Warde Grads Jerry Vigorito and Rob Fried to be Honored This Week at the American Red Cross Lower Fairfield County 2010 Heroes Breakfast

Andrew Warde High School alumni Jerry Vigorito (Class of 1976) and Rob Fried (1977) will be honored by the Connecticut Chapter of the American Red Cross at its Lower Fairfield County 2010 Heroes Breakfast this Thursday morning, March 25, at the Trumbull Marriott.

The heroes, nominated by the public last year and selected in 10 categories, include honorees from Bridgeport, Fairfield, New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Weston, Westport, and Wilton. The event, which will be emceed by WTNH-TV anchor Matt Scott, begins at 7:30 a.m. Vigorito and Fried will receive the Community Impact award.

The celebration, supported by statewide co-sponsors The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. and Webster Bank, recognizes individuals whose actions embody the mission of the American Red Cross, helping people to prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.

Vigorito and Fried, pictured above, are the organizers of Band Together, bringing musicians together for more than three years to raise over $400,000 for local charities, inlcuding the American Red Cross. Jerry and Rob have attracted an expert group of musicians and support personnel to sponsor concerts for various causes.

"Red Cross volunteers, nearly 97% of our workforce, go above and beyond to comfort and support neighbors in the wake of disasters," said American Red Cross Connecticut Region CEO Dianne Auger. "Our Heroes event celebrates the people in our community who do the extraordinary in service to others."

Vigorito and Fried have been recognized by the Connecticut State Assembly and Governor M. Jodi Rell. They have been awarded the Citation of Honor from the United States Congress. Congratulations to both fine gentlemen for their outstanding work.

Paul

Warde's Youthful Girls' Tennis Team Finished Fourth in State Championships in 1976

The Fairfield Warde High School girls' tennis team opens its season in less than two weeks when it hosts Lauralton Hall in a scrimmage at the James Blake courts on Wednesday, March 31, at 4 p.m. The team travels to Ludlowe's court for a date with the Falcons on Wednesday, April 21.

Thirty-four years ago, the Andrew Warde High School girls' tennis team completed a sparkling season by finishing in fourth place in the state championships. The 1976 squad won nine of its 13 matches to place fourth in the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference.

The team was headed by juniors Deedee Seeber (pictured below), Carol Khachian, sophomore Nancy Khachian, and freshman Lisa Shapiro. The youthful combine was coached by Mary Beth McGirr, who skippered her second winning team in her first season at Warde. McGirr led the Warde girls' basketball team to the FCIAC championship earlier in the year.

This year's team plays an 18-match schedule which concludes on Wednesday, May 26. Good luck to the Warde Mustangs girls' tennis team.

Paul

Please sign the AWHS Guest Book.

Visit the Andrew Warde High School Gift Shop.

Watch the AWHS 1976 vintage "film".

Warde's "Playday" Promoted Girls Athletics and Inter-School Relationships in March of 1958

Through the combined efforts of many energetic students and their faculty advisors, Miss Helen Carroll and Miss Mary Carley, the Andrew Warde High School Girls' Athletic Association sponsored a basketball playday in March of 1958. That's according to a story which appeared in the Bridgeport Post on this date 52 years ago.

Girls from six high schools, including Warde, Roger Ludlowe, Central, Bassick, Harding, and Bullard Havens Tech, participated in the successful event. The purpose of the program was to promote inter-school relationships by giving students an opportunity to meet one another.

The playday was completely organized by the students. The program publicity committee, largely responsible for preparing the event, was headed by Sue Smith. Others included Michele Sullivan, Ann Plunske, Marcia Tierney, Eli Kiamos, and Debbie Kinsman.

Eight sports enthusiasts from each school were greeted by the president of the Girls' Athletic League, Bonnie MacGregor. The girls were divided into eight teams --- the Eagles, Tigers, Lions, Presidents, Foxes, Owls, Zebras, and Knights. Each participant received a program, which listed the scheduled games, and identifying emblems.

The Girls' Athletic Association, which sponsored a basketball clinic the previous December, was an active group. A basketball playday was held in February of 1957, too. The GAA regulated all girls athletic points given at Warde, and the executive committee elected The Most Outstanding Girl Athlete each year.

Paul

Please sign the AWHS Guest Book.

Visit the Andrew Warde High School Gift Shop.

Watch the AWHS 1976 vintage "film".

Crimson Eagles' Nine Optimistic Prior to Start of 1960 Season on the Baseball Diamond

The Fairfield Warde Mustangs varsity baseball team will scrimmage arch-rival Fairfield Ludlowe High School at Kiwanis Field, home of the Falcons, Thursday, March 25. Warde opens its regular season at home against Staples High School the following Tuesday, March 30.

This year's squad is hoping for a successful season, much like its predecessors 50 years earlier. The 1960 Andrew Warde Crimson Eagles were coming of a 9-9 campaign, bolstered by the return of eight veterans from the state tournament squad two years earlier.

Co-captains Jack Flanagan and Ray Vlader and junior Jerry Zacchia, sporting a lofty .350 batting average the previous season, led the Eagles into the 1960 campaign. Seniors Ted Skola (pitcher), Glen Englander (outfielder), and Howie Ratner engaged in early season wind sprints and calisthenics to prepare for the alumni game, the season's debut, on April 9, 1960, at Owen Fish Park.

Coach Bob Jackson expressed optimism that the Eagles would better their .500 mark from 1959. Larry Gill, Joe Vige, Hank Babe, and Curt Helgren graduated from the jayvee ranks to strengthen the varsity.

According to the 1960 Flame yearbook, "When our tufted diamond begins to sparkle with baseball activity, handfuls of gallant fans gather on slivered bleachers and soggy sidelines, partly out of loyalty to team and sport and partly --- well --- because it's Spring."

Paul

Please sign the AWHS Guest Book.

Visit the Andrew Warde High School Gift Shop.

Watch the AWHS 1976 vintage "film".

Andrew Warde's Crimson Eagles Dropped Heartbreaker to Stamford Catholic in CIAC Class L Boys Basketball Tourney 43 Years Ago Today

Andrew Warde High School's boys' basketball team dropped a 59-57 decision to Stamford Catholic in the CIAC Class L basketball tournament at Brien McMahon High School in Norwalk 43 years ago today.

Mark Kluytenaar, with ice water in his veins, converted all six of his free throws in the last three minutes to give the Crusaders the spine-tingling two-point victory over the Crimson Eagles. It was the third straight win for SCHS over its fellow FCIAC rivals.

Warde trailed, 47-40, early in the fourth quarter before Jim Howard canned nine of his team's next 11 points during an 11-4 run to pull the Eagles into a 51-51 tie before Kluytenaar's heroics on Wednesday evening, March 8, 1967.

Faced with a pressure-packed one-and-one situation at the foul line, the calm Kluytenaar, who averaged only 5.8 points per game during the regular season, sank both charity tosses to give the winners a 53-51 advantage.

Dick Redmond added a subsequent basket for the Crusaders to increase the lead to 55-51. Rich Fekete answered with a hoop for Warde to cut the deficit to two points. However, Kluytenaar, the six-foot junior, canned another pair of free throws to make it 57-53 before Fekete answered with another bucket for the Eagles.

Warde's Tom DeLuca picked up his fifth foul with 42 seconds left in the game. Kluytenarr buried two more shots from the foul line to increase the SCHS lead to 59-55. Warde's final basket came on a Howard layup as the final buzzer sounded.

Coach Wes Aldrich's Crimson Eagles finished with a 14-6 overall record, while Stamford Catholic improved to 13-8.

Kluytenaar led all scorers with 25 markers. Larry Jost (14 points) was the only other Crusader to finish in double figures for Coach Lenny Rivers. Fekete (21), Howard (18), and Danny Haines (11) paced the Crimson Eagles' attack.

Paul

Please sign the AWHS Guest Book.

Visit the Andrew Warde High School Gift Shop.

Watch the AWHS 1976 vintage "film".