By Ron P. Coderre

Catching up on local sports happenings on a chilly 27 degree Sunday morning in Putnam after having spent the past week in tropical Aruba on the beach in 85 to 90 degree temperatures, it’s kind of difficult to get motivated.  But we’ll give it a shot anyway.

This week’s RPC sporty shoutout is sent along to Leon Santerre, who celebrated his 87th birthday on Friday, March 14.  Santerre says he can’t wait for the warm weather and the baseball season to arrive.  Happy belated birthday,  Leon from your longtime friend, RPC.

Although everything about Aruba reminds one of what the Garden of Eden must have been like before Eve and Adam met, there was a lack of daily sports news about the teams and players we get accustomed to reading about back in New England.  Fortunately, most of the outdoor bars on the resort did feature television from the United States.  That gave us the opportunity to catch snippets of the happenings going on in the early rounds of March Madness.

The most exciting news featured three of our favorite teams, the UConn Huskies, the Providence College Friars and those underdog University of Dayton Flyers.  Good news finally came through about the Huskies’ overtime victory against St. Joe’s and subsequent victory against former Big East foe Villanova.

Unfortunately it was sad to watch the PC Friars of coach Ed Cooley go down in the final seconds against the University of North Carolina.  Area Friar faithful had to be pleased with the job Cooley did with the Friars this season.

We were elated for University of Dayton grads, John Fulco and Chris Coderre as the Flyers messed up everyone’s March Madness pools by upsetting Ohio State and the Syracuse Orange (sorry Dave Conrad, but as the saying goes, “Wait ‘til next year.”)

A nice feature of the Dayton wins was the fact that former Putnam Science Academy standout Dayshon “Scoochie” Smith did play a role in the victories, especially in the win over the 'Cuse.  In that exciting 55-53 nailbiter, Smith contributed five points on a 2-for-3 shooting effort with a big hoop down the stretch when coach Jim Boeheim’s boys were threatening.

One thing is certain about Dayton’s victories and Smith’s play, there had to be jubilation in the Tom Espinosa household, seeing Smith play so well on the big stage.  Last season Smith became the first 1000-point scorer on the Maple St. campus for coach Espo.

The Aruba vacation also gave my wife Donna and I an opportunity to enjoy a relaxing evening dinner with good friends Dick and Marianne Loomis.  Dinner at the open air Mulligan’s overlooking the Caribbean on the Divi Golf Resort made one forget about the chill of northeastern Connecticut.

A chance encounter at the Sandpiper Bar on the Divi Resort Beach with John and Darlene Miller was an opportunity to get caught up on the happenings in Putnam since we’d jumped on the jetBlue airliner in Boston.  Loomis is a former Putnam High School football lineman and Miller an ex-Marianapolis golfer.

Belated Abbreviated Congratulations

It was great to get home and hear the news of the Woodstock Academy gymnastics team’s triumph in the New England Championships.  The young ladies of coach Robin Deary Fillmore certainly have reason to walk around with their heads held high.  This was the team’s second New England title in three years.  These Centaurs had a season they’ll never forget, winning the Eastern Connecticut Conference crown, the Class S title, the Connecticut Open Championship and capping it all off by bringing the New England title back where it belongs, in Woodstock.

In no particular order kudos to coach Deary Fillmore, assistant coaches Kasey Fillmore and Gene Michael Deary and members of the team, Bree Hussong, Jackie Deary, Courtney Osborn, Grace Logan, Paige Stuyniski, Nicolette Deary, Mary Incera, Jourdan Fulchino and Meghan Corey.

1000 Points

Woodstock Academy point guard Chris Lowry is recognized for his ball handling and passing wizardry but despite looking for his teammates who are open, he achieved a scoring milestone in the final contest of his high school career.  Lowry went into the CIAC quarterfinal contest against Windsor needing 15 points to reach the magical 1000-point plateau.

Fortunately for Lowry he was able to score 19 points in the game, with his 15th point coming with slightly more than four minutes remaining in the game.  Despite his achievement it’s certain Lowry would have loved it if his beloved Centaurs could have also won the game.

Catching Up With The Collegians

The college sports seasons are finally changing but there is still some final basketball news to go along with the advent of the baseball season.

Ike Azotam, the former Marianapolis Prep hoop standout, concluded his four years at Quinnipiac University by being named to the National Basketball Association of Coaches (NABC) All-District I first team.  Azotam who grew into the role of a leader for coach Tom Moore finished his season averaging 16.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game during the regular season.

On the diamond, former Woodstock Academy standout Chris Mayhew has started his second season at UConn-Avery Point in an upbeat fashion.  The Pointers of coach Roger Bidwell are off to an 11-3 start thanks in big part to Mayhew’s bat.  The team recently won a doubleheader against Dean College, 1-0 and 13-0.  Mayhew was responsible for three runs batted in, in the second game.  Earlier in the season on the team’s southern swing to Vero Beach, Fla., Mayhew drove in the winning run with a walk-off single in a 2-1 victory over Westchester Community College.

RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day

What four players hit home runs in four decades?  The first correct answer will receive a $25 gift certificate to J.D. Cooper’s Restaurant.  Answer must be submitted by e-mail by noon Tuesday, April 1.

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