Glastonbury Standout to Receive State Athlete of the Year Award

By the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance

GLASTONBURY, CT - A standout athlete from Glastonbury High School has been chosen to receive a prestigious honor from the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance.

Mara Cosentino, who led the Tomahawks' girls' soccer team to two straight Class LL championships and three appearances in the Class LL final, has been selected as the Hal Levy Female High School Athlete of the Year.

She, along with male winner Mustapha Heron of Sacred Heart-Waterbury, will be honored at the historic 75th Gold Key Dinner April 24 at the Aqua Turf in Southington.

Anchored by Cosentino's play, Glastonbury has won 41 straight games since 2014. She had 22 goals and 24 assists in 2015 to help the Tomahawks finish 23-0, placing fifth in the final NSCAA national rankings.

Cosentino made the NSCAA All-American team, and as selected to the All-New England team for the second straight year. She was the Hartford Courant's Player of the Year for girls soccer in 2014 and 2015.

"I think she leaves a legacy as probably one of the top five players of all time at Glastonbury. I think she has kind of set the standard now for all the younger kids," Glastonbury coach Joe Finocchiaro said. "She's not replaceable. Her understanding of how to play the game is so big. She makes players around her better instantly."

Cosentino is also a key member of the girls track team. Last year, she helped the Tomahawks win the Class LL indoor championship and to a third-place finish at the Class LL outdoor championship. She was a member of the Glastonbury 4x400 relay team which qualified for the New England championships in the indoor and outdoor seasons, and was on the 4x200 relay team that competed in the New England championships in the indoor season. She also finished sixth in the 400 at last June's New England championships.

Cosentino was instrumental in Glastonbury's victory in the 4x400 last month at the indoor State Open.

She will attend Colgate University this fall and play for the soccer team.

Former welterweight boxing champion Marlon Starling, New England/Hartford Whalers owner and founder Howard Baldwin, 1960 U.S. Hockey Olympic gold medalist Bob McVey, Trinity College squash coach Paul Assaiante and longtime Greenwich High boys swimming coach Terry Lowe will receive Gold Keys at the dinner.

Tickets to the 2016 Gold Key Dinner, which begins at 4 p.m., are $75, and can be purchased by contacting CSWA Vice President Tim Jensen of Patch Media Corp. at 860-394-5091, or tim.jensen@patch.com, or President Matthew Conyers of the Hartford Courant at 860-874-4166, or mconyers@courant.com. Tickets can also be obtained by mailing a check to the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance, P.O. Box 70, Unionville, CT 06085.