September 20, 2012 pdf edition - Quaboag Current

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PAGE 12 A Turley Publication • www.turley.com I Thursday, September 20, 2012 The deadline for submissions for Sports is the Monday 12 noon, prior to publication. Send information, to Sports Editor Dave Forbes, dforbes@turley.com or send it through the mail to: Turley Publications c/o Sports Editor Dave Forbes, 24 Water St., Palmer, MA 01069 Sportswww.turleysports.com Leicester defense too much for rebuilding Cougar soccer program - WARREN - By Bob Schron Turley Publications Sports Correspondent Rejuvenated by the renewal of its JV program and increased numbers, Quaboag’s comeback trail has still yet to lead to a successful destination. The talent of Thomas Jankins, Ethan Lacaire and the promising goal play of Taylor Trzeciak has continued to be a positive force of the Cougars. But in arguably one of the best soccer leagues in Central Mass, the Southern Worcester County League, Quaboag has still been battling seemingly ageless demons. After taking an early lead, Quaboag (0-5) lost at Leicester, Monday afternoon, 2-1. Wolverines senior Jack Lajoie scored the game-winning goal and denied another strong Quaboag effort. Indians attack too much for Cougars TURLEY PUBLICATIONS STAFF PHOTO BY DAVE FORBES The Quaboag boys varsity football team prepares for the start of a recent game. - WARREN - By Bob Schron Turley Publications Sports Correspondent Bartlett has long been one of the best kept secrets among Division 5 football teams, a team with a history of being able to compete against larger schools. Still reeling from the seasonending loss of quarterback Jimmy Zalatores, Quaboag certainly wasn’t the team to expose the Indians at the high school Friday night. The result — a 45-6 Indians’ win which gave the Cougars their second loss of the year. “We’re disappointed,” said coach Dave Shepherd. “It’s been a tough start after a strong preseason. We just haven’t been able to be focused enough to win. This is a sport that is all about blocking and tackling. We just haven’t played well enough in those areas.” Quaboag (0-2) was defeated by a similar score last week at Pathfinder. It was there that the Cougars lost Zalatores to an MCL and ACL injury; Zalatores has been the igniter of their offense for the last three years. “Tyler Wade played very well in jimmy’s absence,” said Shepherd. “He’s young, but he has a definite idea of what it takes to lead a team. For Tyler, it’s just a matter of getting experience. His play was certainly not the reason we lost that game. It’s about playing better fundamental football — blocking and tackling. Where we’ve had problems the past two years is in the areas I just talked about, fundamentals and in giving up the big play. We’ve been susceptible to that again so far this season.” However, Bartlett and Pathfinder were less than ideal opponents to begin this season, one that began with considerable optimism in the preseason. After the second defeat of the year in the home opener against Alex Given-Perry and Bartlett, coach Shepherd was sitting in the coaches’ office with his assistant coaches. “We were talking,” he said, “that it’s too bad we weren’t able to play some more winnable games at the start of our sched- See ATTACK | PAGE 13 Quaboag forward Ethan Lacaire (10) controls the ball in the midfield area. Lacaire had scored to give the Cougars the early 1-0 lead. But Josh Limonis of the Wolverines forged a tie minutes later, setting the stage for the game-winner. “It was a tough loss for us,” said coach Norm St. Denis. “We’ve continued to play com- petitively against the teams in our league. But we’re always See REBUILDING | PAGE 13 Cougars bounce back after first defeat - WARREN - By Bob Schron Turley Publications Sports Correspondent Quaboag does not take defeat lightly. During the last eight years, which has included a state championship in 2007, Quaboag has been defeated less than 20 times in regular season play. This, for a team which has averaged over 15 wins a season and plays one of the most competitive non-league schedules in the sport. However, Auburn has been a foil. In a clash between the two top teams in Central Mass in early season play, the Lady Rockets reprised last season’s win over the Cougars last Wednesday, defeating Quaboag 2-0. Although Quaboag’s speed up front allowed the team numerous shot opportunities and chances in the offensive zone, Rockets’ superb goalie, Sarah Palace shut out the Cougars. Palace had eight saves in the win. After a scoreless first half, Paige Laperle scored the decisive goal with 20:00 left. “We knew what to expect when we play teams like Auburn,” said coach John O’Neill. “But they are just the type of teams we want to play. We need to be challenged.” Auburn (4-0) has now won all four games by shutouts, with Jamie McNamara, who scored the second goal against the Cougars, their leading scorer. The Cougars however rebounded with a particular vengeance on Monday. Andrea Koslowski scored two goals and added a pair of See COUGARS | PAGE 13 Tantasqua Pop Warner kickoff 2012 season By Dave Carson TPW Board Member - STURBRIDGE - Jr Pee Wee and Pee Wee Teams win big in season opener Tantasqua football was in full swing this weekend starting with the Tantasqua High School Warriors thumping Southbridge Saturday morning 29-6. The game was rescheduled due to a Friday night thunder and lightning storm. Tantasqua’s football weekend of dominance would continue on Sunday as the Pop Warner Braves team’s hit the field. The Jr Pee Wee team started the morning off strong by controlling Chicopee on both sides of ball in a lopsided 25-0 victory. TPW began the game on Chicopee’s 47-yard line, punish- ing runs by Owen Stanton and Chase Freeland ignited the Braves high flying offense all the way to the Chicopee goal line. Sean Farland would finish the drive by scoring on a quarterback keeper for a 2-yard touchdown. Farland would add on an extra point with a completed pass to Kyle Rizy in the end zone. The TPW defense took the field after a Jared Spratt kick off to the Chicopee 45-yard line. Chicopee’s first offensive play ended with Sean Lauritsen and TURLEY PUBLICATIONS STAFF PHOTO BY DAVE FORBES Cosmo Casamassa making a joint tackle, for a 2-yard loss. Then on the next play Connor Cunningham wrapped things up by recovering a Chicopee fumble. The Braves offense went on to score, on a 42-yard scamper by Antonio Aviles with a fantastic lead block by Ryan Sears. A missed extra point attempt would leave the score 13-0 through halftime. Tantasqua remained on point, starting the second half See WARNER | PAGE 13 TURLEY PUBLICATIONS SUBMITTED PHOTO BY JASON SPRATT Jarod Spratt kicks off to Chicopee to start 2012 season
just like the first. The defense held Chicopee on four straight plays, capped with an impressive backfield stop by Jared Spratt for an 8-yard loss. TPW took the ball over at the Chicopee 35 and later scored on an inside sprint for 33 yards by Chase Freeland. Leaving the score now 19-0. The Braves would recover a fumble on the ensuing kickoff to close out the third quarter. TPW would score its last touchdown in the forth on a spectacular run by Sean Farland which had him weaving and dodging tacklers. A timely block by Chase Freeland allowed Farland to coast right in for the score and increasing the Braves lead to 25-0. Tantasqua would later recover another fumble on the kickoff and then close the game out with several running plays by Jacob Belanger and Andrew Lafaille. “The kids played their hearts out. All of them executed great,” exclaimed coach Rick Farland. In the second game of the day the TPW Pee Wee team hosted Athol –Marhar Patriots. This ended in another strong performance for Tantasqua Pop Warner as they went on to win the game 32-0. Athol began the game receiving and started on their 42-yard line. The Braves defense of Bryce Iller, Colin Reindeau and Andrew Jensen pushed the Patriots backward on four consecutive plays, topped off by a 20-yard loss on a fumbled punt and tackle by Troy Lee. Tantasqua took the ball over on the Athol 22 and immediately scored as Jon Reardon pounded the ball inside the 10 and Colin Reindeau finished the drive with a 7-yard touchdown. A missed extra point attempt left the score 6-0. The TPW defense remained stout as Nick Lawrence recovered another fumbled punt attempt on Athol’s 8-yard line. Reindeau would score his second touchdown of the quarter and Jon Reardon finished it off with an extra point run. Giving the Braves a 13-0 lead to end the first quarter. The Braves defense kept the Patriot off balance with a great backfield tackle by Nick Lawrence and a near interception by Jared Langevin. Langevin moments later returned a 30-yard punt back for a touchdown. However, an untimely roughing the kicker penalty would erase the score. The Braves would eventually score again before the half. An exciting 21-yard pass across the middle of the field from quarterback Colin Eliason to Langevin gave way to a Nick Lawrence touchdown. This left the halftime score at 20-0 TPW. Athol was unable to recover as Tantasqua scored several more times while its defense kept the Patriots off the field. The game ended with a score of 32-0. The Unlimited Braves played the Winchendon A Turley Publication • www.turley.com I Thursday, September 20, 2012 PAGE 13 – sports – Wolverine for the final game of the day. The Wolverine’s started the game with a 55-yard kickoff return and an extra point kick. Taking an early 8-0 lead with just seconds off the clock. The first quarter would end with both defenses holding each other to consecutive four downs and out. Winchendon powered by a supersize offensive line managed to score a touchdown on a run up the middle to start the second quarter. TPW would respond with a long sustaining drive as Michael Farland, Matthew Dumas and Cody Ridz marched the Braves down the field. Quarterback Joe Degnan would finish off the drive with a goal line dive into the end zone. A missed extra point attempt would close out the half with the score 15-6 Wolverine. The second half continued to be a tough hard fought match, as each team held its ground. Late in the third Winchendon would find their way to the end zone on a second touchdown run up the middle and end of the third quarter. The forth remained the same as no team gave up an inch. Defensive players Daimond Breckterfield, Stephan “Cook” Kowalewski fought to get the ball back to the Braves offense. The game would end 21-6 Winchendon. Other games Tiny Mite highlights First Half: Running backs Jamison Prouix and Xander Crowell helped setup a Patrick Welton scored on a 15-yard run. Welton would later score a second on a 25-yard run to end the half. Andrew Haley and Ayden Blair were relentless on defense, teaming up on a quarterback sack. Second half: Welton scored on a fantastic run through several would be tacklers. Andrew Haley recovered a fumble off a Jace Hess tackle. Mitey Mite Highlights First half: Nathan Winco started the game with a great backfield tackle, while Jacob Provencher played solid defense all half. Booker Lester scored on a 35-yard touchdown run. Dillon Cournoyer ran a 22-yard run to setup Booker Lester’s second touchdown of the half. Second half: Quarterback Dante Reno had a 35-yard run to the Springfield goal line then finished it off with a 5-yard touchdown. Dillon Cournoyer scored a second touchdown on a 32-yard sweep play breaking though multiple tackles. Reno would get his second touchdown on a 40-yard run spearheaded from a great upfront block by Maverick Rizy. Next game Tantasqua will be home against rival Southbridge. WARNER | FROM PAGE 12 College Notes COUGARS | FROM PAGE 12 assists and Paige Guzik and Ally Sweet each scored twice as Quaboag defeated upstart Leicester, 9-0 in Leicester. Quaboag’s Abbe Cote had the shutout for Quaboag. After last season’s semifinal exit at the hands of Oakmont, stronger and more physical Quaboag worked hard in the offseason to increase their fitness. “It showed us something,” said O’Neill. “But I liked what I saw in the way that the team came back. We saw what our strengths and weaknesses are.” Notwithstanding, Quaboag has been playing exceptional field hockey. Koslowski, Ally and Dani Sweet, Madison Messier, Becky McCann and Guzik were among the leading position players who played exten- Ethan Lacaire SCHOOL: Pathfinder Congratulations goes out to the Cougars boys soccer player. He scored a goal in a 4-2 loss to Quaboag. To nominate someone for Athlete of the Week, contact Sports Editor Dave Forbes at 413-283-8393 ext. 237 or send an e-mail to dforbes@turley.com. sively in the offseason. McCann’s game took a quantum jump, said O’Neill. Coaching the Bay State Games this offseason, O’Neill had a further opportunity to coach Guzik who played there. During the offseason, O’Neill thought Guzik had improved immensely. The return of Shelby Jankins in the backfield has also improved the team’s defense. “We’re certainly feeling we’re going to continue playing well,” said O’Neill. “Losing only three seniors gave us a feeling of confidence going into the year. And I believe we’ve already seen glimpses of what we can do.” Bob Schron is a sports correspondent for Turley Publications. He can be reached at bschron@turley.com. ATTACK | FROM PAGE 12 ule. Pathfinder has one of its best teams. Bartlett is always tough.” On Saturday he added, “But we have some players who know what it takes. Jon Janosz (105 yards) and Joey Zalatores (nine tackles) can definitely help Tyler Wade to pick up the slack.” In addition, the Cougars will get Eric McCormick back after an early season injury “But we’ll miss Victor Santiago.” Asked about Santiago’s status, Shepherd answered, “Victor left the team and it was a big disappointment. He didn’t want to play football anymore.” The Cougars went to the Wildcat occasionally with Janosz, still an exceptional player and the return as well of Steven Tabor has helped imperceptibly. “But we need to pick up the overall performance,” said the coach. “We get back to the league now; and we need to get something going. We play Blackstone Valley on Saturday. They’re not close to where they were last year.” Asked about the importance of this early season contest, the coach replied, “It’s very important. At worst, we need to play a very competitive game. We can’t afford to get blown out. It’s critical; we start the season against tough teams. But down the line, we have games that we can win against Keefe Tech, Monty Tech, Ware and Nashoba Tech.” Dolan scores first collegiate goal FITCHBURG - Keene State women’s field hockey freshman and West Brookfield resident Hayley Dolan scored her first career collegiate goal in a 5-0 win over Fitchburg State on Saturday, Sept. 15. Dolan scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal in the first half. Minchoff saves game for Brandeis WORCESTER - Brandeis men’s soccer goalie and Sturbridge resident Blake Minchoff came up with a game-saving stop when he deflected a shot just over the crossbar just before the final horn sounded to give Brandeis a 2-1 victory over WPI on Wednesday, Sept. 12. Minchoff finished with five saves Quigley places fourth for Bison MIDDLEBURY, Vt. - Nichols men’s golf senior and Sturbridge resident Matthew Quiglry had the fourth best score for the Bison at the two-day Duke Nelson Invitational at Ralph Myhre Golf Course. Quigley shot an 81 on the first day and an 80 on the second to finish with an overall score of 161. Juszczyk makes two defensive saves RINDGE, N.H. - Franklin Pierce women’s field hockey defensive back and Warren resident Alyssa Juszczyk made two defensive saves in a 5-0 loss to fourth-ranked UMass-Lowell on Wednesday, Sept. 12. They were her second and third of the season. Sturbridge Youth Basketball signups STURBRIDGE - Sturbridge Youth Basketball is now accepting o-line registrations for grades 1-8 until Nov. 2. Please go to sturbridgebasketball.com to register or request information. REBUILDING | FROM PAGE 12 going to be fighting the battle of numbers. Coming into this game for example: I knew that last year when we played Leicester, they featured 10 seniors, whether as starters or key reserves. I thought we would match up with them, but at the game, I looked at their roster and they had 10 more seniors playing against us in this game. That’s the difficulty you face at a smaller school. Your opponents can retool because of their numbers. It’s harder for us.” The Cougars’ scoring totals are up from a year ago, with Lacaire and Jankins instrumental in a quicker attack. And Trzeciak played masterfully against Auburn in the Cougars’ 4-2 defeat at the hands of the Rockets. “We’re OK,” said the coach as the Cougars headed into a non-league Division 3 matchup with Ware earlier this week. Of course, we need a win. The kids on the team knew that we had a tough early season schedule (including games against Shepherd Hill, Tantasqua, Leicester, David Prouty). Other than a performance that I didn’t like against Shepherd Hill, we’ve been very competitive. Are they upset? I suspect they are. Maybe that’s a good thing. We’ll begin to play with a singleminded purpose. It will help us get (that first) win.” The program’s renaissance remains. For the first time since 2007, the team has the aforementioned jayvee team. “We’ve competed,” said the coach. “When you see that, you feel better about your future. We graduate just three seniors, though they are outstanding, including Thomas Jankins. We graduated just two last season. For a school our size to lose just five players in two years gives you hopes.” After its game with the Indians, the Cougars play at Northbridge, another outstanding team, and then have eight days off before playing at Millbury. “We have to keep battling,” said St. Denis. “The schedule doesn’t get any easier. But the better we play the more clear the changes are that you need to make. We’ve made moves to make adjustments to our offense. But that’s diminished our dense. We’re still searching for a combination which can give us a better chance to win.”
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