OLD LYME— Lyme-Old Lyme High School (LOLHS) Junior Hoshena Gemme has pulled off a string of significant victories recently, successfully putting Old Lyme firmly on the map for the sport in the process.

She won the Girl’s State Open 132lb title in New Haven a few weeks ago and then last weekend in Providence, R.I., she took top honors in the Girl’s New England Regional Championship, again in the 132lb weight class.

Gemme, who is co-captain of the LOLHS wrestling team, trains at the school with the high school team under coaches Nick Bradley and Austin Daley during the December through March season. In addition, however, she trains with area teams such as Wolfgang Wrestling in Groton, Team Tugman in Ansonia, and Team Fisheye in Windsor.

Attending these different team trainings gives her extra practice time on the mat, as well as learning new wrestling moves from a variety of coaches. The LOLHS 2023-24 season has now concluded, but Gemme will continue training off-season.

In April she will attend a national event in Virginia Beach, Va. with Team Tugman. Next up is Harrisburg, Pa where she will compete with the Connecticut (CT) USA Wrestling Team in May. Later in the summer, in July, Gemme will travel to Fargo, N.D., again with CT USA Wrestling.

Congratulations on your success to date, Hoshena—we are sure we will be hearing a great deal more about you in the future!

Below is Hoshena on the podium and also with Coach Nick and Coach Austin. Hopefully we can grow the wrestling team, as well as get a few more girls to join for next season.

OLD LYME—The Wildcats advanced to the CIAC Division V quarter-finals last night with a 53-44 win over the Grasso Tech Eagles—but it did not come easily.

To quote from rookie coach Dylan Sheffield’s words in his post-game interview, the team was “grinding” as it clawed out the unexpectedly tough victory..

The Eagles drew up to just one point away from Old Lyme in the fourth quarter while the ‘Cats missed shot after shot from both the court and foul line but finally, Old Lyme found its rhythm again and pulled away to clinch the win.

Freshman Eddie Fiske was a major contributor to the Wildcat’s score with a game-high 20 points. He was joined by senior Leland Hine:, who notched a solid 14 points.

Nick Stavesky: scored 17 points for Grasso-Tech.

Old Lyme will host the Somers Spartans in Monday’s quarterfinal to be played in the Lyme-Old Lyme High School gym.

OLD LYME—UPDATED 03/01: This week the CIAC announced both the rankings and play-off schedule for qualifying teams in all divisions for the upcoming CIAC tournaments.

Old Lyme is ranked #3 and secured a 1st round bye. On Thursday March 7, at 6:30 p.m., the Wildcats will host the winner of #14 Grasso Tech vs #19 HMTCA  (Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy.)

CLINTON, CT—02/28:On Tuesday evening, in a tightly-contested Shoreline Tournament semifinal game right to the final buzzer, the third-seeded Lyme-Old Lyme Wildcats ultimately fell 49-56 to the #2 seeded Morgan Huskies.

Senior Jack Porter was Old Lyme’s top scorer with13 points while sophomore Colman Curtiss-Reardon added 11.

Ryan Donodia scored a game-high18 points for Morgan and Patrick O’Neil notched 17 for Morgan.

The Shoreline Conference Championship game will now be played between the two top seeds—Cromwell #1 and Morgan #2—on Saturday, March 2, at Polson Middle School in Madison with a 7 p.m. tip-off.