vendors pg 8 9-7-23
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Vendors needed
PUTNAM — The Daughters of Isabella are seeking vendors for Yuletide Festival which will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 11 at St Mary Church Hall on Providence Street. Vendors $30 per table.413-612-8358.
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Ericson pg 1 9-14-23
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Ericson
commits
to UConn
Woodstock Academy junior pitcher/outfielder Brady Ericson committed on Sunday to play Div. I baseball for UConn come 2025-26.
“I’m very excited,” Ericson said. “It’s an opportunity that not too many people get. I’m proud of it. I know it’s still two years away so I’m not going to let off the gas. I have to finish high school first but I’m very excited to go there.”
Ericson said the reason why he decided to commit so early was the opportunity that was offered was just too good to be passed up.
A chance to play Div. I baseball and attend school on a scholarship.
“It was very good. It helps my parents save a lot of money, helped me save a lot of money and it just works out very well,” Ericson said.
Ericson had a phenomenal sophomore year for the Centaurs.
He finished with a 6-0 record with an earned run average of 0.70. In 39 2/3 innings, the southpaw allowed only four earned runs, gave up only 15 hits and struck out 76 hitters while issuing only 19 walks.
He opened a lot of eyes when he pitched a no-hitter with 20 strikeouts against Ledyard.
His success carried into the AAU season over the summer.
“First of all, I want to congratulate him and his family,” said Woodstock Academy baseball coach Brian Murphy. “Brady is a unique talent. I think this is a great move on his path. UConn is in the top 20 (in college baseball) every year. Making a commitment to your home state and home state school is just tremendous.”
Ericson is not a one-trick pony. He also hit .343 for the Centaurs with three homers, five doubles, two triples and 19 runs batted in.
He expects to be both a pitcher and an outfielder in Storrs.
Ericson said Jim Penders, who will enter his 21st season as UConn head coach in 2024, was a big reason why he chose to be a Husky.
UConn showed its interest early and often.
“I do like coach Penders. I’ve talked with him over the phone a couple of times. He has come to watch a couple of games and I got to meet him. He’s very genuine, a good coach. He does it for the team. He’s not selfish, doesn’t do it for the money and I really feel like he can help me go in the right direction,” Ericson said.
In addition to the attraction of the coaching staff and the school itself, UConn does offer Ericson another advantage.
He will be close to home.
“I think that matters. When you can play the high-level, caliber of baseball at home and don’t forget, UConn travels. One of those trips is usually to Hawaii. He will get around and see the best teams but I think it will be good for the family and good for Brady to be local. Coach Penders runs a Class A program so I think it’s a great fit for Brady and his family,” Murphy said.
It also means it takes the pressure off finding a school after high school. It doesn’t relieve the pressure of “the grind” as Murphy calls it – the work that is needed for a Div. I college player to prosper.
“I’m able to compete at the high school level now, but I have to make sure I keep getting better. If I stay at this same skill level, I will not be able to compete at the college level. I have to keep improving, working hard, and just not giving up on the work I’m putting in,” Ericson said.
There is also good news for Woodstock Academy boys’ basketball coach Donte Adams.
Ericson plans to continue to play hoops for the Centaurs.
“I’m still playing. I’ve talked to the (UConn) coaches and they have told me that basketball is good, just to work on being part of a team, being a leader. Basketball will be good for my athleticism and gives me a break from baseball. I’m going to keep on playing,” Ericson said.
Two years is a long time.
“It might feel like a long time but people always say high school is the best time of your life so I’m going to try and enjoy every part that I can whether it be baseball, basketball, academics, anything, but I’m excited to be going to UConn,” Ericson said.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
caption:
Junior Brady Ericson will be trading in his Centaur uniform for a UConn one in a couple of years after committing to play Div. I baseball for the Huskies over the weekend.
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With pg 1 9-14-23
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caption, page 1
The newly installed map/guide at Miller Park in Putnam. Plaques with honors and thanks were also installed. More photos on page 4. Extended photo array on Wed. night on our Facebook page, Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. Linda Lemmon photo.
caption, page 4:
Centreville Bank managers working on the kiosk July 2022.
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — "The town of Putnam is much richer for having him as one of its citizens."
So says the newly installed plaque at Miller Park.
Over the past year, the park has been transformed. Originally the site of the Belding clubhouse, the space at the corner of Kennedy Drive and Providence Street was named for Robert Miller whose service to the town — and beyond — was immeasurable.
Willie Bousquet, the director of the Parks and Recreation Department, said the renovation of the park began in earnest last year when John Miller, Miller’s nephew, came to the town and said the family had come into some resources and wanted to renovate the park. Bousquet said Miller spearheaded the effort.
Last summer a crew of Centreville Bank managers descended on the park and made quick work of reviving the park. They trimmed trees and bushes, trimmed out brush, scraped the huge kiosk and painted.
Miller had talked to former Putnam’s Economic Development Director Delpha Very about reviving the park. Very, head of the Putnam Business Association’s Beautification Committee, was looking for volunteers for beautification projects at a PBA meeting. She said Centreville needed a community project. And Eva-Marie Roberts, the paint studio manager at Chace Building Supply, offered her services.
The maps/guides and plaques were removed for the cleaning and painting and cleaner versions of them were recently reinstalled. Bousquet said eventually he’d like to see the guide added on to with the start of the River Trail at Hale YMCA Youth and Family Center and the end shown into Thompson. The town is still working on a way to extend the trail to Thompson. A connection to Pomfret’s Air Line Trail, at the Breault walkway, is in the planning stages.
Put up most recently is a thank you plaque from the town. It says: “In grateful recognition of their time, resources and dedication to the completion of this park. Centreville Bank, Chase Building Supply, Miller and Extended Family, Putnam Recreation Department, Putnam Economic and Community Development and Aspinock Historical Society.”
Current Director of Economic and Community Development, Carly DeLuca, said “The completion of Miller Park has been a fantastic collaborative effort. The Putnam Parks and Recreation Department as well as Eva-Marie from Chace helped this vision come to life. My predecessor, Delpha Very planted this seed and I am happy to see it come to fruition! The Miller family has been essential to the growth of Putnam and we are so grateful for what they continue to contribute to the town.”
The town fenced off the “under” section of the park on Providence Street, clearing its small lot and painting the garage door there (underneath the kiosk). In addition, a Miller Park sign was created (in “Putnam Blue”) which beautifully encases the electrical works for the park. A solar-powered uplight was put on the American flag and granite fence posts were added to the Kennedy Drive side of the park.
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Welch pg 1 9-14-23
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Josh Welch is a pretty familiar name when it comes to running at Woodstock Academy.
After all, he is the boys’ and girls’ indoor track coach and the girls’ outdoor track mentor.
He has added another title to his resume this fall season.
After a year off of being the assistant cross-country coach, Welch takes over the boys’ cross-country helm after long-time coach Peter Lusa stepped aside after last season.
It’s much different than a track program.
He said: “It’s way more manageable. You get a chance to be way more personal with the kids. Twelve is a bit smaller than I would like to see the team but (cross-country teams) don’t get that big like 70 kids in 20 or whatever events. It’s nice to be able to focus in and spend a little more time on the interpersonal, social and emotional aspects of training versus designing 20 different training plans.”
And he has a standout to work with. Junior Christian Menounos returns after a fourth-place finish in the ECC, a fifth in Class MM, 22nd in the State Open and 51st in the New England championship.
“I really want to see our team do well and we’re just trusting the process of coach Welch,” Menounos said. “I just want to be consistent personally, put in the hard work and see where it takes me. I want to make Nationals so that would be top 10 (in New England).”
Obviously, after coming so close last season, Menounos has a goal of being the first across the finish line in both the ECC and state championship meets.
He would also like to be in the top-10 in the State Open.
“It comes week-by-week so right now; we’re in phase two of training. There are multiple phases and as the season comes to an end, Coach Welch will put me into different phases that will help me get faster and faster,” the junior said.
Welch is looking forward to that progress.
“He is going to be something else this year,” Welch said. “He’s put in an incredible amount of work this summer and the workouts that he is showing right now, he will be in the top couple in the state championship races without a doubt. I think it will be interesting to watch him this year.”
He does have some teammates to work with.
Junior Colton Sallum and seniors Joel Koleszar and Charlie Caggiano will all add depth for the team score.
“Colton is not too far behind (Menounos), he’s had some great times so far. Charlie looks a lot stronger than last year and Joel Koleszar is making significant gains over his training and training attitude of past years and I think he will see the dividends of that in the races,” Welch said.
Freshman Sam Greene will likely round out the top five for the Centaurs who finished 6-5 as a team last year.
Sophomore Harrison Durand and freshmen Jonah Costa, Bronson Eddy, Carter Mydlarz, Gabriel Hull and Callum Lusignan round out the squad.
Despite some experience, the Centaurs still will have an uphill climb against an ECC team like East Lyme.
“East Lyme might have the strongest team it has had in forever. I don’t know if we’re catching them any time soon but I think we will be in the running with Fitch and NFA and we will do quite well,” Welch said.
For Welch, it could also help in the future with the other programs that he works with.
“I’m going to like the continuity. It was great when we had the trio (of coaches) across all three seasons and I think we had a pretty uniform approach. That shifts over time so it will just be good to have eyes on everyone and see who is coming up. Will some of these kids try (indoor track) and can I convince them to come over? It’s one more way to, hopefully, boost that program up a bit,” Welch said.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
caption:
Junior Christian Menounos would like to bring home an ECC and Class MM state championship individual title. He finished 4th in last year’s ECC Championship meet.
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