WOODBURY – The concept of homecoming usually provokes thoughts of deafening music, dancing, disco balls, and dresses or suits. But that isn’t all there is to this exciting event.
From the court to the field, fall athletes are all hungry for a win. Shepaug Valley High School and Lakeview High School both came to Nonnewaug to compete; the outcomes of the games ranging from shutouts, to nail biters, all while the crowd supported.
On the turf, Nonnewaug field hockey played a tough game against Shepaug, losing 2-1. Catherine Viveros scored for Nonnewaug, making the game close.
Volleyball found a win on the courts coming out victorious over Lakeview, with varsity girls winning 3 out of the 3 sets played. The JV team also came out on top and won 2-0.
Martin Malaspina, the girl’s volleyball coach, is a fan of the way homecoming sports games benefit the whole school.
“I think even though we’re separate teams,” said Malaspina, “having a day or a night of playing gives us a sense of unity as a school.”
Nonnewaug won 2-1 against Shepaug boys soccer, after a hard fought battle. Vincenzo Rose had a goal in the first half and Josh Zapatka followed, scoring a penalty kick against Shepaug. Rolfe Brindle, the goal keeper, won the goat chain (or MVP) for his many saves that game.
Homecoming sports games are very important for school spirit and player morale, and many times, having support from a student section helps athletes play better.
With the encouragement of the student section, Nonnewaug girls soccer played a match under the lights and came out with a win. Nonnewaug beat Shepaug 5-0. Hailey Goldman had two goals in the first half and Rosie Makarewicz had a hat trick (scored 3 goals) in the second half. Makarewicz also won the dog tag- the team’s version of most valuable player.
The support from the crowd helped Makarewicz perform at a high level.
“The yelling of the crowd after I scored the first [goal] just made me feel really proud,” said Makarewicz. “So many people were cheering and getting excited and then it made me want to score more, so I did.”
The crowd and student section can positively affect athletes’ performance. The fact that these were homecoming games, increased the amount of fans supporting Nonnewaug athletics.
“I usually want to do pretty good,” Makarewicz continues, “but because there were more people, I was more motivated to perform well.”
Beyond the dance floor, Homecoming holds so much more meaning. Nonnewaug won the majority of the Homecoming games that night, raising both school spirit and anticipation for the dance.
With October coming to a close, and the state tournament on the horizon, NHS fall sports look to build off of the homecoming hype.
