Freshman Joe Melillo collides with a MKA player.
NUTLEY, NJ – In the game of hockey, the biggest thrill for Andy Surowiec came in March 2001 when he saw his future high school team,
Clifton, win a state championship. In the Public Schools final, the Mustangs beat Bayonne, 2-1.
Surowiec would go on to play four years of varsity hockey for the Passsaic County school, graduating in 2005. Surowiec, who played center, went on to play club hockey at Drexel, but switched to defense.
These days, Surowiec is busy serving as the head hockey coach for Nutley High School. The team is off to a slow start, but has been fairly competitive.
“We went 2-8-2 to start the season,” said Surowiec, “but we suffered some close losses. In the third period, we seem to let down at times. Against West Essex and Johnson, we had frustrating one-goal defeats. We certainly could have won both of those games.”
The Raiders improved to 3-8-2 with a 4-3 win over Montclair Kimberley Academy on Jan. 11 at Clary Anderson Arena in Montclair.
The top effort so far this winter for Nutley was a dramatic 3-2 decision over Verona/Glen Ridge at Codey Arena in West Orange. Senior Andrew Spitalnik scored with only 11 seconds left in regulation.
Interestingly, his twin brother, Tim, is the team’s starting goalie.
“Tim has done a nice job for us in the nets,” said the youthful Nutley coach. “He’s kept us in a lot of games.”
Nutley does not have a JV team, so all the kids on the varsity have to step up their games. Injuries or illness would hamper the squad’s ability to play well in the bigger games.
“Maybe we can do something in the upcoming league playoffs,” said Surowiec, who served as an assistant coach for a year prior to taking over this season as the head coach. “It’s very doubtful we will qualify for the state tournaement” which began in 1976.
Surowiec, who works as an electrical engineer, has some quality players on the team this winter, aside from the Spitalnik brothers, who are fraternal twins.
Leading the way for Nutley has been senior captain Dan Caputo. The youngster is a strong performer on defense.
“Dan is just a great leader on the ice,” said Surowiec. “A big asset to his game is that he has a real knack for blocking shots. That certainly helps our goalie.”
Another top defenseman for the team is Phil Woodkotch, a senior like Caputo and the Spitalnik brothers. He’s a fine passer and also has a nice slap shot.
“Phil is a very smart player,” praised the coach, who enjoyed visiting the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto in 2016.
On the forward line, Nutley can also rely on some top players. That group includes senior Gerard LaFiura, junior Mark Frade and junior Ryan O’Mara, who also competes in football and baseball.
“Gerard shows a great work ethic,” said the coach, who is a big fan of the New Jersey Devils. “Mark is a very determined kid, and he has the ability to make big plays when we need a lift at crucial moments in the game.”
O’Mara, a strong 6-0, 200-pounder, is a force in front of the net. When he gets his stick on the puck, opposing goalies have a lot to be worried about.
“We have 19 kids on the roster and we depend on all of them to contribute,” remarked Surowiec. “I think Johnson is the best team in our division, but we can compete with them. I feel our program can continue to make progress down the road.”
ICE CHIPS – Before coming to Nutley, Surowiec served as the JV assistant and JV head coach at Seton Hall Prep… Surowiec learned a lot about the game from his coach at Clifton, Tom Danko… In 2001, Clifton lost to Bergen Catholic in the Tournament of Champions final.
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