By Ron P. Coderre

It was like a shock wave slicing through Putnam as word of the death of political activist Peter Serafin slowly filtered its way from person to person and throughout the community.  His death came as a surprise to many as Serafin remained active on many committees even at the age of 83.

Mention the name Peter Serafin and most people react with an image of an elderly person involved in the Putnam community, many times on the opposite side of the political equation.  Although he may have been viewed as oppositional, Serafin by nature was a fiscal conservative.  His opinions often emanated from his attempts to save money for the community from what he often saw as wasteful spending.

Despite his often contrary nature, Serafin wasn’t always wrong.  As a man who did his research on issues, he always came armed with material and facts to back his arguments, even if most didn’t agree with his thinking.

But there’s another Peter Serafin that most citizens of Putnam don’t know about or even realize.  At a different time in our country in the mid-1940’s Pete Serafin, much like many others of his generation was a regular high school student at his alma mater, Putnam High School.

During his four years on the campus of PHS, which was located on the corner of Providence and School Streets (where Owen Tarr Field is currently situated), Serafin and his classmates formed a pretty formidable football team.  In the days when players played both ways, offense and defense, Serafin anchored the left side of the line from his tackle position from 1944 until his graduation in 1948.

“Pomfret was sending many students to Putnam in those days.  Our teams ran the single wing offense and we were the weakside tackle and end,” said Pomfret resident and classmate of Serafin’s Stan Sheldon.  “Peter was a tough lineman.  He never gave in to the opposition,” concluded Sheldon.

Although Serafin was not one to attend Clipper sporting events in his adult life, he once refused to accept a season pass to Putnam sporting events, there was a period when he was often spotted in the crowd at Clipper basketball games.  He was there to watch his grandson, John Lamiotte, who was one of Putnam’s top players.  Never one to boast, Serafin did have a special aura at those games.

An instructor at H.H. Ellis Technical School, he also found time to serve his community.  Never one to shirk his community duties, he was a long standing member of the Board of Education and up until the time of his death he served on the Board of Finance and various facility and building committees.  He was a veteran of the Korean War and a member of the Mayotte-Viens American Legion Post #13 of Putnam.

Peter T. Serafin died of natural causes in Rhode Island on January 8, 2014.  He leaves his daughter, Deborah Lamiotte and her husband Joseph and three grandsons.  He was predeceased by his wife, Shirley of 56 years.

Although most people didn’t always agree with his political stances, one thing can be said of Peter T. Serafin, when he believed in something he fought for it to the end, probably a lesson he learned on the football field at Putnam High School.  When the fight was over, win or lose, he was a big enough man to accept the verdict.  His legacy and devotion to Putnam will be remembered for many years.

 

 

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The Pomfret women’s basketball team is enjoying another great season as they either steamroll or squeak by opponents.  Regardless of their methodology they manage to continue to pick up victories behind the fine play of Juliette Lawless, Alyzae Davis and Mary Redmond.

Marianapolis, playing a rugged schedule, is putting it all together behind coach Lauren Moore and Hyde-Woodstock struggles to reach the .500 plateau.

Tourtellotte continues as the top high school quintet despite a week in which it was dropped twice, both times by bigger opponents.  Plainfield riding the coattails of Alicia Cournoyer and Madeline and Adrienne Lorange has already qualified for state tournament play as have the Lady Tigers of coach Carla Faucher.

Griffins and Golden Knights Have Undefeated Weeks

Pomfret School raised its record to 9-1, picking up victories over Suffield Academy and Cushing Academy.  One win was a cakewalk, while the other required overtime to decide the outcome.  Against Suffield the Lady Griffs jumped out to a big 31-16 halftime advantage and rolled to a 63-34 victory.  Rebecca Erosa with 16 points was the high scorer followed by Lawless (15) and Redmond (14).

Pomfret outscored Cushing 37-30 in the first half only to be outscored in the second half by seven before putting the game away in overtime 58-54.  Redmond and Davis with 20 points apiece were immense in victory.

Marianapolis meanwhile picked up wins over The Hun School (61-38), Cheshire Academy (51-22) and Westminster (58-35).  Rachel Aho with 14 points and nine rebounds led the Lady Knights past The Hun School of New Jersey.  Jill Bodreau (11) and Caroline Soucy (10) were also in double figures.

The Golden Knights romped past Cheshire Academy much to the delight of the large home crowd.  Bodreau with 10 points paced a balanced scoring attack.  Soucy stepped into the offensive mode, scoring 17 points to lead the way over Westminster.  She was joined in double digits by Bodreau 12 and Madison Springfield 11.  The team is currently 8-3 overall and 6-2 in the NEPSAC – A.

Hyde-Woodstock, which is 3-5 overall and 2-3 in the SENE lost to St. Andrew’s 42-26 as only Janicha Diaz was able to hit double figures with 11 points.  The Wolfpack came back with a solid 38-12 victory over Williams School.  Diaz (16) and Dossou Ndiaye (17) were the top point producers.

Marianapolis II picked up its second win of the year with a 34-18 romp over Cheshire.  The 2-6 overall and 0-6 SENE Lady Knights were beaten by St. Andrew’s 38-13 in their only other game.

Plainfield and Tourtellotte Tournament Bound

The Plainfield Lady Panthers enjoyed and undefeated week, beating Windham 43-38 and Wheeler 58-32.  Behind Adrienne Lorange (13) Plainfield jumped out to 16-4 first period advantage and never looked back against the Whippets.  In the big win over Wheeler the other half of the Lorange sisters, Madeline had 19 points to pace the 8-3 Plainfield offense.

Tourtellotte stepped out of the ECC Small Division three times and came away with one victory as it now stands at 9-3 on the year.  The Lady Tigers opened the week with a 50-44 win over Killingly.  Sophomore Abby Poirier was the top gun with 19 points.  She was joined in double figures by Nicole Dion with 10 points.  Meagan Bianchi (17) and Karissa Slowik (12) were Killingly’s top scorers.

The Tigers then lost at the hands of Stonington 60-41 and Montville 48-31.  Ali Ablondi (15) and Poirier (10) were the leading Tiger scorers against the Bears.  Ablondi with 15 points once again was the lone double figure scorer in the loss to Montville. Killingly in its only other game lost to Lyman 46-36 despite a 17 point effort by Bianchi and 10 from Slowik.  The Redgals are 1-10 on the season. Putnam, Woodstock and Ellis Tech were all winless in last week’s play.  The 3-6 and 1-2 in the CSC East Division Lady Clippers lost to Windham Tech 49-35 despite 12 points from Makenzie Kaylor and 10 from Cynthia Briere.

Woodstock at 1-11 overall and 0-5 in the ECC Large lost a pair, falling to Fitch 48-34 and Bacon Academy 53-36.  Ellis Tech lost its only contest to Norwich Tech 47-21.  The Lady Eagles are 0-8 and 0-3 in the CSC East.  

Scoring Leaders: Meagan Bianchi – Killingly – 15.8; Janicha Diaz – Hyde-Woodstock – 15.8; Alyzae Davis – Pomfret School – 15.5; Mary Redmond – Pomfret School – 14.5; Ali Ablondi – Tourtellotte – 14.0. Three-point Leaders: Mary Redmond – Pomfret School – 17; Adrienne Lorange – Plainfield – 16.

 

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Guarding

Cody White of Putnam, a security agent at MAPFRE, guards the 2013 World Series trophy with Red Sox mascot “Wally the Green Monster.” Courtesy photo.

 

 

 

 

By Ron P. Coderre

This week’s RPC sporty shout out is sent along to James Frost, owner of the Courthouse Restaurant in Putnam.  Frost is a former Putnam High School football lineman.  Today he confines his athletic endeavors to golf and occasionally riding his bicycle.

Working in security can often be a lonesome job.  Making rounds on off hours.  Very few people to interact with on evening and overnight shifts.  But sometimes an event comes along that is a lifetime moment that will be etched in ones memory forever.  Just such a moment occurred recently for Putnam resident Cody White.

White, who is a 2010 graduate of H.H. Ellis Technical School in Dayville, is currently employed in security at MAPFRE (the former Commerce Insurance) in Webster, Mass.  The company recently had a distinguished visitor at its location.  Wally the Green Monster, the mascot of the Boston Red Sox and a very good friend of Jerry Remy, was at MAPFRE for a visit.  Wally was accompanied by a treasure that not many folks get the opportunity to see in person, the Red Sox 2013 World Series trophy.

While the trophy was at MAPFRE, one of the Red Sox major sponsors, White was assigned to guard the precious award and protect Wally from the many fans who wanted to get a piece of their hero.  According to White, this is one of the benefits that comes along only rarely in his type of work.  But he took it all in stride, like a pro, much like Wally.

When he was at Ellis Tech, White was a member of the Eagles wrestling team.  He is a black belt in tang soo do and a member of the Putnam Fire Department.

Recently White was a patient at Day Kimball Hospital where he underwent a successful planned shoulder surgery, which was not related to the “man hug” he received from his new found friend, Wally the Green Monster.

Coaches In The House

The success of the Putnam Science Academy basketball team has been attracting coaches from throughout the region and the country to the Mustangs’ gym.  On Jan. 10 the team entertained Believe Prep from South Carolina.  One of the spectators in the crowded bandbox was Providence College coach Ed Cooley.

According to reports, Cooley was there to scout one of the guards from the Rock Hill, S.C., team but walked out being more impressed with one of the Believe big men.  The Scientists won the game over Believe, which was ranked 12th in the nation, by a 105-77 margin.  Maybe Cooley should have been looking at some of the Putnam Science Academy players instead.

Also on hand was Assumption College assistant coach Dan Wendt a graduate of Chaminade in Hawaii.  According to word around the Worcester campus, the Greyhounds are interested in the Scientists’ 6-foot, 4-inch Anthony “Bull” Durham who comes from Philadelphia.  Wendt also alluded that they think very highly of 6-7 Jalen “The Alaskan Husky” Terry.  Durham is a player who can handle the rock and shoots it well.  He’s capable of playing guard or small forward.  Terry shoots the ball from beyond the arc well for a big man and is a rugged rebounder.

UConn Husky On The Bench

The young ladies from Marianapolis who play for coach Lauren Moore are fortunate to play for an individual who brings a wealth of coaching experience to the Golden Knights program.  There’s also an added bonus for playing in the Marianapolis girls’ program.

Heather Buck, the former UConn Husky, has been working with the team as an assistant coach as her time allows.  Buck has been conveying techniques, especially defense and inside play, she learned from coach Geno Auriemma during her five seasons on the team.

Buck, who hails from Stonington, was the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year when she was a senior for the Bears.  As a high school player she scored more than 2000 points during her career.  Although relegated to a substitute role at UConn during her time at Storrs, she did have some moments where she played key minutes in games that kept the team’s record winning streak alive.

A magna cum laude graduate, Buck is currently working as a nurse.  She recently became engaged to her fiancé, whom we understand was a football player for the Huskies.

Spotted In The Crowd

When the University of New Haven Chargers visited Worcester to play Assumption College a large contingent of northeastern Connecticut individuals was on hand.  Coach Tom Espinosa along with his assistants Josh Scraba and Ryan Walsh brought the Putnam Science Academy team to see the game because one of the New Haven players is a former Mustang.

Jemal Mosely, who last season helped PSA to a 22-8 record, is a member of the Chargers of coach Ted Hotaling.  Mosely has been seeing plenty of action as the first sub off the bench for the 10-4 Chargers.

Also spotted in the crowd was former Plainfield High School great Wayne Irons along with his wife, son and grandson.  Irons, who was one of the best baseball players to grace the diamond in Plainfield, later went on to an illustrious softball career.  He’s a member of the Connecticut Softball Hall of Fame.  His son Mark is a graduate of Assumption College.

Pam Lomerson of Killingly was one of the officials working the LeMoyne College versus Assumption women’s contest Jan. 14.  Lomerson is a highly respected NCAA referee who works approximately 65 Division I and II women’s contests each basketball season.

Catching Up With College Players

Two college freshmen, who last season were playing on different courts in Putnam, recently turned in stellar performances for their college teams.  Former Putnam Clipper Ashley Espinosa, currently at Worcester State University, had the best game of her young college career when she tallied 15 points in a tough setback at the hands of Keene State.  She followed that performance with four points against Becker College despite being saddled with foul trouble.

Paul Brooks, the former Putnam Science Academy Mustang who is currently a member of the Worcester State University Lancers, was named the MASCAC Men’s Basketball Rookie of the Week.  Brooks averaged 11 points and 8.5 rebounds during the week of his selection.  Through the first 13 games of the season Brooks is averaging 5.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest, he also leads the team in blocks with 13.  The best performance for the 6-9 center/forward was a 14-point, 10-rebound and two block game in a victory over MCLA.

The Quinnipiac University duo of Ike Azotam and Ousmane Drame continues to be the top performers for the Bobcats.  The former Marianapolis standouts led coach Tom Moore’s team to victories over MAAC top ranked teams Iona and Manhattan.

Finally, Dayshon “Scoochie” Smith, the former PSA standout, now a member of the University of Dayton Flyers, is becoming a regular on television.  Smith and the Flyers were seen recently on ESPN2 and SNY.  He’s averaging about 15 minutes per game for coach Archie Miller.

From The Annals Of Putnam Sports History…

January 13, 1906: On Saturday afternoon, the young ladies’ team of Woodstock Academy will play the young ladies’ team of Killingly High in Danielson.  All ladies are invited to attend.  Gentlemen will not be allowed to attend.  (Information contributed by Willie Zamagni)

RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: “Be yourself.  Everyone else is already taken.”  Oscar Wilde

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