LOOKING BACK | BY GEORGE ALBANO

10 years ago

Noel Thomas, who began his scholastic football career at Norwalk High before finishing at St. Luke's this past fall, signed a letter of intent to play at the UConn. A product of Norwalk's youth football program, Thomas was a two-way standout for St. Luke's this past fall as he helped lead the Storm to the New England Private School Class C championship. On offense he ran for 1,226 yards, caught 21 passes for another 349 yards, and scored 21 touchdowns, while on defense the safety made 43 tackles had four interceptions. Thomas capped off his season by being named the MSG Network Connecticut Player of the Year.

The Norwalk Mad Bulls youth wrestling club, in just its third season, made a strong showing at the 2013 Connecticut Kids State Championships in New Haven.

Leading the charge was Koy Price, a second-year wrestler, who won the state title in the intermediate 95-pound division. In his three matches, Price registered two pins and a technical fall, winning the crown with a fall in 2:46 in the finals. Other medal winners from the Mad Bulls were runnerup Jeff Capone, who lost a 2-0 overtime decision in the finals, Artie Cocchia, who finished fourth, and Jeff Cocchia, a fifth-place finisher.

25 years ago

Norwalk High swimmer Nick Burke closed out his scholastic career in grand style as the senior standout captured the Class LL state championship in the 100 backstroke at Wesleyan University, and six days later added the State Open title in the same event at Yale. Burke's individual efforts helped the Bears finish seventh in LL and ninth at the Open.

Four days after wrapping up its record eighth FCIAC championship, the Norwalk High boys basketball team began its quest for another title as the Bears opened the Class LL state tournament with a pair of onesided wins. In the first round No. 9 NHS posted a 92-69 victory at home over No. 24 New Britain, giving the Bears their 20th win of the season. Tyjuan Hubbard scored a career-high 35 points, hitting 15-of-19 shots and 5-for-5 from the free throw line — at one point scoring 12 straight points. He also recorded seven rebounds and five steals, while Brandon Miles finished with 16 points and Winston Grey had 14 ... Two nights later Norwalk travelled to Norwich and returned home with an 80-59 win over NFA as Bobby Trimboli scored a game-high 25 points, Hubbard tallied 22, and Miles had another 16point game. Norwalk, now 21-4, plays No. 1 Hartford Public in the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, Brien McMahon, seeded No. 23 in the Class L state tourney, lost a 70-68 nail biter at No. 10 Amity in the opening round. The Senators trailed by 16 points in the fourth quarter, but rallied behind senior Joe Howell to tie the game twice. Howell, playing with four fouls, tallied 10 points in the final period to ignite a 16-3 run as McMahon knotted the score 66-66 with 2:09 left. Amity, which never trailed, regained the lead and held on for the two-point victory. Howell closed out his outstanding season with 24 points, 14 rebounds, five blocked shots and four steals.

50 years ago

The most exciting night of the local high school basketball season took place in the first round of the Class LL state tournament as both Brien McMahon

and Norwalk posted thrilling one-point victories. The Senators, the No. 2 seed and fresh off winning their first FCIAC championship, nipped No. 15 Lee High School of New Haven 6766 at neutral Trumbull High, while Norwalk High, the No. 11 seed, knocked off No. 6 Bridgeport Central 64-63 at the Wilton Fieldhouse. McMahon made it 22 straight wins, but needed a pair of clutch baskets by Jerome Maultsby to keep the streak—and its season—alive. Lee, 11-10 coming into the game, rallied from a 10-point fourthquarter deficit to take a 59-57 lead with 12 seconds to go. The Senators missed a game-tying shot, but Maultsby grabbed the loose ball, spun around and hit the tying basket as the buzzer sounded. In overtime, Lee took a 66-65 lead with 11 seconds left and then forced a McMahon turnover. But Robbie Williams stole the ball and passed it to Maultsby, who hit the winning basket with three seconds left. The junior forward finished with 19 points as the Senators improved to 22-1.

Norwalk High also led by double digits most of the night against Bridgeport Central, grabbing a 37-23 halftime lead and holding a 49-36 advantage entering the fourth quarter. The Bears were still up by 13 with 4:09 remaining, but the MBIAC champs, who were 16-3 coming into the game, rallied and cut the lead to 6361 with 34 seconds to go. After a free throw by Harry Bridgeforth gave NHS a 64-61lead with 24 seconds left, Central scored to make it 64-63 with nine seconds to go, but the Bears dribbled out the clock to secure the win. Tony Trimboli led Norwalk with 30 points, including 16 in the second quarter, while Ellis Spaulding finished with 16 points and 18 rebounds.