Housy lax places second in league tourney

Housy lax places second in league tourney

Runner-up trophy for the Western Connecticut Lacrosse Conference 2024 tournament goes to HVRHS.

Riley Klein

WATERTOWN — St. Paul Catholic High School defeated Housatonic Valley Regional High School 13-12 in the riveting Western Connecticut Lacrosse Conference championship game Tuesday, May 21.

The lead changed hands every quarter and the game came down to the wire. HVRHS had a scoring chance with less than 30 seconds to play, but St. Paul held strong and claimed the title.

HVRHS's Lou Haemmerle lines up against fellow all-conference midfielder Vanessa Longo.Riley Klein

This anticipated showdown between the top two WCLC teams featured a total of 10 all-conference players. St. Paul had six: Emily Walker, Jocelyn Kennedy, Vanessa Longo, Jaylie Hernandez, Corinne Mola, and Samantha Sein. HVRHS had four: Lou Haemmerle, Marissa Zinke, Sophie Nason, and Lola Clayton (injured for title game).

Played on neutral ground at John J. Mills Complex in Watertown, conditions were toasty at game time, about 83 degrees with high humidity and no shade. Ice packs were in high demand for players seeking relief from the heat during timeouts.

Sophie Nason kept HVRHS in the game by saving at least eight shots.

The score see-sawed throughout the game with neither team leading by more than two points at any time.

HVRHS led 4-3 at the end of the first quarter, but St. Paul was on top 9-8 at the half. The Mountaineers then reclaimed the lead, up 12-11 going into the final quarter.

Both teams were running on fumes by the fourth. St. Paul scored early to tie it up at 12. The Falcons scored again with seven minutes to play and proceeded to stall and drain the clock.

HVRHS had a chance to tie with seconds remaining.Riley Klein

With 30 seconds remaining Lou Haemmerle forced a turnover and sprinted the length of the field. The Mountaineers charged with time ticking away. Haemmerle sent a pass to the inside, which got broken up before reaching its target. A last-ditch shovel shot was blocked by St. Paul goalie Samantha Sein and the final buzzer blared. St. Paul won 13-12.

St. Paul was led in scoring by star midfielder Emily Walker with seven goals and two assists. Walker, due to graduate next month, scored more than 300 goals in her high school career. Vanessa Longo scored three, Jocelyn Kennedy scored two, and Gigi Arroyo scored one for St. Paul in the title game.

Marissa Zinke scored four times for HVRHS. Lou Haemmerle scored three times with three assists. Tessa Dekker and Isaly Sheil scored twice, Chloe Hill scored once. Sophie Nason had at least eight saves (according to the tally of a Lakeville Journal reporter).

Sportsmanship prevails.Riley Klein

Latest News

Rhys V. Bowen

LAKEVILLE — Rhys V. Bowen, 65, of Foxboro, Massachusetts, died unexpectedly in his sleep on Sept. 15, 2025. Rhys was born in Sharon, Connecticut, on April 9, 1960 to Anne H. Bowen and the late John G. Bowen. His brother, David, died in 1979.

Rhys grew up at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, where his father taught English. Attending Hotchkiss, Rhys excelled in academics and played soccer, basketball, and baseball. During these years, he also learned the challenges and joys of running, and continued to run at least 50 miles a week, until the day he died.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kelsey K. Horton

LAKEVILLE — Kelsey K. Horton, 43, a lifelong area resident, died peacefully on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, at Norwalk Hospital in Norwalk, Connecticut, following a courageous battle with cancer. Kelsey worked as a certified nursing assistant and administrative assistant at Noble Horizons in Salisbury, from 1999 until 2024, where she was a very respected and loved member of their nursing and administrative staff.

Born Oct. 4, 1981, in Sharon, she was the daughter of W. Craig Kellogg of Southern Pines, North Carolina, and JoAnne (Lukens) Tuncy and her husband Donald of Millerton, New York. Kelsey graduated with the class of 1999 from Webutuck High School in Amenia and from BOCES in 1999 with a certificate from the CNA program as well. She was a longtime member of the Lakeville United Methodist Church in Lakeville. On Oct. 11, 2003, in Poughkeepsie, New York, she married James Horton. Jimmy survives at home in Lakeville. Kelsey loved camping every summer at Waubeeka Family Campground in Copake, and she volunteered as a cheer coach for A.R.C. Cheerleading for many years. Kelsey also enjoyed hiking and gardening in her spare time and spending time with her loving family and many dear friends.

Keep ReadingShow less
Eliot Warren Brown

SHARON — On Sept. 27, Eliot Warren Brown was shot and killed at age 47 at his home in New Orleans, Louisiana, in a random act of violence by a young man in need of mental health services. Eliot was born and raised in Sharon, Connecticut, and attended Indian Mountain School and Concord Academy in Massachusetts. He graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He and his wife Brooke moved to New Orleans to answer the call for help in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and fell in love with the city.

In addition to his wife Brooke, Eliot leaves behind his parents Malcolm and Louise Brown, his sisters Lucia (Thaddeus) and Carla (Ruairi), three nephews, and extended family and friends spread far and wide.

Keep ReadingShow less
Randall Osolin

SHARON — Randall “Randy” Osolin passed away on Sept. 25, 2025, at the age of 74. He was born on Feb. 6, 1951, in Sharon, Connecticut to the late Ramon (Sonny) and Barbara (Sandmeyer) Osolin.

He was a dedicated social worker, a natural athlete, a gentle friend of animals, an abiding parish verger, an inveterate reader, and an estimable friend and neighbor. He was a kind-hearted person whose greatest joy was in helping someone in need and sharing his time with his family and good friends.

Keep ReadingShow less