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PUTNAM — The young and scrappy Putnam Science Academy soccer team had a big opportunity over the weekend as they not only competed against the #8 ranked team in the country, Martin Luther King High School, but they also would earn an invite to the Mainline Jamboree held in Philadelphia.
In a physical match, the Mustangs hung in there with Martin Luther King HS and forced a 2-2 tie before the match was called due to misconduct on MLKHS. Putnam’s Felipe Luis scored the Mustangs first goal on a nice assist from Aiden Miller in the first 15 minutes of the match to catch MLKHS off guard. Boadi Augustine would later score a solo goal to put Putnam up 2-0 in the 2nd half.
Head Coach Ivan Damulira said: “Our lads showed absolute class and competence versus a good team. We surely deserved the tie and if the match wasn’t terminated early, we believe we could have won. We are on to the next match and look to improve.” 
PSA made the most of that opportunity at the jamboree. A 25-man roster with kids coming from 7 different countries showed  fantastic communication as the Mustangs would shake off the tie from the day before and earn a 2-1 victory over Mercersburg Academy. Post Grad Michael Kutsanzira from Zimbabwe scored both goals for PSA in the win, their first official victory of the season. Jenluis Henriquez and Vinny Knupp assisted on the goals.
The day wasn’t done as Putnam Science Academy would take the field a few hours later in game 2 of the Jamboree and dominated West Nottingham with a 7-0 shutout win. Felipe Luis, who scored 1st for PSA Sept. 15, would score twice Sept. 16 for PSA. Boadi Augustine added another goal in the contest followed by Vinny Knupp and 2 goals from sophomore Anco Veiga.
Josh Sanchas
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy

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It’s certainly a truism.
The Woodstock Academy Centaurs girls’ soccer team has not allowed a goal yet this season.
“We’re happy with it because you can’t lose if you don’t let any goals in,” said Woodstock Academy coach Dennis Snelling.
The Centaurs delivered two more shutout victories this past week.
“We have a lot of experienced players back for their second or third year and have been pretty much together. We practice really hard and play at a complicated, really advanced level and that has a lot to do with the progression of the ball,” Snelling said of his team’s defensive prowess.
They traveled to Waterford for a 1-0 victory Sept. 11 and came home Sept. 14 where they delivered a dominant effort in a 2-0 victory at the Bentley Athletic Complex.
The Centaurs (2-0-1) failed to score in the first half in their win over East Lyme although they had plenty of opportunities.
The Centaurs took 15 shots on goal in the first half alone, six were saved by East Lyme keeper Avery Owen, the majority of the rest sailed over the top or just wide.
But the silence was broken 7 minutes, 49 seconds into the second half when senior Ivy Gelhaus scored her second goal of the season.
Gelhaus picked up a clearing boot from Linda St. Laurent near midfield.
She did the rest herself with the East Lyme defense closing in as she closed in on Owen.
Gelhaus was forced to switch to her left foot which she used to send the ball to the left of Owen and into the corner of the net.
“She’s very good with both feet finishing the ball. It’s good that she is scoring early this year with important goals in close games. She’s got the confidence going early,” Snelling said.
Sophomore Brynn Kusnarowis delivered the insurance goal.
She took a free kick from 35-yards out with just over 17 minutes left.
“It was a rocket,” Snelling said. “The goalie didn’t even have time to react. It was almost like she wasn’t ready for the quick shot. We tell her to do what she thinks is right which is either serving it into the box or shoot it at the goal. She had three or four of those last year.”
Earlier in the week, Regan Stuyniski sent in a ball from midfield that bounced over the Waterford keeper’s head and on to the foot of Gelhaus who put it into the net with four minutes left in the match.
The Centaurs outshot the Lancers (1-1), 10-8, while keeper Irene Askitis made six saves. Askitis got a little assist from back Hallie Saracina who cleared a ball off the line late in the match that could have tied it for Waterford.

Boys’ soccer
While the Centaurs girls haven’t allowed a goal all season, the Woodstock Academy boys’ soccer team hadn’t scored a goal all soccer season.
That changed Sept. 14 in New London.
Woodstock Academy handed New London a 9-0 defeat.
“Normally, these kinds of games turn out scrappy, but our boys kept their standards and work rate and played some fantastic soccer. The New London lads never stopped working until the final whistle; they kept their heads and discipline too. I was really impressed with them,” said Woodstock Academy coach Paul Rearden.
Ethan Holcomb finished with the hat trick for the Centaurs while Matt LaBounty, Aaron Johnson, Eric Phongsa, Sean Rearden, Eridon Mehmeti and Reid Butler also scored.
The Centaurs are now 1-2 overall and 1-0 in Division II of the Eastern Connecticut Conference.
Earlier in the week, the Centaurs lost to Amherst, Mass, 1-0.
Just 70 seconds into the match, Soul-Jah Ferreira took a deep cross from Brayan Rivas Martinez and headed it past Centaurs goalie Jack Lotter for the only goal of the match.
It was one of only two shots the Centaurs allowed Amherst (2-0) in the first half.
Holcomb had a pair of good opportunities for the Centaurs.

Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
The Woodstock Academy

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Field Hockey
Top: Sophomore Rachel Canedy (15) and senior Abbe Lecuyer work together against Norwich Free Academy last week. Middle: Rachel Canedy (15) battles for the ball for Woodstock Academy in a 6-0 field hockey victory over NFA. Right: Lily Brin of Woodstock Academy takes on a Norwich Free Academy player.   Photos courtesy of  Marc Allard.



It was a good start for the Woodstock Academy girls’ field hockey team.
The squad began play last week with a pair of Eastern Connecticut Conference tests and one non-league game.
The Centaurs did what they had to and won both league games, 6-0 over NFA and 5-3 over Killingly. Enfield rallied from an early deficit to hand the Centaurs a 4-1 loss Sept. 15.
“It’s huge because it already puts us a third of the way to qualifying for the state tournament with a 15-game schedule,” said coach Lauren Gagnon.
The Centaurs wasted no time in their opener against Norwich Free Academy.
They scored all six of their goals in the first half, three goals came in the first 3 minutes, 39 seconds.
“It set the tone,” Gagnon said. “We have a word or phrase for every game and (Tuesday) it was ‘Start strong.’ We wanted to start the season strong, start the game strong and get rid of that feeling that maybe we’re not one of the top teams in the ECC because we definitely are. That inferiority complex has been hanging with us for a couple of years now.”
Senior Hannah Chubbuck became the first to score for the Centaurs this season when she scored shortly after the opening whistle.
(Avery Jones) just pushed it across the goal and I tipped it into the corner,” Chubbuck said.
Abby Kruger and Samantha Mowry followed quickly behind with goals of their own.
“That got us going and excited for the game,” Chubbuck said.
Gagnon was happy to see a senior get the first tally of the 2018 season.
“She is just one of those kids who comes to practice every day, puts her head down and works hard. She doesn’t goof around. She’s in every drill doing her thing. She’s a great athlete and a great role model for the younger players,” Gagnon said.
Sophia Rakovan, Emma Durand and Kate Boshka all added first-half goals.
It then became a score management situation for Gagnon.
“We shifted our focus to positioning across the field, something we don’t do particularly well. We put the foot on the gas and just go, go, go. We, sometimes, don’t take the time to transition across the field or back pass. So, we just took it off the throttle a little bit and moved the ball around a little bit more,” Gagnon said.
The foot was off the throttle Sept. 13.
Not because of the score but because of the turf and style of play.
The Redgals play their home games on natural grass.
It’s not something the Centaurs are accustomed to and struggle with.
“I was really tremendously impressed with how our skills showed on grass. It’s really hard to look like a good field hockey player on grass no matter who you are. You look awful on grass,” Gagnon said.
Because of that, Gagnon was impressed when a Meg Preston shot traveled some 50 yards.
Sam Mowry scored the first of her two goals just 4:10 into the game on an assist from Chubbuck. Boshka added the second goal just 2:40 before the half.
Mowry, Rachel Canedy and Sydney Cournoyer added second half goals.
Canedy also had a pair of assists.
“I honestly don’t know how Rachel didn’t score like four or five goals with the way she was hitting the ball. She was hitting it so hard and she was inches away from the post every time,” Gagnon said.
Enfield played its season opener on the South Campus turf at Woodstock Academy Sept. 15 and was successful.
The Centaurs again scored early as Canedy zipped one into the net just 2:52 into the game off a feed from Eliza Dutson.
Unfortunately for the Centaurs, it was their only goal of the game.
Tori Geaglone scored with 3:14 left in the first half and added two more in the second. Laney Vangel also scored for Enfield.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
The Woodstock Academy

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PSA girls' team adds coach
PUTNAM — Stephanie Coro was recently named to the coaching staff at Putnam Science Academy.
She had quite the career at the University of Rhode Island. A 2013 graduate at URI, Coro was a four-year varsity basketball player racking up 1,516 points which landed her 2nd all time in school history. The writing was on the wall from the get go as Coro was named Rookie of the Year during her freshmen season and was later named a 4 time All-Conference player for the Rams.
Before making her way to Putnam Science Academy, Coro played basketball professionally in Spain during the 2014-2015 season. After a year stint overseas, Stephanie then took on the role of an assistant coach for the girls’ varsity team at St. Andrew’s School in Rhode Island for the 2015-2016 season. Coro would work with the guards and help develop skills while also scouting opponents and compiling footage for highlight tapes and future opponents down the road.
One year later, Coro would join the staff of her alma matter at Rhode Island as the coordinator of Basketball Operations. “I loved what I did and loved working with the team but I wasn’t able to be on the court and actually coach the girls.”
Coro went on to add, “I love being on the court and the itch to get back on kept growing. That led me to find the PSA job posting where I was able to contact (Putnam Science Academy girls’) coach Marchione and eventually be hired for the position. I am grateful to be here.”
Coro said: “I look forward to being able to help these girls grow as athletes and women. I want to make sure they have every opportunity to succeed and they have the resources to do so.”
The girls’ prep team will open the season at home Oct. 31.
Josh Sanchas
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy