caption, page 10:
Works the Bars
Woodstock Academy senior Elise Boisvert works on the bars in a meet against Norwich Free Academy and Fitch last week. Photo by Marc Allard.
Minus top
gymnast,
Centaurs still
prevail
The Woodstock Academy gymnastics team took advantage of the two weeks off from competition to improve not so much on its routines, but on its chemistry.
“We learned a lot these past two weeks about being a team,” said Centaurs coach Kasey Tocchio. ”It really wasn’t about the gymnastics. It was about coming together and creating some leadership on this team.”
The Centaurs have made strides in that direction and it showed in two meets this past week against Norwich Free Academy.
Woodstock Academy was hoping to finish with a 138 or better early in the week. The Centaurs easily accomplished that, putting up a 141.6 to eclipse the Wildcats (118.15) and Fitch (95.05 which brought only three gymnasts).
Woodstock Academy followed Feb. 1 with a 135.25 effort at Thames Valley Gymnastics to down the Wildcats (117.0) again.
The victories raised the Centaurs record to 9-1 overall and 5-1 in the ECC.
Woodstock Academy competed without its top gymnast, freshman Taylor Markley and that may be the case for the remainder of the season.
“We don’t know if we’re going to get her back, so, it’s let’s see what we can do without her and prove we can still do this,” Tocchio said. “They really wrapped their heads around that and in our last practice (before last Monday’s meet), you could tell that the seniors (Jenna Davidson, Elise Boisvert and Emily Arters) really got it.”
Markley has been battling a back injury suffered over the summer.
Arters said losing Markley does make things more difficult.
“It puts the pressure on them,” Tocchio said of the Markley absence, “but I think they took that in a really good way. It was a little hard at first, but they decided they had to step up instead of feeling defeated.”
Davidson came up with a season high Jan. 27 as she finished with a 37.0 total in the All-Around. The senior captured first in bars (9.3), beam (9.3) and floor (9.25).
Arters also had a season-best 35.15 in the All-Around to finish second behind her teammate. She was tops in the vault with a 9.45. Boisvert added an 8.85 and Lindsey Gillies chipped in with an 8.7.
Feb. 1the scores were down a bit in Norwich. Davidson had a tough time on bars but showed well in her other routines, finishing best on the team (9.1) and the floor exercise (9.35). Arters was also strong on the floor where she finished second overall with a 9.2 and had a solid 34.4 all-around performance. The Centaurs hosted the only team that has beaten them this season, Stonington, Feb. 3, in a meet that ended too late for this edition. The ECC championship meet is Feb. 10 also at Deary’s Gymnastics.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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Honored
Emily Lengyel of Pomfret Center has been named to the Dean’s List at the University of New Hampshire for earning Highest Honors for the fall 2019 semester. Lengyel is majoring in health management & policy.
She is a 2017 graduate from Woodstock Academy and is the daughter of Michelle and Kevin Lengyel of Pomfret Center.
At UNH she is a member of the Alpha Xi Delta Sorority.
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Continuing the legacy established by its founder, Alexander Gilman in 1919, Robert R. Fournier Jr., owner of the Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes of Putnam and N. Grosvenordale and Crematory in Putnam, thanked everyone who helped make the Centennial a success. As the company moves into its second century, he said plans are underway to repeat several of the programs the firm provided during its anniversary year.
“When we embarked on our centennial celebration, we never imagined we would receive the level of participation we did for the various programs we hosted last year. From our initial programs in January and February to our float in the Dazzle Light Parade, we are very thankful to all those who joined us for one or all of our 100th-year events,” said Fournier.
In addition to the float and the grief management programs held in November and December, the funeral homes provided a variety of programs throughout the year as a way of showing its appreciation to the families of northeastern Connecticut.
The year began with a special tribute to the Danielson Veterans Coffeehouse which was organized by the Real Wives of Windham County and sponsored by Gilman and Valade. The event was followed by a week-long tribute to President Abraham Lincoln that was held at the Valade Funeral Home.
The months of May and June witnessed Mother and Father’s Day memorial events that were heavily attended. Fournier said that the grief management program and the Mother’s and Father’s Day memorial events are likely to continue.
A special tribute in the form of a family picnic at the East Putnam Fire Department was celebrated in September in honor of all local Emergency Medical Services. The highlight of the program was the landing of Hartford Health Care’s Life Star helicopter.
“Our events were intended to thank the various segments of our community who provide support to people during their time of need. These organizations are all instrumental to the funeral industry and memorialization,” said Fournier.
The centerpiece of the centennial year was a ribbon cutting and rededication on July 18, marking the 100th year. The program included proclamations presented to the staff from local, state and federal government officials. The culmination of the day was burying a time capsule near the funeral home main entrance. It will be unearthed in 20 years, said Fournier.
The staff took part in Memorial Day and 4th of July events, a luncheon for local clergy, hosting the Thompson Business Association Business After Hours and being featured on Fox 61 Coffee Cup Salute.
“Our 100th year celebration was very rewarding and as we enter our second century, I look forward to continuing to serve the people of northeastern Connecticut,” said Fournier.
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Presents
WILLIMANTIC — Seven Eastern Connecticut State University students presented research projects at the Northeast regional conference for the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. Among the students was Jeffery Neely ’20 of Woodstock who majors in general studies. He presented “Emerging Treatment Protocols (Psilocybin, MDMA, Ayahuasca, and LSD) for Anxiety, Depression and Addiction.”
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