LOOKING BACK | BY GEORGE ALBANO
10 YEARS AGO
Two of the top pitchers in the Norwalk Cal Ripken League went head-to-head in an early-season matchup at Fox Run School as Terzian Trucking edged The Batter’s Box 1-0 with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Winning pitcher Andrew Matthews fired a one-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts as he outdueled Brendan Huertas, who fanned 15 batters while allowing six hits. Two of those hits were by Chris Druin, including a game-winning RBI double in the sixth that scored Mike Claps, who singled leading off and stole second.
The surging Norwalk High girls lacrosse team, which started the season 0-6, improved to 6-8 following two more wins, including an 11-10 overtime thriller against St. Joe’s. Efthimia Kutrubis tied the score in the final minute of OT, setting the stage for Jennie Deering, who netted the game-winning goal seconds later. Thenya Taiyanides led the Bears with five goals ... Four days later, NHS beat Pomperaug 14-11 as Jen McCarthy scored six goals and assisted on two more while
Christine Mace recorded six assists.
The Brien McMahon boys tennis team beat Stamford 5-2, sweeping all five singles matches behind Zach Ely, Maurice Thomas, Tom Skipper, Aaron Bayless and Erik Chioda ... The BMHS girls were also celebrating following a 4-0 win against Bridgeport Central. Gillian Minnerly and Hannah Skipper both posted 6-1, 6-1 victories in singles, while the doubles team of Avery Lowe and Claire Kostohyry and the tandem of Lindsay Chironna and Haley Tomshek also won in straight sets.
25 YEARS AGO
A special chapter in the Brien McMahon-Norwalk city rivalry came to an end after more than two decades when the Bears defeated the Senators 5-2 in boys tennis. It was the final time longtime coaches and close friends Don Wilson of McMahon and John Keogh of NHS faced one another. Their friendship began when the two were math teachers at BMHS before Keogh transferred crosstown when the new
Norwalk High School opened and became the Bears’ tennis coach, while Wilson was named the McMahon coach two years later. Keogh is now in his 24th season and Wilson in his 22nd and final season with plans to retire from teaching and coaching in June. For the past 22 years, the Bears and Senators not only met in their regular conference match, but the two coaches often scheduled a second non-league match as they did this season, with Norwalk winning both.
The Norwalk High girls softball team beat St. Joe’s 14-4 under the lights at Calf Pasture in the second annual Jimmy Ellis Hall of Fame Game. Caryn Wahlbrink led the Lady Bears with three hits, three RBIs and three runs scored, Jolie Schermann added two hits and a pair of RBIs and winning pitcher Stacy Morrell belted a triple. The late Jimmy Ellis, a Hall of Fame softball umpire from Norwalk, was cofounder and first president of the Norwalk Umpires Association. Proceeds from the game benefit three scholarships presented to a player from NHS, Brien McMahon and St. Joseph, which Ellis had ties to.
The McMahon boys track team went 2-1 in a quad meet, beating Greenwich and Bassick while falling to New Canaan by only four points. The Senators’ Jayson Murphy won the 300 hurdles, high jump and triple jump while teammate Reggie Dormevil took first in the shot put and discus.
50 YEARS AGO
Local history was made as Charlene Turturino became the first woman athlete at Norwalk Community College when she made the Cougars’ varsity golf team. A resident of Greenwich, the 19-year-old Turturio began playing golf when she was 11 and recently won the women’s club championship at the Greenwich Country Club. She currently has a 5-handicap, ranking her among the top female golfers in the state. The first-year NCC golf team, coached by Ed Zamm, made a successful debut with a victory over Stamford-UConn at Oak Hills. Adding to the excitement was a hole-in-one by former Brien McMahon golfer Gary Carella on the 13th hole.
The National Little League, the oldest of Norwalk’s four Little League programs, began its 21st season of play. This year’s opening day ceremonies took place at the Silvermine Elementary School field, where games will be played this season while Dunbar Field in Broad River, the league’s regular home, is under construction. During its ceremonies, the league honored Ben Whone, an active member of the National LL since its inception in 1951, including serving as an officer in 1952 when Norwalk won the Little League World Series in Williamsport.
It was also opening day in the Rowayton Little League, which christened its 14th season with a pair of no-hitters at Rowayton School. Phil Hazzard allowed no hits and struck out 15 as he led Bora Realtors to a 5-1 win over Rowayton Fuel. Hazzard also singled, doubled and drove in two runs ... Bobby Ely hurled the second no-hit gem of the day as he led Rowayton Hose past Rowayton Pharmacy 4-1. Steve Irwin had a single, double and one RBI in the win. The city’s other two Little Leagues, Norwalk American and Norwalk International, open next week.