‘Learn to Row’ this summer on one of the Old Lyme Rowing Association’s many courses.
OLD LYME—The Old Lyme Rowing Association (OLRA) is hosting the following summer ‘Learn to Row’ programs. The OLRA is home to the Blood Street Sculls and Lyme-Old Lyme High School Rowing. The following programs are all currently open for enrollment:
Adult/HS Learn to Row courses are offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 6-8 p.m. on these dates:
June 10 – June 21
June 24 – July 5
July 8 – July 19
Middle School Learn to Row courses are offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:15-10:15 a.m.. on these dates
June 24 – July 5
July 8 – July 19
July 22 – Aug 2
The Junior Competitive program is for high school students entering grades 9-12, recent graduates, or with the approval of the head coach. Find more information at this link. Registration opens around March 1. Summer juniors actively train and race for a period, starting June 19 – Aug 2 on weekdays from 6-8 a.m.
Scholarships are available for all levels of OLRA programs. If you have a financial issue, contact Paul Fuchs directly for a confidential discussion. For more information on all aspects of the Old Lyme Rowing Association, visit www.oldlymerowing.org.
After coming back from a five-goal-deficit to defeat Canton, the Lyme-Old Lyme girls lacrosse team played Lauralton Hall in the Class S State championship on Saturday.
FAIRFIELD, CT—UPDATE: Although ahead 4-3 at the half, sadly the Old Lyme girls ultimately fell 9-6 to Lauralton Hall on Saturday in the Class S lacrosse final.
On Saturday, June 8, the second-seeded Lyme-Old Lyme High School girls’ lacrosse team will face top seeds Lauralton Hall of Milford at Sacred Heart University in the CIAC Class S State Championship final. The game is scheduled to start at 10 a.m.
In last Tuesday night’s Class S State semi-final, Old Lyme were 6-3 down against third-seeded Canton at half-time.
Things were not looking good for Old Lyme at Windsor High School when Canton came out to start the third quarter and almost immediately scored twice to take the score to 8-3.
Coach Emily Macione takes up the story from there, explaining in an email, “We took a time-out at that point and tried to regroup, the message being – one goal at a time, one possession at a time…just keep working together.”
She continued, “We responded from there, scoring the next five goals over the balance of the third quarter, and into the fourth … while also holding them to zero goals in the process.”
That five-goal run tied the game at 8-8, with around four minutes left on the clock.
At that point, in Macione’s words, “Canton’s best player #21 Heather Delbone ended up firing one in not too long after, and Canton went up 9-8. They won the next draw and tried to run out the clock. With about a minute and a half left, our #9 Sydney Goulding was able to steal the ball from Canton and ran it back up on offense for us. We took a few shots, and they were wide of the goal, but with about 10 second left, our #20 Alexis Antonellis was fouled and got a free position shot, which she made.”
This tied the game again, with six seconds remaining. Old Lyme won the next draw, and tried to run it down and shoot, but the clock expired, taking the game to overtime.
Macione pointed out, “Overtime is sudden death, so whoever scores first wins … which is why getting the draw is really, really critical. We were able to win it, went down on offense and after about 30 seconds, Alexis was able to score the game winner.”
Asked how that felt, Macione said simply, “It was … surreal.” She continued, “I have imagined the girls running off after a win like that so many times, and all season, I’ve been talking to them about that feeling and what it would be like. Everyone stepped up and kept their heads in the game despite a pretty considerable deficit … they just kept working, one play at a time.”
She concluded, “[You] Can’t ask for more than that as a coach. In some ways it’s hard to believe that we are playing in a final … It is just so rare to make it this far, and it’s really special. But since we have made it this far, our attitude is why not us? Everyone is going to be good at this point, we just have to outwork our opponent.”
Macione’ said she is now experiencing a great range of emotions about the final, saying she is, “So excited (and nervous) to have the opportunity [to have her team play in the first ever state final for Old Lyme.] Just one more!”
The newly-planted pollinator gardens are dedicated to the much beloved Joanie Bonvicin, who served as Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School secretary for 44 years. All photos by Lyme-Old Lyme Schools.
Middle School students hard at work planting the garden.
The plants and mulch in the garden were paid for through a Youth Environmental Action (YEA!) Grant awarded by the Old Lyme Land Trust. Eighth grader Aiden Guidi applied for and received the grant on behalf of the Club.
Master Gardener Linda Clough, who is a member of Duck River Garden Club, assisted the students with design and plantings for the garden.
The Eco Warriors were assisted in purchasing the plants wholesale by mentors from the Duck River Garden Club – Linda Clough and Maryellen Basham. Clough, a certified Master Gardener, advised the students on a garden design that used perennial native plants, which attract bees and butterflies.
Jac Venza, a shoemaker’s son who almost single-handedly delivered to the proverbial “vast wasteland” that was American television in the 1960s and ’70s an oasis of cultural programming, including “Great Performances” and “Live From Lincoln Center,” died on Tuesday at his home in Lyme, Conn. He was 97.
His death was confirmed by his spouse, Daniel D. Routhier.
In an extraordinary accomplishment, the Lyme-Old Lyme Girls’ Tennis team has won the Class S State Championship for the fourth straight season.
WEST HARTFORD—6/2 UPDATED with coach’s comments: On Friday afternoon, May 31, at Conard High School in West Hartford, the Lyme-Old Lyme High School girls defeated Valley Regional 5-2 to claim the Class S State Championship for the fourth time in succession.
Coach Lauren Rahr, whose assistant coach is her father, David, has seen her team win the state championship for all four seasons that she has been in charge.
Lyme-Old Lyme High School Girl’s Tennis Coach Lauren Rahr celebrates her team’s continuing success in this photo with her father, Dave Rahr. He serves as the team’s Junior Varsity Coach. Photo submitted.
We asked Lauren how she felt about the team’s success. Shre responded by email, saying, “This state championship title was different from the rest. In other years, we knew we had a strong and experienced team,” adding, “This year, everyone from athletes to coaches to parents put in the time and effort to get the team to this point.”
She noted that, “Coming into the match, we had already played this team twice. Each time the deciding match was the last one on the court and multiple matches having gone into third sets. However, we couldn’t let expectations or predictions get the best of us.”
Noting, “We had to play it one point at a time, and put all of our focus into each point. There was a moment in the match that we had lost the first set on four of the seven courts, but that was also the moment where the team dug deep and left their hearts on the courts.”
Rahr pointed out, “Coaching the girls throughout the match, they each wanted to know how the rest of their team was doing. This whole season it was always about the team as a family and being out there fighting with each other.”
She concluded, “Once the match was decided, the pure joy and happiness on their faces as they ran and jumped to hug each other let me know how much this title truly meant to them. We overcame a lot this season, and it made us all stronger. I hope the girls can look back on this time in their lives and remember how capable and strong they all are.”
