SAHOF Inductees

Bill Atkinson
Coach, Athletic Director, Mentor |
Inducted in 2003

The contributions a coach makes to his school and community are not only measured in wins and losses and such is the case with Bill Atkinson. While his teams achieved significant successes on the playing field, “Mr. A” will be equally remembered for the high ethical principles he practiced in his daily life and instilled in the hundreds of students whose lives he touched.

A graduate of Springfield College, Bill had his first contact with Suffield High School when he practice taught here in 1949-50. He returned in 1954 to become athletic director, coach of the soccer, basketball and baseball teams, and to teach physical education. His soccer teams won six conference titles and went to the State Tournament Semi-Finals on five occasions, sharing the State Title with Hale-Ray in 1958 and winning it outright in 1960. The latter win broke Hale-Ray’s 56 game unbeaten streak! SHS also won its first ever State Basketball Championship in 1960 under the tutelage of Stanley Meila who had served as Bill’s assistant coach (three sports) for several years.

To help develop a feeder system for basketball, Bill conceived the Saturday Morning league for seventh and eighth graders using his varsity players as coaches. A similar arrangement was later established in soccer. He was instrumental, too, in establishing the North Central Connecticut Conference, a 12-team league that is still flourishing today.

During the summers, Mr. A (first as a staff member and later as owner/operator) conducted camps for boys. The early ones were primarily basketball camps and featured NBA players. Many Suffield boys attended his camps or served as counselors.

In 1964, he was ordained a Deacon in the Episcopal Church (serving for five years in Suffield’s Calvary Church) and in 1971 was ordained an Episcopal Priest. He is to this day in constant demand to officiate at baptisms, weddings, and sadly, funerals for his many Suffield friends.

Ryan Bak
Track, Soccer
Inducted in 2004

Ryan began his athletic career at Suffield High School as a soccer player. He played soccer freshman, sophomore, and junior years and was a two-year starter playing both forward and midfield. He first became involved with track and field during the winter of his junior year and found almost instant success. From that point on, his athletic future followed a running path as he competed for the indoor track team and outdoor track team (junior and senior years), and the cross-country team (senior year).

While in high school, he was an 11-time All-State selection…11-time All-NCCC selection…6-time State Champion (Class S)…5-time All-New England selection…Nike All-American selection with 4x800 relay team…Academic All-State selection…NCCC All-Academic selection. Captain of the indoor track and outdoor track teams for two years, Ryan is the SHS record holder in 7 events (500m indoor, 800m indoor, 800m outdoor, 4x800 indoor, 4x800 outdoor, 4x1600m outdoor, and 5000m outdoor). As a senior, he was selected for the Meade Alcorn Outstanding Athlete Award and, academically, was ranked 9^th in his class.

After high school, Ryan attended Trinity College in Hartford. At Trinity, he continued to excel both academically and athletically. He had a spectacular running career in college demonstrated by the following achievements:

NCAA Division III National Champion in cross-country (2002), indoor track 1500 meter National Champion (2002), indoor track 5000 meter National Champion (2003).

NCAA Division III National Cross-Country Athlete of the Year (2002), NCAA Division III National Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year (2003), New England Runner of the Year (2002), NESCAC Runner of the Year (2001, 2002).

All-American honors in cross-country (two times), indoor track (4 times), outdoor track (4 times) while competing for Trinity.

George Sheldon McCook Trophy—Trinity Senior Male Athlete of the Year (2003).

Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance Connecticut Male Athlete of the Year (2003).

Holder of Trinity school records in every event from 800 meters to 5 miles.

He was no less a shining star academically where he was a Phi Beta Kappa scholar, named to the Trinity College Faculty Honors List 4 times, selected to the NESCAC All- Academic team 5 times, was Trinity’s Scholar Athlete of the Year in both his junior and senior years, and earned NCAA Academic All-American honors.

Since graduating from Trinity, he has moved westward to the Monterey Peninsula in California to pursue a professional running career and to train for the Olympic Games in track and field. Team USA Monterey Bay, Power Bar, and Reebok currently sponsor him.

Frank Beneski
Basketball, Soccer, Baseball
Inducted in 2006

Frank Beneski was an outstanding three-sport athlete at Suffield High School from 1958 to 1960. He was a member of two state championship teams—1958 soccer and 1960 basketball. Frank and his teammates compiled exceptional winning records highlighted by his senior year when in the sports of soccer, basketball and baseball, they won a total of 47 games, lost but 7, and tied 2. The team’s leading scorer in basketball, Frank was selected to the State All-Tournament First Team in 1960 and was Honorable Mention All-State in both his junior and senior years. In addition to athletics, Frank was a student leader who was elected to several student government positions and was a consistent honor roll student and member of the National Honor Society. He earned a full academic scholarship to the University of Hartford where he continued to shine in academics and played two years on the basketball team.

Following high school and college, he umpired Little League games and ultimately coached several teams in a 13-year career.
For the past 30-plus years, Frank and his wife, Sheila, have been attending high school basketball games. They now routinely attend about 125 games per year and have established themselves as the #1 fans in Connecticut. They have been honored by individual teams, referee associations, and in 2002 were honored by the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference in appreciation of their support. Numerous newspaper articles and television appearances have heralded their devotion to the game.

In 2001, Frank in concert with the Suffield Sports Council, became the driving force behind the establishment of the Suffield Athletic Hall of Fame. An ardent follower of sports and possessing an historian’s sense of Suffield athletics in particular, he was a natural for the task. Frank has been the chairman of the Hall of Fame Committee since its inception and he, along with Sheila, remain two of the biggest proponents of the celebration and preservation of Suffield athletic history.

Inductee Index

Ted Beneski
Baseball, Soccer, Basketball
Inducted in 2007

Ted was a three-sport athlete at Suffield High School earning 8 varsity letters in his career --- 3 in baseball, 3 in soccer, and 2 in basketball. In his eight varsity seasons, Ted was NCCC all conference 4 times --- once in soccer, once in basketball, and twice in baseball. In addition, he was named to the Journal Inquirer First Team, All-Area baseball team, one of nine Northern Connecticut athletes selected from all school class sizes. Further, his coaches and peers named him captain or co-captain in all three sports his senior year. None of the eight teams Ted played on ever had a losing season. While achieving athletically, Ted also graduated in the top 2% of his class, was President of Student Government, and received numerous academic awards including a special award in 1974 (created that year) from the Suffield Education Association “to recognize superlative academic and extra-curricular accomplishment and potential for future success.” Ted also was a recipient of the Meade Alcorn Outstanding Athlete award.

In soccer, he was a versatile player who played forward, midfielder, and defender. Ted helped lead his team to the Class B tournament in his first two varsity years and as a senior was named an NCCC all-star, with 4 goals and 10 assists, participating in two-thirds of his team’s goals. He went on to become a 3-year starter and captain of his Amherst College soccer team anchoring the defense on a team that compiled an overall record of 20-12-4 over his career. Amherst played national powers Connecticut and Brown as well as traditional rivals such as Williams and Wesleyan. As a senior he received the “Friends of Amherst Athletics” award for contributing the most to the soccer program

In basketball, Ted was the leading scorer and an NCCC all-star his junior year averaging 13 points per game. His high game was 25 against Fermi High of Enfield. He was among the top 10 scorers in the conference for the season, and was often in the top 5. He led his team to a berth in the Class B state tournament. As a senior, Ted was called upon to shift from shooting guard to forward to bolster the team’s rebounding. The result was an NCCC tournament championship and a much improved overall record of 13-6. Ted went on to play one season of basketball in college for Stirling University in Scotland during his semester abroad. He averaged 25 points a game with a high game of 41 against Glasgow.

Clearly Ted’s best sport at SHS was baseball and he is regarded as one of the best baseball players ever to play for Suffield High. He was the ace of the pitching staff for 3 years compiling records of 6-2, 9-2, and 8-1 for an overall career mark of 23-5. His career earned run average was under 2.0 and his strikeout to walk ratio was more than 3 to 1. He led his Suffield team to the Class B state “final four” in both his junior and senior years, with completely different teams. In his junior season, going into the state tournament, Ted had given up only 1 earned run all season…and, after competing against the best in the state, including the #1 ranked team, his overall ERA was 1.11 with 66 strikeouts in 73 innings pitched. In his senior year, he finished at 8-1 with his only loss coming from a 2 run error with 2 outs in the last inning. As in the prior year, he pitched and batted the Wildcats to the state tournament semifinals with wins over Weston and Guilford. Suffield then had to face the #1 ranked team, Ansonia, but Ted could not pitch on 2 days rest. Suffield lost in the semi-finals for the second consecutive year. It should be noted that all of Ted’s, and the team’s, accomplishments occurred without ever playing a home game…Suffield High did not have a playable field during this entire period!

Ted graduated from Amherst in 1978, received an MBA degree from Harvard and, most recently, founded his own private equity firm, Insight Equity. He and his wife, Laurie, live in Colleyville, Texas with their children Kristin, Jeff, and David.

John Bertolini
Hockey, Soccer, Baseball
Inducted in 2006

Some student athletes have the good fortune to play for a state championship once in their high school career…John Bertolini did it every year! Four years of high school and four state championship games. In his freshman year, he was a starting defenseman on the ice hockey team that went on to win the Division II State Title. In the fall of his sophomore year, Suffield played its way to the Class M soccer finals but lost to Farmington by a 2-1 score. They went to the championship game again the following year but lost the Class M title game to St. Paul. In John’s senior year of soccer, his team finished the regular season with a 13-0-3 record and bested Valley Regional 1-0 in the finals to win the Class M crown and complete an undefeated season.
Playing his career primarily in defense-oriented positions, John nonetheless amassed a multitude of individual honors for his outstanding play. He is one of only a few athletes in SHS history to be named to All-State teams in two different sports, ice hockey and soccer. In ice hockey, he was voted the team’s best defenseman for three straight years, was named to the Journal Inquirer All-Area 1st Team for the same three years, and earned Division I All-State accolades (two third team and one second team selections). The senior team captain and MVP was also selected to play in the prestigious Connecticut-Rhode Island All Star Game.

In soccer, the fullback was voted the most improved player as a sophomore and, as a senior, was voted team MVP and selected to the NCCC All-Conference and JI All-Area 1st Teams and Class M All-State Team. John also lettered in baseball for three years, batting .416 as senior MVP, and had a career total of 42 stolen bases. The three sport MVP earned 10 varsity letters and was named the SHS Meade Alcorn Outstanding Athlete in 1982.

Routinely making the honor roll in high school, John went on to Merrimack College where he was a two-year soccer starter and co-captain of the team for one year. Following college, John returned to Suffield High to coach hockey and was the varsity coach from 1986 to 1988. In both years, his teams made it to the Division II State semi-finals.

John currently resides in Suffield with his wife Melanie and their two children, Michael and Kellie.

Scott Bikowski
Baseball, Basketball, Soccer
Inducted in 2002

Scott, a 1995 graduate of Suffield High, is primarily known for his baseball accomplishments. While at SHS, Scott played basketball as well as baseball and was All NCCC Conference in his junior year. In his high school baseball career, Scott had a 4-year batting average of .369 with a sensational on-base percentage of .579. He was thrice All NCCC Conference in baseball and was an All State selection for two years. In both 1994 and 1995, he was named the Meade Alcorn Outstanding Athlete, the highest boys athletic honor at SHS.

Following high school, he was the Greater Hartford Twilight League Player of the Year in 1996 and 1997, Cape Cod League All Star in 1997, and 3^rd Team College All American at Florida Southern in 1998 and 1999. While at Florida Southern, he set career records in stolen bases (101), 2^nd in hits (279), 2^nd in base on balls (160), 2^nd in games played (213), 3^rd in doubles (53), and 3^rd in total bases (406).

Scott was drafted by the Anaheim Angels in 1999. While at Class A Rancho Cucamonga, he was named a California League All Star and was the game’s MVP. He currently plays for the AA Birmingham Barons in the Chicago White Sox farm system.

Jill Bizeau
Soccer, Basketball, Softball
Inducted in 2008

Jill Bizeau graduated from Suffield High School in 2000. She was a three-sport star for the Wildcats, excelling in soccer, basketball and softball. Jill was selected to the NCCC All Conference soccer teams her first three years until a knee injury in the fall of 1999 curtailed her high school career. In Jill’s junior year, 1998, she led her Suffield soccer team to a State Championship. She was selected tournament MVP and was chosen to the Coaches All State Soccer Team in both 1997 and 1998. Jill’s 69 career goals currently rank her fourth all time in SHS girl's soccer history.
Bizeau’s outstanding athletic ability extended from the soccer season to the basketball season. In 1997-1998 she was the MVP of the team, MVP of the 1998 Enfield Tournament, and All NCCC. In 1999, Jill made the Hartford Courant All State 2nd Team and was chosen to the Coaches Class M All State Team.

In the spring season, Jill played varsity softball. As a freshman, she was rookie of the year and played varsity softball until her career ending injury. After Suffield, Jill attended Sacred Heart University, graduating in 2004. Playing Division I soccer at Sacred Heart, Bizeau had ten goals and eight assists. Her 2001 team was NEC Champions and Jill received the Allison Rioux Award that year.

Fred Blakesley
Inducted in 2008

Fred Blakesley was a Suffield High School custodian from 1947-1975 who had a major impact on the town’s young athletes. He was a dedicated Little League Baseball umpire and the basketball clock operator at the high school games for over twenty years. In fulfilling those responsibilities, Fred served the youth in town as a mentor, role model, teacher, supporter, and father figure to many. With his quiet, unassuming demeanor, Fred took a genuine interest in people of all ages. Whether it was giving kids rides to and from practice and games, or just giving advice and encouragement, he was always there to help. Fred was awarded the Suffield Teachers Distinguished Service Award and chosen “Man of the Year” by the Suffield Jaycees.

We are very proud to induct Fred Blakesley into the Suffield Athletic Hall of Fame. He was one of a kind, an institution in Suffield for all of the good in life and a true friend to all.

Kathleen ‘Cookie’ Blodgett Bromage
Field Hockey, Basketball, Cheerleading, Coach
Inducted in 2003

A native of Suffield, Cookie attended Suffield High before the advent of girl’s interscholastic sports. She nonetheless played four years on her class intramural basketball squad leading the team to four consecutive finals (a game played before the entire student body). It was highly unusual for Freshman and Sophomore teams to make the finals. She was a three-year varsity cheerleader serving as captain her senior season. While attending Southern Connecticut State College, she played three years of field hockey and two years of basketball. In 1964, working with Becky Laemal, the two women organized the first formal recreation program in Suffield. Cookie later served on the Recreation Commission for several years.

She joined the Enfield School System in 1965 to teach physical education and to coach. She is in her 37^th year of coaching field hockey where her teams have won five State Championships, been State runner-up once, and won nine League Championships along the way. Her teams have finished atop the Courant Coach’s Poll (best in the State) twice and two of her players were high school All-Americans. She was the girls basketball coach at Enfield High for 17 years and spent 10 years as varsity cheerleading coach.

She was Division M Field Hockey Coach of the Year four times, Connecticut High School Coaches Association Field Hockey Coach of the Year, and National High School Coach of the Year in Field Hockey. The Connecticut Sports Writers Alliance named her High School Female Coach of the Year in 1995. She was in the first induction class of the Enfield Athletic Hall of Fame, a member of the New Agenda: Northeast Hall of Fame as a high school coach, and a member of the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Cookie has served on numerous Connecticut High School Coaches Association and Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference boards for field hockey. In 2003, she retired from active teaching but remains varsity field hockey coach at Enfield High School.

Howard Brown
Coach, Administrator
Inducted in 2002

Howard came to Suffield in 1943 as a Physical Education Teacher and following the mid-year departure of his predecessor, was named varsity coach in basketball and baseball. A true pioneer, he went on to coach for nine years, taking the fledgling high school sports program and molding it into a force to be reckoned with. In 1944, Mr. Brown started the varsity soccer program. In an era of limited resources for athletics, Mr. Brown and his athletes were responsible for maintaining the fields for competitive events. Under his leadership, Suffield won its first ever conference soccer championship, and his 1953 basketball team came within a whisker of winning the first-ever State Championship, losing in overtime to Stafford.

In 1954, he was tapped to be Acting Principal at the high school when the incumbent became ill and the following year was named Principal. Continuing his service to Suffield and its youth, in 1965 he was named Assistant Superintendent of Schools, a post he held until his retirement in 1979.

Beyond his SHS involvement, Mr. Brown was a member of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC), Chairman of the CIAC Fees Committee, Chairman of the CIAC Eligibility Committee, Vice-Chairman of the CIAC Basketball Committee and the First Chairman of the Suffield Recreation Committee. In addition, he was a High and Prep School Soccer Official for 22 years, a New England Intercollegiate Soccer Official for 18 years and refereed the first NCAA Soccer Tournament at UCONN in 1959.

Tom Cain
Baseball, Basketball, Soccer
Inducted in 2010

Tom Cain was a three-sport star at Suffield High School, excelling in soccer, basketball and baseball from 1946 - 1949. In soccer, Tom became a star his sophomore year and was the leading scorer and best defensive player for three years. On the basketball court, he led the team in scoring his last three years with over 300 points each season and was an outstanding rebounder. His best sport was baseball, where he played outfield and catcher. He had a very strong arm and was a terrific base runner, but it was his hitting that really made him stand out. Tom batted over .350 his last three years and led the team in RBIs each year, while hitting several prodigious home runs. After High School he played semi-pro baseball in the Farmington Valley Semi-pro League and the Hartford Twilight League, and earned a tryout with the Boston Braves. After his playing days he coached and umpired youth baseball in Suffield for several years.

Lori Casinghino
Field Hockey, Tennis, Basketball
Inducted in 2002

Lori made her mark in Suffield as a three-sport athlete and was awarded 11 letters for field hockey, basketball, and tennis. Her tennis accomplishments include a 64-1 career record as the #1 singles player, NCCC Singles Champion all four years, and All NCCC Conference all four years.

In field hockey, Lori was named All NCCC Conference four years, All State as a goalie three times, and received a Division I Scholarship to Northern Illinois University. In 1989 and 1990, Lori was selected as goalie for the United States National Hockey Festival, and in 1989 and 1990 received the Barbara Ganley Outstanding Athlete Award, the highest girls athletic award at SHS.

Following high school, Lori attended Northern Illinois University where she played on the varsity field hockey team as a goalie in 1990. The following year, she transferred to Salem State College where she continued her field hockey career for the next 3 years, assuming the captaincy in her senior year. She also played tennis at Salem State in 1994 and 1995 where she was the #1 singles player, played on the #1 doubles team, and was selected MVP. In 2000, Lori was named to the Hartford Courant’s “Best of the Century” tribute for Town of Suffield athletes.

Currently Lori teaches Physical Education at Wachusett Regional High School where she is Varsity Tennis Coach and a Field Hockey Official.

Bob Cecchini
Coach, Athletic Director, Administrator
Inducted in 2002

Born in Barre, Vermont, Mr. “C” graduated from the University of Maine and received his Masters there in 1962. He came to Suffield in 1963 as a Physical Education Teacher, was appointed Athletic Director in 1969, Assistant Principal/A.D. in 197l, and Principal in 1987. In addition, he was Head Football Coach at the American School for the Deaf from 1964 to 1968, Suffield High Baseball Coach from 1963 to 1970, Boy’s Basketball Coach for eight years, Girl’s Basketball Coach for seven years, and Co-Coach of the Boy’s Golf Team for seven more. Throughout his Coaching, AD, Assistant Principal and Principal assignments, Mr. “C” has positively influenced the lives of hundreds of Suffield young people through his fair, even-handed treatment of all he has come in contact with. A positive role model and tireless worker, everything he did was to make Suffield High School a great place to work, play and compete.

During his spare time, “Jiggs” has been heavily involved in the Connecticut High School Coaches Association (Current Treasurer and a Past President), Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference, and the North Central Connecticut Conference along with various community boards. His CIAC responsibilities consist of past membership in the Officials Committee, Board of Control, soccer committees, and he is presently tournament director for both the CIAC boy’s golf and boy’s basketball committees.

In 1988, he was inducted into the Connecticut Coaches Hall of Fame and has been honored for distinguished service by the Connecticut Association of Schools, Suffield Board of Education, Suffield Rotary Club, Suffield Booster Club, and the NCCC. The 1999 Boy’s State Basketball Tournament was dedicated to Bob Cecchini.

Marty Demers
Hockey
Inducted in 2006

From the time he was a young boy going to Hartford Whalers games, Marty Demers was fascinated by hockey generally and officiating specifically. At Suffield High School, Marty began his playing career as a sophomore in the fledgling varsity ice hockey program. Despite the relative newness of hockey to the school, the talent pool was deep and in his junior year, Marty’s team went all the way to the state semi-finals. In his senior year, they won it all and were the State Division II Champions. Marty had an outstanding career and in his senior year was named to both the Journal Inquirer All-Area Team and the First Team Division II All State.

Wanting to continue his association with the game, Marty enrolled in the Western New England Officials School. Impressed by what they saw in young Marty, his instructors encouraged him to tryout for a linesman position in the American Hockey League.

In 1979, he began his long and illustrious career in the AHL but his talents as a linesman led him to numerous assignments beyond his League responsibilities. In December 1979, he was asked to work the Lake Placid Invitational Tournament and, as a consequence of his flawless calls, was selected to be a linesman in the XIII Winter Olympics held in February. The following year he was picked to handle 10 games at the World Championships in Sweden, including calling the Gold Medal Game. In 1986, he did the first of many NCAA Men’s Division I Hockey Championships and later that year worked the US Olympic Festival. Working as a linesman in an NHL game in 1990, he was even called upon to fill in for an injured referee! At other points in his career, Marty worked in the International Hockey League, the ECAC Hockey Finals, and the prestigious Boston Beanpot Tournament.

In the AHL, he worked the Calder Cup Championship 15 times, called the AHL All-Star Game in Philadelphia, and in 2003, was the recipient of the Michael Condon Memorial Award for Outstanding contribution and service to the American Hockey League.

Marty continues to be an outstanding linesman in the AHL and is closing in on calling his 1000th game, an unprecedented feat in the League.

Patrick Dougherty
Coach
Inducted in 2007

Patrick Dougherty first taught at McAlister Middle School and then Suffield High School, starting in 1968. He taught Math and History at McAlister and Social Studies at SHS. He retired from teaching in 1999. He also retired from the U.S. Army Reserves at that time.
Coach Dougherty started Suffield High School’s girls cross country, track, and indoor track programs around 1970 with Becky Gibson-Laemel as an assistant. They began as club programs at McAlister and soon evolved into high school varsity teams. Due to his early prominence as a coach, the cross country high school State Open was held in Suffield in the early 1970’s. It is now held annually at Wickham Park in Manchester. Those familiar with the Title IX legislation of 1972 and the dramatic changes and opportunities that it brought to women’s athletics, can appreciate the challenges in funding and respect that female athletes, girls teams, and Patrick faced prior to Title IX and for many years following its passage. Attitudes towards female athletes did not change overnight, but Coach Dougherty always treated his team members as the disciplined, smart, and tough athletes they were. He was a tireless advocate for their equal treatment.

Pat has coached Suffield girls cross country running for almost 35 years and he also coached the boys team for a period of time. He was honored as the Connecticut Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year in 1981. A highlight in Pat’s coaching career occurred in 2001, when his SHS girls team earned 6th place at the Connecticut State Open (in which all teams from smallest to largest classes run). That high placement in the Open earned Suffield a spot on the New England Championship, the first time a team from Suffield (or for that matter, the NCCC Conference) ever earned a trip to a New England level event! The team placed 11th in the elite competition.

In the early 1980s Coaches Dougherty and Gibson-Laemel mapped out a new cross country course using the ideal environment of Bruce Park. Other NCCC schools followed their lead and cross country changed from a “road race” to the safer, off-road, truly “cross country” courses that we have today. For over 30 years, Coach Dougherty has retained a female assistant coach (usually one of his former runners) to be sure the girls have a female to talk to.

Patrick’s former athletes include Melanie Schorr, who was an outstanding runner at Dartmouth College where she was an All-American in Division I cross country and Kristina Miner who continues a premier running career at Trinity College in Hartford.

Pat decided that the 2002 season would be his last and “retired”. Current and former team members, from the class of 1976 through the class of 2006, attended his retirement party. While working as an official at state track meets in the spring of 2004, young SHS runners that he had never coached in cross country, but who had heard about how wonderful a coach he was, literally begged him to return from retirement when the position had opened up again. They wore him down, and he returned as the girls cross country coach for the 2004 season. He continues to this day to coach girls cross country, and he assists Joe Sinicrope with the track and field team as distance running coach.

In November 2005, Patrick was honored with the dedication of the “Kathleen Dougherty Memorial Bridge” and the “Patrick Dougherty Cross Country Trail” at Bruce Park in Suffield in recognition of his contributions to Suffield High School running programs and the heartfelt loss of his only daughter, whose memorial donations funded the construction of the little bridge in the late 1990s. Colleagues, parents, administrators and town officials joined current and former team members to celebrate the dedication.

Three decades of runners have been coached by Pat, who is dedicated to instilling the value and rewards of the hard (and sometimes solitary) work of distance running. His runners are taught the tough lessons of endurance, discipline, competitive challenge, and teamwork. Pat and his wife make their home in Manchester.

Mary-Jane Doyon Hussey
Field Hockey, Basketball, Softball, Coach, Special Olympics
Inducted in 2003

In 1972, Title IX opened the doors for female athletes to take center stage and Mary-Jane took full advantage of the opportunity presented. A versatile three-sport athlete, she played three years of varsity field hockey, four years of basketball, and four years of softball.

In field hockey, she was All NCCC playing goalie for the Wildcats. Captain in her senior year, in the very last game as a high school player against Tolland, she scored the only goal of her career and it lifted Suffield to a 1-0 win!

A prolific scorer and rebounder in basketball, she started all four years and became the first girl in SHS history to score 1000 points. The biggest night of her career came against East Granby when she scored 34 points. With Mary-Jane leading the way, Suffield captured three NCCC titles over her four years and was a regular participant in the State Tournament. For her efforts, she received multiple team MVP and All NCCC honors and was honorable mention for the prestigious All State team. She was team captain in her senior year.

Team captain in softball, as well, Mary-Jane had an outstanding four-year career as an infielder. Here, too, she won multiple team MVP and All NCCC honors.

Mary-Jane continued her education at the University of Maine in Farmington where she played both field hockey (three years) and basketball (two years). As a goalie in field hockey, she was named team MVP her freshman year, when in one game she made an astounding 35 saves! In her two years of varsity basketball, UMF was 27 and 9 with Mary-Jane the second leading scorer as a freshman and leading scorer as a sophomore. The Dean’s List student graduated in 1982 with an outstanding GPA of 3.75 and was inducted into Kappa Delta Pi, a national honor society for education majors, in 1981. A special education teacher, Mary-Jane is a long-time volunteer for Special Olympics and continues to be active in Windsor Locks where she began the Special Olympic Program in 1997. She coached the Windsor Locks High School field hockey team from 1986 to 1992.

Karen Drake
Field Hockey, Basketball, Softball
Inducted in 2010

Karen Drake was a three sport star at SHS, and team captain in each sport her final two years. She played four years of varsity field hockey, 3 years of varsity basketball, and 4 years of varsity softball. Her entire career was outstanding, but her senior year in 1976 was especially stellar. In field hockey she scored a record 25 goals and led the team to the NCCC championship and was team MVP.. In basketball her team won the NCCC title and went to the state semi-finals which earned her All-Conference and All-State recognition. To top it off, she was selected as an All-Conference infielder in softball.

For her efforts, Karen won the Barbara Ganley Scholar/Athlete Award in both 1975 and 1976, and was also chosen for the Rotary Club Outstanding Citizenship award in 1975 and was elected to the National Honor Society in 1976,.

She then attended Springfield College where she played field hockey and basketball. Since then, Karen has coached field hockey, basketball, gymnastics, and softball, and is currently at East Windsor High where she was selected Teacher of the Year in 2000.

Rich Favreau
Soccer, Basketball, Track
Inducted in 2008

Richard Favreau graduated from Suffield High School in 1967. Rich earned varsity letters while participating in soccer, basketball and track. Favreau co-captained the soccer team in 1965. He was selected to the All NCCC soccer teams in 1965 and 1966.
On the basketball court, he became the second player in school history to score over 1,000 career points, and he is currently still ranked 6th all time at SHS with 1149.
Track and field was his spring sport. Rich was elected a co-captain in 1967 and he was chosen as an All NCCC standout. In the 1967 conference championships, Rich won the 100-yard dash, the long jump and the triple jump, setting a conference record. Rich finished his senior track season with school records in both jumping events.

Rich entered the University of Connecticut in 1967. It was at UConn where Favreau really blossomed in soccer, his college sport of choice. He received the Squires Award in 1970 as the team’s most valuable player and was selected by the National Soccer Coaches Association for All New England honors. Rich participated in the New England Intercollegiate Soccer All Star Game where he was team captain.

Favreau was chosen for the All Yankee Conference Team in 1970. In 1971, Rich was named one of UConn’s Outstanding Scholar Athlete Award recipients as well as one of America‘s Outstanding Athletes.

Annette Flynn Perry
Field Hockey, Basketball, Track
Inducted in 2002

Annette earned Varsity letters in three sports while at Suffield High. She is one of the few athletes in school history to be named All NCCC Conference in three different sports in one year (field hockey, basketball and track in 1987). During the same year, she was captain of all three. She also attained All NCCC in basketball in 1985 and 1986 and track in 1986.

As a basketball player, Annette remains today the girls career all-time scoring leader at Suffield High with 1345 points. Both the New Haven Register and The Hartford Courant named her All State in 1987 when she averaged 25 points per game and 11 rebounds. She received the Barbara Ganley Outstanding Athlete Award in 1985 and 1987. Upon graduation, she earned a full Division I basketball scholarship to the University of Hartford. At Hartford, she played four years, twice received the U of H Coaches Award and graduated cum laude in 1992.

Annette is still very active in the community, coordinating and coaching youth soccer and basketball.

Russ Fricke
Golf, Soccer, Basketball
Inducted in 2003

Russ graduated from Suffield High School in 1983 following a distinguished three-sport career and winner of the Meade Alcorn Outstanding Athlete Award. He was captain of the 1982 soccer team and was a starting midfielder on SHS’s undefeated 1981 Class M State Championship squad (17-0-3). In basketball, he captained the 1982-83 team when he also received the most valuable player award. But it was in golf where Russ achieved his greatest accomplishments. A three-time All-NCCC golfer, he led the team to three consecutive NCCC Championships and to Suffield’s first ever State Golf Championship in 1982. During this three-year period, he was undefeated in NCCC play!

In both 1982 and 1983, he was selected to the All State Golf Team and, during 1983, Captain Fricke set the SHS scoring record of 67 in a dual match against Tolland and East Granby High Schools…the record still stands today. During this same 1983 season, Suffield played and beat Glastonbury High School (the defending Division I State Champion) in a match in which Russ defeated Tim Petrovic in individual head-to-head play. Petrovic is now a PGA Tour professional. With partner Jeff Bracket, Russ finished second in the CHAPPA State Two Man High School Invitational.

Outside his high school competition, he was the Ellington Ridge Junior Champion in 1981, the Suffield Country Club Men’s Champion in 1982, a semi-finalist in the 1982 CSGA Junior Championship, and was selected by CSGA to represent Connecticut in a Ryder Cup format competition against a junior team from Great Britain in 1983.

Following high school, Russ received a scholarship the University of Richmond where he played all four years and was captain of the team his senior year. He captured the James Madison University Invitational individual title in 1986 and the Richmond team won the Colonial Athletic Conference Championship that same year.

Since graduating from college, Russ has won or highly placed in several Virginia and Connecticut golf tournaments, notably winning the Richmond Golf Association City Amateur Championship in 1988. He played briefly as a professional on the Florida Mini-Tour but has since been reinstated as an amateur.

Tom Ganley
Basketball, Soccer, Baseball
Inducted in 2004

Tom was a three-sport star at Suffield High School playing from 1956 to his graduation in 1960. He earned four varsity letters in soccer, four varsity letters in basketball, and three varsity letters in baseball. As a four-year starter in soccer, he played in goal his first two years and moved out to the fullback slot during his last two seasons. He was team co-captain in both his junior and senior years. Over his first two years, the team had modest success but not until 1958 did the team come to full flower. Suffield entered the tournament with but one loss (to Longmeadow, MA) and two ties. In this his junior year, Tom was instrumental in Suffield copping its first ever State Championship in any sport. They battled Hale-Ray of Moodus to a 1-1 double overtime tie in the finals and were declared Co-State Champions. Finishing the year with a sparkling 14 wins, 1 loss and 3 ties. Suffield was 13-1-3 the following year, but lost in the State Semi-Finals to East Hampton by a 1-0 score.

At 6’4”, Tom was a natural at basketball and excelled in the sport. With his size and strength, he played a forward position and was an exceptional rebounder. His quickness and long arms made him an excellent defender whose presence forced opposing players to alter their shots. But he was also blessed with a superior shooting touch and his long, outside shots often riddled an opponent’s zone defense. As Tom matured as a varsity player, so too did the fortunes of Suffield rise. With Tom leading the scoring, the team made the State tournament in his junior year but promptly lost to Ellsworth in the first game. For his season exploits, he was named to an honorable mention slot on the prestigious New Haven Register All-State Team.

In the 1959-60 season, with Tom again leading the way, Suffield entered the State tournament with a 20-1 record and was the number two seed. With Tom scoring 20, 22, and 15 points respectively, the team won its first three tournament games, the last two being very tightly contested. In the State Final, against St Anthony’s of Bristol, the two teams went back and forth and were tied with just under two minutes to play. Suffield froze the ball and, literally as time expired, got the ball to Tom who sank the basket to give Suffield the State Championship, 64-62. He was named to the All-Tournament first team and also was a first team All-State selection by the New Haven Register.

In his senior year of baseball, Tom had a record of 3-0 on the mound, led the team in batting with a .342 average, and led the team in hits. Despite racking up a 10-5 record, Suffield was not selected to play in the State tournament that was a “by invitation only” event at that time. During his senior year, the three boys varsity teams were a combined 47-7 with two ties and had a 2-year total of 85 wins, 25 losses and 5 ties as well as two State Championships in soccer and basketball.

An honor student and member of the National Honor Society in high school, Tom went on to attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute. While at WPI he continued his athletic career playing both basketball and soccer. He received his BS degree in electrical engineering in 1964. On July 23, 2003, Tom died unexpectedly at his home in Milford, New Jersey.

Larry Green
Coach
Inducted in 2010

Larry Green was a pioneer of youth hockey in Suffield. He was instrumental in the success of the Suffield Flyers youth hockey program and was the founder of interscholastic hockey at Suffield High School. He started the SHS program as a club team in 1973, with no funding from the school. His perseverance, self-sacrifice, and tireless efforts enabled the program to become a varsity sport in 1974. He coached the team to an 8-12 record that first year, and then they improved to 11-10 the next year and made their first appearance in the state tournament. He followed that up with a 13-8 record in the 1976-1977 season and their first win in a tournament game. The next year they went 19-3 and won tournament games against perennial state powers North Haven and Stamford. In the 1978-1979 they won the State Division II championship, a mere 5 years after being a club sport. After being bumped up to Division I in 1979-1980, they went 12-7 and lost in the tournament semi-finals. In 1979 Larry was named Connecticut Hockey Coach of the year. He coached until 1985, and his team made the tournament every year. Unquestionably, Larry Green was the Father of Suffield Hockey.

Bobby Hinckley
Hockey, Soccer, Baseball
Inducted in 2005

Bobby Hinckley, Jr. was a standout three-sport athlete at Suffield High School playing soccer, hockey, and baseball. He played varsity soccer where he was an All NCCC Conference selection in 1975 and was an outstanding catcher and hitter on the baseball team but it was in hockey that Bobby really excelled. Starting out as an 11 year old, Bobby had played youth hockey throughout his younger days and, virtually from the beginning, established himself as a prolific goal scorer. Even as a freshman in the 1973-74 season, he led the team in scoring in what was Suffield’s first season ever playing ice hockey. Likewise, he was the team’s leading scorer in both 1975 and 1976. In 1976, Bobby not only led the team in goals but topped the NCCC league as well with 32 goals and 19 assists enroute to his selection to the Division II All State Team.

His proficiency on the ice caught the attention of area hockey aficionados and at the end of his junior year he received a full scholarship to attend Avon Old Farms School and be a part of John Gardner’s prestigious hockey program. While at Avon, he played soccer and baseball, as well as hockey, but again was at his best on the ice. He led the Winged Beavers in scoring in 1977 where he was team captain and selected MVP. In 1978, he repeated his record as leading scorer, team captain, and MVP, this time breaking the Avon all-time scoring record along the way. He was also selected as the school’s Best All Around Athlete that same year.

Following his graduation from Avon, Bobby entered Boston University becoming one of the first Connecticut high school hockey players to play Division I ice hockey. He played only one year at BU and his playing days were ultimately ended by a serious eye injury.

In 1992, as his children reached hockey-playing age, Bobby turned his attention to coaching and spent the next several years coaching youth hockey at various levels. Finding success and contentment at the youth level, he became an assistant coach at Suffield High in 1998 where he helped out with the varsity and was head coach of the junior varsity team. He became varsity boys hockey coach in 2000 and guided his Wildcats to the Northern Hockey Conference championship in the 2002-03 season. Bobby and his wife, Melisa, have three children and reside in West Suffield where they are among the largest tobacco growers in the area.

Dennis Kinne
Coach
Inducted in 2004

Dennis started his teaching and coaching career at Suffield Academy as a 21-year old directly after graduating from Colby College in Maine. Planning to teach history, he was attracted to the Suffield position when he learned that he would step immediately into the boys varsity basketball head coach slot, and basketball was clearly in his blood. It turned out to be a great decision for both parties!

Dennis’s boys’ teams went 327-127, winning five New England Class B Prep School championships, including three straight from 1983-1985. The boys were invited to 12 consecutive New England tournaments from 1978-89. He had one undefeated team in 1984. That club featured NBA standout Vinny Del Negro. Making that season even more sweet for Dennis, the “other” guard was his son, Kevin. “Dennis was absolutely a large part of my development on the court and a positive influence off the court in terms of the confidence he had in me both as a player and a person,” Del Negro said. “He’s just a tremendous person. He touched a lot of lives at Suffield.”

At the end of the 1988 season, Dennis abruptly decided to call it quits. It seemed that the very capable JV Coach, Dave Godin, was actively seeking a head coaching position and Dennis didn’t want to lose him…so Dennis stepped down and Dave stepped in.

Dennis’s premature retirement lasted until 1991 when he decided to resume his coaching career, this time at the helm of the girls’ varsity team. There was no rust showing on his coaching skills. In his last decade with the boys he was 166 and 38. In his decade with the girls, he was an unbelievable 197-17! His girls’ teams also duplicated that feat of winning five New England Prep School Championships and rang up three undefeated seasons along the way. In two of those undefeated seasons, 1996 and 1997, Suffield was led by Meaghan Leahy who went on to play for Notre Dame University where she played on their NCAA Championship team. As Dennis would reflect, players like Vinny and Meaghan come along once in a coach’s career and he was fortunate to have both of them.

When Dennis retired for good in 2001, he finished with 520 wins against only 165 losses, a 77% winning percentage, and ten New England Prep School Championship banners were hung in the Academy gymnasium.

In recognition of his outstanding career, Dennis was honored as one of the Top 100 Basketball Coaches of the Century by the Hartford Courant. He was the 2002 recipient of the New England Private School Athletic Directors Distinguished Service Award and, in 2003, was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame. At the conclusion of his 40 years of service as Suffield Academy’s Athletic Director, the School honored him by naming the basketball facility the Dennis A. Kinne Court in 2003.

Larry Krogh
Soccer,Basketball, Baseball
Inducted in 2002

While at Suffield High, Larry excelled as a three-sport athlete and earned eleven varsity letters. In soccer, he scored 44 goals in his career including 25 in his senior year when he was named All State. While at the Suffield Academy as a post-graduate student, he scored 6 goals in one game.

As a basketball player, he scored 1178 career points and was named to the Hartford Times All Suburban Team and All State Team as a senior. His Suffield Academy team compiled a 19-1 record and won the New England Class B Championship. Larry was named MVP of the tournament.

Pitching and playing first base on the SHS baseball team, Larry batted .403 as a senior, drove in 30 runs and compiled an 8-1 record on the mound. He pitched one no-hitter in his career and was named to the Journal Inquirer All Area Team as a junior and senior. His Academy stats include a 5-1 pitching record and a batting average of .365.

He was named the first two-time Journal Inquirer Athlete of the Year in 1976 and 1977, and was designated as one of Suffield’s “Best of the Century” athletes by the Hartford Courant.

Joe Lewandoski
Basketball, Soccer, Baseball
Inducted in 2002

Joe was a three-sport standout at SHS from 1949 to 1953 where he earned 12 varsity letters. He was an excellent soccer and baseball player, but it was his basketball career that was truly exemplary. Called by his coach “the best all-around basketball player at Suffield High School,” Joe could do everything—offense, defense, rebound, shoot, pass and play the post. In an era when high school basketball scores were typically in the mid-40’s, Joe became the first 1000-point scorer in Suffield history. He scored a career total 1197 points including 420 points in his senior year. During this time, he led Suffield to 4 straight winning records (59-28 overall) and 4 straight State Tournament appearances. In 3 of those 4 years, Suffield lost to the eventual champions, including a heartbreaking 52-47 overtime loss to Stafford in the 1953 State Finals.

Following high school graduation, Joe attended Suffield Academy for a year of post graduate study and continued his athletic prominence. Remarkably, he played football for the first time in his athletic career. Also, while playing varsity basketball, he set the then single game scoring record of 41 points for Suffield Academy. He later attended Springfield College playing soccer and basketball for one year when a nagging knee injury prematurely ended his athletic career.

Michael Lichstein
Bowling
Inducted in 2010

Michael Lichstein will be remembered as one of the most outstanding amateur bowlers ever from the State of Connecticut. His notoriety began during his High School days at SHS, and his accomplishments over the last 30 years are impressive to say the least. Mike was the high roller and champion at a Las Vegas ESPN tournament in 1988, and high roller and runner-up in another ESPN televised competition in Atlantic City in 1987 along with a 4^th place finish in a tournament in Texas. He won 23 titles on the Junior Bowler Tour, and he won 6 national American Bowling Congress championships.

Locally, Mike has won 27 New England Bowling Association titles, and was the NEBA Bowler of the year 5 times from 1988 to 2004. In Connecticut and Massachusetts tournaments he was Bowler of the year in 2001 and 2003 and has won 39 events.

Along the way, Mike has rolled 37 sanctioned 300 games and 23 sanctioned 800 series.

David Lill
Baseball, Soccer, Basketball
Inducted in 2003

Dave was a prominent three-sport athlete at Suffield High School from 1957 to 1961. A window to his future prowess occurred in the mid-1950’s when David played Little League baseball for the Rotary team. It was a four-team, town-wide league at the time with Dave playing a pivotal role in Rotary winning back-to-back championships in 1954 and 1955. In 1955, he set a remarkable record of hitting 18 home runs in an 18 game schedule.

While at Suffield High, Dave played varsity soccer for three years, basketball for two years, and baseball for four years. His speed, daring, and determination made him an exceptional goal-scorer. During his tenure, Suffield won its first ever State Championship in 1958 when they were declared Co-State Champions after tying Hale-Ray 1-1. They lost in the semi-finals in 1959 and won the State Championship outright in 1960, beating Hale-Ray (and ending their 56 game unbeaten streak). David scored 22 goals that season including the only goal in the title game. Over his three year career, SHS won 43 games, tied 8, and lost but 2!

While not a natural basketball talent, Dave nonetheless was a starting guard on Suffield’s 1960 State Championship team. His speed, defense and intelligence made him a valuable contributor (and the only non-senior starter) on that 24-1 quintet. He won a crucial jump ball with the score tied in the championship game that enabled SHS to maintain control of the ball and convert the winning basket at the buzzer.

Dave really shined on the baseball field where he played center field and consistently led the team in home runs and runs-batted-in. The consummate team player, when a medical problem sidelined him his junior year, he spent the season coaching third base to remain an integral part of the team. In his senior year, he led the team to one of SHS’s best baseball records of 11 wins and 5 losses, while batting .450 (mostly on extra base hits). In his first two years he hit over .400. When a Red Sox scout came to see him play, he hit a single, triple and home run. Against a very strong Berlin High team (and future major league pitcher Gary Waslewski), David also had a single, triple and home run.

Dave was the 1961 Meade Alcorn Outstanding Athlete and, following high school, he went on to play baseball at the University of Hartford where he continued his power hitting with numerous home runs and a batting average of .332. He also played in the semi-pro Hartford Twilight League for three years and was among the league leaders in hitting as well as a League All Star. Throughout his athletic career in both high school and college, Dave consistently made the honor roll and dean’s list and was a member of the SHS National Honor Society.

Lisa Lumbruno
Soccer
Inducted in 2006

Lisa Lumbruno and her two younger sisters formed the nucleus of the East Granby Angels, a traveling soccer team coached by their father, Dick. When she entered East Granby High School, however, they did not have a girls soccer team. Lisa transferred into the Vo-Ag Program at Suffield High where, in 1978, her varsity soccer career began on Suffield’s newly formed team. A pioneer in the sport, she was an outstanding player and lettered in her three years at SHS while earning All Conference and All State honors as well. A prolific goal scorer, she led the team to the NCCC Title as a senior and to two appearances in the state open soccer tournament. That conference title was the first ever league championship for a SHS girls team. Lisa also played varsity basketball for three years, one year of varsity softball, and two years of track and field.

After high school, she attended the University of Connecticut from 1981 to 1984 and played on the women’s soccer team. The Lady Huskies went to the Nationals in all three of her seasons there. In 1981, the last year of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, the team finished third. In 1982 and 1983, UConn moved to the NCAA Tournament where they placed third and fourth respectively. During her tenure at Connecticut, the team had an overall record of 52 wins, 6 losses, and 3 ties…an outstanding run! In 1982, she played on the first women’s national team.

Lisa coached the State of Connecticut Integrated Soccer Team in 1987 when they played in the 7th International Special Olympics Summer Games in South Bend, Indiana. More than 70 countries participated, the largest amateur sports event in the world! From 1999 to 2004, Lisa played soccer with a women’s team in the Nutmeg State Games that routinely won the gold medal, even qualifying for the National State Games in 2003. She competed in a rigorous Ironman Triathlon in Lake Placid in 2002, consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run.

Lisa is currently a Program Supervisor for the Connecticut Department of Children and Families and resides in Mansfield.

Bret Lynch
Track
Inducted in 2005

Bret Lynch was an outstanding runner at Suffield High School where he participated in Cross Country, Indoor Track and Outdoor Track. The 1983 graduate earned All North Central Connecticut Conference (NCCC) recognition in Cross Country in the fall of 1982. Later that school year, he won a place on the All State Team in Indoor Track via his performance in the 1500 meter event. He capped his senior year with an outstanding Outdoor Track season where he was the NCCC Conference Champion in the 3000 meter event beating all comers and setting a Conference mark in taking the crown. His prowess in 3000 meter event earned him the runner-up spot in the Class S Championship meet. He was not to be denied in the 1500 meter event where he was the Class S State Champion in 1983. Along the way, he set SHS school records in the 1500 meters (4:09.18), 3000 meters (9:07), and 5000 meters (16:24), all in Outdoor Track. A member of the National Honor Society and recipient of the SHS Coaches Award, Bret was named the winner of the 1983 Meade Alcorn Outstanding Athlete Award as best athlete at Suffield High.

Entering Colgate University in the fall of 1983, his running career continued unabated as he participated in Cross Country, Indoor Track and Outdoor Track. He was named all Conference in Cross Country in 1985 and 1986. In Indoor Track, he was twice named to All Conference teams—Distance Medley Relay in 1985 and 1500 meters in l986. Likewise, in Outdoor Track, he achieved All Conference Honors in l986 and 1987, both years for 1500 meters. While at Colgate, he set school records for 1500 meters in both Indoor Track (3:58.21) and Outdoor Track (3:55.7). He co-captained all three teams his senior year and was Cross Country co-captain as a junior. In all, Brett earned nine varsity letters at Colgate and following graduation, served as assistant varsity coach for all three teams. A frequent member of the Dean’s List, he was also a member of Phi Eta Sigma Academic Honor Society.

The Suffield resident continues to run (including in local road races) and is an active cyclist.

Ted Lyon
Basketball, Golf, Soccer
Inducted in 2002

In 1985, Ted led SHS to a 27-1 record and its second State Basketball Championship. Playing an outstanding tournament final where he scored 25 points, he was named the most valuable player for the game. The team also won NCCC Conference Championships in 1984 (finishing with an overall record of 22-4) and 1985, when Ted was captain. A prolific shot-maker, Ted scored from the outside with his classic jump shot or could slash to the basket for inside points. He rang up 1464 points during his high school career which was the highest total amassed by any boy in school history, and he accomplished the feat before the advent of the 3-point shot. It was a record that would stand for 17 years. In 1984 and 1985, he was named All State in basketball—the only one from Suffield ever accorded that honor twice. A member of the National Honor Society, three times he was named All NCCC Conference and received the Coaches Award in 1985.

In addition to his sterling basketball career, Ted was also an accomplished golfer and played a year of soccer. He was named All NCCC Golf first team three years and was a member of the 1981 State Championship Soccer Team. Upon graduation, he was a 4-year member of the Trinity College Varsity Basketball Team and Co-Captain in 1988-89. While at Trinity, he led the team to two New England Small College Championships. Taking a page from his high school career, Ted scored 20 points in the 1989 final and was game MVP. He graduated from Trinity in 1989 with a B.S. in Economics and received his Masters in Business Administration from Boston College.

Sena Maziarz
Soccer, Basketball, Track
Inducted in 2004

Sena attended Suffield High School from 1993-1997 where she played three sports… soccer, basketball, and track and field. Although she loved them all, Sena always had a passion for soccer. When she began her career in 1993, the SHS girls soccer team was coming off several dismal years, including at least 3 winless campaigns from the late 1980’s into the early 1990’s. The four victories in her freshman season, while small in number, were the start of a significant turnaround in the program. A 7-8-1 record the following year gave Suffield a long-awaited berth in the state tournament. The turnaround was complete in 1995 when Sena’s team was undefeated going into the states, with only 3 ties marring its’ otherwise spotless record…they ultimately loss in the semi-finals. In her senior season, with Sena leading the way, the team was 15-1 and one of the favorites to win but again fell short of winning the coveted state championship. Playing varsity soccer for four years at SHS, she earned All-Conference selections every year, the first time a Suffield student-athlete had accomplished that feat. During her career, she scored 51 goals and assisted on 41 others. In her senior year, she was an All-State selection and participated in the Senior Bowl and the Connecticut Top 100.

After high school, Sena attended Colgate University where she played Division I soccer for four years. She was a two-time first team selection to the All-Patriot League team and garnered Offensive Player of the Year honors in her senior year. In addition, Sena was selected to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. She tied the record for assists in a game (three) during an exciting league game against Army that Colgate won in overtime.

Her club experience was mostly with World Class Soccer, based out of Windsor, CT. With this team, Sena went to Regionals numerous times and participated in Nationals three times. During the summer of 2000, her team won the National title for the U-20 age group with an over time win against the Region III team, Texas Image. In addition to this club team, she participated on the Connecticut ODP (Olympic Development Program) for a few years.

During the summer of 2001, Sena played semi-professional soccer with the Springfield Sirens (W-League team) and the following year moved to the Rhode Island Rays. That fall, Sena was the assistant women’s soccer coach at St. Lawrence University, an extremely competitive Division III team, located in upstate New York. The team won the New York State tournament and placed second in the ECAC tournament, finishing with a 14-7-1 record.

Sena is currently living in North Carolina where she coaches high school soccer.

Chet McComb
Little League Baseball/Town Volunteer
Inducted in 2002

The “Father of Little League Baseball in Suffield” is an apt description of this man’s contribution to the town. Chet McComb was a part of the handful of men who launched the town-wide Little League. He began as the Assistant Manager of the Rotary Team and one year later became the Manager. Remaining in that capacity for several years, he also emerged as the take-charge guy to run the League as a whole. He was elected President in 1959 for the first time and continued in a leadership position until his death in 1984. Under Chet’s watch, the League expanded from 4 to 6 teams, then 7 and upwards from there. In 1974, a Senior League for boys ages 13-15 was created for those who wanted to continue playing beyond LL. Along the way, girls became eligible to play LL baseball.

Throughout his tenure, fundraising was an ever present need to keep the League going. Initially done through “passing the hat” at games, financial support was added when players went door-to-door soliciting townspeople for contributions. Chet replaced this mode with a Town-wide letter solicitation. A LL Women’s Auxiliary was formed in 1959 to aid the cause. Record hops, fashion shows, refreshment sales, and fence-board advertising were all added to the mix. LL remained self-sufficient until 1980 when an October, 1979 tornado destroyed Christian Field, the LL facility since 1960. Chet oversaw the $20,000 reconstruction project which included some monies from the Town.

A formidable competitor with a compassionate heart, Chet kept newspaper clippings that tracked his Little Leaguers long after their playing days ended (awards, college scholarships and exploits, etc. and, sadly, even some death notices). It would be difficult to quantify how many young Suffield lives were touched by the efforts of this gentle, caring man.

Bill Miller
Football, Basketball, Baseball
Inducted in 2003

Bill attended Suffield High School for three years but later transferred to Suffield Academy to pursue his desire to play football. Earning a full athletic scholarship at the Academy he graduated in 1948. While at SHS, he played baseball and basketball and during this same period played football for the Windsor Locks Ramblers, an independent team.

At Suffield Academy, he starred for the undefeated 1946 football team (7-0). Rated as the strongest prep school team in the area, the team gave up only 19 points all season and became the first Tiger team to go undefeated since the early 1920’s. Bill captained the 1947 team and again played a leading role when they finished with 3 wins, 3 losses and a tie. An outstanding basketball player as well, he played on the 1946-47 Academy basketball team that finished 21-1 (losing only to a powerful West Point Plebes team). The team went on to participate in the Eastern States Basketball Tournament. The next basketball season, Bill played a key role as the Academy won the Class A Invitation Prep School Tournament with an upset of highly touted Tilton (NH) 40-36. The Tigers won 16 and lost only 4 during the regular season.

Following graduation, Bill received a full athletic scholarship to Wake Forest University in football where he played for four years and was an outstanding runner at fullback. He averaged over 5 yards/carry as a freshman on “one of the strongest Wake Forest frosh teams in 25 years.” They finished 4-1, losing only to North Carolina by one point! Touted as a Doc Blanchard look-alike, Bill was often compared to the Army player in style and with the same devastating running results. Some highlights from throughout his collegiate career include:
¨ Scored TD in loss to North Carolina and in big win over William & Mary.
¨ Scored and ran brilliantly in 27-7 win over Duke.
¨ As a junior, team was 6-1-2; first time in 26 years Wake did not lose to any North Carolina opponent.
¨ Leading ground gainer for Wake Forest as a junior…721 yards on 178 carries.
¨ Scored only TD in tie with Boston College, scored TD in lopsided win over Richmond,
¨ Scored twice in 47-0 win over William & Mary, and scored once in one-point loss to Clemson in battle of unbeatens.
¨ As a senior, Wake won 6 and lost 4, beating all three North Carolina opponents.
¨ Hampered by injuries most of the season, Bill had a breakout game in a win over Duke.

In recognition of his success on the gridiron, Bill was voted Honorable Mention All American, Third Team UP All South, and made All Southern Conference Second Team in 1951. He was selected by the Chicago Bears in the 11^th round of the 1951 NFL Draft. In his brief time in the NFL, he played all of the preseason only to have a career ending injury in but his second regular season game.

Iggy Miller-Murawski
Baseball, Basketball
Inducted in 2008

Iggy Miller Murawski graduated from Suffield Academy in 1936. Iggy was a standout in both basketball and baseball at the Academy. He captained the baseball team in 1935 and 1936 and the basketball team in 1936. Iggy received a scholar-athlete award for his outstanding success as an athlete and a student.

Iggy’s athletic accomplishments began, however, before high school and continued long after he graduated. In grammar school he won three baseball championships and one basketball title by 1932.
After high school, Iggy established himself as one of the premier semi-pro baseball players. He played in the Springfield Tri-County League, for the Savitt Gems and the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft team. A shortstop until 1941, when Iggy switched to become a pitcher. Playing for the Hartford Royal Typewriter team, he was 8-5 and selected to the League All Star Team.

The Savitt Gems signed Iggy to a pitching contract in 1941. In the next four years Iggy participated against an array of professional talent from the Negro League, the New York Yankees, the National League All-Stars, and service teams who barnstormed the area. Among the many major leaguers he played against were Ted Williams, Satchel Paige, and Babe Ruth, and he played with the Babe in an All-Star game at Bulkeley Stadium. Iggy’s prowess as a pitcher led him to victories over some of the best baseball teams from Brooklyn to Boston, and he was also an excellent hitter, as his .353 batting average in 1946 will attest. He led his teams to several Twilight League championships, the last in 1953, before he moved on to become a Little League coach and administrator. His Suffield induction is his third Hall of Fame, having been previously inducted into the Hartford Twighlight League and the Enfield Halls of Fame.

Russ Mills
Coach, Administrator
Inducted in 2005

Russ Mills has been involved in athletics for virtually his entire life. Growing up in Bloomfield, Russ moved to Suffield shortly after his marriage to Marjorie Goodsell. He and his wife lived for many years on River Boulevard where they raised two sons and four daughters.

When he was in high school, his father needed him on the family farm, so Russ was told he could only play two sports…he chose basketball (as a high school sport) and golf on the side. Following up on a distinguished high school basketball career, Russ remained active in that sport as well as softball as an adult. He played both fast pitch and slow pitch softball for a variety of area teams in the spring and summer, and played basketball for the Bloomfield Townies for a number of years. When his son reached Little League age, Russ volunteered to coach the boy’s farm team and that began a 30-plus year career of involvement in youth baseball. A highly successful coach in terms of wins and losses, Russ prided himself on the fact that all his players were active participants and each was learning to maximize his own potential. He was instrumental in the passage of a minimum playing requirement in Little League for each boy and taught the fundamentals of the game by his “show and tell” method. By stressing teamwork and personal commitment, his Rotary Little League Team was able to capture three successive league titles in the mid-1960’s.

When he perceived that too many boys were missing out on baseball because the town had only one age 13-15 Babe Ruth League Team, he became the lightening rod for the development of the Suffield Senior League to accommodate these older players. In the first year over 45 boys signed up to play and it has been a fixture in the town ever since.

Russ also served a 2-year stint as president of the Little League and helped organize the adult Men’s Softball League. An attempt to organize an adult women’s softball team lasted only one year but many women continued to play in Windsor Locks.

What started out as a modest attempt to coach his son’s Little League Team turned into a 30-something year commitment to Suffield and its baseball youth!

Lauren Naida
Soccer, Basketball, Tennis
Inducted in 2007

Lauren Naida was an outstanding athlete at Suffield High School where over her four-year high school career she earned nine varsity letters. She was the starting point guard on the basketball team for two years, a team that earned a state tournament bid in 1999 with a 14-9 record. In the spring, Lauren played on the tennis team earning three varsity letters and was named NCCC All-Conference for two of those three years.

It was in soccer, however, where Lauren really made her mark. In her first two varsity games as a freshman, she scored an amazing ten goals. Coach Mimi Park’s team went on to win 15 games that year, losing but one, and tying three as they made their way to the Class S State Semi-Finals before losing for the first time. Lauren finished her first year with 35 goals and 17 assists to lead the team in both categories. Her reputation now established, Lauren was a marked person throughout the rest of her career but her goal totals remained high, scoring 20 as a sophomore and 24 as a junior. As a sophomore, she teamed up with another prolific scorer, Sena Maziarz, and the two led Suffield to a 15 and 1 regular season record. Suffield won the NCCC Conference Championship but lost in the state quarterfinals. In her junior year, Lauren was joined by her freshman sister, Tracy, and Suffield once again ended the regular season with only one loss. This time they were upset in the opening round tournament game when they tied Coventry in regulation time but lost on penalty kicks. In all three years, Lauren was named to the All-NCCC Team, the All-State Team, and as a junior, added All-New England honors to her accolades. As Lauren prospered, so too did SHS girls soccer and the team won one NCCC title outright, tied for a second one, and was runner-up for a third. They also made three trips to the state tournament during this time.

In the summer of 1998, Lauren was selected to participate in the Elite Addidas Invitational Soccer Program featuring the top 100 girls soccer players in the country. To everyone’s dismay, she tore her ACL at the camp and was forced to sit out her entire senior season. Undaunted, she spent the campaign on the sidelines with Coach David Sullivan and the team helping in any way she could. The team went on to win the Class S State Championship!

Lauren finished her high school career with 79 goals, which at the time was the school record. She is currently ranked second all time in career goals. Following graduation, took her abundant talents to the University of Connecticut. She was an impact player there for four years, scoring a number of key goals, and helped lead the Huskies to their first ever Big East crown. As in high school, Lauren again suffered a torn ACL just before her senior season, but this time was able to play most of the year.

Lauren, too, had a long and successful career playing for Oakwood in the Connecticut Premier League where she was the team captain and led the team to two successive state titles. She also participated on the Olympic Development Team, playing on the state team for six years and the Region I team for two.

A personnel professional, Lauren now makes her home in Florida.

Mike Pohorylo
Swimming
Inducted in 2005

Mike Pohorylo was a swimmer par excellence for Suffield Academy in the late 1990’s and had a sparkling career at Amherst College where he graduated in 2004. Like most swimming prodigies, he began his career early (at age 8) swimming for the Windsor Locks Water Jets and, later, the Charter Oak team. He entered Suffield Academy in 1996 and joined both the Swim Team and the Water Polo Team. He was captain of both teams (Water Polo in 1998-99) and the Varsity Swim Team from 1998 to 2000. While at Suffield, he was a U.S. Swimming Junior National qualifier in 1999, and that same year was a member of the Academy team that won the New England Prep School Championship in the 200-yard Freestyle Relay. In his senior year, he set Suffield Academy records in the 200-yard Individual Medley and 100-yard Breaststroke. In these same events, he won the New England Prep School Championships. For his efforts, he was named a two-time All American and the Boston Globe Male New England Swimmer of the Year. While his achievements in the pool were legendary, he also excelled in the classroom where he was named an Academic All American and was awarded the H. Meade Alcorn prize for excellence in academics and athletics.

Entering Amherst College in 2000, he quickly established himself as a premier swimmer and enjoyed tremendous success over his four years there. He was a two-time National Division III Champion in the 100 and 200-yard Breaststroke events, won ten New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) championships (5 individual, 5 relay), set four NESCAC championship records, set three NESCAC conference records, and five Amherst pool and varsity records. Mike was an 11-time All American swimmer, six-time All American Honorable mention and a 16-time All-NESCAC honoree. He was named to both the Collegiate Sports Information Directors All American team and NESCAC All Academic Team for his prowess in the classroom as well as the pool. He served as captain of both the Swim Team and the Water Polo Team, a sport in which he earned All New England First Team honors.

After graduating from Amherst in 2004, Mike moved to Boston where he is enrolled at Boston College and pursuing a masters degree in Higher Education Administration. He was also recently named as an Assistant Mens and Womens Swim Coach at the same BC school.

Hillary Rockwell Cahn
Skiing
Inducted in 2007

Hillary Rockwell Cahn graduated from Suffield Academy in 1988. She was raised in Suffield, attending Bridge Street School, Spaulding and McAlister Schools before enrolling at Suffield Academy. Hillary began her alpine racing career at the age of six, competing for the Ski Sundown Racing Team. In each of the years she was eligible, she represented the State of Connecticut in the New England Buddy Werner Ski Championships. When she reached the age of twelve she competed in the Tri-State Region (CT, MA and RI) of the United State Ski Association. In each year she was eligible, Hillary was selected to compete in the Junior Olympics skiing in both the slalom and giant slalom events. As a twelve year old, she was awarded the Chairman’s Trophy as the top Junior three skier in the region. She was a Junior Olympic participant from the age of twelve and skied against this high level competition for six years. During this time she was selected to represent the United States in an international race against Canadian skiers. Hillary continued to compete through high school at the highest level of Eastern Alpine racing, as a representative of the Tri-State Alpine Racing Association in the Eastern Cup Series.

As a member of the Suffield Academy Ski Team, Hillary was often the only female skier competing in the Berkshire Ski League. She earned the distinction of being the only female in the league to beat all of her male counterparts. In each of her four years at Suffield Academy, she was selected to the All-New England Prep School ski team. She was elected captain of her team in her senior year. Throughout her high school years, she trained (during the summer) with several United States Ski Team coaches. Hillary went on to ski for the University of New Hampshire. As a member of UNH’s nationally ranked team, she represented the school on their top competitive team.
Upon graduation, Hillary coached in Breckenridge, Colorado for one year before accepting a position as a coach at the Holderness School in New Hampshire. She coached at the school for three years and some of her skiers participated in USSA events. Following her stint at Holderness, she returned to Suffield Academy to take over the Alpine Ski program. Since returning to Suffield, Hillary has coached numerous All-New England skiers, at the same time establishing Suffield Academy as one of the top independent school programs in Southern New England. They have been Berkshire Ski League champions the past two years.

Hillary’s athletic career also included stellar years as a soccer and lacrosse player at the Academy. She captained both teams in her senior year and played on several undefeated teams in both sports. At graduation, Hillary was awarded the Butler Cup as the Outstanding Female Athlete at the Academy.

In addition to coaching the ski team, she also coached the Girls Lacrosse Team for a time. No longer the lacrosse coach, Hillary is on the faculty of the Academy and remains the Head Coach of the Alpine Ski Team.

She and her husband, Academy Headmaster Charlie Cahn, live at the school with their two children, Peyton and Harrison.

John Rowley
Soccer, Track, Basketball, Baseball
Inducted in 2002

John, a 1968 graduate of Suffield High, was a three-sport star as a member of the soccer, basketball and track teams. As the varsity soccer goalie, he had 14 shutouts in 1967 and was named a member of the American European Soccer & Cultural Seminar Team which toured six countries, one of only three high school students so honored. As a track athlete, John set school records in the 880 and javelin and in 1968 was an All NCCC Conference selection in track. In 1968, he received the Meade Alcorn Outstanding Athlete Award.

Upon graduation, John attended Akron University where, in 1969, the soccer team was ranked second nationally. There he had 3 shutouts as a goaltender and scored 16 goals as a field player. In 1972-1973, John played for the Ukrainian Semi-Pro Soccer Team out of Dedham, Massachusetts.

From 1986-1992, he founded and coached youth soccer at Saxton’s River, Vermont and in 1994, he obtained his Class D New Hampshire Coaching Certificate.

Melanie Schorr
Track
Inducted in 2010

Melanie Schorr is among the top student athletes in Suffield High School history. As a cross country runner, she was the NCCC champion in 2000 and 2001, Class M State Champion in 2000 and the bronze medalist in the New England Championships. In indoor track, Melanie won multiple NCCC championships as well as State and Open Championships in the 1600, 800, and 1000 meter events. Her records in outdoor track were also extensive in the NCCC, State Open, and New England Championships. In 2002, Melanie was a finalist for the Wendy's High School Heisman Award for her excellence in academics and athletics and was the valedictorian of her class.

She went on to Dartmouth College where she placed in the top ten in Ivy and East Regional Championships in cross country and was selected an NCAA All-American in 2005. In outdoor track, Melanie placed second in the Penn Relays in the 3000 meters in 2006 and second in the Ivy League Championships. Melanie received the Class of 1936 Award at Dartmouth's graduation honoring her for being the most outstanding woman in her class.

Joe Sinicrope
Coach
Inducted in 2004

Joe arrived at Suffield High School in 1964 to begin his teaching career in the subjects of Social Studies and Mathematics. In 1967, he became an assistant track coach launching a coaching career that continues to this day. In 1972, he became head coach of track and field and shortly thereafter established the first indoor track team in Suffield history. For a 5-year period in the 1970’s, Joe also coached the boys cross-country team. Presently on a 37-year continuum in coaching SHS athletics, what an illustrious career it has been!

The first notable taste of victory occurred in 1970 when the boys track and field team won the NCCC Championship with Joe as an assistant coach. After being named head coach, the league championships really began to mount up as his boys teams won consecutive titles from 1973 to 1980. Their dual meet record under Joe’s tutelage was 226-88, including undefeated seasons in 1979, 1980 and 1986. In both 1985 and 1986, they finished second in their quest for a state championship. In recent years, Joe also spent time coaching the girls track and field program, as well as the boys, and he had success in that arena as well. Over the last six years, the boys won their first State Championship in 1998, and the girls won NCCC Championships in 2000 and 2002, and followed up with State Championships in the same years.

In coaching the indoor track team, Joe has been no less successful. His boys teams have captured two league titles (1998 and 1999), a State Runner-Up Title in 1998, and a State Championship in 1999. He coached the girls teams to five consecutive NCCC Championships beginning in 1999, three State Runner-Up titles (1999, 2001, 2002) and a State Championship in 2000. Two of his relay teams (boys 4x800 and girls 4x1 mile) captured Nike All-American designations.

Joe has been active in the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference and the Connecticut High School Coaches Association for a number of years and has been the NCCC Meet Director for over 25 years. He was named the Connecticut High School Outstanding Boys Track Coach in 1990 and there have been a number of Meet Awards named in his honor.

Aside from his coaching exploits, Joe is himself an avid runner and currently holds the 48^th longest running streak in the nation, over 27 years! He was the USA Track and Field Eastern Masters Indoor 1500 meters Champion in 1996 for the 50-54 age group and is presently ranked number 3 for that same distance in the 60-64 age group. He was a member of the USA Track and Field Half Marathon Championship Team (Age 50-59) in 1993 and 1994 and has won numerous road races for his age group in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

Lloyd Steen
Track, Soccer
Inducted in 2008

When Lloyd Steen graduated from SHS in 1978, he left an athletic legacy that included outstanding play as a stopper and goalie in soccer, and record setting performances in indoor and outdoor track. Lloyd’s athletic accomplishments earned him the Meade Alcorn Outstanding Athlete at graduation.
Lloyd helped lead SHS to two state semi-finals in soccer. His junior year as a stopper back the team finished with a 14-1-2 record, and, in his senior season he was the goalie on a team that finished with 13-3-3 record, including 9 shutouts.

Lloyd’s best sport was track and field. Blessed with both speed and strength, Lloyd excelled in running and field events. He was a sprinter and hurdler and also participated in the shot put, javelin, discus, long jump and pole vault. Never finishing worse than third in every event he entered his senior year, Steen led Suffield to the NCCC Championship. Lloyd was named to the All Conference Team for the second time in 1978. Lloyd’s incredible versatility led him to try the decathlon in the State Open where he finished third, setting a school record of over six thousand points. This record still stands.

Lloyd’s success in the decathlon took him to Division I University of Rhode Island as one of their top recruits. In 1980, in the decathlon, he finished fifth in the Boston College Relays, fifth in the New Englands, and seventh in IC4A Championship in Philadelphia, and set the decathlon record at URI that stood for 22 years.

Dan Sullivan
Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Coach
Inducted in 2002

Danny has had a distinguished career both as a player and a coach. Blessed with speed to burn and a fiery, competitive nature, Danny excelled in soccer, basketball and baseball, plus he also ran on Suffield’s limited event track team. A preview of his impending coaching prowess became evident during high school when he coached the West Suffield Civics Little League Team as a fifteen-year old junior. He graduated from SHS in 1953 where he was 4-year Class President and earned 16 varsity letters; he moved on to Wilbraham Academy for a year and earned 3 more varsity letters.

Then, at Springfield College, Danny was a member of the 1958 Springfield College National Champion Soccer Team, was named First Team All New England and named to the First Team (Division I) All American Soccer Team. While there, he also played varsity basketball and baseball.

After graduation in 1960, Danny joined Windsor Locks High School as a Physical Education Teacher. Over the next 37 years as a three-sport coach, his teams won a total of 1276 games, including 6 Soccer State Championships (and 3 State Runner-ups) and a Baseball State Championship in 1966. His 1988 Basketball Team went to the State Finals but lost to a talented Avon Team. He received the Connecticut Gold Key Award in 1994, was named to the Connecticut High School Coaches Hall of Fame in 1995, National High School Coach of the Year in 1996, Connecticut High School Outstanding Basketball Coach of the year in 1998, Connecticut Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame in 2001, and was inducted into the National Coaches Hall of Fame in 2001.

David Sullivan
Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Coach
Inducted in 2003

Maybe it’s in the genes…the son of legendary athlete and coach Danny Sullivan, David has carved his own unique niche in the annals of Suffield athletics. Achieving outstanding success as both an athlete and a coach, he first came into prominence as a freshman soccer player in 1981 when he scored the only goal in Suffield’s State Championship win over Valley Regional. Dave started varsity for four years, was the leading scorer on the team for three of those years, and was captain in both his junior and senior years. His exploits earned him All NCCC honors for three years and All State honors for two years.

In his four- year varsity career in basketball, Dave was captain in 1985 when the Wildcats captured their second State Basketball Championship in school history. He was the play- maker averaging just over seven points per game for a very talented quintet that finished 27-1. Dave also played varsity baseball for three years where he was captain for his final two years. He earned All NCCC recognition as a junior and senior. Capping his 11-letter athletic career, David received the Meade Alcorn Outstanding Athlete Award in 1985.

Following high school graduation, David went on to Boston College on a soccer scholarship and played for the Eagles for four years. He led the team in scoring for three years, was All Big East as a sophomore, and traveled to Europe to play as a member of the PUMA USA East Regional All Stars. For two years after college, he played semi-pro soccer for the Moodus Rowdies.

In 1990, David began coaching soccer (first boys and now girls) at Suffield High School. In 1991, his boys team copped the fifth boys State Championship in Suffield High history and the first since Dave’s playing days in 1981! Following a four year hiatus, he returned to coach the girls soccer team in 1998 starting a string of three consecutive trips to the State Finals in which his teams won the girls State Championship in 1998 and 2000. The 1998 Crown was the first ever State Title for any SHS girls athletic team! Presently in his 6^th season, Coach Sullivan has had 8 of his players receive soccer scholarships to Division I colleges.

Outside of his high school coaching role, Dave has been active in the Suffield Parks and Recreation Commission as a member, vice chairman, and coach as well as coaching Suffield youth teams for the Soccer Club, Little League, and Travel Basketball.

Larry Tavino
Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Coach
Inducted in 2002

Larry was an outstanding three-sport athlete at SHS earning 10 varsity letters. As a soccer goaltender/field player, he was named All NCCC Conference, All Area and All State in both 1978 and 1979. He led his team to the State Championship in 1978 (earning MVP honors) and the team was State Runner-Up in 1979. The team won the NCCC Conference Championship all four years that Larry played.

In 1979 and 1980 as a member of the basketball team, Larry was named All NCCC Conference, All Area and All State Honorable Mention. An All NCCC Conference baseball player in 1980, he was named the SHS Meade Alcorn Outstanding Athlete, and was listed by The Hartford Courant as one of Suffield’s “Best of the Century” athletes.

Upon graduation Larry attended Southern Connecticut State University where he was a soccer goaltender and helped Southern to a NCAA Division II 4^th place National finish in 1980 and NCAA Division II 3^rd place National finish in 1981. He later transferred to Winthrop University in South Carolina where, as a field player in 1983 and 1984, he was named All District, All Area and All South, and in 1984 was a NAIA All American. At the same time, he was named an NAIA Academic All American, NSCAA All American, and in 1985 was a Rhodes Scholar Nominee.

Upon completion of his Masters Degree, he moved to Hilton Head, South Carolina to teach Mathematics and Physical Education, to serve as Athletic Director, and to coach boys and girls varsity soccer. In seven years his teams went to 6 State Finals and won 3 State championships. He was named Coach of the Year 4 times.

Ed Tryon
Football
Inducted in 2005

Eddie Tryon was born in Medford, Massachusetts, but relocated to Suffield when he entered Suffield Academy in 1919. No stranger to town, Eddie had spent most of his summers living at the family cottage on Lake Congamond.

He made All-Connecticut Valley teams in football for three straight years while attending Suffield Academy and later went on to star as a running back for Colgate from 1922-25. As a senior, he led the East in scoring with 111 points and was captain of an unbeaten Colgate team. His greatest scoring day came in 1923 when he scored five touchdowns against Columbia University, a Colgate record unequaled until the early 1980’s. In four seasons, Eddie led Colgate to a 24-9-3 record. His coach, Dick Harlow, once called him “the answer to a coach’s fondest dreams.” He played professional football with Red Grange’s New York Yankees in 1926-27 before pursuing a career in coaching.

In 1963, the 1926 Colgate graduate was inducted into the National Collegiate Football Hall of Fame in Mason, Ohio, and the Helms Foundation Hall of Fame in Los Angeles. In 1979, Colgate inducted Eddie into its athletic hall of fame.

He worked as athletic director and coach at Rutherford High School, Rutherford. N.J., from 1928 to 1946. During this time he played with and coached a New Jersey Semi-professional team for six years. He later coached football at Hobart College, Geneva, N.Y., from 1946 until he retired in 1964. A member of the Hobart Hall of Fame, he coached the team to two undefeated seasons in 1954 and 1957. He also served on the NCAA Football Rules Committee for four years beginning in 1958. In addition, he umpired collegiate baseball and officiated for eight years in the American Football Association and three years in the NFL. After retirement, he returned to Suffield where he continued coaching as a part-time assistant at Suffield Academy.

He married Suffield native Luana Phelps in 1926 but she tragically died two years later, leaving Eddie to bring up his infant daughter, Barbara. Ed died in 1982 at the age of 81.

Jeff Viggiano
Basketball
Inducted in 2010

Jeff Viggiano’s credentials establish him as the best basketball player ever to come out of Suffield High School. He holds the single game record of 43 points and the career scoring mark of 1543 points. His 6' 6" frame and tremendous leaping ability made him an outstanding rebounder, and also enabled him to consistently produce high-flying dunks the likes of which had never been seen before at SHS. During his four year varsity career, Jeff led his team to four State Tournament berths, including a Class S State Championship in 2000. As a senior he was selected to the All-State team, was MVP of the CT Coaches All Star game, and won the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year Award, emblematic of the best player in the state.

After high school, Jeff went to the University of Massachusetts where he was a key player for 4 years. He was particularly effective against UConn, averaging 17 points per game his last three seasons. A versatile performer, he earned the Most Productive Player Award in 2002-03. After graduating from UMass, Jeff played professionally in Sweden and Hungary, and he is currently playing in Italy in the EuroLeague.

TOP ROW (L-R): Manager- Michelle Bulat, Manager-Tara Remington, and Manager- Mary Jennings, Greg Stewart, Dave Sullivan, Dan Sheridan, Greg Lyon, Phil Barrett, Head Coach Fran Aniello, Assistant Coach Peter Martin
BOTTOM ROW (L-R): Scott Morrison, Marcus Williams, Tom Naughton, Ted Lyon, Ray Young, Mike Daniel, Art Ouimet

They were the Class S Champions of Connecticut in 1985…that’s a fact. But in the eyes of many seasoned observers of the State basketball scene, they may have been the best Class S team ever! High praise for the boys of Suffield High and the 1984-85 Boys Basketball Team certainly made their mark. Coming off a glittering 22-5 record the prior year, they were poised for a great run and were among the early favorites to win the Class S crown. Led by their Mr. Outside, Ted Lyon, at 6’4” and Mr. Inside, Ray Young at 6’5”, the two were joined on the starting lineup by speedy David Sullivan, 6’4” Tom Naughton who possessed a dead-eye shot from the corner, and junior Mike Daniel who was 6’8” and growing! The front-line was backed up by Dan Sheridan, Greg Stewart, Marcus Williams, and Art Ouimet, all rugged rebounders and capable scorers. The back court trio of Scotty Morrison, Phil Barrett, and Greg Lyon were ready to come in at a moments notice to spark the team when needed with their fine shooting and ball-handling skills. At the coaching helm, was seven-year veteran Fran Aniello, who was a master at coordinating his talented troops.
The high expectations proved prophetic! Suffield won 27 games while losing only one. They won the NCCC League with a 16-0 record followed up by the Conference Playoff Title when they beat Canton by 20 points. Going into the State Tournament, they were on a 16 game winning streak (21 and 1 overall) with their only blemish being a loss to a very talented Class M Middletown team. After a blowout of Westbrook, they won a hard-fought battle against defending Class S Champion Terryville. During this period, the tournament format (which was by Region) allowed for a Regional Championship game where both winner and loser went on. The format set up one of the most anticipated match-ups in the tournament…23-1 Suffield against undefeated Litchfield. The Wildcats played a masterful game and came away with a 71-60 victory. Facing league foe Somers in the quarterfinals, Suffield extended their dominance over NCCC competition with their 44th consecutive victory. Feeling they had lost (versus Suffield had won) in their Regional Final match, Litchfield got a chance to play Suffield again in the State Semi-finals. Same teams…same result…with Suffield running away with a more convincing 24-point triumph.

As fate would have it, Suffield met Cromwell in the State Finals, the same Panther team that ended their title run in 1984. They relished the opportunity and ended their Cinderella year with a 57-46 victory over Cromwell, a program that had historically won seven state titles over the years. The victory marked Suffield’s second State Basketball Title and came on the 25th anniversary of the SHS win in 1960. Ted Lyon capped his career by being named Tournament MVP and finished as the SHS career scoring leader with 1464 points. Ray Young also finished his career, and he ended with a scoring total of 1067 points.

Supporting the SHS title run was assistant coach, Peter Martin and three dedicated managers, Michelle Bulat, Mary Jennings, and Tara Remington. Suffield townspeople also turned out in record numbers to support the team each game during its championship season.

1998 Girls Soccer Team
Inducted in 2006

1998 SUFFIELD HIGH SCHOOL CONNECTICUT STATE CLASS “S” GIRLS SOCCER CHAMPIONS
Top Row (L-R): Coach David Sullivan, Kristin Bridgman, Amy Claughsey, Angela Stafford, Britney Hinckley, Elizabeth Peake, Jane Christian, Lisa DePaolo, Tracy Naida, Jill Bizeau
Middle Row (L-R): Kelly Kannen, Kelly McEleney, Jamie Bielonko, Erin Horanzy, Tracie Zavisa, Bonny Davidson, Michaela Seccareccia, Nicole Augusto, Garyth Evans
Sitting (L-R): Heather Beaudoin, Kristal Crowe, Kara Goodman, Courtney Merrell, Andrea DeMaria, Lauren Naida

The 1998 Girls Soccer Team was the first girls team ever to capture a State Championship at Suffield High School. It was not an easy task. Girls soccer was definitely a sport on the way up at SHS where, since 1995, the team had either won, tied, or were runners-up for the NCCC league title. With teams like E.O. Smith, Tolland, Avon, and Granby in the mix, the NCCC was one of the premier leagues in the State for girls soccer. But even before the 1998 campaign began, Suffield’s leading scorer, Lauren Naida, was out for the season with a knee injury. Add to this the fact that Suffield had a new coach, David Sullivan, and a very young team (7 sophomores starting) and the team’s once bright prospects were markedly dampened.
The team got off to a rousing start, however, as they won their first five games in convincing fashion. Next up was arch rival and undefeated E.O. Smith, a team they had consistently battled for league supremacy. Suffield beat them 4-0 to take over the NCCC league lead. They ran their streak to 9-0 before meeting up with always tough Tolland. Despite giving up only one goal and outshooting the Lady Eagles, Suffield lost its first game of the season. After two more wins, the team suffered its second defeat of the year in another 1-0 loss, this time to Granby. The Lady Wildcats finished the regular season on a three game winning streak and won the conference title outright. They entered the state tournament with a 14-2 record and the #3 seed. With a first round bye, they met Tourtellotte in the second round and were forced to go to penalty kicks before prevailing in overtime. Wins over Rocky Hill and Avon set up their finals match up with unbeaten Lewis Mills. In a back-and-forth, closely contested game, Suffield outscored Mills by a 3-2 count to win the State Class S Crown.

Throughout the season, Suffield was led in scoring by Jill Bizeau and Tracy Nadia with key contributions from Erin Horanzy. The defense, starting with midfield, was substantially anchored by several more of the “sophomore seven” that earned starting positions at the beginning of the year. Krystal Crowe, Kelly McEleny, Michaela Seccareccia, and Tracie Zavisa matured and prospered during the 1998 season and were instrumental in shutting down the offenses of NCCC opponents. Their effectiveness can be seen in the fact that only 4 goals were scored against Suffield in the last 13 games of the regular season. The last line of defense in front of the goalkeeper was sweeper Kristin Bridgman. It was her job to erase any defensive breakdowns that may have occurred before the opposition could get to Kelly Kannen. As a sophomore starter in goal, Kelly Kannen had several sensational games. Notably, it was her key saves in the tournament semi-finals against Avon that kept Suffield’s championship dreams alive. Senior leadership in the person of tri-captains Andrea DeMaria, Courtney Merrell, and Lauren Nadia along with Lisa DePaolo and Libby Peake unquestionably played a prominent role in countering the several pitfalls that inevitably faced the inexperienced Lady Wildcats.

In finishing with a gaudy 18-2 mark, Suffield outscored its opponents by a 68 to 11 margin and racked up 9 shutout victories along the way. Coach Sullivan and the entire Town of Suffield couldn’t have been prouder of this young team that stared adversity in the face and would not be denied.

Bill Atkinson Coach, Athletic Director, Mentor | Inducted in 2003

Ryan Bak Track, Soccer Inducted in 2004

Frank Beneski Basketball, Soccer, Baseball Inducted in 2006

Ted Beneski Baseball, Soccer, Basketball Inducted in 2007

John Bertolini Hockey, Soccer, Baseball Inducted in 2006

Scott Bikowski Baseball, Basketball, Soccer Inducted in 2002

Jill Bizeau Soccer, Basketball, Softball Inducted in 2008

Fred Blakesley Inducted in 2008

Kathleen ‘Cookie’ Blodgett Bromage Field Hockey, Basketball, Cheerleading, Coach Inducted in 2003

Howard Brown Coach, Administrator Inducted in 2002

Tom Cain Baseball, Basketball, Soccer Inducted in 2010

Lori Casinghino Field Hockey, Tennis, Basketball Inducted in 2002

Bob Cecchini Coach, Athletic Director, Administrator Inducted in 2002

Marty Demers Hockey Inducted in 2006

Patrick Dougherty Coach Inducted in 2007

Mary-Jane Doyon Hussey Field Hockey, Basketball, Softball, Coach, Special Olympics Inducted in 2003

Karen Drake Field Hockey, Basketball, Softball Inducted in 2010

Rich Favreau Soccer, Basketball, Track Inducted in 2008

Annette Flynn Perry Field Hockey, Basketball, Track Inducted in 2002

Russ Fricke Golf, Soccer, Basketball Inducted in 2003

Tom Ganley Basketball, Soccer, Baseball Inducted in 2004

Larry Green Coach Inducted in 2010

Bobby Hinckley Hockey, Soccer, Baseball Inducted in 2005

Dennis Kinne Coach Inducted in 2004

Larry Krogh Soccer,Basketball, Baseball Inducted in 2002

Joe Lewandoski Basketball, Soccer, Baseball Inducted in 2002

Michael Lichstein Bowling Inducted in 2010

David Lill Baseball, Soccer, Basketball Inducted in 2003

Lisa Lumbruno Soccer Inducted in 2006

Bret Lynch Track Inducted in 2005

Ted Lyon Basketball, Golf, Soccer Inducted in 2002

Sena Maziarz Soccer, Basketball, Track Inducted in 2004

Chet McComb Little League Baseball/Town Volunteer Inducted in 2002

Bill Miller Football, Basketball, Baseball Inducted in 2003

Iggy Miller-Murawski Baseball, Basketball Inducted in 2008

Russ Mills Coach, Administrator Inducted in 2005

Lauren Naida Soccer, Basketball, Tennis Inducted in 2007

Mike Pohorylo Swimming Inducted in 2005

Hillary Rockwell Cahn Skiing Inducted in 2007

John Rowley Soccer, Track, Basketball, Baseball Inducted in 2002

Melanie Schorr Track Inducted in 2010

Joe Sinicrope Coach Inducted in 2004

Lloyd Steen Track, Soccer Inducted in 2008

Dan Sullivan Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Coach Inducted in 2002

David Sullivan Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Coach Inducted in 2003

Larry Tavino Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Coach Inducted in 2002

Ed Tryon Football Inducted in 2005

Jeff Viggiano Basketball Inducted in 2010

1959-1960 SHS Boys Basketball Team Inducted in 2004

1978-79 SHS Boys Ice Hockey Team Inducted in 2007

1981 SHS Boys Soccer Team Inducted in 2008

1982 SHS Boys Golf Team Inducted in 2010

1984-85 SHS Boys Basketball Team Inducted in 2005

1998 Girls Soccer Team Inducted in 2006