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NFA softball has made it into the Top 10 rankings, showcasing their impressive performance this season. The article discusses key players and insights into their success.
NFA's Sophie Miner (7) and Waterford's Isabel Henry
NFA's Sophie Miner (7) and Waterford's Isabel Henry
Sophie Miner
NFA's Sophie Miner slides into second base with a steal.
NFA's Olivia Bialowas slides home for a run.
Amelia Driscoll
NFA softball's rise is attributed to strong performances from key players and effective team strategies throughout the season.
Sophie Miner is highlighted as a standout player for NFA softball, contributing significantly to the team's success.
Being ranked in the Top 10 enhances NFA softball's visibility and could lead to increased support and recruitment opportunities.
NFA's ranking places them among the elite teams in the league, indicating a competitive season ahead against other top-ranked teams.
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Amelia Driscoll
Aubrey Martin
Aubrey Martin
Aubrey Martin
Dakota Bourdon
Jayden Johnston
Jayden Johnston
Jayden Johnston
Sophie Miner, left, and Jayden Johnston
Jayden Johnston
NFA junior Olivia Bourdon delivers a pitch during the Wildcats' 12-0 victory against Waterford at Waterford High School.
Olivia Bourdon
Olivia Bourdon
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NFA's Sophie Miner (7) and Waterford's Isabel Henry
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NFA's Sophie Miner (7) and Waterford's Isabel Henry
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NFA's Sophie Miner (7) and Waterford's Isabel Henry
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Sophie Miner
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NFA's Sophie Miner slides into second base with a steal.
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NFA's Olivia Bialowas slides home for a run.
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Amelia Driscoll
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Amelia Driscoll
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Aubrey Martin
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Aubrey Martin
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Aubrey Martin
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Dakota Bourdon
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Jayden Johnston
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Jayden Johnston
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Jayden Johnston
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Sophie Miner, left, and Jayden Johnston
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Jayden Johnston
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NFA junior Olivia Bourdon delivers a pitch during the Wildcats' 12-0 victory against Waterford at Waterford High School.
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Olivia Bourdon
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Olivia Bourdon
Just thought Iâd empty out my reporterâs notebook while wondering if weâre watching the worst offensive team in Boston Red Sox history. Where have you gone, Ted Williams?
After nearly mercy ruling last yearâs Class L finalist Waterford, a 12-0 shellacking for their fifth straight victory, the Norwich Free Academy softball team has made their first appearance in this seasonâs GameTimeCT Softball Top 10 poll.
A small group of media and coaches from around the state vote in the poll. Yes, I am a voter in both the softball and baseball polls. I had the surging Wildcats ranked pretty high on my ballot this week (we submit our ballot every Sunday). When the votes were counted, NFA vaulted into the No 10 spot. The top three teams in the poll - Cheshire, Masuk, and Foran - are defending state champions. The Wildcats only loss was against Masuk.
The GameTimeCT Softball Top 10 Poll
NFAâs fast start this season has been fueled by the standout pitching of junior twins Dakota and Olivia Bourdon, and terrific play and senior leadership from Aubrey Martin, Amelia Driscoll, and Sophie Miner.
Guided by head coach Tim Walsh, the Wildcats are also getting big contributions from juniors Jayden Johnston, Bella Ruta, Reilly York, Vivienne Przekop, Bella Cleary, and Bella Trask, and sophomore Alivia Bialowas.
NFA (7-1) captured their sixth straight victory on Wednesday, edging unbeaten Coventry, 4-3, at Depina Field in Norwich. Olivia Bourdon struck out four and went the distance to earn the pitching win behind a stout defense. She also had a big day at the plate. Bourdon hit a solo home run in the second inning and added a two-run double in the third.
Driscoll continued to swing a hot bat. The senior outfielder, who will play at the University of New England in the fall, went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
Itâs great to see the defending ECC champion Wildcats getting some state recognition in this weekâs Top 10 poll.
Norwich Free Academy senior Amelia Driscoll delivers a hit during the Wildcats' big victory over Waterford. NFA is ranked No. 10 in this week's GameTimeCT Top 10 poll.
The stateâs biggest professional sporting event - the Travelers Championship golf tournament - takes place on June 25-28 at the TPC at River Highlands in Cromwell.
There is no word yet on whether Masters champion Rory McIlroy is coming to the Nutmeg State, but the star-studded field already has commitments from defending champion Keegan Bradley, 2024 Travelers champion Scottie Scheffler, Players Championship winner Cameron Young, Collin Morakawa, Tommy Fleetwood, Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose, Chris Gotterup, Justin Thomas, and Xander Schauffele.
The great crowds at the Travelers has made it the second most attended PGA tour event annually, second only to the popular Waste Management Phoenix Open.
The Travelers has had many names and sponsors over the years: from the Insurance City Open to the Greater Hartford Open and the Sammy Davis Jr. Greater Hartford Open; from the Canon Greater Hartford Open to the Buick Invitational.
Golfers who have come to Hartford and raised a championship trophy include Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Ken Venturi, Bill Casper, Lee Trevino, Greg Norman, Phil Mickelson, and Jordan Spieth. Spieth holing his bunker shot for birdie on the first playoff hole to win the Travelers championship in 2017 is one of Connecticutâs greatest sports moments.
The Connecticut High School Coaches Association will hold its annual Hall of Fame awards dinner on May 7 at the Aqua Turf in Southington.
The CHSCA Class of 2025-26 Hall of Fame inductees are: Tom Brockett (football, Ansonia); Sal Coppola (baseball, Amity); Peter Corbett (indoor/outdoor track and field, Ellington); Arleigh Duff (cross country/outdoor track and field, Nonnewaug); Cathy Federowicz (volleyball, Seymour); Maureen (Mo) Meniscus (field hockey, Darien); Brian Reiff (swimming, Brookfield); Ken Smith (boys basketball, Windsor); Paul F. Sponheimer (football, Seymour); Arthur Wheelock (baseball, Rockville); and Bob Rumbold (retired sports media, WTIC-61 and WTNH-8).
The CHSCA award recipients include: Kristie Kaminski and Randy Brochu (Joseph J. Fontana Service Award); Tom Dyer (Thomas R. Monahan CHSCA Honor Award); and Joseph Calvanese CHSCA Sponsorship Award).
The Hall of Fame dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $65 and can be purchased at chsca.org.
The Connecticut Sports Media Alliance will host its 83rd Gold Key Dinner on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington at 2 p.m. The Gold Key is presented to athletes, coaches and administrators who have made noteworthy career contributions to Connecticutâs rich athletic heritage. Receiving a Gold Key is comparable to being inducted into a state hall of fame.
This year, the CSMA is honoring five distinguished Gold Key recipients: Rachele Fico, Masuk and Louisiana State softball; Nick Giaquinto, Stratford, UConn football, Washington Super Bowl champion; James Jones, head basketball coach at Yale; Dave Wallace, Sacred Heart-Waterbury graduate and pitching coach of 2004 World Series champion Boston Red Sox; and Kara Wolters, UConn All-American, WNBA champion and Olympic gold medalist.
Tickets for the 83rd Gold Key dinner are now on sale for $80. Send your check made payable to the Connecticut Sports Media Alliance and who you are there to see to the following address: CT Sports Media Alliance, P.O. Box 3234, Enfield, CT, 06083.
For more information or to pay through Venmo, contact John Holt at JohnDHolt@yahoo.com or call him at 508-740-4738.
On April 28, 1976, the mighty J. Geils Band - Peter Wolf (lead vocals), J. Geils (guitar), Seth Justman (keyboards, organ), Magic Dick (harmonica, saxophone), Danny Klein (bass), Stephen Jo Bladd (drums) - were welcomed home as Bostonâs rock-and-roll heroes. Mayor Kevin White declared J. Geils Band Day in the city and following an afternoon of celebrations, Geils rocked the Boston Garden with a surprise concert.
Four days before, the bandâs live album âBlow Your Face Outâ was released on Atlantic Records. The two-LP set, which was recorded from two 1975 concerts at the Boston Garden (Nov. 15) and Cobo Arena (Nov. 19) in Detroit, captured the J. Geils Band at the top of their game: a band whose high-energy, rip-roaring legendary concert performances whipped crowds into a frenzy.
Wolf talked with Goldmine Magazine writer Jeff Tamarkin about the bandâs alliance with the city of Boston and their adopted hometown of Detroit.
âThere were the Red Sox, the Bruins, the Celtics, Bostonâs hometown sports teams, and then there was Geils,â Wolf said. âWhen the Geils band would roll into Detroit, it would be a nonstop party for seven days and seven nights. Weâd be tail-dragginâ out of there. Weâd really try to blow the roof off the place.â
Jimmy Zanor
Jimmy Zanor is a sportswriter for the Norwich Bulletin and can be reached at jzanor@norwichbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter@jzanorNB.
This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: NFA softball vaults into state Top 10, other thoughts | Zanor column