It sounds worse than it may be.
The Woodstock Academy Centaurs softball team has only two starters returning from the 2016-17 season.
But looking deeper, there will be experience on the field this spring for the Centaurs
“We lost some great leadership,” said Centaurs coach Jason Gerum.
Gone are first baseman Jordyn Staveski, catcher Clara Sarantopolous and third baseman Mackenzie Stewart.
But Sarantopolous split time with Julianna Nuttall behind the plate and other players saw time at first which means the Centaurs lost only one position player, Staveski.
“We lost great kids but we return kids who were taking turns at those positions, ”said Gerum.
That includes junior Heather Converse and senior Casidhe Hoyt.
“We’re returning a solid defensive team,” Gerum said.
Seniors Haley Armstrong, Ciri Miller and Naomi Rivard, the starting outfield, return.
Junior Hannah Burgess will anchor the infield at shortstop. Hoyt will move from second base, where she started last season, to third.
Freshmen Mackenzie Levielle and Megan Preston will likely see time at second as well as in the pitching circle. Junior Hannah Chubbuck is equally comfortable at first, second or in the outfield with Converse available for first and second base duty.
The loss of Staveski does leave a hole in the lineup, but Gerum is confident the Centaurs can generate offense.
“We can score runs,” Gerum said. “Burgess gets on bases and finds a way to get around and in- it’s automatic. We have some good contact hitters in Rivard, Miller and Armstrong. They are four-year varsity players who bring a load of experience with the bats and Hoyt is a two-year varsity player. They have all played a lot of innings in their career.”
Sophomore Maia Corrado will also figure in the offense.
“She has a huge bat. It’s probably my fault, I figured that out a little too late last year. She might have had the biggest bat in the lineup as a freshman and as long as she adjusts to the level of the (Eastern Connecticut Conference), which she will, I think we will be adding a huge bat this year,” Gerum said.
Of course, success in softball is predicated on how good the people in the pitching circle are and Gerum will have choices.
Junior Hannah Wotton is the returning starter, but Leveille and Preston will likely factor in.
“Hannah took her lumps and got us eight wins last year. We will be a little youthful there, but I will take three kids who know how to throw any day of the week,” Gerum said.
But no matter how much experience and potential the Centaurs have, they still play in one of the most competitive leagues in the state in the sport in the ECC and improving on 8-14 from last year will likely happen but won’t be easy.
“All that means is that we will be competitive. I can’t say any more than that. Looking at the teams I’ve had (this is Gerum’s seventh season at Woodstock Academy, 16th overall coaching), this should be one of the most competitive we have had, but this is the ECC. In a great year, you could still be middle of the road, it’s that tough. I’m excited because I feel we have a chance to be in a lot of games and play some good softball,” Gerum said.
The goal is to get to double-digits in wins, qualify for both the ECC and state tournaments, and then, win a tournament game, something the Centaurs have not done in quite some time.
Schedule:
Saturday, March 31: at Waterford 11 a.m.
Tues., April 3: at Bacon Academy 4 p.m.
Wednesday, April 4: at Plainfield 4 p.m.
Friday, April 6: East Lyme 4:15 p.m.
Monday, April 9: Tourtellotte 4 p.m.
Thursday, April 12: at Montville 4 p.m.
Friday, April 13: Killingly 4 p.m.
Monday, April 16: Waterford 4 p.m.
Wed., April 18: at Stonington 11 a.m.
Tuesday, April 24: at Fitch 4 p.m.
Thursday, April 26: at Ledyard 4 p.m.
Saturday, April 28 Bristol Central 11 a.m.
Tuesday, May 1: at Killingly 4 p.m.
Mon., May 7: Bacon Academy 4 p.m.
Wednesday, May 9: Stonington 4 p.m.
Fri., May 11: at Valley Regional 4:30 p.m.
Monday, May 14: Montville 4 p.m.
Wednesday, May 16: NFA 4 p.m.
Fri., May 18: at Had.-Killingw. 4:30 p.m.
Monday, May 21: Hale Ray 4:30 p.m.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
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PSA to start
athletic hall of fame
PUTNAM — Putnam Science Academy announced that it will be starting an athletic Hall of Fame.
Putnam Science Academy first opened in 2002 and the first athletic programs were started in 2006.
The first athletic programs to start at Putnam Science Academy were soccer and basketball. The Mustangs then established through the years cross country, baseball, tennis and golf programs.
The basketball program is nationally recognized and just won its first National Prep Championship.
The first class for the Hall of Fame will be inducted in the fall of 2018.
WOODSTOCK — The Woodstock Academy baseball coach Brian Murphy is hoping that building through the program will pay positive dividends this season.
The Centaurs lost 10 varsity players including three of their top pitchers, All-Eastern Connecticut Conference performer David Redfield, Alden Brennan, and Zach Gagnon, to graduation.
That means those who labored in the junior varsity ranks last year will now get their chance to shine especially on the mound.
Pitching is always the big consideration with a pitch-count rule now in place by the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference.
“That’s especially tough in New England because we set up a schedule that works for everyone and then, there is snow on the ground. What ends up happening is that you play three or four games a week and a lot of teams are not designed to accomplish that. You pull up some players from JV to pitch some varsity games for you,” said Murphy.
Junior Luke Mathewson will be the top starter on the hill for the hill for the Centaurs.
“He’s stronger than last season and he looks good. If (Ben) Holden and (Tommy) Li do well, we could be surprisingly good on the mound,” Murphy said.
“When the team is on a losing streak maybe or having trouble winning games back-to-back, I want to be responsible for coming in there and getting the win,” Mathewson said of his new role of ace of the staff.
Holden is a junior who will see lots of time on the hill and will also play in the outfield. Li is only a sophomore but has shown good mechanics, according to Murphy, not only as a pitcher but also behind the plate and in the infield.
The Centaurs will only have three starters back in Mathewson, who will also play shortstop; Nathan John who will occupy one of the corners of the infield and catcher Eric Preston.
“Preston is one of our leading hitters. John played a lot of varsity as a sophomore and swings a great bat. Mathewson saw a lot of reps at short,” Murphy said. “We are looking to rebuild the varsity squad but assisting this process will be a group of seasoned junior varsity players,” Murphy said.
Those players include senior Jake Racicot who will play outfield, but is also capable on the mound and Murphy is counting on him for some innings this season.
Seniors Tyler Mathieu (second base), Cam Lotter (infielder-outfielder), Zach Ellsworth (first base-outfield-pitcher), Jake Lavitt (outfield) and junior Avery Riva (outfield) matriculate from the junior varsity to varsity squad.
“They were on JV to get a lot of reps, not that they couldn’t be on varsity, but I wasn’t going to keep 19 kids and have them sit the bench. I carried 13 and pulled up kids as we needed. We have three kids on the bubble who are juniors who will play JV because they need (playing time). As I told them, I expect to hear from their coach that I have to bring them up.”
Among the newcomers will be Nick Niemiec, who transferred in from Marianapolis, and will catch and play first. Sophomores Li and Doug Newton, an infielder, will also see varsity time.
“I think we will have plenty of offense between small ball and hitting into the gaps and, hopefully, against the fence,” Preston said.
It’s a group that will have to take on a very talented Eastern Connecticut Conference.
“It’s very competitive,” Murphy said. “You have kids (in Southeast Connecticut) who have not only played Little League ball together but also travel ball. Traditionally, in this area, kids play Little League and take the summer off. About six years ago, Brian Levesque, Jim Yaworski and I started the Connecticut Mustangs in Brooklyn and we are proud to say we have five age groups playing summer ball. I see the tide turning.”
The Centaurs finished 9-13 last year, 3-7 in Division II of the Eastern Connecticut Conference, but were competitive.
They fell to East Lyme, which finished 21-4, 1-0 on the Vikings’ home field and lost to Montville in two games by a total of five runs.
“This year, we’re going to be young but we’re going to be competitive,” Murphy said. “I never set the bar low. We want win ECC Division II and the state tourament, but I also give the kids personal goals, both academically and on the field.”
Schedule:
Tuesday, Apr. 3: Wheeler 4 p.m.
Friday, Apr. 6: Ellis Tech 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Apr. 10: at Windham 4 p.m.
Thursday, Apr. 12: Montville 4 p.m.
Friday, Apr. 13: St. Bernard 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Apr. 17: at Killingly 4 p.m.
Thursday, Apr. 19: at Waterford 4 p.m.
Monday, Apr. 23: Stonington 4 p.m.
Wednesday, Apr. 25: Bacon Academy 4 p.m.
Friday, Apr. 27: New London 4 p.m.
Monday, Apr. 30: at East Lyme 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 2: Killingly 4 p.m.
Friday, May 4: Waterford 4 p.m.
Monday, May 7: Putnam 4 p.m.
Tuesday, May 8: at Bacon Academy 4 p.m.
Thursday, May 10: at Stonington 4 p.m.
Tuesday, May 15: at Montville 4 p.m.
Thursday, May 17: Fitch 4 p.m.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
.
caption:
Leading
NOW Fitness Leader Kristen Rukstela leads last year’s clinic participants in a yoga exercise. Courtesy photo.
KILLINGLY — April 8 The Arc Quinebaug Valley and Northeast Opportunities for Wellness (NOW) will team up to host the 2nd Annual Spectrum of Sports event, an inclusive sports clinic and resource fair open to children ages 7 - 15 of all abilities. From 10 a.m. to noon at Killingly High School, the free clinic will feature a variety of sports skill stations, promoting movement and fun with an emphasis on inclusion and sportsmanship.
NOW Executive Director Sarah Wolfburg said: “We were so pleased to partner with The Arc for the Spectrum of Sports Clinic. It was truly rewarding to see children and teens of all abilities participating and we are excited for our second annual event coming up on April 8th.”
The 2018 event will feature skill stations in several sports, including a basketball station supported by Coach Tom Espinosa and Putnam Science Academy athletes, a soccer station with coaches and players from NECONN Soccer, a karate station with Master Mike Bogdanski of Quest Martial Arts, a running station with coach Beth Ten Eyck and TMHS Track & Field athletes, and a lacrosse station with Quinebaug Valley Youth Lacrosse. In addition, NOW will feature a yoga station and nutrition activity featuring a healthy snack.
Parents are asked to stay for the entirety of the clinic and encouraged to visit the resource fair, which will feature community partners and agencies from around the region, including: The Arc Quinebaug Valley, NOW, United Services, Inc., Infinity Music Therapy Services, Special Olympics CT, and more. Visitors to the resource fair can enjoy refreshments and be entered into a raffle for a gift basked courtesy of The Arc & NOW.
For more information on the free event, or to register, visit www.nowinmotion.org. Those interested in participating as a vendor at the resource fair are encouraged to contact Mallory Moreau, Director of Education and Training for The Arc Quinebaug Valley at 860-774-2827 ext. 115 or
The partnership between NOW and The Arc started in late 2016 with the concept of hosting an event that would align the respective missions of the two organizations. NOW focuses on providing all children access to youth wellness programming while The Arc actively supports the full inclusion and participation of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the community.
The result of this partnership was the Spectrum of Sports Clinic & Resource Fair. The event, held on April 2, 2017, saw 30 children ages 7-16 participating in an afternoon of activities that included basketball, cheerleading, running, soccer, yoga, and a nutrition lesson. During the clinic, parents and guardians were encouraged to visit the vendor resource fair. Representatives from local community organizations provided information on speech and language services, youth sports organizations, child advocacy information and assistance, and a range of health and wellness resources.