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By Ron P. Coderre
This week’s RPC sporty shout out is sent along to all our faithful readers with wishes for a warm, peaceful and blessed Thanksgiving Day. This national holiday which originated with the Pilgrims in 1621 to celebrate the first harvest of the Plymouth Colony is America’s singular holiday that takes a moment to stop, pause and say thanks for all that we’ve been provided as a nation. Enjoy the day, hopefully surrounded by family and friends.
Cleaning out the sports desk in-box prior to the end of the year there are tidbits of sports chaff that need to be written because they involve the good folks who make up the fabric of the northeastern Connecticut sports community.
Keeping Up With MPS Grads
It’s nice to see former local players performing well on the college hardwood. Two former Marianapolis grads, Ike Azotam and Ousame Drame continue to spark coach Tom Moore’s Quinnipiac Bobcats.
In a recent 79-69 victory over the University of Albany, Drame led the Bobcats with 18 points and 10 rebounds as he recorded his 10th career double-double at Quinnipiac. The 6-foot, 9-inch Drame, who is a junior, has continued to improve season by season and game by game.
In the Albany victory Azotam posted eight points in a steady performance. In a 71-68 win over Hampton, Azotam had a double-double, recording 12 points and 13 caroms. That evening Azotam climbed into the eighth place on Quinnipiac’s all-time scoring list. Drame added 13 points in the victory as the Bobcats raised their record to 3-1 on the season.
Wedding Bells
Congratulations and best wishes for a happy and healthy life together to former Killingly High School coach Scott Desrosiers and his soon-to-be bride Annie Scott. The couple will be tying the knot the day after Thanksgiving in a quiet ceremony in the presence of their respective families.
Desrosiers, one of Killingly’s top athletes in his heyday, was the successful coach of the Redmen for many years, retiring from the coaching ranks two years ago. He’s the radio commentary voice of WINY baseball with John Wilbur and occasionally fills in on basketball broadcasts.
RPC says thumbs up to the lovely couple.
Kudos to a Great Guy
Dan Durand, the TriTown American Legion Junior Baseball coach, has another life off the diamond. A military veteran, Durand has been attending Three Rivers Community College and working on a degree in nursing since being honorably discharged.
Now in his Semester II affiliation, the soon to be RN was the recent recipient of the prestigious “Excellence in Bedside Nursing Award” given by the school. Durand is one of approximately 300 individuals who were eligible for the award.
It’s no surprise that he garnered this recognition. Watching Durand on the baseball diamond with the young men under his tutelage, he’s a perfect role model. Always respectful and understanding of the needs of teens, Durand in his own inimitable style is able to teach winning baseball while seamlessly melding his style with teaching his players what it takes to be a success in life.
Everyone associated with the TriTown Program is very proud of you Nurse Dan.
College Basketball Agreeing with Former Clipper
Former Putnam High School basketball standout Ashley Espinosa is transitioning to the college hoop scene in a satisfactory fashion. While at Putnam during her four years, Espinosa was plagued with knee problems that hampered her performance. Despite the nagging injury she proved to be one of the area’s top players and the leader of coach Willie Bousquet’s team.
Espinosa is currently a freshman at Worcester State University where she is averaging 13 minutes per game. She’s the first player off the bench for the Lady Lancers. The team is 2-1 early in its season, which started with an exhibition contest against Division I University of New Hampshire. In her baptism to college basketball against UNH, Espinosa had two points, one rebound and one steal.
At Worcester State she’s following in the footsteps of her famous Uncle Tom Espinosa and his wife, the former Trish Cushing. Both Tom and Trish were captains of their respective teams at WSU.
Northeastern Connecticut Prominent at Assumption Basketball Game
On Saturday, November 23 when the Assumption College men’s and women’s basketball teams squared off against St. Anselm’s College there was a definite northeastern Connecticut flavor to both games.
In the lid lifter, which saw the Greyhound ladies lose by three points in overtime, the head referee for the contest was Danielson resident Pam Lomerson. In the nightcap the referee was Marek Drabinski, the baseball coach at Brown University. Drabinski is a familiar face to local high school basketball from his days as an Eastern Board 8 ref, when he was a frequent whistle blower in the region.
Spotted in the stands was Marianapolis girls’ basketball player Nicole Viselli, who recently signed a National Letter of Intent to play next season at Post University in Waterbury. She was on hand to watch her sister, Ashley Viselli, who is a senior at St. A’s.
From The Annals Of Putnam Sports History
November 1903: In basketball, Putnam High School defeated Woodstock 17-6 at the Armory. (Information contributed by Willie Zamagni)
RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: “Let us, on the day set aside for this purpose, give thanks to the Ruler of the universe for the strength which he has vouchsafed us to carry on our daily labors and for the hope that lives within us of the coming of a day when peace and the productive activities of peace shall reign on every continent.” Franklin D. Roosevelt, Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, October 31, 1939