Date: Fri 04-Oct-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: TOMW

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

Glorydays

Full Text:

Glorydays - October 4, 1996

This week in 1991

Newtown High School senior David Brookes completed 10 of 16 passes for 151

yards and three touchdowns as the Indians defeated New Fairfield 21-6 for its

second win of the season and 12th in-a-row. Brookes connected with Pete

Coviello for a 6-yard score and then threw to Jeff Chontos for TDs of 5 and 35

yards. Josh Lubin paced the running attack with 92 yards on five carries. Dave

Payne, meanwhile, made all three PAT attempts giving him eight-consecutively

in Newtown's two games.

This week in 1986

Newtown cross country runners Joe Smith, Craig McCarthy, Chris Pond, Jeff

Bazinet, and Earl Smith crossed the finish line first-through-fifth as NHS

shut out Immaculate by a 15-50 score at a tri meet which included Brookfield.

Newtown also bested Brookfield, 25-32 while getting strong efforts from Peter

Sutherland, KC Spiro, Ryan Harris, Mike Willis, Andy Harrington, and Ian

Ramsey.

This week in 1981

The Newtown High football team got touchdown runs from Gino Estores and Chris

Medve and an 11-yard TD pass from Lyle Wells to Kevin Booker as it beat New

Milford 21-6 to retain The Boot Trophy. Newtown guards Randy Gunther and Pete

Weaver opened truck-sized holes for their running backs throughout the

ballgame as Newtown improved to 2-0 in the Briggs Division.

This week in 1976

This weekend was spend honoring Bruce Jenner. The NHS grad and recent US

Olympic gold medalist was honored with a testimonial dinner at the Essex House

at which former US decathlon winner Bob Mathias was the keynote speaker. The

dinner was attended by hundreds of Newtowners including Jenner's former

coaches Pete Kohut and Roger Streeter, NHS principal and assistant Al Cramer

and Earl Smith, and Newtown First Selectman Jack Rosenthal. On Saturday, the

NHS football field was dedicated to Jenner and a sign reading " Bruce Jenner

Stadium " was unveiled on top of the existing scoreboard - a donation from

Newtown Little League president, Charles Ridig, on behalf of the 600 boys in

the league. Jenner drove out to midfield in Harvey Hubbell's convertible befor

the start of the Newtown/ Masuk football game in which he tossed the coin.

This week in 1966

Glen Brier scored on an assist from Carlos Bacquero and Ron Skelton added an

unassisted goal as the Newtown High School soccer team defeated Christ The

King of Southport, 2-0, to improve to 2-1 on the season. Newtown's 7th grade

team was also victorious on the day, blanking Unquoua Contry Day School of

Fairfield, 5-0.

This week in 1961

Newtown High coaches Harold DeGroat and Bob Sveda will chaperone 50 school

children on a bus trip to the Yale Bowl this Saturday, to watch the annual

college football game between Yale and Brown Universities. Newtown usually

gets there early to watch the soccer game which preceeds it.

This week in 1956

The Newtown Junior High soccer team got a pair of goals from John Norwell as

it whipped Thomaston, 5-0. team captain Malcom McLachlan, Travis Fulton, and

Ronnie Beardsley also scored goals while John Taylor contributed a pair of

assists and Norwell and Eric Nisula each had one. Coach DeGroat also cited the

efforts of fullbacks John Warlle and Lee Benedict who helped goalie Dick

Collins record the shutout in goal.

This week in 1951

A small building was added (planned out by Jerome Jackson) as an annex to the

SAC Field House - giving ballplayers a dressing room while still leaving some

room for table tennis and other indoor games. In other SAC activity, Stretch

Shredders, disguised as Santa Claus, arrived with some football equipment and

a fine bow- for those archery minded - which he presented to his fellow

members as a gift.

This week in 1946

The town of Newtown was saddened to hear of the death of former football

standout, Howard Johnson Burr. Burr, a Lieutennant in the US Army, stationed

in Germany, was killed in an auto accident on the way to football practice

where he coached the Army's First Constabulary Brigade team. Burr graduated

NHS in 1946 and had been a standout on the Boy Scout football team and the

Sandy Hook town team which had won the Pomperaug Valley League. Burr also

attended the University of Connecticut where he played football for the

varsity team and had been tabbed a very promising player. Burr was 22 years

old.