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- Category: Past Issues
By Ron P. Coderre
Today’s sporty hello goes out to former Putnam High School football standout Dan Goyette. He currently is general manager of Putnam Ford. Goyette remains in great shape by running and sticking to his regimented workout routine. Enjoy RPC’s column, Dan.
As the high school baseball season winds down only four local teams, Ellis Tech, Killingly and Plainfield in Class M and Putnam in Class S garnered the minimum number of wins to qualify for the CIAC postseason tournament. The Redmen are the only team with a record good enough to host a game, as they’ll entertain 17th-ranked Holy Cross of Waterbury. The Techsters travel to Lewis Mills, while Plainfield makes the dreaded journey to Ansonia. Putnam ranked 22nd plays number 11 Westbrook. Unfortunately, Tourtellotte and Woodstock fell by the wayside early.
Despite the short baseball season, Tri-Town American Legion senior and junior coaches Paul Faucher and Scott Marquis are anxious to greet, what they’re hoping will be a large contingent of high school players for the Zone VI summer circuit. The Tri-Town entry recently did something that it has never done in the past and that was to conduct a preseason meeting and optional workout for interested players on May 30 and 31 at the Tourtellotte Memorial High School. This was done as a way of encouraging players to be part of the great summer past time.
The official tryouts for the team are scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, June 6, 7 and 8, also at Tourtellotte. The final day of tryouts will be followed by the player/parent meeting at 7 p.m. June 8 at American Legion Post #67 in Thompson.
The season officially kicks off on June 12. The junior team opens the season at home, while the seniors are on the road. The following evening, June 13, the seniors open their home season with a game, broadcast live by WINY Radio with sports director John Wilbur behind the mic. A full opening day ceremony is planned for both teams. Tourtellotte graduate Haley Anderson will sing the National Anthem and the Post #13 American Legion color guard will present the colors.
Anyone interested in more information regarding the upcoming season is urged to contact yours truly, RPC, at 860 942-7243 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Joe Lindley at 860 928-5527 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
As an avid baseball man interested in baseball in northeastern Connecticut, I’m hoping that the players who come out this year will truly be the group that can say, years down the road, “we helped turn Tri-Town American Legion Baseball around.”
Academy Golf Solid Tee to Green…
The fledgling Woodstock Academy girls’ golf team, under the direction of coach Randy Weigand, continues to spread its wings as it develops a winning tradition much like that of their male counterparts.
In the recently concluded 2012 ECC Tournament, played at Quinnatisset Country Club in Thompson, the Lady Centaurs finished second to Norwich Free Academy by a mere six strokes. The Wildcats finished with a team score of 199, while Woodstock posted a 205. The top individual performer for Woodstock was third-place finisher Elaina Becher with a nine-hole score of 45, just four strokes off the winning score of 41 posted by Barbara Wilson of East Lyme. Second place went to Nicole Ager of Waterford at 44.
Stacy Baranski finished fifth overall in the individual play with a 48, Mikaela Bembenek came in at 51, Sothea Semmelrock at 61 and Joelle Morrone at 68.
The Woodstock boys of coach Rich Garceau also finished second in the ECC to the Windham Whippets as they were unable to defend the title they’ve held for the past two seasons. The Whippets posted a team score of 309 compared to the Acads 321. Two Centaurs posted scores of 75 at Stonington Country Club to finish tied for first place in individual play. Greg Pike and Paul Butkevich tied for the top individual spot with Windham’s Mike Morrow.
Other local finishers included Tourtellotte’s Mike Jezierski (78); Ryan Willis, Woodstock (80); Jeff Clang, Killingly (83) and Matt Witkowski, Tourtellotte (83); and Jake Roy, Tourtellotte (85).
The Woodstock boys concluded the regular season with a 12-3 overall log and a 9-1 record in the ECC Large Division, good for a second-place finish. The Centaurs are preparing to move on to the CIAC State Tournament.
Tigers Gendreau 1st Team All Star…
Ashley Gendreau, Tourtellotte’s versatile softball player, was the lone local ECC All Star First Team selection in the Small Division, as the conference handed out its postseason awards. Gendreau, a junior, was the Lady Tigers top hitter. Although the team won only four games, she was the ace of the staff. When she wasn’t in the circle, Gendreau played just about every position in the infield. Ashley is the daughter of John and Justine Gendreau of Quinebaug.
Gendreau’s teammate Jes Mason garnered Honorable Mention honors, while Liz Coty won the Sportsmanship Award.
In the Medium Division, the quartet of Danielle Hewitt, Mikayla Pasco, Bryana Pilozzi and Alexa Weber of Killingly were Honorable Mention, while Hannah Guari was selected for the Sportsmanship Award. Vanessa Valenti of Woodstock Academy received the Sportsmanship Award in the Large Division.
Quinny Hosting C of C Tournament…
The local golf tournament season is underway with the playing of the St. James Memorial Golf Tournament at Foster Country Club on May 30 and the Ronald P. Coderre Putnam Rotary Club Golf Tournament on June 1 at Connecticut National Golf Club.
On the heels of these two events is the Northeastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce Golf Invitational scheduled for June 13 at Quinnatisset Country Club. Tee off in the shotgun scramble event is set for 11 a.m. Entry fee for individual golfers is $125 per player or $500 per foursome.
According to Donald St. Onge, chairman of the annual tournament, sponsorships are available at a variety of levels including, Title ($2500); Double Eagle ($1500); Eagle ($1000); Green ($250); and Tee ($100). Entry fee and sponsorships include golf and cart, raffle, skins and the famous “eat all day” food service. Other opportunities are also available to win special prizes.
To register send information and check made out to NCCC-Golf Invitational, 3 Central St., Suite #3, Danielson, CT 06239.
RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: Notice found in a church bulletin: Ladies of the church who have cast off clothing of every kind can be seen in the church basement on Friday afternoon.