Fairfield's Four High School Boys' Basketball Teams Battle on the Court Again

One of the post-Christmas sports traditions in Fairfield has been the annual Fairfield Prep Holiday Boys' Basketball Tournament featuring the town's four secondary schools. The first two games are scheduled tonight, including a matchup between Fairfield Warde and host Fairfield Prep. The game is scheduled for 7:30 at Alumni Hall on the campus of Fairfield University.

The evening's lidlifter pits Fairfield Ludlowe High School against Notre Dame High School of Fairfield at 6:00 p.m. The winners meet in the championship game tomorrow evening at 7:30. The consolation game at 6:00 p.m. precedes the title contest.

During our senior year at Warde (1975-76), though, the tournament was a round-robin event with each public school playing a different private school each night. The first night, Andrew Warde dropped a 70-57 decision to Notre Dame, and the following night, the Crimson Eagles fell to Fairfield Prep, 67-58.

That Warde team of over a generation ago won only five of 20 games. The Eagles eventually lost a lopsided 80-47 game to Ludlowe later in the year. According to the Flame yearbook, "Coach (Ed) Bengermino's team was forced to field inexperienced players and concentrate on next year."

The four-team tournament was originally crafted to afford an opportunity for the public and private schools to play each other in a local setting at a Division I college facility. Over a generation ago, Warde and Ludlowe, the town's public high schools, played in the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference, while Fairfield Prep and Notre Dame were members of the Metropolitan Bridgeport Interscholastic Athletic Conference.

Prep and Notre Dame arguably always had the stronger teams since each private school was able to draw the best students and athletes from across southwestern Connecticut. Warde and Ludlowe, on the other hand, were limited by geography, and could only fashion teams comprised of players from their own "backyards," so-to-speak. That made for a somewhat uneven playing field (or basketball court).

The success of both Prep and Notre Dame is evident when glancing at the record books. The Lancers captured the MBIAC boys' basketball championship in 1963, '64, '65, '66, and 1972. Later, as members of the Connecticut Coastal Interscholastic Athletic Conference, the squad won titles in 1980, '81, '89, '91, '93, and '94. Prep was always among the region's and state's elite basketball programs, too.

Andrew Warde High School's shining moment came in 1973 when the boys' basketball team captured the FCIAC Eastern Division crown. The early 70s featured outstanding players such as Mike Abraham, Dave Schulz, and Glenn Mackno, and the trio led Warde to its division title in the 1972-'73 campaign.

For the most part, the holiday tournament has allowed Prep and Notre Dame to shine. The opening night's card once again matches the public schools against their private school counterparts. I wouldn't be surprised to see Warde and Ludlowe play each other tomorrow night in the consolation game.

It's still a great opportunity to watch four high school boys' basketball games involving Fairfield's four high schools in a college setting. There is tremendous history to this tournament and Alumni Hall, which was home to the Division I Fairfield University Stags for many years before they moved to the new arena in Bridgeport.

Good luck to the Warde Mustangs tonight against Fairfield Prep and tomorrow night, too.

Paul

Please sign the AWHS Guest Book.

Visit the Andrew Warde High School Gift Shop.

Watch the AWHS 1976 vintage "film."