Past Issues of the Putnam Town Crier


Woodstock Academy senior Reegan Reynolds was pictured alongside Leila MacKinnon and Lennon Favreau last year as captains of the girls’ basketball program.
This year, she is all by herself.
“It is a responsibility for sure,” Reynolds said of her being the sole captain. “I grew up looking up to (Favreau and MacKinnon) all the way through high school, they were my leaders. I looked up what they did and now, it’s my responsibility to do that. It’s a step in a different direction but I’m ready.”
It’s not a bad thing. There is only one other senior, Kerry Blais, on the roster.
Behind the two, are only two juniors who saw significant varsity playing time last year.
It means something that any coach would welcome.
“The future is bright,” coach Will Fleeton said. “We will return the bulk again next year and they will be a year older, and hopefully, bigger, stronger and faster, more comfortable and more knowledgeable.”
Despite all the youth, the Centaurs posted 13 wins last season, making it to the ECC quarterfinals where they lost to New London and the Class L state tournament where Masuk ended their season in a first-round game.
“I think we can do better,” Reynolds said. “We all understand how each other plays. We’ve been working a lot in the offseason and a lot of the girls have been playing together so I think we’re ready.”
The top four scorers from a year ago all return led by junior Eva Monahan.
The 6-foot forward averaged 9.2 points per game and was named an ECC Division I All-Star.
In addition to Monahan up front, Reynolds, Sophia Sarkis (6.6 points per game, 19 3-pointers), Vivian Bibeau, Sidney Anderson, Allison Camara, Macy Rawson and Payton Leite will all see time up front.
All are 5-foot, 7-inches or better.
“The team, as a whole, has good size for high school basketball,” Fleeton said.
In addition, the Centaurs have starting guards Kaylee Saucier (8.6, 25 3s) and Isabel D’Alleva-Bochain (7.8, 16) back along with Abby Converse and Maddie Bloom. Those who may play forward roles also rotate in at the guard positions.
The quality of the guard play certainly has Reynolds excited.
“They get us open looks down low and get open shots (of their own). I think we won’t really have a problem with the press break this year. Our guards are great. They can do anything,” Reynolds said.
The spread-out scoring is a positive according to Fleeton.
“We always strive to score a bit more and with everybody back, maybe we can pick up where we left off as far as the scoring goes,” Fleeton said. “I like to see the eight and nine-point averages spread out among players. It gives us the leeway to have a different high scorer every night and I feel like you have a better team when that happens versus having the go-to player who has the pressure of having to score 15 points a game for their team to win.”
The team, as a whole, will have something new to deal with as will all high school boys' and girls' basketball teams in the state.
There will be a 35-second shot clock.
“I’m excited. It’s long overdue. I don’t know how things will shake out this year and I won’t say I’m not ready for it but I’ve been waiting for it and planning around it,” Fleeton said.
The Centaurs have dealt with the shot clock over the past couple of seasons.
“We’ve never really had any trouble with it ... but the minute we speak about it, trouble shows itself so I think it’s more mental than physical. It is the style of game that we want to play, some other teams may like the slowdown-type of game, so I don’t think it will hamper us at all,” Fleeton said.
Another rule change takes away the one-and-one free throws and changes everything to two shot foul opportunities to avoid more contact under the basket.
“I think we just all have to stay healthy,” Reynolds said when asked what has to go right for the Centaurs this season. “In the past years, we’ve had some illness and injuries, and I think if we all stay healthy and stay united, we will be good.”
The Centaurs opened on Tuesday against ECC Div. I foe, Norwich Free Academy (the game ended too late for this edition).
Since it is a divisional game, it meant a bit more and was a little more important than a season opener may typically be.
“We want the challenge but I don’t know if it’s a good opener because as the opener, a lot of times for both teams, it could be a little ugly out there. It is what it is. I guess we might as well hit the ground running. Why delay the inevitable?,” Fleeton said of the game against the Wildcats.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy

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After a five-year hiatus, the sport of wrestling will return to The Woodstock Academy this winter.
It has made a host of student-athletes happy.
“I’m really excited to be able to do something this winter. Really excited that wrestling is coming back,” said Centaur senior Lucas Theriaque.
Coach Cahan Quinn had about a handful of interested athletes when the rebirth of the sport was announced last spring. Now there are 20.
It’s a sport of discipline. And it’s not for everyone. Wins and losses will not mean much this season.
“I really just want to see all the kids have a good attitude because it is going to be rough the first year back. It’s a really tough sport and I think they will learn that quickly,” the senior added.
The season has also begun on the road.
The mats that Woodstock used to wrestle on are gone.
The new mats have not arrived.
It has meant that the Centaurs have been working out at Putnam High School with the Clippers wrestling team and that has been a blessing in disguise.
“It’s been great. Putnam has hosted us for the last two weeks and their coaches have been awesome. We have been going against them and each other. It has given the kids a chance to see an established program and it has given them a sense of what a wrestling program should feel like in the future,” Quinn said.
During a recent weight certification, Quinn also decided to give his wrestlers a dose of reality as he showed the recordings of the ECC wrestling championships from last year.
“That way, they will have some sort of understanding what a real match looks like especially at the top tier,” Quinn said.
In addition to Theriaque, Anthony Buckner and Jacob Lizotte are the other two seniors on the squad.
Aidan Angel-Ouimetter and Gunnar Basak are the juniors on the squad, leaving the underclassmen to comprise the bulk of the team.
Sophomores Jacob Say, Dylan Phillips, Olivia DiGregorio, Kaylyn Hall, Owen Hamilton, Jackson Doraz, Andrew Landreville and Aidan Souhaloun will be joined by freshmen Jaden Bowers and Jake Henderson.
Among the assembled wrestlers for the Centaurs, two have prior wrestling experience, one has taken jiu-jitsu and another judo.
“We’re going to have a few forfeits but I don’t think it will be too many,” Quinn said of the prospect of filling the 14 weight classes. “It also depends on the teams we face and if they can fill the brackets. We are missing a heavyweight right now.”
The addition of the two female wrestlers, DiGregorio and Hall, is also a positive.  according to Quinn.
“Hopefully, that number goes up in the future to really make sure the sport is diversified. Connecticut is already doing all-female tournaments so, hopefully, we can get more out and even have a girls’ team in the future if the numbers are there,” Quinn said.
The Centaurs plan on concentrating on dual tournaments with the first on Wednesday on the road in Lebanon against the Lyman Memorial-Windham Tech Cooperative.
The Centaurs are also investigating the possibility of participating in a couple of larger tournament-style events.
The senior’s big advice to his teammates is just to have fun.
Something Quinn is already doing.
“I’m very excited,” Quinn said. “I think this will be a big advantage to the school. It will help make a lot of athletes better. It should really help them with all the other sports they do.”
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy

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Kayla Ryan Morey
DAYVILLE — Kayla Ryan Morey, 35 of Dayville died unexpectedly Dec 2, 2023, in a tragic car accident.
She was born May 26, 1988, in Worcester. She attended St. Mary Grammar School, Marianapolis Preparatory School, and graduated from St. Michael’s College in 2010, majoring in English and minoring in elementary education.
She graduated with a Master’s Degree from St. Joseph’s University in West Hartford in 2014.
After graduating from St. Michaels, Kayla began work at Putnam Elementary School. Kayla was a beloved fourth grade teacher.
She enjoyed reading, spending time with her friends and family, summer days at Alexanders Lake, going to the beach, travelling to visit friends, being “Auntie Kayla,” and being with her fur babies Finnegan and Sophie.
She leaves her parents, James and Alma Morey of Dayville; her two sisters Jill Morey of Boston and Shannon Morey (Ken Depasse) of Rutland, Mass. and their children Stella, Sutton, and Arlo Depasse; aunt Susan Salce and her uncle Tom Landry, her “other” parents, John and Kim Pascone and their children Jonathan Pascone and Angelica Martin and her husband Chris Martin and their children Ezra and Hazel, and her best friend and partner Kayleigh Lyons. In addition, she leaves cousins Christopher Salce, Shawna Salce and her husband Wes Pellerin, Lauren Landry and her children Alex, Charlotte, and Grant Wojcik, and Gregg Landry (Lori) and their children Brianna, Brendan, and Logan Landry. Kayla was predeceased by her paternal grandparents Albert and Rochelle Morey, her maternal grandparents Lionel & Stella Desautels, her uncle Mark Salce, her aunt Carlene Landry, and her cousin Brian Landry.
Visitation was Dec. 7 and Dec. 8 with burial in Grove Street Cemetery. Donations: Worcester Animal Rescue League, 139 Holden St., Worcester MA 01606. Gilman Funeral Home and Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.

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PSA’s boys’ basketball coaches just watch as they let the guys play in the preseason.
What they saw in Amdy Ndiaye during that time was a bouncy, skilled big man (he’s 6-foot, 11 inches), but one who was getting too comfortable on the wing shooting 3’s and putting the ball on the floor.
PSA coaches wanted to use his size inside, around the rim, where they believed he could be a force as an offensive rebounder.
It took some time, but it appears that Ndiaye has found his way in that role, as he posted three double-doubles in three wins for PSA, averaging 17.3 points and 13.3 rebounds and making 65.5 percent of his shots as PSA beat Redemption 106-89, Ridley Prep 114-85, and Spire 98-59.
“It was not easy,” Ndiaye said. “I’m a versatile player, and I like to play outside, too. I was getting comfortable out at the 3-point line (in the preseason), which is good but at the same time, using my height to my advantage and getting into the paint and getting rebounds, that’s something I can do for the team, too.
“At the end of the day, we’re just trying to win, so if that’s something that’s going to help the team win, I’m going to do it. And right now, it’s helping us win games.”
In Saturday’s win over Spire, Que Duncan added 15 points, six rebounds, and three steals, Ben Ahmed chipped in 13 points and 14 rebounds (his seventh double-double of the season), and Justin Johnson finished with 12 points, four assists, and took two charges for PSA (11-3), which totaled 69 rebounds as a team.
Ndiaye had 23 points and 11 boards as PSA turned a two-point halftime lead into a sizeable final margin against Redemption Tuesday. The team’s second unit of Ndiaye, Fallou Gueye, Derrick Morris, Dame Givner, and Ramsay Checo provided a needed boost of energy to open the second half and send PSA on its way.
Givner finished with 15 points and five assists, Gueye nine points and four rebounds, and Morris and Checo turned in their typical defensive efforts that made life difficult on the perimeter for Redemption.
The next night against Ridley, Ndiaye finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds while Johnson had 25 points and six steals, and Duncan added 18 points for PSA. Ahmed had 14 points, and Derrick Morris scored a season-high 10.
PSA’s boys’ Elite team went 3-0 as well last week. Tony Williams scored 22 points and Jalen Claude finished with 16 in a 73-62 win at Hoosac Wednesday. The Mustangs then dismantled Mitchell College JV Thursday, 119-90, as Claude led seven players to score in double figures, finishing with 22 points in the win.
DJ Germann had 17 points plus five assists and four steals, Gio Escalona finished with 16 points and nine rebounds, and Carter Mungin added 14 points and seven boards.
Williams chipped in with 11 points and six assists, Octavius Wheeler had 13 points, and Javelle Epps had 12 and six rebounds in the win.
Epps was terrific Friday night, scoring 18 of his game-high 23 points in the second half and PSA overcame a big first-half deficit to run away with the 86-70 win over Anna Maria.
Williams also had 23 points for PSA, which trailed by 16 late in the first half. Claude added 12 points and Mungin finished with 11 for the Mustangs (7-2).
The Varsity team won its lone game of the week, besting Hoosac 61-39 on Tuesday as Nikita Badrajan had 11 points and eight rebounds, Vlad Vetrov added 10 points and seven boards, and Julien Ville finished with a game-high 13 points to go along with four steals for PSA (4-2).
The girls’ team didn’t fare as well last week, however. Carlota Lopez finished with 18 points, four assists, and four steals but PSA came up just short, 58-56, in a challenging road environment at Busche Academy.
Kate Lipatova added 11 points, six steals, and five rebounds for PSA (3-6), which had a chance to send the game to overtime but a questionable no-call as Lopez got to the basket ended the game in regulation.
The Mustangs never got untracked offensively Saturday and trailed big at halftime before falling to Tilton in a game played at Worcester Adacemy.
By Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy

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Centaurs hopeful state
title is in their future
After making a Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) Div. II state championship game the year before and falling just short, 2-1 in overtime to North Haven, the Woodstock Academy boys’ hockey team has one goal in mind: Bring home a Division II state title in 2024.
To that end coach Mark Smolak scheduled a majority of CIAC Div. I teams. The Centaurs finished 23-2 last season.
The Centaurs return their top line of Noah Sampson (21 goals, 37 assists), Sousa (29, 28) and Maxx Corradi (43, 23).
The Centaurs will be without Jacob Jurnovoy (6, 14), Max Larkin (9, 15) and the physicality of Andrew Newton up front.
Senior Jared Nielsen (5, 7) and junior Jayden Fuller (10, 11) will back up that front line with senior Troy Daviau.
The Centaurs also have freshman newcomer Cameron Perrault who will pair with Brady O’Brien and Keegan Covello.
Three defenseman and two goalies have departed, so the offense may have to be a bit more conscious of what is going on in the defensive end.
Freshman Brady Hebert will be the starting goalie for the first 10 games until junior Devlin Mansolf, a transfer from Burrillville (R.I.) High School, is eligible. Alex Gessner and Sam Lescault will be the senior defensemen with freshmen Landon Murdock and Kieran Shepherd being added to the mix.
The team will have to come together quickly. In the first three weeks, they have seven games scheduled including the highly competitive Mt. St. Charles tournament.
“That’s a lot. Three weeks into the season, we’re going to have half of our schedule completed,” Smolak said. “We’re going to get the bulk of our schedule out of the way, going to review the films, determine where we can do better and drill in practice because we will have plenty of practice time toward the end (of the season)," the coach added. Woodstock will not play its first home game at the Jahn Ice Rink until Jan. 2.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy

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