Eight former athletes, two coaches and two teams will make up the Johnston High School Athletic Hall of fame’s class of 2015, founder and director Gary Mazzie announced today.
“We’ve got another great class,” said Mazzie, who founded the Hall of Fame back in 2011. “Everyone is excited about another induction ceremony and dinner.”
This year’s induction ceremony and dinner will again be a two-fold event that enables community members and Panthers past and present to participate at no cost.
Mazzie announced that the class of 2015’s induction will be held on Saturday evening, Oct. 3 at 5:30 p.m. inside the Edward L. DiSimone Gymnasium, located at Johnston High School at 345 Cherry Hill Road.
“We encourage family and friends to come to the actual induction ceremony,” he said. “And the reason we have it in the gym is to accommodate as many people as possible.”
Once the class is inducted, families, friends and fans will move to the Pocasset Bay Manor’s main dining room located off Hartford Avenue for what in past year’s has been an emotional induction dinner. Mazzie said tickets prices for that portion of the evening have yet to be established.
The individual athletes who have been selected from a wide range of nominations include Susan A. Baffoni, class of 1975, basketball; Jill A Calabrese, class of 1985, basketball, softball; Chris G. Hopkins, class of 1975, football, basketball, baseball; Joseph M. Hopkins, class of 1978, basketball, baseball; Kenneth J. Hopkins, class of 1972, football, basketball, baseball; Raffaele M. Marziale, class of 1972, hockey; Anthony J. Ponticelli, class of 1971, baseball; and Vincent Salzillo, class of 1967, basketball, baseball.
Former Johnston High Principal Pasquale J. Paolantonio and one-time teacher and coach Bruce S. Vittner have also been selected for induction, as has the school’s 1975 Suburban State Championship tennis team, which was coached by Vittner.
Team members and their respective years of graduation were Albert Benetti, II, class of 1975; Mark D. Bowder, class of 1975; Mark S. Capasso, class of 1977; William B. DeGiulio, class of 1977; Joseph L. Lancellotti, class of 1976; William B. Lancellotti, class of 1975; Jerome Sam, class of 1975; and Gerald W. Schaffert, class of 1977.
One of the evening’s special highlights will come when the 1974-75 Johnston High boys’ basketball team – which captured the Class B State Championship – is inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame.
And heading that list of one-time Panther greats is none other that the legendary, late and beloved longtime teacher and coach Robert A. “Bob” Smith, who later went on to upset powerhouse Central High School and win the Rhode Island Bicentennial Tournament.
Although there has been no formal announcement, it’s expected that former assistant coach Dave Taraborelli will accept the team’s overall induction in Smith’s memory and honor.
The team’s induction will also take place on the Robert A. Smith Memorial Court, which was the site of many great games the 1974-75 Panthers won en route to claiming the state crown.
The team’s members include Michael W. Shields, Michael R. Pagliaro, Anthony P. Graziano, Bernard D. Fusco, Leo D. Messier and Manager William J. Baldwin, all class of 1975; Paul S. Aiello, Joseph A. Baffoni, Steven M. Brown, manager Kevin P. Gatta, Richard J. Gelsomino, Michael P. Leveillee, Daniel E. Mazzulla Jr., all class of 1976; and Donald M. Sweet and Steven P. DeSantis, class of 1977.
“I personally want to thank our great selection committee for doing yet another super job,” Mazzie said. “It is our intent to honor Johnston High School’s best-of-the-best each and every year and relive some of the countless glory days in Panther sports history.”
The Hall of Fame selection committee includes Steven DeMeo, Edward DiSimone, Jason Achille, Richard Hagopian, James Hopkins, Carolyn Thornton Iannuccilli, Alan McGillvray, Tony-Marie Achille, Janet Zucchi, Dennis Quaranta and Mazzie.
For more information about the Hall of Fame or the induction ceremony and dinner, please contact Mazzie at gmazzie@johnstonschools.org.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here