caption, page 5:

Skiers
From left: Aiden Soderman, Eliza Simpson, Davis Simpson, Emma Brody and Emma Abella Reino had a successful season. Photo contributed by Sue Davis.



Roundup
Centaurs girls’
hockey picks
up 2 wins
After a loss to Pope Francis the week before, Woodstock Academy girls’ hockey coach Eric Roy pulled Keynila Hochard and Bella Chaves aside.
“I had a talk with them and told them that they needed to carry this team. The message was, obviously, taken to heart,” Roy said.
In the last two games, Hochard has scored five goals and Chaves has three assists.
The Centaurs went on the road Feb. 11and brought back a 4-0 victory over the Warwick/Chariho cooperative team.
The same two teams met Feb. 12 and Woodstock doubled up on its efforts, winning 8-0. The win raised the Centaurs record to 3-6-2 on the season.
“Besides the wins, it has been the upward trajectory,” Roy said. “We’re seeing this team come along. They all get what we want to do, they’re having fun and now they’re seeing results. You can see it clicking in their head a lot more.”
Hochard scored the first two goals of the game in Warwick Feb. 11 off a pair of assists by Chaves. Maci Corradi also scored on an assist from Grace Pokorny and Grace Lescault tallied off a feed from Olivia Crawford.
The Centaurs also got the shutout in net from senior goalie Mia Dang who made 22 saves.
Feb. 12 Corradi scored on a feed from Crawford and the two reversed roles with Crawford scoring on a Corradi assist. Both of those goals came in the first 1-minute, 22-seconds of the game.
The Centaurs went up 5-0 on a pair of goals by Chaves and another from senior Sydney Haskins. Hochard scored two goals within 30 seconds of one another with 10 minutes left in the game and then added a third with six minutes to play to account for the final. Alex Lee assisted on two of the Hochard goals.
The Centaurs play in a Central Massachusetts League tournament beginning Feb. 16 vs Oakmont Regional.
Woodstock also celebrated Senior Day against Warwick Saturday, honoring its five seniors;  Dang, forward Hannah Clark, Chaves, defensive player Brigid McNerney and Haskins.
“We still have some games left but it was the second-to-last time they will be in our home rink and it was very emotional,” Roy said. “We had a huge crowd. The boys’ team came down, the parents, it was an electric atmosphere. Coach Maddy (Millar) and I both wanted to get out there (on the ice). We were both pumped up.”
It’s a group that will stick with Roy. “I will always remember this year’s seniors as my first at Woodstock. They are a bunch of hard-working kids who have a don’t quit attitude. Their leadership really molded our team and they have definitely paved the way for the younger girls in our program. I wish them all the best,” Roy said.  
Boys’ Hockey: Centaurs take the first of many Nutmeg Conference games
For the remainder of the regular season, the Woodstock boys’ hockey team will get to know its Nutmeg Conference opponents pretty well.
Seven of the Centaurs last eight games will take place against Conference opponents due to the re-shuffling of the season because of illness, weather and cancellations.
That run began last week when the Centaurs skated past Tri-Town, 4-1, on Military Appreciation Night. The win raised Woodstock’s record on the ice to 6-5 overall and 2-0 in the Nutmeg Conference.
Sophomore Noah Sampson scored the first three goals for Woodstock in the win. Shawn Wallace took a pass from his brother, Ryan, and fired a shot from the blue line. It bounced off of Sampson’s leg and into the net just 4 minutes, 27 seconds into the game.
“It involved a little luck but he was going to the front of the net and was in the right position in the right area of the ice and got the end result,” said coach Kevin Bisson.
Eight and one-half minutes later with the Centaurs down a man, Sampson and Don Sousa found an opportunity for offense and cashed it in.
Sampson finished off the hat trick, getting his seventh goal of the season just 25 seconds into the third period with help from Maxx Corradi and Max Larkin.
Chris Thibault finished off the scoring with a goal just over four minutes into the final period on a pass from Zach Girard.
The only goal coming on a breakout by senior right wing Vincenzo Rumore 9:46 into the second period.
Woodstock freshman goalie Dante Sousa made the initial save, but Rumore grabbed the rebound and stuck it into the net.
The Centaurs, after the Housatonic game Feb. 16, will play six games in the final 10 days of the regular season.
Skiing: Centaurs finish up season
It was a pretty hectic last week of the season for the Alpine Ski team. Eliza Simpson competed in the finals of the Slalom Shootout to start the week and the entire team took part in the final regular season race and State Open championship that followed.
“My idea of success in a season is based on the personal accomplishments I witness in every athlete.  I saw a lot of happy faces the past few days and I couldn’t be more thrilled,” said coach Kevin Brody. The season was a roller coaster ride with a late start due to weather, races bouncing around due to weather and conditions, illness and injuries. Senior Eliza Simpson finished 11th in the Slalom Shootout which gave her a spot on Team Connecticut which will compete in the Eastern High School State Championships March 3-6.
Eliza Simpson finished off in style as she placed second out of 168 girls in the final regular season race. Freshman Emma Brody got hung up on a gate in her first run but still finished 36th. Davis Simpson placed 22nd and Aiden Soderman was 68th out of the 150 boys who competed.
Eliza Simpson finished sixth out of 170 girls in the State Open while Emma Brody was 52nd. Davis Simpson was 53rd out of 150 boys.
As for next year, Kevin Brody said only time will really tell.
“We had great numbers this season, partially from participation by our resident life students.  We have three seniors graduating, I hear some of our exchange students may not be returning, so it’s hard to tell where we will be next year,” Kevin Brody said. “It’s ski racing though, and who wouldn’t want to get involved in such a fun sport. We will continue to grow and if we do, I will need to put in a request for a bigger bus.  I want more already skilled skiers to grow, improve their skills, and have fun becoming racers.”
Indoor Track: Centaurs battle in tough Class L state championship meet.
Woodstock had some very good performances in the Class L boys’ and girls’ indoor track championship Feb. 12 in New Haven. So did everyone else.
“We saw a lot of personal bests (Saturday) but Class L had amazing competition, outpacing Class LL in most instances,” said coach Josh Welch.
The best personal finish for the Centaurs, place-wise, was by senior Ian Hoffman. He continued his upward trajectory in the pole vault, clearing the bar in a personal-best 10-feet, 6-inches to place fourth.
Fellow seniors Keenan LaMontagne and Jared Eaton also had standout performances in the shotput. LaMontagne finished seventh with a heave of 45-feet, 10-inches and Eaton was right behind his teammate in the eighth spot with a 42-5.
The boys’ 4x200m relay team (Hoffman, Jeff Phongsa, Braedon Emerson and Charles Caggiano) also had its best time of the year by over a second, finishing in 1:41.8.
On the girls’ side, junior Bella Sorrentino had her best long jump of the season, clearing 15-3 ¾ to finish sixth overall. She also threw the shot 31-10 ¼ which was good enough for a seventh-place finish.
Senior Linsey Arends finished with a season-best 1:44.18 in the 600-meter to place seventh.
Freshman Juliet Allard was seventh in the 300-meter in a personal-best time of 44.47. She also established a new mark for herself in the 55-meter hurdles where she finished eighth in 9.45 seconds.
The girls’ relay teams all had their best performances of the season. The 4x800m (Leah Castle, Lauren Brule, Julia Coyle, and Sydney Lord) were 10 seconds better than they have been all season with a 10-minute, 39-second effort.
The 4x400m (Arends, Talia Tremblay, Isabella Selmecki, and Coyle) set a season-best in 4:33.18 and the 4x200m (Allard, Ava Coutu, Selmecki, and Sorrentino) also ran their fastest time in 1:58.32.
The State Open championship will be Feb. 19 in New Haven.
Three Woodstock Academy athletes qualified for the State Open Championship Feb. 19: Sorrentino and LaMontagne in shotput and Hoffman in the pole vault.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy

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My knowledge about wine supersedes my desire to be particular about the wine I drink when dining out.  In other words, although I know quite a bit about wine, I don’t really care what brand of wine I drink in a restaurant.  Due to digestive needs, I prefer a white wine over a red. I do not enjoy a sweet or sparkling wine and if I had to pick my favorite consistently offered varietal, I will always go with a chardonnay. I prefer a heavy, oaky, buttery chardonnay but do not mind if I drink a fruity, flat chardonnay.
Because of this, I rarely need to see a wine list and am content to efficiently order a glass of chardonnay when the server asks. Further, and to reiterate my desire to be efficient and agreeable in a restaurant, when the server asks me for more details about which chardonnay I may want, I respond with the house selection.
I feel that this is the appropriate response for several reasons: Firstly if it is a decent restaurant, I trust in the wine buying selections and that a house wine varietal represents a good and popular quality of wine.  Secondly, having been in the restaurant business for nearly all my life, I also understand that retail prices of wine by the glass in a restaurant are (by price per volume) significantly inflated and a house wine should signify that I want the least expensive glass of wine within that varietal. Where I get super annoyed  is when the server insists on overcomplicating things by bringing me a wine list.  This is even more annoying when I am dining with a friend and just want to order my glass of wine, have the server bring it and begin sipping it whilst enjoying a wonderful conversation. In addition, if the server insists on elongating the ‘order the drink step’ and brings me a multipage wine list, it is going to take longer for not just me, but all of my dining companions, to order (and receive) the drinks.  This is an unnecessary delay because when I review the wine list, I am simply going to go the white wines, find the chardonnays and select the chardonnay that has the lowest price.  Note to server, when you bring the first drink quicker, there is a stronger likelihood that there will be a second drink ordered!
If I decline the wine list from the server, then I am forced into an awkward discussion about what kind of chardonnay I like. The server asks this to either try and increase the tip I will leave, or the bill I will generate with my order.  I like (best) oaky chardonnays which have a buttery finish. These tend to be more expensive chardonnays.  Also, as noted, I like, and/or, will happily drink, most chardonnays, which is I why I ordered the house chardonnay to begin with. So the best answer to the server’s question which will bring an end to an unnecessary conversation is ‘the cheapest one’. Note to server, never force a patron to actually say they want the cheapest glass of wine when you already inherently understand that they do. House! House!
Kathy Naumann, possessor of NATURALLY curly hair and the understanding that you can’t control everything!

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caption, page 1:
Two young girls, faced painted, were mesmerized by the juggler from the Mohegan Sun. More photos on page 4. Additional photos on FB Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. Linda Lemmon photo.

Captions, top of pg 4 (clockwise from top left):
I don't need my jacket zipped up.
Right: The interactive Jewett City Savings Bank sculpture. Left: From left: Vivienne Molcan, 4; Elizabeth Herz, 4, and Hazel Herz, 1.
Interact Penguin
The Putnam Rotary Club’s Interact Club members left their mark at the Fire and Ice festival Feb. 12, turning a 40x20x10-inch block of ice into a penguin. Iayah Burke created the design for the penguin and Mikayla Walford helped. Because of the warm temperature, members Abigail Morin and Paige Owens carved the penguin in 2 hours so that shape would take hold before it began to melt. Member Abby Smith smoothed out the edges and help collect donations for the club’s Relay For Life Team.  Interact advisor Roberta Rocchetti said visitors to the club’s ice block were generous — Interactors took in $376 in donations to the American Cancer Society. From left: Walford, Rocchetti and Smith.
Intent on carving at the Putnam Elks Antlers Club block.


captions, bottom of pg 4 (clockwise from top left):

Love Potion
Warm & Cozy
Teapot
Coffee Can. Cake winners shown with Tayler Shea, chair of the Love is Brewing Cake Contest. Contributed photos.
Rapunzel
Batman


By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
Call it the yin and yang of tropical weather at Fire & Ice Feb. 12: Good for a pent-up public that wanted to go somewhere on a nice day. Bad for ice. It was at or near 60 degrees.
Those carving the 23,000 pounds (that’s right 23 THOUSAND pounds) of ice were carving on the fly, adjusting as they went. Often they chose to change their original design to a more solid one with fewer delicate parts. The fewer skinny parts (prone to melt quickly), the better. The judges started their duties earlier, before massive melting really kicked in.
Sheila Frost, Putnam Business Association coordinator and co-chair of Fire & Ice, estimated that more than 20,000 people came for the nine hours of the fest.
“There’s always a large category of people who say ‘I don’t go out in the cold’ but Feb. 12 was a nice sunny warm day so they came.” She added, “The weather was not conducive to ice but it was to people.”
Folks having been cooped up inside by COVID and the cold were also looking for a “sense of normalcy” she said.
While Frost and co-chair Jenn Brytowski might have been the face of the fest, they were by no means the only “working parts”
Frost thanked the large group of volunteers who basically worked from sunup the day of the fest all the way through to the breakdown after the 9 p.m. end of the event. “The amount of effort and the clean-up is mind-boggling,” she said. “Keep in mind that pretty much all the work is done the day of the festival.”
She also thanked the mayor and all the town departments for their assistance. “It takes so many people to support this effort,” she said.
Frost added the game show and entertainment from Mohegan Sun was spectacular as was the entertainment from the Boston Circus Guild. She also noted the beer garden at Bear Hands Brewing Co. was excellent.
While there are a “few wrinkles we’d like to tweak for next year,” Frost said by and large, she is pleased with how it went.
Fire & Ice co-chair Brytowski listed the winners of the Ice Carving competition and the Love is Brewing cake contest.
The Ice winners included:
Amateur:
3rd Place – Lisa Kretchman – “Winter Fox” block sponsored by “Chubby Dog Coffee Co.
2nd Place – Marie Agresta –  block sponsored by “Putnam Congregational Church”
1st Place  - David Bates – “Heart” block sponsored by The Inn at Woodstock Hill
Group:
3rd Place – Joe Deery & son  – “Snoopy” block sponsored by “Powerful Improvements”
2nd Place – Brittni Laquidara and Simone Germain – “Owl” block sponsored by Red Spider Tattoo
1st Place  - Jon Conway & Ernie Delia – “Batman” block sponsored by Wonderland Comics
Professional:
3rd Place – Josh Deojay – “Dancing Bears around Heart” block sponsored by Bear Hands Brewing Co.
2nd Place – Arrik Kim  – “Potter and Painter” block sponsored by Sawmill Pottery and Silver Circle Art Gallery
1st Place  - Silvino Quengo  – “Rapunzel’s Tower” – “Longmeadow Automotive”
Winners from the Cake Competition:
By the Judges:
Professional Category – Jonathan Salvas - “Love Potion”
Novice – Sarah Fritz “Coffee Can”
By Public Vote:
Professional  - Kat Collen – “Tea Pot Cake”
Novice – Sarah Hirst “Warm and Cozy Winter”

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