JHS Athletic Hall of Fame welcomes class of ’16

She never played a sport at Johnston High School, yet she never missed an athletic contest.

She never missed a school dance, and always volunteered for field trips.

“And she even stopped a lot of kids from getting in trouble,” Edward A. Skovron, a member of the school’s class of 1965, recalled.

“She did everything that needed to happen for athletics. She never forgot a person’s name. She even helped kids after school.”

She is Gloria Barone, who was like a mother to hundreds of Johnston students for over 30 years until she retired in 1990.

“I think she is as thrilled as the athletes,” David Taraborelli, a former Panther basketball coach, who along with Skovron helped Barone walk to the podium inside Edward L. DiSimone Gymnasium as she was inducted into the school’s prestigious Athletic Hall of Fame.

Almost as soon as emcee Allan McGillivray talked about “our mom” and performed the official induction, every person present rose to their feet and gave Barone a standing ovation.

“Gloria lived Johnston High School athletics from the very beginning,” said Jim Hopkins, chairman of the Hall of Fame committee and a former teacher and coach. “Even tonight, at age 85, she’s as sharp as a tack and knew everyone’s name who greeted her before the ceremony.”

There was another non-athletic induction Saturday night, as Al Alexio – who Hopkins thanked for his many chronicles of Johnston High sports – was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

It was an induction ceremony unlike another other, as each of the five individual inductees, whose careers spanned five decades of Panther athletic history, hugged and embraced and reminisced about their glory days on Cherry Hill.

“Each of our athletes is connected to championships in their sports,” Hopkins noted while watching many people look over the Wall of Fame that features title teams through the years. “They also were multi-sport athletes who contributed to the success of many different teams.”

Hopkins asked for a moment of silence to remember three Hall of Famers – Alan Atkinson (’76 hockey team), Stephen Gaskin (track and class of ’74), and Gary V. Mazzie (the Hall’s founder and former Johnston High athletic director, teacher, and coach) who left us too soon.

When he came to Mazzie, Hopkins stood silently for a moment, remembering that his long-time friend with whom he coached “passed away one year today after his battle with cancer.”

The induction began with Robert Comella, class of ’77, who was a standout baseball player and landed All-Division honors in back-to-back seasons.

Christina DeLuca, class of 2004, who was a three-sport standout and landed All-League and All-Division honors in basketball and softball, and Edward A. Skovron, class of 1965, were among the inductees cited for their prowess on the Panthers’ diamonds. Skovron was All-Division in two seasons and today is among the nation’s leaders in AAU athletics.

Likewise, Gaskin, who was the only male three-sports athlete in the class of 2016, was inducted posthumously. His wife Kathy accepted his honor. Gaskins starred in track and field and compiled an eye-popping 12-2 dual meet record. He also played basketball and football.

Jason Ginolfi, class of 1993, was an All-Division football star, was also among the distinguished inductees. He later coached Panther football with Joe Acciardo.

The famous Johnston High hockey team that won the Suburban State Championship in 1976-77 was inducted into the Hall of Fame, and its popular coach, John Marchetti – who now makes his home near Fort Myers, Fla. – was on hand to share in the glory of what he called a “special time.”

Marchetti complimented his former players for buying into his coaching methods, as well as their “untiring dedication to work hard and succeed.”

The championship Panthers were assistant coach Steve Barlow and manager Mark Desrosiers, Len Andrews, James Cambio, Frank Croce, Anthony DiChiaro, Brian Forrest, David Mallette, James McDonnell, Philip Octeau, David aRusso, Robert D’Arpino, David DiLorenzo, John Graham, Michael Mellete, Kevin Miller, Raymond Pensalfini, Alan Atkinson, Rick Ciullo, James DeLeo, Robert Fairbanks, Robert Ferro, Avid Kloza, David Martin, Michael Mollicone, Daniel Petrosinelli, and Mike Rotondo.