Class Notes

Former Yellowjacket football players held their 12th annual “Dinner With the Coach” celebration in April to honor their iconic head coach, Pat Stark, and to reconnect with one another.

In all, a record 56 football alumni who played for Stark attended this year’s event in East Rochester, traveling from all parts of New York state, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, and Washington, D.C.

A Rochester and a Syracuse Hall of Famer, Stark is credited with elevating the stature of the Yellowjacket football program during his coaching tenure at Rochester from 1969 to 1983. Those participating in this year’s dinner included players who encompassed each of his Rochester teams, including some who played during the school record 15 straight victories and No. 1 ranking in the East region of Division III.

The group included former team captains, Hall of Famers, honored, and role players alike, who have since become entrepreneurs and professionals in the military, commerce, industry, education, finance, medicine, and law.

First row, kneeling: Jim Wesp ’74, ’76 (MS), ’78S (MBA), Dave Skonieczki ’71, John Cogar ’71, Mike Roulan ’71, Roger Watts ’72, Brian Pasley ’76, Mark McAnaney ’75, Erv Chambliss ’76;

First row, standing: Rick Basehore ’72, Bill Costello ’72, Jim Juraska ’73, Dave Cidale ’71, Phil Chrys ’75, Coach Stark, Rick Stark ’79, Brian Miga ’72, Tony Cipolla ’81, Steve Sloan ’78, Mike O’Brien ’78, Sam Guerrieri ’87, Kevin Callahan ’77;

Second row: Rick Magere ’72, Jim Dunnigan ’73, Paul Caputo ’73, Mike Garritano ’76, Mike Geer ’79, Ron Spadafora ’77, Quentin Call ’76, Jim Mazur ’78, Joe Hymes ’75, ’77 (MS), Joe Novek ’73, Loren Piccarreto ’73, Frank Perillo ’73;

Third row: Greg Conrad ’72, Herm Nied ’76, Mark Kirsch ’80, Dave McNelis ’74, Leo Fusilli ’80, Ralph Gebhardt ’76, Kevin Maier ’78, Don Barber ’79, Bob Ford ’84, Kevin Eldridge ’86, Gary Miller ’84;

Fourth row: Denny Hennigan ’75, Bill Hammond ’73, John Badowski ’77, Rick Milham ’85, Len Champion ’73, Ed Heffernan ’76, Bill Tretter ’86, Tony Daniele ’71, Rich King ’78) (not pictured): Bob Kulpinski ’71, ’73 (MS), ’86 (MS) and Dick Rasmussen ’72, ’79W (MS), ’97W (EdD).