[ad_1]
Pictured are four East Haven women’s soccer alumni – Amy Divaniero, Cristina Fazzino, Haley Montesanto and Jordan Kikocic – who were senior captains of the Yellow Jackets and who just finished the 2022 season together, at Albertas Magnus College. I played at Photo credit: Julie DiVerniero
Childhood and adolescent sports can create great connections and friendships, but when those relationships blossom to the college level, the full communal aspect of athletics comes into play. Her four young women in East Haven have experienced the experience firsthand.
East Haven High School (EHHS) four alumni are Amy Divaniero (2021 alumnus), Jordan Kikoshiki (2018 alumnus), Haley Montesanto (also a 2018 alumnus), and Cristina Fazzino (2020 alumni). Each member of the quartet played for the entire town youth soccer team before heading to EHHS and captained the Yellow Jackets’ women’s soccer team her senior season.
However, the journey of the girls who bonded over the soccer ball did not end there. Each forging their own path, they met again to complete a campaign playing together as a women’s soccer team at her Albertus Magnus College of the NCAA Division III program in New Haven. The Falcons finished him 9-6-4 overall and 6-4-3 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play. They further reached the semi-final round of the GNAC tournament.
DiVerniero, a sophomore defender and business marketing major, started five games for the Falcons this fall. This followed her freshman campaign which saw her named to her GNAC All Her Sportsmanship her team. She was also the junior and senior season captain of the Yellow Jackets.
“It was such a great experience playing with them again,” DiVerniero said. “Christina and I were very close and it was great to see her again. In football we spend most of the weekdays and weekends together.For us it all started with the youth program in East Haven. We had a long-lasting relationship that included uplifting and supporting each other.”
In 2022, Kiko Shiki (who was EHHS’ senior year captain and participated in both indoor and outdoor tracks) made 19 starts for the Falcons as an alumni forward, recording 3 points with 1 goal and 1 assist. In the 2021 run, she started all 16 games for Albertus and scored 5 points (2 goals, 1 assist). During her sophomore year in 2019, health care major Kikoszycki ranked her fifth in team points total, with three goals and a helper scoring her seven.
“It was a great experience playing with these girls in high school and college. “Physically, the biggest change in going to college games was the higher intensity and competition, and mentally, school work became more intense, with different schedules for different classes. Playing with girls definitely created a close-knit community.I’ve made some of the best friends through soccer.”
For Montesanto, he served as the Yellow Jackets’ senior year captain and 2017 All-SCC second team selection, completing 19 starts for the Falcons in 2022 as the alumni transfer midfielder. She appeared in her 58 games with the Warriors, scoring her 24 points with nine goals and six assists.
Montesanto was an EHHS athlete in three sports and also competed in basketball and outdoor track.
“After my last four years in the Eastern, I had the chance to graduate here at Albertus. Playing with these girls I used to hang out with was the best fit for me. When I was five years old Montesanto, who started youth football in East Haven, said: “All the coaches and players I have met will be my friends over the years.”
A history major, Fazzino made six appearances on Albertus’ pitch in 2022 as a junior defender. In 2021, she appeared in seven games for the Falcons, starting one as a defender.
“This was a great opportunity to launch the foundation we built as kids and see it come full circle in college. The team chemistry is still there,” said Fazzino. “At my senior night at EHHS, I was sad because I knew Amy and I were parting ways, but then I found out that she was going to Albertus, too. That was great news. I was able to work harder and find a deeper love for the sport playing at a more competitive level.My friendships through football have had a huge impact on me.They are my second It’s like a family of .These are bonds that last a lifetime.”
Yellowjackets women’s soccer head coach, Jake Hackett, said Montesanto and Kikoszycki were two of his first captains upon arrival at EHHS. He declared that they had set a true gold standard for future members of the program to follow for years to come.
“All four girls are great football players and extraordinary young women. Jordan and Haley captained me in my first year at EHHS,” says Hackett. “Once you get into the program, you don’t know exactly what you’re stepping into. Haley and Jordan go above and beyond and not only embrace themselves, but set an example and lead the entire team. Their dedication to excellence and determination is the cornerstone of this programme, not only for what they have achieved in their football career, but also for the people they have grown into. I am so proud of them. They are extraordinary young women and strong members of our community.”
Talking about Fazzino’s fast track within the Yellowjackets’ varsity ranks, Hackett said she’s a focused athlete ready to continuously improve every day.
“When I entered EHHS, Christina was the only member of the sophomore class,” said Coach Hackett. “From day one, she put in a tremendous amount of hard work, demonstrating her determination and desire to learn and grow as a player. In my junior and senior years, I became a role player for the national team as a full starter from my sophomore year.”
Hackett explained that Divaniero was a captain who approached each teammate with the utmost care and compassion, corralling them to succeed on the pitch.
“For two years, Amy has gone above and beyond as captain,” says Hackett. “She was a great leader, a great teammate, and a caring friend to everyone on the program. She is a strong player and an amazing person with extraordinary talent.”
Finally, Hackett takes pride in witnessing the progress of each individual along with our collective efforts to develop the true tenets required by the EHHS program.
“We always want to make things better than they started, and we want to make a positive difference to the team and the situation,” said Hackett. “All four of these amazing young women have contributed to the growth and improvement of this program each year. Watching these four girls grow into the strong young women they are today is truly special to me and I cannot properly say how proud I am of them all. ”
[ad_2]
Source link
