Centaurs pg 1 2-16-23
- Details
- Category: Current Issue
Centaurs win
13th ECC crown in a row
If 13 was an unlucky number for anyone on the Woodstock gymnastics team, it probably isn’t any longer.
The Centaurs won their 13th-consecutive ECC gymnastics title Sunday with a 136.05-134.3 win over Norwich Free Academy.
“That’s pretty good,” said coach Kasey Tocchio. “(Woodstock Academy athletic director) Sean (Saucier) came up to me at the end and said, ’13!’. It’s awesome.”
It also was not pre-ordained as it has been in the past.
The Centaurs lost their top gymnast, Taylor Markley, to injury before the season even began and several others also had to recover from injuries of their own. Freshman Julia Kerr, for example, performed in the All-Around competition for a first time this season at the championship meet.
“Every team has its own challenges,” Tocchio said. “We come into the season always trying to figure it out and it takes a little bit at the beginning and we always seem to get back into the groove. It’s more challenging these days, not harder, but just different.”
And going into a championship meet with a streak on the line that the Centaurs now still possess can make it all that much more difficult.
The solution: Don’t think about it.
“My biggest thing is telling them to just be normal. I like to remind them of that; it’s no different (than a regular meet). Keeping their nerves down and just being calm is so important. They didn’t have to do anything out of the box, nothing better or worse, just be normal because their normal is really good,” Tocchio said.
It’s always nice, however, when you have someone to lean on. The Centaurs have that in sophomore Olivia Aleman.
Aleman was solid at the beginning as she posted a 9.35 to tie for first in vault. She followed that up with second-place finishes in the bars (9.2) and beam (9.2) before putting together a sparkling routine to win the floor with a 9.65 total.
It all added up to a 37.4 All-Around total and an ECC individual championship for the young gymnast.
Kerr also stepped up. It was the first time she attempted to compete in all four routines that comprise the All-Around.
She came away as ECC beam champion, alongside Killingly’s Ella Pereira, as both finished with a 9.25 score. The freshman was also second on the floor with a 9.45 and added an 8.15 vault and an 8.1 bars routine for a 34.95 total, fifth-best in the competition.
Kerr’s presence on Sunday was more than important. The Centaurs didn’t have much room for error as the meet was not decided until the final rotation.
In addition to the Wildcats finishing just a point and a half back, Killingly (134.1) was just two-tenths of a point behind NFA and Stonington ended with a 131.3.
“We knew how close it was, everyone was checking scores and it was pretty much neck-and-neck. Our floor as a team is very strong (the Centaurs tallied a 35.9) so it was good for us to end there,” Tocchio said. “I feel like all four teams made mistakes (Sunday) too so that made it even a closer meet in a sense.”
One streak maintained. Another to try and keep intact. Woodstock has 11-straight state titles to its credit.
The Centaurs next travel to Jonathan Law High School to compete for a state class championship on Feb. 25, but at what time, in what division, and against who is still a mystery.
Unlike most CIAC-sponsored sports, the state divisional alignments are not determined prior to the season and, instead, are figured out after the regular season concludes.
Earlier in the week, the Centaurs accomplished another goal.
The Centaurs captured the ECC regular season crown with a 136.15-133.55 win over Norwich Free Academy.
Aleman was again a key performer. Aleman did not finish first in any of the four routines but had a balanced performance to capture first at the end.
She just edged out Norwich Free Academy’s Trinity Ambruso in the All-Around by a tenth of a point, 37.45-37.35.
Aleman was second in the vault (9.25), second on the bars (9.4), second on beam (9.4) and third in floor exercise (9.4).
Kerr was second on the floor with a 9.55 total and sophomore Allie Boyd had a strong beam routine, finishing third with a 9.1.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
ECC Champs: The Woodstock Academy gymnastics team proudly displays another ECC championship banner, the program’s 13th straight, following a 136.05-134.3 win over Norwich Free Academy at Thames Valley Gymnastics in Norwich Sunday.
(All photos by Sean Saucier/Woodstock Academy)
..
fire pg 1 2-16-23
- Details
- Category: Current Issue
Great View
Emilia Pulver, 2, of Burrillville had a great view of the festivities. More photos on page 4 and additional photos on our FB page on Wed. night: Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. Linda Lemmon photo.
.
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — At the 12th annual Fire and Ice extravaganza Feb. 11, in downtown Putnam, it was a mob scene — in a good way. Mobbed with ice carvings, mobbed with a record number of cake decorating contest entries, mobbed with food and drink and games — and definitely mobbed with visitors. Parking spots were hard to come by — even halfway toward the highway on Kennedy Drive.
Rawson Manufacturing’s heart-shaped fire pit, next to the Gertrude Warner boxcar museum, was at least four deep with visitors.
Officials estimated more than 15,000 visitors came for the event which was sponsored by the Town of Putnam and the Putnam Business Association, and others.
Ice-Carving Contest Winners:Amateur: 3rd — Baye Lo on Main St. Gelatos block; 2nd — Aurora Deojay on Bear Hands Brewing; 1st — Phil Mason, owner of ServiceMaster by Mason on his own block. Group: 3rd — QVCC in their own block led by Jesse Fultz; 2nd — Brittni Laquidara and Simone Germain on a block sponsored by NorthStar Home Loans; 1st — Jon Conway and Ernie D’Elia at Wonderland Comics. Pro: 3rd —Josh Deojay, also on another sponsored block by Bear Hands Brewing; 2nd — Arrik Kim on Silver Circe And Sawmill Pottery Block; 1st — Rena Mason on Luxe & Nature/M’s Boutique Block.
Cake Contest Winners: Home/novice judge’s taste winner: Beth Rondeau; Professional judge’s taste winner: Jonathan Salvas; Student judge’s taste winner: Alec Rawson (Ellis Tech); People’s Choice Winner: Tessa Haelsen (the tea pot cake) There were a record 43 entries)
.
it pg 1 2-16-23
- Details
- Category: Current Issue
It's building season in
Rotary Park
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — The three-pronged improvement plan set for Rotary Park is already underway with the first project, a new roof for the bandstand.
Parks and Recreation Director Willie Bousquet said the bandstand roof has been planned for a while. The contractor selected for the job, Commercial Roofing, had late-arriving materials and uncooperative weather standing in the way of it getting done last year.
The cost is approximately $65,000. Last year Bousquet said it would be paid for out of the capital expenses budget.
It is the original roof, nearly 20 years old. Bousquet said the integrity of the plywood base is solid.
It will be replaced with a metal roof, Bousquet said, “Because we’ve switched to a metal roof, we should not have to replace it for a long, long time.”
Following that, the next project to be tackled will probably be the installation of a fence and screening around the Port-a-Johns at the end of the park near the Bridge Street-Kennedy Drive intersection. Bousquet said he anticipates that will happen between mid- and late April
The town and the Putnam Rotary Club are splitting the cost.
Bousquet said the Highway Department will dig and then place forms for a concrete base for the Port-a-Johns. The contractor who handles the Port-a-Johns also does concrete work and he will pour the pad. The concrete will have a “brush sweep” finish so it’s not slippery.
The town has already ordered, from Killingly Fence, the black chain link fencing that will surround three sides of the concrete area. Vinyl screening material will be attached to the fencing. A sign touting all the events for the park will be attached to the screen that faces Kennedy Drive.
And finally the bandstand will be painted. Bousquet said he already lined up a contractor for that and it will be painted the same color. Painting is likely to happen around April or May.
Naturally the projects are weather-dependent.
.
sorr pg 1 2-16-23
- Details
- Category: Current Issue
Roundup
Sorrentino
shines at
Class L Meet
Woodstock Academy’s Bella Sorrentino had a pretty good Friday night, finishing second in the Class L state championship indoor track meet in the shotput with a heave of 34-feet, 10-inches.
The effort left her just two inches shy of qualifying for the Nationals in the event.
Just moments after that, Sorrentino went over to the 55-meter hurdles and turned in a sixth-place performance in 9.1 seconds, narrowly missing the school record in the event.
The senior finished with plenty of bling to bring home as she, Talia Tremblay, Isabella Selmecki and Juliet Allard also earned a sixth-place medal in the 4x200m relay, finishing in a team-best 1 minute, 55.13 seconds.
“Bella was tremendous (Friday),” said coach Josh Welch said. “Throws, sprints and hurdles, she showed she is among the top few in the State in all of them. She continues to show that she is an incredibly bright, coachable and talented athlete.”
Centaurs’ senior Magdalena Myslenski also brought home a second-place medal as she cleared 9-feet in the pole vault, a personal best.
Allard also brought home a medal from the 300m where she finished in a personal best 43.88 seconds to claim 6th-place.
Boys’ Indoor Track: Three members of the Woodstock boys’ indoor track team brought home personal bests and medals from the Class M indoor track championship Saturday. Sophomore Christian Menounos came within a half-second of breaking the Woodstock Academy indoor record as he ran the 1000m in 2 minutes, 38.3 seconds and finished fourth. Senior Jared Eaton had a personal best throw of 47-feet, 6-inches to finish fifth in the shotput and sophomore Colton Sallum placed sixth in the 1600m, taking nearly 10 seconds off his previous best performance with a 4:36 finish.
Girls’ Basketball: It was what every coach wants to see in a Senior Day game. On a day when emotions can, sometimes, cause havoc with players, the Woodstock girls’ basketball team took care of business. “It’s always tough. There is always a lot of emotion so we kind of had to move past that, focus on the game and have fun,” said senior Lennon Favreau. After honoring Favreau and fellow senior Leila MacKinnon prior to the game versus Montville on Thursday, that’s exactly what the Woodstock girls’ basketball team did. They rained down five 3-pointers on Montville in the first quarter, broke out to a 19-4 lead after the first eight minutes, and had little to worry about the rest of the way as the Centaurs posted the 60-24 win.
The Centaurs, after a loss to Fitch the day after the Senior Day contest, finished the week with a 12-7 overall record with one regular season game left to play.
The long-distance sharpshooting fueled the Centaurs early against Montville.
Isabel D’Alleva-Bochain sank two and Sophia Sarkis, who hit a team-high three 3-pointers, hit from beyond the arc in the first four minutes to help Woodstock break out to an 11-0 lead.
MacKinnon and Sarkis added treys in the last four minutes as Woodstock led by double digits going into the second quarter.
The Centaurs had a little drought from long-range in the second quarter but it was only a temporary reprieve for Montville.
Woodstock drained three more in the third and another in the fourth, nine in total, to make for a very nice finish to the Senior Day game.
Eva Monahan didn’t hit a 3-pointer but was dominant on the inside and finished with a team-high 13 points while guard Kaylee Saucier added 12.
The week started on a good note for the Centaurs as well with a win over East Catholic, 55-28.
After trailing by double digits since the second quarter, East Catholic looked like it was going to make a run late in the third quarter.
The Eagles had managed to knock down the deficit to nine points heading into the final quarter.
But Woodstock ’s two freshmen guards were not about to let the Eagles make any more in-roads as D’Alleva-Bochain and Saucier put down some big fourth quarter baskets to help lead the Centaurs to a 55-28 win.
Saucier struck first as she buried a 3-pointer from the top of the key just 59 seconds into the fourth quarter.
Just 23 seconds later, an East Catholic miss resulted in a fast break bucket for Saucier for the final of her 14 points in the game.
Then it was D’Alleva-Bochain’s turn. She hit nine of her game-high 18 points in a 2:16 span of the fourth quarter, including a pair of 3-pointers, to end all hopes for East Catholic.
The defense played a large part of that as it helped force seven turnovers by the Eagles in the first 5 ½ minutes.
“We definitely need offense so to get out, 10-0, and let our defense take hold is something we look forward to. It doesn’t always go that way but it’s a benefit as to what we’re trying to do,” said coach Will Fleeton.
The Centaurs held a 17-8 lead at the end of the first quarter and increased that to 12 by the half, 26-14.
Reegan Reynolds contributed nine points. Monahan led the way with eight rebounds and MacKinnon added five boards, four of them off the offensive glass, and a pair of assists.
There was only one blemish during the week as the Centaurs lost their final regular season home game 42-39 overtime score to Fitch.
The Centaurs were up by 10 in the third quarter but the Falcons put together a comeback and tied the game at 34 with 3:44 left in regulation.
Sarkis, who had an impressive double-double game with 14 points and 11 rebounds, hit her fourth 3-pointer of the game to put the Centaurs back on top 28 seconds later.
Fitch closed back within one but Saucier made it a two-point game with a free throw with 46 seconds to play.
The Falcons forced the extra time when Maleeya Robbins was able to get a layup to fall as the buzzer sounded.
Fitch (13-7) scored four points in the overtime on a basket by Ada Ellis and two free throws from Mariette El Khoury (12 points).
The Centaurs could muster only one on a free throw by Monahan (8 points, 7 rebounds) D’Alleva-Bochain added nine points for Woodstock Academy.
Boys’ Basketball: The Woodstock boys’ basketball team had to go to two tough ECC gyms over the course of the week where wins for visiting teams are not easy to come by.
The Centaurs held leads in both of their contests with Norwich Free Academy and Ledyard, only to fall short in the fourth quarter.
It was nip-and-tuck throughout against Ledyard with the Colonels pulling out a 45-41 victory.
The return of 6-foot, 6-inch sophomore center Brady Ericson from an illness provided the Centaurs with a little more in the way of offense but the Ledyard defense proved to be up to the task.
Thanks to four early points from Ericson, Woodstock held a 10-4 lead at the end of the first quarter.
But the Colonels gradually chipped away.
The hosts cut the deficit in half by halfway through the second quarter and forged into the lead, 18-17, by halftime.
That lead grew to six by the end of the third quarter, but the Centaurs showed some resilience and pulled even at 35 with 4 ½ minutes to play.
It was still tied, 40-40, with 1:17 left but Ledyard put up five of the last six points scored to post its second win in 17 games this season.
Ericson finished with 11 and Hunter Larson nine for the Centaurs (4-13).
Woodstock put a scare into Norwich Free Academy on its home floor on Tuesday night before falling to the Wildcats, 64-52.
The Centaurs did get into a hole early as they trailed by 12 at the end of the first quarter, 22-10.
But Woodstock fought back with a team effort to reduce the deficit to three by the half, 33-30.
Six different players scored in the second quarter for the Centaurs led by senior Brandon Nagle who scored five of his 12 points in the game during the rally.
After halftime Woodstock took the lead just 2 minutes, 40 seconds into the quarter, 36-35, and was able to hold on to it until the end of the quarter where they clung to a three-point advantage, 45-42.
But the good news would come to a stop there.
NFA (8-9) went on a 14-2 run in the first three minutes of the final period to put the Centaurs back on their heels and avoid the upset.
The win qualified the Wildcats for the state tournament.
Tony Williams paced NFA with 29 points, nine coming in the fourth quarter.
Edwin Santana was the only other player in double figures with 10 for the Wildcats.
Carter Morissette led Woodstock with 13 points.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
Senior Bella Sorrentino brought home lots of bling, getting medals in all three of her events.
Sophomore Juliet Allard showed her strength for the Woodstock girls’ indoor track team, as she brought home two medals, for a pair of sixth-place finishes.
Senior Magdalena Myslenski cleared a personal best 9-feet in the pole vault to finish 2nd in the Class L indoor track state championship.
Senior Jared Eaton shows off his form in the circle where he placed fifth in the Class M indoor track state championship. Photos by Josh Welch/Woodstock Academy
Senior Day
Lennon Favreau, left, and Leila MacKinnon were honored on girls’ basketball Senior Day. Woodstock Academy phot
.