By Ron P. Coderre

This week’s RPC column is dedicated to Pomfret resident and former Putnam Clipper linebacker Gerry Clark.  Now retired and spending winters in Florida, Clark is proud of his three career holes-in-one.  A great raconteur and bon vivant he’s always good for a story from the “remember when” days.

Mamadou Diarra, the Putnam Science Academy basketball big man who is headed to UConn in September of 2016, was recently named captain of the 2015-2016 edition of the Mustangs.  He is only the third player in the illustrious history of the Putnam Science Academy basketball program, which dates back to 2006, to assume this role.

The only other individuals to have held this prestigious title were Halid Gul and Enes Ulukaya, who were co-captains of the 2008-2009 team.  The program then in its infancy finished the season with a 14-6 record.

In naming Diarra captain, coach Tom Espinosa said, “I just don’t give out captain awards.  A captain must be someone I believe in, trust and want to go to battle with on the court.”

“Mamadou has been an outstanding figure for our team and also for our school.  He’s been an upstanding citizen of our community in representing us in a respectful manner.  He’ll be a credit to our school when he gets to Storrs and is a UConn Husky,” said Espinosa.

The 6-foot, 8-inch Diarra, who hails from Queens, N.Y., returns to the Maple Street campus for his third season.  During his first two seasons as a Mustang he’s appeared in 49 games, posting outstanding numbers.  He’s scored 405 points, tying him with current Norfolk State University player Jordan Butler in 13th place on the PSA all-time scoring list.  He’s corralled 315 rebounds and blocked 85 shots.

At his current pace Diarra should surpass Orhan Sultanov for the most games played in Mustangs history.  Sultanov, the current leader played in 65 games during his time at the school.  He could also pass Rundell Mauge, the school’s all-time rebound leader, who posted 408 caroms during his career at the school.

Last season Putnam Science Academy, thanks in part to the play of Diarra, was invited to the National Prep School Championships, which were held at Albertus Magnus College, for the second consecutive year.  Diarra and the Mustangs are striving to repeat that journey again this season.

Becher Watch

Emily Becher, the former Woodstock Academy women’s soccer standout, continues to shine on the pitch for the Eastern Connecticut State University Lady Warriors.  In a recent 1-0 victory over Connecticut College, the sophomore standout tallied the only goal in the game on a header, assisted by Hailey Lehning and Kaley Pratt.  It was Becher’s sixth goal of the season.  She leads the 6-2-1 ECSU team in scoring.

Visitor From Taipei, Taiwan

On Tuesday, September 29 the Putnam Rotary Club enjoyed the presence of a visitor who is in northeastern Connecticut all the way from Taipei, Taiwan.  Leo Wong is in the U.S. as part of Rotary International’s Student Exchange program.

Wong is currently  attending classes at Woodstock Academy while he lives with his host family parents, Marc and Mary Archambault of Pomfret.  In addressing the Rotary Club, Wong noted that he had attended a Boston Red Sox game and had the opportunity to tour Boston.  He also stated that his favorite sport is basketball and he spends his free time playing the video game NBA.  His favorite class at the Academy is gym and he thinks highly of the Academy’s Head-of-School Christopher Sanford. 

Local Golfers Shine 

in Commonwealth Coast Conference

A pair of local golfers, competing at different colleges, is playing well in the Commonwealth Coast Conference.  The CCC is an NCAA Division III conference.

Senior Alec Foucault, a Putnam High School graduate, fired a seven over par 77 to help Wentworth Institute of Technology finish fourth in the Nighthawk Invitational.  The invitational, played at the William J. Devine Golf Course at Boston’s Franklin Park, was hosted by Newbury College.  The Leopards, paced by Foucault, recorded a team score of 318 behind the Tufts Jumbos who won the title with a score of 287.  Foucault finished in a tie for 14th in the field of 56 golfers.

In Springfield, former Woodstock Academy golfer Paul Butkevich playing for University of New England fired an eight over par 146 in the Husson Invitational.  Butkevich, a senior for the Nor’easters finished third overall in the individual competition.  UNE finished third in the team competition.  Butkevich was named Commonwealth Coast Conference golfer of the week for his effort.  This was the second time during the fall season that he’s earned golfer of the week honors.

Old Cape Cod

Can you imagine trying to get 12 adult golfers coordinated for a three-day golf excursion to Cape Cod?  After witnessing the attempt put together by organizers Nelson “Buzz” King and Pete Gaudette I’ve come to the conclusion it would be easier to organize a group of kindergarten students for a trip to Disneyland.

Thanks to Gaudette’s planning, the accommodations and golf courses were outstanding.  The entire dozen arrived safely and slept comfortably at the Irish Village in South Yarmouth.  Despite traveling in five different automobiles they also managed to get to Bass River, The Captain’s Golf Course and Dennis Pines and squeeze in 72-holes of golf.

Along for the trip was the late Roger Dion, who arrived on the Cape solo, and six holes late for the first round at Bass River.  Also on hand was Killingly High School Athletic Director Gene Blain, who had to leave early to make it back to Danielson for the Killingly versus Waterford football game.

The two elder citizens of the group Bud Kettle and Elmer Norton also vied diligently for the title of “class clown.”  Just behind the duo was Plainfield’s Henry Bennett who is still attempting to figure out what the acronym TMZ stands for.  The player with probably the highest handicap of the group, Kenny Mapp, amazed with his putting skills.  His acumen on the green was the talk of the three-day sojourn.

The three “A” men in the group, Cliff Aubin, Roger Beaudet and Fran Baranski are still scratching their collective heads wondering why they didn’t make more money at the end of each round.

After taking a few Valium for depression Gaudette and King for anxiety, the 12th man of the group, yours truly, is still amazed how everyone made it back in one piece.  Totaling up the winnings after each match and divvying up the bill after each meal was enough to give one a severe case of heartburn.  Thankfully Cape Cod is a relaxing environment.

RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: The worst sin of all is to be joyless.

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