Feb. 2 event also honored 30th anniversary of girls tennis title
PHOTO LEFT: Member of the 1996 Middle Township High School girls tennis team celebrate the 30th anniversary of their Group III state championship.
PHOTO RIGHT: Attending the Hall of Fame ceremony (from left) are former longtime Panthers football coach Frank Riggitano; former longtime Middle Township Board of Education President Dennis Roberts; 2011 NJSIAA Group 2 State Individual Golf Champion and Academic All-American Alex Hicks; Sally Yerk, widow of former Cape Atlantic League champion golf coach Paul Yerk; and former English teacher Mabel Bryan.
Cape May Court House, N.J. – The Middle Township High School basketball teams shared the court with athletes, educators and community members from other eras during a Feb. 2 Hall of Fame ceremony.
The Middle Township School District held its Hall of Fame induction on the same night that it commemorated the 30th anniversary of the 1996 state championship girls tennis team. The event was held between the girls and boys games at the high school’s Tom Feraco Court.
It was a night for reflection and sentiment as the district inducted former teacher Mabel Bryan; 2011 state golf champion Alex Hicks; former teacher, coach and principal Frank Riggitano; former Board of Education President Dennis Roberts; and former teacher and coach Paul Yerk, who was inducted posthumously. Sally Yerk, Paul’s widow, attended in his honor as she held a framed photo of her husband.
Dr. Sharon Rementer, MTHS principal, noted during the event that honoring the past creates meaningful lessons for today’s students and athletes.
“The Middle Township Hall of Fame honors the people who shaped this district, elevated our programs, and left a lasting impact on our students, our schools, and our community,” she said. “The induction ceremony and commemoration of the 1996 girls tennis team is about connection and legacy. It’s making sure our youth understand the shoulders they stand on and respect the trailblazers who came before them—many of whom are the reasons we have the opportunities, traditions and pride we enjoy today.”
Superintendent Stephanie DeRose added that it is important to celebrate the many types of contributions to the district.
“Teachers, coaches, board members, administrators and others make Middle Township School District run smoothly and create a sense of community,” she said. “We welcome the opportunity to honor standouts whose impact is felt long after they serve our schools.”
The inductees were the third group welcomed into the MTSD Hall of Fame, which has now grown to 26 members.
Former coach Tracey Hall and members of the 1996 Panthers girls tennis team also were recognized at the event. The team won the Group III state championship in 1996 by defeating Ramapo High School, 3–2.
“We are proud of Middle Township High School’s athletic successes and our great traditions of teamwork and character, both in the classroom and through interscholastic competition,” said Athletic Director Josh McCarty. “We want our athletes to understand that they have a role in continuing an exceptional legacy.”