Bits & Pieces

By Kim J. Harmon

 

The sleet and freezing rain on Friday and the snowy field on Saturday afternoon may have forced us to wait for a couple of CIAC Class LL state quarterfinal soccer games but – oh, boy – the wait was worth it.

I’m not sure Newtown High School could experience a more exciting afternoon than seeing its boys’ soccer team score the winning goal with just 17 seconds left in regulation and then seeing its girls’ soccer team score the winning goal with just 1:08 left in double overtime.

Wow, what a day.

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Marcus Tracy scored both goals in Newtown’s 2-1 win over Manchester in the CIAC Class LL quarterfinals on Monday, but the next day (first with my wife and then with a couple of co-workers) I couldn’t stop talking about one particular shot by Brian Miles.

There was just 9:20 left in the first half and the game was tied 1-1 when Miles nailed a laser beam off the cross bar that rebounded so high up in the air there was danger the ball would burn up on re-entry.

It was the hardest shot I had seen in 20 years (jeez, has it been that long?) of covering high school soccer and – gosh – I’m still shaking my head.

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It was organized chaos – but for a good cause.

The annual John Giorno Memorial 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament (see page B2 for pictures) took over the Newtown High School gymnasium last Saturday and it was pure, utter chaos from start to finish with four, five or six basketball games going at once; contests; silent auctions; raffles; and so much more.

I got there early and flitted around trying to get pictures of this game or that game and sometimes wasn’t quite sure where one game ended and another began (there was quite a bit of overlap in the courts).

I think Bob Elliott – a Newtown resident whom I usually see only on the tennis court – had the right idea when he said I should get a wide-angle lens and just take a picture of the chaos.

But it was a fun sort of chaos – especially when the young kids could just go out and play ball and not worry about personal fouls or pesky little rules like traveling.

And it was for a great cause.

The brainchild of Newtown High School basketball coach John Quinn, the tournament benefits the family of former youth coach, organizer and supporter John Giorno, who passed away a few years ago after a battle with cancer.

If you were there on Saturday, no doubt you had a lot of fun.

And if you weren’t, then start making plans to be there next year.

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The 12th annual Thanksgiving Turkey Shoot – sponsored by the Newtown Parks and Recreation Department – will be held Saturday, November 20, in the Newtown Middle School ‘A’ gym.

Cost is $10 per team.

Competing for the highest score in three rounds of free throw shooting, the winning team – consisting of one child and one adult – will go home with a turkey just in time for Thanksgiving dinner. Proceeds will benefit the Campership Fund.

Children 5 years of age and under and children ages 6 to 8 will shoot from 10 to 10:45 am. Children ages 9 to 12 and teens ages 13 and over will shoot from 11 to 11:45 am.

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Now, nothing I say could diminish the accomplishments of an outstanding swimmer like Christina Bladek of Lauralton Hall, but – excuse me – how in the world did Newtown’s Abby Atkinson fail to win the Outstanding Swimmer award at the South-West Conference championships?

All Atkinson did was help lead the 200 medley relay team to a second-place finish (while setting a new school record) before going on to win two individual events (the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke) and share in a 400 freestyle relay title.

Now, that’s the outstanding swimmer of the meet.

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Got your bowling shoes handy?

The Danbury Bowling Association – encompassing the Brookfield Lanes and Lore Lanes in New Milford – will be holding a Singles Scratch Tournament on Sunday, January 9, at Lore Lanes. It is open to men, women and youth bowlers throughout Connecticut.

The American Bowling Congress sanctions the event. Action is set to start at 1 pm, with check-in at 12 noon.

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I am still dumfounded.

Latrell Sprewell of the Minnesota Timberwolves complains about his contract (which still has one year left on it, with the T-Wolves on the hook for almost $30 million) and wonders why he should go out and bust his hump to win a championship. What have the Timberwolves done for him?

Ron Artest of the Indiana Pacers steps into his coach’s office – only two games into the season – and asks for a month off so, ostensibly, he can concentrate on getting his new record label and new band off the ground.

What can I say? I’m sitting here trying to think of something to say and I cannot because it is simply stupefying. The selfishness of the modern day professional athlete is just astounding.

But that’s professional sports for you.