The 23rd West Orange Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner will be held on Thursday, October 5, at Mayfair Farms in West Orange. The following individuals will be honored:
DAVE ALFANO, 2004
An exceptional Cross-Country runner from 2001-2004, Alfano achieved All-State and All-County honors. In 2004, he captured the Essex County Cross-Country Championship and was Spring Track NJ Sectional Champion at 1,600 meters. He established WOHS records for 1,600 meters and 3,200 meters. He also qualified for the US National meet at 1,600 meters with a time of 4:19. At LaSalle University from 2005-2009, he was named to the outdoor/winter All-East Cross-Country Team and also the Atlantic 10 All-Academic Team.
KURT BIRCHLER – 2004 (posthumous)
A key member and leader of WOHS Ice Hockey Team from 2001-2004, he was named All-State in 2004 and All-Conference in 2002 and 2003. His teams captured the prestigious Kelly Cup Championship two times, and he was named Kelly Conference MVP in 2004. In 2003, he was fourth overall in NJ State scoring with 32 assists and 74 points, and in 2004 he was top 10 in State scoring with 29 assists and 76 points. Also in 2004, he was ranked No. 8 among the best forwards in NJ. His 2004 team advanced to the third round of NJ State Hockey Tournament.
TOMMY LORENZO – 2006
A talented and hard-working wrestler and fierce competitor, Lorenzo was a three-time Essex County Champion, 2005 and 2006 Essex County Star-Ledger Wrestler of the Year, two-time Essex County Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler 2004 and 2006, three-time District Champion, and 2006 Region 4 Champion. He was a 2005 runner-up Region 4 championship and 2004 third place Region 4. In the NJ State Tournament, Lorenzo took sixth place in 2005 and fourth place in 2006. In 2004, he was named All-American and nationally-ranked eighth in the country. Lorenzo was a three-time NJ State Freestyle Champion in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and two-time Dover Holiday Tournament Champion.
Lorenzo was a four-time WOHS Most Outstanding Wrestler. His WOHS career resulted in 126 wins and 441 takedowns. A 2010 graduate of Rider University and Wrestling Team member, he was a three-time Division 1 letterwinner.
BRAYAN MARTINEZ – 2007
A special and gifted soccer athlete, Martinez was named the 2006-2007 Gatorade National Player of the Year, two-time All-American in 2005 and 2006, and NJ Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006. He also earned multiple All-State, All-County and All-Conference honors in recognition of his exceptional talents. Martinez was a key member of the 2006 Group 4 State Championship Team, which also captured the Essex County Championship and the Northern Hills Conference Championship.
At Seton Hall University, Martinez was named Big East Rookie of the Year in 2007, and earned Big East honors from 2008 to 2010. Drafted and signed to play professionally by the Dallas MLS league team in 2011, he played for Hapolakko-Israel 2012-2013.
FRANK MIRENDA – Lefty Boland Award
Mirenda has served as Athletic Hall of Fame President since 2007 and also has served as Secretary, beginning in 1989. During his tenure, he has established and implemented many fiscal policies, operational procedures, and administrative guidelines, which have enabled the Hall of Fame Committee to function efficiently, objectively and effectively. A 1964 graduate of WOHS, he played two years of Varsity Basketball, and was also a member of the 1963 New Jersey State Champion-District 1 Golf Team.
MARIO MORRISON-BIRD – 2006
A Track and Field performer from 2004-2006 and Football player as a defensive tackle from 2005-2006, he excelled in field events; including discus, shot put and javelin. In 2006, he was the NJ State Group 4 Sectional Champion in the discus and also the Essex County discus Champion, while setting the WOHS record for that event. His 2006 team went undefeated in all dual meets for the first time in WOHS Track and Field history.
At Montclair State University from 2007-2011, he was named to the All-NJAC Teams in 2010 and 2011. In 2011, he set a MSU discus record of 160’7” (the longest-standing MSU record) and achieved a Hammer throw of 170’4”. His record-setting performance earned him an invitation to the NCAA Qualifier in 2011.
TONY PERALTA – 2001
An exceptional pitcher, Peralta played Varsity Baseball from 1997-2001 and attained All-State, All-County and All-Conference honors. He achieved a WOHS career record of 24 wins and 5 losses; with an ERA of under 2.00. In his senior year, he had 88 strikeouts to just seven walks. At The County College of Morris in 2001-2002, he was named to the All-Conference and All-Region Teams while setting a single-season record of 7 wins and 1 loss; and had an ERA of 1.38.
In 2004, Peralta was signed by the Detroit Tigers and played minor league Class A baseball through 2008 in various venues from Michigan to Lakeland to Somerset to Kentucky to the Dominican Republic. He was named minor league Player of the Week three times.
MIKE PIZZI – Coaches Award
During his career at WOHS, Pizzi coached football for a total of 32 years.
Pizzi coached Edison Junior High from 1969-1982, and was the freshman head coach in 1983. He was named varsity line coach in 1984, defensive coordinator from 1985-1989 and served as head coach from 1990-2001 for WOHS.
As head coach, he sent over 30 players to play at the collegiate level. Pizzi served as defensive coordinator in the NJ North/South All-Star game in 2000, and linebacker coach for the Robeson Classic All-Star game in 2001.
Pizzi also coached West Orange baseball for 10 years. He was the head coach at Edison Junior High from 1973-1977, WOHS head coach from 1978-1980, and assistant coach at Mountain HS from 1982-1983.
From 2002-2006, he was the defensive coordinator at Paramus HS, and was the linebacker coach at Orange HS from 2008-11. He was awarded 1999 Worrall Publications Football Coach of the Year, and 2006 NNJIL assistant Coach of the Year.
In 2016, Pizzi received the Distinguished Coaches Award from the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame-Essex County Chapter.
In addition, the 2006 Boys’ Soccer Team (NJ State Group 4 Champion, North Jersey Section 1 Group 4 Champion, Essex County Champion and Northern Hills Conference Champion, 24-1 record) will be honored.
For additional information and ticket reservations, please contact Joe Suriano at 973-736-1693.
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