Gerry Bandola- Cedar Ridge
Gerry graduated Perth Amboy HS with letters in Football,Wrestling,and Track and went on to Pacific University in Oregon on a football scholarship. Gerry would earn his Masters Degree from Seton Hall in 1972. Gerry would start the wrestling program at Cedar Ridge HS in Madison. His teams would record an unbeaten streak of 35 in a row going 14-0 in 1970-71. Gerry's career record at Cedar Ridge was 286-92-5 as he coached 32 GMC Champions. His wrestlers would also notch 54 District and 9 Regional Championships and 15 State Medal Winners. Gerry also coached Woodbridge HS to a District Team Championship in his two years there. Gerry served as Vice-President and President of the Middlesex County Wrestling Coaches Assn. He was Vice-President of the NJWCA and had the priviledge of being published by the Parker Publishing Company with Best of Wrestling from the Coaching Clinic. Gerry was named Coach of the Year in both 1975 & 1989 and was inducted into the REgion 5 Hall of Fame. Gerry, a Harry E.Lake Award winner currently lives in Florida with his wife of 43 years,Charlotte and visits his daughters Jodi & Kavi in New England.
John Ray French - Roxbury & NJWOA
Ray graduated Cum Laude from Roxbury HS in 1942 and attended Washington and Lee University before enlisting in the Army Air Force in 1943. Ray flew 55 missions in B-24's during World-War 2 in the European campaign. After his discharge in 1945 he continued his education receiving his B.A. from Seton Hall and his M.A. from Columbia University in 1951. Ray became an outstandin high school official and coach in football,wrestling basketball,and track. In wrestling he became well known for his work as the Wrestling Cadet Supervisor in a program that developed some of our finest wrestling officials. Ray and Nelson Gibble introduced wrestling to Roxbury High School in 1955 and in 1960 started their Elementary School Program working with Hall of Famer Rich Mirshak,Don Tompkins and Cliff Freund they developed numerous future wrestlers and coaches.
