End ten-year Clark hex

By Steev Riccardo

WORCESTER – The Oxford Pirates won their first Clark Tournament game in almost ten years and advanced to the semi-finals and a marquee match-up with Quaboag with a 52-51 win over a scrappy Maynard Tigers team on Monday afternoon at the George F. Kneller Athletic Center at the Clark University gymnasium.

The Pirates opened a 16-10 first quarter with a balanced scoring attack led by a pair of hoops from senior co-captains Tyler Barrie and Mike James and a 3-pointer by Donny Freeland.

By Charles Kelleher Harris

OXFORD- Selectman Jennie L. Caissie officially announced today that she will not be pursing the senate seat recently vacated by new Secretary of State John Kerry.

“I always thought politics was my first love, but then I saw my baby girl’s face,” Caissie said Tuesday.

Speculation about Caissie’s possible bid arose last week when she was spotted at the State House.

SOUTHBRIDGE -  Effective immediately, Harrington Hospital has lifted the restrictions it announced one month ago on young visitors at the hospital.

Harrington has lifted its ban on visitors age 16 and under because of the recent decline in flu activity in the region. The hospital still discourages individuals from visiting hospital patients if the visitors feel ill.

Alec Lindstrom of St. Anne’s School in Webster and Conor Durward of Dudley Middle School participated in the Massachusetts Youth Wrestling Association Sectionals in Hanover, Mass. this past weekend.

The pair each had three pins to win and ended the day 3-0, and placed 1st in their respective weight classes in the South Middle School Division.

They will now compete in the Massachusetts Youth Wrestling Association State Championship on February 17th.

Bartlett gets the #3 seed

By Steev Riccardo

WORCESTER – The Bartlett Indians were awarded the #3 seed in the large schools bracket of the Clark Tournament, while archrival Shepherd Hill Rams were named the #4 seed, setting up a potential championship game encounter between the two locals if they can both advance.

The 12-5 Indians, who hold the Clark record for most appearances in the large schools finals, will meet the 12-6 Auburn Rockets in their first match, which will be held on Sunday, February 17, at 1 p.m. Auburn defeated the Indians 62-56 earlier this year in Webster.

"Snow date" added

For those of you who did not attend Saturday, Feb 9th, please come by Generations Healing Center on Saturday, February 16 between the hours of 1pm and 3pm. Consider donating your loose change and/or bills-- at the donation jar for A.M. Chaffee PTO.

Text by Steev Riccardo; Patriot staff photos. More photos follow

WEBSTER – The Quaboag Cougars, led by the outstanding scoring duo of senior guard Thomas Jankins and sophomore forward Jake Wisniewski, knocked off the Bartlett Indians for the fifth time in the last two seasons and in the process kept them from winning a SWCL championship on Tuesday (February 5) 74-62 in front of a big crowd at the Bartlett gym.

The Indians, who are 11-3 in their division and 12-5 overall, could still gain the SWCL title if they win their final two games and the Cougars, also 11-3, loses at least one of their two remaining SWCL games. If the Indians had beat the Cougars Tuesday, they would have been in a much better position, but it didn’t happen.

by Steev Riccardo

WEBSTER – The Bartlett Indians were victimized by nine 3-pointers and fell to the Auburn Rockets 62-56 on Tuesday night, Jan. 29, in a Southern Worcester County League game at Bartlett High School.

The Rockets opened a 12-3 lead in the opening minutes of the game before senior co-captain Akeem Belnavis connected on a pair of 3-pointers to get the Indians within three points.

Senior co-captain Matt Huberdault hit a deep 3-point shot at the buzzer making it 21-21 after the opening quarter in a game that was highly contested throughout.

Shepherd Hill boy’s team event

Text by Steev Riccardo. Patriot staff photos; more photos follow.

FISKDALE – Oxford high school senior Emily Dawidczyk and Shepherd Hill junior Stella Worters both continued their Indoor track dominance at the Southern Worcester County League championship meet at Tantasqua Regional on Wednesday, Jan. 30.

Dawidczyk won both the 55-meter hurdles and the 55-meter dash and also came in third place in the shot put.  In the process of winning both the 55-meter hurdles and the 55-meter dash, she broke SWCL records in both, in a masterful performance.

JANET MALSER HUMANITIES TRUST – DEADLINE APRIL 1

The Janet Malser Humanities Trust is accepting applications for the 2013 grant cycle. Ms. Malser set up the charitable Trust in order to support the arts and humanities, community service and conservation in the towns of Dudley, Oxford, and Webster, MA.

The causes for which funding will be considered include: “the restoration and preservation of historic sites; the furtherance of art and music in the schools, both public and private; public concerts with an emphasis on classical music; the improvement and growth of public libraries; the support of church work aiding the indigent, homeless, aging citizens and needy children; beautification through planting and the preservation of park areas and cemeteries; the improvement of service and equipment at the Hubbard Regional Hospital [now Harrington Healthcare at Hubbard], and the environmental protection of Webster Lake.”

Trustees will make awards annually to verified tax-exempt organizations meeting the charitable purposes of the Trust. Prior recipients are eligible to apply so long as proper follow up status reports have been filed; otherwise they will not be considered.

Applications and instructions for the current year are available at www.janetmalsertrust.org.  Please use the 2013 application as changes have been made. All applications must be postmarked by April 1, 2013.