Andrew Warde High School Hockey History: Talented Eagles' Skaters Just Miss CIAC State Tournament Six Years After Start of Program

The Fairfield Warde High School Mustangs' ice hockey team reached the state championship game for the first time in school history this year. Warde lost to Amity in the title game.

The foundation of the Warde hockey program was constructed 36 years ago when Arnie Larsen, the school's first hockey coach, organized a team midway through the 1972 season.

This is the fifth and final installment on the early days of Andrew Warde High School hockey. Six years after the start of the program, an entirely new cast of talented skaters nearly took the Eagles to the state tournament in 1978.

Andrew Warde High School hockey coach Arnie Larsen steadily built a solid hockey program in his first five years at the helm. By the time the 1977-78 season rolled around, an entirely new cast of talented players believed they were ready to take the Eagles to the next level, a berth in the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference tournament.

The Eagles christened the new season by defeating Wilbur Cross in a shootout, 8-5, on December 3. Sophomore goalie Al Radovic stopped 28 of the 33 shots he faced from the Governors. Tom Larsen tallied the hat trick for the winners to lead all scorers. Cross scored the first goal of the game and the season just 54 seconds after the opening whistle, but Paul Larsen tallied the equalizer midway through the session.

Warde took command of the game for good by scoring two goals within nine seconds early in the final period to snap a 3-3 deadlock. Tom Larsen, assisted by Eric Peterson, tallied the go-ahead goal at 10:26, and Dave Keith followed with an unassisted score after the ensuing faceoff.

The Crimson Eagles were undefeated in their first five games, including a dramatic 1-0 overtime victory over Roger Ludlowe at the Milford Ice Rink on December 17. Randy Carter scored the winning goal in the extra session, and Radovic, the sensational sophomore goalie, turned away all 26 shots he faced. The team also posted a 4-4 tie against Trumbull and a 3-3 draw against Wilton, earning eight out of a possible ten points to start the campaign.

However, Warde lost four of its next five, including a 4-1 setback at the hands of Ludlowe on January 7, and never seemed to fully recover. In fact, the Eagles only won one of their final seven contests to complete a 7-9-4 season, good for 18 points. Warde missed qualifying for the state tourney by just one point, since the last two qualifying teams earned 19 points.

Warde's hopes for a playoff spot were dashed when it dropped a 6-2 decision to league rival Greenwich in the last game of the season on February 13. The Cardinals raced out to a 4-0 lead in the first period, with all four goals coming in a six-minute span against beleaguered goalie Al Radovic. Greenwich added another tally in the second period before Tom Larsen and David Keith notched the final goals of the season for Warde.

Paul Larsen, seen in the photo above, led the team with 32 points on 20 goals and 12 assists, including a six-goal game. Larsen tallied four hat tricks during the season, while Carter and Tom Larsen posted one three-goal game apiece. Eric Peterson tallied four assists in one game.

Defenseman George Swift was voted to the All-State Division II first team. Swift and forwards Paul Larsen, Carter, and Keith were nominated for All-FCIAC selections. Keith was the only senior who played all four years with the varsity team. Swift also had the dubious distinction of leading the squad with 51 penalty minutes.

Despite missing the state tournament by just one point, it was the most successful season yet for the Crimson Eagles' hockey team. The team was invited to a Winter sports awards banquet on March 15th to recognize the school's athletes in basketball, gymnastics, wrestling, track, swimming, and hockey.

The dinner, which included oven-roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetables, rolls and butter, milk or coffee, and dessert, was priced at $2.75. You can't even get a cup of coffee for that today!

Arnie Larsen and the Crimson Eagles' hockey team had become part of the fabric of Andrew Warde High School's sports landscape. In just six years after starting the program, the team came within a whisker of making the state playoffs. Today, the descendants of those hockey pioneers advanced to the state championship game.

The Warde hockey players today are indebted to Arnie Larsen for his hard work, sacrifice, and determination. He should be honored and applauded for starting the hockey program at Andrew Warde High School.

Paul

Special thanks to Arnie Larsen for providing me with the hockey scrapbook for the five-part feature series. The book will be given to Fairfield Warde athletic director Chris Manfredonia to be placed in the school library.

Please sign the AWHS Guest Book.

Visit the Andrew Warde High School Gift Shop.

Watch the AWHS 1976 vintage "film".