Westfield Athletic Hall of Fame

Westfield Hall of Fame Members

CLIFF SHEEHAN was named All-America in track and cross-country WHS, 1980-81. He won three all-group IV state titles, the Eastern States Cross-Country, the Eastern States 3,000-meter and the Northeast Cross-Country. Sheehan was named to The Star Ledger's All-Century Cross-Country team and was on the Star-Ledger's All-Decade Team for track. At Harvard he was the first New England collegiate runner to break the 4:00 mile and was named All-America.

SALLY PARIZEAU TYRIE was named First Team All-State Soccer as both a junior and a senior (1983 and '84). The '82, '83 and '84 teams won the Union County Tournament title and Sally was a First Team All-Union County all three years. Sally also earned Third Team All-State and First Team All-Union County honors in 1985 in softball. At St.Lawrence University she excelled at soccer and lacrosse and was Inducted into the St. Lawrence Hall of Fame.

GREG MOORE won the platform tennis championship at Echo Lake Country Club in 1973. He won three more club titles while at WHS. In 1976, he won the National Junior Championship. In 1980, he captured the National Intercollegiate Championship. He won the New Jersey state platform titles in 1985 and 1986. In 1986 and 1987, he won the National Platform Tennis championship with partner Hank Irvine. He played doubles tennis on two Group IV state champion teams.

TIM GOSKI is probably the greatest basketball player to come out of WHS. He was the leader of the school's greatest team, the 1971-72 Group IV State Champions with a 25-2 record. He was First Team All-Union County and Third Team All-State. He was the senior cog on the team that finished 24-2 and Goski was named First Team All-State, All Union County and All-Metro. At Georgia he was Southeastern Conference All-Freshman First Team. In 1974 and later at East Texas State, he was First Team Lone Star Conference.

CHERYL GLEASON is one of WHS finest female athletes. In her sophomore year, 1978-79, she was Third team All-State in field hockey and softball. As a junior, she was First Team All-State for the field hockey team that won the sectional state title and was Second Team All-State for the softball squad that ended 23-3. As a senior, Cheryl was First Team All-State in field hockey and softball. At the University of Virginia, Cheryl was named All-America in field hockey.

BOB FLYNN was a three-sport (baseball, basketball and soccer) star at WHS. A three-year varsity baseball player, Flynn was Second Team All-State as well as All-Union County and All Metro. A Union County batting champion for the American Legion Team, Flynn went to the University of Miami, where he was named to the American Association of College Coaches Topps District Team and played in the National Collegiate Baseball World Series. He was a second round draft choice of the Montreal Expos.

BOB DUNCAN - The WHS athletic program rose to prominence under Bob Duncan (1929-1965). He was head coach of the football team 1929-1940, track coach in the 1930's-1960's and the Athletic Director until 1965. Championships were abundant. He served as President of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association and President of the New Jersey Association of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. He starred on the 1921 and 1922 Iowa University football and track teams.

OWEN BRAND - As a junior in 1976, Brand helped Westfield win the North Jersey, Section 2, Group IV state football title with a 10-0-1 record. As s senior, he sparked the offense and defense for a team that was regarded as perhaps the greatest in WHS history. Brand was All-State First Team defense, which finished 11-0, and was No.1 in the state's polls. In baseball, he was All-Union County and All-Metro First Team. Brand played football at the University of Delaware and was once named ECAC Defensive Player of the Week.

1971-1972 BASKETBALL TEAM was the only team to ever win a state tournament basketball championship. Westfield beat Triton of South Jersey in the Group IV state championship game as Novacek grabbed a missed free throw in overtime and put in the winning basket as the buzzer sounded to give Westfield a 44-42 victory. Westfield ended with a 25-2 record and was ranked No. 2 in the state.

Pete Braun—An offensive guard and linebacker on defense, Braun became the only Blue Devil to ever gain first team All-State honors two years. He earned All-County, All-State and New York Herald Tribune All-Scholastic honors in his senior year. Braun earned three varsity football letters at West Point. As a senior, he achieved honorable mention All-East, played the entire game in a victory over a Navy team quarterbacked by Roger Staubach, and was chosen a co-captain of the Blue squad in the 1965 blue-Gray All-Star Game.

Jackie Booth—All-State softball for three years. Pitched perfect game against Union in 1977. Union County Female Athlete of the Year, 1978. Second team All-State in field hockey and Union County and North Jersey All-Star in 1977. At Adelphi was female athlete of the year in 1982. Pitched semi-pro for Linden Arians, Trenton All-Americans and Budweiser Belles.

Chris Campbell—Wrestling. 26-0 and 168-pound state champion as Westfield High School senior. 122-7-2 and four Big Ten and two NCAA titles at Iowa under legendary coach Dan Gable. World Cup Champion five times. First American to win the award as the "World’s Most Technically Prepared Wrestler" in the World Championship at 180 pounds. Olympic Bronze Medal in 1992 at 198 pounds.

John Chironna—All-State Football Group 3. All-East selection three times at Bucknell. Chironna was inducted into the Bucknell Hall of Fame in 1984 and was named to Bucknell’s "Football Team of the Century" in 1996. Morristown High Coach and Athletic Director. Team won a pair of state sectional titles. 1974 team finished co-No. 1 with Westfield in 1974.

Walt Clarkson—Coach Clarkson’s track and cross country teams had a 466 wins-55 losses-3 ties for an 89.4 percent winning record. In his 22 years as coach, there were 110 team championships and 253 individual champions. A highlight was the 1978 victory at the Penn Relays in the 4X100 meter relay team (Allan Smith, Frank Kelly, Brian Gray, Butch Woolfolk).

Bob Clotworthy—Diving. Three N.J. state and two Eastern diving championships at Westfield High School. Three-time Big Ten champion, four-time National AAU and one-time NCAA champion at Ohio State. Olympic bronze in 1952 in Helsinki, and gold in 1956 at Melbourne.

Merilyn Diamond—Swimming Coach of first girls’ swim team. Team went unbeaten. Second year it won the state championship. 110-7 Westfield High School swim record. Eight state championships and nine Union County titles in twelve years. Her teams had a state record 74-meet win streak.

Carolyn Donner—Coach Donner’s softball teams were 327-58-3 with five county championships, seven sectional crowns and reached the state championship game in ’74, ’78, ’85 and ’88. State Coach of the Year in softball in 1988. Coach Donner’s field hockey team went 101-24-17 and in eight years won 3 Union County titles, 4 sectional crowns and reached the state championship game in ’75, ’78 and ’79.

Frank Jackson—Football. Two-time All-Conference back. First team All-State as a senior when he captained the team to an 8-0-1 mark which was part of Westfield High School’s 48-game unbeaten streak—Wrestling. At Westfield High School 52-7-1. Three district titles and state champion in 1970.

Krissy Jeremiah—In soccer she was third team All-State as a sophomore, and first team All-State as a junior and senior and All-American as a senior. At Trenton State was regional All-American in 1990 and All-American in 1991. In basketball she was third team All-State in her final season. First 1000-point career scorer in Westfield High School basketball.

Nancy Kasko Jogis—All Union County softball four times. Four-year pitching record of 65-15. Second Team All-State softball as a junior. First Team All-Starter in her senior year. Three varsity letters in basketball and three in field hockey.

Gary Kehler—Football Coach. 171-26-7 in 22 years. Eighteen Watchung Conference titles, eight state sectional crowns and nine unbeaten seasons. Forty-eight-game unbeaten streak 1969-73. New Jersey State Champion over Barringer in Meadowlands in 1977. Wrestling Coach. 231-48-13 in 24 years. Fourteen Watchung Conference championships, sixteen district titles, and six Union County crowns. Golf Coach. 329-44-6. Twenty-four team championships.

Glen Kehler—Football. 1039 yards rushing as a junior and 1171 as a senior at Westfield High School. Career 2797 yards rushing, 349 points, 81 PATs and four field goals. School record 36 points against Middletown in 1973. Scored all 31 points in a 31-14 victory over Plainfield in 1973. Two-time All-State at Rutgers. Track.

Frank Ketcham—All-State in both football and baseball at Westfield High School in 1932. Captained unbeaten Penn State freshman team in 1933. After transfer to Wesleyan captained the 1936 football team to a 5-2-1 record. Probably most versatile Westfield athlete ever. Excellent bowler at 185 average and two-time Echo Lake CC golf champion in 1956 and 1959.

John Lay—Basketball coaching record 179-87. His 1958-59 basketball squad went 24-3, capturing the Union County Tournament championship and reaching the North Jersey Section 2 Final. The 1961-62 blue Devils went 23-3, reaching the State Group IV Final. The 1962-63 squad went 21-3 as Bob King broke all of the school’s game, season, and career scoring and rebounding marks.

Gerry McGinley—Football. Captain of 1947 unbeaten state champion Westfield High School team. First team All-State. All-American linebacker at Penn and called by coach George Munger "the greatest linebacker in the country." Played in East-West Shrine game and Senior Bowl game where he co-captained the team with Frank Gifford. Captained the Westfield High School Swim team.

Rick McGinley—Scored 19 touchdowns (tying Lee Waring’s 1930 school record) and helped the team post a 10-0 record as a sophomore. Holds Westfield record of 46 touchdowns. Earned All-State football as a senior and played on teams that went 27-3 during his three years.

Kevin McGorty—State champion high jumper in 1982 and 1983. Set five Westfield High School individual records in 110 meter high hurdles, 400 meter hurdles, long jump, high jump and pole vault. Won junior national decathlon, international decathlon vs. Canada and Italy and Golden West decathlon. All-American decathlon at North Carolina University in 1985, ’87 and ’88. Twelfth in the decathlon Olympic trials in ’88 and eighth in ’92.

Sam Mitchell—Football. Career 22 touchdown passes for Westfield High School. All-State 1948-49. Quarterback for University of Washington where he ranked eighth nationally in passing in 1951. Baseball. All-State at Westfield High School. Team MVP at Washington. Played in Phillies chain. Basketball. All-State at Westfield High School.

Joe Monninger—Monninger earned First Team All-State honors in 1970 when he quarterbacked Westfield High School to a 9-0 record and to the No. 1 ranking in New Jersey. As a senior he passed for 1,141 yards and 17 touchdowns—both still school records. He also guided Westfield to the No. 1 ranking as a junior quarterback.

Dave Morash—Football. Three-year starter at Westfield High School. Co-Captain as a senior. All-County and All-State. Three-year starter at Columbia University. All-Ivy in senior year. Wrestling. Senior captain at Westfield High School and two-time state champion. Three-time MVP, three-time All-Ivy and team captain as a senior at Columbia.

Dickie Myers—Basketball team went 23-3 in his junior year winning Central Jersey Group IV title and losing to Weequahic in the state championship game. Named All-County, All-Group IV and All-State as a senior. Captained the ’62 baseball team and was two-time All-County and All-State. At Wake Forest won two letters in basketball and three in baseball. Two-time MVP Union County American Legion Baseball League.

Dave Perkowski—Perkowski was a four-time Union County Champion (three times on relays, once winning the 50 freestyle), a three-time Eastern Interscholastic Champion (two relays and the 100 breaststroke as a senior), and a six-time NJSIAA Champion (three relays and three times capturing the 100 breaststroke). Key member of the Westfield YMCA team that captured the national crown that year. Spent four years swimming under the legendary coach Jim (Doc) Counsilman at Indiana University, which won the national title twice. Qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team in the 100 breaststroke.

Rob Schmalz—Rob led the state in lacrosse scoring two years, ’85 and ’86 and was first team All-State and All-American. In 1986 he captained the team to the school’s first state championship and #1 ranking. All-State and captain of the 1985 Blue Devil soccer team. Four-year letter-man, MVP in 1989 and All-Atlantic Coast in lacrosse in ’89 and ’90 at Virginia.

Kim Schmidt Selert—Only girls’ tennis player from Westfield High School to win two New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association state tournament singles championships, 1975 and 1976. Her combined record in singles and doubles was 69-3. Kim won the AIAW Division 3 National Championship in 1980 and ’81 and twice won the New Jersey AIAW state singles title.

Steve Schmitt—Steve was arguably the greatest all-around swimmer in Westfield High School history. He was an All-American in eight (out of a possible ten) events—the 100, 200, and 400 freestyle, the 200 individual medley, the 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke and both the medley and freestyle relays. In three years he won five out of five Union County Championships (plus one relay). At the Eastern Interscholastics, Schmitt won the 200 IM as a junior and twice swam on a winning relay. He was a four-time state champion (200 IM twice, 400 free twice) individually and swam on one state champion relay.

Jeff Torborg—Three-year starting catcher at Westfield High School and team captain as a senior. All-County and All-State. All-American at Rutgers with national batting average record .537. Two-time All-East. Ten-year major leaguer with L.A. Dodgers and L.A. Angels. Caught three big league no-hitters—Sandy Koufax, Bill Singer and Nolan Ryan. Manager Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox and New York Mets.

Lee Waring—Football. Tailback on 6-0-2 and 7-0-1 teams in 1930 and 1931. Captain in 1931. Scored 35 points against Bound Brook. Had school record 90-yard interception return for a touchdown. Drop-kicked a school record 52-yard field goal against Plainfield in 1931. Baseball. Three-year varsity catcher at Westfield High School.

Greg Weiss—Co-Captain, All-County and All-State on 1961 unbeaten Westfield High School football teams (first year of Kehler reign). Two-time state swim champion in the 100-yard breaststroke, left fielder on the ’62 baseball team. Two-time all-Ivy football performer at Yale.

Joe Wiendl-Football. Two-way end and two letters at Westfield High School. As defensive safety at Wilkes College was All-Conference and All-State, All-East, Little All-America and Kodak All-America. Wrestling. State Champion for Westfield High School in 1964. 50-0-1 career record at Wilkes. NCAA College Division 160-pound national champion. Baseball. All-Conference center fielder at Wilkes. Athlete of the Year at Wilkes in 1967-68-69.

Harold "Butch" Woolfolk--Set Westfield High School season records in 1977 football with 1637 yards rushing, 34 touchdowns and 206 points (latter #1 in N.J.). First team All-County and All-State in 1977. In track, won State All-Group and International Prep Invitational 100 and 200 meter races. Ran fastest schoolboy times in the nation in 1978. At Michigan became the school’s all-time rusher, passing Tom Harmon. MVP of the Rose Bowl in his junior year and MVP of the Bluebonnet Bowl in his senior year. Big 10 track champion in the 200 and 300. First round draft pick of the NY Giants.

1924 Girls’ Basketball Team—Two-time Eastern champions from Westfield High School in 1923-24. Runner-up to Guthrie, Oklahoma High School for the Girls’ National Basketball Championship in 1924.

1965 and 1966 Swim Teams—Westfield High School boys’ swim teams of 1965 and ’66 were arguably the most dominating teams ever in the Garden State. They set state records that lasted nearly two decades, and school marks were not broken for nearly forty years! The 1965 team’s only defeat was by Princeton University freshmen. The 1966 squad, which posted a 13-1 mark, might have even been better than the 1965 powerhouse. Each team had eight All-Americans. Lost only to the Yale University freshmen 51-44. At the 1965 and ’66 county meets, Westfield swept all eleven events.

1977 Football Team—11-0, No. 1 in the state. No. 6 nationally. Beat Barringer 33-12 in the state final before 33,000 at Giant Stadium. Three All-County and All-State players—Woolfolk, Brand and Sampson and five additional All-County—Knobloch, Iglar, Kelly, Hoblitzell and Tomalonis. Points scored – 413 (38 a game) to opponents 32 (3 a game).