Classic Eyelash Extension
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No. 4 Vol. 6
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June 2022
Lombardi Commits to Stockton For 2023 Baseball Season
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By Anthony Sorce ver since Alfonso Lombardi III was a young boy, he was very focused and determined in all sports. His dad Alfonso Jr, recalls it all so vividly “ Al played in some extremely tough leagues in Paterson at a young age , he was never intimidated which earned him the respect of all his teammates growing playing youth sports” All of Lombardi’s determination has paid off handsomely as he has been recruited to play baseball for Stockton University in 2023. During the Summer of 2021, Stockton had shown some major interest in Lombardi’s ability and talent. Alfonso took a trip to Galloway Township to meet with the coaches that were put him on high priority recruitment level. “This was great decision for me because I knew I wanted to play college baseball. The Stockton staff even came to see me play football, after several discussions with the coaches, trainers, and my parent, Stockton was the choice for me.” Lombardi Jr. credits much of Alfonso’s discipline in life to his mother Kathleen. “ His mother is the tough one , Al couldn’t get away too much growing up. I was very easy going, he got over on me quite a few times but never Kathleen. Kathleen also knew how to motivate him. Al has never complained about early morning workouts and those workouts are brutal.” Lombardi has found time to condition himself for one sport season that
has passed or another one that is upcoming, while he is involved with practicing and playing for the current season. If there is anything this kid can do , it certainly is multi-tasking. It’s evident, it’s a task for anyone else to slow Alfonso Lombardi down. “ Sometimes I had to make him take days off , the body has to benefit from rest. I am very proud of my son’s accomplishments and even more proud of the person he is”. stated Lombardi Jr. The Lombardi Family is nothing short of Collegiate Athletic Talent . Alfonso comes from a family of cousins and uncles with a total of 7 Collegiate Athletes. Lombardi has had plenty of support and guidance which helped him to stay focused. Lombardi Jr. attributes a lot of his son’s success story primarily to the township of Cedar Grove. “ Having great teammates and great families living in this town has been a huge difference in Alfonso’s career.” Panther Head Baseball Coach Vincent Cordasco has nothing but praise for Alfonso’s ability. “ Al is the ace of our pitching staff since he transferred from DePaul Catholic in 2021. The kid leads by example which is why he was named Captain of our squad. “ One of Lombardi’s greatest highlights on the mound was in 2021 against Verona in the annual Rivalry Game at Yogi Berra Stadium. In a true pitchers duel vs Hillbilly Ace Pierce Coppola (Currently playing for the Florida Gators) , Verona prevailed 4-0. Lombardi
stuck out of the side in the first inning . Although the Panthers lost the game, Lombardi still credits this as one of the greatest experiences on the diamond. “ The atmosphere of Yogi Berra Stadium and the crowd was just and adrenaline rush that I will never forget” Lombardi took the mound again in the 2022 Rivalry Game at Yogi Berra Stadium played last month. Alfonso pitched 3 innings and scored the first run of the game for the Panthers, unfortunately for Lombardi and the Panthers , Verona would prevail in a classic see-saw battle 12-11 . Key Positions and pressure in any sport are no stranger to Lombardi, he was the starting QB and led the Panthers to the North Region Group 1 State Football Championship this past November at MetLife Stadium “ Alfonso’s maturity is what stood out to me the most this past season.” Recalls Panther Head Football Coach Rob Gogerty. Alfonso Lombardi does have one last football game to play as a Cedar Grove Panther. “ I am honored to have Alfonso represent our squad along with Patch McCarthy and Nick Christiano at the Annual Robeson Classic on June 9th in East Orange . This is a true testament to our players and program and a great way to play one more game “ Bill Parcells once said “ This is the Super Bowl, if you can’t get motivated for this game, I don’t know what to tell you “ Those very words also hold true for the Paul Robeson Classic. Lombardi’s energy level is
at an all time high. “ This is an experience I know I will never forget and being able to play in this game and put the pads on again with 2 of my closest teammates Patch and Christiano . They were 2 of our biggest forces. This will truly be a game for the ages, and because we didn’t play Verona this past season, I look forward to sharing the same locker room with James Haveron” On the Gridiron Lombardi has a very close bond with Mike Marinelli. “ We are the dynamic duo on and off the field. We started our playing careers at DePaul and then found our way home to Cedar Grove, we knew we had to do something special for our senior year. 3 days after the Robeson Classic, I will be supporting Mike at the Phil Simms North/South Game.” Defining Alfonso Lombardi as a competitor is simply an under statement . He is a true leader on the basketball court as well. “From day one it was apparent that Alfonso just wanted to, and loved to compete . It is becoming a rare personality trait, but it was the refreshing burst of competitiveness that our program needed. Whether it be a shooting, rebounding, ball handling drill, or a 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 or half court or court run, Lombardi wanted to win.” Simply stated by Panther Basketball Coach T.J Jones . Lombardi’s career high on the hard wood was 34 points vs Nutley on senior night . Unfortunately for the Panthers, the Raiders prevailed 74-67 . “Lombardi is not just a com-
On the Mound at Yogi Berra Stadium on May 13th 2022, in the annual Cedar Grove vs Verona Rivarly Game. Photo by Anthony Sorce.
petitor, be he is a man for others, always looking to help encourage and better his teammate’s. A strong understanding of what it means to truly encompass high character, and by default is a role model for those who follow in his footsteps both in the classroom, and on the hardwood. “ said Jones Lombardi accredits a great portion of his success to his parents. “ My parents have been nothing short of awesome. Whether it’s as little as picking me up from practice or as deep as keeping my head in it at times when I felt like giving up, they have been amazing and I couldn’t have asked for two better people to call my parents”