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caption, page 2:
Clears
Woodstock Academy’s Dylan Ponkala clears 7 feet in the pole vault. Courtesy photo.
It was not a good day for a track meet for a number of reasons.
Due to a postponement because of weather earlier in the month, the boys’ and girls’ meet with Fitch was moved to April 18.
It put it right in the middle of spring break.
“We were missing a quarter of our kids. Plus another couple who were ill. So it was tough having it during vacation,” said Woodstock Academy boys coach Peter Lusa.
The Centaurs didn’t fare so well in the team competitions.
The boys lost to Fitch in the meet on the South Campus track, 95-56, while the girls fell to the Falcons, 102-44.
The lack of competitors changed the philosophy of the Woodstock Academy athletes involved.
“At a meet like this where we’re missing a lot of people, it’s more about personal bests and qualifying,” said senior sprinter Kennedy Davignon.
Getting mentally focused to compete was also a little more difficult.
“We kind of like to stay home and getting up early for practice was tough,” Davignon said.
To add insult to injury, the weather didn’t exactly cooperate.
Temperatures were in the 40s, the sun stayed behind the clouds and a gusty wind just made it all the more uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, that has been par for the course for outdoor track so far this season.
“We have really only had one nice day of practice. Last Saturday (April 14) it was in the 50s, maybe low 60s, with light breezes and it felt like outdoor track for the kids and coaches. I can’t imagine where we would be as a team if we had had two weeks of that kind of weather for practice,” Lusa said.
Davignon was one of the few who garnered a first-place finish for the Centaurs (1-1) girls.
She won the 400 meter in 1 minute, nine seconds which was five seconds better than her nearest competitor.
But it wasn’t easy.
Davignon said the home front stretch was a bear as the athletes had to compete with a pretty stiff head wind.
“I wasn’t expecting it because the wind has been along the backstretch all day. When I came around the (final) turn, I felt the wind hit me and I wasn’t really ready for it, but ran through it anyway,” Davignon said.
Davignon also finished third in the 100 meter.
Fellow senior Lyndsey O’Dea won the high jump (4 feet, 8 inches) and freshman Eliza Dutson was tops in the javelin (95-9).
Boys’ Results:
The boys’ team had the same conditions to deal with on the track.
“It’s very windy, very cold,” senior mid-distance runner and hurdler Natanael Colon said. “It hasn’t been the easiest. I can’t wait for it to get warmer. I think I will really be able to improve my times once it warms up.”
Colon didn’t have an awful day for himself.
He established a personal best in the 400 meter, crossing the line in 56 seconds flat, just 40- one hundredths of a second ahead of Fitch runner Tom Readett.
“That really pushes me,” Colon said of the late challenge. “My time was all right, not what I was hoping for, but I still got first place which was nice.”
Colon also was part of a 110m hurdle sweep by the Centaurs.
Dan Creme finished first in 18.4 seconds followed closely behind by Colon (18.6) and Adam Schimmelpfennig.
Nathan Craig brought home a first-place finish in the triple jump (31-11.5)
Senior Mark Dumas set a new mark for himself to challenge in the outdoor season by throwing the shotput 46-10, teammate Connor Huda was second.
Other personal bests included Lucas Couture (9-6) and Nik Jackubowski (9-0) in the pole vault.
The kids have been practicing in this cold weather so I’m kind of pleased with their performances in the (Wednesday),” Lusa said.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
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Selectman
vacancy
filled by
E. Chase
POMFRET — The Pomfret Board of Selectmen’s vacancy has been filled. First Selectman Maureen Nicholson, a Democrat, nominated Ellsworth Chase, a Republican, to fill the vacancy created by Republican Pam Lewerenz’s resignation on March 31.
Selectman Patrick McCarthy (D) seconded the nomination and Chase was approved unanimously.
The three-member board of Nicholson, McCarthy, and Lewerenz was elected in November 2017. The vacancy had to be filled by a Republican due to the make-up of the board and because the seat was vacated by a Republican. All three members of the board will be up for election in November 2019.
“I am looking forward to working with Ellsworth. I have known him for years and he has a history of community involvement and volunteering; he will represent the citizens of Pomfret fairly, respectfully, and understands Pomfret. He will be a great asset to the board,” said Nicholson.
Chase, a graduate of Pomfret Community School, grew up on a family farm in Pomfret that dates back to 1800s. He left Pomfret in 1969 to pursue a career in sales and service with Technology Service Companies. He lived in five Connecticut counties, traveled throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia before retiring in 2009 and returning to the family homestead.
Since coming home to Pomfret Chase has been active in a Planning and Zoning study committee, a startup member and chairman of the Pomfret Agricultural Commission, a member of the Pomfret Lions, an active volunteer with the Boy Scouts, and a member of the Pomfret Republican Town Committee. Married to Patty since 1967, the Chases have three grown children and five grandsons.
Several residents expressed interest in filling the vacancy. “I am glad we opened it up and gave people the opportunity to think about getting involved,” said Selectman McCarthy. “Our community depends on citizen involvement and volunteerism. We need to encourage more residents to get involved to make our town the best it can be.”
Ellsworth Chase will be sworn in and his first official meeting will be at 7 p.m. May 7 at the Pomfret Community Senior Center.
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Lacrosse
team rules
win column
Spring break is not easy on athletic teams.
The Woodstock Academy girls’ lacrosse team was missing some 15 players over the course of the week. It didn’t hurt them in the win-loss column.
The Centaurs rolled past Norwich Free Academy early in the week, for just the second time in the history of the program, 11-5. After their game with Northwest Catholic was postponed by inclement weather and field conditions, the weather cleared April 21 and allowed the Centaurs to score an 8-3 win over RHAM High School in Hebron.
It gave the Centaurs a 3-0 record to start the season.
“I’m surprised, but we’re just pushing forward. We are going to keep going,” said coach Kathleen Johnson.
The key last week was the play of freshman Bridget Horst.
Horst scored three goals and added an assist in the win over the Sachems. That followed a four-goal effort against the Wildcats in less than ideal conditions earlier in the week.
While Horst is a first year player for the Centaurs, she is not new to the game.
“I’ve been playing for seven years. I like soccer and hockey, but I like lacrosse the most,” Horst said.
Johnson was familiar with the freshman before she came to The Academy.
She coached her in Pomfret youth lacrosse several years ago.
“She is a phenomenal athlete who comes from a family of phenomenal athletes,” Johnson said.
Horst showed off her abilities quickly against NFA.
In a game played in less than ideal conditions at the Bentley Athletic Complex where temperatures were in the 40s, the wind was gusty and biting and, to add insult, rain and sleet intermittently joined the fun, Horst was steadfast.
Just 10 seconds into the game, Horst found herself with the ball in front of the net and had an open shot.
She hardly hesitated, putting it past NFA goalie Jillian Brunelli.
“I hope I’m fitting in pretty well,” the freshman said afterward.
Most would agree that she has.
“She is just a joy to have for her talent, her leadership on the field, but also her lacrosse IQ,” Centaurs coach Kathleen Johnson said. “People don’t realize when they are watching how many times she uses her left hand, or she fakes, or knows who to go to. It’s her knowledge of the game that helps us so much as well.”
NFA rallied to take the lead on goals by Kathleen Kelly and Elefteria Kilimos, but Arielle Johnson (2 goals, 1 assist) tied it for the Centaurs with 15:38 left in the first half.
Horst then put Woodstock ahead to stay on a free position goal with 9:54 left. After Julia Schad scored for the Centaurs, Horst completed her hat trick on a goal with 3:34 left.
Two Ivy Gelhaus goals put the Centaurs up at the half, 6-2.
“It was important to get off to a good start,” said Kathleen Johnson. “Our game this year is a running game, a transition game, we want to push it from the beginning because we have phenomenal athletes. We need to come out tough.”
The Centaurs not only came out tough, they stayed tough.
They were even better in the second half, dominating possession, and holding the Wildcats to three shots in the first 15 minutes.
“What you saw was our draw control.” Kathleen Johnson said. “Just having Emma Redfield and Ivy Gelhaus on the circle with Bridget is so important. They are just awesome on ground balls and control.”
Against RHAM April 21, Arielle Johnson (1 assist) and Redfield each scored two goals while Emma Ciquera had the other.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
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Declares
Putnam Science Academy alum and University of Kentucky freshman Hamidou Diallo declared for the NBA draft. Diallo was a redshirt freshman this past year and will sign with an agent. Diallo started every game this year for Kentucky and was an instrumental piece in there SEC Championship and run to the Sweet 16. Diallo averaged 10 points and four rebounds for the year. In the Wildcats NCAA tournament second round game against Buffalo, Diallo scored 22 points and had a thunderous windmill dunk to secure the victory. Diallo is the Mustangs all-time leading scorer and is the first Mustangs projected to be drafted. “It’s truly hard to believe to think that Hamidou will be drafted in the NBA this coming June. Can’t begin to tell you how excited I am for Hamidou and his family,” said coach Tom Espinosa. “Hamidou has come such a long way and it’s been so special to see.” Diallo played three seasons on the Maple Street campus and graduated in 2016. Courtesy photo.
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Then
The former SNET building in the Flood of 1955.
& Now
It is now a multi-story Frontier.