Hall of Fame
In the fall of 1971, the Westchester Community College Football Team, still in its infancy, would achieve unimaginable success. At the end of the season, the National Football Foundation's Hall of Fame Committee met in New York City, and named Westchester CC National Champions out of 154 Collegiate Club Football Teams in the country.
The Vikings started the newly formed Eastern Collegiate Club Football Conference (ECCFC), Metropolitan Division, season by tying Marist College 7-7 and then dealing four consecutive on the road shutouts to Springfield College, Fairfield University, the University of New Haven, and Norwalk Community College. They outscored their opponents 113-7 during their first five games and kept the opposition to an average of negative five yards rushing per game.
Standing at 4-0-1, Westchester CC returned home to face top-ranked Iona College. On the line was not only keeping alive an undefeated season, but a chance to beat the #1 team in the nation. The winner of this game would receive an invitation to the ECCFC Schaefer Bowl Championship game that was to be held that year at JFK Stadium in Bridgeport, CT.
Before a crowd of more than 11,000 fans who gathered at Memorial Field, the Vikings upset #1 Iona College 30-18 and immediately set their sights on Providence College, who were the Champions in the Colonial Division of the ECCFC.
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But prior to their trip to the Schaefer Bowl, the Vikings had one more scheduled home game remaining. So on November 13th, Westchester concluded their undefeated regular season with a sold out Homecoming win over Concordia College, 32-18.
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Now 6-0-1, Westchester headed to JFK stadium to play against Providence College in the Schaefer Bowl. Before a crowd of more than 10,000 fans, Westchester beat Providence College by a score of 42-14 and won the Schaefer Bowl Trophy as the #1 team in the ECCFC. Moreover, the Vikings now found themselves ranked the #2 team in the nation. The Vikings soon accepted a bid to the annual Metropolitan Bowl against the #1 ranked team in the country, St. John's University.
On Friday, November 28th, more than 12,000 fans packed the Metropolitan Bowl and watched Westchester's #1 defense in the nation, stop St. John's four times on the 7-yard line to secure a 14-12 victory. The contest, which more than lived up to its advance billing as a battle between the two top teams in Club football competition, was settled in electrifying fashion late in the final quarter when Jerry Reid took a St. John's punt on his own 16, eluded a couple of tacklers and sprinted 84 yards for the Vikings second and decisive touchdown.Â
Several days later, the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame committee voted Westchester Community College as National Champions and honored them in a luncheon at the Waldorf Astoria. Hall of Fame Head Coach Tom Comenzo was named Club Football Coach of the Year and the Vikings were presented with the Hall of Fame Trophy. Later in the week, a private reception was also held by the Westchester County Executive, Edwin G. Michaelian to honor the Vikings.
On December 11th, the ECCFC held its awards luncheon at the University of Hartford and six Vikings (Lenny Capuano, Dom Scarcella, Toby Parrish, Joaquin "Jocko" Garcia, John Dadabo, and Jerry Reid) were named All-Conference players and two (Anthony Polizzi and Tom Phelps) received Honorable Mention. Coach Tom Comenzo was also named the ECCFC Coach of the Year. Because of the many successes of the newly formed ECCFC, an All American Collegiate Club Football team was not chosen that year (1971) by the National Football Foundation.  Â
1971 WCC Vikings:
Record: 8-0-1
Head Coach: Tom Comenzo
Assistant Coaches: Tony Sica, Tony Bonsignore and Gus Wines
Captains: Anthony Polizzi, Robert Api and Tony Loscalzo.
