Warde's Football Tradition Continues

As the Fairfield Warde High School football team prepares to travel to Ridgefield to battle the Tigers this evening, there are many similarities between this team and its gridiron ancestor from 31 years ago. The 1975-76 Andrew Warde High School Crimson Eagles, like this year's Warde team, had trouble winning games, but gave a solid effort every week.

The Mustangs have only won one game this year, a 47-16 decision over Bassick, the Lions' 49th straight game without a win. The Eagles posted only two victories 31 Autumns ago. But both teams share a determination and spirit which links them even though they're more than a generation apart.

Although the 1975-76 Eagles finished the campaign with a disappointing 2-9-0 ledger, it was not a true indication of the kind of season the team really had. Coach Bill Davis' charges faced some of the toughest teams in the state. They played particularly well against town rival Fairfield Prep (28-10) and eventual state champion Staples (21-7).



The squad showed significant improvement from a year earlier. The Eagles defeated arch-rival Roger Ludlowe High School an unprecedented two times during our senior year, including a 27-13 regular-season game and a 28-6 Thanksgiving Day affair. Those two wins will never be forgotten by the senior players and graduating class.

Senior members of the team included co-captains Steve Cameron and Glen Brown, linemen John Hey, Kevin Shay, and Mike McKernan, receivers Tom Skultety, Ted Plummer, Tom Fairfield, and Steve Trifone, and barefoot kicker Steve Lang.

Four players gained individual honors for their fine play during the season. Tom Skultety was awarded honorable mention acclaim from the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference and was also rated second-team Class AA by The Bridgeport Post. Glen Brown achieved honorable mention status in both the FCIAC and the Post ratings. Steve Cameron and Steve Baxter also earned honorable mention in The Bridgeport Post ratings.

The junior varsity Eagles, led by sophomore John Tortora and George Swift and juniors Steve Cerrone and Pete Hajna, held Ludlowe to a 0-0 deadlock. The freshman team enjoyed a fine season, compiling an impressive 5-2-1 record, which is rivaled only by the 1973 frosh (7-0) as the best in recent history.

This Thanksgiving Day, Warde hosts Ludlowe in the second renewal of the town rivalry. Last year, the Falcons defeated the Mustangs, 20-14, at the Unquowa Road School. This year's contest, at our Melville Avenue home, will be a memorable one, to be sure.

The football field will be dedicated and renamed in honor of Coach Bill Davis and Andrew Warde High School's first football coach, Fern Tetreau, in special pre-game ceremonies. Statues will be unveiled by the flagpole.

In addition, members of the very first Warde football team from 1956 will be introduced, and there will be 50th anniversary festivities commemorating the opening of Andrew Warde High School a half-century ago.

If you're in town this Thanksgiving Day, you'll enjoy the trip down memory lane by applauding and honoring our gridiron heroes from the past and supporting our current "descendants" from Fairfield Warde High School. I hope to see you there.

Paul