January 2020
www.branchburgnews.com
SHS Football and Pioneer Pack “Created Electricity” All Season Somerville High School Pioneers Football had a great 2019 season, finishing with 10 wins and two losses, and a ranking of 19th in the state. The Ville’s season ended in Camden on Nov. 22 with a 54-30 loss to Woodrow Wilson High School in the South Jersey Group 3 final. Previously, the 2019 Pioneers enjoyed playoff victories on Nov. 8, 37-7 against Absegami; and on Nov. 15, 53-23 against Seneca. It should be noted that the senior football players in the Class of 2020 have racked up a record of 42 wins and 5 losses over the past four years. The head coach for the past two seasons has been Dallas Whitaker. He has words of thanks and praise for the senior players and the Ville’s fabulous student cheering section. “The Pioneer Pack” is a spirited and organized group of students – enough to fill two school buses. They carry out loud, fun, coordinated chants and wear face and body paint to maximize school and team spirit. They ignited the crowd at a bonfire at Neshanic Station’s Firemen’s Meadow the night before the Woodrow Wilson game, and traveled to Camden by bus the next day to electrify the environment. Whitaker told The Branchburg News, “We really appreciate all of the support the Pioneer Pack shows us on a weekly basis. They create an electric home field environment for our players and it is an experience unlike any other venue!” About the seniors on the team in 2019, Whitaker said, “This senior class had an excellent career with Somerville Football and a great senior year. They were a critical part of our 10-2 season and third straight state final appearance.” Following are seniors listed on the 2019 Pioneers team roster. Names followed by a (B) are Branchburg residents: Sean Aira-Spiess (B) MLB/C, Justin Brenner (B) QB, Eric Bryant WR/CB, Ryan Corcoran (B) DE/T, Dason Freeman DE/T, TJ Grover WR/LB, Ethan Hilliman WR/OLB, Kyree Hinton WR/FS, Steven Hrabinski (B) WR/CB, Noah Irwin NG/RB, Billy Kelly (B) G/DT, Otto Kornas (B) WR/CB, William McIntyre MLB/RB, Ryan McLamore G/DT, Jeffrey Pan (B) T/G, Patrick Peluso (B) C/G, Nicholas Richards (B) QB/CB, AJ Singleton (B) WR/ CB, Aiden Vostrovsky (B) T/DT.
School Transport in the Roaring Twenties Could Mean a Roaring Journey
The Ville Pioneers burst onto Brooks Field at the Gus Vanderbeek Athletic Complex at Somerville High School during an afternoon game in October.
The amazing story of two Somerville High School football players roaring home on a motorcyle after breaking bones in a game was told to the author by the late Bill Amerman, grandson of one of the players. There were no cellphone cameras in the 1920s to document their feat, so we’ll have to settle for this generic 20s motorcycle photo in tribute to the grit of the injured players.
The Pioneer Pack, two buses strong, electrified football fans and the team all season long.
By Bill Schleicher In the 1920s, Branchburg students attended a number of one-room schoolhouses scattered around the township so that most children would have a school within a few miles. Kids walked to school or rode bicycles. There was no busing. At the northern end of town there was the Burnt Mills School, where Branchburg children crossed the river to attend school in Bedminster. Moving south, there was the North Branch school which
later became the North Branch Firehouse and is now occupied by the Kangaroo Kids Child Care and Learning Center. The Harlan School stood on the corner of Harlan School Road and Readington Road until it was demolished to make way for 1990s development. There was a school at Milltown (end of Mill Lane off River Road). Part of the school hung over the mill race allowing boys to fish through knot holes in the floor when the teacher wasn’t continued on page 4
Absolutely Anything Removed Disposal of Household Junk and Construction Debris Fast Service • 7 Days A Week Dumpster Rentals Backhoe Rental With Operator Tree Stump Removal Wood Chipper Service The bonfire at Firemen’s Meadow near the Elm Street Bridge on Nov. 21 could probably be seen from space. -- photo by Suzanne Parker
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