Coaches, players reminisce on 100 years of Agawam football

Michael and Salena Wing of Feeding Hills look over a display of newspaper clippings, photos and other memorabilia from 100 years of Agawam football.

Reminder Publishing photo by Mike Lydick

AGAWAM — It was a night of Agawam High School gridiron memories as 125 people — coaches, players and supporters — gathered to celebrate the centennial of Brownies football.

The Oct. 18 event at Oak Ridge Golf Club in Feeding Hills included 10 speakers, from an early 1960s player to the current coach. Sharing personal anecdotes and reflections, they highlighted notable achievements, such as the 1961 undefeated season and the 1994 conference championship, and acknowledged significant donors and community members who have supported the program.

There also were tables filled with photos, news clippings and memorabilia from the past 100 years. A video with historical photos played on a continuous loop throughout the evening. Speakers remembered many great memories of playing and coaching, while also emphasizing the enduring tradition of Agawam football, the values it instills and the lifelong connections it fosters. Excerpts from their remarks are below.

In a world of Eagles, Tigers, Bulldogs, Spartans, Trojans, Lancers, there’s something intrinsically Western Massachusetts about being called the Brownies, said master of ceremonies Chris Pisano, an Agawam native, AHS graduate and local television journalist.

“Football has a great history in Agawam, more so because it’s inextricably woven within the fabric of our lives,” he said.

Football plays a central role in a long town tradition, he said, the Thanksgiving morning game when the Brownies take on the “dreaded” West Springfield Terriers: “We go as children with our parents. Then we get a little older, have a little independence, maybe we go with our own friends. We get to be teenagers — and, if we’re lucky enough, we get to play in that game. Then we graduate high school, go our separate ways, but we all seem to come back for that unofficial homecoming — the Thanksgiving morning game. It’s a tradition passed on generation to generation.”

Dominick Pisano, chair of the Agawam Football 100th Anniversary Committee, and Chris Pisano’s cousin, said Agawam football has been a significant part of his life since he was a kid.

“I remember going to games with my grandfather,” he said. “We missed very few and we never missed the West Side Thanksgiving game. The bonds back then have turned into lifelong friendships.”

He said current players will see the same thing happen: “You’re going to forget about wins. You’re going to forget about losses. But the one thing that you won’t forget about is the camaraderie you build inside the locker room, off the field and on the field.”

Mayor Christopher Johnson presented Pisano with a special citation for the anniversary committee from the City Council to mark the football program’s historical milestone. It extended congratulations for “providing the town with a century of pride, passion and unforgettable moments on the football field.”

Second generation Brownie Richard “Dick” Benoit — a 1963 graduate now living in Southwick — played under legendary coach Harry Leonardi on the 1961 and 1962 teams as a fullback. Benoit helped the 1961 team achieve a conference win while his father Charles, class of 1932, was part of the undefeated, unscored-upon 1931 Brownies coached by the famed Harmon Smith.

Benoit paid tribute to Leonardi and his other coaches, but gave a special shout out to one of the team’s unsung heroes, Robert “Bobby” Webster.

“Our equipment manager, he also pumped gas at his dad’s Main Street service station,” Benoit said. “He was my friend and a great guy who died in 2022. He had cerebral palsy and had difficulty walking. But he always carried the ball bag — and always had a contagious smile.” Benoit said Webster was the “essence” of Agawam football. “Bobby always had a persistent and positive demeanor. That says it all.”

Jeff Peterson, from the class of 1988, excelled in several sports and was inducted into the Agawam High School Athletic Hall of Fame for 2024 on Oct. 20. He came from South Carolina to share his memories.

“When we were playing, we always thought the class of 1988 was the best football team — we always think that about our class,” said Peterson.

But after a dominant regular season, that team fell in the playoffs on a controversial play, Peterson said. Playing at Westfield, the Brownies were awarded a tie after referees called an extra point kick no good. Peterson said the ball went through the uprights and should have counted.

“The game ended in a 13-13 tie,” he said. “Had we won that game, we would have gone to the high school super bowl and played Greenfield. We still talk about that. It really hurts, because we should have won. But it was a freak year.”

Dean Vecchiarelli, class of 1979 and a retired AHS teacher, served as head coach from 1990 to 1998. In 1994, he led the Brownies to their first conference championship since 1964.

As a young assistant coach, he met coach Joe “Modge” Modzelewski.

“He taught me so much about life, never mind football,” Vecchiarelli said. “We hung out together. We were best friends. Then Joe retired, gave up the job. I miss him so much. I was 28 when I applied for the job. I was way too young, but I learned a lot — it was a tough start,” said Vecchiarelli, then the state’s youngest high school football coach.

“It was hard, but I really enjoyed it. I was there for nine years and we had some success. I have no regrets. I had a wonderful career — I don’t think I would be here without football,” he said.

Lou Conte Sr., class of 1972, began his career in Agawam as a physical education teacher and then served as Agawam’s athletic director until retiring in 2010.

“Football is such a great sport for young people,” he said. “It’s just something that you don’t know until you leave. It’s a lot of hard work. It’s coming together, but it’s also relying on other people — and that makes you successful in life,” he said.

Conte’s advice to kids playing football: Make every day your best day.

“Be true to yourself,” he said. “Measure yourself every day. Did you do your best? Were you true to yourself? Are you honest to your coaches? That’s what makes you who you are.”

Air Force Col. Andrew St. Jean, class of 1998 and team captain in his senior year, is currently deputy wing commander of the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield. He gave some insight into how football mattered to him.

“The focus is on resilience, on work, on trust of your teammates, on time management … all those things really matter,” he said.

He said his military career included working as an instructor at the Air Force Weapons School, which is similar to the Navy’s “Top Gun” pilot school. Being a Brownie helped prepare him.

“We focus on three things: build, teach, lead,” he said. “It’s supposed to be a professional military education, but the reality is there wasn’t a single thing I learned there that I didn’t get from one of my coaches.”

Current AHS head coach John Benjamin, also a 1990 graduate and an AHS teacher, is a third-generation Brownie. His family is part of Agawam’s rich and proud Brownie tradition.

Many former players, Benjamin said, became engineers, businessmen, executive entrepreneurs and started businesses in town.

“They built houses, opened restaurants. They’re police officers — even police chiefs — all over the Northeast. They’re in our school administration and in our government. They’re state troopers in Massachusetts, West Virginia and Delaware. They serve our country in every military branch.”

He said some, like him, even decided to follow in the footsteps of their coaches by going into education and coaching.

“I’m very grateful to be in this position and to continue to do my part in coaching to help produce successful citizens, good neighbors and great fathers — just like Agawam football has done for 100 years.”