Standing with Coach Dave Cadalina and surrounded by his teammates, Andrew Louis holds the John E. Johansen Memorial Trophy as most valuable player
Saturday, November 1, 2014
2011 Thanksgiving
Fred Tucker led the Hilltoppers to their 15th straight Thanksgiving Day win.
Tucker rushed 37 times for 317 yards Tucker was named as the John E. Johansen award
winner as the game's Most Valuable Player.
2010 Thanksgiving
 Central was led by the overall play of senior running back Lucas DeSouza, who rushed for 132 yards, scored a touchdown, ran for a two-point conversion and kicked three extra points to earn the John E. Johansen Award as the game's Most Valuable Player. |
Thanksgiving 2009
|
New York Jets Coach of the week
New York Jets Football: JETS NAME DAVE CADELINA OF BRIDGEPORT CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL COACH OF THE WEEK
For Immediate Release Contact: Ron Colangelo
Friday, November 19, 2004
office: (516) 560.8107
Doug Miller office: (516) 560.8106
New York City, NY-The New York Jets announced today Dave Cadelina of Bridgeport Central High School has been named this week's recipient of the New York Jets High School Coach of the Week Award. For his efforts he will receive $1,000 to benefit his football program and will be presented with a plaque from the New York Jets during an event at the end of the season.
In its ninth year, the award is given to a coach in the Tri-State area who serves the best interests of the game through the teaching of sound football fundamentals, the motivation of young players to achieve and the promotion of youth football by way of dedication to their community, their school and their student-athletes.
Coach Cadelina has been the head coach for the last eight years and holds a 48-33-1 record during his tenure. His current squad has earned the distinction of owning the best season in school history with a 9-0 record. Cadelina also teaches math at Central High School and resides in Bethany, CT.
Last weekend, the Bridgeport Central High Hilltoppers defeated the Trumbull Eagles, 40-18, to become the West Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference (FCIAC) Champions and secure the school’s first-ever FCIAC Championship game berth. Coach Cadelina and his team will take on the Greenwich Cardinals tonight for the FCIAC Championship at New Canaan High School.
For Immediate Release Contact: Ron Colangelo
Friday, November 19, 2004
office: (516) 560.8107
Doug Miller office: (516) 560.8106
New York City, NY-The New York Jets announced today Dave Cadelina of Bridgeport Central High School has been named this week's recipient of the New York Jets High School Coach of the Week Award. For his efforts he will receive $1,000 to benefit his football program and will be presented with a plaque from the New York Jets during an event at the end of the season.
In its ninth year, the award is given to a coach in the Tri-State area who serves the best interests of the game through the teaching of sound football fundamentals, the motivation of young players to achieve and the promotion of youth football by way of dedication to their community, their school and their student-athletes.
Coach Cadelina has been the head coach for the last eight years and holds a 48-33-1 record during his tenure. His current squad has earned the distinction of owning the best season in school history with a 9-0 record. Cadelina also teaches math at Central High School and resides in Bethany, CT.
Last weekend, the Bridgeport Central High Hilltoppers defeated the Trumbull Eagles, 40-18, to become the West Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference (FCIAC) Champions and secure the school’s first-ever FCIAC Championship game berth. Coach Cadelina and his team will take on the Greenwich Cardinals tonight for the FCIAC Championship at New Canaan High School.
Community Service Project 2013
Hilltoppers Help the Bridgeport Rescue Mission
The football team had a team based comminity service project to help the Bridgeport Rescue Mission. The team helped load trucks with coats and food from their warehouse to be brought to the distribution center at the Harbor Yard Arena.
The Bridgeport Rescue Mission helps the hungry, the homeless and the addicted.
The Bridgeport Rescue Mission's website is at : http://bridgeportrescuemission.org/
The football team had a team based comminity service project to help the Bridgeport Rescue Mission. The team helped load trucks with coats and food from their warehouse to be brought to the distribution center at the Harbor Yard Arena.
The Bridgeport Rescue Mission helps the hungry, the homeless and the addicted.
The Bridgeport Rescue Mission's website is at : http://bridgeportrescuemission.org/
All FCIAC 2014
All FCIAC 2014
All FCIAC First Team
Mykel Morris
FCIAC All-Division West Team
Dom Hancock
Juawn White
All FCIAC First Team
Mykel Morris
FCIAC All-Division West Team
Dom Hancock
Juawn White
2013 Thanksgiving
Central wins 15th straight over Harding
Chris Elsberry
Thursday, November 28, 2013
BRIDGEPORT -- The streak continues.
Sparked by the rushing and the passing of junior quarterback Mykel Morris, Central ended a 10-
game, season-long losing streak by defeating city rival Harding 28-20 for its 15th consecutive win
over the Presidents in a series that dates back to 1926 before an estimated crowd of 1,650 at
Kennedy Stadium.
This was the 92nd game between the two schools. Harding still leads the overall series 50-38-4.
"This is the big game," said Morris, who rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown and passed for 103
yards and two touchdowns to win the John E. Johansen Award as the game's Most Valuable Player.
"This year, we came in as underdogs. A lot of people thought Harding was going to win because they
had a couple of wins but we stuck it out. It's a tradition here. We will not lose to Harding."
"I've said it every week, he's our warrior," Central coach Brian Gordon said of Morris.
"His improvement this season has been nothing but a complete surprise. We're so pleased with
where's he at and he's only going to get better next year. We're thrilled he's coming back. Mykel
was great."
Despite having its worst season since 1994 (1-8-1), Central has held the city-wide bragging rights in
this rivalry since 1998, the last time Harding tasted victory. How emotional was this game between
these two schools?
Several Presidents players cried unashamedly on the field afterwards and had to be consoled by the
coaching staff, and when the Harding bus pulled away from the field, many of the Central players
waited outside their locker room to yell at the Presidents.
"This is such an important game for both sides. I can't tell you how much it means for these guys,"
said Gordon, who received a Gatorade bath from his players at the final horn to celebrate the win.
"These games always seem to come down to this. You can never, ever take your eye off the prize.
They always end up tight."
Indeed. Harding, a program that since 2004 had been just 9-81, has started to make strides to get
back to the glory days of the 1970s and 1980s, when they won 16 of the 20 games between 1969-89.
The Presidents finished the season at 3-8, the most wins since 2003 (4-7) and for coach Eddie
Santiago -- who will be the full-time coach in 2014 after Jack Cochran was officially terminated by
the Bridgeport Board of Education on Monday -- is looking to build off this season.
"We're still going through some growing pains but the guys had a great season," Santiago said.
"We're going to build off of this. We start preparing for next season on Monday and try to produce
some more Ws for next year."
Midway through the second quarter Harding held a 12-6 lead thanks to a 1-yard touchdown run by
Christian Hopkins and a 68-yard scoring pass from Hopkins to Antoine Sistrunk, offset by a 20-yard
touchdown by Morris.
But then Morris and Dominique Hancock hooked up for touchdown passes of five and 33 yards,
giving the Hilltoppers a 20-12 halftime lead.
A 10-yard scoring run by Hancock and a safety pushed the Central lead to 28-12 heading into the
fourth quarter, but Harding answered with a 2-yard run by Sistrunk and a two-point conversion pass
to cut the gap to 28-20 with 2:45 to play.
Three times the Presidents had chances to tie the game after they intercepted Morris in the fourth
quarter. The first pick was by Kanard Codrington, who returned the ball to the Central 22, but the
Hilltoppers defense forced and recovered a fumble.
Then, Tyquan Eddy picked Morris' pocket and returned the ball to the Central 10 -- but he lost a
fumble and the Hilltoppers recovered.
Finally, Hopkins intercepted Morris and brought the ball down to the Central 6 but the Hilltoppers
stood tall and stopped the Presidents on downs.
"That's what we build on, we build on defense," Morris said.
"On offense, we've got explosive players, we know we can score, so we really work hard on defense in
practice all week. Offense isn't a problem at all, but on defense, we go over formations, watching film
every day after practice. We worked hard for this."
In the second half, Central's defense surrendered just 66 yards rushing and 12 yards passing after
allowing 228 yards of total offense in the first two quarters.
"Our defense has taken some heat. We've been on them but they answered the bell today, there's no
question," Gordon said.
"I'm very proud of the effort."
HARDING 6 6 0 8--20
CENTRAL 0 20 8 0--28
H--Christian Hopkins, 1 run (kick blocked)
C--Mykel Morris, 20 run (run failed)
H--Antoine Sistrunk, 68 pass Hopkins (pass failed)11/29/13 Central wins 15thstraight over Harding - Connecticut Post
www.ctpost.com/highschool/article/Central-wins-15th-straight-over-Harding-5019559.php 3/3
C--Dominique Hancock, 5 pass Morris (Morris run)
C--Hancock, 33 pass Morris (run failed)
C--Hancock, 10 run (pass failed)
C--Safety (ball snapped out of end zone)
H--Sistrunk, 3 run (Hopkins pass T.J. Killings)
Records: Central 1-10, Harding 3-8
Chris Elsberry
Thursday, November 28, 2013
BRIDGEPORT -- The streak continues.
Sparked by the rushing and the passing of junior quarterback Mykel Morris, Central ended a 10-
game, season-long losing streak by defeating city rival Harding 28-20 for its 15th consecutive win
over the Presidents in a series that dates back to 1926 before an estimated crowd of 1,650 at
Kennedy Stadium.
This was the 92nd game between the two schools. Harding still leads the overall series 50-38-4.
"This is the big game," said Morris, who rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown and passed for 103
yards and two touchdowns to win the John E. Johansen Award as the game's Most Valuable Player.
"This year, we came in as underdogs. A lot of people thought Harding was going to win because they
had a couple of wins but we stuck it out. It's a tradition here. We will not lose to Harding."
"I've said it every week, he's our warrior," Central coach Brian Gordon said of Morris.
"His improvement this season has been nothing but a complete surprise. We're so pleased with
where's he at and he's only going to get better next year. We're thrilled he's coming back. Mykel
was great."
Despite having its worst season since 1994 (1-8-1), Central has held the city-wide bragging rights in
this rivalry since 1998, the last time Harding tasted victory. How emotional was this game between
these two schools?
Several Presidents players cried unashamedly on the field afterwards and had to be consoled by the
coaching staff, and when the Harding bus pulled away from the field, many of the Central players
waited outside their locker room to yell at the Presidents.
"This is such an important game for both sides. I can't tell you how much it means for these guys,"
said Gordon, who received a Gatorade bath from his players at the final horn to celebrate the win.
"These games always seem to come down to this. You can never, ever take your eye off the prize.
They always end up tight."
Indeed. Harding, a program that since 2004 had been just 9-81, has started to make strides to get
back to the glory days of the 1970s and 1980s, when they won 16 of the 20 games between 1969-89.
The Presidents finished the season at 3-8, the most wins since 2003 (4-7) and for coach Eddie
Santiago -- who will be the full-time coach in 2014 after Jack Cochran was officially terminated by
the Bridgeport Board of Education on Monday -- is looking to build off this season.
"We're still going through some growing pains but the guys had a great season," Santiago said.
"We're going to build off of this. We start preparing for next season on Monday and try to produce
some more Ws for next year."
Midway through the second quarter Harding held a 12-6 lead thanks to a 1-yard touchdown run by
Christian Hopkins and a 68-yard scoring pass from Hopkins to Antoine Sistrunk, offset by a 20-yard
touchdown by Morris.
But then Morris and Dominique Hancock hooked up for touchdown passes of five and 33 yards,
giving the Hilltoppers a 20-12 halftime lead.
A 10-yard scoring run by Hancock and a safety pushed the Central lead to 28-12 heading into the
fourth quarter, but Harding answered with a 2-yard run by Sistrunk and a two-point conversion pass
to cut the gap to 28-20 with 2:45 to play.
Three times the Presidents had chances to tie the game after they intercepted Morris in the fourth
quarter. The first pick was by Kanard Codrington, who returned the ball to the Central 22, but the
Hilltoppers defense forced and recovered a fumble.
Then, Tyquan Eddy picked Morris' pocket and returned the ball to the Central 10 -- but he lost a
fumble and the Hilltoppers recovered.
Finally, Hopkins intercepted Morris and brought the ball down to the Central 6 but the Hilltoppers
stood tall and stopped the Presidents on downs.
"That's what we build on, we build on defense," Morris said.
"On offense, we've got explosive players, we know we can score, so we really work hard on defense in
practice all week. Offense isn't a problem at all, but on defense, we go over formations, watching film
every day after practice. We worked hard for this."
In the second half, Central's defense surrendered just 66 yards rushing and 12 yards passing after
allowing 228 yards of total offense in the first two quarters.
"Our defense has taken some heat. We've been on them but they answered the bell today, there's no
question," Gordon said.
"I'm very proud of the effort."
HARDING 6 6 0 8--20
CENTRAL 0 20 8 0--28
H--Christian Hopkins, 1 run (kick blocked)
C--Mykel Morris, 20 run (run failed)
H--Antoine Sistrunk, 68 pass Hopkins (pass failed)11/29/13 Central wins 15thstraight over Harding - Connecticut Post
www.ctpost.com/highschool/article/Central-wins-15th-straight-over-Harding-5019559.php 3/3
C--Dominique Hancock, 5 pass Morris (Morris run)
C--Hancock, 33 pass Morris (run failed)
C--Hancock, 10 run (pass failed)
C--Safety (ball snapped out of end zone)
H--Sistrunk, 3 run (Hopkins pass T.J. Killings)
Records: Central 1-10, Harding 3-8
Walt Trajanowski
 |
The University of Connecticut Announces Its 100th Anniversary All-Time Football Team
|
WALT TROJANOWSKI (1942, 1945-46, 1949): Named to UConn’s initial All-Time team in 1969 as a running back. He led the entire nation in scoring as a college sophomore in 1945, totaling 132 points in just eight games as the Huskies posted a 7-1 record. He rushed the ball 158 times for 761 yards and scored 22 rushing touchdowns that season, including a school record six TDs in the season opener against Worcester Tech. He still ranks No. 1 in single-season scoring at UConn and his 22 TDs is also a Husky single-season record. He also holds the UConn marks for points in a game (36) and TDs in a game (6). He was named to the East-West Shrine Game. Walt came to UConn from Bridgeport and Bridgeport Central High School.
Tony Masone
Masone, a natural, had 'a very good run'
CHRIS ELSBERRY 09/02/2007
This is the fifth in a six-part Sunday series that showcases Bridgeport's outstanding athletes from the city's past. This week, the 1970s: Tony Masone, who dominated the North End Little League, became a star in baseball and football at Central High School, earned all-Atlantic Coast Conference honors while at Clemson and played in the Cincinnati Reds minor league organization.
BRIDGEPORT — The first newspaper clipping, folded and weathered from age, dating to the spring of 1970, shows a smiling seventh-grader holding a plaque after winning the state Frisbee toss at Seaside Park. A second clipping, this one from 1972, shows the same smiling face, holding another trophy for winning the state Frisbee toss. A third clipping, dated 1973, shows the same smiling face, this time with just the slight wisp of a mustache, holding another plaque for winning ... that's right, the state Frisbee toss. For some reason, there were no clippings regarding the Frisbee toss from 1971, but it's a safe bet that Tony Masone won that year, too. His friends from those days will tell you that Masone was a man among boys. In Little League, pitchers would intentionally try to walk him in almost every at-bat, and he would simply reach across the plate and hit the ball. Most times, the ball went over the fence. He became the starting quarterback at Central as a sophomore. He was a starting pitcher and the starting shortstop on the baseball team for three years. He went to Clemson and played football and baseball. He punted in the Gator Bowl and also played in the College World Series. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds and spent a couple of seasons playing professionally before hanging up the glove and spikes and saying hello to the business world. He was one of Bridgeport's finest.
"It was a good run, a very good run," Masone said, speaking from his California office outside of Sacramento, where he is regional information technology manager for Save Mart. "I have a lot of fond memories." So do a lot of people. "I remember him from hanging around the Blackham (School) fields and the North End Little League and watching him," said Joe Federici, who works for Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems in Norwalk and was two years behind Masone at Central. "They would try to intentionally walk the kid because anything near the plate was going to go out (for a home run). And he would reach across the plate and still hit home runs. He was just head and shoulders above everyone else on the field." That year, according to Masone, he hit .923 in Little League. That's right, .923. "I made three outs the whole year," he said. "I went 36 for 39 and I think 10 of those hits were home runs. I even batted left-handed sometimes to entice them to pitch to me." Bridgeport days From the Little League to the Frisbee toss to today — he now carries a 6.6 golf handicap — Masone was great at everything he did, and his exploits were talked about across the city. "Tony was the name that you always heard about ... and he lived up to everything you heard," said his friend and freshman baseball battery mate, Michael Astolfi, the Internet technology manager at Golf Digest in Wilton. "I had heard all the stories and when I did meet him when we played freshman football (at Central) together, he was everything you heard about. He was big and strong and fast and he just had that look about him. He had that pro look about him. "We played freshman baseball together. I was the catcher and he was the pitcher and he was scary to catch. You had to catch him with full equipment on because he threw the ball so hard and the ball moved so much." As a sophomore, Masone had what he called "his breakout year." He was Central's starting quarterback and also went 10-1 as a pitcher for the Hilltoppers baseball team, earning all-MBIAC honors and being named to the New York Daily News tri-state All-Star team that was honored at Yankee Stadium. Most of the football season, however, was interrupted by a knee injury suffered in the season opener against Bunnell. "I got hit in the knee while punting and I came to the sidelines and pulled up my kneepad, looked at my knee and said, 'That doesn't look good.' It was all bruised and swollen. I had surgery to remove cartilage and was able to come back and play in the Thanksgiving game (against Harding)." The Presidents, with their Mr. Everything, Tony Elliott, won that game, but the following year, 1975, Masone stole the show. Central finished 8-2 and snapped a six-game Harding win streak over the Hilltoppers as Masone threw three touchdown passes and ran for another in a 26-12 win. "That was quite the game for us. It was a huge game for us," Masone said. "We paid a lot of attention to Tony Elliott (who played defensive end and tight end and eventually played in the NFL). I think I might have completed three passes in that game and all three were for touchdowns. We ran the football very well that day and our defense really stood out that game. It had been a long time since we'd beaten Harding." Prior to his junior baseball season, Masone injured his right elbow. He still played (the doctors decided to do rehab and let the elbow heal), throwing left-handed, while playing right field.
As a senior, the arm was strong again and Masone went 10-2 on the mound and batted close to .400. One day, after a game against Bullard-Havens, Clemson baseball coach Bill Wilhelm walked up to Masone and asked if he wanted to play baseball for the Tigers. Masone agreed. But only if he could also play football for Clemson. "I actually went to Clemson on a football scholarship," Masone said. "It was an eye-opening experience. I was just 17 when I enrolled down there and got my first taste of Division I-A football during three-a-day practices. I got my butt kicked but I stuck it out." Tiger tales He was a third-string quarterback, playing behind Steve Fuller (who would later be drafted in the first round by the Kansas City Chiefs) and playing alongside Dwight Clark. He did punt five times during the 1977 season, including once in the Gator Bowl, a 34-3 loss to Pittsburgh. As much as Masone liked football, baseball appeared to be his calling. During his sophomore season, he would complete spring drills with the football team, change into his uniform and go practice with the baseball team. The Clemson football coach told Masone he could play football, but that if he had a chance to start on the baseball team, he should take that opportunity. So Masone did.
In three seasons with the Tigers, Masone played in 112 games, batting .330 (137 for 415) with 22 home runs and 114 RBIs. In 1978, he led Clemson in at-bats (186), hits (61), doubles (18), triples (4), RBIs (49), slugging percentage (.597) and total bases (111). In 1979, he led the team again in at-bats (214), hits (74), home runs (13), RBIs (61) and total bases (129). He was twice named to the all-Atlantic Region team, the all-Atlantic Coast team (1979), and in 1978, he was Clemson's MVP, winning the Mitchell Award. The Tigers won ACC titles in 1978 and 1979. "My roommate on the road then was (former New York Mets player) Tim Teufel," Masone said. "We went to the College World Series in 1977 and played against Arizona State, who had Bob Horner and Hubie Brooks, Temple and Cal-State Fullerton. I've played in a college bowl game and a college World Series. I'm very proud of that." Business decision Masone was taken in the 10th round of the 1979 draft by the Cincinnati Reds and played rookie ball for Billings (Mont.) in the Pioneer League before moving up to Class A Eugene (Oregon). In 1980, he played for Class A Cedar Rapids (Iowa), hitting 10 home runs with 58 RBIs and 12 stolen bases, but batting just .225. Suddenly, the business side of baseball reared its sometimes ugly head. "At that point, the Reds were deciding that they had more money invested in some outfielders that were just a bit younger and higher draft choices, so I just fell into that whole numbers thing, where they didn't have enough roster spots," Masone said. "It was all a business decision for them. That was a bad time. I wish it had lasted a bit longer."
Masone was invited to try out with for the Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox but never signed. "I started working," he said. Today, Masone — who will turn 49 on Sept. 16 — lives in Granite Bay, east of Sacramento, with his wife of 18 years, Kim. And his passion for sports still burns. Especially for golf. "I should have taken up golf sooner," he said. "I've only been playing for 20 years. I love it. I'm a 6.6 handicap. Every now and then I go down to Pebble Beach and play. That's one of the nicest places in the world." From freshman baseball battery mates, Masone and Astolfi are now good friends. And relatives. Masone's two older brothers are married to Astolfi's sisters, and when Masone comes back to Connecticut to visit, the two always play golf. And share old stories. "He was the All-American kid. If you wanted a son, he was the guy. He was like Mr. Perfect," Astolfi said. "He was just one of those people, anything he wanted to do, he could. He never lifted weights but he had that natural strength. He was one of those people that got all the gifts when he was born." Added Federici: "He was just one of those kids that was 'The Man,' you know? Just a great player. Everyone knew him ... that's why we'd go watch him. You wanted to see what he'd do, if he'd hit one out. When he'd come up, the (other) games would stop."
Rest of the best, 1970s There have been hundreds of outstanding athletes who grew up and had sparkling careers right here in Bridgeport, and in your dozens of letters and e-mails to me over the past couple of months, you've told me all about them. And while this list isn't close to being complete, it's just a sampling of some of the city's sports greats from the 1970s that you still remember today.
Frank Oleynick (Notre Dame of Bridgeport) — 1972. Basketball. Named all-state as senior. Played for Seattle University. Drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics in 1975. Played two seasons under coach Bill Russell, averaging 5.0 points. A member of the 1974 United States World Championship team that won a bronze medal.
Walter Luckett (Kolbe) Basketball — 1972. Scored 2,691 points, still Connecticut and New England records. Averaged 31.1 points in high school career. As senior, averaged 39.5 points, 16 rebounds and 13 assists. Played three seasons for Ohio University (making the cover of Sports Illustrated as a freshman in 1972), scoring 1,651 points. Drafted in the second round in 1975 by the Detroit Pistons. Arthritis in both knees ended his playing days.
John Bagley (Harding) — 1978. Basketball. Led the Presidents to two state titles. Played three seasons with Boston College, scoring 1,629 points and was named the Big East's Player of the Year as a sophomore. Drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers (1982), played with the Cavs, the New Jersey Nets and the Boston Celtics before retiring in 1993.
Wes Matthews (Harding) — 1977. Basketball. Led Harding to the state title in 1976. Played three seasons for Wisconsin, scoring 1,251 points, 10th on the school's all-time list. Drafted in the first round by the Washington Bullets in 1980. Played nine seasons for Washington, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Antonio and Los Angeles. Won two NBA championship rings.
Phil Nastu (Bassick) — 1973. Baseball, basketball. Played four seasons at University of Bridgeport. Signed as a free agent by the San Francisco Giants in 1977. Played with the Giants in parts of the 1978, 1979 and 1980 seasons. Went 2-4 with a 4.32 ERA , pitching 100 innings in 1979. Played slow-pitch softball for Avco and was inducted into the Connecticut Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame in 2005.
Tony Elliott (Harding) — 1976. Football. Four-year starter at defensive end. Two-time All-State, All-American as senior. Named Sunday Post (1976) Class L Defensive Player of the Year. Presidents went 9-1 in 1976 and defeated Fairfield Prep 28-10 for MBIAC title. Played two seasons for Pratt Junior College and two seasons for North Texas State. Drafted by the New Orleans Saints in 1981 and played eight seasons as nose tackle.
Barry McLeod (Notre Dame of Bridgeport) — 1972. Basketball. Named all-state as senior. Averaged 25 points a game for Lancers. Played at Centenary, alongside Robert Parrish. Drafted in the seventh round by the Chicago Bulls in 1976. Current boys basketball coach at Central High School.
Rich Semo (Central) — 1971. Basketball. Named Class LL all-state as junior and senior. Attended Florida State. Played freshman basketball, averaging 11.1 points in 16 games.
Mike McKay (Harding) — 1978. Basketball. Played in four straight state championship games for the Presidents, winning two. Attended UConn and helped the Huskies go to the postseason four times. Scored 1,633 points. Drafted by the Utah Jazz in 1982.
Reggie Horne (Central) — Basketball. Named all-state as senior in 1979-80.
John Garris (Bassick) — Basketball. 1978. Two-time high school all-state performer, 1977 and 1978. Attended Michigan for two seasons, transferred to Boston College. Averaged 19.7 points as a senior. Drafted by Cleveland in the second round in 1983. Played 33 games for the Cavaliers, averaging 4.0 points.
Jerry Lademan (Notre Dame of Bridgeport) — 1971. Basketball. Named all-state, Class L 1970-71.
Bucky Walden (Central) — 1975. Basketball. Named all-state, 1974-75.
Aldo Samuel (Harding) — 1975. Basketball. Named all-state, 1974-75.
— CHRIS ELSBERRY"
CHRIS ELSBERRY 09/02/2007
This is the fifth in a six-part Sunday series that showcases Bridgeport's outstanding athletes from the city's past. This week, the 1970s: Tony Masone, who dominated the North End Little League, became a star in baseball and football at Central High School, earned all-Atlantic Coast Conference honors while at Clemson and played in the Cincinnati Reds minor league organization.
BRIDGEPORT — The first newspaper clipping, folded and weathered from age, dating to the spring of 1970, shows a smiling seventh-grader holding a plaque after winning the state Frisbee toss at Seaside Park. A second clipping, this one from 1972, shows the same smiling face, holding another trophy for winning the state Frisbee toss. A third clipping, dated 1973, shows the same smiling face, this time with just the slight wisp of a mustache, holding another plaque for winning ... that's right, the state Frisbee toss. For some reason, there were no clippings regarding the Frisbee toss from 1971, but it's a safe bet that Tony Masone won that year, too. His friends from those days will tell you that Masone was a man among boys. In Little League, pitchers would intentionally try to walk him in almost every at-bat, and he would simply reach across the plate and hit the ball. Most times, the ball went over the fence. He became the starting quarterback at Central as a sophomore. He was a starting pitcher and the starting shortstop on the baseball team for three years. He went to Clemson and played football and baseball. He punted in the Gator Bowl and also played in the College World Series. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds and spent a couple of seasons playing professionally before hanging up the glove and spikes and saying hello to the business world. He was one of Bridgeport's finest.
"It was a good run, a very good run," Masone said, speaking from his California office outside of Sacramento, where he is regional information technology manager for Save Mart. "I have a lot of fond memories." So do a lot of people. "I remember him from hanging around the Blackham (School) fields and the North End Little League and watching him," said Joe Federici, who works for Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems in Norwalk and was two years behind Masone at Central. "They would try to intentionally walk the kid because anything near the plate was going to go out (for a home run). And he would reach across the plate and still hit home runs. He was just head and shoulders above everyone else on the field." That year, according to Masone, he hit .923 in Little League. That's right, .923. "I made three outs the whole year," he said. "I went 36 for 39 and I think 10 of those hits were home runs. I even batted left-handed sometimes to entice them to pitch to me." Bridgeport days From the Little League to the Frisbee toss to today — he now carries a 6.6 golf handicap — Masone was great at everything he did, and his exploits were talked about across the city. "Tony was the name that you always heard about ... and he lived up to everything you heard," said his friend and freshman baseball battery mate, Michael Astolfi, the Internet technology manager at Golf Digest in Wilton. "I had heard all the stories and when I did meet him when we played freshman football (at Central) together, he was everything you heard about. He was big and strong and fast and he just had that look about him. He had that pro look about him. "We played freshman baseball together. I was the catcher and he was the pitcher and he was scary to catch. You had to catch him with full equipment on because he threw the ball so hard and the ball moved so much." As a sophomore, Masone had what he called "his breakout year." He was Central's starting quarterback and also went 10-1 as a pitcher for the Hilltoppers baseball team, earning all-MBIAC honors and being named to the New York Daily News tri-state All-Star team that was honored at Yankee Stadium. Most of the football season, however, was interrupted by a knee injury suffered in the season opener against Bunnell. "I got hit in the knee while punting and I came to the sidelines and pulled up my kneepad, looked at my knee and said, 'That doesn't look good.' It was all bruised and swollen. I had surgery to remove cartilage and was able to come back and play in the Thanksgiving game (against Harding)." The Presidents, with their Mr. Everything, Tony Elliott, won that game, but the following year, 1975, Masone stole the show. Central finished 8-2 and snapped a six-game Harding win streak over the Hilltoppers as Masone threw three touchdown passes and ran for another in a 26-12 win. "That was quite the game for us. It was a huge game for us," Masone said. "We paid a lot of attention to Tony Elliott (who played defensive end and tight end and eventually played in the NFL). I think I might have completed three passes in that game and all three were for touchdowns. We ran the football very well that day and our defense really stood out that game. It had been a long time since we'd beaten Harding." Prior to his junior baseball season, Masone injured his right elbow. He still played (the doctors decided to do rehab and let the elbow heal), throwing left-handed, while playing right field.
As a senior, the arm was strong again and Masone went 10-2 on the mound and batted close to .400. One day, after a game against Bullard-Havens, Clemson baseball coach Bill Wilhelm walked up to Masone and asked if he wanted to play baseball for the Tigers. Masone agreed. But only if he could also play football for Clemson. "I actually went to Clemson on a football scholarship," Masone said. "It was an eye-opening experience. I was just 17 when I enrolled down there and got my first taste of Division I-A football during three-a-day practices. I got my butt kicked but I stuck it out." Tiger tales He was a third-string quarterback, playing behind Steve Fuller (who would later be drafted in the first round by the Kansas City Chiefs) and playing alongside Dwight Clark. He did punt five times during the 1977 season, including once in the Gator Bowl, a 34-3 loss to Pittsburgh. As much as Masone liked football, baseball appeared to be his calling. During his sophomore season, he would complete spring drills with the football team, change into his uniform and go practice with the baseball team. The Clemson football coach told Masone he could play football, but that if he had a chance to start on the baseball team, he should take that opportunity. So Masone did.
In three seasons with the Tigers, Masone played in 112 games, batting .330 (137 for 415) with 22 home runs and 114 RBIs. In 1978, he led Clemson in at-bats (186), hits (61), doubles (18), triples (4), RBIs (49), slugging percentage (.597) and total bases (111). In 1979, he led the team again in at-bats (214), hits (74), home runs (13), RBIs (61) and total bases (129). He was twice named to the all-Atlantic Region team, the all-Atlantic Coast team (1979), and in 1978, he was Clemson's MVP, winning the Mitchell Award. The Tigers won ACC titles in 1978 and 1979. "My roommate on the road then was (former New York Mets player) Tim Teufel," Masone said. "We went to the College World Series in 1977 and played against Arizona State, who had Bob Horner and Hubie Brooks, Temple and Cal-State Fullerton. I've played in a college bowl game and a college World Series. I'm very proud of that." Business decision Masone was taken in the 10th round of the 1979 draft by the Cincinnati Reds and played rookie ball for Billings (Mont.) in the Pioneer League before moving up to Class A Eugene (Oregon). In 1980, he played for Class A Cedar Rapids (Iowa), hitting 10 home runs with 58 RBIs and 12 stolen bases, but batting just .225. Suddenly, the business side of baseball reared its sometimes ugly head. "At that point, the Reds were deciding that they had more money invested in some outfielders that were just a bit younger and higher draft choices, so I just fell into that whole numbers thing, where they didn't have enough roster spots," Masone said. "It was all a business decision for them. That was a bad time. I wish it had lasted a bit longer."
Masone was invited to try out with for the Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox but never signed. "I started working," he said. Today, Masone — who will turn 49 on Sept. 16 — lives in Granite Bay, east of Sacramento, with his wife of 18 years, Kim. And his passion for sports still burns. Especially for golf. "I should have taken up golf sooner," he said. "I've only been playing for 20 years. I love it. I'm a 6.6 handicap. Every now and then I go down to Pebble Beach and play. That's one of the nicest places in the world." From freshman baseball battery mates, Masone and Astolfi are now good friends. And relatives. Masone's two older brothers are married to Astolfi's sisters, and when Masone comes back to Connecticut to visit, the two always play golf. And share old stories. "He was the All-American kid. If you wanted a son, he was the guy. He was like Mr. Perfect," Astolfi said. "He was just one of those people, anything he wanted to do, he could. He never lifted weights but he had that natural strength. He was one of those people that got all the gifts when he was born." Added Federici: "He was just one of those kids that was 'The Man,' you know? Just a great player. Everyone knew him ... that's why we'd go watch him. You wanted to see what he'd do, if he'd hit one out. When he'd come up, the (other) games would stop."
Rest of the best, 1970s There have been hundreds of outstanding athletes who grew up and had sparkling careers right here in Bridgeport, and in your dozens of letters and e-mails to me over the past couple of months, you've told me all about them. And while this list isn't close to being complete, it's just a sampling of some of the city's sports greats from the 1970s that you still remember today.
Frank Oleynick (Notre Dame of Bridgeport) — 1972. Basketball. Named all-state as senior. Played for Seattle University. Drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics in 1975. Played two seasons under coach Bill Russell, averaging 5.0 points. A member of the 1974 United States World Championship team that won a bronze medal.
Walter Luckett (Kolbe) Basketball — 1972. Scored 2,691 points, still Connecticut and New England records. Averaged 31.1 points in high school career. As senior, averaged 39.5 points, 16 rebounds and 13 assists. Played three seasons for Ohio University (making the cover of Sports Illustrated as a freshman in 1972), scoring 1,651 points. Drafted in the second round in 1975 by the Detroit Pistons. Arthritis in both knees ended his playing days.
John Bagley (Harding) — 1978. Basketball. Led the Presidents to two state titles. Played three seasons with Boston College, scoring 1,629 points and was named the Big East's Player of the Year as a sophomore. Drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers (1982), played with the Cavs, the New Jersey Nets and the Boston Celtics before retiring in 1993.
Wes Matthews (Harding) — 1977. Basketball. Led Harding to the state title in 1976. Played three seasons for Wisconsin, scoring 1,251 points, 10th on the school's all-time list. Drafted in the first round by the Washington Bullets in 1980. Played nine seasons for Washington, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Antonio and Los Angeles. Won two NBA championship rings.
Phil Nastu (Bassick) — 1973. Baseball, basketball. Played four seasons at University of Bridgeport. Signed as a free agent by the San Francisco Giants in 1977. Played with the Giants in parts of the 1978, 1979 and 1980 seasons. Went 2-4 with a 4.32 ERA , pitching 100 innings in 1979. Played slow-pitch softball for Avco and was inducted into the Connecticut Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame in 2005.
Tony Elliott (Harding) — 1976. Football. Four-year starter at defensive end. Two-time All-State, All-American as senior. Named Sunday Post (1976) Class L Defensive Player of the Year. Presidents went 9-1 in 1976 and defeated Fairfield Prep 28-10 for MBIAC title. Played two seasons for Pratt Junior College and two seasons for North Texas State. Drafted by the New Orleans Saints in 1981 and played eight seasons as nose tackle.
Barry McLeod (Notre Dame of Bridgeport) — 1972. Basketball. Named all-state as senior. Averaged 25 points a game for Lancers. Played at Centenary, alongside Robert Parrish. Drafted in the seventh round by the Chicago Bulls in 1976. Current boys basketball coach at Central High School.
Rich Semo (Central) — 1971. Basketball. Named Class LL all-state as junior and senior. Attended Florida State. Played freshman basketball, averaging 11.1 points in 16 games.
Mike McKay (Harding) — 1978. Basketball. Played in four straight state championship games for the Presidents, winning two. Attended UConn and helped the Huskies go to the postseason four times. Scored 1,633 points. Drafted by the Utah Jazz in 1982.
Reggie Horne (Central) — Basketball. Named all-state as senior in 1979-80.
John Garris (Bassick) — Basketball. 1978. Two-time high school all-state performer, 1977 and 1978. Attended Michigan for two seasons, transferred to Boston College. Averaged 19.7 points as a senior. Drafted by Cleveland in the second round in 1983. Played 33 games for the Cavaliers, averaging 4.0 points.
Jerry Lademan (Notre Dame of Bridgeport) — 1971. Basketball. Named all-state, Class L 1970-71.
Bucky Walden (Central) — 1975. Basketball. Named all-state, 1974-75.
Aldo Samuel (Harding) — 1975. Basketball. Named all-state, 1974-75.
— CHRIS ELSBERRY"
Odain Mitchell - All American
Three Pioneer Football Players Named All-America
Dec. 6, 2002
FAIRFIELD, CT - Sacred Heart senior football defensive standouts Kayode Mayowa, Odain Mitchell and Shaun Hubbard were all named to the Sports Network 1-AA Mid Major All-America team today. The Pioneers finished 7-3 this season, their third straight winning campaign, and that trio played a huge role in the success. The trio were earlier named First-Team All-Northeast Conference.
Mayowa, from Providence, RI, led the Pioneers with 113 tackles. He also collected 8 1/2 sacks, an interception, and a fumble recovery he returned for a touchdown. He is the Sacred Heart all-time leader in tackles with 453.
Mitchell, from Bridgeport, CT, had a breakout season in 2002 with a career high 76 tackles. He also set the school and Northeast Conference single-season sack record with an amazing 16 for minus 104 yards. He also moved into first place all-time on both the SHU and NEC career sack lists with 27 1/2. Mitchell also had an interception, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Hubbard, a Neptune, NJ native, had a career-best 79 tackles. He was tied for second on the team with Mayowa with 8 1/2 sacks. He also had six pass breakups and a blocked field goal. He and Mayowa are second all-time at SHU in sacks with 24 1/2.
Lou Saccone
Saccone, Longo once rivals, now best of pals
One went to Central. One went to Harding. Both played football. Both ran track. They grew up rivals. They became good friends. They are two of Bridgeport's finest. John Longo and Lou Saccone were two kids who grew up playing sports in the mid-1940s because there wasn't anything else to do. Longo lived on the East Side and went to the Orcutt Boys Club, playing sandlot baseball to try and forget about the war that raged in both Europe and the Pacific. Saccone lived in the North End and did the same at the Middle Street Boys Club. In high school, they were two of the most prolific athletes in the city's history. To this day, Saccone is still proclaimed as perhaps the best overall sports star Bridgeport has ever seen. He earned 14 letters at Central and is still the only five-sport letterman at the University of Bridgeport. Longo ran track for three seasons at Harding and played just two years of football, but put up eye-popping numbers. Even Saccone can't forget the past. "Babe ... he was a special player," he said.
In 1947, Harding played Central at Hedges Stadium in their annual Thanksgiving Day game. The Presidents were in line to capture the state title. They needed a victory over their cross-town rivals to clinch the crown. Longo won the game all by himself. He scored five touchdowns on runs of 15, 25, 50, 10 and 20 yards as Harding rolled to a 32-0 win. "I always tell Lou that he caught a cold from the breeze of me running past him all afternoon," Longo said with a laugh. "That day, I had the edge on him. That day." You see, Longo, who will turn 77 on Aug. 21, can't forget the past either. The year before, it was Saccone who scored two touchdowns in Central's 19-18 win. In the Aug. 9, 2002, feature "Where Are They Now" in the Connecticut Post, Saccone said he had to ask teammate Marty Martino who won that day because he had received a concussion in the game and didn't remember what had happened. "Those were some great, great games," Saccone said. "That last year (1947), I read where there were 18,000 people watching us play at Hedges. It was quite a treat to play against Harding and Babe. That was always our number one game." Football foes In his junior year, Longo, whose mother nicknamed him Babe when he was 5 or 6, tried out for and made the Harding team. Coach Steve Miska, however, had a senior-dominated club and Longo spent much of the year on the bench. When Babe was a senior, though, it didn't take long for Miska to see his talent. "The first thing I did in the very first game was intercept a pass and return it 90 yards for a touchdown against Commercial High (of New Haven)," Longo said. Other magic moments followed. With the score tied at 6-6 against Hillhouse in the final minute, Longo raced 46 yards for the game-winning touchdown. Against White Plains (N.Y.), a team boasting a 36-game regular-season winning streak, Babe went 70 yards in Harding's first possession for a score and the defense did the rest in posting a 7-6 win to remain undefeated. "Football was his best sport, no question. He was a heck of a runner," said Lou Bogash Jr., chairman of the Bridgeport Old Timers, which inducted Longo into its Hall of Fame in 2001. "He wasn't big, he was short in stature but a very powerful runner. He usually made them miss, but when he hit them, he hit them in the right spot to knock them backwards." On Thanksgiving Day against Central, Longo knocked everyone backwards, scoring five times, giving him 12 touchdowns for the season, as the Presidents completed an 11-0 campaign.
"That was quite a feat by John that day," Saccone said. It helped earn Longo All-State honors in 1947 at halfback. Saccone tried out for football on a dare. Already a pretty good basketball player as a freshman, several of the football players who also played basketball kept giving Saccone a ribbing about not being "tough enough" to play a man's sport like football. "So I went out for football the next year," he said. He played three seasons of football for Central, under coach Ed Reilly, earning three letters. He also played four years of basketball, four years of baseball and three years of track, a total of 14 varsity letters, the most by any athlete in school history. "Lou was a great baseball player, but I would say football was his best sport," Bogash said. (The Bridgeport Old Timers inducted Saccone into their Hall of Fame in 1990.) "He wasn't a giant, not on the heavy side, but he was fast and strong and tough." There were days when Saccone played baseball and ran track the same day. If the Presidents were batting and he wasn't due up, Reilly had him go to the track and race in the 100-yard or 220-yard dash or throw the shot put or the javelin — in his baseball uniform — before heading back to the diamond. And while he will always remember the Thanksgiving Day football games, Saccone said the post-game celebrations still stand out. "The whole town was into it," he said. "When the game was over, the people would do the snake dance right through Main Street. Or the kids from Central would go to Harding and do the snake dance in front of the school. Whoever won got to brag." Teammates at UB After graduating from Central, Saccone was looking forward to settling down and getting a job. "I wanted to work in the brass shop," he said. "I didn't want to go to college." But he did. Saccone said that a doctor (he doesn't remember his name) from upstate Connecticut paid his way, and he decided to go to Wisconsin in 1948 to play football because he had seen them beat Yale 9-0 the previous fall at the Yale Bowl. However, homesickness, the veterans returning from the war and the fact that the school's freshman teams never played a game ("all we did was scrimmage the varsity," Saccone said) got him on the next train back to Bridgeport. Back home, Saccone set out to find a job. But Miska, Harding's coach, got him entered into Boston College. The day before he was supposed to leave, however, Saccone met University of Bridgeport football coach Kay Kondratovich. "He asked me to come down and look at UB," Saccone said. "I think tuition was like $125. I didn't have any money, but he got me a job and I ended up playing football with Babe." Longo had gone right to UB from Harding, and in 1948, he was part of the first football team under head coach Chet Gladchuk. "We didn't do so bad. We won three and lost four," Longo said. "Lou and I played football for three seasons and we also ran track and played baseball for three years. That's how we became good friends." "I can't say enough about Babe," Saccone said. "He played hurt, he was a tough kid for his size. He would glide past people. I had a lot of fun playing with him. We both played to win." Saccone ended up playing football, basketball, baseball, golf and track for UB, the only five-sport letter winner in the school's history.
The April 22, 1950, edition of the Bridgeport Post echoed Saccone's great accomplishments. "Saccone has been considered the finest all-around athlete that Bridgeport has ever produced," the paper said, "as the 'iron horse' turned in an outstanding scholastic career at Central High School before doing the same at the University of Bridgeport." Separate ways After graduating from UB, Longo played a season of semi-pro football with the Stratford All-Stars. After that, he spent many summers playing fast-pitch softball around the region. He worked as a service supervisor for the Southern Connecticut Gas Co. and has been retired for 13 years. Saccone stayed involved in sports. He coached freshman football and basketball at UB in 1954-55. In 1955, he became the school's varsity baseball coach, leading the Purple Knights to their first winning season (16-10). He coached the freshman basketball team at Fairfield University under George Bisacca and from 1957-65, and he was the head football coach at Notre Dame High School of Bridgeport, amassing a 88-16-5 record in nine seasons, including winning the 1964 state title. "The things I learned in college helped me in my (coaching) career, teaching kids and directing them," Saccone said. "Kids like me that didn't have much, we always had sports." Saccone also taught kids right and wrong working as a high school official for many years as well as officiating in the Bridgeport Recreational League. He also was a math teacher at Notre Dame for 35 years.
Governor Hurley
Governor Robert A. Hurley (1895-1968)
Baseball Team '12-'13-'14
Captain Baseball Team '13-'14
Football Team '12-'13-'14
Manager Football Team '13
Basketball Team '14
President Team A.A. '14
ROBERT AUGUSTINE HURLEY, Connecticut's first Roman Catholic governor, was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on August 25, 1895. He was educated in Connecticut's public school system and Lehigh University. From 1917 to 1919, Hurley served on a submarine fleet and on the battleship Pennsylvania, as a radio electrician for the U.S. Navy. In 1935, Hurley was appointed by Governor Wilbur Cross to the directorship of the Works Projects Administration, and then went on to become Public Works Commissioner, supervising a multimillion-dollar construction program, and serving from 1937 to 1940. Hurley won the 1940 Democratic gubernatorial nomination, and was elected Connecticut's 56th governor. During his tenure, he supported the war effort, making numerous appointments to the State's Defense Council, and intensifying his efforts after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Hurley also advocated for instituting a rural electrification program, establishing a state labor relations board, changing unemployment and workmen's compensation laws, and granting state aid to dependent children. Hurley ran unsuccessfully for reelection and left office on January 6, 1943. He served as a member of the State Surplus Property Board from 1944 to 1945, and then retired from public service. Governor Robert A. Hurley died on May 3, 1968, and is buried at the Fairview Cemetery in West Hartford, Connecticut.
Baseball Team '12-'13-'14
Captain Baseball Team '13-'14
Football Team '12-'13-'14
Manager Football Team '13
Basketball Team '14
President Team A.A. '14
ROBERT AUGUSTINE HURLEY, Connecticut's first Roman Catholic governor, was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on August 25, 1895. He was educated in Connecticut's public school system and Lehigh University. From 1917 to 1919, Hurley served on a submarine fleet and on the battleship Pennsylvania, as a radio electrician for the U.S. Navy. In 1935, Hurley was appointed by Governor Wilbur Cross to the directorship of the Works Projects Administration, and then went on to become Public Works Commissioner, supervising a multimillion-dollar construction program, and serving from 1937 to 1940. Hurley won the 1940 Democratic gubernatorial nomination, and was elected Connecticut's 56th governor. During his tenure, he supported the war effort, making numerous appointments to the State's Defense Council, and intensifying his efforts after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Hurley also advocated for instituting a rural electrification program, establishing a state labor relations board, changing unemployment and workmen's compensation laws, and granting state aid to dependent children. Hurley ran unsuccessfully for reelection and left office on January 6, 1943. He served as a member of the State Surplus Property Board from 1944 to 1945, and then retired from public service. Governor Robert A. Hurley died on May 3, 1968, and is buried at the Fairview Cemetery in West Hartford, Connecticut.
Thanksgiving 2002
Central beats Harding -- again
By CHRIS ELSBERRY celsberry@ctpost.com
BRIDGEPORT They were chanting "dynasty, dynasty" as they stormed to the center of the field in celebration as the final horn sounded. And why not? For the Bridgeport Central football team had just done something that no other Hilltopper team had ever done in the 81 seasons of playing against Harding. And that's beat the Presidents four times in a row. Led by senior running back and Most Valuable Player Mike Cobb, who rushed for 157 yards and scored two second-half touchdowns, Central rallied to beat Harding 23-12 before an estimated crowd of 1,500 at Hedges Stadium Thursday morning, giving the Hilltopper seniors four straight wins over their city rivals.
"We knew we had to step it up there. We had to come out big," said Cobb, who received the John Johansen Award from the Connecticut Post for his efforts against the Presidents. "This was my last game, the first dynasty ... we didn't want to lose." And Cobb did come up big. He carried the ball 27 times over the frozen turf at Hedges, many going for big gains as Central improved its record to 4-8. His 9-yard touchdown run capping a 99-yard third-quarter drive that chewed up almost seven minutes of clock and his 16-yard scoring run with 5:32 left to play slammed the door on a valiant Harding team (2-9) that, according to head coach Damon Lewis, just ran out of gas. "Central played hard, give them all the credit in the world. We played hard, we just ran out of gas and made some mental mistakes," Lewis said. "It's been the same story all year, low numbers, mental mistakes ... kids get tired. But that drive just killed us. It killed us."
Harding had taken a 12-7 lead into the locker room at halftime, thanks to a 94-yard drive at the end of the second quarter. Presidents quarterback Rahiem Coverson completed four passes in the march for 69 yards and scored on a 2-yard run as the clock ran out. But Central opened the third quarter with a monster drive of its own. Starting from its own 1, the Hilltoppers put together a 17-play drive that all but broke the Presidents' backs. The key play was a personal foul call against Harding on a third-and-10 play from the Central 21 that gave Central a first down and kept the drive going. From there, it was all Cobb, who gained the final 40 yards for the go-ahead touchdown in five bruising runs.
"When (the field) started to dry off and the ice thawed out, I was able to get my footing, and we just ran it down their throats," Cobb said. "The offensive line did a good job opening holes for me." Harding grabbed the momentum right at the start as Orlando Petgrave took the opening kickoff and went 86 yards up the middle for a touchdown to give the Presidents a 6-0 lead after the conversion failed. Central came back with 9:06 left in the second quarter as fullback Ainsley Small scored from 1 yard out and Felix Rivera's extra point gave the Hilltoppers a 7-6 lead. Coverson's touchdown put Harding on top heading into halftime, but behind Cobb, Central wore down the Presidents, finishing with a team total of 207 yards rushing.
"This is never an easy game," Central coach Dave Cadelina said. "Right when you think it's put away, it switches the other way. When we went down by that score, they could have gone in the tank. That's how our season has been for us. But our kids come right back when we needed it. "This senior class can remember that this is the first time in 81 years that Central has won four in a row," Cadelina added. "This team has shown a lot of heart all season, they've stuck it out, these 12 seniors, and they're calling themselves the dynasty. That's how we'll remember this season."
GE Scholar
Xavier Sanchez, Central High School Class of 2002, was named a GE Scholar for his academic achievements at Sacred Heart University.
Central vs Harding Rivalry
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Game History
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2012 ALL FCIAC
ALL FCIAC Football 2012
First Team Kevin Contreras Vincent Deramo Second Team Andrew Louis Xavier Hardison Honorable Mention Juwan White Devon Louis Marcus Moss Keyshaun Thomas Mykel Morris |  |
2011 ALL FCIAC
ALL FCIAC Football 2011
First Team Frederick Tucker Vincent Deramo Kwasi Duodu Second Team Emmanuel Omari Chris Nolan Chad Lawrence Honorable Mention Jaime Rodriguez Devon Louis Andrew Louis Keyshaun Thomas | |
2010 All FCIAC
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2009 All FCIAC
All FCIAC Football - 2009
First Team
ERNEST WIGGINS
CHRISTON GILL
SHABASHE McINTOSHJR
CHRISTIAN BISH
AXEL LEE SR
DAMIEN FRANCIS
2ND TEAM
ISAIAH FLORES
SEAN MANSFIELD
DOMINICK LUCKEY
LUCAS DESOUZA
Honorable Mention
MICHAEL McDOWELL
KEISHAUN FERNANDEZ
ADRIAN SIMPSON JR
2010 Weightlifting Champs
 2010 State Weightlifting Champions Central finished 1st out of 27 competing teams Total of 14,440 Pounds Lifted (New State Record) Adrian Simpson came in First place overall in the 201- 220 weight class Emmanuel Omari came in Second Place overall in the 181 - 200 weight class.
 Jordan Smith  Emmanuel Omari  Delroy Morris  Davin Campbell |
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