ALJ High School Senior Athletes Receive Honors

Graduating senior athletes from Arthur L. Johnson High School were feted Monday night at the the 2013 Senior Athletic Awards at The Westwood in Garwood.

The evening, sponsored by the Crusader Athletic Booster Club, featured the presentation of plaques and awards to all senior student athletes and their teams.

Coaches gave more than 100 players a “Booster Club Achievement Plaque,” an individual award acknowledging all of the sports programs each senior athlete participated during his or her high school career. 

"The Senior Sports Awards was a wonderful event that allowed the administration, teachers, coaches, parents, and student athletes a chance to reflect on a wonderful four years competing as an Arthur L. Johnson High School Crusader while honoring our senior student athletes for their remarkable accomplishments," said Gus Kalikas, ALJHS' supervisor of athletics, health and physical education. "Although the contributions from this senior class were great and will be missed, we look forward to seeing what they can accomplish in college over the next four years.”

It was announced that the following ALJHS students are going on to compete in collegiate sports:

• Lauren Adamusik (C.W. Post – Field Hockey)     
• Justin Barbosa (FDU – Soccer)    
• Ryan Barron (Kutztown – Football)     
• Stephanie Budrock (Goucher College – Soccer)
• Jamie Cheeka (Rowan – Soccer)   
• Austin Colish (Desales University – Lacrosse)     
• Cristina DeCristofaro (NJIT – Track and Field)
• Matt Dunn (Immaculata – Soccer)
• Alison Dugan (Penn State – Trying Out for Cheerleading Competition Team)
• Jamie Horvath (Montclair State – Cheerleading)
• Alec Kellish (Nazareth College – Lacrosse)
• Carly Koppel (Ryder University – Cheerleading)
• Sean Myers (Gwen and Mercy College – Lacrosse)
• Eddie Olenick (Kutztown – Football)
• Anthony Pacheco (Stevens Institute of Technology – Swimming)
• Lance Pecina (Stockton – Lacrosse)
• Kyle Pender (Belmont Abbey – Baseball)
• Christopher Purcell (Montclair State – Track & Field)
• Erin Roach (William Paterson – Volleyball)
• Katie Sanchez (Rowan – Soccer)
• John Stauffer (Montclair State – Baseball)
• Nicholas Stolarz (Goucher College – Soccer)
• Samantha Rodrigues (Stockton – Soccer)
• Anthony Travisano (East Coast Prep – Football)
• Jessica Vaccaro (East Carolina University – Cross Country
• Nicholas Venditto (Worcester Polytechnical Institute – Swimming)
• Andrew Zub (Kings College – Football) 

Other awards given Monday night:

• Frank J. Cicarell Memorial Scholarship: Ali Dugan, Jessica Sandler, John Stauffer, Andrew Zub
• ALJ Booster Club Outstanding Athlete Awards:  Bianca Briscese and (Athlete) Ed Olenick 
• Book Scholarship: Stephanie Budrock and Matthew Dunn
• Thomas Santaguida Sportsmanship Scholarship: Jamie Cheeka and Chris Purcell