Lacrosse team
on win streak
On May 22, the Pomfret Senior “A” Youth Lacrosse team closed out the regular season with a solid 12-2 win over Vernon.  Eight different Pomfet players contributed to the scoring with Nate Gentile leading the way with five goals.
In the first quarter, Pomfret would jump out to a 3-0 lead on two goals by Gentile and one by Evan Cunningham.  Assists went to Sam Paul, William Liscomb and Tucker Sheehan.  
The second period would start much the same as Pomfret reeled of three more goals to take a 6-0 lead.  Gentile would get his third of the game off a Max Paro assist, and then Cunningham would notch his second off a nice feed from Paro before Paro would score an unassisted goal of his own.  Vernon would final get on the board midway through the quarter, but Pomfret would come right back with a Peyton Durand tally (assist to Sheehan) and Gentile would close out the period with a goal assisted by Durand.
As much as the offense deserves credit for the first half success, it was also the defense that gave Vernon little to work with.  Long-stick defenders Josh Bernier, Lex Bosio and Cam Large were at their best, creating turnovers, picking up ground balls and transitioning the ball up field.  Behind them, goalie Carson Hadley made everything look easy as he made the big save and found his midfielders for pinpoint outlet passes.
The second half would see Pomfret score four more goals to Vernon’s one.  Gentile would start things off with his fifth of the day, and then Liscomb, Paul and Devin Lannan would complete the scoring (assists went to Durand, Lannan and Liscomb).  Though not ending up in the scoring column, midfielders Isaiah Price and Cal Wilcox logged a lot of game time.  Price was key in winning face-offs and using his gift of speed to clear the ball, while Wilcox was tenacious on defense and picking up ground balls.
The team completes the regular season with a 6-0-1 record and will await word on league playoffs in early June.

By Ron P. Coderre
The Eastern Connecticut Conference released the names of the 2013 all-stars in three sports last week.  A number of local athletes were among the players selected in tennis, golf and baseball.
ECC Baseball All-Stars
Large Division: First Team – Mike Thienel, Woodstock Academy; Sportsmanship – Tim Cutler, Woodstock Academy.
Medium Division: Honorable Mention – Dane Grauer and Max Graves, Killingly; Sportsmanship – Nick Hewitt, Killingly.
Small Division: First Team – Mike Esposito, Colby Cyrus and Garet Griffin, Plainfield; Benny Brissette, Tourtellotte.  Honorable Mention: Jordan Federer, Plfd.; Ty Anderson, Tourtellotte.  Sportsmanship – Harold Cedano, Plfd.; Shawn Houle, Tourtellotte.
ECC Golf All-Stars
Large Division: Sportsmanship – Nick Waterhouse, Woodstock Academy.
Medium Division: First Team - Drew Aitken and John Aitken, Killingly.  Sportsmanship – Drew Aitken, Killingly; Parker Franklin, Plainfield.
Small Division: First Team - Mike Jezierski, Jacob Roy, Andrew Santerre and Brandon Bonnette, Tourtellotte.  Honorable Mention – Andrew Coderre, Tourtellotte.  Sportsmanship - Andrew Coderre, Tourtellotte.
ECC Tennis Boys All-Stars
Large Division: First Team, Singles – Asa Scranton, Woodstock Academy.  Doubles – Elijah Martin-Henri Li, Woodstock Academy.
Small Division: First Team, Doubles – David Guerin-Tim Maerkel, Killingly. Honorable Mention, Singles – Chris Klawitter, Killingly.  Sportsmanship – Joshua Hayes, Killingly.
ECC Tennis Girls All-Stars
Large Division: First Team, Singles = Aislin Myers, Woodstock Academy.  Doubles – Harley Blodgett-Sarah Owen, Woodstock Academy.  Honorable Mention, Singles – Angel Martin, Woodstock Academy.  Sportsmanship – Brianna Bailey, Woodstock Academy.
Small Division: First Team, Singles – Micehla Veillette, Killingly.  Doubles – Ashley Rittenhouse-Cheyenne Perron, and Medina Hosaini-Marianna Calenda, Killingly.  Sportsmanship – Delaney Guimont, Killingly.

By Ron P. Coderre
This week’s RPC sporty shout out goes to Army veteran Ron Desrochers, who was an Airborne paratrooper during his days in the military.  Today Desrochers enjoys spending his leisure hours on the golf course, when he’s not preparing the American Legion Post #13 Color Guard for one of its many ceremonies.
Stating at his high school graduation from Tourtellotte Memorial High School, “It was the greatest day of my life,” Maurice Negip who was scheduled to receive his diploma in 1943 took to the stage in June 2010.  The reason for the delay in Negip’s graduation was the call he received from Uncle Sam during his senior year.
Negip, hailed by many as the greatest Tourtellotte athlete of the WWII era, was the first 800-point career scorer as he starred for the 1941, 1942 and 1943 Tiger basketball and baseball teams.  With Negip leading the way as the basketball team’s top scorer, the Tigers won the Quinebaug Valley Conference Championship in 1942 and 1943 and qualified for the State Tournament in 1941, 1942 and 1943.
In 1943 Tourtellotte was ranked among the top three high schools in Connecticut.  On the way to the title game they beat Glastonbury, Bloomfield and Guilfort before losing to Ellsworth in the Championship contest.  Many attribute the loss in the finals to the absence of Negip who was forced to attend his induction physical the day of the CIAC championship game.
Like many young men of his era, Negip was pulled from high school during his senior year and sent to Europe to fight the Nazis.  It took the school 67 years to realize that Negip hadn’t officially graduated, making “the greatest day of his life,” his June 2010 graduation ceremony in front of approximately 600 teary eyed spectators.  Negip will be posthumously inducted into the TMHS Athletic Hall of Fame June 22.
Golf Trip Turns Ugly…
An annual golf trip to Southern Pines, N.C.,  for eight members of the Danielson Elks turned into a near tragedy when one of the group, the well known Ernie Caron was struck by an automobile and seriously injured.  The accident occurred when the group was headed to dinner and Caron was hit as he prepared to cross a busy intersection.
As a result of the accident Caron was airlifted to Duke Medical Center in Chapel Hill, where it’s estimated he’ll be for approximately five to six weeks.  He suffered multiple broken bones and required 69 staples to his head after being thrown approximately 30 feet in the air from the automobile versus pedestrian collision.
Needless to say, the accident put a damper on the trip for the other members of the party, which included Doc Baker, Frank Hegedus, Obie Hewitt, Nelson Ladd, Tom Laird, Mark Windrow and John Holt.
Anyone interested in sending Caron get well wishes should contact the Danielson Lodge of Elks for mailing information.
Fitch High School Grad on SI Cover…
The May 20 cover photo of Sports Illustrated featured former Fitch High School and Eastern Connecticut Conference all-star pitcher Matt Harvey currently of the New York Mets.  The cover is entitled, “The DARK KNIGHT of Gotham.”  The subtitle states, “In an era dominated by the power pitcher, the Mets’ Matt Harvey has the ferocity of stuff and will to rise above them all.”  The feature story of the magazine issue, written by noted sports writer Tom Verducci, also features photos and quotes from Harvey’s dad, Ed Harvey, noted former baseball coach of the Fitch Falcons.
Although the 2013 New York Mets look very much like the 1962 first Mets team that featured “Marvelous Marv” Throneberry, an aging Don Zimmer and the like, Harvey has been the lone shining star.  As of press time, Harvey is a perfect 5-0 with a sparkling earn run average of 1.93.  New Yorkers are pulling for him to be named to the National League All-Star team.  The game is scheduled to be played in New York at Citi Field the home of the Mets.
It certainly would be a feather in Harvey’s baseball cap if he were selected and named as the starting pitcher.
Another Shot in the Offing…
Last week RPC mentioned that former Tourtellotte pitching standout Brian Chaput had been released by the Can-Am League Newark Bears.  Chaput, 28, was at last week’s Putnam versus Woodstock baseball game and reports that Newark has been in contact and wants to re-sign him for this season.
According to the left-handed hurler, should he hook on again with the Bears he’ll most likely be a starting pitcher.  He did mention, starter or reliever, he’d be happy to be back in organized baseball.
From the Annals Of Putnam
Sports History…
May 1906: In baseball, C.A.C. Club of Putnam defeated the Holy Cross College second team before 800 fans at Morse Field, 9-5.
Putnam High School defeated Killingly 14-11; and Webster High, 4-3 in baseball.  Information contributed by Willie Zamagni.)
RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: Getting old is when it takes you longer to rest than it did to get tired.