FHS Class of 58 evokes memories
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Reunion prompts fond thoughts of sports heroes’ feats of derring-do
Fred Sullivan Sports Rap


Sometimes when you are 15 or 16 years of age, and a sophomore in high
school, your sports heroes do not have to play for the Celtics, the
Patriots, the Red Sox, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame or the Holy
Cross Crusaders. They could just as well be your teammates and your
classmates at your alma mater, Fitchburg High School.

Thus it was with fond memories that I watched the FHS Class of 1958
slowly stroll across Crocker Field last Friday evening prior to the
FHS-Oakmont contest, as they commemorated their 50th class reunion.

Guys like Ken Rostedt, Mike Conry, 'Buzzy' Congram, Dave King,
Norm Dooley, Pete Stephens and Howie Marvell were the senior class
role models when the FHS Class of 1960 was just a bunch of youngsters
struggling for an identity as young sophomores.


Their 20-14 Turkey Day victory over a powerful Blue Devil squad led by
the magnificent Dick Robichaud is still my favorite Thanksgiving
morning of all time. The celebration on Main Street later that
afternoon as hundreds of cars, with their horns blaring, rode past the
Fitchburg Lunch was simply the best.

These men of Fifty-Eight, who are now in their late sixties, will
always be 17 or 18 years old to this loyal Red and Gray fan who can
still remember singing, "All hail to our alma mater, All hail to
the Red and Gray" with gusto and glee on that November morn so many
years ago.

Speaking of that FHS-Oakmont contest last Friday evening, let me first
congratulate Coach Dave LaRoche and his 2008 superstars for a valiant
effort on the turf at Crocker Field.

Coach LaRoche is one of my favorite North County coaches because he
always plays up. The Spartans play a very difficult schedule every
year, and give just as much as they take. Dave and his staff had their
kids ready for Crocker Field and the Red Raiders.

Oakmont may be 0-2 after two games, but the rest of Mid-Wach B better
watch out.

Come December, it would not surprise me to find the Spartans competing
in the Super Bowl once again. Any football team with kids like James
Rupp, Jesse Hunt, Jackson Haley, Mike Divito, Kenny Addo, Seth
Sheridan, Eric Howlett and Jon Jacobs is going to win its share of
contests. But the Red Raiders of Coach Ray Cosenza were just a little
too strong for the Spartans last Friday, so their victory trophy could
be placed on FHS' mantel.

Quinton Perkins, FHS' sophomore defensive back and special teams
returner, had a fourth-quarter performance that could suffice as a
whole high school career.

What did the will-o'-the-wisp Raider do in that deciding fourth
quarter against the Spartans? First, he grabbed an Oakmont punt on his
21-yard line and blazed through the Spartans for a brilliant
touchdown. Then, after Jacobs returned the favor with an 82-yard
kickoff return to make the score 28-27, Quinton took the subsequent
kickoff back 84 yards to give FHS a 35-27 lead after Luke Arno's
fifth straight extra-point kick.

But the Spartans were not finished, and as the Crocker Field clock
wound down, Hunt and his pinpoint passing to Haley, Howlett and
Sheridan moved closer to the Raider goal. With less than 30 seconds
remaining on the clock, Hunt threw another laser toward the end zone,
but Perkins dove and intercepted the pass. FHS had its second victory.

Final comments on the FHS-Oakmont contest: The Red Raiders look as if
they have found their next outstanding running back in sophomore Byron
Teague, who gained more than 125 yards against a solid Oakmont
defense.

The youngster showed an ability to gain the tough yards between the
tackles like his predecessor, Johnny Gomez.

With a slashing style of running, Arno will be a valuable Raider asset
before the season concludes. He looks like he could be steady from
inside the 30-yard line for those important field goals.

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