The Bridgeport Post from Bridgeport, Connecticut • Page 49

BRIDGEPORT SUNDAY POST, January 30, 1977 By BOB ZITO Six-foot-nine Andre Means lucks as he walks through the oorWay leading to the dining oom where the Sacred Heart Jnwersily basketball team will iat its training meal. He sits quietly at the table as he waitress brings his dinner onsisting of fruit cocktail, salad, teak and baked potato, Ice cream and beverage. Meanwhile, sports informa- on director Bob Baird is" at another table ordering extra fries with his dinner. Portly trainer Pete DiOrio is HIGH SCORER Danny Heater, the only, person to score 135 points in a photo) Westchester Was Right For Appel--Temporarily The Pioneers' Road Show ordering a a simply dinner. The bus which will lake the Pioneers to Garden City, L.I for game with Adelphi is mrked across the street from the restaurant.

The driver looking at his watch. "I thought we were supposed leave at 3:30," he says, noting that it is now 3:35. Inside, dessert is being served and of the players are heading into the cocktail lounge where the UConn-Rutgers basketball game is on TV. Fifteen minutes after By BOB MOSELEY As the old saying goes, "You can't keep a good man down." Dennis Appel's football career has been plagued by injuries ever since his high school days at Bunnell. The 6-3, 215-lb.

halfback 'has spent most of this widespread career on the sidelines watching his teammates perform. But Appel always had the ability to play outstanding football if he could just stay healthy. He proved that this year, making AlI-American at Westchester Community College and leading the school to the nation's number one ranking in more club Appel nearly six games. Nevertheless, Stratford native showed. time in the doctor's office than on the playing field during his prep At Bunnell he was hurt fais senior year and missed the he could play football when he was in the lineup and garnered honorable, mention.

All-MBIAC a All-Dally News honors. From Bunnell, Appel went to Milford Academy for a year, where torn knee ligaments force ed him to miss eight of the 11 scheduled games. The stop was Idaho State, wh'ere Appel launched his college football career. Here the well-traveled halfback spent most of his on the bev.cii, not because of injuries, but cause the coaches felt there were better players at i position. "'I didn't feel I really got a i chance," Dennis.

remembered It was at State that a friend from New York told Dennis a Westchester. Appel agreed thai it would be. a good place to go for one semester to pick up his grades. Then he could transfer to a larger school and play football again. "Westchester had a beautiful, spread-out campus which attracted me," Appel recalled.

"And the people also seemed real friendly." Appel arrived at the Valhalla, N.Y., school in the spring of 1976 ready to abandon football for a while and concentrate on improving his grades. However, the football coach at WCC, Tom Comenzo, soon met Dennis and convinced him to come out for the school's club team. "The coach was impressed with my size and told me about the program," Appel said. "He was the one who really talked me into playing." Appel also liked the fact that even though he would be playing club football at WCC, he would not lose a year at NCAA eligibility, whereas at a major college, he- would have ut fojtced football at Westchester Was als6 "gobd. started for Appel in late August when the team 1 went to Camp Smith in Peekskiil, N.Y., for 10 days of three-a-day workouts.

"It was just like the Army. As a matter of fact, Camp Smith was an camp," laughed Dennis. "They (WCC) really a their football serious," Some of the ''school's facilities however are a fat cry from the various major college powers which now seek Appel's football talents. -Since Westchester a two-year college, (here no uorms; on. campus.

The football team: was housed, in- A hotel in White Plains the season and ate its meals at a local diner. There is only one men's locker room' in. the. athletic building at WCC, so the learn usually dressed, in the gym to avoid gym classes. Student support this year's team was not overwhelming "The mostly pack up and leave When end," a i Appel.

Attendance at games usually ran about 2,000 and the team sold boosters and held raffles for financial support. Alumni were also a major source of team funds. ful, supplying the players with excellent playing equipment. "The equipment was really good," pointed out Appel. "We had new home and away uniforms just this year.

"All in all It's a'good program. I'd recommend it." This past season, Appel led Westchester to an 11-0 record, winning a four-team playoff for the club football national title. Appel saved his best game for the championship contest, a 48-0 rout of Providence College. The big running back gained 125 yards on only seven carries, including a school record 80-yard run on the first play of the second half. For his efforts, Appel was awarded a trophy as the game's Most Valuable Offensive Player, On the season Dennis gained 600 yards rushing, a figure that could be misleading to major college scouts.

"I probably could have gained 1,000 yards if I got to carry the ball more, but still our system was good because it gave everybody a chance." he said. eight halfbacks on the squad, Appel got tn carry ball only about seven times a game as players were shuttled in and out of the backfield. When not running with th football, Appel also does a pretty fair job kicking it. He was the third leading club football punter in the nation, last season with a 38-yard Louisville, Southern Illinois, Syracuse, Rutgers a University of expressed interest in Dennis and he admits that, "I doubt if I'll go back to Westchester." Appel plans to take the spring off from school and has no definite plans on what college he will attend next. goes he will be listed as a sophomore academically.

Whatever college i Appel attends next will be more than happy to have him on its football team, just as Westchcs- The fund drives were success- ter Community College was. PRACTICING Swedish boat designer Pelle Petterson (right) makes adjustments on his 23-foot Star class boat while sailing in the Bacardi Cup races on Biscayne Bay in Miami. Patterson and crew Stellan Westerdahl will sail the Swcd- ish 12-meter boat Sverige this summer off Newport, R.I. in challenge to the Americans who have held the Cup for 126 years. (AP Wirephoto) ace as he speaks and resizes that the fun has not yet aegun.

At Fecley's house, the coach, vith his TV, climbs back aboard and DiOrio Is trying to jure how to use the bus as an antenna. We get on the turnpike at Bronson road and by the Ime we reach exit 19 in South' sort the picture Is sharp and he sound clear. Most of the team moves up to the front to get a better view. The screen is only seven Inches wide so the players appear in miniature. "Hey, Carl, move your head down a little, I can't see," says Gary.

"Hector, you ain't made of jlass you know," a voice says rom the rear. Means stands up from his row seat, bends the body at the waist and peers into the back of the bus. "My brothers, my brothers," he says. "Let's be cool. The a show will take place Meanwhile, Jenkins has put down his magazine and Is peer- ng at the 'stranger' -sitting in Tont of him.

The curiosity gets better of him and he taps the unfamiliar body on the shoulder. "Who are you," he questions. After being told that the party in question is traveling with the team to cover the game thaf night, he is introduced. Ham shakes all around and Jenkins still looking puzzled, comes up with the big question. "Yeah, but WHO are you?" The bus is getting close to its final destination.

Means gets up and heads for the back rows of seats. 1 Listen my brothers," he yells. "Does anybody remember how to get to this place?" "I'm not sure whether to take right or left at the light," says the bus driver. know it's near the train station." says Olivencia. "Which way is the train station?" asks the driver.

"I don't know." A voice sounds from the back iain. "Let Jenkins tell you which way to go then go the other way." Laughter al around, Jenkins replies, the driver mattes the correct turn and in no time the Adelphi gym is in sight. There lias been no traffic the entire route and we wind up arriving at the gym an hour early. The game is sllll on TV and Feeley decides to keep the team on the bus for a while to watch the conclusion. When the contest goes into overtime, the team hurries of the bus and into the downstairs The driver closes the door, portion of the gym where DiOrio Could Predict the Future I'd Be at Jai puts the bus into gear and heads for the driveway.

A yell from the back stops him. "Hold it, driver," shouts Bob meal (40 minutes behind schedule), coach Don Feeley figures it's time to gather up his troops and head for the bus. He is interruplcd, however, and ques tioned about a future game. "If I could predict the fu ture," he says, "I'd be at ja; alai right now." Feeley walks over to where the Pioneers are watching thi "Good game?" he asks. "Yeah, coach," says Means "Why don't we watch awhile." Another 15 minutes pass with the Pioneers still watching the TV and the bus still warming up.

The driver is afraid he may run out of gas soon. "I could have sworn we were supposed to leave at 3:30," In says. Finally, at 4:30, the coach the team to head for the bus. Tony Trimboli, with his expensive movie camera hand, is first to leave. He wants to get on the bus and laki movies as his mates walk out the restaurant and across the street.

There are plenty of smiles and waves as the crew crosses the road while Trimboli is lean ing out of the window, filming away. Once everyone is inside, Di Orio takes a head, count tc make sure no one 'has been forgotten. "All on, coach," he bark; after counting each head. and makes its way up to lym flour for warmups. On the up.

Means asks Fecloy ubuut next year's learn. "Well." Feeley replies. "I'm 'retty sure we have otic guy t'ho is pretty Rood." yeah," says Means. 'Was he ever all-state or any- liing." "No," answers Feeley. "But te i make his all-prison earn." It's getting close to game Ime a Trimboli a a worried look on his face.

His novie camera is silting on (he ench and lie realizes llmt he can't take movies while piny- ng. I girlfriend, Reglna Wright of Sacred II a vomen's basketball fame, is ate. She is his official camera icrson. Finally, a few minutes before buzzer, Regina shows up with her little sister. It seems hey work as a team.

Regina takes the pictures and Kurcti directs. In typical Pioneer 'fashion, Sacred Heart has moved out to 20-point lead in the first half. Means Is rebounding, Winfrce and Trimboli breaking and 011- vancla hitting from the corners. Suddenly, a crunch heard on the bench. All eyes turn toward the noise.

The crunch, it seems, is DiOrio eating sandwich. The SHU lead Is cut to 15 at the half, but the guys feel that that is more than enough. So confident are they, that Ihe post-game meal is ealcn time. At the start of the second half, Adelphi begins whittling away at the SHU lead. It seems some of the players are suffering from indigestion, Means brings the crew to life with a slam dunk.

He's slnppcd five by Trimboli, five by Olivencia, five by Qgtstc and five by Winfree. Means' a meanwhile, is scaring at the other end of the court. Jenkins. 'Jet'." I can't find my "Didn't Warren (Gary) bring it on?" DiOrio yells back. Gary says "No." DiOrio recalls seeing it on one of the tables and Jenkins heads back to the restaurant to find his magazine.

Means takes this opportunity to bargain with coach. "Hey, coach, that was such a good game on T.V. Can't we watch a little more of it?" "Well," ponders Feeley. "I'm really worried about traffic. I think we better get going Wait, I have an idea.

We can go to the turnpike by way of my house and get my little battery powered T.V. Then we can watch in the bus on the way." Jenkins is back aboard with lis magazine and Feeley is off the bus walking toward his car. In a few minutes we are winding through the residential district of Fairfield, heading for the coach's house, 'This is some loose crew," reasons, assistant coach Dick. Percudani. A smile crosses his The rest of the team changes quickly fixes up the TV and the congregation forms to watch.

It is during one of the overtimes that team manager, Joe Gintoli, who doubles as DiOrio's sidekick and right hand man comes up with a money-making idea. Jn the far corner of the room is a large scale. In the other comer is DiOrio. If the two get together, what will be the result? "Listen fellas," says the ager. "Everybody put in a quarter and take a guess a Pete's weight.

If you're within three pounds, you win and split half the pot with Pete. If no body guesses it, then Pete gets all the money. How 'bout It?" A 1 1 agree, quarters a thrown in and DiOrio heads for the scale. On he steps and up goes the needle. Two hundred, 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 262.

"Do we have a winner?" says the organizer. Baird has tabbec 259, three shy. He and DiOrio split the money. In another corner of the locker room, Greg Pritchett is peeling off his dress shirt, revealing his uniform. "Pritchett doesn't like to change," explains DiOrio.

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Conn. --375-3371 sorting the dirty i (01 reasons. "He never takei It the next day's wash. One Why lake It off? Lverything I must be Prilchelt's," lie 'is fun when you're number one. This gets Andre mad.

He gets the inbounds pass, dribbles Ihr length of the court despite beinp double leumed, spins left, fakes right, and spins left again 25- feet from the hoop, lie begins to jump for the shut ns he il nisht's the final spin and l-'celcj' stands up as il say. "wlial are you doing, Andre?" The ball swishes. Feeley sits. Sacred Hear! pushes the lead to 15 again and there is confusion on the opponents' bench. A substitution is made mid the miiiin player turns to his coach and asks "Coach, who do I have?" 11 the confhsion, (lie Adclplii coach does not hear.

'Coach, who am I covering?" he asks again. Still coach does not hear. Hector Qlivcuciu wulks over and tups the plpycr on the "You got me, man," lie says and walks away. A the game, another Pioneer win, the tcitm dresses quickly and heads out for another post-game meal, I lie origina' already consumed. There is dinner at Durgcr King, nti attempt to pick up couple of girls and then buck on the bus.

Chris Ogiste is reading the story which will appear in tomorrow's paper. "You forgot to put me in it, man," he says. "The ladies like to see my name in the paper. What's the matter with you. I thought you were a friend." Suddenly, the bus stops and Winfrce, suitcase and all, is petting off the bus, as it is on Ihe shoulder of tin; Ciosr Bronx Expressway.

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