Past Issues of the Putnam Town Crier
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It’s not exactly the way she drew it up in her mind, but hey, Khaya Skene is thrilled with the way things have worked out.
Skene, a postgrad student on Putnam Science Academy’s girls basketball team, was originally recruited to the school by former coach Devin Hill. At the time a senior at Ethel Walker School, she visited PSA last season, taking in a game and a practice before committing for this year.
Then Hill resigned and took a job closer to home. Skene decided to take a shot and stay with PSA, and felt good about it when Bria Holmes, a former WNBA player, was named as the new coach. But when that fell through in late summer, Skene really had no other choice but to stay and hope for the best with new coach Greg Canzater.
“Honestly, I completely love it here,” said Skene, who is from Cromwell. “My favorite thing is playing with all these international girls. I’ve never experienced that before, and it has taught me so much. I feel like my communication skills have developed so much. They know what we’re talking about but just breaking things down to them in our way, whether basketball or whatever. I give them my point of view and it’s like, ‘Oh we get it!’ but it’s something that goes both ways. All the time, both ways.”
Her two months at PSA have been the classic case of “you get out of it what you put into it.”
She said that some of the conversations she had with her dad before getting to the school revolved around her focusing only on herself as a basketball player. She wasn’t going to talk to any of the guys at the school, she wasn’t going to be too friendly with the other girls. She was just going to worry about getting a college scholarship and getting out.
“That didn’t last. I have just fallen in love with everybody here,” said Skene, who had a team-high 24 points in last Wednesday’s 65-62 loss to Busche Academy in PSA’s season opener. “My teammates, other students, the teachers…everyone is just calm, cool, and collected. People here have a real appreciation for a lot of things.”
The plan is to still earn scholarship offers and to do so she is putting her faith in Canzater to help her but also “trusting the process of having so much fun with my teammates now that I’ve gotten here and experienced everything.”
Kate Lipatova, from Russia added eight points, 17 rebounds, two blocks, and two steals, while Spaniard Carlota Lopez finished with 15 points and four steals.
PSA’s Helin Yoztyurk, from Turkey, had a good look at a potential game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds, but it wouldn’t go down. Tatiana Bell, like Skene a Connecticut native, grabbed 10 rebounds for PSA, which trailed 65-55 with four minutes to go.
“I liked our fight, I liked that we didn’t give up,” Canzater said. “We just continued to make the same mistakes that eventually cost us the game. But we’ll be OK.”
PSA played its second game on Nov. 15. The Mustangs are currently scheduled to be off until Nov. 27 and has its next home game slated for Nov. 29.
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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The following charges were listed in the Putnam Police Department logs. The people charged are innocent until proven guilty in court. The Town Crier will publish dispositions of cases at the request of the accused. The dispositions must be accompanied by the proper documentation. The Putnam Police Department confidential Tip Line is 860-963-0000.
Oct. 31
Kristopher Campion, 40, Smithfield Avenue, Putnam; violation of probation.
Nov. 1
Brandon Cacciapuoti, 23, Woodstock Avenue, Putnam; third-degree assault, disorderly conduct, second-degree criminal mischief.
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OXFORD, Mass. — bankHometown is kicking off the bank’s annual Neighbors Helping Neighbors fund-raising drive for 2023 to help support local food pantries.
This marks the 20th year of the bank’s annual appeal, which invites bank customers, employees, and community members to donate money between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30 to help fight food insecurity.
Those who wish to participate have until Nov. 30 to make their donations. Checks should be made payable to “bankHometown Neighbors” and can be dropped off at any bankHometown branch or mailed to: Mary C. Mulrenin, Executive Secretary, bankHometown, 31 Sutton Ave., Oxford, MA 01450.
Donations of any amount are encouraged.
As an added incentive to give, the bank offers those who donate the opportunity enter a drawing to win a $25 gift card, which will be awarded at each of its 16 locations.
Connecticut Food Pantries: Community Kitchens of Northeastern CT, Killingly, Daily Bread, Putnam, Friends of Assisi, Killingly, Project PIN Food Pantry, Moosup, and Thompson Ecumenical Empowerment Group.
The annual appeal is part of the bank’s charitable giving program, The Giving Tree, which reflects the bank’s commitment to making a real difference in the neighborhoods it serves.
All donations up to $2,500 per customer will be matched dollar for dollar by bankHometown and the total raised will be divided among participating food pantries across Massachusetts and Connecticut in communities the bank serves. In 2022, through contributions and matching donations, the campaign raised more than $66,000, and since inception has donated more than $331,000.
Massachusetts Food Pantries include: Athol Salvation Army Food Pantry, Auburn Youth and Family Services Food Pantry, CARE Food Pantry, Clinton, Food Share, Southbridge, Charlton & Sturbridge, Friendly House Pantry, Worcester, Ginny’s Helping Hand, Inc., Leominster, Millbury Senior Center Food Pantry, Oxford Ecumenical Food Shelf, Sutton Senior Center Michael A. Chizy Food Pantry, St. John’s Food for the Poor, Worcester, St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, Webster.
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Playing with Heart
The Putnam Middle School’s girls’ soccer team ended their season in style. On Halloween they came away with a 2-2 tie in overtime against Parish Hill. Jacci Baumuller, in her second year as coach, said while they didn’t make the championships, “they are a great group of kids who played their hearts out.” In this end of season team photo are: Fifth graders: Brooke Belleville, Makenzi Bellows, Electra Dryer, Madelyn Norman, Haley Sliwoski, Kailyn Smith, Liliana Ward. Sixth graders: Jaelyn Brigham, Autumn Cacciapuoti, Ava Campion, Elaina Farrow, Janessa Johnson, Cassidy Levesque, Lydia Martel, Annaliese Ricard and Zoey Romanchuk. Seventh graders: Ariana Bellanceau-Hart, Erin Dupre, Amber Johnson, Jadelyn Morse, Sydney Kaliszewski, Jaylah Tetreault. Eighth graders: Ingrid Alves and Mary Battersby. The captains are: Jadelyn Morse, Ingrid Alves, Mary Battersby and Lydia Martel.
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PSA falls behind — then
takes a win
SOUTH KENT – It had been a long week for Putnam Science Academy’s Prep soccer team. It was coming off a tough loss in its last game, and then got news that assistant coach Atobra Ampedu was leaving for a job in the college ranks.
Then PSA fell behind South Kent at halftime of Friday’s game, and it all seemed to be snowballing.
But Fran Cuñat scored the equalizing goal around the 60th minute off an assist from Thembani Phoya, and Vuki Jere put PSA ahead for good roughly five minutes later with an assist from Bernardo Vieira.
“I think this game will really boost our confidence as a team,” Jere said of the 2-1 win. “It was a tough week.”
PSA finishes its fall season this week, with games Monday, Friday, and Saturday.
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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