Rockville High School Inducts 2016 Hall of Fame Class

VERNON, CT — The Rockville High School Athletic Hall of Fame inducted its fourth class in a Sept. 18
reception and ceremony at the high school.

The Hall of Fame Class of 2016 includes (sitting from left in the photo): James M. Kelly (’71,) Robert F. Campbell (’72,) Gregory P. Berger
(’71,) Sarah E. Turkington Kallajian (’88) and (standing from left in the photo) Patrick J. Connelly (’74), Joshua M. Hare (’97), Thomas J.
Lucerini (’71), Richard L. Tingley (athletic director from 1967­ to 1988).

Accepting the inaugural John R. Williams, Jr. ’62 Exceptional Service Award from
RHS Athlete Hall of Fame chair Scott Smith ’88 was Catherine Williams ’68, sister
of the late John Williams. John Williams served as RHS Faculty Manager from
1981 until his passing on Jan. 21, 2001.

Gregory P. Berger’71

Greg Berger was a four-year member of the football, basketball and baseball teams, helping the football team to consecutive 9-1 overall records as CVC co-champions, the baseball team to a share of a CVC title, and the basketball team to an historic one-point upset of powerhouse Warren Harding in the 1970 state tournament. A two-sport senior captain and a consummate team player, Berger was a receiver, defensive back, halfback, and punt and kickoff returner under RHS Hall of Fame football coach Jerry FitzGerald, playmaking guard in basketball and second baseman and catcher in baseball. As a senior, he was named honorable mention All-CVC in football.

Robert F. Campbell ’72

Bob Campbell was considered to be both the state’s most accomplished pole vaulter and the area’s premier soccer player as a senior, when he was voted the RHS Athlete-of-the-Year. Campbell was a four-year participant and a team captain in soccer under RHS Hallof Fame coach Chuck Saimond, twice gaining first-team All-CVC recognition and earning a spot on the Journal Inquirer All-Area team. Campbell truly excelled in his three-year track & field career, winning three Class “L” state and CVC pole vault titles and setting a state record of 13-9 ¾ in winning the state open championship as a senior. Campbell won every dual meet in which he competed as a junior and senior and taking second in the state open as a junior before claiming the title as a senior.

Patrick J. Connelly ’74

Pat Connelly excelled in football, basketball and track & field in a career which culminated in his selection as Journal InquirerAthlete-of-the-Year and qualified him as the premier athlete among the area’s eight high schools. Connelly earned All-CVC recognition both offensively and defensively as a senior in football at wing and defensive back after helping the Rams to the state final. In basketball, he was named All-Area twice and first-team All-CVC as a senior, when he ranked third in the area with a 19.5 scoring mark. As a senior in track, he won the CVC 220 yard dash and was second in at 100 yards, setting a school record of 10.2 in the 100 that season.

Joshua M. Hare ’97

In a four-year, two-sport career, Josh Hare was a high-scoring two-time All-State soccer forward and a point guard in basketball who could score, distribute the ball, and play defense. The six-footer scored 36 career goals in soccer despite missing the first half of his junior year with a broken leg, earning second-team Class “LL” All-State recognition as a sophomore and senior under RHSHall of Fame coach Chuck Saimond. Hare did not miss a basketball game over his final three seasons when the Rams posted winning overall records and solid 9-5 CCC-East records in each of those three years. Hare scored 598 of his career total of 729 points (14.2 ppg.) in his final two years. Earning All-CCC honors five times in two sports, Hare was also an honorable mention All-State pick when he averaged 16.9 points as a senior in basketball.

James M. Kelly ’71

Jim Kelly was a four-year member of the RHS football and track & field teams, helping the Rams to two CVC titles in each sport, in the process earning all-conference recognition twice in each sport, earning first-team laurels in each as a senior. Under RHS Hall ofFame coach Jerry FitzGerald, the Rams won nine of ten games twice behind their running back and defensive end, and were a perfect 12-0 in track behind their first-team all-conference sprinter, long and triple jumper and team captain. As one of the strongest members of the track team, Kelly competed in 42 events as a senior, taking 22 firsts and 17 seconds. Kelly set individual records in the long jump and triple-jump, and with the 880-yard and mile relays. As a junior, he captured CVC championships in the long jump and mile relay.

Thomas J. Lucerini ’71

Tom Lucerini was a fast, hard-hitting two-way tackle in football under RHS Hall of Fame coach Jerry FitzGerald, and record-setting track & field contributor in the weight events who was named the RHS Athlete-of-the-Year as a senior. As a two-time, second-team All-State football player, Lucerini started in the interior line on teams which won CVC championships in each of his final two seasons, with the 1970 squad finishing unbeaten. He was a five-time All-CVC football selection – three times on offense and twice on defense. As a senior in football, Lucerini was additionally recognized with an invitation to the CHSCA East-West Nutmeg Bowl All-Star Game and was selected to the Sunkist Prep All-America team as an honorable mention choice. That year, he was was presented with FitzGerald’s prestigious Quick Man Trophy, which was a rarity for a lineman to receive.

Richard L. Tingley

Dick Tingley’s 21-year administrative tenure spanned three decades and is the longest in RHS athletic history. The Ellington native accepted the title of Coordinator of Physical Education and Athletics for Vernon schools in the summer of 1967 -- following the departure of RHS Hall of Famer John Canavari --before retiring in the summer of 1988. Tingley steered the department through the implementation of Title IX and through an era when drastic budget cuts and a dearth of qualified coaching candidates threatened the department’s solvency. Tingley’s lasting legacy is his relentless decade-long pursuit of the re-alignment/merger of four conferences, which came to fruition in 1984 with the eventual formation of a 24-school ‘super’ conference: the Central Connecticut Conference, with Tingley serving as the CCC’s first secretary (a position he had held with the CVC). As members of the East Division, RHS and South Windsor were able to maintain their traditional rivalry, and were joined in the division by a new geographic rival: Manchester.

Sarah E. Turkington Kallajian ’88

A winner of 11 varsity letters in a three-sport career, Sarah Turkington was a seven-time all-conference selection and three-year captain in the most successful era of girls’ basketball and girls’ cross country and track & field in the history of RHS athletics. In cross country, Turkington ran to all-conference honors three times under RHS Hall of Fame coach Harry Geraghty, and helped the Rams to two state championships; in basketball, the six-footer was a three-time team rebounding leader, 1,000-point scorer (one of only four in program history), member of three conference title teams (one of them going undefeated into the state semifinals) and a starter on a state finalist under RHS Hall of Fame coach Jim Martello. As a senior, she was named USA Today All-America honorable mention and All-State honorable mention, and participated in the CHSCA All-Star Basketball Festival and Schoolboy Basketball Classic.

Photo Credit: RHS HOF