Remembering Conval's 'Big Green Machine'

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Members of the powerful 1970-’71 Conval High freshmen team (front, from left): Joe Reilly, John Davies, Mike Fontaine, John Cuddihee and Ed Lennon. Back row: Manager Hunter Carbee, Steve Sawyer, Bruce Paro, Jim Carlson, Ray Abbott, Don Blair and Coach Art Giovannangeli.

The very first freshmen basketball team at Conval High in the 1970-’71 season was known as the Big Green Machine, for two reasons: They mowed down nearly every opponent on their schedule, and until new uniforms could be ordered they wore the old green and white uniforms of Peterborough High.

The frosh, dubbed “Baby Cougars,” finished the season 15-2 and overwhelmed many an opposing team. At season's end, they challenged the Junior Varsity team to a duel to determine underclassmen basketball supremacy at Conval.


“Insiders contend this would be a contest pitting the powerful frosh offense vs. the equally tough junior varsity defense,” noted JV Coach Ray Brown.


Pegged as 30-point underdogs by some, Coach Art Giovannangeli’s freshmen battled Coach Brown’s JVs tooth and nail in the first half of the showdown, building a 33-28 halftime lead. They led by as many as 10 before the junior varsity rallied to take a two-point advantage heading into the final period.


An enthusiastic crowd was on its feet for much of the final minutes, with members of the varsity team leading the cheers for both teams. The JVs, led by Carl Newton and Rick Davis, came through in the final seconds to give them a hard-fought 61-57 win. The freshmen were led by leading scorer Joe Reilly with 28 points, and despite the loss to their bigger brothers, several of those freshmen went on to make significant contributions with the varsity program.


In all, the three boys’ teams opened the first year of Conval High in fantastic style, compiling an overall record of 40-18! 


A winning tradition was born.

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