Winter 

White

The snow is gone and the birch trees next to the Quinebaug River provide the white at Rotary Park. Linda Lemmon photos.

 

Academy gets 

$15M loan 

to buy Hyde

By Linda Lemmon

Town Crier Editor

WOODSTOCK — As one of the oldest college preparatory schools in America, the Woodstock Academy is building on the future of quality education with the assistance of a $15 million Community Facilities Loan through USDA Rural Development, according to Woodstock Academy officials.

The loan funds will be used to purchase the nearby Hyde Campus facilities, which will increase the number of classrooms, faculty and administrative space, gymnasium and student spaces to accommodate the thriving educational institution and provide for future growth.

Congressman Joe Courtney, Connecticut 2nd District Representative, and USDA Rural Development Southern New England Director, Scott J. Soares presented Christopher Sandford, academy headmaster, with a “big check” confirming the funding of the USDA Community Facilities loan on Jan. 18.

In October Woodstock Academy and Hyde-Woodstock school officials  announced that the academy will be purchasing the 127-acre Hyde campus down the street. Due diligence was finished in December and Woodstock Academy intends to take possession in June and be ready for a two-campus academy by fall.

At the time Sandford said,  the campus “has a number of highlights, including: a gymnasium with a basketball court, locker rooms, wrestling room, and fitness center; a 1,018-seat auditorium; three dormitories; a dining hall; a turf field that allows for night games; an eight-lane track; residential houses; classrooms; and offices.  The facilities at the Hyde School’s campus provide all of the strategic priorities outlined by both our faculty/staff, and the Board of Trustees.  This acquisition provides increased opportunities now, while realizing major long-term construction savings.” 

Holly Singleton, associate headmaster, said in October the addition of 25 classroom spaces will provide most faculty his/her own classroom and create more specialized education spaces, thereby having a significant impact on educational programming.”  The academy intends to continue its capital campaign for a new science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics center. The campuses  are 2.2 miles apart and shuttle buses will run between the campuses during the day. Time between classes will increase. 

Sandford said one of the most exciting aspects for the local community is the space the school will have to form additional partnerships. Current ideas include summer activities and camps, senior programming and fine arts programming in what will become the academy’s new performing arts center. Sandford said the Performing Arts of Northeast Connecticut and its Community Cultural Committee will still have access to the auditorium and the academy is hoping to expand cultural offerings in the region.

The Hyde campus has 250 dorm rooms which would allow for expansion of the student population, Sandford said.  Currently the Academy has 1055 students. Of that 92 are international, 21 are paid and 942 are from the sending towns.  Sandford said the academy is not looking at that big an increase in (international) students, “but it does provide us with more flexibility.” Asked if the tuition for sending towns might increase, Sandford said “if there is (an increase) it would be a small one.”

 

Girls' Wrap Up

Win in classic 

rivalry goes 

to Tigers

By Ryan Rumrill

Town Crier Sportswriter

Jan. 11 the local sports rivalry continued when the Tigers squared off against the Clippers (5-4, 3-0).  The Tigers took the game, 52 to 44. The Tigers were coming into the game on a three-game losing streak against a Clippers’ team, with Alyssa Espinosa sidelined due to injury (she averages 11 ppg, 15 3-pointers). Maria Fredette was the senior leader who really stepped up and scored 21 points for the Clippers (6-4) and grabbed 11 rebounds and had five blocks. The Tigers would think otherwise as they took an early advantage to start the second half and held the advantage to the finish.  There was great effort from Lauren Ramos who scored 14 points and corralled 13 rebounds. Skyla Wesolowski scored nine points for the Tigers. 

Tourtellotte snapped their streak and move to 4-5. Kira Clinkscale stepped up for the Clippers and scored six points to go along with the 10 points that Kayleigh Lyons scored. Emily Vincent was the one scoring for the Tigers in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 of her 17 in the fourth. The local high schools are always competitive and bring that rivalry atmosphere 

Jan. 14

Marianapolis 43

TPLC Christian Academy 52 

The Golden Knights were unable to complete the comeback for a victory, losing 43-52.  Senior Jordan Frye led the way for the Knights with 12 points and 7 rebounds.  Junior Sophia Widmeyer added 10 points for MPS, and senior Nicole Anderson added 8 points respectively.  Three Knights also took home awards for the weekend. Frye earned the Sportsmanship Award for the team, while Saoirse Cassidy-Power earned the Scholar Athlete award.  Sophia Widmeyer was named the Most Valuable Player for the Knights as she had a great games all weekend. The team will have some time off before they are back in action later with a home double header with the boys’ varsity basketball team against Pomfret.  The girls will play at 5 and the boys will tip off at 6:30. The Golden Knights are now 6-8 on the season. 

Jan. 13

Woodstock 55

Fitch 28

Madison Brennan and Ari Koivisto paced the Woodstock Centaurs in their 55-28 victory when Brennan scored 14 points and Koivisto scored 13 points and grabbed four rebounds.  Jamie Woods and Heather Converse both scored seven points and grabbed five rebounds. Kali Dinqui added four points for the Centaurs (7-3) and are now on a three-game winning streak.  Jazzlyn Henderson was the leading scorer for the Falcons with nine points, Ciarra Jimenez and Nyseanah Ishmael both scored six points and Fitch fell to 0-10. 

Lyman 42

Tourtellotte 39

In the instant classic of a matchup, back and forth with scoring and great defense, Emily Vincent paved the way for the Tigers with 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds but the Tigers just fall short to Lyman by 3. Ashley Morin was around the hoop a lot scoring nine points and grabbed four rebounds for Thompson (4-7).  Katey Kwasniewski scored six points for Thompson. Abby Bundy was the team leader with 14 points and five rebounds, while Katy Konow scored 12 points, Sophia Anderson scored nine points and grabbed five rebounds for the Bulldogs to move to 9-1 on the season. 

East Lyme 58

Killingly 46

Reagan Morin leads the Redgals in the battle against the Vikings with 17 points and seven rebounds.  Kylee Mazzarella and Morgan Harriot both chipped in with nine points for Killingly (5-5). Trinity Angel scored four points, and Payton Fitzgerald scored three points. Sophie Dubreuil was the team leader with 17 points to go along with Megan Bauman 13 points. Allie Christensen had 10 points, while Katie Durkee and Kamryn Ebersole both scored nine points for East Lyme (7-4). 

Marianapolis Prep 67

Friendship College 48

Jordan Frey led the Golden Knights in their victory with 16 points to go along with five rebounds.  Nicole Anderson added 14 points and three rebounds to lead the Golden Knights back to 500 at 6-6. 

Pomfret 57

St. Marks 25

Deja Ross and Abby Stone both score 13 points apiece for the Griffins in their commanding victory over St. Marks. Corinne McPadden scored 10 points to go with five rebounds to lead the Griffins to (3-4)

Jan. 12

Putnam 63

Grasso Tech 12

A day after losing a close game against neighboring high school, the Clippers junior Kira Clinkscale was the player the stepped up for the Clippers with 15 points and hit two big three-point shots for the Clippers and led them to the dominant victory, 7-4. Senior Maria Fredette matched the energy on the floor and scored 14 points of her own, and played great defensively and grabbing rebounds. Freshmen Kayleigh Lyons added 12 points for Putnam, while Olivia Braithwaite scored six points.  Both Alyssa Frederick and Ashley Burke scored four points. 

Jan. 10

Killingly 53

Griswold 44

Reagan Morin leads the way with 22 points for the Redgals in their nine-point victory over the Wolverines, and six of her points came from the free throw line. Payton Fitzgerald scored 10 points for Killingly, and Kylee Mazzarella scored nine points coming off of three three-point shots that kept the momentum in the game for Killingly (5-4, 2-3).  Kayla Wisniewski led Griswold in scoring with 15 points, Skylar Hanley pitched in 10 points, and Dani Krapf added nine points for the Wolverines (5-5). 

Jan. 9

Putnam 52

Bartlett (Mass.) 27

The Clippers were led by freshmen Kayleigh Lyons with 14 points.  Maria Fredette scored 10 points, had 11 rebounds and four blocks to lead Putnam, and Olivia Braithwaite had eight points, and Alysaa Espinosa scores seven points and the Clippers move to (6-3) on the season.

Jan. 10

Woodstock Academy 49

Plainfield 31

Madison Brennan leads the Centaurs (6-3) with 10 points in the 49-31 victory over Plainfield. Jamie Woods scored seven points, where Aslin Tracey and Kali Dinqui added five points. Ari Koivisto and Heather Converse both pitched in four points, but were also factors defensively and on the boards. Chloe Lapierre was the leading scorer for Plainfield with 14 points, and Madison Kelley scored seven for the Panthers (1-8). 

Marianapolis 53 

Worcester Academy 72 

 Marianapolis was led by senior captain Nicole Anderson who went 50 percent from 3 and ended with 20 points and 5 assists. Her fellow captain, senior Jordan Frye had an all-around game with 7 points, 4 assists, and 8 rebounds.   Saoirse Power-Cassidy ran the point, dishing out 4 assists and finished with 12 points and 5 rebounds. Junior Sophia Widmeyer finished the night with 10 points, 3 assists, and played terrific on the defensive end. 

Jan. 9 

Tourtellotte 45

Montville 47

Brianna Leone scored a game-high 23 points to lead the Indians (3-6) in a very close game against Tourtellotte (3-6). The game was close the whole time, Thompson being led by Katey Kwasniewski who scored 12 points for the Tigers, Becky Torres scored 11 points, and Lauren Ramos finished the game with eight points.  Brooke LaVallie scored 10 points for the Indians, and Emily Meigs had eight points. 

 

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