By Ron P. Coderre

This week’s RPC sporty shoutout is sent along to Sharon Briere the high energy principal of St. Joseph’s Parochial School in N. Grosvenordale.  Now that the students are out for the summer, it’s time to clean up and prepare for next year.  The educational merry-go-round continues.

The Putnam Middle School Wolfpack parlayed a 2-1 eight-inning victory over Parish Hill into a perfect season and the Quinebaug Valley Junior Conference Small Division Championship.  Playing in front of a crowd estimated at approximately 200 and with the game aired live on WINY Radio with John Wilbur and Scott Derosier, coach Derek Coderre led his team to the well deserved crown.

The Wolfpack fell behind in the first inning when a series of errors caused by the jitters produced a run for the visiting Parish Hill Pirates.  The lead held up until the home half of the sixth inning when Putnam’s Scott Davagian doubled and came home to tie the score as the Pirates pitcher balked twice.   

As neither team was unable to score in regulation, the game moved into extra frames.  Putnam’s leadoff hitter Sebastian Ramos was hit by a pitch to start the inning.  The speedy Ramos then stole second and on the next pitch proceeded to third on a wild pitch.  At that point Mitchel Barylski became one of Putnam’s heroes when he singled home Ramos with the winning run, the title and sealed a perfect 12-0 season.

Davagian pitched seven strong innings for Putnam but by conference regulation was replaced in the eighth inning.  Aidan Cinquera, who caught Davagian for seven innings finished up the game and picked up the victory.

“I’m very proud for our kids, our school and our town.  It’s so great to see this group of players bring back a winning atmosphere to Putnam.  They played hard all season and were fun to coach,” said Coderre.

Putnam reached the finals by beating Helen Baldwin School of Canterbury 8-0 in the semifinals.  Barylski and Cinquera combined for a no-hitter in the win.

Coderre said that Barylski, Davagian and Cinquera, all eighth grade students, carried the load on the mound throughout the season for the Wolfpack.  When he wasn’t pitching, Cinquera was Putnam’s catcher.

Around the horn, the Putnam infield was composed of Cole Davagian at first base, Kobie Bates and Colin LaCasse at second base, Barylski and Davagian at shortstop and Ramos on the hot corner.  Cole Davagian, Bates and Ramos will all be back next season.

Leftfield duties were split by Colin Tatsey and Derek Bichard, while Connor Pellitier patrolled centerfield and Chandon Lamoureux and Tyler LaCasse handled rightfield.  Bichard is a seventh grader while the others all graduated this year.

Sixth graders Tanner Clark, Hunter Roberts and Justin St. Martin and seventh grader Gabe Desrosiers rounded out the squad.

“This was not the most talented group of kids I’ve coached but they were the hardest workers.  Every player gave 100 percent and got the most out of their potential,” said Coderre, who’s been the head coach of the Wolfpack for six years.

Final Standings

Plainfield under the guidance of coach Jason Chaviaras recently completed its baseball season when the Panthers were dropped in extra innings by Haddam-Killingworth in the CIAC semifinals.  The Plainfield book for 2014 was closed with a sparkling 23-4 record.

The Panthers were rewarded for their great season by finishing in the Top Ten in the state’s two most prestigious polls.  The New Haven Register had Plainfield ranked 8th behind 7th place Fairfield Prep.  Amity High School with a 19-9 record was ranked #1.

The Hartford Courant ranked Plainfield 5th in its final poll.  The Courant ranked Rocky Hill (23-2) the top team in the state. Southington High School finished just ahead of the Panthers in 4th place.   Coincidentally, Fairfield Prep was ranked 7th by the Courant.

Sign of the Future

Since graduating from the University of Hartford, where he had a stellar career as a member of the Hawks golf team, Matt Smith, the former Tourtellotte Memorial High School links great, has been working diligently to earn a spot on one of the many professional golf tours.

On Monday, June 16 Smith travelled to Black Hall Club in Old Lyme where he participated in the TPC Highlands Travelers Championship Qualifier.  Although he didn’t make the cut, only the top four golfers qualified, Smith acquitted himself well.

Smith shot a one under par 70 on the par 71 - 6,636 yard layout.  The low score at the Qualifier was 66, produced by well known 49 year old Lee Janzen, who next year will begin play on the Champions Tour.  Jason Allred and Mark Turnesa, who also has experience on the PGA Tour, carded 67 to finish ahead of Smith.

This summer Smith has been working at Connecticut National Golf Club and Quinnatisset Country Club and playing as much golf as possible as he continues to hone his skills.  He’ll return to Florida in the late fall and plans to go to Q-School once again in an attempt to get a PGA card.

Riding High in the Saddle

Roger LaFrancois sends along word from Sarasota, Fla., that he’s proud of his friend Joel Rosario who was the winning jockey aboard Tonalist in the recent Belmont Stakes.  Rosario and his mount edged Commissioner by less than a nose to capture the prestigious race.      

RPC’s Closing thought For The Day: If you find a path with no obstacles on it, the chances are that it doesn’t lead anywhere.

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