Leading off today: The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association has placed the North Bergen football program on two years’ probation, ruling last week that legendary ex-coach Vin Ascolese recruited two players who were part of last season’s North 1, Group 4 championship team.
North Bergen will be able to keep the title earned with a 14-13 win over Montclair last December, but the NJSIAA can ban the school from future postseason competition over any violations during the probationary period. Neither Ascolese, who retired in January after 50 years at the school, nor the players, seniors Denzell Leitch and Eric McMullen, were penalized, NorthJersey.com reported.
The NJSIAA said Ascolese provided the two players apartments next to his home at bargain prices. Leitch was living by himself in apparent violation of the district’s residency policy. The report also said that “the athlete also received monetary benefits and encouragement to transfer to the school from coach Ascolese’s family, including his daughter, his son and his grandson.”
Under the terms of the probation, North Bergen must provide proof to the NJSIAA at the start of each season that each of its football players is eligible. “With the retirement of the coach and the restructuring of the whole staff, we will be working with the NJSIAA to ensure we are following their plans,” said Jerry Maietta, North Bergen athletic director.
Leitch was previously a receiver/defensive back for Xaverian of the CHSFL. It was reported that Ascolese approached Leitch’s father after the state final regarding back-rent he owed. A few days later Leitch was told he had to leave, The New York Post reported.
“For a coach to approach a kid and try to convince him to remove himself from his high school and attend a different school, he’s already unethical,” Xaverian coach Joe DeSiena told the paper. “So no, it doesn’t surprise me.”
Cipp denies intervening: Former Bellport football coach and district superintendent Joe Cipp Jr. told Newsday recently that an alleged grade-fixing scandal that led to his resignation in March has been "the worst four months in my life."
"It's going to be a while before I'm able to enjoy myself again," said Cipp, 63. "It's always weighing on me because my integrity was in question. I never asked anybody to change a grade and I've never changed a grade.''
Cipp, already retired as the football coach, resigned his administrative position after a preliminary report concluded he "created an atmosphere of pressure upon the administration" to ensure that then-player Ryan Sloan received an college scholarship. Sloan is a freshman defensive lineman at Syracuse University.
When reached by phone Friday by the paper, Sloan declined to comment.
Diamond development: Robert Sprague may not pitch again this season for Fort Ann, ranked seventh in the state last week in the New York State Sportswriters Association Class D ratings. That's a huge deal because The Post-Star reports Sprague is 29-1 in his career despite injuries the last two seasons.
However, he has been able to hold down his leadoff spot in the batting order.
