By Ron P. Coderre

This week’s RPC column is dedicated to World War II Merchant Marine veteran Peter Trama of Putnam.  Trama, who is in his 90th year, remains very active and is an avid supporter of all things positive for young people.  Stay young, Pete, you’re an inspiration to others.

In 2004, three guys with a love of baseball got together and came up with an idea that 12 years later is still as vibrant as it was in year one.  The idea was hatched by Pete Walker and his brother Andy and Roger LaFrancois.  The trio approached Paul Sturgis of the Mohegan Sun for support and assistance and together they formed a winning combination.  The Mohegan Sun World Baseball Coaches Convention became a reality.

Over the recent weekend of Jan. 21, 22 and 23 approximately 1000 coaches, players and baseball fanatics celebrated the convention, which provided sessions led by Major League players and coaches and some of the country’s top collegiate coaches.

“It’s amazing and rewarding to see the enthusiasm for baseball that’s here this year.  To think, this is the 12th year of this convention and it’s still going strong makes our effort all worthwhile,” said LaFrancois, the former Red Sox catcher and current St. Louis Cardinals minor league hitting instructor.

This year, as in the past, the convention attracted some “big name” presenters.  Featured were former Assumption College All-American and current Toronto Blue Jays first baseman/outfielder Chris Collabello.  A natural hitter, who batted over .300 this season for the Jays, Collabello shared his thoughts on swing mechanics as well as drills and exercises young hitters can use to improve their batting skills.

Former Red Sox pitcher and current member of the Oakland Athletics, Rich Hill talked pitching success in an interactive session with Connecticut Tigers pitching coach Ace Adams.  Nick Ahmed, a former UConn standout for coach Jim Penders and current shortstop for the Arizona Diamondbacks, shared his thoughts on infield play and game savvy.  Blue Jays first base coach Tim Leiper presented sessions on the tools necessary to being an effective coach and keys to outfield play.

“We’ve been fortunate to get great presenter every year.  The knowledge they share is what’s really important about this convention.  Now in our 12th year, were still looking to the future because the mechanics of the convention are in place,” said Pete Walker, the pitching coach for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Vendors from throughout New England and the country were also on hand displaying their wares, from uniforms and bats to specialized training items.  One of the vendors with a unique training item was former Red Sox relief pitcher Bob “Steamer” Stanley.  Along with his son Kyle Stanley, the pair teamed up to form a company called Performance PITCH.  Their product is a towel ball, which is a mini baseball with a towel attached.  Its training use is to develop correct pitching technique and avoid arm injury to young pitchers.

LaFrancois and the Walker brothers must be doing something correctly as the convention completed is 12th year.  Their love of baseball is one of the reasons they continue this venture with enthusiasm.

“The convention gets my baseball juices flowing,” said Lafrancis, who’s been playing the game for more than 50 years.

Catching Up With The Collegians

Three former Putnam Science Academy standouts were in action recently in NCAA Division I, II and III basketball play.  In Division I, Quinnipiac University fell to a disappointing 5-10 on the season when the Bobcats lost to Siena 64-52.  Big Chaise Daniels, who is coming along following some knee problems, contributed 10 points in the loss.  As a player at PSA, the 6-foot, 8-inch Daniels tallied 299 points in his one season on the Maple St. campus.

Dayshon, “Scoochie” Smith was on ESPN last week as his Dayton Flyers beat a tough St. Bonaventure team in an Atlantic-10 game played in Olean, N.Y.  Smith, the captain of the Flyers, ended up with eight points, contributing a key hoop and clutch free throws down the stretch to hold off the Bonnies.  The Flyers, who cracked the nation’s Top 25 briefly, are 13-3 on the season.  Smith left Putnam Science Academy as the school’s top career scorer with 1,010 points.  He also holds the career and single season marks in assists and steals.

At Assumption College, visiting University of New Haven beat the Greyhounds 75-71 in overtime thanks in part to the Chargers point guard Jemal Mosley who had eight points in the win.  Mosley finished his stint at PSA with 406 career points.

In Worcester the Worcester State University Lancers raised their record to 10-6 overall and 2-1 in the MASCAC with a 93-81 victory over visiting Fitchburg State University.  Paul Brooks, the 6-9 former Putnam Science Academy big man, was held to three points in his lowest offensive output of the season.  Brooks had 219 points when he was a Mustang.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute picked up a 70-62 victory over Emerson College in a NEWMAC contest.  Former Woodstock Academy standout Ian Converse contributed seven points in the win as the Engineers went to 13-2 on the year and 3-1 in the NEWMAC.  Converse is a product of former Centaur coach Greg Smith.

From Baseball To The Real World

Jared Carignan who was a steady middle infielder for the TriTown American Legion baseball team and the Ellis Tech Eagles is moving on to employment in the real world.  Carignan, who graduated in 2015 with a degree in masonry from Ellis Tech, has landed a position with the State of Connecticut.  Despite having a year of American Legion baseball eligibility remaining, Carignan will have to forsake the diamond for his job, which is taking him to Madison.

Last spring and summer, Carignan was a mainstay of the Techster and the Towner teams.  He proved his versatility by playing everywhere in the infield, while seeing action on the mound.  He was also a solid hitter at the dish.

He’s the son of Michael and Cheryl Ann Carignan of Thompson.

Prep And High School 

Stats and More

Two of the area’s slickest high school forwards, Liam Jacobs of Plainfield and Dan Porcic of Putnam continue to wage a battle for the top scoring spot in northeastern Connecticut.  Jacobs, averaging 19.5 points a game, is a 10th of a point ahead of Porcic whose average is 19.4.  Ellis Tech’s Trent Raymond is third at 17.9.

In female action, Plainfield’s Julie Jordan tops the scoring parade with 15.8 points per game.  Killingly’s Meagan Bianchi, who recently turned in a 29-point game, is second at 14.7.  Two of Jordan’s teammates Zoe Beaver and Madeline Lorange are on the top of the three-point race with 22 and 21 from beyond the arc respectively.

In the prep school girls’ scoring race Pomfret’s Alyzae Davis is on top at 15.4, followed by Hyde-Woodstock’s Dairy Rojas (13.4), Olivia Batistini and Deja Ross of Pomfret are knotted, both at 12.3 and Jordan Frye of Marianapolis is at 10.4.

Batastini is way out in front in the three-point race with 32.  Two Marianapolis Lady Knights Nicole Anderson and Caroline Soucy are next, tied with 14 treys apiece.

Putnam Science Academy’s Saul Phiri leads the boys’ three-point race with 59.  He’s followed by Joe Del Ricci of Marianapolis with 33 and Collin Sawyer of PSA with 19.

Cam Winston of Pomfret leads the scoring race at 16.1 points per contest, followed by his teammate Christian Wilson (13.8), Hamidou Diallo (13.7) and Phiri (13.2) both of Putnam Science Academy.  Vincent Conn of Pomfret and Del Ricci of Marianapolis round out the scoring race at 12.5 apiece. 

Approaching the halfway point of the basketball season, Putnam Science Academy at 18-2 is the area’s top prep men’s team, while 7-3 Plainfield is the high school leader.  In the girls' high school competition, surprising Killingly at 7-5 is the top team with Plainfield right behind at 6-5.  Pomfret School at 9-2 is the top prep quintet.

Ryan Black of Woodstock with 31 points (19 goals and 12 assists) and his running mate Nathan DeLuca with 23 points (11 goals and 12 assists) are running one-two in the hockey scoring race.  Centaur Zack Burnham has 10 assists.

RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: “You can’t think and hit at the same time,” Yogi Berra

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