It's state tourney time, impressive UConn Huskies, and other thoughts
Just thought I’d empty out my reporter’s notebook while watching the Bruins night after night stamp themselves as Stanley Cup contenders ...
It’s state tournament time. Time to fill up the gas tank and follow our scholastic boys and girls soccer, field hockey, or volleyball teams, all of whom are hoping and dreaming to make it to championship weekend on Nov. 19-20.
The Griswold girls volleyball team is the top seed in the CIAC Class S tournament. The Wolverines, who went 20-0 during the regular season, will look to rebound from an ECC tournament semifinal round loss against Fitch.
It’s amazing how many volleyball teams I’ve seen over the years lose in their conference tournament and then make a great run in states.
Griswold has what it takes to get to the finals at East Haven High School on Nov. 19. The Wolverines host the winner of Plainfield/Windham and then have a potential quarterfinal round matchup against defending state champ Lyman Memorial.
East Hampton and Holy Cross loom in the semifinals, while Hale Ray and Coventry sit on the other side of the bracket as teams that could be the Wolverines' opponent in the finals.
The Norwich Free Academy boys soccer team was rewarded for their terrific season with a home game. The No. 14 Wildcats will host No. 19 New Canaan on Monday in a Class LL first round contest. That’s a long trip for the Rams. The winner meets either No. 3 Norwalk or No. 30 Southington in the second round.
The Norwich Free Academy girls soccer team travels to Simsbury on Tuesday night. The winner then goes to No. 4 Ridgefield on Thursday for a Class LL second round battle.
And kudos to the Killingly field hockey team, which qualified for the Class M tournament. Killingly (7-8-0-1) travels to Groton on Tuesday for a first-round matchup against Fitch (12-3-0-1). The Falcons defeated Killingly twice during the regular season.
Here’s wishing all of our teams the best of luck this week.
Newest inductee into New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame
Phil Rondeau, whose career spanned 26 years and included 10 track championships and 152 victories, was recently inducted into the New England Auto Racing (NEAR) Hall of Fame. The ceremonies took place at the Regency Inn & Conference Center in Westford, Massachusetts.
Rondeau, of Sprague, is the fourth Norwich area Hall of Fame inductee. The others include Preston's Art Barry (2009), Norwich's Bob Potter (2007) and Willimantic's Don Collins (2005).
“Receiving an honor of this type is humbling," Rondeau told former Hearst sports reporter Peter Vander Veer. “I know that I'm becoming part of a very prestigious group of racers, mechanics, race owners and promoters who have made New England racing what it is today.”
Vander Veer noted that Rondeau's 107 combined victories (in SK Modifieds, Late Models and Street Stocks) ranks him second all-time in wins at the Waterford Speedbowl, where he captured six of his 10 track championships. In addition, he's the only driver at Waterford to win 100 features in a single division (Late Model).
Rondeau won both the 1987 Tri-Track championship (involving season-long races at Stafford, Thompson and Waterford) and the 1988 Dual Track title when events were held at Stafford and Thompson. His biggest win came in 1989 when he captured the 50-lap Street Stock race during the Race of Champions at the Pocono International Raceway in 1989.
In 2000 and 2001, Rondeau competed nationally on the Hooters Pro Cup circuit, finishing fifth in points in the Northeast Division in 2000.
Since retiring as an active driver after the 2009 season, Rondeau has remained involved in the sport as a car builder and owner and is vice-president of the Tri-State Go-Kart Club in Pomfret.
Rondeau was joined in the NEAR Hall of Fame’s 25th class by Matt Buckler, Ken Tremont Jr., Dick Houlihan, Russ Stoehr and Nate Chiavettone.
Could UConn Huskies be 'bowl eligible'?
How about those UConn Huskies? Jim Mora’s gang of believers knocked off my beloved Boston College Eagles for the first time EVAH last week. I knew Mora was going to turn things around. He’s a fantastic coach. Heck, he took the Atlanta Falcons to the NFC championship game. But I didn’t think the words “bowl eligible” would be heard in Storrs this fall.
As for the fallen Eagles? I’ve been going to games in Chestnut Hill with my Dad and Uncle Jim, both BC grads and longtime season ticket holders, before I could tie my Converse All Star sneakers and this might be the worst Eagles team I’ve seen and I’ve seen some bad ones. In 1978, the Eagles went 0-11 under Ed Chlebek, losing games to Villanova, UMass, Holy Cross and Temple.
Following Taylor Swift around the country
The incomparable Taylor Swift will be touring at huge football stadiums throughout the country starting in March. My daughter Anya handed me a piece of paper with all the venues she’d like to see Miss Swift. Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. What? GLENDALE, ARIZONA? She informed me that Glendale is the tour’s opening show on March 18 and her brother’s Wesleyan baseball team will be playing in Tucson that day. Tucson to Glendale is about a two-hour ride. She said it was meant to be. I need to call my financial advisor.
Remembering J. Geils Band's house party
STUCK IN THE '70s: On this day - Nov. 6, 1973 - Boston’s mighty J. Geils Band performed at the New Haven Coliseum. The J. Geils’ rollickin’ house party at the legendary but now defunct venue came during their “Ladies Invited” tour. The band’s fourth studio album, which featured the songs “The Lady Makes Demands" and “Chimes,” only reached No. 51 on the U.S. Billboard chart. Here’s some rock n’ roll trivia: The model for the “Ladies Invited” album cover artwork was reportedly actress Faye Dunaway, who married lead singer Peter Wolf the following year.
Jimmy Zanor can be reached at norwichbulletin.com.
This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Thoughts on UConn Huskies, Taylor Swift and J. Geils Band
