PHOTOS: Fermi Hockey Alumni Gathering

Nostalgia rocked the Enfield Twin Rinks Saturday night, as three teams of former Fermi hockey players representing every era of the program’s 43-season history took to the ice wearing the Falcon jersey for the final time.

With the school merging with Enfield High School this fall, the Fermi name will be retired, prompting the organization of an alumni gathering to celebrate more than four decades of hockey excellence.

A total of 48 former players participated in a round-robin series of games, but not until after a pre-game ceremony that had moments of stirring emotion.

The former players were introduced in reverse chronological order, with the final five all members of the original Fermi team of 1973-74: Dave Jensen, Gary Cummings, Tom Ledger, Jack Bailey and Bill Rooney.

Current Falcon head coach Frank Genovese, who played in the alumni game, was introduced, followed by former assistant coaches Steve Beaudoin, Rich Zaczynski and Ron Greene.

Original head coach Ed Mantenuto, who started the program in 1973 while teaching math at Kosciuszko Junior High School, was introduced to a rousing ovation. He was presented a plaque proclaiming him the “Founding Father of Fermi Hockey” by the other coaches.

A moment of silence was observed as emcee Tim Jensen read the names of six former Falcon players who have passed away: Jerry Flanagan, Jim Chevalier, Eric Wilson, Chuck Sutherland, Jeff Perkins and Keith Ambrosino.

The pre-game festivities concluded with an emotional ceremonial faceoff, involving Bailey, representing the original team, and Ernie Bouthiette III, a 2014 graduate who was the last player from Fermi to wear the captain’s “C” on his jersey.

Bouthiette’s father, Ernie Bouthiette II, dropped the puck. A former Fermi goaltender from the Class of 1980, he went on to serve the Enfield community as a firefighter for more than three decades, including the last 29 as a full-time member of the Thompsonville Fire Department.

Just three months ago, the elder Bouthiette suffered total cardiac arrest inside his home, and was brought back to life by many of his longtime colleagues.

After a group photo involving all of the participants, the games began. Yes, there were winners in each of the three contests, but the scores were insignificant: the real winners were everyone involved in celebrating the memories and legacy of Fermi Falcon hockey.

Photo credits: Michele Marin, Laura Burgess and others