The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
A look at the Class of 2017
MIDDLETOWN >> Fourteen sports greats and two championship teams make up the Middletown Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017.
The 24th Annual Middletown Sports Hall of Fame Induction Dinner will take place on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 5:30 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel in Cromwell.
The inductees include Jeff Bagwell, Tina Cienava Clemmey, Dave Daniels, John Geary, Joe Jaskot, Herb Kenny, Sharon Jackson Locke, Ted Lombardo, Bill Post, Anthony “Buddy” Sbona (posthumously), Michael Shapiro, Tyrone Speller, Lou Vargas, and Joel Wysocki (posthumously).
Also being honored are the 1982 Middletown American Legion Baseball championship team and the 1994 Mercy High School softball state championship team.
Ticket information can be obtained by contacting Johanna Bond at the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce by phone
(860) 347-6924, or email johanna@middlesexchamber.com, or mail Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce, 393 Main Street, Middletown, CT 06457.
Here is the second part of our series featuring the Class of 2017.
Sharon Jackson Locke
Sharon Jackson Locke was an extraordinary swimmer at the collegiate, high school and amateur levels.
A four-year competitor at Wilson and Middletown High, Locke was the varsity team captain as a junior and senior. She was a two-time All-Northwest Conference selection and a Middletown Press All-Star.
Locke was a CIAC AllState Class S selection for the 400 freestyle relay, which held state and school records. Her other accolades included earning the Outstanding Sportsmanship Award (1984), the William Montanile Award (1985) and being a part of the Presidential Academic Fitness Awards (1985).
George Baldwin was her coach at Woodrow Wilson High School and after the city schools merged, at Middletown High School.
After graduating from MHS, Locke swam at the University of New Hampshire (1985-89). As a sophomore, Locke and the UNH 400-meter individual medley relay team qualified for the New England and ECAC meets. The Wildcats’ 200 free style relay team captured first place at the New England Championship Meet and second place at the ECAC Championship in 1987.
Locke was one of the top Wildcat swimmers for head coach Brenda Skelley. She qualified for five (individual medley, butterfly, breaststroke and two relays) at the 1988 New England Championship. She finished 15th in the 100 breaststroke, tied for 18th in the 200 breaststroke and was part of the 200 and 400 medley relay teams, which both finished ninth.
Locke’s competitive swimming career began at the Northern Middlesex YMCA under the tutelage of Coach Craig Campbell. She set the team record for 25 yard breaststroke at the New England YMCA Championships in 1976. Locke set the A/B Division Team record for the 200 medley relay, 200 individual medley relay and the 100 yard breaststroke in 1983.
Ted Lombardo
Ted Lombardo developed an affinity for baseball at an early age. And the city of Middletown provided the perfect incubator to learn the nuances of the game.
Lombardo was an outstanding pitcher at every level - Little League - Ahern Whalen League - Woodrow Wilson Junior and Senior High Schools – Middletown American Legion Post 75 – Middletown Collegians.
He was member of the 1964 Class B State Champion Woodrow Wilson High baseball team coach by Gene Pehota. He also played for the Wildcats basketball team coached by Jim Sullivan. As a senior he hit a buzzer beater to defeat cross-town rival Middletown, 50-49.
Lombardo graduated from the University of Connecticut with a degree in Business Administration in 1970. He embarked on a 40-plus year career (19732014) as a teacher, coach and director of athletics at Coginchaug Regional High School in Durham.
Lombardo led Coginchaug’s athletic program from 1995 through 2013. He coached the Blue Devils baseball team for 16 seasons (2000-15) earning 12 trips to the state tournament and winning two Shoreline Conference championships (2009 and 2015). He was the Blue Devils golf coach (1982-99) for eighteen seasons with two SLC titles (1996 and 1999).
Lombardo’s tenure (197583, 1988-95) coaching the Middletown American Legion Post 75 baseball team produced a Northeast Regional runner-up (1995), two state championships (1979 and 1982), a state runner-up (1980) and seven Zone 3 Titles.
He was also an assistant baseball coach at the University of Hartford for three seasons (1984-87).
Lombardo’s officiating career was equally impressive. He was an NCAA men’s college basketball official for 14 years (1982-95) working games at the Division I, II and III levels. He was a high school basketball official from 1975 through 2009. He worked numerous league and state championships culminating in the 2009 Class LL Finals held at Gampael Pavilion.
Lombardo was also a high school football official for 13 seasons (1978-90). For six years, he was a softball umpire and worked three state championship games.
William W. Post
William W. Post was a dual-sport athlete for Xavier High School. He doubled as a fullback and linebacker (1974-76) for Coach Larry McHugh for three seasons. The twoyear starter was an AllState Honorable Mention selection and captain as a senior. He was also named to the All-Hartford County Conference football team.
During the winter and spring he was a sprinter and hurdler (1974-77) for Falcons track coach Robert Michalski. Post, who was the captain of the winter and spring track and field teams, was a member of Xavier’s Class L Indoor and Outdoor championship squads.
Post continued to excel in football as a fullback and linebacker at The Hotchkiss School while taking up a new sport in the spring: lacrosse. Bill was named the most improved player and earned All-Erickson League Honors in 1978.
Post continued his football and lacrosse careers at Wesleyan University. He was a three-year starter at linebacker (1978-81) under coach Bill McDermott and was named captain as a senior. Post earned the Golden Helmet Award for Division II/III Player of the Week for his outstanding effort against Colby in 1981.
Post was a varsity lacrosse defenseman (197982) for Cardinals coach Terry Jackson. He was the captain as a senior, named the Most Valuable Player and selected to participate in the East-West All-Star game in 1982.
His Cardinal athletic career culminated in receiving the Carl R. Ahrens Award presented annually to the Wesleyan University Male Athlete whom best combines the qualities of skill, spirit and leadership.
Anthony “Buddy” Sbona
Anthony “Buddy” Sbona was an instrumental figure in establishing the Middletown Sports Hall of Fame. Sbona was named acting chairman and head of the site committee in 1984. Sbona was elected Mayor of Middletown three times and was the inaugural Master of Ceremony for the first Hall of Fame Class inducted in 1994.
A prominent two-sport athlete on the gridiron and diamond, Sbona earned a reputation as a football standout at Middletown High School under Coach Waino “The Fox” Fillback.
Sbona (Class of 1948) saw varsity action as a sophomore in 1945. He tossed a fourth quarter 12-yard pass for the final touchdown in defeating Manchester High School, 25-12.
Middletown traveled to Jacksonville (Fla.) in December 1945 to face Andrew Jackson High School. Sbona’s father, Emanuel, along with a contingent of 250 Middletown supporters traveled to the River City to support the Tigers. Over 13,000 fans filled Municipal Stadium and witnessed previously undefeated MHS suffer their lone defeat. The Tigers followed up their 8-1 season with a won-loss record of 5-3-1 in 1946.
As a senior, Sbona aired out a third quarter 39-yard touchdown pass to cap the scoring in a 21-0 victory over Stonington to open the 1947 season. In a 22-0 shutout against Manchester, Sbona scored the final touchdown on a 20-yard dash in the third quarter. The elusive quarterback scored on runs of 8 and 3 yards in the third quarter of a 34-0 decisive win over Meriden.
More than 5,000 fans were present at City School Field when MHS played crosstown rival Woodrow Wilson. Sbona threw a 15yard second quarter strike for the only Tiger score in a 6-6 tie, ending the season 7-1-1.
Sbona finished the season as the second leading scorer of the Central Connecticut Interscholastic League with 25 points. The Tigers won the league title four consecutive years (1944-47).