By Ron P. Coderre

This week’s RPC shoutout is sent along to Don Benoit of Putnam.  A former manager in the Putnam Little League system, Benoit spent many years in Corrections for the State of Connecticut.  Today he enjoys relaxing with family and rooting for the Boston Red Sox.

If you think you’ve seen some familiar faces from the college coaching fraternity around Putnam these days, you’re not hallucinating.  In recent weeks a number of big time college coaches have descended on the Putnam Science Academy campus during a period that the NCAA allows coaches to recruit and speak with prep school athletes.  The attraction, the Mustangs senior basketball standout Hamidou Diallo.

Diallo, who led Putnam Science Academy in scoring last season, is entering his senior year and will be preparing to make his college decision in the next five to nine months.  Colleges have been eyeing Diallo since his sophomore year when the Queens, N.Y., product emerged on the hardwood scene on the 18 Maple St. campus.

Among the visitors to make an appearance in Putnam, the most prominent was Duke University associate head coach and former Blue Devil standout Jeff Capel.  The Mike Krzyzewski assistant spent a couple hours speaking with Diallo prior to retiring to a private room where they spoke via video hookup directly with Krzyzewski.  Following a brief conversation, coach K offered Diallo an opportunity to attend Duke and play for the Blue Devils.

The next week among the many Division I coaches on campus was John Calipari of the University of Kentucky.  Calipari, like the Duke coaches, spent a good deal of time speaking with Diallo.  Impressed with the young man, coach Cal made Diallo an offer to join the Wildcats for the 2017 season.  It’s projected that in the 2017 school year, Calipari and the Wildcats may have as many as eight or nine scholarships available.

When asked how Diallo was handling all the attention, Putnam Science Academy basketball coach Tom Espinosa responded, “Hamidou is very excited about his college prospects but he’s handling the attention in a mature fashion.  He knows he’s been under the spotlight for more than a year so he’s learned how to handle the pressure.”

In a recent Nike EYBL tournament in Brooklyn, N.Y., which Espinosa attended, he said, “Hamidou played extremely well.  His ball handling, passing and shooting skills were as sharp as I’ve ever seen them.  He definitely was impressive in front of the many Division I coaches who were on hand.”

According to Espinosa ,nationally known coaches were everywhere in Brooklyn.  Among those on hand were Jim Boeheim of Syracuse University, John Thompson of Georgetown, Roy Williams of North Carolina, Mike Brey of Notre Dame and Bobby Hurley, who was recently hired by Arizona State University.

Diallo is expected to take some time and weigh his offers.  According to Espinosa, Diallo has been working diligently in the classroom this year in preparation for his SATs.  He may be ready to announce his college intention as early as September or as late as February 2017.  In addition to Diallo, his teammates Jaheam Cornwall and Tyreek Perkins have been drawing major college attention and were being scouted by a number of mid-major colleges.

First Ace of 2016…

Hungry golfers have been rushing the season despite the weather that’s been up and down of late.  Mike Sosik, owner of Harrisville Golf Course, reports that play has been very brisk in the early season.

On Friday, March 25 Sosik reported the first hole-in-one of the young season.  The man on the club was Anthony Ritacco who aced the par 4, 7th hole that was playing 300 yards.  According to Sosik, Ritacco took his career shot in stride.  There are many months of golf ahead in 2016, but like the first baby of the New Year, Ritacco can boast of the first ace of the 2016 season in northeastern Connecticut.

Boston Marathon Success…

A local runner who resides in Plainfield made northeastern Connecticut proud with his recent finish in the Boston Marathon.  Making his sixth straight appearance in Boston, Michael Stadolnik, who is a familiar participant in many of the local races including the Deary Memorial and the O’Putnam, finished 155th in the field of more than 30,000 entrants.  He posted a time of 2:42:02 over the 26-mile 365-yard course that runs from Hopkinton to Boston.  He was less than 30 minutes behind the winner Lemi Berhanu Hayle of Ethiopia.

Stadolnik, who walked between 8 and 10 miles the day before the marathon, runs for the Mohegan Striders Running Club.  The 1992 North Haven High School graduate is prepping for his next marathon, which is the Vermont City Marathon in Burlington in May.

Included in the field were a number of northeastern Connecticut residents.  Among the finishers were Elizabeth Edwards, Thompson (3:10:33); Robert Duval, Plainfield (3:28:38); Vance Carter, Danielson (3:28:43); Rachel Frenkil, Pomfret (3:31:42); Harry Lepp, Danielson (3:56:33); David Lusignan, Woodstock (4:10:56); Sharon Geyer, Pomfret (4:17:10); Ryan Lefler, N. Grosvenordale (4:44:21); David Pietrowski, Woodstock (4:50:54); and Erin Baron, Putnam (5:16:42).

Spotted At Fenway Park…

Putnam Deputy Chief of Police Lee Konicki recently took in a Red Sox and Toronto game at Fenway with his close friends Bob Beaudry and Dick Loomis.  Konicki notes that a number of Putnam Middle School students were on the field with Wally the Green Monster during a pregame ceremony.  One of the students was Emily St. Martin, daughter of Michael and Amy Beth St. Martin.

Also spotted in the crowd was a large contingent of fans from northeastern Connecticut.  Among the crowd were St. Joseph’s School principal Sharon Briere and Putnam High School women’s basketball coach Mandy Hogan.  Also among the large throng was David Vincent of Troop D Danielson, Stacey Oles, Vicki and Ryan Ericson and their son Brandy.  Everyone left Boston a little disappointed as the Red Sox were beaten by the Blue Jays.

RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: Don’t forget Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 8.  Happy Mother’s Day from RPC to all the mothers in our reading audience.

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