The foundation upon which St. Mary’s Athletics was built was the accomplishments of these three basketball teams. In three seasons the Championship teams of 1932/1933, 1933/1934 and 1934/1935 had a cumulative record of 68-14.

Coached by Jack Toohey in 1932/33, the “Saints”, as they where nicknamed at the time, had a record of 21 wins and 7 losses. In post season play they reached the semi-finals of the State Group II Prep Championship and won the first of three straight Newark Diocesan Championships.

Voile Dupes took over the reigns of the basketball team for the 1933/1934 season and the team won 24 games and lost only 6. The team again won the Newark Diocesan Championship and reached the finals of state play, only to lose to Good Council of Newark by the score of 27 to 26.

The 1934/1935 team finished the season with a 23 and 1 record and brought the 1st State Championship to St. Mary’s by winning the State Group II Prep Championship. For third year in a row the Saints also won the Newark Diocesan Championship, hence, retiring the Seton Hall Trophy, which was awarded to the first team to win three consecutive tournaments. This trophy is still proudly displayed in St. Mary’s Gymnasium.

These teams were led by such stalwarts as John Kelly, Joe Kelly, Phil Sheridan, Gene Bruggemann, Howie Bischoff, Vin Daley, John Rohan, Jim Sheridan, Buck Smith, Bill Shea, Pete McCabe, Bill Kraft, Joe Bizub and team manager Robert Miller.

Inducted 1996

St. Mary’s 1935 boys basketball team was a group of excellent athletes coached by an excellent Hall of Fame coach, Voile Dupes.  Their story is a thrilling, inspirational tale of consistency, achievement and heroic circumstance.  The 1935 hoop squad etched its name in St. Mary’s athletic history by beating Bayley Ellard to win the Class A North Jersey Parochial School Championship for the third year in a row.  This impressive win awarded St. Mary’s permanent possession of that tournament’s trophy, which is the largest, grandest trophy ever displayed at St. Mary’s.

A greater achievement lay ahead for this talented team, however, which was led by Hall of Famers, Phil Sheridan, Sr., Pete McCabe and Buck Smith.  In the Catholic Schools State Championship game played at Rutgers University, the Gaels traded baskets with a talented, physical squad from St. Peter’s High School in New Brunswick.  In the waning minutes of the final period, the Gaels’ best player and leader, Phil Sheridan, fouled out.  Coach Dupes turned to his senior “sixth man”, Will Shea, who was known as “Specs” Shea in recognition of the prominent athletic goggles which he wore.  In a thrilling display of guts and determination, “Specs” Shea hit the tying basket to put the game into overtime, and then scored virtually all the points in the extra period to propel St. Mary’s to a stunning State Championship win.  The performance of “Specs” Shea in the 1935 State Championship game is generally regarded as the greatest performance by a St. Mary’s athlete in a State Championship game, and is a favorite chapter in St. Mary’s folklore. 

To View Team Photo Click Here

Our team Inductee is a historical St. Mary’s basketball squad best remembered for winning the 1946 State Championship. This team’s road to the top started very slowly, as it dropped four of its first five games. However, the team improved each game, and found the winning combination in four of its next six games. Thereafter, the Gaels’ scoring machine shifted into high gear and did not lose again. The St. Mary’s yearbook tribute to this extraordinary team recounts that the 1946 Champs were paced by the amazing shots and high scoring of (Hall of Famer) Captain Richie Fowler, the great rebound work of Phil Bersch, the scrappy play of newcomer, Scotty Lindsey, the coolness and versatility of (Hall of Famer) Jack Weiss, the height and bucket shots of Jim Data, and the smooth ball-handling of (Hall of Famer) Jack Campbell."

In addition to these outstanding players, the 1946 State Championship team also received valuable contributions from Frank Lane, Bob Murphy, Robert Liddell, W. Smith, Tom Cryan, Joe Gannon, George Gifford, Richard Collins, Deacon Cartier, Cliff Kalemba, Jim McCormick, Ed Bill and John Shannon. This team’s development into a championship unit can be credited in large measure to the coaching genius of its head coach, Hall of Famer, Bob Trocolar.

To View Team Photo Click Here

This St. Mary’s State Championship team featured an array of colorful characters, some of whom were great football players and others who were great athletes and very good football players. Under the helm of first year head coach, Val Vallorani, the 1954 football squad raced to a final record of 7-2, after early season losses to Essex County Juggernauts, St. Benedicts and Seton Hall Prep. The Gaels’ offense was a dynamic, revolutionary squad which ran from a single-wing and passed from a split-T formation, directed by the inventive play-calling of assistant coach and St. Mary’s Hall of Famer, Jack Love. The defense of the 1954 team featured a menagerie of hard-hitting defenders who punished opposing ball carriers and receivers. The highlights of the season were lopsided victories over rivals, Pope Pius and St. Luke’s.

Historically, the 1954 team is remembered best for its numerous Hall of Fame players and for its singular achievement of providing St. Mary’s with a repeat State Championship under a new head coach, following Coach Leo Moran’s retirement after the 1953 championship season.

In 1951 interscholastic baseball returned to St. Mary's. Two freshman athletes, Joe Dressel and Bob Jones started for the '51 Team. In 1952 George Vuyosevich became the head baseball coach and started to develop a program of young players who would eventually comprise the 1956 State Championship Team.

The 1954 team was gifted with senior players from the 1954 class, including Joe Dressel, Bob Jones, Jasper Papa, and Dan Kearney, while George Gaughran, Jerry Breslin and Bill Schwanekamp were outstanding juniors. Sophomores Charlie Scrivanich, Ron Segal, Richie Walsh, Don Ippolito and Joe Walsh were also important contributors to the 1954 team. The 1955 team also had an outstanding record led by the returning players mentioned above together with Harry Perrine and Eddie O'Connell.

These years of cultivation came to fruition with the 1956 State Championship team, which was led by senior, Charlie Scrivanich. This Hall of Famer posted a won/loss record of 9-1 and shattered the strikeout record in Bergen County by posting 2.34 strikeouts per inning. His only loss in 1956 was 1-0 to St. Benedicts where he pitched a no-hitter and lost. The 1956 team was also led by the hitting and fielding of catcher, Ron Segal, and other fine players like Richie Walsh, Don Ippolito, Ray Reardon, Joe Walsh, Jay McDonald, Ray Scrivanich, Charles Wormke, Emil Hensle, Vin Deleo and Jack Sloan.

Many of these honored players went on to play college, professional or semiprofessional baseball. Bob Jones signed with the New York Giants, while Charlie Scrivanich played at Notre Dame and went on to play in the Cincinnati Reds organization. Ron Segal became an All-American at Ithaca College and played in the Cape Cod League.  George Gaughran went on to become one of the great baseball players at St. Peter's College. During this era in St. Mary history,  baseball was once again established as a prominent and winning
program. 

To View Team Photo Click Here