From the Bench: Zuliani's Championship Feast Likely a First in Bridgeport History as Well as State History
By Jeff Toquinto on June 01, 2025 from Sports Blog
There have been a lot of great athletes to play for Bridgeport High School through the years. A lot of state champions, a lot of all-staters, a lot of youngsters that went on to become great athletes at the college level and even one – Harrison Musgrave – who made it to the Major Leagues on the professional front.
Most people have their choices for who they believe are the greatest. A lot of it depends on when you watched the athletes play or, perhaps, if you went to school with someone that was dominant.
Personally, I go back to the late 1980s. I have seen plenty of standout athletes in my day – particularly those in a singular sport and 
occasionally those in multiple sports. Prior to that, I knew the names, but never saw athletes like Chris Springer, ever put on the uniform.
occasionally those in multiple sports. Prior to that, I knew the names, but never saw athletes like Chris Springer, ever put on the uniform.
All of that preface what just recently had a bow put on it for the 2024-25 high school athletic season for one athlete. Carter Zuliani completed his senior season with the Indians by become a state champion in Class AAA in the discus with a throw of 164 feet, 9 inches.
That, in and of itself, is impressive. Anyone who gets to the state meet has to be solid, and to bring home an individual or state championship is even more impressive.
Here is what makes Zuliani stand out. He is a four-time state champion for Bridgeport High School, which may be the only athlete in the storied history of the high school to lay claim to that distinction.
He was on three state championship teams and also earned individual titles as well, including the discus. He was key in the swim team’s state record 200 free relay time of 1 minute, 27.41 seconds.
Zuliani was a member of the BHS state championship football team where he earned first-team all-state honors. He followed that up with a second-team all-state selection in helping the boys basketball team win the state title.
Not too bad.
The question at this time is “Has anyone done this before?”
Not in one school year at Bridgeport. At least that is what unofficial BHS football and sports historian Mark Trippett believes. And count the “Voice of the Indians” Travis Jones on the list of being certain that it has never happened in Bridgeport High School history.
“No, it’s not even close as far as state championships,” said Trippett. “I go back decades, and I can’t think of anyone. To be honest, you would have to be competing in four sports in the same year that either won team state championships or individual state championships.”
As noted above, Zuliani was part of three team state championships in football, basketball, and swimming. He won individuals titles in track and field as well as in swimming.
Here is where it gets interesting. When talking with Travis Jones about it Tuesday, May 27 as he was headed to Charleston
“It hasn’t happened at Bridgeport High School,” said Jones. “Here’s the thing. I don’t know if it happened in the state, period. Most students don’t play four sports, and to have a state championship come out of each one would be something extremely rare.”
As for the trip to Charleston, it was business. The business involved Jones meeting with state media members and the topic came up 
there.
there.
“The consensus is that you could safely say no one has one (a state championship) in four different sports in the same year in the modern era,” said Jones of Zuliani’s accomplishment.
What is really unique about Zuliani is that he was able to contribute to football and basketball with his size and athleticism, while using strength and technique to bring home a title in the discus. Swimming, which you can’t do without athleticism and strength, usually does not include youngsters in the 6’5 range and tipping the scales at 240 – let alone being part of a record-breaking relay team.
That led to a brief discussion with Trippett on where he ranked Zuliani, overall, as one of Bridgeport’s best athletes ever. Like many, including yours truly who never saw him play, the consensus on that generally comes back to Chris Springer.
And as I always say, any “best ever” argument here or anywhere else is subject to one’s own opinions whether they have strong or even weak arguments. That said, Trippett said what Zuliani did cannot be dismissed as anything but worthy of standing out in Bridgeport’s long history of athletic accomplishments.
“To be such a versatile athlete, and good to excellent in all of the sports, is impressive,” said Trippett. “You could argue that he’s among the top 10 student athletes in the school’s history with championships, all-state honors, and all kinds of offers to compete collegiately.”
Next year, Zuliani will cut down his athletics to one sport. He will be a member of the West Virginia University football team where athletes his caliber are the norm as opposed to the exception.
Even so, Zuliani could be another recent local big man – see Dante and Darius Stills and Zach Frazier – who makes their mark as a Mountaineer. He’s got the hardware now from his past and the intangibles still in place for the future.
I, for one, will not bet against it happening. After all, he has already made history at one level so why not make his mark at the next.
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