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

A scenic 32-mile loop through Litchfield County

Whenever I need to get a quick but scenic bicycle ride but don’t have time to organize a group ride that involves driving to a meeting point, I just turn right out of my driveway. That begins a 32-mile loop through some of the prettiest scenery in northern Litchfield County.

I ride south on Undermountain Road (Route 41 South) into Salisbury and turn right on Main Street (Route 44 West). If I’m meeting friends, we gather at the parking area on the west side of Salisbury Town Hall where parking is never a problem.

Keep ReadingShow less
Biking Ancramdale to Copake

This is a lovely ride that loops from Ancramdale north to Copake and back. At just over 23 miles and about 1,300 feet of elevation gain, it’s a perfect route for intermediate recreational riders and takes about two hours to complete. It’s entirely on quiet roads with little traffic, winding through rolling hills, open countryside, picturesque farms and several lakes.

Along the way, you’ll pass a couple of farmstands that are worth a quick visit. There is only one hill that might be described as steep, but it is quite short — probably less than a quarter-mile.

Keep ReadingShow less
Taking on Tanglewood

Aerial view of The Shed at Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass.

Provided

Now is the perfect time to plan ahead for symphonic music this summer at Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts. Here are a few highlights from the classical programming.

Saturday, July 5: Shed Opening Night at 8 p.m. Andris Nelsons conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra as Daniil Trifonov plays piano in an All-Rachmaninoff program. The Piano Concerto No. 3 was completed in 1909 and was written specifically to be debuted in the composer’s American tour, at another time of unrest and upheaval in Russia. Trifonev is well-equipped to take on what is considered among the most technically difficult piano pieces. This program also includes Symphonic Dances, a work encapsulating many ideas and much nostalgia.

Keep ReadingShow less
James H. Fox

SHARON — James H. Fox, resident of Sharon, passed away on May 30, 2025, at Vassar Brothers Hospital.

Born in New York, New York, to Herbert Fox and Margaret Moser, James grew up in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. He spent his summers in Gaylordsville, Connecticut, where he developed a deep connection to the community.

Keep ReadingShow less