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Seniors Honored
Woodstock Academy seniors, left to right: Emily Arters, Elise Boisvert and Jenna Davidson were honored on Senior Day. Photo by Marc Allard.
The Woodstock Academy gymnastics team, once again, likely owns a share of the ECC regular season title.
The Centaurs downed the team that had beaten them earlier this season, Stonington, 137.8 - 133.1, and also handed the Killingly/Putnam/Tourtellotte cooperative (128.05) a loss early last week.
The wins raised Woodstock Academy’s record to 11-1 overall and 7-1 in the ECC.
The Centaurs still have two league meets to complete, one each against Fitch and the E. Lyme Cooperative, those were a part of the ECC championship meet that took place Feb. 10 (the meet ended too late for this edition).
“I think we’re really excited about this because we lost to Stonington in the past. We were really hoping we would come back and have a really good meet and that’s what we did. Everybody nailed everything,” said Woodstock Academy’s Jenna Davidson.
That was especially true of the senior. Davidson was best on the beam (9.45), bars (9.4) and vault (9.2). She also tied for best with teammate Emily Arters in the floor exercise (9.3). It gave Davidson a season-best 37.35 All-Around performance.
“She was awesome and she always seems to come through for us toward the end of the season. I really think she’s going to ride the tide. She has become such a leader on the team and knows how to perform,” said Woodstock Academy coach Kasey Tocchio.
It was a good win for the Centaurs.
In addition to losing to the Bears at Stonington earlier this season, the Bears also scored better in a meet at Thames Valley Gymnastics the meet prior although the two did not score against one another.
“Looking at the numbers and looking at what we did those meets, we knew we could do it, but, it was definitely a confidence-builder going into the ECC’s. It helped everyone out,” Tocchio said.
In this case, the home floor was a big advantage.
“Being home always helps. I think we knew we had to bring out ‘A’ game and it was also Senior Night which got us really pumped up,” Davidson said.
In addition to Davidson, Arters and Elise Boisvert were honored for their four years with the Woodstock Academy program.
Arters finished fourth in the All-Around with a 34.1 total while Boisvert added a 32.75 effort.
“We sat down with the five girls that competed before the meet and said, ‘This is it. This is our team.’ It’s so small when you look at it like that. You’re only allowed to drop one score so they all know how important they are. We’re not trying to add more pressure to that. We just told them that they have to be normal and we’re good,” Tocchio said.
The Centaurs are missing their top gymnast due to injury.
“I think not having (freshman) Taylor (Markley) for these meets is really hard and we have to make it up. I think we do that every meet. Hopefully, she comes back but I think we have it under control if she doesn’t,” Davidson said.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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Boys break
losing streak
It had been awhile.
The Woodstock Academy Centaurs boys’ basketball team last walked off the floor with a win on Jan. 13 when they downed Griswold to cap a four-game win streak.
The Centaurs finally got back on the right side of things Feb. 8 after an eight-game losing streak with a 67-62 overtime victory over Plainfield in Central Village.
“A win is a win is a win,” said a relieved Woodstock Academy coach Marty Hart. “We needed it just to keep the dream alive. We haven’t made it easy on ourselves. It’s been within reach and the (post) season is still within reach.”
The win raised the Centaurs record to 5-11.
It means they will have to win three of their last four to qualify for the CIAC Division IV state tournament.
Woodstock Academy travels to E. Lyme and then Stonington on Tuesday and Friday of this week.
The Centaurs finish off the season at home against Ledyard on Feb. 18 and E. Lyme again on Feb. 21.
They had to work for their win over the Panthers (6-8).
Plainfield held the early 15-11 advantage after one quarter, but the Centaurs rallied to take the lead, 27-26, at the half.
Nick Bedard scored almost half of his team-high 15 points in the opening half, putting down seven while Ethan Davis added five of his 13.
Thanks to six more points each by Bedard and Logan Talbot (12 points), Woodstock Academy reeled off 19 points in the third quarter, only to see Plainfield come back to tie by the end of regulation.
The Centaurs outscored the Panthers 12-7 in the extra period.
Liam Blanchflower (11 points) and Aidan Morin (10) each scored five in the overtime.
“Liam scored four of those points on consecutive possessions in overtime at a point when we really needed it,” Hart said. “I’m liking what I see from him. He gives us balance coming in off the bench. It’s a big lift when he comes off the bench and he’s versatile. He can play inside or outside. He’s really developed a nice shooting touch.”
Hart and the coaching staff have been working on everyone’s shooting touch.
The downfall in many of the losses over the course of the losing streak was the ability to put the ball in the basket.
Case in point was the Centaurs’ 49-43 loss to New London Feb. 4. The Centaurs led 35-30 at the beginning of the fourth quarter after a bucket by Bedard with 6:30 to play.
Woodstock Academy made only one of its last seven attempts at the basket.
The Centaurs missed several down the stretch against the Whalers which allowed New London to forge ahead for good following with 4:21 to play.
Pemberton added three free throws and another bucket over the next three minutes to put the Whalers up. 45-41.
New London hit four of its last eight free throws to account for the final.
Bedard and Talbot were the only Centaurs in double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Hart decided it was time to do something about it.
He brought in a friend, a shooting coach, as a guest speaker following the New London game.
“That was what we needed,” Hart said.
Against Plainfield, the Centaurs converted on 21-of-26 from the free throw line.
“It really improved their focus and mechanics in terms of shooting,” Hart said. “The foundation was defense and we got that down. Then rebounding and then the motion in our offense and as kind of a final step in the process, working on hitting the shots when we’re open. As I look down the column (against Plainfield), I think we’re taking the right shot with the right confidence.”
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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Lyndsay Nalbandian
WOODSTOCK — Lyndsay V. Nalbandian, 43, of Dukeland Drive, died unexpectedly Feb. 6, 2020, at Massachusetts General Hospital, surrounded by her family.
Born Feb. 12, 1976, on Loring Air Force Base, Maine, she was the daughter of Richard and Julie (Winter) Long of Pomfret. Lyndsay was married to Stephen Nalbandian, whom she met while they were both attending UConn. They were married for more than 17 years, and they shared their life with their beautiful 6-year-old daughter, Grace.
Lyndsay was employed by UConn as a program assistant at the Human Rights Institute. Lyndsay was also a member of Hope Church in E. Hampton. She enjoyed many activities, but above all, she loved being with her family. She found her greatest joy in being Grace’s mom and doting on her for six short but wonderful years, as well as taking care of her family.
She leaves her husband, Stephen and daughter Grace of Woodstock; parents Richard and Julie (Winter) Long; and brother, Braden Long (JC); aunts, uncles, and cousins in both the U.S. and United Kingdom.
The Funeral Service is at 11 a.m. Feb. 12 at the hope Community Church, Putnam, with burial in Elmvale Cemetery, Woodstock. Donations: The American Heart Association, P.O. Box 417005, Boston, MA. 02241; Friends have also set up a place for donations at https://www.gofundme.com/f/qah4zk-taken-too-soon. Gilman Funeral Home and Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Paul F. Mailloux
N. GROSVENORDALE — Paul F. Mailloux was born Jan. 30, 1966, in Acushnet, Mass. He graduated from Old Colony Regional High School, Class of 1984.
Paul fought a courageous 17-month battle with a glioblastoma and went home to be with Jesus on Feb. 8, 2020.
Paul met his best friend and love of his life, Carolyn (Gaspar) Mailloux, in the summer of 1991. They were married Jan. 19, 1996, and recently celebrated their 24th wedding anniversary. Together they had three children; Brooke Dieffenwierth (Trevor) from Webster, Reid and Gage Mailloux from N. Grosvenordale. He also leaves two stepchildren; Ashley and Nicholas Silveira; two grandsons Logan Silveira and Jack Chase; brothers Mark Mailloux from Georgia and David Mailloux from Florida. Paul was predeceased by his mother and father, Mary Ann and Paul Mailloux; and his brother Gary Mailloux.
Paul was funny and witty. He loved camping and vacationing in the tropics. Paul was a loyal and dedicated employee for 24 years at Nypro Mold in Clinton, Mass. He loved his job, his boss, and work family. Paul was also a faithful member of High Pointe Church in Thompson.
The Memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Feb. 13 at High Pointe Church, Thompson. Burial is private. Donations: High Pointe Church, 1208 Thompson Rd, Thompson, CT 06277. Gilman Funeral Home and Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Barbara Daigle
DUDLEY — Barbara M. Girouard Daigle died Feb. 3, 2020, at the Lanessa Extended Care in Webster.
Barbara was born Dec. 16, 1925 inn Webster, daughter of the late George and Grace (Brown) Raymond. Barbara was very active in the Webster-Dudley area, serving as the first lady director of the Polish National Alliance of Dudley Charter 2876 and as past president of the American Legion Auxiliary Webster-Dudley Post 184.
She leaves three sons: Bradley G. Daigle of Dudley, Joey P. Daigle of Woodstock, and Bruce Raymond Daigle of Webster; two daughters: Dianne Sheldon of Pomfret, and Jacqueline A. Stevens of Worcester; 16 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild. She was predeceased by her husband Roland “Rollo” Girouard.
The Funeral Mass was Feb. 7 at St. Louis Church, Webster. Donations: American Legion Auxiliary Webster-Dudley Post 184, 9 Houghton St., Webster, MA 01570. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.
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Part of team
WORCESTER — The Assumption Department of Athletics has announced that Jonathan Wahl of Chepachet has been named to the 2019-20 Assumption Men’s Track & Field roster and is competing during the indoor season.
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