All you need to know about Warren High’s Undefeated Football Champions of 1972 is that Pat Abbruzzi called it “my best team ever.”

The undefeated and untied Class C Champions compiled a 9-0 record,  shutting out Bristol, 28-0, and edging one of the best Barrington High School squads ever, 24-20.  Tolman’s legendary Gig Pariseau called this Eagles team the best Class B eleven he had seen in more than twenty years of competition.

The team was led by All Staters Francis “Tut” Jamiel, who finished second in Rhode Island scoring with ninety-four points, and Dave Lamarca, who paced the defense with forty-five solo tackles.  (It also included future All Staters Gary Lavey – a freshman - and Jim Merolla.)  Quarterback Nick Jamiel threw for fourteen scores and eight hundred and ninety-two yards, while touchdown leaders were Tut Jamiel with eleven, Bob Proulx with eight, and John Braz and Joe Cabral – six each.

Ends Braz and Cabral, center Nick Delekta, the two Jamiel backs, linebacker Lamarca, tackle Merolla, back Proulx, and guard Ed Sevigny were named to the All Class C first team.

The team defeated Bristol, 28-0, Ponagansett, 50-0, Portsmouth, 22-14, Barrington, 24-20, Burrillville, 44-20, Central Falls, 44-0, Scituate, 64-0, North Smithfield, 30-0, and Tiverton, 36-0.

Members of the starting team were John Braz, Joe Cabral, Ron Cote,Nick Delekta, Nick Ferrara, Nick Jamiel, Tut Jamiel, Dave Lamarca, Gary Lavey, Jan Malik, Jim Merolla, Bob Proulx, Ed Sevigny, and Jack Whalen.  Other team members were Al Angelone, Dave Booth, Don Bouchard, Kevin Casey, Allan Dyer, Jonathan Ernest, Dennis Ingram, Steve Martel, Frank Raposa, Dave St. Ours, Gordon Simard, and John Smith.

The team was coached by Pat Abbruzzi, who was assisted by Foxy Marshall, Mike Crane, and scout Jack Flynn. 

Its cheerleaders were Debbie Abbruzzi, Nancy Fortin Boros, Kathy Sullivan Eshback, Diane Abbruzzi Gempp, Susan Pattie Hall, Sharon Sousa Mello, Karyn McCahey Monti, Mary Hunt Paras, Jeanne Murphy Pirri, and June Figureid Sampson, while Janie Abbruzzi Patterson was the champions’ mascot and Mike Abbruzzi (later Warren’s town manager) was the team’s water boy.

Pat Abbruzzi, Jack Flynn, Tut Jamiel, Gary Lavey, and Karyn McCahey Monti are individual members of the Warren Athletic Hall of Fame.  Sadly Pat Abbruzzi, Dave Booth, Kevin Casey, Dave Lamarca, and Foxy Marshall are deceased.

Picture from Hall of Fame archives