By Ron P. Coderre

This week’s RPC sporty shout out is sent along to Putnam optometrist Dr. David Gaudreau.  An avid golfer and strong supporter of youth sports, Dr. G, a member of the Putnam Board of Education, is one to look you right in the eye when he’s talking to you.  He just blew out another candle on the cake on Monday, February 17.

This week’s column gives RPC an opportunity to brag a little bit.  

On Jan. 23 a little girl weighing exactly seven pounds was born in Denver, Colo.  Amelia Jennifer Coderre is the adopted daughter of former Putnam High School three-sport standout Christopher Coderre and his wife Jodi Swaine-Coderre.  The newest grandchild in the Coderre family is now comfortably settled in her new home.

As with most newborns, parents have dreams for their children and A.J.,  as she’s affectionately referred to, is no different.  We all hope that our kids will grow up to be special whether it’s in athletics, music, education, medicine or any other career but most of all we’re thankful when they grow up to be solid responsible citizens.

A.J.’s loving parents are certainly no different than other parents but it’s a certainty that she will be encouraged in athletics some day.  Her dad was a football, basketball and baseball standout at Putnam High School, graduating in 1988 before moving on to the University of Dayton.  Today he enjoys a relaxing round of golf and watching basketball on television, especially the Dayton Flyers and Providence Friars.  

Fortunately for A.J. she also has a very athletic mom, who was a college athlete in the SUNY system in New York.  Today her mom is a competitive tennis player, playing regularly on a circuit in the Providence area.

As A.J. grows, it’s a certainty that she will be nurtured and encouraged in whatever field she endeavors by her parents who are proud of their new addition.  Another certainty is that A.J. will always be loved and well cared for by her mom and dad.  And by the way, by her pepere, RPC.

Looking Ahead to Tournament Time 

High school basketball fans that are looking ahead to conference and state tournament play can get their calendars out and reserve some dates for what promises to be another exciting postseason.

The Eastern Connecticut Conference has released its boys’ and girls’ tourney schedules.  The Play-In Round for the boys is Thursday, Feb. 27 at the site of the higher seed.  The quarterfinals are set for Saturday, March 1at St. Bernard High School in Uncasville with starting times of noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.  The semis will take place on Wednesday, March 5 at Waterford High School at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. with the Championship contest scheduled for Friday, March 7 at 7 p.m. at Waterford.

The girls’ schedule mirrors the boys but will take place a week earlier.  The Play-In round is Thursday, Feb. 20 followed by the quarterfinals on Saturday, Feb. 22 at Ledyard High School at noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.  The semis and finals are scheduled for Plainfield High School on Wednesday, Feb. 26 and Friday, Feb. 28.  Semis at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and the championship game at 7 p.m.

It appears that Woodstock Academy, Tourtellotte and Plainfield have made the field for the boys’ event with Killingly still hoping to get in.  On the distaff side, Tourtellotte and Plainfield are in, while Woodstock and Killingly have unfortunately been eliminated.

Putnam and Ellis Tech boys have been eliminated from State postseason play, while Killingly remains on the bubble, with the aforementioned Plainfield, Tourtellotte and Woodstock qualifying.  The girls’ State tourney play falls out exactly as the ECC Tournament with the exception of the Putnam Lady Clippers of the Constitution State Conference that have qualified for the State tourney.

Another Major League Shot for Local Player

Brian LaHair is a professional baseball player whose profile indicates he comes from Worcester, however for those who followed Little League in Thompson in the ‘90s his name conjures up some memories of prodigious home runs.  LaHair was a phenom when he played as a kid in Thompson.  The stories of his four baggers, as told by some of Thompson’s old timers, are of Ruthian proportion.

It’s been said that he hit so many home runs in the Thompson Little League that opposing teams feared him so much they would intentionally walk him rather than taking the chance on him connecting for a Ballantine blast.  LaHair moved from Thompson and played high school baseball at Holy Name High School before going to college in Florida.

Drafted by the Seattle Mariners in 2002, LaHair played part of one season on the West Coast and then went back to the minor leagues.  His career was resurrected by Theo Epstein General Manager of the Chicago Cubs but LaHair didn’t fare too well in the Windy City for the Cubbies.  In parts of three major league seasons he’s hit 21 home runs and driven in 56 runs.

Last season he played in Japan, where he made $4.5 million but was a major disappointment causing him to be released.  It appears he has a new lease on his baseball life at age 31 as he’s been signed to a minor league contract but invited to major league spring training camp by the Cleveland Indians.  The prognosis is that if he is to make manager Terry Francona’s Tribe it will be as a backup first baseman/outfielder and pinch hitter.

Many of LaHair’s friends and rooters believe he still has what it takes to be a successful major league player.  This may be his final opportunity to prove that theory.

College Update

Paul Brooks, the 6-foot, 9-inch former Putnam Science Academy standout and current Worcester State University Lancer freshman, was recently named the MASCAC Rookie of the Week for the second week in a row and for the third time this season.  Brooks has obviously found himself a home with the Lancers where he’s averaging 6.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game to go along with 2.5 blocks per contest.  He’s the team leader in blocks and rebounds and fifth in scoring.  In addition he’s ranked 55th in the nation in blocked shots.

Another former Mustang appears to have settled in at the University of Maine.  Shaun Lawton, a 6-4 forward is a starter or first player off the bench for the Black Bears.  He’s averaging 7.6 points per game, while playing almost 27 minutes a contest.  In a recent game against the University of Hartford he had five points, two rebounds and five assists.

Lawton’s teammate is former Hyde-Woodstock 6-9 freshman Christian Ejiga, who is averaging 2.5 points a contest in 12 minutes of action.  Against U of H, Ejiga had one point, two boards and a block in 10 minutes of action.

The former Marianapolis duo of Ike Azotam and Ousmane Drame continue to lead Quinnipiac University, which has an impressive 15-8 record.  The Hartford Courant recently ran a front page-sports section story on Drame, relating his move from Africa to the United States and his meteoric rise as a player.

Azotam recorded his 40th career double-double in a win over Rider.  He followed that up with a 15 point performance in an 83-78 victory over Marist.  Drame had a double-double against Marist with 16 points and 10 boards. 

From The Annals of Putnam Sports History

January 1907: Putnam High defeated Webster High 23-21 in a game in Webster.  (Information contributed by Willie Zamagni)

RPC’s Closing Thought  For The Day: You’re what you are when nobody’s looking.

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