This winter has seen great athletics showings from across The Prep community, as athletes continued to develop their skills under outstanding coaches. Athletes have often been important representatives for The Prep across New Jersey, and this year was no different, as members of every team travelled across the state to represent Seton Hall. Athletes grew not just in their sports, but also cultivated the brotherhood Seton Hall is known for with their teammates throughout the winter. In addition, Seton Hall athletes worked hard to balance the rigorous workload of student-athletes that The Prep offers.
One highlight of the winter sports season was the Varsity Basketball Team making it to the state semifinals, led by new Head Coach Sterling Gibbs ’11. Another important moment for The Prep’s athletics was the Swimming Team’s near-lossless record, continuing a record of top-level performance. These two stunning performances from The Prep were only the highest points among a great winter season from Prep athletes.
At the start of the winter season, Mr. Boyle ’13–both a Prep alumnus and a science teacher–took over the Head Coach position for swimming. Mr. Boyle said his goal at the beginning of the year was to win the county championship and continue The Prep’s great swimming legacy, two goals the team accomplished. Mr. Boyle’s favorite moment of the season was the close match against Delbarton in February, decided by two points. Overall, the swimming team upheld Seton Hall’s legacy of dominance within Essex County.
The indoor track team travelled across New Jersey to represent Seton Hall and continued the growth the team has seen recently. Coach Cuntrera’s ’12 goals for the winter season were to build the team for spring and building technique, two objectives which have certainly helped the track team’s spring season. Some of Mr. Cuntrera’s favorite moments in the winter were the improvement in the 4×4 team and the distance team along with seeing the dedication of all the athletes on the team. Mr. Cuntrera was also happy that the team has retained a lot of skill despite the graduation of many athletes, which he saw as a testament to the runners’ commitment.
The basketball team had a great winter season, winning over three quarters of their games. The team started their season with a win against Hightstown High School and continued their success into the new year. In February, the basketball team would win the Essex County Tournament against Payne Tech in the finals, and in the Super Essex American League, the Prep would finish third against tough competition. Finally, the team would finish off the year with a great run in the NJSIAA Tournament, making it to the semi-finals. In addition, first-year Head Coach Sterling Gibbs would win the Essex County Coach of the Year, while Anthony Gonzalez ’27 won County Player of the Year.
The Rifle Team continued its competition as one of The Prep’s longest running teams. The team competed at Ridgewood Rifle Club and continued to train the next generation of riflemen at SHP. This year also marked the end of an era for the team as Coach Gonzalez announced his retirement after over 35 years of coaching.
The bowling team put together a strong and consistent winter season, finishing with an impressive record of 16-3, under Coach Smircich ’09. The team started on the right foot, winning against James Caldwell 7-0, and kept this momentum going all the way into the end of the year. The team made it all the way to the semifinals of the NJSIAA Tournament. There were a few standout performances, as junior Riley Gnecco , Nick Dragone ‘25, Joey Maiella ‘27, and Peyton Reynolds ’28 all were SEC Colonial Division bowlers. Dragone, Gnecco, and Maiella would also go on to qualify for the NJ State Individual Bowling Tournament. With a strong group returning next year, the program is poised to continue its upward trajectory.
Coach Monteverdi ’84 and the hockey team wrapped up the winter season with a 11-11-1 record. The team made it to the NJSIAA playoffs at the end of the winter season and did well against great competition. Ryan Murray ’27 scored the most goals, at 13, while Matthew Smith ’25 scored 12. The Varsity team also looks to gain many new players from the large JV team to grow the program.
The wrestling team completed their season at the NJSIAA team tournament against St. Joseph High School. The match against St. Joseph followed a good season which began in the Catholic School Duals in January. Later in January, the team finished at the top of the Essex County Tournament which further cemented Seton Hall’s top-level position in the county after many other wins against Essex teams.