The West Haven Hall of Fame Committee has announced its newest inductees to be honored, Saturday, November 22 at Amarante’s Sea Cliff, 62 Cove Street in New Haven.
The new soon to be inductees include Steve Dargan (Tinker Blake Community Service Award), Scott Smith, Gabriella Prisco, Jayva Johnson Jazmin, Craig Dicks, Eric Soares, and Richard Bradbury.
With seven new members, there will now be 218 inductees in the prestigious club since the start two decades ago.
Dargan is a 1973 graduate, where he ran track. Dargan, however, is being honored for his service to the community.
An assistant coach on West Haven High’s boys basketball state championship team in 1987, Dargan is well-known as the voice of West Haven High football, serving as the Blue Devils’ public address announcer for four decades.
A former 13-term state representative, Dargan chaired the Ken Strong Stadium Commission, is a former member of the West Haven Umpires Association and the Greater New Haven Baseball Umpires Association. He was also a member of the Connecticut Jaycees and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Smith is a 1978 graduate, starring on both the soccer and hockey teams. A midfielder on the soccer team, Smith was well-known for his hard work and competitiveness on the field.
Hockey was where Smith left his mark as the center was part of the 100-point club, and he was a key member of the 1976 team that won the state championship. Smith’s accolades were many, with him receiving the Russell B. McKeon award for the team’s most valuable player in 1978.
Prisco is a 2017 graduate and may one day hold the title of West Haven’s most decorated female athlete as she is a three-sport All-State athlete in soccer, lacrosse and hockey.
On the pitch, Prisco was a three-time All-Southern Connecticut Conference and All-Area selection, while being named First Team All-State as a senior when she scored 17 goals and added 13 assists. The forward had 14 points as a freshman, 21 as a sophomore, and 16 as a junior to finish with 81 career points.
Lacrosse saw the talented Prisco named to the All-SCC team three times, All-Area twice, and First Team All-State as a senior where she finished with 68 goals, 21 assists and an SCC Division II Player of the Year honor. The midfielder finished her four-year lacrosse career with 262 points, including 75 as a junior and 56 as a sophomore.
Prisco was just as impressive on the ice as a defenseman, finishing as a four-year starter and named First Team All-SCC and First Team All-State three consecutive years, including being named SCC Player of the Year her junior and senior campaigns.
Prisco went on to play both lacrosse and soccer at Endicott College where she was a lacrosse IWLCA (Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association) All-American in 2022, and a IWLCA All Pilgrim Region First Team selection in 2021 and 2022 as a midfielder. A captain her junior and senior seasons, Prisco was named to the IWLCA Academic Honor Roll in 2022.
Johnson Jazmin is a 2013 graduate who starred on the basketball court as a small forward / power forward. The star forward did everything for Hall of Fame coach Jim Eagan as she had a deadly accurate shot, but she was also one of the toughest rebounders on the court.
The gritty Johnson Jazmin was the team’s most valuable player, team field goal percentage leader, and team rebound leader her junior and senior campaigns, while also being named First-Team All-Area those same years, and All-State as a senior. Johnson became just the sixth player in West Haven history to score 1,000 points, attaining this milestone as a senior.
Johnson Jazmin went on to play at Pine Manor College where she was named Freshman of the Year, and she was also a member of the All-Freshmen team.
Dicks is a 1997 graduate and a 4-year varsity starter on the football field, never playing freshman or junior varsity. A captain his senior year, Dicks was voted the team most valuable player his sophomore through senior seasons, and he was named All-SCC First Team his junior and senior years, New Haven Register All-Area his junior campaign, and First Team All-State as a senior.
A versatile player, Dicks started as a running back and free safety, but also played fullback, cornerback, wide receiver, and back-up quarterback. Dicks led the team in interceptions three consecutive seasons, led the team in tackles from his free safety position as a junior, was second on the team in tackles as a senior, and led the team in rushing his junior and senior seasons.
With Dicks leading the way, the Westies won the first SCC Division crown in 1994. Dicks was a 1996 New Haven Gridiron Club Defensive Player of the Year, before playing collegiately at Colgate as a running back for one year, then transferring to the University of New Haven where he played middle linebacker.
Dicks was also a stellar baseball player at West Haven, controlling the outfield for two years.
Soares is a 1998 graduate who starred on the soccer field. A four-year center midfielder, Soares was not only the team captain his senior campaign, but he was an All-State selection as well.
One of the top soccer players throughout the state, Soares was a participant in the Olympic Development program. As part of the band and various other clubs, Soares took his many talents to the University of Connecticut, where he graduated in 2002 with a Computer Science and Engineering degree.
A four-year player at UCONN, Soares was an integral part of a team which won four Big East titles, made two NCAA Final Four appearances, and won the National Championship in 2000 as a junior attacking left back.
Bradbury is a 1967 graduate of Southington High School as well as a graduate of Central Connecticut State University, where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in English.
While at Southington High School, Bradbury found his love of running, where he was a two-year member of both the track and field, and cross country teams. Bradbury continued that passion in a legendary run at West Haven High.
An English teacher at the high school for 33 years, Bradbury continued his day with a 20-year stint as the track and field team’s assistant coach. While that tenure was impressive, Bradbury continued to give back with a 25-year career as the cross country team’s head coach.
The legendary West Haven coach has run both the Philadelphia and New York City Marathons twice.
For information regarding the induction ceremony, please contact West Haven athletic directors Joe Morrell and Mike Anquillare at joseph.morrell@whschools.org and Michael.anquillare@whschools.org.