Davino, Brochu Win Nonnewaug Cornhole Championship

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Kyle Brennan

Brett Davino and Eli Brochu, second- and third-to-left, respectively, won the inaugural Nonnewaug cornhole tournament.

Kyle Brennan, Publisher

WOODBURY — Battling back from an upset defeat in the first round, Nonnewaug juniors Brett Davino and Eli Brochu rallied to win the inaugural Nonnewaug Cornhole Championship on June 16.

Davino and Brochu defeated juniors Trey Medonis and Adam Paganelli in back-to-back, must-win games to clinch the title. Medonis and Paganelli had dealt the eventual champs a stunning 21-15 loss in the first game of the tournament thanks to a walk-off four-bagger by Medonis.

Davino and Brochu beat juniors Carley Shook and Charlotte D’Alexander to earn their spot in the finals. In the rematch against Medonis and Paganelli, Davino and Brochu earned a 21-13 victory to force a winner-take-all championship match. The final was never close as Davino and Brochu won, 21-3.

Still, the opening loss left a sour taste in Davino’s mouth.

“I thought we underperformed,” Davino said.

D’Alexander, Medonis, and Davino all won singles matches against their own partners. Davino’s massive comeback against Brochu gave him a 21-17 win and clinched his spot atop the school’s cornhole rankings. Brochu was second, followed by Medonis (21-3 win over Paganelli), Paganelli, D’Alexander (21-17 win over Shook), and Shook.

The championship tournament concluded the first year of the Nonnewaug cornhole team, which began in December. More than a dozen students played after school throughout the year. The team secured two sets of custom boards and bags through various funding sources in March, and the equipment has since been used in advisory, at Freshman Field Day, at the Sophomore Ring Social, and other school events.

The team will return in September and will be open to all Nonnewaug students and staff members.