Grateful Graduate Pays Tribute to His Coach

A Grateful Graduate

Pays Tribute to His Coach

Bill Cullen ’72 to attend

Wall of Honor Event

Bill Cullen ’72, himself among the running greats in the annals of Hudson Catholic, recently wrote to share the following.

“Paul Lenczuk coached me to win the City and County Championship in the 880 and to set the school record 49.1 in the 440, broken by Evander Pierre '15 a few years back. Thanks to Paul’s coaching I ran at Temple on a full track scholarship. I met Evander with then-Coach Jerry McCann ‘68 and was inspired to help with Evander's tuition in his final year.

My point in relaying background is not to just talk of glory days, but to illustrate how Paul’s work has touched so many to achieve and to pay it forward.

I will be attending.”

The Wall is Ready!

Preparing to add 5 new banners to the Wall of Honor

Join us for the Induction on April 1st

Get your tickets before we're sold out!

https://hudsoncatholic.org/woh

Thomas F. X. Bender ‘69

Honors our Founders with

Christian Brothers de La Salle Scholarship

With continued and profound appreciation for the lessons taught to him and his classmates by the Brothers of the Christian Schools, a/k/a ‘Christian Brothers’, Thomas F. X. Bender Jr. ’69 is always looking for ways to pay rightful tribute to the religious who established the foundation of our school and saw it through decades, building traditions, growing affinity, and preparing thousands of us to meet the challenges of life head-on and succeed.

Today, Tom is happy to initiate the Christian Brothers de La Salle Scholarship as yet another program component of the Hudson Catholic Scholarship Program. It is his fervent hope that we can grow this Christian Brothers Scholarship, perhaps to the largest source of scholarship in the school, so that many more students can benefit by it, therefore, Tom welcomes many other Hawks and friends to join him in this quest.

This award will be open to contributions and can be accessed on the school’s web page at hudsoncatholic.org/hcsp in the drop down menu of scholarship awards available under the ‘HCSP’.

This award is valued at $2,000 and will be awarded to a student, who in the eyes of the Administration epitomizes true LaSallian values of service to others.

St. Pete's on St. Pat's

A Great Win for Jersey City

SPU 85, Kentucky 79 in OT

We Salute Our Neighbor,

St. Peter’s University,

for their claim to

‘March Madness’

By attribution, our Dual Enrollment students are also members of the St. Peter’s University community. So it is their school, too, that claimed the greatest victory in school history, over mighty Kentucky, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on St. Patty’s Day, in Indianapolis, thereby putting the ‘Madness’ in March this year.

"Fear the 'stache!"

Peacock hero Doug Edert surrounded by Dual Enrollment Hawks.

(Not Even) Six Degrees of Separation

To sweeten the Hawk connections to this thrilling overtime victory, Jim Spanarkel ’75 called the game on CBS, as he did again on Saturday when SPU defeated Murray St. to advance to the famed 'Sweet Sixteen' round against Purdue in Philadelphia on Friday, March 25th.

Junior Jayvon Quinerly '18 was sidelined with a knee injury at the outset of the Alabama Crimson Tide's tilt against Notre Dame. Without his leadership, his team suffered a first round elimination, 78-64, to conclude their season at 19 wins - 14 losses.

SPU Coach Shaheen Holloway played his collegiate basketball at Seton Hall under Head Coach George Blaney, he the first Varsity Basketball Coach at -- you guessed it! -- Hudson Catholic.

Celebrating Our Alumnae

Recent feedback suggested that there should be more content about our female graduates. We agree. But we need help in mining that content.

Part of the challenge in doing so is that among the entire living alumni population of 7,297, the male / female split is 93.5 / 6.5% for obvious reasons of having all boys in the first 42 classes.

Back in BTL #xx, we appealed to all alumni for input and updates on our 479 female graduates to date. We received no input. So we are going to try that again.

This is your newsletter. When we are given input, it practically writes itself. We also welcome ideas for potential events. For example, would a single event just for alumnae be of interest?

Please send input, updates, and ideas to advancement@hudsoncatholic.org.

Hawk Gridders Stepping Up in Competitive Class this Fall

Coach Lou Zampella ’93 and his staff have done a great job in steadily improving the competitiveness and success of our Hudson Catholic gridders.

Apparently, last season was such a success, that the state power rankings have placed the Hawks in a highly competitive grouping for the 2022 football season, in which we will vie against a predominantly Catholic school schedule, without a single Hudson County school on the schedule. Here it is:

Paramus Catholic

Montclair Immaculate

Monsignor Farrell (NY)

Columbia

Morris Catholic

DePaul

Delbarton

Pope John

Immaculata

Attending Your Class Reunion?

Contact Jill Cypher, Director of Marketing & Events

jcypher@hudsoncatholic.org / 201-332-5970 x118

Back on Campus

Quincy Slay ‘19 pictured here just right of center, on a visit back to campus, is a junior Finance major at Seton Hall, and came by to speak to the Medical Arts juniors about his college experience.

It’s Winter 1985

What Was Happening at

The Hawks Nest?

According to Accipiter (Latin for ‘Hawk’), the Alumni publication of the day, the Association awarded four scholarships in the third year of the Alumni Scholarship Program. They went to Robert Radvanski '86, Richard Kanski '86, Stanley Pietrowicz '86, and Raid Sawaged '86.

The Alumni Spotlight highlighted many births, weddings, degrees, and professional achievements, notably the return of Mark McCaffery ’71 from San Diego where he practiced dentistry several years with the Navy, John Dietzel ’73 being transferred to Jacksonville with AT&T, John Tomkutomes ’74 working on the development of the UNIX PC 7300 computer, and David Lyons ’70 named Director of Institutional Advancement at Felician College and performing with his five piece band, “Caught in the Act.”

Two of the greatest runners in school history were featured. Tom Downes ’78 had just finished 5^th in the New Jersey Waterfront Marathon (top New Jerseyan), and Matt Hogan ’86 was pictured with this year’s Wall of Honor inductee, Coach Paul Lenczuk, for his first place finish in the Jersey City Cross Country Championship, first in South Hudson, 6^th in the NJ State Parochial Championships, and scoring an invitation to the forthcoming statewide Meet of Champions.

Other notables: Mrs. Frances Canavan, accountant for Hudson Catholic since 1964 at St. Patrick’s Parish, retired. She had served seven Principals and over 4,000 students. And The Commentator received a First Place Award at the 64^th Annual Columbia Press Associates Convention, marking the second straight year for that accolade.

Our advertisers included Mastrolia Pharmacy, Our Hero's, Heights Video, Unisat Electronics, Daniel Simone Funeral Service, Emil Filerino Insurance Agency, and Weisberg Sound.

Cross Country star Matt Hogan '86 & legendary coach Paul Lenczuk in his heyday.

Longest serving Faculty member and Hall of Famer Phil Gazzale

First Junior Varsity Basketball Team

Starting 5 under Coach George Blaney

1965-66 Season

L-R Roddy McCarthy (future JC Police Deputy Chief), Neil Hagerty (DNG), Jim Tyrell, Brian Nodine (RIP), and Howie Dunn (RIP)

Alumni Spotlight

Teacher Feature. Louis Libitz ‘95 is an Honoree of the 2022 Garden State Film Festival, as Educator of the Year. Louis is both a filmmaker and an educator. Working in experimental narrative and documentary styles, his video works have been exhibited in festivals / galleries nationally and internationally. Louis has over 15 years’ experience teaching film/video/media arts at both undergraduate and high school arts conservatory levels. Currently, he is the Tenured Instructor of Digital Filmmaking - School of the Arts - East Brunswick Tech - Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools (2014 - present) and has garnered many awards for his work inspiring the next generation of filmmakers in our state as well as for his own films. His students regularly received official selections / awards / recognition for their short films at numerous local, national and international film festivals. Sounds like a cameo return visit to alma mater is a must!

Stork Report. Mike Silva ’04 and wife Stephanie are the proud parents of a 3-month old son, Austin Michael, joining daughter Ava Lourdes.

Mike is the Sales Manager at Flemington Mercedes Benz.

Service Above Self. Steve Dzitko ’77, one of Hudson Catholic’s greatest all around athletes, is a 1981 graduate of and on the Board of Directors at the United States Merchant Marine Academy, one of the five federal academies, where he participated in Track & Field as a Decathlete, Hurdler, and High Jumper, also playing Football. He graduated with a BS degree in Marine Engineering and was commissioned in the Navy Reserve as an Ensign, discharged as a Lieutenant 10 years later.

The academy produces leaders committed to serve the national security, marine transportation, and economic needs of the United States as licensed Merchant Marine Officers. With 95% of the world’s products transported over water, these leaders are vital to the effective operation of our merchant fleet for both commercial and military transport in times of peace and war. Academy graduates abide by the motto “Acta Non Verba” (Deeds, not Words) and are leaders that exemplify the concept of service-above-self. Sound familiar?

Steve owns and operates a Marine Surveying and Non Destructive Testing company, Windward Marine-Industrial, Inc., having started the business 30 years ago.