Clark Memorial Chapel at Pomfret School. Linda Lemmon photo.

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1st History Makers awards given
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — Quiet as a mouse in the background? No more.
Last week the Aspinock Historical Society stepped into the spotlight and recognized its first two History Makers. The annual award is made to a “resident or non-resident of Putnam, living or deceased, who has made or is still making honorable and positive impact through works, deeds and service in Putnam and/or globally with ties to Putnam.”
The inaugural awards went to Tom Borner and the late Fred Hedenberg. 
John Miller, MC of the event and president of the society, said the honors went to one past and one present History Maker helping the society preserve Putnam’s history “whether in the spotlight or done quietly behind the scenes.”
Town historian Bill Pearsall said he would attend the Putnam Business Association meetings and report on what was happening with the society. “And it seemed within a couple weeks, there’s Tom with a check.” 
Borner’s Putnam Area Foundation has helped the society with many donations. Miller said in addition to the help to the society, Borner was a member of the Putnam Area Industrial Corporation which was formed in the wake of the Flood of 1955. Miller added “His love for his community is rivaled only by the love for his family.”
In accepting the award, Borner said he was “humbled and touched” by the recognition. He came to Putnam 45 years ago, began working as an attorney and his business grew. “I have been thankful of all the support Putnam has given me throughout the years.”
He added: “I have done my best over the years to collaborate with community members, supporting the town of Putnam for one simple reason and that is that I love the town of Putnam.” He said he’s proud to see what’s next for the community.
To that end, Borner announced a $10,000 PAF donation to the society in honor of Fred Hedenberg. He said it could go toward the boxcar projects or to the Cady Copp Cottage project. Miller said later that the society would discuss where it should go but he was leaning toward it going to the Cady Copp Cottage project. 
The Spirol Foundation is making a “substantial” grant to the boxcar museum for the construction of a pavilion near the boxcar. Miller said later that foundation has already given $5,000. The total cost of the Frederick C. Hedenberg Boxcar Pavilion/donation “has yet to be determined.” The pavilion is needed to expand the teaching capacity of the museum. “Because not too many fit inside the boxcar,” Miller said. Since it opened in 2004 there have been 10,871 visitors from around the world. The boxcar was closed in 2019, 2020 and 2021 for COVID and for renovations.
Miller said Hedenberg was involved in many organizations from Hospice to the Cub Scouts to soccer coaching to being a selectman. He was one of the catalysts who pressed the “go” button on the Aspinock Historical Society. Hedenberg procured the boxcar that became the Gertrude Warner boxcar museum. Miller said “That started with the vision of Fred.” He also started the town on the long road to transforming the Cady Copp Cottage in East Putnam into an educational facility. 
Pat Hedenberg, Fred’s wife, spoke about the “content” of Fred. There were all the public things, like working in radio and being in politics, she said, but there were also the little known sides of him. He was a self-taught artist and was a writer. He loved tennis. He coached soccer and would take the kids out for ice cream, whether they won or lost. What was most important was good sportsmanship. “And I really think it was the ice cream that helped,” she said. 
He really believed, she said, that with the Cady Copp and Boxcar “that maybe he could help in some small way.”
Mayor Barney Seney said the citizens of Putnam “took it upon themselves to protect our history of Putnam.”
Librarian Nicole Nichols spoke about the collaboration between the free programs at the library and the society. “As a member of both the Aspinock Historical Society and Gertrude C. Warner Boxcar Children’s Museum Committee, it is my pleasure and a top priority of the library to support local historians and authors through public programs.” The collaboration helps preserve Putnam’s history.

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Award Winners
Above: The family of the late Fred Hedenberg. Left: The family of Thomas Borner. Additional photos Wed. night on our FB page: Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. Linda Lemmon photos.

Roundup
Fall season closes at Woodstock Academy
When the winter winds start to blow and snow starts to fall, the fall athletic season is generally over.
That was officially the case at Woodstock Academy last week as Fall Sports Awards Night and a number of student-athletes received awards with the following getting their team’s Coaches Awards:
Dance: Varsity- Avery Kuchy, Jiayue Chen
Volleyball: Varsity- Madeline Jezierski, Jacqueline Dearborn; JV: Catherine Trudeau; Freshman: Blakelee Buzak
Football: Varsity- Ryder Chaput, Cayden Menor; JV- Elijah LaPrade
Unified Soccer: Athlete: Damien Redman; Partners: Devlin Mansolf, Kiley Elliott
Prep 1 Soccer: Dylan Payne, Enoch Joseph; Prep 2 Soccer: Rodrigo Herruzo Blazquez, Nico Ochoa
Boys’ Soccer: Varsity: Shaun Mugagga, Gabriel DePierdomenico; JV: Nate Drake; Freshman: Tyrone Zhou
Girls’ Soccer: Varsity: Anna Hernandez, Ellary Sampson; JV: Kady Danner
Boys’ Cross-Country: Varsity: Christian Menounos, Colton Sallum; JV: Carter Mydlarz
Girls’ Cross-Country: Varsity: Isabel D’Alleeva-Bochain, Kira Greene; JV: Greysen Dery
Field Hockey: Varsity: Clara Dowdle, Audrey MacPherson.
All-American, All-State, All-ECC Award recipients:
Prep Soc. All-American: Alvaro Medrano Jr.
Prep Soccer All-American: Jude Essuman
All-New England, Class MM All-State and ECC Div. I All-Star in boys’ Cross-Country: Christian Menounos
Class L All-State, ECC Div. I All-Star and a player who finished with 2000 career assists in volleyball: Sophie Gronski
Class L All-State and ECC Div. I All-Star in volleyball: Liliana Bottone
Class L All-State and ECC Div. I All-Star in girls’ soccer: Freya Robbie
Class MM All-State and ECC Div. I All-Star in boys’ Cross-Country: Colton Sallum
Class MM All-State and ECC Div. I All-Star in girls’ Cross-Country: Isabel D’Alleva-Bochain
Junior Select All-Star game selection in Field Hockey: Clara Dowdle
ECC Div. II All-Star in football: Jacob Say
ECC Div. II All-Star in football: Dylan Phillips
ECC Div. II All-Star in football: Alec Nunes
ECC Div. I All-Star in boys’ soccer: Matt Hernandez
ECC Div. I All-Star in girls’ soccer: Leah Costa
ECC Div. I All-Star in volleyball:  Izzy Mojica
ECC Div. I Honorable Mention in boys’ soccer: Eli Susi
ECC Div. I Honorable Mention in boys’ soccer: Derek Rodriguez Arenas
ECC Div. I Honorable Mention in girls’ soccer: Elise Coyle
ECC Div. II honorable mention All-Star in football: Sam Clark
ECC Div. II honorable mention All-Star in football: Cam Nason
ECC Honorable Mention in field hockey: Abby Converse
ECC Honorable Mention in field hockey: Grace Pokorny
ECC Scholar-Athletes: Boys’ Cross Country –  Colton Sallum; Girls’ Cross Country – Isabel D’Alleva-Bochain; Field Hockey – Clara Dowdle; Volleyball – Madeline Jezierski; Football – Alec Nunes; Boys’ Soccer – Michael Susi; Girls’ Soccer – Elise Coyle
ECC Sportsmanship: Boys’ Cross Country – Christian Menounos; Girls’ Cross Country – Ella Petersen; Field Hockey – Maria Jose Castenada Banderas; Volleyball – Jacquline Dearborn; Football – Aidan Soukaloun; Boys’ Soccer – Logan Rawson; Girls’ Soccer – Kaylee Saucier
The Volleyball team was the best among fall sports teams for first-quarter grade point average as it averaged a collective 4.04. Associate Head of School Holly Singleton, chose both the girls’ cross-country and field hockey teams as best dressed for the evening.

Girls’ Hockey Preview
A new luxury for Woodstock girls’ hockey
The Woodstock Academy girls’ hockey team has a problem. One of its goalies does not have a uniform. 
It’s a great problem to have honestly.
The Centaurs have never had three goalies in their brief existence.
They also have something else that has not been experienced before.
“We have three solid lines that we can throw out there, all offering a different attack. We have one that is just quick and will be in your face. Another that is skilled and can shoot from anywhere and that third line that will just grind (opponents) down. We have three different varieties or ways to come at opponents. It looks different,” coach Roy said.
Depth.
It’s not something the Centaurs have enjoyed often.
But with the new cooperative approach that has nine student-athletes from Woodstock being joined by 13 from other ECC schools, it’s something that Roy now has at his disposal.
“The last two years, we have been great in the first two-periods and then, we die. Now we have depth, three lines that can be consistently put out there and our top line won’t be as gassed and have more energy in the third period,” Roy said.
The coach is hopeful that the additional bodies means more pucks in the net. The Centaurs do have six of their top seven scorers from last year returning with Mia Williamson being the only senior who graduated last year. Three other players opted not to return to the program.
Senior Sophia Gouveia from Wheeler High School was the top point getter for the Centaurs a year ago as she netted 10 goals with three assists and will return at wing.
Junior Maci Corradi added seven goals and five assists and will also return at wing while center Ellary Sampson comes back as a junior after a three goal, five assist effort from her center spot last season.
But Roy is looking to spread things around a bit more this year.
“Most teams can’t survive with just two players scoring because other teams can defend that. I think we’ve spread the offense out this year where every line has someone who can score. We’ve been getting our defense involved, too, our four or five starting defensemen can all shoot, can all score and will be involved in the rush. I have a feeling that we will have probably five players with, at least, eight goals,” the coach said.
Behind the blue line, senior captain Juliette Hammer from Ledyard will return to anchor the defense. Woodstock Academy junior Avery Nielsen and sophomore Mia Auger are strong when leading rushes from the back. Incoming freshman Sophia Bonner from East Lyme is also skilled and can lead the attack. Evangeline Gurski and Lucy Trudeau add some grit to the back line in front of goalies Gen Nash, a sophomore from NFA, and freshmen Josie Hatch from Stonington and Amelia Jones from Ledyard.
“I don’t even know what to do with them at practice; we’ve never had this many goalies. It’s a great problem to have. Our goalies’ coach, Neal Robinson, loves them all. They’re all willing to learn, they’re great, make the right plays, swallow up rebounds and put in the work,” Roy said.
Right now, the net is up for grabs as far as a starter is concerned but Roy feels the opportunity will be there for all three to almost determine among themselves who will get the most minutes.
“The goal is to improve and to drastically improve upon those four wins. We look at this team and see a state tournament team. There is no way we’re not making it. We’re deep, can all score, the defense is solid, the goaltending is solid,” Roy said.
The leadership is also likely there.
That was a problem a season ago as an injury to Williamson stripped the Centaurs of the “glue” of the team.
“We had some in-house troubles that she would have normally fixed that hurt the consistency but I don’t foresee that happening this season. When we lost Mia, it was all over last year. There are more leaders and people taking responsibility on this team. Everyone is stepping up. It’s a great locker room to be a part of,” Roy said.
There is only one more senior this year than last.
Hammer is the rah-rah type of captain while Gouveia just puts her head down and leads by example.
“Offense is going to be the key,” Roy said. “We’ve been more of a defensive team because of numbers so we haven’t been able to attack but with the depth, we’re able to turn up the nob on the offense. We also have to avoid injuries and illnesses.”
The Centaurs open on Wednesday against Hamden on the road at 6 p.m.
“I’m excited because that is a big test right off the bat,” Roy said. “They won the (Southern Connecticut Conference) last year and I think made it to the state quarterfinals. Their goalie was a freshman and an All-State player last year.”
The Centaurs come home quickly for their home opener at the Jahn Ice Rink at Pomfret School versus Simsbury at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
Girls’ Ice Hockey Schedule:
Wed., Dec. 11: At Hamden, 6 p.m.; Sat., Dec. 14:  vs. Simsbury, 10:30 a.m.; Wed., Dec. 18: at Fairfield-Ludlowe, 5:15; Fri., Dec. 20: at Daniel Hand, 7:50; Mon., Dec. 23: at Simsbury, 4:10; Sat., Dec. 28:  vs. Ridgefield, 11 a.m.; Fri., Jan. 3: at Avon, 4:30; Sat., Jan. 4: vs. Greenwich, 2:30; Wed., Jan. 8: vs. Fairfield-Ludlowe, 6:30; Fri., Jan. 10:  at Masuk, 5:15; Fri., Jan. 17:  at Mercy, 7:30; Sat., Jan. 18:   at Greenwich, 5:45; Mon., Jan. 20:  vs. East Catholic, 11:30; Wed., Jan. 22: vs. Amity, 6:30; Sat., Jan. 25: at Ridgefield, 8; Sat., Feb. 1:  at Trumbull,  6:30; Mon., Feb. 3: at Hall-West Hartford, 7:20; Fri., Feb.7:  vs. Mercy, 5; Sat., Feb. 8: at Suffield, 5; Sat., Feb. 15:   vs. Suffield, 10.

IMG 7451: The Woodstock Academy girls’ hockey co-op team will feature five Centaur juniors, from left: Maci Corradi, Ellary Sampson, Grace Lescault, Avery Neilsen, and Riley Faber.  (Photo by Eric Roy/Woodstock Academy)

2024 Fall All-Stars:  Those Woodstock Academy student-athletes who received All-American, All-State, and All-ECC awards during the Fall Sports Awards last week.

IMG 4673: From left: Colton Sallum (boys’ cross-country), Isabel D’Alleva-Bochain (girls’ cross-country), Clara Dowdle (field hockey), Madeline Jezierski (volleyball), Alec Nunes (football), Michael Susi (boys’ soccer) and Elise Coyle (girls’ soccer) were recognized as Woodstock Academy ECC Scholar-Athletes at the Fall Sports Awards.

IMG 4669: From left: Ella Petersen (girls’ cross-country), Jacqueline Dearborn (volleyball), Maria Jose Castenada Banderas (field hockey), Aidan Soukaloun (football), Logan Rawson (boys’ soccer) and Kaylee Saucier (girls’ soccer) Woodstock Academy ECC Sportsmanship Award recipients. All fall sports awards photos by Holly Singleton/Woodstock Academy.

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