Five Central Regional Alumni Athletes, Teachers To Be Inducted Into Hall Of Fame Tonight

The Central Regional School District is poised to induct five alumni who made the district proud when they played or coached sports during the years they were students or staffers.

The ceremony gets underway at 6 p.m. in the high school gym lobby, Superintendent Triantafillos Parlapanides said.

The inductees include:

Madeline Dutton - Dutton was hired in 1969 as a physical education and health teacher. She became the head varsity field hockey coach in 1976 and held that position for the past 40 years. She was also the assistant lacrosse coach from 1996 to 2006. She finished her coaching career with over 490 wins.

Her field hockey teams won 16 Shore Conference Championships and she was named coach of the year nine times. She was inducted into the Coaches Hall of Fame and the NJSIAA Hall of Fame in 1999.

Phyllis Angellella is a 1981 graduate who excelled in softball and helped her team win its third and fourth consecutive A-South championships. She won an Ocean County Championship in her senior year. She was selected as first team All-County and first team All-Shore in 1980 and 1981.

She graduated from Georgian Court University with a special education degree and a master's degree in supervision. She has taught in the Central Regional district since 1986.

Tom DeBlass is a 2000 alumnus and a long jump record holder. He was also a county and state sectional champ in the long jump, and a school record holder in the high jump relay.

Tom graduated from Monmouth University with a degree in special education and elementary school education. He is the owner of Ocean County BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu). He is currently one of the most Jiu-Jitsu figures in the world today.

George E. Steinhauser was an industrial arts teacher and coach from 1973 to 2001. He coached football at Central Regional for 28 years and coined the phrase "Special teams win games."

George also coached Berkeley Pop Warner football and introduced Central's Regional's football system to the younger players. He also coached wrestling for 28 years, and track for 26 years. He founded and headed the Berkeley Mat Rat's wrestling program for 9 years.

Jessica Williams graduated from Central in 2002. She earned varsity letters in softball and basketball for all four years. She was picked for the first team All-Ocean County in 2000 and for first team All-Shore in 2001 and 2002.

She was a team captain for the basketball team in 2001 and 2002. She finished her basketball career with over 500 points, 200 assists and 130 steals. She had a 77 percent free throw. She has been the assistant softball coach at Brookdale Community College.

Image: Patricia A. Miller