“Our girls are definitely putting in the time this summer both on and off the court in order to become better players and also get stronger,” said veteran Caldwell coach Amanda Keenan. “In addition to the summer league, AAU and other skill development we feel that the work we do in the weight room helps everyone get stronger and it’s also good for one’s mindset, forcing them to become mentally tougher.         

 

“We’re continuing to make progress together as a team with many of our players on hand for the games in the Mount Summer League, and Brian has been doing a great job in organizing everything.”

 

Verona is another promising team in the Mount Summer League and as she left the court following her team’s tough 41-30 setback to Morris Hills on a July 1st evening of action in the Codey gym, the highly-regarded coach Pat Coyle was sounding very much like the persistent and demanding guiding force she always is in looking to help her Hillbillies become better players each and every day.

 

“We’re missing two starters, but it’s summer and all teams have to deal with that reality,” she said. “We were just too sloppy tonight, plus we haven’t gone over our zone stuff enough and they (Morris Hills) played mostly zone against us out there.

 

“We also have to improve our defensive effort, but the girls come ready to work hard every day.

 

“You want to clean a lot of things up and play better every day as both an individual and as a team. This is a very good, local league for us and with good competition.”

 

The ‘Billies, who finished a strong 19-7 last winter including 10-0 in the SEC-Colonial Division, return some good experience up front in senior Jada Bednar and junior Eliana Marateo.  

The Essex influence in the Mount Summer League also includes reigning Essex County Tournament and North 1, Group 4 state sectional champion West Orange, which features Watt, one of the state’s top rising junior guards, along with another backcourt ace to watch in Caldwell, the rising senior transfer from Immaculate Conception which closed its doors as a school in June.

West Essex, coming off a strong 18-11 (7-3 in the SEC-Liberty) season, is another Essex entry in the Mount Summer League and the Knights continues to make nice progress under coach Amber Tobia. The North Caldwell-based regional high school features one of the county's top rising sophomores in Jordan Salisbury.

Former Montclair boys coach Gary Wallace, who was a scholastic star at Seton Hall Prep before excelling in the college ranks at Robert Morris, has his North Star Academy girls in the Mount League as well, while Northwest Jersey teams in Morris Hills, Randolph and Roxbury are also competing in the summer loop.

 

“This league is such a great idea and I’m glad we can be part of it,” said Randolph Coach Mark Cacciacarne, who is also a former West Orange boys basketball coach. “We play in a very tough division in our conference with strong teams like Chatham, and our girls need to put in the work during the summer just like anyone else who wants to compete at a high level when the new season comes around.

 

“We’re enjoying the Mount Summer League. Brian has coached with me before and he is doing a real nice job making this all happen!”

 

NOTES- Bridgewater-Raritan from Somerset County is also in the Mount Summer League…Johnny Vizzone’s fine officiating crew saw veteran refs Frank DiTrani, Lou Milano and Pete Festa working the July 1st action in the Codey gym…Dorf said that it is expected to have three officials working the Mount Summer League semifinals and finals set for Wednesday night, July 23…Brian Dillon, the Morris Hills coach and a good friend of Dorf, was very influential in encouraging the young Mount coach to go ahead and put together the current summer league for this year. Former Mount coach Jerry Aquino had conducted a popular fall league in West Orange a number of years back; however, with a first-rate Codey Gym now available, and the area yearning for a top-notch, North Jersey summer girls basketball league, 2025 has turned out to be a most opportune time to get the proverbial ball rolling at the Mount…Mount Athletic Director Lorenzo Sozio is another important figure behind the scenes helping to make the summer league happen at the Caldwell Catholic school…Caldwell’s fine sophomore Eileen Kearns has been sidelined with a fractured orbital bone but is expected to be back in plenty of time for the fall soccer season where both Addy Keenan and Tea Fiore are also members of the Chief booters…Addy’s mom, head coach Amanda Keenan, is a former standout point guard for Caldwell and Stockton University. She helped lead a 1996 Chiefs team coached by Ken trimmer to the Group 2 state final vs. Point Pleasant Boro….Caldwell also participated for the first time in the ‘Jersey Live’ event in June, defeating both Colts Neck and Secaucus in games played at Montgomery High School…Dorf also coaches during the spring with the first-rate ‘Essex Elite’ travel program based at the Mount and put together by Chris Checchetto and Sozio…Dorf has considerable summer camp and league experience from his days working with Dave Cohen at Livingston High School. Cohen, the former outstanding Lancers boys hoops coach, is now the athletic director at the school.