The Hillbillies' more notable accomplishments during Polechetti's tenure include:
- Posting a 112-46 record since the 1987-88 season.
- Winning a Class B state qualifier and a Far West Regional title this season
- Appearing in four Section VI Class B2 championship games, winning two.
- Claiming four Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 1 titles, including the last three in a row.
- Advancing as far as the Section VI Class B2 semifinals six straight years.
"If you look at our record, you have to consider us with some of the other (top) schools," Polechetti said. "But you don't win without good players and we've had our share. The kids have had good work ethics. This team is typical of that."
Led by seniors Mike Heary, Mike Haight, Ryan LaMattina and Chris Kubacki, the Hillbillies are 20-6 and can break the school record for wins in a season today with a victory over Central Square of Section III.
Amazingly, over the last three seasons, this group is 59-14.
"The seniors were all a part of winning a sectional championship (in 1992 over Williamsville South) and losing a sectional championship (in 1993 to Lackawanna)," Heary said. "This year we kind of learned from the last two years. (Polechetti) has instilled something in us to really try and go far, if we can."
The Hillbillies breezed through their first three sectional games this season before hooking up with rival Lackawanna in the championship showdown at the Niagara Falls Convention Center. Trailing by 10 points with 4:47 remaining, Fredonia lost Heary - their leading scorer - with his fifth and disqualifying foul.
The game appeared over.
But Polechetti didn't panic. He kept the Hillbillies in a half-court trap, which befuddled the Steelers, and Fredonia came away with a 74-71 win over the defending champions.
Polechetti also pushed the right buttons in the Far West Regional when he moved Heary, who had just six points through three quarters, from the block to the perimeter. In the last 11 minutes, he scored 20 points, lifting the Hillbillies to a 78-73 win.
"We're really responding to what he's been able to teach us in preparing for these games," Heary said. "He's made some good on-court decisions. Some of the things other teams have done we didn't expect, but he's come up with the adjustments during games and at halftime that really made us win."
But how does a guy who didn't play more than a year of jayvee basketball post those kinds of numbers?
"He's a great listener," said John Bongiovanni, Fredonia's junior varsity coach. "I think he makes the adjustments when the opportunity arises. He sees the floor, he has the experience and he knows in close games what certain teams will do. The key to anything is to try and find as much information as you can and implement as much as you can to make it successful."
Polechetti has also paid his dues. He coached the SS. Peter & Paul ninth-grade team in Jamestown for two years and the Fredonia Central School junior varsity for six years; was an assistant with the Fredonia state women's team for two seasons; and, finally, took over the Hillbillies' varsity program before the 1987-88 season.
Along the way, Polechetti learned the finer parts of coaching from watching the likes of Al Stuhlmiller, Mike Tramuta, Roger Moore and Tony Principe. And, of course, he's teamed with Bongiovanni to put together one of the area's best programs.
"I'm sure you don't need to be a great player," Polechetti said. "I've played enough sandlot and recreation ball and watched enough to understand the game.
"Everybody can learn the Xs and Os, and if you do it long enough you get a feel for the game."
One thing that Polechetti firmly believes in is scheduling strong non-league opponents. This season the Hillbillies played St. Joe's, Rochester East, McQuaid and Jamestown twice.
"I learned it in softball," said Polechetti, who has coached the Fredonia girls for many years. "The first year I took over (1980), we won the sectionals. We had decent years (subsequently), but we couldn't get back to the sectionals and I thought, ‘Geez, what are we doing wrong?' I decided we had to try and schedule those (strong non-league) teams."
