CLARK, Nj — When Ray Redziniak was an all-state senior football player in the fall of 1995, the Arthur L. Johnson High School Crusaders not only went 11-0 and captured the program’s first state championship in the playoff era by winning North 2, Group 2, but the gridiron standouts from Clark also outscored the opposition by a whopping and unforgettable 424-24 margin.
When Matthew Poskay graduated a little more than 20 years ago, who scored more lacrosse goals in the state of New Jersey? No one.
Who won the boys basketball Union County Tournament championship in 1981? Elizabeth? Linden? St. Patrick’s?
No.
It was the Arthur L. Johnson Regional Crusaders, coached then by third-year mentor Steve Petruzzelli, who is still in the coaching ranks more than four decades later.
Redziniak and Poskay and the 1981 boys basketball team will be honored in two months as part of the inaugural Arthur L. Johnson Athletic Hall of Fame induction banquet.
The event will be at the Gran Centurions in Clark on Thursday, Oct. 19.
For those interested in attending, the cost for all guests is $65. Checks should be made payable to the ALJ Booster Club and should be sent to the following address by Friday, Sept. 1: ALJ Athletic Hall of Fame, Mr. Robert Smorol, 16 Acken Drive, Clark, NJ 07066.
In addition, anyone interested in taking out a congratulatory ad in the program should send a message and check to the aforementioned address. Full-page messages will cost $100, while half-page messages will cost $50.
Fourteen individuals and one team were selected as part of the first class. The team is the 1981 boys basketball team – the only Arthur L. Johnson boys basketball team to win the Union County Tournament.
Here is the list of individuals, with the year they graduated and the sports in which they excelled:
• Lou Peragallo, athletic director, from 1960-1992;
• Joseph Sisea, 1958; football, wrestling, track and field;
• Joseph Provenzano, 1959; football, baseball;
• Frank Spaziani, 1965; football, basketball, baseball;
• Marlene Milkosky, 1976; tennis, basketball, softball;
• Richard Zavali, 1978; football, wrestling, lacrosse;
• Kevin Boyle 1981; basketball;
• Tracy Hayden, 1982; soccer, basketball, softball;
• Todd Burger, 1988; football, track and field, lacrosse;
• Jason Pressman, 1990; football, track and field, lacrosse;
• Ray Redziniak, 1997; football, wrestling, lacrosse;
• Karen Kolmos, 1999; soccer, basketball, softball;
• Matthew Poskay, 2002; football, basketball, lacrosse; and
• Rob Smorol, 2009; baseball.
Peragallo, for whom one of the gyms at Arthur L. Johnson is named, began his long career at ALJ in 1956. He served as the school’s athletic director for more than 30 years, from 1960 until his retirement in 1992.
Peragallo died in October 2019 at the age of 92.
The 1981 boys basketball team was honored at Arthur L. Johnson in February 2021. The Crusaders went 23-3 that year and won the UCT as the third seed.
Arthur L. Johnson defeated top-seeded Hillside High School 73-61 in the 1981 championship game, which was played at the Dunn Sport Center in Elizabeth.
“We averaged only eight turnovers a game, which is really good for a high school team,” Petruzzelli recalled. “We averaged 19 when they were sophomores and 11-12 when they were juniors.
“We knew that we were really good and had high goals. Older fans still talk about this team. We didn’t realize how special or unique we were until after the season.”
A good cast is worth repeating
Arthur L. Johnson Regional Crusaders boys basketball 1980-1981 Union County Tournament champions finished the season 23-3 and ranked No. 10 in state.
Starters
14-Brian Kernan, senior
24-Kevin Boyle, senior – co-captain
25-Jim Taylor, senior
44-Henry Trani, junior
13-Glenn Bodnar, senior – co-captain
Reserves
Dan Liebers, senior
Ken McMurdo, senior
Alex Firkser, senior
Seth Oberman, senior
Mike DiBiagio, senior
Rich Jordan, senior
Bob Kraus, junior
Blair Ligas, junior
Manager: Keith Barranger
Head coach: Steve Petruzzelli, third season
Assistants: Rich Nead, Bob Kowalski
Photo Courtesy of Steve Petruzzelli