The proposed redesign for the park, located on West Park Avenue and 37 acres in size, included expanded parking, a “tot lot” playground for younger children, rain gardens, a picnic area and lighting for the parking lots but not for the fields. To many present in the audience, the proposal was unacceptable.

“It’s no football field without lights,” said Liberty Drive resident Robert Caizza, the first of many to address council requesting lighting for the field.

Both a hustler on the field and a positive influence on his fellow students, he urges others to steer clear of gangs and find their own positive outlets.

To read the rest of the story get the June 18 edition of The Coaster on your newsstand now.

RBR is one of the toughest teams in B North, so it was a big win for Neptune, who is new to the division. The eight seniors that Neptune will graduate this year have been with the program from the start.

Neptune freshman, Ajee Wilson, wowed the crowd by winning two events, placing second in one, and anchoring the winning 4X400 relay. In the 1600 meter run, she took off from the start, staying ahead of Red Bank Catholic’s Molly McNamara. Although McNamara closed the gap late in the race, Wilson was able to hold onto the lead an win in an impressive 5:02.43. In the same race, Neptune’s Ishakeema Swain placed tenth in 5.19.96, and St. Rose’s Kathleen Casagrande was fifteenth in 5:25.94.

A postgame tribute, which will be catered and requires a separate ticket, will also be held.

The game has been designated as a tribute to the late Hennessy, who coached Neptune for 24 seasons and recorded over 400 victories, the first Shore Conference coach in history to do so.

“Coach Larry Hennessy laid the foundation for the tradition of champions that the Neptune basketball program has become known for,” said current Neptune head basketball coach Ken O’Donnell.

“He established an exciting style of play that resulted in at least 40 titles. To show our gratitude and acknowledge the tremendous accomplishments he made to our basketball program and to the Neptune community we planned this special event,” he said.

Hennessy, who played at Villanova University where his retired #14 jersey hangs from the gym’s rafters, joined Neptune in 1957 and quickly built on an already successful program. With an aggressive style of play, Hennessy led Neptune teams and captured 17 Shore Conference Class A Division Championships, nine Shore Conference Tournament Championships, six New Jersey State Group titles and eight Holiday Basketball Jubilee crowns.

As a member of the Philadelphia Warriors (now Golden State Warriors), he was also an NBA champion, winning the title as a rookie with the club during the 1955-56 season.

Hennessy, who died Aug. 20, was inducted into the Jersey Shore Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.

Tickets for the game will be on sale at the door. Tickets for the catered post-game reception, which will be held in the high school’s atrium, are available through the activities office at Neptune High School, through Coach O’Donnell, and through RKE Lettering located at 1608 Highway 71 in Belmar, New Jersey (732-280-1111). The cost is $5. ]]> http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/2009/02/05/neptune-to-honor-late-coach-with-tribute/feed/ 0 http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/2009/01/15/in-tough-week-spartans-drop-a-pair-to-state-powers/ http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/2009/01/15/in-tough-week-spartans-drop-a-pair-to-state-powers/#comments Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:40:43 +0000 Coaster http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/?p=4919

Pick up victory against Neptune

The Spartans took losses in both those contests, falling to Long Branch 43-21 and to Roselle Park 33-22. They took a victory from Neptune in the tri-meet with Long Branch, defeating them soundly 51-12.

Bright spots for Ocean Township this week included a 5-2 win for JP Palandrano over Long Branch’s Justin Clarke in the 140 lb bout, and Mike LeCompte wrestling Roselle Park’s Matt Krynicki, who placed third in his region last year, to a 9-8 victory.

Ocean Township travels to Wallkill for a quad meet this Saturday.

Ocean Township 51 – Neptune 12
125: Matt Dalton (OT) by forfeit
130: Mike LeCompte (OT) by forfeit
135: Billy Knifel (OT) d. Roy Hercules 7-2
140: Josh Meadows (N) d. Andres Rivero 13-6
145: Andrew Lee (O) by forfeit
152: Dan Staples (N) p. Eric Nelson 5:27
160: Ben Palandrano (O) d. Frank Rodriguez 6-2
171: Tyler Lyster (O) d. David Foster 6-2
189: Scott Weldon (O) d. Matt Gannon 4-1
215: Wendell Rainey (N) d. Walid Ahmady 4-3
HWT: Ricky Lyster (O) d. Phil Seidel 7-1
103: Seth Rubel (O) by forfeit
112: Brandon Shenan (O) by forfeit
119: PJ Parrino (O) by forfeit

Ocean Township 21 – Long Branch 43
112: Brandon Shenan (OT) p. Tom Ging 3:59
119: Jamie Quijano (LB) d. PJ Parrino 5-3
125: Scott Festejo (LB) p. Matt Dalton 2:50
130: Andrew Cornell (LB) md. Mike LeCompte 8-0
135: Billy Knifel (OT) p. Ryan Festejo 5:27
140: JP Palandrano (OT) d. Justin Clarke 5-2
145: Doug Cornell (LB) md. Andrew Lee 12-4
152: Jon Robertson (LB) p. Ben Palandrano 1:53
160: Andrew Balina (LB) tf. Eric Nelson 16-1
171: Nick Visicaro (LB) tf. Tyler Lyster 23-8
189: Billy George (LB) md. Scott Weldon 13-2
215: Randy Rodriguez (LB) d. Walid Almady 6-1
HWT: Ameer Washington (LB) d. Ricky Lyster 3-2
103: Seth Rubel (OT) p. Matt Eggie 5:18

Ocean Township 22 – Roselle Park 33
160: Dennis Carroll (RP) md. Eric Nelson 12-3
171: Alex Aravena (RP) d. Tyler Lyster 10-8
189: Frank Yuro (RP) p. Walid Ahmady 2:15
215: Scott Weldon (OT) d. Junior Kirste 7-2
HWT: Ricky Lyster (OT) by forfeit
103: Seth Rubel (OT) md. Jovanni Ramirez 8-0
112: Dan Pisaro (RP) d. Brandon Shenan 6-1
119: PJ Parrino (OT) d. Anthony Zangari 8-1
125: Jon Acosta (RP) p. Matt Dalton 5:44
130: Mike LeCompte (OT) d. Matt Krynicki 9-8
135: Nick Longo (RP) d. Billy Knifel 7-2
140: Russell Benner (RP) d. JP Palandrano 5-1 (OT)
145: Anthony Caselli (RP) d. Ben Palandrano 11-4
152: Andrew Lee (OT) d. Rich Weslock 7-2

City teachers, supervisors provide pizza for team

APEA President, John Napolitani, was approached late in November to see if he could lend some assistance through his union to provide food for the athletes. He in turn approached Howard Mednick, APPSA President, and the two together decided to donate to this most worthy team.

“This is a great way to show our support and appreciation to all the student athletes and dedicated coaches for a job well done for a successful season,” Napolitani said.

Mednick said the players are exceptional students.

“Some of whom I had the distinct pleasure of seeing grow up while I was the Principal of the Bangs Ave. Elementary School,” Mednick said. “They have grown up into outstanding athletes and respectful young men.”

This is the first time that the two associations have gotten together to work on a project to give back to the students. Both associations have done their own “donating” in the past, Napolitani said.

“Once again, our association is giving back to the community that we are so proud to serve,” he said. “I am especially pleased that Howard (Mednick) joined me in this project. He didn’t even think twice about this request.”

40 pizzas were ordered from TJ’s in Asbury Park, which gave both the associations a substantial discount.

“Diane Marrucca, of Jimmy’s Restaurant, was even gracious enough to donate money, which provided soda and incidentals for the celebration,” Napolitani said. “I am extremely appreciative of the fact that Sam from TJ’s worked with us to provide a great price. It’s our pleasure to give back to the businesses in the city where we educate our children. We will continue to do whatever we can to assist the children that we educate on a daily basis.”

The APEA has also given away thousands of dollars in scholarships over the past two years.

The APEA was the first group to provide a breakfast for the athletes in October. Since then the city has paid the cost of breakfast for the players of the team. The breakfast was provided weekly from Frank at the Market Danieli in Asbury Park.

“The real pleasure is seeing success with our students both academically and athletically,” Mednick said. “They proved this by their margin of victory last Saturday.”

Asbury Park soundly defeated Metuchen 42-14 in front of 1,200 fans Saturday to secure the first back-to-back state championship in school history.

On their opening possession of the game, Metuchen marched so ably down the field that it appeared Asbury Park, coming off their only defeat of the season in a Thanksgiving Day loss to Neptune, could be in for a real fight. However, just as that drive fizzled and ended in a fumble and turnover on Asbury Park’s 11 yard line, Metuchen’s offense could never get much going, and their defense didn’t have many answers, in what turned out to be an all-Asbury Park afternoon.

It seems fitting that it would be four-year starting quarterback and defensive back Will Johnson who recovered that opening drive fumble for the Blue Bishops, because it was behind the stellar and steady all-around play of Johnson throughout the day that would elevate Asbury Park above its Middlesex County opponent. Johnson made few errors on the day, completing all six of his passing attempts for 134 yards and two touchdowns, and adding 86 yards and a touchdown to the Blue Bishops’ total offense on the ground.

On their first possession following the fumble recovery, Asbury Park’s offense immediately went to work on a 14-play scoring drive, culminating in a 19-yard touchdown run by junior tailback George Stephens, that would eat up most of the remainder of the first quarter.

A short time later, after forcing a three and out, it took only four plays for Asbury Park to again get into the endzone, this time on a 54-yard pass from Johnson to wide receiver Derrell Bell. More than give Asbury Park a 12-0, the play showed that Metuchen had little hope in covering the 6ft3 200-pound Bell, who finished the day with two touchdowns on three receptions and 87 yards. Counting last year, Bell now has five touchdowns in two state finals games at Rutgers Stadium.

Stephens, well over a 1,000 yard rusher for Asbury Park this season, finished the afternoon with 137 yards from scrimmage, 97 coming on the ground and 40 receiving.

Asbury Park added another touchdown to the scoreboard, on yet another pass to Bell, this time from 26 yards out to take a 20-0 lead in the second quarter. They would take a 20-8 lead into the locker room at half time and never look back, putting up 16 more points in the third quarter.

Asbury Park’s defense held strong throughout the afternoon, allowing no Metuchen runner more than 23 yards. While Metuchen quarterback Steven Deinzer managed to find the occasional hole in Asbury Park’s passing coverage, such moments were too few and far between to ever constitute a consistent threat.

In the end it was Asbury Park’s moment to shine on the state’s greatest stage for high school football, and shine they did; two years and counting.

The Junior Midget Blue Bishops flew down to Orlando, FL last weekend to take part in the 2008 Pop Warner Super Bowl at Disney World’s Wild World of Sports, after securing a regional championship with a 14-12 win over Washington D.C. based Beacon House two weeks ago.

Last year, this same group won the Division II national championship at the Pee Wee level. This year they are looking to take home a national championship at the Junior Midget level and, with two wins under their belt, are just one victory away from accomplishing that feat.

“The kids know why they are here,” said Assistant City Manager James Famularo, who traveled with the team. “They are excited to be down here at Disney, but they also know they came here to do a job, to play football and win a national championship.”

They have shown so far that they have prepared themselves for just that, shutting out their first two opponents 14-0 and 20-0, respectively.

Asbury Park will play for the Junior Midget national championship Saturday at noon.

Asbury Park, now the Eastern Division I Junior Midget champions, will be taking their show on the road to Disney World’s Wild World of Sports Complex in Orlando, FL. to face off against seven other Division I champions from around the country as part of the 2008 Pop Warner Super Bowl.

The games will be played Dec. 6-13.

This marks the second time that this group of athletes will have earned a trip to Florida. Last year, at the Pee Wee level, this same group traveled to Florida and proudly returned home as Division II Pee Wee National Champions.

“We know that the kids are going to be bigger and faster than they were at the lower level,” said Junior Midget Pop Warner head coach Syron Davis, who also coached this group to the national championship as Pee Wees last year. “But because of our experience there last year, I think we’re more relaxed and know what we have to accomplish to get the job done.”

Davis said his team, coming off an upset win, seems more mentally prepared this year than ever before.

“Last year they were excited, but this year there is added excitement because they know they beat a good team to get here,” Davis said.

According to levae.com, a website that ranks youth sports teams, Asbury Park was ranked 11th in the nation at the Division I Junior Midget level, while Beacon House (Washington, D.C.) was ranked 1st.

“So to come out and surprise people with a win over Beacon, our kids are determined and have tremendous drive to go down to Florida and become Division I national champions,” Davis said.

To realize that dream though the team must raise money to finance their trip.

The cost of the trip is $25,000, just for flight and accommodations, said Asbury Park Assistant City Manager James Famularo. All the kids, coaches and chaperones must stay on the resort to be part of the event.

“That $25,000 doesn’t include food and travel expenses once they get there,” said Famularo, who indicated that this year’s trip would probably be $6,000 more expensive than last year’s, mainly due to more expensive flights and a longer stay.

Last year, Famularo said, the Pop Warner program raised just over $20,000 for the Pee Wee championship trip. He is hoping to be able to better that this year.

“We’re going to need it,” Famularo said. “Our hands are pretty much tied as to the cost. If we could get it down we would, but we can’t.”

Coach Davis says he is hoping people and organizations in town will come through as they have in the past.

“Because it is all happening so quickly, it’s difficult for us to put together any official fund-raisers, so hopefully people will be willing to donate personally,” he said.

Asbury Park Pop Warner Football League President Kyle Weedon said he is hoping local businesses will step up and donate more.

“There is very little corporate and business support in this town for youth sports,” Weedon said. “And I hope that changes, because if we had that type of support we might not have to be asking for donations.”

Weedon said he is proud of his organization, which he described as one of the top performing Pop Warner organizations in the Jersey Shore in the last seven years.

“This is the type of program that local businesses should want to support and sponsor,” Weedon said. “Look at the football program at the high school level, year after year they win Sportsmanship Awards. That’s a testament to the kids and the coaches, but it’s also a testament to the Pop Warner program where those kids learned to play the game the right way, and carry themselves properly, win or lose.”

Checks can be made out to Asbury Park Pop Warner and delivered or mailed to 1 Municipal Plaza, Asbury Park, NJ 07712 c/o Leesha Floyd or James Famularo. Asbury Park Pop Warner can also be directly contacted by calling President Kyle Weedon 732-759-5556 or Treasure Roxanna Mello 732-277-3655.