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By Ron P. Coderre
This week’s RPC sporty shout out is sent along to Putnam native Peter Regas. One of the community’s biggest cheer leaders, Regas is a big supporter of everything Clippers. Enjoy the column, Pete.
Since the arrival of Geno Auriemma on the UConn campus in Storrs, women’s basketball in Connecticut and the United States has never been the same. Many may claim that other coaches before he arrived set the tone in women’s basketball but its indisputable Auriemma has certainly been the person who not only revolutionized the women’s game but he’s also had so much to do with generating the fan interest that the game enjoys today.
Along the way Auriemma has produced a litany of super stars; among them are the likes of Rebecca Lobo, Sue Bird, Jennifer Rizzotti, Cara Walters, Diana Taurasi, Carla Berube, Svetlana Abrasimova, Tina Charles and many others. In the mix of all the greats that have played for the Huskies there’s one individual who often gets overlooked despite having definitely put her mark on the history of women’s basketball at UConn.
In the late 1970s Plainfield High School boasted of a young lady basketball player who was setting local courts on fire with her play. Her name was Cathy Bochain. Playing for coach Jim Cotter, Bochain led the Lady Panthers to unprecedented heights. She enamored not only the Plainfield faithful but basketball fans from all over northeastern Connecticut.
Her play led her to UConn, in the pre-Auriemma era, where she continued to shine. Many believe that she and other players such as Leigh Curl were the Husky pioneers who set the tone for what the program is today.
Playing in creaky and leaky Alumni Hall, the Bochain Huskies attracted sparse crowds of approximately 50 to 100 fans for their games. Yet, without the benefit of the three-point arc, Bochain lit up the UConn scoreboard to the tune of 1,534 career points. In 1998 Bochain was ranked 7th on the all-time Connecticut scoring list.
The advent of the three-point arc, the faster, more wide open game plummeted Boachain on the all-time list faster than the Dow-Jones during a recession. By 2009 she had dropped to 14th place and entering 2014 she was 18th on the career scoring parade. She was passed by Bria Hartley in 2013 and is currently being hotly pursued by Stephanie Dolson, who by the time you read this may have surpassed Bochain , dropping her to 19th place.
Another disadvantage that Bochain faced was the fact that when she graduated cum laude with a pharmacy degree there was no American professional league for women to move on to. Bochain proved that an athlete could excel in sports while following a rigorous academic program. In 1983 when she received her degree she was the Huskies leading career scorer, had the most career steals (240) and most steal in a single game (10).
Following a brief stint as a pharmacist at Day Kimball Hospital, Bochain moved on to a career in pharmacy management with CVS. Today she is very successful managing a CVS store in Storrs. Although the rewards are different than had she been afforded the opportunity to play professionally in the WNBA, she has reaped honors for her play approximately 30 years ago. In 1992 she was inducted into the Connecticut Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. A humble individual, Bochain performs her work for CVS much the way the she attacked her athletics and academics from 1979 to 1983 at UConn, professionally.
Lady Hoopster Shines at Bella’s
Bella’s Restaurant in Putnam is a popular dining spot not only because of its sumptuous menu but in large part due to the pleasant wait staff that cater to the local dining clientele. Among the smiling faces that care for diners every need is a Massachusetts lady by the name of Megan (Bowes) Carney. Little do people realize the Bowes-Carney was once an outstanding collegiate basketball player.
A 1993 graduate of Worcester State University with a degree in education, Bowes-Carney was a stalwart on the court for the Lady Lancers. As a high school player in Oxford, Mass., she attracted the attention of many college coaches. In fact, she opted for Division III WSU over an opportunity to play at Division II Stonehill College. As a power forward at Oxford High School she teamed with Carla Berube, who later went on to star at UConn, to lead the team to a perfect record and a State championship.
The next time you’re at Bella’s if your waitress flips you your drink, meal or salad with a behind-the-back pass, watch out. It may be Megan Bowes Carney demonstrating her basketball prowess.
Boston Fine Dining
Three Putnam area couples celebrated their wedding anniversaries with a getaway weekend in Boston. Bill and Kathy Zamagni, Chico and Pat Panu and Moe and Pam Coderre took Boston by storm enjoying a few days in Beantown.
One of the high lights of the sojourn was the opportunity to relish the gourmet offerings of some of Boston’s finest restaurants. On what was intended as a quiet evening of dining the trio was excited to be seated next to New England Patriots lineman Tommy Kelly, who this season has been sidelined with a knee injury. They not only enjoyed speaking with Kelly and his lovely wife but they met three of the standout basketball players from coach Tommy Amaker’s outstanding Harvard Crimson hoop squad.
Zamagni is a former Putnam High School quarterback, Panu a former star on the Tourtellotte Memorial High School hardwood and Coderre, a three-sport Putnam Clipper stalwart.
BCS Champions By a Whisker
If you watched the historic final chapter of the BCS football era, you were treated to a see saw battle between Florida State University and Auburn University. The contest went down to the final 13 seconds before the FSU Seminoles finally won on a touchdown toss by Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston.
On hand for the game, which was played at the fabled Rose Bowl in Pasadena California, were Putnam residents Jim and Bev Shaw, both graduates of Florida State University. Although the final score turned out to their liking, they admitted that the contest was a seat-squirmer that was very exhausting. Go Noles!
From The Annals
of Putnam Sports History
January 5 and January 12, 1906: Windham defeated Putnam 56-17 in Willimantic. PHS returned the favor, defeating Windham 21-15 at Putnam. (Information contributed by Willie Zamagni)
RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: The harder the race, the more glorious the triumph.
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