Hartford Public didn't win one league meet in the Central Connecticut Conference East during the past winter swim season, and the team was just 5-10 overall.
Many of them played on the school's junior varsity squad, which Hartford Public did not even have during Mr. LaPlante's early years as the coach.
The threat to Hartford Public, one of the city's three public high schools, reflected the dire straits of the city school system.
Against both Hartford Public and Norwalk, Ian soared for double figures in scoring and rebounding.
Hartford Public is known for numerous state championships in swimming, football, basketball, and wrestling, dating from the early 20th century through to the present day.
Mr. Edwards, who was the senior class president at Hartford Public and an honor student, was also an outstanding track-and-field athlete.
On a recent morning, a literature class in Hartford Public was discussing "The Scarlet Letter."
In Hartford Public, in Weaver, and in the third city high school, Bulkeley, learning goes on every day in classes like these.
Hartford Public, in the middle, has a few more than 100 whites, but is the most balanced between blacks and Puerto Ricans.
Hartford Public also has a school within a school, a classical magnet program that includes courses in logic, Latin and philosophy.