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Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

ON A RIVERBOAT IN VIETNAM, 1966 The Journey of Dave Soltis By Ariana Puzzo It was 1966 and David Soltis knew the options were limited. He wasn’t a college bound Mustang and like many high school grads then, he knew Uncle Sam would soon come calling. “When I was graduating in 1965, the Vietnam War was going pretty strong,” said Soltis, 74. “If you didn’t have plans, you were immediately drafted.” So rather than wait for that draft notice, he took charge and went to downtown Paterson and enlisted in the Navy. “I knew I didn’t want to be crawling in the mud,” he said, noting that a majority of guys that got drafted ended up in the Army Infantry, humping small arms, then fighting their way through the rivers, swamps and mud flats of Vietnam. “I figured I’d be the smart one and enlist in the Navy.”

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

He pictured himself on a destroyer or working on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, a floating air base with some 5,000 crew members and 100 or so jets. Instead Soltis was assigned to be part of a five-man crew aboard an ASPB, which was an Assault Support Patrol Boat. The main job of the five-man crew was to “be the destroyer of the mobile flotilla.” Soltis spent 11 months on and around the Mekong Delta, often in the turret manning some big machine guns. They worked the delta, sweeping for mines, moving Army Infantrymen from Point A to Point B and supported nighttime recon missions with the elite Navy Seals. The then 19-year-old spent quite a few days on some ship-side R&R, drinking Red Stripe beer and barbequeing off the fantail of their 50-foot long boat.

That’s Dave Soltis in the turret of his home— A92-4—back in 1967. His boat’s captain was second class petty officer James Ivy. The photo at right is how a typical ASPB worked during reloading. Above, the handbook all US military received as they were welcomed to Vietnam.

“Uncle Sam wanted to keep all us happy so they shipped in lots of beer and good food for us to cook up,” recalled Soltis. How He Got There Like a lot of people who have enlisted in the military, Soltis found his way as crew on a Vietnam riverboat by the luck of a draw. After the standard three-month first stop for all incoming US Navy recruits at boot camp in the Great Lakes near Chicago, Soltis got his job designation. He was to go to “A” school where he’d learn to be an engineman. Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

The Journey of Dan Soltis Enginemen (EN) are responsible for operating, maintaining, and repairing equipment on Navy ships, including internal-combustion engines, main propulsion machinery and refrigeration. EN will also stand safety watches on auxiliary boilers. “When I was done with EN school I got orders for further training in California to eventually end up in Vietnam,” said Soltis. “We were training on river boats, how they run, operate and so forth. They also put us into a three week SERE course. That means survival, evasion, resistance and escape. We were trained how to beat being captured and if you were captured how to deal with it. It was in the field and realistic. We had to learn how to survive. Made you realize we were heading to the real thing. Get ready.” Welcome Aboard ASPB A92-4 From July 1967 to April 1968, Soltis shared working, fighting and living space aboard a 15-foot wide by 50foot long boat. The crew of five consisted of a captain/ coxswain, radioman, engineer/gunner a .50 caliber heavy machine gunner as well as a 20mm autocannon gunner. Each boat cost the American tax payer $325,000 and were designed to navigate the low waters of Vietnam. “On paper” his job was to maintain the engines on the small boat. But with just a five man crew of equally young enlisted men, Soltis learned how to handle big machine guns, pilot a vessel or radio in airfire for support. “Everyone knew everyone else’s job and could take care of other things, too,” Soltis said. “Our duties were quite diverse.” When reflecting on his decision to enlist, Soltis said that part of it felt like a sense of duty. But he went on to say that part of it also had to do with the fact that times were different then. Through high school and for the year before he shipped out to boot camp, he worked at Barry’s, an ice cream and soda shop in Pine Brook.

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Dave and Lynn, on their wedding day, April 29, 1972. The couple, who live in Acquackanonk Gardens, are pictured today in a recent photo.

“We had a little bit of that baseball, hot dogs, and apple pie,” Soltis said looking back at his high school days. But the world was changing and the Class of ’65 felt it. “JFK was shot. We never had anything like that before, especially to see [the shooting] on video tape.” Soltis readily admitted that he went into his service “very naive.” It also complicated matters further when he returned home in 1970 after his four years of service to a political firestorm. “When I got home from Vietnam, we weren’t well-received [and that] certainly bothered me,” he said. “Once in a while, you’d get a look and someone would point and say, ‘Baby killers.’” But going back to that initial naïveté, Soltis said that he grew up a lot while he served. “When I was over there, I felt that I was fighting communism and fighting for my country,” said Soltis. “I felt that I was fighting for everyone’s right to speak their own mind.” “Even people who weren’t like me,” he continued, “I felt they should have their say.” Soltis rotated out of Vietnam after 11 months. From there, he went to a World War II Landing Ship, Tank (LST) out of Norfolk. He deployed on a couple of Mediterranean cruises and also did a South America cruise. Those cruises brought Soltis to countries like Panama and Ecuador, and he would get a weekend pass and found some R&R in Bermuda. He said he got to do quite a bit and finished his enlistment in the south Atlantic.

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

The Journey of Dan Soltis “I actually got out three months early because they were thinning the troops,” he said. “I put in for an early out and ended up serving three years, nine months, and 13 days.” “I flew home from Panama,” he added. “I liked the ship, but I had been through the canal six times and four of those times were in the engine room where you don’t see anything.”

my degree … I moved into the headquarter’s program.” Soltis worked as a production scheduler and by the end of his 31 years with the company, retired as a product manager. “Hoffmann-LaRoche owned them at the time and it was like a lifetime job when you worked for them,” he said. Today, Soltis, who grew up in Lakeview with five siblings and attended St. Cyril & Methodius on Ackerman Ave., enjoys life in Back in Clifton his hometown. He and his wife, Once he was stateside, Soltis Lynn, are looking ahead to their got a job and started studying 50th anniversary in 2022. They business at night school at Wilhad two kids, Kevin and Lisa, liam Paterson. While studying, Dave with his grandson Anthony Degragorio who and have eight grandkids, and Soltis was working at Givauis shipping out for Air Force boot camp this month. two great grandchildren. dan-Roure, which had facilities Soltis is a member of VFW on Delawanna Avenue until the Post 7165 on Valley Road. Over the years, he has also late 1990s. managed to sporadically stay in touch with men he served In later years becoming the world’s largest company with in the Navy. in the flavor and fragrance industries, Soltis started at “When I got out of the service, I didn’t talk to most of Givaudan’s Clifton location as a chemical operator. He the people for about 30 years,” said Soltis. “Then it got described the job as one that was “very dirty” and shift easier to find people [using] the internet.” work, but he was fortunate in how his three shifts were When they were 50, he said, half a dozen of them got planned. in touch and later got together with their wives for trips “They knew that I was going to night school and could and reunions. “The first time that we saw each other after work around my schedule,” he said. He finished his de30 years, it was like we didn’t miss a beat,” Soltis said. gree in seven years and as he approached the end of his “There’s a certain camaraderie that you get when you schooling, they started talking. “I got a promotion into a serve with men like that.” non-union job that I wanted. I got that job and when I got

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

CLIFTON HISTORY

THEIR DESTINATION: By Joe Hawrylko

DOOM

As various local war memorials can attest, Passaic County was well represented by many young, brave men who made the ultimate sacrifice. But the unexpected loss of life that occurred on Nov. 8, 1961 shocked the community unlike anything prior. That morning, 26 newly enlisted Army recruits arrived in Newark Airport, ready to depart for boot camp at Ft. Jackson, SC. Imperial Airlines flight 201/8 took off without any issues, and made stops in Pennsylvania and Maryland to pick up additional recruits, bringing the total to 74. About 30 miles from Richmond, VA, the two right engines on the Lockheed Constellation failed, and the pilot attempted to make an emergency stop that was aborted due to landing gear issues. Minutes later, the crippled aircraft went down through a dense forest and into a swampy ravine at 9:24 pm est. Edward R. Shamberger, Patrick R. Purcell, Vernon Griggs, Robert Rinaldi, Harold Skoglund, Willis Van Ess Jr., Robert DeVogel, Henry J. Barna.

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Joseph Kandravy, Donald R. Kaplan, David N. Moore, Richard J. Vanderhoven, Bernard B. Olster, Donald N. Gurtman, Stephen P. Soltesz, Robert J. Marositz. In 2016, we tried our best to collect bios and photos of all the fallen but some are missing.

The terrain was so difficult that it took more than an hour for fire equipment to reach the site, even with the assistance of armored cars from the Virginia National Guard’s 183rd Reconnaissance Squadron. By 2 am, all that remained of the burned out plane was its skeleton. The young men had been in the Army for less than seven hours. All 74 recruits and three crew members died after being trapped in the wreckage. John Zipf, a former Clifton police officer of 32 years, graduated from Clifton High in 1959, and was friends with several of the young men on the flight. “I was very good friends with Pat Purcell, as well as Steve Pados, Robert Rinaldi, and Joseph Kandravy,” he recalled in 2016. “Pat graduated in ’59. We got him a job as a builder in Woodcliff Lakes. We saw him the previous day. We had a little party with all the guys.” “Everybody was getting drafted, which was normal at that time. They went to Paterson, and then to Newark,” Zipf continued. “They left early in the morning, and I got a phone call at 6 am the following morning that the plane had gone down. I can still remember it today, myself, Ray Palmentera, and Albert Olster walking away from the Armory after the memorial. We all said it was something that shouldn’t have happened.” Gary Bekker, a retired Clifton police officer who served on the force for 28 years, recalled the passing of his friend, Willis Van Ess, Jr., of Clifton. “Bill Van Ess, he was big into cars. We all used to hang out at People’s Auto Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

CLIFTON HISTORY

on Main Ave. Bill’s family lived over on Burgh Ave.,” he recalled. “I was in the Army at the time in Germany when the news broke. After Bill died, it just destroyed their family.” “Bill and myself were also good friends with Eddie Doncoes, who lived on Grove St. His mother saved all of the newspapers from the accident,” Bekker Hours before their deaths—the recruits on Nov. 8, 1961—at their induction in Paterson. continued. “When she passed on, she gave the articles to her mately, the government took action on ‘nonsked’ flights, sons. Her youngest son, Randy, knew I wasn’t here when forcing all companies to reapply for certification, leading to it happened, so he gave me all the articles to read up on it. the closure of more than 20 businesses. Imperial Airlines And after I got them, the first thing that came to mind was lost its license three weeks after the accident. to contact the Clifton Merchant.” But while the accident left a lasting precedent on This collection of more than 50 articles captures the suraeronautical laws, not all of those who died are honored on prise, grief, and outrage that consumed Passaic County. A local memorials. But some 10 years ago that changed, too. total of 22 northern New Jersey recruits perished in the accident, including 15 from Passaic, and six from Clifton. Forever Remembered in Third Ward Park, Passaic The media quickly and thoroughly covered the incident, For five decades, conversation among Passaic officials and the Civil Aeronautics Board swiftly launched an invesnever materialized a monument. But in 2015, the American tigation. Within days, the dubious history of Imperial AirLegion Rosol-Dul Memorial Post 359 of Passaic led the lines was front page news for every publication, and there cause to properly honor the 15 Passaic boys who died. was a push from the media and politicians to address the John Dubya of Post 359 explained that the original issues plaguing charter flights. champion of the project was Dr. John A. Testa, who It was the fifth crash for what The New York Mirror launched on Facebook Passaic Beyond the Memories. dubbed the ‘Death Airline.’ The first two accidents were “My sister-in-law, Arlene, called me and told me about non-fatal. In 1950, a crew member was killed in a crash out the project, and asked that I give Dr. Testa a call,” he of Teterboro. On Sept. 1, 1953, 19 Army recruits and two recalled. “John is a gentleman, and believes in, and is crewmen perished in a crash near Vail, WA, in what was driven, in his campaign to honor these 15 Passaic soldiers, previously the worst incident for the airline to date. who after 55 years of silence from the Passaic commuThe investigation revealed inconsistencies in mainnity, have yet to be honored with a monument,” Dubya tenance, but ultimately the FAA representative said all explained. “As an American Legion post, we have the reseemed in order leading up to the crash. sponsibility of honoring our fallen soldiers.” Scrutiny turned to the pilot, who failed testing three Dubya came to Passaic in 1951 from Germany. “I love times before being licensed. He had inadvertently dumped the city, and I am a Vietnam veteran myself. I enlisted in fuel that caused the crash and killed everyone but himself 1964 right out of high school, and served for three years. and those not prepped on emergency procedures. Most I was in Vietnam in ’65 and again in ’66 with the 1st Air survived the crash but tragically died of carbon monoxide Cavalry Division,” he explained. “I am on service conpoisoning when they could not open the doors. nected disability myself, and I know what it is like for a It was soon revealed that the airline won the government veteran to come back from war, and in my case, not be bidding process because it was $18 cheaper per seat. Laws respected as much as they should be.” forbid the Army from using its aircraft domestically. Ulti-

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

CLIFTON HISTORY

John Zipf, Albert Olster and Ray Palmentera after a memorial service for the recruits. The Herald-News Nov. 9, 1961.

“These 22 guys from our area were drafted, and didn’t get a chance to show their community their love of their country,” Dubya continued. “It’s one thing if you’re in war, but these guys didn’t even get a chance. Right out of the starting block, they went down. We are all in agreement that they deserve the same honor and respect that our battle-hardened veterans deserve.” Thanks to a $25,000 fundraising campaign by the Post, those 15 young men were finally memorialized in Third Ward Park with a 7-foot granite monument, flag pole and a rose garden, across from the restored boathouse. The ceremony was on Nov. 9, 2016, 55 years and one day after the tragedy took place. Below are bios of the fallen recruits compiled from the sources provided by Gary Bekker. David Moore, 22 David Moore lived on Central Ave. with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Rutherford. Moore attended local elementary schools and Passaic High School before going to work for The Nevins Company of Rt. 3 in Clifton. Robert DeVogel, 23 A graduate of Passaic High, Robert DeVogel lived in Clifton for five years, and was employed in the tabulating department of the Mutual Benefit and Life Insurance Company, Newark. DeVogel was a member of St. Stephen’s Guild of the church, where he served as an usher and was on the men’s bowling team. Paul Stephen Soltesz, 22 The only child of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Soltesz, Paul Stephen Soltesz always wanted to help out, even if it was something as simple as giving a neighbor a lift. Soltesz was a halfback for the Indians from 1955-1957, playing under legendary coach Manlio Boverini, and earning The Herald-News All-Valley Conference football team.

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Joseph Kandravy, 22 Born on Madeline Ave., Joseph Kandravy lived in Passaic, moving to Garfield 14 months prior after marrying Elaine Derco. Rt. Rev. Joseph A. Havriliak, dean of SS. Peter-Paul’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral said that Kandravy was, “One of the finest boys in the parish.” Donald Gurtman, 22 A resident of Gregory Ave., Donald Gurtman studied at the University of Miami for a year before working with his father, Sigmund, as a plumbing and heating contractor. Gurtman’s passion was in motorcycles, which he would tune himself and compete in local club rallies. Henry Barna, 23 A grad of the PHS 1957, Henry Barna was a bookkeeper at the Bank of Passaic and Clifton, then located at Main and Passaic Aves. Barna also loved theater, and collected record albums of his favorite New York musical shows. Hellmut Petraschek, 24, and Hartmutt Kuttnick, 21 Born in Kaufbeuren-Neugablonz, Germany, Hellmut Petraschek came to Passaic by way of Ottowa, where he met Hartmut Kuttnick, a native of Dortmund, Germany. The bricklayers struck up a friendship with Mr. and Mrs. Helmut Holzenger, also from Germany. They moved to Passaic in 1960 and Petraschek and Kuttnick followed. Robert Marositz, 22 Robert Marositz was born in Passaic, but resided in Clifton. He attended Holy Trinity School and Pope Pius High School—both in Passaic—and graduated from St. Peter’s College, Jersey City, in the summer prior to the accident that took his life. Marositz worked as a physicist at Fort Monmouth for the Army Signal Corps., and was a member of Holy Trinity R.C. Church, Passaic.

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

CLIFTON HISTORY Bernard Burrill Olster, 22 Born in Passaic, Bernard Burrill Olster went to Storm King School at Cornwall-onHudson, NY, where he was a lettered in football, baseball, basketball and tennis. After college, he started working as the vice president of production at Flexicote, Inc., in Clifton, which was owned by his father, Ned. His fiance Cynthia Freeman, recalled his final words: “We’ll be married as soon as I get this over with.” Edward Shamberger, 22 When Edward Shamberger found out he was traveling to Ft. Jackson on a plane, he immediately called his mother, who said that he should not be afraid, since he was a soldier now. It was the last time Stella Shamberger spoke to her son. She learned about the accident the following day when listening to the radio in her Vreeland Ave. home. Donald Kaplan, 22 Donald Kaplan was a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University, and hoped to pursue his masters after completing his service. His father, Sidney, mother, Lee, and sister, Marilyn, were enjoying breakfast at their home on Brook Ave. when a friend stopped by to break the news gently. Sidney Kaplan simply repeated: “He was just 22.” Valerie Korschuk, 22 More than 150 people came out to celebrate the life of Valerie Korschuk on Nov. 15, 1961. Services were held at the Scarpa Funeral Home, 125 Lexington Ave. A native of Russia, Korschuk came to the US at age 10. He was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church of Passaic, and lived with uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Mostowoj. Richard Wall, 22 Richard’s father, Passaic Police Lt. Richard Wall, recalled how happy his only son was after enlisting. The tragic death was noted by Mayor Paul G. DeMuro, who lived across Aycrigg Ave. from the Wall family.

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Regional newspapers wrote of the tragedy for days after, including stories about individuals who for one reason or another missed the plane or were not allowed to board.

Richard Vanderhoven, 22 Standing 6’4, James Vanderhoven was the grandson of the late Passaic Deputy Police Chief Frank Vanderhoven. Much to the amusement of his friends, he was afraid of heights, and joked about having to go on a plane after enlisting in the Army. The tragedy hit his parents hard as Richard was their only son. Patrick R. Purcell, 22 Patrick Purcell was a graduate of the Passaic High School Class of 1957, where he was an outstanding athlete, lettering in basketball. At the time he was drafted, Purcell was working at a construction company in Woodcliff Lake. His brother, Jimmy, was a deputy chief in the Passaic Police Dept., and passed away in 2013. Alberto Zyczynski, 23 A native of Poland, Alberto Zyczynski and his parents relocated to Argentina to flee the growing Russian oppression which was going throughout eastern Europe after World War II. They came to the US just 18 months prior to the accident. His mother, Cataline, requested that the Army bring the body of Alberto’s late father to New Jersey so that the two may be laid to rest together.

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

US Navy Ensign

Jacob Zschack When college kids graduate, their next steps can involve reuniting with old friends or even taking a gap year before entering the workforce. But Jacob Zschack has other plans. The Temple University grad and former Mustang will be traveling, but he is not using the usual modes of transportation. His vehicle of choice? A Nuclear Submarine courtesy of Uncle Sam. And he isn’t just traveling for one year. By Ariana Puzzo Zschack’s preparedness, humility, and desire to serve his country have led to him pursuing a five-year journey as a US Navy officer with the submarine force. At age 22 and now an Ensign, Zschack has completed his 13-week Officer Candidate School indoctrination in Rhode Island. More recently, in the middle of last month, he left for his next station in South Carolina for the Navy Nuclear Power Training Command. There, he will spend about a year with the NNPTC learning the basics and gaining a general understanding of how a nuclear submarine functions. When we spoke over the phone last month before he left, he said he was looking forward to his theoretical education and the practical application of the classroom lessons. His eagerness also indicated that he selected the best form of service, even if it means he can be submerged more than 600 feet below the ocean’s surface for up to four months at a time.

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

“The program that I got into offered either surface or submarine service, and you get to choose [which one] you apply for,” said Zschack (CHS 2017). “I chose subs because I personally have an admiration for the Silent Service.” “You do your job and you don’t look for recognition,” said Zschack. “You do it to the best of your ability and to serve your country.” A New Path As soon as he answers his phone, Zschack presents as a soft-spoken, respectful young man. But that same man will carry a certain rank by his mid-20’s and, along with 14 other officers in his future division, will have additional responsibilities for a crew of anywhere from 125 to 150 individuals. It’s a daunting prospect for anyone and can make you reflect on your background.

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

ENSIGN JACOB ZSCHACK Zschack hails from a long line of Mustangs. His father, Matt, grew up in the city, and many will remember his grandfather Bob Zschack. Bob, who passed away in 2014, was known in our city as “The Voice of the Mustangs.” Bob announced the CHS football games for 45 years. Zschack’s parents, Matt and Joanna, raised him and his sisters Zoe (CHS 2015) and Lily (CHS 2019) in the family’s hometown. During those years, Zschack attended School 2 and Woodrow Wilson Middle School. His youth activities included, but were not limited to, Cub Scouts, Little League Baseball and Youth Basketball. At CHS, he ran Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor track for four years, he received the Academic Achievement Award for four years, and was a member of the National Honor Society. Do all of these extracurriculars and honors prepare you for life? Absolutely. But can anything truly prepare you for holding an officer’s title on a submarine that’s worth billions of dollars? If anything can, it would be Zschack’s college background and personal interests. After graduating from CHS, Zschack went on to study mechanical engineering at Temple University. He graduated with his bachelor’s of science degree in 2021. “I went to study mechanical engineering at Temple because I always had a pretty big interest in cars,” said Zschack. “I liked working on cars or with cars and did a lot of work on lawn mowers and smaller motorized things.” “I went on to study [mechanical engineering] because I figured that I’d work on cars one day.” Today, he views that passion as more of a potential hobby. Zschack contemplated if there was a particular moment when he realized that he wanted to become the first member of his family to serve his country. Although there was not a specific “turning point”, he realized his new goal as he hit his halfway mark in college. It was then that he started to see more news about the military and thought he could offer his own skills and knowledge. He also learned about the Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program through a career fair at Temple. Once he learned about the program from NUPOC’s representative, Zschack said that he was eager to apply, and he looks forward to continuing his journey. “I don’t know what the future holds in terms of staying in or getting out [after my time served], but I definitely want to see what life in the Navy is like,” said Zschack. “I’m hoping that I will enjoy it.”

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Jake with his parents Matt and Joanna.

Semper Fortis Zschack’s eagerness for his service does not in any sense mean that he’s disillusioned. When discussing his 13 weeks in Officer Candidate School, he recalled the rigors involved in getting tested physically, mentally, and morally. The first phase, he said, was the indoctrination phase into the military and learning the military customs and courtesies, including learning about ranks and similar topics. Then, after the first three weeks, he progressed to the officer candidate phase. The second phase had a heavy emphasis on academics, with classes on engineering and weapons, Naval history, shipboard navigation and cyber security, and classes in leadership. Zschack said he took about two classes at a time and each class lasted about two weeks. Leadership classes, though, were covered over the last four or five weeks. “The last phase was the applied leadership phase. We all were given specific jobs to carry out,” said Zschack. “We held positions around OCS that helped to run the program for the younger classes.” “Overall, it was definitely pretty difficult,” continued Zschack. “You’re tested in ways you don’t expect, and that is really the point of the program: to apply stress to candidates and see how you perform. It’s also to prepare you because it will likely be even more stressful when you go into the fleet.”

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

ENSIGN JACOB ZSCHACK During that time, Zschack said that the candidates were allowed to write letters to their families. But that will certainly become more complicated once Zschack is hundreds of feet underwater for months at a time. Even though there are ways to email and deliver letters to these service members, it is hard for them to maintain consistent communication while deployed. Still, Zschack said that he feels the support of his immediate family, as well as his friends and girlfriend, Cristina D’Alessio (CHS 2017). “They were excited … and proud,” said Zschack. “Though maybe a little sad because I won’t be around as often.” Strength from Within Looking ahead, the next year of his education will include more classroom learning, but also further practical application. In South Carolina, he’ll continue standing watch and doing shift work, but he will also apply the knowledge that he attains in the first six months. After that, once he gets assigned to his first sub, he will at some point in the following 18 months pick up the title of Lieutenant (junior grade). He’ll also complete an eightweek sub officer basic course up in Groton, Connecticut at some point.

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

But once he is on that sub is when the duties and attached title become even more real. It’s his responsibility to ensure that all of the sailors under him get to work on time and perform all their duties. He is also responsible for “checking every safety box” in his division. “I think … the Applied Leadership phase … helps you find ways to attack different things and develops your process of solving problems,” he said. Ultimately, OCS taught him a lot about himself and how best to perform his duties. One of the main things that he recognized is how proper preparation is definitely one of the most crucial elements, if not the most important one. He added that it’s always better to be over-prepared than underprepared. He also learned the importance of teamwork amongst your fellow sailors. But there was another more personal lesson that he learned during those 13 weeks. “You’re not invincible,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how tough you think you are … and that’s not even just military, that’s everything, everywhere.” “At some point in your life, you will be tested more than you have ever been,” he added. “That’s when you have to dig deep, look inward, and pull out the strength from within yourself.”

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

LIFE IN A

The Holowacz family had five boys who served in World War II and Korea. They are: Paul US Navy, Peter US Navy, Sandy US Army, Alex US Army and Nick US Navy, whose photo was not available.

BLUE STAR FAMILY

Even as a young boy, Paul Holowacz said that he felt immense pride and admiration in his older brothers’ service to their country. Growing up, he watched as two of his brothers served in the Navy and two served in the Army during World War II. “Peter was on the USS Essex and Nick was in the Pacific on a sub tender,” said Holowacz, 88. “In the Army, my brother John, who we called “Sandy”, was in the Signal Corps. Sandy spent time in North Africa, then up in France, Italy and Germany,” continued Holowacz. “My other brother Alex was in Europe in the Tank Corps.” Much younger than his siblings, Holowacz has vivid memories of the “souvenirs” Sandy sent once he relocated from North Africa to Germany. These items included German swords, gas masks, bayonets, and a German helmet. “I used to get these things in the mail, and you would never see stuff like that today,” said Holowacz. “I was only a kid and used to play in Botany. I’d put a German helmet on and run around the neighborhood. My mother would go crazy, saying that I’d get a lot of headaches.” Perhaps the influences around him made Holowacz recognize the importance of also serving his country. At age 18, he enlisted in the Navy during the Korean War. “My brothers served their country and I felt, ‘I’m gonna join the Navy because I enjoyed all of the stories that I got from my

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

By Ariana Puzzo

brother Pete who served in the Pacific,’” said Holowacz. “I wanted to be a sailor.” His decision made his parents proud, but still stirred up intense emotions. “Dad was a little upset when I left,” Holowacz recalled. “But I said, ‘Dad, I’m coming home.’” Seeking New Opportunities Originally from Pennsylvania, Holowacz grew up in a small coal mining town north of Scranton. Growing up, he was the youngest of seven boys and two girls, though he was actually the baby of 11 children since his older siblings Dorothy and Nicholas died as infants. During World War II, he said, they were considered a Blue Star Family. Although he was young while they lived in Simpson, Pennsylvania, Holowacz can still picture the four stars that hung in their own window, as well as others around the town. Some, he added, hung gold stars for the sons that they lost during the war. “Everybody used to hang their stars in the window of their house. It was a little coal mining town with big families,” he said. “I was proud of my brothers and of having four blue stars.” At that time, Holowacz’s father was a coal miner but could no longer work in the mines, his father relocated to Clifton, where two of Holowacz’s uncles lived.

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

BLUE STAR FAMILY

Holowacz got particularly close with three other men. After their service, one lived in Louisville, Kentucky, another lived in Florida, and the third lived in Cape Cod. Holowacz finished his time serving in 1957 and then 50 years later, reunited with his fellow servicemen down in Tampa. “I remember that I walked past a couple of them a few times and didn’t know who they were. People change,” chuckled Holowacz. “We went down with our wives for a few days, and we reminisced about old times.”

“He came out here and [worked] with one of his brother’s,” said Holowacz. “He was commuting between here and Simpson. Then, he moved the whole family here before the Second World War was over.” By the time they moved to our city, Holowacz was in fourth grade. He attended School 7 on Parker Avenue, now RanPaul and Anne on Aug. 28, 1960. dolph Park, through the eighth grade. He later went on to graduate from CHS with the Class of 1952 and joined the Navy like his brothers in Paul and Anne 1953. Once he returned home, Holowacz decided to go to At one point, he said, there were five boys in the service. school. For years, he had loved art and decided to pursue Holowacz said part of his decision to enlist was it felt like a an education in mechanical drafting. For 10 years, he was sense of duty, but that was not the only reason. working for a company in Newark called Atlantic Design. “I came out of high school and wasn’t sure what I wanted Later, he left the field and went into business for himself. to do yet,” he said. “A lot of kids knew they were going to “I had a commercial cleaning company called Clean college. I decided to go into the Navy, and the Navy had a Building Maintenance Company,” said Holowacz. “We lot of opportunities for young guys.” did office cleaning for a number of years and did governHolowacz served for four years as a US Navy Damage ment cleaning and reserve centers in New Jersey and New Controlman. The Navy trains all sailors in the fundamentals York.” of damage control and first aid. However, Damage ControlHolowacz did that work for about 30 years and had men serve as the first responders who are instrumental in another company called Clean Carpet Care that did resipreventing accidents. dential and commercial carpet cleaning until he retired. Holowacz’s duty, first and foremost, was keeping the But along with advancing his education and getting ship and its crew safe. into the workforce, Holowacz was also busy falling in “I came out as a [Petty Officer Third Class],” said Holove. In 1960, he and a bunch of his friends would go lowacz. “The ship was three football fields long, and there into Elmwood Park on Thursdays and attend Key Club were a lot of things on there that needed to be maintained. meetings. The group would go to sit around and have a So that’s what we used to do.” few drinks knowing that young women would be around. “Whether it was doors or hatches, we were always repairOne week, his future wife, Anne, was among the women. ing something. That’s what I was doing,” he added. “Boy, “Guys go where girls are,” said Holowacz. “And we had a lot of good times. I met a lot of good guys and had Anne’s friend Joanie Polluci that she worked with at Curgood buddies.” tiss-Wright brought a friend one Thursday.”

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

great reverence and love. That included when he was asked about the greatest highlight of his life. “Oh, God. Meeting my wife,” he said. “She was a super lady. Very smart, and I loved her very much.” “We were talking, and that was Anne,” he said. “We were Although Holowacz is the last surviving member of his having a good time and all decided to go skiing up in the immediate family, he said that he has a great number of Catskills that weekend. So we nieces and nephews. He also noted did. We got in two cars on Saturthat two of his nephews, Robert and day morning, and Anne was sitRod, also served in the military. Robting in the back of my car.” ert, who served in the Army in VietAs they got to know each othnam, received a Purple Heart. Meaner and started seeing each other while, Rod also served in the Army steadily, Holowacz learned that in Germany. Anne lived in Garfield. Like HoHolowacz took a moment to conlowacz, she was also an Orthosider what he would tell people about dox Christian. serving their country if he could ex“She was a very pretty womplain one thing to them. “We don’t an,” he said. “I picked her up on have any draft; it’s volunteer service Easter and … we sat in the pew … [and it offers] good opportunities together. Then, I reached over for school,” said Holowacz. “A lot Paul and his wife, Anne. and held her hand, and she had a of kids come out of high school [not big smile on her face.” knowing] what they want to do, and The couple who met in February of 1960 went on to wed I was one of them.” on Aug. 28 of that same year. In 1962, they moved to the “Your whole life is ahead of you and when you serve house Anne fell in love with on Broad Street that Holowacz your country, you will probably learn a good trade,” he remains in today. Although Anne passed away five years continued. “I say, if you have that feeling, go ahead and ago, Holowacz shared his favorite memories of her with go for it.”

BLUE STAR FAMILY

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

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November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

US AIR FORCE SSGT. REBECCA MENDOZA Humanitarian Medical Missions By Ariana Puzzo

Traveling around the world isn’t for everyone, especially young children. But those like Rebecca Mendoza who come from military families understand how that can be part of the deal. Mendoza, like her father and grandfather before her, is a proud military veteran. Her grandfather served as an Army Major in the Korean War. Meanwhile, her father served in the US Navy. Third generation military, Mendoza chose to serve in the way that felt right to her. “The US Air Force was my favorite,” said Mendoza, 46. “It’s a smaller force, and it seemed harder to get into.” Mendoza served on active duty from March 15, 1995 to Oct. 26, 2007. Afterwards, she served with the Air National Guard for three years. Prior to her service, Mendoza worked as an EMT. She also went to school for nursing at Dallas College Richland Campus while in the delayed entry program to ship out for boot camp. “Delays are common because there are less openings and you have to score higher on tests,” she said. “I was originally processed into the Navy, [but] my heart wasn’t in it.” “I eventually switched to the Air Force and I was so happy,” continued Mendoza. “I had to wait another six to eight months, but that’s what I really wanted.””

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Always Prepared Mendoza saw quite a bit of the world at a young age, but she longed to see more. She had lived all over Europe while she grew up, in countries including Spain, Ireland, and England. She moved to the United States at age 8, and it was thanks to her father that she could serve in the military. “[My father] registered us at the embassy,” said Mendoza. “I maintained US citizenship because my father was a citizen serving in the Armed Forces. That is how I could join the Armed Forces.” And that’s what she did at age 18. Although she didn’t ship out until age 20, her training and college background let her enter as an E3. Having a duty title meant she worked in several areas, including decedent affairs, logistics, inpatient records, aeromedical evacuation, and medical readiness training. While working in medical readiness training, she found herself in Wilford Hall Medical Center, the Department of Defense’s largest outpatient ambulatory surgical center. The Center now serves more than 55,000 patients and is a Level One Trauma Center. “It was not a combat situation, but you had to

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

US AIR FORCE SSGT. REBECCA MENDOZA be prepared and stay ready,” said Mendoza. “There were car accidents, stabbings, shootings. We would get burn victims; you name it.” You might say, she did it all. But what she considered her favorite job was doing humanitarian missions. She recalled they would get asked by different countries around South and Central America to come down in response to a civil conflict. Bringing a team down meant that when Mendoza put together missions, she needed to secure several factors. It included gathering the necessary people who could work on dental, general surgery, pediatric, and general medicine needs. It further involved getting permission from the embassy. “I did everything from the nuts to the bolts,” she said. “That included getting logistics sorted out, like how much we could fit on aircrafts and when we could go.” “It would take months to plan a 2- or 4-week mission because we needed to get a team together and get immunizations or medications for altitudes.” Mendoza was on that job for about one and a half years. She also worked out of Lackland Air Force Base in Texas for nine years. Mendoza expressed nothing but pride regarding her years of meaningful work. “I was happy to carry on the family tradition,” she said. “I would definitely do it again.” But that doesn’t mean everyone approved of her ambitions. In fact, what makes her the most proud is that she served without any encouragement. “High school teachers were saying, ‘Don’t join”, and a lot of people were saying that girls shouldn’t join,” said Mendoza. “Nowadays, there’s more support for women.” Ultimately, it wasn’t the “cool thing to do.” But joining was what she knew felt right to her, even if it meant receiving discouragement from some and blatant bigotry from others. “Some of my friends were like, ‘Are you stupid? Why do you want to join the military?’” recalled Mendoza.

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

“Other people were like, ‘You’re gonna become a lesbian.’ Just because you’re tough and do tough things, doesn’t mean you’ll ‘become a lesbian.’” “I didn’t let anything back me down. I would’ve been talked out of it otherwise.” Helping Others Mendoza’s goals after she finished active duty were simple: focus on raising her four children. In 2007, her youngest was seven and her oldest was 16. By the end of the year, they settled in Clifton and she used her GI Bill to go to college. Four years ago, she bought a house in Ridgefield Park. Mendoza has earned several degrees over the last 14 years, including a bachelor’s in technical management from DeVry College of New York and an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management at DeVry. In 2015, she became the owner of All About The Fiesta, an event planning business in Woodland Park. But her big focus involves providing support for her fellow veterans. Along with being part of the Color Guard, Mendoza is a member of the Athenia Veterans Post, American Legion Post 170 in Rochelle Park, and she has held a senior officer position for three years at Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 2, located at 315 Hazel St. “I found a calling trying to get the veteran community to be a brotherhood like it should be,” said Mendoza. Part of what opened her eyes, she said, was the #22ADay Movement many veteran groups embrace to put an end to veteran suicides. “Too many people don’t check on each other once they get out,” she said. “As these guys get older, we need to be checking on them. We need to ask, ‘What is it we can do?’” “I’m lucky to be OK, but a lot of people aren’t and you don’t know it by looking at them,” continued Mendoza. To that end, what would Mendoza say is one of life’s greatest highlights? “Life, itself,” she said. “Every day you wake up … that is the highlight.”

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

US ARMY MAJOR

Celia Murray, RN

Featured Speaker Nov. 7 Veteran’s Parade. By Ashley Parsons

Retired U.S. Army Nurse Corps Major Celia Murray is no stranger to answering the call of duty. She has served 21 years in the military and over three decades as a nurse. She relocated to the Allwood section of Clifton in 2017 to live near her daughter and two grandchildren. Nursing and military service both require a sense of responsibility to other people and the country alike, traits which seemed to come naturally to Murray. She has served in seven different domestic and abroad stations during her career. While she doesn’t enjoy moving, Murray understood the mission. “My mindset was just, ‘This is what I have to do to accomplish [my] task,’” said Murray. “You don’t have time to consider what’s going on. You just do what needs to be done.” Nurse First Murray grew up in Berlin, New Jersey, a borough in Camden County. She graduated from Edgewood Regional High School (now Winslow Township High School) in 1976. Murray went on to attend Rutgers Camden. Initially, her aspiration was to teach. However, some of her peers who studied education had a very hard time finding work. When asked why she set her sights on nursing instead, she laughed. “I wanted to be able to eat okay,” Murray said. During high school, she and some friends joined a program and were nurses’ assistants. After gaining some experience in the field, she saw her potential in nursing and pursued that instead. Adventures in ROTC While attending Rutgers, a friend of Murray’s was involved in the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) and encouraged her to join. They would go on many “adventures,” as Murray referred to them. Their activities included rock climbing, repelling, and going to the gun range. Murray discovered not only that she was a “pretty good

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

shot,” but also that she enjoyed these adventures. She went on to attend advanced camp at Fort Bragg in 1981. That was when she started considering a career in the military. “I thought to myself, ‘I could do this Army thing for three years,’” said Murray, referring to the initial commitment for enlisting. Little did she know that those first three years would only be the beginning. Murray graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in May 1985. She went on to work at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital in Winslow Township until she began active duty in April 1986. Seven Stations Murray entered the military as a First Lieutenant. Instead of boot camp, she attended a six week Officer Basic Camp (OBC) at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas. At OBC, she was surrounded by other enlistees also in the medical field. Murray learned all the basics at camp, including drill and ceremony, how to march, and how to wear her uniform. After that, she was off to her first duty station. She would go on to serve in seven different stations, starting at Fort Eustace in Virginia for about three years. She returned to Fort Sam to complete an advance course for five months.

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

US ARMY MAJOR

Celia Murray, RN Murray then spent two and a half years at a clinic in Germany. She was based out of Nellingen, near Stuttgart. Next, she went to Honolulu, Hawaii and spent three years at Tripler Army Medical Center. Murray would remain in the continental U.S. for her final four stations. She was at Fort Jackson in South Carolina for four years, Fort Polk in Louisiana for two, and Fort Drum in upstate New York for another two years. She returned to Virginia and served at Fort Lee until her retirement from the Army in 2006. She continued to work as a civilian employee at the medical clinic there for the next 10 years and retired from nursing in 2017. Looking Back Despite all her travels, Murray considers herself a homebody. However, she is grateful to have seen all the destinations she did. She also acknowledges that she would likely have never seen them if it weren’t for her time in the Army. “You could probably plant me and I could stay there forever,” Murray said. “I would never have gone to Germany without the military.” She also recognizes that her experiences with moving went smoother than they did for some of her peers. Murray is thankful that she got to stay in some stations for three to four years as some had to relocate every year or two. She also remembered hearing some moving horror stories that she’s thankful didn’t happen to her. Murray remembered a friend in Germany who was packed up to leave but remained in the country two more weeks. They visited a flea market during some downtime and actually saw some of their belongings for sale. She considers herself lucky that nothing of the sort happened to her. Understandably, Murray gets many questions about what life was like in Hawaii. She often jokes that “Hawaii was wasted on her” because she isn’t the kind of beachgoer who enjoys lying out in the sun all day or diving in the ocean.

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Murray took advantage of the tropical scenery in other ways though, by going on hikes and visiting the other islands. She also gained an important addition to her family by adopting her sister’s son. Her nephew, Darrell, was interested in living with her in Hawaii. He was a teenager, similar in age to Murray’s daughter, Tenaiya. In order to enroll him in school, she needed to become his legal guardian, so she adopted him, and he continued living with her until graduating high school. Of all the places she’s lived, Murray says Virginia was her favorite location. The mild winters meant never having to deal with the cold. She could also visit family in New Jersey often, as she was only a few hours away. Present Day These days, Murray’s job title is grandma to a six-yearold boy, Joen, and four-year-old girl, Brooklyn. She has lived in Clifton since early 2017, after some polite insistence from her daughter. Murray enjoys all the time she gets to spend with her grandchildren but admits that the pandemic made the last school year difficult. After trying to teach her grandson kindergarten from home, she is even more certain of her choice not to teach and that “God had a plan.” Luckily, Murray says that both grandkids consider themselves grown up and tell her daily that they’re geniuses. Not long after moving to Clifton, Murray came across the Avenue of Flags, located at the city’s municipal complex. She said, “Of all the places I’ve been, [I’d] never seen anything of this magnitude.” Her fascination with the display led her to inquire and learn more. Murray got a flag for herself and sponsors a section as well. Even further, she was asked to be the featured speaker at the Veterans Parade on Nov. 7. Murray doesn’t view herself as a public speaker but feels proud to have been asked. “As a nurse, you come to the realization that what you do matters,” she said, “and it’s good to think that you can also have a positive impact by something you say.”

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Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

From Palmer To Cinque

Originally written in 2002 by Jack DeVries • Revised in 2021 by Tom Szieber In 1921, Clifton High School already had both a baseball and basketball team. But football, the sport that would help define the city’s identity decades later, was ignored by the school. That summer, Clifton’s first football team was founded by a visionary coach. Carlton Palmer’s example—of leading young men on the gridiron farther than they ever imagined—would be echoed later by future Clifton coaches, like Joe Grecco, Bill Vander Closter, John Lischak, Ron Anello, Ralph Cinque and others. While Clifton’s football legacy has been one of state championships and packed stadiums, it’s also been one of rocky fields, political bickering, and disappointment. Twenty coaches have lived through those seasons, all leaving their mark on Clifton’s football history. These are their stories. Carlton Palmer (1921) In the summer of 1921, Clifton High School students Milt Sutter, Don Collester, and Maurice Karp circulated a petition asking the school to form a football team. Every boy out of the class of 478 students signed it. Sutter, Collester, and Karp then needed an adult to take the petition to the board of education. They asked Carlton Palmer, their physical education instructor and a former coach at Vanderbilt University, to plead their case. “He was,” remembered Sutter, in an interview in 2001, “a very aggressive fellow.”

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Palmer was a dynamic individual. In 1918, he left his position coaching basketball and baseball at Vanderbilt to serve in World War I. After the war ended, he returned to the U.S., but went back to Poland in 1920 to help coach the nation’s Olympic team. Palmer ended up serving with the Polish army, helping to drive off Russian troops to gain Poland’s independence. After his adventures abroad, establishing a football team was easy. Palmer took the boys’ petition before the school board and offered to coach the team. The board appropriated $300 to outfit the players, and Clifton High School’s football squad was born. However, Sutter, Collester, and Karp’s idea for a team was not what Palmer envisioned. During the first practices, the coach brought in new players—athletes of great ability, size, and strength. And these were men, not boys—players five and six years older than Sutter and his buddies. “They were not in school,” Sutter said in a 2000 interview months before his death. “I don’t know what the arrangements were, but they came back to class and attended like everyone else. It got so that we kids who started this movement weren’t going to be allowed to play because of the players he picked up.” In 1921, no age requirements prevented Palmer from stocking his team with older players. He brought in standouts like Art Argauer (later a coach at Garfield), Vince Chimenti, Bill Ziegler, and others to form his team. Sutter became the team’s quarterback, Collester made the teams as a

lineman, and Karp joined as the squad’s manager. Palmer’s team opened the season by thrashing Butler, 46-0, and Emerson of West Hoboken, 32-0. The Maroon and Gray, as they were called in the newspapers, went 8-1, losing only to powerful Pingry Prep in Elizabeth on a forfeit. “They were the prep school for Princeton,” Sutter said. “I swore they put soap on the uniforms.” Clifton’s biggest victory of the seaAt left, on the Doherty Oval (now 1500 Main Ave.) circa 1922 where Clifton son was a 21-14 win over Hackensack High School players like Milt Sutter, Emil Bondinell and Art Argauer competed. at Oritani Field—an incredible win for physical education professor at the University of Alabama. the small rural town. After the victory, In addition, Palmer was a nationally known art dealer, lecPalmer hired a brass band, and students and fans paraded turer, and writer. down Main Ave., the Passaic Daily News reported, doing a His Clifton experience remained special to him. After “snake dance.” They ended at the high school and ignited being honored by the “C” Club in 1979, he wrote to Sutter: a huge bonfire. “That warm ovation I received must in great part be credPalmer left Clifton for Poland after the season. His latited to my players. What could I have done without you all? er adventures included crossing the desert by camel from That wonderful response may remain as the crown jewel of Aleppo, Syria, to Baghdad, Iraq. On his return to the U.S. satisfaction in my life.” in 1924, he became a coach at Tusculum College and later a

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1922 CHS Principal Walter Nutt, 1924 Coach Harry Steinmark, Coach Art Donnelly and his 1926 Fighting Mustangs.

Steve Holster (1925) Steinmark’s assistant coach Steve Holster took over the team the next season and the results were disastrous. “Clifton finished 1-6 and lost its final five games of the year. Clifford S. Hurlburt (1922-23) Clifford Hurlburt became Clifton’s next coach, moving from the Springfield, Mass., Y.M.C.A. He had powerful support in his new role from Clifton’s principal Walter Nutt, who years before opposed forming the football team. Inspired by Palmer’s success, Nutt became a big football fan—even personally arranging for Clifton’s games to be played at the beautiful Doherty Oval on Main Ave. He also served as timekeeper, bench coach, and defender of all injustices. After Clifton lost a disputed 13-12 away game against Orange in 1922, it was Nutt who led a delegation to the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark to complain about shoddy, biased officiating. The New Jersey State Athletic Association agreed and ruled “no game,” preserving Clifton’s undefeated season. Coach Hurlburt, as the Clifton High School yearbook The Reflector states, molded the team into a “strong, smooth, running machine,” which became known as “Hurlburt’s Gridders.” His two-year record was 13-2. Harry Steinmark (1924) With all of Palmer’s recruits now graduated, new coach Harry Steinmark inherited a team that was vastly less-talented than the 1921-22 powerhouses. In his single season as coach, Steinmark’s Maroon and Gray squad went 1-3-1, scoring 25 points while surrendering 52.

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Art Donnelly (1926-1934) With the Maroon and Gray floundering, the team was turned over to physical education teacher Art Donnelly, a graduate of Savage College in New York City. While Donnelly was well-liked and enthusiastic about his job, he lacked football knowledge. During his first seasons, he would bring a football book to practice to help him explain various playing stances to the team. Outside of football, Donnelly was a great athlete, touring the country and giving gymnastic and acrobatic exhibitions each summer. “What I took from Art Donnelly into my own coaching career,” future Mustangs coach Joe Grecco said in a 2001 interview, a standout center on Clifton’s 1929-31 squads, “was his absolute fairness. Each player was given a chance to compete for his position. He was also an excellent role model and a wonderful teacher—we all loved him.” Clifton played many of its games during Donnelly’s tenure in front of the high school—now Christopher Columbus Middle School. Before each game, players had to rake the roped-off field and shovel away rocks. Grecco estimated about 100 people would watch the games. “While he didn’t have much football knowledge when he started, he got better as a coach as the years went on,” Grecco said about Donnelly. “When I became coach, he attended all our games and was extremely proud of our accomplishments.” In his ninth year, Donnelly enjoyed a single winning season—a 5-2-2 mark in 1933.

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

coach who could match up with someone like (Garfield’s) Art Argauer.” Joe Menegus, an All-State end in 1943, played the early part of his football career under Lesko. Al Lesko (1935-1941) “Coach Lesko was a strict disciplinarTough Al Lesko replaced Art Donnelly for ian and a great physical conditioner,” rethe 1935 season, bringing with him a big-time members Menegus. “His practices were so athletic reputation. tough, we were grateful when Saturday’s A former fullback and captain at East Ruthgame rolled around because it meant a erford, Lesko went on to play at Penn State. rest.” He also starred on the baseball diamond, signOne who appreciated Lesko’s work was ing a minor league contract with the New York Coach Al Lesko. Angelo “Doc” Paternoster, who became an Yankees. After playing a season for the minor All-State lineman for Clifton in 1936 and league Jersey City team, the muscular Lesko later a star at Georgetown University. “Coach Al Lesko reretired from baseball and became a football and baseball ally got me going in my junior and senior years,” he recoach at Bordentown High School before moving to Clifmembers. “He had much to do with making me the player ton. I became later on.” Despite his former success, Lesko’s years at Clifton While Lesko’s teams didn’t win often, they did draw were some of the bleakest in the school’s history. In his more fans to their games. Playing their home games at seven seasons, Clifton never had a winning record and was Wessington Stadium—another rock infested grounds routinely whipped by neighboring towns. cleared by the players before each game—the Maroon and “Al wasn’t a great coach,” sports historian Harry Murtha Gray squads of the 1930s drew crowds of nearly 3,000 to said. “He was more of the blood and thunder-type, who each contest. liked size and power. To be fair, Al’s era did feature great Lesko was also the first coach able to call his team competition and great players—like Garfield’s Benny Ba“Mustangs” after they were named by Herald-News sports bula, Eastside’s Larry Doby, and Passaic’s Jimmy Casticolumnist Art McMahon in a 1935 column. glia, Augie Lio, and Joe Gyorgydeak. But Al was never a

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

Vic Dragon (1942-1944) When Al Lesko entered the Navy during World War II, Clifton hired Vic Dragon to coach the team, a Passaic County parole officer by day. As a leader, Dragon was a sharp contrast to Lesko. “Vic was a friendly, outgoing person,” says Menegus, who called offensive and defensive signals for the team. “He got along well with all the guys. As a coach, he was sometimes inspirational and often imaginative—sometimes too much so.” One of Dragon’s imaginative decisions was to institute an untried formation before a season-ending game against mighty Garfield. “Vic said he had a vision,” said Menegus, “and put us in a ‘C’ formation—which none of us had ever seen before. Nobody was sure where to go when the play was called. For example, Art Bartholomew played end all year and now he was in the backfield. Garfield beat us pretty good that day.” The tobacco-chewing coach led the Mustangs for three seasons, going 14-7-3. “We might have even been better,” Menegus recalled. “We had a lot of talent on our (5-2-1) 1943 team. Art Argauer, the Garfield coach, said if he had us, we would’ve been the best team in the state.” The Board of Education dismissed Dragon after the 1944 season, much to his dismay. He railed in the newspapers, saying he’d been “stabbed in the back” by school officials. A petition to keep Dragon (signed by fans and players) stated, “The way the boys feel, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was no football team in 1945.” There would be a football team in 1945. Clifton was about to hire a high school Lombardi. Joe Grecco (1945-1963) When Joe Grecco became coach of the Clifton Mustangs, everything changed. “I was going to quit school,” remembered running back Bob Boettcher. “They had let Vic Dragon go, and Joe Grecco was coming in. He had a reputation as a tough guy, and I was sure he wasn’t going to like me. But, before I quit, he pulled me aside and

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

In 1942 Coach Vic Dragon. Coach Joe Grecco, circa 1957.

talked about the upcoming season. That boosted me up, and I stayed,” continued Boettcher, who became an AllAmerican. “Joe Grecco changed my life.” Grecco was an icon, embodying all that is great about Mustang football and representing the spirit that united Clifton and shaped the city’s identity. It wasn’t the championships he won or the packed stadiums his teams played before. It wasn’t even his inspirational speeches or program-defining victories. More importantly, it was the fact he checked his player’s report cards and made sure they went on to college. It was also the way his lessons stayed with them long after they left the gridiron. “I think of him as a hero,” said Roger Fardin, an AllAmerican quarterback for Grecco in the fifties. “In business,” said Don Grilli, an All-State lineman and former president of Johnson & Johnson’s Orthopedic and Neurological Division, “there are many good managers, but not many true leaders. I learned about true leadership from Coach Joe Grecco—outside of my father, probably the most inspirational person in my life.” Grecco grew up in Lodi and Clifton, and played center for the Maroon and Gray from 1929-32. After World War II, Emil Gacy, chairman of Clifton’s athletic committee, asked Grecco to become football coach. He rejected the offer, instead wanting to go into sales. Gacy appealed to Grecco’s wife Teresa, asking her to persuade her husband to take the job. “He hit all the right buttons,” Grecco remembered with a laugh. “He told her how Clifton needed a coach and that a teacher was a respected position. As a salesman, he said I was never home—which was true. So my wife convinced me to take the job.”

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

Education because he was serving as principal of School No. 6, and a state official had recommended no administrator should work as a coach. Grecco, a councilman in ClifAfter going 6-2-1 in 1945, ton at the time, was not politically Grecco began working to build his aligned with the board, and it cost program. him his coaching job. “I had 17 kids come out for the “Throughout my years, politeam my first year,” Grecco retics was something I had to deal called. “Part of Clifton’s problem with,” he says. “Certain school in those days was there was no board members wanted to exert ‘Clifton.’ The Main Ave. section their influence on the coach, and I was considered ‘Clifton.’ The Botwouldn’t stand for it. When I first any section was Botany, Lakeview became coach, board members and was Lakeview, Athenia was Athepoliticians would sit on the team nia, and so on. The people who bench. I kicked them off. That lived in those sections felt that’s made a lot of enemies.” where they belonged—there was Coach Bill Vander Closter circa 1968. Though his departure from no feeling of living in the city of coaching was hard, the work he Clifton. had done while leading the Mustangs continued to endure. “What I did was attend every men’s, church, service, or In 2000, Grecco, who won 10 state sectional titles and political club I could find to talk with the parents about footamassed record of 126-39-4, was chosen as The Record’s ball and what it could do for their kids. If their sons played “All-Century Coach” from Passaic County. “His football on the team, I insisted on an academic commitment—I players,” said Dr. George Telesh, an All-American running would check their report cards. I also spoke about the disback, “will tell you he set the tone for our lives.” cipline and lessons their sons would learn from football. “The following year, I had 33 kids come out for the team.” In 1946, Clifton became a football town. Grecco’s Mustangs went 8-1, with its only setback coming in the “Oyster Bowl” (an unofficial national title game) in Norfolk, Va. They lost 6-0 to Granby High—though films show Boettcher clearly scoring a touchdown that was disallowed. With the city’s population increasing, Grecco’s Mustangs became a symbol of a town on the rise. Clifton School Stadium opened in 1950—probably the greatest high school field in the state. His teams continued to win— motivated by his loud, booming voice, urging his players to perform on the “field of battle” for the right to be called “Fighting Mustangs.” As the seasons went on, Grecco’s legacy grew. Clifton beat nemesis Montclair in 1957—a team they had never beaten in over a decade. The wins mounted, the city grew, and the report cards continued to be checked. More of his players went on to college—some to Ivy League schools—and his deep voice grew more resonant. After the 1963 season, Grecco was stung by city politics—the nemesis of nearly every Clifton coach since the program’s inception. He was dismissed by the Board of

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Bill Vander Closter (1964-1979) To replace Grecco, the Clifton Board of Education turned to a familiar face—assistant coach Bill Vander Closter. Along with his assistant coaching duties, Vander Closter taught physical education at Clifton High School and became Clifton’s JV basketball coach. “I had over 220 wins as a JV coach,” he said. “I always thought I’d become the school’s head basketball coach. I was All-Navy during my playing days, and basketball was my best sport.” But football was where Vandy would make his mark. As an assistant, he helped Grecco build the program and witnessed some of Clifton’s greatest triumphs. “Beating Montclair in 1957 and 1959 was the best,” he said. “Montclair, with coach Clary Anderson, was a talented, well-coached, well-disciplined team. In 1954, I went to Joe Grecco and said, ‘We’ll beat them this year—no problem.’ I had coached our seniors as freshman and thought we’d win. Montclair beat us that day, something like 35-0.” Despite offers to take over other programs, Vander Closter worked 14 years as an assistant before being hired to succeed Grecco.

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

1973, Vander Closter built arguably the greatest teams in Clifton’s history. The ’72 and ’73 Mustangs went 9-0 in backto-back years, outscoring their opponents by a combined 713-70. His promotion was not without controRon Haraka, a starting quarterback in versy. 1975 and a sophomore on the 1973 squad, On the streets and in the newspapers, remembered, “Besides having the respect Grecco supporters railed against the board of his players, he had the respect of coachfor forcing the popular coach out. In the es around the league. He ran his team Mustangs’ locker room, there was talk of well—allowing his assistants to coach, but a rift between Vandy’s boys and Grecco’s having a good handle on the entire squad.” boys. Haraka also remembers Vander Closter Vander Closter denied there was ever as a fiery speaker. friction between him and his former head “Just before he would begin his game coach. talk,” he says, “we’d start chanting, In his first season as head coach, Vander ‘Knute! Knute! Knute!’ because we said Closter’s Mustangs went 5-4, a slight drop he spoke to us like Knute Rockne. That from Grecco’s 6-3 mark the year before. Coach John Lischak. fired us up, and I think it fired him up, too. But in 1965, Vandy’s team would suffer He definitely knew how to motivate us.” through a 2-5-2 campaign—Clifton’s first After several more winning years—and four playoff aplosing season since 1954. pearances, after the institution of state playoffs in 1974— “When I’d see one of our football fans shopping on Vander Closter coached his last game in 1979, a 15-0 loss Main Ave.,” he said, “I’d turn my face around and hide. in the North I, Group IV title game to Passaic Valley at That was a tough year.” Giants Stadium. He finished his career with a record of The losing season was Vandy’s last. In 1966, the Mus109-32-7, with five state sectional titles. tangs rebounded with a fine 7-1-1 mark. In 1972 and With his incredible record, he won’t soon be forgotten. “Whatever a head football coach should be,” said his successor, John Lischak, “that was Bill Vander Closter.” John Lischak (1980-1981) With Vander Closter’s retirement, Lischak, as assistant coach of 13 years, interviewed for the head coaching job. He found out he was selected when a story announcing his hiring appeared in the Herald-News. “I was comfortable as an assistant,” Lischak says, “but I felt sorry for the kids we had coming back. I wanted to continue what Bill had established.” Students were a tremendous part of Lischak’s life. Along with coaching football, he also guided Clifton’s girls and boys’ bowling teams, winning 13 league championships, three county titles, and two state group championships. As a teacher, he inspired learning. Bob Tulp, a student in one of Lischak’s history classes, remembered. “I didn’t know him from sports, so I didn’t know how to read him. He was a quiet, big bear of a man, who walked into class like he didn’t want to be there. But when he started talking about history, he came alive. He made history interesting and fun, telling us tidbits

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

that weren’t in the books. When the bell rang, you were disappointed class was over.” Lischak played against Clifton in the fifties as a lineman for Garfield. After playing college Coaches Jack Jones and Dennis Heck, Alex Kaplanovich. football, he joined the Air Force, serving as a radar navigator and chak by booing. At DePaul, Jones built a dynamic proflying on B-36s, B-37s, and B-52s. He became a coach in gram, capturing a state championship in 1975 and a 55-13 1965 after spending a season watching Clifton practices as record at the Wayne school. But during the 1982 season, a student-teacher. the Mustangs skidded to 2-6-1. As an assistant, Lischak saw few Clifton games. InGrowing up in Lyndhurst and playing football and basstead, he watched upcoming opponents play on Saturdays ketball at St. Mary in Rutherford, Jones knew about Clifton as Vander Closter’s head scout. As head coach, he had the football through friends and former players Bill Farkas and stadium’s best view, watching his Mustangs go 8-2 in 1980 Roger Fardin. “I knew of the great program Joe Grecco and 7-2 in 1981. built,” he said. “I also knew about the politics. It was so “It was easy for me to like him,” says All-State lineunfair what they did to John Lischak. But I took the job and man Joe Schiavone. “I was a starter. But friends of mine never regretted any of the three years I spent at Clifton.” who weren’t playing much thought the world of him. The The opinionated, independent Jones quickly brought players knew Coach Lischak cared for them as people—no the Mustangs back. They finished 8-2 in 1983 and 7-2matter how good an athlete they were.” With a 15-4 record, combined with the respect and love 1 in 1984, losing to North Bergen in the playoffs. As a of his players, it seemed Lischak was an ideal choice to leader, Jones was known for his preparation and passion lead Clifton for years. The Board of Education thought othfor football. “I’ve never seen a coach prepare a team like erwise. After a second consecutive playoff loss to Passaic he did,” commented Heck. Valley in 1980 and a regular season setback against rival “‘Intense’ is how I’d describe him,” said All-State defenPassaic in 1981, they decided the team needed a change sive back Eddie Klemik. “He was a hands-on guy—he’d and hired DePaul’s Jack Jones to take over as coach. put on a helmet and show you how he wanted it done. He “It was terrible what the board did to John,” Vander Cloalso had a knack for saying the right thing to motivate you.” ster said years later. “Any coach, regardless of his record, Jones credits a great Clifton coach for helping shape his deserves three to four years to implement his system. John career. “When I was a young coach,” he recalled, “I studied didn’t get that—and his record was excellent.” Joe Grecco’s playbook. One of my best Clifton moments “I don’t want to criticize anyone about what happened,” was having him come back (in 1984) and lead the team in Lischak said of his firing, “but it hurt, it really hurt. I never prayer and give us a pep talk. We beat Passaic that day, 16knew how much I loved that job until they took it away 0.” There were other fond memories, too. from me.” “Clifton kids,” Jones continued, “were about the best I had in 42 years of coaching—kids like Brian Smith, Joe Jack Jones (1982-1984) Della Fera, Joe Silva, Dave Szott, Jimmy Gaccione, Mike Coach Jack Jones arrived at the worst of times. The and Scott Porter, Richie Ceynowa, and many others.” football team was frustrated, hurt, and angry. “Not at the After the 1984 season, Jones got into a stormy dispute players,” said future head coach and then assistant Dennis with the Board of Education and other administrators over Heck, “but at the entire coaching staff.” a trip to Disney World, which he organized for his players. It was a difficult first year for Jones. During an early Around the same time, Jones was offered the job of freshgame at Clifton Stadium, fans showed their loyalty to Lisman coach at Columbia University, one he decided to take.

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

“I hadn’t planned on leaving,” he said. “My goal was to have the first Clifton team win a state championship on the field. But the politics was out of line—the board was always getting involved in things they shouldn’t have, like the football program. But the Clifton kids were great, the parents were outstanding, and the fans were great.” Dennis Heck (1985-87) To replace Jack Jones, the Board of Education selected assistant coach Heck, then 27, to lead the Mustangs. During his three years as coach, Heck went 19-8, including a 7-2 mark his final year. Winning didn’t guarantee his job. He was fired after the 1987 season—setting off a political storm that changed the way the Clifton Board of Education is selected. “I was young at the time,” said Heck, who had a long and successful run coaching Teaneck’s football program after being dismissed from Clifton, “but I took a lot of pride in my job. I wasn’t a Clifton guy, but I understood how special the program was. It had everything—the stadium, history, cheerleaders, band, fans, and great kids— how many other programs can say that? I even liked showing the game films to the “C” Club and Booster Club. I didn’t mind if people critiqued the films or the team with me—it showed they cared. My time at Clifton was a great learning experience.” Heck’s best moment came at the expense of Montclair. “I had the greatest respect for coach Jack Davies,” he said. “When I played for Pequannock, he was the coach at Butler. Before a big crowd at Clifton Stadium, we were

trailing 14-0 and came back to beat his Montclair team, 34-13. It was an awesome feeling.” What was not uplifting for Heck was his dismissal by the board, recommended by athletic director Bob Roberts. Accused of supervisory lapses and the loss of football equipment—charges refuted by Heck and others—his firing set off a firestorm in city government. The controversy pitted the board against some city council members, including Joe Grecco, the Mustangs former coach. Grecco said of the board’s charges, “There’s been nothing of any substance to fire a coach.” He added, “I’d be proud to have my grandson play on his team.” The players also presented a petition with 1,000 signatures demanding his reinstatement. “It was stupid stuff,” Heck recalled of the charges. “They accused me of taking 40 helmets. What was I going to do with 40 red helmets? It came down to one board member wanting another coach, that’s all.” While the board succeeded in dumping Heck, his firing had a political impact. In 1989, Clifton voters changed the board from appointments by the mayor to an elected body. Alex Kaplanovich (1988-1989) Clifton went back to its roots after firing Dennis Heck, hiring former Mustang Alex Kaplanovich. He starred in the mid-sixties as a running back, defensive back, and kicker. In 1967, he booted a field goal that defeated Nutley on the way to a big Mustangs win. After playing for the 1970 Division III East Re-

Dr. Marc Haspel

Dr. Nader Ghobrial Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

gional champion Montclair State Red Hawks, Kaplanovich went into teaching and coaching. He spent 14 years as an assistant before becoming head coach at Cedar Grove, where his teams went Coaches John Iannucci, James Kelly and James D. Hill. 17-9-3 and earned two playoff births. Kaplanovich’s two years at it was ridiculous,” Kaplanovich said in 1999. “The bottom Clifton weren’t happy ones. The Mustangs had a 2-6-1 reline was that Clifton expected to win, or else.” Kaplanovich cord his first season and went 2-7 in his last. During the later became head football coach at Paramus High School. 1989 season, some fans showed no mercy for the coach or the team, wearing “0-5” shirts in the stands. Predictably, John Iannucci (1990-1992) Kaplanovich’s efforts did not sit well with the board. After Things did not improve with the hiring of John Iannucci, the season, they fired the coach by an 8-0-1 vote. who left his coaching job at Paterson Eastside to come to The Herald-News embarrassed the board by printing a Clifton. “How many schools in New Jersey have Clifton’s list of the charges—with many of the words misspelled on tradition in football,” he commented to The Record when a handwritten note written by a board member. he was hired. “How many schools on the East Coast have “They told me the players weren’t tying their shoes; that Clifton’s tradition?” After three seasons, Iannucci would be we’re not putting the dummies away in a prescribed area— part of a new tradition—joining the growing fraternity of

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

ex-Clifton coaches. Despite great promise, Iannucci compiled a 7-18-2 record in his three years at Clifton, quitting after the 1992 season. “I wasn’t being forced out,” he again told The Record. “There just wasn’t the proper mesh here. “People will literally make things about you,” he explained of his detractors who influenced his decision. “This is the first time I’m leaving a place without another job (lined up). But football is an obsession and I gave up my personal life to build this program, but it was like being a square peg in a round hole. “Everybody’s on a different agenda here.”

reer of high-flying running back Joe Haro, a player worthy of any era, who rushed for 1,455 years and 21 touchdowns in 1997. After going 3-5-1 in his first season, Kelly’s Mustangs went 9-9 over the next two years before going 6-3 in 1996 and 6-4 in 1997. The latter season also marked the school’s first playoff appearance since 1984, but Clifton lost, 13-3, to Wayne Hills. That June, Kelly surprised the board and his team by accepting an offer to take over the football program at Nutley. For Kelly, a lifelong Nutley resident, the chance to return to his alma mater was too strong to resist.

James Kelly (1993-1997) James Kelly became the Mustangs’ next coach and set about restoring a program that had gone 11-31-3 during the past five seasons—Clifton’s worst stretch since the thirties. Kelly’s hiring was not without controversy. Though he was the players’ choice, the board wanted Pennsylvania’s Larry Zdilla as coach. When Zdilla abruptly pulled his name from consideration, one board member smelled a conspiracy, saying, “Someone got to him.” Zdilla later said Kelly’s popularity was a factor in his decision. Hiring Kelly was a positive move for Clifton. He increased interest in the program, raising the number of Mustang players from 40 to 130. He also helped guide the ca-

James D. Hill (1998) In 1998, Clifton hired a true Mustang, Jim “J.D.” Hill, as the team’s new head coach. With only a few months to prepare, Hill was looking to build on the success of the past season. Things didn’t turn out the way he hoped. Becoming coach of the Mustangs was a dream job for Hill. “I grew up in the era of Clifton football,” said Hill, “when all you thought about was going inside that stadium and playing for Vandy.” He envisioned spending years prowling the same sidelines as his mentor Bill Vander Closter had. Instead, he got one season and enough humiliation to last a lifetime. An assistant for every coach since John Lischak, Hill never believed his ending at Clifton would be the same.

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

Speaking directly to the board, Vander Closter wrote, “Your ‘hire and fire’ tactics are getting you nowhere and making you a laughingstock in the area.” Though the season was a big disappointment, there are “After being put through a public flogmemories Hill treasures. ging,” he recalled, “I realized I was one in“After our win against Barringer,” Hill credibly naïve individual. I thought it would said, “my father gave me a hug. That was be different for me—that I was bulletproof. special. The win came early in the season, It turned out to be a learning experience. I and I thought we might do some damage. We learned if I was ever given the chance, I didn’t have the talent in a year when there would never to do what was done to me.” was a lot of talent around the league. LookFollowing a 2-8 season, the Board of EdCoach Chet Parlavecchio. ing back, I should have realized that fact ucation chose not to rehire Hill. The board’s instead of getting an ulcer. I should’ve also athletic chairman Ken Kurnath told The Rerealized it would take time to bring the program back. I cord, “We need an established coach. We’ve become the thought I’d get a least three seasons. “They never told me it laughingstock of football.” was an interim job. Had they said it... I probably would’ve Kurnath added Hill did the program a favor by stepping still taken it. I was loyal to Clifton.” in for Kelly on short notice because “we were desperate” and “needed somebody to run the weight training and get Chet Parlavecchio (1999-2003) the kids to the football camp at Montclair State.” After Hill’s firing, the Clifton Board of Education and The quote was far from a gracious endorsement for a administration decided it needed to bring in a powerhouse. disposed coach. But Hill’s mentor was quick to come to Searching for a big-name, proven winner, Clifton first sethis defense. As Joe Grecco had done after Dennis Heck’s tled on former Saddle Brook, River Dell and Hackensack firing, Vander Closter came out blazing, firing off letters head coach Greg Toal, who had won two sectional champicritical of Hill’s dismissal to many New Jersey papers. onships with the Golden Hawks and five with the Comets. Praising Hill as a “dedicated Mustang” and saying he But Toal retracted his acceptance of the job in favor of should have been allowed a rebuilding season after 20 the same post at Don Bosco Prep; the Mustangs pivoted players graduated, Vander Closter laced into the board. to another dynamo, Chet Parlavecchio. The former Seton “When I resigned from coaching in 1979,” he wrote, Hall Prep, Penn State and NFL linebacker had a reputation “my able assistant, John Lischak, became head coach. After as a program-builder at Bloomfield, Irvington and Passaic two winning seasons, he was fired. Then came Jack Jones, Valley and brought high expectations when he took the Dennis Heck, Alex Kaplanovich (another loyal Mustang), reins of the downtrodden Mustang program. He was also John Ianucci, Jim Kelly, and now Jim Hill. Does the Board the subject of scrutiny surrounding his salary and record of Education have the interest of the kids at heart, or is it when his teams went 11-29 in his first four seasons. just after the glory?”

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Clifton Public Schools Employment Opportunities

The Clifton Public School District is currently accepting applications for the following positions:

School Nurses (NJ Certification)

Paraprofessionals

Registered Nurses

Substitute Teachers

ESL Teachers (NJ Certification)

Substitute Paraprofessionals

Teacher of Mathematics (NJ Certification)

Special Education Teachers (NJ Certification)

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Board Certified Behavior Analyst for Preschool

Preschool Special Education Teachers (NJ Certification)

Apply today at https://www.applitrack.com/cliftonschools/onlineapp/ Clifton Public Schools 745 Clifton Avenue Clifton, NJ 07013 www.clifton.k12.nj.us Phone: 973-594-4195 E-mail: hr@cliftonschools.net

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

Anello’s tie-wearing, profanity-banning, wear-your-hat-the-right-way form of discipline was a culture shock for his first team, which was used to the larger-than-life Parlavecchio. But whether the public knew it or not, Now running an old school Delaware within the brick walls of Clifton Stadium, Wing-T offense, the talented 2004 team— Parlavecchio was transforming the culture of led by quarterback/safety Randy Cabral, the program from one that accepted losing as running back/cornerback Emmanuel Ihim a way of life to one that had the confidence of and tight end/defensive end Joe Hathaway a winner, even if the results hadn’t yet shown (all seniors)—went 5-5, a victim of the short it. In 2003, the program finally turned a adjustment period after Anello’s hiring and corner. After an opening night blowout loss Coach Ron Anello. a slew of injuries to key players. against Hackensack, the Mustangs shocked a After going 4-6 in 2005, the Mustangs quality Teaneck team, beating the Highwayappeared to be in big trouble following a deflating loss men in a 7-0 defensive slugfest. at Montclair to drop them to 3-3 halfway through the Then came a disappointing loss to Nutley a week later. 2006 season. Then, Anello made a few big decisions that But the Mustangs showed their grit by reeling off four conchanged the course of Clifton football history. First, he secutive wins—clinching a playoff spot in the process. A installed assistant coach Steve Covello as the team’s new heartbreaking 21-13 loss to Morristown in the first round of defensive coordinator. the North I, Group IV tournament ended the emotional run Then, with their Oct. 27 game against Ridgewood early, but a win over Passaic on Thanksgiving gave Clifton hanging in the balance and seconds on the clock, he put its first winning season since 1997. the game on the legs of senior quarterback Anthony GiorAfter the season, Parlavecchio resigned to follow his dano, who took a quarterback keeper to the left pylon son, Chet Jr., during his senior season at Delbarton. He from three yards out to secure a 20-17 victory. won a North II, Group IV championship in 2006 as ElizaLed by linebacker/fullback Matt Davella, the Mustangs beth’s head coach, and later served on Mike Munchak’s were simply the tougher team in an 18-13 upset of St. Jostaff with the Tennessee Titans. He retired following the seph (Montvale) the next week, and slid into the North I, 2019 season after his second stint at Passaic Valley. Group IV playoffs as a #8 seed thanks to a Teaneck win over Ridgewood that weekend. Ron Anello (2004-2010) They won a 15-8 squeaker over top-seeded North BerParlavecchio’s January departure left a vacancy that gen for their first playoff win in 27 years and then defeatwould not be filled until May, when Clifton hired former ed Randolph to punch a ticket to the old Giants Stadium. West Essex head coach and Wallkill Valley athletic direcThere, they destroyed Eastside (a team to which they’d tor Ron Anello. His personality was far different than his lost in the regular season), 26-0, with junior safety predecessor’s.

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Clifton Public Schools Substitute Teaching Opportunities

Competitive Pay!

$125/Day: County Substitute Certification $135/Day: NJDOE Teaching Certification Pursuant to P.L.2021, c. 87, individuals that are enrolled in an accredited institution of higher education , have completed 30 semester-hour credits, and are at least 20 years of age are now eligible for a substitute teacher credential. Apply today at https://www.applitrack.com/cliftonschools/onlineapp/ Clifton Public Schools 745 Clifton Avenue Clifton, NJ 07013 www.clifton.k12.nj.us Phone: 973-594-4195 E-mail: hr@cliftonschools.net

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

With the holdovers from 2010, Covello’s tenure had a promising start, as Clifton went 6-4 in 2011. The highlight of that season included an upset win over perennially Lamar Rodriguez intercepting Ghosts QB strong Ridgewood; a week later, the MusTahree McQueen three times. Anello had tangs lost to a Fair Lawn team that finished delivered what Clifton football fans had 1-8. They went 2-8 in 2012, with their 12craved for so long: their first state sectional game winning streak over Passaic snapped championship in 33 years (and first of the on Thanksgiving. playoff era). They bounced back slightly in 2013, go“I knew the rich tradition of high school ing 4-6, but the wheels fell off during a 1-9 football in Clifton,” Anello said. “I wanted 2014 campaign. That offseason, Clifton Coach Steve Covello. to bring [a championship] back to the city. decided it needed to start over. Still, CovHigh school football is a fabric of the comello has a number of achievements from his munity, and in a community like Clifton, it was important head coaching stint in which he takes great pride. for, first and foremost, the kids, but also the city and com“My proudest accomplishments are that my parents munity. The whole experience was surreal.” and brother, who have passed away, and my children Anello made another noteworthy decision in 2008, got an opportunity to see me live out one of my dreams awarding the starting quarterback position to freshman and goals in life in being a head football coach,” Covello Patrick Ferrara. He surrounded the youngster with a tersaid. “And beating Ridgewood our first year. My bigrific offensive line and power running game, and the Musgest shortcoming would unfortunately be my last season tangs went 7-3 and back to the postseason. This time, [as head coach]. I take 100% of the responsibility for that. they were eliminated in the first round by a Livingston But our coaches kept coaching. Our players kept playing. team that ended up winning the sectional title. Our support staff and parents kept supporting the whole Despite all he gave to Clifton, Anello was unable to season. It was the most challenging season I was ever avoid being targeted politically. First, his full-time popart of. But I had two choices: quit or dig deep and be sition (Supervisor of Physical Education, Grades 9-12) resilient.” was suddenly eliminated. Soon thereafter, the Board of With his trademark grit and passion, Covello chose Education instituted a policy that prohibited coaches from the latter, fighting until the end and leading Clifton to an serving in administrative roles. It became widely assumed emotional win over Passaic in his head coaching finale. that Anello was being pushed out, though no one seemed He then served three seasons as the defensive coordinato know exactly why. In the face of the uncertainty about tor at Glen Ridge, and another three in the same role at his future, Anello coached the 2010 team to a 7-3 record. Caldwell University, before returning to the Clifton staff A father figure who had delivered a long-desired secas an assistant coach this year. tional championship, it would have been hard to justify “It is great to be back,” Covello said. “Leaving firing the beloved head coach. But after being passed Caldwell wasn’t easy but my heart and soul is with this over for the open athletic director job and seeing his saladistrict. I started here in 1999 and I most likely will retire ry (plus stipends) cut by $38,000, Anello had little choice here. And I can say that with pride.” but to resign and take the A.D. position at Ramapo. “One thing I always preached was that your family Ralph Cinque (2015-present) and faith comes first, then your academics, then athletDespite never even serving as a coordinator, 14-year ics,” Anello said. “My decision was based on my family. Clifton assistant coach Ralph Cinque was hired as the I didn’t want to go. I loved it [in Clifton]. I fit there. I Mustangs’ 20th head coach in 2015. A former star runmiss the place all the time.” ning back for the program, Cinque ran for 1,160 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior Fighting Mustang in 1992. Steve Covello (2011-2014) He worked hard to put together a staff with a veteran Covello was the obvious successor to the job, having presence to compensate for his rawness, hiring a host of assembled defenses that were tough and disciplined even former head coaches including Pascack Valley legend in down years. Craig Nielsen.

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

In 2021 Cinque’s staff, bottom row: Offensive Coordinator Anthony Giordano and Defensive Coordinator Matt Wright flank Cinque. Top from left: Milton Cordero, Steve Covello, Nick Giordano, Brian Smith, Nick Serpico, Craig Nielsen, Tim Jacobus, and Mike Coyne.

He also swore he’d soaked up the best qualities of those he’d coached and played for, including St. Joseph’s Tony Karcich, Montclair State icon Rick Giancola, Parlavecchio and Anello. To the surprise of many, the Mustangs improved almost right away under his watch, going 4-5-1 and reaching the state playoffs in his first season. They continued to rise, going 6-4 in each of the following two campaigns. They stumbled in the first round of the state tourney each time. In an 8-3 2018 season, the Mustangs finally got over the hump, winning the program’s first playoff game since 2006, 34-8 over Kennedy. One year later, they returned to the sectional title game, losing in the North II, Group V finals to a great Union squad. His tenure has produced a string of all-time great running backs, including Saadiq Pitts (1,999 yards, 30 TD over three seasons, including a program single-season record 23

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

scores in 2016), David Martinez (33 TD and a program career record 3,228 yards over three seasons) and Christian Boneparte (2,329 yards, 28 TD over three seasons, including a program single-season record 1,604 yards in 2019), and top-flight quarterbacks like Armani Brinson and Kyle Vellis. Clifton’s centennial team went 4-3 in a COVID-19-affected 2020, but looks to be a real contender to win a 2021 sectional crown, holding a 7-2 record at the time Clifton Merchant Magazine went to press. In Clifton’s 2021 victory over Passaic, Cinque won his 40th game, passing Anello for third on the program’s alltime victories list. His proudest achievement, though, has been keeping some of Clifton’s best athletes in Mustang maroon. “I think I was able to do that because I am a Clifton kid, and I can appeal to the families and kids in Clifton,” Cinque said. “I think Clifton has a lot of layers, and

if you pull them back, there is a lot to offer to everybody.” The one accomplishment that has eluded Cinque thus far is a sectional championship, which he recognizes is generally the one the public views as a metric of success and failure. He knows it. He wants the ring. But he also makes sure to look at the big picture and keep things in perspective. “It is very hard to [win a championship],” he said frankly. “The programs that do it back-to-back is just really crazy. I am very driven. I would love to win a championship. But this is about kids being better people, better workers, better fathers or husbands because they went through this program. But in the end, yeah, you want to give these kids what they worked so hard for. And that is what I try to do every year.” When Jack DeVries wrote this story in 2002, we sent thanks to the now deceased trio of Clifton sports historians Harry Murtha, Lou Poles, and the ‘Voice of the Mustangs’ Bob Zschack. In 2021, we send props to lawyer Tom Szieber, a proud Mustang 2005 grad, sports reporter and historian for editing and adding to this history. Editor Tom Hawrylko, Sr.

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

One Clifton Family’s

MAYFLOWER ROOTS

By Ariana Puzzo From left: Gary, Janet, Iwona, Troy, Kevin, Blaise and Brian who linked his mom’s family ties to 1620 and way, way yonder.

Most people speak about family news or current events at the Thanksgiving dinner table. But in Brian Ippolitto’s family, they can actually discuss their ties to the first Thanksgiving. During his college years in 2008 and 2009, Ippolitto said he spent hundreds of hours conducting family research and tracing his genealogy. The results were extensive, as well as surprising.

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

“I’m a pilgrim,” he told us when we connected last month. But first, let’s go back a little ways … Ippolitto (CHS 2005) never expected to develop such an interest in not only history, but also genealogy. What awakened his interest years ago was seeing his neighbor pull together her own family history. “Back in the day, you didn’t have online resources,” said Ippolitto, 35.

“You flew out to Utah to do the research since northern Utah had a lot of those records. I thought that was super cool,” he continued, “and said, ‘One day, I’ll do that.’” That day came for him in college. Ippolitto studied engineering at NJIT and Rutgers, but he also spent those years “poking around” and collecting the data. Since then, he has gathered notes on his immediate family and created a second edition with additional family history. Among his ancestors on his mother’s side were George Soule and Edward Doty. Both men were Ippolitto’s tenth great-grandfathers who came to America on the Mayflower as servants. Soule was orphaned when a fire destroyed his parent’s home. In 1620, he became the 35th signer of the Mayflower Compact, at Cape Cod. He was present at the first Thanksgiving in 1621 as well. In later years, Soule became a community leader, businessman, and he held office. He settled in Duxbury, Massachusetts, which he established with Myles Standish and John Alden. Doty, like Soule, also signed the Mayflower Compact in November of 1620. Doty was described as “young and energetic” and reportedly jumped off a small boat that was used for exploring to claim an island in the Doty name. Nonetheless, the land was already claimed by those before him.

According to Ippolitto’s findings, Doty was something of a rebel and found himself in minor trouble in his young life, leading to some civil disputes. The rich history that Ippolitto uncovered came as a surprise to the former Mustang. What he listed in each chapter of his research were ancestors dating back to 1582. He also included summaries of his family’s immigration from Germany, Norway, England, and the Netherlands. Ippolitto also put where they settled, including Massachusetts, New Amsterdam (Manhattan), New Hampshire, Brooklyn, New York State, and New Jersey. “I obviously have a very Italian last name. I thought that I’d find a lot of Italian roots [on my father’s side],” said Ippolitto. “I didn’t think that I’d find any line going back that far, which is pretty cool.” It was around 2015 that Ippolitto officially published his research. He gave a copy to his brother, Kevin (CHS 2003), and his parents, Gary and Janet (Burd), who were Mustang sweethearts. Ippolitto also has his own copies and a classic family tree in his Denville home, where he lives with his wife, Iwona, and their children, Troy, 6, and Blaise, 4. The whole process, he said, got everyone in the family excited. “It’s like peeling back an onion, and it gets addictive,” he said. “What else can you discover?”

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

Our Gift To

Dear Hot Grill Family... (near and far!)

Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of our historic landmark on Oct. 9 and 10, nothing less than a spectacular fireworks display would do to show how much we appreciate and value your patronage over the years. Along with our devoted employee family, led by Ricardo, Adam, Cesar, Zulema, and Chef Julian, we are proud to be carrying on our father Carmen’s commitment to good, quality food at reasonable prices. We look forward to continuing family traditions with you and yours!

Maria and Cristina LaMendola

Everyone knows that Texas Weiners have nothing to do with Texas. So let’s attempt to set the record straight right from the start. It’s all about Jersey, always has been. Over two decades ago, a folklorist from the Library of Congress came to our state to find out what puts the “Texas” in this New Jersey phenomenon. Researchers traced the origins of the Texas Weiner back to a Greek hot dog vendor in Paterson in the 1920s. The gentleman was experimenting with various chili-type sauces to serve on his hot dogs. He came up with something re-

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

sembling a Greek spaghetti sauce, containing a concoction of tomatoes, meat and an aromatic combination of spices. The Texas Weiner was born. (OK, for the spelling police out there, we know there’s more than one way to spell ‘weiner.’ We decided to go with the word as it appears on the menu at The Hot Grill.) The name of the Greek gentleman and the naming of his new hot dog the ‘Hot Texas Weiner’ remain an undocumented mystery.

Our Hometown

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

The late Carmen LaMendola and former owner Dominick Sportelli in 1999 with Congressman Bill Pascrell at center.

Here’s what some historians think: trying to give an exotic and unique name to his new and somewhat spicy creation, the Greek hot dog vendor might have chosen the Texas designation to give his hot dog an ‘image.’ After all, the new dog was characterized by a sauce whose name ‘chili’ is associated with Western, Latino and cowboy cultures. That’s just a theory, but it’s a pretty good one. The researchers for the Library of Congress ended up following their story to Clifton and onto Lexington Ave. They cited The Hot Grill as perhaps the most authentic of our region’s hot Texas Weiner restaurants. So what makes Clifton arguably the hot dog capital of America? The answer is simple. Great dogs and the great places where people gather to satisfy their craving for “two all the way, two” every day and every night of the week. The Hot Grill opened on Oct. 13, 1961 on Lexington Ave., on the site of Gabe’s Drive Inn, an old ice cream and hot dog stand which the former owner, the colorful Gabe Maroon, hoped to convert into a used car lot.

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

Sisters Cristina and Maria LaMendola with Congressman Pascrell on Oct. 10, 2021 and a photo of their dad Carmen.

But Maroon could not secure the proper city permits so he reluctantly opened a hot dog stand instead. Soon thereafter, he sold it to four partners—two Italians, Carmen LaMendola and Dominic Sportelli, and two Greeks, Nick Doris and Peter Leonidas—who changed the name of the hot dog stand to The Hot Grill. “It was Friday the 13th,” former owner Sportelli said of the opening, six decades ago when the landmark restaurant was just a dusty roadside stand with a few stools. “People thought we were crazy but we went on and became an icon in Clifton and home of the best Texas Weiners.” So what makes it the best? Part of the answer is the tube steaks, a special and highly guarded blend of meat and spices, which are then deep-fried in vegetable oil. The dogs are covered with mustard, onions diced extra small and heaped high and topped with The Hot Grill’s signature chili sauce that has a kick but is not terribly hot. Since opening in 1961, The Hot Grill has fed generations of hungry Cliftonites and scores of others from afar, serving 4,000 or more hot Texas Weiners on an average Saturday and as much as 100 gallons of sauce. Now owned by sisters Cristina and Maria LaMendola, The Hot Grill begins its 60th year still family owned and operated. “We will be here for decades to come,” said Cristina. Added Maria: “Our 60th anniversary—fireworks, great food, good people—that’s our gift to our hometown.” There’s a few welcome updates at The Hot Grill—now taking credit cards, online ordering, delivery, outdoor seating, more parking—with more to come. Plus you can order merchandise online; check it out at thehotgrill.com

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

Season of Giving Every foot deserves a comfy pair of socks, and Shanna Polan continues to share that message in a way that’s appreciated by people of all ages. Polan, who works in Clifton as an elementary school library media specialist, published her first picture book, Sammy the Sock, on Oct. 23. Polan wrote the book in memory of her brother, Sam Keller, who passed away in 2012. “He passed away much too soon, only 29,” said Polan, 35. “He was such a sweet, amazing person who was always trying to help everyone. So, I thought, ‘What can I do in addition to publishing?’” The answer came in the form of a “sock drive.” Polan found that although socks are the most requested clothing item, they are the least donated. That’s when she decided to partner with Socks for Homeless Soles. The Woodland Park non-profit delivers socks directly to the feet of people living on the streets of New Jersey and New York. In conjunction with her book’s release last month, Polan organized sock drives in four of the six elementary schools where she works. Schools 2 and 8 ran sock drives in the first two weeks of October, while Schools 15 and 17 ran their drives in the last week of the month. “They’ve been incredible with it,” said Polan. “Everyone was very understanding about why it’s needed and the kids are excited to help out.” Polan’s inspiration for Sammy the Sock came in 2015 while pregnant with her first child. Her decision to name her son Joshua Samuel to honor her brother and do something to further Sam’s legacy went hand-in-hand. Life got busy for the now mother of two, and the book sat “on the back-burner” until the Summer of 2020. It was then that her mother, who passed away last December,

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

encouraged her to find an illustrator. “She inspired me to make it happen, and I finally listened to her,” she said. Polan self-published the book, released on her mother’s birthday, using KDP and IngramSpark. She also credited the help of her illustrator, Fay Stayer, who incorporated Polan’s parents into the illustrations. When she considers the entire journey, Polan said that she’s continuously amazed by Clifton’s generosity, even after 11 years of working in the schools. “I feel like it was such a community project with so much help … and support from family, friends and coworkers,” she said. “It’s just been a really fun process, and I couldn’t have done it without everyone.”

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Season of Giving

Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Bob Foster with Development Director Ivonne Salazar. They stopped in The Hot Grill and met with General Manager Ricardo Camacho to say thanks for THG’s help in kicking off the 2022 Annual Campaign.

If you don’t ask, you won’t get — so the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton has an important ask for the community. Will you help The Club? For 2022, the annual campaign runs from now to March. It is a general campaign designed to give $150,000 in operating revenue to turn on the lights, open the doors and so forth. Explaining its origins, Executive Director Bob Foster said that Bingo revenues once contributed 30% of the budget. Now, it’s less than 20% and the campaign is one way that they make up the difference. Over the years, Foster added, The Club has moved the needle ahead. At the beginning, they asked for help raising $50,000. Last year, their ask reached $200,000. Despite the changing landscape, The Club acknowledged that the need is there. For that reason, this campaign’s tentative theme is “Mission Unstoppable.” The needs can range from new operating priorities, mental health and educational issues, and addressing any social and emotional issues among their more than 5,000 members. The other major issue is staffing. “Our greatest expense is, of course, personnel,” said Associate Director Greg Reinholt. “[Our personnel is] around 75% … and the staff is how we start to get to know kids and what they need.”

“It’s about putting that responsible, caring adult in that young person’s life and figuring out where we go from there,” added Reinholt. A new addition to The Club and member of this year’s newly developed committee is Resource Development Director Ivonne Salazar. Salazar expressed an eagerness for coming in during a pivotal time and helping determine what the “new normal” looks like for our city’s children. “This year is really critical for fundraising and the campaign,” said Salazar. “We want to make sure that the community and donors understand their donations are critical, needed and will make a very big difference.” In recent weeks, The Hot Grill donated $1,000 to The Club. Other businesses or individuals can similarly donate any amount in a few ways. To donate online, visit bgcclifton.org or call Salazar at 973-773-0966 ext. 144. Want to write a check? Make them payable to the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton and mail to 822 Clifton Ave., Clifton, NJ 07013. “Over the course of a child’s life, they’re using The Club for one program or another,” said Foster. “Hundreds of thousands have come through The Club over the years.” “That’s why we say it’s ‘Mission Unstoppable,’” he continued. “We have to make this work.” Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Power of One and the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton have announced its first Community Resource Expo. The Expo is on Nov. 21 from 1-4 pm at 181 Colfax Ave. The organizers recognize how challenging it can be to find certain resources in moments of need. The resource Expo is intended to gather as many of these services that the Clifton area has to offer individuals, families, and senior citizens who live in Passaic County. The types of resources include, but are not limited to, education, childcare options, mental health, housing, and financial literacy. Local and state agencies are encouraged to participate in the Expo to help the community, as well as increase networking and collaboration. Email kim@powerofoneccom.org with: name, phone and email, company or organization name and contact person for the event, any giveaways or activities, and offered product or services. Event registration deadline is Nov. 17. To confirm your interest or ask any questions, call Kim Castellano, who is pictured above, at 201-328-2326.

Season of Giving Will you help bring hope to your neighbors this Thanksgiving? Power of One Christian Coaching and Outreach Ministries will help to feed families who are less fortunate and without family on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25. Volunteers can choose between three shifts, from noon to 5 pm, at Athenia Veterans Post, 147 Huron Ave. As Clifton families stay in transition and some are still homeless in hotels from Hurricane Ida, the recovery process remains essential. Power of One is committed to serving seniors, shut-ins, those with disabilities, and families affected by Hurricane Ida’s devastation. Along with traditional donations, ShopRite Gift Cards are also accepted. Mail to Power of One PO Box 6080 Clifton, NJ 07015. Visit https://powerofoneccom.org to register to volunteer or make a donation.

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

Mustangs HA L L O F FA M E

On Oct. 10, the CHS Athletic Hall of Fame welcomed and honored former Mustangs from across the decades. Those who were inducted into the Hall of Fame were drawn from a variety of sports, both individually and as a team. The CHS Athletic Hall of Fame was originally scheduled to honor Mustang athletes and coaches in 2020. But the coronavirus pandemic conspired to change plans. Instead, the unavoidable rescheduling shifted the Class of 2020, now making these athletic Hall of Famers known to us as the Class of 2021. On these two pages are the inductees and the presentors who introduced them to the 325 people who attended the event last month. Top right, Mike Doktor with Paul Boyko. At right, Tom Acton with Stas Lembryk and Jeremy Hernandez with John Pontes. Below, the 2005 Volleyball team. Facing page, the 2007 softball team. Below them from left, John McClain with Paul Pignatello, Anthony Giordano with Ron Anello, Anthony Tuesta with Frank Pajuelo. Bottom, Jon (Jack) Whiting with Allen Yuhas (left) and Robbie Vargo.

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

CHS 2012 grad Marissa Fragapane’s life changing event led to a new career. At right, Edgar Rozo clocked in his personal best of 3:26 at the Hamptons Marathon on Oct. 2. The 53-year-old beat the 3:38 he set at the Medellin Marathon on Sept. 5. He is pictured here with his daughters, Laura and Andrea, who many will recognize from their great service at the Lakeview Bakery.

After a life-changing car accident, Marissa Fragapane (CHS 2012) decided to pursue the career that helped her regain full mobility. The Temple University graduate earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree this past May. Today, the first generation college graduate and Clifton resident works at TheraPhysical in Lyndhurst. “I dedicated a huge part of my life toward this career because I enjoy caring for people so much,” said Fragapane, 27. “I get to meet people and develop stories about them.” Fragapane’s parents, Sal and Luanne (Ohlandt) Fragapane, also attended CHS. For four years, Fragapane played girls soccer under Stan Lembryk. The Garden Club of Clifton meets on Nov. 10 from 6-7:30 pm at the Main Memorial Library, 292 Piaget Ave. Dr. Edith Wallace who has a Ph.D. in zoology and is the former chair of the Biology Department at William Paterson University, will present “Twelve Months of Flowering Trees.” Guests are welcome to the free event. The Garden Club is a not for profit group of volunteers who strive to make Clifton cleaner and greener. For more info, call Donna Fantacone at 973-473-0577.

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

There’s no shortage of diverse cuisine or beverages in Clifton. Now through Nov. 21, Clifton-based food and beverage establishments will support St. Peter’s Haven. All participating businesses will donate $1, $5, or $10 when you dine-in or take-out to help end hunger and homelessness in Clifton. Make sure to mention that you’re there to support St. Peter’s Haven. Some of the establishments who have already committed to the cause include the Allwood Diner, Ghost Hawk Brewery, the Grande Saloon, Styertowne Bakery, IL Posto Eatery, and the Clif Tavern, and more establishments are joining every day.

Ahead of the Nov. 2 election, seven of the nine Board of Ed candidates gathered at the Palestinian American Community Center, at 388 Lakeview Ave. on Oct. 18. Sitting, from left, Mark J. Brunciak, Frank W. Kasper, Avraham Y. Eisenman. Standing, Robert D’Arco, Vita Marlena Cowan, Judith A. Bassford, Lucy Danny, Rania Mustafa, holding Dina, and Abire Sabbagh.

Clifton boys soccer defeated Bloomfield, 5-1, in the first round of the North I, Group IV playoffs on Nov. 1. The Mustangs (16-3) won seven straight to close out October, with the most consequential victory coming in the form of a 3-1 triumph over Kennedy in the Passaic County championship game. Sophomore forward Vitali Datsyk had a goal and an assist to lead Clifton past the Knights, giving them their second consecutive title and 22nd overall Playing in their 29th county championship game, the Mustangs took the lead on a Datsyk goal and then padded it with a second by junior Lukas Ferrada (assisted by Datsyk). Junior midfielder Juan Carlos Viscaino scored Clifton’s third goal to help it obtain revenge for its loss to the Knights ii last year’s Northwest Group 4 semifinals. Clifton football (7-2) won three of its five games in October, earning a #2 seed in the North II, Group V playoffs. The Mustangs will host Hackensack in the first round of the postseason on Nov. 5. They beat the Comets, 27-7, on Sept. 10.

Clifton’s defense has led the way this year, with senior linebacker Owen Riordan recording a team-high 64 tackles. Junior Joe Abill has a team-best 6.0 sacks, while senior corner Donovan Swasey remains tops in interceptions with five despite missing the last two games with a high ankle sprain. The Mustang girls volleyball squad is soaring into the North I, Group IV tournament, finishing October with a 24-2 record. Of course, both losses this year have been at the hands of Wayne Valley (one in the Passaic County final on Oct. 16). In cross country, senior Jacob Heredia captured the Passaic County boys championship Oct. 28 while leading the Mustangs to a team title ahead of second-place Lakeland. Mustangs junior Hisham Ettayebi finished fourth overall. On the girls, side, junior Remy Dubac took second behind Lakeland senior Angelina Perez. The Lancers won the girls team title.

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

SUPPORT THE ARTS

Michael Gabriele and the cover of his book “Stories from New Jersey Diners.” A sample of the display “Painting Through the Pandemic” by Snejana Videlova.

The Clifton Arts Center presents “Painting Through the Pandemic displayed through Dec. 11. The art exhibit and sale of artwork is by the Painting Affiliates of the Art Center of Northern New Jersey. Now open to the public, visitors can view the exhibit Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm. The Painting Affiliates is a group of regional artists founded in 1970. The artists work independently and exhibit their work together in the metropolitan area. The group’s primary purpose is to develop a stronger community appreciation for contemporary art without embodying a specific style of school. To explore the exhibit, visit the Arts Center on the Clifton Municipal Complex, 900 Clifton Ave., near the Well Water on Well Road. Admission fee suggestion is $3. For more info, visit www.cliftonartscenter.org or www.cliftonnj.org.

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Remember the Clairmont on Route 3? Michael Gabriele does, and this month he’s discussing his book, “Stories from New Jersey Diners”, about the Garden State being “the Diner Capital of the World.” The Friends of the Clifton Library invite all to the Main Library, 292 Piaget Ave., on Nov. 16 at 1 pm. Gabriele will be joined by diner renovator Erwin Fedkenheuer to present a slide show, followed by a book signing and light refreshments. Masks are required. For more info, call 973-772-5500. For more than 100 years, diners have played an important role in New Jersey’s history as gathering places for a community. “Stories from New Jersey Diners”, published by Arcadia Publishing/The History Press, is Gabriele’s fourth book on New Jersey history and second book on the Garden State’s diner business.

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

Clifton’s Halloween Parade & Harvestfest went down Van Houten Ave. into city hall campus on Oct. 24 as these four pages show. Among the winners: the Gutierrez family, dressed as Sour Patch kids; Aiden and Alexander Flores, (aka) Super Mario Brothers and Lena Bryson as recycle girl.

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

Lamarr Olive, Chloe Hernandez, Ashle Jerez Tejeda, Dev Gandhi.

November has arrived for Mustangs of the Month.

The vice principals from each Clifton High wing have spotlighted four students, one from each grade, who are contributing to all aspects of the wellness of CHS. Lamarr Olive, Freshman Adjusting to high school can take time, but freshman Lamarr Olive has already found what works best for him. “I have … [taken] advantage of the small amount of free time I do come across so that I can complete personal and school related tasks,” said Olive (CHS 2025). In his first few months at CHS, Olive has joined the Cross Country team and Robotics Club and that has helped him acclimate to the school. While he is looking ahead to his four-year stint at CHS, he still carries the influence of middle school with him. He credited his seventh grade Language Arts teacher at WWMS, Michael Richter, as his most influential teacher. “His unorthodox method of teaching pushed me, and I felt as though after completing his class [that] I made significant progress as a writer and person,” said Olive. At CHS, Olive’s favorite subject is math. Knowing the answers will always be “clearcut” and the process of finding them remains consistent appeals to Olive since that is “something you rarely see in life.” Olive hopes to eventually take advantage of CHS’ academic programs. What drives him is the person who continues to inspire him on a daily basis. “The most inspirational person would be my sister, as her work ethic and success in all aspects of life motivate me to go beyond her heights,” he said.

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Chloe Hernandez, Sophomore Chloe Hernandez considers herself fortunate to be surrounded by inspirational people. Her family, she said, gives her the drive to work hard every day. “I’m proud to come from a line of such hard-working and dedicated people,” said Hernandez (CHS 2024). “We have a great mixture of talented individuals, such as my cousins, Olivia, who recently graduated from CHS and is currently studying at Marymount Manhattan College, and Jacqueline, who attended Bryn Mawr College.” Although Hernandez’s high school experience began in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, she has found ways to get involved with extracurriculars. She joined the Drama Club last year, and she wants to run for an officer position this year. Hernandez is also part of the MadCaps choir and part of the Fall Play’s cast. Hernandez attributes her success to her consistent organizational efforts. “One thing that really helped [me] stay on track was setting a routine for myself, whether it was a morning routine or just having something that I went out of my way to do daily,” she said. “Having that one solid thing that never changed during such a mercurial and unpredictable time gave me something that grounded me and helped me keep my focus,” she added.

Ashle Jerez Tejeda, Junior High school is a time for growth and self-exploration. For Ashle Jerez Tejeda, her growth came from accepting her individuality. Tejeda said one major hurdle during her time at CHS was starting high school out of ESL. Now, she acknowledges the benefits. “I wasn’t scared to talk with friends and teachers, but I was insecure about my accent and having to present in front of the class,” said Tejeda (CHS 2023). “But I just started loving and accepting my accent.” “There’s nothing to be ashamed of or insecure about when it’s about your accent,” she continued. “It’s a normal thing that we all have.” Tejeda’s eighth grade ESL Language Arts teacher is her most influential teacher. “She really made me believe in myself and that I could do better and do anything I set my mind to,” said Tejeda. Tejeda’s currently setting her mind to becoming a general surgeon. She has carried that dream since she was a child and plans to attend college once she graduates from CHS. “When I was 4-years-old, I would play with ‘doctors toys’ and act like I was the doctor and one of my siblings was the patient,” she said. “While playing, I decided that I wanted to be a doctor.”

Dev Gandhi, Senior Hard work can overcome luck and provide value to one’s work ethic. Dev Gandhi’s future ambitions include becoming a computer scientist and entrepreneur. His passion for computer science, he said, is not something new. “I had prior experience in computer programming before entering high school,” said Gandhi, a CHS senior. “But, the knowledge gained from the computer science class in high school has refined my knowledge and will prove to be auxiliary to my college learnings.” Gandhi’s extracurriculars include being a member of the Coding Club for three years. Gandhi is currently the club’s president. Although he is not a Mustang athlete, Gandhi also enjoys playing cricket. His most influential teacher is Ms. Boutemine, who has been his computer science teacher for three years. As far as his inspiration, Gandhi appreciates the mentorship and friendship that his father has consistently provided for him. “He understood from the beginning that an authoritarian relationship with a child results in disobedience and disrespect,” said Gandhi. “He is the best adviser of life and experiences.” “A [George Bernard Shaw] quote that profoundly represents my father’s influence on me is, ‘Never fret for an only son. The idea of failure will never occur to him.’”

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

Marching Mustang Drum Major Angelina Pacosa will lead the band along Van Houten Ave. for the Nov. 7 Veteran’s Parade at 2 pm. Clifton’s Showband of the Northeast will also perform at the 21st Annual West Milford Military Concert and Tattoo on Nov. 13 at 6:30 in West Milford HS. More info at wmhighlanderband.com. Then at 7 pm on the Eve before Thanksgiving, she’ll lead the band in an end of season performance at Clifton Stadium. The performance will include the traditional Pre-Game Show, favorites from this season’s halftime shows, and other surprises. Details at cliftonmustangband.com and social media: @CHSMustangBand.

Clifton’s Veterans Parade steps off at 2 pm on Nov. 7. The theme is a salute to those who served in the 20 years of the War in Afghanistan. The parade begins at 2 pm at Huron and Van Houten Aves. and continues to the municipal complex. A ceremony will follow with guest speaker Celia Murray, RN, a retired US Army Major. Look for the Marching Mustangs, the Hawthorne Caballeros, Kearny Pipes & Drums and floats and cars carrying veterans. Call Keith Oakley for details at 201-774-6666 or oaknuts26@aol.com. On Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, Clifton’s Avenue of Flags will be decorated with 2,203 flags on and around the grounds of the municipal campus. Five days a year, volunteers erect the Avenue of Flags through the lanes of the property at Clifton and Van Houten Aves. In addition to Veteran’s Day, the flags are up on Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, and Patriot’s Day. Each flag honors a veteran who served during peace or war in any of the US military branches. To honor a vet, fill out a form at cliftonnj.org (a DD-214 is needed). Cost is $110 and includes flag, pole, protective sleeve, name plate, and ground socket. Call Keith Oakley at 201-774-6666 to volunteer or donate.

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

We’re sure the members of Boy Scout Troop 21 won’t be dipping their youngest members in this big pot before the annual spaghetti dinner. Held Nov. 21 from noon to 5 pm at St. Philip auditorium at 797 Valley Rd., dinner includes all-you-can-eat spaghetti with homemade sauce, fresh salad, garlic bread, coffee, tea and dessert. Takeout orders are also available. Cost is: adults $12; seniors $10; kids ages 4-11 $5. Those under 4 years old are free. Tickets can be purchased at the door. For more information about the spaghetti dinner or joining Boy Scout Troop 21 write to: troop21cliftonnj@gmail.com.

Cliftonites really love their pets. We keep them blessed, well fed and even vaccinated (without controversy!). Clifton’s Blessing of the Animals took place on Oct. 3 at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, a day before the Feast of Francis of Assisi, a Christian patron saint of animals. During November, Clifton Fire Fighters will collect items for the Clifton Animal Shelter. Only specific items will be accepted, please! For cats: Friskies Canned, Fancy Feast Canned, Cat Chow Complete Formula, and Kitten Chow. Dog foods accepted: Blue Adult Chicken & Brown Rice (Blue Bag) and Pedigree Ground Canned. Place items in the bin on the porch of Clifton Fire HQ, 900 Clifton Ave., on the grounds of the municipal campus.

Photos by Jovo Bjelcevic

Clifton Health Department 2021 Fall Drive Through Rabies Clinics for Dogs Clifton Dates

Location: DPW Garage 307 E 7th., Clifton, NJ 07011

Dogs: (Free) Wednesday, November 17th 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Saturday, November 20th 2:00pm - 4:00 pm

2021 Dog Licenses for those who still need to license their dog are available for Clifton Residents Only CALL CLIFTON AT (973) 470-5760 FOR MORE INFORMATION.  DOGS MUST BE ON LEASHES;. NO ONE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 WILL BE ALLOWED IN WITHOUT AN ADULT.  MUST HAVE VALID FORM OF IDENTIFICATION  ALL NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS ARE WELCOME 



Ready to vaccinate your hounds? The Clifton Health Department will help for free. Drive-thru rabies clinics are on Nov. 17 from 5-7 pm and Nov. 20 from 2-4 pm. Line them up in your cars at the DPW Garage, 307 E 7th. Dogs receive free rabies shots when they have valid 2021 Clifton Dog Licenses. For more info, call Clifton Health at 973-470-5760 or visit cliftonnj.org/calendar.

You will remain in your car throughout the registration process Please wear face coverings when leaving your vehicle and practice social distancing. The Clifton Health Department is a contractual health agency serving the Township of Little Falls.

Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

Birthdays & Celebrations - November 2021

Happy Birthday to.... Send yours .... tomhawrylkosr@gmail.com

Ed & Casey (Hawrylko) Bivaletz were married Nov. 11, 2020 but enjoyed a rip-roarin’ reception on Oct. 23! Helen Blondina Barbetti turns 100 on Nov. 25; pictured with daughters Lida Barbetti-Vros and Susana Barbetti-Norton, her son Ricardo could not make the photo.

Rosario LaCorte blows out 75th candles on Nov. 16. Dan Norton is 80 on Nov. 17. Nicole Mokray makes it legal with her 21st on Nov. 7. Bev Lacsina turns 32 on Nov. 8. Alberta Lacki celebrated her 90th on Oct. 25. Jazzlyn Caba.................... 11/1 Robyn Jo Paci.................... 11/2 Thomas Scancarella........... 11/2 Kelly Tierney...................... 11/3 Paul Guzowski................... 11/3 Lance Dearing................... 11/4 Olivia Nysk....................... 11/4 Andrew Seitz..................... 11/4 Mr. Cupcakes.................... 11/4 Victoria Krzysztofczyk......... 11/5

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Tanya Ressetar................... 11/5 Kristina Azevedo................ 11/6 Nicole Lorraine Bonin......... 11/6 Martha Derendal............... 11/6 Danielle Osellame.............. 11/6 Kristen Soltis...................... 11/6 Gabriella Marriello............ 11/7 James Ball......................... 11/7 Kevin Lord......................... 11/7 Francine Anderson............. 11/8

Ray Konopinski.................. 11/8 Marie Sanzo..................... 11/8 Donna Camp..................... 11/9 Tricia Montague................. 11/9 Brandy Stiles................... 11/10 Tom Szieber.................... 11/10 Stacey Takacs.................. 11/10 Joseph Franek III.............. 11/11 Laura Gasior................... 11/12 Geraldine Ball................. 11/13

Patricia Franek................. 11/13 Robert Paci...................... 11/13 Gregory Chase................ 11/15 Ken Peterson................... 11/15 Kathy Schmidt ................ 11/15 Matthew Phillips............... 11/16 Anthony Wrobel.............. 11/16 Michael Zangara............. 11/16 Marilyn Velez.................. 11/18 Joseph Tyler..................... 11/19 Joseph Guerra................. 11/20 Jon Whiting..................... 11/21 Andreas Dimitratos........... 11/22 Katerina Dimitratos........... 11/22 Margaret Egner............... 11/22 Carol Peterson................. 11/24 Brian Derendal................ 11/25 Eileen Fierro.................... 11/25 Peter Kedl....................... 11/25 Crystal Lanham................ 11/25 Rachel Prehodka-Spindel... 11/25 Brian Derendal................ 11/25 Kristen Bridda.................. 11/26 Jessi Cholewczynski......... 11/26 Dillon Curtiss................... 11/26 Bethany Havriliak............. 11/26 Kelly Moran.................... 11/27 Sami Suaifan................... 11/28 Amanda Grace Feiner...... 11/29 Anne Hetzel.................... 11/29 Christopher Seitz............. 11/29 Adeline DeVries............... 11/29 Kaitlyn Graham............... 11/30 Barbara Luzniak.............. 11/30 Dennis and Janet Kolano celebrate their 51st wedding anniversary on Nov. 21. Hats off to Eileen Fierro who celebrates on Nov. 25. Our friend John Seiple turns 80 on Nov. 26. Cliftonmagazine.com • November 2021

You may have seen Rachel Zegler’s performance when she was 16 and starring in the Theater League of Clifton’s 2017 production of “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” On Dec. 10, you’ll see Zegler on a bigger stage when she stars opposite Ansel Elgort in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. Zegler plays the role of Maria, famously portrayed by Natalie Wood 60 years prior. Zegler, who auditioned at age 17, beat out more than 30,000 actresses for the lead role. A Made in Clifton mix of Colombian and Polish heritage, Zegler, now 20, was raised here and attended St. Philip the Apostle Preparatory School before graduating Immaculate Conception HS in 2019 in Lodi. Locally she has performed as Belle in “Beauty and the Beast”, Cosette in “Les Misérables”, and Mimi Marquez in “Rent.”

November 2021 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Her future is hooked to a rising star: Zegler will be Snow White in Disney’s live-action adaptation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs which begins filming in 2022. In 2023, she’ll be in the superhero film, Shazam! Fury of the Gods along with Zachary Levi, Helen Mirren, and Lucy Liu. This past September, The Ringer’s “The Big Picture” podcast listed Zegler at number 34 of the top 35 actors under 35.

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