Plainville Sports

Hall of Fame Inductees – 2019

Distinguished Service Honoree John Bello

John graduated from Plainville High School in 1964 where he played football alongside Hall of Famers John Mangan and Larry Amara. He was Student Council president and was named to the National Honor Society. Bello went on to matriculate at Tufts University where he graduated cum laude in 1968.

Upon his graduation from Tufts, Bello was commissioned an officer in the United States Navy. He was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V for meritorious service.

Post Navy, John earned an MBA as an Edward Tuck Scholar at the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth. Afterwards, he worked in marketing roles at General Foods and PepsiCo. In 1979 he joined NFL Properties (NFLP), the marketing and merchandising arm of the National Football League, where he ascended to the position of President in 1986. After his departure from the NFL, Bello created the South Beach Beverage Company.

Despite his success, John Bello has not forgotten his Plainville roots. He has been a consistent and ongoing “behind the scenes” supporter of sports and civic causes to his hometown. He established an annual scholarship in his parents’ name for Plainville High graduates and makes it a point to attend the award ceremony to remind the students to thank their parents, teachers, and coaches for all their support, love, and attention. John made a donation and secured a Pepsi sponsorship for the Skate Park in Plainville. In 2004, John brought national attention to the Plainville Fire Department having Jimmy Ross as a featured on package spokesman for the Firefighter Brand of energy drinks and foods. John entertained Charlie Palmer, his high school football coach, and his entire family at Super Bowl XXIII in Miami. John supports the Plainville township, kids, and events with donations of NFL and SoBe merchandise, beverages, tickets and financial support and sponsorships. In 1959, he brought national attention to Plainville when he made Eagle Scout at age 12, making him the youngest in history to do so at that time.

Bello resides in Scottsdale, Arizona and Rye, New York, with his wife Nancy. The couple has three grown children: Lauren, Lindsay and John Michael and four grandchildren.

John Mangan

John Mangan graduated Plainville High School in 1964 and was a tremendous varsity offensive and defensive lineman playing on both sides of the ball for 3 years. He lettered in 1961, 1962, and 1963 under Head Coach Charlie Palmer. John was also on the 1961 State Champion Track Team; his events were the pole vault, 100yd, and 400yd dash.

John was well known for his hard hitting and ability to lead the way on sweeps as a pulling guard. On defense he was a devastating tackler from his position on the line. In 1963 he led the team in tackles with 64 and was honored as the defensive player of 1963. He was nominated for All-state in 1963 as well for his offensive line play. John led by example by playing of both sides of the ball for the entire game. John helped paved the way by blocking for current Plainville Sports hall of Fame Members, Larry Amara, Peter Longo, Rusty Camp, and Frank Accousti. Head Coach Charlie Palmer referred to John as “The Redheaded Marvel” and was quoted as saying “you can’t kill him unless you hit him with an axe”. John was a gritty, determined, tenacious payer who played with unbridled fury according to his teammates. John also spent 30+ years as a member of the Plainville Volunteer Fire Department and reached the rank of 2^nd Assistant Chief giving back to the community that he loved.

Phil Mannarino

Phil Mannarino is one of the most successful coaches in the history of Plainville High School. Phil as the varsity head coach of the girls softball program for 22 years never experiencing a losing season. H lead his teams to more than 300 wins. His teams won six league championships in 1982, 1983, 1994, 1995, 2001 and 2002 and were Class M State finalists in 1986. Phil coached 10 ALL STATE and 50 All Conference student athletes. While coaching PHS softball, he was also the Varsity girls soccer coach at Bristol Eastern High School and combined for more than 450 wins in both sports over 24 years.

In his early years, Phil graduated from St. Anthony’s High School as a three-sport start and captain of the baseball, basketball and soccer teams. He played baseball at Central Connecticut State College where he graduated in 1968. He also played in the Greater Hartford Twilight League and was later a volunteer baseball coach in little league, Pony League and American Legion.

Phil taught in the Plainville Community School system for 35 years.

RoseMarie Havelevitch Dugas

RoseMarie Havelevitch Dugas 1975 PHS Graduate

A perfect blend of athletic prowess and academic excellence, who not only was a student athlete, but also a scholar athlete as well. A three-sport standout held in the highest regard by her teammates, classmates, and chosen 1975 class valedictorian. RoseMarie excelled in tennis (4 years), basketball (4years) and volleyball. She was captain of both her tennis and volleyball teams. In tennis she competed as the number one singles player as well as in doubles. In basketball she was a defensive stalwart known for her aggressive rebounding while averaging eleven points per game as a forward and center on the Blue Devil team that qualified for the Class M State Tournament her senior season. RoseMarie excelled in volleyball, laying the groundwork for Plainville’s first volleyball team (1974) competing in the Colonial Conference.

RoseMarie received numerous athletic and academic awards that culminated and highlighted her celebrated P.H.S. accomplishments, including being named The Plainville Backers Club 1975 female athlete of the year, along with the Betty Riera Sports Award. Academically she received the State of Connecticut Scholar Award, Bauch Lomb Science Award, Oscar Provencher Social Studies Award, Harvey Kalish/Nicole Margonelli English Award and the Trinity Book Award. RoseMarie continued her education and graduated from St. Joseph’s College in West Hartford with a B.S. degree in nursing. During her college years she played number one singles, while continuing her academic excellence, becoming a Deans List student and a member of the Nurses Honor Society

After her college graduation, Rosemarie began her nursing career as a registered nurse working in the Central Connecticut area. She currently resides and works in the Southeastern Connecticut area. Additionally, she is the proud mother of three children and also a grandmother of three. Athletically she continued her life long love of basketball and tennis, competing in several amateur leagues and tennis tournaments. She also has instilled her love of sports into younger athletes by volunteering and coaching girls and boy’s basketball teams, as well as girls softball and Little League baseball.

Jesse Cavallaro

Graduated from Plainville High School in 2004 as a two-sport athlete in Soccer and Wrestling. Is considered one of the best wrestlers in Plainville High School Wrestling history and had a very successful Soccer career. In Wrestling he accumulated 173 total career wins which is the second most wins in Connecticut High School history. In almost 200 career matches remarkably was only pinned once (Freshman year). He was able to reach the elite 100-win milestone halfway through his Junior year. Jesse was able to win four straight Northwest Conference Championship Titles which made him the fifth wrestler in league history to achieve this milestone. He finished in the “Top 3” in all four years in the CIAC Class Wrestling Meets. Winning State Championships his Sophomore year; 2002 Class M State Champion, 103lb weight class and also his Senior year; 2004 Class S State Champion, 119lb weight class. In both of these years he was also the CIAC State Open Champion as well. Reached New England Championships in the 119lb weight class in 2004, where he finished second losing in double overtime. This match was voted the “Most Exciting to Watch”. Received the Outback Steak House Athlete of the Week featured in ESPN2 in 2004. Served as a team captain in his Junior and Senior year. Led the 2004 team to a Northwest Conference Title and a second-place team finish in Class S which is the best finish in Plainville wrestling History.

Jesse was a four-year varsity starter on the Boys Soccer team as a Mid-Fielder. Receiving All-Northwest Conference Honors and All-New Britain Herald three times. He served as a captain his senior year and was also named to the Connecticut All State 2^nd Team in the same year. A member of the CT Olympic Development Team during Sophomore and Junior year. Went on and played college soccer at Salve Regina University.

Harold “Curley” Bartley

Harold “Curly” Bartley graduated from PHS in 1962 where he was a two-sport star in basketball and track & field. Curly was a key contributor on the hardwood as a forward and strong defender who also provided scoring and rebounding that helped the Blue Devils to the 1961 State Championship and the 1962 State finals earning second team ALL STATE honors. One of Curley’s primary assignments in practice was defending Earle Jackson who as Curley says” I got more elbows and hits in the head in practice than against any other team because Earle believed that every ball was his”. That assignment clearly provided dividends as the team earned two consecutive trips to the State finals.

Track & field is where Curly left an impressive mark as a four-year letterman. He was the first freshman to “letter and sweater” in track and field and placed in the high hurtles at the State meet. He lettered all four years with success in the high hurdles, high jump and long jump and was elected captain of the 1962 team. As a senior, Curly set the school record in the long jump of 22’1/4’’. He was one of five members of the ’62 track and field team to qualify and place in the New England’s meet at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, ME. Curley played on 4 consecutive State Championship Track and Field teams where the team won 48 dual meets in a row.

Curly says that his coaches, Pat Riera in basketball and Dino Iorli and Fred Kallback in track and field taught not only sports, but lessons of the value of teamwork and comradery that were useful later in life. The message that he remembers best is that “track and field is individual events that require being a team to have success”. He remembers Saturday practices running up hills and walking back down and repeating it several times and the comradery that it helps to develop. “The team worked hard but we played hard too”.

After high school, Curly served two years in the Army that included one year in Vietnam. Amazingly, one night Curly ran into his friend Earle Jackson and the two enjoyed a few “cold ones” together before parting ways in the morning. He retired from Bath Iron Works in Bath Maine as a ship fitter building destroyers for the Navy. He currently resides in Florida with his wife Betty.