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Legal Notice
Public Hearing
Notice
Town of Pomfret
Planning and
Zoning Commission
The Pomfret Planning & Zoning Commission will hold the following Public Hearing at their meeting on March 20, 2019, starting at 7:00 PM at the Old Town House:
1. NELTA, Inc., 10 Murdock Road, proposed crane training facility and addition to existing training building
A copy of the application is on file in the office of the Planning and Zoning Commission, 5 Haven Road, Pomfret Center, Connecticut. The file is available for review during normal business hours.

Town of Pomfret
Planning & Zoning Commission
Dated this 25th day
of February 2019

Lynn L. Krajewski,
Clerk

March 6, 2019
March 13, 2019

Legal Notice
Town of Pomfret
Inland Wetlands
and Watercourses
Commission
At the March 6, 2019, meeting the following application was acted upon:
1. Weston and Sampson for Town of Pomfret, Five Haven Road, application for the construction of pedestrian bridges, underpasses, and at grade crossing for a recreational trail; APPROVED with conditions.

Town of Pomfret
Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission
Dated this 11th day
of March 2019

Lynn L. Krajewski,
Clerk

March 13, 2019

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Putnam Science Academy Mustangs had a big target on their back from the start of the season after winning the 2018 National Prep Championship.
It has always been hard to repeat in any sport but the Mustangs were up for the task and looked like they were on their way to do so this season. PSA had just one loss on its record while recording 37 wins and clinching the Great Atlantic Conference title.
The rankings were set and the bracket was released with the Mustangs earning the #2 seed which would give them a significant advantage in the tournament. With Woodstock Academy Gold taking the #1 seed, PSA was at the bottom of the bracket and had a really good chance of going far once again.
The tournament began with the Mustangs taking on Hargrave Military Academy March 6 who defeated Link Year Prep earlier in the day to advance to the next round. Putnam Science had rest and took full advantage of it by subbing in multiple players and using depth to defeat Hargrave 77-64. First-year Mustang and Wichita State-commit Tyson Etienne led PSA with 20 points and controlled the game from the point guard position but it was the returnees from last years’ championship team that would make the difference. Junior guard Demarr Langford had numerous tip-ins around the basket posting a monster double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds and fellow Junior Hassan Diarra added 14 points and 9 rebounds in the win to send Putnam Science to the Final 4.
Key losses in the National Prep tournament set the stage for an intriguing final four. #1 seed Woodstock Academy lost in the final seconds to #8 seed Brewster Academy and #4 seed Mount Zion fell to the #5 seed Massanutten Military Academy. The Mustangs were the highest seed remaining and it was looking like the stars were aligning for another National Prep Championship appearance.
Scotland Campus Sports had other ideas.
A program that was in just its third year and already made a run in last year’s National Prep tournament, Scotland as the #3 seed defeated #6 seed Northfield Mount Hermon, a team that lost in the Prep Championship game to PSA last year.
So the stage was set: Scotland, Putnam Science, Brewster and Massanutten. The Mustangs found themselves in a dog fight versus Scotland Campus with the #3 seed from Pennsylvania shot lights out in the first half and led PSA by 11 points. But the Mustangs had plenty of fight in them and did what they’ve done pretty much all year long — make a comeback.
PSA cut the lead to 4 with 8:46 remaining in the second half thanks to better free throw shooting and the guards making plays at both ends. Tyson Etienne had a chase down block that led to 2 free throws from Bryant-commit Charles Pride and he made both. Hassan Diarra started the second half with 6 straight points converting tough shots in the lane when the Mustangs needed it most. Texas Tech commit Russel Tchewa used his entire 7-foot frame to block shots and created a shot-altering presence in the paint against an undersized Scotland team.
With 2:07 to play, the Mustangs tied the game.
Diarra weaved his way into the paint floating up with a left handed lay-up that tied things up at 71. With more than 100 fans including students and staff of Putnam Science Academy, the Mustangs faithful had Connecticut College rocking throughout the game. After a Scotland timeout, a miscommunication on defense by Putnam Science allowed an open corner 3 that would splash as did most of Scotland Campus’s shots March 7.
Time ticked down and with 33 seconds on the clock, Scotland had a 3-point lead 74-71. Both teams struggled down the stretch at the free throw line but Scotland strung a pair of free throws to take a 76-74 lead. The Mustangs fouled and to the line Scotland’s Dequarius Nicholas stepped with 16 points already in the contest. Nicholas sunk the first free throw but would hit back iron on the 2nd and insert Dumb and Dumber quote, “So you’re telling me there’s a chance.” 7.7 seconds away from defeat, Diarra raced down the court and got a screen from Tchewa, Etienne trailed Diarra going left to right and received a dump-off pass near the sideline about 5 feet behind the 3-point line. Etienne fired an off-balance 3 as time expired that silenced a deafening crowd. The shot was on-line but the dream run would come to an end as the ball rimmed out and Scotland escaped and took down the defending Prep Champions. Guard Diarra was the only player on Putnam Science that scored in double figures finishing with 20 points adding 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals in the 77-74 defeat.
Scotland would play Brewster Academy in the championship game but it was the Bobcats who ran away with a 67-51 win, their fourth championship in the last six years.
Not all bad for the Mustangs who wrap up a 38-2 season and will return another six players from this year’s team: Hassan Diarra, Kareem Reid, Abou Ousmane, Luc Brittian, Marty Silvera and Demarr Langford. The Mustangs have built a winning culture and will be right back in the mix next year on the National Prep Basketball scene.
Josh Sanchas
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy

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3rd in Championships
Right: Woodstock Academy junior Jenna Davidson gets ready for a run in the floor exercise competition at the New England Gymnastics championship. Above: The team displays its third-place trophy at the New England Gymnastics championship March 9. Photos by Marc Allard/The Woodstock Academy




It was a fitting way for the four seniors on the Woodstock Academy gymnastics team to leave the stage – with another trophy.
It wasn’t the biggest one.
The Centaurs weren’t expecting that.
But it was a team performance that carried the Centaurs to a third-place finish March 9 at the New England gymnastics championship at Hudson High School in Hudson, Mass.
“It was definitely awesome,” said Woodstock Academy senior Ali Crescimanno. “We’ve gone from winning (at home in 2017) to getting sixth (last year at Pinkerton Academy in New Hampshire) to getting third as a team. It was just so great to end this way. Everyone had such a great meet. We didn’t have to count any falls (Saturday).”
The Centaurs had heard rumors coming into the meet that the two Massachusetts teams were putting up big scoring numbers.
Those rumors were quickly found to be accurate when defending New England champion, the Bridgewater-Raynham-West Bridgewater cooperative program from Massachusetts posted a 37.250 team score in its first event, the vault.
Massachusetts state champion, Newton South, which went second in the vault rotation, followed that up with a 36.95 team total.
The Centaurs knew what they were in for.
“They have some awesome gymnasts and I’m super-happy to see that. When you have teams like that, there is not much you can do except do your best,” said Woodstock Academy coach Kasey Tocchio.
In essence, the New England gymnastics championship became a larger version of the state championship in Connecticut for the Centaurs.
Don’t worry about individual scores, focus on the team accomplishments.
“We really just wanted to place better than we did last year and we did that as a team,” senior Lydia Taft said.
The Centaurs posted their third-best scoring effort of the season, a 144.5.
Newton South finished with an impressive 149.3 total while Bridgewater-Raynham-West Bridgewater put together a 147.875 effort.
“I’m really excited about that,” Tocchio said of the third-place finish. “Watching the meet (Saturday), seeing the two teams that were really big, third is awesome.”
Taft agreed.
“We definitely knew that seeing the other team’s scores, we knew we hadn’t quite got there yet, but we just wanted to the best we could, even if it wasn’t first,” Taft said.
Tocchio couldn’t stop smiling after the meet.
“Let’s talk about beam,” she said.
It’s something the Woodstock Academy coach didn’t necessarily want to do after the State Open competition just three days prior.
“We all stayed on beam and that was so exciting. It was really exciting to see how we pulled together and did what we really wanted to do,” Tocchio said.
The Centaurs finished with a 36.245 total on beam with junior Jenna Davidson leading the way with a 9.4.
“We were so happy with beam. We all hit our routines, got good scores. I don’t if we have all made our beam routines (in the same meet) this year so far. We were all happy after that,” Taft said.
Taft finished with 9.3 with fellow seniors, Maddie Grube, (9.275) and Abby Vaida (8.3) also scoring.
Tocchio said Grube’s performance on beam was the highlight for her.
Grube struggled on it, normally one of her best events, at the Open.
“I was pretty proud of myself,” Grube said. “I fell twice at State Open so to come back and really nail it was amazing.”
Taft finished best in the All-Around competition for the Centaurs.
The senior finished with a 36.6.
“I was happy with how I competed. The State Open didn’t go as well for me. This meet, I really picked it back up,” Taft said.
Taft finished best in the bars where she put together a 9.35 performance, good for sixth overall in the competition. She was 12th in the beam, tied for 22nd in the vault (9.0) and tied for 37th on the floor (8.95).
Crescimanno tied for 13th in the All-Around with a 36.15.
The senior tied for fourth in the bars with a 9.475; tied for 11th in the vault with a 9.3; finished in a tie for 13th on the floor with a 9.3, and scored 8.075 on beam.
Crescimanno anticipated that this was not going to be a normal day on the podium for the Centaurs. “High school gymnastics has come so far over the years and it just keeps getting better and better every year. It’s awesome to see the big gymnastics in the postseason. It’s cool to watch,” Crescimanno said.
Davidson added a 9.3 on the floor (tied for 13th place overall), an 8.725 on the vault and an 8.525 on the bars to finish with a 35.95 total, good for 15th in the All-Around scoring. It was the last time that seniors Crescimanno, Grube, Taft and Vaida compete with the Centaurs as a team. “It’s definitely sad,” Crescimanno said. “It’s been a crazy, even more, than four years. I’ve been doing (gymnastics) for so long. For this to be like, an ending point, it’s pretty cool.”
Grube said, while it may be the last time the team competes as a whole this season, there is still one more meet on the horizon.
“We don’t think of it as an ending yet because we have Senior Nationals, but it’s sad to be ending with all of these girls. Still, we’re pretty happy with how it went,” the senior said.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
The Woodstock Academy


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Hockey season
comes to a halt
The season could have gone on a little longer for first-year coach Kevin Bisson and the Woodstock Academy boys’ ice hockey team.
It came to an end March 4 when the 13th-seeded Centaurs fell to No. 4 Branford, 6-2, in a Division II first-round state tournament game.
“It’s a little disappointing,” Bisson said. “I think, overall, from everyone around here that I spoke to, they felt really good about this year. They feel like we have had a really strong year and the kids, as a whole, felt good about how the season went. It’s frustrating to lose in the first round after a great, strong year, but we have these good feelings as compared to last year when we lost in the first round.”
That’s because the best may still be to come for the Centaurs who finished 12-7-2.
“We laid some groundwork and a foundation that the team as a whole can build off of,” Bisson said. “They’re not going to have to come in and learn a whole bunch of new stuff next year. All the returning guys understand what I ask of them and what I expect. There won’t be, hopefully, a big learning curve for the vast majority of these kids.”
Woodstock Academy team captain Liam McDermott rated the season pretty high.
“I think this season felt just as good as winning the state championship in 2017,” the senior said. “The group of guys in the locker room was spectacular.”
McDermott (4 goals, 7 assists, 11 points) will be one of eight who graduate this season.
Leaving with McDermott will be Matthew Odom (19 goals, 8 assists, 27 points); goalie Dylan Shea; forwards Owen Borski, Tom Catsam and Mason Stewart and defensive players, Ethan Thorpe (3 goals, 5 assists, 8 points) and Connor Starr (1 goal, 6 assists, 7 points).
“We have three senior defenseman so we will have a little work to do on the back end to get that shored up. We definitely have the bodies in the pipeline that we’ve been developing this year.” Bisson said.
Bisson was especially proud of the contributions he received from some freshmen this season.
That goes from the front to the back and includes Kyle Brennan who finished with seven goals, three assists and 10 points.
“He had a really strong year playing in a top-line role. We had him on the ice at the end of the game (versus Branford) for a reason,” Bisson said.
Freshman Chris Thibault (3 goals, 3 assists, 6 points) also got a lot of minutes up front as did another first-year player, Devin Chadwick.
Defenseman Brendon Hill saw lots of playing time and will be one of the key ingredients behind the blue line when he returns as a sophomore.
Bisson was also pumped about the contributions of sophomore Guerin Favreau (8 goals, 6 assists, 14 points) and junior Doug Newton.
“Guerin goes another step up the ladder as far as leadership and Doug Newton (17 goals, 13 assists, 30 points) led the team in points and we get him back for his senior year,” Bisson said.
The one big question mark will be in front of the net.
Shea vacates the goalie position.
Junior Josh Lavitt made one start between the pipes this season.
“He didn’t get too much playing time here in the last few years on the varsity level,” Bisson said. “The goalie position will be an important piece for us moving forward, but I think the rest is already in place.”
McDermott agreed with that. “I think moving forward, it’s a really bright future for the program. It was a great team to be able to lead,” McDermott said.
Although the score against Branford Monday may have seemed a little lopsided, it really wasn’t.
The Centaurs played well in the first two periods.
“Two out of three doesn’t get it done,” Bisson said with a sigh.
The Centaurs led Branford 1-0 on a goal by Newton with 3 minutes, 34 seconds left in the opening period.
Thorpe made the rush up the ice, passed to Newton, who did a little stick handling and slipped it under the arm of Branford goalie Greg Lucente.
“That got the juices flowing. The kids were motivated on the bench and the rest of the period, we were just giving it everything we had,” Bisson said.
Robert Lionetti tied the game for the Hornets (15-3-3) 4:22 into the second period, but three minutes later, McDermott found the back of the net.
Thorpe, on the power play, brought the puck into the offensive end, cut back, and passed across to McDermott.
“It was a Liam-like goal; a slap shot from the blue line, going top shelf and one-timing it past (Lucente),” Bisson said.
It would mark the end of the good times for the Centaurs.
David Engstrom knotted the game for Branford with 6:11 left in the second period and the game would go into the final period tied.
“The feeling in the locker room was that, ‘We can win this,’” McDermott said. “We were definitely super-confident in our guys. We just had to protect the goals that we scored and play good team defense- that was the thought. It got discouraging. They got two quick goals, which was our goal (to accomplish), and they beat us to it.”
Max Bunton scored just 39 seconds into the period and then Branford made it a two-goal game 3 ½ minutes later.
A Hornets’ shot was stopped by Shea but the rebound slipped to the left side where Zachary Jones, a lefty, was able to get a forehand shot off and into the back of the net.
Bisson called a time out.
“We tried to rally the troops and regain our composure,” Bisson said.
The Centaurs quickly won a faceoff “nice and clean,” according to the Woodstock Academy coach.
Too clean, in fact.
“It went right past our defender and (Lionetti) took off like a rocket and put the nail in the coffin,” Bisson said.
The Hornets enjoyed a 5-2 lead with just under 10 minutes to play.
Bisson pulled Shea with three minutes left to get the man advantage and Lionetti got his hat trick with an open-net goal with 1:21 left in the game.
Bisson espoused optimism in the locker room after the game.
“It didn’t help our seniors any to hear it, but this program has a bright future,” Bisson said.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
The Woodstock Academy

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