Harry 'The Toe' Caston Still Treasures Thanksgiving Memories, Talented Crimson Eagles' Teammates, & a Dedicated Coach Nearly 40 Years Later

This is the third installment of my special series recalling Andrew Warde High School's football rivalries. If you have any photos, film, or programs, please contact me at pppiorek@news12.com. Thank you.

Thirty-six years have passed since he played his last football game at Andrew Warde High School, but Harry Caston still cherishes his memories of the Thanksgiving Day rivalry with Kolbe, the athletes with whom he played, and the coach who never gave up on him.

The man affectionately known as "The Toe" was the Crimson Eagles' placekicker during his junior and senior years. "I probably gave myself the nickname, having tired of being called 'Hey, you,'" joked Caston, who waxed nostalgic with Thanksgiving just one week away.

"For me, it was wonderful playing on Thanksgiving day," wrote Caston, now a lawyer living in Salt Lake City. "We had great weather in both my junior and senior years. I can only speak about the games that were played in 1971, my junior year, and 1972, my senior year. Both of those teams had extremely talented athletes, and we were coached by an enthusiastic and dedicated coach (Bill Davis)."

It was Davis who inspired and encouraged Caston and taught him about teamwork and commitment. Caston shared his story about his desire to be a placekicker for the Eagles. "When I announced my intention to Coach Davis that I was going to become the team's placekicker, he could have and maybe should have reminded me of the important role and service that the members of the audio visual club provide to the school, and perhaps that organization might be more suitable to me," wrote Caston.

"He didn't say that. Instead he encouraged me, and gave me the five footballs that I asked for to practice with during the summer. Four months after that conversation I found myself lining up on an extremely muggy Saturday morning to kick an extra point in the first game of my junior year. It's my recollection that with my teamates and schoolmates looking on, my foot failed to make contact with the football. My second attempt didn't garner more success than the first.

"While none too pleased with my performance, Coach Davis didn't give up on me. In fact, he took me aside, told me that he wanted me to kick in the junior varsity games, and that he would put me back in the varsity games when I was ready. I did get back into the varsity games by the end of the year."

Caston was impressed with the Eagles gridders of that era. "We did not have a record that was indicative of the talent and the coaching that we had. It's my recollection that we were not blown out or embarrassed in any of the games that we did not win in my junior and senior years, and with a little luck, a few breaks, or whatever, we would have and should have had a better record," admitted the proud father of two competitive skiers.

Warde easily won the Thanksgiving Day contests with Kolbe in 1971 and 1972, extending its perfect mark to 5-0 against the Friars in a series which first began in 1968. Warde would eventually sweep all seven games in the short-lived Thanksgiving "tradition" which ended in 1974. In fact, the Eagles outscored Kolbe, 214-44, overall.

"My hypothesis is that the reason why the team dominated Kolbe in my junior and senior years was due in part to the frustrations that we had that were taken out on them, and the team was able to play up to its potential," theorized Caston, who returned to Fairfield for Warde's field dedication ceremony, 50th anniversary celebration, and Thanksgiving Day victory over Ludlowe in 2006.

The Eagles posted their first of back-to-back Thanksgiving Day shutouts against the Friars in 1971 with a 34-0 win at Hedges Stadium in Bridgeport. Quarterback Glen Hlavaty, who tossed four touchdowns in the game, connected with wide receiver John Curry 13 times for 200 yards and a pair of scores.

Warde, which controlled the ball 75% of the time in the first half, finally got on the board with 1:04 left when Hlavaty fired a 22-yard touchdown pass to Curry. Caston, however, missed the extra point. The Eagles added to their lead early in the third quarter when Hlavaty hit flanker back Rick Seres in the corner of the end zone for a 12-0 lead. The Eagles faked the point-after conversion and Hlavaty, the holder, rolled right and passed to Curry for two points and a 14-0 cushion.

Hlavaty found Curry for a 37-yard third quarter scoring strike on a deep slant across the middle, and Jim DelVecchio, pictured below in a 1972 game against Wilton, picked off an errant Kolbe aerial and raced 35 yards, shedding a couple of would-be tacklers on the way to the end zone. A few minutes later, he took a flip from Hlavaty for a four-yard scamper to paydirt. The last touchdown followed the second interception of the quarter by Mark Magyar, a reserve defensive back.

What does Caston most remember about that game? "Following a kickoff I was trying to sneak off the field so as not to get injured, and I inadvertently tackled the guy who was returning my kickoff and thereby prevented a touchdown," Caston admitted. "One of the students who was not on the football team came running down the stands and congratulated me for my tackle.

"I felt pretty good about that," he continued. "I later learned that the source of this guy's joy was that he had a large amount of money on the game, and if the other team had scored he would have lost his wager."

The following year, 1972, the Crimson Eagles blanked Kolbe, 40-0, for their fifth straight series triumph. Caston will never forget the ending of that game. He wrote, "In the final moments of the last game in my senior year played on Thanksgiving Day with our defense on the field and the lead firmly in hand, the Coach called over to me and told me to go in the game as a defensive player as he was putting all of the seniors in.

"I figured that if I stalled long enough I wouldn't have to venture into a situation that could have potentially been dangerous, especially considering that I didn't have a clue about what to do or where to go," he continued. "He would have none of it. He directed me to stand behind my friend, Mark, who was playing defensive tackle, and to try my best to not get hurt."

His high school career ended with three memorable plays. Caston admitted that on the first play, he ran back-and-forth, unsure as to what to do. The next play, though, he was involved in a tackle. Finally, during his last-ever play, he recovered a fumble. "The Toe" was asked after the game why he didn't run after recovering the pigskin.

"I had the knowledge that in high school football, at least at that time, you couldn't advance a fumble. The real reason, of course was that if I picked up the ball, and started running, it was extremely likely that I would have gotten tackled from behind, and subjected myself to even greater embarrassment. In the locker room after the game, Coach commented that I started the game out as a kicker, but went out as a football player."

With Thanksgiving just a week away, Caston can't help but reminisce about what once was. "For me personally, the Thanksgiving Day game was part of a wonderful weekend," Caston admitted. "First the game, then dinner at a family friend's house, and the next day was the start of the ski season, and the first trip of the year to Vermont. Thanksgiving remains my favorite holiday.

"Even 36 years after the crowd dispersed on Thanksgiving Day in my senior year, and as we teammates --- teammates who had literally lived together in the weight room during summer practice --- went our separate ways, the joy that we felt as a team that day comes to me like an arrow, straight and true, shooting through the years. (Coach) Bill's recent tragic passing makes those memories all the more sweeter, meaningful, and poignant."

Paul

If you have any old photos, film, stories, or anecdotes from your days at Andrew Warde High School, I'd love to hear from you. Please contact me at pppiorek@news12.com.

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Andrew Warde High School's Opening in 1956 Attracted Students from Both Sides of Town

Andrew Warde High School's students have traditionally come from the Eastern side of Fairfield. Over the last few decades, children who attended Stratfield, North Stratfield, McKinley, and Jennings schools eventually moved into Warde as freshmen. However, that wasn't always the case.

When Andrew Warde High School opened in the Fall of 1956, it was the crown jewel of Fairfield's public school system. The new secondary school on Melville Avenue dwarfed the established Roger Ludlowe High School, which was then located in what is now Tomlinson Middle School. So, when the new high school opened over a half-century ago, it even attracted many students from the Western side of town who had previously attended Ludlowe.

Fairfield's superintendent of schools at the time, Dr. Carlyle G. Hoyt, recommended to the board of education in January of 1956 that all Ludlowe pupils transported by bus, except those in the Pequot and Mill Hill school districts, be redistricted to the new Andrew Warde High School, according to the new district lines.

Ludlowe's student body was reduced to walkers, plus those students who were transported by bus from the Pequot and Mill Hill sections of town. Transportation was provided to the students who lived at least one-and-a-half miles away from school.

Under the plan, Andrew Warde High School opened with an enrollment of 1,174 students, while Ludlowe, which was operating on double-sessions of more than 1,500 students at the time, saw its enrollment dwindle to 674 students.

Dr. Hoyt said it was impossible to divide the town in East and West sections for the district lines without continuing double sessions at Ludlowe. He warned that by 1958, unless steps were taken to expand Roger Ludlowe High School facilities, double sessions would again be required.

The enrollment in the 1,500-student Andrew Warde High School in the 1957-58 school year was estimated at 1,404, while Roger Ludlowe's was at 744. In the 1958-59 school year, Dr. Hoyt estimated the Warde enrollment at 1,625, compared to 805 at Ludlowe. Warde expected 1,776 students enrolled by 1960-61, while Ludlowe targeted 906 students.

Over a half-century ago, Andrew Warde High School was Fairfield's sparkling new secondary school. It was home to most of Fairfield's high school students, and from both sides of town.

Paul

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Web Site to Honor 50th Anniversary of Crimson Eagles Undefeated State Football Champions

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of Andrew Warde High School's 1959 undefeated state championship football season. The Crimson Eagles' gridders, coached by Fern Tetreau, cruised to a 9-0 record in just their fourth season of play. The high school opened three years earlier in 1956.

Offensively, the 1959 Eagles were led by quarterback Howie Ratner, left halfback Larry Gill, and fullback Jack Flanagan. Defensively, co-captain Walter Beck led a bruising unit which posted shutouts in six of the nine contests that year.

This Web site will acknowledge the perfect season next year with a series of weekly articles and newspaper clippings recalling each game. There will be a souvenir sweatshirt available in the AWHS gift shop commemorating the football team's state title and perfect record. And, I'll have exclusive interviews with head coach Tetreau and some of his players as they recall that magical season.

The late Bob Anderson, a former housemaster at Warde who played at Ludlowe and then at Warde, once wrote about Tetreau's 1959 team. "Many Fairfield citizens recall the success of that team, with its tricky single wing T formation, using an unbalanced line, and a side-saddle blocking quarterback," he recalled. "The tailback had to be able to do everything. That threw off the defense through Fern's effective use of the draw, screen, and third down-11 quick kick."

The accompanying newspaper clippings from The Bridgeport Telegram include game reports from Andrew Warde High School's victories over Stratford and Bassick in 1959. According to the Saturday, September 19, 1959 article, Warde defeated Bassick, 22-0. The Tuesday, November 10, 1959 story describes the Eagles' 22-10 win over the North Paraders for their eighth consecutive victory.

Stay tuned as we approach the 50th anniversary of that memorable football season.

Paul

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"We Don't Print the News --- We Make It!" Crimson Crier Center of Controversy Over 40 Years Ago

Andrew Warde High School's student newspaper, the Crimson Crier, made regional headlines over 40 years ago for its controversial subject matter.

According to a story in the Sunday, December 17, 1967, edition of The Junior Post in The Bridgeport Sunday Post, the Crier "has begun a year of controversial articles and unique reporting."

The 1967-68 Crimson Crier, which was published six times, was headed by editor-in-chief Gene Massafra "who has vowed to produce a fine newspaper that will arouse student interest." The staff included assistant editor Sharon Raichelson, business manager Philip Shopick, sports editor Michael Shapiro, feature writer Craig McPherson, make-up editor Dennis Drozdak, and head writer, Gary Rosch.

"The Crier will print anything that will arouse controversy and agitate student interest," said Massafra. "Although many articles have a negative viewpoint, they bring attention to the issues in the school. Both teachers and students know there are things wrong in the school. However, no one wants to say or do anything about it. The Crier offers them the opportunity to express themselves."

In the first issue, a rather one-sided view against the Vietnam War was published. The article caused quite a bit of controversy among both teachers and students. It was termed "communist propaganda" and a "waste of space" by some. A rebuttal showing a completely different aspect in favor of the war was published later.

Massafra said, "The Crier will print anything that has a valid argument, and I feel that both these articles have valid arguments for and against a very controversial issue."

The first issue also included an article by McPherson satirizing the use of computers in creating students' schedules. The computer had given some students rather curious schedules. In addition, the sports page was headed: "Warde 14, Ludlowe 12 at the half," giving the score to a game which Warde unfortunately lost, 48-22.

According to the Post story, "The articles which comprise each issue of the Crier come from a variety of sources: some are assigned to staff members, some are suggested by members of the student body, and some are contributed by Warde students. The articles are reviewed by the head writers and the editors."

Mrs. Pamela Hurley, a member of the English department, was the adviser to the Crier. The staff felt that "without her help, the newspaper would not be as improved as it has been over the past two years."

The Bridgeport Sunday Post article states, "Mrs. Hurley is very proud of her outspoken staff, and she says that the Crier has been a powerful force in the crushing of student apathy. She firmly believes in one of the Crier's mottos which advocates 'Truth, Justice, and the Andrew Warde Way.'"

Paul

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Mike Abraham Recalls Magical Season for Andrew Warde High School's FCIAC Eastern Division Championship Boys' Basketball Team 35 Years Ago

Even though 35 years have passed since the Andrew Warde High School boys' basketball team won the 1972-73 FCIAC Eastern Division championship, the memories haven't faded for Mike Abraham, a key member of the team.

Abraham was one of several illustrious alumni from the AWHS Class of 1973 who played on that unforgettable team. What does he remember most about that magical season? "Playing in front of a full house," he told me earlier this week. "I remember seven out of the 10 home games were sold out. The fire marshall had to shut the doors. The sound was so loud and fantastic. There were times we could not hear in the timeouts."

Abraham, currently the the coordinator of Adapted Physical Education in the special education program for the Fairfield public schools, still has fond memories about the camaraderie of the 1972-73 squad. The team, which was coached by Ed Bengermino, included Abraham, Fairfield Ludlowe High School athletic director Dave Schulz, and Roger Ludlowe Middle School principal Glenn Mackno (left-to-right in the photo below).

"After the games on Friday nights we all had lots of fun hanging out at McDonald's (and) the beach," he admitted. "We had a lot of pride with Ludlowe, Prep, and Notre Dame players and fans around."

The game which Abraham recalls vividly was the dramatic victory over Staples, Friday evening, February 2, 1973. The win improved Warde's division record to a perfect 11-0 and 13-3 overall. According to the Bridgeport Telegram, "The perfect passing of Ron DelBianco and Dave Schulz enabled the Eagles of Warde to defeat Staples High School, 78-72, in a key FCIAC Eastern Division basketball game last night."

"The game was on radio," Abraham recalled. "(We were) playing in front of a full house. It was so loud we couldn't even hear ourselves on the court. The game was back and forth all night, then they (Staples) pulled away at the end of the third quarter. We fought back and with just a minute or so left we tied the game. After a timeout called by Staples, Coach Bengermino took off our press.

"When we went back on the court, Glenn Mackno and I looked at each other and still trapped their guard coming up the floor," he continued. "I was able to tap the ball away, and Glenn scooped it up and went in for the leading layup. It was the first lead we had in the second half. The sound was so deafening. I will always have that image of Glenn dropping the ball over the rim and the sound that accompanied it."

According to the Bridgeport Telegram, "Mackno finished the game with 16 points and 14 assists, while DelBianco and Phil Ness benefited from the senior's wizardry by scoring 24 and 15 points, respectively. The Warde defense shut off (Staples) early in the fourth period and ran off 12 straight points to put the game away."

That team will always hold a special place in the hearts of those who attended Andrew Warde High School in the early 1970s. Schulz, Mackno, Bengermino, and Abraham (seen above left-to-right) are still very much involved in the Fairfield public school system. Bengermino also coached the Warde baseball team to the state championship in 1981 and the state finals the following year. He also coached the successful volleyball team for many years.

Abraham later went on to coach the Andrew Warde boys' basketball team from 1981 through 1986 and created even more memories. What does he especially remember? "Just being with the guys and coaching on the same floor I played on," he said. "We did make the state and FCIAC tournament each year. I cannot begin to tell you how many funny stories and experiences (we had).

"My players and mangers will always be special to me. We had great teams with the talent we had. Records of 16-5 and 20-5 are a tribute to the hard work these teams put in. The 20-5 team made to the semi finals and with (one more win) we would have been playing Harding for the state championship."

For the last 31 years, Abraham has been enjoying his unique position with the Fairfield public school system. "I work very closely with special education children, their teachers, therapists, and all staff," he said. "I work very closely with occupational and physical therapists assisting children with fine and gross motor problems as well as sensory integration dysfunction that may impact their classroom participation within the curriculum." His office is located at Fairfield Warde High School.

Abraham, who has two sons currently attending college, is involved in other activities, too, such as directing the swimming program, the early childhood testing program, and training teachers how to manage physical and psychological episodes children may have. "I love this job, mainly because I love children, especially those with special needs," he emphasized. "Hopefully, I have been a 'voice' for these children all these years."

Paul

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Like Father, Like Daughter: Crimson Eagles' Blood Runs Through New Generation of Fairfield Warde Mustangs and Fairfield Ludlowe Falcons

Davis. Mackno. Bengermino. The names are synonymous with athletic success at Andrew Warde High School.

Tom Davis was an outstanding football player for the Crimson Eagles in the early 1970s. He was coached by his late brother, Bill, who also started the wrestling program at Warde. Glenn Mackno starred on the Warde's 1972-73 FCIAC Eastern Division basketball championship team and later coached volleyball and basketball at his alma mater. Ed Bengermino coached the 1981 AWHS baseball team to the state championship and perennially guided his volleyball and baseball teams to post-season success.

Today, however, their daughters are making names for themselves as outstanding high school athletes in Fairfield. Seniors Allie Davis and Emily Bengermino are teammates on the defending state champion Mustangs' girls soccer team, while Brooke Mackno is a sophomore three-sport athlete at Ludlowe. All three were on center stage last week when the Warde and Ludlowe girls' soccer teams battled to a dramatic scoreless tie before a capacity crowd at the Falcons' field.

"I am very proud of Allie playing at Warde and being a Mustang," said Tom Davis about his daughter. "By putting on that jersey, she represents her school and the Davis family. Playing Ludlowe is always special as there are great memories from my playing days and the games Allie played over the last four years. When Allie graduates in June 2009, there will no longer be a direct connection between me and Warde athletics."

Davis, who created a scholarship award in his brother's honor, has enjoyed watching his daughter play at his alma mater. "Tradition is really what it is," he told me. "Allie and Emily Bengermino have been playing soccer together before they even got to high school. They are also really good friends. Brooke Mackno is younger and has played against Allie and Emily only in high school. There is a friendly rivalry between the fathers, for and against each other. "

Allie Davis will be one of nine seniors honored next Monday, October 20, before the team's final home game against Westhill. She is thrilled to have played her home games on the field which was dedicated in honor of her uncle during the school's 50th anniversary celebration two years ago. "When I play on our home field named after my Uncle Bill and Coach Tetreau, I feel honored and special," she told me.

"I am honored because Uncle Bill was such an influential person to Fairfield and Andrew Warde High School, and he was greatly recognized. I feel special because I am making him proud. I know he is watching me when I play," admitted Allie, who is considering Siena, UMass, Stonehill, Merrimack, and Eastern Connecticut as possible college destinations next year.

Glenn Mackno, the principal of Roger Ludlowe Middle School, is extremely proud of his daughter, Brooke, who lettered in three sports --- soccer, skiing, and tennis --- last year. "I really enjoy watching my daughter play for Ludlowe," he admitted. "I do so with a sense of pride, especially knowing that she is playing out her career in the great Fairfield traditions that I was fortunate to have experienced as an athlete."

Brooke Mackno, ironically, was a member of the Warde ski team as a freshman and helped lead the squad to a second place finish in the state championships. She earned All-State honors and won the state championship in the slalom. She was the #2 skier representing the ten-member Team Connecticut at the New England High School ski championships in New Hampshire.

The younger Mackno was also a starter on the soccer team for half the games a year ago and scored the winning goal against Westhill. In addition, in tennis, she finished with an impressive 7-2 record at the #3 singles position and 1-0 at the #2 singles position for Ludlowe, which advanced to the state semi-finals.

As for rooting for the school which was his arch-rival back in the day, Glenn Mackno isn't bothered in the least. "Initially, I thought it would be difficult to root for Ludlowe. But, to be honest with you, if you have been a team player during your life, your loyalties carry over to the current team you or your children represent. Plus it makes it fun to add to these rivalries by watching your daughter compete against former teammates' children on the athletic fields."

His elder daughter, Kelly, attended Fairfield High School at the Warde site. She was a four-year all-state skier and was captain for her junior and senior years. The ski team won the state skiing championship her senior year. She also was on the volleyball and cross-country squads.

Glenn Mackno said his daughters are aware of his athletic accomplishments at Warde. "My daughters are very familiar with the 1972-1973 (FCIAC) Eastern Divison basketball championship and the banner that used to hang in the Warde gymnasium, as well as the trophy and team picture in the showcase," he admitted. "Both of them informed me they were also going to win banners and get their names on banners and win trophies for their schools, which they have both already accomplished.

"I guess it served as a motivation for them to succeed," he continued. "Last winter, I went to Warde to pick up my daughter, and when I walked in she was at the trophy case showing some of her teammates my picture when I was in high school," he said.

Later, Glenn Mackno started the freshman girls' volleyball program at Warde and coached all three levels of girls' volleyball --- freshman, junior varsity, and varsity. He also coached boys' junior varsity basketball and freshman girls' basketball for the Crimson Eagles.

Ed Bengermino, a coaching legend at Andrew Warde High School who was inducted into the Connecticut Women’s Volleyball Hall of Fame, is proud of his daughter's accomplishments. Emily played a big part in helping the Warde girls' soccer team to the class L state crown last year in a 1-0 shutout victory over Farmington. She scored both goals in the Mustangs' 2-0 victory over Berlin in the semi-finals, including one 4:34 into the first half.

"The only word is pride," Bengermino answered when asked about his daughter's involvement in soccer, basketball, and track at the school he called home for so many years. "It's a connection to contributing to Warde's success. She's a big part of all of those three programs. Her Mom and I are very proud of all her athletics. She gives everything in all three sports."

He said Emily is looking forward to Senior Night next Monday, and then it's time to focus on the next sport. "She's a tenacious defender (on the basketball court)," he pointed out. "She plays great defense in basketball. She's also a top-notch runner. She broke 60 seconds in the 400 meters."

Ed Bengermino, who came within one win of coaching back-to-back baseball state championships at Warde in the early 1980s, said Emily is still undecided as to where she'll be next year. "She's got a list of schools," he said. "It'll be her call all the way, and she's doing all the work right now. She's looking at the size of the school and the location of the school."

The elder Bengermino watched the scoreless game against Ludlowe last Friday night and admitted he was on edge throughout the entire match. "I get just as nervous watching her play against Ludlowe as when I was coaching against Ludlowe," he laughed. Then, with tongue planted firmly in cheek, he added, "I would rather be sitting in the gym watching her play volleyball."

Tom Davis, who was part of the illustrious AWHS Class of 1973 which includes Mackno, former Warde boys' basketball coach Mike Abraham, and Fairfield Ludlowe High School athletic director Dave Schulz, says he'll miss the direct connection between the Davis family name and Warde athletics next year after his daughter graduates.

"On the funny side, one of (the Mom's of) Allie's teammates wanted to know if I would adopt her daughter so that I would stay involved with the program," he joked. "But as you know my heart will always be with the 'Crimson Eagles' and the 'Mustangs.' Old athletes and coaches never die, they just fade into the sunset."

"My Dad has always been proud to have graduated from Warde, and being an athlete there along with his three brothers," stated Allie. "I am proud of carrying on the Davis athletic name at Warde, playing soccer and lacrosse. I know my accomplishments have made my Dad proud to have another Davis attend his school."

Davis. Mackno. Bengermino. From the Andrew Warde Crimson Eagles to the Fairfield Warde Mustangs and Fairfield Ludlowe Falcons. The tradition continues.

Paul

Join the Andrew Warde Class of 1976 Facebook page.

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Visit the Andrew Warde High School Gift Shop.

Watch the AWHS 1976 vintage "film".