NJ High School Hockey Hall of Fame

 

 

Alex Westlund

Goalie – Chatham, Lawrenceville

Westlund posted 2.70 goals-against average in his high school career and went on to have a solid collegiate career at Yale. As a high school freshman he made his mark at Chatham as the team went 14-8-3. In 1991-92, he led Lawrenceville to an 18-6 mark, a year in which the Mercer County School had no Post-Graduates on its roster.

 

 

Mike Acosta

Defensemen – Toms River North

 

In 1992-93 the standout defenseman had 26 goals and 22 assists to pace Toms River North to the state title as the team went 22-3-1. The previous year, Toms River North reached the state semifinals. He played his college hockey at Princeton and continued to sparkle on the ice. Acosta helped the Tigers to the 1998 ECAC Championship.

 

 

Ned Crotty

Defenseman – Delbarton

 

A standout in lacrosse, Crotty also sparkled on the ice for Delbarton. In his four seasons on the varsity Delbarton racked up a superb record of 92-12-13.

In his freshman campaign, Crotty’s goal gave Delbarton a 1-0 victory over Brick in the state championship game. That season, the Green Wave went 26-3-1. Crotty finished his career with over 38 goals and 96 assists and went on to play lacrosse at Duke. Crotty led the Duke Lacrosse team to a berth in the NCAA semifinals in his senior campaign in 2009.

 

Jim Dowd

Forward – Brick Township

 

One of the greatest players in state history, Dowd led Brick to the 1986 state championship over an outstanding Delbarton club. With Dowd in the lineup, Brick also made it to the state finals in 1984 and 1985 and won two Gordon Cups.

Dowd, who helped Lake Superior State to an NCAA title and the New Jersey Devils to a Stanley Cup, had 189 goals and 186 assists in his stellar high school career. In his final varsity season in 1986-87, Dowd scored 62 goals to go with 53 assists. He had 22 goals as a freshman, 58 as a sophomore and 47 as a junior. During his time at Brick the Ocean County team went 72-18-4.

 

Joe Tracy

Forward

Livingston

 

Led by Tracy, Livingston won state championships in 1980 and 1982 to go along with a Gordon Cup title in 1981. In his three seasons at Livingston the team went 60-16-6. Tracy, who played in College at Ohio State, scored in overtime to give Livingston a dramatic 1-0 victory over heavily favored Brick in the 1980 state final at South Mountain Arena. In the 1982 state championship game he had four assists as Livingston downed Montclair, 4-2.

 

Max Middendorf

Forward – Ramapo, St. Joseph of Montville

 

At 6-5, Middendorf was a terror on the ice for St. Joseph of Montvale. He helped St. Joseph to a pair of Bergen County League titles. In addition, St. Joseph won the 1984 state championship with an incredible 26-0-1 record. That season, Middendorf had 38 goals and 35 assists. Middendorf was the first scholastic player from the Garden State to make it to the National Hockey League.

 

Peter Herms

Forward – Seton Hall Prep

 

Arguably the best player ever to come out of Seton Hall Prep, Herms led the 1977-78 team to a 15-7-1 record as the Pirates captured its first Gordon Cup title. As a sophomore, Herms led the team to the state final, where Seton Hall bowed to public school power Brick, 2-1. He scored 14 goals to go along with 22 assists that season and was named to the initial All-State Team by The Star-Ledger. Following his sophomore year, Herms transferred to Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts.

As a head coach, Herms led Montclair to the NJSIAA Public Schools championship in 1995. He returned to become co-head coach at Seton Hall and helped steer the Prep to state championships in 1998, 1999 and 2004.

 

Randy Deresky

Forward – Morris Hills

 

He was the MVP in the North Jersey Scholastic Hockey League as a junior in 1968 and a senior in 1969. The Morris Hills standout, a team captain for two years, was recognized as the state’s top player in the 1960s. Deresky, a four year varsity performer, could score goals in bunches. He rarely left the ice because Morris Hills lacked the depth of the league’s top teams.

 

 

 

 

John Warchol

Coach – Seton Hall Prep

 

John Warchol is one of the most respected and emulated hockey coaches in the state. During his coaching career, Warchol led Seton Hall Prep to a record nine Gordon Cups and three state titles, and posted a 506-254-53 record. He was named The Star Ledger Coach of the Year in 1982 and was recognized by the NJ Professional Hockey Writer’s Association for his many contributions to youth hockey in the Garden State. In 1992, Warchol was inducted into the Seton Hall Prep Hall of Fame and in 1995-96 he was the recipient of the NJ Devils John McMullen Service Award for Hockey in NJ. An outstanding player in his own right, Warchol was a member of the 1963 US National Hockey team that competed throughout Europe. Warchol had officiated games for the Eastern College Athletic Conference as both a referee and linesman and has experience as a High School and youth official.

 

Bob Auriemma

Coach – Brick

 

Auriemma began the 2009-2010 campaign with 618 career wins, a state record. He’s directed Brick to six state titles, five Public School crowns and eight Gordon Cups. Last winter Auriemma coached his 1000^th game at the Ocean County School. The team chalked up a 12-8-2 record. Auriemma, who coached the best player in state history, Jim Dowd, led Brick to the initial state title in 1976, a 3-2 overtime win over Chatham Township. Brick also racked up state championships in 1977, 1979, 1986, 1990 and 1997. The team reached eight other finals.

The veteran Brick mentor first became involved in hockey as a goalie for Colby College in the mid 1960s.

 

Harvey Cohen

Coach – Chatham

 

As the head coach at Chatham Township and Chatham, Cohen has enjoyed tremendous success in the game. Chatham Township won Mennen Cups in 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1981. Township lost to Brick in the first state championship game in 1976. His Chatham High club reached the Public Schools finals in 1995 and 1996. The veteran coach, who picked up his 500^th career victory in early December of 2009 with a 6-1 decision over Princeton Day, coached Dave Williams, a player who made it to the NHL.

 

Paul McInnis

Contributor

 

Paul McInnis, a native of Canada, has been the state tournament director for the past two decades. He was instrumental in moving the tournament championships from Mennen Arena to the Meadowlands in 1998. Last year the state finals moved to the Prudential Center in Newark. Paul has been Secretary- Treasurer of the New Jersey Interscholastic Hockey League for 35 years. He has been a member of the National Federation Ice Hockey Rules Committee for 12 years and is the N.J.S.I.A.A. hockey rules interpreter. Formally national president of the Ice Hockey Officials Association and Secretary-Treasurer of the N.I.H.O.A Metropolitan Chapter for 35 years. An off-ice official or the NHL for the past 27 years, McInnis was the long time manager of a rinks in NY and NJ. He started his involvement in New Jersey hockey circles in 1957 when he landed a job at Branch Brook Arena in Newark. McInnis,, who played youth hockey in Canada, is one of the most respected high school officials in N.J state history. He even officiated an N.H.L playoff game.

 

Tony Del Tufo

Contributor

 

Tony Del Tufo started his involvement in hockey in 1960 by keeping the time clock during hockey games held at Branch Brook Arena while he was a senior at Barringer High School. During his long career with Essex County where Del Tufo was a manager at both Branch Brook Arena and Codey Arena at South Mountain, he also maintained his involvement with high school hockey. He was a referee from 1969 through 1983 and then became the official statistician of the New Jersey Interscholastic Hockey League. After his retirement from Codey Arena at South Mountain, Del Tufo continued his involvement with the NJIHL and remains the league statistician today. Along with his love of hockey he is also a member of the Metro Newark Softball Hall of Fame after being inducted in 1991. Del Tufo is proud to be able to say that he has seen every Gordon Cup Championship game that has ever been played.

 

Msgr. Michael Kelly

Contributor – Headmaster at Seton Hall Prep

 

A huge sports fan, Msgr. Kelly has enjoyed watching the Seton Hall Prep hockey team win three state championships and nine Gordon Cups. Seton Hall became a force in New Jersey hockey when it won the Gordon Cup in 1978, sparked by freshman forward Peter Herms. Msgr. Kelly was instrumental in getting the Seton Hall Prep program going. Msgr. Kelly, the headmaster at Seton Hall Prep since 1980, is well known, and respected in wide variety in circles in New Jersey. He is a longtime member of the Executive committee of the NJSIAA and served as President of the organization in the early 1900s. With a life built on service, Msgr. Kelly has been active in various community affairs, including his involvement as chaplain to the Essex County Police and West Orange Rotary Club.

 

Brick Township (1975-76)

The team went 22-1-1 and beat previously unbeaten Chatham Township, 3-2 in overtime in the first state championship in Mennen Arena in 1976. Warren Wolf Jr. scored the winning goal in overtime to give Brick the title. During the regular season, Brick’s only loss came against West Essex. The tie came in mid-season against Seton Hall Prep. Among the top players on the squad was defenseman Bob Smith, a guy who would go on to coach Christian Brothers Academy to the 1983 State Championship over Seton Hall Prep. Rich Handchen, the current Brick athletic director, was the third line center. Brick, which compiled a 24-2-1 mark the previous season en route to the Gordon Cup championship, topped Livingston, 4-1, in the 1976 Gordon Cup final. Chris Tutzauer and Phil Lucca netted two goals apiece, and Wolf contributed two assists. Wolf has over 30 goals during the 1975-76 campaign.

 

Goalies

Mitch Barnfield
Ralph Eldridge

Bill Reich

 

Defensemen

John Henry

Bobby Smith

Glen Worman

Frank Lach

Mike Barnfield

 

Forwards

Rick Handchen

Chris Blackburn

Mark Anderson

Pete Farenwald

Scott Barnfield

Bob Auriemma, Jr

Warren Wolf, Jr

Chris Tutzauer

Phil Lucca

 

Head Coach Bob Auriemma

Asst Coach Pat Foley

Asst Coach Jay Andrews

 

 

Montclair (1987-88)

The Mounties have had some great teams over the years by the 1987-88 edition stood out. Montclair, coached by Bruce Parker, posted a 26-2 record. Montclair topped Seton Hall Prep, 7-2, in the Gordon Cup, and beat St. Joseph of Montvale, 2-1, in the state championship game. The leaders for Montclair were forward Phil Mandry and defenseman Darrin List.

 

Players

Darren List

John Frank

Brad Mandry

Philip Mandry

Colin Samuelson

Erik Bayersdorfer

Rob DiGeronimo

Ryan Hallam

Brian Felber

Julian Clark

Eddie Krupp

Danny Corcoran

Chris Kenrick

Ben Johnson

Rob Haberbusch

James Burger

John Morris

Hunter Ross

Greg Rones

Jason Taylor

James Thompson

 

Managers

Ethan Brown

Sue Van Morrelgem

Montase Coughman

Heidi Dommasch

Kim Rogers

 

Coach Bruce Parker

Coach Tim Clifford

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christian Brothers Academy (1995-96)

The team won a record third straight championship in going 25-4, which also included the Gordon Cup. It downed Brick, 5-0, in the state final at Mennen Arena. Senior Defenseman Dustin DePalma was the leader of Coach Mike Reynolds’ team. CBA’s string of three-straight championships began in 1994 with a 6-1 victory over Don Bosco Prep. In 1995 CBA beat Montclair, 4-1.

 

Goalies

Brock Giordano

Matt Vittoria

 

Defensemen

Dustin DePalma

Brennan Guli

Andy Gojdycz

Dan Novellano

Vinnie Bruce

Mike Wagenbach

Freddie Brown

 

Forwards

Mike Shaheen

Joe Cangelosi

George Conway

Dan Granato

Jim Henkel

Todd Wagenbach

Chris Pisani

Connor Green

Todd Portadin

Dan Ciorciari

Jonas Foressell

Matt Panzarino

Keith Mazza

 

Manager

Steve Nardiello

Head Coach

Mike Reynolds

 

Assistant Coach

Adrian Thomas