By Ron P. Coderre

The high school spring sports season is one of the most difficult on participants because as the baseball, softball and golf teams move out of the gymnasiums on to the fields and courses so much of the schedule depends on the weatherman.  Local teams attempt to get games and matches on the schedule for early April but because we live in New England it’s a “crap shoot.”  Sometimes you hit a good streak of weather but most often the weather plays havoc with the ability to get the games and matches completed.

This spring was no different than most over the past few years.  But two teams, the Plainfield Panthers baseball team and the Killingly Redmen golf team provided area fans with plenty to cheer about as they extended their seasons right into early June. 

Both teams brought pride to their schools and local followers, although neither achieved championships.

Plainfield Falls in Class M Semifinals

After forging its way through the first two rounds and quarterfinals of the Class M CIAC Tournament, #2 seed Plainfield travelled to Beehive Stadium, the home of the New Britain Rock Cats of the Eastern League, for a semifinal game against 11th seed Haddam-Killingworth.  In a game that appeared it would never end, the Panthers lost to the Cougars 7-5 in 13 innings.

Haddam-Killingworth struck first, scoring two runs in the top of the fourth inning.  Plainfield responded with four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 4-2 lead with two innings remaining in regulation.  However, the determined Cougars, who had clawed their way to the semis with a win over East Catholic, knotted the score at 4-4 with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning.

In the ninth inning Plainfield starter Jordan Federer gave way to Mike Esposito who was touched for a run in 10th by H-K.  This time Plainfield responded once more and scored a run in their half of the inning without the benefit of a hit.  A walk, a hit batsman and a ground out put Panthers on second and third for centerfielder Steve Jankowski.  As he had all season, Jankowski responded with a sacrifice fly to drive in the run and tie the score.

Plainfield’s third pitcher Kyle Boarman managed to escape the 11th and 12th innings unscathed before yielding two runs in the top of the 13th.  The Cougars scored the runs on a double by Brian Moskey, who also hurled the final seven innings for H-K to pick up the win.

Plainfield, which committed five errors, was outhit by Haddam-Killingworth 13-5.  Esposito had a triple and three runs batted in for Plainfield.  Boarman despite a yeoman’s effort was charged with the loss.  Plainfield concludes its 2014 season under coach Jason Chaviaras with a spectacular 23-4 record.

Killingly Finishes 5th in CIAC Division III Championships

The Killingly Redmen golfers who marched through the regular season unscathed with a perfect 18-0-0 record moved on to the Division II Championships at Tallwood Country Club in Hebron on Monday, June 9.

Despite a spectacular 18-hole round of three over par 75 by Redmen ace Drew Aitken, Killingly was only able to finish fifth in the 17 team competition.  Coach Kevin Marcoux’s golfers posted a team score of 333 one stroke behind fourth place Suffield (332).  East Catholic with a score of 311 finished in first place, beating second place Tolland (320) by nine strokes.  Holy Cross High School of Waterbury was third with a team score of 323.

Drew Aitken’s round of 75 tied him for third in the individual competition.  His brother, John posted an 82, which tied him for 21st.  Connor Fillmore carded an 86 good for a tie for 32nd place.  Brad Liebscher had a 90 and Nick Davis a 97 to round out the Redmen scoring.

Woodstock Academy competed in the Division II Championship at Fairview Farms in Harwinton and finished 15th in the 20-team field with an aggregate score of 351.  Jordan Lamothe with an 85 was the top Centaur finisher.  His score tied him for 45th in the individual competition.  Centaurs Jack Neill and Nick Waterhouse posted scores of 86 and 87 respectively.

In the Division IV Championship at Timberlin Golf Club in Berlin, Putnam’s Spencer Salvas, competing as an individual entry finished third overall with a sparkling round of even par 72.  Slavas was one stroke off the winning pace of 71 recorded by co-champions Nick Harrington of Parish Hill and Gabe Van Ness of Morgan.

Tourtellotte led by its ace Mike Jezierski who carded a 76, good for sixth place in the individual competition, finished 11th in the 20-team field.  The Tigers had a composite score of 350.  Tourtellotte’s Brandon Bonnette had an 82, good for a tie for 17th place in the individual competition.

 

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