A far cry
from first
meeting
It was a far cry from the first meeting between the Centaurs and Waterford.
The Lancers won that game by almost 60 points on their home floor in January.
Feb. 2 Waterford found itself tied with the Centaurs going into the final quarter at the Alumni Fieldhouse.
“We decided to take more pride in the defense and controlled the tempo of the game. We did that successfully for two or three quarters, but their pressure became enormous (in the 4th quarter),” said Woodstock Academy coach Marty Hart.
That pressure worked and the Lancers (13-2) eventually prevailed, but the Centaurs were happy with their effort in a 63-54 loss Feb. 2.
“We executed a game plan that we worked on together to control the tempo, run some clock and then score off back-door cuts and keeping the floor spread. The guys really bought into it,” Hart said.
Waterford could not pull away early thanks to the efforts of Cole Hackett.
Hackett scored 10 of his 18 points in the first half to keep the Centaurs close to the Lancers. Waterford held the 11-8 advantage in the first quarter and that three-point difference carried into the locker room as the Lancers led, 26-23, at the break.
“Cole Hackett was tremendous inside, he was a warrior,” Hart said.
Chase Anderson took over in the second half when he scored 18 of his 22 points to put the Centaurs into the lead by the fourth quarter.
But Waterford’s Mike Buscetto scored 12 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter and the Lancers made 8-of-11 from the free throw line to end the Centaurs’ upset hopes.
“We continue to see progression especially in the pride we’re taking on the defensive end of the court. We held Stafford scoreless in the first quarter and moved on from there. Holding Waterford down to that level of scoring was key for us and the guys are starting to see that if we play that style of defense, night in and night out, we can play with anyone,” Hart said.
The Centaurs jumped out to a 21-0 first quarter lead Feb. 1 and never looked back, rolling to a 60-25 win over Stafford Feb. 1.
Anderson scored nine of his 11 points in the game in the first quarter, all on 3-pointers. Hackett and Nathan John added four points each.
Ethan Adams picked up where Anderson left off in the second quarter when he scored all eight of his points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Sam Plummer added five more to The Academy effort to give the Centaurs a 36-10 halftime lead.
“The focus was to get touches inside and only take outside shots in rhythm. Crisp ball movement and sharing the ball led to balanced scoring and contributions from all players,” Hart said.
The Centaurs got the play they wanted Jan. 30 against Killingly.
It just came a little too late.
Trailing the Redmen by four with seven seconds left, Aidan Morin took the inbounds pass and raced up the floor.
He passed the ball to Adams who sank the 3-pointer.
Hart immediately called time out.
There were two problems with that.
The Centaurs didn’t have a time out left and there were only three-tenths of a second left in the game which the Redmen went on to win, 42-40.
“I thought I had a time out and I was upset because there were only three-tenths of a second left,” Hart said. “The play was slow to develop. We got what we wanted, we hit our first three (pointer) of the night. It was just too little, too late.”
The Centaurs led 30-28 at the end of the third quarter.
Then, the Academy went cold.
The physicality of the Redmen taking the Centaurs out of the game.
“Was it a basketball game or just a wrestling match with a basketball?” Hart questioned. “I really couldn’t tell. I thought our guys did a good job of maintaining their composure in that environment. It’s just very difficult to execute in a physical game.”
Anderson (12 points) sandwiched a basket and a free throw around a Luke Desaulnier bucket for the Redmen early in the final quarter to give the Centaurs a 33-30 lead.
But Killingly answered with a pair of 3-pointers from Desaulnier (15 points) and Sean Johndrow to retake the lead by three.
After a pair of free throws by Hackett, Shayne Bigelow added another trey for Killingly to give the Redmen the 39-35 advantage.
“The difference between good and great is this much,” Hart said while holding his fingers close together. “They executed in a very thin sliver of the game and we lost track of shooters for a few moments. Those points count against you.”
Hackett, who led the Centaurs with 16, scored for the Centaurs with 4:25 to play. It would be the last basket prior to Adams’ 3-pointer for the Centaurs.
The activity this past week left the Centaurs with a 5-10 record.
It means The Academy needs to win three of its last five to qualify for the state tournament.
“We just hope to play our brand of basketball and do it in a way that puts us in position to win. Fortunately two of the final five we play, we have beaten already this season, but we’re playing at their place so we’re not taking them lightly. The goal is still to get eight (wins), but we have to get the next one first,” Hart said.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
..
By Shawn Bates
Putnam Middle
Boys and Girls
The Wolfpack spilt last week with a loss Jan. 29 45-47 to Eastford and a win against Canterbury Feb. 1 to end the regular season with a record of 7-3. The winning record gives Putnam a number 3 seeding in the QVJC tournament which started Feb. 5 at Putnam Middle School .
This will be the first time in eight years Putnam will host the two- day affair which will feature the boys and girls.
The ladies go into the tournament the first seed with an 8-1 record posted. The ladies were perfect at home this season with one road loss against Ashford early in the season.
The QVJC tournament schedule for the Putnam boys is:
Feb. 8 at 5:30 the consolation game and the conference championship at 7.
The QVJC tournament schedule for the Putnam girls was on Feb. 6.
Putnam High
Boys
A winning drought has fallen down on Clipper Nation with six games left to play in the season and with 2 wins left to gain for post season play the Clippers need to buckle down for the short schedule. Jan. 29 the Clippers hosted Cheney Tech for a 61-53 loss to the Techsters.
Jan. 31, in a packed gym in Putnam, the Clippers fell to Lyman 50-48 almost pulling it off with 1.6 on the clock Anthony Navado threw up a prayer at mid court to deflect of the backboard and out of the rim. Lyman’s David Lopez would stop the clock after halftime as he hit the 1000-point milestone and finished with 12 points. Colby Livingston would lead the Clippers with 14 points, Sebastian Ramos netted 13 and Tyion Harris followed with 12.
And on Feb. 2 the Clippers traveled to Parish Hill were they would lose on the road to their old CSC foe with a score of 45-74 in the Pirates favor.
Putnam schedule for the upcoming week will be a short one with only one game on the radar they will face a tough ECC Griswold team at home at 7 p.m. Feb. 8.
Girls
The ladies had a short week with one game facing an old rival in Parish Hill a game that both teams look forward to when they see it listed on the schedule. The last meeting Putnam game out on top with a home win over the Pirates 54-43. But Feb. 1 the Pirates looked for a little payback and they got what they wanted with a 71-46 win against the 11-4 Clippers.
The Pirates (14-2) had only three players score in the contest and what they scored was big numbers Maria Tomas led all with 34 points followed by Hannah Vieria 21 points and Kaysie Dupuis with 16 points. For Putnam Ashley Burke netted 14.
The Ladies play Griswold at 7 p.m. Feb. 8.
Raymond F. Langelier,
vet of 2 wars
N. GROSVENORDALE — Raymond F. Langelier, 91, of Riverside Dr., died Jan. 29, 2018, at home. Born in 1926 in Wilsonville, he was the son of the late Joseph and Ora (Pratt) Langelier.
Raymond was a veteran of WWII serving with the U.S. Army, Company B, 717th Battalion. He was honorably discharged on Oct. 29, 1946. He then reenlisted and was a combat veteran of the Korean war, serving with battery B, 189th field artillery battalion 45th division, taking part in the battles of the Chorwon Valley and the Punch Bowl, where he earned two Battle Stars in 1952.
Upon returning home in January of 1953, he went to work at American Optical in Southbridge, working there for more than 31 years. After retiring he opened his own business, Ray’s Car Waxing which he ran for 18 years, retiring in 1991.
He was a member of the Quarter Century Club, Wellsworth Athletic Association, and the Thompson Senior Center.
He leaves his nieces and nephews, Linda Demers, Carmen Charbonneau, Ronald Desrochers, and Gerald Langelier, all of Thompson, Gloria Mello of Westport, Mass., and Charlene Foreman of Brookfield, Mass.; and great-nieces and -nephews, and great-great-nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his siblings, Albert, Joseph, Leonard, Charles, and Dolores Langelier, Belle Desrochers, Yvonne Madison, and Claire Howland.
The Mass of Christian Burial was Feb. 2 in St. Joseph Church, N. Grosvenordale, with burial with military honors in St. Joseph Cemetery. Valade Funeral Home and Crematory, 23 Main St., N. Grosvenordale.
Frank X. Vandale Jr.,
Korean war vet
DANIELSON — Frank X. Vandale Jr., 85, of Joyce St., died Jan. 27, 2018, in Day Kimball Hospital. Born in 1932 in Norwich, he was the son of the late Frank X. Vandale Sr. and Anna M. (Carpentiere) Vandale. Mr. Vandale was a Korean war U.S. Army veteran. He worked as a paint sprayer for InterRoyal and Kaman Aerospace. He enjoyed fishing, bowling, going to flea markets and yard sales, always looking for something to tinker with.
He leaves his son, Richard Vandale (Michelle) of Dayville; his daughter Carleene Gendron of Danielson; six grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
A graveside service with full military honors will take place in St. John’s Cemetery, Plainfield in the spring. Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Raymond Riendeau,
Korean war vet
WOODSTOCK — Raymond A. Riendeau, 85, died Feb. 1, 2018, at Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam.
He was born on Jan. 11, 1933, in Putnam. On Oct. 29, 1955, Ray married his wife, Lena (Back) Riendeau.
He was a veteran of the Korean war and was honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1955 after four years of dedicated service.
Ray worked as a mechanic at Cargill Chevrolet in Putnam for more than 40 years. He went on to work part time as a driver for Putnam Chrysler. Ray loved attending yard sales and flea markets. He was a collector of many things, never passing up a good deal. He was an avid New England Patriots fan. He enjoyed watching his maple tree bloom in the spring. Ray was most proud of his extensive antique toy truck collection.
Ray leaves his wife of 62 years, Lee Riendeau; their daughter Carolanne Blystone (late husband Ronald); family dog, Petree.
The Funeral Service will be at 2 p.m. Feb. 10 at Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam, with burial following with military honors.
Dorothy ‘Dot’ Galante
BROOKLYN — Dorothy (Dot) Galante, 96, longtime resident of Waterbury, and of Brooklyn and Dayville, died Feb. 2, 2018, at Westview Health Care Center in Dayville. She was the widow of Pasquale J. Galante.
Dot was born on Jan. 22, 1922, in Waterbury, daughter of the late Joseph E. and Nell (Wheeler) Champagne. Her father died when she was a young child, and her mother raised Dot and her siblings by herself, doing piecework for a local factory to supplement Joseph’s veteran’s pension. Dot was one of the only members of her family to graduate from high school, graduating from Waterbury Catholic around 1940. As a teenager, Dot befriended Dolores (Do) Galante, and met Do’s handsome, outgoing older brother, Pat. During WWII, Dot worked as an inspector of nylon parachute cord at Hemingway and Bartlett in Waterbury and Pat served in the Air Force in the Pacific Theatre. They were married on May 5, 1945, and enjoyed 63 years of marriage prior to his passing in 2008.
After the war, Dot and Pat raised their three children, Richard, Meg, and Michelle, on the second floor of their triple-decker with grandparents, in-laws, and cousins above and below. Dot and Pat were fond of surprising their kids with unexpected “adventures,” loading them into the station wagon in their pajamas and driving overnight so that they would wake up in the Catskills or at Lake George or in Gettysburg, Penn. Their favorite vacation was a yearly trip to Atlantic City, where Pat and Dot had spent their honeymoon. In later years, Dot and Pat drove all over the country to attend Pat’s Air Force reunions often bringing their children and grandchildren along. They also traveled by car sight-seeing and visiting friends with Phil and Lucy Galante and their dear friends Jerry and Nellie Arcaro. In 2007, they moved to eastern Connecticut to be closer to family.
She leaves three children and their spouses: Richard and Janet Galante of Pomfret, Meg Galante-DeAngelis and Mark DeAngelis of Willimantic, Michelle and Robert Plucenik of Brooklyn; grandchildren and their partners: Seth Galante, Carlo and Melynda Galante, Emily Galante, Caitlin and Finnegan Hopkins, Benjamin DeAngelis, Graham DeAngelis, Wheeler DeAngelis, Brighid DeAngelis, Alexandra Plucenik and Jim Noel, and Andréa Plucenik; great-grandchildren: Giuliana and Liam Galante, Amalia and Sam Hopkins, and Bella and 8-month-old Kamryn Noel; niece, Rita Sarandrea; siblings-in-law, Gloria Iavasile and Michael and Kathryn Galante. She was predeceased by her sisters: Rita Champagne, Marie Elward, and Edna Johnson.
Donations to the Westview Recreation Dept., 150 Ware Rd in Dayville, CT 06241. Services will be announced later. Gilman Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Frances Chauvin
OXFORD, Mass. — Frances M. (Gomes) Chauvin, 88, died Jan. 31, 2018, at Harrington at Webster.
She was born in Oxford daughter of the late Louis and Elsie (Dexter) Gomes and lived in Oxford all her life. She was a framer at Webster Spring for many years.
She leaves a sister Agnes Putis of Oxford, Mass.; and a best cousin and friend, Charlotte Gubber of Thompson; six grandchildren, Nina, Jennie, Adrian, Christopher, Jacki and Thomas and eight great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by two sons, Joseph Beaudry and Leonard Beaudry; and a daughter Sandra Cadarette.
A service will be at 10 a.m. Feb. 21 at the Oak Hill Bible Church, Oxford. Burial in St. Roch’s Cemetery will be private. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.
Sandra Hryzan
THOMPSON — Sandra S. (Golembiewski) Hryzan, 73, died Jan. 28, 2018, in Westview Nursing Home, Danielson, after a battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Her husband of 48 years, Edmund D. Hryzan Sr., died in 2013.
She was born and raised in Webster, the daughter of Edward and Sophie (Oleszewski) Golembiewski and lived in N. Grosvenordale. Sandy graduated from Tourtellotte Memorial High School in N. Grosvenordale. She retired from Stop & Shop in Putnam and worked at Price Chopper, Big D, Moldex and Colt’s Plastic.
She spent many years volunteering at St. Joseph’s School in Webster and with Boy Scout Troop 173. She loved to dance, adored Fenway Park, the Red Sox and Jim Rice.
She leaves three children: Edmund D. Hryzan Jr. (Suzanne) of Lakeville, Mass., two daughters, Michele Potter (Troy) of N. Grosvenordale and Christine Ayotte (Marc) of Pomfret; seven grandchildren: Sophie, Jacob, Emma and Dominic Hryzan, Morgan Potter, Trey and Maxim Ayotte; a brother, Edward Golembiewski of Thompson; and sister, Carol Golembiewski of W. Hartford.
Visitation will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 10 in Scanlon Funeral Service, E. Main Street, Webster, with a service at 1:30. Burial will be private. Donations: Michael J. Fox Foundation, PO Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741 (michaeljfox.org).
Rita E. St. Onge
WORCESTER — Rita E. St. Onge, 69, died Jan. 27, 2018, at UMass Memorial Healthcare Center. She was born in Worcester, daughter of the late Richard E. and Geraldine (Howard) St. Onge and lived in Worcester for the past 30 years prior to that living in Canada. She enjoyed cooking for friends and entertaining.
She leaves a brother Robert E. St. Onge Sr. of Warren, Mass.; a sister Gail A. Wojtanek of Oxford, Mass.; four nieces Melanie Frates, Alison Tozzi, Amy Peterson and Angela Baldwin, three nephews, Jason, Andy and Rob Jr St. Onge of Thompson. She was also predeceased by brother Kevin St. Onge and a sister Cythia Wilfong.
The Graveside Service was Feb. 7 in St. Johns Cemetery, Worcester. Donations: charity of donor’s choice. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.
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caption:
Brenda Pontbriand and her daughters, Rachael and Sophia.
WOODSTOCK — Woodstock residents Brenda Pontbriand and her daughters, Rachael and Sophia, are set to perform at Broadway Live The Conncert” on April 7 and 8 at the Center for the Arts at The Woodstock Academy.
The Conncert is a benefit show featuring 30 regional singers and a 16-piece orchestra performing music from Broadway, jazz, rock and roll, pop and classical genres.
For more information about The Conncert and tickets, visit www.theconncert.com . Tickets are also available at The Hale YMCA Youth and Family Center in Putnam.
Brenda is a 17-year veteran of the Broadway Live stage, dating back to her first performance at Broadway Live…2001. The Pontbriands are one of six family groups slated to sing at the event along with many individual performers. Brenda and Sophia will be singing “Proud Mary,” a rock and roll classic made famous by Tina Turner. Rachael will be singing the song her mother performed 17 years ago at Broadway Live…2001: “Aquarius” from the Broadway musical “Hair”. “I am so beside myself and thrilled to be singing with my girls,” said Brenda. “It really comes full circle; Sophia was in a baby carrier and Rachael was running up and down the aisles when I first performed at Broadway Live…2001.” Rachael added, “Seeing my Mom up on the Broadway Live stage growing up, I always wanted to be up there. I am now going to have the chance to be on stage with my Mom and sister, accomplishing one of my life’s goals.”
Broadway Live Executive Producer James Doran Kellaway first learned of Brenda’s talents through the glowing praise he always heard from other stage veterans. “I started working with Broadway Live just 7 years ago, and I was immediately impressed by the number of talented vocalists on this team who would point to Brenda as one of their favorite voices. Her talented reputation precedes her. She delivers. Her daughters deliver. You’ll definitely want to be in the theater for these numbers.”