McConnell Looks to Become a Champion in Her Final Year With Bobcats

Junior Alex Goslin cut through the paint and kicked it out to the corner. Senior Amy McConnell received the pass and released a three pointer, her first shot in a Bobcats uniform since the conclusion of her sophomore year. It rattles around the rim before finally going down. Just like that she was back.

        McConnell established a love for basketball at the start of middle school. After witnessing friends, Lauren Biancardi and Sara Jackson, play travel basketball, she decided to take her position on the sport to the next level. Family friend Haley Garcia and her father took McConnell under their wing. They coached her, helping her land a position on the middle school basketball team and a future AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) and SWHS star player was born.

McConnell joined AAU the following year as a seventh grader, and began to dial up her intensity. Her passion for the game grew and athletic skill were enhanced. "I've always been a competitive person, [I] work very hard and if I want something I'll go and get it," she said.

Along with having athletic ability and passion, McConnell understands that greatness is not limited to the one factor. "Mental toughness is big," she said. "You can practice your skills all you want, but having mental toughness is a real challenge."  

McConnell spends the hours prior to games picturing the possible scenarios. “I’ll visualize where I’m going to make the passes, follow through with my shot, going hard to the basket, how I’m going to play defense and make steals," she said. "[And] ultimately I visualize us winning. There's no other option."

McConnell was challenged with a setback that lasted her entire junior year. She suffered a torn ACL in July of 2013 while competing in an AAU tournament. This kept her from playing athletics until May of 2014. "It was tough," she said. "But I learned that 40% of the challenge was the knee and the rest of it was mental toughness. The hard part was sitting out and containing myself from jumping back into things. The worst you can do is come back too early."

Sitting out was difficult, but not a complete loss for McConnell. "I learned so much from just watching and I think I'm an even better player now than I was before," she said. "I saw things that I never noticed."

Despite achieving high prestige in the sport and having a healthy mix of skill and passion, there is one last thing McConnell wishes to check off. Much like her teammates, she wishes to once again compete at Mohegan Sun and this time, bring home the championship. "Going one win farther than last year would be awesome," she said. "Especially to end senior year [like that]. I want to have my chance. I want to lead the team. As a senior you have to be a leader."

In the fall, McConnell will be attending Bentley University, home of Division II basketball. She is wary of the potential change in the playing environment. "They have five freshmen this year who are really strong, so that's good for me. At least when I come in, there will be some strong upperclassmen. It's obviously going to be a lot [faster] paced. The players are going to be bigger than me, but I'll be ready for that," she said.

Don LeClerc has been McConnell’s coach for her four years at South Windsor. He said that she is widely useful on the court and on the bench. “Having a player like Amy is extremely helpful, not only with her scoring, but also with her overall leadership,” he said.“One of the things that Bentley recognized is that she is a great shooter, a great floor leader, and a great mentor to the younger girls. She brings a calm understanding for the game and is able to get her point across to the rest of the team in such a manner that she doesn’t have to raise her voice, they know exactly what she means.”

McConnell will be a big factor in the Run for the Sun (Part 2). Heading into January, she is averaging around 18.2 points per game.

When her high school career concludes, success will continue to be a possibility for McConnell. To Bentley she will bring a deadly efficient shooting stroke, and a knowledge for the game of basketball that is more enhanced than ever.

Girls Basketball Aims for Return to Mohegan Sun

It was not the outcome the girls’ basketball team had expected. As the clock wound down, their classmates showered them with an affectionate chant: “We still love you!” The warmth lasted until the chants were drowned out by an ecstatic Laurelton Hall crowd who had claimed the prize they lost at the buzzer one year earlier. Laurelton’s quest for redemption was over, but for South, such a quest was just beginning.

Coach Don Leclerc’s core of players have moved on, but team chemistry has not faltered. Those returning have inherited the heart, passion, and desire to win. Last year it was a matter of the team finding ways to compete without Amy McConnell and Kaitlyn LaBonte. “I was extremely proud of them. I know the girls were very disappointed, but they did what only one other team has done in the history of the school,” Leclerc said.

According to senior Lauren Biancardi the team is ready to take on a new and for some of them, final challenge together. “We’ve all known each other for a really long time,” she said. “[Last year] proved to us that we have the potential, because I don’t think we thought that we’d ever be able to get there. Last year proved that we could. This year we’re hoping to win that final game.”

Senior Sara Jackson says that the remaining players from last year’s state championship run are on the same page. “We have really good team chemistry,” Jackson said. “We all have the same motive and we want to work together. Next time we’re [at Mohegan Sun], we’ll definitely be ready.”

Leclerc has identified what must be done to return to the summit in States. “I think they have the potential to get back to Mohegan,” he said. “They’ve got a lot of work to do. They have to be dedicated, work harder than anybody else, and they have to put aside personal accomplishments for team accomplishments. I think we have the right group of girls to do that.”

On the court, the defining factor will be rebounding due to the loss of some height, according to Leclerc. “Because of our size, we’re [at a disadvantage] going into every game and we know that,” he said. “This year we have to rebound as a team, last year we could get away with two or three kids boxing out and a couple not. This year all five have to be boxing out or we’re in trouble on a nightly basis because there’s going to be few teams we outsize in this league.”

Off to a 9-0 start in the season, the team has looked to the returning girls. Junior Molly Murphy has the ability to score 10+ points each game, and has the height to be a rebounder in the paint. Alex Goslin has helped the Bobcats early: scoring in the paint, distributing and stealing the ball. Leclerc says that Goslin is of great value on both sides of the floor. “[Alex] will be in a leadership type role, she’s running the one/two for us along with Amy, so they’re both interchangeable,” he said. “Last year as a sophomore she helped a lot. She’s going to be called in nightly to defend, quite often, the [other] team’s best player, she’s going to be asked to run the fast break and push the ball up the court. She’s asked to be our floor general as well as our leading defender.”

Senior Amy McConnell who sat out all of last season with a torn ACL will be returning to the team. McConnell has shown that she can dominate offensively. She can cut to the hoop and finish with either hand, drain a three, or pass the ball off making her a trump card on the offensive end. She believes that speed is the team’s main advantages. “One of our strengths is that we’re all really fast, we’re not that big [but] we can run and tire [the opposition] out,” said McConnell.

Leclerc says the team can be imposing each night. “We pride ourselves in our defense,” he said. “We’re going to have to get back on defense quickly [when finished at the offensive end] and stop their interior. We need to make up for their size by harassing their guards, keep them from getting into the post.”

The chemistry that the team possesses has blended with the desire to win. They have obtained the fire and drive from their departed teammates from the class of 2014. They have speed and skill along with plans to utilize it. You’ve got yourself another potential dynamic team South. If the girls can control the boards we may once again be bound for Uncasville.

New Coach, New Era for Boys Basketball

Devyn Arel bolted towards the rim: stone-faced with determination, eyes wide. He beat out Plainville’s defense with a quick layup, resulting in applause. It was the first applause of the year and of a new era in boys’ basketball.

The hype of change can begin with the Bobcat’s new coach in Jim Dargati. Dargati arrived at South Windsor after a 24 year stint at Loomis Chaffee and has brought some notable accolades and moral experience and has been a part of success that South Windsor covets to reach. At Loomis, he was the head coach for 14 years, coaching one of the premier teams in New England, taking them to a New England Championship in 2009. 39 of his former players went on to play college basketball.

Dargati has taken over a frustrated program that has won 10 games in the last five years, and he understands the challenge ahead. “It’s going to take time and patience but I think we can get it done,” he said. “I’ve told them that the past is the past. They’re hungry for success, and I look forward for the team to make improvements throughout the course of the season.” However, he says patience is key. “We’re not setting any long term goals right now,” he said. “We’re going to approach this season as a 20-rung ladder. We’re not going to circle any games on the schedule, but instead take it one game at a time.”

Dargati is impressed with the current team chemistry, and believes they will not have to fight internal conflict in the slightest. Instead, it will be an aspect that they rely on. “That’s something you can’t teach,” he said, “Teams either have it or they don’t. It’s something that comes from within.”

Dargati has developed offensive and defensive schemes that are new even to the returning players. He is focused on maximizing strength and minimizing weakness. He wants to execute in the half court, establish a patient approach to each game and envisions the team thriving if they can become a solid defensive and rebounding team.

Senior Ben Callahan has played varsity basketball since his freshman year and is optimistic about the new coach. “He [has] a lot of plays that we didn’t have last year,” he said. “He wants everything a certain way, and I think it’ll help us in the long run.”

Callahan also hopes that the younger players can contribute off the bench. “I would love the young guys to turn it around, and create a winning environment.” As much of a process as it will be in getting boys varsity basketball to full strength, he hopes that the team can make the playoffs.  

Senior Jeff Czapla has transferred over from rival East Catholic and has been able to bring points in the paint and rebounding to the table early. Czapla along with Joe Hill make up the starting forward positions and are the giants of the front court.

Freshman Jake Donald according to Dargati is a strong power forward that has made early strides. He can be a player off the bench that fulfills Dargati's hope for defense and rebounding presence.

Callahan is a returning starter, along with Arel and starting guard Joe Tamburro. The team will have to press on without Adam LeClerc due to a leg injury, a senior who shot a good percentage last year and brought height.

A new era has begun in South Windsor, and a new plan has been set into motion. In time, boys basketball plans to emerge from the shadow of girls basketball and become a ferocious one-two punch. Something special may be brewing. The team is 6-4, already matching their win total from last year and has made an early push for a chance at a playoff position.

Boys Swimming and Diving (2014-15)

Record:  9-1  | 5th overall finish in Class L Championships (best finish in team history)

2/10: W v East Catholic 91-82, team breaks school record for 200 Free Relay with time of 1:32.69
3/14: G. Sartoris - best times in 200FR and 500FR
C. Madalena, P. Vander Vos, and B. Savidge all with best times in individual events

All-State Honors
(Class L Championships)
P. Vander Vos: 2nd in 100 Butterfly
C. Madalena: 1st in 100 Breaststroke

Ice Hockey (2014-15)

*Source: South Windsor Bobcats Hockey (hometeamsonline.com)

Record:    3-17   OTL: 1   Home: 1-9   Away: 2-8   Win %: .150  GF: 33   GA: 77   Points: 73

Results:
*=playoff game
12/17: L v Simsbury (A), 5-0
12/26: L v Mansfield (A), 4-1
12/27: L v Newburyport (A), 4-1
12/30: L v Enfield/Fermi (A), 3-2 
1/2: L v Northwest Catholic (H), 5-0
1/7: L v East Catholic (A), 4-1
1/10: L v Suffield/Windsor Locks/Granby (H), 4-1
1/14: L v Hamden (H), 8-3
1/17: L v West Haven (A), 1-0
1/19: W v Cheshire (H), 4-2
1/28: L v Glastonbury (H), 2-0
1/31: L v East Catholic (H), 4-2
2/7: L v Conard (A), 4-3
2/10: L v Notre Dame FLD (H), 3-1
2/16: L v Simsbury (H), 3-1
2/18: W v Northwest Catholic (A), 2-1
2/25: W v Avon/Farmington/Windsor (A), 7-3
2/28: L v Xavier (H), 2-1
3/2: L v Glastonbury (A), 7-1
3/5: L v Conard (H), 4-1
*3/11: L v Greenwich (A), 4-1 

Statistics:

Goals (33)                     Assists (40)                 Points (73)

1. P. Lawson 8            1. S. Swan  11             1. S. Swan  18

2. S. Swan  7               2.  J. O'Brien  7           2. T. Dowdy 11

3. T. Dowdy 5             3. T. Dowdy 6             3. P. Lawson 10

4. A. White 4              4. A. DeCasperis 4      3. J. O'Brien 10

5. S. King  3               5. S. King 3                 4. S. King 6

5. J. O'Brien 3            6. P. Lawson 2             5. A. White 5

6. M. Gore 1               6. L. Torres 2             6.  A. DeCasperis  4
                         
6. A. Frigugliett 1      7. A. Frigugliett  1      7. L. Torres  3

6. L. Torres 1             7. M. Gore 1               8.  M. Gore 2

                                   7. J. Buccigross 1       8. A. Frigugliett 2

                                   7. J. Feder 1                9. J. Buccigross 1

                                   7. A. White 1              9. J. Feder 1