In the annals of Williston Northampton School soccer history, few teams stand out quite like the 1967 Boys Varsity Soccer squad. Led by the legendary, Hall of Fame coach Ray Brown, the Williston boys in the fall of ’67 put together a campaign for the ages, going 11-1 on the year to finish second in Western New England. The team’s 11 wins were also, according to a Willistonian article, more than any other Williston soccer team in 43 years prior. As Brown told the Willistonian in 1967 about the team: “This was probably the finest team to be gathered together on a Williston field in the history of the school. …The best thing about this club was that it was a Williston team. The 17 lettermen have averaged 3 ½ years at Williston.” With 24 players seeing time that year, Williston relied on its senior class to post such an impressive mark. According to Brown’s own files, the grouping of Larry Anderson ’68, Jim Davenport ’68, Bill Fifield ’68, Keith Handyside ’69, Chip Keeney ’68, Bruce Marshall ’68, Ted Motyl ’68, Ron Padmore ’68, Greg Stasz ’68, Tim Wallace ’68, and Hook Wheeler ’68 started most of the games for Williston. Keeney and Padmore led the offense, with Keeney scoring 15 goals and dishing out six assists while Padmore registered eight goals and seven assists. Anderson led the defense, serving as the team’s goalie. The team took on everyone that season, including a 2-0 win over Union College. The lone loss of the year was a 2-1 nailbiter against Suffield. Williston outscored the competition 39-13 in what was truly one of the great soccer seasons in our school’s long and proud history.
The team: Larry Anderson ’68, Lee Burgess* ’69, Ken Bryant ’68, Jim Clarke ’68, Jim Davenport ’68, Ruxton T. Dellecese Sr. ’68, Hardy De Zordo* ’68, Beau Evans ’68, Jon Faiella ’68, Bill Fifield* ’68, Tom Gilbert ’68, Carey M. Hall ’69, Keith Handyside ’69, Chip Keeney ’68, Bruce Marshall ’68, Doug McClellen ’68, Duncan McMartin* ’69, Ted Motyl ’68, Ted Nellen ’68, Tom Oborne ’69, Ron Padmore* ’68, Greg Stasz* ’68, Carlos Urrutia ’68, Tom Wallace ’68, Lutz Wegner ’68, Hook Wheeler ’68, Head Coach Ray Brown ’55, Assistant Coach Seward Highley ’51.
(*deceased)
