Warwick Athletics invites back county champs

Warwick Athletics has invited the 1984 Orange County championship football team back to celebrate the 40-year anniversary of the OCIAA champs along with then-Head Coach John Garcia and assistants George St. Lawrence, Tom Folino, and Joe Zuk. The 1984 team overcame a 1-2 start to defeat Pine Bush 6-0 in the championship game. During those times, high school football matchups were county-based and school size was not factored into county championships. Warwick’s class of 1984 was around 170 students and competed for the title against schools such as Middletown, Pine Bush, Newburgh and Monroe, whose enrolments were significantly larger than the Wildcats’, making their win that much more impressive.

The 1984 roster included: Dorian Brandt, Rich Beattie, Matt Cabrera, Frank Corkum, Jeff Cox, Mike Forman, Jim Gannon, Joe Green, Tom Hand, Tom Harrison, John Hegarty, Rich Kennedy, Greg Large, Mike Leduc, Bill Lemin, Alan Mannes, Steve Mannes, Jon Matthewon, Scott Mazzella, Tom McMannus, Bruce Miller, Gene Miller, Scott Miller, Mike Palone, Fernando, Quiroz, Pat Rice, Brian Ripley, George Rohrberg, Greg Sirico, John Sly, Steve Smith, Brian Thibert, Brian Turner, Gino Velez, Kevin Williams, and Brian Wright.

Homecoming will take place this Saturday, September 21, starting with a parade down Warwick’s Main Street from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. followed by the football game against Goshen from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.