Roundup
Three first-place finishes
at ECC's
Two of the best sprinters in the EECC just happen to reside on the same team.
On Saturday, the two were racing each other at the ECC Div. I indoor track championship.
Senior Juliet Allard and junior Emma Weitknecht battled it out in the 55-meter hurdles and the winner was Woodstock Academy.
Weitknecht crossed the finish line first in 8.77 seconds followed closely behind by Allard in 8.86, personal bests for both, and a 1-2 finish for the Centaurs.
“It was great for the team because we kind of anticipated 1-2, knew we had a shot at that but going the way that it did was a surprise. I’m sure a pleasant surprise for Emma,” coach Josh Welch said.
Both of those times also broke the previous school record and qualified the athletes for the Nationals in the event, something both had their eyes set on.
“It was an epic battle,” Welch said. “Emma was so excited to have picked up the win and you could see Juliet got a little shook by it which ended up being a great thing because it fired her up for the 300m later on. It was cool to see them finish so close together and both under the (previous) school record.”
Allard wasn’t about to let the 300m slip from her grasp. The senior came back to record her own first-place finish as she won the 300m race in 42.1 seconds.
Allard beat East Lyme’s Emma Stoddard, the second-place finisher, by almost a second in that event, Emma Weitknecht finished seventh.
Junior Avery Plouffe also brought home a first-place finish in the shotput with a throw of 34-feet, 9 ½ inches.
Those first-place finishes helped the Centaurs to a second-place finish as a team as they finished with 88 points, behind only NFA (145).
The Wildcats have talent and numbers which makes it difficult for teams like the Centaurs. Welch’s goal was to stay ahead of both Waterford and East Lyme which Woodstock accomplished despite missing three key athletes to illness.
Those absences decimated the Centaurs 4x200 and 4x800m relay teams.
The 1440 sprint medley team which consisted of three freshmen, Bella Amlaw, Teagan Maloney and Kaitlyn Teal and elder statesman, senior Kira Greene, finished second. Amlaw also posted a 3rd-place finish in the 600m (1:48.3). Sophomore Nova Almquist posted a pair of third-place finishes in the 1600 and 3200m races. Sophomore Finnley Syphers cleared 7-feet to finish fourth in the pole vault and Greene was fourth in the 1600m.
Boys’ indoor track
Senior Christian Menounos was hoping to concentrate on the 1000 and 1600-meter races.
“He made a strategic choice to move down to the 600 because he has been bothered by a respiratory thing that has kicked his butt for much of the season so he’s having a hard time with the endurance needed to run the 1000 and the mile so he focused on running the 600,” coach Josh Welch said.
So the coaching staff tuned his training to the faster event. The results were pretty darn good.
Menounos finished with a personal best and a school record, crossing the line in 1:25.17 to win the 600-meter by just .19 seconds over Evan Vitagliano of Fitch. The record he bested was one that he already owned.
To do that, he is going to have to keep up with those in Class M as Welch said there are three or four phenomenal performers in Class M that he will have to contend with.
“He will have to drop at least a second and a half to stay in it and the whole top 10 in that race is like right at 1:25 with some monster at 1:21 or 1:22 which is one of the best times in the country right now,” the Woodstock Academy coach added.
He then joined teammates Thatcher Paterson, Collin Teal and Aidan Tyler to also win the 1440 Sprint Medley in 3:22.28.
Menounos ran the anchor leg in that event and was 50-75 meters back when he was handed the baton. He made up the necessary ground, hunted those in front of him down and clipped them at the end for the win.
Another senior standout, Colton Sallum, captured a third-place finish in the 1600m. His time of 4:26.97 was a Woodstock Academy all-time best for the event indoors.
That time eclipsed that of Jimmy Duncan who had owned the record since 1996.
Owen Williamson was fourth in the 55m hurdles (9.09 seconds) and Eli Manning was fourth-best in the shotput in 43-feet, 8 ½ inches.
The Centaurs finished fourth in the meet with 48 points behind East Lyme, NFA and Fitch.
Girls’ Basketball
It was a good week for Kaylee Saucier. Which made for a good week for the girls’ basketball team.
Saucier averaged 27 points a game for the Centaurs as they picked up a pair of victories, 58-46, over Ponaganset early in the week and 48-42 over Fitch Friday.
The victory over the Falcons on the road was especially sweet as it made up for a loss at home to Fitch.
The Centaurs trailed their hosts early as Fitch held a 20-17 lead at the break but rallied to take a 31-29 lead by the end of the third quarter.
Saucier turned it up a notch in the fourth as the junior scored 15 of her game-high 29 points in the fourth, making three of her seven 3-pointers. Allison Camara chipped in with eight points as the Centaurs improved to 11-6 on the season.
There are times when an opponent can kind of play into a team’s hand.
That seemed to be the case with the Ponaganset girls’ basketball team early in the week.
Ponaganset likes to run. So does Woodstock Academy.
“I think it helped get us running and we haven’t been running lately the way we want to,” said coach Will Fleeton. “So in the pregame, I did talk to the kids about not getting beat up and down the floor. They play our game, and frankly, they had been playing it better than we had. I think we played better than they did (Monday) and we needed that to get our wheels turning.”
Those wheels started to turn early and then the Centaurs had to hold off a determined Ponaganset team which had not lost since Dec. 18 to record the win.
It may have been the Centaurs 10th win of the season but, more importantly, it may have raised the team’s spirit a bit as well.
Rebounding was a big key. The up-and-down nature of the game meant that both sides had plenty of chances to clear the boards and Saucier did more than her share as she led the team with 12 rebounds.
“Twelve rebounds? That a girl,” Fleeton said with a wide smile. “She took a ton of shots and we need her to and the points will come with that. I think we need her to get 20 (points) for us to be successful but the 12 boards- I don’t want to use the word amazing because these kids are capable of anything – but that’s hard work right there. I named her Player of the Game based on what I saw and the hunger in her but, shoot, it should have been for the 12 rebounds.”
Saucier wasn’t the only one hitting the boards hard. Camara had 11 rebounds and senior Sophia Sarkis added 10. In addition, Woodstock pulled down 15 offensive rebounds led by Camara’s seven.
“Offensive boards is something we have been giving up lately and haven’t been getting back in return. I think in my mind, right now, as I see different plays, I think a lot about Allison Camara. She had a ton of them and there were like three or four that are replaying in my head right now,” Fleeton said.
The Centaurs did open a 16-10 first quarter lead and were able to extend that by two at the half, 30-22.
The Chieftains rallied halfway through the second half and were able to take the lead, 37-36. But Saucier wasn’t going to let Ponaganset run away. She hit a pair of 3-pointers including one with a second left on the clock in the third quarter to put the Centaurs up, 43-41.
The game tied just five seconds into the fourth. Sarkis (eight points) put the Centaurs ahead to stay with a layup and Saucier, who finished with a game-high 25 points, then added her fifth 3-pointer to put Woodstock up by five.
Woodstock then reeled off the next eight points before Ponaganset got a 3-pointer from Malia Ellis with 17 seconds left.
“We really needed this one. We didn’t expect those (four consecutive) losses but it happens, sometimes in the midseason and we’re ready to stay together and hopefully, share a couple of wins together,” Saucier said.
The Centaurs, now 3-4 in Div. I of the ECC, finish up their regular season with three home games.
Woodstock Academy hosted NFA on Monday (the game ended too late for this edition) in its final Div. I game of the year. The Centaurs also host Somers on Thursday and finish up against Plainfield on Monday.
Boys’ Hockey
Coach Mark Smolak was doing something he hasn’t done in a little. He was smiling after a game.
The Centaurs broke a four-game losing streak with a 5-1 victory over the Tri-Town Co-op last week.
“I think we all needed this,” said senior goalie and captain Devlin Mansolf. “I came into this game feeling pretty good because straight off the bat, there was a lot of energy. I could feel the momentum being kept up with the boys. We came out and delivered three full periods which we’ve been kind of lacking this year but came into this one, did our job and got the win.”
Mansolf had been pummeled with shots over the past several games, including making 62 saves in a loss to Moses Brown the week before.
That wasn’t the case against the TerrorCats who were held at bay by the Centaurs defense.
Mansolf had to make only 25 saves and he had a shutout until just 1 minute, 17 seconds remained in the contest.
“I was in the game and needed to be ready at any second so there was no real time to take a break but (Wednesday) was a little different. I was able to watch (his teammates) in the other team’s zone for much of the game,” Mansolf said.
The Centaurs enjoyed a shot advantage throughout including in the first period although that advantage did not produce a goal.
The Centaurs finally got one halfway through the second period when Seamus Coleman was able to slip one past Tri-Town goalie Dylan Sklenar with 6:18 left in the second.
“You get a little concerned after that first goal if we’re going to just sit back or are we going to keep attacking; we kept attacking,” Smolak said.
That attack resulted in a second goal just 25 seconds later as sophomore defenseman Landon Murdock had a one-man rush and took a shot from the right side of Sklenar that found a little opening under the goalie’s pads.
“You could see their goalie where they are bringing the puck up the other end and he’s still on his knees. We dominated play in their end and their goalie got tired, going side-to-side and up-and down,” Smolak said.
All the Centaurs had to do was keep the pressure on and they were successful in so doing in the third period.
Sam Desmond broke in for his third goal of the season with some help from Coleman and Carlos Rodriguez Camacho on a power play just 4 ½ minutes into the period.
Just 4 ½ minutes after that, Keegan Covello scored his first goal of the year on a breakaway and Jayden Fuller added his team-best 10th of the season with 3:24 left to play off an assist from Logan Rawson.
The Centaurs did commit five penalties but that resulted in few opportunities for the TerrorCats (6-7-1).
Ryan Crowley scored the only goal for Tri-Town with just over a minute to play to avoid the shutout.
Woodstock followed that win up, not with another victory, but it didn’t lose either.
The Centaurs saw their record go to 3-10-1 with a 4-4 overtime tie with the Westhill/Stamford Co-Op.
A freshman forced the extra time as Gabe Flannery knotted the game for the Centaurs with a goal with 8:23 to play. No one else found the back of the net.
Fuller had the first goal for the Centaurs while Seamus Coleman and Brady O’Brien also tallied. Kieran Shepherd had a pair of assists. Fuller, Seamus Coleman, Kellen Coleman and Cameron Perrault all added assists.
The win and tie may have made the Centaurs feel a bit better but there is still a long road ahead.
“We look at the standings, see where we are at. We know we’re not mathematically out but we also know that it will be a hard hill to climb,” Smolak said. “The only thing that we can do is take it step-by-step, shift-by-shift, and, hopefully, be able to generate enough chances to keep ourselves in the hunt. Hopefully, we will be talking at the end of this month and we will be in the playoffs.”
Gymnastics
The first regular season to come to a close for winter athletics occurred early last week as the gymnastics team finished off with a pair of victories over Killingly 137.85-135.5 and Stonington 128.3.
There were plenty of highlights including the return of Olivia Aleman to competition after the senior missed a couple of meets due to discomfort in her back.
“Liv (Gerum) put in a release on bars for a first time ever and that was exciting as it bumps her start value up. That was a big improvement for her. Allie Boyd did a floor routine that I knew she was capable of, but it was beautiful to watch. Olivia (Aleman) came back strong so, sometimes, it’s smart to rest and listen to the body. I think the seniors highlighted the night,” said coach Kasey Tocchio.
That was only fitting as since it was the last regular season meet, it was also Senior Night and the three seniors and their parents were recognized prior to the competition.
“Really quickly,” Aleman said of the arrival of Senior Night, something that most look forward to from their freshman season on. “I feel like (this season) started off slow and then it just quickly approached and here we are at our last regular season meet.”
Boyd said, in her case, it was a little fast and a little slow as she has battled injuries and sitting on the sideline can make it difficult.
“Coming in freshman year was a little nerve-wracking and you didn’t know what was going to happen. All of a sudden, I’m a senior. I don’t even remember half of the years,” Gerum said.
Both Gerum and Boyd said this year has provided the most satisfaction. “I’ve been upgrading (her routines) more and I just feel more confident,” Boyd said.
For Tocchio, it will be a trio that she will remember. “Don’t get me started, you’re going to make me cry,” she said with a laugh. “All three of them have been in the program since they were so little, they have all gone through their ups-and-downs. It will be tough to see them leave.”
Aleman won the ECC individual championship as a sophomore before injuries set her back last year.
If Tuesday’s results are any indication, a repeat is a possibility. The senior tied Ellis Tech’s Jordyn Murray for best in the All-Around with a 37.3 total.
That bettered one of her top competitors, Killingly’s Ella Perreira (36.35) by almost a full point.
Aleman tied Murray for best in vault (9.8); was tops on bars (9.4) and tied for second on beam, 9.0.
Anyah Oatley had a pair of fifth-place finishes in vault and bars and Gerum was sixth on the beam.
“I was very excited for them. They did a great job making little adjustments. We added a few things to a couple of different routines. Emma (Long) has been resting an ankle so we still have a chance to build on that a little more. It was a perfect way to go into the ECC (championship),” Tocchio said.
That championship meet has gone through some changes. Originally scheduled for Deary’s Gymnastics for Feb. 12, the championship meet was recently moved to Stonington High School on Monday at 6 p.m.
“They open up the whole gym and do a really nice job. We had thought it was going to happen next year so it was kind of thrown to the Stonington coach who said, ‘I guess we’re doing in this year.’ I have been helping out do the things I normally do for the ECC’s so I think it will be run great. Stonington and the (Ledyard) Co-op coach work well together,” Tocchio said.
The Centaurs did hear word that it was probably going to be the case prior to their meet at Stonington back on Jan. 8 so it did allow them the chance to take a look at the equipment they would be competing on come Monday (the meet ended too late for this edition).
The Ledyard/St. Bernard/Waterford co-op finished undefeated in the regular season as it downed both East Lyme and Stonington on Friday to clinch the ECC regular season crown.
The Centaurs finished second with a 7-3 record ahead of 6-4 Killingly and Norwich Free Academy.
But who will win the championship title? “I do think it’s anyone’s game. We just have to all hit and if we all do that, we can do more. I’m very excited,” Tocchio said.
Girls’ Hockey
The girls’ hockey co-op team came into the week essentially controlling its own destiny.
Win and the Centaurs could have made their first-ever Div. I state tournament appearance.
A 2-1 loss to Suffield on Saturday meant the Centaurs postseason hopes came to a close.
“It made it fun, it made it interesting and that’s what makes it hurt a little more,” said coach Eric Roy. “We’re accustomed to the 6-1 losses, the 4-12 seasons, but we saw the light this year. It just closed on us.”
The loss to Suffield dropped the Centaurs to 7-12 on the season with a home game still to play on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. against the very same Suffield team.
“The coaches agree, this is the best team we’ve had. We’ve had moments of brilliance. We just weren’t able to do anything consistently. I’m not a historian but I think this is the most wins for a Woodstock Academy girls’ hockey team and the closest we’ve ever come (to the state tournament),” Roy said.
The Centaurs also played well on Saturday. In a game with a late afternoon start and a snowstorm pending, the game, naturally, got underway about 45 minutes late in Simsbury.
Suffield got on the board first but the Centaurs answered as Riley Faber scored her first goal of the season off assists from Paige Hinckley and Sophia Sherman.
The hosts were able to put the win away with a second period goal and then gutted out a scoreless third period.
Woodstock was shutout on the road in West Hartford, losing to Conard/Hall, 3-0, early in the week and in a near must-win situation, fell to Mercy/Northwest Catholic/East Hampton, 3-1, on Friday.
For Roy, the loss to Mercy on Friday was unsettling. “They had a couple of good skaters who could take the puck but we’ve seen that all year and usually handle it better than we did. We just had no energy (Friday),” he said.
Mercy/Northwest Catholic/East Hampton struck first on Friday when Alex Martin scored an unassisted power play goal just 2 minutes, 43 seconds into the game. Mercy was two-for-three on the power play as its third goal by Maggie Fry in the second period came during a 5-on-3 player advantage.
The Centaurs were 0-for-5 when they were a man up.
“The last time we played them, they were 5-for-5 on the power play and we were 3-for-3. This time, they went 2-for-3 and we were 0-fer. We didn’t look good on any of them,” Roy said.
The only goal for the Centaurs came with 54 seconds left in the first period when Sophia Gouveia put the puck up in the air. It came down on the back of Mercy goalie Lily Nicolo and bounced down inside the goal line for Gouveia’s team-best 16th goal of the season. Avery Cairns had the assist on the tally.
Mercy went ahead for good when Erika Kelly scored just 1:34 into the second period.
Earlier in the week, Conard/Hall got goals from captain Teagan Cohane and Mia Longman in the second period and Fiona Campbell added an insurance goal in the third to skate past the Centaurs.
Boys’ Basketball
The boys’ basketball still has four games left to play this season. If it wants more than that, it will have to win them all.
The Centaurs saw their record drop to 4-12 on the season Saturday when they traveled to Ellington and lost to the Purple Knights in a non-league game, 60-43.
The Centaurs will have to defeat Bacon Academy, Windham, Somers and Waterford in their remaining games to qualify for the Div. IV state tournament.
Woodstock lost to Windham earlier in the week as it had fourth quarter troubles.
The Centaurs trailed Windham by only two going into the final eight minutes but lost to the Whippets, 61-47 Wednesday.
Malcom Hunter was the biggest problem. He scored 16 of his game-high 22 points for the Whippets in the fourth quarter when Windham doubled up on Woodstock, 24-12.
Senior center Brady Ericson did all he could for the Centaurs as he made 9-of-14 from the floor and finished with 19 points. Matt Hernandez added eight points including a pair of 3-pointers . Will Bushey also had a pair of 3-pointers, scored seven points, and pulled down six boards for the Centaurs.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
2025 Gymnastics: Woodstock Academy seniors (from left to right) Olivia Aleman, Liv Gerum and Allie Boyd were recognized on Senior Night prior to their gymnastics meet with Killingly and East Lyme at Deary’s Gymnastics in Danielson.
2025 girls’ hockey Bonner: Woodstock Academy freshman defensive player Sophie Bonner skates the puck up the ice against Mercy/Northwest Catholic/East Hampton on Friday. The Centaurs came up short in the contest, 3-1.
2025 girls’ hockey Corradi: Woodstock Academy’s Maci Corradi (12) and Avery Cairns (23) attempt to bring the puck up the ice against Mercy/Northwest Catholic/East Hampton on Friday at the Jahn Ice Rink at Pomfret School.
2025 girls’ hockey Gouveia: Woodstock Academy co-op senior Sophia Gouveia battles in a faceoff at center ice against Mercy/Northwest Catholic/East Hampton on Friday at the Jahn Ice Rink at Pomfret School. Photos by Marc Allard/Woodstock Academy.
9116: Woodstock Academy junior Emma Weitknecht (left) and senior Juliet Allard are neck-and-neck in the 55m hurdles at the Eastern Connecticut Conference girls indoor track Division I championship at the Coast Guard Academy in New London. Weitknecht pulled out the first-place finish and now owns the school record in the event.
9119: Emma Weitknecht (left) and Juliet Allard are all smiles after finishing 1-2, respectively, in the 55m hurdles with Allard winning the 300m race at the Eastern Connecticut Conference girls indoor track Division I championship at the Coast Guard Academy in New London.
9118: Christian Menounos was all smiles after winning the 600m race at the Eastern Connecticut Conference boys indoor track championship at the Coast Guard Academy in New London. Menounos also bettered his own school record in the event. Photos by Josh Welch/Woodstock Academy
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