NFA's Sophie Miner (7) and Waterford's Isabel HenryNFA's Sophie Miner (7) and Waterford's Isabel HenrySophie MinerNFA's Sophie Miner slides into second base with a steal.NFA's Olivia Bialowas slides home for a run.Amelia DriscollAmelia DriscollAubrey MartinAubrey MartinAubrey MartinDakota BourdonJayden JohnstonJayden JohnstonJayden JohnstonSophie Miner, left, and Jayden JohnstonJayden JohnstonNFA junior Olivia Bourdon delivers a pitch during the Wildcats' 12-0 victory against Waterford at Waterford High School.Olivia BourdonOlivia Bourdon1 / 19Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softballNFA's Sophie Miner (7) and Waterford's Isabel Henry1 / 19Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softballNFA's Sophie Miner (7) and Waterford's Isabel Henry2 / 19Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softballNFA's Sophie Miner (7) and Waterford's Isabel Henry3 / 19Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softballSophie Miner4 / 19Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softballNFA's Sophie Miner slides into second base with a steal.5 / 19Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softballNFA's Olivia Bialowas slides home for a run.6 / 19Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softballAmelia Driscoll7 / 19Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softballAmelia Driscoll8 / 19Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softballAubrey Martin9 / 19Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softballAubrey Martin10 / 19Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softballAubrey Martin11 / 19Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softballDakota Bourdon12 / 19Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softballJayden Johnston13 / 19Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softballJayden Johnston14 / 19Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softballJayden Johnston15 / 19Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softballSophie Miner, left, and Jayden Johnston16 / 19Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softballJayden Johnston17 / 19Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softballNFA junior Olivia Bourdon delivers a pitch during the Wildcats' 12-0 victory against Waterford at Waterford High School.18 / 19Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softballOlivia Bourdon19 / 19Photo gallery: Norwich Free Academy versus Waterford softballOlivia BourdonJust thought I’d empty out my reporter’s notebook while wondering if we’re watching the worst offensive team in Boston Red Sox history. Where have you gone, Ted Williams?
After nearly mercy ruling last year’s 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 season’s 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.
NFA’s 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.
It’s great to see the defending ECC champion Wildcats getting some state recognition in this week’s Top 10 poll.
The state’s 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 Connecticut’s greatest sports moments.
More: NFA tops Killingly for fourth straight baseball win
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 Connecticut’s 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.