Indian Hills Hockey Team Raising Money In Honor Of Late Alumni

OAKLAND, NJ — The Indian Hills varsity ice hockey team will host a special charity game in memory of a former player who died of a heroin overdose last year.

The Triple R Game will be played Saturday in memory of Randy Rotella, an Indian Hills alumnus. Rotella died of a heroin overdose exactly one year ago. He was a member of the class of 2006.

"He was a really, really great guy. An all-American kid, outgoing and personable. He would be very open with you about his heroin use," said Anthony Tabbacchino, the varsity's team's coach and was a former teammate of Rotella's. "He used to go into high schools and talk with the kids about himself."

Rotella excelled at both hockey and football.

"He was so athletic and good, if he would have played hockey all year around, there's no clue where he would have ended up," Tabbacchino said. "He was such an intimidating force out there, but you talk to him and he was the nicest guy."

The Triple R Game, which stands for recover, redeem and renew, will be played at the Ice Vault in Wayne Saturday at 2:15 p.m. More than $9,400 has been donated to date.

The money will be donated to the Market Street Mission, The Valentine House, a drug-recovery center, and Indian Hills ice hockey.

Donations may be mailed to the Triple R Memorial Fund, 494 Cherry St., Franklin Lakes N.J. 07417.

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Photo: Randy Rotella, center, during a game for the Braves — Courtesy of Steve Lovell