Roundup
Volleyball
team improves
to 4-2
The boys’ volleyball team enjoyed its spring break matches as it took two victories by shutout, one on the road, the other at home.
“When people go away on vacation and you are piecing things together, it’s great to get two victories. I was thankful the scheduling gods scheduled who they scheduled,” coach Adam Bottone said.
His team was missing Evan Chernik due to a family vacation so Nathan Billings had to move over to outside hitter.
Weston Mission moved over to the right-side hitter and the Centaurs also called up some junior varsity players to fill some holes.
The Centaurs posted a 3-0 victory in Hartford Thursday over the Hartford Magnet Trinity Catholic Academy team.
The Centaurs had to battle in the first set before posting a 25-21 victory.
Things went easier in the next two with Woodstock posting 25-14 and 25-18 victories.
Brayden Bottone led the way with eight kills while Owen Budd added seven. Nate Billings delivered 15 service points and Christian Hart had 11 digs.
The win followed a 3-0 win over the Aerospace Academy/International Academy co-op Wednesday.
Billings had nine kills while Bottone added eight. Jake Henderson had 14 assists, Hart accounted for 11 service points and Budd had seven aces.
The wins were the first two Connecticut Volleyball League matches for the Centaurs who improved to 4-2 overall, halfway to the magic number of eight needed to qualify for the state tournament.
“That’s exactly what I was thinking. Knowing who we have coming up, we should be able to get to those eight wins pretty quickly. I’m optimistic about that. Every win we can get after that is just a feather in the cap for seeding. It would be nice to get a first or second-round home match and not have to travel to Newtown. I’m optimistic because I see progress from the guys every match. There are some things that I am trying to get them to do that they are applying and some things that are taking more time but we are trending in the right direction which is good,” Adam Bottone said.
One concern for the Centaurs’ coach is that his team only had one day of practice during the spring break week and had a league match on Monday against Norwich Free Academy.
Outdoor Track
There were no outdoor track meets during the spring break week but several Woodstock athletes kept busy with specialized events.
Seniors Christian Menounos and Colton Sallum competed in the Connecticut Distance Festival Wednesday in Middletown and both broke Woodstock Academy school records.
Menounos finished seventh in the mile in a time of 4 minutes, 24.37 seconds improving the school record by a little more than a second.
Sallum broke the previous school mark in the 5K set by Kevin Graham in 2004 by 45 seconds as he finished in 15:29 and placed ninth overall. The time was the 43rd best in the nation in high school this season and also represents quite the personal improvement. Sallum’s best finish as a freshman in a 5K race was over 31 minutes.
Junior Eli Manning also bettered his own school record in the pentathlon at the Patriot Games at Coventry High School over the weekend.
The pentathlon includes the 100-meter hurdles, shotput, long jump, high jump and 800-meter race.
Manning gathered 2073 points and finished seventh overall just ahead of teammate Owen Williamson who was eighth with 2055 points in the boys competition.
The girls’ team also had several competitors in the one-day test of skill and endurance. Sophomore Elise Coyle shined as she finished third overall with 2493 points in the event. Coyle just missed the school record, set by Kristen Paquette in 1994, by a slim 209 points. Senior Juliet Allard was fifth in the competition with 2072 points and junior Isabel D’Alleva-Bochain was seventh (1737).
Baseball
The baseball team had four games on their home diamond during the week and were on the losing side in three of them to fall to 2-3 on the season and 0-2 in Div. I of the ECC.
Norwich Free Academy put the Centaurs in an early hole on Saturday as the Wildcats scored three times in the first two innings and went on to post a 5-2 victory.
The Centaurs did get one back in the third inning when senior Cam Nason walked, stole second and scored on a pair of wild pitches.
NFA added two more runs in the fifth inning.
The Wildcats almost needed all of those to pull out the win.
Woodstock scored its second run in the bottom of the sixth when Brady Ericson walked, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Hayden Maloney single, but a double play cut the hoped for rally a bit short.
In the bottom of the seventh, Colin Ericson reached on an error and then both Nason and Tanner Graham singled to load the bases. A pop out, strikeout and fly out ended the threat, however.
Maloney was the only player with a multi-hit game for the Centaurs with a double and the base hit.
Normally, a four-run lead with Brady Ericson on the mound means good things for the baseball team.
But the senior lefthander had troubles finding the plate in the sixth inning and East Lyme went home on Thursday with a 5-4 victory.
Woodstock had opened the early 3-0 lead in the second when senior leftfielder Haydon Rowland singled home both Maloney and Matt Hernandez. Bradley Blair then came around on a Graham base knock.
The Centaurs made it 4-0 when Brady Ericson put one back to the fence in right field and steamed into third with a triple in the fifth inning. Brady Ericson came in to score on an errant pickoff attempt.
But, the Vikings worked a pair of walks off of Ericson to start the sixth inning and Harrison Papuga singled to load the bases. Nick Cambi brought in the first run of the game for East Lyme on a sacrifice fly
Brady Ericson picked up his 11th strikeout of the game to record the second out but an infield ground ball resulted in an error that allowed two runs to score and cut the Centaurs lead to one run.
The Centaurs went down in order in the sixth inning and Brady Ericson had to leave the mound in the seventh due to his pitch count.
The Vikings took advantage as pinch-hitter Jack Hayes rapped a double to center field. After an intentional walk, Papuga tied the game with a single and Cambi later delivered what proved to be the game-winning RBI fielder’s choice.
Brady Ericson had two hits in the game for the Centaurs.
Earlier in the week, a six-run sixth inning lifted the Centaurs to a 10-3 win over Coventry.
Blair had a bases-loaded, three-run double and Caleb Simoneau, who finished with four runs batted in, added a two-run double in the rally for the Centaurs. Simoneau, Graham, Hernandez and Blair had two hits apiece. Logan Coutu picked up the win on the mound as he went six innings and struck out four.
Unfortunately for the Centaurs, the offense did not show up against South Windsor on Tuesday.
South Windsor pitcher Rob Wunsch held the Woodstock offense at bay as he went the distance and allowed only one hit while striking out 12 and not walking a batter in a 6-0 win for the Bobcats.
Maloney had the only hit for the Centaurs with a fifth inning single.
Maloney also pitched well as he surrendered just one run and five hits in his five innings on the mound.
South Windsor put the win away with five runs in the top of the seventh inning.
Softball
The softball team put in some extra time on the field Saturday as its game with Killingly on the Commons went nine innings before the visitors pulled out the 5-4 victory.
The Centaurs fell behind, 3-0, but tied the game by scoring two runs in the fourth and another in the sixth when Madison Bloom doubled and later scored on a Kaya Nichols ground out. The 3-3 tie remained until Killingly scored two runs in the top of the ninth.
The Centaurs made it close in the bottom of the inning when Ella Chitmanotham singled and later scored on a Faith Sortwell base hit.
Chitmanotham had three singles in the game while Nichols knocked in two runs for the Centaurs.
Offense was hard to come by in the first two games of the spring break week for the Centaurs (2-3, 0-2 Eastern Connecticut Conference Division II).
For a second game in a row, the Centaurs were shutout as they traveled to Stonington and lost to the Bears, 9-0, Wednesday.
Madison Bloom, Ellary Sampson, Kaya Nichols and Maci Corradi had singles for Woodstock. Grace Delsanto and Nichols had the only two singles in the game for the Centaurs on Tuesday at Brookfield where the hosts prevailed, 12-0.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
IMG 1509
Haydon Rowland strokes a 2-run single in a 5-4 loss to East Lyme.
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Brady Ericson pitching for Woodstock in a 5-4 loss to East Lyme.
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Bradley Blair gets a face full of dirt as he dives back to first base on an unsuccessful pickoff attempt by East Lyme.
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Brady Ericson fields a bunt attempt by South Windsor. The Centaurs got the out on the play but lost to the Bobcats, 6-0.
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Hayden Maloney pitches against South Windsor
Photos by Marc Allard/Woodstock Academy.
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Outdoor track coach Josh Welch is flanked by senior runners Christian Menounos, left, and Colton Sallum who both set Woodstock Academy school records at the Connecticut Distance Festival in Middletown last week.
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Easter Bunny exhausted
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — For sure the Easter Bunny took a long vacation after the frenzied pace April 19. Several egg hunts moved to April 19 after the weather ruined the weekend before.
Putnam Elks
The Putnam Lodge of Elks 547 hosted about 75 kids and the lawn was divided into three age groups. Plastic eggs were scattered throughout including gold eggs which could be traded in for prizes. Recently inducted Exalted Ruler Marcel Morissette thanked all the families who came and also thanked Jim PER, Diane PER, Sharon, Charlotte, Randy, Carol Ann, Adam plus the youth volunteers Laura, Nathan, Jack, Hailee and, of course, the bunny Jacob.
This is the 18th year the lodge has done this event.
Pomfret Recreation
POMFRET — Perfect egg-hunting weather – finally — April 19. Recreation Department Director Carrie Wolfe said it took her and her husband William Wolfe one hour and 20 minutes to spread 4,000 plastic eggs around the Recreation Park. That’s double what was put out last year. And included in that count were eight silver eggs. The finders of those eggs could trade them in for a huge sports basket.
She said the egg hunt has been going on since the ‘80s. Bev Champany who was “representing” the Easter Bunny, said when she started with the Recreation Commission in 1981, there were egg hunts. At that time, she said, they were using real eggs — until they started drawing snakes. Then they went to plastic eggs.
Some 200 kids took part, divided into four age groups who each hunted in a different part of the park.
The “silver egg” winners were: Cecelia Leduc (2 1/2), Willow MacLeod (2), Luca Sposato (5), Georgianna Bussey (5), Eden Poudrette (7), Henry Howdle (7), Thomas Huff (, Savannah Fournier (9).
Wolfe thanked William Wolfe, commission members Jen Hudock, Mary Collins, Beverly Champany, and Jennie Mix and Junior Recreation Commission members, Emily Pike and Madison Lussier.
Roseland Cottage
WOODSTOCK — The annual egg hunt and Peep diorama contest went well — and quickly like a bunny.
“Like I always say: ‘It starts at 1 and it’s over at 1:03’,” said Laurie Masciando, site manager of Historic New England’s Roseland Cottage. The running children are a running joke noted each year by Masciando.
She estimated there were more than 300 kids. The eggs are scattered onto two lawns — one for the little kids and one for the older kids. In addition there are crafts and the Easter Bunny. For the last eight years, Woodstock has also held a Peeps diorama contest. There were 10 contestants this year and they each won a prize.
Masciando said the egg hunt has been a tradition for 31 years. She said the Woodstock Academy National Honor Society members helped with the scattering of eggs and more and another academy class last week stuffed the 2,000 eggs for Roseland. “They all did a tremendous job,” Masciando said.
“We love to do these community events,” she added.
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caption, page 1:
At the Putnam Elks. More photos on page 6. Expanded photo array Wed. night on our FB page. Linda Lemmon photo.
captions, page 6:
Maci McKissick, 5, of Woodstock does some crafts at Roseland.
The little one isn't too sure.
Elks Exalted Ruler Marcel Morissette awards a prize.
Fiona Cusson, 15 months, of Eastford.
Payton Pion, 2 1/2, and her sister Cora, 8 months, at Pomfret's Egg Hunt.
High fire alert is no joke
POMFRET — An improperly disposed cigarette during high fire danger sparked a large field fire on Covell Road Easter Sunday, according to fire officials.
Around 2:45 p.m. the Pomfret Fire Department was dispatched to the area of 80 Covell Road for a brush fire.
Approximately 3.6 acres were burned. At the time, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) had declared a high forest fire alert. The National Weather Service warned there was an elevated risk for fire spread.
Pomfret was one of several locations in the northeast corner where firefighters spent their Easter putting out brush fires.
Pomfret Fire Chief Brett Sheldon arrived on the scene within minutes and reported a multi-acre fire burning in a field moving towards the woodline. Mutual aid brush trucks and manpower came from Hampton, Williamsville and Eastford.
Crews attacked the left and right flanks from a Covell Road anchor point, allowing them to quickly contain the fire. UTVs and off-road brush trucks went in and extinguished the rest of the fire. DEEP Forestry Crew was requested to cut down a hazardous dead tree that was burning inside.
The Eastford Independent Fire Co. and Williamsville Fire Engine Company established a draft site on the Covell Road bridge, providing water to the trucks and UTVs on the scene.
Crews cleared the scene at approximately 4:30. There were no injuries as a result of the fire.
That was just one of more than a dozen brush fires that struck. April 21 crews fought a blaze in Dayville on Upper Maple Street.
Story and Covell photos courtesy of Daniel Majercik, Quiet Corner Alerts
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Dayville brush fire. Photo courtesy of the East Putnam Fire Department.
captions, page 5:
Draft site set up off the Covell Bridge to fight the Covell Road fire.
Left: The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection was called in to remove the tree that was burning inside.
Brush Fire
The field smolders at the scene of the Covell Road fire in Pomfret. Numerous brush fires kept firefighters busy over the weekend and into the week. Photos by Daniel Majercik, Quiet Corner Alerts.
Let’s talk about Putnam's long history of trains
By Bill Pearsall
Putnam Municipal Historian
I find it very interesting that in today’s society children seem to be mesmerized by the use of cell phones, even as young as elementary school age. Let’s think back quite a few years to a time when young girls had dolls and young boys had train sets. Lionel, American Flyer and Ho’s were common. I lived in North Haven and a branch of the Air Line RR was close to my house. It was commonplace for us to run to the tracks upon hearing a train approaching and put a penny on the rail to have it flattened by the train.
When we moved to Putnam and became interested in the history of the town, my interest in the railroad became a focal point for me because it played a big part of Putnam’s history. I learned some interesting things you may or may not know.
In the beginning locomotives were steam powered and needed water as a source of heat to produce the steam. Coal fire was the source of heat. There was a coaling station close to where the Municipal Complex is now. Mining cars loaded with coal would be pushed out on a trestle high over the main track and they would dump coal into the tender car behind the engine.
The engines also needed water to produce the steam. At first engines would stop under water tanks to be filled, but that took time. Water got used up much faster than the coal, so a faster method was needed. On a flat section of track, a 1,200 feet long pan was built between the rails. As a train approached, the pan was filled with water and the engineer would lower a scoop into the pan and the water would fill the boiler much faster without having to stop the train.
As rail travel developed, two lines intersected in Putnam. The only way you could get from New York to Boston was through Putnam.
There used to be a small building by the tracks on May Street (behind Price Chopper today) that was the Gate Keeper’s building. When a train was coming, the Gate Keeper would leave his building and crank down the crossing gates by hand to stop traffic from crossing the tracks. He lowered the gates for every passenger train, freight train and switch engine as many as 60 times a day.
Putnam had two turn tables that were used to turn engines around when they needed to go in the opposite direction. The engine would be driven on to the turn table and the yard crew would manually spin the table to the opposite direction. The turn tables became obsolete when the engines were built bigger and no longer fit on them. To fix this problem, a spur called the “Y” was built north of Putnam heading toward Thompson. The engine would be driven on the “Y”, a switch would be changed on the tracks and the engine would be backed up making a three-point turn heading in the opposite direction. The rails have been removed from that site but the bed for the “Y” is still there.
There was an express train that used to come through Putnam. For some unknown reason it was painted white. As the white train sped through town, it sort of flickered through the track side trees earning the nickname, the Ghost Train.
Another noteworthy train was the “Swill Train”. It ran on the air line tracks close to the intersection of River Road and Town Farm Road. The “Swill Train“ brought gondola cars full of garbage from Boston and that was dumped off a siding in that area. I guess you could say that “stinks”.
After the 1955 flood and the collapse of the bridge over the Quinebaug River, all passenger service and freight train service on the air line trail ceased.
Finally, we can’t forget the Bud Car. It was a self propelled passenger car that went from Worcester to New London stopping to pick up passenger at the Putnam Station and other stops along the way. The last day of The Bud Car service was April 30, 1971. Some of you may remember The Bud Car. I think it would be neat to be able to jump on a passenger car and go anywhere between Boston and New York. What do you think?
Aspinock Memories graces the pages of the Putnam Town Crier to keep Putnam’s history alive.
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