Regional middle school sports wraps winter season

FALLS VILLAGE — The Regional Middle School Athletics and Activities Winter Program finished up on Thursday, Feb. 17.

Fifty students from the district participated in girls and boys basketball and artgarage. Basketball was held at Cornwall Consolidated and Salisbury Central Schools.  And artgarage was held at Housatonic Valley Regional High School.

The biggest challenge continued to be transportation, with some practices and games canceled due to lack of buses and/or drivers.

Despite the large number of participants, all 23 boys basketball players saw playing time during the eight game season. Over 90% scored at least once, with Wiley Fails sinking a three point basket at the buzzer to win the last game of the season versus Kent Center School (KCS). The team compiled a 4-4 record facing out of district teams such as Mt. Everett, Indian Mountain, Gilbert and Shepaug, and an in-district team, KCS. The team was coached by Bobby Chatfield, Ronnie Reid and Heather Kearns.

Coached by Kiera Bisenius and Emily Egan, the girls basketball team finished 4-3 and saw the 17 girls bond as a team both on and off the court.  Like the boys team, nearly every member of the team scored during the season.  By the last game, the team stepped up and put all the skills they had been working on to the test claiming a second victory against KCS.  While the team will graduate ten players, coaches Bisenius and Egan look forward to an exciting next season.

Started as an after school creative open space for high school students and staffed by local artists, nine middle school students participated in artgarage.  This once a week activity was under the direction of John Brett.  Students were given the freedom to focus on their passion instead of being directed or assigned.  When the middle school students were in attendance, Brett said “the atmosphere was almost electric.”

The spring sports season will begin on Tuesday, April 5, with students participating in baseball, softball, track and field and artgarage.