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Thursday, jun 4
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Coaching
News
NJ Science Teacher Had Sex With Student: Prosecutor
A 26-year-old teacher at Sterling High School was arrested and charged with having sex with a student, authorities said. Jason Howe, a Runnemede resident, had sex with the female student at his apartment last month, Camden County Prosecutor Grace. MacAulay and Runnemede Police Chief William Sampolski said. He is charged with sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child. An investigation into Howe was launched by the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit after the student reported the act to Runnemede police last week, authorities said. Howe taught chemis…
Sports
Sudden Death At 55 Of Longtime Coach Bill Courtney Stuns Division I College Basketball World
Bill Courtney, a respected Division I college basketball coach and current assistant at Temple University, died suddenly at age 55, the school announced on Tuesday, Jan. 13. Courtney’s unexpected death has left the college basketball world in shock, with tributes pouring in from across the country. Born in Alexandria, Virginia, Courtney played collegiately at Bucknell before launching a coaching career that spanned more than three decades. He joined Temple’s staff in June and quickly became a valued member of the Owls’ program. Before Temple, Courtney served as interim head coach at …
Schools
NY Special Ed Teacher, City Councilmember Discussed Sex, Drugs, Violence With Student: Police
A New York special education teacher and city councilmember is accused of engaging in sexually explicit conversations with an underage student. Fulton County resident Scott Jeffers, 42, of Johnstown, was arrested Thursday, Dec. 11, following an investigation launched at the request of Greater Johnstown School District Superintendent Amy Arcurio, according to New York State Police. Investigators concluded that Jeffers, a special education teacher at Johnstown Jr./Sr. High School, repeatedly communicated with a student under the age of 17 through social media, text messages, voice calls, and …
Sports
Virginia Tech Lands James Franklin In Bold Hire Following Penn State Collapse
Virginia Tech didn’t just make a hire on Monday — it made a statement. James Franklin, the nationally recognized program-builder who turned Penn State into a perennial contender before it all collapsed this season, is officially the new head coach of Hokies Football, university officials announced in Blacksburg. The move marks a major swing for the Hokies, who said the hire reflects "total alignment between the Board of Visitors, University leadership, and the school’s Search Committee as part of an 'Invest to Win' push to restore the program to national prominence." Franklin, who fell out…
Sports
Undefeated Bergen County Soccer Coach Suspended After 12-0 Blowout, Report Says
The Cresskill High School girls soccer team has dominated this fall — but their coach was suspended after a 12-0 blowout, according to NJ Advance Media, and Pompton Lakes has since filed a formal complaint with the conference, athletic officials confirm. Coach Adam Khriss was suspended after the Cougars’ 12-0 shutout over Pompton Lakes on Thursday, Sept. 18, NJ Advance Media says. Cresskill Athletic Director Veronica Mullen confirmed to the outlet that Khriss was suspended by the school and did not coach against Bergenfield in Tuesday’s game, which the Cougars won 5-2. She declined to comme…
Obituaries
Retired NJ Police Detective Michael Petershack Dies Suddenly, 47
Michael Petershack, a retired Hardyston Police Department detective, coach, and devoted father and husband, died on Thursday, Aug. 7. He was 47. Sources tell Daily Voice that Petershack's death was unexpected. Mike was raised in Oak Ridge and graduated from Morris County Community College, according to his obituary on the Goble Funeral Home website. Before joining the police force, he owned and operated a hardwood flooring company and worked for the Jefferson Township Department of Public Works. He married his wife Sharon in 2013 and the couple was blessed with two children, Ella and Wesley…
Obituaries
Death Of NJ Dad Spreads Shock; $70K Raised For College Sweetheart, New Baby
The death of Gregory "Greg" Swenson, a new father, educator, and lifelong athlete, is spreading shock and sadness across multiple states. Greg, 29, of Cranford, NJ, died peacefully on Saturday, July 12 following a short illness, according to his obituary on the Gray Funeral Home. Greg's death comes six months after welcoming a baby boy, Lars, with his wife and college sweetheart, Morgan. A GoFundMe page launched for the pair had raised nearly $70,000 as of press time. A Farmingdale, NY native, Greg later moved to East Lyme where he was a three-sport athlete at East Lyme High School, h…
Sports
World Series Champion, Two-Time MLB All-Star Dies At Age 44
A flame-throwing closer who helped deliver the Chicago White Sox’s first World Series title in 88 years, has died. Bobby Jenks' death came Friday, July 4, following a battle with stomach cancer. He was 44. Jenks made his Major League debut in 2005 and quickly became one of the most dominant closers in the game. That October, he pitched in all four games of the World Series against the Houston Astros, recording the final out of Game 4 to clinch the championship for Chicago. Known for his 100-plus mph fastball and commanding presence on the mound, Jenks was named to the American Leagu…
Sports
After Coach's Death In Crash, Former Player Leads NJ High School Football Team
Joe Lapi never imagined it would happen like this. He thought one day, down the line, he might step into a head coaching role — something he’d work toward slowly, with time. But he never expected it to come in the wake of tragedy. Lapi, a Bergenfield native and 2014 graduate of the high school, is stepping into the role of head BHS football coach, a role held for 15 years by Rob Violante — more affectionately known as "Coach V" — who died on May 14 in a crash on the Taconic State Parkway in Westchester. “It was the worst phone call of my life,” said Lapi, 29. “I was devastated." Violante …
Sports
Sports Shocker: Knicks Fire Head Coach Tom Thibodeau After Best Postseason Run In 25 Years
In a move that has sent shockwaves throughout the sports world, the New York Knicks have fired head coach Tom Thibodeau after he led the team to their best postseason run in 25 years. The Knicks fell to the Indiana Pacers four games to two in the Eastern Conference finals, marking the first time they were one series away from the NBA finals since 2000. They also lost to the Pacers that year. Thibodeau has been the Knicks’ coach for five years. The team's 23 playoff wins the last three seasons are third in the NBA behind only the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets. When he took ov…
Obituaries
Devoted Coach, NJ Dad Of 4 Dies At 52 After Cancer Battle
Peter Michael Gianusso, a beloved Morris County father, coach, and Red Sox fan, died on Saturday, May 24, after a 17-month battle with cancer, his obituary on the Bradley Funeral Home website says. He was 52. Gianusso was a devoted husband to Bethany (Wilber) Gianusso for 25 years and loving and proud father to Isabella (22), Luca (20), Serafina (17), and Tomasso (15), his obituary says. “His love for his family was the foundation of his world, and he cherished every moment spent with them—whether on a baseball field, in the car trying to do the latest TikTok trend, or simply…
Sports
Bill Belichick Clears The Air About 24-Year-Old Girlfriend, Nixed HBO Show
In his first candid interview since a disastrous CBS appearance, Bill Belichick is clearing up rumors about his 24-year-old girlfriend—most notably, reports that she was the reason HBO scrapped its "Hard Knocks" series, which would have followed his new team as it prepares for the season. The eight-time Super Bowl winner and current head coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill spoke on the "Pivot" podcast Friday, May 16, about his new book,"The Art of Winning: Lessons From a Life in Football." But it was impossible to ignore the buzz surrounding his girlfriend, Jordon Hudso…
Sports
Legendary Coach Transformed This HS Soccer Team Into A Juggernaut, Now She's Stepping Away
In North Jersey high school soccer, Tara Madigan isn't just a coach — she's a force. The Northern Highlands Regional High School girls varsity head coach built a legacy that carried weight across towns and rival programs, dating back to 2003. Players across the region grew up hearing about her and dreaming of one day playing for her. Over two decades, Madigan built one of North Jersey’s premier girls' high school soccer teams, turning the Highlanders into an elite program synonymous with championships, grit, and tradition. Now, after four more seasons of adding to that legacy,…
Sports
Coach Fired, Charged After Yanking Player's Hair Following Basketball Championship Loss (
Video
)
A girls’ basketball coach in upstate New York was fired and criminally charged after a video of him angrily yanking a player’s hair went viral. The incident happened in Troy, after Northville High School lost to La Fargeville in the state Class D finals, held at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy on Friday, March 21. Video broadcast by NFHS showed Falcons head coach Jim Zullo pulling the ponytail of senior Hailey Monroe while appearing to yell at the girl. Another player is seen stepping in between the two as the 81-year-old Zullo then berates the second girl. In a letter to parents, …
Obituaries
Dumont Dad, Little League Coach John Daly Dies, 55
The Dumont community is mourning the loss of John P. Daly, a dedicated father, coach, and carpenter, who died on Friday, Feb. 21. He was 55 years old. Born in the Bronx, NY, John built a career as a carpenter with Local #157 at the Bloomberg Data Center in Orangeburg, NY, according to his obituary on the Frech-McKnight Funeral Home website. Beyond his work, John was deeply involved in his community, serving as a coach for Dumont Junior Football and Dumont Little League Baseball. He was also a member of the Dumont Police Reserves for many years, his obituary states. He is survived by …
Obituaries
Gym Teacher From Bergen County Betsy Groat Left Major Impact On Students
A beloved teacher who was a fixture at a Northern Westchester high school for decades is being remembered for her contagious positive energy and her tremendous impact on her students throughout her long career. Elizabeth “Betsy” Groat of Ho-Ho-Kus in Bergen County died on Wednesday, Oct. 30 after a battle with cancer, according to her obituary. Groat, who taught physical education and coached at Westlake High School in Thornwood, dedicated 38 years to inspiring and supporting student-athletes in the Mount Pleasant School District, according to a GoFundMe page created in her honor that i…
Sports
Meet Mike Keenan, Stanley Cup Winning Coach With Rangers, In North Jersey
He was the King of New York before becoming its biggest villain. And now the former coach is set to tell all in Bergen County. Mike Keenan, who coached the New York Rangers to a Stanley Cup in 1994, ending the team's 54-year drought, before quitting a month later over a contract dispute, will be signing copies of his new book "Iron Mike: My Life Behind the Bench," on Thursday, Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. Bookends in Ridgewood The book features Keenan discussing his coaching career, from taking the Flyers to the Stanley Cup to two Stanley Cup finals, to his run in Chicago to that famous 1993-1994 seaso…
Police & Fire
Boy Killed In Post-Scrimmage NJ Crash With Opposing Coach Identified (
Update
)
Football communities in South Jersey were left reeling following a post-scrimmage crash that left a coach and 9-year-old player dead on Thursday, Sept. 12. A GoFundMe campaign identifies the athlete killed as Easton Beisler, who played for Upper Township. Vineland police previously said a boy identified only as E.B. was riding in an SUV that collided with motorcyclist Addiel Ortiz, 31, at Maple Avenue near Becker Drive at around 5:53 p.m., Vineland police said. Ortiz was riding a Honda CBR 1000 motorcycle east on Maple when the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse heading…
Police & Fire
Grandmother Kills Ex-Daughter-In Law From NJ In Twisted Murder-Suicide: Reports
A 45-year-old New Jersey native and Westchester County, NY middle school teacher was shot and killed by her ex-husband's 65-year-old mother, who then turned the gun on herself in New York City, multiple news outlets say. Marisa Galloway — who hails from Wildwood, NJ and worked as a special education teacher in Ardsley, NY — was shot and killed by Kathleen Leigh near Gracie Mansion on Friday morning, July 26, NYPD brass said at a news briefing later that day. The NYPD said it happened amid a custody battle between Galloway and her ex-husband, whose mother was identified as Leigh, over their …
News
Former Moonachie Superintendent Dr. Jonathan Ponds Dies
The Montclair Public School District is mourning the loss of its superintendent. A message posted on the district website said only that the district is mourning the passing of Dr. Jonathan Ponds. Ponds was principal to students at the Parsons Elementary School in North Brunswick from 2012 to 2015 and also served as a superintendent and principal in Moonachie. Ponds also had experience working as a special education teacher, basketball coach, vice principal, and dean of students, his bio on the Montclair Schools website said. The district's director of secondary education Damen Coope…
Sports
Gregg Berhalter, NJ Native, Fired As Head Coach Of US Men's Soccer Team
The search is on for a new head coach of the US Men's National Team. The team flamed out in front of hometown fans and were bounced from the 2024 Copa America in the group stage after losing to Urugay and Panama. It was the first time the US failed to advance out of the group stage. On Wednesday, July 10, the US Soccer Federation made an unsurprising announcement: The team's head coach, Englewood native Gregg Berhalter, 50, had been "relieved of his duties, effective immediately." The search for a new #USMNT head coach has begun. pic.twitter.com/BFVedpnyfo — U.S. Soccer …
Obituaries
Guy Del Corso, Legendary Passaic County Bodybuilding Coach, Dies: 'Loved By All'
Guy Del Corso, a bodybuilding coach in Passaic County and former Mr. New Jersey, died on Thursday, Feb. 15, his family announced on Instagram. Del Corso, who lived in Hawthorne, had a stroke last month, his family said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Guy Del Corso (@coffeewithcoach_) "He was loved by all who knew him and will be missed terribly," his family wrote. "Please know he loved each and every one of you." The bodybuilding coach originally developed a fascination with bodybuilding when he was just nine years old, visitin…
Obituaries
Beloved NJ Wrestling Coach Curt Pakutka Dies After Cancer Battle, 55
A beloved New Jersey high school teacher and coach died after a lengthy battle to esophageal cancer. Curt D. Pakutka, 55, of Mansfield Township, died on June 7, at Hackettstown Medical Center. He was a well-loved physical education and driver's education teacher, as well as occasionally teaching health, at Newton High School in Sussex County. His love for sports followed him when he became a wrestling coach for Jefferson Township in Morris County from 2004-2015 and the head coach for the Newton High School Girls softball team from 2008-2019, according to his obituary. Curt also p…
News
'Sweet, Selfless, Always Smiling': Beloved North Jersey Educator Michael Carlucci, 57
A celebration of life for career North Jersey educator Michael Carlucci will be live-streamed later this week to what's expected to be an enormous audience. The beloved 57-year-old father of three from Verona had been swimming with his wife, Jeanene, and others on Saturday when he apparently was caught in a rip current generated by Hurricane Earl. His body was recovered after a 45-minute search. Carlucci’s funeral service is scheduled for 11 a.m. this Friday, Sept. 16 at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit (36 Gould Street, Verona), where he was an active parishioner. MAP: Episcopal C…
Sports
Players Mourn Sudden Loss Of Beloved NJ Football Coach Brian Meeney, 46
Take a quick look at the posts from some of Brian Meeney's current and former players and students, and the impact he made becomes obvious. "I can never repay you for everything you taught me," one wrote. "Kept me out of trouble and made sure I stayed on the path of success, I wouldn’t be where I am today if you didn’t push me the way that you did." "You believed in me," said another, "and most importantly you never gave up on me. Coach Meeney I’ll always love you you were that second father-like figure in my life." The Maywood dad suffered a massive heart attack while on his way to work o…
Schools
‘Gridiron Icon’: Ramapo HS Football Coach Drew Gibbs, 59, Dies After Emergency Surgery
The term “legend” is often too easily used, but no one who knew him -- or of him -- would dispute how precisely it fits Drew Gibbs. All of them prayed for the best after learning that the Ramapo High School coach and teacher was hospitalized with chest pains following practice on Monday. Gibbs, who was eagerly anticipating another regional championship game this Friday, died Tuesday morning. He was 59. “I am devastated this morning by the sudden passing of the amazing, caring man I had the joy of calling my brother,” Geoff Gibbs posted soon after. “I am at a complete loss for words to des…
Sports
Bergen County High Schools Mourn Loss Of Beloved 'Coach H'
Jeff Horohonick -- a beloved and accomplished North Jersey high school softball coach -- died on Sept. 27. He was 60 years old. Those who knew him say his death was a combination of COVID-19 and complications of heart failure. Horohonich -- affectionately known as "Coach H" -- worked as a softball and girls basketball coach at Immaculate Heart and Lodi Immaculate. He was the head softball coach in Saddle Brook at the time of his death. "The great Anthony LaRezza was Coach 'H's' assistant at IHA for many years. Have to believe that Anthony welcomed his pal home, with that great grin of …
Sports
Northern Valley Knights Seek Baseball Coaches, Assistants
The Northern Valley Knights are seeking coaches and assistants for the spring/summer baseball seasons. These are paid positions, consisting of two practices and one game per week, for ages 10u-13u. Encouraged to apply are any and all high school baseball/softball players, former Knights players and local aspiring coaches. CONTACT:
[email protected]
The NV Knights have teams from 9u (3rd grade) through 14u (8th grade) and operate as a feeder for Northern Valley High School-Old Tappan baseball. The non-profit 501-C3 volunteer organization says it “is intended for more competitive playe…
Sports
Rival Wayne Football Coaches Suspended
Two football coaches from rival Wayne high schools have been suspended due to a game that ended with an altercation Sept. 7, NorthJersey.com reports. Wayne Hills head coach Wayne Demikoff told his players he was suspended from this week's practices and this Friday's game at West Milford, while Wayne Valley head coach Roger Kotlarz declined to name the coach that was suspended but did confirm suspension, the article says. Kotlarz said the highly-anticipated game is a "very special" event -- which made the altercation even more disappointing, NorthJersey.com says. Details from the…
Obituaries
Former Leonia High Standout Athlete, Coach Chris Farulla Dies, 29
Christopher Daniel Farulla of Leonia died suddenly Aug. 21. He was 29 years old. Most recently of Phoenix, A.Z., Farulla was a longtime resident of Leonia where he was a high school wrestler and football player. He wrestled in the 2007 New Jersey State Wrestling Championships, earning the title Region 2 Champion. He later became a wrestling coach and mentor to countless high school athletes. Friends and loved ones remembered Farulla as being unapologetically honest and a good friend. "Chris Farulla, you were one of a kind my friend," JP Reyes wrote on social media. "Alway…
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