Academy Previews
Back to tournaments?
The Woodstock Academy boys’ volleyball team is coming off a very successful 14-10 campaign from a year ago. But if there is one thing the Centaurs may want back, it was the postseason.
After being happy just to make the tournaments in their first year as a program, the Centaurs were hopeful to go a little further last season. They did.
They made the Connecticut Volleyball League championship match but came up short to a very good Wolcott Tech team. In the second round of the Class M state tournament and they did, courtesy of a bye, but saw their season end in a loss to Pomperaug.
“I think we have the potential, the skill, the determination, to get back to the CVL championship and, hopefully, be successful this time this year. I think we should definitely make a solid run in States as well,” coach Adam Bottone said.
Oh, and there is one new goal that has been thrust in front of the Centaurs.
The ECC will now have a boys’ volleyball championship match.
“There are five teams now in the ECC and the top two will qualify for the championship. We have to work that schedule around the CVL tournament schedule, proms, and everything else,” Bottone said.
In addition to the Centaurs, New London, Norwich Free Academy, Putnam and, for boys’ volleyball only, Norwich Tech will comprise the ECC contingent. When the teams play each other, the matches will count toward both the ECC and CVL standings with the exception of New London which is not a CVL member.
That’s a lot to look forward to especially with a team that is capable of some good things provided everything comes together.
“Cohesiveness and that team aspect could be a strength; we just don’t have it right now,” Bottone said.
That’s because most of his players spent the offseason playing club volleyball and now have to get used to their high school teammates, most of whom will be familiar.
The Centaurs lost only Nathan Billings to graduation from last year’s team and yet, have only three seniors on the team, two of which are newcomers.
The only returning vet is setter Weston Mission (112 assists last year).
The junior class is the dominant age group with Libero Christian Hart (222 digs, 45 aces); setter Jake Henderson (470 assists); middle hitter Sam Anderson (19 blocks); outside hitter Brayden Bottone (216 kills, 173 digs); middle hitter Owen Budd (187 kills, 46 blocks) and outside hitter Evan Chernik (51 aces) comprising the core of that class.
“I’m pretty happy (with the roster) and most have been playing club so they have been playing quite a bit,” Bottone said. “I definitely have high expectations for this year.”
Not only at the league level but also the state level.
The CIAC has expanded its volleyball divisions to three and the Centaurs have dropped from Class M to Class S.
“I think we match up with a lot of teams in that division. Joel Barlow is in it and they will definitely be a team to watch for if we make it far into the postseason,” Bottone said.
The Centaurs will also have to deal with CVL nemesis Wolcott Tech in Class S.
Woodstock could get some midseason help as well as senior setter Gavin Hecker now wears a Centaur uniform or, at least, he will halfway through the season.
Hecker transferred in from NFA but has to sit until the halfway point of the season before he is eligible.
“He’s a good player, can set, can hit and could become our primary setter once he is able to play or we could run a 6-2 with him and Jake Henderson. He will be a nice addition that will really help us get over the hump and he will be with us every day in practice which will help him and us moving forward,” Bottone said.
Woodstock will open at home at 5:30 April 6 against at home at 5:30 p.m. at the Alumni Fieldhouse.
Girls’ Lacrosse
Unpredictability and variety. Two concepts that are related as variety might lead to a less predictable approach and, hopefully, shake things up in the scheme of things for the Woodstock girls’ lacrosse program this season.
The Centaurs are coming off a three-win season but have cause for hope with 12 seniors returning for coach Heather Miller.
That includes the team’s two leading scorers, Kaylee Saucier and Clara Dowdle.
Saucier had 41 goals to go with 15 assists while Dowdle contributed 18 goals and 20 helps.
“It’s very exciting to have them back but we are working on having a variety of shooters. We really want to have an attack that has mobility and is unpredictable. I want to see a lot of shooting from everyone,” Miller said.
The coach highlighted that by reminiscing to a year ago and a pair of games the Centaurs played.
Despite not having Saucier in the lineup, the Centaurs were able to pick up a victory over Fitch where six players scored with Dowdle getting the hat trick.
You always feel like, ‘Oh no, we don’t have one of our top scorers’ but it’s a team effort and we pulled out the win,” Dowdle said after that win last season.
Miller also liked the Centaurs’ effort in a close loss to Wheeler at home.
“Almost everyone was shooting in those games so the opponents’ defense didn’t know who to keep track of. Kaylee and Clara will still play a large role (as far as scoring goals) but I would also like to see them set up their teammates with more success as well,” Miller said.
That should mean more opportunities for fellow attacks like Emma Forcier (2 goals last season), Grace Lescault, Baylee Rosinsky, Bree Antaya and Alexis Starr who play up front with Dowdle.
Joining Saucier in the midfield will be Avery Nielsen as well as sophomore Claire Anderson.
Defense is another focal point for Miller. The Centaurs did surrender double-digit goal totals to their opponents in 11 of their 16 games last season.
“We will pick up with the backer zone that we left off on. It was still so much in development but now, it is something familiar. I believe we just have to continue to develop that and clean it up but you can’t just defend in one way, we need to have something in our back pocket.” the coach said.
Abby Ditzel, Danielle Demers, Vivian Bibeau, Avery Crescimano, all seniors, are back to anchor the defense with junior Anna Hernandez, sophomore Lilah Ledogar and newcomers Ellasyn Nagle, a sophomore, and Addison Anthony, a freshman, to add depth. Grace Audet will return in the cage for the Centaurs.
The number of seniors the Centaurs sport is a blessing for this season, but also gives Miller pause for the future as this will be their last campaign. She hopes that they impart their knowledge to the younger players and has urged them to do so.
“It’s great experience and cohesiveness for this season with that and we just want to help the new players gel into that. But we also need (the seniors) to kind of teach on the side because I have a good working relationship with those seniors. I’ve taught them how this program should go and they can bring that to our new players,” Miller said.
The Centaurs remain in Div. II of the ECC alongside Ledyard, Stonington, Bacon Academy and Montville which may also be helpful.
Woodstock will only play one Div. I foe this year, Fitch, and will not have to face ECC heavyweights like East Lyme and Waterford.
“I love this schedule for obvious reasons. I still think it’s a strong schedule but we can be competitive with everyone on it. If we execute the way we know how to, we will, without a doubt, improve upon last season,” Miller said. “We’re still going to have to grind, play from the first to the last whistle, problem solve, adapt and fight for every ‘W.’”
The Centaurs are scheduled to open at home against Ledyard at 4:15 p.m. April 7 at the Bentley.
Boys’ Lacrosse
The boys’ lacrosse team didn’t have a junior varsity program a year ago.
Numbers didn’t allow coach Jason Tata to have the second program but that has, fortunately, changed.
A strong turnout means the program will be able to field a JV team this year and while that may not seem like a big deal, Tata would disagree.
“It’s huge because when you play just a varsity schedule, the younger guys don’t have a good opportunity to come in. Being able to have a separate JV game where they can work on their craft and get better at their speed is so much better. It’s really tough to throw them out into an (ECC) game with a lot of pressure. If something good happens, it can propel them so far up but one little mistake and they get hard on themselves so I love having a JV team – way less stress, it lets everyone ease in,” Tata said.
More good news for the Centaurs. They have a strong nucleus returning.
Despite some losses to graduation including Gunnar Basak (34 points), Sam Desmond and Keegan Covello (14 points each), Woodstock Academy had a host of juniors who return to the program as seniors this year.
That includes leading scorer Dylan Phillips, who finished with 50 points a year ago, 38 of those coming off of goals. Fellow senior Corey Lafond will join him on the attack line after a 10 goal, 18 assist effort in 2025.
“Now, we have Patrick Griswold up there as well,” Phillips said. “We’re all really good friends so it helps to have that chemistry off the field and on it. We kind of know where each other is without having to look or communicate.”
Griswold. A junior, finished with nine goals a year ago.
That nucleus travels down the field as the Centaurs have senior midfielder Logan Rumrill back to handle faceoffs and helping to secure the midfield. In the back, senior David Genay will return to help protect senior goalie Quan Sangasy.
“I think it’s definitely helpful that we have all been working together for the last four years. I think the chemistry is there and we’re getting a lot of things done,” Rumrill said.
Other seniors on the team include midfielders Phillip Feaney Aleman, Owen Hamilton, Zach Armbruster, Logan DelFarno and Brady Gedutas.
Juniors Kellen Coleman, John King, Camden Marshall and newcomers Griffen Bloom and Ethan Schulz are also expected to make contributions.
“The experience, both good and bad, is going to be our strength. Our returning guys have been in seasons where we are in the state tournament, playing close games and then they have also seen a season like last year that kind of fell flat. I think they have seen the success and the failures and it’s going to keep these guys honest,” Tata said.
The Centaurs coach laughed when he said that a host of his players have been pestering the heck out of him in the best way possible.
“Corey and David have been (texting) my phone, asking if we can do this or that. These guys are ready. They’re coming in with a chip on their shoulder. They know that 4-14 (last year’s record) can be improved upon. I believe it. I hope these guys believe it. There is not a doubt in my mind we can improve,” Tata said.
If they can finish games.
Tata recalled a game against Bacon Academy where Phillips scored four goals to begin the fourth quarter, but then the team tapered off,
A similar situation occurred in a game against Stonington as well as another against Norwich Free Academy and all resulted with the Centaurs on the wrong side of the scoreboard.
“We’re in these games, we just have to finish,” Tata said with a shake of his head. “I think conditioning is a huge factor because the first three quarters of a game get long, maybe they are not running up-and-down as much as a soccer team but a lot of work is going on. I think it’s also a bit of athletic and team maturity where they look, see us down by two goals with 12 minutes left and know what they have to do,” Tata said.
Tata said the hope for success actually begins when the preseason got underway with his athletes buying into the program, studying the playbook and then doing the hard work necessary to create good things, plus, the added bonus of having the two programs and the ability to develop players.
“It’s going to be a dogfight every game; we have to take every team seriously. There is no day off, we’re never going to be the favorite in a game, we’re the underdogs in every game and if we go in with that underdog mentality, we’re going to win a lot of games,” Tata said.
Woodstock Academy opens with a non-league game at 10 a.m. Saturday at RHAM in Hebron.
Baseball
There are years when everything is pretty straight forward.
A team loses a host of seniors and goes through a rebuilding phase.
Or a team has a lot of experience back and expects big things.
Or, as is the case this year for the baseball team, a ‘tweener.
“We definitely have a newer team. We’re carrying 16 players right now, we may reduce that but we have eight upper and eight underclassmen. It’s different because for the first time since I’ve been head coach, it’s the first time I feel like we’re turning over a new leaf,” said coach Connor Elliott. “It’s different but it’s fun, trying to figure out the puzzle pieces.”
This is the third year for Elliott at the helm of the Centaurs.
He burst upon the scene by winning a Class L state championship two years ago.
Last year, the Centaurs finished with a flurry after a less than stellar start.
They opened with a pair of wins, only to lose the next five but took a 12-game winning streak into the Class L state tournament including a convincing 11-1 win over East Lyme, Elliott’s alma mater, in the ECC championship game.
But the dreams of a second consecutive state title were popped when Brookfield, the top seed in the tournament, down the Centaurs, 1-0, in the second round.
Still, that loss provides hope for this season.
“Logan Coutu pitched lights out, one of our best performances of the year. It was impressive to watch,” Elliott said.
Coutu will have to be impressive again and probably a bit more often as Brady Ericson has departed for UConn to play Div. I baseball.
Ericson delivered a 6-0 record with a 0.35 earned run average and struck out 117 in just 60-plus innings. Also gone are Bradley Blair and Will Bushey from the pitching staff.
Coutu finished 3-5 with a 2.69 earned run average while Hayden Maloney was 4-1 with a 2.42 mark and will likely be the top two in the rotation.
“I think we have enough arms, we have a really good pitching staff and coach (Patrick) Button is really good and is really working with us this year,” Coutu said. “I should be able to compete well this season. I’ve worked on my changeup this year and just increasing my velo(city).”
Elliott is confident with his two top arms and the others in the bullpen.
“Hayden pitched a gem in that ECC championship as a sophomore and I think both he and Logan will be huge assets for us. I don’t know if we will be as top-heavy as we were last year because Brady is Brady but I really like our depth,” Elliott said.
Rhys Asikainen, Collin Gaudette, Caleb Simoneau, Will Ellsworth, Colin Ericson and Brady Mullin will all likely see time on the varsity hill.
All of them will be throwing to a brand-new backstop as freshman Jameson Costa likely inherits the starting position from the graduated Tanner Graham.
Pitching and defense will have to carry the Centaurs.
“It really comes down to that you win baseball games by not losing them first and foremost. That comes with pitching and defense, making the routine plays and not throwing the ball around, and throwing strikes,” Elliott said.
The entire infield is basically back for the Centaurs with Coutu likely more at second base when he is not on the hill to save his arm for pitching. Ericson and Asikainen will likely share first base duties with Simoneau at short and Maloney at third.
“Our infield will be like our home base per se this year, outfield is kind of our experiment and our freshman catcher is going to do really well. Defense is going to be a strong suit for us,” Simoneau said.
Mullin and Matt Dearborn will be infield reserves.
“The outfield is an open competition,” Elliott said. “We have a good returner in Will Ellsworth who didn’t get a lot of reps last year but is a quality baseball player. After that, it’s an open competition and that’s how you find them, we have a lot of options and they will compete and we will find the right ones.”
Gaudette, Connor Bessette and Drew Bundy are among those in the competition.
Offensively, the Centaurs did not light the world on fire last year.
Simoneau was the only hitter who finished over the .300 mark at .325 with 14 runs batted in. Maloney added a .268 effort with 11 RBIs and Colin Ericson was the only other returner over .200 and had limited plate appearances.
“The offense will come and we will manufacture if we have to and do whatever it takes to get runs across. We have kids with the ability, they just haven’t shown it at a varsity level yet,” Elliott said.
Simoneau is confident that they will.
“I have to hold myself to a higher standard and the guys on the team will hold themselves to high standards at the plate as well this season,” Simoneau said.
The ECC did shake up the divisions this season.
The Centaurs had been playing in Div. I in the conference but with the loss of their seniors, the league dropped them down to Division II where they will be paired up with Montville, Stonington, Bacon Academy and Killingly.
“Killingly will be tough, I give coach Ben (Desaulnier) a lot of credit; they do a great job year in and year out in terms of consistency. We dropped down a division but I think it will be just as competitive. Stonington has a great arm and some other good players; Montville has the ECC Player of the Year coming back and Bacon Academy won the ECC Div. II title last year,” Elliott said.
Is another 17-win season possible?
“I don’t really look at record. If we are 10-10, that’s OK, with a tough schedule, playing good competition throughout. Our goal, really, is finding the right guys. It’s not so much record-based –-- you want to get to eight wins to make the state tournament – but it’s more are we playing our best baseball after 20 games?” Elliott said.
The Centaurs are scheduled to open at noon Saturday against the East Lyme Vikings at the Bentley.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
(Left photo )
The Woodstock Academy girls’ lacrosse team braved the early spring weather to practice.
Right
Coach Heather Miller looks on as two of her players battle for the ball during the first week of girls’ lacrosse practice. Photos by Drew Beaupre/Woodstock Academy.
Outside
The Woodstock Academy boys’ lacrosse team was outside for the first full week of practice last week. Photos by Marc Allard/Woodstock Academy.
Baseball
Logan Coutu, left, and Caleb Simoneau, practicing inside the Woodstock Academy South Campus gym due to cold temperatures outside, will be two key members of the Centaurs baseball team this season. Photo by Marc Allard/Woodstock Academy.
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