Bloomfield senior Saharia Quamina reacts after winning at the state champoinships at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on March 14. (Photo Courtesy of Bloomfield athletic director Steve Jenkins).
ESSEX COUNTY — The Men of Essex Inc. proudly celebrated the outstanding academic, athletic and leadership achievements of Essex County’s top student-athletes during the 67th annual Essex Awards on Wednesday evening, May 20, at The Chandelier in Belleville.
The historic event brought together community leaders, educators, coaches, elected officials, parents and supporters from throughout the region to honor some of Essex County’s most accomplished young men and women representing public, private and parochial high schools.
Widely regarded as the equivalent of the “Heisman Trophy of Essex County,” the Essex Awards have stood for nearly seven decades as one of the region’s premier celebrations of scholastic and athletic excellence.
Legendary New York sports broadcaster Bill Daughtry delivered a powerful and inspiring keynote address, encouraging students to pursue greatness through discipline, preparation, integrity and perseverance.
Drawing upon more than four decades in broadcasting and sports journalism, Daughtry emphasized the importance of leadership, education and resilience in achieving long-term success.
The evening also featured special honors recognizing the extraordinary contributions of Johanna Wright and Dave McCombs.
Wright was honored for her remarkable legacy of more than 50 years in education, athletics, mentorship and community advocacy. Her decades of service and leadership have positively impacted generations of students and families throughout Essex County and beyond.
McCombs was recognized for his longstanding commitment to youth development, athletics, leadership and community engagement. His dedication and influence have helped shape opportunities for countless young people throughout the region.
“The Essex Awards represent the very best of our community,” said Abdul Mani Hassan, president of The Men of Essex Inc. “Tonight, we celebrated not only exceptional athletic ability and academic achievement, but also character, leadership, perseverance and service. These students and honorees reflect the bright future of Essex County.”
The prestigious 2026 Essex Award was presented to Adelaide Cosse-Minnella, of West Essex High School.
Scholar-athlete honorees included:
Maya V. Abell – Montclair High School
Savannah C. Clark – St. Vincent Academy
Olivia C. Harrison – Montclair High School
Jan Hejna – Montclair Kimberley Academy
Charlotte H. King – Montclair High School
Jayden McDaniel – Belleville High School
Thomas Meeker – Montclair Kimberley Academy
Shea S. Murphy – Montclair Kimberley Academy
Hannah Rosenheck – Montclair High School
Raphael Salazar – Science Park High School
Adam Schmitt – Montclair High School
Athletic honorees included:
Jordan Burwell – Seton Hall Prep (Baseball)
James Roberts – East Orange Campus High School (Basketball)
Rhyan Watt – West Orange High School (Basketball)
Alex Huang – Montclair Kimberley Academy (Fencing)
Kuncheng Zhao – Millburn High School (Fencing)
Olivia Dai – Newark Academy (Fencing)
Helina Li – Newark Academy (Fencing)
Audrey Mishima – Newark Academy (Fencing)
Aishat Hassan – Central High School (Flag Football)
Jacinya Garner – West Orange High School (Flag Football)
Sydney Padilla – West Orange High School (Football)
Abel Paul – Livingston High School (Football)
Zaiden McDonald – Malcolm X Shabazz High School (Football)
Shaheem Dezonie – East Orange Campus High School (Football)
Vertti Hamalainen – Montclair High School (Golf)
Ysabel Liu – Millburn High School (Golf)
Owen Dunleavy – Seton Hall Prep (Lacrosse)
Marcus Jackson – West Orange High School (Soccer)
Dina Bojkovic – Livingston High School (Soccer)
Lena Tusche – Mt. St. Dominic Academy (Soccer)
Jillian Cianfrocca – Mt. St. Dominic Academy (Softball)
Aadit Shrivastava – Newark Academy (Tennis)
Kaan Ozsahin – Newark Academy (Tennis)
Aria Nina Abalos – Montclair Kimberley Academy (Tennis)
Malik Mohammed – West Side High School (Track & Field)
Corbin Raston – West Orange High School (Track & Field)
Rhia Randolph – West Orange High School (Track & Field)
Jordan Bowers-Strickland – West Side High School (Track & Field)
Cadence Sturt – Livingston High School (Volleyball)
Brynn Mack – Verona High School (Volleyball)
Carmine Sipper – Caldwell High School (Wrestling)
Saharia Quamina – Bloomfield High School (Wrestling)
Founded in 1958, The Men of Essex, Inc. remains steadfast in its mission to promote leadership, mentorship, educational advancement and community service throughout Essex County.
Through initiatives, such as the Essex Awards and the prestigious Men of Essex Golf Classic, now celebrating its 65th year, whose proceeds benefit the organization’s longstanding Student Aid Fund, the organization continues to invest in the next generation of leaders.
For additional information regarding The Men of Essex, Inc. and upcoming initiatives, visit www.menofessex1958.org.
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