CLARK, NJ — On Wednesday, June 5, the Arthur L. Johnson High School Athletic Department hosted its 2024 Senior Athletic Awards. The evening, sponsored by the Crusader Athletic Booster Club, was at the Gran Centurions in Clark.
All the senior student athletes, their athletic teams and their seasons were highlighted by their coaches while handing out plaques and awards to the student athletes. More than 95 senior athletes were handed out a “Booster Club Achievement Plaque,” which signifies all of the sports programs that the senior athlete participated in throughout his or her high school career.
The program continued with the acknowledgements of all of the student athletes that will be continuing their academic and athletic careers playing the sports they love in college. The following Arthur L. Johnson High School seniors will continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level:
• Zoey Brown – Field Hockey – TCNJ – Lions – D3
• Patrick Cook – Lacrosse – Montclair State University – Red Hawks – D3
• Cassandra Gloster – Volleyball – Delaware Valley University – Rams – D3
• Brooke Hilton – Softball – Rutgers Newark – Scarlet Raiders – D3
• Krista LaBianca – Softball – Montclair State University – Red Hawks – D3
• Emilio Menicucci – Football – University of New Haven – Chargers – D2
• Joey Ortega – Wrestling – Kutztown University – Golden Bears – D2
• C. J. Pina – Football – Kean University – Cougars – D3
• Valeria Sourimto – Fencing – Boston College – Eagles – D1
• Robert Tyra – Lacrosse – Merrimack College – Warriors – D1
• Sava Wood – Field Hockey – Ursinus – Grizzly Bears – D3
The evening culminated with the announcement of multiple awards and scholarships.
In its third year, the Timothy Poskay Memorial Lacrosse Scholarship is presented to a senior student athlete that participated in the sport of boys’ lacrosse.
Poskay was an avid fan of Crusader Athletics. While attending Arthur L. Johnson High School, he participated in football, ice hockey and lacrosse. He continued as a fan of Arthur L. Johnson athletics, specifically lacrosse, while his younger brother played and he even went on to be the junior varsity coach for a couple of seasons with coach Anthony Calandra and coach Lou VanBergen. Poskay was a strong athlete, but his athletic ability paled in comparison to the contributions he brought to the teams for which he was a part. He was one of the funniest people many of us knew and his infectious personality was nothing short of contagious. Everyone who had the privilege of knowing Poskay has a story to share about him. He was truly the brightest light in every room he entered. In his memory, Poskay’s family – Beverly, Noel and Matthew – would like to offer a $1,000 scholarship to a member of the lacrosse team who exemplifies the intangible characteristics that he possessed … the ability to positively affect the demeanor of every practice and a desire to simply play for the pure love of the game.
The third annual Timothy Poskay Memorial Lacrosse Scholarship: Patrick Cook.
The Richard Superak Field Hockey, Basketball, & Lacrosse Scholarships are presented to senior student athletes each year. Originally a field hockey scholarship, recently, the Superak family expanded the scholarship to include a basketball and a lacrosse player as well. Richard Superak became a fan of Johnson Crusader Field Hockey when his granddaughter, Morgan Atanasio, began playing in the fall of 2006. After winning both a county title and a state sectional championship while she was in high school, Morgan went on to have an illustrious career at Hobart William Smith College. Morgan attributes much of her success in college to the discipline she acquired during her time as a student-athlete at ALJ. Superaks’ love of ALJ sports continued on as four more of his grandchildren would arrive at ALJ. John Atanasio played football and lacrosse. John went on to play football at Delaware Valley University. Cameron Hund played soccer and competed in both swimming and track and field, and Brandon Hund played basketball and lacrosse. He went on to play at Towson University for four years, three years as a captain, and a fifth year at Rutgers, earning a master’s degree in business administration. Aidan Hund followed Brandon in playing basketball and lacrosse. All five grandchildren attribute much of their success in high school and college to the discipline they acquired as a student athlete at ALJ and the love they received from their families, especially their Pop Pop. This year, the family continues a scholarship foundation in his name that will assist in the collegiate efforts of former Crusader field hockey, basketball and lacrosse players.
The eighth annual Richard Superak Scholarships: Zoey Brown, field hockey; Ava Wood, field hockey; Dillon Cahill, basketball; and Robert Tyra, lacrosse.
The Jeffrey Felter – Michael Sot Memorial Scholarship presentation – On May 9, nine years ago, the baseball team honored its 1974 alumni with a 40th Year Anniversary of the 1974 State Sectional Championship Baseball Team. The day was highlighted by the announcement that alumni would be donating a scholarship in honor of one of their classmates that had passed away. This same group reached out a few years ago and asked if they could expand the scholarship and honor Michael Sot along with their friend.
Annual Jeffrey Felter – Michael Sot Memorial Scholarship: Steven Vigliotti.
Louis Peragallo Memorial Scholarship – Louis Peragallo was a beloved figure throughout the township of Clark and was an admired athletic administrator within the entire state of New Jersey. Coach Peragallo was the longest tenured athletic director in the history of Arthur L. Johnson High School, and has both a street leading to the turf field and a lower gymnasium named after him due to the impact he had on anyone who ever crossed paths with him. His memory continues to live on through the scholarships that bear his name.
Sixth annual Louis Peragallo Scholarships: Kailiegh Netland and Joey Ortega.
Investor Savings U.C.I.A.C. Scholarship presentations – Executive Director of the UCIAC and Clark School District Board of Education member Tom Lewis, assisted by UCIAC Executive Board Member Kevin Tenpenny, annually presents multiple Investor Savings U.C.I.A.C. Scholarships to deserving senior student athletes. Throughout the year, Arthur L. Johnson High School collaborates with the Union County Interscholastic Athletic Conference to host many Union County Tournament games and Championships. This partnership allows us to showcase our wonderful facilities, but more importantly it affords us the ability to present several scholarships to deserving senior student athletes at our yearly banquet.
Investor Savings U.C.I.A.C. Scholarships to – Antonio Rafoe, Leah Scepkowski, Jillian Duffy, Sean Joy, Sean Asgaralli, Martin Venezio and Julian Bencivenga.
Booster Club President Jimmy Minniti presented the ALJ Booster Club Outstanding Athlete Awards and Book Scholarships.
The recipients of the Outstanding Athlete Awards were: Krista LaBianca and Emilio Menicucci.
The recipients 0f the Book Scholarship were: Ava DeMarco, Veronica Parzych, Lacey Vill and Joey Ortega.
The Thomas Santaguida Sportsmanship Scholarship – The Booster Club recognizes Tom Santaguida for all his efforts and professionalism while serving as the athletic director at ALJ for six years. Santaguida was a model of sportsmanship, ethics and integrity and an example for all of us to follow. In his memory, the ALJ Booster Club annually awards scholarships to students who exhibit the qualities for which Santaguida was so well known. The recipients always treated teammates with respect, they won and lost with dignity, they respected the judgment of officials and accepted seriously the responsibility and privilege of representing Arthur L. Johnson and the communities of Clark and Garwood.
Recipients for the Thomas Santaguida Sportsmanship Scholarship: Elisabeth Brighouse, Kaitlyn Donkersloot, Thomas Huff and Steven Vigliotti.
“The Senior Athletic Awards are a wonderful event that allowed the administration, teachers, coaches, parents and student athletes a chance to reflect on four wonderful years competing as an Arthur L. Johnson High School Crusader, while honoring our senior student athletes for their remarkable accomplishments,” said Athletic Director Gus Kalikas. “Although the contributions from this senior class were great and will be missed, we look forward to seeing what they can accomplish in college over the next four years.”
Photos Courtesy of Gus Kalikas