SCOTT BIKOWSKI – 1991 to Present

Baseball, Basketball, Soccer

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 Suffield High School.

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.

HOWARD BROWN – 1943-1979

Coach, Administrator

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.

LORI CASINGHINO – 1986 to Present

Field Hockey, Tennis, Basketball

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 “JIGGS” CECCHINI – 1965 to Present

Coach, Athletic Director, Administrator

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.

LARRY KROGH – 1973–1978

Soccer, Basketball, Baseball

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 LEWANDOWSKI – 1949-1955

Basketball, Soccer, Baseball

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.

TED LYON – 1981-1989

Basketball, Golf, Soccer

In 1985, Ted led SHS to a 27-1 record and its second State Basketball Championship. The team also won NCCC Conference Championships in 1984 and 1985, when Ted was captain. A prolific scorer, he rung 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.

Ted was also named All NCCC Golf first team for three years. 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. He graduated from Trinity in 1989 with a B.S. in Economics and received his Masters in Business Administration from Boston College.

CHET MCCOMB – 1953 – 1984

Little League Baseball/Town Volunteer

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.

ANNETTE FLYNN PERRY – 1984 – 1992

Basketball, Field Hockey, Track

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. She is the mother of a 6-year old son and coordinates and coaches youth soccer and basketball.

JOHN ROWLEY – 1964 – 1973

Soccer, Track, Basketball, Baseball

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.

DANNY SULLIVAN – 1949 – Present

Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Coach

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.

LARRY TAVINO – 1976 to Present

Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Coach

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.

Since 1983, Larry has been a Math and Physical Education Teacher (and now Athletic Director) at Hilton Head Prep School in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Coaching both Boys and Girls Varsity Soccer, his teams have won 3 State Championships and 5 State Runner-Ups.