By Ron P. Coderre

This week’s RPC column is dedicated to Putnam resident Scott Perry who works very hard every day keeping the roads around the Wheelabrator-Putnam Ash Landfill spotless.  Perry enjoys what he does and always has a friendly smile and hello for everyone.

Daniel Harrington, a soon-to-be junior at Woodstock Academy from Pomfret Center, is having an exciting summer on the links as he chases the New England PGA Junior Tour championship.  Harrington recently qualified for the Player of the Year Championship Tournament, which was held on Thursday, August 13 at Thompson Country Club in North Reading, Mass.

The New England PGA Junior Tour conducted more than 60 events this summer.  Harrington competed in only six of the events but amassed a sufficient number of points to earn the Number Nine spot in the Top Ten to qualify for the Championship event.  Although he played in fewer events than many of the other golfers, his 18-point average propelled him into the Top Ten.

Harrington posted first place finishes in tournaments at Crystal Lake Golf Club in Burrillville where he shot an 81and Holden Hills in Jefferson, Mass., where he posted a 75.  In his other matches, he finished second at Wanatonomy Golf Club in Middletown, R.I., fourth at Triggs in Providence, fifth at Blissful Meadows and tenth at Blackstone National in Sutton, Mass. He cracked the Top Ten with a first place finish on Aug. 4 when he shot a 75 to win the Holden Hills tourney.

This is Harrington’s first year participating on the NEPGA Jr. Tour.  The 16 year old participated in the 16-18 year old category.  He plays out of the #1 slot for the Woodstock Academy Centaurs of coach Rich Garceau.

New England Basketball Hall Inductee

A name familiar to local sports enthusiasts was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday, August 8 in ceremonies held at the DCU Center in Worcester.  Jim Dargati is the son of Tourtellotte Memorial High School Athletic Hall of Fame inductee George Dargati.

There are various categories in which people enter the NE Hall of Fame.  Dargati entered in the Perry category, which is named in honor of Ron Perry Sr.  That category honors individuals who, like Perry, have achieved distinction in two or more of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame categories: great high school player; great college player; great high school coach; great college administrator; great referee.  Dargati entered in the great high school player and great high school coach categories.  

Dargati spent 14 years coaching at his alma mater Loomis-Chaffee School where he amassed more than 200 victories.  He currently coaches at South Windsor High School, where he just finished his first season at the helm.

Some inductees whose names are familiar to northeastern Connecticut sports fans included former Norwich Bulletin reporter Tim Connolly, ex-Bartlett High School standout Eddie Grzembski, former Marianapolis basketball and baseball coach and San Francisco Giants minor league pitcher Fran Kasheta, ex-Tourtellotte coach John Kottori and Bill Loftus, father of Atty. Bill Loftus of Woodstock.

Chartier Story Add On

A few weeks back we wrote about the Chartier brothers who had made a name of themselves as local athletes.  This week thanks to a courtesy note from Celeste Chartier we wind our way into the noted Chartier women athletes.

In the days of Putnam Catholic Academy, Michelle Chartier was an all-sport standout who went on to play basketball and softball at Southern Connecticut State University.  She later became a noted high school coach who was inducted into the Connecticut Softball Hall of Fame.  Today she continues to play basketball in the National Senior Olympics, having competed in seven National Games since 2001 winning a pair of Silver and a Bronze Medal.

Michelle’s sister. Celeste has also played alongside her sister in the Senior Olympics.  While the sisters teamed together at PCA they averaged 40 points a game as a twosome.  Celeste scored more than 1000 points in high school before moving on to Stonehill College where she pioneered the Stonehill women’s basketball program.  

She’s a member of the Stonehill Athletic Hall of Fame.

After her college career, Celeste played with the All American Redheads and another touring women’s team.  

She was inducted with the Redheads into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.  She was later inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.

One generation removed from Michelle and Celeste was Mary Beth Chartier, the daughter of Louis and Sue Chartier.  She starred at Killingly High School where she scored more than 1000 points and was an All State Player.  She later went on to a great college career at Fairfield University. 

As the legendary Paul Harvey would say, “And now, you know the rest of the story.”

Former Coach Resurfaces

Gary Brine, who was the head football coach at Killingly High School and Woodstock Academy, has resurfaced as an assistant coach for the Killingly Redmen.  He joins the coaching staff of head coach Chad Neal.  

According to Killingly Athletic Director Gene Blain, two other people will be added to the coaching staff.  Kevin Marcoux, who coaches the Redmen golfers, will join the gridiron staff as an assistant.  Josh Fortin, who played at Worcester State University and is a former Redman, is also joining the staff in an assistant capacity.

Pomfret Griffin at Quinny

Long ball hitting Nate Kemer, who was a standout golfer at Pomfret School under coach Brian Rice, is currently spending his summer working in the Quinnatisset Country Club pro shop for Mike Pizzetti.  

Kemer is currently a member of the Hamilton College golf team, where he’s hoping to crack the #4 spot this coming year.  The economics major drives the ball a ton, has a nice short game and putts very well.

Return of a Native Golfing Great

Ellsworth Chase, a 1963 graduate of Putnam High School, has returned to northeastern Connecticut with his wife, the former Patty DiVencenzo, after living away for more than 30 years.  As a Clipper, Chase was one of the school’s best ever golfers.  In fact, he holds the course record at Norwich Golf Club where he fired a blazing 61.

Chase credits his success on the links to a pair of northeastern Connecticut’s finest gentlemen and golfers Paul Nelson and Ray Navarro.  As a youngster playing at the former Pomfret Golf Club, Chase noted that Nelson and Navarro provide him with valuable insights, not only on golf but on life.

Chase also reminisced about the basketball player at Putnam who had the best shot from the corner.  According to Chase, Moe Coderre could drain the rock from the corner with the best, including the great Scott Burrell of the University of Connecticut and the legendary Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics.  It’s a certainty that Moe Coderre will be honored to be held in such high esteem by Chase.

RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: The optimist is the person who invented the airplane.  The pessimist invented the parachute.

(If you have news worthy sports information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)