By Ron P. Coderre

This week’s sporty RPC shoutout is sent along to Thompson resident John LaChance.  A former standout athlete at Putnam High School, LaChance is best remembered for running back punts and kickoffs for the Clippers.  Today, LaChance can be found at Quinnatisset Country Club whenever the sun is out.  He blew out another candle on the cake on March 3.

Paul Brooks, who came to Putnam Science Academy last year to work on his academics and basketball skills, has proven that the year he spent in the Antique City was the correct decision.  Following his postgraduate year, Brooks decided to attend Worcester State University.  The Arlington, Mass., native was one of the main reasons for the success of the Lancers this season.

In a recent announcement from the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) office in Westfield, Mass., Brooks was named the 2013-2014 MASCAC Rookie of the Year.  In garnering the honor, Brooks had picked up the conference Rookie of the Week honors three times during the season.

The 6-foot, 9-inch freshman center certainly had the statistics to back up and justify his selection.  He finished the season third in the MASCAC in field goal percentage at 50 percent, while averaging seven points and 4.8 rebounds a contest.  Brooks also averaged 1.96 blocks per game, which ranked him in the top five in the country in Division III.  His performance helped WSU to the top seed in the conference with a 9-3 regular season mark.

“We’re very happy for Paul for what he’s achieved this season on the college level.  His performance is something we can show our players as they strive to find the right level of basketball when they leave our program,” said coach Tom Espinosa.

Massachusetts Man Named Woodstock Lacrosse Coach

In a recent announcement from the Woodstock Academy Athletic Department the school selected Jacques Charles as the coach of the Centaurs lacrosse program.  Charles comes to Woodstock with impressive lacrosse experience as a player and a coach.

Most recently Charles served as the boys’ varsity lacrosse coach at West Springfield High School, where he coached from 2005 to 2012.  During his tenure his teams made the postseason tournament four times, won their league title three times and were sectional semifinalists twice.  In 2010 the Charles coached Terriers posted a 15-1 regular season record and were 17-2 overall.  That year he was recognized by being named the US Lacrosse Coaches Council High School Coach of the Year.

Charles was a three-sport athlete at Williston Northampton Academy, lettering in soccer, ice hockey and lacrosse.  He attended Roger Williams College where he played lacrosse.  He’s employed at ATTAIN Physical Therapy and Fitness where he serves as the director of Administrative Operations.  He lives in West Springfield.

Running Agrees with Thompson Lady

As a high school student Kim Merulla Rosebrooks was a cross country runner at Tourtellotte Memorial High School. Like most students, following her graduation she got away from the sport as other events in her life took precedent over running.

Last year the running bug hit Rosebrooks once again and she prepped for a run in the 2013 O’Putnam 5K, which she completed in satisfactory time by her standards.  But what followed is what changed her running life, as she now is once again seriously into the sport.

Rosebrooks found a trainer and began putting herself through the rigorous preparation of getting back to where she was when she was a young runner.  In the space of one year she’s gotten to the point where she was ready for a half-marathon.  On Fe. 23 with the support of her husband Earl Rosebrooks and her family, she took on the Hyannis Half Marathon.

For all intents and purposes she attained her goal as she completed the 13-plus mile run in slightly more than two hours with a time of 2:02.  The Quinebaug resident took on her second O’Putnam 5K on March 9 with a much different mindset than she approached it in 2013.  Running is now her game.

Another Former Mustang Grabs Headlines

Last season Jemal Mosely was a mainstay of the Putnam Science Academy Mustangs.  Following his postgraduate year he accepted a scholarship to the University of New Haven, a member of the Northeast -10 Southwest Division.  As a freshman he’s seen significant action but hasn’t played up to the standards he set for himself.  All that changed recently.

In the rugged Northeast – 10 Tournament Mosely has come to life.  In a quarterfinal victory over St. Michael’s Mosely was a catalyst in an 83-65 victory, scoring nine points with a three-for-three performance from the floor.  Proving that his showing against the Purple Knights wasn’t a fluke, Mosely helped the Chargers beat favored St. Anselm’s 85-58 in the semifinals.  Coming off the bench once again, he posted five points including a halftime buzzer-beating 32-foot bomb in front of the St. A’s bench.

New Haven moved into an all - Southwest Division and all - New Haven Championship game against Southern Connecticut State University, which is ranked #6 in the country in Div. II.

From The Annals of Putnam Sports History

March 1914: The Putnam High Schools boys won the Quinebaug Valley League championship, beating Killingly three out of four games.  (Information contributed by Willie Zamagni)

RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: Count your blessings, think about them every day.

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