By Ron P. Coderre

This week’s RPC sports shoutout is sent along to Al Cormier, a career educator, counselor, coach and administrator.  Cormier enjoyed many years as a popular individual on the campuses of Marianapolis Prep, Woodstock Academy, Putnam and Putnam Science Academy.  Today Cormier, a retired Army officer, enjoys time with his grandchildren and working with community based civic and veteran’s organizations.

Preseason Chamber Breakfast… 

In a breakfast meeting that’s become a UConn basketball tradition, Huskies coach Kevin Ollie was the special guest of the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce for his annual preview of the upcoming hoop season.  Ollie addressed a huge throng and did a player-by-player breakdown of all his players.

According to the Hartford Courant, this is what coach Ollie had to say about former Putnam Science Academy frontcourt standout Mamadou Diarra.  “We have Mamadou, a very tough player, an old school player. You’ve seen a lot of our teams over the years have had toughness.  I think that’s what he’s going to bring.  He’s a rebounding machine, he’s got to get his legs back under him and I think you’ll see some monster rebounds. He’s old school, he doesn’t do a lot of pump-faking, and it’s all dunks, which I love.  A great young man, an infectious smile.” 

Those are glowing words for a young man who is only a freshman on the Storrs campus.  Diarra, who was the backbone of the frontcourt for the PSA Mustangs for the past three seasons , will now have an opportunity to demonstrate if he can perform at the next level.

Recently, Putnam Science Academy coach Tom Espinosa had an opportunity to witness first hand a UConn basketball practice.  According to the Mustangs coach, Ollie puts his charges through some rugged drills and competition.  He reports that Diarra is happy and adjusting to the college game.

Apology…

A couple weeks ago we wrote about the Woodstock Academy Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony with a brief blurb on the inductees.  Thanks to former Headmaster Kent Weaver we were informed of some misinformation that was printed.

In writing about inductee Shirley Mitchell we misrepresented her as a former Centaur Debbie Clarke.

Here’s the true story of Shirley Mitchell, a 1978 Academy graduate.  Mitchell was a stellar athlete who was a three-sport standout earning varsity letters in soccer, basketball and softball.  In her time on the Woodstock campus, Mitchell is one of a very few athletes to earn 12 varsity letters.

RPC offers a sincere apology to Ms. Mitchell and a heartfelt thank you to Mr. Weaver.

From the Where are They 

Now Files…

Remember Sara Jean-Louis?  A 2009 graduate of Putnam High School, where she starred in track for the Lady Clippers, Jean-Louis continued her track career in college.  She graduated from Springfield College in 2013 with a degree in communications and marketing in hand.

Today Jean-Louis is putting her degree to work as an event planner at Leicester Country Club in Massachusetts.  In her off time she serves as the cheerleading coach at Oxford High School.  The creative Jean-Louis is currently on a fund-raising venture to procure uniforms for the Oxford cheering squad.  While waiting to achieve her goal she dressed the team in old football jerseys and spandex pants, allowing them to strut their stuff on the sidelines rooting for the Oxford gridiron squad.

Local Touch at Hartford Marathon…

Two local runners turned in outstanding performances in the recent Hartford Marathon.  Matt Pelletier of Sterling and Michael Stadolnik of Plainfield are running buddies.  The two long distance runners spend numerous hours training and running together in the area of their home towns.  All the work paid off in Hartford.

Pelletier, who was running with leg pain, still managed to finish the 26-mile 365-yard trek in a time of 2:19:36, good for a second-place finish.  He was two minutes and 20 seconds behind the winner Brian Harvey of Boston.

Stadolnik, who is a familiar figure at the Deary Memorial and O’Putnam races, finished seventh overall in Hartford.  His time of 2:35:48 was good enough to earn him a first-place finish in the masters’ runners division.  Stadolnik was also the first Connecticut runner to cross the finish line in this year’s Boston Marathon.

A Name from The Past…

The Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame held its induction ceremony on Monday, October 17 at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich.  The Class of 2016 included some notable and well known individuals.  Among the inductees were former UConn women’s basketball standout Rita Williams, professional golfer J.J. Henry, and former NBA star Manute Bol, who was inducted posthumously.  Another inductee was Maurice “Wilky” Gilmore.

Who was “Wilky” Gilmore you might ask.  For those old enough to remember, Gilmore was a 6-foot, 6-inch basketball player from New Canaan High School, who following high school went to the University of Colorado where he scored more than 1000 points.  He was drafted by the St. Louis Hawks of the NBA and was the last man cut by the team.

In 1956 Gilmore, as a sophomore, led New Canaan to the State Championship in a 72-58 victory over Putnam High School in the title game.  During New Canaan’s run to the championship, Gilmore averaged 29 points per game.  In the finals, his height and scoring was just too much for Putnam to handle.  The trip to the finals in 1956 was the first for the Clippers since 1929.

Gilmore died in 1993 at the young age of 53 in California of an apparent heart attack.

Members of the Putnam team, which lost only two games that season, included Michael Bousquet, Roger Franklin, Bill Bellerose, Phil DeSantis, Gerry Desautels and Paul Fall.  Other members were Al Mignault, Roland Pelkey, Bob Trudeau, Tracy Heavens, Joe Bove, Kendall Dean and Bob Gosselin.  Jim Greenhalgh was the coach and Nelson “Buzz” King and Bill O’Brien served as student managers. 

Sad Ending…

The demise of the Boston Red Sox, getting swept by the Cleveland Indians in the ALDS, was disappointing to loyal BoSox fans.  Some locals were fortunate to take in some of the three-game set.

Charlie Puffer of Woodstock was on hand in Cleveland for the opening game of the series.  He was in Ohio for a reunion with classmates from Bradley University.  Matt Desaulnier was in the stands for the third and final game of the series.  RPC unfortunately had tickets for game #4, which of course never occurred.  Those are the breaks.

CIAC Playoff Standings…

The CIAC released the playoff standing points for the 2016 postseason.  There are four divisions, LL, L, M and S.  Eight teams from each Class make the postseason.  The only area team with enough points to be mentioned is the Killingly Redmen of coach Chad Neal.  Killingly currently occupies the 10th spot in Class M with 85.00 points based on the team’s 3-1 record.  Waterford at 3-0 in on the top with 120.00 points.  

RPC’s Closing thought For The Day: What was the best thing since sliced bread?

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