BOB KURLAND, Staff Writer
The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
12-11-1994
SCOUTS ARE DROOLING OVER THIS DREAM TEAM
By BOB KURLAND, Staff Writer
Date: 12-11-1994, Sunday
Section: SPORTS
Edition: All Editions -- Sunday
CORRECTION - Bill Timony of Park Ridge should have been listed as a quarterback
on the All-Bergen County football team honorable mention listing. PUBLISHED
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1994, page s09, all editions.
The 1994 All-Bergen offensive football team, selected by the Bergen
County Coaches Association, has everything needed to field a great unit
-- skill, speed, and size. And proving its worth is the amount of
Division I college scouts buzzing around the players.
Bergen Catholic's big tackle Ryan Carfley is set at North Carolina,
Hackensack's sensational runner, Rashidi Brown, has five visits set,
Teaneck's 6-foot-7 1/2 John Wellington is balancing such schools as
Duke, Purdue, and Penn State, and Paramus Catholic's sensational
receiver Anthony DiCosmo is also being recruited.
Pointing up the strength of the unit is that second-team tackle
Brad Messina of Bogota is being wooed by such schools as Maryland, Iowa,
and Nebraska.
Here's a close-up of the players:
NUNZIO CAMPANILE, Paramus Catholic, QB -- Although one of the
smaller players on the team, he played like a giant. He led the team in
rushing with 439 yards and completed 157 of 262 passes for 1,952 yards
and 19 touchdowns despite being hobbled in the last two games by an
injured knee.
And since the Paladins weren't as strong as in the past, they
played a lot of catch-up, including going on fourth down 37 times. He
made the necessary yardage 27 times -- nine times in a close loss to
Hackensack.
'He's a real leader,' says coach Mike Campanile, his father. 'He
knows how to make the kids around him play better. And he had his best
games against the better teams.'
On defense, the 165-pounder played middle linebacker and strong
safety while leading the club in tackles. He carries a 4.0 GPA and is
looking at Dartmouth, Brown, and Princeton.
JUSTIN SCHWARTZ, Glen Rock, QB -- The senior did it all in leading
the Panthers into the playoffs, two years after they had a winless
season.
'His poise is so incredible, it was like having a 25-year-old on the
field,' says coach Paul White.
An All-County javelin thrower, he completed 79 of 135 passes for
1,074 yards and carried 107 times for 733 yards and nine touchdowns. He
averaged 7 yards a carry on audibles. 'He could run over you, but once
in the open could beat people to the end zone,' says White.
The 6-1, 190-pounder quick-kicked twice for 40 and 45 yards, and
when outstanding defensive end Sean Brady suffered an ankle injury,
Schwartz learned the position in days and had a sensational game against
Hawthorne.
Colleges like him, but his heart is in track, and right now he's
deciding whether to attend Virginia or Rutgers.
RASHIDI BROWN, Hackensack, RB -- The mighty little dynamo with 4.3
speed wrapped up his career with almost every school career offensive
record, including 64 touchdowns and 5,421 yards.
He was closing in on the Bergen TD mark this year only to suffer a
fractured ankle and missed three games. He wound up with 27 touchdowns
and averaged nearly 10 yards a carry in picking up 1,714 yards.
'He's the most dominating player I've ever seen in the county,'
says coach Greg Toal. 'Unlike other great speed backs, he was best on
going inside the tackles. And very few people kicked to him.'
Brown returned two punts for scores and picked up a lot of yardage
on all his returns.
The 5-7 sensation will probably visit Clemson, Pittsburgh, South
Carolina, North Carolina State, and Rutgers.
JIM FINN, Bergen Catholic, RB -- 'His ability to cut and make
something out of nothing is unlike any player I've ever seen,' says
coach Fred Stengel. 'He has tremendous vision of the field. Jim has more
moves and ability than any back I've coached except for Eric Lane
[Tennessee scholarship].'
Finn carried 161 times for 1,326 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also
caught seven passes for 133 yards and three scores. And on defense he
recorded 36 tackles from his safety position.
He would like to play football in college, possibly James Madison
or Boston University, but Syracuse and Brown have shown interest in him
as a wrestler.
JOE MAURO, Rutherford, RB -- The senior was so important to the
Bulldogs that he never left the field. 'He was explosive every time he
touched the ball,' says coach Al Weber. He scored carrying the ball,
receiving, and on kick returns. He was the major difference in us
winning nine games in a new, bigger league [NNJIL National].'
Mauro was a defensive back as a sophomore, wide receiver last year,
and moved to tailback this season. In his final game he returned a
kickoff for a 92-yard touchdown. He also had TDs of 76 and 86 yards.
Also, he was an outstanding linebacker.
The 195-pounder carried 171 times for 1,137 yards and 12 scores and
caught 15 passes for 374 yards and three touchdowns. Including kick
returns, he posted 2,062 yards.
While he would like to play football in college, he could wind up
playing baseball. The Dodgers have checked him out as a catcher.
STEVE SUL, Hasbrouck Heights, RB -- The 5-8, 160-pounder was the
Aviators' answer to Brown, as he rushed 185 times for 1,520 yards and 20
touchdowns.
'He has the running ability to go north and south,' says coach Nick
Delcalzo. 'And that pays off in extra yardage as he follows his guards
straight ahead. There are faster runners but he just knows where the
holes are.'
Although the Aviators seldom threw the ball, he showed he has good
hands by grabbing six passes. A strong student, with a 4.3 GPA, he looks
like a good bet for an Ivy League team.
ANTHONY DICOSMO, Paramus Catholic, WR -- Great hands and speed
explain why he caught 70 passes for 996 yards and 10 touchdowns.
'What the college scouts like the best about him,' says Campanile,
'is that after making the catch he has the ability to make the first guy
miss him and turn a short pass into long yardage. And he did it when
mainly being double covered.'
DiCosmo graduates with a school-record 143 receptions and 21
touchdowns. And this season he averaged nearly 30 yards on kick returns.
'He was truly amazing on fourth-down plays,' says the coach.
Among the schools interested are Duke, Syracuse, and Rutgers.
MIKE RICKETT, Fair Lawn, WR -- 'He's the best of both worlds, as
he's a real good possession receiver and can beat you deep,' says coach
Mike Alberque, who gets another year out him.
The junior owns the school season record of 54 receptions, 1,022
yards, and 11 touchdowns, plus the career mark of 91 catches. He also
uses his sticky hands on defense, where he picked off seven passes.
MIKE FOX, Waldwick, TE -- It's tough enough catching passes, but for
three games Fox accomplished the feat while wearing a cast on his broken
left wrist. In his first outing with the cast, he caught 12 passes
against Paterson Catholic for 120 yards.
'He's a good blocker, hard hitter, and once catching the ball loves
to run with it [4.8 speed],' says coach Neil Johnson.
He wound up with 48 catches for 554 yards and six scores. Fox also
played well at defensive end and blocked three punts.
Among the possible colleges are Northeastern, Fordham, Delaware,
and Monmouth.
BRIAN VISTOSKY, Hasbrouck Heights, TE -- 'We did a lot of running
behind him,' says Delcalzo. 'He's a great blocker and one of the big
reasons we were so successful on the ground.
'We didn't have to throw the ball but he does have excellent
hands.'
The old-fashioned blocking tight end did catch 11 passes for 205
yards and three touchdowns. His size (205 pounds) could mean Division
I-AA or II college teams.
RYAN CARFLEY, Bergen Catholic, T -- 'He's the best offensive lineman
I've coached in 27 years,' says Stengel. 'He's an outstanding run
blocker and we picked up a big chunk of our 3,000 yards behind him. Ryan
played only a half [knee injury] in the championship game against St.
Peter's and that was a tremendous loss because he's our emotional
leader, our King Kong.'
Carfley played defense as a sophomore, both ways last year, and
strictly offense this season. The 296-pounder is a devastating blocker.
JOHN WELLINGTON, Teaneck, T -- 'He improved 150 percent over his
junior year,' says coach Dennis Heck. 'And now it looks like he'll be an
even better player in college because he'll be pushed by guys his size
instead of having problems with smaller people.'
The size and quickness are the initial lures, but his 3.4 GPA made
him irresistible to the colleges. Among those calling him are Virginia
and Syracuse.
And the scouts feel if he keeps developing and getting stronger --
'They're talking of him being more than 300 pounds when he gets out of
college,' says Heck -- he could go to the pro level. 'The last couple of
games he was outstanding with our zone and trap blocking.'
The coach should know about tackles, as he coached Dave Szott at
Clifton, who now plays for the Kansas City Chiefs. He could wind up with
a second pro product.
CHRIS CHRISTOUDIAS, Ramsey, G -- 'He's such a tenacious blocker that
we moved him around so we could run most of our plays behind him,' says
coach Steve Hyman. 'He has good strength and probably played his best in
our two playoff games.'
Christoudias is a very good student and is undecided whether he'll
play at Tufts, where he will major in engineering. 'He never said
much,' said the coach 'but just went out there and played his
position.'
ADRIAN PUZIO, St. Joseph, G -- 'He was our best offensive lineman,'
says coach Tony Karcich, who will have him back next season. 'He opened
as our center but injuries at guard moved him there. Then there were
injuries at tackle, and we put him there before moving back to guard.
What makes him so good is that he has excellent feet, which makes him a
great trap blocker.'
On defense he started slowly, but wound up being the top lineman.
The 225-pounder bench-presses 315 pounds. 'He has a great work ethic,'
says the coach.
JASON CHIUSOLO, Hackensack, C -- A year ago he played tight end, but
a lack of a center forced the position on him. And the rookie snapper
quickly turned into a veteran.
'He was a devastating trap blocker and a major factor in our
offense picking up 4,000 yards,' says Toal. 'And he built himself up
from about 180 to 218 pounds.'
Another strong student who is looking to play for an Ivy League
school.
BUCK ELSEY, Bergen Catholic, PK -- The soccer player-turned-kicker
connected on 49 of 55 extra points, with four being blocked. And he
connected on a 43-yard field goal while making 4-of-6 attempts.
The junior wound up with the school record for kicking points with
61. He had 14 kickoff touchbacks.
'What's scary,' says Stengel, 'is he's still learning and doesn't
know what he's doing.' It could be quite a senior year if he continues
to develop.
(SIDEBAR, page s20)
ALL-BERGEN OFFENSE
First team
POSITION NAME SCHOOL HT. WT. CLASS
End ANTHONY DICOSMO Paramus Catholic 6-3 175 Senior
End MIKE RICKETT Fair Lawn 5-11 170 Junior
Tackle RYAN CARFLEY Bergen Catholic 6-3 296 Senior
Tackle JOHN WELLINGTON Teaneck 6-7 275 Senior
Guard CHRIS CHRISTOUDIAS Ramsey 6-1 280 Senior
Guard ADRIAN PUZIO St. Joseph 6-0 225 Junior
Center JASON CHIUSOLO Hackensack 6-1 215 Senior
Quarterback NUNZIO CAMPANILE Paramus Catholic 5-10 175 Senior
Quarterback JUSTIN SCHWARTZ Glen Rock 6-1 190 Senior
Running back RASHIDI BROWN Hackensack 5-8 170 Senior
Running back JIM FINN Bergen Catholic 6-0 205 Senior
Running back JOE MAURO Rutherford 5-10 195 Senior
Running back STEVE SUL Hasbrouck Heights 5-8 160 Senior
Tight end MIKE FOX Waldwick 6-3 215 Senior
Tight end BRIAN VISTOSKY Hasbrouck Heights 6-5 205 Senior
Placekicker BUCK ELSEY Bergen Catholic 6-2 190 Junior
Second team
POSITION NAME SCHOOL HT. WT. CLASS
End MIKE ETTZ Lodi 5-9 160 Senior
End CHUCK MAZZARONE Bergen Catholic 5-10 175 Senior
Tackle BRIAN KING Indian Hills 6-2 222 Senior
Tackle BRAD MESSINA Bogota 6-6 285 Senior
Guard BILL DEAETT Glen Rock 6-2 210 Senior
Guard JEFF WERNER Hasbrouck Heights 5-9 180 Senior
Center BRIAN COUGHLAN Bergen Catholic 6-3 255 Senior
Quarterback PERRIN MOSCA Hackensack 6-2 185 Senior
Quarterback PAT WILLIAMS Fair Lawn 6-2 225 Senior
Running back MIKE GUAZZO Indian Hills 6-4 195 Junior
Running back PAT MALLOY Cresskill 6-0 190 Senior
Running back SAL PICINICH Becton 5-8 205 Senior
Tight end DAVE DANHO Dumont 6-2 190 Senior
Tight end BOB KONDRAT Mahwah 6-3 210 Junior
Placekicker PAUL WIOROWSKI Cresskill 5-9 165 Junior
Third team
POSITION NAME SCHOOL HT. WT. CLASS
End TIM JORDAIN Westwood 6-2 185 Senior
End WALTER KING Hackensack 6-3 170 Junior
Tackle JOHN JACKSON Becton 6-2 210 Senior
Tackle KEN MERLO Westwood 6-3 235 Senior
Guard WILLIE SIMMONS Hackensack 6-2 255 Senior
Guard ANTHONY TORRACA Rutherford 6-2 220 Senior
Center BRIAN VOSS Northern Highlands6-0 195 Senior
Quarterback MIKE BRANAGH Waldwick 6-4 180 Senior
Quarterback MAX SABINO Northern Highlands5-11 170 Senior
Running back ANDREW MARINIELLO Pascack Hills 6-2 190 Senior
Running back BRYAN RUST Garfield 5-10 175 Senior
Running back IDRIS WELLS Westwood 6-0 190 Junior
Tight end JOE MERLINO Paramus Catholic 6-1 197 Junior
Tight end ANTHONY REGA Becton 6-0 180 Senior
Placekicker DAX STROHMEYER Northern Highlands6-3 197 Senior
Honorable mention
WIDE RECEIVERS -- Anthony Gallella, Paramus Catholic; John Lerch,
Fair Lawn; Keith Michel, Indian Hills; Mike Malizia, Northern Highlands;
Robert Davis, Englewood; Scott Silverman, New Milford; Mike Bradley,
Palisades Park; Chris Leonard, Glen Rock; Adam Wolfson, Waldwick; Mikkel
Brown, Elmwood Park; Mike Paolercio, Park Ridge; Brian McGuire,
Cresskill.
TIGHT ENDS -- Tom Steiner, Ridgewood; Karl Weiss, Paramus; Jake
Hamrick, NV/Demarest; Arno Rheinberger, Fair Lawn; Ken Solarino, Pascack
Hills; Jon Surran, Westwood; Tito Valdez, Palisades Park; Mark Kalish,
Lodi; Fernando Verterdor, Garfield; Ron Kempe, Elmwood Park; Marty
Vitkovsky, Wood-Ridge.
TACKLES -- Chris Van Cleve, Ridgewood; Jay Camerlengo, Paramus
Catholic; Fatmir Dema, NV/Old Tappan; Chris DeLuna, Fair Lawn; Bill
Gibbons, Bergenfield; Ian Steberson, NV/Old Tappan; Chad Parker,
Northern Highlands; Eric Tomaszewski, Rutherford; Greg Bilyk, North
Arlington; Chris Toforo, Glen Rock; Andrew Varaj, Glen Rock; Anthony
DiMartino, Lodi; Donny Janeuski, Elmwood Park; Andrew Elford, St.
Mary's.
GUARDS -- Jack Kashishian, Bergen Catholic; Mike Krauchuk, NV/Old
Tappan; Greg Zurberg, Fair Lawn; Ron Min, Pascack Hills; Vin Venetucci,
Ridgefield Park; Steve Dogherty, North Arlington; Ali Fathali, Palisades
Park; Erick Anderson, Waldwick; Bryan Rendon, Lodi; Anthony Iaquez,
Elmwood Park; Martin Grycuk, Wallington.
CENTERS -- Derrick Borkowski, Fair Lawn; Mike Giampietro, Cliffside
Park; Allen Bull, Tenafly; Phil Santiago, Lyndhurst; Chris Rigg, Glen
Rock; Rich Falletta, Elmwood Park; John Kryzanowksi, St. Mary's.
RUNNING BACKS -- Mark Mitchell, Don Bosco Prep; Rob Carey, Nutley;
Mike Sellari, Nutley; Jeff Galucci, NV/Demarest; Rob Miano, Ramapo;
Jason DiRese, NV/Old Tappan; Marcus Giles, Mahwah; Chris Burrows,
Cliffside Park; Marquis Easley, Ridgefield Park; Pat Auteri, Lyndhurst;
Alex Cruz, Palisades Park; Korey Wright, Glen Rock; Domond Anderson,
Glen Rock; John Yessis, Midland Park; Ed Murphy, Lodi; Caran Nelson,
Lodi; Mark Beneken, Bogota; Wally Elegbe, Teaneck; Orande Higgans,
Paramus Catholic.
QUARTERBACKS -- Ray Harmon, Ridgewood; Mike Greco, Nutley; Jason
Tardio, Ramapo; Bill Falkenstern, NV/Old Tappan; Bill Weigel,
Bergenfield; Ryan Caputo, Indian Hills; Manny Gotay, Cliffside Park;
John LoBello, Westwood; Mike McSweeney, New Milford; Pat Powers, Leonia;
Chuck Manzo, Garfield; Frank D'Amico, Lodi.
PLACE KICKERS -- John Mulfinger, Ramapo; Aaron Schrager, Ramsey; Joe
Careri, Rutherford; Joe Lucious, Westwood; Tom Bermingham, North
Arlington; Kevin Tode, Glen Rock; Lou Taylor, St. Joseph.
Illustrations/Photos: 16 PHOTOS 1 - Anthony DiCosmo, Paramus Catholic, End
2 - Mike Rickett, Fair Lawn, End 3 - Ryan Carlfey, Bergen Catholic, Tackle
4 - John Wellington, Teaneck, Tackle 5 - Chris Christoudias, Ramsey, Guard
6 - Adrian Puzio, St. Joseph, Guard 7 - Jason Chiusolo, Hackensack, Center
8 - Nunzio Campanile, Paramus Catholic, Quarterback 9 - Justin Schwatrz, Glen
Rock, Quarterback 10 - Rashidi Brown, Hackensack, Running back 11 - Jim Finn,
Bergen Catholic, Running back 12 - Joe Mauro, Rutherford, Running back 13 -
Steve Sul, Hasbrouck Heights, Running back 14 - Mike Fox, Waldwick, Tight end
15 - Brian Vistosky, Hasbrouck Heights, Tight end 16 - Buck Elsey, Bergen Catholic,
Placekicker
Keywords: BERGEN COUNTY. SCHOOL. FOOTBALL. ATHLETE. THE RECORD. AWARD
Copyright 1994 Bergen Record Corp. All rights reserved.
The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
12-11-1994
SCOUTS ARE DROOLING OVER THIS DREAM TEAM
By BOB KURLAND, Staff Writer
Date: 12-11-1994, Sunday
Section: SPORTS
Edition: All Editions -- Sunday
CORRECTION - Bill Timony of Park Ridge should have been listed as a quarterback
on the All-Bergen County football team honorable mention listing. PUBLISHED
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1994, page s09, all editions.
The 1994 All-Bergen offensive football team, selected by the Bergen
County Coaches Association, has everything needed to field a great unit
-- skill, speed, and size. And proving its worth is the amount of
Division I college scouts buzzing around the players.
Bergen Catholic's big tackle Ryan Carfley is set at North Carolina,
Hackensack's sensational runner, Rashidi Brown, has five visits set,
Teaneck's 6-foot-7 1/2 John Wellington is balancing such schools as
Duke, Purdue, and Penn State, and Paramus Catholic's sensational
receiver Anthony DiCosmo is also being recruited.
Pointing up the strength of the unit is that second-team tackle
Brad Messina of Bogota is being wooed by such schools as Maryland, Iowa,
and Nebraska.
Here's a close-up of the players:
NUNZIO CAMPANILE, Paramus Catholic, QB -- Although one of the
smaller players on the team, he played like a giant. He led the team in
rushing with 439 yards and completed 157 of 262 passes for 1,952 yards
and 19 touchdowns despite being hobbled in the last two games by an
injured knee.
And since the Paladins weren't as strong as in the past, they
played a lot of catch-up, including going on fourth down 37 times. He
made the necessary yardage 27 times -- nine times in a close loss to
Hackensack.
'He's a real leader,' says coach Mike Campanile, his father. 'He
knows how to make the kids around him play better. And he had his best
games against the better teams.'
On defense, the 165-pounder played middle linebacker and strong
safety while leading the club in tackles. He carries a 4.0 GPA and is
looking at Dartmouth, Brown, and Princeton.
JUSTIN SCHWARTZ, Glen Rock, QB -- The senior did it all in leading
the Panthers into the playoffs, two years after they had a winless
season.
'His poise is so incredible, it was like having a 25-year-old on the
field,' says coach Paul White.
An All-County javelin thrower, he completed 79 of 135 passes for
1,074 yards and carried 107 times for 733 yards and nine touchdowns. He
averaged 7 yards a carry on audibles. 'He could run over you, but once
in the open could beat people to the end zone,' says White.
The 6-1, 190-pounder quick-kicked twice for 40 and 45 yards, and
when outstanding defensive end Sean Brady suffered an ankle injury,
Schwartz learned the position in days and had a sensational game against
Hawthorne.
Colleges like him, but his heart is in track, and right now he's
deciding whether to attend Virginia or Rutgers.
RASHIDI BROWN, Hackensack, RB -- The mighty little dynamo with 4.3
speed wrapped up his career with almost every school career offensive
record, including 64 touchdowns and 5,421 yards.
He was closing in on the Bergen TD mark this year only to suffer a
fractured ankle and missed three games. He wound up with 27 touchdowns
and averaged nearly 10 yards a carry in picking up 1,714 yards.
'He's the most dominating player I've ever seen in the county,'
says coach Greg Toal. 'Unlike other great speed backs, he was best on
going inside the tackles. And very few people kicked to him.'
Brown returned two punts for scores and picked up a lot of yardage
on all his returns.
The 5-7 sensation will probably visit Clemson, Pittsburgh, South
Carolina, North Carolina State, and Rutgers.
JIM FINN, Bergen Catholic, RB -- 'His ability to cut and make
something out of nothing is unlike any player I've ever seen,' says
coach Fred Stengel. 'He has tremendous vision of the field. Jim has more
moves and ability than any back I've coached except for Eric Lane
[Tennessee scholarship].'
Finn carried 161 times for 1,326 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also
caught seven passes for 133 yards and three scores. And on defense he
recorded 36 tackles from his safety position.
He would like to play football in college, possibly James Madison
or Boston University, but Syracuse and Brown have shown interest in him
as a wrestler.
JOE MAURO, Rutherford, RB -- The senior was so important to the
Bulldogs that he never left the field. 'He was explosive every time he
touched the ball,' says coach Al Weber. He scored carrying the ball,
receiving, and on kick returns. He was the major difference in us
winning nine games in a new, bigger league [NNJIL National].'
Mauro was a defensive back as a sophomore, wide receiver last year,
and moved to tailback this season. In his final game he returned a
kickoff for a 92-yard touchdown. He also had TDs of 76 and 86 yards.
Also, he was an outstanding linebacker.
The 195-pounder carried 171 times for 1,137 yards and 12 scores and
caught 15 passes for 374 yards and three touchdowns. Including kick
returns, he posted 2,062 yards.
While he would like to play football in college, he could wind up
playing baseball. The Dodgers have checked him out as a catcher.
STEVE SUL, Hasbrouck Heights, RB -- The 5-8, 160-pounder was the
Aviators' answer to Brown, as he rushed 185 times for 1,520 yards and 20
touchdowns.
'He has the running ability to go north and south,' says coach Nick
Delcalzo. 'And that pays off in extra yardage as he follows his guards
straight ahead. There are faster runners but he just knows where the
holes are.'
Although the Aviators seldom threw the ball, he showed he has good
hands by grabbing six passes. A strong student, with a 4.3 GPA, he looks
like a good bet for an Ivy League team.
ANTHONY DICOSMO, Paramus Catholic, WR -- Great hands and speed
explain why he caught 70 passes for 996 yards and 10 touchdowns.
'What the college scouts like the best about him,' says Campanile,
'is that after making the catch he has the ability to make the first guy
miss him and turn a short pass into long yardage. And he did it when
mainly being double covered.'
DiCosmo graduates with a school-record 143 receptions and 21
touchdowns. And this season he averaged nearly 30 yards on kick returns.
'He was truly amazing on fourth-down plays,' says the coach.
Among the schools interested are Duke, Syracuse, and Rutgers.
MIKE RICKETT, Fair Lawn, WR -- 'He's the best of both worlds, as
he's a real good possession receiver and can beat you deep,' says coach
Mike Alberque, who gets another year out him.
The junior owns the school season record of 54 receptions, 1,022
yards, and 11 touchdowns, plus the career mark of 91 catches. He also
uses his sticky hands on defense, where he picked off seven passes.
MIKE FOX, Waldwick, TE -- It's tough enough catching passes, but for
three games Fox accomplished the feat while wearing a cast on his broken
left wrist. In his first outing with the cast, he caught 12 passes
against Paterson Catholic for 120 yards.
'He's a good blocker, hard hitter, and once catching the ball loves
to run with it [4.8 speed],' says coach Neil Johnson.
He wound up with 48 catches for 554 yards and six scores. Fox also
played well at defensive end and blocked three punts.
Among the possible colleges are Northeastern, Fordham, Delaware,
and Monmouth.
BRIAN VISTOSKY, Hasbrouck Heights, TE -- 'We did a lot of running
behind him,' says Delcalzo. 'He's a great blocker and one of the big
reasons we were so successful on the ground.
'We didn't have to throw the ball but he does have excellent
hands.'
The old-fashioned blocking tight end did catch 11 passes for 205
yards and three touchdowns. His size (205 pounds) could mean Division
I-AA or II college teams.
RYAN CARFLEY, Bergen Catholic, T -- 'He's the best offensive lineman
I've coached in 27 years,' says Stengel. 'He's an outstanding run
blocker and we picked up a big chunk of our 3,000 yards behind him. Ryan
played only a half [knee injury] in the championship game against St.
Peter's and that was a tremendous loss because he's our emotional
leader, our King Kong.'
Carfley played defense as a sophomore, both ways last year, and
strictly offense this season. The 296-pounder is a devastating blocker.
JOHN WELLINGTON, Teaneck, T -- 'He improved 150 percent over his
junior year,' says coach Dennis Heck. 'And now it looks like he'll be an
even better player in college because he'll be pushed by guys his size
instead of having problems with smaller people.'
The size and quickness are the initial lures, but his 3.4 GPA made
him irresistible to the colleges. Among those calling him are Virginia
and Syracuse.
And the scouts feel if he keeps developing and getting stronger --
'They're talking of him being more than 300 pounds when he gets out of
college,' says Heck -- he could go to the pro level. 'The last couple of
games he was outstanding with our zone and trap blocking.'
The coach should know about tackles, as he coached Dave Szott at
Clifton, who now plays for the Kansas City Chiefs. He could wind up with
a second pro product.
CHRIS CHRISTOUDIAS, Ramsey, G -- 'He's such a tenacious blocker that
we moved him around so we could run most of our plays behind him,' says
coach Steve Hyman. 'He has good strength and probably played his best in
our two playoff games.'
Christoudias is a very good student and is undecided whether he'll
play at Tufts, where he will major in engineering. 'He never said
much,' said the coach 'but just went out there and played his
position.'
ADRIAN PUZIO, St. Joseph, G -- 'He was our best offensive lineman,'
says coach Tony Karcich, who will have him back next season. 'He opened
as our center but injuries at guard moved him there. Then there were
injuries at tackle, and we put him there before moving back to guard.
What makes him so good is that he has excellent feet, which makes him a
great trap blocker.'
On defense he started slowly, but wound up being the top lineman.
The 225-pounder bench-presses 315 pounds. 'He has a great work ethic,'
says the coach.
JASON CHIUSOLO, Hackensack, C -- A year ago he played tight end, but
a lack of a center forced the position on him. And the rookie snapper
quickly turned into a veteran.
'He was a devastating trap blocker and a major factor in our
offense picking up 4,000 yards,' says Toal. 'And he built himself up
from about 180 to 218 pounds.'
Another strong student who is looking to play for an Ivy League
school.
BUCK ELSEY, Bergen Catholic, PK -- The soccer player-turned-kicker
connected on 49 of 55 extra points, with four being blocked. And he
connected on a 43-yard field goal while making 4-of-6 attempts.
The junior wound up with the school record for kicking points with
61. He had 14 kickoff touchbacks.
'What's scary,' says Stengel, 'is he's still learning and doesn't
know what he's doing.' It could be quite a senior year if he continues
to develop.
(SIDEBAR, page s20)
ALL-BERGEN OFFENSE
First team
POSITION NAME SCHOOL HT. WT. CLASS
End ANTHONY DICOSMO Paramus Catholic 6-3 175 Senior
End MIKE RICKETT Fair Lawn 5-11 170 Junior
Tackle RYAN CARFLEY Bergen Catholic 6-3 296 Senior
Tackle JOHN WELLINGTON Teaneck 6-7 275 Senior
Guard CHRIS CHRISTOUDIAS Ramsey 6-1 280 Senior
Guard ADRIAN PUZIO St. Joseph 6-0 225 Junior
Center JASON CHIUSOLO Hackensack 6-1 215 Senior
Quarterback NUNZIO CAMPANILE Paramus Catholic 5-10 175 Senior
Quarterback JUSTIN SCHWARTZ Glen Rock 6-1 190 Senior
Running back RASHIDI BROWN Hackensack 5-8 170 Senior
Running back JIM FINN Bergen Catholic 6-0 205 Senior
Running back JOE MAURO Rutherford 5-10 195 Senior
Running back STEVE SUL Hasbrouck Heights 5-8 160 Senior
Tight end MIKE FOX Waldwick 6-3 215 Senior
Tight end BRIAN VISTOSKY Hasbrouck Heights 6-5 205 Senior
Placekicker BUCK ELSEY Bergen Catholic 6-2 190 Junior
Second team
POSITION NAME SCHOOL HT. WT. CLASS
End MIKE ETTZ Lodi 5-9 160 Senior
End CHUCK MAZZARONE Bergen Catholic 5-10 175 Senior
Tackle BRIAN KING Indian Hills 6-2 222 Senior
Tackle BRAD MESSINA Bogota 6-6 285 Senior
Guard BILL DEAETT Glen Rock 6-2 210 Senior
Guard JEFF WERNER Hasbrouck Heights 5-9 180 Senior
Center BRIAN COUGHLAN Bergen Catholic 6-3 255 Senior
Quarterback PERRIN MOSCA Hackensack 6-2 185 Senior
Quarterback PAT WILLIAMS Fair Lawn 6-2 225 Senior
Running back MIKE GUAZZO Indian Hills 6-4 195 Junior
Running back PAT MALLOY Cresskill 6-0 190 Senior
Running back SAL PICINICH Becton 5-8 205 Senior
Tight end DAVE DANHO Dumont 6-2 190 Senior
Tight end BOB KONDRAT Mahwah 6-3 210 Junior
Placekicker PAUL WIOROWSKI Cresskill 5-9 165 Junior
Third team
POSITION NAME SCHOOL HT. WT. CLASS
End TIM JORDAIN Westwood 6-2 185 Senior
End WALTER KING Hackensack 6-3 170 Junior
Tackle JOHN JACKSON Becton 6-2 210 Senior
Tackle KEN MERLO Westwood 6-3 235 Senior
Guard WILLIE SIMMONS Hackensack 6-2 255 Senior
Guard ANTHONY TORRACA Rutherford 6-2 220 Senior
Center BRIAN VOSS Northern Highlands6-0 195 Senior
Quarterback MIKE BRANAGH Waldwick 6-4 180 Senior
Quarterback MAX SABINO Northern Highlands5-11 170 Senior
Running back ANDREW MARINIELLO Pascack Hills 6-2 190 Senior
Running back BRYAN RUST Garfield 5-10 175 Senior
Running back IDRIS WELLS Westwood 6-0 190 Junior
Tight end JOE MERLINO Paramus Catholic 6-1 197 Junior
Tight end ANTHONY REGA Becton 6-0 180 Senior
Placekicker DAX STROHMEYER Northern Highlands6-3 197 Senior
Honorable mention
WIDE RECEIVERS -- Anthony Gallella, Paramus Catholic; John Lerch,
Fair Lawn; Keith Michel, Indian Hills; Mike Malizia, Northern Highlands;
Robert Davis, Englewood; Scott Silverman, New Milford; Mike Bradley,
Palisades Park; Chris Leonard, Glen Rock; Adam Wolfson, Waldwick; Mikkel
Brown, Elmwood Park; Mike Paolercio, Park Ridge; Brian McGuire,
Cresskill.
TIGHT ENDS -- Tom Steiner, Ridgewood; Karl Weiss, Paramus; Jake
Hamrick, NV/Demarest; Arno Rheinberger, Fair Lawn; Ken Solarino, Pascack
Hills; Jon Surran, Westwood; Tito Valdez, Palisades Park; Mark Kalish,
Lodi; Fernando Verterdor, Garfield; Ron Kempe, Elmwood Park; Marty
Vitkovsky, Wood-Ridge.
TACKLES -- Chris Van Cleve, Ridgewood; Jay Camerlengo, Paramus
Catholic; Fatmir Dema, NV/Old Tappan; Chris DeLuna, Fair Lawn; Bill
Gibbons, Bergenfield; Ian Steberson, NV/Old Tappan; Chad Parker,
Northern Highlands; Eric Tomaszewski, Rutherford; Greg Bilyk, North
Arlington; Chris Toforo, Glen Rock; Andrew Varaj, Glen Rock; Anthony
DiMartino, Lodi; Donny Janeuski, Elmwood Park; Andrew Elford, St.
Mary's.
GUARDS -- Jack Kashishian, Bergen Catholic; Mike Krauchuk, NV/Old
Tappan; Greg Zurberg, Fair Lawn; Ron Min, Pascack Hills; Vin Venetucci,
Ridgefield Park; Steve Dogherty, North Arlington; Ali Fathali, Palisades
Park; Erick Anderson, Waldwick; Bryan Rendon, Lodi; Anthony Iaquez,
Elmwood Park; Martin Grycuk, Wallington.
CENTERS -- Derrick Borkowski, Fair Lawn; Mike Giampietro, Cliffside
Park; Allen Bull, Tenafly; Phil Santiago, Lyndhurst; Chris Rigg, Glen
Rock; Rich Falletta, Elmwood Park; John Kryzanowksi, St. Mary's.
RUNNING BACKS -- Mark Mitchell, Don Bosco Prep; Rob Carey, Nutley;
Mike Sellari, Nutley; Jeff Galucci, NV/Demarest; Rob Miano, Ramapo;
Jason DiRese, NV/Old Tappan; Marcus Giles, Mahwah; Chris Burrows,
Cliffside Park; Marquis Easley, Ridgefield Park; Pat Auteri, Lyndhurst;
Alex Cruz, Palisades Park; Korey Wright, Glen Rock; Domond Anderson,
Glen Rock; John Yessis, Midland Park; Ed Murphy, Lodi; Caran Nelson,
Lodi; Mark Beneken, Bogota; Wally Elegbe, Teaneck; Orande Higgans,
Paramus Catholic.
QUARTERBACKS -- Ray Harmon, Ridgewood; Mike Greco, Nutley; Jason
Tardio, Ramapo; Bill Falkenstern, NV/Old Tappan; Bill Weigel,
Bergenfield; Ryan Caputo, Indian Hills; Manny Gotay, Cliffside Park;
John LoBello, Westwood; Mike McSweeney, New Milford; Pat Powers, Leonia;
Chuck Manzo, Garfield; Frank D'Amico, Lodi.
PLACE KICKERS -- John Mulfinger, Ramapo; Aaron Schrager, Ramsey; Joe
Careri, Rutherford; Joe Lucious, Westwood; Tom Bermingham, North
Arlington; Kevin Tode, Glen Rock; Lou Taylor, St. Joseph.
Illustrations/Photos: 16 PHOTOS 1 - Anthony DiCosmo, Paramus Catholic, End
2 - Mike Rickett, Fair Lawn, End 3 - Ryan Carlfey, Bergen Catholic, Tackle
4 - John Wellington, Teaneck, Tackle 5 - Chris Christoudias, Ramsey, Guard
6 - Adrian Puzio, St. Joseph, Guard 7 - Jason Chiusolo, Hackensack, Center
8 - Nunzio Campanile, Paramus Catholic, Quarterback 9 - Justin Schwatrz, Glen
Rock, Quarterback 10 - Rashidi Brown, Hackensack, Running back 11 - Jim Finn,
Bergen Catholic, Running back 12 - Joe Mauro, Rutherford, Running back 13 -
Steve Sul, Hasbrouck Heights, Running back 14 - Mike Fox, Waldwick, Tight end
15 - Brian Vistosky, Hasbrouck Heights, Tight end 16 - Buck Elsey, Bergen Catholic,
Placekicker
Keywords: BERGEN COUNTY. SCHOOL. FOOTBALL. ATHLETE. THE RECORD. AWARD
Copyright 1994 Bergen Record Corp. All rights reserved.
