Vol. 53 Issue 16 Saint Joseph Regional High School, Montvale, NJ Wednesday, June 8th, 2016

The Guardian2016 Graduates Earn $20 Million in Scholarships

By Scott Dickson ‘18

Salutatorian Joe Malfa snapped a selfie after his speech. The future Maryland Terrapin received the St. Joseph Medal.

On Sunday, June 5th Saint Joseph Regional High School held its 51st commencement. Families and friends packed into the gym-nasium to celebrate this milestone in the new alumni’s lives. 115 seniors earned over $20 million in scholarships. The 11 a.m. ceremony opened with a prayer by Donny Cuttone, the executive presi-dent of the Student Council, followed by Nick Berninger, Chris Cheeseman and Joe McDonald singing of The Star-Spangled Banner.

Class salutatorian Joe Malfa spoke about the past four years before offering this advice at the end of his speech: “We don’t know ex-actly what the future has in store for us, but I know we have a lot of major life moments ahead of us … Life goes on and we have to keep growing.”

John Flaherty ’85, a NY Yankee broadcaster who had a 14-year career in the MLB, deliv-ered the commencement address. Flaherty recalled his childhood dreams of wanting to one day be a major league baseball player and how he used these dreams to become one of the best high school catchers in the country. He ended up playing for the 2003 New York Yankee team that made it to the Word Series.

In his speech, Flaherty shared some of ways of thinking that helped him become successful. He urged the graduates to be mentally tough, have a good attitude, be a good teammate, and always be humble.

The presentation of awards and diplomas followed Fla-herty’s address. Many of the SJR graduates were presented with awards for outstanding academic excellence, as well as the Saint Joseph Regional High School Service Award. Students were also presented with special scholarships from different families and organizations.

After the presentation of the diplomas, Christopher Chee-seman gave the valedictory address. He highlighted having good character and how St. Joseph Regional had turned the graduates into good men. He concluded his speech remind-ing his classmates of a tip from retiring SJR Math teacher

Mr. Huebner: In order to succeed, you have to be, “a good husband, a good father, and a good man.”

Mr. Donnelly concluded the ceremony by congratulating some teachers on milestone years of service. He also noted that two SJR teachers would be leaving at the end of this school year. The entire gymnasium gave a great ovation to Mr. Huebner (26 years) and Mr. Salvati (14 years) for their service to the school.

Mr. Donnelly then spoke about his time at SJR. He noted that when he walked onto the campus of Boston College as a freshman in the fall of 1971, he felt as though St. Joe’s had prepared him properly for college. He knew that the school had done the same for the graduates of the Class of 2016.

He then asked the members of the Class of 2016 to turn their tassels from right to left signifying their graduation. The graduates tossed their caps in the air as Beethoven’s Ode to Joy ended the 90-minute ceremony.

Photo Courtesy of Joe Malfa

2 The Guardian, Wednesday, June 8th, 2016

Commencement Speaker The Guardian, Wednesday, June 8th, 2016 3

By Conor McCabe ‘17

Flaherty: ‘Enjoy the Journey ... the Little Moments’ Mr. Huebner Retires after 26 Years at SJRNews

By Colin Medwick ‘17

Editors-in-Chief: Conor McCabe, Colin Medwick Managing Editors: Scott Dickson, Nathan TomboLayout Editor: Alec GoodmanPhotography Editor: Stephen ChimentiSports Editors: Zach Epstein, Joe Shelley, Ryan SorannoEntertainment Editor: Luke BerningerStaff Writers: Andrew Del Priore, Cole Garabed, Ryan Hilliard, Bryan Latawiec, Ryan PowellModerators: Mrs. LoBianco, Mr. Mackie

The Guardian Staff

As the 2015-16 school year comes to a close, SJR will bid farewell to one of its most legendary teachers, Mr. Huebner.

After teaching here for 26 years, Huebner has left a lasting impact on generations of Green Knights. In addition to his work in the classroom, Huebner also helped build the base-ball that St. Joe’s boasts today. Huebner’s teaching style has taught alumni and current students life lessons of responsi-bility and independence. For the past several years, Huebner has taught juniors and seniors in accounting, pre-calculus, and AP calculus. Students often come back to St. Joe’s telling of how well Mr. Huebner’s classes have prepared them for their calculus classes in college. He is one of our school’s most beloved teachers and will leave some big shoes to fill in room 113.

Mr. Huebner has been a subject of discussion of past and present students for years. It seems that we can all share a bond over the experiences with him we have shared. Much of the current staff that attended SJR also had a class with Mr. Huebner. Mr. Augie Hoffman ’99, current director of alumni affairs, English teacher, and head football coach, relayed this story: “One of my fondest memories of Mr.

Huebner is not what you would expect. It was my senior year and we were in the basement. He was down in the basement and I was on the complete other end of the hallway. I remember making a comment, something to the effect that I was “the man” not him. Before I knew it Mr. Hueb-ner sprinted down the hall and quickly reminded me why he was “The Man” and the championship belt went around his waist. That’s just one of the many reasons why I love that man.”

More recently, Ben Kaplan ’15, currently studying at MIT, had class with Mr. Hueb-ner. When asked about his experience with the man, he said, “It wasn’t what Mr. Huebner taught, but how he taught it that made him such an effective teacher.

The effort he put into teaching day in and day out and how much he truly cared for each individual student in a Huebner sort of way was unparalleled. The man is a legend in every sense of the word.”

Mr. Huebner still effectively resonates with students after all these years teaching. Nick Tauken, a junior, said, “Mr. Huebner is definitely one of the best teachers I’ve had. Instead of just going through motions, he

ensures that we will be prepared for math we will see in the future. His teaching philosophy has left a legacy at SJR, and I will miss having him as my teacher.”

Former baseball Coach Frank Salvano also gave very high remarks to Huebner as a coach, calling him, “the best assis-tant coach I ever had in my 28 years as manager. Not only because of his baseball knowledge and how good he was with the kids, but we became best friends – like brothers. He had basically the same personality and life philosophies that I had. He never wanted to take credit, he had no ego, and he wanted to let everything be for the kids.”

It is accurate to say that Mr. Huebner carries that attitude into his teaching style too. From my personal experience, success in his class does not come easy. However, his way of breaking down the most complex problems into a simple process has led to the success thousands of students over the years. I have heard many stories of students not even opening the textbook of their first college calculus class because Mr. Huebner had prepared them so well. He has left a huge mark on the school and will be greatly missed after this year.

Mr. Huebner, “the best assistant I ever had,” said former varsity baseball coach Frank Salvano. From left Mr. Joe Blake, Mr. Huebner, Mr. Salvano, circa 1998.

John Flaherty ’85, a color analyst for the New York Yankees, starred at catcher for St. Joe’s and George Washington Univer-sity, and then played in the Major Leagues for 14 years. He delivered SJR’s 51st commencement address on Sunday, June 5.

What was the main thing that you took away from SJR?

The main thing I took away from St. Joe’s was great work ethic.  Both in the classroom and on the field we were taught that if you wanted the results you had to do the work.

If there was one major piece of advice that you hope that the graduating class can take from your speech, what would that be?

The one piece of advice that I hope they take away is to enjoy the journey and don’t worry so much about the desti-nation.  I think sometimes we focus on where we want to go and we don’t enjoy the little moments along the way.

Coming back to give the commencement speech probably brings back a lot of good memories from your high school years. What was your fondest memory at SJR?

My fondest memory would be winning the county championships my junior year.

St. Joe’s baseball is making a run at a state championship this year. Do you follow the success of the team?

I do follow the team and all their suc-cess!  Twitter has made it so easy for alums to follow along and although I can’t make many of the games personally I feel like the Twitter feed keeps me up to date.

What was the most difficult part of the transi-tion from a major league baseball player to a broadcaster?

The most difficult thing about the transition is remembering how hard the game is!!  Some-times when you are in the booth or watch-ing on a monitor the game looks easier and slower.  I constantly have to remind myself how hard the game was and how fast it is in real speed.

What teacher or coach at St. Joe’s had the greatest impact on you?

Greg Carney was my baseball coach at St. Joe’s and he had the greatest impact on me and my future.  Not only did he teach us the “right” way to play the game but he taught us the sportsmanship that comes with it.  Also, he was very instrumental in getting a lot of us to college to continue our playing careers.  I remember him hand writing 25 letters to schools on my behalf.  My baseball scholarship to GW was because of him.

Letters to the Editor send to sjrguardian@gmail.com

Mr. Donnelly ‘71 congratulates John Flaherty ‘85 on his speech.

Photo Courtesy of Mr. Salvano

4 The Guardian, Wednesday, June 8th, 2016 `

Top-10 BooksClemson vs. USC? Football, Nah – Great Books

Of the many things I get to read, history and novels with historical flair are my preference. Mix in a few novels and the list below is recommended.

Old Man and the Sea (1952) by Ernest Hemmingway – While on a recent trip to Key West where the author once had a home, I re-read this classic to pass the time. The message delivered was significantly different than when I read this book 30 plus years earlier as a student (young guy first time, now an old guy second time). Regardless of the message you get

from reading this Pulitzer-Prize winner, it is a must read.

Trinity (1976) by Leon Uris – I couldn’t put this one down. This long read describes fictional charac-ters who are embroiled in the historical struggles of Ireland such as the Great Famine and the Protestant vs Catholic conflict. After reading this one, my desire to get more of the history of Ireland was fostered and it was a great benefit when I went for a visit in 2010. One of the main

thoughts I had after reading this one centered around the Brits, who fancy themselves as a very civilized body of folks; turns out they have a fairly brutal history with the Irish.

American Houses (1984) by Virginia & Lee McAlister – As a lifelong resident of Northern New Jer-sey and a third-generation home builder/developer, this book has helped me to understand many of the structures that exist in this area. That understanding has set much of the base for success in a challenging line of work and forms some of the stage for the future. The indus-

try is ever changing and evolution is the key to continued achievement, so this book has helped me to understand where we have come from and that in turn assists in a direc-tion forward.

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference (2000) by Malcolm Gladwell – Before Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram trends & behaviors took some time to be identified and defined. Moreover, understanding the source or direction was quite a mystery. In today’s world with social media the task of recognizing trends and behaviors may be a bit easier,

but the ‘why’ or ‘where is it going’ part of the puzzle are a challenge to define.

John Adams (2001) by David McCullough – This master historian presents the story of another major participant in the making of the United States of America. As a fledgling nation, John Adams was able to steer through some turbulent times and Mc-Cullough is able to infuse much of this second president’s personality and pri-

vate life into the retelling of the historical happenings. After reading this one, I had a much different image of Thomas Jefferson, and not in a good way.

Life of Pi (2001) by Yann Martel – Another long novel read, but this author does a masterful job of combining seemingly insurmountable conditions and the human will to survive so the plot moves along well. Because the story is a recount of a long ago incident, you are sure the main character survives, but what he surrenders along the way could challenge anyone’s spiritual beliefs.

The Da Vinci Code (2003) by Dan Brown – Another page-turning novel that touches some crazy thoughts and gets the reader think-ing ‘what if that really happened.’ Our Christian faith has consistently professed that Jesus was created in our image and the author uses that premise when asserting that He had a family with Mary

Magdalene.

His Excellency: George Washington (2004) by Joseph Ellis – This is a very well presented portrayal of the most important person in American histo-ry. General Washington’s passion for

By Mr. Matt Frasco, Class of 1981

Frasco ‘81, a Green Knight first, has a rooting interest in South Carolina through his daughter Gabbi a 2016 graduate.

The Guardian, Wednesday, June 8th, 2016 5

Top-10 BooksA Gamecock Father & Tiger Professor’s Favorite Reads

By Patrick Jodice, Ph.D., Class of 1979

Continued on Page 6 Continued on Page 6

Jodice, always a Green Knight, is a Clemson Tiger in the fall.

My Top-10 book list is autobiographical. The books I chose represent a particular time, event, or phase in my life. As such my relationship to each book includes both the writing and the memories it invokes from some part of my life. I ended up with five pairs of books representing family, my work, spirituality, place, and adventures that did not go as planned. Some books crossover among the categories as well. Suffering and perseverance appear to be common themes. Go figure – Catholics reflecting on suffering and perseverance!

The Calvin and Hobbes Lazy Sunday Book (1989) by Bill Watterson – Before my wife and I were married we often found our relation-ship in long distance status. Our letters regularly included C&H comic strips cut out from the newspaper. Once the collection books of C&H started coming out we bought them and shared those too, complete with comments written in

the margins. We still have them and gave them to our son, Noah, and we regularly recite some of our favorite lines –and they still make us laugh (Our baby is a rabbit??!!). 

No Such Place as Far Away (1979) by Richard Bach – Same set-up as for the C&H book, keeping in mind this was pre-Internet, pre-cell phone, and our limited budgets could only afford so many minutes of long distance calls. So, for months at a time, we had to believe that we were not really that far away. Bach’s simple treatment of space and time was reassuring. People

live in your hearts and your soul. Now this applies to our son, too, who has moved away for school and to start his

own adult journey.

Natural History of Seabirds (2004) by Tony Gaston – My PhD research at Oregon State Univ. fo-cused on the ecology and conservation of an enigmatic marine bird and since then my research career has focused on this suite of species that make their liv-ing on the ocean. Tony Gaston’s Natural History is very readable for anyone with an interest in birds, marine ecology, or

conservation. He covers topics you might see in a graduate class in a way that makes them understandable and in-triguing – why are seabirds colonial, why do they migrate so far, how do they find fish out there on the open ocean? The book also includes drawings that Dr. Gaston made himself, lending a very personal feel to the volume.  

Gulf Stream Chronicles (2015) by Dave Lee – Written by my late friend and colleague Dave Lee just prior to his passing, this book represents his life work to study and understand the pelagic waters of the Gulf Stream and the many forms of life that inhabit it. Dave makes the complex ecology of the Stream accessible to all of us, and I have relied on it to improve my

own understanding of this system for my current research. He draws from Old Man and the Sea to teach us about Por-tuguese man o’war, ponders which co-existing organisms might be Facebook friends to make points about ecological interactions, and uses the free-floating life history of the ever important Sargassum (gulfweed) to remind us that “life is an opportunistic ride.”

No Future Without Forgiveness (1999) by Desmond Tutu – I could have placed any of the books I have read by Desmond Tutu here, but this is probably the most powerful. Tutu details (sometimes graphically) the proceedings of the Truth and Reconcili-ation Commission that tried to heal the wounds of apartheid in South Africa. The stories are harrowing but are surpassed

in their impact by the stories of both the perpetrators of those crimes who sincerely came seeking forgiveness for their heinous acts, and the people who suffered at their

hands who offered that forgiveness. Compassion is not always easy.  

Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint (2013) by Nadia Bolz-Weber – I include this book both because it is an entertaining and enlight-

Photo Courtesy of Pat Jodice

Photo Courtesy of Matt Frasco

6 The Guardian, Wednesday, June 8th, 2016

Patrick Jodice’s Favorite Books The Guardian, Wednesday, June 8th, 2016 7

ReflectionOne Last Byline, Then ‘Malfa Out’

Matt Frasco’s Top ReadsContinued from Page 4

ening story of a seemingly unconventional ‘pastrix’ who

reminds us that faith and our journey can be messy and beautiful at the same time, and because of one specific line. With respect to new members joining the Church for All Sinners and Saints, she says: “Welcome to House for All Sinners and Saints. We will disappoint you.” But, she goes on to say, it is the Grace of God that will fill those holes left by our human failures. Seems like good insight for all of our relationships – personal, work, or spiritual. 

Old Man and the Sea (1952) by Ernest Hemingway – What’s to say – the old man, the fish, the struggle. Suffering and perseverance. And the story is set in the enigmatic and powerful Gulf Stream, a system that dominates our Atlantic coast but that few of us really know (see Gulf Stream Chron-icles above). It’s only 132 pages – you can

knock that out this weekend!  

Killing Mr. Watson (1990) by Peter Matthiessen –I was fortunate to spend 18 months regularly getting lost in the Big Cypress Swamp and the 10,000 Islands of SW Florida conducting research for my MS degree at U. Florida. It’s a place unlike any other in the US and Peter Matthiessen captures its beauty, severity, and history on every

page of this (somewhat) historical novel set at the turn of the 19th century and focused on a man who, through ingenuity, invention, and cunning, changed the way that people survived there – oh, and he may have been kind of an outlaw who killed a bunch of people. Great intrigue and history with a strong sense of place.  

Touching the Void (1988) by Joe Simpson – The subtitle on the cover reads “The harrowing first person account of one man’s miraculous survival.” Joe Simpson and his climb-ing partner Simon Yates embark on a mountaineering trip in South Amer-ica and things go really really wrong, especially for Simpson. The void is both

a real void (crevasse) into which he falls, and his impending death, which he is pretty sure is fast-approaching. But wait, it’s a first person account – how the (insert expletive here) does he survive? Maybe he read Old Man and the Sea and heard that message of struggle. Anyway, one of the most acclaimed climbing novels ever written. 

In the Kingdom of Ice (2014) by Hampton Sides –The USS Jeanette was attempting to reach the North Pole via the Bering Sea in the late 1870s, and if successful would have placed the US first at the Arctic Pole. I had a hard time putting this book down. While the book is most focused on the planning of the voyage and then the epic tale of the crew, I became wrapped up in

the intersection of the leadership and dedication displayed by Captain DeLong on the voyage, with the love and long-ing displayed by him and his wife, Emma, in their letters. An amazing story of survival (for some), heroism, dedica-tion, and love.

Dr. Jodice ‘79 is a Wildlife Research Biologist with the South Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit & an associate professor at Clemson University’s School of Agricul-ture, Forest and Environmental Science.

liberty and democracy were the seeds of the nation we live in today. He had many supporting characters along the way, but his leadership and persistence are the sole reason that success vs. British rule was achieved. Leadership is an invaluable component to any success.

Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig (2005) by Jonathan Eig – If this were a novel, it would have certainly been in the running for a Pulitzer. But it’s a true story about an incredible human being who happened to also be an equally fantastic baseball player. His humble demeanor and extraordinary view of life, despite his health affliction, easily puts him in my Hall of Fame of Life.

This is a great read. Many thanks to a good friend who lent me this book.

Killing Lincoln (2011) by Bill O’Reilly & Martin Dugard – This is certainly more detailed than what we learned in US History class at SJR about the death of a revered leader who was president at a very difficult time in our country’s time-line. Certainly worth the read and despite some factual inaccu-racies (admitted by the authors) I enjoyed

learning more about Lincoln with his improbable path to the presidency, decisions he made as president, and tragic death.

Mr. Frasco is a member of the St. Joe’s Board of Advisors, a long-time benefactor of the school, and most important father of Gabbi Frasco, who graduated from the University of South Carolina in May.

Continued from Page 5

While on the lunch line during the winter of my freshman year, I struck up a conversation with Mr. Mackie in order to break an awkward silence. The Guardian was brought up, he asked me if I was interested in writing, and I said ‘yes’ simply because I was a nervous freshman who was too afraid to say ‘no.’

I was told to attend the next meeting in order to receive my assignment, but I happened to run into Mr. Mackie again after lunch. In the span of about an hour, I went from not being a part of the newspaper to having three days to inter-view the new history teacher, Frank Ficarra.

From there, I went on to write about Mr. Myatt’s affinity for fly-fishing, the set of the comedy Noises Off, and the 2013 commencement speaker, Michael Mendillo. I must have been doing something right, because before the school year ended, Mr. Mackie approached me with a proposition.

The sports columnist Vinny DePinto ‘13 was graduating. I was always interested in writing about sports, but I never communicated this interest to Mr. Mackie – I just handled the assignments thrown my way. When he asked me to take over Vinny’s column, I accepted without hesitation.

I wrote my first column in September. It was a preview of the 2013 NFL season for the four alumni who were on NFL rosters at the time. I spent about seven hours locked in my room writing this 650-word column before nervously emailing it to Mr. Mackie – I wanted it to be perfect. When

I go back and read that column today, I cringe at how poorly it was written. Never-theless, it was met with a positive response by my friends and teachers, and I discov-ered my passion.

Without The Guardian, I would not be at-tending the University of Maryland – one of the nation’s top journalism schools. I would not have had an internship reporting on high school sports with Pat Lanni at NJ.com. I would not have written for three sports blogs over the last two years. There are not many 18-year-old aspiring journalists with my resume and experience, and I owe it all to The Guardian.

When I took over as the Editor-in-Chief last May, I wanted to take The Guardian to new heights. Mr. Mackie told me that my first three issues would be eight pages, eight pages, and 12 pages – we went with 12, 12, and the school’s first ever 16-page edition.

My goal was to have as much content as possible in order to get more students involved and keep all of the readers engaged. We introduced a political section, food section, and book reviews, and eventually published two 20-page editions to close out my stint as the Editor-in-Chief. The Guardian received 1st Place and “Most Outstanding” hon-ors from the American Scholastic Press Association when the results were released at the end of April.

The previous paragraph was not meant to be boastful in any way, rather it was to showcase how proud I am of what the members of The Guardian were able to accomplish over the course of the last year. Hope you all enjoyed our work, and I am confident that Colin Medwick, Conor McCabe, and the rest of next year’s staff will keep the momentum going.

The seniors were let out of school on May 17th, but I have still been at school everyday to pick up my younger brother. I typically arrive in the parking lot at 1:30 before heading up to the newspaper office to see how the new issues are progressing. Every time that I have been up there, I have found myself sitting at the computer, tinkering with the layout like I had done so many times before. The Guardian is indubitably going to be one of the aspects of SJR that I miss the most, but all good things must come to an end.

After three years as the featured sports columnist, one year as the sports editor, and one year as the Editor-in-Chief, I can honestly say that nothing has had a greater impact on my life than The Guardian.

By Joe Malfa ‘16

8 The Guardian, Wednesday, June 8th, 2016 The Guardian, Wednesday, June 8th, 2016 9

Senior Awards NightUnderclassmen Awards Night Pictures

Underclassmen Awards for Activities & Athletics was held on Thursday, June 2.

Counter-clockwise from top:

Athletic Director Tony Karcich with the top under-classmen athletes: Stephen Sanders ‘19,

Justyn-Henry Malloy ‘18, & Nick Cantone ‘17;

Freshman Ryan Hilliard;

Junior Zach Almonte with Mr. Asselta, director of SJR’s theater program;

Mr. Vreeland congratulates freshman Jack Zaccaro.

All photos by Ryan Powell ‘17

The Class of 2016 enjoyed Senior Awards on Friday, June 4.

Clockwise from top (all pictures left-to-right):

Donny Cuttone, Calvin Masella, Robert Skudera, Sean Redl,

Cole Kramer & Joe McDonald;

Chris Cheeseman, Joe McDonald, Mr. Asselta, Nick Berninger, Kristian Thane;

Athletic Director Tony Karcich with John-Thomas Giles-Harris, the senior

class best athlete;

Alex Walsh & Kirk Brouwer.

All photos by Stephen Chimenti

10 The Guardian, Wednesday, June 8th, 2016

Graduation

St. Joe’s held its 51st Commencement on Sunday, June 5.

Counterclockwise from top right (all photos L-to-R):

Mr. Donnelly congratulates Sean Redl;

Chris Paldino & Alex Walsh;

Student Body President Donny Cuttone offers the Invocation;

Mr. Donnelly addresses the Class of 2016;

Edward Klein, Shane McDonough, Brian Muggeo, Donny Cuttone, & Conor Dickson.

Photos by Stephen Chimenti & Ryan Powell

The Guardian, Wednesday, June 8th, 2016 11

Graduation

Clockwise from top left:

John Flaherty ‘85 encouraged graduates to be “mentally tough,” “good teammates,” and “always humble”

during his Commencement Address;

Mr. Donnelly awards a certficate to Chris Paldino;

Mr. Donnelly, Salutatorian Joe Malfa, Valedictorian Chris Cheeseman, & John Flaherty;

Owen O’Loughlin, Liam Woods & Brian Quinn;

Mr. Donnelly congratulates Justin Delgado who finished 9th out of 115 members of the Class of 2016.

Photos by Stephen Chimenti & Ryan Powell

The Guardian, Wednesday, June 8th, 2016 13

Sports3-Time State Champ Logan ‘96 Takes Over WrestlingBy Ryan Soranno ‘17

Damion Logan ‘96 returns to SJR this winter to lead the SJR wrestling team.

On May 24, SJR Athletic Director Tony Karcich announced Damion Logan ’96 as the new head wrestling coach of St.

Joe’s. Logan, a two-time All-American wrestler at Michigan, was a three-time state champion at SJR.

What was it about wrestling that made you want to pursue it as a coach?

Training and developing young student athletes in sports instills many life lessons. I believe the sport of wrestling has instilled many positive values in my life, and I have a passion for coaching student athletes in a similar direction hopefully to impart on them the advantages the sport has provided for me.

After winning three state titles as a Green Knight, how do you think you can create that success as a coach?

Winning titles in my past was a result of a balanced envi-ronment as a student and an athlete. I learned the formula as an athlete and it’s time to use it on the next generation. Creating success will come with providing that proper environment for the current and the prospective student athletes of the future.

Last season, SJR went 1-3 in the division. How do you think you can make the team victorious within the league?

I plan to manage and direct a positive learning environment for the SJR grapplers and continue to produce well-rounded young men … success will breed success. Championships will come with time and patience.

When you were at SJR, who was your rival school and did you enjoy wrestling them?

While I was a student the wrestling team won a few team state titles. Our rivals were Camden Catholic, Randolph, and the Crusaders of Bergen Catholic. I enjoyed competing on the successful teams for Coach “Heff” [Kolheffer] and for Green Knight Pride. It was always nice to compete as a team when there was strong student and fan support.

What made you want to coach the SJR wrestling pro-gram?

It’s my alma mater – Home. I believe in the St. Joseph Re-gional atmosphere, education, and athletics. The wrestling program is an area that needs improvement, and I believe I can assist. A strong well-rounded wrestling team, like the rest of our sport teams is an important tradition to the char-acter of our school: Student athletes not athlete students. I

want the wrestling program to improve and contribute to our school’s academic and athletic culture.

Why did you decide to move to coaching high school wrestling instead of continuing at the collegian level [Logan coached at Penn & Army]?

As a father of three young boys there has been less time for the challenges of college coaching, recruiting, and trav-eling. Coaching college was a part of my past. Directing young student athletes into college is a part of my future.

How do you think you will translate from assistant coach at the college level to head coach at SJR?

The support and resources I have developed over the years coaching at the college level and networking, will be assets that I will bring to the program at SJR.

Do you think there will be something unique about coaching at the school you used to wrestle at?

As an alumnus, I believe my passion for the sport of wres-tling and the personal connection as a past student, brings a unique situation. It’s not just another school or another program. SJR is where I came from; it’s how I got to the University of Michigan where I was able to successfully compete and get a degree. So it’s different in the sense that there’s a personal connection and there may be more pres-sure to succeed, but so be it.

12 The Guardian, Wednesday, June 8th, 2016

Baccalaureate Mass

SJR celebrated the Baccalaureate Mass for the Class of 2016 Saturday evening, June 4.

Counterclockwise from top right ((all photos L-to-R):

Joe McDonald leads the chorus;

Robert Skudera administers Communion;

Fr. Charles Granstrand, pastor of OLM Park Ridge;

Patrick Kohn delivers some remarks;

Dessert was enjoyed by all following Mass.

Photos by Stephen Chimenti & Ryan Powell

Photo Courtesy of Damion Logan

14 The Guardian, Wednesday, June 8th, 2016 The Guardian, Wednesday, June 8th, 2016 15

4 Years, Many Memories, 5 Highlights Gym Renovation Highlights Summer ImprovementsZach Epstein on SportsJoe Malfa on Sports

Another year is closing for SJR as finals week approaches. After the three-day scramble to finish off the year on a high note, a quite anticipated 11-week summer vacation will commence.

June will blow by, July will take its course and August and the end of summer will be upon us. Though the vacation will be over, the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year will herald in a world of change for SJR.

Among the changes, SJR will be transitioning to a presi-dential-principal model, will resurface the south park-ing lot leading to Dinallo Stadium and renovate the gymnasium.

“I believe that Saint Joe’s dedication to staying up-to-date with our facilities is fantastic and what sets us apart in many ways, espe-cially renovations to such a tangible part of our campus when it come to the gymna-sium,” said head basketball coach Michael Doherty ‘82. “It is going to be especially appealing to our basketball players, fresh off of a county championship season, to be able to call it their home court.”

Whether used for mass, open houses, physical ed-ucation classes or sporting events, the gymnasium is one of the main attractions on campus and certainly one of the most important spaces at St. Joe’s.

The upgrades to the gym-nasium include the replace-ment of the bleachers, the resurfacing of the floor, painting, new lighting, a new sound system and new safety mats.

“With all the new renovations to the gymnasium, it is going to make staying inside during the winter a lot more enjoy-able for physical education class,” said Mr. Frank Coccaro

‘01. “It is a great resource for the students and all around it is going to be a great addition for the school.”

The gymnasium is the home of two of our winter sports: basketball and wrestling. Members of both teams are excited about the renovation.

“Since the wrestling team holds our meets within the gym, I am really looking forward to having visiting schools

come see the facility we call home,” said wrestler Marc Lala ‘18. “It is going to be awesome to hit the mats and compete in a state of the art gym.”

The floorboards, which will be torn up in just a few weeks, hold a lot of rich his-tory for the Green and Gold. The wrestling program has won three sectional titles, nine league titles, five county titles, 13 district titles and four state titles. The basket-ball program has won seven league titles, one sectional title and four county titles, with one county title com-ing this past season as the Green Knights defeated Don Bosco in the Bergen County Jamboree final.

“After coming off of such a successful season it is awe-some that we are getting a new gym,” said Joseph Radi ‘17, a forward on the team. “The team puts in so many hours off practice in and out of season and this is a phenomenal resource for us to improve our game. With the group of guys we have assembled and the environ-ment we will be given to compete in, we are poised

for a similar run as this past season.”

The athletes and students alike will enjoy the gym. It would be no surprise if one were to see students piled into the new gym to play pickup basketball after school, as they would want to enjoy every minute of brand new court time.

An early drawing of what SJR’s new gym floor may look like in September.

Mark Fossati’s strip & 80-yard TD run was Malfa’s #1 highlight.

Here it is for the 48th and final time – “Joe Malfa on Sports.” For my final column, I decided to take a stroll down memo-ry lane and revisit my top five SJR sports-related memories.

5. The Ohio Elevator

During my junior year, the football team took a trip out to Lakewood, Ohio to take on St. Edward’s, and I was on the trip as the team’s videographer.

The night before the game, the team had dinner in the hotel’s ballroom. When the meal was over, a lot of the guys made a mad dash for the elevator because they wanted to return to the “Madden” tourna-ment that was going on in one of the rooms. A dozen guys piled into the elevator, and I made what turned out to be a very wise deci-sion – I took the stairs.

About a minute later, I found out that the elevator was stuck. Engineers took nearly an hour to get the guys out, and I spent just about the entire hour laughing. I will always remember the elevator mishap more than the game itself – a 42-0 blowout that made some of the players wish they were still stuck in that elevator.

4. “42 Reasons to be Angry”

The following September, St. Edward’s traveled to SJR for a rematch. They ended the season with only one loss as the nation’s 3rd ranked team, and the one loss was to SJR.

Down 22-14 with time winding down, St. Edward’s scored a touchdown on a deep pass that was tipped by a defender before finding the arms of a receiver in the end zone. The offense stayed on the field for what would have been the game-tying, two-point conversion, but the defense held strong. I leapt into 2015 graduate Anthony DellaFave’s arms thinking the game was over, but St. Edward’s recovered the onside kick. The defense came through a second time, forc-ing a game-clinching turnover on downs as I yet again leapt into DellaFave’s arms to celebrate the 22-20 victory.

3. SJR-Mahwah Lacrosse – 2015

Putting up a new banner is always exciting, and the win over Mahwah meant that a lacrosse banner would be raised in the gym. Led by Jack Walsh ’15, J.T. Giles-Harris ’16, and

Steve Dinallo ’15, the Green Knights came from behind to clinch the league title after falling behind by three goals early on. I was also the videographer for lacrosse, and that game footage was the worst I ever recorded because I was shaking with excitement and nerves for the entirety of the 4th quarter.

2. “Upset City” in Jersey City

Fresh off winning the school’s 4th Jamboree title (which I did not include simply because I was unable to attend the game), the dynamic backcourt tandem of Nate Garvey ’16 and Chauncey Hawkins ’17 led the Green Knights on the

road against heavily favored Hudson Catholic in the first round of the state tournament. Just about everyone in the gym was stunned when SJR took a double-digit lead into the half.

Some of the worst officiating I have ever seen came in the 2nd half, but it led to the most exciting finish to a high school basketball game I have ever seen. Hudson Catholic made it a one-possession game with less than two minutes to play, but Hawkins took over and silenced the raucous crowd. The Green Knights completed the upset, and as per a deal I made with Mike Quick when I was a guest on his basketball show, I conducted the postgame interview with Head Coach Mike Doherty for MSG Varsity.

1. # BeatBergen

The first high school football game I ever attended is, to this day, still the best game I ever attended. SJR took on Bergen Catholic, and the game was hyped to the max with #Beat-Bergen shirts sold to the students in the week leading up to the game.

SJR burst out to a 21-0 lead, but Bergen stormed back tying the game 24-24. With Bergen in scoring position and things looking bleak for the Green Knights, Mark Fossati ’14 came up with one of the most memorable plays in SJR history. He stripped the ball from Bergen’s QB and went 80 yards the other way for a momentum-changing TD.

The game ended up going to double overtime, and SJR start-ed the 2nd OT with a TD and a made extra point. Bergen answered with a TD, but their kicker missed the extra point. The student section went bonkers and stormed the field to celebrate the 38-37 upset victory.

Photo by Karyn Ochiuzzo

SJR Wins County, League; Finishes 27-4

16 The Guardian, Wednesday, June 8th, 2016 Sports

By Joe Shelley ‘18The Green Knights season came to a close after losing to Se-ton Hall Prep 6-2 in the State Sectional Championship game played at Ramapo College on Tuesday. The Green Knights played hard until the last out and while the mood was som-ber after the game, the loss does not take away from the great season the team achieved.  

The 2016 season will be remembered for the Conference and County Championships, the 27 wins, the outstanding per-formances, and a team that faced everyone’s best and never gave an inch.  

Over the last two weeks, the Green Knights played some of their best baseball.

On May 29th, the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, SJR was poised to win the school’s 10th County Championship against archrivals Bergen Catholic. On the bump for SJR was Devin Ortiz ‘17, who has been phenomenal throughout the season, and the ace of the deep and talented pitching staff. Ortiz once again showed his dominance, retiring the first 14 batters for Bergen in order on just 50 pitches.

On Offense, SJR took the lead in the first on a clutch two-out single by Matt Cocciadiferro ’16, scoring Carmine Palummo ‘16 from second base.

The Green Knights added to the lead when Justyn-Henry Malloy ‘18 hit a solo homerun in the fourth inning to make it 2-0.  Cocciadiferro went yard in the sixth to make it 3-0. The game got a little tense in the seventh inning as Bergen had

bases loaded and two outs after two sin-gles in a row, one of them scoring a run to make it 3-1.

Ortiz managed to get the final out on a bang-bang play at first.Justifiably, Ortiz was named the Best Pitcher of the Tour-nament and Cocciadiferro the tourna-ment MVP.

After winning the Bergen County cham-pionship, the team focused on capturing the North Jersey Non Public ‘A’ champi-onship.

Seeded fourth based on power points, SJR faced Don Bosco, seeded fifth, in the second round of states. Austin Bodrato ‘16 was on the mound for SJR, with the pressure on in this huge rivalry. He did not disappoint, striking out the first five batters before surrendering a solo home run in the second.

John Mesagno tied the game in the bottom of the second, be-fore Bodrato helped himself out in the third inning by hitting a triple and going on to score. With a 2-1 lead, Bosco scored two in the fifth, to retake the lead.

Bodrato and Ortiz led off the fifth with singles.   Bodrato scored on a groundout by Cocciadiferro. Walks to Malloy and Mesagno loaded the bases. Connor Kolich ’17 came up to bat as the DH and delivered a grand slam home run flying over the left field fence giving the Green Knights a 7-3 lead.. The Green Knight instantly had the momentum, and closed out the game with an 8-5 victory.

Next up for SJR was Delbarton.  Traveling to face the #1 seed-ed Green Wave on a rainy Friday, the Green Knights started on fire and sent Delbarton’s starting pitcher packing after ⅓ of an inning after giving up three runs.   

Delbarton scored three off of Ortiz and evened the score at 3-3 in the third. The game was leveled until the fifth inning when Matt Alaimo ‘18 laced a two-run homer over the wall making the score 5-3. SJR got another one in the sixth, and then two in the seventh off a double by Jose Mercado ‘18, making the score 8-3. Joe Neglia ‘16 then came in to close the door in an 8-5 win.

Despite losing ten players to graduation, the Green Knights will return a talented and deep roster next season.  To a man, all of the program’s players will be looking to repeat the achievements of this team, but win the Triple Crown next year.

Devin Ortiz ‘17 batting against Delbarton in the 3rd round of the state tournament. Ortiz pitched the #4-seed Green Knights to an 8-5 victory over the #1 Green Wave.