MANVILLE: Dinner celebrates championship seasons by CTK School hoopsters

   Christ the King School’s annual basketball and cheerleading dinner March 24 celebrated the successful seasons enjoyed by the school’s two basketball teams and cheerleading squad.
   Both the fourth-sixth grade and seventh-eighth grade teams were presented plaques recognizing their first place finishes in the Diocese of Metuchen CYO Basketball League by Principal Christine Benson.
   Shelley Lorincz, the cheerleading coach, kicked off the awards portion of the evening.
   Ms. Lorincz noted the cheerleaders’ season and how the squads have grown to represent the teams and school with “spirit and athletic ability.” Eighth-grade captains Alexis Nerger and Morgan Clyne were recognized for their leadership.
   Coach Peter Melillo, the coach for the 4th-6th-grade team awarded his players trophies and congratulated the team on a great season. Coach Melillo reflected on the team’s tenacity and improvement during the league’s championship game to win the first place trophy.
   The players in turn thanked Coach Melillo with written and verbal “thank yous” for coaching them this season.
   Coach Bob Vornlocker congratulated his seventh-eighth grade team on their successful season.
   ”There was no doubt after our game at Immaculate Conception in Clinton, that we would have won the championship game,” Coach Vornlocker said of the team’s championship, which they won in a forfeiture.
   Coach Vornlocker presented his team with trophies, recognizing the eighth-grade players who will be graduating in June, including Kylie Blank, Matthew Charneski, Brian Osmond, Josh Reilley, John Vornlocker, and Oscar Zaguerra.
   He has coached all of the graduating players for the past five years.
   Team basketballs were presented by the coach to Josh Reilley and Kylie Blank — the first time two players have received such an honor at Christ the King.
   Coach Vornlocker was presented with a large picture frame containing team pictures of every team he has coached in the past five years, in recognition not only of his coaching, but also as coordinator of the Christ the King basketball program, a post he is giving up after this season.
   Coach Vornlocker’s wife, Alyce, was also recognized for her dedication in running the “sports kitchen.”
   In his role as the program coordinator, Coach Vornlocker thanked all the parent volunteers who have assisted throughout the season to make the program such a great success.
   He noted some of the crucial roles the parents play in the program’s success: assisting in the kitchen, manning the admission table, and coaching.
   He also noted the student volunteers who helped each week, working scoreboards and keep the stat books.