High pg 5 2-2-23
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POMFRET — The Pomfret School high honors list for the fall includes: Carson Ames of Pomfret (2025); Olivia Crawford of Pomfret Center (2026); Amelia Duquette of N. Grovsvenordale (2026); Maya Gerum of Pomfret Center (2023); Sophia Grassi of Pomfret Center (2026); Remy Jacquet of Pomfret (2026); Clayton Lehmann of Putnam (2024); Max Ring of Pomfret (2026); Mary-Aliya Turay of Rogers (2023); Shepherd Wilcox of Pomfret Center (2025); Calvin Wolanin of Pomfret Center (2025); Chloe Woodard of Pomfret (2025).
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it pg 5 2-2-23
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It’s all about
toughness
Tarique Foster and DJ Dormu had become afterthoughts on PSA’s boys’ Prep basketball team. Once prominent members of the regular rotation, both found their minutes dwindling over the last few weeks (in Dormu’s case, even further back than that) to the point where “Did Not Play–Coach’s Decision” had become the norm.
But Saturday, in fifth-ranked PSA’s biggest game of the season – a “circle the date” matchup at fellow national power (and second-ranked) Brewster Academy – Foster and Dormu were ready when called upon and provided some of the biggest plays in the Mustangs’ 65-60 thrilling come-from-behind victory.
“I’m tough,” said coach Tom Espinosa said. “I can be very tough on guys. I almost challenge them to quit. For Ty and DJ to take the criticism I’ve given them and our coaching staff has given them, a lot of kids would quit or be disrespectful.
“People don’t understand the level here. Everyone comes from being 'the man'' at their school to our program and now you’re fighting for minutes and getting yelled at all the time. To fight and handle the adversity the way Ty and DJ have is impressive.”
The 6-foot, 8-inch Foster, whom Espinosa and his coaching staff want to be tougher and more physical, made arguably the biggest play of the game when he flew in from the weak side to snag an offensive rebound in traffic and lay it back in while getting fouled. It gave PSA its first lead of the game, 57-56 with five minutes to play.
“When I saw it coming off the rim, I knew it was mine,” said the VCU-bound Foster, who played 11 ½ minutes. And what did it mean to him to have such an impact in such a big game?
“It’s about being a team player,” he said. “It’s not all about me. But for me to get in the game and for them to trust me, it means a lot. You’ve got to bring the toughness to be able to play.”
For Dormu, who is lightning quick and can defend from baseline to baseline, it has been about having consistent energy and taking care of the ball. Being buried on the bench hasn’t been easy. But he did what was needed – and then some – Saturday. He had the energy; he took care of the ball. He also drilled a 3-pointer with about eight minutes to play as the shot clock was at 1, a basket that drew PSA within three points, took a charge late, and made two free throws with 40 seconds left that pushed the lead to 63-59.
“It means a lot to be able to play with my team again and show my coaches that I can help this team win,” he said after playing 13 minutes. “My teammates, Ty and Blake (Barkley) the most, they keep me up, they tell me to stay focused because when I go in, I have to show out. I don’t think I lost confidence…I was just glad to be back for my team.”
Mouhamed Dioubate was also instrumental in the win, finishing with 14 points and 15 rebounds, 11 of which came in the second half.
PSA beat Cushing Academy 72-66 Sunday to improve to 20-3 as Will Lovings-Watts had 17 points and six assists, Darryl Simmons had 11 points and eight assists, and Oswin Erhunmwunse had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
PSA beat Bridgeport Prep 79-67 Wednesday behind 14 points, five assists, and three steals from Simmons, and 10 points, four boards, and a pair of blocked shots from Duane Thompson.
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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obit pg 6 2-2-23
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Delores ‘De’ Edna Tarr Morissette
POMFRET — Delores “De” Edna Tarr Morissette, 83, died Jan. 25, 2023, at home.
De was born in 1939 in Etna, Maine, to Rodney Sr. and Pearl Merrithew Tarr.
De was adored by her late husband and cherished by her children. Grandma De took every opportunity to spoil her grandchildren.
She deeply loved gummy bears, lemon desserts, and cheese pizza with extra sauce on the side. De was an avid bowler. S
he served her community as a registered nurse, a volunteer at local libraries, a Boy Scout den mother, and an EMT.
She was where family and friends stopped by to see if they really needed to go to the hospital.
After selling the family farm she ran with her husband Denny and retiring from nursing at Pomfret School, De spent her days reading, doing crosswords, collecting 4-leaf clovers, and gazing at the birds and view from her beautiful home on the hill.
The sound of wind chimes always brought her joy. She had a deep love for angels and required all her loved ones to carry angels to guard them on their journeys.
She was predeceased by her husband of 62 years Denny Morissette; her son, René Morissette, and family members, Anita Tellier, Doug Tarr, Gertrude Tarr, and Rodney Tarr Jr. She leaves her children, Marcel (Lisa) Morissette and Michelle (Lance) Bouchard; six grandchildren, Matthew (Mariette), Jenny, D, Brittany, Dylan, and André; siblings, Beryl Tarr; and in-laws Muriel (Joseph) Mrakovich and Leo (Susan) Morissette.
The Memorial Mass is at 11 a.m. Feb. 3 in Most Holy Trinity Church, Pomfret.
Masks are strongly and respectfully asked to be worn to protect the lives of others. Donations: Pomfret Fire District, 67 Hampton Rd., Pomfret, CT 06258, to help continue the work De so genuinely believed in. Gilman Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Dorothy A. Kenyon
PUTNAM — Dorothy A. (Smick) Kenyon, 83, of Providence St., died Jan. 23, 2023 at home. She was the matriarch of the family. She was the wife of the late John Kenyon. Born in 1939 in Dudley, Mass., she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Mable (Wood) Smick.
Mrs. Kenyon worked for Woodstock Line for more than 30 years retiring at age 81 due to her illness.
She enjoyed playing bingo at St. Joseph Church in N. Grosvenordale and Garden Baptist Church in Ballouville.
She leaves her daughter, Diana Lefebvre (Mark): grandchildren, Catrina Vanasse (Dennis), Oscar McDuffee Jr. (Gloria), Jessica Lefebvre and her fiancé Willis, Mark Lefebvre Jr., Joseph Tetreault, Tara Aiken, and Patrick Audet; her brothers-in-law, Tom Kenyon (Sue) and Paul Kenyon; stepchildren, Shawn Kenyon (Barbara), Debbie Phillips (Tom), Jean Mayo, and Kelly Kenyon; 15 great-grandchildren, six great-great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her daughter, Donna Tetreault and her five brothers and four sisters.
A Celebration of Dorothy’s life will be held at a later date. Gilman Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.
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Two pg 7 2-2-23
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Not once in the first half of the season did PSA’s Elite boys’ basketball team field the lineup they envisioned in the preseason. Whether it was injuries or off-the-court incidents or something else entirely, coach John Cavaliere has been searching for the right combinations.
Now that the second semester is in full swing, things are falling into place for the Mustangs.
The return of Jalen Claude and the addition of Pop Wadang from the Prep team have solidified the rotation and last week, helped PSA to a pair of wins.
Tuesday it was an 85-82 victory over Mitchell College’s JV, as Claude finished with 22 points Thierry Lokrou added 20 points, Travis Upchurch 17, and Bennett Pegues 11.
“I see some really good things building with this team,” Cavaliere said.
“Mitchell gave us everything we could handle to finish the game, but we made big free throws (Travis Upchurch went 4-for-4 from the line in the final 90 seconds) and took care of the ball to finish the job.”
They finished the week with an 83-75 win Friday over We Believe Academy.
Lokrou had 29 points, Claude 16, and Upchurch 15. Yhali Steinhauer added 11 points while Wadang finished with seven.
“Thierry bailed us out of a lot of possessions that we didn’t know what was going to happen,” Cavaliere said. “When he’s on his game like that, it’s a nice safe haven to have.
“Having Pop allows us to put everyone in their more natural position, allows us to keep four guards on the perimeter while he can protect the basket and give us a post presence on offense. And Jalen gives us another really good scorer.
"He’s been a successful scorer at this level before and he’s gotten even better this year. His basketball ability and understanding of the game has been a huge lift for us.”
PSA’s Varsity team split a pair of games last week, falling 58-45 to CATS Academy, then overwhelming Bartlett High School JV 73-30.
Shane Sebastian-Smalls scored 15 points and Max Shepel finished with 13 points in the loss. Victor DeLeon’s 17 points led the way in the victory.
“This was a good game for us because we were able to get a lot of guys who don’t play a whole lot some good minutes,” coach Nick Schmidt said.
“I thought the guys played real hard and took advantage of the chance to show what they can do in a game situation.”
In their lone game of the week Thursday, the PSA Select girls’ team toppled Busche Academy 73- 62 behind 20 points from Brianna Mead and 15 from Mani Lopez. Keyani Jackson finished with 14 points and Zuzanna Komor 11 for the Mustangs, who also got six points and eight rebounds from Hailey Johnson and seven points and solid all-around play from Taija Lloyd.
PSA’s Prep girls’ team found itself in a good one Friday night against Fort Erie of Canada at the Mecca Showcase in New York. The Mustangs were down one in the final seconds with a chance to tie it at the free throw line, but the potential game-tying shot went off the rim and out, and PSA eventually lost 63-60. It was the second meeting of the season between the teams (PSA dropped the first one back in October).
PSA bounced back Saturday with a convincing 73-44 win over Shabach Academy.
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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