Avon High athletes earn All-State honors this winter
Six Avon High athletes earned All-State honors for their play this winter in their respective sports. Eli Fagin (wrestling), Owen Vale (swimming) and Avon’s 4×200 relay team from indoor track (Kathryn Martin, Lauren Edge, Julia Freeman, Ziya Hudson) earned All-State honors.
Fagin earned All-State honors for winning the Class M championship at 138 pounds.
Vale won the 100-yard backstroke and finished second in the 50-yard freestyle at the CCC North championships before finishing second in the 200 IM (individual medley) and 100 breast stroke at the at the Class M championships.
At the State Open championships at historic Kiphuth Pool on the campus of Yale University, Vale finished second in the 200 IM and 100 breast stroke.
Avon’s 4×200 relay team of Kathryn Martin, Lauren Edge, Julia Freeman, Ziya Hudson won the Class M championship, finished fourth at the State Open and ninth in New England. The team finished 58th at the New Balance Indoor Track national championship meet in Boston with a season-best and school-record time of 1:44.99 seconds.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Coach: Kris Pedra
Record: 3-17, 0-9 CCC Central
All-Conference: none
All-State: none
CCC tournament: Did not qualify
CIAC state tournament: Did not qualify
Of note: This was the tenth season for Pedra at the helm
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Coach: Drew Faucher
Record: 7-14, 2-6 CCC Central
All-Conference: Lila Bosanac
All-State: none
CCC tournament: Did not qualify
CIAC state tournament: Lost to No. 7 Suffield, 75-46 in first round, Class M tournament
Of note: This was the first year that teams could qualify for the CIAC tournament by winning at least 30 percent of their games.
WRESTLING
Coach: John McLaughlin
Record: 18-5, 4-1 CCC North (second)
All-Conference: Eli Fagin, Sebastian Carlo, Mason Beecher, Aki Bhabad, John Murphy, Max Janes
All-State: Eli Fagin
CCC tournament: Sixth place (123½ points)
CIAC state tournament: 4th Class M (154½), 38th State Open (26½)
Of note: Fagin won a Class M championship at 138 pounds to earn All-State honors
BOYS HOCKEY
Coach: Mike Baron and Scott Percival
Record: 8-12-1, 4-8 CCC North
All-Conference: Brendan McLaughlin (Avon), Tucker Lebrecque (Mills)
All-State: none
CCC tournament: Did not qualify
CIAC state tournament: Lost to No. 3 North Haven, 5-2 in first round of CIAC Division II tournament
Of note: Avon was part of the Farmington Valley Generals co-op for the 14th year. The co-op includes players from Farmington (host school), Avon, Lewis Mills and Windsor
GIRLS HOCKEY
Coach: Mike Carerra
Record: 15-7-1, 8-2 CCC champions
All-Conference: Ashleigh Maurice (Bristol)
All-State: none
CCC tournament: Lost to Hall/Conard, 2-1 in CCC semifinals
State tournament: Lost to No. 2 New Canaan in Connecticut High School Girls Hockey Association (CHSGHA) semifinals, 3-0
Of note: Club was known as Avon/Southington. Avon and Southington were the co-op hosts and they won the CCC championship with a 8-2 regular season record. Other co-op participants included Bristol, Wethersfield, Lewis Mills, Newington, RHAM and Coventry.
BOYS SWIMMING
Coach: Brendan Smith
Record: 5-5, 4-1 CCC North (second place)
All-Conference: Owen Vale, Abir Dutta
All-State: Owen Vale
CCC tournament: Third at CCC North championships behind Wethersfield and Newington
CIAC state tournament: 12th at Class M championships (173); 32nd at State Open (53 pts.)
Of note: The Falcons tied for first at the Splash Classic, the girls-only championship meet for girls competing in boys swimming season. It was Avon’s first Splash Classic title since 2018 and 14th title since 2004.
BOYS INDOOR TRACK
Coach: Courtney Fusco
Record: No dual meet record
All-Conference: Brahm Bulow, Chris Campbell, Andrew Kessler, Aidan McLaughlin
All-State: none
CCC Championships: 14th (11 points)
CIAC state tournament: Tied 9th Class M (13 points)
GIRLS INDOOR TRACK
Coach: Courtney Fusco
Record: No dual meet record
All-Conference: Kathryn Martin, Lauren Edge, Julia Freeman, Ziya Hudson, Ying Ying Cheng
All-State: Kathryn Martin, Lauren Edge, Julia Freeman, Ziya Hudson
CCC championships: 7th at CCC championships (28 points)
CIAC state tournament: 6th Class M (27 points), tied 10th State Open (14 points)
Of note: Avon’s 4×200 relay (Martin, Edge, Freeman, Hudson) won the Class M title, finished fourth at the State Open and ninth in New England. The team finished 58th at the New Balance Indoor Track national championship meet in Boston with a season-best and school-record time of 1:44.99 seconds.