Grove St. fire ruled accidental
PUTNAM — The fire that caused damage to a Grove Street garage Dec. 4 has been determined accidental, according to the Putnam fire Marshal’s Office. The Putnam Fire Marshal’s Office investigation determined that the unsafe disposal of smoking materials likely caused the fire in the detached garage of a multi-family property at 182 Grove St.
Through interviews and fire pattern analysis, fire marshals concluded that the fire originated on the second floor of the garage. Witnesses said that before the fire a resident was seen entering and leaving the garage which had been used as a workshop. The resident admits to being a smoker and numerous improperly discarded cigarettes were found in the area of origin.
Fire crews were dispatched at 7:48p.m. after a passerby noticed a column of smoke and flames coming from the 2-story garage. Firefighters were able to quickly bring the fire under control and contain the damage to the second floor of the structure. There was no damage to the nearby home or vehicles and no injuries were reported.
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A Line of Winners
The Putnam Elks Lodge #574’s annual Hoop Shootout competition drew quite a few competitors Dec. 16. The winners, who head to the Connecticut District competition Jan. 6, from left: Teagan Espinosa, winner of the girls 8-9 level; Bryce Espinosa, winner of the boys 10-11 level; Wesley Schulman, winner of the boys 12-13 level; Jaxson Stewart, winner of the boys 8-9 level; and Ella Adams, winner of the girls 12-13 level. The Elks Lodge members helping included, from left: Hoop Shootout Chairman Dennis Holden; Michael Martin, Leading Knight; Lisa Morissette, Secretary; and Marcel Morissette, Loyal Knight. Linda Lemmon photos.
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Left: Jalen Claude. Above: Khaya Skene. Tom Netzer photos.
The was no sunshine on Putnam Science Academy’s basketball trip to the Sunshine State this past weekend. The two-time defending national champions played four games in four days at a showcase event at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., and dropped all four in an unprecedented stretch.
“We all have to be better, starting with me,” coach Tom Espinosa said before his team went its separate ways for the school’s semester break on a five-game losing streak that goes back to the previous weekend. “Coaches, players … we all have to be better. There’s no excuses, we have to be better.”
PSA played Saturday and Sunday’s games without starters Mekhi Conner and Justin Johnson, both of whom were injured late in Friday’s game, and haven’t had top-25 big man Oswin Erhunmwunse all season because of summer surgery. PSA, which is 11-8 overall, had never before lost five games in a row. In fact, the Mustangs never lost three in a row. They’ve lost back-to-back games only seven times in their history, dating to 2007-08, and had only lost two-of-three games five times. So this is unchartered territory.
“This is as bad as its been,” Espinosa said. “We had eight losses in the 2014-15 season, and that was a rough year. Hopefully after we come back from the break, we’ll be healthier, we’ll have Oswin back, and we just start fresh.”
Ben Ahmed was the lone constant for PSA, averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds across the four games. Thursday’s loss, 75-73 to NBA Africa, went down to wire, as PSA didn’t get a foul call on Conner’s final-second 3-pointer.
“I thought it was a foul, and it was one of those that if it was at any other point in the game, it would have been called,” Espinosa said. “But it’s the last play of the game, so they don’t want to call it, which I get.”
Amdy Ndiaye had 18 points and 12 rebounds in the loss. Conner finished with 16 points and seven rebounds, while Ahmed had 15 points and Johnson had seven assists and four steals.
PSA lost a rematch of last year’s national championship game Friday, 79-71 to Sunrise Christian, despite 17 points and 12 rebounds from Ahmed, plus 18 points from newcomer Imahri Wooten in his PSA debut.
Ahmed had 22 points, 13 boards, and four blocks in Saturday’s 90-75 loss to Link Year Prep Boys' basketball, then finished Sunday (74-57 loss to NBA Global) with 14 points and 11 rebounds, his 11th double-double of the season. Wooten finished with 12 points, Ndiaye added six points and 10 rebounds, Fallou Gueye had eight points, six rebounds, and five assists against NBA Global.
PSA’s girls’ team, meanwhile, won two-of-three at the Nickerson Holiday Classic, getting 16 points from Carlota Lopez in a 46-38 win over Austin Prep Friday, and 18 from Khaya Skene in a 63-26 victory against Cushing Academy Saturday, before falling 71-49 to Greenwich on Sunday.
The boys’ Elite team won its lone game, toppling Busche Academy 111-95 on Monday behind Jalen Claude, who made 7-of-9 3-pointers and finished with 31 points in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score. Javelle Epps added 19 points (making 4-of-6 3s) and Tony Williams finished with 17 points (knocking down 5-of-6 3s himself). PSA shot the ball incredibly well from deep, going 23-of-35 – 65.7 percent! – on 3s and built itself a 30-point lead nearly midway through the second half.
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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From left: Jillian Edwards, Talia Tremblay and Julia Coyle will help guide the Woodstock Academy girls’ indoor track team. Photo by Josh Welch/Woodstock Academy.
Personal improvement and development. While also maintaining a good team chemistry and creating bonds with younger athletes.
It’s what Woodstock Academy’s Julia Coyle said is special to her about indoor track as she embarks on her senior year in the sport.
It takes a little adjustment as the meets are long, generally lasting the entire day. There is only one in a week and it’s usually on the weekend.
And the girls’ indoor track team has some athletes to show off.
Coyle is the distance runner of the group of about 30 student-athletes out for coach Josh Welch.
But he thinks they will do well as they do have a host of gifted athletes.
Junior Juliet Allard is a “phenomenal 300-meter performer”, according to Welch, who has the ability to shine in other areas.
Coyle is a solid mile performer whom Welch thinks will be aided by some speed and strength workouts over the indoor track season. He thinks the senior can drop down into, at least, the low 5:20’s from a best of 5:36 last season.
It will take work but Coyle is looking forward to it.
Welch also thinks sophomore Olivia Tracy will be a valuable contributor in the mile while senior Talia Tremblay will be a solid mid-distance runner along with sophomore Emma Weitknecht who is also a good hurdle performer.
Also returning is senior high jumper Jillian Edwards.
As far as the competitions, there are really only a few that truly matter other than individually vying for league or state seeding.
The ECC Class M state championships, and CIAC State Open.
For that reason, Welch follows a different philosophy than he does for outdoor track.
The Centaurs opened the season on Saturday with one of those lengthy, non-scoring, ECC meets.
Allard finished first and qualified for States in the 300-meter, coming across the line in 43.88 seconds. She also joined Tremblay, Weitknecht and Ella Lidonde in winning the 4x180m relay.
Coyle also qualified for States as she placed second in the 1600m in 5 minutes, 45 seconds.
Avery Plouffe, in her first-ever indoor track meet, placed fourth in the shotput and qualified for States with a throw of 29-feet, 4-inches. Tremblay also placed fifth in the 600m.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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