Ridge's DelGaizo is the CN Ice Hockey Player of the Year

Tim Mullin just finished his 21st season as head coach of the Ridge High School Ice Hockey team. Throughout that time, he has seen an abundance of players lace their skates wearing the Red Devils green and white uniforms.

According to Mullin, no player in his more than two decades as a head coach has been more talented than sophomore Marc DelGaizo.

“I don’t know what it is — it’s a gift; (DelGaizo) sees something that nobody else sees, he’s always a step ahead and always makes the right play," Mullin said. “He’s the best player I have ever seen. We’ve had some really good ones, but he’s only in the 10th grade."

DelGaizo, a 5-foot-9, 170-pound defenseman, had himself a phenomenal year in which he scored 26 goals and assisted on 23, earning him the second-most points on the team with 49 as Ridge finished the season with a record of 23-3-4 and won the Skyland Conference title.

The 16-year-old has already been named to the All-Public A First Team and All-State Second Team for the 2015-2016 season. Now he is being named the 2016 Courier News Ice Hockey Player of the Year.

“I think it’s great for the program and great for the school. it’s a great achievement for myself and an honor to win these awards,” DelGaizo said.

The defenseman’s team-first mentality, along with his unique talent as a dual threat offensively and defensively, led the Red Devils to their second Skyland Cup Championship in school history.

The Red Devils toppled Hunterdon Central 6-1 as DelGaizo scored two goals and assisted on two more.

“It was a typical Marc game. I wish it was the coaching, but it’s not,” said Mullin as he spoke of DelGaizo's performance in the championship game.

DelGaizo not only left an imprint in the game but in the tournament as well: He was named the tournament’s most valuable player.

The fierce defenseman has a future to look forward to with the ability to quarterback the offense and power-play. Although DelGaizo has already verbally committed to St. Lawrence University, he is not overlooking his opportunity to lead the Red Devils for the next two years.

“I want to win another Skyland Cup and definitely want to make states and make another run at winning a state title,” he said.

Ridge lost in the NJSIAA Public A semifinals to Morristown, 3-2, but DelGaizo, who does it all on the ice, is ready to add the leadership attribute to his repertoire.

“The seniors and upperclassmen did a great job setting the example for the younger guys so hopefully I can replicate that for the upcoming freshman and sophomores,” DelGaizo said.

If a high school is lucky, at least once every few years an athlete comes along who creates a buzz in the community. DelGaizo is that buzz, and the community came to see the spectacle.

"It was really fun watching him. The kids at Ridge caught on,” Mullin said. “The kids can see it, my sister can see it, and my sister comes to the game and says, ‘Wow, that number 14 is good.’ ”

ALL-SKYLAND CONFERENCE TEAM

First Team

Alec Caseiro, Bridgewater-Raritan
Vanney Charleson, Ridge
Marc DelGaizo, Ridge
David Ely, Hillsborough
Ryan Irving, Montgomery
Grant Martin, Hunterdon Central
Rob Tedesco, Watchung Hills
Chris Browne, Pingry

Second Team

Sam Ahern, Hunterdon Central
Griffin Connoly, Montgomery
Gary Prince, Ridge
Chad Simons, Watchung Hills
Sarik Vasani, Bridgewater-Raritan
Marty Paro, Hillsborough

Honorable Mention

Kieran Quinn, Bernards/Somerville
Alex Mead, Bridgewater-Raritan
Alex MacPhee, Hillsborough
Noah Dominick, Hunterdon Central 
Mike Hrudowski, Montgomery 
Max Cummings, Pingry 
Andrew Kleinert, Ridge
Ryan McHugh, Watchung Hills