Local roundup: Connelly's next step will be Brown

Jim Connelly has spent his time at Stonington High School excelling in the classroom and on the football field.

Connelly's work ethic and smarts have paid off as the senior will attend Brown University.

"He's a smart football player," Stonington coach A.J. Massengale said. "He's got a great nose for the ball, but he knows how to get others in the right position. The pre-snap, he does a great job of just slowing everything down for himself and the guys around him."

Connelly, a two-time Day All-Area linebacker, was also considering the United States Naval Academy and Cornell. His older brother, John, was a senior linebacker for Brown this past season.

Jim Connelly rushed for 1,256 yards and 16 touchdowns his senior year and averaged nearly 10 yards per carry. He played several positions during his time with the Bears.

"We had him playing everywhere," Massengale said. "He played tight end. He played fullback. He played wing back. He played linebacker. We split him out. We did all kinds of things with him. He could always handle it.

"I think he's going to do well (at Brown). I think he's going to have some good opportunities to contribute up there."

Boys' basketball

• Tyreel Drayton had 15 points and 10 assists as Grasso Tech beat Parish Hill, 84-38, in the Constitution State Conference East Division. Devonta Willis had 14 points and nine rebounds for Grasso (5-1); Robert Feliciano added 12 points. Lincoln Sprague scored 19 points for the Pirates (0-7).

• Phillip Starks had 41 points and nine assists as Prince Tech of Hartford downed Norwich Tech, 90-54. Lobell Cassells had 13 points and 17 rebounds for Prince Tech (4-5). Kyle Storz had 17 points for the Warriors (3-4) and Drake Baton scored 14.

College men's basketball

• Indiana Faithfull scored 16 points and had 10 rebounds as St. Thomas More won its 10th straight game, beating New Hampton Prep 84-75. Roy Mabrey scored 20 points and Jarell Byrd, Whis Grant, Adam Jones and B.J. Cardarelli each scored 10 for T-More (12-1).

• Freshman John Benedict scored 13 of his game-high 20 points in the second half as he led Coast Guard over Babson, 62-54, in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference game. Jevon James had 16 points and six rebounds for Coast Guard (7-6, 2-1) and Devonte Weems added eight points and six rebounds. Matt Zoia scored 18 points for the Beavers (6-8, 1-2).

• Lance Spratling scored 32 points, including the 1,000th of his career, to lead Southern Vermont to a 91-71 win over Mitchell College in a New England Collegiate Conference game. Mercury Fiske scored 18 points and Tim Quinn had 11 for Mitchell (1-12, 0-4).

College women's basketball

• New London's Alix O'Neil scored 20 points and had 10 rebounds, leading Mitchell College to a 70-56 win over Southern Vermont in a NECC game. Bianca Young scored 12 for Mitchell (7-4, 4-0).

• Kelly Slattery led Springfield College with 14 points in its 58-32 NEWMAC win over Coast Guard. Tamara Tribble had six points and seven rebounds for the Pride (5-9, 5-2). Kaitlin Ward had 16 points and four steals for the Bears (2-10, 0-7).

H.S. wrestling

• Brandon Walsh (135), Nick Boots (140) and Kyle Dombrowski (145) won the final three matches as Griswold came from behind to beat Windham, 37-30, handing the Whippets their first Eastern Connecticut Conference Small Division loss. Jake Bixby (112 pounds), Dustin Falco (125), Brandon McNeil (160) and Aaron Wing (171) all won by pin for Griswold (5-0, 4-0). Also, Aaron Walmsley (152) won a major decision.

• Ledyard won 10 matches, five by forfeit, and beat East Lyme 51-23 in an ECC Large Division match. Mike Spellman recorded a pin and Dakota Kelly, Brandon Finney, Dean Gilbert and Alex Manwaring won matches for Ledyard (7-1, 4-0). Kareem Small, Pat Dunbar and Josh Ross had pins and Eddie Lorah also won his match for East Lyme (3-7, 1-3).

College wrestling

• Coast Guard's Pat Leavitt won his first match back since being injured in early December in his team's 27-13 loss to Bridgewater State in a Pilgrim Wrestling League. Leavitt beat Mike Aiken, 5-3, to win at 184 pounds. Scott Coull (141) and Andy Snyder (157) by decision for Coast Guard (0-6, 0-2) and Will Stark (174) won a major decision.