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Charles Miller
Stand-out basketball player in Middletown in the early 1930’s. Middletown High
School 1929-1932: Basketball, varsity team center, 1930-1932; leading scorer
and in rebounds; Led MHS to Connecticut State Basketball Finals in Junior and
Senior years. Semi-Pro: Basketball original member of the Middletown Speed
Boys team he organized in 1932. Team won Middletown City Championship,
1932-1940. Speed Boys played teams from throughout New England. Moved to Los
Angeles, played semi-pro softball until 1950. Became low handicap golfer.
Carl Lombardo
Vinal Tech School, 1985-1989: Soccer, 4 years. All-American, Senior year;
3-time All-State, 4-times All-Conference; 2-times All-New England. Second in
State scoring record, (123). Received “Totu” Award for most goals scored in
tournament (14). Ohio State University, 1989-1993. 3-times All-Tournament
Team; Most Valuable Player in first tournament at Villanova; received “Best
Forward Award’. Member of Oakwood Select Team that toured and played
throughout Europe. Coaching Career; in Ohio, Cosa Hurricanes, 1989-1990;
Arsenal Soccer Club, 1991; Cosa Cyclones, 1991; Vinal Tech, 1993-1994; Rocky
Hill H.S., 1995.
Jennifer O’Brien
AAU basketball 1993-1995. Mercy High School 1993-1996: Basketball, career
leader in points (1905); Captain 1996 Class L State Championship team. 3-time
All-State Team 1994-95-96. 4-time All-League 1st team and All-Middlesex County
Team. Connecticut “Player of the Year”, by USA Today 1996. National High
School Coaches Association, region 1 All-American. Lacrosse, 1995-1996. Cross
Country, 1993-1996. Davidson College 1996-2000: Basketball, career leader in
points, assists and free throws. 3-time Captain, 1998-2000: 3-time All
Southern Conference League team; Southern Conference leader in steals, 4
seasons; assists, 3 seasons. 2-time Davidson Womens Basketball M
Charles B. Stone
Woodrow Wilson High School, 1945: Track, State Champion in discus, 2nd in shot
put. Swimming team Captain; placed 3rd in 100 yard freestyle in State meet.
Held YMCA pool record, 100 yard freestyle. Wesleyan University, 1946-1949;
college swim records in 100 and 200 yard freestyle, and 400 yard freestyle
relay. High point scorer all 4 years. In 1949 New England Swimming
Championships, placed 2nd in 50 yard, 100 yard freestyle and 400 yard
freestyle relay. Won 50 and 100 yard freestyle events in 1952 Middle Atlantic
YMCA swimming championships. State champion in 50 and 100 yard freestyle and
150 yard medley event at 1985 Masters swimming competition. 7th in 1985
National Masters Championships, qualifying for National Top Ten. Wesleyan:
Track, discus and shot put, 4 years.
Richard Rosek
Central Catholic High School, Pittsburgh, PA: Varsity Football and Track.
College of Santa Fe, New Mexico: Baseball. Highlands University, New Mexico:
Varsity Football. Coaching Career: Football, Assistant Coach, East Hartford,
H.S, 1967-68. Assistant football coach, Middletown H.S. 1969 to 1978 and 1984
to 1995. Assistant football coach, Woodrow Wilson H.S. 1979 to 1983. Head
football coach, Middletown H.S. 1996 to 2001. Head coach, MHS women’s
Basketball, 1990 to 1995. Head Track coach, MHS and Woodrow Wilson H.S., 1969
to 2000. Awards: Track Coach of Year, 1983. Basketball Coach of Year, 1990.
Assistant Football, Coach of the Year, 1995. Friends of Football, 2000
Richard Satagaj
Little League Baseball: Kiwanis team 1953-1957. Named to All-Star team 4
times; won 1957 batting title with .542 average. Most Valuable player,
1956-1957. Ahern-Whalen League, 1958-1960. All-Star team, 1959-1960. Woodrow
Wilson H.S.: 1959-1962; Football, fullback, safety, punter. Basketball,
1959-1962, point guard. Baseball, 1959-1962, shortstop, leader in batting and
home runs, Captain 1962. St. Leo University: Baseball 1963-1964; second
baseman and leading hitter. Captain and Most Valuable Player, 1964. Named to
All-Conference Team. Central Connecticut State University, 1965-1966.
Football, 1966, punter, kicker. Baseball, 1965-1966, home run leader,
All-Conference Team. Semi-Pro Baseball: Hartford Twilight League; ShoreLine
League. San Francisco Giants, Decater Giants, 1966. Skiing: Professional
instructor and Manager.
Kenneth Robinson
Little League Baseball: All around player and home run hitter. Selected to
league’s All-Star Teams. Won batting title in 1955 with .500 batting average.
Woodrow Wilson High School: 3-sport athlete, Baseball, Track, Football. Known
as speedy halfback whose long yardage runs and big plays won many games for
Wilson Wildcats. Named an alternate to Connecticut Nutmeg East-West All-Star
team, 1961. Played softball while at Lackland, U.S. Air Force Base, 1963. Hit
17 home runs to lead his team to the base Championship.
Francis Monnes
Middletown High School 1947-1951: Baseball, Co-Captain 1951. Central
Connecticut State College Varsity Baseball, 4 years, Captain in Junior and
Senior years. Semi-pro: Baseball, played 16 years for Cromwell in Middlesex
County League. Hartford Twilight League, led league in batting and home runs
in 1953. Coaching Career: Cromwell H.S. varsity baseball coach for 36 years.
Amassed record of 467 wins- 192 losses. Teams went to State Tournaments 30
times: played in 6 State Championships games; won 13 Conference and 2 Division
titles. CHSCA Baseball Coach of year 1976 & 1987. National High School Coaches
Association regional winner. Chosen “Best of Century” in baseball coaching
1999. Connecticut Coaches Hall of Fame 1994.
Marc Levin
Xavier High School 1977-1980: Baseball 1978-1980; outstanding hitter and
outfielder. Captain of 1980 State Class L Championship team. Batted over .500
in State Tournament. American Legion Baseball: Middletown Post 75 team
1978-1979. Team won Zone 3 Championship 1978-1979 and State Championship 1979.
Stole 35 bases 1979 season. Tampa University: varsity baseball 1981-1982,
batted .422; named to League’s All-Star Team. Semi-Pro Baseball: Mallove
Jewelers in Hartford Twilight League 1980-1985; named to League’s All-Star
Team.
Louis LaPila
Woodrow Wilson High School: J.V. Basketball. Little League: manager, umpire.
Umpired adult softball games. Judo: 1961 to present. Middletown Judo Club.
President of Club 1967-1969. Awarded rank of Shodan, 1st Degree Blackbelt;
Sensee of Club 1973 to present. New England Y.M.C.A. Middleweight Champion
1965-1966. Connecticut Invitational Meet: Middleweight Champion. Listed in
Who’s who in Martial Arts. World Martial Arts Hall of Fame 1996. Won numerous
Tournaments and Trophies. Teacher of Martial Arts 45 years.
Thomas Sweeney
Xavier High School, 1972-1975: Football, tackle and special teams for
undefeated State Championship team, 1974. Received Honorable Mention on
All-State Team, offensive tackle; All-Hartford County Conference team,
defensive tackle. University of Pennsylvania, 1975-1979: Captain Freshman
football team. 3 year starter varsity team. Received Senior Award as top
offensive lineman. Coaching Career: coach Cromwell Park and Rec. Soccer teams
and Travel Soccer team, 1995-1999. Coached Cromwell Little League, 1998-2002:
Jaycee-Courant League, 2003-2004; assistant coach RCP, Post 105 American
Legion Junior team, 2005; Legion Senior team 2006
Alan Warzecha
Xavier High School, 1968-1973: Football, freshman team, 1968. Varsity
offensive tackle, 1969-1971. All-Hartford County Conference Team, 1971;
All-State 2nd Team, 1971. Played in Connecticut Nutmeg Bowl game, 1971. New
Mexico Highlands University; varsity football, 1972. Northern Arizona
University: varsity football, 1973-1974-1975; All Skyline Conference. Coaching
Career: Haddam Killingworth High School, Assistant Football Coach, 1977-1980;
Assistant Swim Coach, 1978; Head Indoor Track Coach, 1979; Head Golf Coach,
1980. Gerard High School, Phoenix, AZ: Assistant Football Coach, 1981-1982.
Established Junior Golf Program, Peoria AZ School District, 1994-2004.
Charles Robbins
Manchester High School, 1930’s: Cross Country and Track long distance events.
University of Connecticut: Cross Country and Track. Captain Cross Country team
1941. Finished 3rd in 1941 NCAA Championships. All-American in Track and Cross
Country. First one in UCONN history. Independent Running: won 5 National AAU
Championships and back to back national Marathon Championships, 1945 and 1946.
One of founders of Manchester Turkey Day Races. Ran in 50 consecutive Turkey
Day Races, placed 1st 1945-1946. Top Age Group runner. Set 80 and over record
in 2000.
1975 - 1976 Basketball Team
1976 - 1977 Basketball Team
1977 - 1978 Basketball Team
MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAMS OF 1975-76, 1976-77, 1977-78
In the 1970’s, The Middletown High School Basketball Teams of Head Coach Tom
LaBella and Assistant Coaches Hank Koritkoski and Tom Zabek created a dynasty
in the State Class B Basketball Division by winning 3 straight Class B
Championships. In Addition, they had a winning streak of 76 continuous games,
and that winning streak was extended to 80 games in the 1978-79 season. The
Players who established these records were:
Derek Darley, Steven Hannah, Ronnie Holly, Brian Hunter,
Robert Earl Hyman, Tommy Jackson, Greg Lucas, Bernard McArthur, Alford
Marshall, Kerry Marshall, Charles Muckle, Marvin Privott, Ricky Privott,
Captain 1978 Michael Rankins, Joe Roget, Edward Steadham, Bobby Thomas,
Captain 1976, 1977, Cornelius Thompson, Captain 1976, 1977, 1978, Vito Walton,
Monty Watson, and Steve Winborne, and the Coaches were: Head Coach: Thomas
LaBella, Assistant Coaches: Hank Koritkoski, Tom Zabek
The 1975-76 team’s record was 24 wins, No losses. The
1976-77 team’s record, 25 wins, No losses. The 1977-78 team’s record, 27 wins,
No losses.
Their win streak of 76
games set the stage for the following season when the Middletown High team
established the Connecticut and New England record of 80 consecutive wins.
Many of these wins were major victories over such teams as Northwest Catholic,
South Catholic, Woodrow Wilson, New London and St. Joseph’s.
