The stars definitely came out Thursday night at Walsh Gymnasium on the campus of Seton Hall University for the annual Hudson-Essex All-Star basketball game, featuring the best boys and girls basketball players in the county against the best that Essex County has to offer.
The Hudson County boys' team featured the very best that the area offered during the past hoop season, including Devon Stanberry of HCIAA Seglio Division champion St. Mary's, the 2002-2003 Hudson Reporter Player of the Year.
All-area performers Cesar Sabino of Memorial, Ki'Ameer Johnson of Hudson Catholic and Tyrell Archibald of Ferris were also chosen to participate in the game, which benefited the Tahid Ramsey Memorial Scholarship Fund, remembering the former Snyder High School football captain who died after collapsing on the field seven years ago.
Others selected for the game included Jorge Mendoza of Memorial; Damien Nelson of Lincoln; Chris Powell of Emerson; Shyam Martinez of Union Hill; John Pecora of St. Peter's Prep; Steve Bader of North Bergen; Michael Lindsey of Marist; Darin Walker of Dickinson; Wilson Veras of Weehawken and Manny Crispin of Hudson County Prep.
The girls' team was highlighted by North Bergen's sharpshooter Betty Mendieta, the 2002-2003 Hudson Reporter Player of the Year.
Bruin teammates Kerry Giancola and Melissa Moore were also selected, along with Marisa Carey of the HCIAA Seglio Division champion Hudson County Prep; Annie Cossolini and Megan Lissenden of St. Dominic; Barbara Lewis of Snyder; Denaya Hemingway of Ferris; Alisha McLean of St. Mary's; Heather Aciz of Secaucus; Heather Cook of Memorial and Beth Amadeo of Marist.
Congrats to all who made the team, but more congratulations go to Steve Ricciardi and Rich Myrlak for keeping the game going for so long now. More than $50,000 has been raised over the years to benefit the Ramsey Scholarship Fund. Ricciardi and Myrlak deserve all the credit in the world for doing all the legwork in making the game an annual rousing success...
Hoboken's Mike Eusebio will play his professional baseball very close to the mile-square city this summer.
After receiving his release from the Cincinnati Reds organization, where he played a year ago, Eusebio needed a place to continue his new career as a pitcher.
Enter the Newark Bears, the defending champions of the independent Atlantic League, who signed the 24-year-old former All-State infielder to a contract.
Eusebio was signed by the Reds last year as a pitcher and he pitched for both Dayton and Stockton in Class A ball as a reliever.
The Bears open their season at home against the Bridgeport Bluefish on May 1...
Congrats to the three newest honorees to the Hudson Catholic High School Wall of Fame, namely standout running back Tolan Washington (Class of 1979), Lou Zampella (Class of 1993) and William Waddleton (Class of 1986).
Washington set school rushing and scoring records in his senior season and was a first team All-Hudson County selection in 1978. Washington later played for Florence Darlington Tech (S.C) and Jersey City State.
Zampella, a 1993 graduate, played quarterback, receiver, running back and defensive back in his career and was the team MVP as a senior.
He was a four-year starter and a special teams standout at St. Peter's College, where he now serves as defensive coordinator. Waddleton, a 1986 graduate, was the team manager, maintaining medical supplies and equipment care. He was also a manager for the baseball, basketball and hockey teams... -- Jim Hague