RHS Athletic Hall of Fame
Members of the Ridgewood High School Athletic Hall of Fame are those that have made a lasting impact on the school’s sports program as either student players, coaches, or supporters. Often the student players have continued to influence their chosen sports after high school by ongoing participation in athletics.
Paul Ferraro, 2006 Inductee
After leaving his mark in football and wrestling at Ridgewood High, Paul Ferraro has continued his career in athletics by advancing through the collegiate football coaching ranks to the National Football League. He received the Ridgewood High School Award For Excellence In Athletics in 1977 and also was recipient of the Stroker Award presented by the Stroker Family and the Ridgewood Junior Football Association.
Acknowledged as one of the greatest two-way football players in the school’s history, he was acknowledged as a first-team All-Decade linebacker for the 1970s by The Record and was a two-time First-Team linebacker on the All-County, All-Suburban and All-NNJIL All-star Teams. He was the first single-season 1,000-yard rusher in school history and held the single-season rushing record of 1,079 yards (accomplished in nine games) for 28 years.
His rushing average for a season, 119.89, still stands. In addition to the three varsity letters earned on the gridiron, he was awarded two in wrestling. He was first-team All-Suburban, Second Team All-County and a two-time All-NNJIL pick (first team as a senior). He won a District Championship and was a Regional Runner-up. He went on to play four varsity seasons of football at Springfield College where he was team captain and an All-East selection. His Division 1 and professional coaching career began as a defensive assistant at the University of Massachusetts in 1982 and had stints is various defensive capacities at Syracuse, Villanova, Dartmouth, Catholic University, Maine, Ohio University, Bowling Green, Georgia Tech and Rutgers before being named assistant special teams coach for the Carolina Panthers in 2005. He joined the Minnesota Vikings as head special teams coordinator in January of 2006. He is one of six children of Dr. Mario and Betty Jean Ferraro. Dr. Ferraro, a legendary Maroon football player and a long-time coach in the Ridgewood Junior Football Association program, died in 2002 and is also one of this year’s Hall of Fame inductees. Paul’s brother Michael was a standout at Paramus Catholic, and Pete, Chris and Mario all toiled on the field for RHS. His sister Mary was a cheerleader for the Maroons.
Download: 2006 Banquet Book!
Lynne Collazo, Chuck Johnson, Patricia Putnoky Piotrowski, Tyler Roten, Kelci Smesko, Brett Sowers,
2022
Patti Auger, Eric Benedict, Eunae Jo, Peter McGinley, Karla Mixon, Clair Nowakowski, 1983 Softball Team, Joe Pedone, Julia Rappa
2020
Carlos Peay, Louis Edward “Eddie” Peay, Kelly Conheeney, Samantha Cermack, Chris Rae, Chelsea Steinberg, Mark Strittmatter, Andrew Clarke, Jim Dee, Phil Ross Sr.
2018
2016
Maureen Greico, Larry Coyle, Jacob Brown, Richard Bennett, Toshiko D’Elia
2014
John Marshall, Jim Bruni, Mark Romeo, Jean Hughes, Chris Van Note, Nancy Hogan, RHS Football Team 1913, Don Taylor, Rachel Grygiel, John Cerf, Paul Tornatore, Michele Marangi, RHS Boys Lacrosse 1990-92
2012
Craig Halyard, Tom Flatt, Tricia Pappalardo, Mike Henderson, Kandie Latham, Leigh Jester, Tom Dusel, Roger Sweeney, Linda Zabielski, Patty Capasso, Dennis Sullivan, Nick & Dottie Capasso, Track and Field (Bain-Daley-Oliver Era)
2010
Primo “Duke” DeRochi, Debbie Paul, George Monro, Bill Dunne, Amy Lyons, James Sullivan, Michael Culver, Keith O’Connor, Josh Kauke, Patti Mileski, Mary Ellen Mileski
2008
Kitty Batterson, Henry Blauvelt, Frank L. Bradley, Jr., Lucia Cancelmo, Chris DuFlocq, Renee DuFlon, RHS Girls’ Basketball 1922-1923, Harry Grundy, Jim Jones, Joe LeMay, Jen McDermott, Shannon McGarrigle, Tony Napier, Margaret Niemann, Vince Robertiello (Jamie Roberts), Damian Ross, Mike Springer
2006
Mario Ferraro, Paul Ferraro, Don Haldane, Wendy Hartwig, Tom Hopper, Bob Keino, Frank Mozeleski, Tim Mullen, Jenna Rogers, Donna O’Connell, Carin Cone, Charles Yennie
2004
Paul Arrigoni, Pete Campbell, Doug Cook, Becky Deetz, Otis Grendler, Jodi Hartwig, Gene Links, Debbie O’Connell, Aimee McGuire, Walt Perdue, Tom Simos, Kazbek Tambi, Jack Van Yperen, Bob Whitaker, Margaret Scutro