Sports Memories

February 16, 1984

25 years ago

n Immaculate High's boys basketball team defeated Abbott Tech, 61-55, in a Western Connecticut Conference Wild Division game. Bob Elston hit a season-high of 19 points, and added 10 rebounds. Mike Donahue, the area's leading scorer, matched his swason average with 26 points, and Chuck Gorman finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

n The New Milford High boys basketball team won its 14th consecutive game and snapped Joel Barlow's winning streak at nine straight with a 75-50 victory which also allowed the Green Wave to clinch the Western Connecticut Conference Briggs Division. New Milford is 13-0 in the division. New Milford's Dave Hanson scored 16 points and dished out 9 assists, guiding a Wave offense that turned the ball over just five times in three quarters. Senior sixth-man Bill Murray filled in nicely for starting guard Maurice Highsmith, out with the flu.

n Danbury High's boys basketball team crushed Staples, 85-40, with three starters scoring in double figures. Forward George Menzies led the Hatters barrage with 9 or 10 shooting from underneath for 19 points. Otha Owens produced one of his best perimeter games of the season, hitting 7 of 11 for 14 points, and Keith Vines also chipped in 14.

n The Western Connecticut State University men's basketball team snapped a 7-game home winless streak by defeating Western New England College, 74-67. Rob Schadt had a team-high 17 points and helped secure the victory with free throws.

n Newtown High senior Damien Rispoli capped a fine 4-day run on the mats by earning the Most Valuable Wrestler award at the fifth annual Western Connecticut championships last night (Feb. 11, 1984). Rispoli captured the 129-pound weight class and in the semifinals, the top-seeded Rispoli pinned Bethel's Jamie Morehouse in 2:27. Bob Voland of Newtown remained unbeaten for the year, winning for the second straight time.