For nine days beginning with Saturday’s edition of The Day, we will celebrate the winter season with our All-Area coverage of nine winter sports, including, for the first time, boys’ and girls’ fencing.

Each sport will be headlined by a Player of the Year, which will be accompanied by an all-star team comprised of athletes from our local teams. The Players of the Year and all-stars from an eventful season were selected by our sports staff.

Among the storylines of the winter season was the success of the small schools, with Wheeler High School winning the Eastern Connecticut Conference Division II tournament boys’ basketball championship under the bright lights at Mohegan Sun Arena, and the Old Lyme boys going on to win the Class S state title.

The sports will be published on the following schedule: Saturday, girls’ fencing; Sunday, boys’ fencing; Monday, gymnastics; Tuesday, boys’ swimming & diving; Wednesday, wrestling; Thursday, girls’ indoor track & field; Friday, April 26, boys’ indoor track & field; Saturday, April 27, girls’ basketball; and Sunday, April 28, boys’ basketball.

We hope you enjoy our look back as much as we have putting it together for you. Now cheering for warm weather!

Vickie Fulkerson,

Sports Editor