Hall of Fame elects Class of 2005

SUSSEX COUNTY-The Sussex County Sports Hall of Fame elected its Class of 2005 at its general membership meeting. Those elected will be inducted Saturday, Nov. 12, at a dinner at the Farmstead County Club in Lafayette. The Class of 2005 will be introduced to the public for the first time at "Sussex County Sports Hall of Fame Night" at Skylands Park in Augusta, before the New Jersey Cardinals game on Aug. 18. The members of the Class of 2005 are: Michael Caldarella A 1977 graduate of Newton High School, Caldarella attended Miami Dade North and County College of Morris, where he was nominated for his accomplishments in baseball, coaching and officiating. He received two varsity letters in baseball during high school, and was named most valued player (1977), was on the team which won Sectional and Sussex County Interscholastic League championships (1976). He played on the Star Ledger All State, New Jersey Herald All Area, Daily Record All Area and All Sussex County Interscholastic League teams (1977). In college, he won varsity letters in baseball at Miami Dade North (1978) and at County College of Morris (1979). He played on Sussex County American Legion teams (1973-1978), and was on the team that won the league championships (1973, 1974, 1975), He played sixteen years in Morris County Majors (1975-1990), and also played with Newton AA and North Jersey Nationals. Caldarella coached the Newton Babe Ruth League team (1980,1981), which became league champions in 1981, and was league president (1981). He coached Newton American Legion (1992, 1993), when the 1993 team was Western Division League champion. He officiated from 1987 to present in baseball, softball, football and basketball. In all, he did nine high school Sectional Championship games, one State Final game, two State Semi Final games, three National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Conference Championships, and two Division II Conference Championship games. Linn Crawn A 1969 graduate of Newton High School, Crawn attended Bordentown Military Academy (1969-1970), and went to William Penn University (1970-1976) where he was nominated for accomplishments in football, wrestling and baseball. In high school football, he was chosen for All County (1967, 1968). In high school wrestling, he was district champion (1968, 1969), third in district (1966), second in region (1969), and Newton's most valued player (1969). He completed his high school career with a record of 28-11-4. In high school baseball, he was chosen for All County (1969), and second team All County (1968). In prep school, his team won the State Champions (1970). In college football, he was an All Conference (1973,1974), and an All District (1974). In college wrestling, he was conference champion (1972,1974), second team All Conference (1971), third team All Conference (1973), All District (1973, 1974), National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics champion (1974), William Penn University's most valued player (1971, 1973, 1974), and had a collegiate career record of 89-8. His professional football career began when he signed a contract with the New York Stars of the World Football League (1974). Crawn has been assistant wrestling coach at Kittatinny Regional High School since 1980; during that period the school has won eight Sussex County Interscholastic League titles, 12 Sectional titles, six Group II State titles and eight District titles. John Gill Gill was a 1974 graduate of Binghamton North High School, a 1978 graduate and a 1980 masters degree graduate of University of Scranton. He was nominated for his accomplishments as a wrestling coach at Kittatinny Regional High School, where he was an assistant wrestling coach from 1978 to 1980, and head coach since then. He reached his 200th win in the 1998-1999 season and his 300th win during the 2004-2005 season; his career record stands at 324-106-5 Gill's teams have won six State Group II titles, eight Sussex County Interscholastic League titles, eight District Tournament titles and twelve Sectional titles. His team was ranked number one in New Jersey by the Star Ledger and Gannett's New Jersey Top 20. He coached three wrestlers to six New Jersey State Championships, and other wrestlers to three second-place, five third-place, three fourth-place, one fifth-place and ten seventh-place finishes at the New Jersey State Championships. Gill has conducted midget wrestling clinics during summer months and has assisted at feeder programs in Sussex County for many years. Jerry Morelli (honorary) A 1977 graduate of David Brearley High School in Kenilworth, Morelli attended Jones College in Jacksonville, Fla., then taught at Connecticut School of Broadcasting (1993-1996). Morelli was nominated for his long time support of sports in Sussex County. He has been present at hundreds of Sussex County Interscholastic League sporting events over the last two decades, and in 1993 created a sports program for television, Sports Beat, featuring the high school athletes in Sussex County. His media impact goes beyond the county's student-athlete. His programming has also positively impacted parents and communities. Countless parents and families have thanked Morelli for his work which has provided memories that will last for their entire lives. His program is the only one of its kind statewide. Parents from other schools and areas around the state have said what a wonderful idea Sports Beat is for the community, and how they wished their area had a similar program. Morelli is a community minded individual, giving time and money to many local schools and organizations. He sponsors a banquet for each high school sports season, honoring the best high school athletes. He has become the face and the voice of high school sports in Sussex County. Kristian Peat A 1984 graduate of Vernon High School, peat attended North Carolina State (1984-1987), where he was nominated for his accomplishments as a goalkeeper in soccer. In high school, he was in the All Sussex County Interscholastic League (1980-1983), on the Star Ledger All West Jersey teams (1981-1983), and the All State First Team Coaches Association (1982, 1983). He was chosen Parade All American (1982) and Adidas All American (1982, 1983), and National Team U18 starting goalkeeper (1982-1984). Peat won the Outstanding Goalkeeper Award at Granatkin Tournament in Russia while at North Carolina State. He was four-year starting goalkeeper and captain (1986, 1987), when held the record for career saves with 436. He still holds the record for most saves in a single season, with 145 in 1987. Peat played professional soccer (1988-1999) with the Albany Capitals of the American Soccer League, the Los Angeles Lazers and Cleveland Crunch of the Men's Indoor Soccer League, and the Los Angeles United of the World United Soccer League. With the Wichita Wings of the National Professional Soccer League (1989-1999), he was an All Star (1992, 1993). He was also a Men's Indoor Soccer League All Star (1990, 1991). Peat retired as a player in 1999 to begin a coaching career: assistant men's coach and women's goalie coach at University of Denver (1999, 2000); assistant coach for goal keeping in the women's professional team, The Atlanta Beat (2000-2003); and director of coaching at Atlanta Youth Soccer Association (2004 to present). Louis Seville A 1983 graduate of Sparta High School, and a 1988 graduate of University of Delaware, Seville was nominated for his accomplishments in football and baseball. In high school football, he held all career rushing and scoring records at Sparta High School, and held Sussex County Interscholastic League career rushing and scoring records. As a senior, he was selected to play in the New Jersey North/South All Star game. He was selected for the first team All Area by all the local papers, was an All Sussex County Interscholastic League, Star Ledger All West Jersey and All State All Groups. He was the Daily Record's Football Player of the Year and was selected Honorable Mention All American by U.S.A. Today and Adidas. In high school baseball, he was first team All Sussex County Interscholastic League, first team All Area, and first team All West Jersey his last three years. He was first team All State Group II his sophomore year, and was selected to play in the North/South All Star Game as a senior. Seville was a New Jersey Herald Athlete of the Year (1982), and the only player in New Jersey to be selected to both the football and baseball North/South All Star Games (1983). Seville was captain of the football and baseball teams, and selected Athlete of the Year at Sparta High School his senior year. During his high school career, he played on six Sussex County Interscholastic League championship teams (one wrestling, two baseball and three football), two of which were undefeated (1980 and 1982 football teams). In college,Seville lettered two years at the University of Delaware in football, and played on two Yankee Conference championship teams and in three National Collegiate Athletic Association playoffs. He was the recipient of the Unsung Hero Award in 1988. Seville is presently the head coach for Little League football and baseball in Sparta.