Date: Fri 15-Mar-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: TOMW

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

Glorydays-March-15-1996

Full Text:

Glorydays - March 15, 1996

This week in 1991

Led by Jon Paul Calandruccio, Ryan Thompson, Matt Schieffer, Mike Giarratano,

Mike Brennan, Greg Darling, Brett Barker, Joe Wasko, Billy Hine, and Andrew

Gellert, the Newtown Parks and Recreation's sixth grade travel team concluded

its season with a 12-2 record by winning its last eleven straight. Of the

team's ten-man roster, only two, Gellert and Wasko, were in the fifth grade.

This week in 1986

Steve Bussell knocked down ten field goals and was seven for seven from the

line but his 27-point effort went by the wayside as the Newtown High

basketball team was defeated 66-64 by WCC foe, Bethel, in the first round of

the CIAC Class L state tournament thanks to Wildcats' Jeff Jakonczuk who

scored 32. Newtown finished the year 11-8 and Bussell finished his career with

585 points which left him (then) seventh on the school's all-time scoring

list.

This week in 1981

The Newtown Middle School boys' basketball team, coached by Jack Quinlan,

finished an impressive 10-3 season with a championship victory at the Chalk

Hill Tournament. The team that season was made up of Brian Ingram, Bob

Teichert, Mike Johnson, Chris Starks, Kris Svensson, Eric Krell, Tim McMahon,

Steve Medve, John Kepler, Gary Skalandunas, Evan Smith, Andy Maliskas, Doug

Bixby, Mike Maurer, Dave Constant, and Steve Bussell. The girls' team, coached

by Fran Simone, finished the year 3-7.

This week in 1976

Newtown High wrestlers Steve Hodge and Bob Tucciarone won Class M State

Championship titles for the Indians and advanced to State Opens along with

teammate Pete Meier, who was a Class M runner-up. Hodge claimed his title when

he defeated Randy Macy of Ledyard 13-8 in the 155-pound finals. Tucciarone

earned his third pin of the tournament in the 165-pound class against New

London's Glen Kenan. Meier won his first three matches, but lost in the

188-pound final to Ledyard's Bob Caron, 8-6.

This week in 1971

The Newtown High boys' swim team concluded the first season in school history

with a record of 7-10 and a tenth place finish at the state meet. Nine NHS

swimmers earned ribbons (top 10) at the state meet including John Geason,

Larry Burns, Glen Kalky, Larry Dieringer, Bob Sullivan, Scott Whitehead, Kurt

Geerer, Hal Barth, and Bruce Aiken.

This week in 1966

Newtown Little League president, John Gurtlinger, presented Charles Tilson

with a US Savings Bond as his prize for being Outstanding Salesman during the

League's annual holiday kit drive. Other Little Leaguers to earn awards

included Don Nichols, Pat Kearns, Paul Krueger, Mike Lestik, John Webster,

Bill Casey, Bob Leety, Doug Titus, Loren Pepe, Larry Gallo, Bill Piccirillo,

Donald Zinn, and Peter Kelly.

This week in 1961

Cliff Beardsley and Rich Farrell combined for 67 points but the Sandy Hook

Athletic Club basketball team lost its high-scoring season finale, 123-121 to

Easton. Tom and Jim Kearns combined for another 29 SAC points in the game

after Tom had been honored at halftime and presented with a trophy for being

the team's regular season MVP.

This week in 1956

Bill Leyden, 30, a young golf pro from Hempstead, Long Island, was appointed

as the new head golf professional at Newtown Country Club, replacing John

Stevens who had relocated in South Carolina. Among Leyden's long list of golf

accomplishments was a championship at the Miami Open.

This week in 1951

In the Newtown High School girls' interclass basketball championship

tournament, the freshman class, led by Joan Milot's 17 points, defeated the

junior class decisively, 32-17. Phyllis O'Dell scored six points, Sandy

Johnson five, and Kathleen McMahon four for the freshmen as well. Other

freshmen included Mabel Burr, Marjorie Burr, Peggy Sherman, Dorris Ferris,

Sally Jones, Carolyn Nash, and Sue Bowden. In the other semifinal, the seniors

defeated the sophomores and then went on to knock off the hungry freshmen,

33-22 behind a combined 31 points by Janet Berglund and Pat McMahon. Freshman

Kathleen McMahon scored 12 points in the loss.