RIH Board Honors Student Athletes

Just days after Ramapo alum Morgan Hoffman (2006) just missed the cut in one of golf's biggest tournaments, the U.S. Open, by one bad hole, a number of scholastic athletes from Ramapo and Indian Hills high schools were recognized for their incredible accomplishments—both academically and athletically—at Monday evening's regular Board of Education meeting. Many of the athletes are among the best performers in the country in their respective sports.

Amanda Muliawan, Ramapo's standout tennis player, finished the season at 24-0. She was ranked as high as #9 nationally in her age group, ranked #1 in New Jersey and was The Star Ledger's Player of the Year for her fantastic season. Her coach, math teacher and longtime girls tennis coach Kim Marchese, said, "I'm very proud to have coached Amanda this year and her All-American status, which is a very tough achievement to earn."

Muliawan was the state singles champion as a sophomore and ranked as high as 9th nationally for under-16 girls. (She corrected Marchese, who mistakenly thought she ranked only as high as 16^th in the nation, much to the laughter of the crowd on hand.)

The Ramapo boys tennis team were no slouches themselves on the court. The team took home the Bergen County championship, State sectional title and narrowly lost to Milburn for the State championship. Four-year starter Christian Carcione ended his high school career as just the third player in Ramapo history to end up with 100 wins. He finished 2009-10 with a 24-5 record and was named first team All-League and first team All-County. The standout first singles player will be attending Swarthmore College in the fall.

Softball

"We won all of the championships we could win," Indian Hills girls softball coach Joe Leicht said.

In their trophy case, you'll find an impressive cache of titles—Bergen County champions, Section 1 Group 2 state sectional champions and overall Group 2 state champions.

The Lady Braves finished the season as the #1 ranked team in all of New Jersey according to a few publications. "We were definitely the best team," said Leicht of the 33-2 girls.

The team scored a staggering 189 runs and only gave up 16 runs on the entire season. Standout pitcher Katie Enright won 31 games on her way to Player of the Year honors and three others joined her as Group 2 All-State award winners.

Perhaps the most impressive accolade the IHHS girls took home was the Bergen County Softball Sportsmanship Award, something Leicht stressed.

While you'd be hard-pressed to find a team that accomplished more on the field, the girls' are standouts off the field, too, said Leicht, who mentioned their academic achievements, as well as their sterling behavior.

"I'd take them anyplace," he said.

He relayed a story of the team traveling to Florida for a tournament where the hotel manager requested a $1,000 bond, anticipating poor behavior on the part of the team. "'Baloney,' I said. We're not putting up a $1,000 bond,' " Leicht said.

"I said, 'I'll make a deal with you. If you think there's a problem, I'll pay you double. I don't put up a bond—we know how to behave.' "

No bond was paid, a testament to the overall character of one of the greatest teams in the history of New Jersey high school softball.

"They're a credit to their parents, and they're a credit to this district," the coach said before congratulating the other teams and individual athletes in the district.

Track & Field, Golf

Chelsea Hartigan, a senior track and field star from Ramapo, also had an "unbelievable indoor season" according to Ramapo athletic director Todd Meyer.

Hartigan, set to pole vault next year for Brown University, was the Group 3 indoor pole vault champion, competed in the Nike Indoor Nationals in Boston, won every pole vault event in the NBIL, also won the North 1 Group 3 sectional meet, took 2^nd at the all-county meet, took 3^rd in the state meet, and received first team All-League and first team All-County for her accomplishments. The senior also took 6^th in the Penn Relays and is ranked among the top pole vaulters in the nation.

On the boys' side, Bradley Paternostro, Ramapo's junior track star, is the 7^th fastest junior in the county in the 800 meters. The burner received The Record's Player of the Week, the Stephen Smith Outstanding Track Award and now holds a few state records.

Paternostro won all of his dual meet races this year, is the state relay 800 champion (where he set a new meet record), NBIL champion in the 1,600 and 800, won the Group 3 state championship, State Meet of Champions (the first Ramapo athlete to accomplish such distinction), and is the school record holder in a number of events.

Not to be outdone, Indian Hills' boys track and field outdoor team also had a phenomenal season, flanked by two of the most decorated seniors in the district's history. For the year, the team won the NBIL championship, the Bergen County Individual Group B championship and the North 1 Group 2 sectional meet.

Corey Crawford, a runner for the Braves, earned The Record's Athlete of the Year in the long jump, where he broke a 77-year-old record with a soaring 24-9 ½, five inches more than the previous mark. Crawford also holds the distinction of national prominence in the long jump. In April, at the Aviator Relays, Crawford jumped 25 feet and 1/2 inch, which was the second best jump in the United States at the time, and broke the Bergen County long jump record.

Two seniors made All-State and won six events at the NBIL championships, won seven events at the Group B Bergen County individual championships and on the biggest stage won six events at the state sectionals. Mark Filandro topped the field in the State Group 2 meet for the second consecutive year. At Nationals, Crawford placed 3^rd and was awarded an All-American. He'll be competing for Rutgers next year.

Filandro won the 400 and 800 meters in the state sectionals, leading Indian Hills to their first Group 2 title in February. He was named 1^st team All-County and plans to run for Penn State this fall. Filandro holds seven school records. He is the Bergen County record holder in the 400 indoors. He holds the Group 2 State record in the 400 meters.

"Both young men have had fantastic seasons," Coach Bill Barry said.

Ramapo Boys Golf team also capped off a great season, winning the league championship and State Group 3 title.

Alex Fodi was named 1^st Team All-Group 3 and teammates Eric Skott and Erick Regojo were named to the second team. The Raiders were named the North Jersey Team of the Year.