Summer Trivia Contest Provides
Intriguing Questions To Ponder

 1-The recent World Cup final at the Meadowlands offers a reminder that the NJSIAA once contested two soccer state finals at Giants Stadium, in 1978. The first of those games paired two schools with the same name. Who were they? As a further clue, they are both still very much in business. 

2-Baseball Hall of Famer Monte Irvin, who debuted with the New York Giants in 1949 to become one of the earliest African-American MLB players, earned 16 varsity letters while attending which Essex County High School? 

3-What do the following Essex County football fields have in common: Schools Stadium (Newark), Hurrell Field (Glen Ridge) and Van Brunt Field (Montclair Kimberley?)  

4-While Tony Soprano was frequently told by his Uncle Junior that he “Never had the makings of a varsity athlete,” the lead character in “The Sopranos” was nevertheless revealed in several episodes to have competed in sports for which Essex County high school? 

5-Speaking of the Sopranos, the role of crew member Burt Gervasi was played by former North Jersey basketball coach Artie Pasquale. His son, Dave, is now the athletic director at what Essex County school? 

6-Jen Pawol, who has made history last year as the first woman umpire in the major leagues, was an All-State softball and soccer player at which Passaic County high school? 

A-West Milford. B-Pompton Lakes. C-Passaic Valley. D-Clifton. 

7-Which school won the NJSIAA 2026 Non-Public A boys basketball championship? 

8-Only four schools other than Seton Hall Prep have won the Greater Newark baseball tournament since 2004. How many can you name? 

9-What is the largest Essex County municipality without its own high school? 

10- The 1987 All-Hudson County baseball team included a pitcher who was the highest MLB draft choice ever from New Jersey, as well as an outfielder who achieved great fame playing another sport. Can you name them? 

11-What common bond do the following schools share: Caldwell, Dayton, Verona, Madison, Summit, New Providence, West Orange and Millburn? 

12-There are five golf courses with a West Orange address. How many can you name? 

13-The world record in the mile run was recently broken for the first time this century. The New Jersey high school record, meanwhile, has held since 1967. What famous runner ran that NJ record time of 3:59? 

14-Jeff Jasper recently retired after a legendary career at Pascack Valley that made him the winningest girls basketball coach in state history. How many games did his PV teams win? 

A-884. B-907. C-1,153. D-850. 

15-The second-place finisher in the pole vault at the 1947 NJSIAA Group 4 track meet came from Montclair High School. He famously went on to travel much, much higher and farther. Who was he? 

16-There are four high schools in Summit (Oratory, Kent Place, Oak Knoll and Summit). Which of those schools is located at 125 Kent Place Blvd.? 

17-Of the aforementioned Summit schools, which one plays its home outdoor games in a different county? 

18-An earlier question made reference to Schools Stadium in Newark. The facility was modeled to resemble what famous structure? 

A-Arch de Triomphe. B-Los Angeles Coliseum. C-Polo Grounds. D-Ruppert Stadium. 

19-True or False: The original West Orange High School (on Northfield Avenue) teams were known as the Cowboys because there was formerly a railroad stockyard nearby that frequently brought in horses from the western U.S.? 

20-Which of the following was NOT a former North Jersey high school? 

A-Pope Pius. B-Neuman Prep. C-St. Elzear. D-Marylawn. 

Answers: 

1-St. Joseph’s (Metuchen) played St. Joseph’s (Montvale) in the the 1978 Parochial A soccer final. The boys from Metuchen won, 2-0. 

2-Orange. 

3-They all border Bloomfield Avenue. 

4-West Orange. 

5-Newark Academy. 

6-A-West Milford. 

7-Bergen Catholic defeated St. Peter’s Prep, 56-52, in overtime. 

8-SHP has won 13 GNT titles during that span. The others have been captured by Montclair (2), West Essex (2), Millburn (2) and Livingston (2). 

9-South Orange, with a recent population of 18,484, sends its students to Columbia High School in Maplewood. 

10-Pitcher Willie Banks from St. Anthony was taken third in the 1987 draft by the Minnesota Twins. The outfielder was future USMNT and MLS goalkeeper Tony Meola from Kearny. 

11-They comprised the final membership of the Suburban Conference at the time of its folding. 

12-They are: Rock Spring, Essex County, Francis Byrne, Crestmont and Montclair. 

13-Marty Liquori of Essex Catholic set the state high school mile record that has held for 59 years. 

14-Jasper retired from Pascack Valley with a 53-year record of 1,153-286, with six state championships, 14 sectional titles, 34 league championships and seven Bergen County Tournament titles. 

15-Buzz Aldrin, who became the second man to walk on the moon as part of the historic Apollo 11 mission in 1969. Special recognition should go to Harry Simon of Irvington, who beat Buzz in the 1947 pole vault competition and tied him for fourth in 1946. 

16-Summit High School. 

17-Oak Knoll has its own private athletic facility five miles away from campus in Chatham. 

18-C-The Los Angeles Coliseum. 

19–True story! According to town historian Joe Fagan, the area across from present day town hall was the site of the Erie Railroad Freight Yard and the West Orange Stock Yards. The stock yards were owned by the Anonett brothers who were experienced horsemen and cowboys. When WOHS opened in 1922 on Northfield Avenue their mascot name was inspired by the actual cowboys on Main Street.

20-C-St. Elzear.