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By Ron P. Coderre
Today’s RPC sporty hello goes out to Putnam good guy Peter Benoit. One of the community’s true cheerleaders, Benoit is active in the Putnam Rotary Club and on the Town of Putnam Board of Finance. Whenever he has an opportunity he enjoys getting out on the golf course with his sons.
A local baseball product from Brooklyn was recently honored by the New England Collegiate Conference. Tom Desrosier, a senior at Mitchell College in New London, was accorded first team all-conference honors for his play at 2nd base during the past spring season.
Derosier, who plays for former Plainfield High School standout and current Mitchell College coach Travis Beausoleil, batted a solid .299 on the season with 23 runs-batted-in to his credit. Derosier, who started in 27 of the 28 Mariners’ games, was the glue up the middle for Mitchell where he teamed with shortstop Nick Carlson of East Lyme to form a terrific double play combination. The Mariners finished the season with a 10-18 mark and 9-9 in the NECC. He was the only first team all-conference selection for Mitchell.
Many will remember Derosier as a three-sport star at Killingly High School where he played soccer, basketball and baseball. On the basketball court, where he played for his dad Scott Derosier, he is best remembered for his long range shooting prowess.
Killingly’s Liebscher Records Hole-in-One Versus Plainfield…
Killingly High School golfer Kyle Liebscher stunned his playing partners when he aced the tricky par-3, 9th hole at Connecticut National Golf Club in a match against Plainfield High School. The 9th, which plays anywhere from 123 yards to 173 yards, is heavily protected by a big slope on the left side of the green, a bunker in the front of the hole and no man’s land to the right. All shots hit to the left will roll toward the green.
Liebscher, playing in the match against Plainfield, helped the Redmen of coach Kevin Marcoux to an easy 6 ½ to ½ victory over the Panthers with his ace. On the season, thanks to shots like Liebscher’s ace and the solid play of Killingly’s #1 man, Jeff Clang, the team is sporting a 5-8-1 overall record and a 1-5 log in the Eastern Connecticut Conference Medium Division.
The shot, which brought a huge smile to Liebscher’s face, was heard by the foursomes in front of and behind Liebscher’s group.
Brian LaHair Tearing Up
National League Pitching…
The name Brian LaHair probably doesn’t ring a bell to people in Putnam or the area, except maybe in the town of Thompson. LaHair, in fact, should be the pride of Thompson at this point in time.
Brian LaHair is the 29 year old starting first baseman for the Chicago Cubs of the National League. He’s currently hitting a lofty .354, which places him third in the league among batting leaders. He’s also among the leaders in home runs with eight and has 18 runs-batted-in. The Cubs under new General Manager Theo Epstein (the name ring a bell?) have so much faith in LaHair that they traded away their former first baseman Carlos Pena.
LaHair was born in Worcester but spent some time during his Little League days living in Thompson. While in Thompson he was the scourge of the Thompson Little League, hitting home runs at an unbelievable pace, Legend has it that there was a point where opposing managers would order their pitchers to walk him intentionally rather than risk a home run.
The history of the 6-foot, 5-inch, 240-pound first baseman includes high school at Holy Name Catholic High School in Worcester. He was signed originally by the Seattle Mariners and made his Major League debut in 2008, where he played in 45 games, batting .250 with three homeruns. In 2011 he played most of the season in the AAA Pacific Coast League with the Iowa Cubs and had such a great season, he was voted the league’s Most Valuable Player. The Cubs brought him up at the tail end of the season for 20 games, mostly in the outfield. During that stint he batted .288 with two home runs.
If you’d like to get an opportunity to see Brian LaHair play, you can do so by tuning to TV station WGN in Chicago, where many of the Cubs games are carried. He’s a treat to see in action.
Local Connections
with the Connecticut Storm…
The CT Storm is a Connecticut Girls Basketball Program that stretches up and down the area that we know as Eastern Connecticut. The program provides basketball experiences for young ladies from Grade 5 through its premier and selects teams in Grade 11.
In the mix of teams are a number of local participants and coaches, who devote numerous hours in bringing teaching to aspiring players. Former Plainfield High School great Jan Koivisto is the coach of the Grade 5 Premier team, which features his daughter Ariana Koivisto. The Grade 9 Premier team is coached by Putnam’s basketball ambassador Willie Bousquet. He’s assisted by Mandi Hogan, who just also happens to be his assistant at Putnam High School during the regular season. A member of his team is a Lady Clipper Cynthia Briere. Woodstock Academy standout Lindsey Weigand is a member of the Grade 11 Select team.
This is the 17th year that the program has been teaching the young lady basketball hopefuls.
Father John O’Neill Redux…
St. Mary Church had a surprise preacher over the Mother’s Day weekend in the person of Father John O’Neill, pastor of St. James Church in Danielson. Father O’Neill who is a natural in the pulpit, once again regaled those assembled as he was able mix a religious message, with humor and a little bit of sports. You’re welcomed at St. Mary whenever you wish to take the 10-mile trip from Danielson, Father John.
RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: Without sports, what would we read in the bathroom?