Program likely to move to varsity next year
By: John Beisser
At Hillsborough High School, the Raiders are fashioning their own "Miracle on Ice" script.
The "Ice Raiders," as they affectionately call themselves, are off to a roaring start in their first year of existence. Under the direction of energetic and relentlessly positive head coach Jeff Kampf, the Raiders are competing as a jayvee team this season with the expectation that they will be elevated to varsity status next season.
For jayvee teams all across central New Jersey, that is the best news they’ve heard all year as Hillsborough has punished most of its opponents in carving out a 10-1-1 record with eight games remaining.
What do you get when you have a talented, experienced core of players who have been skating almost as long as they’ve been walking? What do you get when you combine these athletes with a driven, focused coaching staff that stresses the values of team unity and sharing the puck? Well, consider this sampling of final scores Hillsborough 14, Pingry 2, Hillsborough 11, Watchung Hills 1, Hillsborough 14, Pequannock 0. You get the picture.
"Most of our players have been competing on club teams their whole lives and have been skating since they were four years old," Kampf said. "The biggest challenge we’ve had as a staff is to instill the concepts of team play. We have a group of skilled players who know the game and we have a lot of depth. But high school hockey is different than club hockey. I think the kids have done a great job of understanding what high school hockey is all about, because it is different."
The Ice Raiders is actually the nickname of the Hillsborough Middle School team, a program that Kampf views as a potential farm team for the varsity. In Kampf’s utopian vision of Hillsborough ice hockey future, young players in the middle school program will be instilled with the same training techniques, and will learn the same values of team chemistry that will be taught on the varsity level. Most consistently successful high school athletic programs are structured that way, with the feeder system constantly supplying new talent that is taught the same cohesive principles that are being taught at the top.
"I tell you, Hillsborough High School is a heckuva place to coach," Kampf said. "Many of the concepts I am implementing come directly from these fine coaches. The idea behind the team meals that we have instituted have come from our football coach, Rick Mantz. Having the players eat together helps build team unity. Norm Hewitt is a great coach, Jim Reese – it goes on and on here. This is just a great place to be a coach."
Kampf is equally effusive in his praise of athletic director Michael Fanizzi, whose support of Hillsborough ice hockey has been instrumental as the program moves through its formative stages. Hillsborough’s assistant coaching trio of Matt Zeeman, Phil Shambach and Andrew Maroulla have also been instrumental in the Raiders’ early success. While the support and hard work turned in by administrators and coaches are vital, any quality coach will tell you that success begins and ends with the players themselves. And truth be told, Hillsborough’s 24-person roster has its share of players and the bulk of them are underclassmen, young charges who will be around for years to come.
Sophomore captain Eric Psihoules is a team leader from his defenseman position. Junior defenseman Kevin Nunes and junior forward Dominick Valenzano serve as alternate captains. Offensively, the Raiders have been paced by the explosive top line of freshmen Joseh Kubrak, Matthew Daugherty and Corey DeFranco. "White Lightning," as this line is called, offers top line speed and skill. The fact that all three will return for three more seasons must send a chill to opposing area coaches.
Freshman forward Trevor Bierwirth is a well-rounded offensive force as are sophomore Michael Lysyj and Valenzano. Sophomore Alex Merry is a key component from his center position, and assisted on the first goal in Raider history, a shot fired home by Chris Szulc.
Defensive stalwarts for the Raiders include sophomore Jeffrey Pagano, junior Casey Leedy, freshman Greg Calvaruso and sophomore Sean Burke. No hockey team can be successful without top-notch goaltending and the Raiders have a good one in Eric Visnovsky, who has been terrific between the pipes all season.
Forwards Nick Urbano and Eric Yates, as well as senior coaching assistants Geoffrey Grek and Stephen Griggs, are all victims of one thing – unfortunate timing. Since they are seniors, Urbano, Yates, Grek and Griggs will not be on hand to participate in Hillsborough’s varsity program but their contributions in one season of Hillsborough hockey have been noteworthy. And, for good measure, Hillsborough even has a female on its roster in junior defenseman Julie Desimone, a competitor who backs down from no one.
"Julie’s done a great job blending in with the guys," Kampf said. "She’s an unbelievable team player and holds her own. She’s amazing."
While space does not permit the mentioning of every single player, suffice to say that Kampf recognizes each team member’s contributions. In short, he likes where the program is, and more importantly, where it’s going.
"Even though many of the games have been lopsided, I’m glad we played a jayvee schedule this year," Kampf said. "It’s allowed us to grow at a good pace and instill a lot of our principles.
"We’ve got some tough games coming up," he added. "Bergen Catholic is an awesome program. The school that I think will develop into our rival is Hunterdon Central. They have the same status as us and are working towards becoming a varsity program. We beat them 5-1 the first time this season and we play them again. I expect a tougher game this time around."
With the 10-goal mercy rule in effect in a number of games this year, a roster replete with talent, skill and youth, the sky appears to be the limit for the Hillsborough ice hockey program. The years of wrangling over the merits of a viable ice hockey program in Hillsborough are over.
The Raiders’ quick ascension and optimistic future have been nothing less than astounding and begs one question. Do you believe in miracles?

