The feel around the PSA boys’ soccer program is already much different than it was last year. How can it not be, really?
In a COVID year, there were only three players on the roster when Ryan Dunnigan was hired as the new coach, which quickly doubled in the fall, then grew to 14 in the spring, which allowed the Mustangs to play an abbreviated schedule.
This season however, there are already 21 boys training out on the pitch, with another three or four on the way.
“We’re in a much healthier spot than we were,” Dunnigan said. “The good thing too is that they’re not all postgrads or seniors, so it helps us build a foundation for the years to come, in terms of what we’re about as a school and as a soccer program.”
And for Dunnigan, who coached at the collegiate level before joining PSA, there are certain things that he wants his program to be about. The first thing is to get the players the exposure to college coaches.
“My ultimate goal every year is to have all of my seniors and PGs committed and moving on to the next level at the place that is the right fit academically and athletically for them, because that’s what they come here to do,” he said. “They leave their countries, their families, their friends, their clubs to come take a chance and spark an opportunity to play at the collegiate level and chase that American dream so to speak.
“And my message to them is that to be recruitable, you have to be able to play within a system. They need to know that if they don’t buy in to our system and they’re just playing as individuals on the field, they’re not going to gel, they’re going to look bad, and college coaches will notice that. You could be the most talented player, but if you have bad tendencies defensively or a bad work ethic or habits, they’re going to notice those things and factor into their recruiting.”
Of the 21 on the current roster, only two – Zach Vlachos (Peabody, Mass.) and Landon Pettigrew (nearby Plainfield) – are from the U.S. The rest of the team is built out of players from Brazil, Mexico, Rwanda, South Africa, Spain, Portugal, Canada, Guatemala, and Argentina.
It is a deeper roster than last year as well, and not just in terms of sheer numbers. That team had four or five top players, then everyone else. This group has much more balance of talent.
“There are a lot of good players on this team,” said goalkeeper Mateo Gularte, who played for the Mustangs last year. “I feel safe that if a player is tired and needs a rest, we have someone else who can come in and the play isn’t that different. There is not as much difference between our starters and the subs as last year.”
Dunnigan, who doesn’t typically like to substitute players, agreed with that assessment and the obvious benefit that it “gives us the ability to have guys fight for spots and compete and be rewarded.”
Dunnigan said one of his other goals is to make sure his players enjoy this experience, but not just on the field. He said it’s about cultivating boys into young men and helping to instill traits and characteristics that will propel them forward in life. He wants them to have positive life experiences at PSA and come together as people on a team, “to make sure that this is one of the best teams that they’re a part of.”
Finally, he is looking forward to, hopefully, making more of an impact in the local community.
“We weren’t able to do a lot of the things last year that I wanted to, like going to practices with youth programs and being able to help with community events,” he said. “I want to push our guys to have the same hunger off the field as on.
“I want them to be the most-liked team on campus and have the best reputation. I want them to have the highest team GPA, which is something we will be tracking and publicizing. I’m very competitive and I want to win every game, but I want them to be more concerned on the development side of things, both on the field as players and off the field as young men who contribute to the people around them.”
By Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy

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caption, page 8:

Captains
From left: Leah Castle, Linsey Arends and Carah Bruce will serve as captains for the Woodstock Academy girls’ cross-country team this season. Marc Allard photo.


Centaurs look
to overcome
unexpected
departure
Woodstock Academy girls’ cross-country head coach Joe Banas knew he wouldn’t have his No. 3 runner, Stella DiPippo, back because she graduated. But the departure of one of the top two runners, junior Brooke Bergevin, that caught him a little by surprise.  Bergevin’s family moved to Massachusetts and she transferred to Tantasqua Regional.
Fortunately, Linsey Arends is back. And for the first time in a couple of years, the senior is running at full strength.
Her doctor discovered last year that she had an iron deficiency and took steps to correct it.
It meant she was hardly herself last year but, then again, neither was the sport which was limited to only regional competition by the pandemic.
Arends had a highlight-filled sophomore year when she finished second to Bacon Academy’s Jordan Malloy in the ECC championship.
The two will, hopefully, meet again in this year’s championship meet at the Norwich Golf Course and Arends hopes she has a little psychological edge.
“I raced against her in track (last year) in the 800-meter and won so, hopefully, I can repeat that,” Arends said. “She’s definitely really good, healthy competition that I’ve been running against for a while and I can’t wait to race against her again.”
According to Banas, Arends is running about 2 ½ minutes faster than she did as a sophomore.
That could also bode well for the States as Arends finished second in the Class MM state championship as a sophomore and was 33rd in the State Open.
Arends is hoping to get to 19 minutes flat and after a recent time trial, she believes she may have the chance to accomplish that.
She is also looking forward to the larger meets such as the Ocean State and Wickham Park Invitationals.
“I want to do the invitationals. It’s great to see all the competition and fre-enemy rivalry type people that I will get a chance to race against from this area. I want to push myself and see how good I can do. I’m also excited for our regular season meets because we really didn’t get any last year so I will take any meet,” Arends said.
After this season, she hopes to be running in college and is looking at schools such as UConn, the University of Rhode Island, New Hampshire and a couple of others.
Banas said: “She is one of the top runners in the conference and, hopefully, makes it to the (State) Open, but as we all know, it’s all about the pack when it comes to the team,” the veteran coach said.
But how that pack will shake out is anyone’s guess. Senior Leah Castle and junior Carah Bruce will share the honor with Arends of being team captains. Juniors Lauren Brule and Tessa Brown and sophomores Julia Coyle and Talia Tremblay comprise the remainder of the “pack”.
“I have a decent pack of six after Linsey and I couldn’t even tell you who is going to be the 2-3-4-5-6 runners. I believe throughout the year that they will be playing musical chairs because the gap is so small between them. It may depend on whether it’s a hilly course or if it’s a grass course or something,” Banas said.
Banas said he is excited about Coyle’s potential and even with Bergevin’s departure, has high hopes.
“I would be disappointed if we were not in the top three (in the ECC),” Banas said. “We’ve always been up there with E. Lyme and NFA. I’m hoping for a top-eight finish in the Class MM meet as well with Linsey as a frontrunner and if that pack can get up there, we can make a little noise.”
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy

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William ‘Bill’ Adams,
Army veteran
William (Bill) Adams, 95, of Centerport, N.Y., and Farmington, died Aug. 26, 2021 at Touchpoints of Farmington.
 Bill was predeceased by “the love of his life,” his wife of 58 years, Eileen.  He was born March 6, 1926, in Yonkers, N.Y., son of the late Stefan and Sophie (Horak) Atamanchuk. He grew up on Chestnut Street in Yonkers, the sixth of seven children.
Bill graduated from Yonkers High School and entered the Army. After discharge he went to work for Otis Elevator in Yonkers.  After two years there, he ventured into New York City and found a job as a clerk at North American Reinsurance. Within four years he became a vice president. After a long career there, Bill became senior vice president at Skandia Reinsurance and finally ended his career as the president and CEO of International Credit North America.
He was a member of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church in Centerport, NY, St. Francis of Assisi Church in Greenlawn, N.Y., and of St. Catherine of Siena in West Simsbury. Bill loved to travel and see the world with Eileen, tend to his beautiful gardens, sit on his deck looking at the water and admiring the many birds he attracted, and, most of all, he loved his family. He gave generously to many charities and will be remembered by those he helped over the years.
He leaves two sons, Attorney Stephen Adams and his partner Joelle Guillot of Mystic, and Kevin Adams (Marsha) of West Simsbury; his daughter, Nancy Taylor(Craig) of Canton; his six grandchildren Clancey, Brogan, Liam, Christian, Frances and Ryan who called him PopPop.; nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by all six of his siblings.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Sept. 18 at St. Catherine of Siena Church in West Simsbury. Burial to follow at Simsbury Cemetery. Donations: Little Sisters of the Poor in Honor of Bill Adams. Vincent Funeral Home.

Dana A. Jordan,
Vietnam war vet
PUTNAM — Dana A. Jordan, 73, died Sept. 2021, at Brookside Rehabilitation Center in Webster.  He was the husband of Jo-Ann (Guertin) Williams.  Born in 1948, in Southbridge, Mass., he was the son of the late Abram and Muriel (Goulet) Jordan.
Mr. Jordan was a proud veteran serving with the U.S. Marines Corps where he actively served during the Vietnam war alongside his brother Paul for 13 months in Vietnam.
He worked for many years in the construction field. Dana was a master carpenter and cabinet maker as well as an avid fan of motorcycles.
He leaves his wife, Jo-Ann Williams of Putnam; his siblings, Paul Jordan of Webster, Richard Jordan of Kingman, Ariz., and Dorothy Morris of Webster; and her niece, Dawn Krasnecky and her partner Louise Taylor of Thompson. He was predeceased by his sisters, Nancy Jodoin and Arlene Plouff.
The Funeral Services was private. Gilman Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.

Randall W. Hicking
WOODSTOCK — Randall William Hicking, 51, living in Dayville, died Sept. 7, 2021, in Hartford Hospital. Born in 1970 in Windham, he was the son of Richard and Cheryl (Hoevet) Hicking. Randall lived in Woodstock most his life.
He worked for the Marian Fathers Monastery as a maintenance man for more than 30 years.  Beyond the general maintenance tasks, he enjoyed assisting the elderly Fathers with errands and rides to doctors’ appointments. He was proud of his work. While performing many tasks from custom woodworking, painting, installing perennial gardens and landscaping, he developed many friendships.
Randy enjoyed racing, NASCAR, Formula1, Motocross… if it went FAST, he had interest. He enjoyed drives in his car or on his Harley on a beautiful day.  He also enjoyed fishing.  Randall appreciated nature, the birds, the gardens, mowing the lawn a certain way.  Attention to detail and creativity were very big qualities he possessed. He enjoyed Westerns, watching tractor pulls at the fairs, his John Deere, Stihl, and his Harley hat collection.  The man had a cap for every occasion.  
He loved his dog.  His boy Sigumund, the enormous Rottie, put the sparkle in Randall’s eye for many fulfilling years.  
Randall was helpful, kind, loyal, and a good man.
He leaves his sister, Michelle L. Hicking and companion Jody P. Reynolds of Dayville; his father, Richard Hicking, and stepmother, Jill (Buhl) Hicking, of White Bear Lake, Minn.
A Funeral Service was Sept. 14 in Gilman Funeral Home and Crematory, 104 Church St, Putnam. Donations: A.S.P.C.A., 424 East 92nd St., New York, NY 10128.

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