Howie O'Neil Jr.- Woodbury
Howie started his 4 decades of wrestling at Edgewood Regional HS where he was Captain his senior year in 1966. Starting his college career at Oklahoma Howie transferred to University of Connecticut where he would wrestle the next three years. In 1970 he would take over the program at Woodbury High School where his teams would be ranked in the South Jersey Top 15 for five years and would produce 11 District,5 Regional and One State Champion. Following Woodbury he would become an Assistant at Temple University.Howie who would become the School Business Administrator in Woodbury would remain active in wrestling through out the state. He was a moving force in the formation of the South Jersey Wrestling Hall of Fame and has served on it's Executive Board since 1980. The Originator of the South Jersey Wrestling Club, Howie has been a Member of the NJWOA since 1971. He has served as the NJWOA President and Vice President as well as being an EIWA college official since 1983. Howie reffed 18 straight State Tournaments before stepping down to become it's State Tournament Director. A career that included assisting on the development the State Ranking system, Howie was ranking chairman for Regions 7 & 8. Howie O'Neil is also one of only five men to receive both the Harry E.Lake and Rich Mirshak Awards. A former Courier Post Coach of the Year he has been inducted in the Woodbury Hall of Fame, Glouchester Hall of Fame and the South Jersey Hall of Fame.
Mike Leta- Bridgewater-Raritan West & Rutgers
Mike Leta wrestled in high school for North Plainfield where he placed 3rd & 4th in the State Tournament. After HS mike went to Rutgers where as a Freshmen he placed 3rd in the Freshman Easterns in 1958. The following year Mike went Undefeated in regular season under Coach Dick Voliva. He captured a 1st in the Easterns by defeating NCAA Champion Larry Lauchle 14-13 in the finals in a bout voted the Match of the Century for the Easterns.Mike capped off 1960 with a 3rd place in the NCAA's and All-American Honors losing to legendary wrestler Les Anderson of Iowa State. Mike graduated from Rutgers in 1962 and started his coaching career at Hillside HS where he remained until 1969 when he took over the reins at Bridgewater-Raritan West. At West Mike's teams would have a record of 260-156-11 as well as two conference,three Sectional and six District Championships. He would see his wrestlers win 50 District,15 Regional and 2 State Championships as well as 6 State medal winners.Mike also coached Soccer to 300 wins at West. Mike returned to his roots in 1994 to coach North Plainfield HS and in 1995 he became John Sacchi's Assistant Coach at Rutgers for the next ten years. Mike also served Region 5 as Ranking Chairman,President,State Vice-President and President and was selected Region 5 Coach of the Year in 1985. The Leet is also a member of the Region 5 and North Plainfield Halls of Fame.
