Griffins
score big win
POMFRET — The Pomfret School girls’ basketball team got a big Class B NEPSAC win over rival Suffield Academy Jan. 22 with fantastic defense in the second and fourth quarters. That allowed Pomfret to get back into the game in the first half and then finish the game in the fourth. Sel Gonzalez led Pomfret with 22 points. Pomfret’s Tay Guirantes scored the 1,000th point of her career on a nice midrange jump shot. Brooke Zahansky had 6 assists on the day for Pomfret.
Suffield 16 - 21- 32- 43
Pomfret 10- 21-36-53
Pomfret scorers: Molly Vincent, 5 points; Sel Gonzalez, 22 points; Brooke Zahansky, 1 point; Tay Guirantes, 7 points; Grace Bullied, 4 points; McKinley White, 9 points; Teagan O’Hara, 5 points;
Later in the week the Griffins fought hard but could not get the win against Cushing. The final score was: Cushing 57, Pomfret 35.
Coach Patrick Burke said, “We started strong against Cushing as our first four possessions resulted in baskets or trips to the foul line. We also played strong defense early. But, today’s game had two turning points. The first happened 4 minutes into the first quarter when Cushing’s most dangerous player went out with an injury. We should have increased our intensity to take advantage, but it was Cushing who rallied together, took the momentum and did not look back. The rest of the first half was a back-and-forth affair, and Cushing went into the half with a 26-21 lead. The second turning point of the game happened two minutes into the third quarter as three straight foul calls against Pomfret resulted in a foul out of Tay Guirantes. We could have rallied and responded as Cushing did earlier in the game, but we struggled to collectively step up to the challenge presented to us and Cushing took advantage. It did not help that we couldn’t buy a basket in the second half; we got good looks, but no shots were falling. We pressed and fouled late to try and get back into the game, but Cushing’s quick guards and good foul shooting helped them pull away.
The Griffins played a solid first half, but their collective energy and effort dipped significantly in the second half.
Pomfret Scorers: Molly Vincent: 1 point; Sel Gonzalez: 15 points; Tay Guirantes: 6 points; Alba Samu: 2 points; McKinley White: 5 points; Teagan O’Hara: 1 point; Michaela Nsubuga: 3 points.
By Patrick Burke
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Crisp Winter
The East Woodstock Congregational Church is framed by snow and tree branches. More photos on page 6. Linda Lemmon photo.
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15 straight
wins for
Gold Prep
Fortunately, the possible snowstorm didn’t materialize in Northern New England over the weekend.
It made for a little easier trek north for the Woodstock Academy Gold prep basketball team.
The Centaurs traveled to Bridgton Academy in Maine to participate in the Coaches versus Cancer Winter Classic tournament.
Woodstock Academy made sure it was worth the time spent by taking home the tournament championship Jan. 25 with an 89-86 double overtime victory over Bridgton Academy.
The Centaurs, who stayed overnight, also posted a 106-88 win over Hyde-Maine Jan. 24.
The two wins raised their record to 21-1. Woodstock Academy has now won 15 straight games.
“I think we’re in a good space, but as most coaches would say, we have to continue to get better,” said Centaurs coach Jacque Rivera.
Bridgton Academy tested the Centaurs.
Woodstock Academy took a 12-point lead at the half and were threatening to put the game away early.
But the ball stopped going in the hoop for the Centaurs in the second half.
“When you’re not scoring, it’s hard to set your pressure up and pick up full court and we also had some lack of communication defensively so they came back and capitalized,” Rivera said.
It was nip-and-tuck through the two overtimes.
Centaurs center Chad Venning stepped up in the extra periods.
The 6-foot, 10-inch center from Brooklyn, N.Y., finished with six rebounds.
Still, Bridgton Academy took a four-point lead in the second OT which the Centaurs were able to recover from.
Ronnie DeGray finished with a double-double, 25 points and 10 rebounds. DeGray has yet to commit as to where he will play at the next level.
Dyondre Dominguez and Venning each contributed 15 points to the win.
“We had some plays that I was really happy about. We shared the ball, got some great open looks down the stretch. I think these guys are starting to see it and they’re being selfless.”
The Centaurs opened with the win over Hyde-Maine although it was a little closer than most thought it might be.
The Hyde School, despite suiting up just eight players, was very proficient from beyond, sometimes well beyond, the 3-point line.
“They’re used to playing as the underdogs and any time you’re the underdog, you’re scary,” Rivera said. “Credit them, they hit the shots and played us tough.”
Dominguez finished with a double-double, 22 points and 10 rebounds. DeGray finished with 19 points, Cairo McCrory added 17 and Venning scored 12.
The Centaurs have a Power-5 Conference game early in the week at Springfield Commonwealth Academy and then play a Friday afternoon contest against Mt. Zion Prep at the National Prep School Invitational. The Centaurs have another game at RIC Feb. against Sunrise Christian.
“It’s tough right now because everyone has those little knick-knacks (injuries and illness) going on and as you get closer to the end of the season with older guys, they start to press a little bit more. Where are they going and feeling like they have to play well. We just have to continue to truck along,” Rivera said.
Blue Prep
The Woodstock Academy Blue prep basketball team knows all about injuries and illness.
The Centaurs have not had their full complement of players since before the Christmas break and it has shown on the scoreboard.
The Blue team continued to experience hard times with losses to Notre Dame-West Haven, 95-79, and The Patrick School, 54-35, last week.
The two losses dropped the Centaurs record to 13-10 and extended the losing streak to five games.
Vondre Chase led Woodstock Academy with 27 points in the loss to Notre Dame which is led by former Centaurs Blue coach, Nick DeFeo.
The Centaurs trailed by only six at the half, but were outscored 49-39 in the second half.
Malikai Delgado added 15 points for the Centaurs while Nahshon Battle contributed 11.
Battle was the only player in double figures for the Blue team on Saturday.
The Centaurs had to travel to the heart of New York City in Flushing, Queens to play the Patrick School and could only muster the 35 points.
Battle finished with 17.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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DAYVILLE --- Liliya Kamara, RN, was named the December Employee of the Month at Westview Health Care Center.
Since joining Westview in 2016, Liliya’s colleagues have seen her rise as an integral member of the second shift nursing corps in her role as a charge Nurse in the residential wings of the skilled nursing and rehabilitation center.
Born in Russia, Liliya’s family moved to Kazakhstan when she was 2. She moved to the U.S. in 2000 and lives in Putnam. She earned an associate’s degree as a registered nurse.
She became an American citizen in 2007.
She is an active member of High Pointe Church in Thompson and she is very active in the lives of her two girls
David T. Panteleakos, administrator of Westview Health Care Center, said: “Liliya is an excellent nurse and a wonderful additional to our amazing team of health care professionals. It is the outstanding work of Liliya and her co-workers that make Westview so special.”