Former Coach, Athletes to Join River Dell Hall of Fame

This fall the River Dell Athletic Hall of Fame will open its arms to the 10 athletes and one coach that were recently named to the Class of 2012. This year's group will honor athletes from 1965 to 1997 ranging across 10 sports while former head boys basketball coach Brian Long joins the ranks.

Brian Long

The Assistant Principal at the Regional High School, Long recently stepped down as head basketball coach following the 2011 campaign and graduation of his youngest son Brian Jr.

He retired as a coach with a 309-222 record over his 30-plus seasons coaching at Weehakwen from 1979-1989 and at  since 1990. The Golden Hawks qualified for the state tournament 17 out of 21 seasons under Long's tutelage. 

He has coached all three of his sons at River Dell: Keith went on to play at UNLV, Travis walked on and played at Memphis for John Calipari and youngest Brian Jr. is a walk-on for the University of Kentucky under Calipari. Both of the older sons netted over 1000 career points for the Hawks; Keith finished with 1,193 and Travis had 1,163.

Long was awarded the at the 45th Annual Sports Award Banquet for the YMCA of Greater Bergen County last November.

Frank Capsouras '65

This Golden Hawk wrestler won not only a District 7 and Region I title his senior year but placed third in the state tournament as well at 178 pounds. During his junior year he returned to Oradell with a Bergen County title.

Following graduation he went on to compete in the 1972 Olympics as part of the weight-lifting team and while he did not return with a medal (placing 10th) he did have the distiction of breaking a world record in 1969 in the clean and jerk category for 198 pounds.

He also won a state championship and Best Lifter award in 1964, and then broke onto the national scene with a second place finish and teenage national record clean and jerk at the 1964 Olympic Trials. Frank also won the Senior Nationals in 1972 as a 242 pounder and was a member of the Olympic team that year.

He earned a bronze medal, overall, at the 1975 Pan American Games and retired in 1977.

Jennie Sullivan '79

Years ago, the Hawks competed among the best gymnastics programs in North Jersey and Sullivan, Class of 1979 donned the black and gold.

Denise Medea '81

Medea earned back-to-back All County First Team honors her junior (state qualifier) and senior year (NBIL Champs) for field hockey. On the diamond, Medea contributed to the Lady Hawks Counth Championship junior year and an NBIL title senior year.

Steve Eynon '87

A two-sport athlete in football and baseball, Enyon was coached by Greg Toal to a State Sectional Championship junior year and a return trip to the states the following year. The Hawks were BCSL champions for two years while Enyon competed.

Let Patch save you time. Get local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone everyday with our free newsletter. Simple, fast sign-up here.

Bill Schwanewede '88

Schwanewede competed alongside Enyon but was able to reclaim the state sectional title prior to his graduation while also picking up First Team All County honors that year and a BCSL title. He later went on to don a Quakers uniform from 1989-1991 while attending the University of Pennsylvania - The Wharton School.

Heather MacRae '94

A BCSL Champion two years running, MacRae as the Lady Hawks middle blocker helped bring home a State Sectional Finalist record in 1993 and then a Group II Championship in '94. The second baseman then batted in a slew of titles junior and senior year including State Sectional Champions (twice), a County Championship and State Championship.

MacRae turned in her glove during college and led the Springfield College Pride volleyball team, serving as captain in 1998, with 4.37 kills per game, 0.93 blocks per game and 5.37 points per game through 133 games with a .350 attack percentage.

Mary O’Neill '96

O'Neill ran track while at River Dell and set school records in the 100m (12.3) and 200m (25.2) that currently still stand as the fastest times in River Dell history. She earned All-County First Team honors beginning sophomore year.

Senior year field hockey saw O'Neill and her teammates claim not only the 1996 County title but a State Sectional championship as well. 

Deirdre McCarthy '97

As the third Lady Hawk to reach the 1,000 career point milestone, McCarthy gained recogizition for doing so in just three years. She finished her overall career in black and gold on the court with 1,418 points and back-to back All County nods following her junior and senior years (1997). Under head coaches Ray Ralph (freshman/sophomore) and Lou Wejnert (junior/senior), McCarthy's shooting prowess earned the Lady Hawks four BCSL championships, appearances in the state tournament each year and a County title in 1996.

A three-year varsity starter in field hockey began making a name for herself her sophomore year and was recognized for her efforts on three All County First Teams. The Hawks led by McCarthy's scoring reached the state tournament each year, winning the State Sectional and County titles her junior year.

The Record Athlete of the Week on Jan. 17, 1996 went on to play basketball (two years) and field hockey (one year) at Amherst College. The former Lady Jeffs put up 180 points during the sophomore season.

Ginny Capachioni '97

A force to be reckoned with, Capachioni, '97, competed alongside McCarthy during the Lady Hawks State Sectional and County title wins making save after save between the pipes, tacking on First Team All County nods that year and the following one in field hockey as well as BCSL and County titles in basketball.

In April 2011, she was the first woman to compete with the men's USA lacrosse team at the World Indoor Lacrosse Championships. The 31-year-old was also the first woman to play in a men’s professional lacrosse league in 2003 and the first American-born goalie to play in a Canadian championship.

She only picked up lacrosse while attending Sacred Heart University and while there became a three-time Northeast Conference Goalie of the Year and twice ranked in the NCAA top 10 in save percentage.

Tara Madigan '97

Currently the Northern Highlands girls soccer coach, Madigan got her start with the Lady Hawks competing on the pitch and diamond prior to graduation in 1997.

She made First Team All County her sophomore and junior years for soccer and her senior year for softball. And later went on to compete at Monmouth University.

The inductees will be honored at a banquet on Thursday, September 27 at . Ticket information will be available over the summer.