” said CVFD President Dick Sears. “We’re able to buy these beautiful new pieces of equipment courtesy of the tremendous citizenry of this town.”
FALLS VILLAGE — Robin Lee Roy, 62, of Zephyrhills, Florida, passed away Jan. 14, 2026.
She was a longtime CNA, serving others with compassion for more than 20 years before retiring from Heartland in Florida.
Robin loved the beach, sunshine, and gardening, and was known for her strength, humor, and unwavering support of those she loved.
She is survived by her daughter, Sierra R. Zinke, and brothers, Darren Roy and Todd Roy.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Sharon Thomkins Roy and Robert Roy, and her brother Nevin Roy.
No services will be held at this time.
SALISBURY — Marjorie A. Vreeland, 98, passed away peacefully at Noble Horizons, on Jan. 10, 2026.She was surrounded by her two loving children, Richard and Nancy.She was born in Bronxville, New York,on Aug. 9, 1927, to Alice (Meyer) and Joseph Casey, both of whom were deceased by the time she was 14. She attended public schools in the area and graduated from Eastchester High School in Tuckahoe and, in 1946 she graduated from The Wood School of Business in New York City.
At 19 years old, she married Everett W. Vreeland of White Plains, New York and for a few years they lived in Ithaca, New York, where Everett was studying to become a veterinarian at Cornell. After a short stint in Coos Bay, Oregon (Mike couldn’t stand the cloudy, rainy weather!) they moved back east to Middletown, Connecticut for three years where Dr. Vreeland worked for Dr. Pieper’s veterinary practice.In Aug. of 1955, Dr. and Mrs. Vreeland moved to North Kent, Connecticut with their children and started Dr. Vreeland’s Veterinary practice. In Sept. of 1968 Marjorie, or “Mike” as she wished to be called, took a “part-time job” at the South Kent School.She retired from South Kent 23 years later on Sept. 1, 1991.Aside from office help and bookkeeping she was secretary to the Headmaster and also taught Public Speaking and Typing.In other times she worked as an assistant to the Town Clerk in Kent, an office worker and receptionist at Ewald Instruments Corp. and as a volunteer at the Kent Library.
“Mike” loved the sun, sand and water and spent many summers at Westport Point, Massachusetts with the kids and their best friends, the Bauers.She was the consummate hostess, and a wonderful cook.She also appeared in several plays with The Sherman Players and also a show or two on special occasions at The Kent Community House.She took enjoyment from working outdoors doing chores around her home in North Kent.She lived in that house until she sold it and bought a condominium on North Main Street in Kent in May of 2003.She lived in the condo until 2018 after which her light began to fade and her last 8 years were spent comfortably at Noble Horizons.
“Mike” leaves behind her children, Richard (Susan) of Lakeville, her daughter Nancy Rutledge (Jim) of Salisbury; two grandchildren, Chandra Gerrard (Sean) of Litchfield, Matthew (Larissa) of Lakeville; three great grandchildren, Addison, Emilia and Everett, all of Lakeville.
She was predeceased by her beloved granddaughter Caroline in 2020.
All services are private.The Ryan Funeral Home, 255 Main St., Lakeville, is in charge of arrangements.
To offer an online condolence, please visit ryanfhct.com
SALISBURY -— Rafael A. Porro, 88, of 4 Undermountain Road, passed away Jan. 6, 2026, at Sharon Hospital. Rafael was born on April 19, 1937 in Camaguey, Cuba the son of Jose Rafael Porro and Clemencia Molina de Porro. He graduated from the Englewood School for Boys in Englewood, New Jersey and attended Columbia University School of General Studies. Rafael retired as a law library clerk from the law firm of Curtis, Mallet Prevost in 2002 and came to live in Salisbury to be nearer to his sister, Chany Wells.
Rafael is survived by his sister, Chany Wells, his nephew Conrad Wells (Gillian), and by numerous cousins in North Carolina, Florida, Wyoming, Arizona, Cuba and Canada. He was the eldest of the cousins and acknowledged family historian. He will be greatly missed.
A memorial service will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church in June. Memorial contributions may be made to Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service, St. John’s Episcopal Church in Salisbury and Scoville Memorial Library.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.