Lynch aids Feehan triumph

Lynch, who played for the top travel team of Coastal Volleyball Club of New Bedford from January through May of this year, helped lead Bishop Feehan to an 18-7 record last season, when the team made it to the South Sectional semifinals, and a 16-6 record this fall, including a 12-0 league mark. Bishop Feehan won its first sectional playoff match, 3-1, over Bishop Stang, before bowing, 3-0, to Case High of Swansea.

Also a member this summer of the Coastal Region girls' scholastic volleyball team that won a gold medal at the Bay State Games, Lynch led the conference in defensive digs this season and was third on the team in kills and aces.

``She's going to be hard to replace,'' Reardon said, ``not just for her court play and her experience, but for her team leadership and attitude. She developed into a very consistent attacker and worked on improving her jumping ability and the location of her attacks to keep teams off balance.''

Reardon added, ``Defense was her strong point, because she could read opposing hitters very well and make some great digs.''

But Lynch's biggest asset, he said, was her court presence and knowledge of the game. Lynch spent most of the off-season with her teammates at camps and clinics, and the preparation and bonding paid off.

``She kept the girls on their toes in practices and games and was a very good captain,'' Reardon said. ``And she helped me become a better coach through our talks on leadership and being team players.''

Lynch's teammates included senior middle hitter Jaimeson Porter of Wrentham, who was fourth on the team in kills and second in blocks, junior outside hitter Laura Giordano of Franklin, and sophomore middle hitter Candace Williams of Norfolk, who was second on the team in kills and second in the conference in blocks.

Reardon said that Porter, a softball player who works indoors on her pitching three mornings a week, was a consistent, hard-working player and a two-year varsity starter. He said Giordano should challenge for a starting position next season, while Williams, who also plays varsity basketball and softball, was a first-year volleyball player who learned the sport quickly through her effort and athleticism.

Gaudreau leads her college team

Medway's Kristen Gaudreau was a senior captain and middle hitter on the women's volleyball team of College of Saint Rose, which won the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division 2 championship. Gaudreau, who captained the undefeated 1999 Medway High state championship team, was a Tri-Valley League first team All-Star her senior year of high school.

Described as ``a centerpiece of our program'' by her college coach, Brian Goodale, Gaudreau has consistently been among the top 10 players in the Northeast-10 Conference in hitting percentage and blocks, ranking fourth and eighth, respectively, this past season. She just missed the top 10 in kills.

Gaudreau, who hits with both power and control and whose blocking ability sometimes forced opponents to alter their offensive game plan, showed right away that she was ready for the college game: She led the Golden Knights in blocks her freshman season. She was second on the team this season in kills (286) and blocks (115 in 114 games), and was third in hitting percentage at .323.

Gaudreau's outstanding play helped the Albany, N.Y., school defeat Bridgeport (3-0) and Bloomfield College of New Jersey (3-1) in the semifinals and finals of the ECAC tournament. Saint Rose also established a school record for winning percentage, finishing with a 24-10 record.

``When Kristen arrived as a freshman, the team was coming off a 7-19 season,'' Goodale said. ``Now, she's helped lead us to probably the best season in school history. It's not a coincidence that this has happened while Kristen has been a Golden Knight. She is a quiet competitor on the outside, but a tough athlete on the inside.... I know there are many coaches in the Northeast-10 who would have loved to have Kristen on their roster.''

Govoni accepts Yawkey Award

Babson College marketing professor and assistant baseball coach Norm Govoni has received the prestigious Thomas Yawkey Sportsman Award from the Boston Park League, the country's oldest amateur baseball league. The award, presented at the league's Hall of Fame dinner, is named for the late owner of the Boston Red Sox. Govoni, a Medfield resident, was recognized for his dedication to Babson baseball and the Park League.

Govoni has taught at Babson for 34 years and has been an assistant baseball coach for the past 12 seasons. Last spring, the newly constructed baseball diamond at the college was named Govoni Field, in honor of him and his wife, Terry.

Off the field, Govoni has won the college's Professor of the Year Award, and in 1985, he received Babson's highest honor, the Carpenter Prize. His son, Scott Govoni, was inducted into the Boston Park League and Ohio Wesleyan University halls of fame last year for his baseball accomplishments. Scott Govoni, a Millis resident, was a first team All-American in 1994 at Ohio Wesleyan.

DeMango brothers

win karate honors

The DeMango brothers of Shrewsbury, Joe, 10, and Jeff, 7, competed in the Karate Referees Association of New England Nationals, with Jeff winning a gold medal and national championship in boys' sparring and Joe adding three silvers in weapons, open, and traditional forms.

In addition, Jeff is state, national, and grand champion in boys' sparring for the 6-7 age bracket, while Joe is state title holder in weapons and open forms for the 10-11 age group.

The brothers, who have combined for 15 first-place finishes in 10 regional competitions this year, study karate in their hometown with Alan D'Allesandro of the New England Karate Academy.

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