Leading the list of inductees are two long-time friends and teammates on two different fields of play, namely Rashard Casey and Lou Turso, both of whom graduated from Hoboken in 1996. Both Casey and Turso went on to play NCAA Division I football (Casey at Penn State and Turso at Rutgers) and both were instrumental in several championships won by the Red Wings in football and baseball during their tenure at the school.
Another top inductee is former basketball standout Eddie Eusebio (Hoboken Class of 1989), who went on to play at the University of New Hampshire. Eusebio was readily known as the best basketball player in Hoboken of his time, but he also was a standout soccer player as well.
Another inductee is the late Shawn Carson, the Jersey City police officer who was tragically killed on duty Christmas evening when he and partner Robert Nguyen drove their emergency vehicle off an open drawbridge into the Hackensack River responding to a call.
Carson (Hoboken Class of 1982) will receive induction for his special achievement in working with the Hoboken athletic teams in strength and conditioning.
"For two years, he helped us tremendously with our conditioning," Hoboken basketball and baseball coach Buddy Matthews said. "Shawn worked individually with our kids and got them in better shape. He also did it on his own."
Carson was a track athlete at Hoboken during his high school days.
Others to gain induction include football standout Ralph Arias (Class of 1984), soccer star Domenic Lucivero (Class of 1985), basketball and baseball player Kenny Johnston (Demarest Class of 1961) and Miguel Concepcion (Class of 1989), who was a football player, a baseball standout and diver on the swim team.
Others to gain induction include Rose Ann Totaro, who was the cheerleading coach at the school for many years, Dominic Lucignano, who earns the Jerry Molloy Award for his years of dedication helping the youth of Hoboken as the PAL Director and youth football coordinator and Joe "Fan" Creavaux, the 90-year-old biggest follower of Hoboken athletics, who will be given the "No. 1 Fan" award.
Tickets for the dinner are priced at $50, with special discounts of $30 for children and current Hall of Fame members. For more information about tickets, contact Matthews during school hours at (201) 356-3712 or via cell phone at (201) 424-5455...
The sudden and shocking death of 28-year-old Army women's basketball coach Maggie Dixon last week certainly hit close to home, because Marist High School senior standout Janelle Biamonte had already declared her intentions to attend West Point and play basketball for Dixon in the fall.
Now, Biamonte has to make a tough decision, either to live up to the commitment or pursue another scholarship elsewhere. Right now, the talented Biamonte is still too shocked and upset by Dixon's untimely passing to either make a decision or talk about it. But there's no question that young Janelle is experiencing a wide range of emotions after hearing of Dixon's death last week...
Speaking of scholarships, Hudson Reporter Player of the Year Christy Altamirano of Bayonne has accepted a scholarship to play at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck in the fall, so Altamirano, a Second Team All-State performer this past season, will get to stay close to home...
Congrats to Union Hill boys' basketball coach Carlos Cueto on the birth of his baby daughter, Alyssa, who was born April 2. Alyssa Cueto is healthy and happy and there's no truth to the rumor that she already has a better jump shot than her old man...
You can add Temple University to the list of schools to offer a scholarship to North Bergen's Evan Rodriguez, but then again, that shouldn't be a complete shock, considering that Temple's new defensive coordinator and chief recruiter, Mark D'Onofrio, is a North Bergen native and former Bruin, Penn State and Green Bay Packer linebacker. If D'Onofrio didn't offer a scholarship to the best all-around football player North Bergen has produced since, er, himself, then he'd look pretty silly, no? Count on Rodriguez to get many more offers before he's through and count on D'Onofrio to make the big push to secure Evan's services...
Some high school baseball notes: It might have gotten lost in the shuffle a little, but Hudson Catholic standout hurler Rubiel Mercado fired a one-hit, 17-strikeout gem against Emerson last week. Mercado is well on his way to becoming the first-ever three-time Hudson Reporter All-Area baseball player...
And you can make book on this now. With phenomenal players like Jaime Rosario and Miguel Lugo, St. Mary's of Jersey City is going to make some serious noise in the HCIAA Seglio and will lock horns with many of the bigger Coviello schools in independent games this season. The Ramblers are for real...
Some high school softball notes: North Bergen veteran coach Tom Eagleson won the 400th game of his historic coaching career last week, when the Bruins defeated Emerson. However, it was the first win in nearly three years that the Bruins had without standout pitcher Tiara Smith on the hill. Smith was home sick, so Enid Rodriguez stepped in and gave the coach the milestone win.
Certainly makes the day more memorable for Eagleson, no? He gets 70-plus victories with Smith and the milestone one, he gets without... -- Jim Hague
I notticed that you have forgotten and have never mentioned , Hoboken Highs pitcher Daniel Perez. He was a great pitcher fron little league on ,He had 2 17 strike out games, while pitching for Hoboken High school. He graduated with Casey, and Turso, After graduation He attend Rutger University in Newark He was and a pitcher there also.
Just wanted to mention this and to refresh your memory of this young man and of His Great pitching through out his baseball career.
Thanks