George Albano’s Looking Back
10 YEARS AGO
The Norwalk High boys soccer team gained the No. 1 ranking in the state poll following two more wins as the Bears improved to 5-0. Jake Zuniga scored two goals as NHS beat Trumbull 5-2 and Andres Torres netted a pair of goals in the Bears’ 4-0 win over Wilton. Freshman goalie Svet Kozak recorded his third shutout ... McMahon also remained unbeaten as Aleko Petridis scored a hat trick in the Senators’ 3-2 win over Ridgefield to up their record to 2-0-3.
Six different players scored as McMahon’s girls soccer team beat Trinity Catholic 7-1. Shawnique Samuels led the balanced attack with two goals while Deven Machette had a goal and an assist.
The NHS girls volleyball team, winners of only four matches last season, improved to 3-0 with a 3-2 win over Trumbull. Sophie Larevoy led the Bears with 21 service points, nine digs and nine kills ... McMahon beat Harding 3-1 as Joselynne Quinones had 22 points, including seven aces, and eight assists.
Norwalk’s Ron Silk won the Sunoco Modified feature at Thompson International Speedway. The 27-year-old Silk led early, fell behind briefly, then regained the lead on lap 11 and won by 10 car lengths.
The Norwalk Panthers seventh-grade football team is 4-0 following a 30-8 win against Shelton. Lester Harris and Mike Demko scored touchdowns while Tony Burden returned an interception 50 yards for another TD and AJ Jerome ran back a punt 40 yards for a score.
25 YEARS AGO
Behind double winners Jamie Bucholz and Maggie Coyne, the Norwalk High girls swim team beat St. Joe’s 80-70 for its first win of the season. Bucholz was also part of the winning 200 freestyle relay team.
The city’s two boys soccer teams also celebrated victories. Brien McMahon blanked Harding 3-0 as Mario Rodriguez scored two goals and assisted on the other by Mario Duran. Goaltender Ben Davies recorded his second shutout ... A goal by Nick Soumelidis gave Norwalk a 1-0 victory over St. Joseph. Jason Caston earned the assist as NHS outshot the Cadets 20-5.
The two local high school football teams weren’t as fortunate. McMahon lost to Darien 21-14 as the defending FCIAC and state champs saw their 16-game winning streak halted. That streak included last year’s 12-0 season and a 2-0 start this season. The Senators, who committed five turnovers, trailed 21-0 at halftime. But Charles Covington returned the second-half kickoff 77 yards to the 15, setting up a 1-yard touchdown run by Luis Vega. Covington then raced another 77 yards for a TD to make it 21-14. McMahon threatened again in the fourth quarter, but the drive stalled.
Norwalk High fell to 1-2 after a 21-6 loss to Wilton, the No. 9ranked team in the state. The Bears trailed 14-0 when Gary Koenig recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to make it 14-7. The Warriors responded with a scoring drive on the ensuing series to seal their third straight win.
In Pop Warner Football, the Norwalk Dolphins Pee Wee squad beat Bridgeport 25-0 as Drew Smith scored three touchdowns and rushed for 99 yards.
The unbeaten Norwalk Jr. Mariners U-9 travel boys soccer team is 6-0-0 after beating Greenwich 8-0. Chris Beaudry registered a hat trick, John Beirle and Patrick Scully each scored twice, and Matt Petrini netted the other goal.
50 YEARS AGO
Plenty of offense was on display as the Norwalk High soccer team scored in all four periods and routed Andrew Warde 8-0. Dan Kalmanides led the onslaught with three goals, Andy Kydes and Bill Klein scored two goals apiece, and Bill Kalogerides had one as NHS outshot the Eagles 50-2. Coach Tom Scarso
used 16 subs in the one-sided win.
Meanwhile, the NHS field hockey won its season opener 1-0 over Wilton as Margie Yackulics
scored the only goal late in the first half.
The McMahon football team remained unbeaten with a 28-6 win over Danbury behind the one-two punch of running backs Abe Weldon and Lloyd Fuller. The duo each scored two rushing touchdowns including one apiece in the first quarter as the Senators took a 14-0 lead. Danbury cut it to 14-6 early in the fourth period, but Fuller and Weldon both scored their second TD to seal McMahon’s third straight win.
Rudy Gisolfi was 4-for-4 on extra points and is 11-for-11 this season. Terry Fuller led the defense with two interceptions, giving him five this season to tie a team record. Danny Fuller and
Rit Buckley also had picks. McMahon is tied for first in the FCIAC West with Stamford, which is also 3-0 after beating Norwalk 27-0.
Central Catholic dropped its home opener 6-0 to Waterford, the only points coming on a 20yard TD pass in the second quarter. The Cavaliers, who were stopped on the Waterford 5 in the third quarter and on the 20 late in the fourth, outgained the visitors in total yards, but committed six turnovers and amassed 120 yards in penalties. Jerry Tavella, Mike Buzzeo and Charlie Featherston had interceptions for CCHS, now 1-2.