About two months ago or so, when things weren’t exactly going well for the St. Peter’s Prep basketball team, head coach Mike Kelly reminded the Marauders that it wasn’t exactly the end of the world.
“I told them that they could accomplish the same things that last year’s team did, maybe even more,” Kelly said.
Last year’s version of the Marauders merely won 25 games, captured their third straight Hudson County championship, and won the NJSIAA Non-Public A North state sectional championship, the school’s first state title in 26 years. They finished the season ranked among the top five teams in New Jersey.
The Marauders had lost two Hudson Reporter First Team All-Area honorees from last year’s team, namely Ronald Roberts to graduation (St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia) and Myles Davis to academic difficulties.
After the Marauders sputtered to a 2-3 start, people wondered whether the Marauders would ever reach the same heights ever again.
But Kelly offered his words of encouragement in January and last Saturday afternoon, the first part of Kelly’s plan took place, when the Marauders defeated Marist, 76-46, at St. Peter’s College’s Yanitelli Center for their fourth straight Hudson County title.
“It’s the same result, just a different journey,” said Kelly, who has coached all four county titles. “I really believe that. Sure, we may have had a few more bumps in the road this time, but that’s what makes this one more special.”
What also makes it special is that the Marauders have three seniors, namely Kevin Walker (16 points, 12 rebounds and eighty assists in the title game), Keith Lumpkin and Chase Fluellen, who played major roles in all four consecutive championships and another senior, Stephon Wyatt (game-high 23 points in the win), who was part of three.
“They’re the ‘Core Four,’” Kelly said. “I’d put them up against anyone in the state. I like my chances against anyone with those four.”
Kelly admitted that having three players with four years of varsity experience (two of whom, namely Walker and Lumpkin are 1,000-point scorers) gave his team a huge advantage against Marist.
“You can’t teach experience like that,” Kelly said. “They fuel the fire. They’re the marquee players. These kids experienced the bumps in the road, more adversity than most high school kids have to endure.”
For a little change of pace, Kelly asked a fellow Prep coach to deliver the pre-game speech, namely football coach and athletic director Rich Hansen.
“It was good for them to hear another voice for a change,” Kelly said. “We all know what Coach Hansen has done in football.”
Kelly was asked about the sense of pride he had in his four-time county champs.
“It’s a pride that we all built together,” Kelly said. “I can’t even begin to imagine not coaching these kids. I’ve coached them all for so long. I told them before the game that they were on the precipice of doing something very special. Now, I’m gushing with pride. I told them from last May and June that the goals always remained the same. And we’re not done yet.”
The Marauders won their first round game in the NJSIAA Non-Public A North playoffs Tuesday night, defeating Pingry. They were set to face Delbarton in the second round after press time Thursday.
“We’re not done in the county, because we’re starting on the road for five,” Kelly said. “I won’t even consider the historical perspective until we’re done.”…
Speaking about Prep, the Marauders’ sensational sprinter Najee Glass earned his redemption last Saturday by capturing the gold medal in the 400-meter dash at the NJSIAA Indoor Meet of Champions with a new record time of 48.48, breaking the mark set by Lance Wigfall of East Orange back in 2003.
“I’m very excited and happy,” Glass said after winning his second overall state championship. Glass won the Outdoor Meet of Champions last June in the 400-meter dash.
“I’ve really wanted the indoor title,” Glass said. “It’s all I’ve been thinking about since last year.”
A year ago, bothered by a bad hip, Glass struggled through the 400-meter M of C final and finished second.
“Now, I come back and set a new meet and state record,” Glass said. “It’s definitely redeeming. Now people can believe in me and not second guess me. They can be on my side instead of being against me. I have to overcome obstacles and be ready for anything.”
“He’s just a natural,” Prep track coach Mike Burgess said. “He’s blessed and gifted. He controlled his destiny here and he wanted to redeem himself. He definitely remembered last year and he was prepared well for this.”…
Hudson County’s other resident track superstar, Dickinson’s Jose Veras, finished third at the Meet of Champions in the 800-meter run in 1:56.18, passing three runners in the final strides to get third, and was fourth in the high jump, clearing the bar at 6-6, giving Veras two medals at the M of C…
Three St. Peter’s Prep wrestlers, Alex Richardson (135), Tony Pafumi (171) and James Fox (189), all won Region 4 championships last weekend and head to Atlantic City this weekend for the state championships. Teammates Francisco Colom (second at 152), Mike Russo (second at 103) and Brian Merkel (third at 145) all punched tickets to the state championships, giving the Marauders their biggest Atlantic City participation in the program’s history.
North Bergen will send two wrestlers to Atlantic City in Region 4 103-pound champion Luis Gonzalez and Julian Quintero, who was third at 130 pounds. Deaglan Walsh of Hudson Catholic (160) and Adam Swift of Secaucus (125) both earned berths at the state championship by finishing third in their respective weight classes. It’s certainly a solid representation from Hudson County at the states…
Talk about your interesting showdowns in the NJSIAA state tournament. Both St. Anthony and Hudson Catholic won their first round games in the Non-Public B North playoffs, so the Friars were slated to play host to the Hawks Friday night after press time. That’s definitely interesting…
And St. Mary won its first round game against Morristown-Beard, 45-42, setting up a home game in the next round against Oratory Prep. The Ramblers are getting one last chance to play in the home gym before the school closes in June…
Bayonne’s girls won the Hudson County Tournament for the third straight year, defeating North Bergen in the title game last Saturday. It’s a fine accomplishment for coach James Turner and the Bees, led by standout Lisa Rovatsos, who had 21 points in the 48-32 victory over the Bruins. Rovatsos had a huge game against Bridgewater-Raritan in the second round of the North Jersey Section 2, Group IV playoffs, collecting 31 points, 19 rebounds and six assists in the 60-59 win…
Congrats to Lincoln’s Ronald Butler, who was selected to play in the annual NJSCA North-South All-Star Football Classic next June. Teammate Tyron Stevens was selected with Butler as one of New Jersey’s Top 100 players by the same organization….
Hudson County lost a true track and field giant last week, when Bob Short passed away in Florida at the age of 86.
Short won the New Jersey state championship in the 440-yard dash at St. Michael’s of Jersey City, then served the country in World War II as a member of the U.S. Army, earning several medals, including the Purple Heart. Short went on to coach track and field at Ferris, St. Aloysius and St. Peter’s College in his storied 40-plus year coaching career. He was once named the New Jersey Track coach of the Year and was a member of both the St. Aloysius and St. Peter’s College Halls of Fame…
Hudson Reporter Boys’ H.S. Basketball Top Five: 1. St. Anthony (25-0). 2. St. Peter’s Prep (21-5). 3. Marist (17-6). 4. Hudson Catholic (23-5). 5. Memorial (16-6).
Hudson Reporter Girls’ H.S. Basketball Top Five: 1. Bayonne (26-3). 2. North Bergen (22-5). 3. Secaucus (22-3). 4. Holy Family Academy (15-8). 5. St. Dominic Academy (15-11)….—Jim Hague
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.