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01/06/2018 11:00 PMThe Branford Sports Hall of Fame inducted nine new members and two state championship teams at its 30th annual dinner that was held at Woodwinds on Nov. 17. This year’s inductees are Gary ‘Jeep’ Ciarleglio, George T. Dummar, Jr., Kevin McDonough, Melissa McGow Klauder, Sally Murphy-Noel, Savas Synodi, Ryan Thompson, Richard Tott, and Michael R. Tracy. Additionally, the Hornets’ 1990 and 1991 state championship field hockey teams were inducted at the dinner.
Gary “Jeep” Ciarleglio
Gary “Jeep” Ciarleglio is a 1984 Branford High School graduate who played football, baseball, and basketball for the Hornets. In his football career, Ciarleglio rushed for 1,700 yards and totaled 800 receiving yards. He later played at the University of Rochester, leading the team to its only NCAA postseason appearance in 1987. Ciarleglio was inducted into Rochester’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.
George T. Dummar, Jr.
George T. Dummar, Jr., was the head coach of the Branford High School baseball team from 2014 through 2012. In his tenure as coach, the Hornets won seven division championships, as well as Class L state titles in 2006 and 2009. Raised in Milford, Dummar was a standout baseball player at Jonathan Law High School and later at Sacred Heart University, before being drafted by the Baltimore Orioles. Dummar passed away in 2014.
Kevin McDonough
A guidance counselor at Branford, Kevin McDonough has been an assistant coach for the Hornets’ baseball team since 1973. McDonough started with Jack Corning and later worked with George Dummar, Jr., mentoring pitchers and catchers. He was a member of the coaching staff for Branford’s state championship teams in 2006 and 2009. A native of New Haven, McDonough graduated from Notre Dame-West Haven and later Providence College.
Melissa McGow Klauder
A 2003 Branford graduate, Melissa McGow Klauder is regarded as one of the finest field hockey players in Hornets’ history. She scored 200 goals and earned All-SCC, All-Area, All-State, and All-American honors during her high school career. As a four-year starter, the teams that McGow Klauder played for at Branford had a combined record of 65-5-6. She later played at Providence College and led the team in both goals and assists three times.
Sally Murphy-Noel
a 1992 graduate of Branford High School, Sally Murphy-Noel helped lead the Branford girls’ swim team to two state championships and was also named to the All-State Team all four years. The Hornets’ 1992 championship team dominated at the State Open by outscoring every high school in the state. Murphy-Noel later set records in the backstroke and in relays at the University of Delaware.
Savas Synodi
Savas Synodi is a 1975 graduate of New London High School, where he played football and wrestled. He went on to wrestle for four years at Central Connecticut State University. In 1988, Synodi joined the faculty at Branford and became co-Athletic Director with Jake Palluzzi in 1992. During their tenure, the Hornets have won state titles in 10 team sports, while adding seven sports programs.
Ryan Thompson
A four-year letterman and captain in swimming and golf, Ryan Thompson helped lead the Hornets to the 2000-’01 Class M boys’ swimming state championship. The 2004 Branford graduate also won the individual state title in the 100-yard breaststroke, setting a school record that still stands today. Thompson was named to the 2004 All-Area and All-State teams, and he later swam for the Huskies at UConn.
Richard Tott
Richard Tott used a classic jump shot to earn All-Housatonic honors for the Branford boys’ basketball team. Tott averaged 18 points per game for the Hornets and also ran for their cross country team. After graduating from Southern Connecticut State University and serving in the United States Army, Tott became a math teacher at Branford Intermediate School and helped coach its boys’ and girls’ basketball teams.
Michael R. Tracy
A 1993 graduate of Branford High School, Michael R. Tracy earned letters in football, baseball, and track, serving as captain in all three sports. Known as an intensive football player, Tracy earned All-Area, All-Housatonic and All-State honors for the Hornets. He later played for four years at Southern Connecticut State University, before graduating in 1996. A member of the Branford faculty, Tracy has also been a member of the coaching staff for the Hornets’ football squad and spent three years as head coach.
1990 and 1991 State Championship Field Hockey Teams
The 1990 and 1991 Branford field hockey teams were part of a dynasty that saw Head Coach Cathy McGuirk’s program win six state titles in an eight-year stretch. The 1990 team finished with a 17-2 record, scoring 73 goals and allowing only seven to go with 14 shutouts on the year. The Hornets had five All=State players on the club. Branford’s 1991 team finished with a record of 16-0-3, scoring 78 goals while allowing just seven for the season. There were four All-State players on the team.