Chiefs 1972 football champions reunite

PHS football celebrates return of 1972 champions
Posted on 10/04/2022
This is the image for the news article titled PHS football celebrates return of 1972 championsMembers of the 1972 championship Piscataway High School football team returned to PHS on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their historic season.

Team members and their families were celebrated at halftime of the Chiefs game against Old Bridge by Superintendent Dr. Frank Ranelli, Athletic Director Robert Harmer, Principal Chris Baldassano, Board of Education President Dr. Tom Connors, and Mayor Brian Wahler, who presented the team with a special proclamation.

Earlier in the day, Dr. Connors and Mr. Baldassano gave the players a tour of PHS so they could see all the things that have changed over the years.

The 1972 team won the Mid-State Conference title, the program's first championship of any kind after its inception in 1959. The key moment in the season came when the Chiefs beat previously undefeated South Plainfield, 21-19, to claim the conference title. Two years later, the program won the first of its 10 state championships.

Those in attendance were John Canderan, Keith Harney, Marc Kercheval, Tony Salomone, John Stollery, Cory Zaneto, Tony Kwitek, Rich Collins, Fred Scharnikow, and family members Beverly Ciccone Bell and Catherine Dixon on behalf of Nick Ciccone; Lisa Cusumano on behalf of Mark Klein; Keith Douglas on behalf of Greg Douglas; and Denise Humphrey on behalf of Gene Coile.

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