DERBY ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME 2025

Inductees

HALL OF FAME COMMITTEE

Mike Cannici
Ray Silvernale
Jenn Moffat
Walt Biesadecki
Steve Owens
Brent Cavallaro
Bob Ahearn
Kim Tovar
Fran DeGennaro

Mission:
Our intent as a committee is to increase awareness of the rich and storied history of Derby High School athletics and the outstanding players, coaches and other relevant personnel who have represented the school and community with pride and dignity over the years. We feel that part of our mission is to honor those deserving of recognition. It has also been a stated intention of our membership to re-cultivate a sense of community that has seemingly been lacking of late. By introducing new generations of Derby youth to the history of its many sports triumphs, perhaps a grassroots interest in continued success will take hold.

Congratulations
to the 2025
Derby Athletic
HOF Inductees
Ken Marcucio Sr.
Christina Gelardi
Jason Palmieri
Gary Biesadecki
Sarah Casalan
Ken Thompson
Marty Palange
Marc Orchano
Jerry Schwab
Ben Blue
Compliments of Chris Mester & Family

9th Annual Derby Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Event Program
~ Opening Remarks ~ Ron Luneau, Master of Ceremonies Pete Saccu
~ Joe DiMartino ~ Mayor of Derby
~ Jennifer Olson ~ Principal, Derby High School
~ Mike Cannici ~ President, Derby Athletic Hall of Fame
~ Bill Pucci Service Award Presentation to William Uluski ~
[ Mr. Uluski son will accept on his behalf ]
~ Dinner ~
Honorees:
Ken Marcucio Sr.  (1961)
Christina Gelardi  (2009)
Jason Palmieri  (1991)
Gary Biesadecki  (1977)
Sarah Casalan  (1992)
Ken Thompson  (1975)
Marty Palange  (1976)
Marc Orchano  (1986)
Jerry Schwab  (1974)
Ben Blue  (1980)

CLASS OF 2015

George Budzinak ’66

Lou DeFilippo Football Coach ’68-’82

Vince Greco ’70

Walt “Buster” Jadach ’67

Mike Marcucio  ’97

Bob Orchano  ’82

John Pagliaro  ’74

Tony Passander ’66

Diane Potkay  ’96

Leo F. (“Nuggy”) Ryan  ’22

Charlie DiCenso  ’65

Jim Keefe  ’59

Brent Sanford  ’70

Alphonse Vitello ’41

Ken Pereiras ’71

Phil Donofrio ’58

Bill Duggan ’51

CLASS OF 2017

Bob Ahearn

Mark Angeletti

Ray McGhee

Dennis O’Connell

Dawn Sengstacken

Bill Thompson

Rick Uluski

CLASS OF 2018

Ben Bartone

Heather Beauton

Frank Ishman

Paul “Itch” Grant

Eileen Duggan

John “Al” Tiano

John DeFrancisco

Walt Lenart

Hall of Fame 2020 Honorees

Jim Foley ’35

Fran Walinski ’50

Joe Benanto ’56

Barry McDermott ’64

Jerry Romano ’67

Glen Gaetano ’70

Gary Lucarelli ’69

Anthony Marcucio ’99

Hall of Fame 2022 Honorees

Charles “Red” Ahearn ’29

Fran “Bunny” Baczek ‘70

Tracey Gasiz ’84

Jim Lewis ’87

Dave Stec ’02

Jeff Rice ’85

Tommy Palmieri ’73

Brian Pagliaro ’74

Ed McManus ’71

Linda Binkowski ’79

Hall of Fame 2023 Honorees

Chris Mester ‘80

Joe Lizza ‘95

Rick Slowik ‘75

Jim Garofalo ‘81

Karen Marcucio ‘83

Dave Walkinshaw ‘68

Andy Walsh ‘73

Jim Early ‘63

Hall of Fame 2024 Honorees

Maureen Jacquot ’95

Mike Sullivan ’76

Joe Martin ‘91

John Vitello ’74

Greg Shpak ’82

Ralph Romano ’68

Jamie Bartone ’03

Hall of Fame 2025 Honorees

Ben Blue ’80  If ever there were a name that exuded toughness and grit, the name Ben Blue certainly fits the bill. It just sounds like it should belong to someone who not only lives, but also thrives, in the trenches. As a two-year starting lineman for the Red Raiders, Blue anchored a dominant defense, leading the team in tackles both seasons. One of the team captains, Ben garnered All-Housy and All-Valley honors twice each and was named to the All-State second team squad as a senior.
The same trench warfare mentality helped Blue excel as a wrestler, as well. He was an outstanding four-year varsity performer on the mat, amassing an impressive 66-8 overall record despite having his senior campaign impacted by injury. Blue was able to return late in the season and finish strong, securing the Class S championship and battling his way to the State Open finals. It took his opponent three overtime periods to prevail, but - true to character - Ben never backed down, and made him earn every bit of it.
Ben followed up his stellar high school career as a standout lineman at two different local universities. Freshman and sophomore years, he was part of two Ivy League championship teams at Yale. In a game against Navy, Blue helped preserve the win with three consecutive tackles on a last -minute Midshipmen drive. He then got recruited to UNH, where he started junior and senior year for the Chargers at defensive end.
Sustained excellence is extremely difficult. Going toe-to-toe with your opponent every step of the way in order to achieve it is what separates the good from the great. It is this spirit and drive that has led Ben Blue to induction in the Derby Athletic Hall of Fame.

Jerry Schwab ’74  The 1973 version of the Derby football team is widely considered one of the best in school history. Not only did they go undefeated and finish #1 in the New Haven state poll, their defense absolutely dominated the competition, holding seven of their ten opponents scoreless along the way. A major force along the defensive line that year was tri-captain Jerry Schwab.
Schwab burst onto the scene in 1971, becoming the only sophomore to earn All-Valley honors at the defensive tackle position. His high-level play continued as a junior and senior. He was a first -team All-Housy performer each of those two years, solidifying his status as one of the best in school history.
In 1972, Schwab was named to the All-State second team and improved to first -team status in ’73. He capped his career with the Sal Ferrara award as the team’s most outstanding lineman. Schwab now joins a handful of other standouts from the ’73 squad as the newest member of the Derby Athletic Hall of fame.

Marc Orchano ’86  Derby has had a handful of siblings inducted into the Hall of Fame. Marc Orchano joins his brother, Bob, as one of the newest members of the club. He excelled on the gridiron and enjoyed a successful career as a wrestler for the Red Raiders. A two-year starter, Marc was a standout running back and quad-captain for the 1985 Class S Champions. His 15 rushing touchdowns, including a 98-yard burst against Seymour, gave Red Raider fans plenty to cheer about. Orchano joined the ranks of Derby 1,000-yard rushers that year, totalling 1,116 to lead the team. For his efforts, he was awarded the Albarella Trophy as most outstanding player of the year.
Orchano was also voted captain of the wrestling team, enjoying a great deal of success on the mat. His overall record of 74-17 was highlighted with four consecutive runs to at least the semifinals of the Class S tournament, finishing 4th once, runner-up twice and earning a State title in his weight class, adding to Derby’s legacy of champions.

Ken Thompson ’75  Those who’ve never run cross country may wonder what’s so different about it, compared to running track. As the name implies, cross country means having to prevail over whatever terrain the course may throw your way: steep inclines; long, bumpy trails; unsteady ground of all sorts. It’s like the difference between riding an ATV and driving an Indy racecar. During his tenure at DHS, Ken Thompson proved to be one of the few who mastered both.
As a distance specialist, cross country success came naturally to Thompson. He achieved All-Valley and All-Housy accolades two years in a row. Senior year, he also attained All-Class S status, finishing in the Top 10 statewide and came in second overall at the Housatonic League Championships. In dual-meet action that year, Ken finished first a number of times and set the school record on the home course at Osbornedale State Park.
Come track season, it was more of the same for Thompson as he was once again All-Valley and All-Housy two years “running. ” In 1974 and 1975, Ken finished Top 5 in both post -season meets (Housy andClass S). During his final season, he placed first in 13 of 16 dual meets, establishing himself as one of the best around. One of Thompson’s defining moments came on the day he ran the mile in a blistering 4 minutes, 32.4 seconds, coming within a half-second of breaking Hall of Famer Jim Keefe’s long-standing record. Ken’s overall dominance and ability to finish strong led to his being named anchor for Derby’s mile relay squad.  As a unit, they hustled their way to the school record, and broke it twice more before all was said and done.  Although all members of a relay team are important, everybody knows the anchorman is kind of a big deal. With Ken Thompson as their finisher, as long as they kept it close, there was a great chance they were going to come out on top. More often than not, that’s exactly what they did.
Track 4:32.4 mile; Jim Keefe’s school record was 4:32.0, which Thompson nearly beat  Junior year he was 4th in both the Housy and class s meet.

Marty Palange ’76  Being considered a “dual threat” in one sport is a tremendous accomplishment. Mastery of multiple skills is a distinction reserved for the best of the best. Marty Palange was one of the few to achieve such status in multiple sports.
Palange emerged as a standout defender for the Derby championship football team of 1973. His contributions helped the team produce an astounding seven shutouts in ten games. The following year, as a junior, Marty led Big Red in tackles several times and was named to the All-Valley defensive squad. In 1975, the tri-captain also starred on offense, scoring 7 touchdowns and breaking Hall of Famer George Budzinak’s school record with 32 receptions. Big Red was again league champs and finished 9-0- 2 overall. Honors for Palange that year included All-Housy, All-Valley and co-Albarella Trophy winner, with fellow Hall of Famer Mike Sullivan. Also a three-year starter in track and field, Marty dominated his two main events - the javelin and discus. Palange came up big for the Raiders’ championship teams of 1974 and 1976. He was Class S champ in the javelin twice, establishing the Derby record of 190’ 8” . He also finished in the Top 3 in the Housy and Top 5 in the State Open. Junior year, in the discus, his throw of 133’ 9” was good for 4th in the Housy meet. His performance senior year was the cherry on top. Palange earned silver in the javelin at the Class S meet, third in the Housy and won both the Valley and
Brookfield meets. He also completed a three-year run of Top 5 Class S finishes in the discus, cementing his legacy as a dual-threat in two sports.

Sarah Casalan ’92  When your coach calls you The Franchise, you can bet he does so for a
reason. Sarah Casalan earned the nickname from Joe Borzelli and lived up to it - and all the weight it carried - every time she took the field.
Casalan’s amazing career was highlighted by a laundry list of remarkable achievements. She was voted All-Housy and All-Vally three times, batting over .400 each season. She also earned Class S All-State honors twice. But, she was more than just an offensive threat. Playing shortstop the  whole time, Sarah proved incredibly sure-handed, committing only 4 errors over the course of her entire career at the most demanding defensive position on the diamond. As team captain, she led the Red Raiders at the plate, as well as in the field.
She was also an outstanding team leader in basketball. Casalan was a two-year starter and captain. Her hustle and determination were a big reason why she led the team in rebounding and steals in the 1991-92 season. Sarah’s contributions both on the diamond and on the court helped solidify her standing as The Franchise - and as one our newest Hall of Fame inductee.

Gary Biesadecki ’77  Gary Biesadecki was an important part of both the football and baseball squads during his days at DHS. He was a team captain in football, and played on both sides of the line, earning All-Housy honors at the offensive tackle position. The talented ’76 Red Raiders qualified for the state playoffs in their inaugural season, a great feat considering only the top two teams made it at that time.
Though Derby’s baseball team had won the Housatonic League in 1954, it was not known as a powerhouse program. They were a respectable unit most years, but titles of any kind hadn’t come along in almost a quarter century by the mid- 70s.
Derby was a football town. People loved the other sports, but football was king - and everybody knew it. It was going to take an extraordinary effort to buck that trend and return baseball to the forefront. Thanks to guys like Gary Biesadecki, that magic carpet ride lifted the program to new heights in 1977. In his third year as a starter, Biesadecki was a run-producing machine. He knocked in 31 runs, including 7 in the game against Sheehan that clinched a tournament berth for the Red Raiders. His hot bat exploded in the tournament as he added 9 more RBI’s when it counted most.
In addition to his offensive prowess, Gary was also a solid contributor on the mound. His efforts, along with those of his teammates, helped lead Derby to its first -ever Class S state title in baseball. The drought, at long last, was over.
It would be fifteen long years before the baseball team would hoist another trophy, but the memories of that ’77 title run still live in the hearts of fans and players alike, even to this day.

Jason Palmieri ’91 It’s not often that an inductee is able to make it on the merits of a single sport. It’s also not often that someone comes along and dominates that one sport the way Jason Palmieri did in football. From Day 1 of sophomore year, it was evident that Palmieri had all the tools of a standout two-way player. He started that year at linebacker and made the All-Valley defensive team. He was also a serviceable backup when his number was called on offense.
Palmieri completed the All-Valley three-peat the next two years and added a pair of All-Housy first team selections, as well. Senior year, he earned All-State honors and was a major cog in the Red Raider machine that became the first in school history to win 11 games. Derby went undefeated that year, but it was anything but easy. Several games went down to the fourth quarter, including an overtime thriller versus North Haven.
In a season in which each game seemingly had a different hero, one constant was Palmieri’s ability to elevate his game to meet the challenge on both sides of the ball. Some of his eye-popping accomplishments that year included: 1,418 rushing yards for an average of 128 per game, over 2,100 total yards from scrimmage, team leader in tackles, two-time Valley Cable Player of the Game (including the state title game when he scored 3 touchdowns), three-time CT Player of the Week and the Silver Turkey Award in a Thanksgiving victory over Shelton. In all, Palmieri surpassed 3,200 yards of offense for his career, making him an easy choice to join his Uncle Tommy in the Derby Athletic Hall of Fame

Christina Gelardi ’09 Many inductees count among their accomplishments being named team captain. Some even serve as captain of multiple sports. Few, however, hold the distinction of achieving that status twice in the same sport. After two years of dominance on the diamond, Christina Gelardi was tapped as softball team captain her junior and senior seasons, and she lived up to every bit of the hype - and then some.
Overall, Gelardi earned All-Division honors three times, and was an All-Class S performer all four years at DHS. Her senior campaign, in particular, was one for the ages. She batted a robust .424 at the plate, and on the mound, Gelardi mowed down opposing batters at an astounding rate, notching 157 strikeouts with a microscopic 0.87 ERA. As hard as it was to keep her off base as a hitter, it was even harder trying to get on base against her as a pitcher.
It was that caliber of play that earned Gelardi All-SCC first team, New Haven Register All-Area first team and Connecticut All-State second team honors. Her dedication to the sport she loved and superior ability stood out then, and makes her an obvious choice now  for induction into the Derby Athletic Hall of Fame.
Christina Gelardi-D’Agostino
2009 3 time SCC Oronogue; SCC 2009; New Haven register All Area- 2009; 4 year Class S All State; Second team New Haven Register All State- 2009; .87 ERA- 2009; 157 strikeouts- 2009; 424 Batting Average, 2009; 2 time captain

Ken Marcucio Sr.  ’61 ( cross country coach 1970-82) One of the true measures of an effective coach is the ability to develop players. It’s about more than just barking commands or making great pregame speeches. The daily grind of a season might lead some to just go through the motions, collect their stipend and forget about anything or anybody until it’s time to start up again next year. Ken Marcucio, on the other hand, thrived on challenging his runners and himself to be better each day, each meet and each season.
Ken, like so many great coaches at Derby, did much more than just show up and run his guys through drills. He became part of their lives outside of sports, as well. This approach paid off when it came time to compete. Several of Derby’s finest runners made names for themselves under Marcucio due to the fact that they knew their coach cared about them as young men, not just as athletes. Ten of them earned All-Valley honors from 1976 to ‘82. Another six were named to the All-Housy team a total of eleven times, and Hall of Famer Bill Thompson notched All-State honors in 1978.
Marcucio’s teams amassed a cumulative record of 185-91, coming out on top better than two-thirds of the time. They posted winning records in nine of his 13 seasons, including each of his last seven at the helm. In 1974 and 1978, Derby finished second in the Housy regular season standings and was runner-up at the Housy and Class S championship meets. His Red Raider squads also won three consecutive Valley meets from ‘76 to ‘78. The ‘78 season was capped off with a 12th place finish in the State Open, still Derby’s best showing on the grand stage.
Beyond his coaching tenure, Marcucio served several years as assistant athletic director at the high school. Following the retirement of fellow Hall of Famer, AlVitello, Ken took the reins as the head of the department, overseeing many great seasons of Derby sports. His legacy as coach and A.D. will live on indefinitely, due to the relationships he’s established with generations of athletes, students and the Derby community as a whole.

Congratulations to William Uluski, this year’s
“Bill Pucci Service Award Winner Recipient
Mr. Uluski has a list of accomplishments, but he will always be remembered for his endless dedication and timeless contributions to the Derby Little League Program for more than 40 years. His commitment to the little league program is why it was considered one of the very best in the state. William always believed in giving back and to thank the young men and women, who worked so hard throughout the season, he rewarded then with picnics, All star games and an annual trip to shea stadium to end the summer. For all of his efforts The Derby Little League Program named their field the “Uluski Field” in 1984. He was also named District Little League Volunteer of the Year in 1991. He also was involved for a few years in the Derby Biddy Basketball Program. Bill was a World War II Army veteran and a member of the American Legion John H. Collins, Post 24 and the Veteran of Foreign Wars.
The Derby athletic hall of fame is proud and honor to recognize Mr. Uluski with this prestigious award!!!

DERBY ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME
CLASS OF 2025
KENNETH MARCUCIO, SR.
Husband, father, grandfather, teacher, coach, athletic director, president Derby Little League, Board of Education member (former Chair), Cabe (Master Board Of Education Honoree), Treasurer of Caad.
Ken always turns challenges into stepping stones and not only  meets all expectations but exceeds them. He will always go the extra mile without ever being asked and always with a smile on his face.
Your dedication, effort and perserverance have not gone unnoticed.
We are so proud of all you have accomplished!
Congratulations on your induction into the derby athletic hall of fame.
You are loved, respected and cherished!  Judy, Karen, Vicki, Kenny, Barbara, Brian, Anna, Scott,  Jacob, Sam, Kyle, Charlotte

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR BROTHER GARY ON BEING INDUCTED INTO THE DERBY ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME.
YOU HAD AN OUTSTANDING
TWO SPORT CAREER AT DHS
AND NOW YOU JOIN A SELECT GROUP OF HONOREES.
WE ALSO WISH TO CONGRATULATE ALL OF THIS YEAR’S INDUCTEES AND THE BILL PUCCI SERVICE AWARD WINNER BILL ULUSKI.
Linda Vaccaro - DHS Class of ‘68  Lisa McManus - DHS Class of ‘72  Walter Biesadecki - DHS Class of ‘74

Great Athletes - Better People
Congratulations
to the Derby Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2025
and the award winners!
Enjoy your day! You deserve it!
– Anna and Charlie DiCenso

CONGRATULATIONS
To
The Derby High School Athletic Hall of Fame
Class of 2025
and
The Recipient of the
Bill Pucci Service Award
From the Derby High
School Class of 1963

Christina,
Your Mom and Dad are so proud of you. All your hard work and perseverance has led to this amazing accomplishment. Enjoy this honor!
Love,
Mom and Dad

Congratulations
to all of this year’s inductees!
Compliments of Carmen DiCenso Class of 1969
Special congratulations to MC, Ron Luneau on your induction into the diamond club hall of fame

TO OUR FAVORITE RED RAIDER - #26
CONGRATULATIONS   ON YOUR HALL OF FAME INDUCTION, DAD!

LOVE,
YOUR BIGGEST FANS   JENNA BELLE AND JASON THOMAS JR.

Congratulations
to the
Hall of Fame Class
of 2025!
Compliments of Vince Greco,
2016 Inductee

Congratulations on this great achievement!
Love your proud in-laws, Dave and Anne - Goodyear, Arizona.

Congratulations
to my father-in-law
“Big Ken”!!
Barbara L. DeGennaro
Attorney at Law
P.O. Box 834
Derby, CT 06418
(203)-735-9774

Congratulations Gary/Dad/Grandpa!
DHS Athletic Hall of Fame 2025
We are so proud of you!
Love,
Ceil, Gary, Alexa, Jeff, Christina, Laura, Steven, Charlotte, Evelyn, Peyton, Michaela & Nathaniel

Congratulations
Ken Thompson
On achieving this
well-deserved honor as a standout runner on the DHS cross-country team!
Love,
Ces, Christina, Brian,
and
Isabella, your #1 fan💕!

Congratulations to our
Hall of Fame Mom and Wife.

We love you!!

We will always be your 2nd biggest fans!!!

We love you!!
Mom, Ed, Tina,
Salena, Dante, Alice, Auntie Mare, Uncle Al, Auntie Sharon

We celebrate and honor Sarah Casalan
on her induction into the
Derby High School Sports Hall of Fame
Your drive and passion shined on the softball field and basketball court, inspiring your teammates and leaving a lasting legacy at Derby High.
Today, Sarah’s leadership continues as the
President of UPS Stores Inc., a Board Member of the American Heart Association in Chicago, and as the proud mom of Alex, Ryan, and
their amazing ball-catching dog, Midnight.
Your journey from student-athlete to accomplished leader and devoted mother fills us with pride.

With all our love, admiration,
and pride, Your Family!

Boges
Shea
Abes
Fauc
Jids
Lewis
Congrats Orch!
Your teammates from 85
are very proud of you!

Class of 2025

Congratulations
to our ‘Tina’ –
What an unbelievable honor!
We are so proud of you and love you so much!
Mary, Mike, Erica,
Anthony, Dave, Anne,
Gia and Brooklyn