Norwalk Scores and Standings: June 21

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Norwalk's Tommy McDonagh  shot a 1-under par 70 Monday, leaving him in a tie for fifth after the first day of  qualifying in the Connecticut Amateur championship at Rolling Hills Country Club in Wilton.

McDonagh, the 2006 amateur champion who plays out of  Shorehaven and is a student at Penn State, was one of eight players to break par on Monday.

Defending amateur champion Bernie D’Amato of Weston posted a 1-over par 72, leaving him in a tie for 13th after the first day of qualifying.

A junior-to-be at Princeton, D'Amato continued the steady iron play that won him last year’s Connecticut Amateur. He is looking to accomplish the rare feat of repeating as Amateur champion.  The last player to repeat was Will Strickler, who currently plays on the PGA Tour, in 2007-2008. 

Branden Chicorka from eClub of River Valley  shot a 4-under 67 to grab the first round lead. Chicorka, the reigning Russell C. Palmer Cup Champion, started his round on the back nine and after making his only bogey on the fifteenth hole he finished with five birdies in his last twelve holes to finish with a four-under par 71.

Dave Szewczul, two-time CSGA Senior Player of the Year, from Tunxis Plantation Golf Club (Farmington) finished his round three shots off the lead.  Despite a double bogey on his ninth hole, Szewczul made three birdies on the back nine to end at one-under par 70. 

Others at the top of the leaderboard include several major winners. Brian Ahern (71) from Wampanoag (West Hartford) - the 2010 Mid-Amateur Champion, Tom McCarthy (72) from Twin Hills (Coventry) - the 2008 Russell Palmer Cup Champion, and McDonagh.

Play in the 109th Connecticut Amateur will resume Tuesday at Rolling Hills Country Club.  The field will be cut to the top 32 players after round two with match play beginning on Wednesday

-- The all-towns District One Little League tournament of champions gets away on Monday with Ridgefield National facing Darien American  in a first-round game at Aldrich Field (5:45 p.m.)

Quarterfinals in the single elimination event are set for Wednesday, followed by the semifinals on Thursday and the finals on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Here is the quarterfinal schedule:

Norwalk vs. Redding, 5:45 p.m., at Veteran's Park

Darien National vs. Rowayton, 5:45 p.m., at Bailey Beach

Ridgefield American vs. Wilton, 5:45 p.m., at Bill Terry Field

Weston vs. Darien American/Ridgefield National winner, 5:45 p.m., TBA

The Norwalk Jaycees won last year's TOC, defeating Rowayton Hose, 4-3.

John Kuczo, who has been involved with the FCIAC virtually since its inception in 1961, will be inducted into the National High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame on Tuesday night in Grand Rapids, Mich.

A Norwalk resident for nearly 50 years,  the 73-year-old Kuczo became the FCIAC's executive secretary in 1978 and had served as a league administrator for a decade before that.

Under Kuczo's watch, the FCIAC increased to 19 schools and is generally considered to be the best-run league in the state.

Prior to joining the FCIAC as an administrator, Kuczo was a highly successful cross country and indoor track coach at the former Rippowam High School in Stamford in the 1960s.

MONDAY'S RESULTS

American Legion Baseball

Norwalk Jr. 4, Trumbull Jr. 3

Wilton Sr. 2, Norwalk Sr. 1 -- Norwalk (7-3) was blanked by Wilton's Jack Palombo after scoring an unearned run in the first inning. Norwalk's Leon Fleming held Wilton without a hit through five innings.Norwalk trails Greenwich by 2 1/2 games in the Zone Four standings.

TUESDAY'S SCHEDULE

American Legion Baseball

Norwalk Jr. vs. Greenwich Jr., 5:45 p.m., at City Hall Annex

AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL STANDINGS