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Lacrosse at Montclair High School
Clary Anderson, Director of Athletics, began lacrosse at Montclair High School in 1962 with Duncan Sinnock, MHS '52, who learned the game at Hobart. After four years of club status, it became a varsity sport in 1965.
In 1966 Gil Gibbs, MHS '57, took over as head coach. Gil, who had watched but not played lacrosse at Springfield College, compiled an illustrious 13-year record, including four NJSIAA Championships and six Coaches' Tourney Championships. Until his untimely death in 1978, he developed 44 first-team All-State players, 17 high school All-Americans and 8 college All-Americans. In his last ten years, Gil's varsity squads won 144 games while losing only 10.
The Junior Varsity program was started in 1968 under Dick van Antwerp, MHS'62. Homer Robinson joined Gil in 1969. Eight consecutive State JV Championships followed from 1971 to 1978.
In 1979 Houston Webber was named head coach, Dean Witty JV coach and Don Eccleston freshman coach. Houston had been an All-State player at Princeton High, a player/assistant at Montclair State University, and Don came from Massachusetts with skills in both ice hockey and lacrosse. Under Houston the Montclair Varsity captured the State Championship in 1980 and the Junior Varsity won two more titles.
In 1983 Dean Witty moved up to head coach, Chris Johnson was named JV coach, and Kevin Martin, MHS'75, continued as an assistant. Coach Witty's teams continued to win, claiming State Championships in 1984 and 1985 and the Coaches' Tourney in 1986. Johnson's JVs won the State JV Tournament in 1983, 1984, and 1987 and were undefeated in 1988. Chip Casto, MHS'84, joined the staff in 1988 straight from a successful lacrosse career at Hobart. Jack Weber became freshman coach in 1989.
In 1990 Chris Johnson was appointed head coach, with Jack Weber as JV coach and Jim Hague as freshman coach. Ben Dickerson became JV coach in 1992 and a varsity assistant in 1993. Weber's 1993 JVs won the Homer Robinson JV Tournament. Coach Johnson's varsity teams ontinued Montclair's winning tradition, earning the State Championship in 1992 and 1997, reaching the final in 1991, making the semi-finals in 1998 and making the quarterfinals in 1993, 1995 and 1996. In the process, Coach Johnson's teams compiled a winning record of 196-79 (setting a record for most career wins by a MHS lacrosse coach).
In 2005, Peter von Hoffmann MHS '75, was appointed head coach and is committed to continuing the Montclair lacrosse tradition of excellence. As a MHS and Bucknell laxman, Coach von Hoffmann was selected for All-American lacrosse teams at the high school and collegiate level, and has since served in numerous coaching positions. Joining Coach von Hoffmann in this year's coaching duties are Al Ray, (Varsity), Peter Schiavone (JV), Dave Rowbotham (JV), and Robert McOmish (Freshmen). Tom Reilly, John Capristo, Adam Rodell, Jim Schmitt, John Schmitt, Tom Schmitt, Matt Rosolen, Tom Kelleher, Sam Vollen, Mike Kennedy and Matt Trevenen have served as varsity assistants at times over the past decade. |
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