Trumbull's Mack shows heart, humble nature in gifts to Bridgeport programs Behind-the-scenes gift shows heart, humble nature of Trumbull's Mack When he first got the phone call from Bridgeport Central's Ely Drysten, telling him he needed to discuss one of his players, Trumbull baseball coach Phil Pacelli's initial reaction was trepidation. When Pacelli discovered the player was third baseman Casey Mack, there was a feeling of relief. What was the impetus for Drysten, the Hilltoppers' baseball coach, reaching out to Pacelli? Usually, since I am the third-base coach, I talk to the other third baseman and he's a really nice kid. Generally, when a player talks to a coach, it is about getting into college or voting for All-State. Mack never told his coach, teammates or anyone about his charitable endeavor. Mack admitted he was a little uncomfortable about the story becoming public, but others convinced him that it could be the impetus for similar pay-it-forward deeds. Pacelli has known about it for a few weeks -- if Drysten didn't announce his retirement last week during the league baseball coaches' meeting to vote on All-FCIAC teams. Getting a part-time job to help out kids from another school? I've never heard of a kid doing that.

Other times -- oftentimes -- you find yourself staring at a blank screen, trying to find some inspiration. People care -- deeply -- about their local teams and schools and deserve to have them covered by professional, talented journalists. What I'm going to miss the most is being inside a hot, cramped gym on a cold night in February, trying to capture the action in a few hundred words, trying to write something that somebody's mother or father or grandparents might clip away and save as a remembrance. Words aren't even close to adequate when it comes to thanking high school sports editor Gino Moretti. To all the players, administrators, scorekeepers, ticket takers and everything in between, thanks for putting up with me for so long. [...] a job opportunity was offered to me to write for a website -- basically out of thin air -- I'd expected to be at the Post for a long time. Most of all, I'm going to miss the readers ... trying to find ways to entertain, inform and (hopefully) make you think on a daily basis, even if most times you thought I was a jerk.

Sacred Heart (34-23) and Bryant (43-16-1) will play again Sunday at noon in a winner-take-all finale for the conference title and a chance to play in the NCAA tournament. Bryant rallied to take the lead 3-1 in the fifth inning on a two-run triple by Jordan Mountford and an RBI sac fly to center by A.J. Zarozny. Dan Perez (Seymour, CT) had an run-scoring single in the seventh, when the Pioneers scored twice.

Rain again forced the postponement of postseason play for the region's high school teams on Saturday. In the SCC, semifinal games between Fairfield Prep and Amity and North Haven and Xavier have been cancelled and will be rescheduled, according to SCC commissioner Al Carbone.

Highlights: UC--LJ Mazzilli doubled, had one RBI and scored one run. Tabakman allowed one unearned run in seven innings, striking out six. The Huskies meet Notre Dame at noon today for the Big East title and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The Pioneers will play the Bulldogs for the league championship today at noon.

UConn starting pitcher Jordan Tabakman pitched seven innings and gave up just one run while striking out six to lead the Huskies to a 2-1 win over Rutgers in the semifinals of the Big East Championship on Saturday. UConn will face Notre Dame in Sunday's final at noon (ESPNU, WTIC.com) with the winner receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. UConn (33-26) has defeated Louisville, USF and Rutgers in the tournament after posting a combined 1-8 record against those teams during the regular season.

Sophomore Ada Udaya (West Haven) became a five-time All-America performer as she placed in the top eight as part of three events for the University of New Haven on Saturday at the NCAA Division II track and field championships in Pueblo, Colo. After overcoming substantial injuries to both knees, Galow returned and had an oustanding season as a grad student, scoring personal bests and helping the UB gymnastics team to another national title. Giannini had a stellar senior campaign in which he hit .317 with 59 hits, 27 RBIs, 25 runs scored and 10 stolen bases.

The neutral sites are of high quality and geographically sensible, the referees are well arranged and their website is updated with final scores within moments of a game finishing. If the opposition is far away you get an early dismissal from school and get to take a ride out of Fairfield County, perhaps to the All-American or Connecticut River Valley, the Litchfield Hills or maybe, just maybe to the Quiet Corner. Playing a team from inside your conference gives both teams the advantage of knowing each other and the strategies employed by the opposing coaches, but the element of not knowing a darn thing about each other seems like a challenge and makes the games more sporting. In the Class LL boys soccer tournament this past season, Ridgefield played Westhill in the opening round and then lost to Stamford in round two, exiting without ever playing a team from outside the FCIAC. [...] if three schools from the FCIAC all make the semifinals, as happened in Class LL boys soccer this year, it can not be helped and proved the strength of the league, but everything that can be done to separate schools in the first two rounds should be done. NCAA basketball does this with their men's basketball tournament and that seems to be a pretty popular event.

Sunday's high school schedule results Baseball NVL championship Wolcott at Rotary Field, Naugatuck, ppd. to today, 5 Fairfield Prep, cancelled Class L qualifying round Class M qualifying round O'Brien Tech vs. Grasso Tech at Washington Park, Groton, ppd. today, 3 Boys lacrosse Division L qualifying round McMahon 18, Newington 2 Division M qualifying round Division S qualifying round Division L qualifying round Fairfield Ludlowe 13, Trumbull 9 Division M qualifying round Softball SCC championship at West Haven today's schedule FCIAC championship at Harbor Yard NVL final at Rotary Field, Naugatuck Wolcott, 5 (completion of suspended game) SWC final at Penders Field, Stratford Class L qualifying round Class M qualifying round O'Brien Tech vs. Grasso Tech at Washington Park, Groton, 3 Softball SWC championship at DeLuca Field, ppd. to Monday, 6 SCC championship at West Haven

Coming into the season with a young roster and just three seniors returning with much varsity experience, the Brunswick lacrosse team had a lot of questions, not knowing who it would be able to rely on and really just hoping for a winning season. Brunswick upset Deerfield 9-7 -- the first time the Bruins had ever beaten Deerfield -- and never looked back, rolling to an 11-3 record and sole possession of second place in the league. The league does not have a post season tournament, but Bruce feels it gives added importance to the regular season and makes every game crucial. The Bruins kept teams with high-powered offenses from lighting them up with solid defense and stellar goal tending by Tommy Heidt. Heidt gave the defense confidence by making big saves, but also keeps the Bruins positive by never blaming anyone other than himself when a goal gets in, never showing up a teammate or participating in on field histrionics. The defense and midfield in front of Heidt including long-stick middie and tri-captain Defrino, short-stick middie tri-capatin Peter Khoury, defenseman and tri-captain Charlie Better and junior middie Alex Kelly routinely won faceoffs and groundballs, allowing the Bruins to control the game by limiting the opponents offensive chances.