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.
Key points
NFA softball enters the Top 10 rankings
Sophie Miner is a key player for NFA
Team strategies have led to improved performance
Ranking increases visibility for the team
NFA softballSophie Miner
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
Q&A
What factors contributed to NFA softball's rise into the Top 10 rankings?
NFA softball's rise is attributed to strong performances from key players and effective team strategies throughout the season.
Who are the standout players for NFA softball this season?
Sophie Miner is highlighted as a standout player for NFA softball, contributing significantly to the team's success.
What are the implications of NFA softball being ranked in the Top 10?
Being ranked in the Top 10 enhances NFA softball's visibility and could lead to increased support and recruitment opportunities.
How does NFA's ranking compare to other teams in the league?
NFA's ranking places them among the elite teams in the league, indicating a competitive season ahead against other top-ranked teams.
Related Articles
MLB·Feature
History-making Munetaka Murakami is already 'one of the boys' with White Sox
Munetaka Murakami shines with the White Sox, hitting 10 home runs early in the 2026 season.
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Sports
Bengals Day 2 Mock Draft roundup
Bengals prepare for Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft after missing key prospects.
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Cricket·Feature
IPL 2026: How Josh Hazlewoodâs Test-match lengths boosted Marco Jansenâs fortunes
How Josh Hazlewood's Bowling Style Inspired Marco Jansen's Rise in IPL 2026
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Sports
Hair pulling ought not to be tolerated - FA panel
FA panel states hair pulling should not be tolerated, upholding Martinez's ban
BBC Sport··1 min read
Soccer
Bayern confirm departure of youth boss
Bayern Munich confirms youth boss Markus Weinzierl's departure at season's end.
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
NFL·Recap
Where to watch all three days of the 2026 NFL draft: TV, radio, time
Catch the 2026 NFL Draft: Schedule and Viewing Options!
See every story in Sports â including breaking news and analysis.
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
1 / 19
Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softball
NFA's Sophie Miner (7) and Waterford's Isabel Henry
1 / 19
Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softball
NFA's Sophie Miner (7) and Waterford's Isabel Henry
2 / 19
Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softball
NFA's Sophie Miner (7) and Waterford's Isabel Henry
3 / 19
Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softball
Sophie Miner
4 / 19
Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softball
NFA's Sophie Miner slides into second base with a steal.
5 / 19
Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softball
NFA's Olivia Bialowas slides home for a run.
6 / 19
Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softball
Amelia Driscoll
7 / 19
Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softball
Amelia Driscoll
8 / 19
Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softball
Aubrey Martin
9 / 19
Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softball
Aubrey Martin
10 / 19
Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softball
Aubrey Martin
11 / 19
Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softball
Dakota Bourdon
12 / 19
Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softball
Jayden Johnston
13 / 19
Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softball
Jayden Johnston
14 / 19
Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softball
Jayden Johnston
15 / 19
Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softball
Sophie Miner, left, and Jayden Johnston
16 / 19
Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softball
Jayden Johnston
17 / 19
Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softball
NFA junior Olivia Bourdon delivers a pitch during the Wildcats' 12-0 victory against Waterford at Waterford High School.
18 / 19
Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softball
Olivia Bourdon
19 / 19
Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softball
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?
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.
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.
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.
Travelers Championship
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.
Gold Key Dinner
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
