John 'The Bear' Allen, a three-sport star at Sachem High School, dies at 66

Of all the extraordinary athletes to come from the Sachem Central School District, none were quite like the man known affectionately as The Bear.

John "The Bear" Allen earned nine varsity letters in football, wrestling and track and field during his high school career. Though a tenacious competitor on the field, he was warm and caring off it.

“He was known as The Bear to generations of Sachem alumni and it was the perfect nickname,” said Larry Biondi, Allen's best friend. “He was a fantastic three-sport athlete, potentially the best in Sachem history. He was so strong and talented on the football field, the mat and the track team. Yet he was a teddy bear in life.”

Allen died of a heart-related issue in his sleep at his home in upstate Carmel on Jan. 13, according to Biondi. Allen was 66.

Allen was born in England and moved to Ronkonkoma at a young age. He won a number of athletic awards, including the prestigious Richard Van Norr Memorial Award, presented annually to Sachem’s top male senior athlete.

Allen graduated from Sachem High School in 1976. Fred Fusaro, who coached Sachem football for 34 years, said Allen helped set the foundation for what would become a football powerhouse in the 1970s. Sachem won three straight Suffolk County football titles from 1977-79.

“He was a hard-nosed kid, and everybody looked up to him,” Fusaro said. “He was not a tall guy but wide and thick and very strong. Everybody respected him, and his work ethic, commitment and discipline set him apart. He was a heavyweight wrestler, and they started calling him The Bear and it stuck.”

The Sachem district produced multiple professional athletes in the 1970s and '80s, including NBA center Jeff Ruland, MLB pitcher Neal Heaton and NFL lineman Jumbo Elliott. Still, coaches and teammates agreed that it was "The Bear" who set the standard by which all future Sachem athletes would be measured.

Allen, who was inducted into the Sachem Hall of Fame in 2023, was an outside linebacker/offensive lineman and a two-year captain who was named Sachem’s first-ever All-County selection. He earned defensive MVP in the 1976 Suffolk PAL North-South All-Star game.

He was a two-time All-Suffolk wrestler, finishing third in the county tournament as a junior and runner up as a senior. At 13, he won a heavyweight varsity match, setting the school record for the fastest pin at 17 seconds. He broke that record with a 15-second pin as a senior. In track and field, he broke the Suffolk County shot put record.

“No one could hold a candle to the Bear’s accomplishments,” said Biondi, who lives in Sarasota, Florida. “He could do it all — a really special guy.”

Allen attended Suffield Academy in Massachusetts, where he earned All-State and All-New England honors as a linebacker. On the mat, he posted a 29-0 record with 24 pins, capturing state, Western New England, New England and Prep School national championships. In track and field, he broke the school's shot put record and won the gold medal at state and Class B New England Championships.

His success continued as a two-sport athlete at the University of Massachusetts. He was accepted into the Isenberg School of Management as a marketing major and played football for three Yankee Conference championship teams.

He was a three-time New England Division I Conference wrestling champion. The two-time captain and team MVP competed in three NCAA Division I national championships and finished his career with a 117-10-3 record. He was named Outstanding Senior Male Athlete and received the Samuel S. Crossman Award as the university’s top athlete.

Allen ran his own carpentry and construction business in Carmel for 40 years.

“‘The Bear’ was the true meaning of Sachem Strong, he lifted everyone up,” said Jerry Figgiani, a Sachem Athletic Hall of Famer who graduated in 1978. “I know firsthand he set the tone for the years that followed, including our 1977 Suffolk championship season. He had such a big heart and was fiercely loyal, always showing up for his teammates. He truly loved Sachem and was very supportive of my anti-bullying campaign over the years. He cared so much for people and wanted them doing the right thing.”

He is survived by his brother, Robert Allen (Joanne), of Ronkonkoma, sister, Jaqueline Allen, of Ronkonkoma, nephew, Mikey lkonnikow, of Ronkonkoma, niece Leah Calabrese, of Maryland, and niece Krissy Tranquellino, of Rocky Point.

There will be a memorial service at the Joseph A. Weber Funeral Home in Ronkonkoma from 4 to 7 p.m. on Jan. 22. A celebration of life will follow at Filthy Frogzz saloon in Ronkonkoma. 

Newsday's Andy Slawson contributed to this story.