Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Male Athlete of the Season:
Chuck Stewart, Glen Rock Football

CHUCK STEWART

Chuck Stewart, a senior quarterback and safety, was the driving force in leading Glen Rock to its most successful season in recent years; which included an 11-game winning streak and a trip to the North 1, Group 1 state final. Whether it was with his arm or his legs, Stewart was a threat to get the ball in the end zone every time he touched it.

Perhaps his most impressive performance came against Paterson Catholic, which came in carrying a record 50-game B-PSL winning streak and was rarely tested over that span. Stewart willed his team to victory by accounting for all five touchdowns (three on the ground and two through the air) in a wild 35-34 victory.

Stewart’s last victory of his high school career was equally as impressive. He scored three second-half touchdowns, the last of which was a 43-yard burst with 1:21 left that snapped a tie as Glen Rock moved into the section final with a 34-27 win over Hasbrouck Heights.

Even in a losing effort against Mountain Lakes in the section final, Stewart was the best player on the field. He completed 26 of 34 passes for 313 yards and two touchdowns, while running for another.

There were numerous players in North Jersey who had great seasons on the gridiron in 2008, but no individual was more electrifying or meant more to his team’s success than Stewart did.

ROB SANTANIELLO

Runner-Up:
Rob Santaniello, Ramapo Soccer
On a team filled with talented players all over the pitch, Santaniello stood out with his knack for finding the back of the net. After scoring the game-winner in the Group 3 state final as a junior, Santaniello expected to receive lots of attention from opposing defenses and got just that in his senior year.

Although every team Ramapo faced was focused on stopping Santaniello first and foremost, the he rose above it and finished with career-highs in both goals and assists. In just 23 games, Santaniello finished with 28 goals and 12 assists in leading Ramapo to both Bergen County and North 1, Group 3 state titles.

Honorable Mention:
Dillon Romain, Don Bosco Prep Football
Bryan Aguilar, Harrison Soccer
Bernardo Nunez, Hoboken Football
Dan Deighan, Lakeland Football
Diego Diaz, Harrison Soccer
Brett Knief, Don Bosco Prep Football
Ryan Donohue, St. Joe’s (Montvale) Football
Max Garcia, Dickinson Soccer
Leighton Spencer, Don Bosco Cross-Country
James Jurewicz, DePaul Football
Khalil Wilkes, St. Peter’s Prep Football

WAYNE HILLS FOOTBALL

Boys’ Team of the Season:
Wayne Hills Football
Without a standout star on either side of the ball returning, it was perceived that this might have been the year when an opponent would snap the Patriots' state-record of consecutive victories. However, the Wayne Hills players were not going to let that happen.

As usual it started with the vaunted offensive line led by Christian Avedissian. The line opened up holes that tailbacks Ronnie Driesse and Brian Dowling ran right on through. The respect for the running game allowed quarterback Mike Quinn ample enough time to find receivers Bryan Ogden and Justin Hourihan, often in the end zone for scores.

Ryan Daddurno and Mike Waller led the Patriots’ defense, which consistently smothered opponents into submission. Along with Paul Drake, Ryan Salerno, and Ogden, the defense was as balanced as the offense was. With one of North Jersey’s best kickers in Tim Divers, the Patriots clicked in all aspects and rarely had their streak threatened.

The biggest threat came in the North 1, Group 3 state sectional semifinals when Pascack Valley gave them everything they could handle before the Patriots pulled out a 17-10 win. That gave their North 1, Group 3 state final opponent, Lakeland, a glimmer of hope. But that was quickly dashed as the Wayne Hills saved its best for last. The Pats controlled the game from start to finish in a 35-6 victory, which marked their 52nd straight win and fifth sectional title in a row.

BRETT KNIEF

Runner-Up:
Don Bosco Prep Football
After a season-opening loss to St. Xavier of Ohio people were wondering if the Ironmen finally had a chink in their armor this year. But they then headed to California and won a thriller over perennial national powerhouse De La Salle. In one fell cross-country swoop, the Don Bosco train was back on track and there was little anyone in New Jersey could do to stop it.

Dillon Romain rushed for nearly 1,500 yards and scored 26 touchdowns behind a hard-working offensive line that was the best in the state. Jack Templeton was among the state’s best both opening holes for Romain and protecting quarterback Brett Knief, who threw for 19 scores.

Once they got into their schedule against New Jersey competition, the Ironmen were simply unstoppable and easily defended their Non-Public Group 4 title. They outscored their three opponents, the final two being state powers St. Peter’s Prep and Bergen Catholic, 137-32 in their three state tournament games to win the crown and finish as New Jersey’s top-ranked team.

Honorable Mention:
Clifton Soccer
St. Joe’s (Montvale) Football
Cliffside Park Soccer
Ramapo Soccer
Lakeland Football
Harrison Soccer
St. Peter’s Prep Football
Don Bosco Prep Soccer
Bergen Catholic Football

ARIEL SCOTT

Female Athlete of the Season:
Ariel Scott, IHA Volleyball
Scott, a 6’5” middle blocker, has always been an imposing figure at the net on height alone. However, through her first two years in high school, she was as much of a liability in the back row as she was a threat in the front row. Everyone who saw Scott saw her potential to become a great player and she worked extremely hard in becoming more well-rounded going into this, her junior year.

Without starting outside hitter Shannon Sullivan, an all-state track performer who chose to focus on training, returning, more of the offensive burden was placed on Scott. It was a challenge she welcomed and her confidence grew throughout the season.

In the Tournament of Champions final, Scott led all players with 23 kills as IHA defended its crown as New Jersey’s best team. On the season, Scott finished with 366 kills, 107 digs, 52 blocks, 50 aces, and a 93-percent serve percentage. She is one of the rare New Jersey volleyball players who are being recruited by some of the country’s top college programs.

KELLY CONHEENEY

Runner-Up:
Kelly Conheeney, Ridgewood Soccer
Conheeney was North Jersey’s premier playmaker and made a habit of making a big play late in games. The center midfielder was at her best with the ball at her feet, creating opportunities for teammates. But this year she was asked to be more of a scorer and showed she was not just a distributor of the ball.

The senior scored a career-high 26 goals to go along with nine assists. Five of those goals and six of those assists came on game-winners. She will take her playmaking talents to the ACC and Virginia Tech next year where she is expected to compete for playing time immediately.

Honorable Mention:
Amy Simidian, Becton Tennis
Janet Snell, Bogota Volleyball
Chelsea Goldschrafe, Ramapo Gymnastics
Jaclyn Wood, IHA Soccer
Jackie Geitz, Northern Valley/Old Tappan Volleyball
Jessica Janosz, Lakeland Soccer
Jojo Pisani, Hasbrouck Heights/Wood-Ridge Soccer
Stephanie Cruz, IHA Volleyball
Amanda Muliawan, Ramapo Tennis
Sarah Pagano, IHA Cross-Country
Danielle Allan, Pompton Lakes Field Hockey
Taylor Schulte, Ramapo Soccer
Angelika Dabu, County Prep Tennis

IHA COACH STEVE SILVER

Girls’ Team of the Season:
IHA Soccer
With a ton of talent returning to the pitch, IHA had its sights set on a special season. Although head coach Steve Silver stresses having fun and taking the season one game at a time, the players knew their season would be measured on whether it won county and state titles.

Villanova-bound Jaclyn Wood, a four-year starter, was as solid and consistent as any player in Bergen County this year. She prided herself on locking up the opposing team’s best player and did it better than anyone in the state to make the job of IHA keeper Kate Courter much easier.

Offensively, Erin McGovern developed into quarterback of sorts for the IHA attack. With weapons like Tara Schwitter, Rachel Wechsler, Tara Wilk, and CJ Graetzer as her disclosure, McGovern was able to spread the field and control the game.

IHA allowed just one goal in the Bergen County Tournament and finished it off their third Bergen County title in four years by beating Ramapo on its home field, 2-0.

The memory of a blowout 3-0 loss to Gloucester Catholic in the 2007 Non-Public A state final was still in the back of the minds of the IHA players heading into this year’s state final. This time, there would be a different outcome. They scored early and often against Red Bank Catholic in cruising to the title with a 4-0 win.

They finished with season with a 23-1 record. The Blue Eagles’ only loss came in a hard-fought 1-0 defeat to Pennington, which finished the season ranked No. 1 in the country in national polls by both the NSCAA and ESPN.

KRISTIN FLATEKVAL

Runner-Up:
IHA Volleyball
After winning its first-ever Tournament of Champions title in 2007, IHA returned to defend its title and did it in convincing fashion. Just as they did in 2007, their only loss came on an upset in the Bergen County final to a school from the Northern Valley Regional School District.

In 2007, it was Northern Valley/Demarest, and this year, it was Northern Valley/Old Tappan. As disappointing as it was for the Blue Eagles, it gave them the necessary motivation needed to achieve their ultimate goal.

With the state’s best hitter in Scott and best libero in Stephanie Cruz, IHA just needed their role players to become more assertive to get back on track. Setter Kristin Flatekval improved steadily throughout the season, as did hitters Katie Havlicek, Petra Parros, and Raquel Scott.

They needed solid performance out of all of them with Caldwell giving them a major scare in the T of C final. It was a two-point game late before IHA got kills from three different players, the last of which from Raquel Scott, to complete their goal of being back-to-back state champs.

Honorable Mention:
Ramapo Soccer
Pascack Regional Gymnastics
Northern Highlands Volleyball
Lakeland Soccer
IHA Tennis
Northern Valley/Old Tappan Volleyball
Northern Highlands Soccer
Ramapo Tennis
Hasbrouck Heights/Wood-Ridge Soccer
Bogota Volleyball
Pompton Lakes Field Hockey
Waldwick Soccer
Tenafly Tennis