Warde Continues Thanksgiving Football Domination Over Arch-Rival Ludlowe

The first Thanksgiving football game between Andrew Warde and Roger Ludlowe high schools took place November 27, 1975. In fact, this author still has the official game program from that day.

Little did anyone know, but the original Thanksgiving football series between the two schools would only last 10 years. The last game was played in 1984. The Crimson Eagles won the last five games of the series and won the overall series against the Flying Tigers, seven games to three.

Just over two decades later, the rivalry was resurrected when Fairfield Warde traveled to Fairfield Ludlowe for a Thanksgiving Day football game in 2005. Although the Falcons won the first game and three of the first five, the Mustangs have dominated the series ever since.

Warde won this year's contest, 46-20, and, truth be told, the margin of victory could have been much greater. The Mustangs avenged a heartbreaking one-point loss to Ludlowe last year, which snapped Warde's five-game winning streak in the series. The Mustangs have won six of the last seven games and eight of the last ten for a 10-5 lead in the modern-day Thanksgiving rivalry.

How dominating has Warde been? Since 2010, the Mustangs have won all but two contests against their cross-town rivals. The Mustangs scored 321 points in their last eight victories for a 40.1 points-per-game average. Warde won five consecutive Thanksgiving football games from 2013 to 2017, matching their predecessor's five-game win streak to close out the original series (1980 through 1984).

Cumulatively, Warde owns a 17-8 series lead dating back to that very first Thanksgiving Day meeting in 1975.

Here are the Thanksgiving football results between Warde and Ludlowe, including the original series (1975 through 1984) and the modern-day series (2005 through 2019):
 

Andrew Warde Crimson Eagles vs. Roger Ludlowe Flying Tigers

1975 to 1984

(Series: Warde 7 wins, Ludlowe 3 wins)

1975: Warde Eagles 28, Ludlowe Tigers 6

1976: Warde Eagles 20, Ludlowe Tigers 13

1977: Ludlowe Tigers 20, Warde Eagles 13

1978: Ludlowe Tigers 35, Warde Eagles 6

1979: Ludlowe Tigers 41, Warde Eagles 25

1980: Warde Eagles 17, Ludlowe Tigers 14

1981: Warde Eagles 14, Ludlowe Tigers 8

1982: Warde Eagles 23, Ludlowe Tigers 0

1983: Warde Eagles 26, Ludlowe Tigers 6

1984: Warde Eagles 16, Ludlowe Tigers 13

Fairfield Warde Mustangs vs. Fairfield Ludlowe Falcons

2005 to 2019

(Series: Warde 10 wins, Ludlowe 5 wins)

2005: Ludlowe Falcons 20, Warde Mustangs 14

2006: Warde Mustangs 21, Ludlowe Falcons 12

2007: Warde Mustangs 28, Ludlowe Falcons 0

2008: Ludlowe Falcons 10, Warde Mustangs 8

2009: Ludlowe Falcons 24, Warde Mustangs 14

2010: Warde Mustangs 21, Ludlowe Falcons 16

2011: Warde Mustangs 52, Ludlowe Falcons 13

2012: Ludlowe Falcons 31, Warde Mustangs 13
2013: Warde Mustangs 44, Ludlowe Falcons 21
2014: Warde Mustangs 27, Ludlowe Falcons 12
2015: Warde Mustangs 35, Ludlowe Falcons 14
2016: Warde Mustangs 41, Ludlowe Falcons 20
2017: Warde Mustangs 55, Ludlowe Falcons 22
2018: Ludlowe Falcons 34, Warde Mustangs 33
2019: Warde Mustangs 46, Ludlowe Falcons 20

Cumulative record: Warde 17 wins, Ludlowe 8 wins

Crimson Eagle Extras: I was honored to be the public address announcer at the game. It was the fourth time in the last seven years I announced the Thanksgiving game at Ludlowe ... It was great to see several fans wearing original Andrew Warde Crimson Eagle jackets with the unmistakable "W" on them ... Fellow classmate Brian Pander (AWHS Class of 1976) won the halftime trivia contest. He correctly knew that Kolbe High School was Andrew Warde's original Thanksgiving Day football rival. Brian and I chatted briefly in the press box at halftime.

Paul

Warde & Ludlowe to Renew Thanksgiving Day Rivalry for 25th Time

The Fairfield Warde High School football team travels cross-town to Fairfield Ludlowe next Thursday morning for the 25th renewal of the Thanksgiving Day series rivalry. The game marks the 15th renewal of the current series, which was resurrected in 2005. The original series between Andrew Warde and Roger Ludlowe high schools ended in 1984.

Here are the Thanksgiving football results between Warde and Ludlowe, including the original series (1975 through 1984) and the modern-day series (2005 through 2018):
 

Andrew Warde Crimson Eagles vs. Roger Ludlowe Flying Tigers

1975 to 1984

(Series: Warde 7 wins, Ludlowe 3 wins)

1975: Warde Eagles 28, Ludlowe Tigers 6

1976: Warde Eagles 20, Ludlowe Tigers 13

1977: Ludlowe Tigers 20, Warde Eagles 13

1978: Ludlowe Tigers 35, Warde Eagles 6

1979: Ludlowe Tigers 41, Warde Eagles 25

1980: Warde Eagles 17, Ludlowe Tigers 14

1981: Warde Eagles 14, Ludlowe Tigers 8

1982: Warde Eagles 23, Ludlowe Tigers 0

1983: Warde Eagles 26, Ludlowe Tigers 6

1984: Warde Eagles 16, Ludlowe Tigers 13

Fairfield Warde Mustangs vs. Fairfield Ludlowe Falcons

2005 to 2018

(Series: Warde 9 wins, Ludlowe 5 wins)

2005: Ludlowe Falcons 20, Warde Mustangs 14

2006: Warde Mustangs 21, Ludlowe Falcons 12

2007: Warde Mustangs 28, Ludlowe Falcons 0

2008: Ludlowe Falcons 10, Warde Mustangs 8

2009: Ludlowe Falcons 24, Warde Mustangs 14

2010: Warde Mustangs 21, Ludlowe Falcons 16

2011: Warde Mustangs 52, Ludlowe Falcons 13

2012: Ludlowe Falcons 31, Warde Mustangs 13
2013: Warde Mustangs 44, Ludlowe Falcons 21
2014: Warde Mustangs 27, Ludlowe Falcons 12
2015: Warde Mustangs 35, Ludlowe Falcons 14
2016: Warde Mustangs 41, Ludlowe Falcons 20
2017: Warde Mustangs 55, Ludlowe Falcons 22
2018: Ludlowe Falcons 34, Warde Mustangs 33

Cumulative record: Warde 16 wins, Ludlowe 8 wins

Paul

Second-Half Comeback Sparked Warde Upset Over Ludlowe on the Gridiron 46 Years Ago Today

A bad snap from center and a recovered fumble allowed Andrew Warde High School's football team to score a pair of second half touchdowns and rally for a 16-14 upset victory over cross-town rival Roger Ludlowe High School at the winners' field before a bi-partisan crowd of 4,000 people, Saturday, October 20, 1973.

Reliable halfback Ken Aiello grounded out 180 yards on 30 carries to spark the Crimson Eagles to their first FCIAC victory against five overall losses and left them with a 1-3 mark in the Eastern Division. Ludlowe fell to 1-3 in the East and 2-4 overall.

Aiello, who also tallied on both extra point conversions, received a plaque from the Fairfield Lions Club as Warde's most valuable player in the game, while Bob Haggerty was voted Ludlowe's top performer in post game ceremonies.

The Flying Tigers tallied at 2:52 of the first quarter when quarterback Joe Rietano sneaked across the goal line on a fourth-and-goal sitution. The 10-play scoring drive started when Tom Danielson fumbled on his own 31 yard line. Kevin Klik kicked the extra point to give the guests a 7-0 lead.

Coach Emil Taft's squad added another seven points on the first play of the second quarter when Rietano hit Paul Sullivan with a 21-yard completion and Klik added the extra point to take a seemingly secure 14-0 cushion into intermission. Please click the link below to access and enlarge the newspaper story of the game.
Sun, Oct 21, 1973 – Page 93 · The Bridgeport Post (Bridgeport, Fairfield, Connecticut) · Newspapers.com
But the fired-up Eagles of Bill Davis weren't going to be denied and turned opportunistic by using the Ludlowe miscues to pull out the win. The first break came when Ludlowe punter Mark Greenwalt was not able to handle the snap from center and was brought down on hos own 34 yard line.

Later, Aiello's 23-yard carry brought the ball down to the nine yard line, and two plays later Steve Cameron crossed the goal line with 3:23 remaining in the third quarter. Aiello fought his way into the end zone for two additional points.

The deciding touchdown came after tackle Julius Dudics pounced on a Ludlowe fumble at the Tigers' 31. A facemask penalty and a 12-yard run by Aiello put the pigskin on the eight yard line. On third-and-goal, quarterback Jim DelVecchio hit paydirt from one yard away to tie the score at 14-14 with 6:29 left in the game. Aiello again battled his way into the end zone for the deciding two points

Paul

Warde Posted Third Straight Shutout 60 Years Ago Today During Undefeated Grid Campaign

Andrew Warde High School's defense-minded Crimson Eagles ran their unbeaten, unscored upon victory streak to three games 60 years ago today --- Saturday, October 3, 1959 --- by downing previously-unbeaten Norwalk, 12-0, before an estimated 2,500 spectators at the Warde field.

Coach Fern Tetreau's charges scored early in both the first and fourth quarters, while stopping Norwalk inches short of the goal line and later at the Eagles' 13 yard marker. The Green Wave was only able to move inside the Warde 30-yard line just four times during the contest.

Norwalk received the opening kickoff and, after advancing to its 27, was forced to punt to the Warde 47. On the Eagles' first play from scrimmage, halfback Larry Gill dashed 29 yards around his right end to the visitors' 24 yard line. Al Bennett ran to the 19 yard line, before Gill scampered around the left end for five more yards to the Norwalk 14.

Jack Flanagan burst through center for a one-yard gain and a Warde first down. Quarterback Howie Ratner handed off to Gill once again, and he ran to the four yard line on a delay. Flanagan added two more yards for a first down at the Green Wave two yard line before Ratner plunged oacross the goal line for the first score of the game.

Norwalk's Lee Johnson, however, stopped Gill shy of the goal line on the attempted two-point conversion, holding Warde to a 6-0 advantage.

A few minutes later, Norwalk tackle Jim Ciminello recovered a quick kick by Warde's Gill that was blocked on the Warde 25. Norwalk reeled off two first downs and had the ball on the Eagles' three yard line with first down and goal-to-go as the first quarter came to a close.

Jerry Fishman opened the second stanza with a one yard gain to the two yard line. However, halfback Everett Jess fumbled as he went through the line, and the loose football rolled to the goal line where Warde's right end Walter Ruby recovered it. Norwalk never again advanced inside the hosts 10 yard line.

The winners threatened again with four minutes left in the first half, but an offside penalty nullified a 14-yard touchdown dash by Flanagan. After the stellar Warde defense limited Norwalk to just seven yards rushing in the second quarter and only four yards in the third quarter, the Eagles' Walter Beck recovered another Green Wave fumble at the Norwalk 18-yard line. Flanagan scampered six yards to the Norwalk 12 as the third quarter ended.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Larry Gill sidestepped three would-be tacklers and followed good blocking by Ratner and Beck to dash 13 yards to paydirt for Warde's second touchdown. Norwalk stopped Flanagan's rush for the attempted two points as Warde assumed a 12-0 cushion.

Norwalk's Fishman played an outstanding game as he carried the ball 14 times for 64 yards and kicked a booming 60-yard punt.

Paul

Companion Web Site Launched for Crimson Crier Archives

I am happy to announce that I have launched a companion Web site dedicated exclusively to the Andrew Warde High School Crimson Crier. The Web site has links to 19 PDF issues of the Warde newspaper from 1967 through 1975. Please click the image below to access the site.

You may recall I originally had 24 issues. However, the Web hosting service's annual fee was prohibitive, so I dropped the service and lost all of the links to the newspaper.

Fortunately, however, I found a site which stored 19 of the original issues for me. As a result, I downloaded the issues and published them to the companion Web site, which is http://www.crimsoncrier.webs.com.

Please know that this is a work in progress. I will be updating and adding to the Web site and making it more visually attractive. It is a labor of love.

If you have any issues of the Crimson Crier which you would like to share, please contact me. I would love to add them to the collection. I may be reached via email at ppiorek@optonline.net.

Please visit the companion Web site. You may also access it through the "Library" link in the left-hand margin. I know you will enjoy it.

Paul

Senior Hat from 1967 Displayed "Spirit Pins"

How many of you are old enough to remember 'Senior Hats?' This writer is a 1976 graduate of Andrew Warde High School, so I'm not familiar with them. However, one of the regular contributors to the Guest Book wrote, "Anyone remember collecting the different spirit pins, buttons, and badges each week during football season in the late 60s and 70s?"

The writer continued, "Warde students and faculty (collected pins) with the name of the opponent for the upcoming Saturday football game. There used to be 'Senior Hats' for sale, usually before the first football pep rally. Seniors would decorate their hats with the buttons and pins collected during their years at Warde.

"On the day of the first pep rally, seniors were allowed to wear the 'Senior Hats' to classes throughout the day. The school-wide pep rallies usually took place during the last period of the day. If the weather was clear, then the rally took place on the patio in front of the cafeteria. Otherwise, the rally moved into the gym. After the football team and coaches were introduced, each class would compete in a cheer contest with the loudest class being declared the winner."

Believe it or not, I found a 'Senior Hat' from 1967 at a Fairfield Warde High School flea market. The crimson hat has the embroidered letters AW and numbers 67 along with the spirit pins. This is quite a find, and it's one of my favorite Andrew Warde High School collectibles. Take a look. 

Paul