Dedication on the field, in the classroom and within the community best describes the 10 athletes and one team, coach, contributor and administrator to be inducted into Barrington High School’s fifth Athletic Hall of Fame class.
The group’s induction ceremony was held Saturday, Nov. 22 at the Rhode Island Country Club.
The 14 inductees were: athletes Liz Drogin ‘95, brothers Christopher ‘85 and Francis ‘87 Giglio, brothers Scott ‘95 and Bobby ‘97 Goff, Jameson Gresh ‘98, Noelle Hanrahan ‘81, Heather (Lombardo) Piazza ‘97, Chrissy (McCann) Rich ‘95 and Scott Tainsh ’76; the 1962 Football Team; Coach Anthony “Tiny” Martin; contributor Richard Paolino; and administrator John Gray.
Liz Drogin, Class of 1995
A captain of the soccer team who marked the opponent’s best player, Drogin was selected First Team All-State her senior year and Second Team All-State her junior season. She also helped her soccer team win the Division I State Championship her sophomore season while being selected Third Team All-Division. Drogin was a special player on the basketball court as well, Second Team All-State recognition her senior year after leading the former Class C team to the Class B State Title. She also secured Honorable Mention All State and First Team All-Division honors in basketball in her junior and sophomore seasons and played a key role on the Class C State Runner-Up team in 1993. Her senior year she received the Barrington High School Scholar-Athlete Award and the U.S. Army Reserve Scholar Athlete Award. Drogin later graduated from Harvard University where she played varsity and junior varsity soccer and junior varsity basketball.
Chris Giglio, Class of 1985
Giglio was named Rhode Island Interscholastic League “Swimmer of the Year” his senior year by earning First-Team All-State honors in three different strokes. In so doing, he became only the second Rhode Island high school swimmer in history to beat the 2-minute barrier in the 200 individual medley while setting a state record in the 200 freestyle. He was also part of the 200 medley relay team with his brother, Fran, that earned First Team All-State honors in both 1984 and 1985. The relay team was selected Al-American Honorable Mention in 1985 for its state record of 1:38.60. Giglio also earned Second Team All-State in the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly his junior year. These efforts helped the BHS boys swim team win the State Championships in both 1984 and 1985. Giglio went on to become a Division III All-American swimmer at Williams College. He was inducted into the Rhode Island Aquatics Hall of Fame in 2002.
Fran Giglio, Class of 1987
Fran Giglio earned First-Team All-State honors his senior year in the 50 freestyle (a state record), the 100 freestyle and the 400 freestyle relay. In his junior year he was named First Team All-State in the 200 medley relay, 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly for which he secured at BHS record. Giglio was also part of the 200 medley relay team with his brother, Chris, that earned First Team All-State honors in both 1984 and 1985. The relay team was selected All-American Honorable Mention in 1985 for its state record of 1:38.60. In his freshman and sophomore years he also received several other First and Second Team All-State honors. All of these efforts helped the BHS boys swim team to win the State Championship in both 1984 and 1985. Giglio also found the time to play doubles tennis for BHS and earned Second Team All-State honors his senior year. He continued his swimming career at URI and was team captain his senior year. Giglio was inducted into the Rhode Island Aquatics Hall of Fame in 2004.
Scott Goff, Class of 1995
In his senior year, Scott Goff was captain and selected First Team All-State in cross country, wrestling and track. All total, he earned twelve varsity letters over his high school athletic career. Goff won the State cross country meet his senior year on his way to a First Team All New England designation and was also First Team All-State in cross country his junior and sophomore seasons. In wrestling, he was Freshman State Champion in the 103-pound class, First Team All-Division during his sophomore campaign and First Team All-Division again his junior year when illness kept him out of the State meet in which he was seeded first. His senior year he was State Champion in the 112-pound class and was 4th in New England. In track Goff’s specialty was the 3,000M which earned him First Team All-Division his freshman and sophomore seasons and Second Team All-State his junior year. He was State Champion in the 3,000 his senior year. He went on to run Cross Country at the US Military Academy at West Point and was the Patriot League Champion in the 8K in 1997 and 1998 and designated First Team All-American in 1998 after he placed 23rd in the 10K at the Division I NCAA Championship.
Bobby Goff, Class of 1997
The State’s Providence Journal Honor Roll Boy Athlete in 1997, Goff was a three-sport captain his senior year and earned eleven varsity letters during his high school career. He was a two-time First Team All-State wrestler in the 103-pound class and, his senior year, he was the Eagles’ fist New England Champion since 1968. Goff also was a two-time Second Team All-State singles tennis player, helping his team win three State Championships in 1995, 1996 and 1997. Cross country was his third sport and he was selected Third Team All-Class his senior year and also was a member of the 1994 State Championship team. Goff played college tennis at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, earning four varsity letters and serving as captain his senior year.
Jameson Gresh, Class of 1998
Arguably the best tennis player to ever graduate from Barrington High School, Gresh was a three-time State Champion in singles, a feat that has only been accomplished seven times in Rhode Island Interscholastic League history. A dominant player, he was undefeated in team match play at number one singles from his sophomore through his senior seasons. Gresh was selected First Team All-State all four years of his high school career while leading the team to four consecutive State Titles. He continued playing tennis at Penn State, earning All Big-Ten Conference First Team honors in 2001 and 2002. After graduation, Gresh competed on the professional tennis circuit and currently coaches tennis at Corona del Mar High School, Newport Beach, California.
Noelle Hanrahan, Class of 1981
Hanrahan was one of the best basketball players to ever hit the hardwood for BHS. She was a four-year starter, First Team All-State her senior season and Honorable Mention All-State as a junior and a sophomore. She was recognized by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association as a National High School Basketball All-American in 1981. Upon graduation, Hanrahan held 12 of 23 BHS basketball team records, including most points in a single season (455), most points in a high school career (1,249), most assists in a season (72), most assists in a high school career (129), most steals in a single game (11), most steals in a single season (134) and most steals in a high school career (282).
She averaged 15 points per game over high school career and 23 points per game her senior season. Hanrahan also lettered in softball and track & field. She was a three-year starting left fielder on the diamond and All Division her senior season. Hanrahan also broke the BHS record in the shot put her junior year. She went on to play basketball at Stanford University.
Heather (Lombardo) Piazza, Class of 1997
Piazza was a pioneer on the ice as she was in the first girl to score a goal in Rhode Island Interscholastic League boys ice hockey history. She was a three-time letter winner on the boys ice hockey team, its 5th leading scorer her senior year and helped the team win the Met B State Championship in 1995. Piazza was also a four-year varsity softball player and was selected First Team All-State her senior and junior seasons. During her junior year, she helped lead her team to a 16-0 record and a State Championship and also played a key role in her team’s State Title her sophomore season. In addition, Piazza was captain of the field hockey team her senior year and earned Second Team All-State honors. She was selected Second Team All-Division her junior year when her team won the Eastern Division Championship and The Providence Journal Sportsmanship Award. She continued her education at Boston College and played varsity ice hockey for three years before missing her senior season due to injury.
Chrisy (McCann) Rich, Class of 1995
A soccer captain and four-year varsity player, Rich was named First Team All-State and All-New England after her senior season. Also selected First Team All-State her junior year and First Team All-Division after her sophomore campaign, she was the Eagles’ leading scorer all three years at the midfield and forward positions with a career-high of 22 goals and 11 assists as a senior. Her knack for scoring helped Rich lead the BHS soccer team to a State Championship win in 1992. She also captained the indoor and outdoor track & field teams to State Championships her senior year and was selected First Team All-State in the 300M (indoor) and high jump and 400M (outdoor). After graduating from BHS, Rich played four years of varsity soccer at the University of Connecticut. She was the backbone of a defense that recorded 58 shutouts during her college career. Rich’s senior season was capped by her being named National Soccer Coaches Association of America Third-Team All-American and a UConn Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athlete. After graduating from college, Rich started as a defender for the Boston Breakers in the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA). She is a member of the Rhode Island Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Scott Tainsh, Class of 1976
Scott Tainsh
Described by BHS baseball coach Mike Gabarra as “one of, if not the, finest all-around players I ever coached,” Tainsh earned First Team All-State honors his senior year for his prowess at the plate and around first base. The co-captain batted .529 with 5 triples, 7 doubles and 2 home runs with 21 runs scored his senior season. Tainsh also hit over .300 in his junior campaign when he was selected First Team All-Eastern Division. As a sophomore, he helped his team win the Eastern Division Championship by hitting over .300 and was selected Third Team All-Eastern Division. On defense, Tainsh played three years of errorless baseball. He also ran the 50M and 300M his junior and senior years. Tainsh went on to be a three-year letter winner on the diamond at the University of Pennsylvania. After college he played in the Rhode Island Sunset League and Rhode Island Amateur League and has been inducted into the Rhode Island Men’s Senior League Hall of Fame. Tainsh also reestablished American Legion baseball in Barrington in 1999, coaching the East Bay team for nine years. He now stays in the game through his membership in the Rhode Island Umpire Association.
1962 Football Team
Coached by BHS Hall of Famer, Frank Murgo, the 1962 football team was the first to go undefeated and untied since the legendary 1943 BHS football team. Powered by tight end Pat Monti, the Eagles possessed the highest scoring offense in the state, averaging 26.5 points a game. After being named Eastern Division Champions, the team beat Bristol 27-0 on Thanksgiving Day behind the hard-nosed running of Chuck Wilson and a stingy defense that gave up a total of 12 yards the whole game! The win kept the team’s undefeated and untied streak intact to end the season at a perfect 7-0. All-State honors went to Pat Monti, guard Brooks Moore and center Richard Paolino. First Team Eastern Division selections were the three mentioned previously as well as Jim Fiedler, Chuck Wilson, Paul Lombardi, Arthur Bessette, Eddie Lyons, Jay Hoder and Ray DeAngelis. Second Team Eastern Division selections were Craig Grossman and Jim Kershaw. John Blockson, Kevin Connors, Greg Gaebe, Mike Hagan and Lee Opdyke earned Eastern Division Honorable Mention.
Anthony “Tiny” Martin
A rugged, 200-pounder who played football for the legendary Major Frank Cavanaugh at Boston College and for several amateur and semi-professional teams, including the Providence Steamrollers, Martin also earned his master’s at BC and soon thereafter began his 38-year career in the Barrington School System. He started at Peck High School in 1930 teaching science and social studies while also beginning a 20-year run coaching BHS football and baseball. After first serving as assistant coach he became head coach in both sports and enjoyed numerous winning seasons, including 1943 when his football team was unbeaten, untied and unscored upon on its way to capturing the State Championship. Legend has it that Victory Field was actually named in honor of the 1943 team and that Martin and his love of his alma mater, the Boston College Screaming Eagles, had some influence on the adoption of the Eagle as the BHS mascot. He went on to serve as Athletic Director at BHS, Principal of Peck Junior High School and then, finally, Principal of the “new” Junior High School on Middle Highway. Martin also was President the Rhode Island Football Coaches Association, the Rhode Island Football Officials Association and the Rhode Island Baseball Officials Association. He is a member of the Rhode Island Coaches Hall of Fame and the Providence Gridiron Club Hall of Fame.
John Gray
John Gray, shown here before his retirement in 2009.
Principal of Barrington High School from 1980 to 2009, John Gray oversaw the restructuring of curriculum, facilities, faculty and athletic programs that resulted in BHS being named one of the nation’s “Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence.” He was a three-sport student-athlete in high school and always valued the enhanced personal growth and development that could be achieved through athletics. Of course, Barrington High School teams won numerous State, Class and Division championships under his leadership, but the character, sportsmanship and teamwork exhibited by the Eagles is what made Gray most proud. He served the Rhode Island Interscholastic League in many capacities, including Chairperson from 2003-2009; Board Member from 1992-2009 and Chairman and Member of the Principals Committee on Athletics. He was also Director of Golf and Chairperson of the Waiver Hearing Committee for the League. Among the numerous awards and honors he received, Gray was recognized with the School Administrator of the Year award from the Rhode Island Interscholastic Athletic Administrator’s Association in 2001 and was named a Sports Ethics Fellow for National Sportsmanship Day by the Institute for International Sport in 2006.
Richard Paolino
An All-State center and captain of the BHS football team that won the State title in 1962, Paolino was also a standout in track & field, throwing the weight and hammer all four years. He played football at Dartmouth for head coach Bob Blackman before injury ended his career prematurely. His esteemed professional career brought him back to Barrington in 1985 and he quickly showed his commitment to giving back to the community in which he was raised. Paolino was a founding member of the Barrington Gridiron Club, dedicated to providing financial support, promotion and guidance to Barrington football. As part of the Gridiron Club, he was also an original member of the Grey Eagles, a team made up of Barrington residents, all former footballers, who played against the BHS varsity each summer to raise money for the town’s football programs. Paolino also was an original member of the BHS Athletic Hall of Fame Committee.