By Ron P. Coderre

This week’s RPC sporty shoutout is sent along to Thompson resident Bill Poirier.  One of the area’s top golfers and one time Quinnatisset Club Champion, Poirier cut his golf teeth at Marianapolis Preparatory School.  He blew out another candle on the cake on Tuesday, March 18. 

The O’Putnam 5K was a huge success for the third year in a row.  Many local runners participated, which helped to make the event so popular.  Here are some leftovers from the après-race corned beef and Harpoon ale St. Paddy’s Day run.

Woodstock resident Andre Bessette finished 17th overall and posted a time of 20:15…Hyde-Woodstock athletic director and football coach Sean Saucier proved he can still move along at a good pace, coming in at 21:02 for 18th place overall…Brooke Brouillard of Brooklyn is only 14 and she finished fifth in the women’s competition in a time of 21:25…Soon to be Woodstock resident Bryan Hitchcock finished 32nd overall…Catherine Jaworski, who finished 34th overall, has an interesting occupation.  She is planning a career as a funeral director and works for Gilman & Valade Funeral Homes…Pauline Frascone of Embellish Salon on Livery St. posted a time of 21:48…Former Danielson athlete Joe Markley came into town from his new home in Somerville, Mass., and finished a respectable 48th…Pomfret Board of  Education Chairman Richard Schad finished in 22:40.  His wife Judge Leah Schad finished 341st…Norwich Attorney Jeff Low of Pomfret Center finished 56th overall…Chris Rizer of the Byrnes Agency proved that insurance agents can run.  He edged Elizabeth Bove of Woodstock by two seconds…Former Putnam High School soccer standout Luke Mayo, now of Coventry, cracked the Top 100 in 64th place one spot ahead of Gerardi Insurance agent Jay Long…TriTown American Legion pitcher Josh Allard of Putnam finished 74th his sister Abby finished 361st…At age 51 Gene Michael Deary continues to plod along as he cracked the Top 100…Putnam High School basketball coach Shawn Deary finished 109 in a time of 24:25…At least two Witkowskis were in the race, Rebecca and Matthew…Dr. Mark Cerrone proved to be a real trouper, finishing in 24:51…Bryan Smith, who cuts hair in Putnam, cut his way through the crowd and crossed the finish line in 25:03…Could 55 year old Tim Larson of East Hartford be Mayor Tim Larson brother of Congressman John Larson ... Norman Seney who finished 145th is the son of Barney Seney…Kim Rosebrooks posted a time of 25:31 more than three minutes better than her time of last year…Bill Bartholic is the same Bill Bartholic who runs around basketball courts as a high school referee…Jim Guillot, owner of The Crossings Restaurant in the former Putnam train station, had a time of 25:57…Sandy Navarro of Pomfret finished slightly ahead of Dr. Kevin Reagan of the Center for Bone and Joint Care…Former State Representative Shawn Johnston finished 265 out of more than 1000 entries.  Even though he’s no longer in office, he’s still running…Dominique Rabitor of Connecticut National Golf Club says that work at the golf course is more pleasurable than running a 5K… Putnam Rotary Club President Brad Favreau ran a 28:22 race, not bad for a realtor.  His wife Amy placed 448…Ryan Lajoie of Johnston Real Estate couldn’t keep up with Shawn Johnston…Race hostess Sheila Frost finished in 29:21 good for 349th place…Tim Farner, another funeral director, finished 350th…Former Putnam High School quarterback Nick Perron, now a football coach at MIT finished 422nd…Former Plainfield High School three-sport standout Brian Levesque broke the tape in a time of 31:10…Former Putnam super basketball and softball player Emily Vaillant Mayo, who later starred on the diamond for Assumption College, finished 486th…Thompson’s Elizabeth Buzlaski finished 946th with a smile, as she ran the course at a 13:44 pace much improved over last year…And finally Dr. Erica Kesselman made it through the course in 41:08.

Tip of the Sports Fedora

A well deserved Tip of the Sports Fedora to Woodstock Academy gymnastic coach Robin Deary Fillmore.  Her team captured the Eastern Connecticut Conference championship, won its fourth consecutive Class S title and took the Connecticut State Open for the third year in succession.  Quite an accomplishment!  Deary Fillmore, who owns Deary Gymnastics in Danielson, is dedicated to the sport and has developed numerous individual champions over the years.  She’s probably the primary reason that gymnastics thrives in northeastern Connecticut.

Deary Fillmore is a graduate of Southern Connecticut State University where in 1982 she was an All American on the beam.  She led the Owls gymnastics team to great success in her four year on the New Haven campus.

Following the Woodstock Academy team’s success in winning the Open title Deary Fillmore and her husband Jerre Fillmore relaxed over dinner at The Crossings Restaurant in Putnam with their friends Jeff Fortin and his wife.

Keeping Up with the Collegians

Despite being eliminated in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament, Quinnipiac’s Ike Azotam, the former Marianapolis product, continued his brilliant play.  In an 87-68 loss to Manhattan, Azotam turned in his 44th career double-double and became Quinnipiac’s Division I rebound leader in the losing effort   He led the Bobcats in scoring against Manhattan with 18 points.  Another former Marianapolis player Ousmane Drame tallied eight points in the loss.  The Bobcats await word on a possible postseason tournament invitation as they boast a 20-11 record in their first year in the MAAC.

Remember When

When Daniel Hand High School played Woodstock on Thursday, March 12 former Quinebaug Valley Community College President Bob Miller and his wife Sylvia were on hand to watch their grandson Trent Peters who plays for the Centaurs.  Dr. Miller is a graduate of Daniel Hand High School and he reminded us that 65 years ago he was the student manager for the Tigers’ basketball team.  Although Hand lost 60-55 to Woodstock the Millers were happy because their grandson netted eight points in the victory, many of the key variety.

The Jet Flies into Town

George Dargati, known by his close acquaintances as “The Jet,” was part of the big crowd on hand for the Woodstock Academy game against Hand, which was played at Tourtellotte Memorial High School.  Dargati, who graduated from TMHS in 1950, was a 1000 point scorer for the Tigers.  He’s also in the Tourtellotte Athletic Hall of Fame.  He was on hand with his son Jeff Dargati who is the head coach of Loomis Chaffee School in West Hartford.  The younger Dargati was there to scout one of the Daniel Hand players.  Although the elder Dargati never played in the current gym he noted he always has fond memories of his days in North Grosvenordale whenever he returns.  By the way, when he was in high school “The Jet” and his team played at the Cluett Gym, which is now the current Knights of Columbus in Thompson.  I wonder how many remember that fact? 

From The Annals of Putnam Sports History

November 23, 1906: Putnam High School Defeated Webster High 27-12 in basketball at Putnam.

RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: Instead of e-mail, send a personal note.

(If you have sports items worthy of publication please e-mail ron.coderre@snet.n

 

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