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Senior Carter Saracina makes one of his seven catches against NFA. The Centaurs fell, 21-17, to the Wildcats. Photo by Marc Allard. Photo by Marc Allard/Woodstock Academy.
Senior Grace Gelhaus (8) celebrates after scoring the first goal of the match in a 5-1 Class L girls’ soccer first-round state tournament win. Photo by Sam Romero/Woodstock Academy.
For the first time since 2003, the Woodstock Academy girls’ soccer team reached the Class L state quarterfinals. Unfortunately, that is where the journey ended.
The 11th-seeded Centaurs started out quickly again but third-seeded Wethersfield cooled them off and posted a 2-1 victory to advance to the Class L semifinal against St. Joseph’s.
The loss ended the season at 14-5-2 for Woodstock.
But it wasn’t without its share of thrills including winning the ECC Div. I and Div. 1 tournament championships and going as far as the final eight in the state.
“We have to be happy with the whole season and to see what a team can achieve behind great captains and leaders,” said coach Dennis Snelling.
Grace Gelhaus struck early for the Centaurs. Macy Rawson sent a ball in from near midfield that Gelhaus caught up to and sent into the back of the net just 4 minutes, 48 seconds into the match.
But just like the previous second-round match against Daniel Hand, the early scoring was not finished.
Wethersfield (14-0-3) countered just 4 minutes late.
The two teams battled for the next hour and 20 minutes without a goal until Wethersfield was able to cobble together the game winner.
An offensive explosion carried the Centaurs into their first Class L girls’ soccer quarterfinal as they downed Daniel Hand in Madison in a second-round contest, 8-3, earlier in the week.
Gelhaus scored five goals and added two assists for Woodstock which broke out to a 3-0 lead in the first 11 minutes of the match. That lead would increase to 5-1 at halftime but the Tigers scored two of the three goals that took place in the first 6:13 of the second half to cut the deficit to three goals, 6-3.
Gelhaus added her final two goals to put the win away for Woodstock.
Leah Costa added a hat trick for the Centaurs while Rebecca Nazer, Lennon Favreau, Juliet Allard and Freya Robbie contributed assists.
The Centaurs, seeded 11th in the Class L state tournament, scored four goals in just 16 minutes in the second half to end the season for No. 22 Windsor last week as they outscored the Warriors, 5-1, in a first-round contest.
The Centaurs saw the Warriors exert their will a bit in the first half as they took seven shots at the Woodstock goal. Nazer was up to the task as she made four saves on the ones that came close.
And despite Windsor’s pressure in the offensive end, it was Woodstock who led at the half.
Gelhaus scored 22 minutes, 47 seconds into the contest when a header by Bella Mawson found the senior’s foot. Gelhaus took the ball in, forced Windsor keeper Olivia Rosario to commit to come out and when she did so, put it over the top of her for the 1-0 lead.
Windsor (6-6-5) didn’t quit scored a tying goal in the second half.
Just under four minutes later, Gelhaus took a pass from Costa and beat Rosario again to give Woodstock the lead back.
Then a mistake by a Windsor defender who kicked the ball over the back line resulted in a corner for the Centaurs.
Junior Emma Massey sent the ball in with her right foot, it hit Rosario and bounced into the net for a 3-1 Woodstock lead. It was the junior’s first career varsity goal.
Gelhaus finished up the hat trick from 35 yards out.
Costa finished things up with her 10th goal of the season. The defense was also stellar, giving up just three shots to Windsor in the second half.
Football Team Falls
The Centaurs had held NFA scoreless in the second half and limited the Wildcats to just 37 yards in offense.
So, after a 26-yard field goal by Woodstock’s Henry Wotton had put the Centaurs up by three with 6 minutes, 38 seconds to play, things looked pretty good.
But NFA came up with two big plays and that was all it needed to record a 21-17 win over Woodstock last week.
The game helped decide the ECC Div. I title.
All four teams were in the running as they had identical 1-1 records coming into Friday with head-to-head play to be the determining factor and Fitch came out the winner.
NFA’s win over Woodstock eliminated the Centaurs from contention but Fitch’s 34-20 win over East Lyme on Friday in Groton gave the title to the Falcons as they had also beaten the Wildcats earlier in the season.
Woodstock had a couple of prime opportunities to put the Wildcats away in the second half.
A 24-yard run by Carter Saracina late in the third quarter gave the Centaurs the ball on the NFA 22-yard line.
Trevor Savoie rushed for five more and an 8-yard pass by Teddy Richardson (14-for-24 passing, 148 yards) to Seamus McDermott gave Woodstock a first-and-goal at the NFA 9.
But a sack pushed the Centaurs back 3 yards and it was followed by an incomplete pass. Richardson did run for 10 yards to the two-yard line but on fourth-and-goal, a trick play resulted in an incomplete pass and NFA took over on downs.
But a false start, two incomplete passes and a running play meant the Centaurs were staring at a fourth-and-goal at the 9. Wotton was called up and delivered the 26-yard field goal.
Wildcat Jeremiah Paul caught the kickoff at the NFA 12 and wasn’t stopped until the Woodstock 40.
Three plays later, NFA scored. An NFA interception on the next series sealed the Centaurs’ fate.
Woodstock (4-4, 1-2 ECC Div. I) had gone ahead when Richardson hit Saracina (7 catches, 128 yards) on a short screen. Saracina weaved his way through the defense, got to the sidelines and changed gears, streaking for the 62-yard score.
NFA also reached the end zone on its next possession.
A Woodstock turnover allowed the Wildcats to take the lead in the second quarter.
NFA recovered a fumble at the Centaur 35 and took just four plays to get it in, making it 14-7 NFA.
Centaur defensive lineman Marcus McGregor helped set up the tying score. For a second week in a row, he blocked a punt and the Centaurs took over on downs at the Wildcats 24.
A 13-yard pass to Saracina two plays later gave Woodstock a first-and-goal at the 9-yard line and junior running back David Bunning took it in from there to tie the contest.
The Centaurs have another game prior to their showdown with Killingly on Thanksgiving Day.
Woodstock has to complete its suspended game with Enfield Nov. 16.
Menounos Runs in Championship
Woodstock sophomore Christian Menounos got his first taste of competition from not only within, but also from outside Connecticut, Nov. 12.
He competed in the New England boys’ cross-country championship in Rhode Island.
He acquitted himself well as he finished 51st out of 260 runners.
Menounos was just 10 seconds off his State Open championship time of the week before, crossing the line in 16 minutes, 50 seconds.
The sophomore was the first from Woodstock to compete in the New England championship since Kevin Graham in 2004.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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Color Guard of Woodstock's American Legion Benson-Flugel Post 111. More photos on page 4 and, on Wed. night, on our Facebook page - Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. Linda Lemmon photo.
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Honored
American Legion Post #13 Commander Michael S. Vassar, center, stands with Korean War veterans Rolland “Rollie” Johnson, left, and Robert “Bob” St.Onge, who display the plaques they were awarded by the Post as part of the Post’s Veterans Day celebration and recognition.
Pride
Michelle A. Vassar, right, proudly stands with her son, U.S. Marine Corps Private Connor M. Vassar, center, and her husband American Legion Post #13 Commander Michael S. Vassar, after being honored as a “Blue Star Mother of America.” She holds her “Blue Star” banner which symbolizes the fact that her son is on active duty. Private Vassar and Commander Vassar, also a former Marine, display certificates symbolic of their service in the Marine Corps. The awards were presented by Retired Sgt. Major Manuel “Manny” Rodrigues of Coventry. Photos courtesy of WINY Radio.
Glenn Boies, commander of Americna Legion Benson-Flugel Post 111, gets some help from one of the Woodstock Academy students who attended the post's Veterans Day ceremony, senior Zachary Gessner. Linda Lemmon photo.
Post 13 celebrates
Veterans Day
The Mayotte-Viens American Legion Post #13 of Putnam paid tribute to veterans with its annual Veterans Tribute & Guest Bartender Night last week.
This marked the 13th consecutive year that Post #13 has held the event, which began in 2010. The evening is the Post’s largest fund-raiser of the year with proceeds benefitting activities such as scholarships, American Legion baseball, the constitutional oratorical program, Boys State and State Police Youth Week, and the Post’s Veterans-in-Need program. Between guest bartenders, an auction and a drawing, the event raised about $14,000.
“Once again the community responded in supporting the veterans of our Post. We’re thankful to Craig Gates and his staff at Marley’s Pub for accommodating the large turnout that showed up in support of our guest bartenders,” said Post Commander Michael S. Vassar.
“It’s also a very touching time for our membership as we stop to honor and recognize veterans from our community who have selflessly served our country. The tribute to these veterans is our way of saying thank you and we don’t forget,” he added.
The Post honored three veterans, Korean War veteran Rolland “Rollie” Johnson, Past Post Commander Robert “Bob” St. Onge, also a Korean War vet, and George “Paul” Olson, a WWII Coast Guard veteran. Johnson and St. Onge were on hand to receive commemorative plaques, while Olson, who is 100, will be honored at Westview Health Care soon.
“I can’t believe what a great evening this is. I’m honored beyond what words can express. The members of Post #13 deserve so much credit for their effort on behalf of those of us who served many years ago,” said honoree Bob St. Onge.
The evening also held a special moment for Commander Vassar, as his wife was presented a “Blue Star Mother of America” banner in recognition of her son Private Connor M. Vassar who graduated from U.S. Marine Corps recruit training at Parris Island, S.C. Nov. 4. Manuel “Manny” Rodrigues, a career Marine and Army veteran and commander of American Legion Post #52 of Coventry, made the official presentation.
Commander Vassar also thanked the 16 guests who served as bartenders collecting $11,626 in tips, the largest portion of the evening’s proceeds. The guest bartenders included Jeff Rawson, Pat O’Brien, Joe Carlone Jr., Atty. Maddie Smith, Craig Gates, Tom Borner, Denny Gates, Mark Dexter, Marc and Tom Archambault, David Coderre, Jason Verraneault, Mayor Barney Seney, State Representative Rick L. Hayes, Jim St. Jean and George Amenabar.
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Church Street, Putnam. Linda Lemmon photo.
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — Despite the higher prices for any petroleum products, a good number of the town’s roads received some TLC, according to Highway Superintendent Travis Sirrine, and there’s a list for roads due for work in the spring.
The price of asphalt went up “significantly,” he said. Hot mix asphalt “went up $12 to $13 per ton” and diesel fuel for the trucks and equipment jumped as well, he said. At one point there was a shortage. All of that affected almost every type of paving or sealing there is.
One bright spot in the high cost extravaganza was that the town locked in the price for chip seal material for this year. “We saved $20 per square yard of applied chip seal,” he said. He’s not sure what prices will look like in the spring. “We don’t know if it will bottom out.”
In general, he said, to stay caught up, at least 10 percent of roads should be maintained each year. The town has 65 miles of roads and it did micro surfacing, rubber/mastic crack seal, emulsion polymer chip seal, overlay paving, milling and paving/road and patch paving on 16-17 miles of roads. He said the amount of chip sealing was higher this year as it was not done last fall.
The May to November roads season was an “uphill battle” as some of the roads have not been done for years. “We’re catching up,” he said. “We got a lot done but there’s still more. For example, all the chip sealing done in 2018 now needs attention.”
Asked if it was like the ongoing maintenance for a house, he said that was a “good analogy.” Like a home, if you don’t stay up on the smaller yearly maintenance projects you end up with a huge problem down the road. The town is also addressing the Danco bridge priority rebuild.
Most of the road work is paid for by the state’s town aid road program. The rest is handled by the town budget and with some help from the town’s WIN Waste Innovations account.
Next spring, probably after the start of the next fiscal year in July, Kennedy Drive and Massicotte are on the town’s list. Sirrine said the minimum the town would like to get done on Kennedy Drive is from Providence Street to Pomfret Street. If possible he’d also like to redo from the Hale YMCA Youth and Family Center turnoff and maybe get as far as Arch Street. There are several other streets on the list, covering all parts of town.
This year the following was accomplished:
Micro Surfacing: Hurry Hill Rd., .65 miles; Aspinock Rd., .40; Bradley Rd., .16 miles; Decubellis Ct., .1 miles; Paula Rd., .3 miles; Joslin Rd., .22. (total: 1.83 miles)
Rubber/Mastic Crack Seal: Aldrich Rd., Pipkin Rd., Tourtellotte Rd., Five Mile River Rd. (section), Fox Rd. (section), Elmwood Hill Rd., River Rd. (section), Park Rd. (section), W. Thompson Rd., Labossiere Rd., Cottage Rd., Meyers Rd., Auburn Rd., Lafayette Rd., Cloran Rd., Hurlbut Rd., Oak Hill Rd., Dudley Rd., Underwood Rd., Richmond Rd. (section), Mantup Rd., St. James Pl, Brookside Landing, Davis St. (Total: 7.36 miles)
Emulsion Polymer Chip Seal: Alpha St., .1 miles; Groveland Ave., .35 miles; Ross Hill Rd., 31 miles; Nancy Dr., .31 miles; Fox Rd., .79 miles; Five Mile River Rd., .64 miles; Sayle Ave., .77 miles; Wilson Rd., .2 miles; Columbus Rd., .15 miles; Aldrich Rd., .56 miles; St. James Pl., .1 miles; River Rd., 1 mile. (total: 5.93 miles).
Overlay Pave & Mill & Pave/Roads & Sections: Mantup, Ash, Vandale, Powhattan (south), Dufault, Emond, Woodstock Avenue (west), Breault, Hawkins, Arch.
Patch and Pave: Five Mile, Sabin.
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Celebrate
Woodstock players and coaches celebrate after recording a 3-0 win over Pomperaug in a Class L state tournament quarterfinal. Photo by Bradley O’Connor.
Centaurs go
to semifinals
It’s back to the state semifinals for Centaurs volleyball
The match ended and the music began. So did the dancing.
The Woodstock Academy volleyball team has made it a habit after victories this season, everybody, including coaches Adam Bottone and Jeremiah Huntt, get out on the floor and get jiggy with it.
Nov. 12, that dance was especially euphoric.
The 12th-seeded Centaurs, for the second time in what is essentially three seasons (there was no volleyball state tournament in 2020) advanced to the Class L state tournament semifinals with a shutout victory over No. 13 Pomperaug, 3-0 in a quarterfinal match.
The semifinal berth comes just a year after Woodstock failed to even make the state tournament.
“I knew I was going to take my lumps last year going with a bunch of young kids but that definitely paid off this year. Am I surprised to make it to the semifinals? Yes and no. Yes, because we’ve been so up-and-down this year but no because I know we have the talent to do it,” said coach Adam Bottone.
One of those youngsters is sophomore setter Sophie Gronski who said the last time the team got to that point was in 2019 when her sister (Maddy) was on the team.
On that team, as a freshman, was one of this year’s seniors, Leila MacKinnon.
How much does she remember from 2019? “Nothing - so it should be good, “MacKinnon said with a laugh.
The Centaurs faced the top seed in the Class L tournament, undefeated Joel Barlow, Nov. 16. Barlow also won by shutout, 3-0, over No. 8 Platt High School.
There is a history between the two teams.
Barlow downed Woodstock, 3-2, in the 2018 Class L state championship match. The Centaurs downed Barlow, 3-0, in the Class L semifinals the year before that.
The Centaurs served and received much better against the Panthers but what they probably did best was hustle.
“Our girls are pursuing everything now,” Adam Bottone said.
Two of the three sets with Pomperaug were contested with the first going overtime.
The Panthers fought back from a 24-21 deficit to tie the match at 24.
A service error gave the Centaurs (15-9) a chance for set point and they cashed in when a tip by Gronski just over the net was unable to be returned for the 26-24 Woodstock win.
The Centaurs had an easier time in the second set.
The last point Pomperaug would get came on a service error to make it 18-14.
Woodstock scored the next seven points on three kills by Morgan Bonin (10 kills, 10 digs), another by Reegan Reynolds and six consecutive service points by Cassidy Ladd including a set-ending ace.
The Centaurs put together another strong finish in the third set after the Panthers pulled within one, 21-20.
A Pomperaug service error was followed by one of three aces by Liliana Bottone. MacKinnon followed with a big kill off one of Gronski’s 22 assists to set up match point.
MacKinnon finished with five kills and a block.
The Centaurs got their dance shoes on when a return by Pomperaug went long for the 25-20 third set victory to conclude the shutout.
Liliana Bottone finished with nine kills, four assists, and 14 digs. Ladd added 10 service points including two aces and Gronski had 18 digs to go with her 22 assists.
The Centaurs would like a little revenge on Barlow.
They got some against Guilford last week in a second-round match.
Woodstock posted a 3-1 win Nov. 10 and was rewarded for its efforts with the home match against Pomperaug since the Panthers downed No. 4 Berlin, 3-2., to set up the meeting in Woodstock.
Liliana Bottone had seven of her 22 kills in the first set when the Centaurs opened the match with a 25-19 victory in the first set.
Guilford battled back for a 26-24 win in the second set but Woodstock finished things off with 25-17 and 25-21 decisions.
Liliana Bottone added 16 digs and four aces while Gronski had 37 assists and 19 digs and Bonin had 17 kills, 20 digs and four aces.
The Centaurs had a week off between their loss in the ECC quarterfinals and used that time to work on serve/receive.
Nov. 8 Woodstock shutout No. 21 Brookfield, 3-0.
The biggest takeaway was the errors did not come at crucial times in the match.
The Centaurs scored nine of the final 13 points in each against the Bobcats (9-12) to win by the identical score of 25-16.
The third set was a bit more difficult as Brookfield pulled within one, 21-20.
A kill by MacKinnon, one of her five in the match, put Woodstock back up by two and then Reynolds (5 kills) followed with a kill of her own to make it 23-20.
Bonin delivered just about the finishing touch with her fourth block of the match, but a service error delayed the celebration for just a moment. The Centaurs wrapped things up, 25-21, when the Bobcats were called for a net violation.
Early in the week, Bonin also learned her senior season will be extended by one match.
She has been chosen to play in the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Senior Class LL-L Senior All-Star match Nov. 21.
Liliana Bottone paced the Centaurs will 11 kills against Brookfield while Gronski had 21 assists.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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