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03/08/2019 11:00 PMThe North Haven High School Sports Hall of Fame will induct nine new members as part of its Class of 2019 during a ceremony at Zandri’s Stillwood Inn on 1074 Colony Road in Wallingford on Saturday, March 30 at 6:30 p.m. This year’s inductees are Jessica Leigh Broadbent, Federico Fiondella, Joan and Rene Genest, Timothy John Gilbride, David Keith Miller, Alyssa A. Nargi, Gia Alice Paturzo, and Thomas William Prefontaine. The cost to attend the ceremony is $55. For tickets, contact Donna Malley at 203-239-1132 or Donnalmalley@comcast.net.
Jessica Leigh Broadbent (Class of 2011)
Jessica Broadbent graduated from North Haven High School in 2011 after earning four varsity letters in soccer, along with one in indoor track and two for lacrosse. Broadbent was a four-year varsity starter for the North Haven girls’ soccer squad. As a sophomore, she was named to the Southern Connecticut Conference (SCC) Oronoque Division Team and was voted the Indians’ Most Valuable Player. In her junior year, Broadbent was nominated for the All-SCC Team. She was elected as a captain for North Haven in the 2010 season.
After graduating, Broadbent attended Fairfield University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting and graduated summa cum laude. She is currently pursuing her Master of Business Administration at Fairfield University. Broadbent lives in North Haven and has worked as an accountant for Beers, Hammerman, Cohen, and Burger, P.C., for the past three years.
Federico Fiondella (Class of 1992)
Federico Fiondella is a 1992 graduate of North Haven High School, where he was an excellent student and a great soccer player. Fiondella graduated in the top-10 percentile of his class and was a member of the National Honor Society at North Haven. After graduation, Fiondella attended Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania, earning a Bachelor of Science in secondary education. He later earned a master’s degree in political science at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU). In 2018, Federico completed his six-year degree in educational leadership at SCSU.
Fiondella became head coach of the North Haven boys’ soccer team in 2001. He accumulated a career record of 114 wins, 131 losses, and 29 ties as the Indians’ coach. Fiondella’s teams qualified for the State Tournament 11 times and advanced to the quarterfinals three times. His teams were also selected as the SCC Divisional Sportsmanship Team of the Year on 10 occasions. Fiondella coached his teams to five SCC Oronoque Division titles, was named the Oronoque Division Coach of the Year six times, and was selected to coach Connecticut Senior Bowl three times.
In Fiondella’s tenure as North Haven’s head coach, 12 players from the team were named to the All-State Team, while 42 earned SCC All-Division honors, and 30 went on to play at the collegiate level. In addition, as a club coach, Fiondella led the North Haven U-19 girls’ soccer squad to state championship titles in 2009, 2011, and 2012. Fiondella lives in North Haven with his wife Dayana and his son Fabrizio.
Joan and Rene Genest (Service Award)
Joan and Rene Genest are the owners of Storytellers Photography in North Haven. Since the inception of the North Haven High School Sports Hall of Fame more than 20 years ago, the Genests have donated their time, resources, and expertise to the Hall of Fame committee. From the individual portraits to the candid shots that they’ve taken at the banquets, the Genests have helped make the Hall of Fame experience a special one for the inductees. They are both contributing members of the North Haven community who volunteer many hours to a variety of groups.
Rene Genest was previously the president of the North Haven Rotary Club and president of the Professional Photographers Association of New England. Joan Genest serves on the board of directors of the North Haven Education Foundation and also serves as an affiliate juror and jury committee chairperson for the Photographic Exhibition Committee of Professional Photographers of America. Rene is an avid skier who loves to play racquetball and golf. Joan likes to read, play the piano, and golf on weekends. Joan and Rene have two children: Marie and Andre.
Timothy John Gilbride (Class of 1970)
Tim Gilbride graduated from North Haven High School in 1970. During his tenure, Gilbride earned eight varsity letters while playing three sports for three Hall of Fame coaches. Gilbride was a member of the first North Haven soccer team to play in the Housatonic League. North Haven Hall of Fame Coach Joe Janush began the high school program in 1967, which was Gilbride’s sophomore year. Gilbride played center midfielder and forward for the Indians. He earned varsity status in all three seasons, was elected as a co-captain in his senior year, and was also named North Haven’s Most Valuable Player that season.
In the winter, Gilbride played point guard for Hall of Fame Coach Tim Connell on the boys’ basketball squad. Gilbride earned varsity letters in his junior and senior years. He was a co-captain in his senior season and received All-Housatonic Honorable Mention. In the spring, Gilbride played second base for Hall of Famer Bob DeMayo on the North Haven baseball team. Gilbride earned three varsity letters for the Indians.
After graduating, Gilbride attended Providence College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. Gilbride is currently the head coach of men’s basketball and also the assistant athletic director at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. Gilbride and his wife Lisa live in Topsham, Maine. They have three children: Mark, Molly, and Marcia.
David Keith Miller (Class of 1976)
David Miller earned three varsity letters in baseball and two in football before graduating from North Haven High School in 1976. Miller played for Coach Bob DeMayo in both sports. On the football field, Miller was named to the All-Housatonic Second Team and was also voted the Indians’ Most Valuable Player in his senior year. With the baseball team, he earned three varsity letters, in addition to being named All-State and All-Housatonic as a senior. Miller was also voted as North Haven’s team MVP that year.
Miller was a four-year starter for the baseball team at Stetson University in Florida. Miller and his wife, fellow North Haven High School Sports Hall of Famer inductee Sally Ericson Miller, live in Berlin. They have two children: Jamie and Kyl
Alyssa A. Nargi (Class of 1993)
Alyssa Nargi is a 1993 graduate of North Haven High School, where she earned 10 varsity letters and made the honor roll all four years. Nargi was a force with which to be reckoned in her four seasons as the starting goalie for the North Haven girls’ soccer team. She holds the school record for shutouts with 29. Nargi was also voted a captain for her junior and senior years. She earned her a spot on the All-Housatonic First Team three times and was named North Haven’s Most Valuable Player in her senior season.
Nargi also earned two varsity letters with the Indians’ girls’ basketball squad, winning the team’s Most Improved Player Award as a freshman. In the spring, Nargi played first base for Hall of Fame Head Coach Sally Maher on the North Haven softball team for four seasons. She served as a captain for her junior and senior years and was voted team MVP as a senior.
After graduation, Nargi attended Merrimack College, in North Andover, Massachusetts, playing soccer for three years. Nargi and her husband Wesley Jakubiec live in North Haven.
Gia Alice Paturzo (Class of 2005)
Gia Paturzo graduated from North Haven High School in 2005. She earned nine varsity letters during her tenure, including four in soccer, four in basketball, and one in track. Paturzo played defensive center midfielder on the girls’ soccer team for all four years, helping North Haven win the Oronoque Division championship with a divisional record of 8-0 in her senior season. She was named the Indians’ Most Valuable Player that year.
Paturzo also made her presence known on the basketball court, starting at point guard for all 81 games in her high school career. Paturzo was named a captain for her junior and senior seasons and went on to earn team MVP honors in both years. Paturzo was also named to the All-SCC Team in her senior season.
After graduating, Paturzo went on to play four years of basketball and three years of soccer at Albertus Magnus College. Gia lives in West Haven and is a supervisor at Bailey Scarano, LLC.
Thomas William Prefontaine (Class of 1996)
Tom Prefontaine is a 1996 graduate of North Haven High School. Prefontaine earned three varsity letters in football and three more in track and field. He played tailback, cornerback, and punter for Coach Bob DeMayo on the North Haven football team. Prefontaine made his mark on the gridiron, earning him a place on the All-Housatonic Team as a cornerback. He was elected captain in his senior year and was also voted North Haven’s Most Valuable Player. In the spring, Prefontaine ran track for Hall of Fame Coach Steve Celmer. He and his relay teammates set a new school record in the freshman 4x100 relay. As a sophomore, Prefontaine and his relay qualified for the State Open. In his senior year, Prefontaine was named a captain for track and went on to receive the team’s Leadership Award.
After graduation, Prefontaine attended Quinnipiac University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology. He then attended the University of New Haven, earning a master’s degree in teaching. Prefontaine is a 5th-grade teacher for Oxford Public Schools and lives in North Haven with his children: Ava, Lyla, and Cora.