- Details
- Category: Past Issues
By Ron P. Coderre
The 58th annual Putnam High School Alumni Athletic Association Awards Banquet, June 6, hosted an overflow crowd of parents, friends, faculty, administration, government leaders and athletes who were treated to an exciting program and the famous Elks steak dinner.
The 2012 Putnam High School Male and Female Athlete of the Year winners were: Dino Porcic, the Clippers basketball scoring machine was named the Male recipient. In September Porcic will attend Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts, where he will play for the Bisons. Christie Austin, who’ll be attending Quinebaug Valley Community College in September, was the Female honoree. Austin was a basketball and softball standout for the Clippers.
Other award recipients were: Baseball – Paul Fall Award, Jesse Alexander; Baseball – Unsung Hero, Tyler Genest; Basketball - Cheerleading, Maddie LeDuc; Basketball – William Simonzi Award, Dino Porcic; Basketball Unsung Hero, Chase Lessard; Female Basketball - Outstanding Player, Ashley Espinosa; Female Basketball Unsung Hero, Christie Austin; Football - Cheerleading, Brianna Hill; Football - Peter Caplette Award, Tyler Genest; Football – Omer Valade Award, Ramon Rodgers; Football – MVP, Jesse Alexander; Golf – Jeffrey P. Jankot Award, Alec Foucault; Soccer – Outstanding Male, Caleb Gonyer; Soccer – Male Unsung Hero, Patrick Bieger; Soccer – Outstanding Female, Abbie Allard; Soccer – Female Unsung Hero, Courtney Lavoie; Softball – Outstanding Player, Holly Desrosiers; Softball – Unsung Hero, Megan Heaney; Volleyball – Outstanding Performer, Kaylee Shippee; Volleyball – Unsung Hero, Zandelee van Niekerk; Cross Country – Male MVP, Mitchell Cristofori; Cross Country – Female MVP, Jaylin Greene; Track – Paul J. Bourgeois Award, Tristen Diselets; Field – George W. St. Marie Award, Nick Carvalho; Track and Field Unsung hero, Brandon Roethel; Track – Female Outstanding Performer, Alexis Rogers; Field – Female Outstanding Performer, Jen Berti; Track and Field – Unsung Hero, Jaylin Greene; All State Recognition, Alec Foucault.
Megan Heaney, who will be attending Franklin Pierce University, was awarded the PHSAAA Scholarship of $500. The PHSAAA President’s Award was presented to the Putnam Lions Club.
Maurice “Moe” Coderre, a 1962 Putnam High School three-sport athlete and Clipper football co-captain, gave the Invocation and sang his now famous rendition of the National Anthem. John Wilbur, WINY Radio 1350 Sports Director was the Master of Ceremonies. In 1954 a group of former Putnam High School athletes and local businessmen headed by the late Francis “Frank” Wallen created the idea of forming the association as a way of honoring Clipper athletes. And 58 years later the organization is still going strong.
In the early years the banquet was held in the Putnam gymnasium but moved later to the new Putnam cafeteria. In recent years the Putnam Elks have hosted the association and the athletes. Over the years the banquet has had a variety of speakers from professional athletes from the Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics to noted college coaches and former college players.
Andre LaFleur, associate head men’s basketball coach at Big East Providence College, was the featured speaker of the evening. LaFleur served in a similar capacity for many seasons at UConn for coach Jim Calhoun. He currently works for the Friars head mentor Ed Cooley.
LaFleur urged the student athletes to work hard at everything they do in life if they wish to be successful. Although not everyone will be an All-American of a professional athlete hard work in the classroom and on the field always turns out champions was his message.