Go, Eagles, Go!

Remember the good old days, when we'd gather at Andrew Warde High School every Saturday afternoon to cheer the football team when the Crimson Eagles played rival schools from the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference?

Well, one of our classmates has the photos to go along with those wonderful memories.

"I hope I won't be sorry for doing this, but here are some photos my brother-in-law took that fateful football game," wrote Stacey Marden in a letter sent to reunion committee chairman Tony Procaccini. The photos show several classmates "back in the day" during a Crimson Eagles' football game at Warde.

The first photo above shows Stacey leading the cheers while Jerry Vigorito, in the Warde sweater, plays backup.

Janet Criscione and Matt Bell, in the second photo, played the role of mascots, apparently wearing protective rain gear. "Maybe they were disguised," pointed out Procaccini.

"I remember that game with such fond memories like it was yesterday," admitted Janet, who is married to Ed Szymansky. They constitute one of twelve married couples from among AWHS classmates. "My kids always look at me with weird looks on their faces when I recall how I dressed up as the Warde mascot at a few of the football games. Wasn't it yesterday that we were their age?"

"We look so young!" emphasized Stacey. Yeah, it's hard to believe that we were still teenagers over 30 years ago. We were young.

Special thanks to reunion committee chairman Tony Procaccini for staying in touch with our classmates before and after the reunion. Through his efforts, we were able to get the photos posted to the blog and the class reunion Web site.

Alumni are encouraged to send in their photos and stories to be published on the blog. Please email me at pppiorek@news12.com if you have anything you'd like to contribute and share with our fellow classmates.

Please visit the Andrew Warde High School Class of 1976 gift shop. Click on the shirt in the right-hand margin. Help support the reunion blog.

Please sign the Guest Book if you enjoy reading the reunion blog. I'd like to know if you enjoy this Web site. As always, your contributions, photos, and articles are always welcome. Thank you.

Take part in our latest poll. We welcome your vote as to what you think was the most memorable athletic achievement at Andrew Warde High School during our senior year. The survey is in the right-hand margin.

Paul

A Request for The Crimson Crier

One of the most sought-after "relics" from our days at Andrew Warde High School are copies of The Crimson Crier. Just about everybody with whom I spoke laments the fact that there aren't any copies to be found. If you have any issues of our school newspaper, please let me know. I'd like to scan them and include them on the reunion blog.

Much like the yearbook staff, the students who wrote, typed, and printed the newpaper used equipment which is archaic by today's standards. We're so accustomed to modern technology and the ease of using word processors and computers that it's hard to imagine what it must have been like for our classmates over 30 years ago. Royal typewriters, white-out, erasers, carbon paper, and the printing press were staples of newspaper publishers back then.

Today's staff of The Focus on the Web, Fairfield Warde's school newspaper, has it much easier. The students can use the computer, email, and even publish their newspaper on the Web. Imagine, not even using the printing press and reading the school news on the computer screen! That was unheard of 30-plus years ago. Prior issues of the FWHS newspaper can be found online at http://www.fwhsfocus.com/.

According to the 1976 Flame school yearbook, The Crimson Crier, Andrew Warde High School's newspaper, informs the student body of current news and events throughout the school and community. Each month, the paper comes "fresh off the press" containing news reports, features, sporting events, and other added attractions. The Crier enables students to develop leadership, responsibilities, and help them become more self-sufficient. All of these qualities are justly needed to ensure a successful paper.

Wouldn't it be great if copies of The Crimson Crier were still available online? If you happen to come across any copies of our school newspaper from our days at Andrew Warde High School, please email me at pppiorek@news12.com. I'll enlist our graphics department to scan and edit the newspapers. They'd be accessible on the blog instantly.

Ah, the wonders of modern technology.

Please visit the Andrew Warde High School Class of 1976 gift shop. Click on the shirt in the right-hand margin. Help support the reunion blog.

Please sign the Guest Book if you enjoy reading the reunion blog. I'd like to know if you enjoy this Web site. As always, your contributions, photos, and articles are always welcome. Thank you.

Paul

From the Reunion Mailbag

The following letter was received by reunion chairman Tony Procaccini from fellow classmate Stacey Marden, who now lives in Wilmington, Delaware:

Hi, Tony!

Before we reach our next reunion milestone, I want to write and thank you for hosting such a great event. It was wonderful to see you and all our classmates. Probably the best part was how friendly everyone was; it seems as if the clique partitions that marked us in high school are
now a distant memory. Phew!

The Sunday after the big "R", I ended up spending the whole day with Bob Smith (Class of 1975). It was great to see him but I'm sorry we didn't make the picnic. Here's a picture of Robin Goodall and me. I think the photographer thought we were a couple. He kept telling us to get closer until our faces were smashed together. I just read that I need to send the proof back to be included in the reunion book. Oops!

Anyway, thanks again. It's been great chatting with you through e-mails and reconnecting with other friends. Can't wait for the next one.

Stacey

P.S. I was trying to think of a token of my appreciation for you, and one thing you probably don't have is the CD I included, from some local Philly musicians. So local, in fact, that my boss, Alan Kirschner, is one of the musicians.

Note: Tony and Stacey were in Band together, thus the music CD is most appropriate. The cover of her card has a scanned photo from a Warde football game, with Jerry Vigorito, Stacey, Matt Bell and Janet Criscione cheering on the team, as cheerleaders or mascots. We'll try to get it on the Warde 1976 Website.

Fellow Alum Lauded for Charity Work

John Prevelige (Andrew Warde High School Class of 1976) and his wife, Maria, raised over $1,200 for an orphanage in Illinois. The raffle they conducted put quite a scare into the winner, but it was all for a good cause.

Their story appeared in The Connecticut Post last week and this morning.

The full text of the story can be found at connpost.com.

I applaud John and Maria. I think you'll enjoy the story.

Please visit the Andrew Warde High School Class of 1976 gift shop. Click on the shirt in the right-hand margin. Help support the reunion blog.

Please sign the Guest Book if you enjoy reading the reunion blog. I'd like to know if you enjoy this Web site. As always, your contributions, photos, and articles are always welcome. Thank you.

Paul

The Blog as a Resource

I received the following letter from Holly Pullano at The Fairfield Citizen-News:

I am a reporter with The Fairfield Citizen-News and am currently putting together a story on the upcoming field dedication at FWHS. In browsing the Internet I came across your blog and read with great interest your posts regarding Coach Tetreau and Coach Davis.

I hope you don't mind that I mention the blog in my article. If you would like to speak further on this or if you have any helpful information to relay, please feel free to contact me at any time. Thank you.

I appreciate your taking the time to create this blog -- it will be very helpful as I am putting together this story.

Best regards,
Holly M. Pullano
Staff Reporter
The Fairfield Citizen~News

A Look Back --- Girls' Cagers Cop FCIAC Crown

They were known as the "comeback kids." And they completed an impossible dream. The 1975-76 version of the Andrew Warde High School girls' basketball team will always be remembered for its shocking come-from-behind victory over Stamford to claim the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference championship. But, they'll probably be remembered more for their heart and spirit.

With a new head coach, Miss Mary Beth McGirr, the girls got off to a slow start early in the season, but they staged a remarkable comeback to end up winning the league title.

One of the reasons for the team's mid-season surge was the play of sophomore sensation Kathy Anderson. Anderson's phenomenal improvement from the beginning of the season paralleled the improved play of the team as a whole. By the end of the campaign, Anderson was habitually leading the team in points and rebounds every game. She earned All-FCIAC first-team honors, and she was named the MVP of the league tournament.

But, Anderson wasn't the only reason the team won the coveted FCIAC championship, which it did by defeating Stamford, 48-44, in dramatic come-from-behind fashion, and by trouncing powerhouse Westhill by a 62-49 margin. The many other players who contributed much to the team's achievements included seniors Diane Dionis, Debbie Mendell, who earned All-FCIAC second-team recognition, Gayle Johnson, and Marti Causey. The juniors included Kris Ness and Betsy Niesyn.

With their 16-5 regular-season record, the team also qualified for the state tournament. They easily defeated Bunnell of Stratford, 74-46, but bowed to R. C. Lee of New Haven, 63-39.

The FCIAC championship was the highlight of the season. For that reason, the 1975-76 Andrew Warde High School girls' basketball team earned my vote for the most memorable athletic achievement during our senior year at Andrew Warde High School.

I welcome your vote in our latest poll in the right-hand margin. There are seven items from which to choose, including the girls' basketball team's FCIAC championship, the volleyball team's state finalist squad, the football team's two victories over Roger Ludlowe High School, and the baseball team's dramatic come-from-behind triumph over Ludlowe. There are several individual achievements as well.

Please visit the Andrew Warde High School Class of 1976 gift shop. Click on the shirt in the right-hand margin. Help support the reunion blog.

Please sign the Guest Book if you enjoy reading the reunion blog. I'd like to know if you enjoy this Web site. As always, your contributions, photos, and articles are always welcome. Thank you.

Paul