UNION COUNTY LOCALSOURCE
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THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2011 — PAGE 27
Football player makes
his family, town proud
(Continued from Page 26)
"It was a great day for Linden athletics and an out"On defense he was a great run-stopper. He was really standing day for Muhammad and his family," McDongood against the run and had a nose for the football."
ald said. "With five players moving on to the NFL,
Present Linden head football coach Deon Candia, we've been blessed."
who was an assistant coach on McDonald's staff when
HERE'S A LOOK AT LINDEN PLAYERS
Wilkerson played - coaching the defensive backs and
THAT WENT ON TO PLAY IN THE NFL
wide receivers - remembers how Wilkerson improved
GOING BACK TO THE EARLY 1980S:
a great deal leading up to his senior season.
"The early years were kind of a blur because he was
Troy Stradford, Linden class of 1982,
a basketball kid," Candia said. "He came on as a senior
running back-wide receiver
and his work ethic and mentality was like night and day.
Boston College: 1982-1984, 1986
"He gained more attitude his senior season and saw
Selected in 4th round of 1987 NFL Draft
how dominant he could be.
(99th overall)
"He gained more confidence and took his game up
by the Miami Dolphins.
to another level."
Miami Dolphins: 1987-1990
Candia, a 1991 Linden graduate who also played
for McDonald, saw Wilkerson's physical development
Kansas City Chiefs: 1991
up close as well.
Los Angeles Rams: 1992. Detroit Lions: 1992.
"When he came home and spent time in the weight
Craig Taylor, Linden class of 1984, running back
room you could tell he was on another level when he
went to Temple," Candia said. "Mentally and physiWest Virginia: 1984-1988
cally he became a monster.
Selected in 6th round of 1989 NFL Draft
"He stood out because he was tall and had a super
(166th overall)
long wingspan. He always played to his strength. He
by the Cincinnati Bengals.
was a smart kid on the field, someone with a good
Cincinnati Bengals: 1989-1991
football IQ. He worked hard."
Other Linden football players before Wilkerson to
Michael Pringley, Linden class of 1994,
defensive end
make it to the NFL in the past 30 years include Troy
North Carolina: 1994-1998
Stradford, assistant coach Craig Taylor, Michael
Selected in 7th round of 1999 NFL Draft
Pringley and Roger Chanoine, who also starred at
(215th overall)
Temple.
by the Detroit Lions.
"Our players now don't really have a connection
Detroit Lions: 1999
with some of the others because they played before
San Diego Chargers: 2000, 2001
their time," Candia said. "But they all remember
Muhammad.
Roger Chanoine, Linden class of 1994,
"You can tell the kids to stay focused, but there's
offensive tackle
nothing like them seeing a kid get drafted in front of
Temple: 1994-1998
the world," Candia said.
Signed by St. Louis Rams as undrafted
"There's not a better role model than Muhammad
rookie in 1999.
Wilkerson, being the kid that he is, the gentleman that
Cleveland Browns: 1999-2002
he is," Colicchio said. "It was amazing to watch him
Jacksonville Jaguars: 2003
grow up.
"What he accomplished was also a credit to the
Muhammad Wilkerson, Linden class of 2007,
coaching he had. Bucky did a great job of making him
defensive tackle
a better football player and Donofrio accentuated it.
Hargrave Military Academy: 2007
Muhammad was lucky to have good coaching along
Temple: 2008-2010
the way. Bucky saw something in him at a young age.
Selected in 1st round of 2011 NFL Draft
"Of course you have to have God given ability, but
(30th overall) by the New York Jets.
he's an example for all the kids in Linden to know that
New York Jets: 2011
if you work hard, you can reach certain places."
Rich Morris
Seton Hall Prep junior Zach Pallis of Springfield shot
a 66 to win last week's Essex County golf title at
Hendricks Course in Belleville.
Springfield's
stars on golf course
Fires 66 to win Essex title
By JR Parachini
Sports Editor
Golfers, like athletes in any other sport, search for consistency.
If they feel they can achieve that, then there's always an opportunity to
succeed. If greatness should follow, so be it.
Seton Hall Prep junior and Springfield resident Zach Pallis was
both consistent and great on the golf course Wednesday when he
shot a 4-under-par 66 to capture the Essex County championship at
Hendricks Golf Course in Belleville.
According to SHP Coach Kevin Williams, Pallis shot a 33 on the front
nine and then another 33 on the back. Par at Hendricks is 70.
"This was his best round," said Williams, who has been the golf coach
at SHP since 2000 and was just recently named as the new boys' basketball
coach. "This was the first tournament where he played 18 holes."
Williams said that Pallis finished with seven birdies, three bogies had
had only 25 putts for the 18 holes. The field consisted of nearly 100 golfers.
"His 66 was the best score for a Seton Hall Prep golfer since I've been
the coach," Williams said. "Basically, Zach's a golf junkie. He's all about
golf right now."
Pallis was on SHP's golf team as a freshman, but didn't play much. He
started for the first time as a sophomore.
"All his practice and lessons are paying off," Williams said.
This was the first time the Essex County championship was competed
at Hendricks after previously being held at Francis Byrne in West Orange.
Weequahic in Newark is the county's other county course.
"It was previously at Francis Byrne and it may be at Weequahic in the
future, perhaps on a rotating basis," Williams said.
DiGiovanni steps down as UHS basketball coach
By JR Parachini
Sports Editor
One of the most respected and hardest working boys'
basketball coaches in the entire state has decided to
step down.
Tony DiGiovanni, who has been the coach at Union the
past five years, resigned April 27 so that he could spend more
time with his family.
"At this point in time it's the right thing to do," said
DiGiovanni, 34, who became the head coach at his high
school alma mater beginning with the 2006-07 season.
"We're expecting our second child in early September. I want
to be able to spend time with my wife and children."
DiGiovanni submitted his letter of resignation on April 27.
"I talked to the boys and their parents at a team dinner
Thursday night," DiGiovanni said. "I'm looking forward to
the time 1 will have with my family. 1 felt it was the right
thing for me to do."
DiGiovanni, a 1995 UHS graduate who went on to play
football at Colgate, first coached under Bob Hurley at St.
Anthony for five years before becoming a head coach for the
first time in 2003-04 at Piscataway.
He was then the head coach at New Brunswick for the
2004-05, 2005-06 seasons before taking over at Union the
following year.
A US history and economics teacher at UHS, DiGiovanni
guided Union to four straight winning seasons after an 8-15
campaign his first year at the helm. He led the 2008 and 2010
teams to the North 2, Group 4 semifinals and the 2008 squad
to the Union County Tournament semis.
His five-year record at Union was 77-52 (.597). The
2007-08 team went 21-7.
Star players for DiGiovanni that went on to college
included Dion Nesmith (Monmouth), Travis Taylor
(Monmouth) and Jon Merceus (Pace).
"The kids at Union have been great and have done
everything I've asked them to do," DiGiovanni said.
"The kids in Union love to play basketball and are really
good kids.
"They're fun to be around and they want to learn. We
were able to have some winning seasons and get some kids
into college. Overall, it was a great experience.
"1 want to spend time with my family and enjoy what we
have right now."
NOTES: At least two teams now that compete in the
Watchung Division of the Union County Conference will
have different head coaches next season.
Chris Chevannes took over for Kevin Boyle at St. Patrick
after Boyle left to coach a prep school in central Florida.
Boyle, a 1981 Johnson Regional graduate who
helped lead the Crusaders to the 1981 Union County
Tournament championship, coached the Celtics for
more than 20 years.
He guided St. Patrick to the last 19 UCT championship
games, winning 14 of them.
His 2006-07 squad lost just two games, including the
UCT final to Linden, but won the Parochial B state
champoinship and then the Tournament of Champions
and finished No. 2 in the country in the USA Today.
Another big coaching change in the north was Roselle
Catholic graduate Bob Farrell stepping down at Seton
Hall Prep.
His top assistant, Kevin Williams, took over as his
successor.
Farrell retired as the third-winningest coach in state
history. His First year at SHP was 1977-78.