Mount Rushmore results: Your picks & ours for all-time best in North Hunterdon sports

State champions, professional players and plenty of record holders. The athletic history at North Hunterdon is deep but the question we’re proposing is this: Who are the best of the best in Annandale?

This year, we’ve chosen North Hunterdon as one of our schools for our Mount Rushmore summer project. That means we’ll need your help to select the four-best athletes/coaches in the history of the school.

The poll went live on Tuesday, July 28 and ended Monday, August 3 at noon. The poll racked up a staggering total of over 118,000 votes with five athletes eclipsing the 10,000-vote mark and over half the field garnering at least a thousand votes. In addition to the fan-picked winners, NJ Advance Media selected its four winners as well.

NJ ADVANCE MEDIA PICKS

NJ Advance Media Pick No. 1: Jodie Bilotta, Cross Country/Track, Class of 1988

When Bilotta was on the course or the track, you were going to witness something special. Bilotta is just one of four women to with the Cross County Meet of Champions three times, doing so between 1985 and 1987 and earned All-State honors every four years. She found even more success during the spring season where she has won eight gold medals at the Meet of Champions, which includes a four-peat in the 3200m race as just one of five girls to be a four-time MoC winner in a single event. Bilotta was also a three-time MoC champion in the 1600m race and added another gold in the 800m run her senior year.

NJ Advance Media Pick No. 2: Dave Gaunt, Wrestling, Class of 1971

Gaunt is a two-time state wrestling champion, winning top honors in 1970 and 1971 (both at 167 pounds). His only scholastic loss came in the state final his sophomore year as he finished his time in Annandale with a staggering 72-1-1 record over the course of three years. Overall he won the section title all four years at the scholastic level and was named the Outstanding Wrestler at the U.S. Federation Tournaments in 1969 and 1971. He was named to the Region 5 Hall of Fame for his feats on the mat.

NJ Advance Media Pick No. 3: Scott Skripko, Football/Basketball/Baseball, Class of 1980

Skirpko was a rarity in that he truly excelled in all three sports, attaining All-State status in each sport in a single academic year. His 11 interceptions still holds as a single-season school record, which included three against rival Hunterdon Central. In basketball, he led the team in scoring and capped off a state tournament win with a steal and dunk to win a one-point game. But it was baseball where he found the most success, pitching to an 8-0 record including a no-hitter his senior year.

NJ Advance Media Pick No. 4: Allison Lane, Volleyball/Basketball/Lacrosse, Class of 2014

Whatever floor or court Lane stepped on, she dominated it. Lane was an impressive three-sport athlete and made her presence felt in all three seasons. She helped the volleyball team win its first ever Group 4 championship off the back of a 186-kill, 43-block, 28-ace campaign. She was just as successful on the basketball team as she accumulated 448 career points and helped her team to a 17-win season her senior year. But it was on the lacrosse field, where she would eventually play for Marquette, where she was at her best. She was dominant on faceoffs and tallied 193 goals and 66 assists throughout her career, which included three consecutive Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex titles.

YOUR PICKS

Winner No. 1: Matt Busher, Football/Baseball, Class of 2018

Whether it was as the signal caller for the football team or the man on the mound for the baseball squad, Busher was more than capable of stealing the spotlight. As the football team’s quarterback, Busher led North Hunterdon to just its second ever sectional title in 2017 where he ran and passed to the tune of nearly 3,000 total yards and 22 touchdowns en route to a spot on the third team All-State squad. Baseball was where he was truly excelling, however, as he earned a scholarship to play at Old Dominion University. Before heading off the Virginia, Busher led North Hunterdon to a pair of county titles and a sectional final appearance and was a first team All-Hunterdon Democrat selection.

Winner No. 2: Maggie Swan, Softball, Class of 2018

Swan was an integral part in bringing the softball program back to the group championship game in 2017 then capturing the title the following year. In 2017 Swan set the program record for strikeouts in a season with 234 Ks. She followed that up with capturing North Hunterdon’s most recent softball state championship by beating Vineland and finishing the seasons with 213 strikeouts and a 1.52 ERA and leading the Lions to its first ever Tournament of Champions appearance and earning a spot on the third team All-State squad.

Winner No. 3: Mike Loftin, Basketball/Track, Class of 1991

Loftin made his name known on the track, despite being uber athletic on the basketball hardwood. He was the Mid-State League’s high jump champion and continued his ascent from there. Loftin set an outdoor school high jump record at 6-8, a record that still holds today, and earned another league title his junior year. He would expand to the track portion of the sport, racing as part of the sectional champion 4x400m relay team. He would try his hand at indoor track his senior year and post another school record in the high jump, winning the MoC title at 6-10. A stress fracture put him on the shelf for the spring season but he was still able to return and place second at sectionals and third at the Meet of Champions that year.

Winner No. 4: Mike Lusardi, Football/Baseball, Class of 1974

Lusardi is regarded as one of if not the best lefty pitcher in North Hunterdon history and his track record speaks for itself. He posted 29 career wins, reaching double-digits twice in 1972 and 1974, while leading the Lions to the State Group 4 finals in 1973. He finished his baseball career with 370 strikeouts and a 0.79 ERA to go along with nine home runs at the plate. He was just as effective on the football field, lettering his sophomore season and recorded a 241-yard rushing game against Delaware Valley.

NOMINEES

See the full list of athletes nominated for Livingston’s Mount Rushmore. Scroll to the bottom to see the full poll results.

Dave Strain, Football/Basketball/Baseball, Class of 1955

Strain, a member of the first ever four-year class at North Hunterdon, was a master in the trenches of the football field. He was named the lineman of the year as he lined up on both sides of the ball (even playing fullback at times) and was North Hunterdon’s first ever football player to be named to an All-State team, doing so twice in his scholastic career. He was also a standout basketball and baseball player in Annandale but focused his efforts on the gridiron after graduation, playing semi-professionally for the Hunterdon Huskers before serving in the U.S. Army.

Charley Patkochis, Football/Basketball/Baseball, Class of 1959

Patkochis was an unstoppable force on the gridiron and the diamond in the early years of North Hunterdon’s history. In football, Patkochis was a 2-way starter and earned All-State honors his senior year. He was the Hunterdon County leading scorer of the 1958 season in helping the Lions win three county champions. He was just as efficient on the mound as North Hunterdon’s pitcher, going 16-3 during the 1959 season in leading his team to the Central Jersey sectional title.

Parker Snare, Football/Basketball/Baseball, Class of 1969

Snare found more than just success as an athlete in Annandale. As a player he was a 3-year starter and held several team records for single-season points (98), touchdowns (14), receiving yards (543) and receptions (32) to name a few. On the basketball court he was Central Jersey’s leading scorer his senior year and was a first team All-Group 3 selection. Snare may have been his best on the baseball diamond, however, posted then single-season school records for home runs (5), RBIs (25) as well as career home runs (9). He was an All-State selection his senior year. As a coach of the baseball team, Snare finished with 501 wins over the course of a 33-year career at the helm of the program.

Scott Cassels, Basketball/Baseball, Class of 1971

Cassels was a main reason for North Hunterdon’s boys basketball team finding success. He led the team to a 20-4 record and a Delaware Valley Conference title for the program’s first ever championship. His junior year he set then-records for assists in a game (12) and a season (204) while scoring 330 points. His senior year he would follow up that success both at the team level, a 22-3 record, and individual level despite posting less-than-stellar statistics thanks to lesser playing time with his team up by large amounts early in the second half of games. He helped turn the baseball team around as well, posting a 6-1 pitching record his senior year for a team that went 22-2. He posted a 5:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and led his team to a conference title while batting .308.

Dave Gaunt, Wrestling, Class of 1971

Gaunt is a two-time state wrestling champion, winning top honors in 1970 and 1971 (both at 167 pounds). His only scholastic loss came in the state final his sophomore year as he finished his time in Annandale with a staggering 72-1-1 record over the course of three years. Overall he won the section title all four years at the scholastic level and was named the Outstanding Wrestler at the U.S. Federation Tournaments in 1969 and 1971. He was named to the Region 5 Hall of Fame for his feats on the mat.

Mike Lusardi, Football/Baseball, Class of 1974

Lusardi is regarded as one of if not the best lefty pitcher in North Hunterdon history and his track record speaks for itself. He posted 29 career wins, reaching double-digits twice in 1972 and 1974, while leading the Lions to the State Group 4 finals in 1973. He finished his baseball career with 370 strikeouts and a 0.79 ERA to go along with nine home runs at the plate. He was just as effective on the football field, lettering his sophomore season and recorded a 241-yard rushing game against Delaware Valley.

Dave Smigelsky, Football/Baseball, Class of 1977

Smigelsky was the driving force to leading North Hunterdon to what had been its only football sectional title in 1975, a mark that lasted until the school’s next title in 2017. His play as quarterback, safety and kicker/punter led to an overall record of 23-4 over three seasons, throwing for a 54.2 percent completion percentage his senior season. Smigelsky was just as much of a factor on the pitching mound, leading the baseball team to a 15-6 record where he posted an 8-0 record.

Scott Skripko, Football/Basketball/Baseball, Class of 1980

Skirpko was a rarity in that he truly excelled in all three sports, attaining All-State status in each sport in a single academic year. His 11 interceptions still holds as a single-season school record, which included three against rival Hunterdon Central. In basketball, he led the team in scoring and capped off a state tournament win with a steal and dunk to win a one-point game. But it was baseball where he found the most success, pitching to an 8-0 record including a no-hitter his senior year.

Pam Hudson, Track, Class of 1983

Hudson was a wizard of the short-distance runs on the track. She earned All-State selections as both a 100m and 200m dasher, adding All-American status in 1983 for the 200m dash for a and still holds the best 200m run among LehighValleyLive runners at 23.90. Her performance on the rubber helped lead the Lions to state championships her junior and senior years.

Andy Martin, Cross Country/Track, Class of 1985

Martin was a dominant distance runner and proved as much both in the fall and spring seasons. As a cross country runner he was the 1984 Meet of Champions winner, adding the individual title at Eastern States as well. He found success at both the individual and team level during the spring track season, leading North Hunterdon to three group titles and finding gold in the 1985 3200m race.

Annie Letko, Cross Country/Track, Class of 1987

Letko was just one of a handful of incredible distance runners that ran through Annandale in the late 1980s. During Letko’s time in North Hunterdon the cross country team finished a staggering 52-0 in dual meets and included a conference title, a sectional championship, a group championship in all four years of her scholastic career and three MoC titles. Individually, Letko earned All-State honors six times (twice in cross country, indoor and outdoor track). Letko’s success only continued after graduating high school, placing third in the 1994 New York Marathon, running for the World Championship teams in the 10k in 1993, 1995 and 1999 and placed 11th in the 10k at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

Beth Gromlowicz, Field hockey/Basketball/Softball, Class of 1987

Along with Andrews, Gromlowicz was a force in both field hockey and basketball. For the fall, Gromlowicz set the school record for most goals in a season with 35 while helping lead the team to the Central Jersey, Group 3 title as the all-time leading scorer with 57 goals. On the hardwood Gromlowicz tallied nearly 1,500 points over her four-year career, including one season with 577 points as her four-year record stood at 106-5. Gromlowicz turned to the softball diamond in the spring and was just as successful. She batted over .400 her final two years, helping the Lions to the Central Jersey, Group 3 finals in the process.

Darlene Andrews, Field Hockey/Basketball/Track, Class of 1987

Andrews excelled in all three sports during her time at North Hunterdon. In field hockey, she was a driving force for a team that went 22-1 and won the Central Jersey, Group 3 title in 1986 for the program’s first ever sectional title where she set program records at the time for most goals in a game (6) to earn second team All-State honors. She was arguable even better on the hardwood, a major contributor for a team that went 83-0 from 1984 to 1987 that collected three Group 3 championships to go alone with a Group 3 All-State selection. Andrews then moved to the track where she found even more success, winning the MoC gold medal in the 400m dash her junior season.

Jodie Bilotta, Cross Country/Track, Class of 1988

When Bilotta was on the course or the track, you were going to witness something special. Bilotta is just one of four women to with the Cross County Meet of Champions three times, doing so between 1985 and 1987 and earned All-State honors every four years. She found even more success during the spring season where she has won eight gold medals at the Meet of Champions, which includes a four-peat in the 3200m race as just one of five girls to be a four-time MoC winner in a single event. Bilotta was also a three-time MoC champion in the 1600m race and added another gold in the 800m run her senior year.

Mike Loftin, Basketball/Track, Class of 1991

Loftin made his name known on the track, despite being uber athletic on the basketball hardwood. He was the Mid-State League’s high jump champion and continued his ascent from there. Loftin set an outdoor school high jump record at 6-8, a record that still holds today, and earned another league title his junior year. He would expand to the track portion of the sport, racing as part of the sectional champion 4x400m relay team. He would try his hand at indoor track his senior year and post another school record in the high jump, winning the MoC title at 6-10. A stress fracture put him on the shelf for the spring season but he was still able to return and place second at sectionals and third at the Meet of Champions that year.

Jason Kramer, Basketball/Baseball, Class of 1991

Kramer was a major factor in leading North Hunterdon to its first ever sectional championship in boys basketball. A four-year starter, Kramer tallied a school record 1,650 points, including a single-game record of 46 points. He was a first team All-State selection his senior year and made the All-Group 3 teams his junior and senior campaigns as well. On the diamond, he was the starting shortstop all four years and was an All-State selection his senior year. His school records at the time included home runs (5), batting average (.500), extra-base hits (17) and tied the doubles record (11).

Brendan Heffernan, Cross Country/Track, Class of 1992

Few can call themselves a ‘National Champion’ but Heffernan’s performance on the cross country courses merits that. Heffernan is just one of two New Jersey cross country runners, along with St. Benedict’s Prep’s Edward Cheserek, to win the Foot Locker Nationals Individual Race in San Diego, California in 1992. He had much more success in the Garden State as well, winning three sectional, group and MoC titles and earned individual accolades with spots on both All-State and All-America teams. In the spring Heffernan collected state gold in the 1600m and 3200m races, the former with a then-school record of 4:14.6.

Megan Haughey, Soccer/Basketball/Soccer, Class of 2000

Haughey was brilliant on the basketball court and is currently turning that into a lifelong passion. As a player, Haughey eclipsed 1,000 points and officially totaled 1,114 en route to three All-Conference selections. She was also a standout in soccer and softball, earning All-Conference honors a total of five times over the course of those two sports and tallied 12 varsity letters in all three sports. Soon after that, Haughey became the youngest girls basketball coach in New Jersey at the age of 21 when she took over Phillipsburg in 2004. She is currently the head coach of the Stevens Institute of Technology women’s basketball program.

Anthony Schiavino, Soccer/Baseball, Class of 2001

Schiavino was a two-sport stud in the fall and spring seasons. Regarded as one of if not the greatest boys soccer player in North Hunterdon history, scored 90 career goals which included a school record of four goals in a single game. He was also a prolific setup man, recording 36 assists in one season. For his efforts, he grabbed spots on the All-Conference team all four years and a first team All-State selection his junior and senior years as his No. 2 jersey was retired by the program. He was also a threat on the diamond as a 3-year starter in center field. For his career he hit .403 and was a major contributor on the Lions’ 24-3 team in 1999.

Ricky Frondorf, Soccer/Wrestling, Class of 2003

Frondorf turned an early near miss into one of the most prolific wrestling careers in North Hunterdon history. He placed third at the state individual tournament his sophomore year and used that shortcoming to his advantage the next two seasons. As a junior he went 39-0 with 21 pins en route to the 152-pound title which was enough for him to be ranked second in the nation in that weight class. Frondorf would follow up that big year with even more success, going undefeated once more and winning the 152-pound gold medal again to finish his career at 125-6 as the county’s second wrestler to win both District and Region titles all four years. He found even more success on the soccer pitch, earning second team All-State honors his junior season.

Sam Pellechio, Softball, Class of 2007

Pellechio hit the ground running as the North Hunterdon softball shortstop and held the position for all four years. She was a two-time All-State selection, including the Star-Ledger Hitter of the Year in 2006, to go along with spots on the All-Skylands and All-West Jersey teams for three years. She posted several staggering career numbers including 166 hits, 24 home runs, 37 doubles, 109 runs and 122 RBIs with a .444 batting average and a .717 on-base percentage.

Ali Freedman, Softball, Class of 2007

If her first varsity appearance was any indication, Freedman was destined for great things. Her one-hitter in her first varsity start was just a prelude to a scholastic career where Freedman led the softball program to several firsts. She pitched to lead the Lions to its first ever Hunterdon/Warren county championship, sectional title and the Group 4 title in 2006. That team went 27-3 to go along with all those accolades as Freedman went 20-0 in the circle while throwing 90 strikeouts and just 14 walks with a 0.71 ERA off 14 earned runs all year. An injury sidelined her for much of her senior year but she was still able to return and lead North Hunterdon to another sectional title and a Group 4 semifinal appearance.

Jenna Gonzalez, Softball, Class of 2008

Gonzalez made the leap from JV to varsity along with Freedman and was just as integral in the Lions’ success over the course of her scholastic career. The duo alternated games in the circle and, as a junior, went 11-2 with a 1.57 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 85 innings of work. Gonzalez got her chance to take the spotlight in the circle her senior year and didn’t waste that chance, throwing five no-hitters and 13 shutouts with a single-game strikeout count reaching 14. She helped North Hunterdon reach the sectional semifinal and finished with a then-school record of 22 wins with a 0.89 ERA, 189 strikeouts and 40 walks in 166 innings to earn a spot on the All-Group 4 team.

Jason Knapp, Baseball, Class of 2008

Knapp became the second ever player in New Jersey picked in the MLB Draft, being selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the second round and his performance in Annandale gave more than just a glimpse of those promises of a big-time player. He was named the Star-Ledger Pitcher of the Year in 2008 to go along with a spot on first team All-State thanks to his performance on the mound and in the batter’s box in leading his team to a sectional title and a group final appearance. He went 6-1 with a 1.37 ERA and 79 strikeouts in just over 50 innings of work then batted .453 and had an on-base percentage of .668 to go along with seven home runs, nine doubles, 35 walks and 17 RBIs.

Tom Zengel, Baseball, Class of 2010

Zengel helped rewrite the baseball record books during his time at North Hunterdon. The eventual UNC ballplayer set the single-season records for most hits, home runs and extra-base hits while earning spots on the All-State team while being named the West Jersey Player of the Year in 2010. Overall he was a two-time All-State selection, a three-time All-Area and All-Conference pick and was named the Hunterdon Democrat Player of the Year.

Jess Pellechio, Basketball, Class of 2012

Pellechio was a dominant force on the basketball court. Before playing collegiately at both VCU and Drexel, she helped lead North Hunterdon to a Group 4 title in 2010 and set the stage for her to become North Hunterdon’s all-time leading scorer with a staggering 1,528 points. All of those points helped lead the Lions to yet another Group 4 title in 2012 as she scored nearly 14 points per game. She was an All-State selection for three years and set the school’s 3-point record her junior campaign.

Mason Spichiger, Swimming/Softball, Class of 2014

Spichiger was a wizard in the circle in helping the softball program win the group title in 2014. A three-year letter winner, Spichiger was a two-time All-State selection and set the then-program record for most strikeouts in a season with 223 her senior year. For her efforts she was named the West Jersey and Hunterdon County Player of the Year in 2013 to go along with four varsity letters for swimming.

Allison Lane, Volleyball/Basketball/Lacrosse, Class of 2014

Whatever floor or court Lane stepped on, she dominated it. Lane was an impressive three-sport athlete and made her presence felt in all three seasons. She helped the volleyball team win its first ever Group 4 championship off the back of a 186-kill, 43-block, 28-ace campaign. She was just as successful on the basketball team as she accumulated 448 career points and helped her team to a 17-win season her senior year. But it was on the lacrosse field, where she would eventually play for Marquette, where she was at her best. She was dominant on faceoffs and tallied 193 goals and 66 assists throughout her career, which included three consecutive Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex titles.

Matt Busher, Football/Baseball, Class of 2018

Whether it was as the signal caller for the football team or the man on the mound for the baseball squad, Busher was more than capable of stealing the spotlight. As the football team’s quarterback, Busher led North Hunterdon to just its second ever sectional title in 2017 where he ran and passed to the tune of nearly 3,000 total yards and 22 touchdowns en route to a spot on the third team All-State squad. Baseball was where he was truly excelling, however, as he earned a scholarship to play at Old Dominion University. Before heading off the Virginia, Busher led North Hunterdon to a pair of county titles and a sectional final appearance and was a first team All-Hunterdon Democrat selection.

Maggie Swan, Softball, Class of 2018

Swan was an integral part in bringing the softball program back to the group championship game in 2017 then capturing the title the following year. In 2017 Swan set the program record for strikeouts in a season with 234 Ks. She followed that up with capturing North Hunterdon’s most recent softball state championship by beating Vineland and finishing the seasons with 213 strikeouts and a 1.52 ERA and leading the Lions to its first ever Tournament of Champions appearance and earning a spot on the third team All-State squad.

Aziza Ganihanova, Swimming, Class of 2020

Few North Hunterdon swimmers have left the lasting impact that Ganihanova has over the last four years. Ganihanova does not compete at the Meet of Champions but more than rewrote the record book as she holds nine of the 11 school records and always impressed at both the Skyland Conference and Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex championships. She collected six gold medals at the Skylands meet, which included meet and pool record in the 200 and 500 freestyle races, and helped lead the program to its first H/W/S title with wins in the 500 freestyle (meet record) while playing major roles in both the 200 and 400 free relays. Overall she finished the H/W/S championship competitions by winning 13 of a possible 16 gold medals.

Chloe Gonzalez, Cross Country/Track, Class of 2020

The cross country and track programs have produced some stellar talent and Gonzalez is the latest in a long list. In Cross Country, Gonzalez placed top-five at the Meet of Champions for three years, placing 5th her sophomore year before climbing to the runner-up spot her junior campaign then reaching the mountaintop by winning the 2019 MoC run. She ended that year by placing second at the Nationals Northeast Regionals. The winning isn’t secluded to the fall, however. She captured the gold medal at the Spring MoC in the 1600m race a year after placing second in the event and would have been a favorite to repeat this year had the spring season been run. Overall Gonzalez won a total of eight gold medals between the MoC, group and sectional championships.