Dinner to be held Sunday in Hamilton
By: Rich Fisher
A milestone dinner will feature a local flavor this Sunday.
The 20th Hibernian Senior 11 Soccer Dinner will be held at the Hibernian Club in Hamilton Township on April 10, and the honorees include Lawrence High’s Brittany Hatrack and Notre Dame’s Michelle Shuler, Jarret Pelzer, Jeff Tragone and Mike Henry.
The dinner honors 11 senior boys and 11 senior girls from the Colonial Valley Conference for their talents both on and off the field. The players are chosen by the 13 soccer coaches in the Hibernian Athletic Association.
"We might not have all the first-
team CVC players," said 1984 Lawrence High graduate Phil Alu, who co-
chairs the event with Brian Kerns. "But all these kids are all good players who contribute to their community, and who have high grade-point averages. They’ll be heading to some good schools after this year."
"It’s awesome," added Kerns, a 1981 Steinert High graduate who grew up playing for the Hibernians. "I love the Hibernians and what they do for kids like this. It’s a great place, and the guys who coach there are like a ‘Who’s Who’ of 1970’s soccer in Mercer County.
"That was a great period for soccer in the county, so you know these coaches are serious about running a good event for soccer players.
Hatrack had six goals and three assists for the Cardinals, accounting for half the team’s 18 goals on the season.
"We all go out and see a lot of games each fall," Kerns said. "Then we get together, discuss all their attributes in soccer and away from the field, and decide it from there."
Princeton University women’s coach Julie Shackford and Mercer County Community College men’s coach Charlie Inverso will serve as guest speakers.
The dinner is at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20 and still available by calling Alu at (609) 631-0423 or Kerns at (609) 587-8807. The Hibernian Club is on Kuser Road in Hamilton Township.

