Sunday, June 21, 2009

WAYNE HILLS CELEBRATES IS 5TH STRAIGHT TITLE & 52nd STRAIGHT WIN.

Over the past five years, Wayne Hills has amassed a winning streak like no other in the history of New Jersey football. Playing a solid NBIL league schedule and in a tough North 1, Group 3 state tournament section, the Patriots have gone through unscathed, which is a remarkable accomplishment for a public school.

The biggest reasons why have been determination and the system put in place by the man at the top, head coach Chris Olsen. By just watching Wayne Hills play, you can clearly see the attention to detail the coaching staff imparts to its players. The offense is precise in both the running and passing games. Defensively, they tackle as well as any team in North Jersey, especially in the open field. But it is the offensive and defensive lines where Olsen builds his success. It is more in the trenches than anywhere else on the field where the Patriots have separated themselves from the rest.

Olsen has led Wayne Hills to a New Jersey-record 52 straight victories and five straight North 1, Group 3 titles, and they finished the season ranked in the top 100 nationally in several polls.

Runner-Up:
Eric Ganz, Pascack Hills Tennis

After a loss in the Group 2 final back in the spring of 2008, Ganz instilled the confidence in his team that they would become better players and better people because of it. Confidence was key being he was inserting two freshmen into the starting singles rotation and had just one senior starter on the squad.

Ganz is coach who prides himself on making his players both aggressive and intuitive at the same time. He does not coach his players match by match, but shot by shot; coming up with a game plan and carrying it out to the best of their ability.

Although starting six underclassmen, Ganz led the Cowboys to a 23-5 record. They won the NBIL Division 2 title, and their third Group championship in five years advancing to the Tournament of Champions.

Honorable Mention:
Mike Rusek, Harrison Soccer
Chris Kirkby, Pascack Hills Basketball
Jim Fucci, Cliffside Park Soccer
Tony Karcich, St. Joe’s Football
Pete Crandall, Park Ridge Baseball
Mike Pounds, Ridgewood Lacrosse
Kevin Sabella, River Dell Soccer
Drew Morano, Union City Basketball
Evan Baumgarten, Ramapo Soccer
Peter Zisa, Fair Lawn Volleyball
Mike Zadroga Jr., County Prep Baseball
Pat Longo, Bayonne Volleyball

Girls Sports’ Coach of the Year:
Sandy Gordon, Ramapo Basketball

SANDY GORDON

With a star point guard and a team full of capable role players, most people might see head coach and former Ramapo star Sandy Gordon’s job as easy. But navigating through the rugged NBIL and the Bergen County Tournament is no treat for any coach. Gordon saw the potential, but also knew she had to get her team on the same page.

Gordon was at her best exactly when her team was, in the Bergen County Tournament. No matter what style of team Ramapo faced, they were able to play any style of basketball with one constant: hustle. All five players on the court hustled and they made every possession count, and the Green Raiders needed every one of them.

In a Bergen County semifinal win over Pascack Valley, Gordon set up the defense to slow down Pascack Valley star Maggie Ely. They did just that, holding her to just two points in a victory. Then in the county final, they had to deal with the intense pressure of an athletic St. Mary’s (Rutherford) team. In a game that was close throughout, the Green Raiders never lost their composure and won their first county title with a 44-43 win.

Under the tutelage of Gordon, the former head coach at Division 1 Fairleigh Dickinson University, Ramapo finished with a 27-3 record and advanced to the North 1, Group 3 state sectional final.

Runner-Up:
Lauren Hertzberg, Wayne Hills Softball

Just two years ago, Wayne Hills was at the very bottom of the NBIL softball ladder. The Patriots struggled to be competitive in games, let alone win them against top competition. That was when Hertzberg took over and had her players buy into both a conditioning program and a commitment to building a foundation. However, little did Hertzberg or her players know how quickly a transformation would happen.

After winning just four games in 2007, Wayne Hills pulled off a shocker by winning this year's Passaic County Tournament, earning a share of the NBIL Division 1 championship and advancing to the North 1, Group 3 state tournament. With Hertzberg leading the way and several starters returning, the Patriots appear to be a force for years to come.

Honorable Mention:
Steve Silver, IHA Soccer and Basketball
Caryn Schanstine, Northern Highlands Volleyball
Darren White, Saddle Brook Softball
Melissa Landeck, Old Tappan Volleyball and Softball
Paul Heenehan, Ramapo Soccer
Karla Mixon, Ridgewood Lacrosse
Brad DiRupo, Bogota Volleyball
Ollie Pimm, Hasbrouck Heights/Wood-Ridge Soccer
Ravon Anderson, High Tech Softball
Eileen Allan, Pompton Lakes Field Hockey
Anthony Larezza, IHA Softball

Miscellaneous Awards
Best Hot Dog in North Jersey:
Rutt’s Hut in Clifton
If you’ve ever been there, this needs absolutely no explanation. This wonderful place is a little tough to get to, but once you’re there you never want to leave. This is likely because you need some assistance after eating your fill of cheese dogs…..sometimes nine of them as a certain member of this organization (Richie Awesome) has had a tendency to do.

Dave Jones Fan of the Year:
John McKiernan, Ramapo
This is an award which is an interesting one going from a loyal fan from Rutherford who I named this award after, to a man who has been attending sporting events more than three times longer than Dave Jones has been alive. John McKiernan is a man I honestly have not gotten to know as well as I would like. But anytime I’ve been a Ramapo sporting event, he’s there. Noone proudly wears the Green and White more than he does.

CHRIS ANNIBAL

SHENEE CLARKE

JOHNNY WAY

Best Dressed Male Head Coach:
Chris Annibal, Garfield Boys’ Basketball
After being replaced at the top of this list last season, Annibal is back with a vengeance. Whether it is a suit, a mock turtleneck, or just simple athletic wear, Annibal wears it like he’s walking down the runway or about to be photographed. Basically, I hope he’s reading this and getting made fun of by all of his friends at the same time.

Best Dressed Female Head Coach:
Shenee Clarke, Teaneck Girls’ Basketball
Shenee can be on her way to a business meeting or to the sideline and noone would ever know the difference. She personifies style…..which happens to be the exact opposite of the next award.

Worst Dressed Head Coach:
John Way, Lodi Girls’ Basketball
Way looks like the quintessential phys ed. teacher or like he’s about to check into the game when on the sideline. Occasionally he’ll even wear the ever non-fashionable, short-sleeved, button-down shirt that looks like he bought it at Structure or Chess King in 1992. For anyone who thinks this is mean, it is. Way was my roommate in college so I can say whatever I want. Then again he also knew I would occasionally rock a cutoff shirt with longjohns and shorts over them the few times I actually went to class.

Last Five Songs I Added To My IPod:
Check The Rhime – A Tribe Called Quest
Graduate – Third Eye Blind
Slam – Onyx
You Gots To Chill – EPMD
You’ve Got The Right Stuff – New Kids on the Block
(Writer’s Note: I hope I don’t get beat up by a stranger for that last one. But I’m not afraid to say I’m a New Kids on the Block fan.)

Shot of the Year:
Maggie Ely’s 35-foot heave that went off the backboard and in to complete an improbable turn of events in PV’s 55-52 Bergen County Quarterfinal win over Teaneck.

Worst Shot of the Year:
Later on that day, I was asked to try a half-court shot by Becton head coach and site favorite Mike Ryan. Not only did I shoot an airball, I pulled a quad muscle and it hurt like hell. I had to smile and laugh the rest of the day just to hide the embarrassment of missing the shot by so much and getting hurt in the process. Its official I’m not longer an athlete (most of my friends think I never was one) and my body is breaking down.

SportsWriter of the Year at NorthJerseySports.com:
Richie Ballgame
You can’t possibly be serious if you thought Doviak was going to get this award? I just have a knack for not only covering big games and writing one fantastic story after another. Just hope I don’t interview you afterwards because I generally ask really long-winded questions that don’t make sense and then I make a joke that only I seem to laugh at.

With that said, it’s on tomorrow to the Athletes and Teams of the Year. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

-Richie Awesome