BRICK — The Brick Township Municipal Alliance Committee (B-MAC) presented awards recently to basketball players who during the 2004-05 season most resembled the spirit of Rudy Ruettiger, the famed football player.
The B-MAC basketball season began on Nov. 8 this year and the players competed in 12 games, plus the playoffs, to end the season on Feb. 15, according to Dan Santaniello with the township’s Recreation Department.
There are 96 coaches in the league, Santaniello said, and each one chose a player on his or her team that always gave 100 percent during practices and games. According to Jeanne Marinello, whose son Frank played on the fifth- and sixth-grade division Timberwolves team, the “Rudy Award,” as it is known in the league, is given “to those individuals who were recognized by their coaches for their heart, desire and dedication to the game.
The following B-MAC basketball players were given the “Rudy Award” for the 2004-05 season: Dragons third- and fourth-grade teams — Harley Gifford, John Moore, Gabe Buono, Luke Jenks, Travis Cifarelli, Vincent Palmari, Joe Esposito and Jeff Rankel. Mustangs third- and fourth-grade teams — Nick Piezzo, Lance Hanson, Dillion Casper, Connor Palecek, Eugene Filik, Drew Cannata, Patrick Jones, Vincent Colantoni, Matt Bell and Matt Lyons.
Dragons fifth- and sixth-grade teams — Dylon Salle, Frank Marinello, Adam Gordan, Joey Bench, Austin Stevenson, Austin Stark, Kevin Brennan, Maxx Carr, Evan Hanson; and Billy Berg received the NBA Award. Mustangs fifth- and sixth-grade teams — Ryan Cavallo, Neko Silletti, Brian O’Grady, Jim Dalatri, Robert Schwerdt, Sean Spiegel, Moises Rivera, Anthony Mellone, Connor Smith, Kyle Patrick, Keith Talty.
Dragons seventh- and eighth-grade teams — Ray Malaspina, Ryan Thompson, Mike Bocchino, A.J. Napolitino, Jason LaRaia, Michael Bange, David Smalley and Joey Marciano. Mustangs seventh- and eighth-grade teams — Rob Kaiser, Wayne Powlowski, Peter Desante, Brian Koehler, Corey Maliff, Paul Nolan, Eric Kerner, T.J. Janicky, Zach Anderson, Mike Karuzas, John Borokanas and J.T. Nash.
For the girls teams grades three and four — Sandy Applegate, Joy Guardino, Sara Kennedy, Page Moore, Courtney Miller, Tayrn Burket, Emily DiMartinni and Samantha Trainer. For girls grades five and six — Victoria Visco, Alyssa Wallschleger, Casey Gallagher, Amanda DiBernardo, Erica Gabriel, Jade Brown, Jillian Moynihan, Kaitlyn Merola, Kayla Green, Charlie Topinka, Victoria Williams, Alexis Sabo; and the WNBA Award went to Kayla Warn.
For girls on the seventh- and eighth-grade teams — Tara Conlon, Kaitlyn Kraft, Megan Buckley, Erin Mulligan, Diana Vidal, Amy Walsh, Rebecca Groom, Marilyn Rudd and Amanda Persinger.
— Jennifer Dome