2016 Inductee Biographies

On Saturday November 19, 2016 the East Longmeadow High School Athletic Hall of Fame inducted 13 nominees and the 1970 Boys Track Team. The celebration was held at the Chez Josef in Agawan and was attended by nearly 200 people.

Patrick Bedard 2006

Patrick Bedard was a three-sport athlete, participating in baseball, basketball and soccer. He was a two-year varsity basketball player and was captain during his senior year. In baseball he played varsity for three years and was selected as All League and All Western Mass second team in his senior year while serving as captain of the team. He also was a starter in the regional senior team. He played varsity soccer all four years, earning All League three years, All Western Mass two years and All State during his senior year. He captained the team during his junior and senior years. Patrick was selected as a pre-season Super 7 his senior year, and was a member of the Western Mass senior All-Star game. He won the Red Stewart Award for excellence in scholarship, leadership and athletic contributions. He attended Bryant College where he was a three-year starter and captain during his senior year. He was awarded the 2010 male scholarship award as a graduating senior with the highest GPA. Earning a Masters in Professional Accounting, he got his CPA and works as a tax manager for Price-Waterhouse-Coopers in Boston. He currently lives in Mansfield MA with his wife Kaitlyn.

Haley Johnson 2006

Haley Johnson was a three-sport athlete, participating in soccer, track and field and diving. She was a four-year class president and captained both the track and field and swimming teams her senior year. She trained for seven years at the Springfield Area Diving School under the tutelage of Hall of Famer Peter Avdoulos. She was the Western Mass Champion in diving both her junior and senior years. Haley continued her diving career at the University of Rhode Island, competing as a Division I diver for four years. She graduated in 2012 with a Doctorate of Pharmacy. She currently lives in Boston where she works as a pharmacist for PillPack Pharmacy.

Michael King 2006

Michael King was on the varsity high school wrestling team all four years and captain of the team for three. In his senior year he was undefeated in the regular season and earned his 100th recorded win. He went on to become the Western Mass champion, the D1 Mass runner up, the Massachusetts all state runner up, and earned entry to the New England Championships that year.

David LaLima 1963

David LaLima was a two-sport athlete, participating in track and field and football. He lettered all three years and captained the track team during his senior year. David was a Western Mass champion in both the 220 yard dash and the long jump. His times in the 220 and 100 set the standard for the first decade of boys track at East Longmeadow High School. In football David scored the very first touchdown in East Longmeadow High School history. David attended the University of Connecticut on an athletic scholarship. He lettered as a defensive back all three years at UCONN. He was coached by a number of men who subsequently became NFL coaches including, Rick Forzano, Lou Holtz, and Sam Rutigliano. David also lettered all three years in track for the Huskies. David graduated from BC Law School, and worked as Regional Counsel for DSS for 30 years in Western Massachusetts. He is retired, living with his wife in Westport MA, and Juno Beach FL.

Terrence Leahy 1999

Terrence Leahy was a four-year varsity starter and a two-time All Western Mass selection in soccer. He was selected All-State as a sweeper back. His teams won the Western Masschusetts tournament two times during his high school career. Terrence led the defense to 23 shutouts and was twice selected team MVP under coaches Tom Rivet and Paul Serafino.Terrence continued his soccer career at Western New England College where he earned a bachelors degree in sport management He currently works as a physical education teacher at Williams Middle School in Longmeadow and resides in West Springfield with his wife Amy. He continues to be involved in the sport, coaching boys soccer for Western United soccer club, and for high schools and camps throughout the area.

Paul Marchese 2006

Paul Marchese was a three-sport athlete, participating in football, hockey and lacrosse. A three-year varsity football player, Paul was a captain his senior year and was selected All Western Mass second team. A four-year varsity lacrosse player he was selected All Western Mass second team his sophomore and junior years and first team his senior year. Compiling over 140 points, Paul was team captain his senior year. In hockey Paul was a four-year varsity player, selected to the All Western Mass second team his sophomore and junior years and first team his senior year. Serving as team captain his senior year, Paul had 134 career points, and was a finalist for the Bessone Award, honoring the best hockey player in Western Mass. A graduate from Curry College, he captained their lacrosse team during his senior year. Paul currently lives in East Longmeadow and works for Garelick Farms.

Eric Nacsin 2005

Eric Nacsin participated in both indoor and outdoor track as well as cross-country. He was selected All Western Mass first team in all three sports during his senior year. Eric set school records in the 600 m, 1000 m, 4x200 m, 4x400 m, and 4x800 m during his indoor season. He set school records in the 400 m, 800 m, 4x400 m during the outdoor season. Eric was the Western Mass Champion in the 800 m and placed sixth in the States and Regional competitions. He continued his track career at Springfield College and continues to run trail races today. He currently lives with his wife in Three Rivers MA.

Peter Ouellette 1970

Peter Ouellette was a three-sport athlete, participating in football, swimming and track. He earned 11 varsity letters. As a swimmer, Peter was a member of the medley relay team that set school, Western Mass and State records. He also held the school record for the 50 free. In track, he excelled in the 120 high and 180 low hurdles, finishing second and third in the States. Peter was the Valley Wheel and Western Mass Champion in the 180 high hurdles. As captain of the swimming team, he earned a spot on the Western Mass All Star Team, smashing records in the 50 and 100 freestyle.

Nick Sharon 2005

Nick Sharon participated in Cross-Country, Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field teams, serving as captain six times. He was a Western Mass first team selection for both indoor and outdoor track in his senior year. As a Western Mass champion, he was the first person in the history of the PVIAC to win the high jump in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. His school records in the indoor high jump, triple jump and long jump medley still stand. He also helped to establish indoor records in both the 4x200 and 4x400 relays. He also held the school records in 4x200 and the 4x400 indoors. Nick went on to compete at the NCAA Division I level at Sacred Heart University for four years. Upon graduation he returned to ELHS where he served as head coach of the indoor and outdoor track teams. He was privileged to coach Western Mass Champions and school record holders as well as a Western Mass record holder. He currently resides in Northampton where he is an English teacher and a track coach.

Ken Smith 1989

Ken Smith was a two-sport athlete, participating in soccer and basketball. He was a four-year varsity player in soccer where he was selected for the All Western Mass second team his sophomore year, and the All Western Mass first team his junior and senior years. Ken was a three-time All League player, a three-year captain of the soccer team. He was the season high scorer all four years, and team MVP for three years. He lives is in Wellington New Zealand but is currently living in Taiwan where he is teaching at a University and working on his Doctorate (PhD) in Applied Linguistics..

Michael Songini 1984

Michael Songini was a two-sport athlete participating in baseball and basketball. He was selected to All Western Mass in both basketball and baseball in his junior and senior years. He was also selected to the Top 48 Coaches Association All Senior Team in basketball. Michael was captain of both the basketball and baseball teams in his junior and senior years. He continued his baseball career with the Gamecocks at the University of åMichael Songini was a two-sport athlete participating in baseball and basketball. He was selected to All Western Mass in both basketball and baseball in his junior and senior years. He was also selected to the Top 48 Coaches Association All Senior Team in basketball. Michael was captain of both the basketball and baseball teams in his junior and senior years. He continued his baseball career with the Gamecocks at the University of South Carolina. Michael went on to play professional baseball with the Cincinnati Reds organization and their farm system for 3 years. He currently lives in Haverhill MA with his wife Denise and his number one fan, his beautiful daughter, Gianna

THIS YEAR THE COMMITTEE HAS ADDED A SPECIAL RECOGNITION CATEGORY FOR INDUCTEES WHICH RECOGNIZES STUDENT ATHLETES WHO EXCELLED IN A SPORT NOT OFFERED AT EAST LONGMEADOW HIGH SCHOOL.

Alicia Cavanaugh 1988

Alicia Cavanaugh pursued her passion from a very early age and dominated the sport of Figure Skating for many years. She juggled her homework in the car while travelling back and forth to her skating practice every day. Her many years of practice and dedication paid off as she became the New England Ladies Champion, U.S. National Competiiton pewter medalist and qualified for the National Figure Skating Championships in Boston, where she placed in the top 12. Alicia has travelled the world showcasing her skills as a professional skater with Holiday in Ice and Stars on Ice. She was a special guest in Dolly Parton’s ‘Dixie Stampede’ and the principal performer onboard the Royal Caribbean’s “Adventure of the Seas”, skating on real ice in the middle of the ocean. Alicia is now passing on the skills she learned to other younger skaters and Olympic hopefuls in the Washington DC area.

Kim Kahrman 1985

Kim Kahrman was a successful junior bowler, since she was 9, competing in state and local competitions, placing first in Massachusetts in State Junior tournaments from 1975 to 1984. She became a professional bowler with the Professional Women’s Bowling Association and garnered the Rookie of the Year honors in 1991. Her first professional title came in 1993, followed by a total of sixteen professional tour titles Kim also won numerous regional titles, local and state titles while living in Connecticut, Florida, and Nevada. She was runner-up Player of the Year in 1993. She won three ‘Major’ titles, including the 1999 Women’s US Open title. She was the 1999 Metropolitan Bowling Writer’s Player of the Year. Kim is a frequent color commentator with ESPN and CBS Sports for bowling. She was honored this year by being inducted into the United States Bowling Hall of Fame. In 2016 Kim returned to professional bowling after a 13 year hiatus to compete part-time while pursuing a new career as a Nurse Practitioner-Hospitalist.

1969-1970 Track Team

1969-1970 Boys Track went Undefeated (10-0) and won the Western-Mass Championship.