Bloomfield High School wrestling team seeks successful season

Bloomfield High School wrestling team seeks successful season

  BLOOMFIELD, NJ – For a guy who never wrestled in high school at Belleville or college at Seton Hall University, Sam Fusaro admits with a smile that he’s had a “host of thrills” in the mat sports. As an assistant coach at Bloomfield, he saw Arthur Cuffari capture a state title at 135 pounds. […]

West Orange HS football team’s resiliency pays off

West Orange HS football team’s resiliency pays off

  WEST ORANGE, NJ – When a football team plays well on defense, generates a top ground game on offense, and gets strong leadership from its veteran players, good results usually follow. This fall, that was the story for the West Orange High School varsity football team, coached by Jim Matsakis. The Mountaineers overcame a […]

Seton Hall Prep had special football team 40 years ago

Pirates simply dominant during 11-0 season in 1976

Seton Hall Prep had special football team 40 years ago

WEST ORANGE, NJ – In the fall of 1976, the big story in New Jersey high school football was the play of New Providence running back Ted Blackwell, who rushed for more than 2,000 yards and scored 254 points. But on a team basis, the spotlight was on Tony Verducci’s Seton Hall Prep squad. Seton […]

Seton Hall Prep Msgr. Kelly recalls his playing days

WEST ORANGE – In its storied football history, Seton Hall Prep has certainly had its share of great quarterbacks. Heck, people still talk about the play of Mike Ragan who led Tony Verducci’s Pirates to unbeaten campaigns in 1976 and 1977 (21-0-1). Or Zach Keller, who completed a superb career last fall. All Keller did […]

Columbia HS girls’ tennis team enjoying special year

MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE (updated Tuesday Oct. 11, 9:53 a.m. ) – As the head tennis coach at Columbia High School, Bob Lieberman’s most satisfying season came after this past spring when the Cougar boys’ squad went 19-5 and captured a division title. This fall, Lieberman has also been pleased with the play of the CHS girls’ […]

Orange was once home to an NFL team

First professional sports franchise in New Jersey one of a dozen squads in the league in 1929

ORANGE – There are a number of great football towns in Essex County, like East Orange, Montclair, and Bloomfield, but Orange is another area where people talk about grid legends. In the early 1990s, running back Terrell Willis was as good as any player in the state. Anytime Willis touched the ball, he was a […]

Glen Ridge Legion baseball team finishes good summer

Glen Ridge Legion baseball team finishes good summer

GLEN RIDGE – One of the special moments in baseball history took place July 9, 1946 when the great Ted Williams socked a home run off Rip Sewell in the All-Star Game at Fenway Park, to power the American League to a 12-0 triumph. The blast came on an ephus pitch, something that is rarely […]