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Woodstock Academy seniors, left to right: Nick Bedard, Efstathios Savvidis, Aidan Morin and Grayson Walley display their posters they received during Senior Night ceremonies. Photo by Marc Allard.
The Woodstock Academy boys’ basketball team ended the regular season on a rather nice note.
The Centaurs captured a 59-49 win over East Lyme Feb. 21 in their final regular season game.
That was preceded by a 70-66 win over Ledyard earlier in the week.
“This is huge,” Woodstock Academy senior Aidan Morin said after the win over East Lyme. “We had a rough season but to come back from all the adversity and beat two very good teams at home, it feels amazing. Last time we played these two teams, it was 10-to-15 point losses, to beat both these teams feels great for all of us.”
The win over the Vikings came on Senior Night.
Prior to the contest, the Centaurs honored Morin, Efstathios Savvidis, Grayson Walley and Nick Bedard for their contributions to the program.
“I’m going to miss them,” said Woodstock Academy coach Marty Hart. “The results weren’t there but the integrity and character were, I really enjoyed being around them and they have passed it on to the next group. They are good players, good teachers, and have had a tremendous attitude through adversity. I appreciate that.”
The Centaurs (7-13) did something a little abnormal at the start of the East Lyme game.
Knowing their opponent’s ability to shoot the 3-pointer — which the Centaurs saw first-hand in a 51-39 loss just the week before — Hart decided to install a 1-3-1 defense to start the game.
“We had never run that defense. We put it in (Thursday) and repped it as much we could and we executed it (on Friday),” Morin said.
The defense caught East Lyme a bit off guard. The Centaurs got some steals up top off of it which resulted in a couple of easy buckets for Logan Talbot.
The junior then found his outside shooting touch and added a couple of 3-pointers as he scored 16 of his game-high 21 points in the first half.
Talbot’s second 3-pointer came with 2:51 left in the half and gave Woodstock Academy a 25-11 lead.
But East Lyme figured it out, knocking the Centaurs’ lead down to 3, 25-22, by the time the two teams went into the locker room.
East Lyme switched up its defense in the second half. The Vikings began to pay much more attention to Talbot.
“Teams realize that really quick. They know he can shoot, they know what he’s capable of, so the second he starts hitting those, they go after him. That opens up opportunities for all of us,” Morin said.
In this case, himself and Bedard.
“We’re seniors. We’re not going to be here that much longer. It worked,” Morin said.
Bedard (11 points, 7 rebounds) scored five points early in the third quarter and Morin contributed six points at the end and the Centaurs held on to a 39-36 lead going into the final quarter.
“I appreciated that they really wanted the ball in their hands and wanted to take it to the basket. We thought they were getting good looks, but we just wanted them to take one or two more dribbles and get a better look at the basket or the foul call,” Hart said.
The Centaurs switched up the defense again in the fourth quarter, focusing more on Carpenteri and Nate Diaz (18 points) who combined for all 10 of the East Lyme 3-pointers.
The triangle-and-two look again paid off.
The Vikings took a few minutes to adjust and the Centaurs took advantage with a pair of baskets by Morin (17 points, 11 boards) and the only Talbot basket of the second half to go up, 46-38.
East Lyme got as close as four points, but the Centaurs made 9-of-14 free throws down the stretch to pick up the win.
Due to injuries and illness, it has been a rare game when the Centaurs have had all of their components to call upon. But it was the case earlier in the week as well.
The win over Ledyard was a meteoric shift compared to what happened on the Colonels home floor earlier in the season.
“When we went down to Ledyard, all three teams (including the freshmen and junior varsity) didn’t do so well and had a long bus ride home. On Tuesday, between the three teams, it was a 94-point swing; 62 points for the freshmen, 12 points for the JV and 20 for the varsity,” Hart said. “That kind of inconsistency is hard to explain, but we gave up 48 points in the paint down there and up here, we had a guy with a foot in the paint all game long.”
Talbot led the way with 30 points, his second 30-point effort of the season, while Morin (eight rebounds, four assists) and Ethan Davis added 12 each.
Despite the two late season victories, the Centaurs did not qualify for the CIAC Division IV state tournament.
But they will have some postseason play.
“We still have a chance at the ECC tournament. We proved ourselves in these last two games. I think we can do some damage,” Morin said.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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Tilton is currently the # 1-ranked team in Class A and the Pomfret School girls’ basketball team knew coming in that they needed to strive to compete on every possession while doing the little things — rebounding, taking care of the ball, playing with composure—well. Tilton has a lot of players who can hurt you and also plays a tough zone press that tries to force you into mistakes. The final score was Pomfret 59 - Tilton 84.
Coach Patrick Burke said while the Griffins started the game well offensively, we struggled to shut down Tilton’s early hot shooting. This got us into a bit of a whole, but after a timeout, we regrouped and were able to get stops on multiple possessions. This allowed us to get out into transition a bit and our shots started to fall. We played well on the offensive end tonight against a good defensive team and it was good to see us attacking and making the extra pass. In the second quarter, we matched Tilton bucket for bucket and we cut the lead to six at one point before a late three gave them a 40-31 point lead at halftime.
At the start of the third, we came out strong and cut the Tilton lead to six again. Unfortunately, Tilton was able to get hot from three on multiple possessions in a row, and these threes (they made 12 on the day) ended up being the reason they got some separation. Pomfret continued to battle throughout the third and the fourth, but foul trouble and tired legs allowed them to continue to get solid looks and goods teams make those looks count.
Sel Gonzalez led Pomfret on both offense and defense, as she scored in multiple ways while also shutting down Tilton’s most efficient three-point shooter for much of the day. Tay Guirantes was a force on both ends and on more than one occasion she was able to get a tough defensive rebound and go coast to coast for a strong finish. Molly Vincent, Brooke Zahasky, and Alab Samu were incredibly solid defensively and their strong play during the second quarter helped Pomfret put a ton of pressure on Tilton. Teagan O’Hara had one of her best games of the season as she knocked down open shots, mixed it up on defense, and was strong on the defensive boards. Though she battled early foul trouble, McKinley White sparked us in the third with multiple rim attacks and good kick-outs from the post. Michaela Nsubuga got on the stat sheet with a strong offensive rebound and two free throws.
Feb. 19 Pomfret beat Class B opponent Cheshire Academy 59-29. Sel Gonzalez scored 17 points in the first half, while Tay Guirantes added 12 in the first half. Pomfret outscored Cheshire 20 - 2 in the second quarter. All 10 Pomfret players contributed to the team win.
Pomfret School 14 34 49 59
Cheshire Academy 7 9 18 29
Pomfret Scorers: Sel Gonzalez: 19 points; Tay Guirantes: 14 points; McKinley White: 10 points; Molly Vincent: 9 points; Teagan O’Hara: 5 points; Michaela Nsubuga: 2 points
By Patrick Burke
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Robert ‘Tubby’ Trahan,
WWII vet
DAYVILLE — Robert “Tubby” Trahan, 98, of Dayville died Feb. 14, 2020.
He was born Jan. 2, 1922, in Danielson to the late Edeace and Delvina (Bouley) Trahan. He enlisted in the Navy in 1942 and served through WWII. After discharge, he joined the Naval Reserve and was recalled to active duty during the Korean Conflict. After being honorably discharged, he began working as an electrician and was a member of local Union #35 I B E W. He also was the owner of Dowe’s Card & Gift Shop for 20 years. After retirement, he enjoyed spending the winters at his home in Jupiter, Fla.
He leaves his wife of 74 years, Lucille; his brother Paul (Cecile) of Brooklyn; two daughters Sandra D’Angona of Middletown and Karen Carragher of Jupiter; his grandchildren Steven D’Angona of Middletown and Erin Carragher of Moosup. He was predeceased by three brothers Donat, Richard and Rudolph.
The Funeral was Feb. 21 with burial with military honors in Holy Cross Cemetery, Danielson. Donations: Charity of one’s choice. Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.
Evelyn L. Calderone
PUTNAM — Evelyn L. Calderone, 79, (born Evelyn L. Wiser) died Fe b. 18, 2020, at Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam.
Evelyn was born in Apollo, Penn., the daughter of George and Dorothy Wiser.
Ev will be remembered by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who all remember learning to swim in her pool and hours spent playing cards and coloring at her coffee table.
She worked in the Putnam Public Schools, and 20 years at Anchor Glass. She went on to retire from John Dempsey Regional Center.
Ev and Chuck were true companions throughout their retirement and were always together playing cards with family and friends.
She leaves her husband, Charles “Chuck” Calderone; children Victoria “Tori” Bates (Skip) and Kenneth L. Davis Jr.; grandchildren, Ross (Katie) Adams, Lindsey Weigand, Shane Davis and Jesse Davis; siblings, LeRoy Wiser, Helen Reefer, brother William Wiser (Donna), Janet Barnes and her companion Jim Ayers, and sister Ruth (Brad Bourdess); great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her first husband, Kenneth Lloyd Davis in 1969 and her sister, Martha Gaumond.
The Funeral was Feb. 22 at the Congregational Church of Putnam on Main Street with burial in Munyan Cemetery, Putnam. Donations: Congregational Church of Putnam. Smith and Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
Dorothy N. Frechette
DAYVILLE — Dorothy N. Frechette, 85, of Dayville, died Feb. 20, 2020, at Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam.
She was born April 8, 1934, in Willimantic, daughter to the late Phillip and Matilda (Gibeault) Bua. She was the wife of the late Roger Frechette.
Dorothy was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and would cook for the VFW. She enjoyed sewing and would make her own cloths and curtains. Dorothy loved gatherings with family and friends.
She leaves her daughters Kim Michalski (Fred) of Dayville, and Lori Morgan (Wayne) of Dayville; her son Wade Frechette of Putnam; sister Lily Davies of Danielson; granddaughters Stacy Caron and Paige Tully (Ryan); great-grandchildren Isaac, Mason, Meeah, Greyson, Liam and Cole.
A Funeral Service will be at 10:30 a.m. March 2 at Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson, with burial in St. Joseph Cemetery, Dayville.
Dagmar Joyce Noll
EASTFORD—Dagmar Joyce (Christensen) Noll, 91, died Jan. 14, 2020, in Windham Hospital after suffering a major stroke Jan. 10.
She was born on Dec. 8, 1928, in Waukegan, Ill., to Herman and Nellie (Winslow) Christensen.
Dagmar graduated from Waukegan Township High School. She loved swimming in Lake Michigan, was an excellent swimmer when she was young, and was proud to have earned Red Cross lifesaving certification. She was thrilled to swim in Crystal Pond in 2019 at age 90.
She attended the University of Illinois where she met her future husband, Clifford R. Noll Jr. They were married for 59 years. He died in 2008.
They moved to Wisconsin, Michigan, Rhode Island, Maryland, and Massachusetts before moving to Eastford in 1965 to live with their three children on property Clifford bought after WWII.
She got her bachelor’s from Goucher College in 1961 and had a Fellowship as a graduate student in mathematics at Johns Hopkins University before they moved to Massachusetts. Later she earned her master’s in mathematics at UConn. She was skilled at teaching mathematics, including to students who had difficulty with math in the past. She taught mathematics at Woodstock Academy, Eastern Connecticut State College, and Greater Hartford Community College. Dagmar was particularly pleased to have had the opportunity to contribute to the education of students in the nursing program at Greater Hartford Community College.
She was an avid genealogist. Historical preservation was important to her, and she enjoyed being the historian for the Town of Eastford. She was also pleased to have served as a Registrar of Voters for the Town of Eastford.
Dagmar particularly enjoyed drawing. The year the Noll family lived in Providence she took a drawing class at Rhode Island School of Design.
Dagmar loved to travel to Denmark and to the British Isles because of her interest in her and Clifford’s ancestry, the cultures and history of those cultures. She took several trips with Clifford and, after his death, with other family members. She was pleased to make a last trip to Denmark in 2018 at age 89.
Dagmar had a “free spirit” quality that allowed her to be spontaneous. She could be self-sacrificing when the situation called for it. She enjoyed playing cards, walking on the road at her house, swimming at Crystal Pond, and eating at Coriander Cafe with family members and friends. She loved the rural environment of Eastford.
She leaves her children, Rebecca Noll and Rebecca and William Busby’s daughter, Kamaria Busby; Bradford Noll (Lynne) and their children, Jessica (Noll) Stebbins (Geoff) and Karl Noll; and Edmund Noll (Sophanna) and Edmund and Susan (St. King) Klare’s daughter, Dagmar S. Noll; two great-grandchildren, Jessica and Geoff Stebbin’s two children, Charlie and Dexter. Dagmar was predeceased by her sisters June (Christensen) Holland, Janice Christensen, and Jane (Christensen) Renarb.
A memorial service is planned for the spring or summer. Donations: Eastford Independent Fire Co. (P.O. Box 333, Eastford, CT 06242); Ashford Fire Department (46 Westford Road, Ashford, CT 06278); or Restoration for Unitarian Universalist Meeting House in Brooklyn, c/o Dennis Landis, P.O. Box 38, Brooklyn, CT 06234. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
Dolores Lavigne
CHARLTON — Dolores Lavigne, 87, of Charlton Manor died Feb. 21, 2020. at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester.
She was the daughter of John and Yvonne (Brunette) Gomes.
She was employed by B-W Footwear as a presser.
She leaves one daughter: Jeanne Pelletier (Andres) of Mountain View, Calif.; and one son: Ronald Pelletier (Suzanne) of Charlton; two sisters: Theresa Evans of Thompson and Janet Peckham of Thompson; one brother: Arthur Gomes of Dudley; two grandchildren and five great—grandchildren. She is predeceased by her parents; husband, Walter Lavigne in 2018; brother, Albert Gomes, and two sisters, Albertine Larose and Rita Gomes; infant daughter, Irene Pelletier.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. March 2 at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Webster.
She will be laid to rest in the columbarium at St. Joseph’s Garden of Peace Cemetery, Webster. Bartel Funeral Home & Chapel, Dudley.
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Woodstock Public Schools
Monday: Cheeseburgers, green beans, fruit. Tuesday: Baked potatoes, broccoli, fruit. Wednesday: Popcorn chicken, mashed potatoes, black beans, fruit. Thursday - half day: Breakfast sandwiches, fruit. Friday - half day: Pizza, corn, fruit.
Putnam Elementary/Middle
Monday - Dr. Seuss day: Green eggs and ham, ABC French toast sticks, Fox in Sox hash browns, Cat in the Hat parfait. Tuesday: Chicken bacon ranch panini. Wednesday: Pasta, meatsauce, broccoli, Rice Crispy treat. Thursday: Stuffed-crust pizza, salad. Friday: No school.
Putnam High
Monday: Three-cheese grilled sandwiches or spicy chicken sandwiches. Tuesday: Buffalo chicken tenders or bacon cheeseburgers. Wednesday: Pasta Bar or buffalo chicken panini. Thursday: Beef Nachos Grande or chicken Caesar salad. Friday: No school.
Pomfret Community
Monday: Crispy chicken tenders, dip, corn, rainbow trays with fruit and veggies. Tuesday: Cheese quesadilla, rainbow tray. Wednesday: Cheeseburgers, rainbow tray. Thursday: BBQ chicken, broccoli, rainbow tray. Friday: Pizza, carrots with ranch dip, rainbow tray.
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