WALLINGFORD – Sheehan freshman Max Festa scored another hat trick and the Titans fired 55 shots on the net to overwhelm Cheshire 5-3 in an SCC / SWC Division II hockey showdown Wednesday afternoon at Choates Remsen Arena.
Tyler Connery and Anthony DeFilio also scored when Sheehan improved his perfect record to 5-0-0. Cheshire, who won their first win of the season less than 24 hours earlier, fell 1-4-1.
Led by two goals from Damon Zurolo, Cheshire stayed tough. While the Rams were behind the whole time, they reduced a two-goal deficit to one three times.
Festa’s third and final goal, about four minutes before the end of the game, sealed the deal
Festa opened the winning goal after two minutes of play with a shot after the point from Brenden Hilinski.
In return, about two minutes later, Festa fed Connery at the point and the junior defender delivered his first university goal to Sheehan’s 2-0 lead.
Drew DePodesta responded within 30 seconds for Cheshire, assisted by Jack Fernicola.
This caused quite a bit of back and forth over the next few minutes. DeFilio converted into the front, with assists going to Aidan Koening and Festa before Zurolo got his first day of the afternoon from Evan Vasiljevs.
The furious first third ended with a 3-2 lead from Sheehan.
In the opening minutes of the second game, Festa pushed the lead to 4-2 by converting a rebound after a shot by Koenig. DeFilio also earned a template for the game.
Later in the period, Zurolo narrowed the gap to 4: 3 and picked up the power play, with Vasiljevs and Will Gaudet providing templates.
On the net, Sheehan’s Justin Lyon made 17 saves to claim victory. Amaan Chaudhry had 40 stops for Cheshire and Jack Falk added 10.
Lyman Hall 3, Guilford 2: After the victory of the SCC / SWC Division II over the hosts Grizzlies, the Trojans are 3-1 on the Ralph Walker Ice Rink.
Kenny Mackenzie, TJ Reddington and Dylan Gay had the goals for LH.
Boys basketball
East Lyme 43, Platt 40: Riley Walsh emptied his fifth 3-pointer of the game on the summer to lead the Vikings to a non-conference win over the Panthers at Meriden.
The Trey finished a 14-5 rally that allowed East Lyme to make up a 35:29 deficit before the fourth quarter.
That game was a showcase for Walsh, a senior, and Platt junior Anthony Nimani. Both scored 25 points.
Half of Nimani’s eight field goals came from the 3-point area. He also went 5 for 5 on the line.
Platt is now 2-3 and East Lyme is 4-1.
Abbott Tech 74, Wilcox Tech 39: The undermanned tribe fell to the Wolverines in the consolation game of the Goodwin Tech Holiday Tournament.
Griffin Nielander (15 points) and EFrank San Antonio (13) made the all-touranment for Wilcox (0-2).
Carlos Madera collected 17 of his best 19 points in the first quarter for Abbott (4-2).
Girls basketball
Wilcox-Tech 25, Kaynor-Tech 21: With just five players, the Tribe built a 20-7 lead in three quarters, then held out a 14-5 rally for the Panthers in the fourth quarter to win the consolation game at the Goodwin Tech Holiday Tournament in New Britain.
Zulal Kangal scored nine points and Ava Quinn delivered eight to lead Wilcox (2-2). Maryel Mendoza had a 13 for Kaynor (0-3).
Inside lane
Maloney: When they competed in the Bob Saulsbury Invitational at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven, the Spartans received two school records from Jylosdet Davila and Shaelyn Murphy.
Davila ran a time of 9.10 seconds in the 55 meter hurdles. Murphy cleared 5 feet, 2 inches in the high jump.
Murphy won her event. Davila finished third.