BRANFORD, CT—The Branford Sports Hall of Fame holds its 37th Induction Ceremony on Nov. 19, where 10 outstanding individuals and two state champion field hockey teams, from 2001 and 2002, will be honored.
Who are they?
The 2026 Branford Sports Hall of Fame inductees are:
Samuel Barnes, a 2006 Branford High School graduate, was an outstanding student-athlete who earned Academic All-American honors and excelled as a four-year lacrosse starter
receiving multiple All-SCC and All-State selections. He continued his lacrosse career at the University of Notre Dame, where he earned All-American honors as a junior and senior, competed in the 2010 NCAA national championship game versus Duke, and was drafted 29th overall by the Long Island Lizards in Major League Lacrosse.
Scott Butler is an accomplished swimming coach and former Branford High School swimmer—1991 Class L Champion—who has dedicated decades to developing athletes and leading swimming programs. A four-time Coach of the Year honoree, Scott has served in key statewide leadership roles, including being a Swim Meet Director, Girls Swimming and Diving Representative, tournament director, and a pool director, while currently coaching Daniel Hand High School's boys' and girls' swim teams. In addition, Scott has taught mathematics for the last 27 years at Francis Walsh Intermediate School.
Cheyenne Carden Vernik, a 2011 Branford High School graduate, was a standout three-sport athlete, excelling in field hockey, wrestling, and lacrosse. She led the S.C.C. in scoring for field hockey during her junior and senior seasons (finished with 71 career goals, three-time State Semifinalist, and
two-time S.C.C. champion), made history as Branford's first female wrestling team captain while competing in national wrestling tournaments, and later earned multiple AIC team honors while playing lacrosse.
Rex Cretella is a lifelong competitive tennis player who achieved a Top 5 New England ranking and a
#1 New England doubles ranking in 1983 in the 18 & under division. He compiled a 65-7 singles record while attending Choate Rosemary Hall and later attended Vanderbilt University where he played as high as #3 singles & #2 doubles. Rex was even selected to compete in the 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials while playing against several well-known tennis professionals in his career.
Lou Drago is a lifelong Branford resident known for his kindness, generosity, and dedication to his community, along with an outstanding athletic career that started in 1956 with winning the Frank J. Kinney Youth Basketball Tournament with the "Handsome Harry's" three years in a row. He had a renowned high school football career that included a state championship in 1958 and later played all four years at
Southern Connecticut State College. He co-founded Daniel Hand High School's football program in 1966, helping build a legacy that included two state championships, and spent 20 years teaching science while mentoring at-risk and unmotivated students.
Emily Fiskio, a 2002 Branford High School graduate, was an exceptional field hockey goalkeeper, leading the team to a state championship in her senior year as captain (2001) and helping compile a 48-5-4 record with 35 shutouts during her three seasons as starter while also being the starting center fielder for all four years for the softball team. A three-time field hockey team MVP & Best Defensive Player award winner, Emily continued her field hockey career at Wheaton College, setting season and career records for saves while earning numerous league honors.
Bogart "Bo" Napora was a multi-sport athlete at Branford High School from 1960 to 1964, playing in baseball, track, and basketball, later continuing his basketball career at William Penn University and the University of Rio Grande. He went on to become a teacher and football, basketball, and baseball coach at Hannan High School in Ashton, West Virginia, and then helped start the soccer program at Point Pleasant High School in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, which resulted in winning five conference championships, two regional championships, and two state "final four" accomplishments, and he was later inducted into the Point Pleasant High School Hall of Fame in 2014.
Conor Reardon, a 2004 Branford High School graduate, was a remarkable baseball player, starting all four years at third base on the varsity team while hitting over .400 every year. Conor earned All-Hammonasset and Academic All-State Honors while being the valedictorian of his graduating class. His baseball success continued at Brown University, achieving multiple awards and honors in which he finished with a .378 career batting average (Brown's all-time record and the twelfth-highest in the history of Ivy League baseball), despite an unfortunate car accident that caused him to miss his sophomore and junior year seasons.
Victoria 'Tori' Reed Redding, a 2009 Branford High School graduate, was an outstanding three-sport athlete at Branford High School, captaining field hockey, softball, and women's ice hockey while earning numerous individual and team honors. She continued her athletic career at Wesleyan University as a standout field hockey goalkeeper receiving All-League, All-American, All-Region, and even All-Academic honors while also earning four varsity letters as an outfielder for the softball team.
Courtney Schissler DeSantis, a 2010 Branford High School graduate, was an extraordinary four-sport athlete who earned varsity letters in basketball, volleyball, swimming, and tennis and earned numerous honors, highlighted with the New Haven Register Female Athlete of the Year in 2010. As a basketball standout, she led Branford to its first Southern Connecticut Conference Tournament championship, finished her high school career with 1,705 points, and continued her success at Bryant University, where she set multiple Division I scoring and three-point records.
2001 Field Hockey Team The 2001 Branford Field Hockey State Champion team finished with an outstanding 18-1-1 record, setting a school record for wins at the time, going undefeated in league play, and scoring 78 goals & allowing just six goals, while closing out the regular season and state tournament on a 16-game winning streak. During the Class M state tournament, Branford outscored its opponents 16-2 and
defeated Pomperaug 4-1 to capture its seventh state championship.
2002 Field Hockey Team The 2002 Branford Field Hockey State Champion team completed an undefeated season with a 17-0-2 record, capturing both the Southern Connecticut Conference championship and the program's eighth state title. The team scored 73 goals, recorded 16 shutouts, and allowed just three goals (a school and state record at the time), exemplifying that "offense wins games, but defense wins championships." Under coaches Cathy and John McGuirk, Branford defeated Farmington 2-0 in the state championship game, extending the previous season's 16-game unbeaten streak to 35 games.
What you need to know to go
Tickets for the Branford Sports Hall of Fame 37th Induction Ceremony on Nov. 19 are $60 and may be purchased by visiting the official Branford Sports Hall of Fame website at branfordsportshalloffame.com.
For more information, contact the Branford Parks, Recreation, and Senior Services Department at 203-488-8304.
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