Di’Angelo Jean-Pierre and Jake Rand, who helped lead Valley Regional/Old Lyme into the Class SS state championship game, where named to the Connecticut High School Coaches’ Associated Class SS/S all-state team on Wednesday.

The two seniors were named to the first-team defense, Rand as a linebacker and Jean-Pierre as a defensive back.

They were two of four local players named to the the all-state teams. Ledyard senior James Green, a first-team selection as a defensive back in 2021, was a Class SS/S first team choice at running back while Fitch junior Gianni Drab was named the Class LL/L first team as an offensive lineman.

The Eastern Connecticut Conference was also well presented with Class MM finalist Killingly and Class SS qualifier Windham each having four players selected. Killingly junior running back Soren Rief earned a spot on the all-state top 26, a team recognizing the top overall 26 players in the state regardless of class, while teammates Ben Jax (wide receiver), Thomas Dreibholz (quarterback) and Terrance Allen (defense lineman) made the Class MM/M team. All three are seniors and they were joined by Woodstock Academy senior defensive lineman Marcus McGregor.

Windham on the Class SS/S team by sophomore offensive lineman Malachi Fowler, senior offensive lineman Isaiah Mangual, senior running back Victor Mejia and senior defensive back Travis Mangual.

Volleyball

• Eight local players were named to the CHSCA all-state teams, including five on the first team and three on the second.

East Lyme’s Skylar Bell and Fitch’s Annalyn Cahill were Class L first team picks as were Bacon Academy’s Kiera Stewart in Class M and Griswold’s Kurando Ruggiero and Lyman Memorial’s Kassidy LaTour in Class S.

Waterford’s Emerson Lane was named to the Class M second team as were Griswold’s Emily Aviles and Lyman’s Arianna Garcia in Class S.

Wrestling

• Ledyard reeled off six straight pins on the way to a 48-36 victory over Fitch on opening night in Groton. Tatiana Irizzary (106 pounds), Josiah Estriplet (113), Noah Jones (120), Linda Holeman (126), Joseph Crader (132) and Ryan Taggert (138) gave the Colonels 36 straight points with Jones winning his match in just 11 seconds. Ty Curtis (170) and Wyatt Crawford (195) also had pins for Ledyard. Shad Stewart (145), Lance Stewart (145) and Naszier Matthews (285) had pins for the Falcons, who also accepted three forfeit wins.

• Norwich Free Academy opened its season with an easy 68-6 victory over Bacon Academy. The Wildcats picked up pins from Brock Nowakowski (113), Jaiden James (120), Edward Lavoie (126), Jackson Sorel (132), Naim Wallace (145) and Logan Jenkins (170). Nowakowski had the fastest pin of the night in 22 seconds. Connor Tuttle (160) scored the lone points for Bacon with a pin at 160.

Girls’ basketball

• NFA lost its season opener to hand 53-39 on Tuesday night. Brooke Bolles had 14 points and Nevaeh Yorke scored 10 for the Wildcats, who trailed 26-25 at halftime.

Boys’ basketball

• Harvey defeated Williams 52-19 in an HVAL game in Katonah, N.Y. Calvin Neff finished with nine points and eight rebounds to lead the Blues (0-3).

Hockey

• Woodstock Academy spoiled Eastern Connecticut’s season opener as Jared Nielsen, Andrew Newton and Maxx Corradi scored goals in a 3-0 victory over the Eagles at the Pomfret School.