1942 ~ January 21, 2026

Allan Moore was born under a wandering star.  
His first stop after high school was the US Air Force, where he worked as a jet mechanic. He left the military in 1964 and got his commercial pilot’s license in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. After a short stint flying, he was hired by Pan American World Airways as Coordinator of Flight Training at Roswell Airport in New Mexico. From there he moved to Lake Tahoe in 1969 where he made lifelong friends and found a love for the beauty of the outdoors that influenced his life’s path. He got a degree in Environmental Planning at the University of California, Santa Cruz and lived and worked in California until he retired in 2002 from the City of Oxnard. His travels continued after retirement as a full-time RVer, spending winters in Arizona and summers in the Pacific Northwest.

Allan’s love of travel took many forms. He participated in running and triathlon events all over Southern California; he traveled the Caribbean on land and by sailboat; he biked the Ring of Kerry, and most recently he traveled to England and France for the 80th Anniversary D-Day Commemoration, where finally health issues got the best of him.

Allan wrote this story – WHS vs. Massapequa — A Midnight Confession

Sometimes confession is good for the soul, so here’s one from 65 years ago. It involves Wantagh, Massapequa, and a little youthful mischief. The rivalry was intense. That year, the final game of the 1959 football season would be the highlight, with neighbors and classmates lining the Massapequa stands and bragging rights hanging in the balance. But what I’m confessing today has nothing to do with touchdowns or tackles — it’s about what a small group of us did off the field, under the cover of darkness.

Both schools carried their identities with pride. Wantagh High School’s mascot was the Indian, and Massapequa’s was the same — their own Indian figure, representing strength and tradition.

The mascots were respected symbols, so stealing or defacing them was strictly off-limits. That line was never crossed. But painting the opponent’s goalposts Black & Gold ? That felt harmless, clever, and slightly daring — the perfect way to send a message without hurting anyone’s pride.

Around 1 a.m., a handful of us quietly slipped from our homes, careful not to wake anyone, carrying cans of Black & Gold paint and brushes like contraband.
Our “crew” was a motley collection of classmates — each with their own brand of confidence and nervous energy. There was ?, who insisted he could climb the posts faster than anyone; ? who carried extra paint “just in case”; and me, trying to keep everyone calm while my heart pounded. Together, we felt invincible, like a band of conspirators on a daring mission that would be remembered for years — even if nobody else ever knew about it.

The streets were silent except for our whispers and the occasional crunch of gravel underfoot. Cars occasionally passed by on Merrick Road, headlights slicing through the darkness, making us flatten ourselves against hedges or dive behind parked vehicles. ? would freeze mid-step, whispering, “Don’t move!” while ? whispered back, “I’m not moving — you better not either!” I tried to act calm, but inside I was certain every headlight was about to blow our cover. Each passing car made us hold our breath, then laugh nervously when nothing happened.

We reached the Massapequa goalposts and got to work. The paint went on unevenly in places — probably more black & gold streaks than solid coverage — but to us, it was perfect. ? struggled halfway up a post, slipping slightly, and muttered something under his breath that made us all snicker quietly. ? spilled a little paint on his shoe and cursed softly, then wiped it off in the grass. Every minor mishap added to the excitement, turning a simple prank into an unforgettable adventure.

The statute of limitations has long since run out, so I figure it’s finally safe to tell the story. No one can track us down now, no one can scold us, and the paint is long gone. But the memory is indelible. Sneaking under the stars, huddled together with brushes and cans, hearts racing — that night captured the essence of youth, camaraderie, and daring adventure.

The game itself went on as usual a few days later. The painted goalposts were discovered, likely causing a few puzzled shakes of the head and muttered complaints on the Massapequa side.

But decades later, it isn’t the football score I remember. It’s that night, the laughter, the whispered conversations, the shared sense of mischief, and the feeling that we had participated in something memorable, something just ours. Sometimes confession really is good for the soul, and I hope this little story brings a smile — both to me, remembering it, and to anyone reading it now.

This is a Massapequa Newspaper Article Description of the Game From Saturday, November 14, 1959
Chiefs Edge Wantagh
 in 8–7 Season Finale
Thursday, November 19, 1959

By Martin Pulvers
The Massapequa Chiefs ended their season this past Saturday afternoon on a pleasant note, handling their rivals, the Wantagh Warriors, to win their city debut and maintain the tradition of Massapequa varsity football teams, who seldom lose to Wantagh teams.


Massapequa’s season record is four wins, four losses, and one tie.
The game also marked the end of head coach Charlie Noble’s duties, as this is his 25th year of mentoring football. Coach Noble wasn’t able to see the game, as he was home sick.

The game itself was mainly a defensive battle with only two touchdowns between both teams. Wantagh scored the game’s first points by kicking off to Massapequa’s Raye Burrows, who carried the kick back to his own 33-yard line. The Chiefs could make no yardage, however, and Russ Meyers punted them out of trouble to Wantagh’s 48.

Wantagh also had difficulty going and tried to get a kick off but the Warrior punter fumbled and Massapequa recovered on the Wantagh 45.

Fullback Ralph Cirino drove for 15 yards down to the Warrior 30 for a first down. Massapequa was then penalized five yards, but Burrows quickly made them up on a run to the Wantagh 20 for another first down. On the next play again saw Burrows with the ball, this time carrying six yards to the 14, but a 15-yard holding penalty nullified the gain and brought the ball back to the 35.

Quarterback Bob Fahl put the Chiefs on the move, faded back to pass on the next play but he had to eat the pigskin as all his receivers were covered by the Wantagh secondary. A pitchout to Cirino didn’t earn the necessary yards for a first down and once again the Chiefs called upon Russ Meyers to keep them out of danger, and once again Meyers answered the call, booming the ball down to the Warrior 18.

Failing to make a first down in three attempts and completing a 15-yard holding penalty dropped back into punt territory. The pass from center was wild and the punter, quarterback Walt Roll, had to go into the end zone to retrieve the ball. Just as Roll regained possession of the ball, guard Joe Imparato and the Wantagh line tackled him in the end zone, giving a safety and two points.

Early in the second quarter Wantagh was on the move with Walt Roll going from his own 48 to the Chiefs’ 28 on a quarterback keeper. Roll might have gone all the way had it not been for tackle Vincent Amarante, knocking him out of bounds. A screen pass to end Ray Hundtfer gained three more yards for the Warriors on the following play, then Roll tried to pitch out to his fullback but was rushed by the Massapequa line and flipped wildly backward, and couldn’t get his hands on the slippery pigskin. End Tom Rudeo then rushed in, picked up the loose ball and rambled 75 yards for the only Massapequa touchdown of the day. The conversion attempt was no good and the Chiefs had an 8-0 lead, which was just enough to give them the victory.

For the remainder of the half quarterback Roll tried to hit one of his receivers with a long pass but great defensive work by Tony Ambrosia, Joe Cimolella, Joe Imparato, and Vinnie Amarante kept the Warrior field general in check.

Tony Ambrosia kicked off to start the second half but the third quarter was devoid of any action, with the ball simply moving back and forth on fourth-down punts. Wantagh’s sole touchdown of the game came in the closing minutes of the final period on a 70-yard pass play from Roll to Bob Kinsey. Roll himself got the extra point but it fell just short of giving Wantagh a victory, leaving the Warriors an undefeated, untied season spoiled.

Losing by a single point ended Wantagh High School’s perfect season, but it never diminished what the team had accomplished. Every player took the field with heart, grit, and pride—and in the end, they were all true Warriors.

PS I want to acknowledge Glenn who helped me in researching information for this memory! I couldn’t have completed this without his assistance! Thanks Glenn – Great Job!