Honored
Putnam Science Academy alumni Sha’raya Haines has made an impact in her first year at Division 2 Post University. The guard, who played for PSA’s inaugural girls’ prep team last season, recently was awarded the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Athlete of the Week. Haines helped the Mustangs last season to a 22-9 record before committing to Post University later in the year and currently leads the Eagles in scoring with more than 12 points per game and has played in 13 games, starting all 13. Haines had a monster week in two games scoring a total of 38 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in wins for Post University which now sit at 6-8. Courtesy photo.

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Getting back on track.
It’s what the Woodstock Academy Blue prep basketball team wanted to accomplish coming out of the holiday break.
So far, it has been successful in that quest.
The Centaurs raised their mark to 16-6 with a pair of victories last week. Woodstock Academy handled the Hoosac School, 91-46, Jan. 12 at the Alumni Fieldhouse. Before that, the Centaurs scored a 92-58 win over Capital Prep Harbor at the University of Bridgeport.
“It was definitely great for us and great for the confidence of our team after we lost five of the last seven,” forward John Korte said of the two wins following Saturday’s win over Hoosac. “We’re getting back into it quickly. We’re looking good so far, moving the ball and playing good defense.”
The Centaurs, prior to the break, lost some tough games.
That included a pair of 1-point games to Navy Prep (77-76) and Toronto Academy (74-73) and an overtime contest to Hamden Hall (94-90). Add to that, losses to Lee Academy (77-66) and Athlete’s Institute (82-71), and it made for a tough stretch.
“We fell into a rut,” said Blue coach Nick DeFeo. “We were struggling. We were missing some guys who went home early for break.”
“It was an accumulation of things. People wanted to go home, which you know will happen and we played some very good teams. We just didn’t come to play in some of those games and when that happens, you lose,” Korte agreed.
Fortunately, things have changed.
“We came back and we’ve had great energy ever since. We have a full roster, minus one (Kaleb Thornton) due to injury. We’ve had some great practices this week,” DeFeo added.
Like DeFeo, Korte wasn’t sure what the atmosphere would be like when the Centaurs returned last week.
“I didn’t know what was going to happen. I thought we might still be in a rough patch like where we were before, but we’re looking really good right now,” Korte said.
The Centaurs didn’t pull away immediately from Hoosac.
The Centaurs had beaten the New York school in November by 47 points and DeFeo was concerned about his team’s approach to the game.
“DeFeo talked to us a lot before the game about not underestimating them. They can come out and kill us in the first half,” Korte said.
Korte (nine points) went on a five-point run of his own midway through the first half to help make sure that didn’t happen and put the Centaurs up, 16-10
His seven-point effort in the first half included a pair of dunks which brought his teammates to their feet.
Both of those dunks came off assists.
“We’re learning to trust each other more and that’s a huge part of the game,” Korte said. “I trust that they’re going to pass me the ball for the dunk and I give it to them right back.”
Ty Mosley and Jeff Planutis both scored seven points in the first half in addition to Korte as the Blue took a 39-20 lead into halftime.
It became a 3-point party for the Centaurs in the second half.
Kruno Macner, who led the Blue squad with 16 points, hit four from beyond the arc while Ahmad Jeffries and Isaiah Jones both had a pair and Planutis (10 points) added one.
The Centaurs opened the week with the easy win over the Harbor Sharks.
Stefanos Psarras scored 11 points and Guillem Gonzalez added 10.
“We came out with great energy right from the jump and got on top early. Any time, you go on the road and win a conference game, it’s nice. We got a great effort from everyone, they all contributed,” DeFeo said.
It’s a good time to be playing well.
This is the stretch run for the Blue prep team which will see the season end in just a little less than two months.
“It’s time to focus. We have to get these kids some college interest, get them signed and ready to go to the next level. I think they’re dialed in a little bit and we have a bunch of conference games coming up. This is it. We’re putting our foot on the gas pedal,” DeFeo said.
DeFeo said the coaching staff has been meeting individually with the players and discussing a plan for their future.
“Luckily for us, our staff is tremendous at getting out and communicating with colleges and two, we’ve had college interest for every kid in the gym, every kid on the Gold team, every kid on the Blue, somebody has asked or inquired about them. That’s really good for us and now it’s just finding out what the kids want, see who loves them the best and picking the right school,” DeFeo said.
The Blue squad is on the road for much of the month.
Their only other home game comes up on Jan. 29 against USA Academy.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
The Woodstock Academy

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caption:

Field Hockey Help
Boston University senior goalie Kathleen Keegan, center, worked with Woodstock Academy field hockey goalies, left to right: Rachael Roberts, Olivia Stanikmas, Alina Michalski and Kailey LaChappelle on Jan. 12. Photo contributed by Lauren Gagnon.



The Woodstock Academy field hockey team welcomed a visitor on Saturday.
Kathleen Keegan, the senior goalie for the Boston University field hockey team, came to The Academy and gave a 90-minute clinic to four Woodstock Academy players; senior Olivia Stanikmas, junior Rachel Roberts, and sophomores Alina Michalski and Kailey LaChappelle.
“She did a lot footwork drills, a lot of higher-level technique and updated skills for ground work,” said Woodstock Academy coach Lauren Gagnon.
Keegan started all 20 games for the 12-8 Terriers this past season and earned Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week honors on two occasions. She finished with a goals against average of 1.67.
Keegan has also worked with the trainer for the English National team goalie, Maddie Hinch.
“She has a ton of experience,” Gagnon said.
The 5-foot, 6-inch Keegan is a Connecticut native, having graduated from Hall High School in W. Hartford. Gagnon coached her in the past with the HTC field hockey club.
“I couldn’t be happier for her. She is an amazing kid. She told me that someday, she was going to play D-I and she was this tiny little thing and you’re like, ‘That would be awesome, but who knows’ because it’s the pipe dream for everyone. She always put in the work and was totally committed. I always saw her at UConn games just watching. She was so focused on the game,” Gagnon said.
Keegan has possibly played her last field hockey.
She plans to go into finance after graduation.
Stanikmas, the starting goalie for the Centaurs, is currently looking at a number of colleges both academically and athletically. She plans to continue to play field hockey and Gagnon feels that it’s possible she will receive a Division II offer.
Roberts will be doing Futures with Centaur teammates Avery Jones and Eliza Dutson which Gagnon feels will be beneficial come the fall.
Gagnon was also pleased to see the goalies get a little attention for a change.
“I have very little time to dedicate to just four kids when I have 55 others. It’s huge for them to be able to have someone dedicated to just looking at their body position and distribution of weight and all that type of stuff that can be real nit-picky but can translate to huge gains,” Gagnon said.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
The Woodstock Academy