Crimson Eagles Trounced Flying Tigers to Earn Berth in State Tournament 51 Years Ago Today

The Andrew Warde High School boys' basketball team trounced arch-rival Roger Ludlowe, 87-62, at the winners' gym 51 years ago today, Tuesday, February 5, 1963. It was the second game between the spirited Fairfield rivals that season. Warde also won the first contest, 71-48.

There were several highlights in the game. Warde co-captain Pete Jankovsky equaled Joe Magdon's school scoring record of 34 points; the Crimson Eagles climbed into a tie for second place with New Canaan in the FCIAC Eastern Division; Coach Don Feeley's cagers gained a berth in the CIAC tournament; Warde chalked up its tenth straight home court triumph; and the Eagles defeated the Tigers for the eighth time in a row.



Jankovsky and co-captain Bob Ryan combined for 12 points as Warde spurted into a 17-8 lead after the first period. Joel Blaskey topped the Tigers with six points.

The Crimson Eagles scored 21 points in the second quarter to take a commanding 38-25 halftime cushion. The second-quarter onslaught was led by Ryan (six points), Rusty Helgren (five), Jankovsky (four), Hank Gellert (four), and Wayne Gower (two), each having a hand in the scoring. Blaskey was the top scorer on offense for the Tigers with eight points, but he was limited to only two points in the second half.

Feeley's fast-breaking charges erupted for 45 points in the second half , netting 21 in the third period as Ryan hit for nine and Jankovsky added six. Ludlowe fought back gamely with 16 points, including six each by George Martin and Gary Klahr, but the Tigers trailed, 59-41, prior to the final eight-minute session.

The fourth quarter was all Jankovsky, as the senior tallied 16 points to equal the high mark established by Magdon in 1959 against Stamford Catholic.

Overall, Warde converted 21 of 27 foul shots, compared to 12 of 17 for Ludlowe.

The Crimson Eagles also won the junior varsity tilt, 46-44, as Jim Bodnar paced the winners with 19 points and Ray DeCormier tallied 18 for the Tigers.

Paul

Trio of Warde Track Stars Performed Well at Indoor Meet 40 Years Ago Today

A trio of Andrew Warde High School tracksters fared well in the FCIAC indoor meet at the Wilton High School fieldhouse on this date, Saturday, February 2, 1974.

Tom Connelly captured first place in the 300-yard run with a time of :33.8, while Stu Forster pole vaulted a height of 10 feet to cop his competition.

Greg Young finished fourth in the two-mile event with a time of 10:19.

Paul

First Place Crimson Eagles Downed Rams in New Canaan on This Date in 1967

The Andrew Warde High School boys' basketball team remained tied for first-place atop the FCIAC East Division after defeating New Canaan, 49-40, on the Rams' court on this date, Friday, January 27, 1967. The win improved the Eagles' overall record to 10-3 and 9-3 in conference play.

New Canaan jumped out to an early 13-10 lead as Phil Kenney hit for eight points to pace the slow, deliberate offense. Jim Howard and Dan Haines each hit two baskets as the Eagles had trouble with their shooting accuracy.

Warde, however, bounced back in the second period to take a 24-23 lead. Howard struck for five points and Haines added four, while Tim Empke scored seven for the Rams.

The Crimson Eagles increased their advantage to four points at the end of the third stanza. The high-scoring Haines pumped in seven markers on two baskets and three free throws, while New Canaan's Terry Florence kept his team close with three field goals and a charity toss.

Warde iced the contest in the final period behind the scoring of Haines and the rugged rebounding of Howard and Rich Fekete. The Crimson Eagles controlled the ball for most of the last quarter with Haines netting five points. The New Canaan attack fell apart as the Rams could muster only four points for the period.

Warde hit on 19 of 51 shots from the floor with Haines taking the game honors with a 20-point performance. The Fairfield school also captured the junior varsity tilt, 55 to 42.

Paul

Warde Opened Sparkling New Gymnasium 57 Years Ago Today

The Andrew Warde High School boys' basketball team played for the very first time in its new gymnasium 57 years ago today. Although the Crimson Eagles made a very good showing against Stratford's unbeaten and heavily-favored basketball team on Friday evening, January 25, 1957, the North Paraders gained their 12th straight victory by a 55-40 margin and swept the two-game series.

The visiting North Paraders pulled away to a six-point lead in the closing minutes of the first period and remained ahead by a fairly comfortable margin thereafter. However, the Eagles made it an interesting battle compared to Stratford's 71-42 runaway triumph in their previous contest.

Stratford scored only one more field goal than Warde, 17 to 16, but the North Paraders turned in an excellent performance on the foul line as they made 21 out of 28 free throw chances. The Eagles sank only eight free throws in 23 chances.

The North Paraders jumped out to a 15-9 lead after the first quarter as Dick Ross sank four free throws in the closing minutes, and they widened the gap to 30-17 at halftime. Warde made its best showing in the third period and cut its deficit to 43-32. However, the Fairfield team never got any closer than eight points the rest of the way.

Rich Marinaccio was a standout performer both offensively and defensively for Stratford, and he led all scorers with 16 points, including eight free throws. Captain Lou Horner, who started strong by scoring seven points in the first period, was closely guarded thereafter, but finished with a 13-point total. Ross contributed 10 points, while rangy Ted Robinson and Pete Greenwood tallied eight apiece for the North Paraders.

Lou Kochis was Warde's top scorer with 15 points, while six-foot-three Dick Dakai and Chris Costello registered seven points each for the hosts.

The Warde jayvees defeated the Stratford junior varsity team, 53-41, in the preliminary game. Laurie Taylor was high scorer for the winners with 11 points, while Dewey Amos led the guests with 16 points.

Paul

Demarest Set Rebounding Record to Lead Eagles Over Crusaders 52 Years Ago Today

Lee Demarest pulled down a record-breaking 23 rebounds and scored 13 points to lead Andrew Warde High School's boys' basketball team to a narrow 60-59 victory over Stamford Catholic in a Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference game at the Warde gym 52 years ago today, Friday, January 19, 1962.

The six-foot-one-inch Demarest snapped the Crimson Eagles' rebounding record with his 23 boards, and he scored what proved to be the winning points on a jump shot with three minutes remaining in the contest. The jumper gave the winners a 56-55 lead which they never relinquished.


Sharp-shooting by Demarest and Wayne Gower helped Warde take a 14-8 lead at the end of the first quarter, but Stamford Catholic countered in the second stanza, behind the shooting of Jerry Esposito and Don Foust, to take a 31-30 halftime lead.

The lead changed hands several times in the third and fourth quarters until Demarest's basket put Warde ahead for keeps.

Esposito was the game's high scorer with 29 points, while Gower, Demarest, and Bab Ryan sparked Warde with 19, 13, and 13 points, respectively. Jim Siavrakes also played a standout game for the Eagles with some superb floormanship.

The triumph boosted Warde's FCIAC record to 4-5, while the Crusaders league mark fell to 1-8.

The Crimson Eagles' jayvees won the preliminary game over the Crusaders' reserves, 56-49. Marty Nelson was high-scorer for the winners with 12 points.

Paul

Warde Girls Cagers Snapped Losing Streak Against Ludlowe 40 Years Ago Today

Mindy Sherwood scored 27 points to lead the Andrew Warde girls' basketball team to a 52-46 victory over arch-rival Roger Ludlowe at the Crimson Eagles' gym, Tuesday afternoon, January 15, 1974.

Co-captain Jody Lovanio starred on defense for the winners by grabbing 13 rebounds as the Eagles posted their first win over the Lady Tigers in four years.

Other standouts for Warde were Lynn Knuth, Sue Walton, Barbara Rodgers, Leslie Holmquist, Diane Dionis, and Nancy Mayeran.

Paul