Rugby coaches humored Rachel Wrinn when she approached them in the spring of her sophomore year. Wrinn wanted to add a girls team to the burgeoning boys program, and coaches agreed to consider it if she could round up any interest. They had no idea the fire that they had lit.
When Wrinn burst through the doors of the preseason meeting, she was leading a small army of Lady Knights. Coaches were left scrambling to meet the sudden surge of interest. At the time, there were just a handful of fledgling programs in high schools throughout the northeast, but Wrinn had single-handedly assembled another one.
Wrinn became the face of the Lady Knights. For three years she led the offense and anchored the defense. She set records. She broke boundaries, and on Thursday, May 9 she raised the bar even further as the first Southington High School player to sign a college letter of intent.
Lady Knight coach Chris Carvalho is no longer surprised by his star player. He’s come to expect it at every turn.
“There isn’t anything that I’ve seen from her that makes me cautious,” said the coach. “She’s ready, but it’s going to be a completely different arena. She’s going to be playing against other Rachel Wrinns. It’s going to be way more competitive, but I think she’s going to be ready. She’s a competitor.”
For three years, Wrinn has been a captain for the Lady Knights. She holds records for most tries scored in a game, most tries scored in a season, and a host of defensive marks. She has the control of a gymnast, the power of a football player, and the heart of a lion. That’s what drew attention from the coaching staff at Quinnipiac University.
They liked the way that she could interact on both the defense and offensive ends. She could handle a team. She was a leader, and she was hard to stop. This year, Quinnipiac claimed a third place finish in the national championship. Once again, Wrinn will be called upon to raise the bar.
“It’s a little surreal. If you told me three years ago that I would be going off to play rugby in college, I would have said you were crazy, but it’s pretty funny to think that I’m here today,” she said. “I think it won’t hit me until I step on the field for preseason, but just thinking about it has me ready to go.”
Wrinn said that the choice was an easy one for her. After all, there are only a handful of college program in the northeast. In addition, Quinnipiac University will offer her a chance to study a course in physical therapy, but it’s the rugby that really drew her in.
Carvalho said that Wrinn could work herself into the rotation right away, and said that Quinnipiac coaches liked her instantly for her abilities on the field.
“She’s a natural rugby player. She’s everything that you would look for in a perfect rugby player,” he said. “She has the skill. She’s got the physical prowess. She’s defensive-minded in a lot of ways, but she’s also a student of the game. She learns on the fly really well, and that’s really important.”
As for Wrinn, she hopes that her signing will inspire the next class of athletes to build upon what she started. With her pen still clenched in her hand, she made a final pitch to make rugby into a varsity sport. She said that she hopes that her singing will swing the spotlight toward the up-and-coming sport.
“A lot of kids still ask me what’s rugby,” she said. “They say it’s not even a sport at the high school. It doesn’t count or isn’t real. It’s completely real, and I definitely think this will boost the program and get a lot of people looking to see what it’s all about.”
To comment on this story or to contact sports writer John Goralski, email him at jgoralski@southingtonobserver.com.

By John Goralski
Rachel Wrinn signs her letter of intent to play rugby next year at Quinnipiac University. On Tuesday, May 2, Wrinn became the first Lady Knight to earn a rugby scholarship.

The Southington Drive-In Theater is returning for its third season beginning on June 8 with a new slate of movies and a growing amount of fame within the state.
In three years, the drive-in has gone from an ambitious idea to a wildly successful summer event that draws huge crowds. This month, it was spotlighted in Connecticut Magazine as part of a list of the state’s best attractions.
“We’ve attracted people from all over the state and we’ve gotten so much publicity over the last few years,” said Town Councilor Dawn Miceli, a member of the committee that oversees the theater. “Little by little, the word has gotten out.”
The first film shown for the summer season will be “Jaws,” a movie making its third appearance at the drive-in thanks to its consistent ability to draw a large crowd. This screening will be sponsored by the Southington Education Foundation, one of over a dozen civic groups that raise funds each year by sponsoring a screening.
“It’s nice to have such a unique event that brings people from all over the place,” said Tina Taylor of the Mill Foundation for kids, which is screening the 1996 remake of “Flipper.” “It’s a great opportunity for us to get exposure and raise money, and the amount we raise there is really quite amazing.”
Miceli said that negotiating with Hollywood studios has gotten increasingly complicated (“Star Wars” remains elusive), but the committee was able to secure the rights to some very popular films requested often by the drive-in fans on Facebook, such as “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “The Princess Bride.”
As with last year, there will be a weekend double feature on July 12 and 13. On the first evening, the Southington Land Trust will screen “Clambake,” a musical from 1967 starring Elvis Presley. The next night, the Southington Rotary Club will show “Beach Blanket Bingo,” starring Annette Funicello. The Halloween event is also expected to return in October, but the films have not yet been selected.
This is also the first year the drive-in has had a season-long corporate sponsor – Richard Chevrolet. The sponsorship will help the drive-in continue to enhance the pre-show events that entertain families before the movie starts.
“We want to make each night an experience,” Miceli said. “The idea is that you’re not just watching a movie, you’re enjoying the park with your family.”
Other films on the schedule this year include the original 1968 version of “The Love Bug,” “The Great Outdoors,” “Brave,” “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids,” “Rudy,” “Smokey and the Bandit,” and “The Incredible Hulk.” For a full schedule, see sidebar.

File photo
Jeff Heintz and Michelle Bonini take to the roof to watch a movie last year.

File photo
The Zollo and DiFusco families play cards while waiting for the show during a movie last summer.

After a string of three straight 3-2 decisions, the Blue Knight boys volleyball team earned a reprieve last week with a trio of 3-0 sweeps.
Southington cruised past Bulkeley-Hartford Public in three lopsided sets. The boys went on to beat Xavier in a closer competition, but it was the 3-0 win over Newington that grabbed the attention of Coach Lou Gianacopolos.
On the road, it took five games to secure a Southington win. At home, it took three intense battles.
“It’s always competitive when it’s Newington and Southington,” said the coach. “It’s the CCC, and everybody knows how important it is.”
Still, it wasn’t easy. The first game was a see saw battle that went to 30 points before Southington could take a two-point advantage. In the second game, the Knights took the lead, 25-24, and it was Newington’s first deficit since 0-1.
“We started off with six next violations in game one, and that really put us in the hole,” said Gianacopolos. “Then, you add one or two little errors here and there that you usually make anyway, and it makes for trying to get out of a really big hole.”
It wasn’t until the Knights began to siphon their offense through their middles that Southington began to pull away. Alex Borofsky (4 blocks) and Jeff Kolb (2 blocks) collected eight kills apiece as the middles sparked the Knight comeback.
“When we were down late in the game like that, it’s tough to get back,” said the coach. “You can’t go point for point. You’ve got to be kind of aggressive without being reckless, and there were a couple of swings that we did tonight to put us in that hole. We would have normally rolled it, tipped it, or put it somewhere more difficult for them to play, but some of our hitters decided to try to make something out of it. That was the difficult part.”
Nick Powell had 9 kills with two blocks and 7 digs. Chris Sherwill finished with 10 kills and 7 digs. Alex Zajda scored 36 assists and nine digs. Dave Shaughnessy and Kevin Casserino had nine digs apiece as the Knights rallied to a 25-18 win in game three to clinch the series.
“We just went 3-0 against a really good team, but we still have a lot more learning to do,” said the coach. “This team has its areas that we struggle, which means that we have room to improve and get stronger for the postseason.”
The victory came on the heels of two more lopsided wins.
On Monday, the Knights rolled past Bulkeley, 25-11, 25-13, and 25-17. Zajda and Peter Masters combined for 27 assists in the victory. Powell had six kills, and Dan Connolly scored five kills and anchored the defense with 10 digs. Borofsky anchored the middle with four blocks.
On Wednesday, Zajda (5 digs) distributed 25 assists to nine different teammates as Southington swept past Xavier, 25-15, 25-20, and 25-16.
Powell managed five kills, five aces, and five digs in the short contest. Sherwill scored 10 kills. Borofsky had five kills, and Kolb anchored the middle with six blocked shots.
With the victories, the Knights improved to 10-2 overall and 5-1 in the CCC South. Southington will face a trio of non-conference opponents this week before trying to avenge their only conference loss with a rematch against Glastonbury on May 20.

By John Goralski
Jeff Kolb attacks the net during a 3-0 win over Newington on Wednesday, May 8.

The Knights have delivered three shutouts since losing to NW Catholic on April 22. Since that day in late April, Southington has won six in a row.
On Friday, May 10, the Knights had their chance for retribution, and in the third inning they swung that bats like they were angry at the air.
Brett Shaw opened the inning with a single. Ted Shaw singled, and Matt DiNello drove a one-out double into right field. With two outs, Andrew Goralski drove a double up the middle and the flood gates opened.
Brett Susi, Justin Rose, and Dave Palladino got hits. Brett Shaw drew a walk in his second appearance of the inning. When the dust settled, 11 Knights had stepped to the plate, and Southington had blown open a 7-0 lead and chased one of NW Catholics big guns off the mound.
“I knew that this was going to be tough coming in, but in that one inning our guys strug together some great at bats,” said Blue Knight coach Charlie Lembo. “I thought they were patient. I thought they were waiting for their pitch, and we started hitting line drives. I’ve been waiting for this all year.”
NW Catholic responded with two runs in the fourth, but Palladino drove in Rose in the fifth inning. Southington held on for an 8-2 win.
“I was very, very happy with our offense tonight,” said Lembo. “I thought we ran the bases well, and I thought Susi pitched really well.”
Susi (6-0) scattered nine strikeouts and five hits over seven innings to get the win. Even with the comfortable lead, Lembo said that he was leaving Susi in for a complete game even though the Knights are going to face four teams next week.
“We’re trying to extend our pitchers pitch counts a little bit,” he said. “We’re six weeks into the season, so it’s time to extend them a little bit longer in case they have to go longer in the tournament.”
The NW Catholic win came on the heels of a 6-0 shutout against Newington on Monday. Joe Rivera escaped a bases loaded situation in the third inning and had runners in scoring position over each of the last two frames, but the junior hurler threw 12 strikeouts with just three walks and two hits over six innings to get the win.
Once again, the offense did their part. Southington drew four walks, reached base on a passed ball, and scored three runs in the first inning without getting a hit.
“Newington gave us three runs in the first inning without a hit, but those were good at bats,” said Lembo. “It wasn’t like they were throwing the ball 20 feet over our heads. We were patient, drew some walks, drew some 0-2 counts, and we moved a couple of guys around. Just because it isn’t a hit doesnt mean that it isn’t a good at bat.”
Southington managed eight hits in the victory. Matt Sirois scored twice. Goralski (2-for-3, 2 RBI) was the only Knight with multiple hits, but Southington cruised to a 6-0 win.
With the victories, Southington improved to 13-2 overall and has moved into sole possession of first place in the CCC West (8-1).

By John Goralski
Blue Knight second baseman Matt DiNello tags a baserunner during a 6-0 win over Newington on Monday, May 6.

With the current school year winding down, the Board of Education filled two important administrative positions for next year, appointing Marilyn Kahl as the new principal of Kelley Elementary School and Michael Halloran as the newest assistant principal at Southington High School.
“You both came from rich pools of candidates and rose to the top,” said Chairman Brian Goralski. “We look forward to your work in Southington.”
Surrounded by family members and given a standing ovation by the meeting’s attendees, the new administrators thanked the school leaders during brief remarks.
Kahl has been serving as the assistant principal at Derynoski Elementary School for the last two years. Before that, she had worked for 16 years as a teacher at Cheshire’s Highland Elementary School.
“The last two years have been so rewarding and I’m looking forward to this new professional challenge,” she said. “It’s really an honor, although I am sad to leave Derynoski.”
Kelley has a much smaller student population than Derynoski, and Kahl said this would help her eventually learn all the student’s names and spend more time in the classrooms. She is replacing longtime principal Elizabeth Lutz, who Kahl described as a leader with “huge dedication.”
Halloran, a Southington native, has been the principal of the CREC Polaris Center in East Hartford since 2009. Before that, he held a variety of administrative positions in Hartford schools. He said he was excited by the chance to participate in Southington’s school system, which he greatly admires.
“It’s an honor and privilege to be able to serve my community,” Halloran said. “I’m very much looking forward to the tremendous opportunities that come with this position.”
Now one of four assistant principals at the high school, Halloran will replace the retiring Andrew Bayer, who has held the position for over a decade.
Both new administrators will start on July 1.

Marilyn Kahl

Michael Halloran

The Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) club at Southington High School is about to complete an ambitious effort to create memorial plaques for the victims of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
“They wanted to do a meaningful hands-on project for the people in Newtown who went through this tragedy,” said SHS guidance counselor Lee Ann Miller, the club’s advisor.
The club has about 15 active members who have spent the past few months crafting wooden hearts with the names of the 26 victims of the tragedy listed on them. The names are each inside a puzzle piece design that was engraved with a laser.
“I think they look awesome,” said Monika Arbaciauskaite, the club’s president. “We haven’t had a big project like this since the club started. It’s really exciting.”
Several teachers involved with the Project Lead the Way program came up with the design of the hearts but it was up to the students to create them.
“I’m very proud of what they’ve been able to accomplish,” said SHS technology teacher Justin Mirante. “This was a large endeavor and they’ve done a great job.”
Students were responsible for carving the heart shapes out of the wood, sanding and staining the plaques and coating them with polyurethane.
“It’s been really good,” said student Ellie Lefkovich. “We got to use the hand-sander, the laser printer and a lot of other machines in the wood shop.”
In addition to valuable practice with powerful machines, the students were also grateful for the chance to reach out to the people of Newtown.
“Money donations are something that will come and go but this is something sentimental that will stay with them,” said student Kelly Craven.
The wooden hearts will eventually be mounted on a backdrop to complete the work. At a recent meeting of the club, students were carrying around piles of wooden hearts to various stations in order to finish the process.
“We’ve made a lot of them,” said student Elizabeth Gwara. “Each of the families will get one, but we want to keep some around here just so we can remember.”

Submitted photo
Southington High School WISE Club member Megan Steele works on a memorial plaque for the victims of the Newtown tragedy.

The Town Council approved a budget of approximately $129 million for the next fiscal year, with the Board of Education’s budget splitting the councilors along party lines.
The general government budget of about $45.1 million was approved unanimously, with several councilors praising Town Manager Garry Brumback for avoiding an increase in spending.
For the Board of Education, the Republican majority chose to accept the Board of Finance’s recommendation without restoring any funds. This amount is about $84.2 million. Councilors in favor of this decision expressed concerns about how increased taxes would impact the town as a whole.
“I’ve had sleepless nights over this,” said Councilor Al Natelli. “I would love to spend more on education but I don’t think this the time to do that beyond what we already have.”
Minority Leader Chris Palmieri and the council’s other two Democrats attempted to restore some of the funds to the school board’s original proposal. The first motion was to restore $300,000, which failed along party lines. Afterwards, another unsuccessful motion was made to restore $150,000, which would be balanced by cuts to the town’s capital fund.
“I would like to see additional money returned to the Board of Education,” Palmieri said. “I think the future of education in town is worth that amount.”
The Democrats noted that spending on indvidual students is below the state’s average and has been decreasing in recent years.
“It’s a concern of them when town leaders don’t consider these Per-Pupil Expenditures, especially when we’re seeing a decline,” said Councilor John Barry. “This will have an impact on the kids.”
The Council Republicans expressed confidence that the Board of Education and the school administrators would be able to maintain the district’s strong reputation even if they spent less on each student than other towns.
“I think that we’re in a good position and I don’t think throwing money at students does that much,” said Vice-Chairman Peter Romano. “Leadership does and we have great leadership here.”
When the time came to discuss the town’s capital projects, Barry became frustrated with the amount of bonded projects and said it was inconsistent for the Republicans to support so many capital projects but express reluctance to restore any amount to this year’s BOE budget. He referred to the process as “a shell game” and said the Republicans were determined to vote down any budgetary motion made by the other party, even if it was “to add five dollars.”
The Board of Education now faces difficult choices, particularly in regard to the planned introduction of all-day kindergarten. They will adjust their budget to reflect the council’s decision later next week.
“Naturally, I’m disappointed but I understand the complexities they’re dealing with, especially at the state level,” said school board Chairman Brian Goralski.
Several council members stated that the impact to the schools would be balanced somewhat by savings in the town’s spending on insurance. The council also referenced a “surplus,” although Goralski said this wasn’t the proper term and that this amount was a result of the district’s annual precaution of freezing a portion of the supplies account for unexpected needs.
The budget is expected to result in a very small 0.02 decrease in the mill rate for next year. This means that, on average, most homeowners will see a $4 reduction in their tax bill.
The Board of Finance set the mill rate on Wednesday, after The Observer went to press.

Each participant must design a Poster reflecting the 2013 Apple Harvest Festival.  This year’s theme is “A Harvest of Memories.”

Posters must include the following information, Southington Apple Harvest Festival heading, the theme “A Harvest of Memories,” utilize four colors and include the dates of the event, October 4, 5, 6, 11, 12 and 13.

The posters must be on 11” x 17” poster paper and the format must be vertical.

Digital images will not be accepted, poster must be done by the artist’s hand.

Categories include: Adult, High School, and Middle School. Please include your category and contact information on the back of your poster.

Each category winner will receive a $50 gift card or a $150 gift card if selected as the overall winner.  The overall winner will also be included in the Opening Ceremonies for the festival.

Mail or Deliver to Apple Harvest Festival Poster Contest, Parks & Recreation Office, Southington Town Hall by 4:30PM, June 14.

For additional information please contact Chris Palmieri, cpalmieri@southington.org or James Champagne, jnc181@cox.net.

The Apple Harvest Festival committee is currently looking for hostesses to apply for the 2013 Apple Harvest season.  Those interested must be a Southington High School senior for the 2013-2014 year and a Southington resident and looking to enhance your volunteering experience.  Applications can be found on the www.southington.org website.  Just click on the Apple Harvest logo.  Applications will be accepted until May 25.

Editor

The Southington Library will join over 4,000 over libraries in the first ever Big Library Read.

The Big Library Read begins today and runs through June 1. This event entails the participating libraries reading “Four Corners of the Sky,” by Michael Malone simultaneously via e-readers.

“We choose to join with eBook readers throughout the world because this is a unique an innovative project that will illustrate the power of reading in the 21st century,” said Southington Library Director Sue Smayda. “Malone’s book is also a good choice because it is suitable for adults and young adults.”

According to Smayda, “Four Corners of the Sky” centers on Navy pilot Annie P. Gooode, whose hope to find out the name of her mother from her estranged father turns into a treasure hunt for the “Queen of the Sea” statue.

“It’s a nice read,” Smayda said of the book.

The event will feature an interactive option, where users can discuss the book via social media sites, such as the Southington Library’s Facebook page, and also participate in a live chat with Malone. Twitter users are encouraged to use the hash tag #BigLibraryRead.

The Big Library Read is possible thanks to Malone’s generosity. The author is giving away digital copies of the book for use in the event.

“Normally eBooks are purchased by libraries just like hard cover books, i.e. one copy one reader,” Smayda said. “We would have to purchase thousands and thousands of copies and Malone would be getting royalties. With this model he gets nada.”

To get a copy of the book, residents must go to the library’s homepage and click on the Big Library Read icon, which has a copy of the book cover. Smayda noted that people need to remember that the download is an eBook, so eBook readers, such as iPads, iPhones, Kindles, Nooks, and the like are needed to view the book.

Jim DiNello felt his heart sink as he counted Dave Valentukonis’ fifth shot on the final hole, but the senior strolled up to the clubhouse with a wide grin to greet his coach. DiNello had seen Joe Fazzino struggle on the seventh tee, but Fazzino seemed to skip off the ninth green at the end of his round.
DiNello shuffled through the scorecards and couldn’t believe his eyes. For every bad hole that a Blue Knight posted, there seemed to be two that were off the charts. Four players scored in the 30s over nine holes. Two finished just one stroke over par, and even the alternate score was approaching the 30s.
DiNello was overjoyed when his team posted a 148 against Conard on their first May contest, but on Friday, May 10 he was shocked with the team’s 146.
“It was just a terrific day for our program,” said the coach. “When we scored the 148, you always wonder if that’s as low as you can go. Any score under 150 is really good, but the kids came in and shot a 146 today. I’m just really proud of them. It wasn’t necessarily a smooth 146, but some kids really battled and saved strokes all over the place. That’s a great day.”
For the third time in four contests, Eric Flood set the pace for the Knights. He posted the team’s lowest score (39) on Monday during a road loss to Hall. He finished second on Tuesday (40) as the Knights opened up their home stand with a 158-164 win over Newington. His lowest score came on Thursday when he claimed medalist honors with an even par (34) on the front nine during a 150-158 win over NW Catholic.
On Friday, Flood’s 35 set the pace for the Knights once again.
“He’s hitting greens like crazy, and he’s playing smart golf,” said DiNello. “His swing is smooth, and he’s controlling the golf ball. He knows where it’s going to go, and he’s been in a groove. He’s playing with a lot of confidence and carrying himself the right way.”
Even with five strokes on the final hole, Valentukonis matched Flood for the best score of the day. Valentukonis scored a 40, a 41, and a 39 over the past three matches, but his 35 on Friday was the difference for the Knights.
“We talk a lot about how it’s not what you do on one hole but what the scorecard says about the entire round,” said DiNello. “You have to keep it in perspective. I watched Eric and Dave play together today, and it was so nice to watch them help each other to navigate around the course. They both complimented each other very well.”
In addition, the week showcased Southington’s depth. On Monday, Andrew Szandrocha (41) and Tom Fischer (43) scored for the Knights. Against Newington, Jake D’Allesandro led the Knights with a 36, and Szandrocha capped the scoring with a 41. Thursday saw Szandrocha and Fischer tying for third place in the scoring with 40s, while Fazzino (37) and Szandrocha (39) broke 40s during the team’s school record performance at Hawks Landing on Friday.
“One of the biggest things I’ve seen is that they’re starting to play for each other. I’ve noticed that they understand that what they do doesn’t just affect their score. Their score affects the team success,” said DiNello. “The camaraderie’s there. The talking all around the course is there. They’re helping each other out. The older boys are mentoring the younger boys. There are a lot of positives that are all there.”
The score is just the measure. Can the Knights eclipse the 146? Can they do it on the road or in the state tournament? DiNello can’t wait to find out.
“It really doesn’t matter who you’re playing. It’s basically you versus the golf course and you against yourself,” he said. “You’re always trying to do your best, and who you play shouldn’t matter. It think it’s starting to sink in a little bit, and the kids are taking pride in the way that they play.”
The best is yet to come.
To comment on this story or to contact sports writer John Goralski, email him at jgoralski@southingtonobserver.com.

John Goralksi
Dave Valentukonis and Eric Flood discuss strategy at the 7th green at Hawks Landing.

By John Goralski
Tom Fischer chips onto the green.