Snapple Bowl XXII

Snapple
Pictures
Bowl
XXII:
50
John Wooding and John Haley (mostly Wooding) captured Snapple
Bowl XXII in pictures:
Chase Fee of Spotswood scoring a touchdown (photo John
Wooding)
Alex Dawes of Bishop Ahr making the tackle (photo John
Wooding)
Kayshawn Wilson of Middlesex H.S. after an interception
(photo John Wooding)
Game Director Marcus Borden’s work is never done (photo
John Wooding)
South Plainfield assistant coach Bryan Holt taking
pictures of his Tigers from left Xavier Wilson, Kyle
Dickerson and John Chillemi (photo John Wooding)
Middlesex cheerleaders (photo John Haley)
MVP Chase Fee of Spotswood (photo John Haley)
Tenny Adewusi of Colonia (photo John Wooding)
(photo John Wooding)
Middlesex celebrates victory as time expires (photo John
Wooding)
Akeer Franklin of Monroe with the ball (photo John
Wooding)
The Woodbridge Barron (O’Halloran) wins Mascot Challenge
(photo John Haley)
Ed Mish of Old Bridge (left), Mike McGuire of Middlesex
and Nassan Anderson of Dunellen on the sideline (photo
John Haley)
Joe from the Lakeview School working the coin flip
(photo John Wooding)
(photo John Wooding)
Middlesex cheerleaders (photo John Wooding)
Mike Gargano of Old Bridge (photo John Wooding)
Gang-tackling (photo John Wooding)
Alex Dawes of Bishop Ahr (photo John Wooding)
Victorious Middlesex squad takes in post-game message
from coaching staff (photo John Haley)
(photo John Wooding)
Tyrell Bush of Piscataway (photo John Wooding)
Old Bridge kicker Ed Mish (photo John Wooding)
Brandon Williams (left), Xavier Wilson and Kyle Dickerson
from South Plainfield on the sideline (photo John Haley)
Linden’s Deon Candia (left) and Colonia’s Tom Roarty were
chosen as Coach of the Year in their respective counties
(photo John Haley)
Kyle Dickerson of South Plainfield (26) and Matt Golden
of South Brunswick (photo John Haley)
Colonia coach Tom Roarty taking pictures of his Patriots
after the game (photo John Wooding)
Middlesex coach Benny LaSala congratulating QB Mike
Gargano of Old Bridge (photo John Wooding)
Middlesex celebrating TD run by Colonia’s Tenny Adewusi
(photo John Wooding)
St.
WR Javon Hicks of St. Joe’s (photo John Wooding)
Colonia’s Tenny Adewusi handing off (photo John Wooding)
Perth Amboy cheerleader Amanda Leon (photo John Wooding)
Bill Nyers of Woodbridge (left) and Joe LaSala of Colonia
coaching (photo John Wooding)
Noah Torino of Old Bridge (photo John Wooding)
Dunellen cheerleaders Tiana Ruiz (left) and Kalena
Anderson (photo John Wooding)
Jamil Gilmore of Piscataway making the tackle (photo John
Wooding)
Colonia QB Tenny Adewusi handing off to high school
teammate Sam Pero (photo John Wooding)
Amanda Lombardi, the J.P. Stevens hawk (photo John
Wooding)
Albert Thomas of Perth Amboy with the ball (photo John
Wooding)
Jamil Gilmore of Piscataway making the tackle again
(photo John Wooding)
Mike Nowak of Carteret heading upfield on a punt (photo
John Wooding)
Colonia’s Tenny Adewusi (left) and Raul Cardona (photo
John Wooding)
(photo John Wooding)
(photo John Wooding
(photo John Wooding)
(photo John Wooding)
(photo John Wooding)
Middlesex kickoff unit (photo by John Wooding)
Middlesex coach Joe LaSala (photo John Wooding)
Snapple Bowl XXII: Full Video
Game Highlights, Halftime
Show
Joe DaRold captures all the game action as well as the
halftime festivities from Snapple Bowl XXII on Thursday night
at Kean University.
Middlesex won 33-13:
Small School Pride: Fee,
Wilson Guide Middlesex To
Victory In Snapple Bowl XXII
UNION — Playing with and against players from such large
schools as Piscataway, Old Bridge, South Brunswick, Elizabeth,
Westfield, Linden and others, Chase Fee from Spotswood and
Kayshawn Wilson of Middlesex came into Snapple Bowl XXII with
a chip on their shoulders.
When it was all said and done, the small-school standouts had
perhaps the biggest impact on each side of the ball as the
Middlesex County All Stars posted a 33-13 victory over Union
before a crowd of over 3,000 at Kean University on Thursday
night.
Tenny Adewusi of Colonia (Photo by John Wooding)
Middlesex won for the fourth time and for the ninth time in
the last 10 tries to claim a 14-8 lead in the series.
The Snapple Bowl had raised $485,000 for the Lakeview School
in Edison and Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside
before the game and will undoudtedly go over $500,000.
Fee rushed the ball nine times for 71 yards and scored on
touchdown runs of 5 and 14 yards in the first half to provide
Middlesex with a 13-0.
MVP Chase Fee of Spotswood
“The Red and White Divisions have so many talented players and
people expect to see them having the most impact in the
Snapple Bowl,” said Fee, a 5-8, 165-pounder who will be
playing at Gettysburg. “The Blue Division doesn’t get the
attention because we’re small, but we do have plenty of talent
and it was important for players like myself and Kayshawn to
prove it.”
Wilson, a 6-2, 205-pound strong safety headed to Maine, played
sideline to sideline and recorded a sack and two
interceptions.
“I came in with a chip on my shoulder,” said Wilson. “A lot of
small schools get looked down upon, but we have players with a
lot of talent, so I really wanted to come in here and have an
impact.”
The Middlesex All-Stars held the edge in offense, defense and
special teams.
The Middlesex offense racked up 294 yards to Union’s 215. Led
by quarterbacks Tenny Adewusi from Colonia and Mike Gargano
from Old Bridge, Middlesex kept the ball on the ground for the
most part, compiling over 250 yards.
The defense recorded two sacks (Mike Hogan of Kennedy and
Wilson), a tackle for loss (Jamil Gilmore of Piscataway) and a
fumble recovery (Kyle Dickerson of South Plainfield). Union
had one sack and one interception,
On special teams, Ed Mish of Old Bridge hit a 27-yard field
goal with 3:03 left in the third quarter to make it a twopossession game for Middlesex, 24-13.
Middlesex went ahead 26-13 on a safety when a punt hit a Union
player and bounced out of bounds with 12:47 left in the game.
Middlesex sealed it with 6:58 left when Adewusi guided an 83yard drive with a two-yard sweep of the left side.
Adewusi finished with 74 yards on 15 carries, while the
running backfield of Sam Pero of Colonia (15-for-60), Akeer
Franklin of Monroe (13-46) and Fee (9-71) combined for 37
carries and 171 yards.
After stopping Union on the game’s opening drive, Middlesex
took over on its own 47.
Ed Mish of Old Bridge (left), Mike McGuire of Middlesex
and Nassan Anderson of Dunellen on the sideline
Brandon Williams (left) of Carteret, Xavier Wilson and
Kyle Dickerson of South Plainfield on the sideline
Gargano directed the 53-yard march, seven-play drive with Fee
taking a handoff and going up the middle from five yards out.
The point after attempt was blocked as Middlesex led 6-0 with
8:10 left in the first quarter.
The stingy Middlesex defense set up its second score when Kyle
Dickerson of South Plainfield jumped on a loose ball on the
Union 14. Two plays later, Fee took an inside handoff to the
left, put on a juke to the outside and rode the left the
sideline for a 14-yard score. The PAT by Mish made the score
13-0 with 13:31 left in the half.
Union avoided a shutout when it scored with 2:06 left in the
half when Linden’s Kyle Phipps capped a drive with a two-yard
run. The PAT made it 13-7.
But
Middlesex struck with 12 seconds left in the half for a 21-7
lead when Gargano avoided a sack, scrambled to his left and
threw jump ball into the end zone which Javon Hicks of St.
Joseph hauled it in. North Brunswick’s Joe Castellanos caught
the two-point conversion from Gargano.
Union crept to with 21-13 with 9:32 left in the third quarter
when Jayson Gonzalez of Roselle Park went in from a yard out.
The score was set up by an interception at the Middlesex 17.
After the team’s exchanged punts, Middlesex made it a twopossession game on the Mish FG.
Middlesex celebrates victory (Photo by John Wooding)
The Woodbridge Barron (O’Halloran) wins Mascot Challenge
MIDDLESEX (14-8) 6 15 3 9
UNION (8-14) 0 7 6 0 — 13
M — Fee 5 run (kick blocked)
M — Fee 14 run (Mish kick)
U — Phipps 1 run (Ciccarino kick)
M — Hicks 30 pass from Gargano (Castellanos pass from Gargano)
U — Gonzalez 2 run (kick blocked)
M – Mish 27 FG
M – Safety, ball fumbled out of end zone on a punt
M – Adewusi 2 run (Mish kick)
GAME HISTORY
1994: Middlesex 35-14 at Union H.S. MVP Khamisi Jackson,
Monroe
1995: Union 17-15 at Sayreville H.S. MVP Jaime Allen, Summit
1996: Middlesex 21-6 at Union H.S. MVP Kenny Rogers, South
Brunswick
1997: Union 28-7 at East Brunswick H.S. MVP Louis Campbell,
Rahway
1998: Middlesex 33-7 at Union H.S. MVP Luke Ciannello,
Dunellen
1999: Middlesex 24-7 at East Brunswick H.S. MVP: Jeff LeSeur,
Perth Amboy
2000: Union 27-21 at Union H.S. MVP Bill Gilbert, Elizabeth
2001: Union 17-16 at East Brunswick H.S. MVP Brandon Bracey,
Linden
2002: Middlesex 28-20 at Kean University. MVP Zack Earvin,
South River
2003: Union 13-0 at East Brunswick H.S. MVP Mike Vicci,
Johnson
2004: Union 19-7 at East Brunswick H.S. MVP Jan Cocozziello,
Westfield
2005: Union 21-14 at Kean University. MVP Chris Dreschel,
Cranford
2006: Middlesex 13-7 at South Brunswick H.S. MVP Herbert
Nieves, Sayreville
2007: Middlesex 17-10 at Kean University. MVP Ariel Adams, New
Brunswick
2008: Middlesex 14-7 at East Brunswick H.S. MVP James White,
Piscataway
2009: Middlesex 24-6 at Kean University. MVP Michael Burton,
South Plainfield
2010: Middlesex 28-14 at East Brunswick H.S. MVP Mike Muha,
South Brunswick
2011: Union 28-6 at Kean University. MVP Darius Mayers,
Roselle
2012: Middlesex 39-15 at East Brunswick H.S. MVP Cody Zalasar,
Woodbridge
2013: Middlesex 30-28 at Kean University. MVP Abdel Ragab,
Edison
2014: Middlesex 34-20 at Sayreville H.S. MVP Matt Olivo, St.
Joseph
2015: Middlesex 33-13 at Kean. MVP Chase Fee, Spotswood
Snapple Bowl XXII: Lakeview
Visit
A
Life-Changing
Experience
EDISON — Putting together the Snapple Bowl is a year-long
project for Marcus Borden.
The former long-time head football coach at East Brunswick put
together the game 22 years ago and he’s watched it grow from
an all-star football showcase to a community event, which
continues to grow with each passing year.
So in the week leading up to the actual game, which will take
place Thursday at Kean University at 7 p.m., the 60-year-old
South River resident doesn’t get much sleep.
Marcus Borden
From designing the game uniforms for both teams to organizing
a social media campaign, putting up banners at the game,
getting insurance quotes, organizing a mascot challenge,
searching for sponsors, selling advertising for the 192-page
program booklet to even help coordinate which Snapple products
will be sold at the game are just a few of the 100-plus things
the 60-year-old South River resident does to make the game a
success.
But earlier this week, Borden summed it all up in an instagram
post with a few simple words – ‘This is why we do it.”
The message led into a video of the Middlesex All-Stars making
their annual visit to the Lakeview School in Edison, which,
along with the Children’s Specialized Hospital in
Mountainside, have been the beneficiaries of $485,000 raised
since Borden hatched the idea in 1994.
“The kids will come out of their visit changed today, I know
that,” said Borden. “There was a message left on my instagram
account this morning from a participant in 2006 who said ”My
life has been forever changed by that visit.”
“There will be some who may change their careers and want to
be a teacher because of this,” Borden added. “Maybe a special
education teacher. So, this is way we do it.”
At the Lakeview visit, the players and cheerleaders are
briefed by Venus Majeski. The Director of Development &
Community Relations for New Jersey Institute for Disabilities
tells them what to expect and how to act just prior to meeting
the children.
When the players and cheerleaders were broken into groups and
assigned to specific children, I visited each room with a
video recorder. At first, seeing all the children with the
different disabilities seemed overwhelming to the Snapple Bowl
participants and it was awkward for some at first.
By the time I made it around to each room a second time, the
players and cheerleaders were singing, laughing, drawing,
giving high-fives, even bowling and playing baseball with the
children.
“These football players and cheerleaders are our heroes here
at the Lakeview School,” said Majeski. “These kids will never
be able to throw a football or cheer out on the field, so we
have all these wonderful people from all different
municipalities in Middlesex County and their heart is in it.
But when they come here though they think that this is all
about the game. But when they come here and meet the students
they understand the enormity of what they are participating
in.”
“This day has meant a lot to me, I realized how privileged I
am and I thank God,” said Piscataway’s Jamil Gilmore. “I
realized what this game is really about. It’s not about us,
it’s about these kids in this school. We’re playing for them.
This day has had a big impact on me. I came in here a little
nervous and not really sure what to do, but I found out they
have personalities just like me, happy, sad, playful … I know
a lot of them left with smiles.”
“This has been a life-changing experience for me,” said
Colonia’s Raul Cardona. “I had high hopes coming here and to
see the children smile and to interact with them and to get to
know them was a great experience.”
Snapple Bowl XXII
Thursday Night
Set
For
EDISON — Snapple Bowl XXII, which is closing in on a half a
million dollars raised for disabled children, will take place
Thursday, July 16 at Kean University at 7 p.m.
The game, which was first held in 1994, will feature recentlygraduated standouts from Middlesex County vs. Union County.
The game has raised $485,000 for the Lakeview School in Edison
and the Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside.
SNAPPLE BOWL HOME PAGE
Tickets for the game can be purchased for $10 at the gate.
Former long-time East Brunswick head coach Marcus Borden
founded the game and continues to be the Game Director.
Middlesex leads the all-time series, 13-8. Middlesex has won
three in a row and eight of the last nine.
GAME HISTORY
1994: Middlesex 35-14 at Union H.S. MVP Khamisi Jackson,
Monroe
1995: Union 17-15 at Sayreville H.S. MVP Jaime Allen, Summit
1996: Middlesex 21-6 at Union H.S. MVP Kenny Rogers, South
Brunswick
1997: Union 28-7 at East Brunswick H.S. MVP Louis Campbell,
Rahway
1998: Middlesex 33-7 at Union H.S. MVP Luke Ciannello,
Dunellen
1999: Middlesex 24-7 at East Brunswick H.S. MVP: Jeff LeSeur,
Perth Amboy
2000: Union 27-21 at Union H.S. MVP Bill Gilbert, Elizabeth
2001: Union 17-16 at East Brunswick H.S. MVP Brandon Bracey,
Linden
2002: Middlesex 28-20 at Kean University. MVP Zack Earvin,
South River
2003: Union 13-0 at East Brunswick H.S. MVP Mike Vicci,
Johnson
2004: Union 19-7 at East Brunswick H.S. MVP Jan Cocozziello,
Westfield
2005: Union 21-14 at Kean University. MVP Chris Dreschel,
Cranford
2006: Middlesex 13-7 at South Brunswick H.S. MVP Herbert
Nieves, Sayreville
2007: Middlesex 17-10 at Kean University. MVP Ariel Adams, New
Brunswick
2008: Middlesex 14-7 at East Brunswick H.S. MVP James White,
Piscataway
2009: Middlesex 24-6 at Kean University. MVP Michael Burton,
South Plainfield
2010: Middlesex 28-14 at East Brunswick H.S. MVP Mike Muha,
South Brunswick
2011: Union 28-6 at Kean University. MVP Darius Mayers,
Roselle
2012: Middlesex 39-15 at East Brunswick H.S. MVP Cody Zalasar,
Woodbridge
2013: Middlesex 30-28 at Kean University. MVP Abdel Ragab,
Edison
2014: Middlesex 34-20 at Sayreville H.S. MVP Matt Olivo, St.
Joseph
HISTORICAL NOTES:
The home team is 9-12 in the all-time series.
There has only been one shutout — Union 13-0 in 2003
Middlesex owns the longest winning streak of five — 2006-2010
Middlesex has outscored Union overall, 376-331
Middlesex averages 17.9 points per game, Union 15.7
South Brunswick is the only school with more than one MVP —
Kenny Rogers in 1996, Mike Muha in 2010.
MIDDLESEX ROSTER:
MIDDLESEX CHEERLEADERS
Middlesex Coaching Staff
Ben LaSala Colonia
Tom Roarty Colonia
Joe LaSala Colonia
Mike Henderson Colonia
Andy Steinfeld East Brunswick
Brian Cherepski East Brunswick
Bill Nyers Woodbridge
Brian Holt South Plainfield
Keith Kapinos Carteret
Colleen Meyers Spotswood (cheerleading)
Jackie Cassidy Spotswood (cheerleading)
Alexis D’Andrea J.F. Kennedy (trainer)
Kasey Netta Colonia (trainer)
Managers
Marissa Greenstein-Plancher East Brunswick
Karan Patel Colonia
Adriana Kania East Brunswick
UNION ROSTER
UNION CHEERLEADERS
Union
Coaching Staff
Scott Miller Brearley
John Stark Scotch Plains
Rich McGriff Scotch Plains
Al Chiola Linden
Anthony Reinoso Linden
Lou Grasso Union
Mike Ryan Roselle
Keon Wade Roselle
James Williams Roselle
Joe Corrollo New Providence
Rob Harmer New Providence
Nikki Savino Mulcahy Cranford
Seth Moncrease Hillside
Ryan Jayne Brearley (trainer)
UPDATED: Piscataway Keeps
Pumping Out The Pro's, KarlAnthony Towns Is The Latest
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on June
26. It is now updated with three items:
We added a segment on James Lewis (Class of 1997), who helped
lead the University of Miami football program to the 2002
national title.
We added a piece on Brendan Donovan (Class of 2002), who
played football for the Chiefs and is now an assistant coach
with the Cleveland Browns (look in coaching section).
We also added a piece on Tom Higgins, who did not play at
Piscataway, but who is the son of former head football coach
Tom Higgins Sr. and brother of current head coach Dan Higgins
(look in coaching section). Tom is a long-time coach and Grey
Cup champion in the Canadian Football League.
While there are several high schools in Middlesex County which
do not have one athlete who appeared in a professional
sporting event at the highest level, the town of Piscataway
keeps pumping them out on a regular basis.
Karl-Anthony Towns, picked as the No. 1 player in the 2015
draft on Thursday by the Minnesota Timberwolves, is the latest
professional athlete who calls Piscataway home.
owns with his sister (far left), girlfriend, mother and father
The town of Piscataway can boast of an:
* Olympic gold medalist (Asjha Jones).
* Two-time National College Women’s Basketball Champion (Asjha
Jones)
* An NBA World Champion (John Celestand)
* A Super Bowl Champion (Malcolm Jenkins)
* Two National College Football Champions (Mike Alexander and
James Lewis)
* Two-time, First
(Valerie Walker)
Team
Women’s
Basketball
All-American
* The No. 1 pick in the NBA draft (Karl-Anthony Towns)
Malcolm Jenkins and his daughter Elle at The Malcolm
Jenkins Foundation on Saturday
Although the 6-foot-11, 19-year-old Towns attended St. Joseph
of Metuchen, he was born and raised in Piscataway, population
57,000, where he honed his skills as a youngster. His father
Karl Towns Sr. coached Piscataway Tech High School for 15
years and was a standout ball player at PHS.
During his publicity tour leading up to the draft, Towns could
be found anywhere flipping the channels and while he plugged
St. Joseph of Metuchen, he never shied away from saying he was
raised in Piscataway.
I came up with the list athletes who appeared in a
professional game at the highest level who were residents of
Piscataway. All attended Piscataway High with the exception of
Towns.
Piscataway High School opened in 1959.
At Piscataway, football is king.
Mark Meseroll, who graduated in 1973, was
the first NFL player from the town.
Meseroll, 6-5, 270 in his prime, signed with the New Orleans
Saints as a free agent lineman out of Florida State in 1978.
Meseroll, who also threw the shot and javelin at Piscataway
and Fla. State, played in all 16 games with the Saints in 1978
and that was it.
In doing searches on Meseroll, it never said anything about
why he never played again, so he had a one-year career in the
NFL.
Next up was Mike Alexander, PHS Class of 1983.
A 6-3, 195-pound wide receiver, Alexander was on Penn State’s
unbeaten, national championship team in 1986.
ALEXANDER MOURNS SUDDEN DEATH OF HIS FATHER, FROM 1991
An eighth-round pick by the Los Angeles Raiders in 1988,
Alexander played in all 16 games for the Raiders in ’89. After
an injury, Alexander didn’t play in 1990. In ’91, he played
three games with the Buffalo Bills before another injury and
then having to deal with the sudden death of his father ended
his career.
James Lewis
LEWIS MAKES MARK IN NATIONAL TITLE GAME
James Lewis, P-Way Class of 1997, was a key member of the
University of Miami football team. As a defensive back, Lewis
recorded 59 tackles and three interceptions in his senior
year.
Lewis returned an interception 47 yards for a touchdown to
help lead Miami to the national championship with a 37-14
victory over Nebraska in the 2002 Rose Bowl.
WATCH LEWIS INT AT 5:35 MARK OF THIS VIDEO:
THE 2004 FOOTBALL TEAM
The unbeaten Piscataway team of 2004 produced three firstround draft picks in the NFL — Malcolm Jenkins, Anthony Davis
and Kyle Wilson. A fourth member of the that team, Brandon
Renkart, made it to the practice squad with the Colts.
Jenkins (Class of 2005) was drafted No. 14 in 2009 by the
Saints out of Ohio State where he won the Jim Thorpe Award for
the top defensive back in the nation. The 6-0, 205-pound
safety started six seasons with the Saints, winning a Super
Bowl ring in his rookie season. He signed as a free agent with
the Eagles and will be starting his second season in
Philadelphia.
Kyle Wilson
Davis (Class of 2007) was drafted No. 11 by the 49’ers in 2010
out of Rutgers. The 6-5, 320-pound offensive lineman started
for all five seasons with San Francisco before he recently
announced his early retirement, citing injuries while leaving
the door open for a return.
Wilson (Class of 2005) was drafted No. 29 in 2010 by the Jets
out of Boise State. The 5-10, 195-pound cornerback played in
all 80 games in five seasons with the Jets either as a starter
or a situational player. Wilson was signed by the Saints in
April.
Anthony Davis (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
ONE MORE IN NFL
Dwayne Gratz
Dwayne Gratz (Class of 2008) was drafted in the third round
(No. 64 overall) by the Jaguars in 2013 out of Connecticut.
The 5-11, 200-pound defensive back has been a starter with
Jacksonville for two seasons.
Marvin Booker (Class of 2008), who played DE/LB at Rutgers,
signed a free agent contract with the Buccaneers in 2013 and
earned a salary while on the injured reserve the entire
season. He has played with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the
Canadian Football League the last two seasons.
BASEBALL
Piscataway has produced two players who
played in the major leagues.
Mark Ciardi, Class of 1979, played four games with the
Milwaukee Brewers in 1987 as a relief pitcher.
Ciardi is an intriguing story because he went on to become a
film producer and actor. He has produced 10 movies, including
sports movies The Rookie, Miracle, Invincible, Secreteriat and
Million Dollar Arm. He has acted in four movies, including The
Rookie and Fever Pitch.
The Piscataway football field is named after his father
Dominic Ciardi, who passed away in 2013. The elder Ciardi
served on the Piscataway school board for 26 years.
Eric Young Jr. (Class of 2003), who played football and
baseball at P-Way, played seven years in the major leagues.
Young, who has a career batting average of .278, played for
the Rockies (2009-13), the Mets (2013-14) and the Braves in
2015. Young was released on June 5 and is a free agent.
Eric Young Jr.
BASKETBALL
John Celestand
Asjha Jones
Asjha Jones (Class of ’98), played on two national
championship teams at UConn and was on the winning Olympic
team for USA in 2012. The leader in points scored at P-Way
(2,266) was the No. 4 pick in the 2002 WNBA draft by the
Washington Mystics. She has played for three teams in the WNBA
in her 13-year career and is currently playing for the
Minnesota Lynx.
John Celestand (Class of 1995), was the 30th pick in the NBA
draft in 1999 by the Lakers. A shooting guard out of
Villanova, Celestand won an NBA championship in his one year
with the Lakers. Celestand went on to play six years overseas
in Germany, Italy, France and Ukraine.
Brendan Donovan
COACHING
Brendan Donovan, P-Way Class of 2002, is in his third season
as a college research specialist for the NFL’s Cleveland
Browns.
A 2006 graduate of Seton Hall, Donovan began his career at
Notre Dame (coordinator of quality control) and was there for
two years before coaching at Rutgers for one season
(recruiting assistant). He then moved to the University of
Florida for two seasons (program coordinator one season,
director of on-campus recruiting the other) before moving to
the NFL.
Brian Hill, who once coached the Piscataway boys JV basketball
team in the late 1960’s, went on to coach in the NBA for 27
years, including the head coach for the Orlando Magic
(1993-97), Memphis Grizzlies (1997-99) and the Magic again
(2005-07). Hill, who did not attend PHS, last coached in the
NBA as an assistant with the Pistons.
Tom Higgins Sr. played with the Eagles and the Cardinals in
the NFL, but did not attend Piscataway where he coached the
football team from 1970-89.
Tom Higgins never played at Piscataway, but he is the son of
former head coach Tom Higgins Sr. and the brother of current
head football coach Dan Higgins.
TOM HIGGINS WIKIPEDIA PAGE
Higgins played at Colonia before the family moved to
Piscataway. He played for the Buffalo Bills in the NFL for one
season before playing in the Canadian Football League for four
seasons. Higgins, once the Director of Officiating in the CFL,
led the Edmonton Eskimos to the 2003 Grey Cup title as the
head coach. He is currently the head coach of the Montreal
Alouettes.
ON THE NFL PRACTICE SQUAD
Steven Miller
There are six former Piscataway Chiefs who made it as far as
the practice squad in the NFL, which means they practiced with
the team daily and drew a salary, but never played in an NFL
game.
Eric Wainwright, Class of 1985, signed with the Eagles as a
free agent in 1991 after a stellar career as a linebacker with
Delaware State. Wainwright was on the practice squad for one
year.
Kerry Ferrell, Class of 1988, played wide receiver at Syracuse
and signed with the Browns as a free agent in 1993. Ferrell
was on the practice squad for one season.
Jay Kearney, Class of 1989, was a sixth-round draft pick by
the Packers out of West Wirginia. The wide receiver played on
the Green Bay practice squad in 1994.
James Lewis, as profiled earlier, signed as a free agent with
the Cleveland Browns in 2002 as a defensive back out of Miami.
He played on the practice squad in 2002.
Brandon Renkart
Brandon Renkart, Class of 2003 who played multiple positions
at Rutgers, signed with the Jets as a free agent linebacker in
2008. Renkart played on practice squads with the Jets,
Cardinals, Colts and Colts. Renkart was on the Colts sideline
when they lost to the Saints in the 2010 Super Bowl.
Steven Miller, Class of 2009, signed with the Lions as a free
agent RB after a record-setting career at Appalachian State.
Miller played in the pre-season with the Lions the last two
seasons and on the practice squad. He is currently a free
agent.
NOTES:
Valerie Walker, along with Jones, are the two most
recognizable names in women’s basketball. Walker, however,
graduated from PHS in 1978 and from Cheyney State in 1982 when
no professional leagues for women existed.
Walker was a two-time, First Team All-American in 1981 and ’82
and was a final cut of the 1984 Olympic team.
There is a plaque hanging in the school with all the
professional athletes from PHS and Walker is listed with the
tag ‘World University Basketball Games’ under her name.
Piscataway graduate Corey Smith was selected No. 26 by the
Cleveland Indians in the 2000 Major League Baseball draft.
Smith played with six six different organizations, including
four at the AAA level.
Piscataway graduate J.D. Griggs signed as a free agent with
the Jaguars in 2013 out of Akron, but was released.
Vaslerie Walker in college
Video: This Is What The
Snapple Bowl Is All About
This explosive video was taken by Joe DaRold at the Lakeview
School on Monday as part of Snapple Bowl XXII.
https://vimeo.com/133452633
Middlesex
County
Players
Leave Impact As South Beats
North 23-21 In All-Star Game
UNION –Middlesex County certainly made its presence felt in
leading the South to a 23-21 victory in the 37th Annual Phil
Simms North-South All-Star Football game on Monday night at
Kean University.
Terence Young of John F. Kennedy, Ra’Keem Bennett of Carteret,
Charles Mitchell of Piscataway and Myles Williams of Old
Bridge all played very well overall in addition to making big
plays down the stretch to preserve the victory.
Middlesex County players taking a breather from left
Terence Young from Kennedy, Charles Mitchell of
Piscataway and Jim Becker from Colonia
Offensive linemen Jim Becker of Colonia and Sean Edwers of
J.P. Stevens all started on the offensive line and had an
impact along with Mitchell, who may have played the most of
any player in the game since he went both ways and rarely came
off the field.
Dontae Strickland of South Brunswick played solid at free
safety, Elorm Lumor of Piscataway was a force at defensive
end, while Jason Griggs of Highland Park played a role on the
defensive line.
Young, who played running back, receiver and defensive back
for a resurgent Kennedy program, caught five passes for 63
yards and had two rushes for 18 yards.
All of his receptions and one of his rushes went for first
downs. A 16-yard reception from Connor Davies of Lacey to
Young set up the South’s first score, a 45-yard field goal.
With 1:15 left in the third quarter, Davies did some
scrambling before finding Young in the end zone for a 14-yard
touchdown on a third-and-10 play.
Young, whose reception gave the South a 23-14 lead at the
time, did a back-flip to celebrate the catch.
Ra’Keem Bennett
Carteret
of
“This felt great and it was such a relief because in our
practices, sometimes things were clicking, sometimes they
weren’t,” said Young, heading to Bakersfield Junior College to
join high school teammate Anthony Roberts. “But tonight, we
had it going. Some plays broke down, so we had to become
athletes and make things happen.”
Bennett, who played running back and defensive back/linebacker
at Carteret, recorded a huge interception, leaping high and
hauling in a two-handed grab. The pick came with 5:25 left in
the game and the North on the move deep in South terrirory,
trailing 23-14.
Bennett’s big play came right after he had committed a pass
interference penalty.
“I got beat, so I had to take the penalty rather than giving
up the touchdown,” said Bennett, heading to Hudson Valley
Community College. “So I knew I had to make up for it with a
big play. I was telling the coaches all week I was going to
make a big play. It felt great because if they scored there,
it’s a close game.”
After the North scored in the closing 4:00 to make it 23-21,
it got the ball back on its own 34 with 1:00 left.
After advancing to the South 41, a deep pass went to the end
zone, but it was broken up by Williams of Old Bridge.
Williams, a RB/DB whose senior season ended early with a
fractured leg, is committed to Rowan.
Then, on the final play of the game, Mitchell came in for the
sack.
“They told me I was going to play offense, but I’m going to
Maine for defense, so I was politicking during the week to
play defense,” said Mitchell. “I started sneaking in with the
defense during the week and I wound up playing both. I knew I
had to get mine, so better late than never on the sack to end
the game.”
Piscataway in the house. from left, Mr. Mitchell, Charles
Mitchell, Elorm Lumor and Piscataway defensive
coordinator John Bizzell
NOTES:
* Former long-time Colonia coach Benny LaSala and former New
Brunswick coach/current Elizabeth coach John Quinn were both
inducted into the New Jersey Football Coaches Association Hall
of Fame at halftime.
* The South won for the second straight year and leads the
series, 18-16-2.
* Former J.P. Stevens head coach and current Roselle assistant
Mike Ryan was on the North coaching staff.
* The South scored its first 16 points on special teams —
three field goals by Vincente Mota of Long Branch — 45 yards,
37 yards and 38 yards. Mota had missed his first try, from 26
yards.
The South also opened the second half with a 102-yard kickoff
return by Matt Castranova from Jackson.
* Mota was the South’s Offensive MVP. Justin Thompson of
Palmyra (DE) was the South’s Defensive MVP.
Juwan Dolbrice of Linden (QB) was the North’s Offensive MVP,
Tevaughn Grant of Paterson Eastside (DE) was the Defensive
MVP.
Benny LaSala with his wife and children after being
inducted into the NJ Football Coaches Association Hall of
Fame
Benny LaSala (left) and John Quinn after being inducted
into the NJ Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame
Former New York Giants Super Bowl MVP Phil Simms (left)
and former Dallas Cowboys defensive star Jim Jeffcoat
before the game
North-South All-Star Football
Game On Tap Tonight
UNION — The 37th Annual Phil Simms North-South All-Star
Football Classic will take place tonight (Monday) at Kean
University at 7 p.m.
Ten players from Middlesex County will be participating for
the South — Dontae Strickland and Zaire Gibson from South
Brunswick, Myles Williams from Old Bridge, Terence Young from
John F. Kennedy, Ra-Keem Bennett from Carteret, Jim Becker
from Colonia, Elorm Lumor and Charles Mitchell from
Piscataway, Jason Griggs from Highland Park, Shawn Edwers from
J.P. Stevens
HISTORY OF ALL THE GAMES
Former J.P. Stevens head coach Mike Ryan, now an assistant at
Roselle, will serve as offensive coordinator for the North.
Former Colonia coach Benny LaSala will be inducted into the
NJFCA Hall of Fame at halftime.
THE SOUTH
THE SOUTH
THE SOUTH ROSTER
COACHING STAFF:
Jay Bellamy, Ken Bradley, Tom Bradley, Coach Christithakis,
Scott Davis, Keith Jackson, John Kaye, Charles Marsh, Joe
Martucci, Vinny Mastriata, Sam Turner.
THE NORTH
THE NORTH
NORTH ROSTER
COACHING STAFF:
Dion Candida, William Evans, Drew Gibbs, Barris Grant, Darnel
Grant, Nick Gregorio, Ronly London, Darnell Mangum, Mike Ryan,
Kenyon Woods
Malcolm Jenkins: Making An
Impact On And Off The Field
PISCATAWAY — Malcolm Jenkins has quite a football resume — Jim
Thorpe Award winner at Ohio State, 14th pick in the 2009 NFL
draft by the New Orleans Saints, NFL starter for seven years,
two-time defensive captain, Super Bowl champion.
But as good as his on-the-field credentials are, they don’t
compare to the impact the former Piscataway High graduate has
had on his football-playing communities of Louisiana, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio as founder of the Malcolm
Jenkins Foundation.
Malcolm Jenkins and his daughter Elle at The Malcolm
Jenkins Foundation on Saturday
Last weekend, the Philadelphia Eagles’ second-year safety held
the Fourth Annual Malcolm Jenkins Foundation Next Level Youth
Football Camp.
The camp was free for youngster ages 7-17 and each year it is
filled to its capacity of 400 — 200 for older kids on Friday,
200 for the youngsters on Saturday.
NFL players annually attend and participate with hands-on
instruction without compensation. This year’s clinicians were
Kyle Wilson (Saints), Jahri Evans (Saints), Mark Sanchez
(Eagles), Vinny Curry (Eagles), Jordan Matthews (Eagles),
Reggie Jones (Vikings), Najee Goods (Eagles) and Isa Abdul
Quddus.
The players teach football, but they also speak to the campers
about fitness, education and about being leaders in their
communities, subjects Jenkins is quite familiar with.
Former Piscataway greats Myles Savage (left) and Kyle
Wison at the Malcolm Jenkins Football Camp
“As a product of Piscataway I know what is required to
positively impact the young people in this community and I
understand the need to effectively engage the adults in their
lives,” said Jenkins on his foundation web page. “With Our
Next Level Football Camp, we’re educating young people and
their parents not just on what it takes to be successful at
the sport, but also what it takes to be a leader in their
classrooms and in their communities. We’re also empowering
them to lead healthy lives, both physically and mentally.”
Jenkins began his foundation in 2010 and it has grown each
year under the leadership of Gwendolyn Jenkins, Malcolm’s
mother.
Jenkins is a hand-on founder, whose non-profit organization
has impacted communities through programs, scholarships and
numerous humanitarian efforts.
For an outline of all the things his foundation has done and
will continue to do go to: MALCOLM JENKINS FOUNDATION
Jenkins was once chosen by the Saints as the organization’s
Man of the Year, which is based on community involvement.
In just one season with the Eagles, he was chosen as their Man
of the Year.
Jenkins was then nominated for the prestigious Byron ‘Whizzer’
White Award, which is the NFL’s highest honor for community
involvement.
Going up against a player from every organization, Jenkins was
one of five finalists for the award in 2015, which was won by
Chad Greenway of the Vikings.
BYRON ‘WHIZZER’ WHITE AWARD