head pg 5 4-7-22
- Details
- Category: Current Issue
Head of School honors
POMFRET — The Pomfret School’s winter 2021-2022 Head of School Scholar honors list includes: Cooper Ames of Pomfret, Meredith Bergendahl of Pomfret Center, Grace Bullied of Pomfret, Maya Bullied of Pomfret, Isabella Canavan of Pomfret Center, Lucas Canavan of Pomfret Center, Tatum Fisher of Pomfret, Maya Gerum of Pomfret Center, Benjamin Gordon of Woodstock, Kale Hart of Pomfret Center, Fergus Litowitz of Pomfret, Luke Litowitz of Pomfret, Angelo Rovero of N. Grosvenordale, Adam Tillinghast of Danielson.
.
obit pg 6 4-7-22
- Details
- Category: Current Issue
WOODSTOCK — Linda Wishart (Smith) Chase, 81, of Route 169, died March 26, 2022, at home. She was born in Flushing, N.Y., to the late George and Katharine (Hayden) Smith; and was the wife of W. Thomas Chase, whom she wed in 1962 at the First Congregational Church in Bolton.
Linda held a bachelor’s from Oberlin College (Phi Beta Kappa) and an M.S.L.S. from the Columbia University’s School of Library Science. Her career included work in Columbia University’s Thomas J. Watson Library, the Library of Congress’ Congressional Reference Service, the University of Maryland’s McKeldin Library, and the American University Library in Washington, D.C., from which she retired as assistant university librarian in 2003. During her long and accomplished tenure at A.U., Linda supervised the transition from the purchase and cataloging of all print materials to an almost all digital library collection. She coordinated a large library materials budget and was responsible for a cluster of teams comprised of six library faculty, 21 full-time staff, and 12 part-time student assistants. Her strong sense of humor and great common sense were cherished by her colleagues. She generously mentored each newly hired librarian and was always there to answer questions and guide them to success.
Linda was an avid reader, enjoyed needlepoint, crossword puzzles, and travel. She was a member of the L’Apres Midi Club, First Congregational Church of Woodstock, a volunteer for the Center for Woodstock History where she acted as the head of exhibitions, and the American Library Association. Among her publications are entries on Currier, Ives, and Wallace Nutting in American National Biography (Oxford, 1998).
For many years Linda was a beloved volunteer at Historic New England’s Roseland Cottage, helping wherever help was needed. As a guide, her ability to communicate, her warmth, her thorough knowledge of the house and the Bowen family and her empathy and understanding made her tours extraordinary. She was a dedicated participant in the less serious events at Roseland, demonstrating suffragist parasol defense, portraying an elegant Victorian hostess, personifying perhaps the first Steam Punk librarian, and appearing to hundreds of trick-or-treaters as mustachioed pastry chef.
She leaves her husband of 59 years, Tom Chase; her children, Katharine Chase of Falls Church, Va., Samuel Chase of Fairhaven, Mass., and Ellen Chase and her wife Jesse of Grayson, Ga.; and four grandchildren, Henry Campbell, Finnleigh Chase, Skylar Chase, and Wesley Chase. She was predeceased by her brother, David Smith and her sister, Marcia Stiehl.
A Memorial Service is planned for 1 p.m. May 28, at the First Congregational Church of Woodstock. Donations: the National Ovarian Cancer Society (https://ovarian.org). Gilman Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.
.
centaur pg 7 4-7-22
- Details
- Category: Current Issue
caption, page 8:
Top Three Players
Woodstock Academy seniors, from left: Addy Smith, Jackie Trudeau and Sydney Schuler return as the top three singles players for the Centaurs this season. Photo by Marc Allard.
Centaurs girls’
tennis returns
top 7 players
The numbers that Woodstock Academy girls’ tennis coach Keith Atchinson gets to speak about this season can certainly produce some confidence.
Of the 13 players on the varsity team, seven are seniors and those numbers also include the top seven players from last season’s team.
“We’re so excited. It’s going to be a great season with a lot of returning faces and a lot of new players, too,” said returning No. 1 player, Addy Smith.
What that means is a lot of depth for the Centaurs.
“We’re working on improvement over last year,” Atchinson said. “The division was divided differently and we had a weaker division which gave us a nice record. We have to work on competing as (the ECC) has come back to the original alignment and we’re going after the Div. II crown.”
Woodstock posted a 9-3 overall record last season and won the Div. II league title with an 8-0 mark against the likes of Killingly, Montville, Lyman and St. Bernard.
This year, the Centaurs will be matched up with Killingly (6-6 last year) again but will also have to battle NFA (8-5), Ledyard (3-10) and New London (0-13).
The Centaurs will have to play a pair of non-divisional matches with Stonington as well as one each with E. Lyme and Fitch.
Smith, a senior, returns as the No. 1 player. More of a tactical player than a player who relies on power, Smith is hoping to make the individual State Open tournament this season.
Jackie Trudeau and Sydney Schuler both return to fill the second and third singles slots which they occupied last season. Seniors Logan Reynolds and Alexa Fernandez will flip between the fourth singles and doubles play.
Senior Morgan Bentley, juniors Stella Atchinson and Paige Owens and sophomores Ellie Bishop-Klee, Emma Massey, Peyton Bentley and Alecia Qu will all be playing doubles.
“We have a lot of good players; it’s up to me to figure out how to put them all together. There is a lot of chemistry and styles of play that is involved. That’s why I get paid the big bucks for,” Keith Atchinson said with a laugh.
But with everyone back, the chemistry is likely not to be much of a problem.
Like the boys’ tennis team, the girls will not have a true home court this season as the courts at the Bentley Athletic Complex in Woodstock have been deemed unplayable.
Practices are taking place at the Pomfret School; indoors for now, possibly outside later. Matches will be played at Killingly High School.
Girls’ Tennis Schedule: Tues., April 5: at St. Bernard, 4; Sat., April 9: vs. Stonington (at Killingly), 11:30; Wed., April 13: at Killingly, 3:45; Mon., April 18: at Lyman; 4; Sat., April 23: vs. Ledyard (at Killingly), 9; Wed., April 27: at NFA; 3:45; Thurs., Apr. 28, at Fitch, 4:15; Mon., May 2: at Killingly, 3:45; Wed., May 4: at New London, 4:15; Fri., May 6: at Stonington, 4:15; Sat., May 7: vs. New London (at Killingly), 11; Mon., May 9: at Ledyard, 4:15; Fri., May 13: at E. Lyme; 3:45; Sat., May 14: at Stowe HS, 1; Sun., May 15 at Champlain Valley Union, noon; Wed., May 18: at Windham/Windham Tech, 4; Sat., May 21: vs. NFA (at Pomfret School), 10.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
.
lots pg 7 4-7-22
- Details
- Category: Current Issue
caption:
Key to Team
Woodstock Academy seniors, from left: Seamus Lippy; Keenan LaMontagne, who recently announced he has committed to compete for Bucknell University track and field in college; and Ian Hoffman will be key to the Centaurs efforts in boys’ outdoor track. Photo by Marc Allard.
LaMontagne to compete
for Bucknell
There are plenty of unknowns for Woodstock Academy boys’ outdoor track and field team this season.
Coach Peter Lusa has 36 athletes out for the team, but only 12 were with the squad a year ago.
“I don’t know how this team will shake out,” Lusa said. “It’s a little trial-and-error. There are kids with question marks over their heads. They don’t know what they want to do, so, it becomes let’s build a team culture.”
One person with no question marks: Keenan LaMontagne. The senior recently made the decision to attend Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Penn., and compete in Div. I track and field for the Bison in the Patriot League.
“It’s a step up. I toured the school. I love the place. I’m looking forward to take the next step there,” LaMontagne said. “I was surprised to get the D-I offer. It was a cool experience. (The Bucknell coaching staff) followed me on Instagram. I emailed them after that, got communication going for an official visit and I really liked the place.”
LaMontagne was impressive outdoors last year and earlier this year indoors.
The senior captured the Class MM boys’ outdoor track state championship in the discus last season, winning by over 18-feet with a throw of 149 feet, 4 inches.
“I want to repeat and I want to go further. Last year, we missed out on the New England (championship) due to COVID and this year, I want to see how far I can take it,” LaMontagne said.
He would have qualified for the New England championship last spring as he increased his distance to 158-04 in the State Open championship for a third-place finish.
Then, over the winter, LaMontagne furthered his ability in the shotput in indoor track. He finished fourth in the event in the State Open and qualified for the New England championship.
“I feel a lot more confident,” LaMontagne said of his shotput abilities. “I got the technique down and I plan to continue to work on it this season. Picking up where I left off in the winter will be a huge help for that.”
It may also help him in his primary event, the discus. “I think his confidence is where it needs to be,” Lusa said. “Shotput is a nice distraction. If all he did was throw discus, it could be internalized. Gosh, forbid, you have one bad meet and now that’s in your head. I’m glad that he has other things to pay attention to.”
Lusa will also rely on LaMontagne for another reason: Leadership.
LaMontagne’s father, Gerry, serves as the throwing coach for the Centaurs boys’ and girls’ track programs.
The Centaurs also have a couple of other seniors. River and Scout Favreau return to run middle distance events and will join LaMontagne and fellow senior Silas Strandson in throwing events. Ian Hoffman also runs middle distance and has been improving in the pole vault, Seamus Lippy is a middle distance and distance runner.
The Centaurs also added four seniors who did not come out last year.
Junior Vince Bastura is also a strong distance runner while fellow juniors Jared Eaton (throws), Carter Saracina (sprints) and Jeff Phongsa (sprints) are also capable of scoring for the Centaurs.
That group will have to try and replace the some of the points the Centaurs lost when Adam Schimmelpfennig and Ethan Aspiras graduated after last season.
The Centaurs finished 3-2-1 a year ago in Div. II of the ECC but won the Div. II and III championship meet. They also placed fourth in the Class MM state championship.
Both of those are confidence builders which may be important considering Woodstock is again back in Div. I of the ECC with Norwich Free Academy, E. Lyme and Fitch.
Boy’s Track Schedule: Wed., April 13: vs. NFA 3:45 p.m.; Wed., April 27: at Fitch, 4; Sat., April 30: at Ledyard Relays, TBA; Thurs., May 5: at E. Lyme, 4; Sat., May 7, at Middletown Invite, 10 a.m.; Sat., May 14: at Greater Hartford Invite , TBA; Wed., May 18: vs. Waterford, 3:45; Mon., May 23: at ECC Championship, TBA.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
..