By Ron P. Coderre

This week’s RPC column is dedicated to Brian Murphy.  The former Tourtellotte Memorial High School and Eastern Connecticut State University pitching standout played professionally in the New York Yankees organization.  Now retired from an administrative career in corrections, Murphy spends his time working on baseball skills with area youngsters and staying in condition at the Hale YMCA.

The Woodstock Academy gymnastic juggernaut continues to roll along with its latest coup taking place at New Milford High School where the Centaurs put another notch in their belt, winning the CIAC State Open.  This was the fifth straight State Open title for Woodstock and the first under coach Kasey Fillmore.  The previous four titles were won with Kasey’s mom, Robin Deary-Fillmore at the helm.

The Centaurs were not to be denied at the Open as they rolled past the opposition amassing a team score of 147.3.  The closest any other team could come was Greenwich with a score of 140.4.  As they had done the previous week in winning the Class S crown, the Academy was led by the trio of juniors Paige Stuyniski and Grace Logan and freshman Lydia Taft.

The competitive Stuyniski captured the All-Around with a score of 38.425.  Logan finished third with a score of 37.6 and Taft was fifth at 36.625.  In posting the best All-Around score, Stuyniski won the bars (9.7) and the beam (9.725).  She was third in the vault (9.475) and floor (9.525).

Logan took a pair of first also, winning the vault (9.65) and the floor (9.75) and was second on the bars (9.65).  Taft the amazing frosh was second on the beam (9.375) fourth on the floor (9.35) and fifth in the vault (9.1) and all-around (36.625).

Woodstock also received strong supporting performance from Madelyn Grube in the vault, the bars, the beam and the floor, while Allison Crescimanno performed well on the bars and the beam.  Jourdan Fulcino also represented the Centaurs on the floor.  The remaining member of the Open Championship team is Abby Vaida.

The Fillmore-coached Acads now head to Dracut High School in Massachusetts where they hope to recapture the New England championship.  Last year the Centaurs missed winning the title by a mere .125 of a point to Barnstable High School.

Local 'Rasslers' Make 

Great Showing…

An Ellis Tech wrestler achieved a first in the history of the school and he did it in his initial appearance in the New England Wrestling championships.  The Golden Eagles junior Baltazar Gonzalez won the 126-pound title when he pinned Dylan Disano of Bishop Hendricken High School of Warwick.  The championships were held at Providence Career and Technical Center.

Gonzalez was leading Disano 8-3 in the finals prior to pinning him after four minutes and 18 seconds in the match.  He won his quarterfinal match 15-5 and won the semifinals by pinning his opponent.

Two Killingly matmen, Austin Caffrey and Josh Angel, represented the Redmen well as Caffrey finished second in the 182-pound class and Angel finished fourth in the 285-pound class.  Both wrestlers were important members of Killingly’s championship football team.

From The Where Are

They Now Files… 

A recent visitor to northeastern Connecticut was former Killingly High School and Danielson American Legion pitcher Marc Lucier.  As a young man he was a mound standout for the Redmen and for coach Ralph Brennan’s Legion team.  Lucier is currently a Florida resident where he works at a casino in the Tampa Bay area. 

Icemen in CIAC Action…

Woodstock Academy bounced back after losing a 3-1 heart breaker to Suffield-Granby-Windsor Locks in the Nutmeg Conference title game by beating Sheehan in a CIAC Division III contest.  The Centaurs are seeded #2 in Division III.

In the Nutmeg Conference championship game, Woodstock goalie Cal Wilcox made 44 saves.  The Centaurs only goal was scored by Zack Burnham on an assist from Ryan Black.

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do…

The day after losing in the National Prep School Championships at Albertus Magnus to St. Thomas More by a single point 77-76 the Putnam Science Academy Mustangs held an emotional team get together at Jade Garden Restaurant in Putnam.  Still stinging from the defeat, the team members joined with the school administration, coaching staff and a few faithful followers in putting some salve on the sting of the devastating loss. 

Headmaster Don Cushing offered words of encouragement by relating some personal experiences he’d encountered during his coaching career.  An emotional Dr. Tieqiang Ding, school president expressed his love and thanks to the players and coaches for the recognition they’ve brought to PSA.  His words were interrupted by his own moments of composure as he told the players how much he “loved and appreciated them.”

Prior to taking the floor, coach Tom Espinosa needed time to compose his emotions as he expressed just how much each player meant to the success of the program and to him personally.  Espinosa gave special thanks to his departing postgraduate players and those who’ll be graduating in May.

The group also heard words of encouragement from school psychologist Ken Chauvin and from Putnam resident Maurice “Moe” Coderre.  Coderre was the team’s timekeeper for home games and performed the National Anthem at all games on the Maple Street campus.  Also on hand were assistant headmaster Owen Quantick and college counselor Albert Cormier.

Raceway Season 

Approaching Quickly…

Racing fans should mark their calendars for the weekend of Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 8, 9 and 10.  The Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park is gearing up for the highly anticipated 42nd Icebreaker, featuring the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

The Icebreaker weekend opens with practice on Friday.  Qualifying races will commence on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.  Sunday kicks off with a fan appreciation party on the track with racing action beginning at 12:25 p.m.

Anyone wishing more information on ticket pre-sales, camping reservations or other specifics on the weekend events should visit www.thompsonspeedway.com/event-tickets or call the Speedway office 860 923-2280, according to Theresa Condit, director of Marketing.

RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: Happy St. Patrick’s Day to our faithful readers and a special St. Patrick’s Day birthday wish to my grandchildren David and Gabrielle who turn 16 on St. Paddy’s Day.

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

 

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