LOOKING BACK
10 YEARS AGO
The local high school baseball season got underway and Opening Day 2011 was a little more special for Norwalk High head coach Pete Tucci, who earned his 200th career victory when the Bears beat Westhill 6-4 in Stamford. Winning pitcher James Cooksey doubled in two runs and Kevin Danielle doubled in another while reliever John Lauttenbach pitched one-hit shutout ball the last three innings. Tucci had to wait 12 years to reach his milestone victory. He previously served as head baseball coach at NHS for nine seasons (1991-99) and before that for two-plus seasons at Central Catholic until the city’s third high school closed in 1990. When he stepped down as the Bears’ head coach, Tucci’s overall record was 199-78. He served as an assistant coach with Norwalk the past seven seasons under his successor, Angelo Bruno, before returning as head coach this spring.
Brien McMahon also opened with a victory as the Senators pounded defending FCIAC champion Fairfield Ludlowe 16-5. Winning pitcher Bryan Daniello collected four hits, including a towering two-run homer, while
Aleko Petridis singled, doubled and tripled with three RBIs. Jamie Restivo also drove in three runs and Ronnie Sherman belted a three-run homer.
Scott McCormack scored five goals and assisted on a sixth as the McMahon boys lacrosse team overpowered Branford 18-3 in its season opener. Zack Bartolo added three goals and Louie DiGiacomo recorded five assists to go with a pair of goals. Andrew D’Antonio and Jack Conroy also scored twice for the Senators.
25 YEARS AGO
Local history was made when Jerry Courville Jr. became the first golfer from Norwalk to play in The Masters at Augusta. The 37-year-old Shorehaven golfer was one of only five amateurs to qualify for the prestigious tournament, earning his invitation by winning last summer’s U.S. MidAmateur championship. The former Brien McMahon AllFCIAC golfer was paired with two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer of Germany and played one hole in front of the legendary Jack Nicklaus.
Courville shot a 6-over 78 in the first round and missed the cut after carding an 82 the following day. Two dozen supporters from the Norwalk area made the trip, including Jerry Courville Sr.,
who walked all 18 holes despite his battle with cancer.
Three weeks after guiding the Norwalk High boys basketball team to an unbeaten state championship season, Ray Barry
began his 20th year as head coach of the Bears’ girls softball team with a 6-0 win over Stratford. Junior pitcher Stacey Morrell
fired a five-hit shutout, while Kelley Walsh, another junior, had two hits and Kim Combis
doubled in two runs. The win was Barry’s 344th in softball.
The NHS baseball team also won its 1996 opener 12-3 over Staples as Tim Brown and Jermaine Jennings each had three hits and two RBIs. John Crowe
also drove in a pair of runs.
The start of the high school lacrosse season in Connecticut was delayed due to a work stoppage by referees, who were unable to reach an agreement with the CIAC regarding wages. This is the second year lacrosse is being sanctioned by the CIAC, which oversees the state’s 32 teams. With the delay, Norwalk High’s season opener against Simsbury at Testa Field was postponed.
50 YEARS AGO
The Norwalk YMCA Calvin Murphy Biddy Basketball League all-star team brought home the state championship after posting back-to-back victories over the weekend in New Haven. In Saturday’s semifinal, the Norwalkers beat Hope Methodist of Brookside 58-40 behind 19 points from Jim Ruffels. The local all-stars wrapped up the state crown on Sunday with a 65-50 win over host West Hills of New Haven. Jon Bussing led a balanced attack with 13 points while Mike Dawson scored 11 and James Wiggins and Ruffels, the tournament MVP, netted 10 points apiece.
The Brien McMahon and Central Catholic baseball teams opened their 1971 season with road victories as the Senators nipped Wilton 3-2 while the Cavaliers topped New Milford 4-1. McMahon and Wilton were meeting for the first time in baseball after WHS joined the FCIAC this winter. The Senators spoiled the Warriors’ conference debut by scoring a run in the first and two more in the second while Tom Fagan pitched a complete-game five-hitter. He also doubled in a run while third baseman Kevin Wilder had an RBI single and made the defensive play of the game when, with two on and one out in the seventh, he snagged a line drive and threw to first for a game-ending double play.
Brendan Shea also tossed a complete-game victory for Central Catholic, yielding six hits, fanning nine and walking none. A first-inning sac fly by Jack Curone gave CCHS a 1-0 lead before a two-run double by John Paladino highlighted a three-run fourth.
Norwalk High opened the following day and dropped a 3-2, eight-inning contest to visiting Danbury. The Bears scored both their runs in the fourth as Brian O’Malley singled in the first run and scored the second on a squeeze bunt by John Smith. Paul Jacoby had three of Norwalk’s seven hits while Ray Rzasa pitched all eight innings, allowing five hits and striking out seven.