Sports

Let's Go Hornets! Boys' Hoops and Hockey Still Alive in States

Both the Branford boys' basketball team and hockey team earned first-round wins in the state tournament last night.


The winter 2012-13 season is still alive for two of Branford High School's varsity teams with boys' basketball and ice hockey still competing in the state tournament. The girls' basketball team, which finished with an 8-12 regular-season record, earned the No. 28 seed in Class L, falling to fifth-seeded Wilton 56-33 in the first round.

Ice Hockey

On the ice, Branford's 12-6-2 regular-season record gave the Hornets the No. 5 seed in the Division II State Tournament. Branford bounced back from its loss to Hand in the SCC Championship with a 4-0 shutout of Fermi-Enfield-East Granby-Stafford in the first round. Fermi, 8-11-1 in the regular season, was the No. 12 seed.

The win pushes the Hornets into the quarterfinals, which will be held on Friday, March 8 at Ingalls Rink (Yale) at 7 p.m. where they will face Fairfield Warde/Ludlowe.

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No. 13-seeded Fairfield Warde (10-10 regular-season record) pulled off a 3-2 upset of fourth-seeded Watertown-Pomperaug in the first round. Branford and Fairfield Warde faced off on Dec. 22 with the Hornets suffering a 7-3 loss.

The winner of Friday night's game moves on to the semifinals to be held on March 11, also at Ingalls, to face the winner of the North Branford-Newtown game.

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Boys' Basketball

With a 12-8 regular-season record, the Branford boys' basketball team took the 13th seed in the Class L State Tournament to draw East Catholic in the first round.

The Hornets came away with a 65-61 victory over the 20th-seeded visiting team that held a 10-10 regular-season record.

The win pits Branford against a familiar opponent – Wilbur Cross of New Haven. The Hornets faced the Governors twice during the regular season, falling 66-63 in an overtime home contest on Dec. 21 and then dropping a 59-43 game at Cross on Jan. 25.

Now, Branford will travel to New Haven once more to take on fourth-seeded Cross – which ended the regular season with an 18-3 record – on Thursday, March 7 at 6:30 p.m.

The winner will move on to the quarterfinals, scheduled for March 11, where they will face the winner of the Wilby (No. 5)-Watertown (No. 12) matchup.


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