It was, again, a matter of inches.
Such has been the fate of the Woodstock Academy boys’ soccer program this season.
Andrew Johnson sent in a shot against Windham early last week that curled nicely toward the net and, unfortunately, hit the post early in the second half.
Just moments later, Sean Rearden broke in from the left side and a Huck Gelhaus cross was just a little too long and rolled harmlessly out.
“That’s been the story of our season. We take a wrong step in the penalty area and it winds up in the back of the net. We end up just on the wrong side of the post on our shoot and it doesn’t go in. That’s been the difference in the games. That was a microcosm of our season,” said Woodstock Academy coach Paul Rearden.
The Centaurs made a game of it on Senior Day in their final home game, but lost to the Windham Whippets, 4-2.
“It’s tough seeing all the parents come out and seeing us lose but, obviously, it’s not all about the result, it’s about the effort and journey we went through to get to this stage,” Sean Rearden said.
The story was similar in the season finale Oct. 30. The Centaurs hit the post, the crossbar, and had a couple of shots headed for the goal line that were cleared before they got there. It resulted in a 4-0 loss to Bacon Academy.
The loss ended the Centaurs’ season at 1-12-3.
Sean Rearden knew it would be difficult because of the loss of key individuals to graduation but had hope that the Centaurs would be in most games. He believed that to be the case.
The Centaurs saw 11 players put away the jersey for a last time following the match with the Bobcats.
In addition to Sean Rearden, Doug Newton, Jack Butler, Nelson Rodrigues dos Santos, Nathan Craig, Reid Butler, Greg Weber, Matt LaBounty, Chad Graley and Grayson Walley are all in their senior years.
The Centaurs fell behind the Whippets (12-1-2) early thanks to the efforts of Alfonso Vazquez.
The senior striker already owns the state record for career goals by a high school player and he added to that total against the Centaurs.
His first came just 7 ½ minutes into the first half when he took a pass from Alexandro Coj, got past the defense and there was just nothing Woodstock Academy keeper Zack Roethlein could do.
The Centaurs tied the game with 14:17 left in the first half when junior Eric Phongsa scored his seventh goal of the season off the rebound of a shot by Logan Talbot.
Vazquez struck again in the second half and again, it happened 7 ½ minutes in.
The senior worked his way through the Woodstock Academy defense, forced Roethlein (7 saves) to come out and flipped it over the keeper into the far corner to put the Whippets atop for good.
Kaleb Calixto added a third Windham goal 12 minutes later when a free kick from Andy Linares found Calixto on the opposite post and he booted it home.
The Centaurs did make it a one-goal game again when Graley scored his second of the season.
It gave the Centaurs some hope with 14:38 left in the match but with five minutes to play, Vazquez made the nice move in the penalty area to give him a little opening for his right foot and he lofted it into the opposite corner for his 44th goal of the season and 138th of his career.
Paul Rearden said while the loss and the season as a whole was a bit disappointing, there was plenty of good things this season.
“Especially on Senior Day, you look at what you have and know it’s the last home game for some of these boys. You look at how they have worked over the season and looking at the big picture, they have all worked their hearts out. Everyone came in and played a role. Yeah, things haven’t quite clicked for us in certain areas. It would have been easy for these guys to drop their heads and not give the effort that they did and that goes from the seniors right down to the two freshmen that we pulled up,” Paul Rearden said.
Paul Rearden added despite the loss of 11 seniors, the cupboard is not bare.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy

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After a convincing season-opening win, the Putnam Science Academy girls’ prep basketball team dropped two of three game in a challenging three-day showcase in Montreal.
Nass William and Lani Cornfield had 21 points apiece in the Mustangs’ 88-60 win over TPLS on Oct. 29 to get PSA’s season off on the right foot. Sabou Gueye added 15 points and Niya Fields had 10 in the win.
Coach Amanda Morales was pleased with the win, but she rued the lack of offensive rebounding and poor free throw shooting.
“There’s always got to be something coaches see to work on,” she said with a smile. “But we will take the win.”
PSA then hit the road early on Halloween morning and played its first of three games in three days that night, against Canada’s top-ranked prep team, Crestwood Prep.
The teams played to a 47-47 tie through three quarters, before Crestwood’s size (they have one player 6-foot, 6-inch and another 6-4) became too much for the Mustangs to overcome. PSA was outscored 26-2 in the fourth quarter and lost 73-49.
“They started to utilize their bigs and we were just too small,” Morales said. “That’s probably the best big-man tandem we will see all year.”
Cornfield had 18 points and Fields finished with 12 in the loss. Aaliyah Edwards, a recent commit to UConn, had 30 points for Crestwood.
PSA lost its second game as well, this time 48-44 to host school St. Laurent, despite 18 points from Gueye.
The Mustangs salvaged the final game Nov. 2, topping Lincoln Prep 55-47, to make the bus ride back a little more palpable.
Cornfield had 20 points and William 19 to lead the way.
“Our girls played with a toughness and true grit I’ve never seen,” Morales said. “We were so proud of them for playing together as a unit. The communication amongst our players was the best I’ve seen.
We couldn’t be happier for a grinded-out victory like that one.” PSA returns to action Nov. 16 in a showcase in Maryland.
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy

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Legal Notice
Town of Putnam
TOWN OF PUTNAM
NOTICE OF SPECIAL TOWN MEETING
NOVEMBER 12, 2019
and
REFERENDUM VOTE ON NOVEMBER 26, 2019
A Special Town Meeting of the electors and citizens qualified to vote in town meetings of the Town of Putnam, Connecticut, will be held in the Daniel S. Rovero Selectmen Chambers, Town Hall of Putnam, 126 Church Street, Putnam, CT on November 12, 2019, at 6 P.M. for the following purposes:
1. To consider and discuss the recommendations of the Board of Finance and the Board of Selectmen:
(a) to appropriate $1,500,000 for improvements to the Water Pollution Control Facility,  including acquisition and installation of replacement generators, design and installation of security improvements, and design and construction of a vehicle and supply maintenance building at the Water Pollution Control Facility; the appropriation may be spent for design, acquisition, installation, demolition and construction costs, equipment, furnishings, materials, site improvements, survey costs, architects’ fees, engineering fees, other consultants’ fees, legal fees, net temporary interest and other financing costs, and other expenses related to the project;
(b) to issue bonds or notes of the Town in an amount not to exceed $1,500,000; to provide that the amount of bonds or notes authorized to be issued shall be reduced by any grants received for the project;
(c) to issue temporary notes of the Town in amount not to exceed $1,500,000 in anticipation of such bonds or notes;
(d) to authorize the Mayor and the Treasurer of the Town to determine the amounts, dates, interest rates, maturities, redemption provisions, form and other details of the bonds or notes; and to perform all other acts which are necessary or appropriate to issue the bonds or notes;
(e) to take such action to allow temporary advances of available funds which the Town reasonably expects will be reimbursed from the proceeds of borrowings; and to authorize the Mayor and the Treasurer to bind the Town pursuant to such representations and covenants as they deem necessary or advisable in order to maintain the continued exemption from federal income taxation of interest on the bonds or notes authorized by the resolution if issued on a tax-exempt basis, including covenants to pay rebates of investment earnings to the United States in future years;
(f) to authorize the Mayor and the Treasurer to make representations and enter into written agreements for the benefit of holders of the bonds or notes to provide secondary market disclosure information, which agreements may include such terms as they deem advisable or appropriate in order to comply with applicable laws or rules pertaining to the sale or purchase of such bonds or notes;
(g) to authorize the Mayor, the Treasurer and other proper officers of the Town to take all other action which is necessary or desirable to complete the project and to issue bonds or notes to finance the aforesaid appropriation.
Copies of the complete appropriation and authorization resolution will be made available to the general public.
2. Pursuant to Chapter 8, Section 4(F) of the Town Charter to adjourn said Special Town Meeting at its conclusion and to submit the aforesaid resolution to vote upon voting by paper ballot or voting machines on November 26, 2019, between the hours of 12:00 P.M. and 8:00 P.M.
Voting will be at the following polling places:
District 1, Murphy Building, 61 Keech Street, Putnam, Connecticut;
District 2, Public Works Garage, 151 Fox Road, Putnam, Connecticut

Persons qualified to vote in town meetings who are not electors shall vote at:
District 1; Murphy Building, 61 Keech Street, Putnam, Connecticut
The aforesaid resolution will be placed on the paper ballots or voting machines under the following heading:
“SHALL THE TOWN OF PUTNAM APPROPRIATE $1,500,000 FOR THE WPCA IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT AND AUTHORIZE THE ISSUE OF BONDS AND NOTES IN THE SAME AMOUNT?”
Voters approving said resolution will vote “Yes” and those opposing said resolution will vote “No.”
Absentee ballots will be available from the Town Clerk’s office.
Dated at Putnam, Connecticut,
 this 4th day of November, 2019.
TOWN OF PUTNAM
ITS BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Norman B. Seney Jr., Mayor
Deputy Mayor Roy Simmons
Selectman Donald Steinbrick
Selectman J. Scott Pempek
Selectman Owen Tarr
Selectman Jeffrey Rawson
Selectman Rick Hayes
ATTEST:
Sara Seney, Town Clerk

Nov. 7, 2019

Legal Notice
Putnam Special Services District
SPECIAL  DISTRICT MEETING
NOVEMBER 12, 2019
6:30 PM