Last Call for Enfield Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Dinner Tickets

ENFIELD, CT — Four athletes of diverse backgrounds, a longtime coach, a championship team and one of Enfield's largest annual sporting events will be honored as members of the 22nd induction class of the Enfield Athletic Hall of Fame.

Brent Dietz, Marty Green, Karen (McCartney) Harding, Jim Russell and Liz (Zirolli) Chaves will be inducted as individuals, while the 1956-57 Enfield High School boys basketball team will be honored with a team induction. The Kevin Barmak Memorial Soccer Tournament will be presented the George Daly Special Recognition Award.

The induction dinner is scheduled for Saturday evening, Sept. 23 at the Oak Ridge Country Club in Feeding Hills, Mass. Tickets are $40, and may be reserved by contacting Lisa Carrara at lisamcarrara@gmail.com.

A brief look at the Class of 2017:

Brent Dietz, golf

• 1989 Fermi High School graduate holds course records at Oak Ridge (63), Cedar Knob (64), Longmeadow (64), Gillette Ridge (67) and GreatHorse (67). 2003 Connecticut State Team champion, 2007 Connecticut Mid-Amateur champion, 2007 and 2012 Connecticut Master Card Tournament of Champions winner, 2013 Manchester Open amateur champion, 2013 Connecticut State Public Links champion, 2013 New England Four-Ball champion, 6-time Cedar Knob club champion, 2-time Oak Ridge club champion.

Marty Green, wrestling

• 1983 Enfield High School graduate had a three-year record of 98-7, including 38-2 as junior and 40-0 as senior. 3rd in Class L as sophomore, 2nd as junior and champion as senior (named Most Outstanding Wrestler of tournament). 2nd in State Open as junior; won State Open at 132 lbs. as senior, giving up no points during entire tournament.

Karen (McCartney) Harding, tennis

• 1984 Enfield High School graduate was a tennis standout for four years, including her freshman year while attending Kosciuszko Junior High School. Number one singles and All-CCIL all four years, All-State in 1983 and 1984. State semifinalist in 1983, state finalist in 1984. Undefeated in senior year. Played four years of Division 1 Big East Conference tennis at UConn from 1984-87.

Jim Russell, soccer coach

• Fermi High School boys soccer coach from 1987-2015. Won four CCC East championships; made 18 state tournament appearances; Class L runnerup in 2006, losing title game in double overtime; coached 13 first team All-State players; most wins in program history with over 220.

Liz (Zirolli) Chaves, soccer

• 1989 Enfield High School graduate was All-CCC four years; All-State in 1988; leading scorer in EHS girls soccer history with 34 goals, plus 20 assists for 88 points. Played at St. Anselm College from 1989-92; Northeast 10 Conference champions, 1991; All-Northeast 10 Conference, 1992; team captain, 1992; in school’s top 10 all-time in matches played, assists and goals.

1956-57 Enfield High School boys basketball

• Valley Wheel champions with a 16-2 record, including 9-0 at home. Led by a pair of Enfield Hall of Famers - coach Carl Angelica and top scorer Tony Romano, who averaged 18.7 points per game - the Raiders won 11 games by double-digit margins.

Kevin Barmak Memorial Soccer Tournament

• Labor Day weekend event that draws hundreds of players from around the region. Proceeds benefit the Kevin Barmak Memorial Scholarship, named in honor of a great Enfield soccer player who passed away in 1990 at age 15. The 26th annual event was played this past Labor Day weekend.

Photo credits: Enfield Athletic Hall of Fame