By Ed Birch, Special Writer
Ceremonies and honors continued last week for the championship South Brunswick football Team. The entire team was honored last Thursday night at the high school during the annual Fall Athletic Awards Night.
Interim Principal Peter Varela and Athletic Director Elaine McGrath also honored the Boys Cross Country, Soccer, teams and the Girls Cross Country, Tennis, Soccer, Volleyball, Gymnastics, Field Hockey, and Cheerleading Squads.
The highlight of the evening was a detailed presentation on the accomplishments of the championship team by Head Coach Joe Goerge and the naming of 2012 Most Valuable Players Kenny Drost and T. J. Taylor.
The team was acknowledged by a standing ovation from the crowd.
The following night, the South Brunswick Police Athletic League Program honored also honored football program participants at Crossroads South Middle School.
A special award was presented to former South Brunswick High School Head Coach Rick Mantz.
Mr. Mantz was honored for turning both the high school and local PAL programs into winning organizations after creating the foundation for a successful football program, according to PAL organizers.
Mantz installed his winning system as a base for the juvenile program, therefore making the program a successful training grounds for future high school stars, PAL officials said.
Head Coach Joe Goerge was the featured speaker and praised eight stars of his championship team who “grew up in this town’s PAL Football Program.”
Coach George went on to say that “this program created a tradition of teamwork and dependability.”
”Quarterback T.J. Perkowski, who participated in the program since age eight, gained the experience and confidence of looking downfield for T.J. Taylor for eight years,” Coach Goerge said. “Boy did this combination prove to be a winner on our field this year.”
Senior high school players who graduated from the program were honored during the event.
Greeted by the audience with a standing ovation were local heroes T.J. Taylor, Dion Hooper, T.J. Perkowski, Jesse Tainow, Dan Snropshire, Tre Taylor, Conor Kilmurray, Joe Bagachinsky, and Kenny Drost.
Past PAL President and Program Founder Jake Rodriguez ended the program by joking with new Head Coach Joe Goerge that his next stop on the “Victory Tour” would be a guest appearance on the David Letterman Show.
