Venuto, four other head coaches replaced
By: Rudy Brandl
Manville High will have some new faces leading its athletic programs when the 2007-2008 school year begins in September.
There will be five new head coaches and six new assistants at MHS, which is poised to begin its second year in the newly expanded Skyland Conference. Athletic Director Pat LaMastro said he expected two vacant positions head boys’ basketball coach and assistant football coach to be filled within the next few weeks.
At the start of the summer, half of the school’s 10 athletic programs needed new head coaches. Longtime baseball coach Steve Venuto stepped down after 14 seasons at the helm. Boys’ soccer coach Mike Shambach and all three winter head coaches also resigned during the school year, leaving MHS with many positions to fill.
"I’m concerned about the turnover, but I feel good about it," LaMastro said. "We’ve had some coaches move on, but we’ve hired good people for these positions. We had a number of positions open, but we’re pretty much covered with everything now."
Jayvee baseball coach David Roberts will take over for Venuto, who guided the Mustangs to the state playoffs almost every year in the past decade. Timothy Moore will be the new head boys’ soccer coach.
Two of the three winter head positions have been filled. Pat Gorbatuk, who has served as an assistant track and field, wrestling and football coach, was approved as the new MHS head wrestling coach. He takes over for Brett Stibitz, who elected to focus on football and his expanding duties as head coach. Gorbatuk, who remains the track and field assistant, has stepped down from the football staff so he can spend more time preparing for wrestling season.
Larisa Donis-Jeppson takes over as the new head girls’ basketball coach for Kyle Rehrig, who was in charge of the program for the past three years. Veteran MHS boys’ basketball coach Larry Blasi retired at the end of last season and his position should be filled before the school year begins.
Five head coaches were approved to return by the Board of Education Stibitz (football), Erin Delaney (girls’ soccer), Jim O’Connor (cross country), Ed Knapp (softball) and Michelle Mongillo (track and field). O’Connor and Mongillo expanded their programs to field teams of boys and girls last year and expect to do the same in 2007-2008, running the MHS total to 12 teams in competition.
Two new assistants have been approved for three positions. Carrieann Yachimovicz, a newcomer to the district, will serve as the assistant softball coach and floater coach who helps both the boys’ and girls’ soccer teams. George Putvinski, last year’s Alexander Batcho Intermediate School head wrestling coach, moves up to the high school to work as Gorbatuk’s assistant. Ed Ferraro has been promoted to head coach of the ABIS squad.
William Kurzius (boys) and Daniel Sferazza (girls) were approved as the ABIS basketball coaches and Roberts will serve as the coordinator. Rachel Lopa returns as the MHS head cheerleading coach, assisted by Nicole Borbely. Jessica Gyorfy was approved as the ABIS cheerleading coach.
Returning MHS assistant coaches include Chris Cassamento and Chris Cebula for football, Michael Forte for boys’ basketball and Gorbatuk for track and field. Assistant coaching vacancies remain for football, girls’ basketball and baseball.
Stibitz also has volunteer coaches Ned Panfile, John Bentz and Rob Snyder on board but expects to add another paid assistant by the end of the month. Official preseason practice sessions are slated to begin Aug. 13. The football team will compete in its first scrimmage Aug. 21 at Morristown-Beard.
Manville High begins its second full year of Skyland Conference play with the football team and both soccer teams in action Sept. 7. The cross country campaign begins Sept. 12.

