We wouldn’t be surprised if children in
Florence Township learn to bowl, catch,
swim and throw before they can walk.
By:
For several decades, sports has been a
major way of life for many of the township’s
residents. Whether dabbling in coaching,
getting involved in a team or being a faithful
spectator of local events, sports just seems to
be in the blood of the citizens.
Baseball and soccer are two of the many
sports that come to mind when recalling the
excellence of the township’s athletes. How
ever, the recent athletic buzz revolves
around the Florence Flashes high school
basketball team.
For the second year in a row, the team
captured the Group I state final champion
ship on March 11 at the Louis Brown Ath
letic Center in Piscataway with an easy
41-35 victory over Cresskill.
To win one title is impressive enough.
To win two in a row only cements Flor
ence’s presence in high school basketball.
A photo captured by our Register-News
photographer, Phil McAuliffe, of the victo
rious team clearly tells the story of how the
boys felt to win.
With faces etched in joy, gleeful players
toppled to the ground and friends of the
team pointing to players as if to say,
"You’re the man!" the photo freezes in time
a moment the players will recall thousands
of times in their lives.
The team had a little help from abroad
this year, as English-born David Keely, stay
ing with the Dankanich family in the town
ship, lent his 6-foot, 9-inch frame to the win
ning cause. He also was the only one who
could stand as tall as teammate Jeff Danka
nich, who also is the same height.
David said there is no basketball in Eng
lish public schools. Florence Township play
ers gave something special not only to them
selves and the community, but also to an
international visitor.
Last year during interviews after win
ning the Group I title, Jeff told the Register-
News that the team would win a champion
ship this year as well. While we didn’t doubt
the talent of the school’s team, it seemed too
soon then to predict such an outcome.
We obviously should have listened. It
appears the team already had made up its
mind.
So to team members Warren Miller,
Stephen Ordog, Joseph Giambrone, Adam
Borota, Jorron Jenkins, Dave Tardiff, Jason
Shafer, David Keeley, Jeff Dankanich and
Coach Art Bobik, the Register-News wishes
you a hearty congratulations.
Your team is one of the reasons we can
boast the way we do about the northern Bur
lington County community.