Several honored as JHS Athletic Hall of Fame inductees

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To say that Sunday’s Johnston High School Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Annual Dinner was one for the ages would indeed be an understatement.

It was an event during which the legendary Tony Centore, who coached JHS football into one of the best-ever programs in the state, was officially inducted into the prestigious Athletic Hall of Fame, along with members of the Panthers’ powerful and undefeated 1991 state championship team.

The legendary and highly-respected coach was accompanied by his son Tom Centore, the Panthers’ All-State quarterback in 1983 and current Cranston East coach, who escorted his father – now 90 – to his seat among the one-time standouts.

Among those football standouts who attended Sunday’s induction were: Gino Marrafino, Steven Gaunt, Bob Gaunt, Mat Buteau, Eric Jordan, Henry Storm, Scott Hopkins, David Caito, Frank Leone and statisticians Jayme Simoneau and Justine McGuirl.

“The 1991 state champion Panthers were quite the powerful football team,” assessed Robert Civetti, a Johnston Town Councilman who coached the same players when they were freshman. “I told them all to stay together and if they did they’d be state champions. Those players hit hard and got better and better each year.”

It was an event in which five former Panther athletes – namely Michael Morsilli, William Pike, Patrick Ryan, Victoria St. Angelo and Brittany Valentine – were rewarded with the Athletic Hall of Fame tag for the honor, glory and fame they brought to their alma mater during their classic careers on Cherry Hill.

It was an event during which the first-ever Gary V. Mazzie Lifetime Achievement Award went to two one-time Panthers – Michael Crawley and Matthew DiIorio – for their extraordinary work in raising thousands upon thousands of dollars for FARA (Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Foundation).

Crawley is a 2000 graduate of JHS who has led the charge, so to speak, to raise money for FARA in honor of his long-time friend and 1999 graduate, former Panthers’ basketball manager, DiIorio, who has the only undefeated coaching record in Panther history.

“He is undefeated … he has a 1.000 winning percentage,” James “Jim” Hopkins, a former coach and teacher at JHS, said about DiIorio, who as a senior coached the Panthers’ final game and won, courtesy of Hopkins relinquishing the reigns.

DiIorio, who at age 19 was diagnosed with the debilitating disease known as Friedreich’s Ataxia and has continued his battle at age 34, brought the house down during an emotional, tear-jerking acceptance speech during Sunday’s “Open Mic” Session at the post-induction ceremony that was held at Cranston Country Club.

With Crawley standing at his side, DiIorio – who had the Race for Matt and Grace founded in his honor – issued thank yous to many people inside CCC, including his parents Jack and Sally Ann DiIorio, and was tendered a well-deserved standing ovation from everyone inside the spacious main dining room.

“He’s the epitome of a true Johnston Hall of Famer,” Hopkins said of DiIorio. “Gary is looking down on us and thanking everyone for presenting Matt with this lifetime achievement.”

Pete Fontaine, a freelance writer for Beacon Communications newspapers, most notably the Johnston Sun Rise, was inducted into the prestigious Athletic Hall of Fame for his countless contributions to sports teams, non-profits and various organizations in Johnston.

The actual induction ceremony, which is held inside Edward L. DiSimone Gymnasium at JHS, was made particularly special by former teacher and Induction Officer Allan McGillivray, who spoke about the careers of each inductee beginning with Morsilli, Class of 1993, who had a brilliant basketball career on Cherry Hill and led the Panthers to the Class C Championship.

Bill Pike, Class of 1990, was one of the finest hockey players in school history and was named MVP in the state Suburban Division Tournament, leading the team in scoring and back-to-back state championships.

When it came to girls’ sports, few Lady Panthers performed better than Brittany Valentine, Class of 2010, and Victoria St. Angelo, Class of 2011.

Valentine was a two-year captain of the Lady Panthers’ soccer squad and earned All-Division goalie honors in two consecutive seasons. She also received the prestigious R.I. Girls’ Soccer Coaches Association Sportsmanship award in her sophomore season.

St. Angelo was a two-sport standout on Cherry Hill and played her way to All-Division honors as a softball and soccer star. She also captained both teams and landed a spot in the League All-Star games. She was a four-year starter in soccer and earned First Team All-Division honors, and in softball she was a Second Team All-Division selection.

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