By Ron P. Coderre
This week’s RPC sporty shout out is sent along to all our faithful readers with wishes for a warm, peaceful and blessed Thanksgiving Day.  This national holiday which originated with the Pilgrims in 1621 to celebrate the first harvest of the Plymouth Colony is America’s singular holiday that takes a moment to stop, pause and say thanks for all that we’ve been provided as a nation.  Enjoy the day, hopefully surrounded by family and friends.
Cleaning out the sports desk in-box prior to the end of the year there are tidbits of sports chaff that need to be written because they involve the good folks who make up the fabric of the northeastern Connecticut sports community.
Keeping Up With MPS Grads
It’s nice to see former local players performing well on the college hardwood.  Two former Marianapolis grads, Ike Azotam and Ousame Drame continue to spark coach Tom Moore’s Quinnipiac Bobcats.
In a recent 79-69 victory over the University of Albany, Drame led the Bobcats with 18 points and 10 rebounds as he recorded his 10th career double-double at Quinnipiac.  The 6-foot, 9-inch Drame, who is a junior, has continued to improve season by season and game by game.  
In the Albany victory Azotam posted eight points in a steady performance.  In a 71-68 win over Hampton, Azotam had a double-double, recording 12 points and 13 caroms.  That evening Azotam climbed into the eighth place on Quinnipiac’s all-time scoring list.  Drame added 13 points in the victory as the Bobcats raised their record to 3-1 on the season.
Wedding Bells
Congratulations and best wishes for a happy and healthy life together to former Killingly High School coach Scott Desrosiers and his soon-to-be bride Annie Scott.  The couple will be tying the knot the day after Thanksgiving in a quiet ceremony in the presence of their respective families.
Desrosiers, one of Killingly’s top athletes in his heyday, was the successful coach of the Redmen for many years, retiring from the coaching ranks two years ago.  He’s the radio commentary voice of WINY baseball with John Wilbur and occasionally fills in on basketball broadcasts.
RPC says thumbs up to the lovely couple.
Kudos to a Great Guy
Dan Durand, the TriTown American Legion Junior Baseball coach, has another life off the diamond.  A military veteran, Durand has been attending Three Rivers Community College and working on a degree in nursing since being honorably discharged.
Now in his Semester II affiliation, the soon to be RN was the recent recipient of the prestigious “Excellence in Bedside Nursing Award” given by the school.  Durand is one of approximately 300 individuals who were eligible for the award.
It’s no surprise that he garnered this recognition.  Watching Durand on the baseball diamond with the young men under his tutelage, he’s a perfect role model.  Always respectful and understanding of the needs of teens, Durand in his own inimitable style is able to teach winning baseball while seamlessly melding his style with teaching his players what it takes to be a success in life.
Everyone associated with the TriTown Program is very proud of you Nurse Dan.
College Basketball Agreeing with Former Clipper
Former Putnam High School basketball standout Ashley Espinosa is transitioning to the college hoop scene in a satisfactory fashion.  While at Putnam during her four years, Espinosa was plagued with knee problems that hampered her performance.  Despite the nagging injury she proved to be one of the area’s top players and the leader of coach Willie Bousquet’s team.
Espinosa is currently a freshman at Worcester State University where she is averaging 13 minutes per game.  She’s the first player off the bench for the Lady Lancers.  The team is 2-1 early in its season, which started with an exhibition contest against Division I University of New Hampshire.  In her baptism to college basketball against UNH, Espinosa had two points, one rebound and one steal.
At Worcester State she’s following in the footsteps of her famous Uncle Tom Espinosa and his wife, the former Trish Cushing.  Both Tom and Trish were captains of their respective teams at WSU.  
Northeastern Connecticut Prominent at Assumption Basketball Game
On Saturday, November 23 when the Assumption College men’s and women’s basketball teams squared off against St. Anselm’s College there was a definite northeastern Connecticut flavor to both games.
In the lid lifter, which saw the Greyhound ladies lose by three points in overtime, the head referee for the contest was Danielson resident Pam Lomerson.  In the nightcap the referee was Marek Drabinski, the baseball coach at Brown University.  Drabinski is a familiar face to local high school basketball from his days as an Eastern Board 8 ref, when he was a frequent whistle blower in the region.
Spotted in the stands was Marianapolis girls’ basketball player Nicole Viselli, who recently signed a National Letter of Intent to play next season at Post University in Waterbury.  She was on hand to watch her sister, Ashley Viselli, who is a senior at St. A’s.
From The Annals Of Putnam Sports History
November 1903: In basketball, Putnam High School defeated Woodstock 17-6 at the Armory.  (Information contributed by Willie Zamagni)
RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: “Let us, on the day set aside for this purpose, give thanks to the Ruler of the universe for the strength which he has vouchsafed us to carry on our daily labors and for the hope that lives within us of the coming of a day when peace and the productive activities of peace shall reign on every continent.”  Franklin D. Roosevelt, Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, October 31, 1939

By Ron P. Coderre
The days of the 2013 football season are dwindling down quickly.  High school teams are preparing for Thanksgiving Day but in the meantime two games were played last week with disappointing results for the two local entries.
Killingly traveled to Stonington and were mauled by the Bears 41-18.  Closer to home, Plainfield entertained Jonathan Law from the Southern Connecticut Conference Division II West and suffered a disappointing 36-20 setback.
In years past Killingly had some pretty good football players whose last names were Poirier.  Unfortunately for the Redmen this year’s edition of the Stonington Bears has a running back by the name of Zach Poirier.  Following Thursday evening’s game, Killingly probably doesn’t want to hear that name ever again.
Poirier ran for four touchdowns on scampers of 5, 61, 72 and 67 yards, while amassing 158 yards on 13 carries.  He was the major difference in the outcome.  Within the space of approximately four minutes Poirier scored his 61 and 72-yard touchdowns.  The second one was the clincher.
Trailing 21-12, the Redmen attempted a squib kick as a way of keeping the ball for Poirier.  The kick was so good that it bounced over the first two receiving lines and into the hands of, you guessed it, Poirier who went 72 yards to paydirt.  From that point on it was Katie bar the door.
Killingly had some bright spots as Tyler Stucke showed some of his early season form, running for 149 yards on 16 carries, with one of his runs a 58-yard TD tally.  Michael Elsey continued to shine, catching a Nick Hewitt 34-yard pass for a score.  And the Redmen witnessed the return of freshman quarterback Kyle Derosier, who was 5-10 for 64 6ards and a touchdown toss.
The loss prevents the Redmen from posting a winning record as they stand at 4-6 overall and 2-3 in the ECC Medium Division entering the season finale on Thanksgiving Day.
Plainfield fell behind Jonathan Law 16-6 at halftime because when they had the opportunities in the red-zone they were unable to capitalize.  Meanwhile the Lawmen with their Navy-style offense befuddled the Panther defense.  The combination of squandered chances and porous defense was Plainfield’s downfall.
Plainfield got touchdowns from Cody Alday (27-yard run), Kade Amster (1-yard run) and Tyler Ballard (39-yard pass from quarterback Steve Jankowski) but it wasn’t enough to put them over the top.
The loss snapped Plainfield’s three-game winning streak and put them at 5-5 entering its Turkey Day contest against archrival Griswold.
Extra Points
Plainfield’s loss to Jonathan Law hurt in more ways than one.  The Panthers two premier running backs, Jordan Federer and Cody Alday both left the game with ankle injuries…Panthers quarterback Steve Jankowski had a good night despite the final outcome.  He carried the ball 16 times for 84 yards and was 5-14-88 in the air and a touchdown…Killingly welcomed back freshman signal caller Kyle Derosier, who split time under center with Nick Hewitt in the Stonington game…Killingly had an opportunity to play spoiler and keep Stonington from the postseason playoffs.  The Redmen will have one more chance to burst a bubble when they face Quinebaug Pride, which is just ahead of the Bears in the CIAC Point Standings…Should the Pride prevail on Thanksgiving Day they should be the final entry in the Class M Postseason picture…This week’s games include Woodstock at Windham on Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m.; Thanksgiving Day - Plainfield at Griswold (10 a.m.); Quinebaug Pride at Killingly (10:30 a.m.).
Putnam Town Crier Super Standings: Quinebaug Pride – 8-2; Hyde-Woodstock – 6-2; Plainfield – 5-5; Pomfret School – 4-4; Killingly – 4-6; Woodstock Academy – 0-10.

Linda A. St Jean
WOODSTOCK VALLEY — Linda A. St. Jean, 60, of Woodstock Valley went to be with her Lord, Nov. 20, 2013, at Backus Hospital, Norwich, after a nine-month battle with cancer.
She was born Nov. 8, 1953, to Henry and Elaine Johnson. Linda made her home in Woodstock Valley most of her life. After graduating from Woodstock Academy she went on to have a family and graduated from QVCC with an associate’s degree in business administration. She loved cooking, sewing, quilting, beading and making jewelry.
She leaves her companion Frank Graves; , her three children: Jennifer S. W. Harris, Jason A. St. Jean (Jenny), Angela Nowakowski (Steve); seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; her mother Elaine Johnson, her brother Robert Johnson (Grace); her sisters Donna Williams (Scott), LuAnne Daley; her aunt and godmother Barbara Wheeler. She was predeceased by her brother Richard Johnson, her father Henry Johnson; her husband Arthur St. Jean.
A Celebration of Life will be at 2 p.m. Dec. 7 at the Evangelical Covenant Church, 24 Child Hill Road, Woodstock.  Donations: Next Stop Forever, 45 Old Sawmill Road, Woodstock, CT 06281. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.

Wayne ‘Jake’ Belile
THOMPSON — Wayne “Jake” D. Belile, 49, of Druid Avenue died Nov. 19, 2013, in Regency Heights of Danielson.  Born in 1964 in Rochester, N.Y., he was the son of the late Laurence and Ellen (Green) Belile.
Mr. Belile worked as an injection molder for Mold-X, and several other plastic companies.
He leaves his brothers, Kevin and Ricky; sister, Dawn.
Arrangements private. Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam, CT 06260.

Charles Seney,
WWII vet
PUTNAM — Charles E. Seney, 92, of Putnam, formerly of Dayville, died Nov. 14, 2013, at the Westview Health Care. He married Rita Ann Kilgariff on April 19, 1952, at St. Joseph Church, Dayville. She died July 8, 1980.
Born Nov. 19, 1920, in N. Grosvenordale, he was the son of Mederic L. and Mary (Gosselin) Seney.
He graduated from St. Joseph Parochial School, N. Grosvenordale in 1935 and from Tourtellotte Memorial High School in 1939. During WWII, he served with the U.S. Coast Guard aboard the U.S. Army FS-371 as a radioman in the Southwest Pacific, New Guinea, Philippines and Japan and was discharged in Boston in 1946 as RMIC.
He received a bachelor’s degree from Boston University in 1950 and a master’s from UConn in 1960. He taught at Short Secretarial School, Stamford and then at Williams Memorial Institute, New London, for a year. In 1952 he was appointed to teach at Putnam High School where he remained until retirement in 1981. During retirement he traveled extensively throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and the Caribbean. Among his hobbies was genealogy. He traced his paternal and maternal roots to the 1600s in Canada and France. He was a member of the American French Genealogical Society, Woonsocket, R.I., and a life member of the Killingly Historical Society. His family research can be found on the library shelves of the above societies. He was a Past President and honorary life member of the Connecticut Business Educators Association, a life member of the BPOE 574 and Oscar W Swanson Post 67 American Legion.
He leaves his companion Phyllis G. Jaquish; sons John M. Seney (Melissa) of Danielson and Andrew P. Seney of Wilton Manors, Fla.; daughter Ann Pechie (Gary) of Danielson; three grandchildren, Shelly Seney Blanchette (Nate) of Manchester, Penn., Kaitlyn Pechie Whitney (Ryan) of Longmeadow, Mass., Geoffrey Pechie of Reston, Va.; two great grandchildren, Caden and Paige Blanchette. He was predeceased by two brothers, Merrill L. and Norman B. Seney.
Services were Nov. 23 at St. Joseph Cemetery, 50 Hartford Pike, Dayville with military honors. Donations: Thompson Historical Society, PO Box 47, Thompson, CT 06277. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.

Lillian B. Ginalski
VERNON — Vernon-Lillian Beatrice Ginalski, 99, formerly of Putnam, died Nov. 19, 2013, in Manchester. Born Lillian Beatrice Moran on June 13, 1914, in Putnam, she was the oldest and last surviving child of John Moran and Marie Louise Viens Moran.
On March 12, 1945, she married the love of her life, Mitchell W. Ginalski. Their wedding photograph became a family icon of the WWII war bride and groom. They lived all of their married lives in Putnam, where they enjoyed 39 years of wedded life together.
She was a life member of the Textile Workers Union of America. After her husband died in May 1984, she moved to Vernon to be closer to her sister and her sister’s family. In a life that spanned nearly a century, she enjoyed her family and friends, travels to Canada, Florida, California, cross-country USA, creating handcrafts, such as knitting and crocheting and baking holiday cookies.
She was predeceased by all five of her siblings: Edward Moran, Lawrence Moran, William Moran, Raymond Moran and Lorraine Mierzwa and her dearest friends from a younger day Josie Rucki Kentile and Anna  Lamothe. She leaves behind her immediate family in Connecticut: three nephews, a niece, a great-nephew and a great-niece: Stephen M. Mierzwa (Debbie), Mary Ann Mierzwa, Robert J. Mierzwa (Carol) and their two children Thomas Henry and Emma Amelia, and John E. Mierzwa; cousin Olga Kay of New Hampshire and a sister-in-law Josephine Gleniewicz and her family of Long Island, NY; and attentive friends: Adeline, Barbara, Bernice, Nancy, Rita, Vicky and her daughter Maureen.
A Mass of Christian Burial was Nov. 26 at St. Mary Church of the Visitation, Putnam, with burial in St. Mary Cemetery, Putnam. Smith & Walker Funeral Home,. 148 Grove St., Putnam.

Joseph S. Gomes
WAUREGAN — Joseph S. Gomes, 90, of Wauregan, died at home. He was born Nov. 11, 1923, in Taunton, Mass., son of Joseph and Virginia (Andrade) Gomes. Joseph was a mechanic his whole life and later in his life delivered Meals on Wheels with his wife for eight years.
He leaves behind daughters: Joanie Dionne (George) of Brooklyn, Norma Dionne (Robert) of Killingly, and Virginia Egan; six grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild. He was predeceased by his wife Mary Gomes and his brother George Gomes.
 A Memorial Service was Nov. 23 at Glory Chapel, Central Village. Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.

Normand J. Labrec Jr.
STERLING — Normand J. Labrec Jr., 53, of Sterling, died Nov. 16, 2013, at home. He was born March 10, 1960, in Putnam,  son of the late Normand J., Sr. and Wanda (Schap) Labrec.
He had made his home in Sterling for the last ten years, and formerly lived in Moosup. Normand worked as a truck driver and yardman for M & M Transport Services for many years and held a crane operator’s license.  He was talented in woodworking and auto mechanics, but his passion was cooking and cartoons. He would help anyone he could.
He leaves his sister, Cheryl Proctor (Dennis) of Canterbury; niece Tracy Herman (Louis) of Scotland; nephew Charles Proctor of Ottawa, Ohio; great nieces and nephews: Brianna, Julia, Makayla, Joshua, Skye and Chase; his two best friends Richard Denomme and Al Lapointe.
A celebration of life will be announced at a later date. Gagnon and Costello Funereal Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.

Pierre LeQuéré
NORWICH — Pierre LeQuéré, 91,  of Norwich, died Nov. 18, 2013, in Norwich.
He was born July 2, 1922, in Pont-Audemer, France, son of Pierre Marie and Maria (Le Merrer) LeQuéré. Pierre arrived in New London in 1944 as a handsome French sailor aboard the submarine Argo. It was then that he met the love of his life, Beatrice Hubert LeQuéré of Danielson.  During their 65 years of marriage, they traveled to France several times and retired to Florida where they built their dream home.  They returned to Connecticut eight years ago.
He loved laughter and good times. He retired as a member of the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 777 after 26 years.  He was a U.S. citizen and true patriot, who loved his chosen country. He was a member of the American Legion Post 21. For many years he marched in local parades and felt honored and privileged to carry the American Flag.  
He leaves his daughter, Joyce Page (Ralph) of Norwich; two sons Jean-Pierre (John) LeQuéré (Candy) of Higganum, and Marc LeQuéré (Maura) of Port St. Lucie, Fla; grandchildren: Lauri Kenniston, Robin Page Kelly, and Rebecca Kowalski; great-grandchildren: Ryan Brenek, Olivia Kelly, and Sofia Kelly; nephew Jean LeQuéré, and nieces Monique Papeteau and Colette Costys all of France; two life- long “amis” Fred Knorr and Jacques Noe, who enjoyed sharing wonderful wine together as well as life’s joys and sorrows. Pierre was predeceased by his wife, Bea, on Nov.  28, 2010; his great grandson, Page Kelly; his parents; his brothers Yves, Andre and Basile, as well as his sister Marie Yvonne Costys.
The Chapel Service was Nov. 23 at Holy Cross Cemetery, Danielson. Donations: Center for Hospice Care, 227 Dunham St., Norwich, CT 06360. Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.

William J. Sabolesky
WOODSTOCK — William “Bill” J. Sabolesky, 48, of Rt. 171, died unexpectedly Nov. 21, 2013.  He is the husband of Michelle (Allard) Sabolesky.  Born in 1965 in Norwich, he was the son of the late Joseph and Norma (Chasse) Sabolesky.
Mr. Sabolesky worked as an electrician for JD Leblanc.  He enjoyed fishing and collecting assorted matchbox and die cast cars.
In addition to his wife, he leaves his dogs, Benny and Crissy; his sisters Patricia Avery of Moosup and Suzanne Fenner (Irving) of Brooklyn; brother in law, Richard Allard (Pam) of Pomfret; mother and father in law, Richard and Emily Allard of Putnam.
The service was Nov. 26 in Maplewood Cemetery, Norwich. Donations: William J. Sabolesky Memorial Fund P.O Box 131, Putnam, CT 06260.  Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes.