How can these Middlesex County athletes not be in the NJSIAA Hall of Fame?

Greg Tufaro
Courier News and Home News Tribune
John and Kristen Somogyi combined for 7,209 points during their St. Peter's High School basketball careers.

Individuals from Middlesex County who made outstanding contributions to scholastic sports are under-represented in the NJSIAA Hall of Fame, with 8 percent of the more than 160 inductees being from the county.

The onus of nominating candidates for induction falls upon member schools, organizations affiliated with the statewide athletic association and hall of fame committee members, with certification from an athletics director, principal or organization president required for each nomination.

Any of the aforementioned can use the NJSIAA’s online application form to nominate an individual. Deadline is Sept. 28.

Of the 12 individuals and one team (1988-89 Hoffman High School girls basketball) from Middlesex County who have their names enshrined in the NJSIAA Hall of Fame, eight are athletes.

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They include Joe “Ducky” Medwick (Carteret), Gerald Nisivoccia (J.P. Stevens), Heather O’Reilly (East Brunswick), Bruce Taylor (Perth Amboy), Joe Theismann (South River), Dave Wohl (East Brunswick), Alex Wojciechowicz (South River) and Eric Young Sr. (New Brunswick).

Former Carteret High School baseball star Joe “Ducky” Medwick, flanked by fellow MLB Hall of Famers Stan Musial (left) and Enos Slaughter (right) of the St. Louis Cardinals before an Old-Timers Day game in New York on July 30, 1950, is regarded as one of Middlesex County’s greatest athletes. (AP Photo/John Lent)

Other NJSIAA Hall of Fame members from Middlesex County include retired athletics directors and coaches Reggie Carney (Hoffman/East Brunswick), Anthony Cotoia (South Plainfield), Gregg Ficarra (Perth Amboy), Frank Noppenberger (East Brunswick) and retired certified athletics trainer Phil Hossler (East Brunswick).

The NJSIAA requires individuals be five years removed from their days as a player, coach, administrator or contributor to high school sports to be eligible for nomination. Therefore, only athletes who graduated during or before 2013 are eligible for induction to the next class.

Only NJSIAA Hall of Fame members are eligible for induction to the prestigious National High School Hall of Fame, which the NFHS administers, thus the honor has added significance for those whose accomplishments deserve to be recognized beyond the Garden State.

The father-and-daughter combination of John and Kristen Somogyi, both basketball stars at now-defunct St. Peter’s High School in New Brunswick, along with Woodbridge alumnus Lou Creekmur, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Home News Tribune’s All-20th Century High School Football Team, headline the list of more than a dozen athletes from Middlesex County who deserve NJSIAA Hall of Fame consideration.

John Somogyi set New Jersey’s career scoring record with 3,310 points before graduating in 1968, netting 1,034 of those points from the charity stripe and accomplishing the feat two decades before the introduction of the 3-point line. Kristen Somogyi broke her father’s all-time record, pouring in 3,899 points and leading her team as a senior to a perfect 32-0 record including the 1991-92 Tournament of Champions title.

Lou Creekmur, NFL left offensive tackle/guard for the Detroit Lions.

Creekmur toiled in the trenches on an above-average Woodbridge team in the early 1940s. He commenced a 10-year NFL career with the Detroit Lions in 1950 after starring at The College of William & Mary. One of the NFL’s most dominant and versatile offensive linemen, Creekmur earned all-league honors four times as a tackle and won all-league honors twice as a guard. Blocking for Hall of Fame quarterback Bobby Layne and Hall of Fame halfback Doak Walker, Creekmur helped Detroit win NFL championships in 1952, 1953 and 1957. Creekmur played in 165 consecutive games during his first nine seasons and began a streak of eight straight Pro Bowl selections as a rookie.

The NJSIAA Hall of Fame selection committee weighs an athlete’s scholastic performance more heavily than his or her accomplishments after high school graduation, although college, professional and Olympic accomplishments are, of course, strongly considered.

Less than 18 percent of individuals currently enshrined in the NJSIAA Hall of Fame since its inception 22 years ago are women.

Basketball stars Asjha Jones and Valerie Walker of Piscataway, along with distance runner Janet Smith of J.P. Stevens and fencer Dagmara Wozniak of Colonia, are among Middlesex County’s top female athletes who deserve NJSIAA Hall of Fame consideration.

Piscataway graduate Asjha Jones plays for the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA in 2012.

Jones was a Parade Magazine, USA Today and Street & Smith first-team All-American at Piscataway, who scored a school-record 2,266 career points and grabbed 1,256 rebounds. She helped Connecticut win two NCAA championships and was twice named a WNBA All-Star.

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Considered the greatest female distance runner in New Jersey high school history at the time of her graduation in 1984, Smith was a world-class cross country runner and 10-time All-American in cross country and track at North Carolina State.

Wozniak, who won a title in the sabre at the 2005 NJSIAA fencing championships, is a two-time bronze medalist in the team sabre at the World Championships and was a member of the 2012 and 2016 U.S. Olympic teams, winning a bronze medal with the latter.

Dagmara Wozniak of the United States celebrates during the women's semifinals during the 2015 Pan Am Games in July.

Walker scored 2,039 points in high school and 2,500 more at Cheyney State, where she was twice named an All-American. She enjoyed a lengthy professional career in Europe, playing 11 seasons in Italy.

In the absence of stellar record-keeping at a high school, researching an athlete’s scholastic performance in the pre-internet era can be tedious, requiring a review of old newspaper clippings on microfilm. Filling in those blanks on the NJSIAA Hall of Fame nomination form makes nominating candidates challenging.

Following is a list of male high school athletes from Middlesex County who graduated during or before 2013 – in addition to Creekmur and John Somogyi (he also enjoyed a stellar coaching career) – who MyCentralJersey.com believes should be considered for NJSIAA Hall of Fame induction.

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Outstanding professionals, such as John Carlson of St. Joseph of Metuchen, one of the NHL’s best defensemen who recently led the Washington Capitals to the Stanley Cup, and NFL star Mohamed Sanu of South Brunswick, are not on the list because the statistics and accolades they compiled in brief high school careers paled in comparison to other candidates.

The biographical sketches of the athletes below focus solely on their college and/or professional careers.

Drew Pearson, South River, football

Pearson starred at the University of Tulsa, where he converted from quarterback to wide receiver. He caught 55 passes for 1,119 yards, averaging 20.3 yards per catch on a run-oriented team. He was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 1985.  Pearson went on to become a three-time Pro Bowl selection, appearing in the 1974, 1976 and 1977 all-star games. He played in three Super Bowls, helping Dallas claim the Super Bowl XII championship. Pearson was named to the NFL’s 1970s All-Decade team. Known as “Mr. Clutch,” Pearson caught 489 passes for 7,822 yards. He was on the receiving end of Roger Staubach’s famous “Hail Mary” pass in the 1975 NFC playoffs against Minnesota. The acrobatic grab epitomized the athleticism for which Pearson was renowned (the sideline tight-rope catch Pearson made earlier in the drive was arguably more remarkable). The Cowboys nominated Pearson for NFL Man of the Year in 1980. He was inducted into the franchise’s prestigious Ring of Honor in 2011.

Brian Taylor, Perth Amboy, basketball

A second-round pick of the Seattle Supersonics in the 1972 NBA draft and of the Carolina Cougars in the second round of the ABA draft that same year, Taylor scored 7,868 points, doled out 2,478 assists and collected 1,106 steals during an 11-year career in the NBA and ABA. He played for the New York Nets (1972-76), Kansas City Kings (176-77), Denver Nuggets (1977-78) and San Diego Clippers (1978-82). Taylor ended his high school career in 1969 as the second-leading scorer in state history with 2,495 points. In just two seasons at Princeton University, Taylor scored 1,239 points to rank second all-time at the school behind Bill Bradley.

Kenny Jackson, South River, football

After enjoying an All-American career at Penn State University, Jackson played eight seasons in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Oilers. He was the first wide receiver in Penn State history to be named All-American, an honor he received twice. Jackson held 27 school records by the time he was a senior and still ranks second in receiving yards (2,006) at Penn State. He caught 41 passes for 697 yards while helping the Nittany Lions claim the 1982 national championship. A first-round pick and the fourth overall selection of the Eagles in the 1984 NFL Draft, Jackson went on to catch 126 passes for 2,170 yards and 11 touchdowns during his professional career.

As a guard at St. Joseph-Metuchen, Jay Williams dribbles past North Brunswicks Tim Howard in 1998.

Jay Williams. St. Joseph, basketball

Williams obviously would have been significantly higher on this list had a catastrophic injury not shortened his career. During his lone season (2002-03) in the NBA, Williams averaged 9.5 points and 26.1 minutes while starting 54 of the 75 games in which he played for the Chicago Bulls. As a three-year starter at Duke University, Williams won the Naismith College Player of the Year award, the John R. Wooden Award and the Oscar Robertson Trophy. He averaged 19.3 points, six assists and 3.7 steals while shooting 45 percent from the floor and leading the Blue Devils to a 95-13 record including a 2001 national championship. He was the second overall pick of the 2002 NBA draft after Yao Ming. Williams played for the U.S. National Team in the 2002 FIBA World Championship.

Karl-Anthony Towns, St. Joseph, basketball

Barring injury, Towns obviously projects to move up this list before his professional career ends. At just 22 years old, Towns has the potential to be an NBA Hall of Famer. Selected with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, Towns was named the league’s Rookie of the Year for the 2015-16 campaign. In his third season with Minnesota, Towns is averaging 34.7 minutes, 21.5 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. He has also converted 37.3 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc. After graduating from high school as the Gatorade National Player of the Year, Towns spent one season at the University of Kentucky, where he was named a second-team All-American. Towns was named to the Dominican Republic national basketball team when he was just 16 years old.

Tim Howard celebrates the USMNT's win over Costa Rica on Saturday.

Tim Howard, North Brunswick, soccer

Howard played in the English Premier League for Manchester United and Everton from 2003-16. He made 992 saves and recorded 132 clean sheets. With Manchester United, Howard played 77 games, winning the FA Cup, Football League Cup and FA Community Shield. Howard played 415 games with Everton, setting a club record in 2009 for most clean sheets in a season and leading his team to the FA Cup final. Howard has amassed 115 caps with the U.S. Men’s National Team beginning in 2002. During the 2014 World Cup, he made a record 16 saves against Belgium in the Knockout Round. He also represented the U.S. in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. Howard won three consecutive CONCACAF Goalkeeper of the Year awards (2013-15). Howard has played eight seasons in the MLS, beginning his career with the New York Metro Stars in 1998, and has spent the past two seasons with the Colorado Rapids.

Johnny O'Brien, St. Mary, baseball

Among the greatest athletes in Middlesex County history, O’Brien played second base and pitched during a seven-year major-league career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers. O’Brien batted .250, collecting 204 hits and 59 RBI over 339 games as a hitter. On the mound, O’Brien made one start and 24 relief appearances. An outstanding basketball player, O’Brien was drafted out of college by the Milwaukee Bucks.

Eddie O’Brien, St. Mary, baseball

O'Brien enjoyed a five-year career, spending four seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates and one with the Seattle Pilots. O’Brien played seven positions — all three outfield spots, both middle infield spots, third base and pitcher. He batted .236 for his career, doing most of his damage from the plate during the 1953 and 1955 seasons with the Pirates. In 1956, O’Brien recorded career highs for average (.264) and on-base percentage (.291). He and twin brother Johnny, a second baseman with the Pirates, are one of only four sets of siblings to play middle infield on the same major-league team.

LJ Smith fights for yardage after a catch during a 2002 game against Syracuse.

LJ Smith, Highland Park, football

A second-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2003 NFL Draft, Smith had 27 catches for 321 yards as a rookie tight end. The following year Smith caught 34 passes for 377 yards to help the Eagles reach Super Bowl XXXIX. In that game, Smith made a sensational diving catch in the back of the end zone for Philadelphia’s first touchdown in an eventual 24-21 loss to the Patriots. Over the next two years, Smith became a favorite target of quarterback Donovan McNabb. He led the Eagles in receiving each of those two seasons. An injury limited Smith during the 2007 campaign. He ended his career, the tail end of which was injury-plagued, with the Baltimore Ravens as a backup tight end in 2009. He caught 233 passes for 2,556 yards as an NFL player. A four-year starter at Rutgers University, Smith has the second most receiving yards (1,458) and second most catches (122) among tight ends in school history behind Marco Battaglia. Smith was an All-Big East selection as a junior and a senior.

Hardy Peterson with the 1950 Rutgers University College World Series team. Standing (from left): Ted McDonough, Charlie Ruddock, Jim Clark, Allen Willenbrock, George Ruddy, Tom Foster, Peterson, Hal Tindall, George Kaye, Bob Suba, Tex Maskelevich, Herm Hering and George Case; squatting (from left): Don Biehn, Jim Monahan, Dudley Eppel, Julie Lebott, Ray Van Cleef, Alan Stull and Steve Kalapos.

Hardy Peterson, Woodbridge, baseball

Military service — two years with the U.S. Army — interrupted Peterson’s four-year major-league career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He batted .273 before a broken arm during the 1959 season contributed to the end of his tenure as a player. Peterson was part of teams that played in the final games at Ebbets Field and the Polo Grounds in 1957. He scored future Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente with two hits in the Polo Grounds finale. Peterson spent more than three decades of his professional baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization as a player, minor-league manager, farm system director and general manager. He was the executive vice president of the 1979 World Champion Pirates. He also worked for the New York Yankees with George Steinbrenner as general manager in 1990 and special assistant to the general manager in 1991. An All-American on Rutgers University’s 1950 College World Series team, Peterson was inducted into the school’s Olympic Sports Hall of Fame a decade ago. Peterson's son, Rick, was a pitching coach with the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics and Milwaukee Brewers.

WHO DID WE MISS? What athletes, coaches and administrators belong in the NJSIAA Hall of Fame? Let us know in the comments section.