By Ron P. Coderre

This week’s RPC sporty shoutout is sent along to Sharon Briere the high energy principal of St. Joseph’s Parochial School in N. Grosvenordale.  Now that the students are out for the summer, it’s time to clean up and prepare for next year.  The educational merry-go-round continues.

The Putnam Middle School Wolfpack parlayed a 2-1 eight-inning victory over Parish Hill into a perfect season and the Quinebaug Valley Junior Conference Small Division Championship.  Playing in front of a crowd estimated at approximately 200 and with the game aired live on WINY Radio with John Wilbur and Scott Derosier, coach Derek Coderre led his team to the well deserved crown.

The Wolfpack fell behind in the first inning when a series of errors caused by the jitters produced a run for the visiting Parish Hill Pirates.  The lead held up until the home half of the sixth inning when Putnam’s Scott Davagian doubled and came home to tie the score as the Pirates pitcher balked twice.   

As neither team was unable to score in regulation, the game moved into extra frames.  Putnam’s leadoff hitter Sebastian Ramos was hit by a pitch to start the inning.  The speedy Ramos then stole second and on the next pitch proceeded to third on a wild pitch.  At that point Mitchel Barylski became one of Putnam’s heroes when he singled home Ramos with the winning run, the title and sealed a perfect 12-0 season.

Davagian pitched seven strong innings for Putnam but by conference regulation was replaced in the eighth inning.  Aidan Cinquera, who caught Davagian for seven innings finished up the game and picked up the victory.

“I’m very proud for our kids, our school and our town.  It’s so great to see this group of players bring back a winning atmosphere to Putnam.  They played hard all season and were fun to coach,” said Coderre.

Putnam reached the finals by beating Helen Baldwin School of Canterbury 8-0 in the semifinals.  Barylski and Cinquera combined for a no-hitter in the win.

Coderre said that Barylski, Davagian and Cinquera, all eighth grade students, carried the load on the mound throughout the season for the Wolfpack.  When he wasn’t pitching, Cinquera was Putnam’s catcher.

Around the horn, the Putnam infield was composed of Cole Davagian at first base, Kobie Bates and Colin LaCasse at second base, Barylski and Davagian at shortstop and Ramos on the hot corner.  Cole Davagian, Bates and Ramos will all be back next season.

Leftfield duties were split by Colin Tatsey and Derek Bichard, while Connor Pellitier patrolled centerfield and Chandon Lamoureux and Tyler LaCasse handled rightfield.  Bichard is a seventh grader while the others all graduated this year.

Sixth graders Tanner Clark, Hunter Roberts and Justin St. Martin and seventh grader Gabe Desrosiers rounded out the squad.

“This was not the most talented group of kids I’ve coached but they were the hardest workers.  Every player gave 100 percent and got the most out of their potential,” said Coderre, who’s been the head coach of the Wolfpack for six years.

Final Standings

Plainfield under the guidance of coach Jason Chaviaras recently completed its baseball season when the Panthers were dropped in extra innings by Haddam-Killingworth in the CIAC semifinals.  The Plainfield book for 2014 was closed with a sparkling 23-4 record.

The Panthers were rewarded for their great season by finishing in the Top Ten in the state’s two most prestigious polls.  The New Haven Register had Plainfield ranked 8th behind 7th place Fairfield Prep.  Amity High School with a 19-9 record was ranked #1.

The Hartford Courant ranked Plainfield 5th in its final poll.  The Courant ranked Rocky Hill (23-2) the top team in the state. Southington High School finished just ahead of the Panthers in 4th place.   Coincidentally, Fairfield Prep was ranked 7th by the Courant.

Sign of the Future

Since graduating from the University of Hartford, where he had a stellar career as a member of the Hawks golf team, Matt Smith, the former Tourtellotte Memorial High School links great, has been working diligently to earn a spot on one of the many professional golf tours.

On Monday, June 16 Smith travelled to Black Hall Club in Old Lyme where he participated in the TPC Highlands Travelers Championship Qualifier.  Although he didn’t make the cut, only the top four golfers qualified, Smith acquitted himself well.

Smith shot a one under par 70 on the par 71 - 6,636 yard layout.  The low score at the Qualifier was 66, produced by well known 49 year old Lee Janzen, who next year will begin play on the Champions Tour.  Jason Allred and Mark Turnesa, who also has experience on the PGA Tour, carded 67 to finish ahead of Smith.

This summer Smith has been working at Connecticut National Golf Club and Quinnatisset Country Club and playing as much golf as possible as he continues to hone his skills.  He’ll return to Florida in the late fall and plans to go to Q-School once again in an attempt to get a PGA card.

Riding High in the Saddle

Roger LaFrancois sends along word from Sarasota, Fla., that he’s proud of his friend Joel Rosario who was the winning jockey aboard Tonalist in the recent Belmont Stakes.  Rosario and his mount edged Commissioner by less than a nose to capture the prestigious race.      

RPC’s Closing thought For The Day: If you find a path with no obstacles on it, the chances are that it doesn’t lead anywhere.

(If you have news worthy sports information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

 

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TriTown looks

for improvement

entering 

Legion season

By Ron P. Coderre

Paul Faucher has been involved with the TriTown American Legion Baseball program as a player, assistant coach and head coach for more than two decades.  Embarking on the 2014 season, Faucher returns for another stint at the helm of the Towners.

Following an 8-19 season in 2013 Faucher is looking to guide his charges to an improved record this year and a possible berth in the Connecticut American Legion Tournament.  Last season the Towners dropped seven one-run games, which if converted to victories would have resulted in 15 wins.

“We’ll go as far as our pitching will take us.  This is a tough zone with many of teams made up of players from larger schools.  We have a number of arms but some of our pitchers were in college this spring and didn’t play baseball.  The start of the season will be like spring training for them,” said Faucher.

Garrett Ponte, Josh Malboeuf and Tyler Anderson are three hurlers who are post-grads.  Faucher is hoping they’ll come along quickly because their experience could be a big factor in carrying the success of the team.  Faucher is also looking to get pitching help from Josh Allard, Jim Cutler, Kyle Tyler, Steve Bettner, Sean Falvey and newcomer Will Bourgeois.

The strength of the team is the catching department, which will be handled by veteran J.P. Bergeron.  Last season, Bergeron, who is also adept with the bat, caught every inning for the Senior squad.  Bergeron will be backed up by Jacob Guertin, who will also serve as the primary backstop for the Junior unit.

 The infield will be anchored by Ben Ross and Benny Brissette, both who have infield versatility.  Ross is a second baseman and shortstop, while Brissette can play second and third.  Big Sean Falvey will be a staple at either third base or first.  He’s also expected to carry some of the hitting load for the Towners.

Ponte and Malboeuf as well as Bourgeois will see plenty of action in the infield when they’re not on the mound.  Luke Sarsfield, who had a productive spring for Putnam will see action at the hot corner and Nick Foucault and Joe Donovan, who’ll also play for the Junior squad could be called on for help in bolstering the infield.

Ben Guimont, Anderson, Dan Murphy, Bettner, Allard, and Tyler compose the TriTown outfield.

“We should have a solid hitting team.  The kids who played high school ball this spring played for winning programs and were part of their team’s success,” said Faucher.

The team will face a rugged schedule playing three-game sets locally with Danielson, Moosup and Jewett City.  Both the Junior and Senior teams enjoyed playing at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, home of the Norwich Tigers on June 23 against Jewett City.  Among the other entries the team will face are Niantic, Waterford, New London, Ledyard-Pawcatuck, Montville, Willimantic and Norwich.  With 11 teams in Zone VI the teams play 30 games in five week, a grueling task.

“This is a veteran squad with built in flexibility but we’ll need every bit of energy and effort if we want to get to the State Tournament.  To do so we must finish in the top five teams in our zone,” said Faucher.

This season more than 30 players tried out for the team, the most in recent history.  The large number allows TriTown the ability to field two separate teams with only three players being double-rostered.

“This is our best turnout of candidates in many years.  It’s encouraging to note that the players are realizing the type of quality baseball American Legion provides.  We’re hoping that this trend continues,” said Joe Lindley, the secretary of the Executive Committee.

Assisting Faucher with the coaching duties are Andrew Faucher, Tyler Smith and Gunnar Andersen.  John Donovan is the team’s scorekeeper and Mike Santerre and Barry Shead the off-field general managers.

 

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Donation

Northeast Connecticut Biggest Loser contest raised $400 for TEEG and Daily Bread.  Mike Bogdanski and Kristin Duethorn, the co -owners of Midtown Fitness and Quest Martial Arts in Putnam, are shown here with TEEG director Donna Grant.  Local companies, Gerardi Insurance, 85 Main, Steve Bousquet Appliance and TV, Putnam Ford, Steve and Marjolaine Townsend, Wonderland Comics sponsored prize money and gift certificates to the winners. Courtesy photo.